Claude Debussy (1862-1918): "La cathédrale engloutie"

most reproducing pianos could not accent individual notes in a chord, and thus to make a note accented above the rest in that respective region of the keyboard (bass or treble, each with a separate but identical expression system), the roll editor would often roll the chord or displace it slightly so the individual note is brought out. Supposedly it's done so quickly that most people don't notice, but that's not true! However I agree that most of the rolled chords are probably Debussy's.

That is an awesome way to present a tune!

Other reproducing piano companies such as Ampico and Duo-Art very often used a simple marking piano to take down the pianist's notes sans dynamics, with a person hidden behind a curtain writing down the dynamics as the person played! Many pop rolls of these companies were originally 88-note rolls with expression added later by an unrelated musician!

That's true. Of course the piano tone depends upon which piano the roll is played on, and it may have a very different tone than the piano upon which Debussy played to make the original roll.

dear bonerici, please enlighten me as to how to hear these 62 and 90 hz soundboard resonances, and what the hell they are... since I've been transcribing old piano recordings for years and I would LOVE to be able to easily determine what key they are ACTUALLY playing in! Please send me a PM.

The reason that "Red Welte" rolls sound so good is that they had a fine "granularity" or number of hole punches possible per foot of paper, and always played at a constant speed which, unlike practically every other player and "reproducing" piano, was fixed and not easily adjustable. The Welte rolls were all meant to play at this constant factory speed. Finally, the editors who converted the 88 dynamic tracks recorded into the two tracks (bass and treble) of the finished roll, were the best.

Certainly, the Welte system of recording note lengths and dynamics for each individual note was electric, very clever, and very novel (see the article in the most recent AMICA bulletin). HOWEVER, contrary the incorrect liner notes to some of the earlier (1950's and 60s) recordings of Welte rolls, The Welte playback instruments (vorsetzers, inner-players, and cabinet pianos) ALL use a regular (though finely-made) pneumatic system and hole-punched rolls.

This song was in Escape From New York.

wanderfull!!!

I thought you were a "rockstarr" :S