The Old Time Player Piano

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  • Опубліковано 13 гру 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 136

  • @timefortea1931
    @timefortea1931 9 років тому +12

    How charming this piano is! How wonderful that this beautiful instrument has been looked after and loved. I think it is sad when such antique instruments are thrown out and not cherished. They are part of history and family heirlooms.

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  9 років тому +2

      +Matilda Woodhouse Wonderful point! Thank you for your input!

    • @timefortea1931
      @timefortea1931 9 років тому

      Christopher French
      You are welcome and thank you for sharing your wonderful piano!

  • @petergill6338
    @petergill6338 10 років тому +8

    Thankyou for this. How lucky you are to have such a lovely talented Mum !!
    Greetings from Kingston-Upon-Hull,UK and give your Mum a hug from me.

  • @whitgreene1
    @whitgreene1 13 років тому +3

    Tonight I was in the mood to surf youtube for player piano videos. I'm so glad I ran into this one. That piano, as you believe, truly is magic. I would guess that it has contributed to keeping your beautiful Mom as young as she is!
    I've watched many videos tonight but yours was the first I've watched in it's entirety. Now I'll have to sit up til after midnight watching more. Thanks so much!!

  • @bobbigirl9983
    @bobbigirl9983 2 роки тому +1

    Wow! Loved this!! Thank you for sharing it!!

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  2 роки тому

      Bobbi girl, thank you very much! I also enjoyed your comments on the high desert piano man video. Maybe the coyotes will return, LOL. I’m so glad my music has helped you through the many years. Paul is doing very well, married with 2 kids now. Happy to hear your doing well, thanks for visiting the site again, and God bless you, too!!!

  • @Parmesana
    @Parmesana Рік тому

    Very refreshing to see a well maintained piano. What a joy.

  • @jipjob1
    @jipjob1 3 роки тому

    My grandmother who raised me was a honky tonk player and could belt tunes without even trying! Her and m grandmother were into playing at dances and silent movies. We had one of these player pianos and now one of my sons has it in his home! It’s been completely tuned up but never refishished and still has a special place where I engraved my name in it. So glad he has it!

  • @timefortea1931
    @timefortea1931 9 років тому +6

    The joy and fun this piano has brought your family over the years- it's heartwarming!

  • @HankWhoStank
    @HankWhoStank 8 років тому +7

    We moved into a house in Los Angeles in 2006, there was a player piano built into the wall! We pulled it out and had it rebuilt for $8000, I don't think I could have done it myself. It's a Mehlin Angelus Patented Inverted Grand with a Wilcox and White movement. There were about 50 rolls of old music, and we later discovered you can buy rolls of modern music, I got Stairway To Heaven among others...The last patent listed on the nameplate is 1900. It's a workout playing that thng for sure!

  • @michaelbauers8800
    @michaelbauers8800 3 роки тому

    Charming interview with son and mother.

  • @vJ4purzu
    @vJ4purzu 8 років тому +1

    Thanks for a great video. It was so nice to see your Mom & hear about her history. I also liked the mechanical tour.Well, I can't forget the music which was tops. I hope I can find more of your videos. Thanks again!

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  8 років тому +1

      +Peter L. Haverlandt Thank you Peter, so glad you found us!! Chris

  • @ChadHelton1971
    @ChadHelton1971 8 років тому

    It's beautiful to see a house full of music like that. Thank you for sharing.

  • @daveyk4218
    @daveyk4218 11 років тому

    Both the piano and your mum are amazing.They both seem to be so full of life.It does seem as if the piano is alive rather than just a machine.I can see that you're very fond of them both

  • @billholzman1912
    @billholzman1912 12 років тому

    Your video is outstanding.Memories of my father many years ago,for he played a upright just
    like that.Your mom is a jewel, and I can tell she still has her act together, and can still rattle the ivories very well. Blue Tango at the end was wonderful. Thanks Chris.

  • @deekaxel8760
    @deekaxel8760 7 років тому

    This video made me smile. It is wonderful to watch your mom and you having so much fun with this player piano. This player piano has already become a part of your family as it belongs to you for such a long time. I love this old but durable technology. All the very best to you and your mom.

  • @knottreel
    @knottreel 6 років тому

    What a beautiful video. I loved hearing your Mom play.

  • @nivek663
    @nivek663 5 років тому

    Thanks for posting. My father and I as a young boy would restore the player uprights. We had Straube, Story and Clark, Gulbranson, Starke and many more. My older brothers were the muscle getting them on and off trucks.

  • @MelB868
    @MelB868 2 роки тому +1

    I never saw a piano like that how are you doing that

  • @daboz
    @daboz 5 років тому

    That was an absolute joy to watch!! How fun. Great music, great singing, great everything!!

  • @alexsmarts1
    @alexsmarts1 10 років тому +5

    Your mother plays wonderfully. You must be proud!

  • @paulgray3444
    @paulgray3444 5 років тому +1

    I have a player piano that was my grandfathers’. It’s kind of like this. I had someone look at it today. I had thought about selling it, maybe even trashing it, but I’m thinking about having the guy who saw it today help me to fix it up better.

  • @jorgeandrade20
    @jorgeandrade20 4 роки тому

    I just recently acquired a player piano and in searching for information on it, I came across your video, and boy am I glad I did! I'm turning 40 soon but I've been playing the piano since I was four and I can't imagine my life without it. Now, I must say, your mom has a beautiful soul, she naturally emanates grace and positivity, it is captivating, I was completely mesmerized by her talent! When she sat down, she became one with the instrument and together, they transported me to an era long ago, when families sat together in the great room around the piano, sang and laughed and shared memories that our generation today can only dream of! Families were more connected those days.Thank you so much for sharing and I do hope your mom is still making beautiful music to this day.

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  4 роки тому

      Thank you Jorge, that is very kind of you, your thoughts are very meaningful and appreciated!

  • @cathynordahl9081
    @cathynordahl9081 5 років тому

    Thank you so much for posting this! What a blessing!

  • @Rich5166
    @Rich5166 12 років тому

    You have inspired me to get a Pianola..................I am going to look at one this weekend!!!

  • @iantheo1424
    @iantheo1424 3 роки тому +1

    How Great.
    We have just restored my mother in laws ( passed down to her by her mother )1926 Australian Beale that has sat unused for 40 yrs when no other family member wanted it.
    Fortunately it had an Amphion workings in it so was a lot cheaper to have the Pnuematics re clothed as was able to dismantle and deliver parts to have re done.
    We have Mac the Knife tune as well but different version.
    Master touch 4938 played by L. Pardy
    Why bother to learn to play when can sit back and enjoy a much slower pace of life.
    I have posted a few clips including Mac the knife
    as well but mainly wanted to show my elderly mother in law and knew no other way as she does not live nearby.
    We trailered the Player Piano home over 8 hrs drive.
    We have about 1200 rolls of music yet to discover .
    Unfortunately there seems to be so many player pianos over here in Oz
    ending up as fire wood or tipped
    The most popular brand were Beales and being so well made are not to rare .It does not help when they weigh so much.
    Thanks for your great video

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  3 роки тому

      Your welcome!

    • @iantheo1424
      @iantheo1424 3 роки тому +1

      @@christopherwfrench just got an early xmas present from my daughter as will not see her over xmas.
      2 rolls from movie Oh Brother where out thou (QRS rolls ) and we all sat around and enjoyed and played some rag time tunes.
      I,m pretty sure she will gladly have it in yrs to come.
      Really came as a complete suprisre as always tell her to just get me some licorice allsorts for xmad

  • @mikeadams110
    @mikeadams110 11 років тому

    Thanks for inviting us all into your home. It felt like I was right there along with you and your dear mother. She's a real doll. You're both wonderfully talented and youthful. Spectacular Pianola and rolls!

  • @alain5405
    @alain5405 11 років тому

    piano is a lifestyle. i couldnt life without it . fun video :)

  • @yeyonghe
    @yeyonghe 8 років тому +4

    Your mother is so beautiful! It's a great video.

  • @johng.lidstone2236
    @johng.lidstone2236 10 років тому +2

    How delightful to see this - thanks for sharing.
    My maternal Grandparents had a similar piano (circa 1925 also) and as a young boy, it was my No.1 favourite thing in the whole world. I just loved it.
    So, this brought back many very happy childhood memories.
    What a joy to see. Thank you and also great to see you both loving it too!

  • @jimmyballin2453
    @jimmyballin2453 4 роки тому

    Great video, really enjoyed it.

