Guest
Brentford, Middlesex. At the British Piano Museum we see several automatic pianos playing. Various shots show a Steinway Reproducing Grand Piano, seemingly playing itself; museum owner Frank Holland opens a lid on the piano so we can see the music roll turning round. We then see a clockwork barrel piano that came from an Edwardian pub. Frank starts up an Edison cylinder phonograph from 1908 and we hear the tinny sound of a couple singing 'Aba Daba Honeymoon“ - fascinating. An upright Steinway plays a roll of music by Johann Strauss that was recorded by Richard Epstein in 1912. A Swiss music box is seen briefly, then an organ with a tambourine attached. Museum worker Mr WR Wilson sits beside a playing 1920s Honky Tonk piano, then we see the last exhibit, a Mills Violano Virtuoso, which actually plays a violin, with piano accompaniment - amazing! Tunes played appear to be in natural sound. Note: on file is correspondence and notes on this story, plus a tiny booklet about the museum. FILM ID:
