Again I am making an appeal to find rolls that I need for my recording
project.  As I have explained here and elsewhere, my roll collection
is substantial, but before I acquired it, someone obviously pulled
many Puccini opera rolls out of the collection.

Aeolian organs that can play rolls are a rapidly diminishing commodity.
Only a handful can do it well.  The rolls are now at their end of life
due to acid deterioration.  That means the sound character of the rolls
can best be preserved by making audio recordings of a real Aeolian
playing a real roll, now.

For fifteen years I have been analyzing the performances contained on
these rolls.  They are unique.  Nowhere else is an orchestral organ
skillfully paired with transcribed music not written specifically for
the organ.

Harry Rowe Shelley brought Puccini's operas "Madame Butterfly" and
"La Boheme" into full blossom on the Aeolian Organ.  This was done
when those operas were still relatively new.  Shelley's talent, which
was recorded only on Aeolian rolls, should be preserved and celebrated.

My first effort in this project is "Madame Butterfly".   I have
acquired and borrowed many of those rolls, but not all.  I want to
use the Duo-Art version of each selection in making recordings.  If
that is not possible, I will upgrade the 116-note rolls to Duo Art
coding as required.  Still missing are the following rolls.  Each
selection shows the 176-channel Duo-Art roll number first.  If there
is a second number, it is the 116-note version.   The selections
without a 116-note indicates that I already own the 116-note roll.

  3221 / 1080 Introduction
  3256 Consul's Interview
  3257 Butterfly's Death
  3272 The Marriage
  3274 / 1233 Dawn
  3275 / 1231 Pinkerton's Return

I will purchase the above rolls at reasonable prices or if the owner
allows, I can borrow the roll to scan it into MIDI format.

In recent days I have repeatedly played the roll that is called the
"Star Spangled Banner" scene.  That roll is spectacular.  All
attributes of the organ are used with skill.  The Harp, Chimes, and
full resources come into play in dramatic fashion.  In two spots, the
full organ (all stops on) plays against the totally closed swell
shutters, and then they slightly open to great effect.

If my recordings don't come to fruition, this wonderful piece of
musical history will be soon lost and forgotten.

Please help if you can.

Bob Taylor
Missouri

 [ Bob's earlier article about the Puccini songs is at
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/Digests/201411/2014.11.18.04.html 
 [ -- Robbie