From storeman to stardom: the life and music of Tommy Tycho within the context of light music 1951–1978.

Abstract

In the wake of World War II many displaced musicians migrated to Australia. One such migrant was Tommy Tycho, a pianist and composer originally from Hungary, who would go on to become one of the leading figures of light music in Australia. This thesis adds to the existing narratives of Australian cultural and music history and seeks to better place Tycho within them as well as providing insight into his career and operations within the field of light music. This thesis utilises the broad term ‘light music’ to describe Tycho’s commercial music activities, a genre that afforded him the opportunity to display his virtuosic pianistic abilities, as well as his arranging and composing skills, which in turn enabled him to sustain a career through changing media platforms and audience tastes over several decades. Light music also provided a context for Tycho to combine practices and conventions of classical and popular music. The thesis begins with an examination of the historical narrative of light music and its main sites of mediation as they appeared in Australia. These include radio, television, LP recordings, and live performances. These mediation points were central to Tycho’s career trajectory in Australia. They also provide contexts in which to frame Tycho’s operations as a musician. A biographical study of Tycho’s life is included which provides insight to his formative years in Budapest, his experiences with dance band and swing music after World War II, and how he came to combine and adapt elements of classical and popular music to form his style of light music. The subsequent analysis chapters are then centred around a series of case studies divided into the relevant institutions that mediated light music in Australia between the period of 1951 to 1978. These are: ABC Radio, ATN-7 Television, RCA Records, and 2CH Radio. Each chapter examines the intersection of Tycho’s role within light music and his associations within the institutions who mediated it. It also considers the audiences who engage with light music, and the broader social and cultural influences that shaped the genre. In each chapter key musical scores, arrangements, recordings, and performances from Tycho’s career are analysed to demonstrate the salient musical aspects of light music, as well as Tycho's role within it. These add further knowledge and insight to Tycho's contribution to Australian cultural and music history and to Australian history more broadly.