Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > November 1998 > 1998.11.01 > 17Prev  Next


Fidelity and Gershwin
By Dan Wilson, London

It being Gershwin's 100th anniversary, BBC's classical radio channel
Radio 3 has temporarily elevated him to Beethoven status and we're
getting a lot of interesting recordings played.

I happened to tune into one this morning and it was immediately
recognisable as the Duo-Art roll(s) of "Rhapsody In Blue", doctored so
that the piano part could be played with a jazz band.  This was not the
Michael Tilson Thomas one with the "Columbia Jazz Band", but much
earlier -- 1930s or even late 20s by the sound of it.  I'd not heard
that this had been done for disc so far back.

The piano was muddy and not in good order, and Jumping Jehesophat ! --
someone had taken some scissors to the roll and it was leaping forward
and cutting out whole sections.  There was one unfamiliar linking
section.  But it had to be the Duo-Art; what came through was otherwise
wholly familiar.  While intrigued, I felt depressed that such a poor
recording of a piano roll was being aired.

Then we came to the end.  In fact, the recording was really a triumph,
because the hiss had been taken out and the frequencies balanced up.

It was George's own recording with the Whiteman band in 1924 !  Ouch !

Dan Wilson, London


Key Words in Subject:  Fidelity, Gershwin

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page