Ian Whitcomb And The White Star Orchestra
Present:
Titanic: Music As Heard On The Fateful Voyage
1998 Grammy Award Winner!! .
Ian Whitcomb has created a stunning time-capsule and
genuine collectors item, a CD that boasts 24 tracks and 71 minutes of the
original music that would have been heard on board the Titanic on her fateful
voyage. Even more spectacular is the 35 page CD booklet included, with
beautiful pictures and graphics, as well as quotes and stories about the
original White Star Orchestra, famous for having continued to play on deck
until the very moment The Titanic surrendered to the North Atlantic Ocean.
On this page, we tell you more about the band, the surprising story of
what song was really played at the very end, as well as more about Ian
Whitcomb and the recreated White Star Orchestra.
On This Page: About Ian Whitcomb * The
Orchestra * The CD And The Music * Order
This site brought to you by the folks at :
Ian
Whitcomb - British Invader, Vaudevillian, Author
Ian Whitcomb, who has written several books on the history
of popular music, is an Englishman who first came to the United States
in 1965, when he scored the No. 5 song on Billboard with his British Invasion
hit, "You Turn Me On." His account of the British Invasion --
and his role in it -- is featured on the cover
story of the 1998 Jan edition of American Heritage magazine.
He has spent years researching and recording early 20th century popular
music. Whitcomb spent hours in the Southern California's Huntington Library,
scouting newspaper accounts of the Titanic sinking to prepare for this
CD.
Ian has authored many books including After The Ball
- Pop Music From Rags To Riches, Irving Berlin & Ragtime America, and
Rock Odyssey - A Chronicle Of The '60s. He has compiled four songbooks
with Mel Bay Publications as well as recorded and released several CDs
and Videos ranging from comedy music to ragtime and vaudeville. His articles
on popular culture appear in The Los Angeles Times, The Daily Telegraph,
and The London Magazine.
For more info on Ian Whitcomb, go to his website at www.picklehead.com/ian.html
On This Page: About Ian Whitcomb * The Orchestra * The CD And The Music * Order
The
White Star Orchestra.
Many brave things were done that night but none more brave
than by those few men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly
lower and lower in the sea...the music they played serving alike as their
own immortal requiem and their right to be recorded on the rulls of undying
fame.
Lawrence
Beesley, Titanic survivor
Pictured from top left: Fred Clark of Liverpool * Percy Taylor
of Clapham * G. Grins of Brixton * Wallace Hartley or
Dewsbury * Ted Brailey of Notting Hill * Jock Hume of Dumfries
* George Woodward of Headington, Oxon * not pictured: Roger Bricoux
It has always been the legend that the hymn "Nearer My God To Thee" was the last piece played by the White Star Orchestra as the Titanic slipped beneath the surface. Through much research, Ian Whitcomb has discovered that this was not an accurate historical fact. Much evidence from witnesses and from the orchestra's leader himself, Wallace Hartley, points to the fact that the Songe d'Automne by Archibald Joyce was the final number. (you can listen to a sample of this peice in the music section of this page).
Here are Hartley's own words prior to departing on the voyage: "I've always felt that when men are called to face death suddenly, music is far more effective in cheering them on than all the firearms in creation. Should an accident befall my ship, I know that every one of the men would stick with me and play until the waters engulfed us...lively music, of course. None of your hymns, although I dearly love them. My favorite is "Nearer My God To Thee,"--but I'm keeping that one reserved for my funeral."
For a more in depth article about the orchestra, read Russ Tarby's "Raggin The Waves", a well researched piece that first appeared in the Syracuse New Times on Feb 21, 1998
On This Page: About Ian Whitcomb * The Orchestra * The CD And The Music * Order
The CD: "Titanic: Music As Hear On The Fateful Voyage".
We can't show you all of the wonderful pictures and stories located within the 35 page booklet that comes with this CD, but we would like to share with you all the song titles and give you a chance to enjoy some snippets of the music.
Song titles: The White Star March * The Convergence Of The Twain (poem) * Glow-Worm * Mon Coeur S'Ouvre A Ta Voix * In The Shadows * Oh, You Beautiful Doll * Music Hall Waltz Medley * the Mosquito's Parade * The Merry Widow Waltz * Alexander's Ragtime Band * Somewhere A Voice Is Calling * Music Hall March Medley * Selections From The Musical Comedy The Arcadians * Shine On Harvest Moon * That Mesmerizing Mendelssohn Tune * Destiny * Waiting For The Robert E Lee * Salut d'Amour * Frankie And Johnny * Silver Heels * Lily Of Laguna * Moonstruck * Songe d'Automne
The New White Star Orchestra Is: Terry Glenny violin; Bobby Bruce violin; Marston Smith cello; David Pinto piano, organ, bass; Ian Whitcomb piano, accordian, ukulele, recitation; Fred Sokolow banjo, guitar, accordian.
Music Samples Coming Soon
On This Page: About Ian Whitcomb * The Orchestra * The CD And The Music * Order
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