Felix Arndt

Felix Arndt (May 20, 1889 – October 16, 1918) was an American pianist and composer of popular music. His mother was the Countess Fevrier, related to Napoleon III. His father, Hugo Arndt, was Swiss-born. Educated in New York (his music teachers included Carl Lachmund), Arndt composed songs for the famous vaudeville team of Jack Norworth and Nora Bayes, and recorded over 3000 piano rolls for Duo-Art and QRS Records. He died in New York City from the "Spanish flu" influenza. Arndt is interred at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Tarrytown, NY. Arndt is best remembered for his 1915 composition "Nola," written as an engagement gift to his fiancée (and later wife), Nola Locke. It is sometimes considered to be the first example of the novelty piano or "novelty ragtime" genre, published by Sam Fox Publishing Company. It was the signature theme of the Vincent Lopez orchestra, and a top ten hit for Les Paul in 1950. A vocal recording by Billy Williams, featuring lyrics by Sunny Skylar, became a minor hit in 1959.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 20, 1889 (New York City), Died October 16, 1918 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1911 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, piano, celeste, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	B-11406	10-in.	12/20/1911	When Sunday rolls around	"That Girl" Quartet	Female vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-12237	10-in.	7/26/1912	Campin' on de old Suwanee	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-12238	10-in.	7/26/1912	Florida rag	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-12239	10-in.	7/26/1912	Persiflage	Fred Van Eps	Banjo solo, with piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-12300	10-in.	8/8/1912	The smiler	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-12301	10-in.	8/8/1912	Porto Rico	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-12302	10-in.	8/8/1912	Sumurun girl	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-12303	10-in.	8/8/1912	The merry-go-round	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-12304	10-in.	8/8/1912	The haunting rag	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14419	10-in.	2/5/1914	Thanks for the lobster	Fred Van Eps	Banjo solo, with piano, drum, and traps (take 1); with piano and drums (take 2)	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14420	10-in.	2/5/1914	Notoriety rag	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14493	10-in.	2/20/1914	Hacienda	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14494	10-in.	2/20/1914	Hesitation waltz	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14502	10-in.	2/20/1914	From soup to nuts	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14503	10-in.	2/20/1914	Humoresque rag	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	arranger, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14541	10-in.	3/6/1914	Desecration rag (A classic nightmare)	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	arranger, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14587	10-in.	3/19/1914	Too much ginger	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14588	10-in.	3/19/1914	The smiler rag medley	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-14589	10-in.	3/19/1914	Chinese picnic	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	C-15093	12-in.	9/4/1914	Old folks rag	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15093	10-in.	7/29/1914	Old folks rag	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15094	10-in.	7/29/1914	Too much trouble	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15141	10-in.	8/24/1914	Toots	Dr. Clarence J. Penney	Mandolin solo, with piano	composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15142	10-in.	8/24/1914	Le trousseau	Dr. Clarence J. Penney	Mandolin solo, with piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15143	10-in.	8/24/1914	Indianola patrol	Dr. Clarence J. Penney	Mandolin solo, with piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15144	10-in.	8/24/1914	Love in June	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15161	10-in.	8/31/1914	Go to it!	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	C-15162	12-in.	8/31/1914	Kakūda	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15163	10-in.	8/31/1914	Azalea waltz	Dr. Clarence J. Penney	Mandolin solo, with piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15375	10-in.	11/10/1914	Scotch songs	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15376	10-in.	11/10/1914	Home, sweet home	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15377	10-in.	11/10/1914	Entr'acte gavotte	Dr. Clarence J. Penney	Mandolin solo, with piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15432	10-in.	11/25/1914	Old folks at home	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15433	10-in.	11/25/1914	Old black Joe	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15434	10-in.	11/25/1914	When you and I were young, Maggie	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15435	10-in.	11/25/1914	Silver threads among the gold	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15439	10-in.	11/30/1914	Drink to me only with thine eyes	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15440	10-in.	11/30/1914	To a wild rose	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15441	10-in.	11/30/1914	My old Kentucky home	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15558	10-in.	12/31/1914	Nearer, my God, to Thee	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15559	10-in.	12/31/1914	Silent night, holy night	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15632	10-in.	1/27/1915	The original fox trot	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15633	10-in.	1/27/1915	I wonder what will William Tell	Van Eps Trio	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-15634	10-in.	1/27/1915	At an old trysting place	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-15635	10-in.	1/27/1915	Whispering hope	Felix Arndt	Celeste solo	instrumentalist, celeste
