Titanic Piano

It has been said that Titanic’s five-piece band and trio had separate libraries of music. There has always been confusion as to what “separate libraries” could mean. Did this mean the bands played from two different lists of music (different titles)? And if so, how could they have performed together on the night of the sinking? This will…… Continue reading Did Titanic’s bands share sheet music?

It has been said that the musicians on board Titanic memorized and played by heart a large body of musical numbers listed in the White Star Line music repertoire book. How true is this? Ensemble Musicians Read Music Since the advent of three-chord popular music, chord charts and the recording industry, audiences have become accustomed…… Continue reading Did Titanic’s band play music by memory?

In my last post I described the advent of palm court performances. A small ensemble performed out of the audience’s sight, behind potted palm plants, to provide background music in a social or restaurant setting. The music was part of the scenery, not the focal point of the outing. The public had the freedom to…… Continue reading Did Titanic have ‘palm court’ performances?

The Titanic sailed in the Edwardian era before World War I, when British high society made its distinctive mark on culture. It was a golden age when people aspired to put their best foot forward, sit tall, dress appropriately for every occasion and perfect their best manners over tea. Set up for afternoon tea, Ritz…… Continue reading Titanic: What is a ‘palm court’ musician?

Hello, fellow Titanic researcher! I share your keen interest in the grand liner. It is Titanic’s music that interests me most. I’ve been researching Titanic music for several years now. My research began online and extended into a growing pile of books dedicated to the subject. At first I absorbed everything I read at face…… Continue reading Rebekah Maxner Titanic Researcher