{{Short description|American pianist (1905–1988)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Pauline Alpert | image = Pauline Alpert (1905–1988).png | alt = | caption = In the ''Duo-Art Music Bulletin'', June 1928 | birth_name = Pauline Edeth Alpert | birth_date = {{Birth date|1905|12|27}} | birth_place = Rochester, New York, US | death_date = {{Death date and age|1988|4|6|1905|12|27}} | death_place = New York City, US | burial_place = | occupation = Pianist | awards = | spouse = {{Marriage|Sidney Rooff|1940}} | children = | education = | signature = | party = }} '''Pauline Edeth Alpert Rooff''' (December 27, 1905 – April 6, 1988) was a pianist who performed, composed, recorded, and produced Duo-Art piano rolls in the United States. Known by her fans as the "Whirlwind Pianist",<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Pauline Alpert Collection – Sibley Music Library |url=https://www.esm.rochester.edu/sibley/specialcollections/findingaids/alpert/ |access-date=2024-06-11 |language=en-US}}</ref> she performed in several films and made recordings with a few record labels. She did radio shows in New York City and toured.<ref name=rag>{{Cite web|url=http://ragpiano.com/comps/palpert.shtml|title=Pauline Edeth Alpert Rooff|website=RagPiano.com}}</ref>
==Career== She made numerous Victor Records recordings.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Alpert, Pauline - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/110197/Alpert_Pauline |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024413/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/110197/Alpert_Pauline |archive-date=15 November 2021 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=| RSA |url=https://rsa.fau.edu/album/13137 |website=rsa.fau.edu}}</ref> She recorded the album ''Sparkling Piano Melodies'' on Sonora Records. She sometimes recorded under the pseudonym Peggy Anderson.<ref name="rag" /> She produced more than 500 piano rolls for the Duo-Art.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Mize |first=J. T. H. |url=https://archive.org/details/internationalwho0000drjt/page/20 |title=International Who's Who in Music |publisher=International Biographical Centre |year=1951 |edition=5th |pages=20}}</ref> She toured across the United States, Canada, and South America. She played in the White House three times, performing for Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Wilkes |first=Galen |date=May 1988 |title=Pauline Alpert Remembered |url=https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:kf505sy8748/25-04.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611085430/https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:kf505sy8748/25-04.pdf |archive-date=June 11, 2024 |access-date=June 11, 2024 |work=The AMICA News Bulletin |pages=139–141}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=1897-10-16 |title=Now At State |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-centralia-enterprise-and-tribune-now/88988713/ |access-date=2024-06-11 |work=The Centralia Enterprise and Tribune |pages=10}}</ref>
She performed during the intermission of the Broadway show ''Rufus LeMaire's Affairs'' in 1927.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pauline Alpert – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/pauline-alpert-98961 |website=www.ibdb.com}}</ref> She featured in two Vitaphone Varieties short film episodes dated March 1927. This included ''What Price Piano,''<ref>{{webarchive|title=What Price Piano (1927)|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115025951/http://sweetsoundtrack.com/Movies/what-price-piano-1927|website=Sweet Soundtrack|archive-date=15 November 2021}}</ref> a collection of popular songs.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=201hAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22What+Price+Piano%22+Pauline+alpert&pg=PA10&article_id=4677,1488032 |title=St. Joseph News-Press |publisher=St. Joseph News-Press |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zr4hAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22What+Price+Piano%22+Pauline+alpert&pg=PA13&article_id=3428,4621292 |title=Reading Eagle |publisher=Reading Eagle |language=en}}</ref> She later performed in 1935 in the Vitaphone Varieties short film ''Katz' Pajamas'' with Fifi D'Orsay, directed by Joseph Henabery''.''<ref name="rag" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pauline Alpert {{!}} Actress, Soundtrack |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3573452/ |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
The collection ''Pauline Alpert's folio of modern piano songs'' includes her compositions:
*"Night of Romance" (1927) *"Perils of Pauline" (1927) *"Dream of a Doll" (1934) *"March of the Blues" (1935) *"Piano Poker" (1935) *"The Merry Minnow" (1935) *"Ivory Tips" (1937)<ref>{{Cite book|title=Pauline Alpert's folio of modern piano songs.|date=November 15, 2021| oclc=39792230 }}</ref>
Her later compositions include ''A Million Stars Just Can't Be Wrong'' (1937), ''Mindin' the Baby'' (1938), ''A Happy New Year to Love'' (1938)'','' and ''Tut Tut'' (1944)''.''<ref name="rag" />
She performed for NBC and CBS, including in guest solo spots with Paul Whiteman, Rudy Vallée, and Fred Allen.<ref name=":0" /> She had her own semi-weekly program for the WOR Radio Network in New York City.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
