Above: A 1925 Steinway player piano, photo courtesy of Country Piano, Watkins Glen NY.
Visit their web site (http://www.countrypiano.com) to see some beautiful examples of restored players and other pianos.

The Player Piano;
The Original HD Music Recordings.

  For a few years we have included from time to time midi files of made from piano rolls from the early 20th century. These files were generously provided for our use by Terry Smythe of Canada. If any of you have listened to them, you've no doubt been impressed by the fabulous pianistic skills these rolls represent. In this issue, we'd like to focus on the player piano and its place in America's popular music. During the early 20th century, the player piano represented the pinnacle of mechanical recording and playback. While today we have recording processes and media that come close to "live" performance, the player piano, particularly the reproducing player, provided a level of sound fidelity that was live performance. How much closer to "real" can you get than an actual instrument in your parlor reproducing the playing of the likes of Paderewski, Carrie Jacobs-Bond or Scott Joplin? The answer of course is that you cannot. No matter how hard we try, using electronics, digital sampling and paper cone speakers will never reach the sound quality and realism, that the player piano brought into the home.

In the past our articles have included MIDI generated sounds that are played on your computer. The sound quality of the music is wholly dependent on the capabilities of your system. Some of you hear near "natural" piano sound and others experience a more synthetic, electronic sound. Given the fantastic nature of the sounds of a reproducing player, our sound files included in this article will be MP3 recordings of the piano rolls in order to provide you with the most realistic sound experience possible. The instrument sample used is a Steinway piano so the quality should be about as good as can be had. Of course we still will include the Scorch sheet music, some printable so that you can see the printed music and words as the music (midi) plays. Get ready for a real treat. We've tried to include a cross section of the styles of music from the period from Fox-trot to Ragtime and Classical.

  If you are new to us, to enjoy the full musical experience, we recommend that you get the Scorch plug in from our friends at Sibelius software. The Scorch player allows you to not only listen to the music but to view the sheet music as the music plays and see the lyrics as well. Each month we also allow printing of some of the sheet music featured so for those of you who play the piano (or other instruments) you'll be able to play the music yourself. It's a complete musical experience! Get the Sibelius Scorch player now.

Richard A. Reublin, November, 2007. This article published November, 2007 and is Copyright © 2007 by Richard A. Reublin and The Parlor Songs Academy Text, images or music may not be reproduced in part or in total without express written permission of the author or a company officer.

History of the player piano:

In the late 19th century, the home piano became the single most important musical instrument of the times. As American popular music came into it's own and vaudeville and other stage venues spread the enjoyment, more and more people wanted pianos in their home to enjoy the music with friends and family.

Since there were very few other entertainment options, many people became proficient in the piano as well as other instruments and as more pianos were sold, more sheet music was sold. Despite that, many songs required a level of skills that most people did not possess and so more simple arrangements were published and the harder ones were often ignored by many.

The phonograph was still in its infancy and people yearned for the ability to listen to music as performed by the professionals and songwriters. The times were fertile for new ideas and a vacuum was building for a new idea. That idea came in the form of the player piano and would alter home music reproduction in a unique and profound way. It would also produce the most realistic music reproduction sound in the home that has never been bested by recording techniques.

In the earliest stages of development of a self playing piano in the 1890's there was an actual cabinet that was pushed up to the keyboard of a standard piano. This item was called a piano player and consisted of a row of felt covered "fingers" that would depress the appropriate key as a perforated roll ran across a tracker bar. When a perforation uncovered a port in the tracker bar, suction would cause the "finger" to be actuated. This machine was originally called a pianola. The suction was generated by pumping foot pedals and levers on the cabinet controlled tempo, relative loudness and the sustain pedal of the piano. This mechanism was essentially the same that was later built into what we know today as player pianos. Above is a pianola cabinet made by Aeolian from circa 1914. Image courtesy of Concert Pitch Piano Services and their virtual museum at http://www.concertpitchpiano.com/ copyright retained by them.

