From 1904, a comedy sketch by Len Spencer,
Clancy's Prize Waltz Contest.
Clancy's Prize Waltz Contest
Company
Edison's National Phonograph Company
Cylinder #
8604
Category
Comic sketch
Title
Clancy's Prize Waltz Contest
Performed by
Len Spencer
Circa
February 1904
Announcement
"Clancy's Prize Waltz Contest, by Len Spencer. Edison record."
A giant of the early sound recording industry, Len Spencer
began his recording career with the Columbia Phonograph Company in its early
years in Washington, DC.
Although recording mainly for Columbia through the 1890's,
he also recorded about 100 selections for Edison and dozens more for other companies.
Spencer was very popular in the recording studio, and with the public,
because of his great versatility.
Although best known for his comic, vaudeville and minstrel recordings,
he also had a fine baritone voice with immaculate diction recording a great variety of
recitations as well as songs.
In Edison's (January 1904 issue of Edison Phonograph Monthly)
bulletin to his dealers, Clancy's Prize Waltz Contest was described as follows:
No. 8604, "Clancy's Prize Waltz Contest", is a tale of a Bowery dance hall by Len Spencer.
It introduces typical Bowery characters and orchestra music.
Clancy offers a De Barrios diamond ring for the best lady dancer and
a meerschaum cigarette holder for the best "gent" dancer,
and it is announced that Clancy's only interest in the dance is the sale of the "booze".
The dance begins to the music of "My Little Coney Isle",
when word comes up from below that the bar is doing "nottin'".
The orchestra is instructed to play that "t'irsty" music, "de Wurzburger".
The prizes are awarded to the lady with the red hat, the green veil,
and the pink shirtwaist, and to the "gent" with the derby hat and the linen duster.
One of Mr. Spencer's best Records.
