Edward Travis, marathon piano player 1909 - 1911

Edward Travis Marathon piano player

The Otago Witness of the 10th August 1904 tells of a social in connection with the Church of England in Cromwell. Mr Edward Travis supplied the pianoforte music along with another person.

There is an article, which is a little hard to read in the 23rd July 1908 edition of the West Coast Times about Montgomery Pictures and Entertainers. Mr Edward Travis is one of the entertainers.

The Pahiatua Herlad of the 9th August 1909 tells of Mr Edward Travis, is a member of the All Star Vaudeville Company. The company had just toured the whole of the Commonwealth, Thursday Island, China, Japan and Singapore. There are a range of acts including singing, boxing and dancing.

On the 7th December 1909 the Ashburton Guardian states that ‘Mr Edward Travis, R.A.M., succeeded on Saturday night (in Westport) in regaining the championship of the world in endurance piano playing, beating the record recently put up by J.S. Stirton, of Westport, by three minutes, the new record being 60 hours 20 minutes. Travis played with a good deal of vigour to the end, one of the pieces played just on time being “The Storm”. There was a large gathering of the public, and much enthusiasm was shown when Travis passed Stirton’s record’. This event took place at the Victoria Theatre in Westport.

Evening Star Greymouth 20th December 1909

In the Grey River Argus on the 15th December 1909 it notes that Travis, the world’s champion record pianist had arrived by the Arahura accompanied by his manager and his trainer. It states that he intended to beat his own record of 60 hours and 20 minutes that he had established in Westport recently playing 1718 different pieces of music. The attempt would take place at the Greymouth Town Hall on December 20th, 21st and 22nd of December. In later copies of the Grey River Argus it writes that also present will be a comedian, a boxing champion, a singer and a vaudeville programme will be presented. He also played for a picture show which included the Melbourne Cup of 1909 and the Aviation Week in Paris.

On the 26th January 1910 the Grey River Argus informs their readers that ‘Mr Edward Travis is prepared to play Mr J, Stirton to a finish on the piano, commencing Thursday morning next. Travis states that he needs no training. If they come to terms, which is £50 a side, they are sure to draw packed houses’.

In the New Zealand Truth on the 5th March 1910 it informs their readers that ‘Travis shortly leaves for San Francisco where he will play the American champion what he calls “to a finish”. Travis departs these musical shores on April 11. We don’t know whether wellington wants any more of these feats. We had one a couple of years ago, and Charlie Parnell lasted long enough to convince the average piano pounder that he or she, with his or short and sharp stunts of a musical evening weren’t in it’.

The Grey River Argus on the 14th March 1910 informs their readers about Goldsmidth, the American “endurance pianist” had accepted the challenge for he and Travis to play “to a finish” in San Francisco. ‘Incidentally, Mr Tavis mentions that his condition is impecunious, and suggests that, perhaps there are those in Wellington who could assist him in reaching the goal of his ambition’.

In the Colonist of the 23rd March 1910 it announces that Travis had arrived in Nelson so he could prepare for his attempt on the world piano playing endurance record. It states that Travis is a pupil of the late M. Auguste Weigand, the late organist of the Sydney Town Hall.

The Colonist of 1st April 1910 has an article about Edward Travis. The previous day Travis had commenced his playing in the hope of breaking the record for continuous playing. The hall where he was playing was open, and viewers paid 6 pence of higher to watch and listen to him play. The article states that apart from being an endurance musician, Travis was also a fine musician playing every item ‘in a highly artistic manner, with power and feeling’. Also there were pictures accompanying his performance.

In the Colonist on the 2nd April 1910 it states that marathon playing ‘has become quite a craze and a Kentucky medical student had recently created the American record by playing continuously for 36 hours 34 minutes. It was stated that at the conclusion of the performance the pianist’s fingers were black and blue, and that his arms had swelled to twice their natural size. When Mr Travis had equalled this “record” a representative of this paper examined his fingers and arms, and there was in indication that Mr Travis had been playing for such a length of time’. Travis had played over one thousand tunes, and all of these had been played by memory with the exception of the ones that visitors had brought for him to play. The programme of pictures presented were “The Goddess of the Sea”. “Picturesque Zanzibar” and the “preparation and exportation of milk”. Another part of the show was Travis playing “The Storm” Mons. Wienand’s composition which occupied twenty minutes of performance. Messers Aydon (tambo) and Hindley (bones) gave a duet.

And, lastly in the Colonist on the 4th April there is an announcement concerning the world record for continuous playing. The hall was full, and the playing ceased at 10:45pm. Travis had begun playing the previous Thursday at 9:00am and had finished on Saturday, making it 61.75 hours. He had played a range of music including selections from various operas, classical numbers and popular music of all kinds, in total about two thousand tunes. During the time that Travis played he accompanied six picture exhibitions and also provided the music for a dance on the Friday evening. The tambo and bones players were dubbed as “the world’s champions tambo and bones”. The only visible signs of Travis’ endurance playing was the fact that his arms were slightly puffed. At the conclusion of the playing the local J.P. referred to previous records of continuous piano playing. Cecil Healy of Melbourne had played for 36 hours, Percy Freeman of Sydney had played for 51 hours (although this was not allowed to stand), Charles Parnell in Auckland had played for 52 hours, then James Sturton (sic) played for 60.25 hours, then Edward Travis had played at Greymouth for 60.5 hours. Travis had broken his own record by playing for 61.75 hours. Travis intended to travel to America where he hoped to meet the record holder, Mr George Grossmith. Both men would start playing at the same time and would continue until one or the other had stopped. Travis had a trainer who massaged Travis at various intervals. Travis was fed on soup, fruit and ‘other sustaining foods’.

