Dear MMDers -- It's probably not news to anyone here that the QRS recut
of the Maple Leaf Rag roll, purportedly "played" by Joplin and originally
recorded on the Connorized label, is an "adulterated" version, with extra
syncope added at some point by J. Lawrence Cook.  It used to be that
Play-Rite sold a "pure" copy of this Connorized version, but it now
appears that they're no longer producing 88-note rolls (subsequent to
their two fires).

Today's query:  (1) Is there any interest in getting the original
Connorized roll recut for wide distribution, and (2) Is there anyone
out there willing to allow their (very valuable) Connorized Joplin roll
to be scanned.  We could use my Play-Rite copy, but this would not be as
satisfactory as an original.  Finally, if anyone knows whether Play-Rite
intends to keep going as an 88 note concern, this would put this issue to
rest altogether.

I recognize that a "hand played" performance may not be exactly that, but
the roll in question is an important historical recording if only to show
how ragtime composers contemplated departures from their written score,
and specifically, how Joplin himself may have improvised.

Best regards,

Tim Baxter