Victor	B-17399	10-in.	3/30/1916	Nola	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-17400	10-in.	3/30/1916	An operatic nightmare	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	arranger, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-19200	10-in.	2/19/1917	Marionette	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-19238	10-in.	3/5/1917	Humoresque	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-19290	10-in.	3/19/1917	Valse bleue	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-19706	10-in.	4/20/1917	Narcissus	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-29716	10-in.	3/20/1924	Nola	Roy Bargy	Piano solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	BVE-32486	10-in.	5/11/1925	Nola	Victor Salon Orchestra	Orchestra	composer
Victor	B-32486	10-in.	4/30/1925	Nola	Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Salon Orchestra	Orchestra	composer
Victor	BVE-35802	10-in.	7/12/1926	Nola	Frank E. Banta	Piano solo	composer
Victor	BVE-35803	10-in.	7/12/1926	An operatic nightmare	Frank E. Banta	Piano solo	arranger
Victor	BVE-37111	10-in.	12/8/1926	Nola	Carson Robison	Whistling solo, with piano (self-accompaniment)	composer
Victor	BVE-40597	10-in.	11/18/1927	Nola	The Revelers	Male vocal quartet, with piano	composer
Victor	BVE-49732	10-in.	2/22/1929	Marionette	Motion Picture Orchestra	Orchestra	composer
Victor	BS-07808	10-in.	4/15/1937	Nola	Tommy Dorsey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	PBS-042340	10-in.	1/8/1940	Nola (Theme song of Vincent Lopez)	Vincent Lopez ; Suave Swing Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	BS-066847	10-in.	7/16/1941	Nola	Leonard W. Joy ; Victor Salon Orchestra	Orchestra	composer
Victor	MBS-092788	10-in.	before 5/1/1951	Nola	Mariachi Vargas	Instrumental ensemble	composer
Victor	D7VB-1788	10-in.	10/22/1947	Nola	Three Suns	Instrumental trio	composer
Victor	PBS-Test-1368	10-in.	12/23/1934	Nola	Weyert Moor Ensemble	Instrumental ensemble	composer
Victor	[Trial 1912-07-26-01]	Not documented	7/26/1912	Rag	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	[Trial 1913-10-27-05]	Not documented	10/27/1913	[Piano solo]	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	[Trial 1913-10-27-06]	Not documented	10/27/1913	[Piano solo]	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	[Trial 1914-02-06-01]	Not documented	2/6/1914	Humoreske	Felix Arndt	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	[Trial 1914-02-06-02]	Not documented	2/6/1914	Chinese picnic	Felix Arndt ; Edward T. King ; Fred Van Eps	Instrumental trio	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	[Trial 1914-02-06-03]	Not documented	2/6/1914	The smiler rag	Felix Arndt ; Edward T. King ; Fred Van Eps	Banjo, piano, and traps	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	[Trial 1914-06-26-03]	Not documented	6/26/1914	Medley	Dr. Clarence J. Penney	Mandolin solo, with piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	[Trial 1916-05-05-03]	Not documented	5/5/1916	Somewhere a voice	A. Musgrove Robarts	Male vocal solo, with piano	instrumentalist, piano
Columbia	19572	10-in.	9/26/1911	Snow time	Columbia Quartette	Male vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	19594	10-in.	10/9/1911	When Sunday rolls around	Ada Jones ; Walter Van Brunt	Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	39574	10-in.	9/25/1914	Soup to nuts	Van Eps Banjo Orchestra	Banjo orchestra	composer
Columbia	W140610	10-in.	5/16/1925	Nola	Charles Bourne ; Phil Ellis	Piano duet	composer
Columbia	W140777	10-in.	7/21/1925	Nola	Walter Feldkamp ; Alan Moran	Piano duet	composer
Columbia	W141519	10-in.	1/19/1926	Nola	Hotel Hollenden Orchestra ; Carl Rupp	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	W143148	10-in.	11/24/1926	Nola	Carson Robison	Whistling solo, with piano	composer
Columbia	W148028	10-in.	3/7/1929	Nola	Paul Whiteman Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
OKeh	S-70555	10-in.	Mar. 1922	Nola	Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra ; Vincent Lopez	Jazz/dance band, with piano solo	composer
OKeh	W80207	10-in.	11/11/1926	Nola	Carson Robison	Whistling solo, with piano	composer
Brunswick	8149	10-in.	approximately May 1922	Nobody loves me now	Benny Krueger’s Orchestra ; Margaret Young	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	7700-7702	10-in.	approximately Mar. 1922	Nola	Carl Fenton’s Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	9977-9979	10-in.	2/23/1923	Nola	Fredric Fradkin	Violin solo, with piano	composer
Brunswick	10148-10150	10-in.	3/19/1923	Nola	Fredric Fradkin	Violin solo, with piano	composer
Brunswick	E27306	10-in.	4/9/1928	Nola	Fredric Fradkin	Violin solo, with piano	composer
Brunswick	E24455-E24457	10-in.	9/15/1927	Nola	Victor Arden ; Phil Ohman	Piano duet	composer
Brunswick	E25330-E25331	10-in.	11/29/1927	Nola	Victor Arden ; Phil Ohman	Piano duet	composer
Brunswick	C1862	10-in.	4/2/1928	Nola	Sid Williams	Piano solo	composer
Edison	3482	10-in.	between 12/21/1914 and 12/29/1914	Kakuda	Van Eps Banjo Orchestra	Banjo orchestra	composer
Edison	6211	10-in.	6/13/1918	Clover club	Imperial Marimba Band	Marimba band	composer
Edison	8386	10-in.	3/17/1922	Nola	Vincent Lopez Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Edison	11189	10-in.	9/10/1926	Nola	Ernie Anderson ; Jacob Louis Merkur	Banjo solo, with piano	composer
Edison	11190	10-in.	9/10/1926	Marionette	Ernie Anderson ; Jacob Louis Merkur	Banjo solo, with piano	composer
Edison	11466	10-in.	1/25/1927	Nola	Carson Robison	Whistling solo	composer
Edison	11828	10-in.	8/1/1927	Nola	Murray Kellner Dinner Music Ensemble	Instrumental ensemble	composer
Columbia (U.K.)	CA15885	10-in.	between June and October 1936	Nola	Walter Landauer ; Maryan Rawicz	Piano duet	composer
Columbia (U.K.)	WL429	10-in.	5/6/1927	Nola	Clément Doucet	Piano solo	composer

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Arndt, Felix," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103634.

Arndt, Felix. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103634.

"Arndt, Felix." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.