A recording of her playing ''Doll Dance'' is on the 1981 album ''Ragtime Piano Novelties of the 20's''.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://folkways.si.edu/pauline-alpert/doll-dance/jazz-ragtime/music/track/smithsonian | title=Doll Dance | Smithsonian Folkways Recordings }}</ref>
==Discography== Pauline's known discography is listed below.<ref name="rag" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/1996/01/04/1020268/pts-historic-recordings|title=Pt's Historic Recordings| website=NPR.org }}</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible " !Year !Title !Composer !Matrix number |- |1926 |Valencia<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix [Trial 1926-12-14-01]. Valencia / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/900000065/Trial_1926-12-14-01-Valencia |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024424/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/900000065/Trial_1926-12-14-01-Valencia |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |José Padilla |Victor Trial 12-14-01 |- |1926 |When You and I Were Young, Maggie<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix [Trial 1926-12-14-02]. When you and I were young, Maggie / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800007067/Trial_1926-12-14-02-When_you_and_I_were_young_Maggie |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024423/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800007067/Trial_1926-12-14-02-When_you_and_I_were_young_Maggie |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |George W. Johnson, James Austin Butterfield |Victor Trial 12-14-02 |- |1927 |Tonight You Belong to Me<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BVE-37525. To-night you belong to me / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800011782/BVE-37525-To-night_you_belong_to_me |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024424/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800011782/BVE-37525-To-night_you_belong_to_me |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |Lee David |Victor BVE-37525 |- |1927 |The Little White House (At the End of Honeymoon Lane)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BVE-37526. The little white house (At the end of Honeymoon Lane) / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800011783/BVE-37526-The_little_white_house_At_the_end_of_Honeymoon_Lane |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024416/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800011783/BVE-37526-The_little_white_house_At_the_end_of_Honeymoon_Lane |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |James F. Hanley |Victor BVE-37526 |- |1927 |Night of Romance<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BVE-[Unnumbered 1927-06-03-01]. Night of romance / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/1000015060/BVE-Unnumbered_1927-06-03-01-Night_of_romance |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024429/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/1000015060/BVE-Unnumbered_1927-06-03-01-Night_of_romance |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |Pauline Alpert |Victor BVE-06-03-01 |- |1927 |Perils of Pauline<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BVE-[Unnumbered 1927-06-03-02]. Perils of Pauline / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/1000015080/BVE-Unnumbered_1927-06-03-02-Perils_of_Pauline |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024422/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/1000015080/BVE-Unnumbered_1927-06-03-02-Perils_of_Pauline |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |Pauline Alpert |Victor BVE-06-03-02 |- |1927 |Hallelujah<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BVE-38858. Hallelujah / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800013119/BVE-38858-Hallelujah |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024420/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800013119/BVE-38858-Hallelujah |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |Vincent Youmans |Victor BVE-38858 |- |1927 |Magnolia (Mix the lot - what have you got?)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BVE-38859. Magnolia (Mix the lot, what have you got?) / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800013120/BVE-38859-Magnolia_Mix_the_lot_what_have_you_got |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024420/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800013120/BVE-38859-Magnolia_Mix_the_lot_what_have_you_got |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |Ray Henderson |Victor BVE-38859 |- |1927 |Dancing Tambourine<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BVE-40541. Dancing tambourine / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800014772/BVE-40541-Dancing_tambourine |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024422/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800014772/BVE-40541-Dancing_tambourine |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |William Conrad Polla |Victor BVE-40541 |- |1927 |Doll Dance<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BVE-40542. Doll dance / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800014773/BVE-40542-Doll_dance |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024420/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800014773/BVE-40542-Doll_dance |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |Nacio