Dizzy Fingers

"Dizzy Fingers", from 1923 was converted from a QRS piano roll to a midi file to be able to play on modern player pianos. Performed my Edward Confrey. Edward Elzear better known to the world as Zez Confrey was born in Peru, Illinois in 1895. He studied at the Chicago Musical College and began work as a band pianist before being hired in 1915 as a music demonstrator for a publishing company something George Gershwin incidentally was doing at pretty much the same time. Composing prolifically he hit the big time early with Kitten on the Keys, still the emblematic embodiment of Confreys music and indeed beyond, and his other huge hit, Stumbling. At the same time he took part in the famous Aeolian Hall concert at which his contemporary Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue received its premiere. Though he continued to compose, real success never returned to Confrey and musical fashion passed him by. He died in 1971.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Pianodisc
• Dizzy
• fingers
• Mason
• Hamlin
• Edward
• Elzear
• Zez
• Confrey

[danishpride1]

Does a piano roll-piano work as a normal piano when its not on?

[jg6364]

Yes, you can play it like any other piano.

[ButterflyHeart20]

oh my gosh yes! I would so get this piano then! It's a two-in-one, it's perfect. It must be so fun to have those pianos :)

[SFHndymn]

Piano Rolls are such a treasure. To imagine that we are actually able to hear the composer playing his composition in 1923, not on some scratchy recording but from a real piano is astounding. Thanks for posting these.

[JamesPriceJohnson]

awesome