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 > February 2009 > 2009.02.18 > 04Prev  Next


Ampico 71561 Recut: La Playera & La Colosa
By David Sharpe

Another late Ampico roll has been recut -- Ampico 71561, "La Playera"
& "La Colosa" by Granados, played by Frederick Longas in 1937.  This
fall I took my copy of the roll to Larry Doe for scanning and Richard
Groman of Keystone Music Roll Co. just sent me a recut made from that
scan.  I assume it will be available from Keystone in their next
catalog.  My original is on very brittle paper with many torn bridges
so I am happy to have a good playable copy.

"La Playera" is Spanish Dance No. 5, also called Andaluza, and it was
also recorded by Navas and by Tovar for Ampico, but La Colosa does not
seem to have been recorded in any roll format.  Longas adds a few chords
as introduction to La Playera and (I believe) a short bridge between
the two pieces.  Although the roll number indicates a small roll, in
fact it is a large roll.  The original roll is in a large Ampico box
but the label pasted to the end is small.  The tempo is 100 and perhaps
Ampico originally intended it as a small roll played at a slower tempo.

Richard Groman included a note saying that his recut is an exact
reproduction of the roll from his new "Histographic" process.  I believe
the process allows the recutting of scanned rolls with as much accuracy
as the original 3-to-1 masters produced.  I laid the first 15 feet or
so of the recut over the original and I can testify that the recut
seems perfect.  There is no stretching or shrinkage and all the note
and expression holes line up exactly.  I hope we will see more recuts
of rare rolls from this new process.

David Sharpe
Western Massachusetts

 [ When he performed in America he was known as Frederick Longas, but
 [ as a composer he was Federico Longas or Federico Longás Torres.
 [ -- Robbie


(Message sent Wed 18 Feb 2009, 18:57:29 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  71561, Ampico, Colosa, La, Playera, Recut

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