Piano Roll Transcriptions

[fhimpsl]

Dear Luigi,
Thanks for the information regarding the Fred Burton records. He's really a lot of fun to listen to!
It's been years since I've looked at Rudy's notes for TAPR so I really can't comment re. his meetings with Brun Campbell and Arthur Marshall. Once I get the unboxed music and notes sorted (which will be a relief in itself) I will be able to check this. I know the true story behind Arthur Marshall's one commercial recording session (which I assume was for Circle Records, Rudy's label). The master recordings (probably acetates) were loaned to a musician (whom it would be unfair to mention by name) for the purposes of dubbing. By carelessness, the box containing the records was left out in the sunlight for most of one day. You can imagine the results, all the records were terribly warped. The last I heard of this (and I'm talking more than 30 years ago) the records were under a huge pile of books in an attempt to flatten them enough for playing. From what I heard at the time, the effort was for all intents futile. One of ragtime's tragic tales (of which there are many unfortunately!)
All best,
Frank

[gigiranalli]

Dear Luigi,
Thanks for the information regarding the Fred Burton records. He's really a lot of fun to listen to!
It's been years since I've looked at Rudy's notes for TAPR so I really can't comment re. his meetings with Brun Campbell and Arthur Marshall. Once I get the unboxed music and notes sorted (which will be a relief in itself) I will be able to check this. I know the true story behind Arthur Marshall's one commercial recording session (which I assume was for Circle Records, Rudy's label). The master recordings (probably acetates) were loaned to a musician (whom it would be unfair to mention by name) for the purposes of dubbing. By carelessness, the box containing the records was left out in the sunlight for most of one day. You can imagine the results, all the records were terribly warped. The last I heard of this (and I'm talking more than 30 years ago) the records were under a huge pile of books in an attempt to flatten them enough for playing. From what I heard at the time, the effort was for all intents futile. One of ragtime's tragic tales (of which there are many unfortunately!)
All best,
Frank

Hi Frank,
thank you so much for the story of the Arthur Marshall recordings! I hope the person who's keeping those damaged discs under a pile of books ( a pile of books ) will make an attempt to duplicate the recordings, using a more sophisticated technology...today there are record players that read the discs with a laser, maybe there are possibilities that some of those discs can be saved...?
Fortunately two brief recordings of Marshall were taken in 1959 and they still exist I have a copy of them and maybe I will post them in the future.
Speaking of Fred Burton, here I'm posting his recordings of "Swanee" and "Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider": at first I tought I could also include the piano roll version of "Ida" played by Max Kortlander, but I'm afraid that Kortlander would have looked out of place in comparison with Burton
I'm kidding, of course! And I love that Kortlander piano roll (especially the incredible final part); it's just curious to see how similar the Kortlander and Burton versions of this song are.
Again on piano roll style and tricks, I'm attaching a modern folio entitled "Let's Play Player-Piano Style", featuring very raggy arrangements of very famous songs.
This folio was compiled and arranged by piano roll artist Dick Watson. I think almost everybody is familiar with his famous version of "The Old Piano Roll Blues", at least.
The folio is interesting and Watson's arrangements are just great and imaginative. Every song features a particular pattern, previously explained.
Watson also wrote another folio like that, "Piano-Roll Favorites (and how to play them)". I don't have that other folio, but I'm sure it must be very similar to this one.
I hope you all enjoy the music!
Best RAGards
Luigi
P.S.
Tomorrow I think I will post my piano roll transcription of "The Cat's Pajamas", as played by the composer, Harry Jentes. I think the title is particularly right here, because this piano roll is very good.

[fhimpsl]

Dear Luigi,

Thanks for the extra Fred Burton piano records...I'm starting to really like that guy! On the Arthur Marshall commercial recordings, I'm sure that with all the time that's gone by if there was a way to record them my musician friend would have found it. The problem is that acetate recording blanks had cardboard backings to them...which inevitably peel away with age, leaving an incredibly fragile grooved recording on thin acetate. Once these things get warped, it's pretty much "curtains" for the record. I have a couple of acetates which are peeling and need to be recorded (which I'll do, and post once I'm in the 78rpm hoard!). One is a private recording of Frank Melrose playing "Gary Blues" on one side (a George W. Thomas tune) and "Hammond Boogie" on the other (obviously played for John Hammond). I don't think there are many private recordings of Melrose. He certainly was one of the hottest players in the late 1920s.
I would encourage you to post the 1959 Arthur Marshall snippets from the Ragtime festival if you have them handy. I have them on tape, but at the moment haven't a clue as to where. I remember that Marshall plays the trio section of "Little Jack's Rag," and Bob Darch plays "Swipesy Cakewalk" which earned an ovation from Marshall himself. It's certainly an important little bit of ragtime history.
The 1959 Festival is where my friend Trebor Tichenor got the opportunity to play two of Scott Joplin's rolls for Marshall; I know "Weeping Willow" was one of them. He only had access to a player piano which had speeds of "very fast" and "presto possible," but nonetheless he had Marshall listen to them and the grand old man confirmed that they sounded like his memory of Joplin's playing. The bass octave patterns were what Marshall focussed on.
I might have the other Dick Watson folio...if so I will certainly post it when it turns up. After such a major move it's hard to put all the pieces together again.
Keep the good rags rollin' !
All best,
Frank

