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 > November 2000 > 2000.11.14 > 04Prev  Next


Dixon Recording Piano of 1920s
By John Farrell

In addition to being an MMD subscriber I belong to a jazz cyberlist.
A recent posting there was directed to me but, not being at all
knowledgeable in this area, I could not comment.  Here is the relevant
part of the message :

 "Five or six years ago I visited a music museum in a town on the West
  coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.  I can't remember the name
  of the town, or even the name of the museum, but I videotaped rather
  extensively there; if there is any interest, I could retrieve the
  videotapes and provide additional info.

 "One of the things that fascinated me there was an instrument called
  a Dixon Recording Piano (I think; again, the videotape could provide
  precise details).  This grand piano was an amazing instrument back
  in the 1920s.  It recorded on a perforated roll, but was capable of
  recording all the dynamics of the music.  It was extremely expensive
  -- I seem to recall that they cost $35-50,000, a vast sum at that
  time -- and only a small number were ever made, something like six
  to ten."

Can anybody provide more information about this instrument?

John Farrell
http://homepages.tesco.net/~stridepiano/


(Message sent Tue 14 Nov 2000, 12:40:04 GMT, from time zone GMT.)

Key Words in Subject:  1920s, Dixon, Piano, Recording

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