Herb Brown |Victor BVE-40542 |- |1932 |Saint Louis Blues<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BRC-72210. St. Louis blues / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800038016/BRC-72210-St._Louis_blues |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024431/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800038016/BRC-72210-St._Louis_blues |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |W. C. Handy |Victor BRC-72210 |- |1932 |Song of India<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Victor matrix BRC-72211. Song of India / Pauline Alpert - Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800038017/BRC-72211-Song_of_India |access-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115024424/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/800038017/BRC-72211-Song_of_India |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> |Rimsky-Korsakov |Victor BRC-72211 |- |1944 |Where or When<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Sonora Records 78rpm numerical listing discography |url=https://www.78discography.com/Sonora.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=www.78discography.com}}</ref> |Rodgers and Hart |Sonora SR1516 |- |1944 |Dream of a Doll<ref name=":5" /> |Pauline Alpert |Sonora SR1517 |- |1944 |The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers<ref name=":5" /> |Ballard MacDonald, Leon Jessel |Sonora SR1518 |- |1944 |Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2<ref name=":5" /> |Franz Liszt |Sonora SR1519 |- |1944 |Toy Trumpet<ref name=":5" /> |Raymond Scott |Sonora SR1520 |- |1944 |Chopsticks<ref name=":5" /> |Euphemia Allen |Sonora SR1521 |- |1944 |Sweet Sue<ref name=":5" /> |Victor Young |Sonora SR1522 |- |1944 |In a Country Garden<ref name=":5" /> |Percy Grainger |Sonora SR1523 |- |1944 |The Donkey Serenade, The Very Thought of You, The Piccolino |Allan Jones; Ray Noble; Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire |Muzak 61-081 |- |1946 |Minuet |Ignacy Jan Paderewski |Pilotone 5033 |- |1946 |March Militaire |Franz Schubert |Pilotone 5034 |- |1946 |Humoresque |Antonín Dvořák |Pilotone 5035 |- |1946 |Blue Danube Waltz |Johann Strauss II |Pilotone 5036 |- |1946 |La Cinquantaine |Jean Gabriel-Marie |Pilotone 5037 |- |1946 |Song of India |Rimsky-Korsakov |Pilotone 5038 |- |1946 |Dancing Doll |Ede Poldini |Pilotone 5039 |- |1946 |The Minute Waltz |Frédéric Chopin |Pilotone 5040 |- |1955 |Piano Moods<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pauline Alpert – Piano Moods |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1295085-Pauline-Alpert-Piano-Moods |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616070529/https://www.discogs.com/master/1295085-Pauline-Alpert-Piano-Moods |archive-date=16 June 2024 |access-date=16 June 2024 |website=discogs}}</ref> | |Waldorf Music Hall MH 33-115 |- |1955 |Piano Moods<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pauline Alpert – Piano Moods |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/11206357-Pauline-Alpert-Piano-Moods |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616070800/https://www.discogs.com/release/11206357-Pauline-Alpert-Piano-Moods |archive-date=16 June 2024 |access-date=16 June 2024 |website=discogs}}</ref> | |Sparton 33-4919 |}
==Personal life== Pauline was born in Rochester, New York on December 27, 1905, and spent her childhood there.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=JournalNewsObit>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-news-pauline-rooff/166426872/ |title=Pauline Rooff |newspaper=The Journal-News |publication-place=White Plains, New York |page=16 |date=1988-04-14 |access-date=2025-02-22 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Her father was Samuel Alpert, a Russian immigrant and painter, and her mother was Anna Rosk, a native New Yorker and skilled musician.<ref name="rag" /><ref name=":1" /> To support her family's poor finances, as an 11 year old, she would give piano lessons for 25 cents.<ref name=":1" /> She won a four year scholarship to the Eastman School of Music and received training as a classical pianist,<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1927-11-27 |title=Article clipped from Detroit Free Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/56661454/ |access-date=2024-06-11 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |pages=56}}</ref> where her primary instructor was Selim Palmgren.<ref name=":3" />
Pauline married Sidney Rooff in 1940. They had no children.<ref name=":1" />
She died at St. Barnabas Hospital in The Bronx on April 6, 1988.<ref name=JournalNewsObit/>
==Legacy== Pauline's work is included in the 2014 book by Peter Mintun compiling popular piano roll and novelty song artists from the 1920s and 1930s, ''Novelty Masterpieces of the Gershwin Era: The Music of Zez Confrey, Pauline Alpert and Rube Bloom''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mintun |first=Peter |title=Novelty Masterpieces of the Gershwin Era: The Music of Zez Confrey, Pauline Alpert and Rube Bloom |publisher=Dover Publications |year=2014 |isbn=978-0486490922 |publication-date=November 19, 2014}}</ref>
==See also== *Novelty piano
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|3573452}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alpert, Pauline}} Category:20th-century American pianists Category:1905 births Category:1988 deaths