The "pianola" mechanism was introduced as an integrated part of a piano around the turn of the 20th century. Though this resulted in a larger and heavier piano, it eliminated the cumbersome pianola cabinet. At that point, the player piano became a much desired instrument for the home and as it continued to improve sales grew and it reached its peak in the 1920's. Player pianos continued to be manufactured well into the late 20th century. At that point, digital player units began to take hold and the older suction mechanical system gave way to an electrical system driven by digital storage devices.

The biggest improvement in player pianos came with the reproducing piano. This was a player that included devices that could reproduce the performing nuances of a given performer. At that point, piano rolls became a true reflection of a performers talent and the music heard was less like a straightforward performance but more artistic and absolutely realistic. It really was like having the performer in the house. With that advance we saw piano rolls produced by performing stars and composers of the period. Not only were popular songs recorded by the luminaries but classical pieces by the composer were very popular. We'll see and hear several examples of regular player rolls and reproducing ones so you can appreciate the difference.

The Piano Roll

The piano roll was a fairly straightforward item and from its invention remained virtually the same up till recent times. It was a heavy duty paper roll with perforations that represented the note to be struck and the duration. Original pianolas were limited to 65 ports (keys) and later the full 88 keys of a piano were represented. With the introduction of the reproducing player, additional ports were added for dynamics and pedaling. Many pianola rolls often included printed instructions for use of the levers on the front of the keyboard so as to produce a more realistic performance. Vocal rolls also included lyrics.

Pianola rolls were made first from a performer playing the piece and then the work was typically edited and a great deal of ornamentation added. That is why some piano roll songs sound as though six pianists were at work and seemed far too complex for one performer. Reproducing rolls were made in a similar way but were typically not edited. They were produced as the performer played the music. At right is a section from a Duo Art reproducing piano roll. The perforations at each edge represent the dynamics and pedaling instructions.

How it All Comes Together:

The following diagrams illustrate the mechanics of how a self contained player piano works. It is both complex and simple but mostly an elegant solution that has survived intact for well over 100 years.

Diagram of player piano mechanisms graciously provided by Arthur Jones and North West Player Piano Association (UK). Visit them at: http://www.nwppa.freeserve.co.uk/

And now, the music!

The music enjoyed by the home enthusiast as you will see was fantastic and brought high fidelity music reproduction into the home music parlor. We've selected several songs that we believe illustrate the range of performance enjoyed through a simple roll of paper. We are providing our usual Scorch versions so that you can see the sheet music as it plays and can listen to the music as written in the sheet music. By comparison, you can enjoy an actual recording of a piano roll which has been converted from a piano roll scan and then recorded using the wav sound font of a Steinway grand. We've upgraded our Sibelius software to the latest edition so if you have difficulties viewing these Scorch files, download the latest version of Scorch. It will only take a few minutes but will be well worth it.

 

Aggravatin' Papa 1922 Words and Music by: Roy Turk, J. Russel Robinson and Andy Burt Cover artist: Politzer   Aggravatin' Papa was a pure 20's jazz tune that is typical of the Jazz age music that drove America's popular music in a new direction. Looser, more risqué lyrics and innuendo was one hallmark of these songs as America entered the giddy times of female liberation, sex and booze.   The piece opens with an introduction of the chorus theme and then a vamp to the verse. The first several measures have a basso ostinato that gives the song an urgent, almost train-like forward motion. The chorus is happy and melodic with that 20's jazz flavor. This song was a major hit and was first recorded by Marion Harris on Brunswick. It was later recorded by Sophie Tucker on Okeh and Bessie Smith on Columbia.   The MP3 recording is of a standard piano roll. Note that the tempo and dynamics are constant throughout the performance. If one wanted to adjust tempo or some dynamics, they could do so using the levers provided on the player pianos of the time. The tempo of this piece is very fast and illustrates a level of skill that was probably out of the range of most home pianists.   Hear this "cool" jazz song ( Printable using the Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page. Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording If you have difficulty playing the MP3 recordings through your browser, there is a terrific plug-in for Microsoft Internet Explorer that is free. It will detect MP3 files on any site and allow you to play them. To get the player go to: the windows marketplace and select the "MX Play Web" plug-in and download and install it. This will be a very useful addition to your browser for all your web surfing. If you do not want to do that you can right click on the MP3 link and select "save target as" (or save as) and save the file to your PC. It might be helpful if you make a separate folder for these. Then play the recording using a player on your PC. Alternatively, check your browser settings to allow playing of multimedia.   Lyrics

