Florence Price’s Fantasie Nègre No. 1 Duo-Art Roll
Florence Price’s music was largely ignored during her lifetime but identified by Radio Three’s ‘Forgotten Female Composers’ initiative of 2017. Her works are now being increasingly performed and published, and their quality is attracting an ever-expanding audience. The North West Player Piano Association’s 50th Anniversary in 2022 was the impetus to produce a new Duo-Art roll, with the collaboration of members of the Player Piano Group and other specialists. Allyson Devenish was the recording artist for Florence Price’s Fantasie Nègre No.1, no piano rolls ever having been made of any of Price’s works. This is the first time since the 1930s that a live performance has been recorded with expression for the Duo-Art reproducing system. Also it is the first new recording to use algorithmic software to automatically convert note dynamics from MIDI velocities to the perforations that operate the Duo-Art system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC11PD53clE This above video shows the various stages of the roll production, from the initial recording, via coding and editing of the performance for the Duo-Art reproducing system, through to the perforation, completion and distribution of the final roll to NWPPA and PPG members. Copies of the new roll (without special commemorative leader) may be purchased via www.pianorolls.co.uk
