Chico Marx piano awesomeness

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as in...

Are there any transcriptions of the pieces he plays in the Marx Bros. movies? Is there anyone out there who could transcribe them for me? In fact, is there anyone who knows what these pieces are in the first place?

Especially the one in Night at the Opera, where he's playing for all the children on the cruise ship - it's one of the funniest and most joyful pieces i've ever heard. I'd really like to get a copy of it; I tried transcribing it once and by the time I got halfway through, I gave up.

― lemin (lemin), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 18:47 (twenty-two years ago)

God, the Marx Brothers were incredibly brilliant. Harpo, too. I wonder if Groucho played any instruments.

― Tim Ellison, Tuesday, 22 June 2004 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Groucho played guitar, he serenades a woman in a boat (gondola?) in I think Horse Feathers

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Even any mp3's would be awesome too... any existing records of Marx bros music that don't involve me having to fast forward on VHS (don't know whether any of em are out on DVD yet) would just be amazing to get a hold of

― lemin (lemin), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Trikont's put some Marx stuff on some comps of theirs, the Novelty Songs one has "I'm Against It" for example.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Harpo in Hi Fi/Harpo at Work is still in print, as are the soundtracks for The Cocoanuts and Monkey Business.

Marx Brothers Sing & Play seems to capture most of the key tracks.

I agree that that scene from A Night at the Opera is incredible, but it's really Harpo who was the family's true musical genius (although Chico's more of a showman).

― JC-L (JC-L), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:11 (twenty-two years ago)

You might get some leads to transcriptions here:

http://www.whyaduck.com/sounds/midi.htm

Why a Duck? is probably the best Marx Bros. site out there.

― JC-L (JC-L), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, i can't disagree that Harpo is the best. However, for a pianist, watching Chico work that crowd of kids... that piece is crazy hard to try to replicate too. That guy had some skill

― lemin (lemin), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Definitely -- not only is it an impressive show, but I find his interactions with the kids moving. It's this moment (maybe unique in their work) where Chico's character lets down his guard and silliness and has a very fun and genuine exchange going on.

― JC-L (JC-L), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Chico's piano-playing is alarming.
I think one of the truest signs (to myself) that I was becoming more sophisticated was when I stopped fast forwarding through Harpo's numbers.
FYI: there's a pretty decently priced Marx Bros DVD set that has all their Warner-owned movies out. Night at the Opera and Day at the Races are the only two great ones in the set, but even lesser films like The Big Store and At the Circus have their moments of brilliance (like Groucho singing Lydia the Tattooed Lady in the latter).

― Huk-El (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Just got the set for my birthday and it's great. Haven't gone through all the bonus features yet (and there are still two films I've never seen), but the inclusion of the era's cartoons and shorts is a great bonus. The sound on the collection is far improved over the VHS releases.

Alarming how?

― JC-L (JC-L), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Alarming like my eyes bug out in amazement whenever I see him do that plinky-plunk thing where he sort of dangles his finger or lets his hand go dead and plays it like his hand's a paintbrush.

― Huk-El (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah. I'm not much of a piano player anyway, but I can't even come close to emulating that. I love seeing how much *fun* he has doing that stuff.

― JC-L (JC-L), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 19:54 (twenty-two years ago)

six years pass...

so yeah Youtube has happened since 2004 and pretty much all these scenes are online! Chico does the same glissando/one finger/etc tricks in every one, but who cares! look at his hands!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yT0iCRO838

^
still my favorite

― HPSCHD, Friday, 4 March 2011 10:29 (fifteen years ago)

yeah obv. that was not the youtube i meant to c/p. this one instead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkCiRSDPIzk

― HPSCHD, Friday, 4 March 2011 10:32 (fifteen years ago)

although, what the hell, look at glenn gould's hands too

― HPSCHD, Friday, 4 March 2011 10:32 (fifteen years ago)

oh man.

― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Friday, 4 March 2011 11:16 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg6Y9McJSlE

― Ari (whenuweremine), Friday, 4 March 2011 16:37 (fifteen years ago)

where is Harpo plays his harp thread

― You hurt me deeply. You hurt me deeply in my heart. (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 4 March 2011 16:44 (fifteen years ago)

Gouldo, the forgotten marx brother

― diebro (buzza), Friday, 4 March 2011 17:56 (fifteen years ago)

Really would hardly miss these scenes if they were cut.

32 Short Films About Chico Marx

― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 4 March 2011 18:43 (fifteen years ago)

I'm with Groucho: "There's no reason you folks shouldn't go out into the lobby till this thing blows over."

― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 4 March 2011 18:45 (fifteen years ago)

yeah, the music scenes don't ever really help the flow of the films. but, c'mon, dude is so clearly MAGIC

also i'd love to hear Chico's take on the WTC

― HPSCHD, Friday, 4 March 2011 18:59 (fifteen years ago)

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