Hi,
I've been lurking here for a month or so now, so I figure it's time for an introduction. I'm an electrical/computer engineer, 50-ish, and have been interested in pianola restoration for the past 15 years or so. I'm a member of the Mechanical Music Society of Australia - an enthusiastic group of collectors and restorers of all kinds of mechanical music. My collection includes a Haines Bros Ampico A grand, a Duo-Art (or 2), and some "ordinary" pianolas, reed organs and organettes, and a couple of music boxes. Also have a modest collection of vintage radios and mechanical calculators, and like tinkering and restoring any sort of engineering antiques. Starting to fiddle with MIDI, but it's a big leap from recorder playing - I find I'm much better at the "mechanical" part than the "music" part.
I haven't read all of the previous digests, but I would be interested to know if there are any current sources for organette music. Two types - original or recut rolls for the Celestina, and 14-note 7-3/4" rolls or sheets. For the latter, I would be especially interested if anyone had a source of suitable 14-note arrangements in staff or midi format that could be transcribed and hand-cut (eg, as a history/science/music project for working with school children), or any references or suggestions on the art of arranging real music in only 14 notes. I'm afraid it's beyond my talents at the moment :-)
Thanks,
John Wolff |
Mechanical
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