When you say "push-up", are you referring to what is also known as a
"vorsetzer": a box that rolls up to the keys of a piano with 'fingers' for each
key and plays them via a perforated roll??? I have seen one in action here in
the LA area but thought they were rare and expensive. Do tell more! Where? How
much?
I pumped (no cheeky comments please) many a mile on an Aeolian as a kid. That's
where I discovered Franz Von Suppe.
What is the best way to get an automatic piano?
Vance
> Ches!
>
> Interesting stuff!..... Player piano "Push-up"s are fabulous machines, and
> certainly in the UK, relatively undesirable, hence cheap. If you stumble
> across one, the most versatile is an Aeolian or Orchestrelle with the
> "Duo-Art" feature, which could be switched in to add automatic expression to
> the piano roll, provided it was of a compatible type. This is a DIGITAL
> system believe it or not!.... using air instead of electricity! These brands
> were termed "Pianola" and became a generic term for automatic player pianos.
>
> If you ever get the chance, try to get to a concert by Rex Lawson (I think
> he tours Worldwide) who with his partner take a brace of Duo-Art push-ups
> around with them and hook 'em up to a couple of concert grands. The brevity
> of a single piano roll performance is overcome by one "Pianolist" seamlessly
> picking up the performance from the other as the roll runs out. In this way,
> they perform long orchestral pieces.
>
> Anyway....Whatever you do, don't pay big money for ANY automatic piano at
> auction..... I'd imagine EBay to be the WORST way to buy one!!
>
> Cheers f'now!!
>
> C
> ----------
>
> >In my piano class I have been trying to get my instruction veerd
> >towards the Great American Ragtime sound.. In doing so I found a
> >little history that was lost until reciently. Rick, if you know of the
> >following please let me know what you think. Well I stumbled on some
> >old piano rolls of James P. Johnson dated 1921 - 1929(The Charlston
> >and more)!!!! The father of Stride, the teacher of the great Fats
> >Waller and Duke Ellengton.. From what I've been reading it all comes
> >down that the movement he started had much more impact to the world
> >than anything we know of regarding modern music. It's difficult to put
> >my self in that time but listing to these lost rolls one can hear
> >music that must have been on hold until today! (the history tells how
> >his name was forgotton partially due to his work and inflence on
> >Gershwin) On ebay I also found a old "Push Up" which was the
> >predecessor to the player piano invented in Detroit. You push this
> >large unit up to any piano and it uses the suction pumps to activate
> >"servos" if you will to play the piano. I wish I could get it but it's
> >in Ohio.. Anyway these songs are now available on CD on the
> >Tradition Records label by Rycodisk. The CD is called James P. Johnson
> >Running Wild 1921-1926.
> >Ches #997
> >
> >
> >
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