Player Rolls by Wylton Todd
By Darrell Clarke
G'day all, I thought some of you might be interested in three homemade player rolls I found in a charity store here in Australia a while back. Two were totally handmade, very crude and barely playable, largely because they were almost worn out!
The tunes were very catchy (e.g. Syncopated Dance) and signed by the composer and "player", Wylton Todd, in 1928. The third roll was a Duo-Art, titled "Audrey", with machine cut playing notes and possibly hand cut expression. The roll is an original, with numerous editing changes, typed words, and is signed as composed and played by Wylton Todd, October 1928. There is a stamped title "Duo-Art Department" on the leader.
I had never heard of Mr. Todd, but to my amazement, I found that the State Archives here had an extensive biography on him! It seems that he was a young architect, about 20 at the time, who ran the local "floating" dance hall on the lake --- I wonder if he used these rolls between band pieces? I have not been able to find out where or how he made the Duo- Art roll (Denis Condon said they were never cut in Australia), but I do know that Wylton left for New York the following year, working for a firm of architects designing sky-scrapers.
Later, he went to London, designing the extensions to the Bank of England building and many stately homes. He flew bombers during W.W.II and was "lost" for 3 years as a prisoner in Germany. I have no information about his musical activities after leaving Australia, but he certainly showed promise in his youth.
When I play "Audrey" to visitors, they are very impressed, particularly when I explain that this roll is probably the only one in existence! It gives me a funny feeling when I listen to this unique music "frozen in time". I am so glad these rolls were not thrown away because they were so scruffy!
Cheers,
Darrell Clarke
Adelaide, Australia
(location for filming the movie "Shine"; lots of passionate piano playing) |
(Message sent Tue 25 Feb 1997, 00:46:00 GMT, from time zone GMT+1030.) |
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