Mike Bernard (musician)
Encyclopedia
Mike Bernard was an American
musician
who influenced the development of ragtime-era music.
A musical child prodigy born in New York City
, he studied at the Berlin Conservatory in Germany and once played before the Kaiser. At age nineteen, back in New York, he heard Ben Harney
(the self-proclaimed "inventor of ragtime
") perform, and decided to compete against him. He soon became known as one of the best ragtime performers in the country, billing himself as the "Rag Time King of the World." A white musician with little exposure to the African-American roots of ragtime, he pioneered a style of music that appealed to the public but is often derided by purists as "pseudo-ragtime."
His style, flashy and fast, influenced the white ragtime composers of Tin Pan Alley
but was often looked down upon by the admirers of the "genuine ragtime" that issued from African-American communities. Artists considered part of the "Mike Bernard school" include Pete Wendling
, Lee S. Roberts
, Max Kortlander, Frank Banta, Victor Arden
, Phil Ohman
, Zez Confrey
, Charley Straight
, and Roy Bargy
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who influenced the development of ragtime-era music.
A musical child prodigy born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, he studied at the Berlin Conservatory in Germany and once played before the Kaiser. At age nineteen, back in New York, he heard Ben Harney
Ben Harney
Benjamin Robertson "Ben" Harney was a United States of America songwriter, entertainer, and pioneer of ragtime music. His 1895 composition "You've Been a Good Old Wagon but You Done Broke Down" is regarded as one of the first published ragtime songs...
(the self-proclaimed "inventor of ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
") perform, and decided to compete against him. He soon became known as one of the best ragtime performers in the country, billing himself as the "Rag Time King of the World." A white musician with little exposure to the African-American roots of ragtime, he pioneered a style of music that appealed to the public but is often derided by purists as "pseudo-ragtime."
His style, flashy and fast, influenced the white ragtime composers of Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
but was often looked down upon by the admirers of the "genuine ragtime" that issued from African-American communities. Artists considered part of the "Mike Bernard school" include Pete Wendling
Pete Wendling
Pete Wendling , an American composer and pianist, was born in New York City to German immigrants.He started his working life as a carpenter, but gained fame during the mid 1910s as a popular music composer - producing such hits as Yaaka Hula Hickey Dula, Take Me To The Land Of Jazz, Take Your...
, Lee S. Roberts
Lee S. Roberts
Leland Stanford Roberts , commonly known as Lee S. Roberts, was an American composer and pianist.He is best known for his composition 'Smiles', written in 1917, but was a prolific composer across many genres of music....
, Max Kortlander, Frank Banta, Victor Arden
Victor Arden
Victor Arden was the stage name for an American pianist named Lewis John Fuiks who was best known as the piano duo partner of and co-orchestra leader with Phil Ohman from 1922 to 1932....
, Phil Ohman
Phil Ohman
Phil Ohman was an American film composer and pianist.Fillmore Wellington Ohman was born in New Britain, Connecticut in 1896. He is remembered as being one half of one of the pre-eminent piano duos in the 1922-1932, paired with Victor Arden...
, Zez Confrey
Zez Confrey
Edward Elzear "Zez" Confrey was an American composer and performer of piano music. His most noted works were "Kitten on the Keys," and "Dizzy Fingers."-Life and career:...
, Charley Straight
Charley Straight
Charles Theodore Straight , better known as Charley Straight, was an American pianist, bandleader and composer. He started his career in 1909 accompanying singer Gene Greene in Vaudeville. In 1916 he began working at the Imperial Piano Roll Company in Chicago were he recorded dozens of piano rolls...
, and Roy Bargy
Roy Bargy
Roy Fredrick Bargy was an American composer and pianist.Born in Newaygo, Michigan, he grew up in Toledo, Ohio, where he was exposed to the music of pianists Johnny Walters and Luckey Roberts. In 1919 he began working with Charley Straight at the Imperial Piano Roll Company in Chicago, performing,...
.