Harry Horlick
Harry Horlick (born Gila Gorlik; July 20, 1896 – July 1970)[1][2] was an American violinist and bandleader best known for leading The A&P Gypsies, "the first commercially sponsored musical act on radio".[3]
Early years[edit]
Horlick was born in Konotop, Ukraine, according to his sworn naturalization and draft registrations,[4] while other sources list Kyiv[5] or Cherinkow, "a little hamlet just outside of Moscow, Russia".[6] His brother's lack of financial success[7] as concertmaster of the Imperial Opera Company of Tiflis[8] caused their father to oppose another son's being a professional musician. Undeterred, Horlick built a violin when was six years old and played during his father's absences. Eventually the brothers persuaded their father to let Horlick have formal training in music. He went on to graduate from a conservatory in Tiflis.[7]
Military service and melodies[edit]
During two years' service in the Russian army, Horlick's violin went unused; then he was captured by Bolshevik forces. They had him play first in a symphony orchestra and later in an opera company's orchestra. At some point he escaped and returned to Tiflis, then continued to Constantinople. That city contained refugees from various parts of Europe. As Horlick heard musicians from diverse backgrounds play in Constantinople's cafes, he collected tunes that he later featured during his American career.
On January 20, 1922, Horlick arrived in the United States[1] to reunite with his parents, who had moved before the war began.[7] The change was made possible with the help of the American Consul in Constantinople, who also enabled several of Horlick's musically inclined compatriots to accompany him.[9]
Horlick's interest in music with European roots continued. He went to France and Italy, where he spent time in exchanges with gypsy groups, hearing and learning their native music and, in turn, performing for them. Horlick later fashioned much of that music into scores for his orchestra's performances. People who desired to buy copies of most of those pieces were unable to do so because the works had not been published. Some of the compositions were never transcribed on paper; Horlick taught them to the orchestra members, who played them without benefit of printed music.[7]
As Horlick's career progressed, he incorporated music from South America. A 1928 vacation in Brazil and Argentina exposed him to native music from those countries, and he arranged exchanges whereby composers in South America each week sent him music that he introduced to audiences in the United States.[7]