As mentioned in MMDs 981218 and 981219, The Player Piano Group has just
published a booklet containing the writings of Reginald Reynolds,
chiefly famous for being the Duo-Art roll editor in London.  Reynolds
spent his entire working life demonstrating pianos and player pianos in
the UK, and most of his retirement in promoting the player piano!

This booklet contains much valuable information of interest to all
player and reproducing piano enthusiasts.  I'm sure may MMDers would
find it very interesting, and I'd like to describe it briefly so you
know what's in it.

Filling about half the booklet are the memoirs Reynolds wrote in the
late 1940s.  He describes his first job demonstrating pianos for Maples
department store, where he organised the first public player piano
recital, in 1902, using the Cecilian instruments they sold.
Subsequently he moved to work for Farrand, makers of the Cecilian, and
gives a picture of working for this company.  When its business took a
downturn, he moved to Chappell's, the piano makers, where he encountered
various of the great pianists.

The bulk of the memoirs cover the 20 years Reynolds spent with Aeolian,
which he joined as a Pianola demonstrator about 1910.  His job entailed
travelling the country and performing in concerts with orchestras and
singers - which provides a number of interesting anecdotes.  In later
years he also gave recitals (live) on the radio.  He tells us of the
way the red Metrostyle lines he designed for the rolls were printed (so
badly they were of little use).  When Aeolian's UK business was closed
in 1930, he moved firstly to Marshall's (UK owners of the Angelus
brand), and subsequently to Harrod's department store.

The second half of the book contains all of Reynolds' known published
articles.  Of particular interest is 'A note on the technique of
recording', which describes the Duo-Art recording process, as written
for The Gramophone magazine in 1924.

Perhaps the most valuable of all the articles is a reprint of the
booklet 'On Playing the Pianola', which describes how to use the
Pianola Piano to make music - as he says "so vast is its potential
power for the interpretation of music that not one of the so-called
demonstrators of the instrument can be said to have reached the limit
of its possibilities".  The description has specific sections for using
the Themodist system and Duo-Art manual controls, but the fundamental
lesson is applicable to any make of instrument.

For illustration, there are 8 photographs of Reynolds with Duo-Art
recording artists in London, and a number of family photographs, plus a
very rare advertising postcard for the Cecilian.

Reynolds was passionate about using the player piano as a musical
instrument, and this comes through in all his writings.  The Player
Piano Group exists to encourage owners of player pianos to get the most
out of their instruments, and these wonderful articles are a must for
any owner who is interested in the music his or her instrument can
make!

The booklet may be purchased from:

   Malcolm Cole,
   11 Elm Road
   Hook
   Chessington KT9 1AF
   UK

   malcolm.e.cole@btinternet.com

The cost is a very reasonable 2 UK pounds each plus postage.  Payment
in UK cash or sterling cheque payable to 'The Player Piano Group', or
send a US$5 bill, which exactly covers the cost for airmail orders.
Including post, costs are: UK/Europe, 2.50 UKP; elsewhere 3 UKP or
US$5.  Please enquire to the above address if you're not sure how best
to pay.

Julian Dyer
Bulletin Editor, Player Piano Group, London.