Hello all! Quick introduction: My name is Sibelle Grisé, I'm a
23-year-old living near Lowell, Massachusetts, and a longtime
subscriber to (and fan of) the Digest. I'm thankful for how much
I've learned reading these posts. Currently I'm working on an Aeolian
push-up player. This is my first time writing to the Digest.
I'm seeking information on any available player-piano rolls of the
brand "Édition Champagne". These rolls are particularly rare and of
great importance to me in my quest to document the French-Canadian
sheet music publishing industry which operated in Lowell,
Massachusetts, from ca. 1905 to 1935.
The Champagne Brothers were three musicians and composers whose
compositions would've been known to the likes of Jack Kerouac as a
young boy. Their sheet music was published primarily in the French
language and had an audience stretching from Boston to Montréal.
Naturally, the Champagne Bros. also had a series of piano rolls in
regular production. I am in possession of one roll made under the
Vocalstyle brand, of "Évangéline" copyrighted by Champagne. However,
I was not aware that the "Édition Champagne" rolls also existed, until
this past Monday (December 14th) when I found a paper scan of a roll
box's label randomly placed in a file at the Lowell, Massachusetts,
archives. I've attached my own photo of that printed-out scan.
I am seeking any information on any extant rolls, especially what
titles are still held by collectors, for the sake of historical
documentation. (One day I hope to contribute an article to "Le Forum"
magazine of Franco-American history published by the University of
Maine, on the topic of this music and its impact. This would include
a note on the player rolls.)
I am also interested in purchasing any rolls with the Champagne name
which might be available.
Thank you so much for any help you may have to offer.
Sibelle O. Grisé
Dracut, Massachusetts
mickeyodilon@gmail.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]
[ Photo of the scan of "Édition Champagne - Amour brisé" label on roll box.
[ https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/20/12/21/201221_050725_Champagne.png
[ Found at https://data.bnf.fr/fr/documents-by-rdt/13996167/tum/page1 --
[ "Amour brisé", Paroles de G. Sibre et V. Thomas, musique de F. Popy (1916)
[ -- Robbie
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