[ Ref. Luca Pastore in 220719 MMDigest ]

Milne's job at Aeolian-American (and elsewhere) was primarily as
an editor. I don't think Luca Pastore realizes that the work of the
editor for music notation (rolls being a manner of musical notation)
is far greater in scope and reach than that of an editor of the
written word.

Some extreme examples of what a music editor can be required to do:

Cole Porter would often dictate melodies to Albert Sirmay, sometimes
even over the phone. Sirmay would harmonize the melodies, write the
introductions and endings, write the piano accompaniments including
all the piano figuration (read "fills"), determine all dynamics,
expression markings and page layout.

Occasionally, Sirmay was even asked to compose a verse to Porter's
existing refrains. (This is all well documented in their letters to
one another at the Library of Congress.) The sheet music would then
be published as "Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter" with Sirmay's name
nowhere to be found.

Helmy Kresa did the same for Irving Berlin but whereas Porter could
write music and play the piano well, Berlin could not. Berlin could
only play piano in one key, F-sharp major, and Kresa did everything
else -- from a melody's first notation through to publication.

Bob Merrill ("How Much is that Doggie in the Window") couldn't even
play piano. Robert H. Noeltner constructed the melodies as Merrill
struck the notes on a child's toy xylophone!

I can cite dozens more examples, from the work of Richard Rodger's
orchestrators to the copyists of today's top film composers. Rarely
in music writing has the one with all the credit done all the work.
Yet in all of these cases, one would never think to give credit solely
or even primarily to the editors, even though the "composer" did the
least work of all.

Milne's relationship was likely similar with the pianists in his
stable. After all, Milne even selected the songs to be recorded so
he oversaw musical aspects beyond the scope of just roll editing.

True, Milne likely added fills and harmonization, intros and endings
to all rolls that came across his desk. (His son Alexander stated in
an interview that Milne brought stencils home regularly to edit by
hand with a ruler and that these stencils were rarely of his playing.)
Unfortunately, knowing that this was his practice negates our own
ability to use listening as an indicator of who played or created what
on a given roll.

No matter how significant his contributions, Milne was still just the
editor and his input should not detract, or worse, delete the creative
input of the pianist who is given credit on the roll label for creating
the roll.

To jump to the conclusion that (1) Milne created every arrangement out
of whole cloth and at the same time (2) used other, famous pianists
names as his own "pseudonymous" is simply a hunch of the worst kind.
Audio examples are an interesting starting place but offer no proof,
no evidence in the way that company pay logs, newspaper articles of the
day, diaries, invoices, etc. can and likely do.

I for one reserve any judgement until that documentation is brought
to light. Anything else is conjecture and should be presented as such.

Adam Aceto

 [ Adam Aceto arranges light opera music for theatre performance
 [ in addition to playing theatre organ performances and pipe organ
 [ for church services. He also writes about Hungarian wine! Visit
 [ https://sites.google.com/site/afottr/home  -- Robbie