Popular Songs on the Roll Revisited

QRS#2097 piano roll played by Zez Confrey 1922 (composed by Harry von Tilzer). Recorded in 2015, and the rec updated 23 Nov 2017, by VViljanen (by permission from Warren Trachtman)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/designed by VV.
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
Photo: 'A Picture Without A Frame' sheet music cover
Zez Confrey 1895-1971

Harry von Tilzer:  'A Picure Without A Frame'. Zez Confrey in 1922 on QRS 2097

Zez Confrey: Kitten OnThe Keys Played By Herbert Clair 1922. Ampico Piano Roll #60621.
c Recorded in 2015 and the rec updated 12Sep2018 by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/re-designed by VV.
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED
Photo. Kitten on the keys.
Info* of the original piano roll:
KITTEN ON THE KEYS instrumental novelty key of F
Roll Number: 60621, 60621E
Composer/Creator: Confrey
Pianist: Clair
Roll System: Ampico
Country: US
Date: April, 1922
Category: classical, popular
Original Price: $1.25
*Info source: The Piano Player Group web page (by permission)

Zez Confrey: Kitten On The Keys. Herbert Clair 1922 on Ampico 60621

Blue, played by  Zez Confrey 1922 on Golden Age Piano Roll #2004. 
Scanned and digitized by Warren Trachtmann 2007, http://www.trachtman.org/rollscans/RollListing.php . 
Re-recorded from this digitally simulated reconstructed original piano roll by VV in 2015 using on its playback a modelled Grand Bluethner, sound/tone modified by VV.

Blue, played by  Zez Confrey 1922

Burning Sands*, played 1922 by Zez Confrey on QRS Piano Roll # 2147. CScanned and digitized by Warren Trachtmann 2005. Re-recorded from this digitized copy of the original roll file 2015 by VV with virtual Grand bluethner, tone/sound modified by VV.

*composed by B.Onivas

Burning Sands, played 1922 by Zez Confrey

Truly, played 1922 by Original Piano Trio on Ampico Piano roll # 202901, Scanned and converted into a digital form by Warren Trachtman 2013. Re-recorded in 2015 by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/designed by VV.
COMMERIAL USE PROHIBITED
Info of the original piano rol:
TRULY Fox-Trot D flat
Roll Number: 202901, 202901E
Composer/Creator: Rose
Pianist: Original Piano Trio
Roll System: Ampico
Country: US
Date: October, 1922
Category: dance, popular, song
Original Price: $1.25
Notes: With words

Rose: Truly, played 1922 by Original Piano Trio

Played by Zez Confrey on QRS World Roll #1361.   Composed by Zamecknick** 1920.
Re-recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy* of the original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/designed by VV.
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED
*Freely made available for NON-commercial purposes  by Robert Perry . rob@pianola.co.nz / http://www.pianola.co.nz
**John Stepan Zamecnik (May 14, 1872 in Cleveland, Ohio – June 13, 1953 in Los Angeles, California) was an American composer and conductor. He is best known for the "photoplay music" he composed for use during silent films by pianists, organists, and orchestras.

Zamecknick: Biddy, played by ZezConfrey in 1921

'Blue Grass' was issued in October 1928 as DuoArt roll number 0561 in the USA or 0906 in the UK. (It would have been recorded in New York). 
Recorded in 2016 by VViljanen and the rec updated Feb 21, 2023 by VV (by permission)from the digitallysimulated reconstructed original reproducing piano roll , using on its playback and rec a modelled Grand Bluethner, modified by VV.
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED.
Photo: Pauline Alpert
Info of the original piano roll:
BLUE GRASS ("Southern" Fox-Trot Song)
Roll Number: 0561, 0561
Composer/Creator: Henderson
Pianist: Alpert
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: October, 1928
Category: dance, popular, song
Original Price: $1.25 (Avg price (between $0.65 and $2.00))
Notes: With words

