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

End-of-Year Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > October 1997 > 1997.10.15 > 08Prev  Next


Player Piano on NZ TV
By Robert Perry

On a New Zealand holiday and travel program this week one of the
presenters visited the Wagener museum in the north of the North Island.
It's a lovely place, the tour guide wearing full Victorian clothing and
a lot of 'hands-on' exhibits. Among their collection are three player
pianos, and a collection of about 150 rolls.
The presenter announced 'and at the end of the tour, you're treated to a
concert on the old pianola', and the tour guide proceeded to play and
sing 'It had to be You'. There were closeups of her feet pedalling, the
roll moving over the tracker bar, and, of course, the keys moving
themselves.

I don't know what company made the roll, but it sounded an awful lot
like J. Lawrence Cook. The player was in reasonable condition, but the
roll seemed to jump over the tracker bar a bit, and the guide was
pedalling quite hard, but the sound was pretty good.
For any visitors to NZ I'd recommend you visit. It's a bit out of the
way, but if you take the trip to Cape Reinga (the top of NZ), you can
stop off on the way.

When I was there the roll playing was 'My Favourite Things', and the
only roll I remember was the 'Golden Gate (or Bridge) March' . Does
anyone have this?

Another interesting exhibit is a 1914 phonograph with a wooden horn.
Just thought I'd mention it as it's the first time I've ever seen a
player on NZ television!

Regards,
Bob Perry


(Message sent Wed 15 Oct 1997, 04:59:26 GMT, from time zone GMT-0700.)

Key Words in Subject:  NZ, Piano, Player, TV

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