When Ray Fairfield commented that "Music originally written for an
ensemble or orchestra just doesn't cut it when played back on a piano,
even a reproducer," I assumed he just never heard the good stuff.

In the field of audio recordings, try listening to Earl Wild, "The Art
of the Transcription", Audiofon Records.  In the Ampico library, try
all of the releases by Milton Suskind and Julius Burger or Milton
Suskind and Arthur Loesser.  These four hand arrangements are quite
good.

Just about universal as a crowd pleaser is any 88-note roll rendering
"The Stars and Strips Forever", a composition by Sousa for band.

In all fairness, there are some terrible transcription rolls.  The
success is in the arrangement.

Bob Taylor