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MMD > Archives > February 1998 > 1998.02.27 > 06Prev  Next


Piano Roll Artists on Phonograph Records
By Ken Vinen

In response to Bryan S. Cather's interest.  When I first started
collecting music almost 45 years ago, I loved the sound of the player
piano but could only afford to by records, which were plentiful in the
second hand stores for five cents each!  I am sorry to say that my
substantial horde of recorded music has never been catalogued.  I know
I have recordings by Zez Confrey on the Brunswick label, and I do
recall a lot of cross-over between my piano rolls, records and sheet
music.

Arden & Ohman are common finds on 88-note rolls.  I did a quick shuffle
on one pile of old records and found the tune "Saturday" -- (in fox
trot tempo) (from Snap Shots of 1921) P/B Victor Arden & Phil Ohman --
as a piano duet.  It is the "B" Side of a Victor record.  It is a pure
piano duet with no percussion or other instruments.  To my ear it
sounds like a live recording because you can distinctly hear the
difference in volume between the players.  If it had been a standard
roll, (non reproducing) it would have been recorded at all the same
decibels.

A second recording on the Brunswick Label is marked Piano Duet with
Orchestra for dancing.  The "A" Side is "The Blue Room - Fox Trot" from
The Girl Friend.  It says Phil Ohman and Victor Arden with Their
Orchestra.  Strangely enough, the "B" side is "The Girl Friend" title
song from that production, same credits.  The renditions are _very_
spirited and more like a race than a fox trot; however, with the very
full orchestration, it sounds to my ear that the piano parts were live
as opposed to paper roll.

If any subscribers wish to contact me directly, I will do what I can to
dig out more Roll Artists on Records information but please remember,
it will be a slow process to shuffle and read many hundreds of dusty
old 78 rpm recordings.

Regards
Ken Vinen

 [ At least one Gershwin show was scored to feature two pianists in the
 [ orchestra pit: Ohman & Arden!  I believe Gershwin also took the pair
 [ abroad when the show played in London.  -- Robbie


Key Words in Subject:  Artists, Phonograph, Piano, Records, Roll

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