Charles Segal
A prolific South African pianist and composer, Charles Segal is recognized for his varied albums of children's music, jazz, and relaxing mood music. Emerging in the 1950s, he initially drew public attention with his popular English and Afrikaans music, as well as his work composing for the South African Broadcast Company. Along with many of his songs becoming standards in South Africa, Segal has garnered acclaim, including a 1973 South African Record Industry (SARI) award and a 2017 Guinness Book of World Records title as the Most Recorded Pianist in the world.
Born in 1929 in Joniškis, Lithuania, Segal was two years old when his Jewish family left the country to escape the Holocaust, settling in Cape Town, South Africa. Encouraged to study classical piano, Segal excelled, eventually graduating from the Trinity College of London with degrees in performance and teaching. As a performer, he first came to fame in 1952 when his composition "Miskien" (Afrikaans for "Perhaps") won a magazine songwriting competition. Buoyed by his success, he embarked on a lucrative performance and recording career, founding the Spin Record Company and established his own publication firm to promote his music. Along with releasing his own albums, he worked regularly for the South African Broadcast Company (SABC), performing on the radio and supplying the music for numerous productions, including "The Forsyte Saga," "Story of an African Farm," "The Saga of Prunella," and many others.
From 1969 to 1992, Segal's "Carousel" (co-written with Dorothy Arenson) was used as the theme song for the SABC's external service Radio RAS (Radio South Africa). Along the way, many of the pianist's songs gained popularity in South Africa, including recordings like "Africa," "Kwela, Kwela," "Die Ou Kalahari," "Sy Kom Van Kommetjie," "Kalkoenkie," and "Hy-Ba-Ba-Rie-Bab," among many others. He also garnered attention around the globe, composing songs for Arthur Prysock, Sheila Davis, and Ronnie Dove. In 1973, his song "My Children, My Wife" was named South African Song of the Year. As well as being a founding member of the Southern African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO) and the Drama and Literary Rights Organization (DALRO), he also started his highly regarded Charles Segal Music Schools in Pretoria and Cape Town.
Working with his wife, singer and actress Colleen Hay, Segal has composed a handful of musicals, including Magical Mystery Man, Rocky Road, Mystery Mansion, and Once Upon a Storyland. In the late '80s, the couple relocated to the United States, where they composed the musical Freedom! A Refusenik Story. Together, they have also published several music tutorial books. In 2018, they moved to Los Angeles, where Segal has remained active, performing at award shows such as the Oscars, Emmys, and the Kids Choice and Teen Choice Awards. In June 2017, Segal was awarded the Guinness Book of World Records title of the Most Recorded Pianist in the world, having recorded 11,721 tracks.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
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Sampling of Original Songs
Pop - Paru chez Charles Segal le 30 sept. 2010
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American Patriotic Songs
Classique - Paru chez Charles Segal le 25 mai 2021
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Sounds of the World's Great Pianos
Classique - Paru chez Charles Segal le 12 oct. 2020
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National Anthems
Musiques du monde - Paru chez Charles Segal le 9 juil. 2020
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The Entertainer
Variété internationale - Paru chez The Gallo Record Company Vault le 23 sept. 1974
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The Last Rose of Summer
Classique - Paru chez Charles Segal le 16 sept. 2020
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Popular Jewish Music
Musiques du monde - Paru chez Charles Segal le 17 sept. 2020
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Too Beautiful To Last
Pop - Paru chez Charles Segal le 1 nov. 1972
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Breathing In and Out
Classique - Paru chez Charles Segal le 28 juin 2021
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Relaxing in Cabo
Lounge - Paru chez Charles Segal le 16 sept. 2020
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Passion from Within
Classique - Paru chez Charles Segal le 6 janv. 2021
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Feeling On Top of the World
Jazz - Paru chez Charles Segal le 25 févr. 2022
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Echoes from the Hills
Musiques du monde - Paru chez Charles Segal le 22 nov. 2020
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Romantic Piano vol. 2
Classique - Paru chez Charles Segal le 6 mai 2020
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Mother's Melodies
Folk - Paru chez Charles Segal le 7 juil. 2020
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With Such Great Feeling
Lounge - Paru chez Charles Segal le 26 oct. 2020
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Feelings While Listening
Classique - Paru chez Charles Segal le 8 oct. 2020
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Coming from the Heart and Soul
Classique - Paru chez Charles Segal le 8 mars 2021
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Life is Sunshine
Lounge - Paru chez Charles Segal le 14 oct. 2020
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It's This Or That
Lounge - Paru chez Charles Segal le 8 déc. 2020
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Up in the Clouds
Lounge - Paru chez Charles Segal le 22 janv. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo