Automatic pianos : a collector's guide to the pianola, barrel piano, & Aeolian orchestrelle /
Ord-Hume, Arthur W. J. G.
Atglen, PA : Schiffer Pub.,
c2004.
Includes bibliographical references (p. [490]-492) and index.
A brief introduction to mechanical musical instruments -- The earliest automatic string-playing musical instruments -- Barrel pianos, their history, development and manufacture -- Mechanical player actions and the birth of the pneumatic player -- The technical evolution of the player piano and its industry -- Perforated music and the wrath of the copyright-holders -- Sales peak, social influence and the decline of the player -- How the pneumatic player piano works -- Expression pianos and electric actions -- Reproducing pianos, their evolution and performance claims -- The music roll, piano repertoire and presentation -- The player-piano in the 21st century : high-points and weaknesses -- Looking after automatic pianos and music rolls : tools and skills needed -- Conserving the barrel piano and adjusting its music -- How to play the player piano artistically -- Roll-playing reed organs : the Aeolian orchestrelle -- Restoring and playing the Aeolian orchestrelle -- Living with the self-playing piano, care and maintenance.
Mechanical musical instruments.
Mechanical pianos