Music in the Ritz

J

John Pulos

Guest
Mrs. Walter Douglas remembered music by Puccini and Tchaikowsky played in the a la carte restaurant on April 14, by the "stringed Orchestra." Am I correct in assuming that this was not The White Star Orchestra of Hartley, Hume, Krins, Woodward, Bricoux, Taylor, Brailey, and Clark. If they are not the ones, then who did play the music, and where might they be listed??? My annual Titanic dinner (Titanic III) will feature the cuisine of the "Ritz" restaurant this year - and I have purchased the "proper music" for the evening.
 
Actually there was two musical ensembles on the Titanic. George Krins, Roger Bricoux and Theodore Brailey played just near the í  la carte restaurant, in the B-deck reception. Mrs Walter Douglas, when she described the music, was certainly talking of them. The others remaining: Hartley, Hume, Woodward, Taylor and Clark, were entertaining passengers in the D-deck dining saloon. At the end of the evening, the two ensembles would joined eachother to played in the large reception room for a last concert. Many passengers recalled that the music on the last evening was particularly delightful and gay: Mrs Candee, the Countess of Rothes, the Newell sisters, Miss Eustis, Mrs Stephenson, the Thayers, etc. Hope this helps...

Charles
 
Perfect, thanks. I have so much literature, but do not remember reading that. If the guest decended the aft first class staircase - would they have directly entered the B-Deck reception - and since it seems that the Cafe Parisien was the only other "room" in the area - was the B-Deck reception just for those two restaurants. I am looking at the drawing in Lynch's Titanic - and Illustrated History.
Thanks,
John Pulos
 
Yes, the B-deck staircase landing was directly opened in the restaurant reception room. When a passenger had just finished his dinner in the restaurant, he had the choice to take his after-dinner coffe in the Café Parisian, or in the adjoining reception. But the reception was not just conceived for the restaurant guests. In her account, Mrs Harris recalled playing cards in this room with her husband and several other gentlemen. Also, this place was very popular for the afternoon tea. Sincerely,

Charles
 
... so the music played by the strings in the reception room could be heard in the restaurant itself??? - do you think that the 3 played during most of the dinner hour before joining the others???
Thanks again,
JP
 
Some passengers said that the trio moved in the corridor between the restaurant and the reception room and played there during dinner. If it was not the case, certainly they could have been heard from the reception room too. Just as the quintet down in the dining saloon, the trio was required to play during all the dinner hour. Then, they took a pause and joined Wallace Hartley and the others in the D-deck reception for the final concert. Sincerely,

Charles
 
Charles,
I have spent from January - April for the last three years researching the Titanic and the local people that were on her. I have acquired many of the "required reading books" but have much more to read. My recent converstions with William Hull Botsford's 99 year old sister have been incredibly enlightening - but, can I ask, where do you find info like "some passengers said that the trio moved in the corridor between the restaurant and the reception room..." and such things as how the orchester was split-up? ... and why do we thurst for such information???
Thanks for your time.
JP
 
Concerning the orchestra information, check the page Phil Hind created for ET. All the informations you need on the musicians of the Titanic are put together. I learned the split-up info on this page.

The second way to obtain helpful infos is the American Inquiry Transcripts. Mrs Lucian P. Smith wrote in her affidavit to the court that she dined in the restaurant and described the room and the guests very well. So did Mrs Walter Douglas, Daisy Minahan etc.

The third way to find accounts is to read those published by passengers in newspaper, magazines, books... Col. Gracie wrote an excellent novel about his experiences; Mrs Harris published her story in 1932 in the Liberty Magazine, Lady Duff Gordon wrote her personnal memoirs “Discretions & Indiscretions”, in which three lenght chapters are devoted to the Titanic; May Futrelle described how she escaped the liner in the Boston Post; Edith Russell is known to have wrote an excellent account (I didn't have the chance to read it yet) and several other passengers.

I will try to dig up for you who quoted that the orchestra was in the corridor between the two rooms. Best regards,

Charles
 
John -
As to "why do we thurst for such information?" I think the search for facts and understanding about Titanic becomes fasinating, in itself. You may want to check out "Titanica: phantasy, addiction or what?" and address something to that conversation.
Joe Shomi
 
Charles,
Thanks so much. I must confess that I have been reading Philip's site for three years - and Have Not checked his info about the band - stupid me.
I have read Gracie's book, as well as Lawrence Beesley (so well written) account. I have also read some senate transcripts as they relate to the passengers that I have researched i.e. Norman Chambers (did you know that he shared a lifeboat (no.5) with Karl Behr and they had spent 2 years together at the Lawrenceville Prep School - and neither knew it until they read their accounts in the 1912 Lawrenceville Alumni Bulletin.) I did ask Hull Botsfords sister if she tried to contact any survivors - such as Beesley - she said no.
Have also ordered pink roses and daisies for our tables - as Mrs. Douglas remembered.
Thanks again for your very educated time.
JP
 

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