Several years ago a message to MMDigest asked the identity of the
melody heard in the 1950s and 60s radio and TV adverts for Hamm's
beer. See http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/KWIC/H/hamm_s.html
and http://mmd.foxtail.com/Sounds/hamms.html
I stumbled upon the answer yesterday while researching Herbert's
famous song, "Indian Summer". The 'Indian drums' melody of the Hamm's
beer jingle seems to be adapted from "Dagger Dance" by Victor Herbert,
performed in his grand opera, "Natoma", which premiered in 1911.
Piano arrangements of pieces from "Natoma" were published in 1911,
including "Four Dances" consisting of No. 1, Habanera; No. 2, Minuet;
No. 3, Panuelo; No. 4, Dagger Dance.
There is at least one piano roll performance of the song, on Duo-Art
69138: Indian Summer; Dagger Dance from "Natoma" / played by Robert
Armbruster (August 1925).
Images of the sheet music of "Dagger Dance" are available at the
web site of the Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection, at
http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/advancedsearch.html
A MIDI file of "Dagger Dance" and much useful information about
Victor Herbert is presented at http://www.pdmusic.org/herbert.html
A synopsis of "Natoma" is presented at http://www.jmucci.com/opera/natoma.htm
Robbie Rhodes
Etiwanda, California
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