Metrostyle rolls do not differ at all from normal standard Aeolian
Rolls.  Aeolian piano rolls were sold after circa 1901 in either normal
or Metrostyle format.  Once Themodist rolls were introduced the rolls
were also available with Metrostyle markings.

Metrostyle rolls cost slightly more than their standard counterparts.
Originally it was conceived to assist non-musically inclined owners
produce artistic renditions in an age when you would have generally
had to go to a live recital to hear music correctly interpreted.
The operator followed the red line with a large pointer attached to
the tempo indicator.  The concept was a very simple and effective idea
in principle.

'Metrostyling' was done after the standard roll had been produced, and
I don't see roll arrangers giving particular consideration to Metrostyle
lines that were yet to be drawn.  Standard rolls were marked up with a
Metrostyle line, after many runs through, and a final marked up roll
was produced.  This was inserted into a transmission assembly to which
a pantograph type arrangement guided by an operator following the
mastered line to draw, say, a dozen others.

The process was time consuming.  Later rolls often display worthless
tempo lines wandering aimlessly.  The work was paid as piece work and
operators often rushed through the job, waggling the control and making
wavy lines.  In the early 1920s the pantograph system was superseded
with lines being printed via an accurate template system.

The very earliest Metrostyle rolls (obviously all 65-note) have very
shaky drawn lines which, in my opinion, shows that at least initially
they did the pantographing work very diligently and at a very slow
speed.

'Metrostyling' the roll was taken seriously.  Reginald Reynolds (in
his recollections reproduced by the PPG a year back) attested to this
and expressed disappointment that lines he prepared were so carelessly
copied.  In a more recent edition, the PPG reprinted a piece on how
Grieg spent some days with Aeolian staff (visiting him in Norway with
a Pianola) on the 'metrostyling' of his works to his satisfaction.  A
large selection of rolls like this, approved by the artist and composer,
was prepared (see previous MMDs re Autograph Metrostyle rolls).

Mr. Sousa may perfectly well have approved the marking of the "Stars
and Stripes" roll in the Autograph series of rolls, though in this
particular instance I shouldn't think a Metrostyle line would have been
of much use in a march roll.

Hand-played rolls, produced via a recording piano whose output was
tidied up into the finished roll, were pointless to 'metrostyle', as
the rolls were to be played at a fixed tempo.  Some early rolls used
spread chords and other effects to give the impression of a hand played
performance.  In Aeolian brands these are often marked as "hand-played"
but with no named artist stated on the label.

By the late 'teens and '20s you see 'metrostyling' on Aeolian rolls
originated from hand-played performances, which is obviously pointless.
Many late dance and other rolls were originated from Duo-Art recordings
with the reproducing system coding removed.  As such they play at a
fixed speed and so 'metrostyling' is a waste of the money -- but that
never stopped Aeolian selling them.  Of course, you are always entirely
free to interpret any standard roll, hand-played, Duo-Art or otherwise,
as you see fit.

On the PPG website at http://www.playerpianogroup.org.uk/ is the
complete text and diagrams of "On Playing the 'Pianola'", by Reginald
Reynolds.  Click on the "Player Music" link and the link to the article
is at the foot of the page.

As Paul Murphy has discovered, artistic performances are created
through a deft combination of foot work and operation of the player
control levers.  The Reginald Reynolds article touches upon this.
Books by Harry Ellingham, Ernest Newman, Sydney Grew and others go into
minute detail about how to operate players to achieve musical results.

Adam Ramet <agr@lineone.net>
http://www.playerpianogroup.org.uk/