[gigiranalli]

Dear Luigi,

Thanks for the extra Fred Burton piano records...I'm starting to really like that guy! On the Arthur Marshall commercial recordings, I'm sure that with all the time that's gone by if there was a way to record them my musician friend would have found it. The problem is that acetate recording blanks had cardboard backings to them...which inevitably peel away with age, leaving an incredibly fragile grooved recording on thin acetate. Once these things get warped, it's pretty much "curtains" for the record. I have a couple of acetates which are peeling and need to be recorded (which I'll do, and post once I'm in the 78rpm hoard!). One is a private recording of Frank Melrose playing "Gary Blues" on one side (a George W. Thomas tune) and "Hammond Boogie" on the other (obviously played for John Hammond). I don't think there are many private recordings of Melrose. He certainly was one of the hottest players in the late 1920s.
I would encourage you to post the 1959 Arthur Marshall snippets from the Ragtime festival if you have them handy. I have them on tape, but at the moment haven't a clue as to where. I remember that Marshall plays the trio section of "Little Jack's Rag," and Bob Darch plays "Swipesy Cakewalk" which earned an ovation from Marshall himself. It's certainly an important little bit of ragtime history.
The 1959 Festival is where my friend Trebor Tichenor got the opportunity to play two of Scott Joplin's rolls for Marshall; I know "Weeping Willow" was one of them. He only had access to a player piano which had speeds of "very fast" and "presto possible," but nonetheless he had Marshall listen to them and the grand old man confirmed that they sounded like his memory of Joplin's playing. The bass octave patterns were what Marshall focussed on.
I might have the other Dick Watson folio...if so I will certainly post it when it turns up. After such a major move it's hard to put all the pieces together again.
Keep the good rags rollin' !
All best,
Frank

Dear Frank,
that's very interesting! I like Frank Melrose very much and it's great to know there are more recordings of him. I have a piano solo recording of "Hammond Boogie", but that's almost surely a different take of that piece. I've never heard of "Gary Blues". In the following days I'll try to organize some material to post, including the Marshall and Williams recordings of 1959, a couple of neat things on Joe Jordan, some other recorings and other stuff related to other ragtime pianists like Fess Manetta or Sid LeProtti, etc...
Best RAGards
Luigi

[fhimpsl]

Hello Friends,
I chose to post this little piece of ragtime history in the Piano Roll Thread, because it involves a piece that was supposedly never published in sheet music form and which in very recent years surfaced on a nickelodeon roll.
One of the infamous ragtime pieces that pioneer stride/ragtime players such as James P. Johnson and Eubie Blake remembered and talked about was "The Dream," composed by one Jess Pickett. This number was played in the sporting houses and was a great favorite of the clientele back in the 'teens. Both James P. and Eubie Blake recorded "The Dream"; each with a different version but essentially the same tune. Eubie even transcribed his version of "The Dream" at the request of a friend. It was thought that "The Dream" was one of those legendary pieces passed down from the earliest pianos, all by ear.
A few years ago I came across a 10-tune nickelodeon roll on the Automatic label (Chicago) label which had a tune entitled "The Daigha's Dream." The roll dates from ca. 1920. As it turns out this piece is structurally and musically extremely similar to "The Dream" that Eubie and James P. played (especially the dark tango trio section). So, a version of Jess Pickett's "The Dream" actually made its way to sheet music publication back in the old days. There is no composer information on the nickelodeon roll, but I would suspect a Black songwriter such as Spencer Williams might have taken the opportunity to grab the unpublished melody and turn it into a popular rag/tango.
A midi file recording of "The Daigha's Dream" is attached for those who might like to compare it to the James P. and Blake recordings.

All best,
Frank

Daigha's Dream.mid

[gigiranalli]

Hello Friends,
I chose to post this little piece of ragtime history in the Piano Roll Thread, because it involves a piece that was supposedly never published in sheet music form and which in very recent years surfaced on a nickelodeon roll.
One of the infamous ragtime pieces that pioneer stride/ragtime players such as James P. Johnson and Eubie Blake remembered and talked about was "The Dream," composed by one Jess Pickett. This number was played in the sporting houses and was a great favorite of the clientele back in the 'teens. Both James P. and Eubie Blake recorded "The Dream"; each with a different version but essentially the same tune. Eubie even transcribed his version of "The Dream" at the request of a friend. It was thought that "The Dream" was one of those legendary pieces passed down from the earliest pianos, all by ear.
A few years ago I came across a 10-tune nickelodeon roll on the Automatic label (Chicago) label which had a tune entitled "The Daigha's Dream." The roll dates from ca. 1920. As it turns out this piece is structurally and musically extremely similar to "The Dream" that Eubie and James P. played (especially the dark tango trio section). So, a version of Jess Pickett's "The Dream" actually made its way to sheet music publication back in the old days. There is no composer information on the nickelodeon roll, but I would suspect a Black songwriter such as Spencer Williams might have taken the opportunity to grab the unpublished melody and turn it into a popular rag/tango.
A midi file recording of "The Daigha's Dream" is attached for those who might like to compare it to the James P. and Blake recordings.

