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Biographical Information
Date of Birth: 27 December 1900 or 1906 Birthplace: New York City, USA Date of Death: 6 April 1988 Occupation: Pianist, Composer, Piano roll and Disc phonograph Recording Artist |
Short biography by Artis Wodehouse: Though born in New York City, Pauline Alpert grew up in Rochester, New York as part of a musical family; her mother, Anna (Rosh) Alpert, was an opera singer. Following her graduation from East High School in Rochester, Alpert became a scholarship student in piano at the Eastman School of Music, studying briefly under Selim Palmgren. Alpert’s career as a performer was primarily focused on popular music venues, including radio, solo concerts, theater, recordings and nightclub work throughout the United States. She was billed as the “Whirlwind Pianist,” and noted for her technical facility. Alpert recorded for RCA Victor, Sonora, Pilot-Tone, and Rabson, in addition to motion picture shorts for Vitaphone and piano rolls for Mel-o-dee and Duo-Art. Her radio and television work for NBC and CBS included guest solo spots with Paul Whiteman, Rudy Vallee, and Fred Allen, as well as her own semi-weekly program for WOR radio in New York City. Alpert also composed novelty pieces for the piano (published by Mills Music Company).
All of Alpert’s performances — on piano roll, in her live sound recording and on film — demonstrate a deeply personalized, baroque virtuosity and the pellucid tone of the classically trained pianist. These desirable characteristics have caused collectors the world over to obtain and preserve her legacy materials.
All of Alpert’s performances — on piano roll, in her live sound recording and on film — demonstrate a deeply personalized, baroque virtuosity and the pellucid tone of the classically trained pianist. These desirable characteristics have caused collectors the world over to obtain and preserve her legacy materials.
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Additional Resources:
Keyboard Wizards of the Gershwin Era Vol 1 Pauline Alpert. Pearl GEMM9201 CD, © 1995. Artis Wodehouse producer, liner notes by Alex Hassan, © 1995. Pauline Alpert Scrapbooks. Two of Alpert’s scrapbooks were donated to Sibley Music Library by Artis Wodehouse on 4 August, 1995. Wodehouse received these scrapbooks from June Rogers, a childhood friend of Alpert’s in Rochester, who in turn received them from Marlene Benet, the wife of Pauline Alpert’s nephew, shortly after Alpert’s death. The collection contains two scrapbooks covering Pauline Alpert’s early life and performing career as a classical and popular pianist. They include newspaper clippings of announcements and reviews, as well as concert programs. https://www.esm.rochester.edu/sibley/specialcollections/findingaids/alpert/ |