Under the Double Eagle 1902 Words and Music by: J. F. Wagner Cover artist: unknown This piece is on one of the oldest rolls we are presenting this month. It's production predates the reproducing piano so once again we'll hear a uniform performance with no variation in dynamics or tempo. Under the Double Eagle is one of America's most lasting marches and one we still hear today performed by marching and military bands. Though the piece has become an American favorite, it actually was written by Wagner (Josef Franz) (1856-1908), an Austrian military bandmaster and composer who was known as the "Austrian March King." The title is in reference to the double eagle in the coat of arms of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Under the Double Eagle was recorded three times by John Philip Sousa. The piece is now the official regimental march of the 1st Austrian Artillery Regiment Number 2.   As with many marches the piece begins with a bugle call like motif that repeats then moves into the main melody which should be immediately recognizable to nearly anyone. A basso marcato (the bass line carries the melody while the upper clef provides the accompaniment) section follows the repeat and we are carried with that to the Trio. A quieter, dolcissimo melody provides a nice break from the boldness of the prior sections. After the Trio repeat we are returned to the beginning of the piece and move through the melody and basso marcato sections without repeat. The march ends after the marcato section.   The piano roll performance has a great deal of embellishment not found in the sheet music and makes use of octaves as is the case in many piano roll works. It is a fairly straightforward performance till the trio then we hear some techniques that were commonly found in piano rolls. The rapid repetition of chords and fill material were often found in piano rolls sometimes (as we will see later) overdone and often done in a way that is superhuman. These refinements were often added to the production roll by editors who would embellish the initial pianists performance in making the master.   Hear and see the music to this favorite march ( Printable using the Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   (There are no lyrics for this melody)

Hindustan 1918 Words and Music by: Oliver Wallace and Harold Weeks Cover artist: unknown   Now that you've heard some "straight" piano rolls, it's time to listen to a reproducing piano roll. Hindustan started life in 1917 and it's immediate popularity as a big band number. It was first recorded by the Joseph C. Smith Orchestra on Victor in 1918. Later recordings by Bob Crosby in 1939 (Decca) and Alvino Rey in 1941 (Bluebird) demonstrated the song's staying power well into the 40s and beyond.   Musically, on listening to this piece you can see why it was and still is to an extent so popular. At the time, interest in the middle east was becoming popular based on books and other music such as In A Persian Market. That interest peaked with the release of the film The Shiek starring Rudolph Valentino in 1921. The song begins with a mysterious, middle eastern sound which was a musical stereotype of the period and commonly used in many similar works. That theme continues throughout the verse. The chorus is a brighter and happier melody.   The piano roll, a QRS roll originally performed by Ted Baxter & Max Kortlander is a four hand version and as a result has a great deal of complexity and ornamentation to it. Though we can detect some variation in dynamics and tempo it is not as pronounced as in many other reproducing piano rolls.   Listen to and watch the score ( Printable using the Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics

Indianola 1918 Music by: S. R. Henry and D. Onivas Words by: Frank H. Warren Cover artist: Starmer   The same year as Hindustan, QRS also produced a roll of this "Indian" themed song. We've discussed songs with Indian themes in at least two of our back issues, particularly our special feature about Native American music. The composer names are actually pseudonyms for Henry R. Stern and Domenico Savino.   This song was another very popular one that began as a piano solo work in 1917. As was common, to extend popularity the composers asked Warren to add lyrics and alacazam,. we have a song. It begins with a similarly mysterious opening and verse. A bass line meant to imitate an Indian drum beat adds to the "Indian" flavor. The chorus is also in a stereotypical Indian mode. The lyrics written by Warren are a bit offensive to Native Americans.   This is another QRS four hand production played by Pratt & Winters. Again, we hear a complex and highly ornamented performance. It certainly offers a striking contrast to the rather "vanilla" performance from the sheet music as written (see the Scorch version). The four-hand versions by QRS were fabulous examples of just how well a player piano could reproduce a tremendous range and clusters of notes.   Hear and see the score to this song ( Printable using the Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics

