1900 Aeolian style D "Orchestrelle"--Whistling Rufus

This Aeolian style D Orchestrelle was first sold in the spring of 1900. The 58-note player instrument is, in reality, a player reed organ. It is not of the class of the higher quality, and much larger, Solo Orchestrelle units which used pressure on the reeds rather than vacuum as in this style D.

A fun feature of these early player instruments are the ragtime/cake walk/ march rolls. Here is an Aeolian player roll from around 1899 on Aeolian Grand roll #20330 "Whistling Rufus."

Key of Bb (A-435 mostly) Not unusually, the tempo tends to speed up as the roll unwinds.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Player-Piano
• AMICA
• MBSI
• Aeolian
• player
• organ
• ragtime

[themanolo9999]

Congratulations for the excelente condition you have this organ.

I am Mexican, and I remember when I was a child, the Scholl (Instituto Patria) use tu have one of this...unfortunelly the pedals doesn't work and they doesn't have rolls...so it's the first time I can hear one of these play...the model and the color was exactly like this...when the Insitute was closed, they sell for nothing this instrument...I was sad that I never knew when happen this...I always wants to have one of this.

[Yaledmot]

@themanolo9999 What a shame. This is one of, if not THE smallest version of these Aeolian instruments. The larger player organs by Aeolian are on You Tube and are, generally, a marvel to hear. Muchas Gracias for the comments.

[mechmusicman]

I have this tune on my 17 inch Stella Music Box and it's my favorite disc.

[Yaledmot]

I have heard it! A fellow in San Francisco has exactly that same disc on his Stella.

I rebuilt a small band organ for him last year and I got to hear the Stella.

[gdw1910]

Very cool. This is a cakewalk hit by Kerry Mills (who also wrote At A Georgia Camp Meeting and Red Wing, among many others). A rare treat, thank you!

[Yaledmot]

Very correct and thanks.  I have several of the Mills compositions on 88n piano rolls including both of these. My 1912 Edison Amberola also has a cylinder of "At A Georgia Campground Meeting."

[er10b]

nice. Would love to hear this playing 'I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts'

[BH061595]

cool!!!