Henderson: Blue Grass.  Pauline Alpert 1928 on Duo-Art 0561

Nacio Herb Brown: Doll Dance played by Constance Mering 1926 on Aeolian (Duo-Art) No 713376.
Recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll.
ANY IND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
Photo: Constance Mering & Muriel Pollock
Basic info of the original piano roll:
DOLL DANCE from "Hollywood Music Box Revue" (Fox-Trot Dance)
Roll Number: 713376, 713376-D
Composer/Creator: Brown
Pianist: Mering
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: June, 1927
Category: dance, popular
Original Price: $1.25

Nacio Herb Brown: Doll Dance played 1926    by Constance Mering

Youmans: Tea for Two (subtile 'No No Nanette'), played in 1924 by Freddie Rich on Duo-Art piano roll. Recorded/rendered from the digitally simulated reconstructed original  reproducing piano roll 2016, and again Dec 13, 2023, by VV (by permission). 
Commercial use prohibited.
Basic info* of the original piano roll:
TEA FOR TWO from "No, No, Nanette" (Fox-Trot Song)
Roll Number: 713049, 713049
Composer/Creator: Youmans
Pianist: Rich
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: December, 1924
Category: dance, popular, song
Original Price: $1.25
Notes: With words
*Info source: The Player Piano Group web page (by permission)

Tea For Two

Youmans: Tea For Two. Freddie Rich 1924 on Duo-Art 71304

Zez Confrey plays in 1926 his Waltz Miracle, on Duo-Art 66941A. Remastered and recorded from the digitized copy of the original roll 2016 by VV. 
Commercial use prohibited.
Basic info of the original roll:
WALTZ MIRAGE
Roll Number: 66941, 66941F
Composer/Creator: Confrey
Pianist: Confrey
Roll System: Ampico
Country: US
Date: December, 1926
Category: classical, dance, popular
Original Price: $1.50
Notes: Assisted

Zez Confrey: Waltz Miracle. Zez Confrey 1926 on Duo-Art 66941A

Charleston Medley Played in 1925  By Zez Confrey On Duo Art 64101.
Re-recorded 2016 by VV (by permission) from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll. Commercial use Prohibited.
Basic info of the original roll:
CHARLESTON MEDLEY: 1. How Come You Do Me Like You Do? 2. Doodle Doo Doo; 3. Too Tired Fox-Trot
Roll Number: 64101, 64101F
Composer/Creator: n/a
Pianist: Confrey
Roll System: Ampico
Country: US
Date: February, 1925
Category: dance, popular
Original Price: $1.50

Charleston Medley Played in 1925  By Zez Confrey On Duo-Art 64101

Dimitri Tiomkin plays in 1920's (?)his Creole Blues, Ampico piano roll 003. 
Re-recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/designed by VV.
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED.

Dimitri Tiomkin plays in 1920's (?)his Creole Blues, Ampico piano roll 003

Percy Grainger Plays His 'Spoon River', On Duo - Art 66170.
Re-recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/designed by VV.
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED.
Photo: Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
The information on the original piano roll:
SPOON RIVER from "American Folk-Music Settings", No. 1
Roll Number: 6617, 66170
Composer/Creator: Grainger
Pianist: Grainger
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: April, 1923
Category: popular, salon
Original Price: $2.50

Percy Grainger plays in 1923 his 'Spoon River', on Duo-Art piano roll 66170

Percy Grainger Plays 'Turkey In The Straw' Concert Transcription (by Guion), on Duo-art piano roll 6444.
Re-recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/designed by VV.
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED.
Photo: Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
The information on the original piano roll:
TURKEY IN THE STRAW (Cowboys' and Old Fiddlers' Breakdown, concert transcribed by Guion)
Roll Number: 6444, 6444-3
Composer/Creator: American Traditional
Pianist: Grainger
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: June, 1921
Category: popular, salon
Original Price: $2.75 (Price after 1922)

Percy Grainger plays in 1921  'Turkey In The Straw' Concert Transcription, Duo-Art 6444

