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1901© Music by Porter Steele and Walter Melrose
Porter Steele *
†
Walter Melrose *
†
Armand
Picou is perhaps best known for
originating the clarinet part on the standard "High Society". Some have
mistakenly stated that he wrote the number, which was actually a
1901 marching band composition by Porter Steele. Picou rearranged it
giving it a gentle swing and paraphrased the piccolo part
to create his famous clarinet solo. This became a local standard part, and no
younger New Orleans clarinetist was considered proficient until he could
duplicate Picou's part. Unusually in a music that values
improvisation it became a set piece; commonly later clarinetists would
solo once through reproducing or sticking close to Picou's solo, and then do
their own improvisations on a second solo.i1
Picou´s clarinet solo on "High Society"
was first devised while with the Tuxedo Brass Band and
was possibly based a bit on a George
Baquet idea.i2
Now for "High Society" (based on early research by Jean C Averty
and Thornton Hagert in 'Record
Research' Nov 1973).
The version we all know was copyrighted (as a march & two step) in April
1901 by Porter Steele. The score does not contain the celebrated clt
solo. However, a later 1901 orchestration written by
Robert Recker (violinist leader of the NYC Variety
Theatre Orch) originates the piccolo trio part which
Alphonse Picou turned into his now famous clt 'test' piece.
Two other "High Society" copyrights by Lucie Wyatt (Jan 1906) and Tom
Lemonier- Clarence M Jones (Nov 1914) are not the Porter Steele
composition. Jo [sic] Oliver and Lil Harding [sic]
copyrighted "High Society" in Aug 1923, but the
manuscript does not score the clt solo, which is on the King
Oliver Creole Jazz Band record (22 June 1923). They had probably assumed
that the tune was in the Public Domain because it had never been
recorded.
They were obviously unaware that the "Arthur Pryor" band had recorded it in
1911. [I think Mr Hagert may have meant Prince's Band. I have been unable
to find a 1911 Pryor Band version.]
Although a lawyer, Porter Steele did not renew his copyright of "High
Society" when it expired in 1929 and it passed into the Public Domain.
"High Society" (by A J Piron) was copyrighted by Clarence Williams in May
1929. This is the Porter Steele composition.
"High Society" by Porter Steele and Walter Melrose (with 32 bar new melody
strains A and B by Walter Melrose) was copyrighted by the Melrose
brothers in Dec 1931.
Clarence Williams and A J Piron copyrighted an arrangement of the 'trio'
part with words, of "High Society" in Aug 1933.
In 1933 trumpet player Zilmer Randolph copyrighted his arrangement of the
Louis Armstrong Orch 26 Jan 1933 recording of "High Society".
Notwithstanding the above, "High Society" is now in the Public Domain and
is listed as such on the Public Domain Music web site
which explains: "Music and lyrics written by an American
author and published in 1922 or earlier are in the Public
Domain in the United States. No one can claim ownership of
a song in the public domain, therefore public domain songs may be used by
everyone. PD songs may be used for profit-making without paying any
royalties. If you create a new version or derivative of a public domain
song, you can copyright your version and no one can use it without your
permission. However, the song remains in the public domain, and anyone
else can also make and copyright their own version of the
same PD song."i3
Lyrics:
.
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