  • @tanchaiwhatt6561
    @tanchaiwhatt6561 7 років тому +1

    Hi Christopher! I'm from Malaysia and was curious to know more about this unique piano called the piano roll which I saw in another UA-cam video. I've never seen one in my country and was informed that they don't produce such piano anymore. You've done a marvelous work restoring the piano to its original workable condition. It's a real joy to listen to the music that this piano produced. Thanks for uploading this video!

  • @BMWe306
    @BMWe306 9 років тому +2

    I watch this every Day :D Love that Piano!

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  9 років тому +1

      +BMWe306 My mother would love to hear you like it that much!

    • @BMWe306
      @BMWe306 9 років тому +2

      +Christopher French Send her Greetings from Germany :)

  • @paulj0557tonehead
    @paulj0557tonehead 12 років тому

    I was looking at the piano, but wow what a voice mom!

  • @southernpreacher
    @southernpreacher 11 років тому

    This is an awesome video.. I am a piano player self taught from reading books at the library on music theory and watch videos, and I just loved hearing your mom talk about her learning then hearing her play she is darling. I am a great lover of old upright pianos specially from pre 1950's the sound they have is no longer found in modern pianos. I use to have an old upright from 1895 but now only have a small spinet from 1970's and a Yamaha digital piano. I would trade them both for my old 1 bck

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  12 років тому

    My mother would love to hear that, thank you!

  • @rosie12mydarling
    @rosie12mydarling 11 років тому

    LOVELY VIDEO !

  • @GoodTimesPianoMusic
    @GoodTimesPianoMusic 11 років тому

    Love this stuff and if we don't keep this music alive, who is going to ???

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  11 років тому +1

    Blessings to you my friend...

  • @BMWe306
    @BMWe306 9 років тому

    It makes really fin watching this :) And the Piano is so amazing!

  • @WilliePeck
    @WilliePeck 8 років тому

    how amazing. I can only imagine the joy this piano has brought into your family. that's interesting I always thought they were powered by air not a vacuum. I would love to have one of these in my house one day.

    • @PiotrBarcz
      @PiotrBarcz 4 роки тому

      Look on eBay or Craigslist and you'll find one easily. I got mine for free (though it cost us a bunch of dough to get it to our house).

  • @ChucklesKeys
    @ChucklesKeys 11 років тому

    Your piano sounds fantastic! Good to hear one that is in tune too.

  • @MrMusiclover41
    @MrMusiclover41 9 років тому +1

    Nice YT video! Talented pianists - you and your mother. The piano sounds great, and is apparently in very good shape. Also in excellent tune. We had a player piano in our home when I was a kid, but we unknowingly had a leak in the roof, which ruined the piano many years ago. I'd love to have another one. Cheers!

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  9 років тому +2

      +MrMusiclover41 Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. Player pianos are a lot of fun, I hope you get another some day.

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  11 років тому

    Thank you Mike, I appreciate your wonderful comments.

  • @EdwardLaiPY
    @EdwardLaiPY 12 років тому

    Awesome!

  • @sacredthyme4617
    @sacredthyme4617 8 років тому

    AWEsome ~ love.

  • @JustCope17
    @JustCope17 8 років тому

    Great video. Learned a lot!

  • @michelp.vanwelkenhuyzen2623
    @michelp.vanwelkenhuyzen2623 4 роки тому

    At 8:30 starts a air you called "Domic". In fact, it's "Dominique", and was written in the 60' by a Belgian nun (who became after that very famous, and her Order, very rich !), nicknamed "Soeur Sourire" (the Smiling Sister). It was inspired by the life of St Dominic, and millions of copies were sold all around the world, including in the USA. Unfortunately, after she left her convent (for personal reasons), she fell into poverty, and committed suicide, with her girlfriend... Sad story, but marvelous song. Sorry for my bad English, but, being Belgian myself, I speak French...
    Thank you for sharing with us your beautiful instrument.

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  12 років тому

    Thank you, Bill, appreciate it!

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  13 років тому

    @whitgreene1 Thank you so much! Music has been a very big and important part of our family, this player piano has brought joy to many people. Blessings to you.

  • @Ragtimer95
    @Ragtimer95 12 років тому

    How lucky you are to own a marvelous instrument like this! I'm currently sitting on a couple piano rolls that I have no idea what they sound like...and neither I, nor anyone I know, owns a player piano!! Oh well. Perhaps some mysteries are best left unsolved? Haha. Thanks for the wonderful video, again! Have a nice week, ~Michael~

  • @carmendemetrio7685
    @carmendemetrio7685 6 років тому

    Beautiful❗️🤗 🤗 🤗
    Saludos desde Chile !..