Our Director 1901 Music by: F. E. Bigelow Cover artist: Starmer Another early song and roll featured this month is a piano solo march that seemed to have been written with college sports in mind. The happy cheerleader (note the megaphone) on the cover is obviously from a college, no doubt Harvard as it looks like a large "H" on his sweater. Lo and behold, this song became the Harvard University football song! The song is still in the repertoire and at some stage lyrics were added: "Hard luck for poor Eli, Tough on the blue! Now, all together, Smash them and break them through. 'Gainst the line of Crimson, They can't prevail. Three cheers for Harvard! And down with Yale! Rah! Rah! Rah! Down with Yale!"   As a March, the work is a fairly typical one. The opening is similar to a bugle call and the first section is a bouncy and pleasant melody. The sheet music version we have is a fairly simple arrangement. The second theme is similar to the first. The Trio is interesting, a very military march sound comes through immediately. Played softly except for a couple of passages it is a nice respite which is common in the Trios of many marches. The Trio repeats and rather than return to the first melody the piece ends after the repeat. The piano roll is nearly identical to the sheet music.   Cheer for old Harvard as you listen to this piece! ( Printable using the Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics (see above)

Tickled To Death 1899 Music by: Chas. Hunter Cover artist: unknown   Of course Ragtime was an important and exciting form of American music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The playing of ragtime takes a great deal of talent and was one of the more difficult genres to master. That made ragtime a perfect candidate for piano rolls. This piece represents the oldest music and piano roll in this month's feature.   The cover image is cute. The three young boys seem happy and "tickled to death" themselves so it seems to be a good cover image for the song. As with most rags, this one has that "happy feet" sound that makes you want to tap your toes and bounce around. The sheet music version is pretty straightforward but the piano roll performer, a W. Arlington added some entertaining ornamentation. The most prominent being a glissando that regularly punctuates the melody giving a musical impression of tickling (the ivories).   Listen to this great rag (Scorch plug-in required) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics (There are no lyrics for this piece)

In A Monastery Garden 1921 Music by: Albert W. Ketelby Cover artist: unknown   Classical works were another popular venue for piano rolls, especially contemporary works as this one was. It is one of Ketelby's best and is inspiring to listen to. Played by Charles Blackmore, the piano roll is an outstanding example of the reproducing piano's capability to play a work with total dynamic control. This is a shining example of how the player piano brought the performer right into your home and gave you a very personal and "real" experience. If this is not perfect sound reproduction, then nothing is.   Listen first to the Scorch version to get an idea of a "mechanical" and straight performance from the sheet music as written then listen to the MP3. However, I must say that the sheet music copy we have allows for a very good interpretation and requires advanced skills. With this one you'll have to be impressed at how advanced a sound reproduction system the reproducing piano system was and still is.   Listen to this great Ketelby tone poem (Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics (There are no lyrics for this piece)

The Jolly Blacksmiths 1905 Music by: Edmund Braham, arr. E. T. Paull Cover artist: A. Hoen & Co.   E. T. Paull's marches were among the most popular and best selling marches of the early 20th century march fad. We've dubbed him as America's other march king (the original being Sousa). We've featured many of Paull's works over the years and published a fairly comprehensive biography of him. If you are interested in more of his music and his life you can read our biography from July, 2001, revised October, 2005.   The march is similar to most Paull works but has a much jollier tone to it, which I suppose is why it is titled as the Jolly Blacksmiths. It is a little more loosely structured than most of Paull's works and not as formulaic as most of his own compositions. Though the cover places Paull as the primary composer, the inside reveals the truth. The reason the work is different is that Braham was the original composer and Paull arranged it for his publication.   The Scorch version is a rather simple arrangement for the average home pianist, the piano roll is brilliantly played by an unknown artist and he adds a lot more interest to the piece. E. T. Paull fans will be delighted with this offering I'm sure.   Listen to and watch the Jolly Blacksmiths play (Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics (There are no lyrics for this work)

