As I have been trying to start my own piano roll company, I have been
deciding on a few rolls to recut.  Up for debate was Joplin's "Maple
Leaf Rag", recorded for Connorized in 1916.

I have studied Joplin's life in great detail, and when I play this
roll or hear it played on another piano, I am not convinced of its
authenticity.  I have analyzed in depth the perforations of the roll,
and many parts of the roll are not even possible to play by hand.

Also, when you look at other rolls of the same time period played by
Joplin, these embellishments (such as the "gliding" upward notes in
many sections) are not present on any of the other recordings.  Many
other things are taken out to make room for other embellishments.
I have (in my mind) fixed the performance to it's original state,
and would like to reissue this roll under my own label.

My main concern is copyright with the roll.  While Maple Leaf Rag was
composed in 1897 and not issued on sheet music until 1899, does the
fact that the QRS company still perforate this roll mean they have the
copyright?  I personally do not think the copyright applies anymore
because this is a different performance of the roll, but because it
came from a QRS recut of a Connorized roll, does that mean I do not
have the right to do so?

If it is still possible for me to reissue the roll as my version, I
would be glad to start taking orders.  Copies are $25 each, and are
guaranteed to be of high quality.  I will try to have a MIDI file or
video out as soon as possible for people to see and hear the roll.
Also, I am still taking orders for "The Ragtime Oriole".  A MIDI file
for that roll can be found here (it should open in a new window):
http://www.ragsrag.com/pr/pr_ragtimeoriole.m3u 

Clinton Gray
Hereford, Arizona