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  11 років тому

    I agree! Thanks!

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  12 років тому

    Thank you!

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  11 років тому

    So glad you like it!

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  12 років тому

    Thanks so much!!!

  • @mbshannon4266
    @mbshannon4266 2 роки тому +1

    Love this video!! What was the song your Mom sang? So beautiful!

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  2 роки тому

      She called it “Noddin” something she remembered from her childhood.

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  11 років тому

    Thank you, Davey.

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  12 років тому

    Thanks!

  • @ItIsAdam
    @ItIsAdam 11 років тому

    amazing hope this stays alive

  • @alexxie179
    @alexxie179 9 місяців тому

    Loved this video so much. Anyone know the name of the song after the music box dancer? Thank you!

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  2 місяці тому

      Hello “Dominique” is the song after Music Box Dancer.

  • @carolinemckaskle1822
    @carolinemckaskle1822 3 місяці тому +1

    🔥🕯️♥️🧑‍🎄

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  11 років тому

    The song at 10:46 is Chattanooga Choo Choo. Thanks!

  • @JuddMan03
    @JuddMan03 8 років тому

    The music box dancer is what our towns ice cream truck would play

  • @johnwaterhouse8426
    @johnwaterhouse8426 4 роки тому

    Well, I'll be dogged. I went looking for some ideas for a song I'm writing and recording and lo and behold....I had no idea you played piano, and very well I might add. Great job on the refurb. My calves hurt watching you power that thing. Lol
    All those songs were new when you and I met, right....lol

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  4 роки тому +1

      Hey there John! Isn’t that something, its a small world. Amazing how you found this! Yeah, I’ve played piano most all my life and still do every day. Glad your doing well and writing music, great thing. Thanks so much. Good to hear from you, take care!

  • @BillySaffyre
    @BillySaffyre 12 років тому

    Awesome vid. It sounded like your mum was using the damper pedal. Do the vacuum pedals flip up for access to the typical 3 pedals by any chance?

  • @miminguyen3309
    @miminguyen3309 10 років тому

    What are the songs played? I want to learn the songs on the piano.

  • @Sum1uonceknew
    @Sum1uonceknew 4 роки тому

    Very interesting, you never showed us how to change the tempo, the tone or the sound.
    I grew up with one of these pianos. There was also a switch above the Roll on the left hand side that change the tone of the piano to a Tini type of sound that you would hear in a western movie.
    One thing I could not understand it's what the two buttons were for.
    Were they for bass?

  • @supertrinigamer
    @supertrinigamer 7 років тому

    I can't seem to tell what you said at 8:28 about the name of the song. can you tell me the name of the song please? thanks.

  • @ThePolaroid669
    @ThePolaroid669 4 роки тому

    Hey - can you tell me which roll you have for "Mack the Knife", either a catalog number/brand or who played it?

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  13 років тому

    Yes, it is QRS, number WF-9937. We do get so many who love that song. Have fun!

  • @atleyschannel9989
    @atleyschannel9989 8 років тому

    Wonderful video! Do you still have the player piano?

  • @gennettor8915
    @gennettor8915 Рік тому

    Good stuff! A bit less sustain pedal would be even better though.

  • @snapletgames4086
    @snapletgames4086 7 років тому

    what is he second roll called?

  • @andrewbarker9615
    @andrewbarker9615 7 років тому

    does that piano have a sticker action and that piano must of been a semitone flat before tuned?

  • @sebastiandemarco
    @sebastiandemarco 11 років тому

    From time to time I look this video and it's always wonderful see you and your mother singing, playing, dancing! Love!
    Can I ask you the name of the song at 10:46?
    A hug from Argentina!

  • @sandrosmusikautomaten3071
    @sandrosmusikautomaten3071 5 років тому

    What is the name of this song at 17:01 ´?
    and is this a QRS Roll?

    • @mrob75
      @mrob75 5 років тому

      1929 Ruth Etting: "Button Up Your Overcoat"

  • @marcgoodman4228
    @marcgoodman4228 6 років тому

    Great piano. NAME??!!

  • @jaredsmith2386
    @jaredsmith2386 11 років тому

    Whats the song at 8:30 LOVE IT!

