Introduction
By Howard Read
Hello.
I've been lurking on the list for some time and thought I might introduce myself with a short message.
I'm a recently "doctored" electrical engineer from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and come to music in a variety of ways, few of them automated, I'm afraid, but still I'd like to contribute a few tidbits to the list.
Piano player (1928 Steinway Model L) at heart and vocalist by way of socialization (Pittsburgh Camerata) I found my way here via Terry Smythe a while back. A message I had posted about my great grandfather led me to Terry who lead me to AMICA and now here (lurking) on the list.
Indeed it is my great grandfather, Josef Hofmann, who provides me with the link to the automated music world. After visiting IPAM (International Piano Archives at Music) and seeing some of the large number of rolls that he produced during his lifetime, and recently getting hold of four "new" CD's of his music (remastered from LP's but still not of particularly high quality) I still have a very personal interest in trying to hear his music as others did during his lifetime. Unfortunately, he died several years before I was born.
Having at my disposal a Macintosh and a Clavinova, I was hoping that souls the likes of Artis Wodehouse or Richard Tonnesen might be persuaded to take some of the old Hofmann piano rolls and "transcribe" them to MIDI (and of course to a high-quality recording.) From this list, it seems others may have the same desires and/or ability. I've done nothing about this interest for a year or so (during which time I gave birth to a Ph.D dissertation) but am now renewing my search.
I personally own nothing related to rolls or reproducing pianos but someday would love to be able to pop in a MIDI file and hear Hofmann coming out of my Clavinova (at least most of the notes....I think its 16 voice limitation might present a problem for some of his playing!)
Oh, the Steinway that I learned to play on, of course, was his. So at least, in some way I can hear the NOTES that he had played, but my fingers will never be able to duplicate his MUSIC.
So the question: is there anyone out there who has Hofmann rolls converted to MIDI? I would be pleased to know of any leads and also just how many Hofmann rolls are still surviving and listened to out there.
Thanks for your time.
-- Howard C. Read
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(Message sent Wed 11 Oct 1995, 02:35:22 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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