As many are aware, I have been scanning Violano rolls for the past two
years in an attempt to accumulate an archival copy of as many of these
rolls as possible before they are reduced to paper dust.  These files
can be used to re-cut rolls, to listen to on the computer or to control
a MIDI equipped Violano.

To date, approximately 700 Violano rolls have been completed.  While
the majority of these are late style rolls, all of the MIDI files have
been modified so that any MIDI controlled Violano can play any of them.
While listening to all 3500 of these tunes, one really got my attention.

Generally, I am not a proponent of classical music on the Violano, since
it was clearly not designed with this type of music in mind.  However,
"Elfentanz, Op. 62" by Ernst Spies is an exception to that rule.  This
piece really puts the Violano to work.  I was not familiar with it
before hearing it on my Violano.  Dick Hack has agreed to re-cut this
roll, which was sent off to Play-Rite yesterday.

The tunes on the roll are:

  La Capricieuse (E. Elgar)
  Mazurka de Concert (Musin)
  Andantino (Padre Martini-Kreisler)
  Mendelssohn's Capricietto (Burmester)
  Elfentanz, Op. 62 (Ernst Spies)

If anyone would like copies of my demo files (without expression)
to audition the pieces on their computer before ordering a roll from
Dick, please send me an email and I will be happy to send them to you.
These particular versions of the tunes will not work on a MIDI
controlled Violano.  Likewise, contact me if you would like more
information about the rollscanning project.

On a related subject, I have scanned an incomplete copy of roll 2144.
If anyone has a copy of that roll that I could borrow, I would greatly
appreciate it.

Jack Breen
Southborough, Massachusetts