Concerning the disabled bass C in the Duo-Art design.  An amusing
incident occurred when I was taking "Form and Analysis" class at Ithaca
college in 1973.  The teacher wanted to play Debussy's "Sunken Cathedral"
for the class, and had grabbed the first available record from the
school library.

Unbeknownst to him, this Myra Hess performance was the Everest
transfer of her Duo-Art piano rolls.  During the last page and a half,
the ostinato accompaniment was played with all the low C's moved up an
octave, which made a very odd effect, especially to a class full of
students who were looking at the score!

For several minutes a debate ensued over why she would ever choose
to play the piece in that fashion.  My teacher thought it over, and
mentioned that pianists in those days played in a freer and more
expressive fashion, and perhaps this was a personal artistic statement.

This life experience did help to illustrate for me one facet of the
impact of the reproducing piano in the world.

Jim Neher
Reading, Pennsylvania

 [ Classical pianists and their roll editors seem determined to
 [ preserve the original key at all cost, perhaps because "that's the
 [ way it was published."  A vocal accompanist would've transposed
 [ the piece higher, to suit the available bass notes.  -- Robbie