Hello MMD readers,

    One thing, which struck me, when reading some of the current - and
past articles - on the supposed "decline" of Mechanical Music, is that
"Music" (as a whole) has undergone major changes, since I began
collecting Edison cylinders/phonographs in 1948, and entered the
Pianola field in 1952, soon, after, becoming an arranger - and then,
eight years, later, a publisher of new music roll arrangements. ('Old
Salzburg' was one of our roll names, then; 'ARTCRAFT' wouldn't appear on
roll boxes, until 1982.)

    Music, today, is a passive pleasure ... and, more often than not, is
being used as a drug - "sonic wallpaper" - than for active, astute
listening, at least among the majority of the American public. Up until
the mid-1960s, there was always "somebody who could play the piano" in
every gathering, so you heard not only live music, but tunes which were
appearing in Hollywood musicals, Broadway stage shows and/or radio
programs. There was a culture, going back to the 1920s, where you saw or
heard something, bought the sheet music, the 78 rpm records ... and the
music rolls, if you had a Player-Piano.

    This changed, with the arrival of the Beatles, in my opinion,
although the corporate-controlled, 'studio' music, which was out of
reach to the average person, to create, had been brewing since Elvis
changed from Sun Records to RCA-Victor, earlier.  Suddenly, songs were
not easily singable and were usually off-key, due to the low talent
level of the performers, who were being selected by the television
industry for their "visual" effects. Most music was rambling and
formless, a total bore to those who grew up with syncopated dance music
and ballads with captivating lyrics.

    Several decades of this non-participative music, went by, and you
had two norms: one, is the passive public, who turns on something, much
as Linus (in the Peanuts cartoons) had his ever-present security
blanket; the other, is the international multi-media groups, which
control what used to be called 'popular' music. These giant companies
hire writhing, wailing female singers and (often shirtless) male groups,
hopping around with electronic guitars. Music? Well, "sound" perhaps,
but it doesn't relate to the home scene, which dominated the first half
of the 20th Century, and the first thirty years of my life.

    This doesn't meant that "Music" is disappearing, but it feels the
competition from other pleasures, including boating, trail hiking,
photography (much easier for the amateur in this digital age, than in my
day of lens stops and shutter speeds) plus, of course, personal
computers (PCs).

    My export business is growing, as people - outside of the USA - are
'discovering' the music on players, as I ("we") did in the 1950s and
1960s, when "new" topics and old rolls were being unearthed all the
time. For one thing, I was in this field, early enough, to run into
old-timers who were part of the original player industry. Most of them
only know what their particular factory was doing, so could discuss late
Welte-Licensee, the Gulbransen Registering Piano development or Ampico
valve unit technicalities. These artisans, who often ran piano
rebuilding shops on the West Coast - back then - had little knowledge of
what their competitors were doing, at the same time. They didn't see the
"big picture", as it were.

    (If you don't believe me, read that Hickman interview by Nelson
Barden. Dr. Hickman says that he looked at a Duo-Art, open for viewing,
in the store window of Aeolian Hall. His comment: "It made me sick" -
referring to the assembly and layout. Did he enter the store and listen
to one? No! His interest was in design efficiency and standardization of
the components, not virtuoso musical performances, something the Aeolian
player could deliver, with the 'right' music rolls. This was typical for
an old-timer, in the field, for I heard replies like that, in my own
personal encounters with others, who were in the industry, when it was
humming, back in the 1920s.)

    What has happened, is that people who are really interested in
music, per se, are gravitating to the piano ... and secondarily, to the
pneumatic player. The customers are widely dispersed, so the days of the
"player club chapters" will be ending, as are the Grange Halls, VFW
buildings and other 'group' activities, in different spheres, as is
happening, here, in New England.

    The Player-Piano is not prestige ... a piece of furniture ... or
something to have, as it once was. The Player-Piano, when tuned,
restored and presented with good rolls, attracts the general public as
well as performing musicians and composers. (This is the voice of
experience speaking, in that regard.)

    Scroll down to the bottom of this page, where one of my customers
writes about the series of Pianola concerts, which I gave on the Coast
of Maine, a few years back:
http://www.wiscasset.net/artcraft/pianolas.htm  (That "Hi, Douglas!"
statement is typical of the comments I receive, when the musicales have
ended.)

    What is NOT attracting the general public, today, are mediocre
products from the past. Quality - priced, accordingly - survives, while
low cost 'junk' replaces what the average person bought, when tastes
change.

    In fountain pens, the Wearever and Esterbrook products are gone,
while foreign-owned Parker, Schaeffer and deluxe German brands like
Pelikan and Montblanc survive, for the discerning market. A fine pen is
called a "writing instrument", now, separating it from the throw-away
ballpoints of the Bic (tm) style.

    With sewing machines, you have the plastic models, made in the Third
World, replacing the NJ built Singer (tm) line, but computerized
Scandinavian models exist, for those who are really INTO sewing. (These
imported sewing machines are in the 4-digit range, truly for the
dedicated users, only.)

    In musical instruments, the irritating MIDI 'electronic keyboards'
can be purchased at your local 'box' mall store, while the Mason &
Hamlin, Steinway and other imported brands appeal to those who want good
tone, for piano music, in their homes.

    With players, you have the disappearance of the 'jalopy' instrument,
patched up and run into the ground, for the sake of cost and turnover.
Good restorations are what will carry the player forward. There, it's
important to state the the piano - itself - must be fully rebuilt before
the player action is considered. Hammer voicing, especially in the
treble, must be done, to equalize the scale, something not that
important with keyboard playing.

    Players require rolls, so it's no surprise to me that arrangements
by the factory 'hacks' (who worked for low pay on piecework) rarely
excite those new to the field, in our time. Why pedal "Smoke Gets In
Your Eyes" on an old QRS roll when you can play the videotape of
"Roberta" or one of the sundry 78s (on tape or CD, today) of the
original audio music? If somebody made a sparking, well-phrased and
imaginative version of this Kern melody, the Player-Piano would turn
heads, with that beautiful number.

    A carefully-selected library of imaginative rolls will do much to
attract people to the Pianola.

    Remember, many rolls were done "on the cheap", so repeated the exact
arrangement 100%, twice ... thrice ... and, often, four times. That
'stuck phonograph record' aspect is one of the worst elements in
traditional roll publishing!

    Melodic, harmonious music is only part of the entertainment scene,
today, but I'm certain that the Player-Piano - an interactive
instrument, whose day has arrived, with the PC-aware public - will
survive. You might have to look for a good one, playing, but it will be
there, fascinating and entertaining the fortunate listeners.

    Regards and optimistic for the 21st Century, regarding music rolls,
          (signed) Douglas Henderson

--
ARTCRAFT Music Rolls
(L. Douglas Henderson)
Wiscasset, Maine 04578 USA
Home Page - http://wiscasset.nnei.net/artcraft/