    • @desmones
      @desmones 11 років тому +1

      'Dominique'. The singing nuns popularized it back in the sixties, I believe.

    • @matasmusic-cm1vr
      @matasmusic-cm1vr 10 років тому

      I love how at the beginning he plays the music from the movie "The Sting." I love that music.

  • @daphneblake7889
    @daphneblake7889 Рік тому

    That looks like mine! Also a player

  • @fabricemunger4456
    @fabricemunger4456 10 років тому +3

    Hi, I'm 14 years old and from Switzerland. As I was younger I always listened to music box dancer on our gramophone... I always loved to hear the song. It's great that you rebuilt the mechanisms, and I have a question: Was the piano just bought in the early 1920s or was it also built then? Greetings from Switzerland!

    • @PiotrBarcz
      @PiotrBarcz 4 роки тому

      Built in the 20's most likely. The Duo-Art really took off then.

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  12 років тому

    Yes, the vacuum pedals flip up.

  • @BMWe306
    @BMWe306 9 років тому

    Can you tell me please who is called the last Song in this Video?

    • @billbernal7210
      @billbernal7210 9 років тому

      +BMWe306 "You Belong to Me". Don't know the Composer.

    • @BMWe306
      @BMWe306 9 років тому

      +Bill Bernal Okay, thank you very much :)

  • @sandrosmusikautomaten3071
    @sandrosmusikautomaten3071 8 років тому

    Hello.
    Question: What is the name of this song at 14:09 ??

  • @syncopated
    @syncopated 8 років тому +1

    Such a beautiful video. Is your mom still with you? What a delightful record you've made...of the pianola and the love between your mother and you. I have 2 players, one which I'm rebuilding now. Yours must be an Aeolian, since the wind motor is the same as mine.

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  8 років тому

      Thank you Gregory! No, my mother is no longer with us and we do miss her. Yes, ours is an Aeolian. All the best, good luck on your rebuilding.

    • @syncopated
      @syncopated 8 років тому

      Sorry to hear that, Chris. Thanks for the reply. What a special history you have in that piano. If there were songs that she loved to play, you could get them made into rolls. There are people for that. Mine is a Weber Duo-Art reproducing piano from 1927. Same stack and wind motor as yours. When you rebuilt yours, did you have to replace any of the 80 valves in the stack? I hear that Aeolians last a long time. Mine's original and still pretty tight.

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  8 років тому

      I replaced the 88 bellows for the keys.

  • @sandrosmusikautomaten3071
    @sandrosmusikautomaten3071 6 років тому

    Question: What is the name of this song at 17:01 ??

  • @TheErickM
    @TheErickM 11 років тому

    What's that first song???

  • @mr.pigeon9314
    @mr.pigeon9314 4 роки тому

    This has to be what the piano players in Red Dead Redemption use.

  • @yodvasuwat8057
    @yodvasuwat8057 12 років тому

    00:02 What's song ?

  • @DoloresJRush
    @DoloresJRush 7 років тому

    Your player piano looks just like the one that my grandfather purchased for my mother in the panhandle of Oklahoma. She also learned to play it well, just as your mother did here! However, mom had the piano restored a few years ago and the restorer pulled out all the playing piano guts as he didn't know how to fix them. So sad! However, my mother still enjoys playing her piano. On another note, I was curious to know if you have any ancestors from Kentucky, namely around Clark County?

    • @christopherwfrench
      @christopherwfrench  7 років тому

      Hi Dolores, glad you enjoyed the piano. No, I don't have any relatives there.

  • @jamesdavis5096
    @jamesdavis5096 2 роки тому

    less ohns?

  • @johnthebackwardsdude
    @johnthebackwardsdude 8 років тому

    Great video! I am looking for a player piano for a video I am wanting to do for my youtube channel. Would you be interested in chatting and I can fill you in on the details?

  • @dzre2087
    @dzre2087 7 років тому

    I thought that was penny marshall!

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  11 років тому

    "The Entertainer"

  • @christopherwfrench
    @christopherwfrench  13 років тому

    It is a Pianola

  • @uncopyrightedkeyboard8250
    @uncopyrightedkeyboard8250 8 років тому

    it is called a pedal player piano

  • @urbanleagen
    @urbanleagen 12 років тому

    I think i like your mom more than the piano