2021-23 Wurlitzer Ten-Tune A.P.P Roll Project
When I bought my Wurlitzer C orchestrion a couple years ago, I couldn't get enough of the fantastic music... But I wanted more - and knew that there were a number of great rolls that have never been recut!
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I quickly familiarized myself with Art Reblitz and Terry Hathaway's wonderful rollography! Wurlitzer made thousands of rolls featuring their own in-house arrangements as well as modified QRS piano roll arrangements. The 65 note piano range - and on larger orchestrions 38 flute and 38 violin pipes allows for exceptionally nice music making Wurlitzer A.P.P instruments some of the most sought after machines.
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Not long ago, I was able to locate 40 great rolls only based on titles to take home and play test on my Wurlitzer. After trying each roll individually on my machine, that number reduced down to 12 rolls that I felt I didn't want to go without!
These rolls, I personally feel are the best-of-the-best: narrowed down from just knowing the titles titles to only good arrangements. All of this music dates from the jazz age: the 1920's and early 30's where I feel Wurlitzer's best music was arranged.
14 sample tunes from these rolls can be played on the left. These are a mix of Wurlitzer arrangements and QRS. Many feature the wonderful bell tracks which give the music a wonderful bright sound! These are on a 'virtual' simulation of a Wurlitzer orchestrion. Above is a tune played on my Wurlitzer C orchestrion.
Here are all twelve rolls! (Click labels for bigger image)