The Xylophone Rags of George Hamilton Green
(excerpted from Eyles)
Facts about George Hamilton Green, Jr.
- born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 23, 1893
- piano prodigy at the age of four
- came from a very musical background
- recorded his first solo record in February 1917
- recorded hundreds of records
- played in band with brother Joe
- part of original crew for the first three Walt Disney carttons
- second career was as commercial artist, illustrator, and cartoonist
- indoctrinated into the Percussive Arts Society's Hall of Fame
- course of fifty lessons for xylophone still popular today
Some of his many famous rags
- Arabian Minute Dance
- Caprice Valsnat
- Caprice Viennois
- Chromatic Foxtrot
- Charleston Capers
- Cross Corners
- Dill Pickles
- Dotty Dimples
- Fluffy Ruffles
- Frivolity
- Hummingbird
- Log Cabin Blues
- Ragtime Robin
- Rain
- Rainbow Ripples
- Stop-Time
- Triplets
- The Whistler
- Jovial Jasper
- Spanish Waltz
- Valse Brilliante
(excerpted from Eyles)
Discography
Nexus Ragtime Concert
Bob Becker, xylophone soloist
"Nexus" marimba accompaniment
Umbrella Special Limited Edition
Nimbus 9 Productions Limited, Toronto Canada
Recorded 1977
Nola
Dave Mancini, xylophone soloist
"Eastman Marimba Band" accompaniment
Mercury Golden Imports SRI
Catalog number 75108
Recorded July 24, 1976
Masters of the Xylophone
XMC 001
Xylophonia Music Co.
1993
Mallet specifications for playing Green's works
- approx. 13 inch shaft, 1 inch ball
- handles should be fairly stiff
- ball should not be too hard
- no wood or extremely hard rubber mallets
- good balance to mallets
Characterisitcs of the music (in general)
- the written music and recorded versions by Green differ because Green would often times improvise new lines on the recordings
- the music can be highly chromatic, however it still outlines the chord changes
- the music tends to have a trio section with a key change
- jazz syncopations are created by double stops creating emphasisor ties
- the pieces tend have intros and many times Green would improvise tags to pieces on the recordings
- the theme is made more difficult and virtuosic through the use of variations
- grace note figures leading to strong beats are prominent