Grainger: Children's March 'Over the Hills And Far Away'. Percy Grainger & Lotta Hough 1920 on Duo-Art 6368.
Recorded in 2016, and the rec. updated Nov 24, 2017and Feb 22, 2023 by VViljanen (by permission)from playback of digitally simulated reconstructed original reproducing piano roll, using a modelled Grand Blüthner modified by VVV
Photo: Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED.
Basic info* of the original piano roll:
CHILDREN'S MARCH: Over the Hills And Far Away (arrangement for Two Pianos)
Roll Number: 6368, 6368-5
Composer/Creator: Grainger
Pianist: Grainger, Hough
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: December, 1920
Category: popular, salon
Original Price: $3.25 (Price after 1922)
*Info source: The Piano Player Group web page (by permission)

Grainger: Children's March, Percy Grainger & Lotta Hough in 1920, on Duo-Art 6368

Percy Grainger & Lotta Hough play in 1918 Grainger - Gum Sucker's March, Duo-Art 6059.
Recorded in 2016. and the rec updated** 18 Mar 2020, by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll.
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED.
Photo:Percy Grainger (1882-1951)
Info* of the original piano roll:
The "GUM-SUCKERS" MARCH from "In A Nutshell" Suite, No. 4 ("two recording pianos")
Roll Number: 6059, 6059-4
Composer/Creator: Grainger
Pianist: Grainger, Hough
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: October, 1918
Category: popular, salon
Original Price: $3.00 (Price after 1922)
*Info source: The Piano Player Group web page (by permission)
**because of quite too fast tempo indicated on the original roll, it has been reduced here into 0.78 x the  roll tempo

Grainger: Gum Sucker's March. Percy Grainger & Lotta Hough 1918 pn Duo-Art 6059

Peith & Earl Play in 1923 Scotto: Tango In The Night, on Duo-Art piano roll 1913-5.
Re-recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission from Terry Smythe, Winnipeg)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/designed by VV.
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
A TANGO IN THE NIGHT (Un Tango dans la Nuit) (tango Dance)
Roll Number: 1913, 19135-D
Composer/Creator: Scotto
Pianist: Leith, Earl
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: September, 1923
Category: dance
Original Price: $1.25

Scotto: Tango In The Night, Peith & Earl in 1923 on Duo-Art 1913-5

Myers Moonlight On The Ganges. Vicent Lopez on Ampico  208161.
Recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll. Rec updated with a new rec Jan 21, 2019
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED.
Photo: Moonlight Over The Ganges sheet music cover page (1926)
Basic info* of the original piano roll:
MOONLIGHT ON THE GANGES ("oriental" Fox-Trot Song)
Roll Number: 713282, 713282
Composer/Creator: Myers
Pianist: Rich
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: November, 1926
Category: dance, popular, song
Original Price: $1.25
Notes: With words
*Info source: The Piano Player Group web page (by permission)

Myers: Moonlight On The Ganges, Vicent Lopez 1926 on Ampico 208161

Zez Confrey plays in 1925 Daniderff Titina (from  'Puzzles of1925')*, on Ampico roll 205921.
Re-recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission)from digitally simulated  original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/designed by VV.
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
Basic info of the original piano roll:
TITINA Fox-Trot A flat
Roll Number: 205921, 205921E
Composer/Creator: Daniderff
Pianist: Confrey
Roll System: Ampico
Country: US
Date: May, 1925
Category: dance, popular, song
Original Price: $1.25
Notes: With words
*Also used in movie 'Modern Yimes' by Charlie Chaplin

Daniderff: 'Titina' from  'Puzzles of 1925'. Zez Confrey  1925 on Ampico 205921

Zez Confrey Plays In 1925 Gershwin Fascinating Rhytm, On Ampico 205821.
Re-recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitally simulated reconstructed original reproducing piano roll with a modelled Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/designed by VV.
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
Photo: George Gershwin.
Basic info of the original piano roll:
FASCINATING RHYTHM "Lady, Be Good!" Fox-Trot E flat
Roll Number: 205821, 205821E
Composer/Creator: Gershwin
Pianist: Confrey
Roll System: Ampico
Country: US
Date: April, 1925
Category: dance, popular, song
Original Price: $1.25
Notes: With words

