I am beginning a project that will transform a group of Aeolian
116-note pipe organ rolls to the fully automatic 176-note format.

Wagner's "Lohengrin" Aeolian pipe organ rolls were given special
attention by that company.  Aeolian promotes these 15 rolls in a high
quality small book.  Remarks were written by Gustav Kobbé and printed
on Strathmore Japan deckled paper.

Kobbé discusses Aeolian's effort to faithfully bring the music to
the home via the Aeolian Organ.  Four chapters outlining the history
of the opera, explaining the story and music, explaining how the roll
arrangers used orchestration and registration to invoke mode, and
adapting the opera to the Aeolian organ, are the contents of the book.

Kobbé proclaims the musicians involved in the roll making to be of high
merit, and their arrangements are unique, not just straight transfers
from the score.  Indeed, the rolls are the work of Walter Damrosch,
Harry Rowe Shelley, and Samuel P. Warren.  Finally, on page 57, the
rolls are listed by title and number.  The book carries a copyright
of 1917.

Of the 15 Lohengrin rolls offered in 116-note format, four rolls
were also offered in 176-note format by Aeolian so those will not be
included in my project.  I own all the rolls except two of the 116-note
rolls.  The two that I am missing I would like to borrow.  Those rolls
are

759 or 51759, Act I, scene 3, Prayer
939 or 51939, Act III, scene 2, Death of Frederick

(The roll numbers will omit the leading "51" if issued after 1919,
thus 759 and 939.)

This project is being undertaken because Aeolian seemed to place great
importance on this group.  Yes, they were great at marketing, but this
effort to get these rolls out to the customers has always intrigued me.
Once the upgrade to 176-note is complete, audio recordings of all rolls
will complete the project.

Who was Gustav Kobbé?  He was an opera scholar, noted writer and music
critic in New York.  He wrote a book in 1907 about operating Pianolas.
He died in 1918 while sailing in a New York harbor and a seaplane
landed on him.  If nothing else, that certainly makes him unique!

Bob Taylor
Missouri