Hi there everyone, Just thought I'd fly the flag a bit for the
Mastertouch Piano Roll Company in Sydney, Australia.
They seem to be making a move away from the popular garbage such
as 'Titanic' theme, etc., with their most recent releases. A few
months back they released a new version of 'Maple Leaf Rag' played
by Australian stride pianist John Gill -- an interesting version,
complete with a biography of Gill stamped along the roll.
I was lucky enough to see this roll being perforated at their factory
after I made a special trip: a 3-hour international flight from New
Zealand (and a return later that day -- very exhausting!) They still
use the original perforating and word stencilling machines, although
their output is down from 6000 rolls per day in the 1920s to a few
hundred a week now. They even have a recording piano that can still
perforate as the artist performs!
I received an email from them earlier this month advertising their
latest release, roll S23005, 'Strut, Miss Lizzie', played by Eubie
Blake! I don't know where the master roll came from; probably a recut
of an old roll. They attached a brief MIDI clip of it, which I have
attached for addition to the MMD Archives.
I hope some of you will be inspired to order a few rolls from them.
A lot of their masters have been in production for 80 years and include
some fantastic rolls, particularly those played by Len Luscombe. Their
four-handed version of 'California, Here I Come', played by Luscombe and
'Rawlings' (a Luscombe pseudonym), is one of my favourites.
Regards,
Robert Perry
Auckland, New Zealand
[ Several other MIDI files are presented are their web site, but
[ not "Strut, Miss Lizzie". Although the song and the piano roll
[ performance are in the public domain, Mastertouch holds copyright
[ to the MIDI file transcription, so I must not publish it without
[ their permission.
[
[ The Mastertouch Piano Roll Company
[ PO Box 206
[ Petersham 2049
[ NSW, Australia
[ Fax: +61 2 9550 0201
[ http://www.pianorolls.com.au/
[
[ -- Robbie
|
