My Pearl CD of Pauline Alpert performances, "Keyboard Wizards of
the Gershwin Era, Volume 1," offers some information that mostly
confirms what's been said and offers some possible avenues of inquiry.
Her birth year is given as 1905 in the header of the article by
collector Alex Hassan, who goes on in the article to say that she
never revealed her exact birth year. December 27 is given as a date,
however. She went to school near me here in Rochester, New York
(at Eastman, like my aunt).
The booklet mentions her rolls made for Melodee, Duo Art, Ampico, and
Welte (quoting Frank Milne as being "flabbergasted" by her virtuosity,
though no context is given for the single-word quote). She recorded
discs, like those on the CD. Outstanding! Her raggy version of
Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody #2 is what first caught my ear, over the
air. Speaking of air, she used to play on a piano on wires over the
audience. One snapped once.
Her published pieces are her theme, "Dream of a Doll", "Merry Minnow",
and "Piano Poker" (all included on the CD), as well as "Perils of
Pauline", "March of the Blues", "Ivory Tips", "Night of Romance", and
"Tut-Tut". I mention those because she's the most likely performer
of any of them, isn't she?
For what it's worth, an interview is mentioned in the June 1936 issue
of _Popular Songs_ Magazine. Sorry, I don't have that one on me!
Kip Williams
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