More than 60 years after it was recorded and nearly 62 years after the death of legendary entertainer Harpo Marx, a long-lost live performance has found an unexpected new audience.
According to Billboard's Chart Beat column, Harpo Speaks!: The Riverside Symphony Concert debuts at No. 6 on the Traditional Classical Albums chart and No. 25 on the Classical Albums chart dated June 20.
The album was recorded on March 20, 1964, during a benefit concert with the Riverside Symphony in Southern California. The performance would become one of the most remarkable moments of Marx's career. Best known as the silent member of the Marx Brothers, Harpo shocked the audience by speaking publicly, narrating Sergei Prokofiev'sPeter and the Wolf.
"Believe it or not, I'm going to talk!" Marx reportedly announced to the crowd, drawing gasps of surprise.
The recording is especially significant because it contains what is considered the only official recording of Harpo's speaking voice. Though millions knew him through films, television appearances, and stage performances, the comedian carefully protected the silent persona that made him famous.
The March 1964 appearance also proved historic for another reason. It marked Harpo's final public musical performance. He had suffered multiple heart attacks and was largely retired from public life. Just six months after the concert, he died at age 75 following complications from heart surgery.
For decades, the recording was believed lost.
The tapes resurfaced only recently after longtime Marx Brothers archivist John Tefteller discovered them in a mislabeled box while searching through recordings from another performance. Tefteller and Marx Brothers biographer Robert S. Bader then worked to restore the audio.
"The fact that we have a recording is a miracle," Bader said in a statement announcing the release. "The work that was done to rehabilitate it is stunning. It's as if you've found something covered with layers of mold and dirt, got it all cleaned off, and now are able to see something brand new underneath it."
Harpo's son, Bill Marx, also reflected on the release, saying, "To have this recording be released and let people hear it is an honor. Dad didn't really want people to know what he sounded like because it would have destroyed the character of Harpo that he created."
He added that the album allows listeners to appreciate more than just Harpo's famous comedy persona.
"I think, now, he would accept this graciously and gratefully because it goes beyond just seeing a guy being funny," Bill Marx said. "It goes to the heart of what life is about: Doing what you love and doing it the best you can."
Released on June 8 by Ramseur Records, Harpo Speaks!: The Riverside Symphony Concert features Harpo performing and guest conducting alongside the orchestra, including a rendition of Peter and the Wolf, a "Moon Medley" arranged by Bill Marx, and a rare instrumental performance of Harpo's own composition, "Guardian Angels."
More than six decades after the concert took place, the recording has accomplished something few could have imagined: turning a nearly forgotten piece of entertainment history into a brand-new Billboard chart success.
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