Comment by Steve Harrison on March 11, 2021 at 11:37

Hi Carrie, very nicely played, you make it sound as if it could have been written for the banjo. You never know, maybe in the mists of time it was....Steve.

Comment by carrie horgan on March 11, 2021 at 12:59

Thanks Steve - it's a catchy little tune, similar to 'Funeral March of an Old Jawbone'.

Comment by Jody Stecher on March 11, 2021 at 13:05

Blind Boone was a banjo player as well as a pianist and composer. Here's a screen capture from a Youtube feature on Blind Boone. The photo is from an archive in Columbia Missouri. And sure enough there's the banjo, not far from the piano.

Comment by Trapdoor2 on March 11, 2021 at 14:25

There's a Youtube video of a player-piano roll cut by Blind Boone and at the end of it is "Carrie's Gone To Kansas City"...and it is played at such a horrifically fast tempo that it is barely recognizable. 

I like your version better. It does sound like "Funeral March of an Old Jawbone". I was listening and thinking that I could probably play this 1850s Stroke Style... ;-)

Comment by Trapdoor2 on March 11, 2021 at 14:27

Run the video forward to 3:40 for "Carrie's Gone..."

Comment by carrie horgan on March 11, 2021 at 18:53

Thanks Marc.  Oh yes, that is too fast...I prefer the more relaxed Max Morath version.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=820tOo-eSVY

Comment by Jody Stecher on March 12, 2021 at 0:09

Can someone explain to me what the pair of hands are doing in the piano roll video? Just fidgeting? Or what?

Comment by Trapdoor2 on March 12, 2021 at 18:19

Many good player machines have a variety of "expression" controls that allow one to create a more "live" sounding performance. It depends on the machine as to what controls there are. Usually one can vary the tempo a little bit (sort of like controlling rubato) and dynamics (FF - PP, crescendo/decrescendo, etc.).

Comment by thereallyniceman on March 12, 2021 at 18:23

I think that in musical terms he is fiddling about making a bugger of the playback!  Even at 75% using Youtube controls it sounds dreadful.  Carrie thank you for playing correctly...great stuff :-)

Player piano controls:

Comment by Jody Stecher on March 12, 2021 at 19:11

I see!   So maybe the piano roll of Blind Boone would sound not nearly so dreadful if the operator left the controls alone. Thanks to both of you.

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