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MMD > Archives > January 2012 > 2012.01.06 > 02Prev  Next


Mechanical Music in the Movies
By Jeff Taylor

[ Greg Filardo wrote in 120103 MMDigest about "Hugo":

> There is a fairground organ selection present, and a good part of
> Zez Confrey's "Waters of the Minnetonka" selection directly recorded
> from the Ampico roll!

That is interesting about Confrey's "Waters".  It has also appeared
at least twice in "Boardwalk Empire," the first time early in the
first season as film accompaniment!  Of course, it is one of Confrey's
greatest rolls.  (I have part of his arrangement manuscript, and have
played a two-piano version live.)

The idea of using piano rolls for film accompaniment seems counter-
intuitive to me, though, since as far as I know there was no way to
synchronize the music to the action.  Try to imagine "The Sheik of
Araby" during a death scene!

Jeff Taylor


(Message sent Fri 6 Jan 2012, 20:28:27 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Mechanical, Movies, Music

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