Player Piano Roll - There's A Meeting Here Tonight

Here is another departure from my ususal.

This is a tune from 1918 that Rythmodik contracted with Victor Arden, a highly talented composer, arranger and pianist, to write.... or at least put the words to...

This roll represents a genre of piano roll issues designed to cater to the needs of the populace who enjoyed the fad of gathering around the piano and singing in group. The song focuses on a common chorus melody ( in this case, a take off on a "Come To Meeting" tune) surrounded by verses made up on the spot by those who gatherd to sing... and be creative at the same time.

These later became known as "Party Rolls", in part I think because there was great license to ad lib the verses from thoughts in your own head ....and well... we all know where they can go sometime. At any rate, fun was had by all who gathered as each enjoyed the others ability to make up verses on the spot.

This is the stuff that Weird Al would have enjoyed, had he been around.

I picked this particular roll because of the quality of the pianist, his great skill at implementing key changes to keep it fresh, and the novelty (albeit corny) of the verses.

So read the roll ,and go back in time to a simpler era where enjoyment was had in community ceneterd around the fun of music.

Thanks for viewing!

P.S. The views expressed are not necessarily the views of the management.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• player
• piano
• roll
• sing
• long
• 1920's
• party
• group
• singing
• victor
• arden
• rythmodik
• amica
• mbsi

[Pianosyncrazy]

@aknabea Yes, ... and I do not think many roll collectors view Arden as one of the super talents of the piano because he did not do "stride", but he and Ohman were in great demand as a piano duo. There are a few of Arden's works that will blow one away.. I may post some. Thanks for your comments.

[aknabea]

Nice roll, I notice it has traces of other melodies interwoven in!