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The Waldorf–Astoria Orchestra was an orchestra playing mainly at the Waldorf Astoria New York. In addition to providing dinner music at the famous hotel of the same name, made over 300 recordings〔Rust, Brian, ''The American Dance Band Discography 1917—1942, Volume 1'', Arlington House, New York, 1975, pp. 374--378, 399--402, and 974—981. ISBN 0870002481〕 and many radio broadcasts. It was established in the 1890s, and was directed by Joseph Knecht at least from the period 1908 to 1925, later by Jack Denny and others, and then Xavier Cugat from approximately 1933 to 1949. Denny and the Waldorf–Astoria Orchestra appeared in the movie ''Moonlight and Pretzels'' in 1933.〔("Xavier Cugat: The King of the Rhumba" )〕〔(Dismuke: Jack Denny )〕〔(IMDb: Moonlight and Pretzels )〕 Both Denny and Cugat had their own orchestras when they began playing at the Waldorf–Astoria, so the term "Waldorf–Astoria orchestras" might be an appropriate description. ==History== The Waldorf–Astoria hotel was originally built as two separate adjacent hotels, the Waldorf in 1893 and the Astoria in 1897. Both were on the land that is now occupied by the Empire State Building, and the two hotels were connected after construction of the second one. The hotel had its current site on Park Avenue built in 1931. In addition to the normal function of a hotel to house its guests and provide them with amenities, the Waldorf–Astoria had an extensive program of social activities, to include concerts by top artists and an orchestra to provide music for its dinner guests. An 1898 New York Times article mentions that the Waldorf–Astoria Orchestra played at the Astoria,〔"Well Known Artists Contribute to Life's Fresh Air Fund", ''New York Times'', June 21, 1898, p. 7〕 and a 1901 New York Times Article mentions "Prof. Clappe, leader of the Waldorf–Astoria Orchestra, and the other fifteen performers."〔''New York Times'', December 4, 1901, p. 1.〕 In his autobiography, Nathaniel Shilkret, a member of the orchestra in its early days, provides information about the Orchestra and anecdotal stories about several of its members.〔Shilkret, Nathaniel, ed. Shell, Niel and Barbara Shilkret, ''Nathaniel Shilkret: Sixty Years in the Music Business'', Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland, 2005, pp. 26–32. ISBN 0-8108-5128-8〕〔Shilkret, Nathaniel, Barbara Shilkret, and Niel Shell, ''Feast or Famine: Sixty Years in the Music Business'', archival edition of Shilkret autobiography, 2001, pp. 36–45 and 364–365 (copies deposited in the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, The City College of New York Archival Library, The New York Philharmonic Archives, The Victor Archives (SONY)).〕 Shilkret says he was a member of the Orchestra while attending the City College of New York. A search of the college's files shows Shilkret attended classes in the Fall 1904 semester and is listed as an alumni, Class of ex'1910.〔 This information establishes Knecht as director prior to 1910. Shilkret described the hotel as "almost a conservatory, rather than a hotel engagement. ... There were thirty-five men engaged steadily for the dining rooms. In the Rose Room, Caruso records were played, with our group following the music of the record." Shilkret said that there were nightly concerts from 9 pm to 10 pm, with the Orchestra enlarged to fifty on Sundays, and chamber music from 11 pm to 1 am, with Joseph Knecht as director. Music historian Howard Pollack says, "This hotel orchestra, comprising a highly trained group of mostly Italian and Jewish musicians, regularly gave serious concerts, including one that () Gershwin attended on April 13, 1913, at which () Hambitzer performed the first movement of Anton Rubinstein's ''Piano Concerto in D Minor.''〔Pollack, Howard, ''George Gershwin: His Life and Work'', University of California Press, Berkeley, 2006, p. 26. ISBN 978-0-520-24864-9 (Pollack quotes Shilkret as saying that Hambitzer was "one of the greatest pianists I ever heard. I would say he was a genius.")〕 Pollack says Hambitzer came to New York no later than 1908 and began playing in the string section (Hambitzer played many instruments) of the Waldorf–Astoria Orchestra. A 1919 ''New York Times'' article〔"Concerts of the Week", ''The New York Times'', May 11, 1919, p. 51.〕 states that, "Joseph Knecht led an 'all-American' program recently by the Waldorf Orchestra, whose twenty-five men have played together for twenty years," but does not indicate whether or not the orchestra played for the Waldorf–Astoria for its entire twenty-year existence. Two New York Times articles note the beginning and ending of the Waldorf–Astoria Orchestra's thirteenth season of Sunday concerts,〔"Various Music Events", ''New York Times'', November 24, 1924, p. X7.〕〔(author cited ), ''Various Music Events '', New York Times, April 12, 1925, p. X7.〕 which would imply that the Sunday concert feature of the Orchestra began in 1912. ''New York Times'' articles from 1926〔"Other Features Scheduled for the Radio This Week", ''New York Times'', January 3, 1926, p. XX12.〕〔''New York Times'', July 7, 1926.〕 refer to "Knecht's Silvertone Dance Orchestra" and "Knecht's orchestra," without any reference to the Waldorf–Astoria, from which it seems that Knecht's association with the Waldorf–Astoria ended in 1925. A New York Times obituary〔(author cited ), The New York Times, June 1, 1931.〕 says that Knecht died on May 30, 1931. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Waldorf–Astoria Orchestra」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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