The recent appearance of a Disklavier accompanied by a full orchestra in a
re-performance of George Gershwin playing his own Rhapsody in Blue reminds
me that 20 years ago in September 1987, I did the same thing here in
Winnipeg, Canada, using my 1930 Mason & Risch 6' Duo-Art reproducing grand
piano on stage with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, directed by guest
Maestro Newton Wayland.
As in Phoenix, with the Disklavier, the concert in Winnipeg was similarly
dramatic, with a spotlight following a ghostly Gershwin, then a narrow focus
on an empty piano bench in a darkened concert hall. The effect was quite
magical.
This performance was done with my piano, specially equipped with an
electro-pneumatic device to start/stop the roll. Newton had a simple
doorbell button on his podium. Hit once started the roll, hit it again and
the roll stopped. The piano was located alongside his podium, with the
keyboard parallel to the stage. The roll itself was heavily marked with
felt-pen timing lines so Newton could see out of the corner of his eye, and
start/stop the roll's wind motor at will. The orchestral parts were
edited out of the roll.
Two and a half years earlier, I had done the same thing in Minneapolis,
again with Newton Wayland, this time working with a 7' Steinway Duo-Art
reproducing grand piano owned by Bill and Trudy Maier. We used the same
electro-pneumatic start/stop device, which I believe was developed by Bill
Singleton of St. Louis MO.
Following the use of my piano in Winnipeg, Newton contacted me again a year
later, hoping that I might be able to help him find an equivalent piano in
Calgary, Alberta, for same Gershwin concert there. Unfortunately, none
could be found, so I ended up loading up my piano into a U-Haul, towing it
to Calgary (800 miles), set it up, did 3 concerts, reloaded it back into the
U-Haul, towed it back home (another 800 miles) and restored it into my
living room. That experience was a self-inflicted wound. I resolved never
to do it again.
Over a period of about 10 years, Newton conducted this same Gershwin
"Rhapsody in Blue" performance about 10 times, using a borrowed Duo-Art
grand piano in whatever major city he was a guest conductor. In each case,
all the donors of the pianos were all members of the Automatic Musical
Instruments Collectors Association (AMICA) <www.amica.org>. In each case,
he brought along his sole modified copy of the original Duo-Art reproducing
piano roll.
In July 1983, The Chicago Chapter of AMICA hosted its annual international
convention. The highlight was a concert featuring the American Chamber
Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Harold Bauer, and 9' reproducing
Ampico concert grand piano. The piano was loaned by Ivan and Joan
Shapiro. The program included Rachmaninoff playing the 2nd movement of his
2nd Piano Concerto, accompanied by this orchestra. Rachmaninoff is
believed to have recorded only the 2nd movement and that Ampico roll was
never commercially issued. It was found among the artifacts of the
American Piano Company, and the performance that night was a world premier.
It is most encouraging to learn that history is being repeated, this time
with a Disklavier, "playing" a midi file that emerged from an archived
original piano roll of Gershwin playing his own Rhapsody in Blue. A neat
blend of old and new technology.
BTW, this type of "demonstration" concert with a full orchestra was done a
number of times during the peak of player piano marketing in the 1920-1930
era. They were as well received then as today.
Regards,
Terry
Terry Smythe (204) 832-3982
55 Rowand Avenue (204) 981-3229(cell)
Winnipeg, MB smythe@...
Canada R3J 2N6 http://members.shaw.ca/smythe/rebirth.htm
Preserving a unique slice of musical heritage.