FELIX ARNDT

Born: May 20, 1889, New York, N.Y. Died: Oct. 16, 1918, Harmon-On-Hudson, N.Y. Felix Arndt’s mother was the Countess Fevrier, related to Napoleon III. Felix was educated in New York City schools. Arndt started out as a self-taught pianist and later studied with some of the best teachers in New York. As a young man, he wrote special material for several years for a number of Vaudeville troupers including Bayes & Norworth as well as Gus Edwards. Arndt was a charter member of ASCAP, the performing rights society, and organist of New York’s famed Trinity Church. Within a three-year period as staff musician for the Duo-Art reproducing piano company, he produced an astounding total of 3000 piano roll recordings. Many of these paper recordings still survive today. Arndt’s biggest hit was written as an engagement piece, ten months before his wedding to Nola Locke. (She was also a composer, singer, and teacher who read more...