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George Hamilton Green

George Hamilton Green Jr. (May 23, 1893 – September 11, 1970) was a xylophonist, composer, and cartoonist born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born into a musical family, both his grandfather and his father being composers, arrangers, and conductors for bands in Omaha. His father was the conductor of an army band and growing up in his house, he had access to many musical instruments. From age four G.H. Green showed a prodigious talent as a pianist; he then took up the xylophone and by the age of eleven was being promoted as the “world’s greatest xylophonist” and was playing for crowds of 7,000-10,000. In 1915, when Green was 22 years old, a review in the United States Musician stated: "He has begun where every other xylophone player left off. His touch, his attack, his technique, and his powers of interpretation in the rendition of his solos being far different than other performers. To say his work is marvelous and wonderful would not fully express it." George Hamilton Green wrote several pieces for solo ragtime xylophone with accompaniment, as well as a xylophone method book which continues to be used by percussion pedagogues across the country. Some of his compositions for xylophone include: "Ragtime Robin", "Cross Corners", "Charleston Capers", "Rainbow Ripples", "Log Cabin Blues", "The Whistler", "Chromatic Fox Trot", and "Jovial Jasper" for piano and xylophone because of his experience on both instruments.

He was a popular recording artist starting in 1916 with the Edison Company and was employed, along with his two brothers, Joe and Lew Green, as the original sound music crew for Walt Disney's first three cartoons.

According to Nathaniel Shilkret, Green was not only a "wonderful xylophone artist," but an inventor. Shilkret said that Green designed the vibraharp at Shilkret's request.

Green was an important ragtime composer and authored many pieces that remain standards for the instrument even today. He retired from performing in the late 1940s to pursue a successful career in cartooning. Green would die in 1970, just a few years before a revival in the popularity of his ragtime xylophone music, and before his induction into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1983 The rebirth of his music was led by members of the NEXUS Percussion Ensemble in the late 1970s. Through their efforts, G.H. Green's xylophone music has been preserved and remains a relevant part of contemporary percussion pedagogy and performance.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 23, 1893 (Omaha), Died 1970

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1934

Roles Represented in DAHR: xylophone, composer, vibraphone, marimba, arranger, celeste, leader, percussion, bells, lyricist, songwriter, drums

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

Recordings (Results 76-100 of 355 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-27264 10-in. 12/27/1922 Marruecos Max Dolin Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor B-27384 10-in. 1/16/1923 Fair Rosmarin George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor B-27385 10-in. 1/16/1923 Liebesfreud George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor B-28307 10-in. 7/23/1923 Marchéta Green-Arden Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor B-28308 10-in. 7/23/1923 Love (My heart is calling for you) Green-Arden Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor B-28531 10-in. 9/5/1923 Steal a little kiss while dancing Green-Arden Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor B-28532 10-in. 9/5/1923 Roll along Missouri Green-Arden Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor B-28971 10-in. 11/20/1923 Sop tim bom Green-Arden Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor B-32483 10-in. 4/29/1925 Beautiful gown Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor B-32484 10-in. 4/29/1925 Hawaiian love Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor BVE-33869 10-in. 11/13/1925 Sweet blue bird (Take my love a message) Green Brothers Marimba Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with whistling instrumentalist, marimba  
Victor BVE-33870 10-in. 11/13/1925 Honeymoon waltz Green Brothers Marimba Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, marimba  
Victor BVE-33961 10-in. 12/3/1925 Rainbow ripples George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with piano composer, instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor BVE-33962 10-in. 12/3/1925 Triplets George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with piano composer, instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor BVE-34185 10-in. 12/30/1925 La chapinia Green Brothers Marimba Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor BVE-34186 10-in. 12/30/1925 O Katharina! Green Brothers Marimba Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor BVE-34387 10-in. 2/2/1926 Sweet Hawaiian dreams Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra Instrumental ensemble (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor BVE-34388 10-in. 2/2/1926 Hawaiian sunset Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra Instrumental ensemble (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor BVE-38161 10-in. 3/11/1927 Spanish waltz in A minor George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with piano composer, instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor BVE-38162 10-in. 3/11/1927 Rain George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with piano composer, instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor BVE-39664 10-in. 7/15/1927 Caprice in C minor George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with piano composer, instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor MVE-49705 16-in. 1/31/1929 Wrong again Motion Picture Orchestra Motion picture soundtrack : Orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Victor PBVE-50864 10-in. 4/27/1929 If I had my way Herman Kenin Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BVE-51927 10-in. 4/26/1929 The lonesome road Willard Robison ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, marimba  
Victor BVE-51928 10-in. 4/26/1929 Blue Hawaii Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra ; Don Howard Instrumental ensemble (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, marimba  
(Results 76-100 of 355 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Green, George Hamilton," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

Green, George Hamilton. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

"Green, George Hamilton." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861

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