I know that Pierre Edernac has been mentioned at least once in this section. His routine is pure art and done silently. The elements are easy to follow and do not confuse the audience. I saw him only once in France over two decades ago and just ran across this video of him.

His is an elegant and polished routine. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs1POrkGono

WOW
A standing ovation. Now that's the way to pull off a rope routine.

Harry
Thanks for that very entertaining video.

Unfortunately the world has lost this master. He died December 26, 2011. He was 97 and had performed for over 70 years. I am glad that I got to see him at the Crazy Horse Saloon in Paris. Seeing him perform was a highlight of my trip.

This rope routine shows how several well known and fairly standard elements can be melded into a piece of magical art.

Thanks Harry for the peek, that was a very good demonstration of performing classic rope tricks silently. His stretching a Rope and growing circle of rope was mystifying, to say the least.

I never learned the Melbourne Christopher "Stretching a Rope" Trick.

His technique for his opening stretching was slightly different than Melbourne Christopher’s. You’ll notice that he showed the palm of his hand rather than the back. Then he changed up and did it the classic way for his expanding loop.

I would love to know how he loaded and kept the two ropes untangled since he came from the same place.

This is my new favorite clip.

Harry, I realize that he opened with a different method. I just did not want to mention that to all the un-informed. The opening, I believe did not come from the same place, that is only my theory. Look at the rope when displayed at the out set. There are may ways to separate the props, look at Geoffrey Buckingham's doubleing silk set up, just tailor the cloths differently.

If you notice he did have ditching pockets and a Profonde on his tails so why wouldn't he custom other parts of his clothing.

I know it was all custom made. Tis the pathway I'm speaking of. This is a great example of building a total act and insuring that everything supports it.

I love his handling. I have always been hesitant to produce rope in that matter, it is inspiring.

This is a perfect example of creating an act that no one else does. Take all the old classic magic and work on it, and make it work for you.

I must admit that I have never seen the stretching a rope trick at any magic convention. It was one of those $2 tricks listed in magic catalogs.

The first time I saw Pierre Erdanac perform live was at one of the Ron Macmillan's annual magic events. Not at the actual 'Day Of Magi'c though... it was the day before as, rather strangely, he had entered the Close up competition with his stage act! I'm not sure if he even realised it was a close up competition but it didn't stop him performing his entire stage rope act 'full on'.

To start with the crowd didn't quite know what to make of it. We started to feel a little uncomfortable at seeing what was obviously an inappropriate stage performance being done in a close up competition. But after a moment or two we found ourselves simply sitting back and just enjoying the performance for what it was. I seem to remember the timer light coming on to signify that Erdanac had overran but no one seemed to mind, no one pointed it out to him and he was simply allowed to carry on and finish his entire act.

He finished his performance and got a hugely enthusiastic response. It was a great moment and the crowd loved it. I'm still not sure why he entered or if he ever realised it was a close up competition. it was slightly surreal. It was like one of the real old pros and masters from a fading era had stumbled into the wrong event and after an awkward moment ended up delivering something completely out of place yet, because it was totally charming, elegant and performed with such joy and relish, the crowd, rather than feel their event had been interrupted, ended up feeling that they'd been given an unexpected treat.

I saw him a few other times live on stage at magic conventions but that out of place performance in a close up competition that I remember.

Great story! Thanks for sharing.

I saw him at the Crazy Horse in Paris. I'm trying to remember which trip. I think it was a mid-80s trip. I remember him being smooth and polished and in his prime. This clip brought back fond memories of my bumming around Paris, the people I met, and the magic I saw.

This clip shows how polished and practiced he was.

I remember seeing Edernac at the Davenport Centenary in Brighton, England. A great act that could (and did) work everywhere. A total PRO.

Thank you so much for sharing this here Harry....amazing work!

This guy was a class act. Were his routines ever published?

Ddamen, I stress again, these have all been published, effects, just joined together in a routine, creating a act. It contains tricks your said, in another post, you don't like, Professor Nightmare, Cut and Restored, etc. They look so different because of the way they are sequenced and most of all his handling of the ropes. Handling meaning hand placements and thought given to how to hold the rope at all places in during the demonstration. Nothing new here, just the way he presented it to his audience.

Most working professionals do not publish their real work that they use themselves. Some take it with them, and some, very few, if they live long enough may share it at some point.

If you have the knowledge and material I have suggested you purchase, study it, then you should be able to recognize all the rope effects in Pierre Edernac's rope act.

No spoon feeding here, research and knowledge is he only solution to your question.

I have not seen that initial rope lengthening production. Thank you for explaining that every move shown is already published, and sorry to upset you. I'll return to the library...

Ddamen, I am not upset in the least, the word "stress" in this case means "emphasize".

The stretching a rope was published as a booklet by Melbourne Christopher over 55 years ago. I do not know if it reprinted in any of the books that contain his published works. I don't even know if it was every filmed or if he presented it on any of his television shows many years ago. This was all before video and the Internet.

Concerning the loop of rope move, I became aware of it when a defunct company, Supreme Magic, sold a little cardboard box trick, with a running gag of endless rope in it.

As suggested previously, I suggest you invest in Dary's Expert Rope Magic Made Easy. It is a 3 volume set, the most complete rope tutorial every created on rope magic.

The index shows, Stretching A Rope is on Volume 2, $29.95. http://www.daryl.net/product_detail.php?id=621 Don't forget the price match option. Penguin Magic list for $22.46, http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S4545

Daryl will honor that price for you, with the above link to Penguin Magic listing.

Thanks I found it. Also found some great "stretching" methodology from Dr. Sawa. May both the Master Pierre and this thread rest in peace...

Ddamen, Rest in Peace - We are just getting started! Now the real work begins. I want you to succeed for your vision.

Somehow I missed this topic when it was first posted . . I'm glad ddamen bumped up this topic so I could see the video of Pierre Edernac performing . That video definitely went into my Favorites list on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs1POrkGono

What a fantastic act , honed to perfection ! A great example of a pro who had a "packs small , plays big" act that could travel the world packed in a small case . Inspiring.