George Gershwin: Fascinating Rhytm. Zez Confrey 1925  on Ampico 205821

My warmest thanks to everyone stopping by for listening to my  'REVIEW   OF THE PAST TIME PIANISTS' INTERPRETATIONS ON THE HISTORICAL PIANO ROLLS, and also to a small LIST of MY MODEST OWN RENDITIONS, all of the latter representing a variety of piano music & some pipe-organ classics, - and  TO THE Growing LISTS OF (just lately done and reproduced)  TRANSCRIPTIONS OF VARIOUS CHAMBER MUSIC CLASSICAL PEARLS FOR TWO PIANOS.
A HEADSET IS RECOMMENDED for optimal sound experience!
This kind of 'touching' on these old pre-sound-rec. era works by the great performers of the past, and giving my sound to these old 'punch rolls',  makes me feel  deep humbleness, .and I wish that this modest attempt to bring these  performances alive will satisfy you listening to them!
To introduce myself...
I am a Finnish M.D., PhD. and Hand Surgeon (now retired), previously when young with 10 years of professionally orientated piano studies at Turku Conservatory in 1965-1975, partly  along with medical University studies. 
The digital sound techniques have become very familiar to me already from 1980's along with my university research work  
and my musical activities.
As continuation to my musical and professional experience, I have, during the last few years of my retirement, adopted a music historical challenge
to bring the past time major and minor pianists, prior to sound-recording era, onto the same 'start line' with the present pianists, by making their presentations, played onto 'punch rolls' i.e. piano rolls, audible with modern digital techniques. This wouldn't be possible without the pioneering  efforts of Richard Stibbons, Wayne Stahnke, Terry Smythe, Warren Trachtman, Spencer Chase, and others, who developed the optical digitizing techniques of the piano rolls, and digitized them.

The main part of my recordings here in SC consists of selection recorded by me from optically digitized piano-rolls** (from 1910's on or earlier, classical and 'vintage era'). These recordings of mine are not and will not be commercially unavailable. - The rolls were first optically scanned and converted into a digital form by diverse operators** (see also to the info of each piece). The pieces here were partly (minor part) picked from various open net sources, publicly available, but mainly from the huge archive (n=ca.5000) of digitized copies copies of the original reproducing piano rolls, made available to me by one of the pioneers of roll digitizing tehchniques (willing to keep anonymous), and then recorded from this archive mainly with virtual grand piano (called by me 'Bluethner Model One') modified/re-designed by me, as well as the rec settings. 
Also a minor selection of my own renditions among my records can be found here, included on my playlist 'Bach Goes Virtual', the name of the list telling something about the techniques used for getting the end result... The list includes various organ works by J.S.Bach and others, and also a few piano renditions of mine. Then there are included also various pieces which have been in my repertoire, but here played mainly by the  'guest' great players of the past (before the sound recording era).
MY MOST HUMBLE THANKS TO THE NOBLE DONOR  OF THIS INVALUABLE PIANO ROLL MATERIAL FOR MY USE!!!
My Sincere Thanks also to The Player Piano Group, UK, for providing me their permission to use the information about the piano rolls collected and provided on their web page ( https://rolls.playerpianogroup.org.uk ),  and for simplifying my short historical presentations of these renditions on their re-publication here!
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MY MOST HUMBLE THANKS TO EVERYONE  OF YOU FOR LISTENING, AND FOR YOUR 'LIKES' & COMMENTS !
YOUR LISTENING & FEEDBACK IS TRULY APPRECIATED..!!.
Use of good headphones or speakers will make your music experience more enjoyable!
Best wishes, all the best
Veikko
These recordings are not commercially available, and ANY KIND OF THEIR COMMERCIAL USE IS PROHIBITED.

Popular Songs on the Roll Revisited

Veikko Viljanen