In the Dominion on the 29th July 1910 it informs their readers that ‘Edward Travis R.A.M. a young musician who recently toured the Dominion with a travelling company, tonight completed 63 hours’ continuous piano playing in the Town Hall, and claims thereby to have broken the world’s record. There was a large crowd of people to witness the conclusion of the feat’.

The Wairarapa Times of 30th July 1910 writes ‘Mr Edward Travis, who recently established a world’s record for continuous piano playing, provided the incidental music to the pictures in a most finished manner. During the evening, Mr C. A. Pownall, on behalf of several Mastertonians, presented Travis with a token of the appreciation of his wonderful feat, the present being the form of a gold model piano, suitably inscribed’.

The Manawatu Times dated the 15th August 1910 informs their readers that Travis would be attempting another world record at the Lyceum Skating Rink. Travis had recently played for 63 hours at Masterton.

On the 22nd August 1910 the New Zealand Times tells that Travis had broken Miss Devereaux’s (of Christchurch) record for endurance piano playing. The record was 64 hours and Travis broke it by 35 minutes. In the final two hours the audience joined in popular songs.

The Fielding Star on the 1st September 1910 states that ‘punctually at 5 o’clock this morning Mr Edward Travis, R.A.M. started, at the Drill Hall, on a piano playing record. He is attempting to beat his own record of 63 hours and some odd minutes, his intention to play for 64 hours’.

The following day the Feilding Star remarked that Travis was going well and that he was in the Parish Hall where he and the piano had been moved. He was going to play at a dance at the hall and then after that, he was to be transferred back to the Drill Hall, ‘not for a moment losing touch of the keys’. Another person in Wanganui had also started a marathon of piano playing hoping to break the record.

On the 19th September 1910 the New Zealand Herald, under a heading “Piano Slaying More Misspent Energy” in Napier wrote that Travis had broken the world record for endurance piano playing, playing for a total of 75 hours. The previous world’s record was that of 74 hours 12 minutes by Sterton, of Wanganui.

The Patea Mail of the 21st September 1910 tells how Travis broke the world record for endurance playing the previous Saturday evening. The heading is “Misdirected Energy” and the article ends with ‘the sight of a wood pile and an axe would probably drive these piano thumping cranks into convulsions’.

Next in the Hastings Standard of the 7th October 1910 it states the Travis is attempting to break the world record again. He was playing on average, 25 tunes per hour. The following day he and the piano were to be transported to the Princess Theatre with Travis playing whilst the piano was moved.

Another attempt is written about in the Poverty Bay Hearld of the 27th October 1910. He started at the showgrounds before being transferred to Chilton’s Hall. He was shaved whilst playing and also had a bath. The present endurance record was 76 hours 45 minutes set by Mr Copley of Wanganui. It tells of how the piano was transported on a low cart. When the piano was carried out of the tent and onto the cart Mr Travis walked along, still playing. Once he was seated and the cart moved off, people cheered.

The Poverty Bay Herald of the 28th October 1910 states that after leaving Gisborne Travis was to go to America ‘where he had engagements to fulfil’. A cornet player Captain Ted. Hunter ‘has promised to help things along’.

A later edition of the same paper tells how at 1:00am in the morning Travis was ‘almost overcome with the need of sleep’. People helped him along by skating and singing. His goal was of 83 hours of continuous playing. This he did achieve. It informs their readers that there was a collection in the room on behalf of Mrs Travis who hardly left her husband during the whole of the time, and a substantial sum was subscribed. Travis accepted a piano playing challenge for £25 aside from Mr A. Lupton with the contest taking place in Wanganui. After this contest was completed Travis intended to go to America to compete with several well-known pianists including Hans Goldsmidt.

The Northern Advocate of the 15th December 1910 tells of another piano endurance marathon by Travis at the Theatre Royal. He was to be shaved at 9:00pm.

The Wanganui Herald of 24th January 1911 states that in Wairoa ‘Edward Travis completed a world’s record of 84.5 hours’ continuous piano-playing here on Saturday night’.

Next in the New Zealand Herald on the 27th March 1911 ‘Edward Travis succeeded in breaking the world’s piano playing record. He played continuously for 85 hours and 20 minutes. A feature of the performance was that on Friday the player and the instrument were carried on a van and conveyed to Kopuru, nine miles distant. During this transport, the player’s hands never left the piano’.

On the 15th May 1911 the Evening Star states that ‘Edward Travis completed 86 hours and 20 minutes of continuous piano-playing at the Federal Hall on Saturday night. He did twenty minutes over the original programmed to excel Stirton’s performance at Invercargill’.

The King Country Chronicle of the 3rd June 1911 writes of another attempt to break the world record at the Town Hall in Te Kuiti. Both hands in motion had to remain on the keyboard at all times.

The New Zealand Herald on the 12th June 1911 states that ‘Edward Travis commenced a piano playing record at 8:38am on Wednesday in Te Kuiti, and finished tonight at 11:50pm, after playing for 86 hours 25 minutes. On May 13, in Auckland, Travis played for 86 hours 20 minutes’.

www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

Piano & Theory Lessons