All best,
Frank

Daigha's Dream.mid

Dear Frank,
WOW!!! That's a great find!!! This piece is just fantastic and it's so reminiscent of Jesse Pickett's "The Dream Rag"!
What is Daigha..? I ask because the "Dream Rag" originally had a longer title, not very politically correct (I won't risk to offend anyone by telling this title)...
Best RAGards
Luigi

[fhimpsl]

Dear Luigi,
I'm glad you liked the roll of "The Daigha's Dream," and recognize the similarity to Jess PIckett's "The Dream." As to the word "Daigha," I have not been able to come up with a formal definition and would guess that it was slang. Based on Eubie Blake's recollections about the rough sporting life history of "The Dream," I can only assume it was a terribly derogatory term applied to lesbians who frequented the sporting clubs of the era. Eubie recorded these recollections on one of the many LP's that he made late in his life (It might have been "The 86 Years Of Eubie Blake" album).
All Best,
Frank

[gigiranalli]

Dear Luigi,
I'm glad you liked the roll of "The Daigha's Dream," and recognize the similarity to Jess PIckett's "The Dream." As to the word "Daigha," I have not been able to come up with a formal definition and would guess that it was slang. Based on Eubie Blake's recollections about the rough sporting life history of "The Dream," I can only assume it was a terribly derogatory term applied to lesbians who frequented the sporting clubs of the era. Eubie recorded these recollections on one of the many LP's that he made late in his life (It might have been "The 86 Years Of Eubie Blake" album).
All Best,
Frank

Dear Frank,
that's very interesting! And the roll is just great!
Here I post my transcription of the Harry Jentes piano roll of "The Cat's Pajamas": I made it from the QRS version, because I had a piano roll scan as midi file of that version, although the other is more exciting.
Anyway this piano roll sounds quite similar to Jentes' phonograph recording of the piece, also in key of Db (while the sheet music, well scored after all, was in Eb).
I hope everybody will enjoy it
Best RAGards
Luigi

[gigiranalli]

P.S.
for those who have downloaded and tried my transcription of the Charley Straight piano roll of "You're In Style When You're Wearing A Smile" (link: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=441&p=6217&hilit=y ... tyle#p6217 ), they may find interesting to compare that piano roll with a live played performance of Fred Burton, the Human Pianola.
The Straight piano roll is very raggy, but struggles to challenge Fred Burton's incredibly sparkling piano.
Enjoy the music
Best RAGards
Luigi

[fhimpsl]

Hello Friends,
I chose to post this little piece of ragtime history in the Piano Roll Thread, because it involves a piece that was supposedly never published in sheet music form and which in very recent years surfaced on a nickelodeon roll.
One of the infamous ragtime pieces that pioneer stride/ragtime players such as James P. Johnson and Eubie Blake remembered and talked about was "The Dream," composed by one Jess Pickett. This number was played in the sporting houses and was a great favorite of the clientele back in the 'teens. Both James P. and Eubie Blake recorded "The Dream"; each with a different version but essentially the same tune. Eubie even transcribed his version of "The Dream" at the request of a friend. It was thought that "The Dream" was one of those legendary pieces passed down from the earliest pianos, all by ear.
A few years ago I came across a 10-tune nickelodeon roll on the Automatic label (Chicago) label which had a tune entitled "The Daigha's Dream." The roll dates from ca. 1920. As it turns out this piece is structurally and musically extremely similar to "The Dream" that Eubie and James P. played (especially the dark tango trio section). So, a version of Jess Pickett's "The Dream" actually made its way to sheet music publication back in the old days. There is no composer information on the nickelodeon roll, but I would suspect a Black songwriter such as Spencer Williams might have taken the opportunity to grab the unpublished melody and turn it into a popular rag/tango.
A midi file recording of "The Daigha's Dream" is attached for those who might like to compare it to the James P. and Blake recordings.

All best,
Frank

Daigha's Dream.mid

New Information:
For purposes of comparison, I have posted Eubie Blake's own manuscript transcription of "Dream Rag" by Jesse Pickett. The similarities to the nickelodeon roll of "The Daigha's Dream" are striking. What is amazing to me is that Eubie remembered the tune in such detail after so many years.

Frank

Blake-Pickett - Dream Rag (ms).pdf