Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > July 1997 > 1997.07.09 > 12Prev  Next


Are Old Music Rolls Worth Preserving?
By Damon Atchison

I thought a lot about what Bill Chapman said about preserving old music
rolls.  I know this may sound a little extremist or just plain crazy, but
I feel all rolls should be saved. If you consider all the work it takes
to cut a music roll, then consider that you may have the last one like it
in existence, why waste it?

There are a lot of people who have player pianos running of Hoover
vacuums who would love to have the rolls, and when the rolls are
145-years-old, someone will probably want to recut them.  I am happy that
someone saved some old boring songs for me to hear from a different era
on my player piano.  I like "Avalon" (1920), and "Hindustan" (1945), and
I would never have heard those if someone dumped them in a landfill in
the seventies just because they didn't think that they were that special.

If a roll can't be played, I say save it, or give it to someone, or sell
it,....... do something!   Add some value to the thing and give it
another 50 years to exist, don't waste it.

Damon Atchison
Damon66@juno.com


(Message sent Wed 9 Jul 1997, 19:17:11 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Are, Music, Old, Preserving, Rolls, Worth

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page