I have a QRS copy of "President Harding March" which I will be willing
to lend. The music isn't bad, but the words are so amateurish that it
is unintentionally hilarious, and become even more so when you realize
they are honoring a man who would be just about as bad a president as
we ever had.
The first time I heard this piece was on an Ampico roll played by
Herbert Clair, who was a real genius at making rolls that were real
music and not just noise. Alas, the roll is so torn up that I never
mended it. It was on cheap paper that is brittle and crumbling. It is
possible that that cheap S.O.B. Stoddard at Ampico cut back on quality
so he could afford that custom Rolls-Royce we read about. Anyhow, back
to the march: The QRS arrangement is extremely florid and hits more
notes than you could count. It isn't bad, but give me Herbert Clair
any day.
Randolph Herr
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