There is a great deal that I don't know about the scanning versus
re-cutting of fragile rolls.  But there is something in particular
that I wonder about.  I have a well-regulated foot-pumper player that
is capable of some finesse in the playing of old rolls.  Right now,
I'm thinking about the way I just played a fine old roll, one that
I'd love to see preserved.

Here are the roll details.  It appears to be Voltem roll # 0703
with the title "Souvenirs d'Italie, (No. 1 Ballade Venitienne)" by
Leschetizky.  It is played by Ethel Leginska, a pupil, I believe,
of Leschetizky.  There is some tie-in with Angelus, for the box
bears the notation, "This composition was played by me exclusively
for the Angelus and this roll is the only authorized edition of my
interpretation -- and has been approved and accepted by me."  This is
signed Ethel Leginska.  I own a player with the Themodist mechanism
and the "snake bite" perforations in the treble and bass faithfully
bring out the melody.  I don't know whether it would play other details
properly on a Duo-Art.

The roll is on good, but relatively soft paper -- still, paper that
has stood up well.  In some cases, especially with long-held, closely
grouped notes, there is a tendency for passages to smudge.  Playing
this carefully on a foot pumper, I can keep bad things from happening
in these places.  I may have to avoid playing a particular spot with
the (artistically) proper emphasis, however, because the force of that
emphasis would cause wrong notes to play.

Here's my question:  The margins of this roll are fine and there are
no major imperfections in the perforations.  The paper is just, for
lack of a better word, "tired."  Could this roll more effectively be
scanned, re-cut or neither?

Whatever could be done should be done.  This is a truly beautiful
interpretation of quite a beautiful piece.  I'd dearly love to have it
transferred in some fashion to good paper and be able to share it with
others who support mechanical music.

Paul Murphy

 [ Albert Petrak wrote about Ethel Leginska in 010314 MMDigest:
 [ "She was among the more active performers for the reproducing piano,
 [ having made 35 rolls for Artrio-Angelus and 24 for Aeolian Duo-Art.
 [ Outstanding in the former grouping is the six-part "Souvenirs
 [ d'Italie" of her mentor, Theodor Leschetizky (Roll Nos. 7640/45),
 [ the only known complete recording of the suite."  See also
 [ http://www.rprf.org/Principle.html
 [
 [ In 980525 MMDigest Douglas Henderson wrote, "Voltem was the 88-Note
 [ line and Artrio-Angelus was the 'reproducing' roll series which
 [ usually shared the same master."
 [
 [ A photograph of the Wilcox & White recording piano is reproduced at
 [ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/krall1.html   -- Robbie