Busoni plays Liszt ~ Paganini Variation No.6 ~ Piano roll recording C.1908 (Reconstruction)

[BoeingB17FF]

The dots are disappearing into white...

[wesmusic56]

The piano roll could not capture adequately the genius of Busoni's playing. It must have been mesmerizing to hear him play live in those golden days of classical music... Thank you for preserving the historical documents!

[RollaArtis]

@wesmusic56 You are right - but don't forget that in 1905 the piano roll was the only way of recording piano works easily and effectively in one take. And we can SEE the pedalling and fingering ...... and it's digital BTW.

[lifeingod7]

@RollaArtis Thank you for your comments, RollaArtis. Thank you so much for sharing these precious documents! BTW, I love Busoni's transcriptions of Bach's pieces! He is a genius...

[d60944]

This is all rather super! A treat.

[WelteMax]

BRAVO!!!

=D

[WelteMax]

@WelteMax what i the red thingy in the right upper corner that disappears and apeas again?

[RollaArtis]

@WelteMax Oh you noticed - it's my handkerchief.

[WelteMax]

@RollaArtis oke cool! well i keep noticing more things;) you can use the soft pedal "un acorda' style? is it a pneumatic? if so how is it so strong?=)

[RollaArtis]

@WelteMax Yes - the pneumatic would need to be huge to operate the una corda, but actually I do this by means of a lever. Unlike the sustaining pedal there is no coding for this on the roll, which is is unfortunate as one has to guess where to soft pedal. Sometimes however, this results in some interesting musical effects.