AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ferrante & Teicher

Artist:Ferrante & Teicher

Song:Exodus

Album:All Time Great Movie Themes

The twin grand pianos of Ferrante & Teicher were a staple of the easy listening charts for three decades. Occasionally they would cross over to pop. Their 1960 recording of the theme from the film Exodus was their biggest hit. Arthur Ferrante was born Sept. 7, 1921 in New York City. Louis Teicher was born Aug. 24, 1924 in Wilkes Barre, PA. They met while attending Juilliard in New York and they performed as a duo while attending school. After graduating Ferrante & Teicher joined the Juilliard faculty and started playing nightclubs as a duo. In the 50s they attempted experimental music and they released a few classical albums on ABC's Westminster label. Success came when they signed with United Artists in 1960. The key elements were the orchestra and chorus arranged and conducted by Nick Pento and the whole idea of having Ferrante & Teicher record popular movie themes. The breakthrough came when their recording of the theme from The Apartment reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. And immediately following Ferrante & Teicher's recording of Ernst Gold's theme from Exodus reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was their biggest hit. These recordings were released as singles and then they appeared on the 1961 various artists album Great Motion Picture Themes which also included Don Costa and Al Caiola. Ferrante & Teicher scored another top ten hit with their 1961 recording of Tonight from West Side Story and then Midnight Cowboy in 1969. All these recordings are on this budget comp. This success was enough to keep them going for years. Their albums were big sellers in easy listening. Ferrante & Teicher remained on United Artists until EMI bought UA and moved them to Liberty in 1980. They retired in 1989. Louis Teicher died in 2008 and Arthur Ferrante died in 2009. Here's Ferrante & Teicher performing Exodus probably in the 80s.