Piano Player

[hmld]

:roll:
This account raises a fascinating - absolutely - matter of fact as to live music in pubs, mostly piano renditions, during the 1800s and perhaps (widespread) to WW II.
The Cockneys were famous for the sing along in the pub.
It appears that music, such as bands and choirs, played a minor role in community life in Birmingham. Most pubs were likely [?] equipped with an upright piano. Indeed many thousands of homes were appointed with an upright piano.
(There was a chap based, actually born and reared, in Birmingham who exported one million upright pianos to the US by c. 1976. These he got from the slum clearance operation. I cite this phenomenon as an index germane. I posted it on VB FORUM [RIP]. And it is something for Prf Dr Carl Chinn's crew to tackle.)
There were many music halls in the city, mostly inner (of course) and they were well patronized. The incredible brutalization of WW II, the intverning immiseration of the slump and depression to WW II effectively pulverized an immense breadth and depth of heritage in general.
The cabal during the 50s and 60s in government annihilated the bulk of what was left.

I think Rod Birch related one of his relatives made a living as a full time pub singer. That surely took a great deal of stamina! Surely he was not alone in Birmingham? Were there women such also? Maybe couples?
Obviously people worked terribly long arduous hours and were not as able as the affluent upper middle economic class to recreation.

I seldom recall emanation of singing or musical instrumentality during all the hundred of miles I've peregrinated in the city.

What happened? Or did much happen in the first place?

 

[sylviasayers]

When I was first old enough to go in pubs in the late 50s almost every pub had a piano and mostly the pianist played for his drinks or as Pom said a whip round. There were also "free and easies" and people, male and female would get up and sing, the customers would join in later with all the old pub songs such as "Nellie Dean", "Show me the way to go home" etc. The demise began with the slum clearance in the 1960's when whole communities were torn asunder. Then came Tv which kept people at home, then again more and more people had their own cars and went further afield, then came the breathalyser, which caused more pubs to go
into catering, later came the disco which stopped the sing song and indeed the ability to have a conversation due to the high volumes.

 

[Pomgolian]

Congrat's Silvia I think that you summed that up very nicely

 

[Rod]

Sylvia, would it surprise you to know that was still happening in the seventies. We used to end up most Fridays at the Beer Keller in brum city centre and sing along to an German style ompah band. Most of the songs they played were well before my time, the one you mention included. Most of the folk who sang along were teenagers!! Albeit Drunk :alcoholic:

I went along to a working mens club a week or so ago, and along with many others had a knees up and sing song to a brilliant band, who played a good mix of fairly modern stuff. I know this is perhaps a bit different to the old street pubs, but the atmosphere must be similar?

A modern phenomena is the Karaoke.........

I'm not sure the breathalyser is to blame, I guess it put a good few off, but rightly so!! Live music and song is alive and well, again I realise it's different to the local pub, but it's still fun, and gives a tremendous buzz.

 

[colinwilliams1]

I used to go to the beer kellewr on my rounds of the city pubs and sing like a good un.
"i was very drunk at the time"


But now we have the beloved Karaokee , so you can hear all terribel voices in Hi fidelity now .