Lost Harpo Marx Recording From 1964 Debuts on Billboard Classical Charts
A 1964 recording of legendary comedian and musician Harpo Marx, titled "Harpo Speaks!: The Riverside Symphony Concert featuring Peter and the Wolf," has debuted on Billboard's classical charts. The album appeared at No. 6 on the Traditional Classical Albums chart and No. 25 on the Classical Albums chart. This performance, which featured Marx narrating "Peter and the Wolf," was his final public musical appearance and the first time he spoke publicly in 50 years.
Legendary comedian and musician Harpo Marx has posthumously entered Billboard's classical charts with a newly released 1964 recording. The album, titled "Harpo Speaks!: The Riverside Symphony Concert featuring Peter and the Wolf by Riverside Symphony and Marx," debuted at No. 6 on the Traditional Classical Albums chart and No. 25 on the Classical Albums chart. Both chart listings are dated June 20.
The recording, released by Ramseur Records/Thirty Tigers, captures a benefit concert held on March 20, 1964. During this performance, Marx narrated Sergei Prokofiev's children's tale, "Peter and the Wolf," in a fundraising effort for the Riverside Symphony's Southern California nonprofit.
Harpo Marx was widely known as the "silent member" of the iconic Marx Brothers comedy team, which included his brothers Chico, Groucho, and Zeppo. He taught himself to play the harp and also trained under classical harpist Mildred Dilling. The 1964 concert held significant importance as it marked the first documented instance in half a century that Marx spoke publicly. He was in semi-retirement at the time due to multiple heart attacks. This performance also became his final public musical appearance; he died six months later at the age of 75 from complications following heart surgery.
The recording itself was lost for decades but was recently discovered by longtime Marx Brothers archivist John Tefteller. Tefteller, along with Marx biographer Robert Bader, undertook the extensive project to restore the audio. Bader described the recording's existence as a "miracle" and praised the rehabilitation work. Harpo's son, Bill Marx, expressed his honor regarding the release, acknowledging that while his father had preferred to keep his speaking voice private to maintain his comedic persona, he believed his father would now graciously accept its public release.
(Source: Billboard)
