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 (Results 51-75 of 100 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
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

(Results 51-75 of 100 records)

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.