I am seeking further information about the connection between early
Automatic Music Roll Company (owned by Seeburg) coin piano roll
arrangements and the Aeolian Company.
I have discovered one of Aeolian's branded "SIXTY-FIVE NOTE" roflls from
1915 features an arrangement identical to a tune from Automatic Music
Roll Company style A coin piano roll number A-302 dating from 1916.
The tune is "That Hula Hula" (Intro: "The Girl on the Magazine"), both
written by Irving Berlin. The arrangement is identical note for note,
even in the way the two songs are bridged together, the only difference
being in some slight re-arranging which is necessary since the coin
piano style "A" roll has only 58 playing notes.
I know that QRS masters were used also, but I wasn't aware that Aeolian
arrangements were used for Automatic Music Roll Company rolls. Does
anyone have more information on the origin and perhaps a more complete
timeline of who was providing the arrangements for Automatic Music Roll
Company with approximate dates? May I assume that Automatic never
employed in-house arrangers?
John Rutoskey
Baltimore, Maryland
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