A Trip To Niagara 1904 Music by: Wm. J. Cornish Cover artist: unknown   Yet another march from the player piano heyday era was this rarely seen work by a rarely heard of composer. It seems that for every event, time, activity and place a march could be penned. Whether or not they really have any attachment to the place or event is beside the point. In listening to this piece I can't really conjure up any visual image of Niagara from any of the musical passages so I suppose the composer was simply enamored with the massive fall system shared by America and Canada. It is impressive.   The march however is not as impressive. It is pleasant and somewhat melodic but not particularly memorable. There is one interesting inclusion of a snippet of the melody from "Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here" which makes me wonder if the composer wrote it after a gathering of friends on a trip to Niagara. It seems logical.   This piano roll is a great example of the embellishments that were often added to a roll that make the performance super human. I'm not saying that an expert could not play it as performed on the roll but there are some passages that require many more fingers than most players might have as well as a reach that only plastic man might be able to make.. It makes for a very exciting and entertaining listen. The piano roll performance transforms a rather plain march into a tour de force. The original performer is unidentified.   Listen to and take a musical trip to Niagara (Printable using the Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics (There are no lyrics for this work)

I've Got Rings On My Fingers 1909 Music by: Maurice Scott Words by: Weston & Barnes Cover artist: unknown   I'm not sure that any cover image was more appropriate to a song than this one. The photo is of Blanche Ring as performer of I've Got Rings On My Fingers. That combination is a stroke of early music marketing. Of course Ring was one of the superstars of the period and was a most sought after performer and endorser of music. The song here was introduced in the Broadway musical The Yankee Girl which premiered at the Herald Square Theater on February 10, 1910 and closed the following April after 92 performances.   The song has a strange sub title; Mumbo, Jumbo Jijiboo J. O. Shea, which is explained in the lyrics more or less. The song setting is in "an Indian Isle" assumed to be India nor American Indian as the lyrics seem to stem from a very warped view of that part of the world's vocabulary. Despite that, as a novelty song, it was a smash hit. Interestingly, though the sheet music cover says "introduced in The Yankee Girl," the song actually had its actual introduction in The Midnight Sons in 1909. Ring also recorded the song on Victor in 1910.   The song does have a catchy tune and even when simply played from the sheet music has a great deal of charm. This piano roll version is yet another great example of a reproducing piano roll. The performer on this Welte roll is unknown but he clearly demonstrates the wide range of dynamics and tempo that a reproducing piano can play. Some of the passages are so quiet they can barely be heard. This is another of those "being there" experiences.   Listen to and watch the "Rings" play (Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics

La Paloma (The Dove) 1907 Music by: Vittoria Yradier Cover artist: unknown   Over the years of American popular music, there have been a number of popular Spanish, Mexican and South American songs that have been adopted by us and have become a part of our own music. Among the more notables are La Bamba (based on a traditional Mexican wedding song), La Cucaracha and La Paloma. The song was originally written in 1863 after Yradier visited Cuba and may possibly be based on a traditional Cuban habanera he heard while there. Yradier died in 1865 in Spain. He never knew that his song would become one of the world's most popular.   The melody is certainly memorable and the habanera tempo and rhythm adds a great deal of interest to the work. It certainly has that "tango" flair that was so popular during the early 20th century. It's actually a quite short work, this version taking only a minute and thirty three seconds. The piece has only two basic motifs and the ending is a repetitive expression of the same musical idea for the last twenty measures. The piano roll is somewhat longer, almost twice as long at 3:03.   The roll is also a fairly straightforward representation of the music with not a lot o player piano fireworks. It is actually one of the more mundane piano rolls I've heard. Pleasant though.   Listen to and watch the "La Paloma" play (Printable using the Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics (This item has no lyrics)

