I'm just starting on a new project, which is to get to grips a bit
with the Artrio-Angelus reproducing system.  This is linked to a
project regarding the rolls of Ethel Leginska.  I've created a template
to convert scans of these rolls into PunchMaster files with Warren
Trachtman's software, and also added them to my roll editor so I can
see the end result.

The Artrio is a cousin on the Duo-Art, in that it has a
Theme-Accompaniment system (and its rolls were cut by Aeolian).
But the expression logic is unique, and useful details about it are
very hard (impossible) to find.  There is a rather vague account in
William Braid White's "Piano Playing Mechanisms".

I know what the tracker bar layout is because it's given in Art
Reblitz's "Treasures of mechanical music".  But how these all fit
together is not to be found, and this is why I'm writing -- does
anybody have any practical information?

The tracks are, in the MIDI note-numbering adopted by Warren's
software, thus:

15 Accompaniment intensity 1
16 Leaker closed (raises general suction level)
17 Rewind
18 Sustain pedal
19-20 Bass Theme accents (same as Duo-Art)
21 Accompaniment intensity 2
22 Accompaniment intensity 3
( 23-106 playing notes )
107 Theme intensity 5
108 Theme intensity 4
109-110 Treble Theme accents (same as Duo-Art)
111 Theme intensity 3
112 Theme intensity 2
113 Soft pedal
114 Theme intensity 1

So, we have three Accompaniment intensities and five Theme intensities.
I know the mechanism works by closing bleeds or restrictions to raise
suction, each intensity therefore closes a bleed.  The Theme starts
from the Accompaniment and closes further bleeds, so the Theme rides an
exact level above the Accompaniment; you can hear this clearly in the
recordings Josh Rapier has online.  The "snakebite" accent, I gather,
just removes another restriction in the system rather than switching
between pre-set levels as does the Duo-Art.

But, how do these levels relate?  The rolls seem to make very little
use of the Accompaniment intensities (see screenshot below).  So,
does the Theme level in any way affect the Accompaniment?  How do the
intensities combine to define the playing levels?

I know that some rolls were issued on both Duo-Art and Artrio, although
I don't have scans of any of these.  A comparison with Duo-Art coding
would be instructive, if we assume that the performances were meant to
be very similar.

Julian Dyer

 [ Restorer Josh Rapier presents two Leginska Artrio rolls at
 [   http://www.reproducingpianos.com/Recordings.htm 
 [ At https://www.hull2017.co.uk/discover/article/leginska-the-enigma/ 
 [  "We celebrate the birthday of a little-known Hull legend."
 [ A good YouTube video of an Artrio-Angelus roll while playing is at
 [   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcZPLCHN3Lk 
 [ -- Robbie