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Claude Debussy: The composer as Pianist. The Caswell Collection Volume 1
Nov 4, 2013 at 7:00 PM Post #18 of 34
Excellent write-up Mike, thanks very much!  And I enjoyed the piece so much that I'm going to purchase the CD and explore the rest of the collection.
 
Nov 5, 2013 at 9:37 AM Post #19 of 34
marcogv said:
  Thank you for the very interesting and informative post.  I wonder whether even more could be recovered from the rolls with the techniques used to process piano rolls in the Rachmaninoff's "A Window in Time" CD.
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I hadn't heard about this CD. I'm looking at it now on Amazon. Is it worth picking up? Not so much detail on Amazon... Please advise.
 
Nov 5, 2013 at 11:49 AM Post #20 of 34
mike dias said:
 
I hadn't heard about this CD. I'm looking at it now on Amazon. Is it worth picking up? Not so much detail on Amazon... Please advise.
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marcogv said:
  Thank you for the very interesting and informative post.  I wonder whether even more could be recovered from the rolls with the techniques used to process piano rolls in the Rachmaninoff's "A Window in Time" CD.
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I bought the Rachmaninoff a long time ago (based on John Atkinson's_Stereophile_ review:http://www.stereophile.com/content/2001-records-die-page-2) and liked it a lot.  I have not heard in in a while, though.
 
Nov 5, 2013 at 5:28 PM Post #21 of 34
thanks for the tip Mike Dias! I remember being thrilled by this recording when it came out a few years ago

but being able to listen to Debussy playing feels magical...
 
For those with a spotify account the recording is available here
http://open.spotify.com/album/5txRU7jEuTjgu2J6ujjQ10
as well as the Welte Mignon recordings of Ravel
http://open.spotify.com/album/7l6kIjkjbnSt60UC6Mnbop
and Granados
http://open.spotify.com/album/41u0v2raXmsu0hWZz9xRpU
 
Nov 5, 2013 at 7:42 PM Post #22 of 34
For those with a (paying) account on classicalarchives.com the entire Caswell collection (and most of what the Pierian label brought out) can also be found there.  You can stream it (not optimal, even the 'high' quality option) and order what you like for download -no lossless format though, 320 MP3 if memory serves-.  Also available for purchase as FLAC with presto classical in the UK(same with the Rachmaninoff cited above) though lately they're declining my Visa for  some vague security reason and they don't take Amex or Paypal so that's going to become a problem for me.
 
Nov 8, 2013 at 4:43 PM Post #23 of 34
Very nice review Mike. Kind of article which gives HeadFi a thumb up.
CD you can find in FLAC format here:
http://www.qobuz.com/album/claude-debussy-debussy-the-composer-as-pianist-1904-1913/0750532163024?qref=dac_3
Site available soon in many countries.
 
Nov 9, 2013 at 10:11 PM Post #24 of 34
Great write-up. I have the Scriabin, which is excellent. The liner notes on that one state that it's the first in the series to have multiple performances of the same piece… For example, Poème Op. 32, No. 1 is performed on the disc by both Scriabin himself, and a contemporary. The recording quality is great, and the Welte-Mignon recording process definitely feels far more 'human' than other player pianos. 
 
Thanks, Xenophon, for pointing out that the Debussy is available from Presto!
 
Nov 11, 2013 at 5:40 PM Post #26 of 34
I ended up downloading this from Presto, got a favor to ask anyone w/ the disc… if you wouldn't mind posting what was recorded when/where, I'd certainly appreciate it! It's a great listen, for sure.
 
Nov 13, 2013 at 7:55 AM Post #27 of 34
brhfl said:
  I ended up downloading this from Presto, got a favor to ask anyone w/ the disc… if you wouldn't mind posting what was recorded when/where, I'd certainly appreciate it! It's a great listen, for sure.
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From the booklet:
 
Tracks 1-14
 
Recorded for M. Welte & Soehne
Paris, 1 November 1913
 
 
Tracks 15-18
 
Recorded for Gramophone and Typewriter Co.
With Mary Garden
Paris, 1903
 
Nov 14, 2013 at 1:05 AM Post #29 of 34
A couple of years ago, my Dad and I had the family player piano restored.  It's an ordinary 88-note player, not a good reproducing piano, but it's still fun.  It isn't just trying to reproduce the sound that was captured - it's playing new sounds.  Almost all of our 60 and 70 year old rolls still play - we'll see if MP3 does as well, eh?
 
Every time we get it running, we have a good time.  It gets attention at every party.  The fact that it's entirely pneumatic is somehow part of the magic, and fascinates a lot of people.  The waltzes and polkas my great-grandparents and grandparents danced through the depression and world war 2 still get people moving.  
 
You also get your cardio for the day.  =)
 
I've got one of the Gershwin albums mentioned above, and I'll get these, too.  I buy actual rolls once in a while, too!  Early digital recording.  =)
 
Thanks for sharing this with us!  I'd have missed it.
 
Nov 14, 2013 at 1:05 PM Post #30 of 34
lou erickson said:
  A couple of years ago, my Dad and I had the family player piano restored.  It's an ordinary 88-note player, not a good reproducing piano, but it's still fun.  It isn't just trying to reproduce the sound that was captured - it's playing new sounds.  Almost all of our 60 and 70 year old rolls still play - we'll see if MP3 does as well, eh?
 
Every time we get it running, we have a good time.  It gets attention at every party.  The fact that it's entirely pneumatic is somehow part of the magic, and fascinates a lot of people.  The waltzes and polkas my great-grandparents and grandparents danced through the depression and world war 2 still get people moving.  
 
You also get your cardio for the day.  =)
 
I've got one of the Gershwin albums mentioned above, and I'll get these, too.  I buy actual rolls once in a while, too!  Early digital recording.  =)
 
Thanks for sharing this with us!  I'd have missed it.
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Oh man. This story just gets better and better. Will you PLEASE add some videos of your piano and maybe a few photos of the rolls? What a great endeavor, fixing up an old piano like that with your dad. I know what's going on my bucket list for my daughter in a few years from now.
 
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