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Difference between revisions of "Paul Procopolis"
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| − | Hoax classical pianist by the Saga label, after it was acquired by Associated Recordings Company, on a number of releases in the early to mid-1960s. The label gathered disparate works by the same composer by various pianists and attributed the entire record to this single fictitious pianist. | + | Hoax classical pianist invented by the Saga record label, after it was acquired by Associated Recordings Company, on a number of releases in the early to mid-1960s. The label gathered disparate works by the same composer by various pianists and attributed the entire record to this single fictitious pianist to avoid royalties, fees, contracts, morals, ethics, etc. |
A number of Procopolis' tracks were by real pianist [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergio_Fiorentino Sergio Fiorentino]. | A number of Procopolis' tracks were by real pianist [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergio_Fiorentino Sergio Fiorentino]. | ||
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
| − | ...and so Paul Procopolis was born. I can't claim to have invented him, but I certainly helped his career. I'd noticed that EMI were putting a little text box containing biographical details of their artists on their sleeves, so I thought I'd do one on our Paul. Born in Athens in 1934, studied with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadia_Boulanger Nadia Boulanger] in Paris (well, didn't we all?) didn't tour much but lived and taught in Greece etc etc. | + | Marcel [Rodd, Managing Director of Saga Records] sometimes claimed he was not particularly interested in music, but he certainly was a great marketing man. 'Best Loved Gems of ....' was one of his favourite portmanteau titles, the idea being to round up a number of piano pieces, for example - bits of Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninov - culled from different tapes in our library made by various pianists transferred across to make a copy master. The resultant 'Best Loved Gems of Piano Music' was then supposed to be played by one pianist- and so Paul Procopolis was born. I can't claim to have invented him, but I certainly helped his career. I'd noticed that EMI were putting a little text box containing biographical details of their artists on their sleeves, so I thought I'd do one on our Paul. Born in Athens in 1934, studied with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadia_Boulanger Nadia Boulanger] in Paris (well, didn't we all?) didn't tour much but lived and taught in Greece etc etc. |
-Robin O'Connor, employee of Saga Records | -Robin O'Connor, employee of Saga Records | ||
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*[http://www.fortepianos.org/elumpe/SFDiscography.html#APPENDIX Pseudonymous reissues of Fiorentino's SAGA performances from the fifties] | *[http://www.fortepianos.org/elumpe/SFDiscography.html#APPENDIX Pseudonymous reissues of Fiorentino's SAGA performances from the fifties] | ||
*[https://www.discogs.com/artist/1273895-Paul-Procopolis Paul Procopolis releases on Discogs] | *[https://www.discogs.com/artist/1273895-Paul-Procopolis Paul Procopolis releases on Discogs] | ||
| + | *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Procopolis | ||
[[Category:1962|Procopolis, Paul]] | [[Category:1962|Procopolis, Paul]] | ||
[[Category:Hoaxes|Procopolis, Paul]] | [[Category:Hoaxes|Procopolis, Paul]] | ||
[[Category:Fictional classical pianists|Procopolis, Paul]] | [[Category:Fictional classical pianists|Procopolis, Paul]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Albums|Procopolis, Paul]] | ||
Latest revision as of 19:27, 16 January 2024
Hoax classical pianist invented by the Saga record label, after it was acquired by Associated Recordings Company, on a number of releases in the early to mid-1960s. The label gathered disparate works by the same composer by various pianists and attributed the entire record to this single fictitious pianist to avoid royalties, fees, contracts, morals, ethics, etc.
A number of Procopolis' tracks were by real pianist Sergio Fiorentino.
Marcel [Rodd, Managing Director of Saga Records] sometimes claimed he was not particularly interested in music, but he certainly was a great marketing man. 'Best Loved Gems of ....' was one of his favourite portmanteau titles, the idea being to round up a number of piano pieces, for example - bits of Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninov - culled from different tapes in our library made by various pianists transferred across to make a copy master. The resultant 'Best Loved Gems of Piano Music' was then supposed to be played by one pianist- and so Paul Procopolis was born. I can't claim to have invented him, but I certainly helped his career. I'd noticed that EMI were putting a little text box containing biographical details of their artists on their sleeves, so I thought I'd do one on our Paul. Born in Athens in 1934, studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris (well, didn't we all?) didn't tour much but lived and taught in Greece etc etc.
-Robin O'Connor, employee of Saga Records
Discography
- Chopin Waltzes, 1962, Fidelity label.
- Beethoven- Piano Concerto No.3 In C Minor (Opus 37), 1963, Fidelity/Associated Recordings Company label. (playing with the fictional Leipzig Pro Arte Symphony Orchestra)
- The Worlds Best-loved Piano Music, 1963, Fidelity/Associated Recordings Company label.
- Chopin Preludes, 1963, Fidelity label.