I'd Love To Live In Loveland With A Girl Like You. 1910 Words and Music by: W. R. Williams Cover artist: unknown   Jayne Boynton graces the cover of this particular edition of a long running hit from 1910. This photo is one of the nicest and more captivating personality photos from the times. Rather simply and tastefully dressed, Boynton gives us a coy look with a Mona Lisa smile that is attractive. She was clearly a beautiful star and a very popular performer of the period. We have several other issues of this song with different performers featured but this is my favorite.   This song was recorded numerous times over a 50 year period with perhaps the most prominent recordings by Dennis Day on Victor and Arthur Godfrey on Decca. This waltz song has a great deal of charm and a lovely sentiment as well. The sheet music (Scorch) version is as with most mass publications, fairly easy but still is a wonderful performance. The song reminds me of many of the famous love songs of the period. There are passages that sound as though they were borrowed from other songs, not an uncommon practice. It has that elegant Edwardian flavor that marked so many of the songs of the period.   The piano roll, though much more complex and ornamented, loses none of the grace and stately elegance of this wonderful waltz. However I do think the tempo is a little more upbeat than the song really should have given the sentiment.   The song does have a catchy tune and even when simply played from the sheet music has a great deal of charm. This piano roll version is yet another great example of a reproducing piano roll. The performer on this Welte roll is unknown but he clearly demonstrates the wide range of dynamics and tempo that a reproducing piano can play. Some of the passages are so quiet they can barely be heard. This is another of those "being there" experiences.   Listen to and watch "Loveland" play (Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics

For You A Rose 1917 Music by: Gus Edwards Words by: Will D. Cobb Cover artist: Harrison   "Rose" songs were one of the most prolific song themes during the early Tin Pan Alley days. Actually, they were always a favorite theme before and after TPA but seemed to flourish more openly during those times. Undoubtedly because of the romantic significance of the rose, songwriters love to use it as a metaphor for many things related to love. The song was first recorded by Edna Brown on Victor 18301 the same year the song was published.   The song from the sheet music is quite nice. A long verse takes us to an emphatic and melodic chorus that is expressive and full of hope for the future. The piano roll is a real winner performed by Joseph J. Fecher on a Perfection roll. It's a standard player roll but the performer and the editors managed to bring out the best of the music.   Listen to and see "For You A Rose" play (Scorch plug-in) Important note: We have upgraded our Sibelius software to version 5.1. If you have difficulty viewing any of the Scorch versions in this month's issue, check to see that you are using Scorch version 5.1. If Scorch starts but no score loads, chances are you'll need to upgrade. It's quick and easy at the Sibelius Scorch download page.   Listen to the piano roll MP3 recording   Lyrics

Coda:

It cannot be denied that the player piano changed the musical experience for people around the world. In America, it offered a listening experience that was as good as it gets. It allowed the average pianist the opportunity to hear works by the best performers of the time in a real time, live manner. The availability of so many songs on rolls exposed people to much more music than would have been possible at the time and surely outperformed the early sound recordings that existed then. The only reason that players pianos did not continue to rule as a playback sound system was cost and space. A piano took up a lot of space and by the 1920's phonographs became less costly and sound quality had improved to the point where recordings represented a more cost effective way to bring music into the home.

The player piano industry created countless jobs in all aspects of the process. More piano builders were needed, the roll manufacturing business grew from nothing to a huge industry in just a few years and the recording process gave countless musicians work and the opportunity to strut their stuff. Unfortunately, as phonographs took over the home entertainment market much of this industry dwindled away.

In my opinion, there never was nor has there since been a more perfect music reproduction system devised. I doubt that there ever will be. Having the actual instrument in your home playing a piece as performed by a talented professional pianist has to be the perfect definition of "high fidelity.' Though CDs and electronic reproduction has reached incredibly realistic levels, an electronic circuit, microphones and vibrating paper cones can never reach 100% fidelity or perfection in true reality of a piano. In fact, the piano is one of the most difficult instruments to faithfully reproduce through recording.

Given that, even our recordings of these rolls lose some fidelity and can only give you a glimpse into the incredible perfection of reproduction that a real piano using a reproducing player mechanism can reach.

The player piano represented a major advancement in bringing music to the masses and as such should stand as one of the greatest musical inventions in history.

This article published November, 2007 and is Copyright © 2007 by Richard A. Reublin and The Parlor Songs Academy Text, images or music may not be reproduced in part or in total without express written permission of the author or an officer of the corporation. Though the songs published on this site are often in the Public Domain, MIDI renditions are protected by copyright as recorded performances.