Lithuanian Piano Rolls: Collections and Research

Abstract

Lithuanian piano rolls are part of a large and still-neglected field in the U.S.: the musical heritage to be found on ethnic piano rolls. During the last ten years, the author discovered and researched several hundred Lithuanian piano rolls in order to determine their significance. These rolls are held mainly in U.S. Lithuanian archives, with additional examples located in several academic libraries. All Lithuanian rolls were issued in a relatively short time, from 1916 to 1931 by various companies, specifically U.S. Word Rolls, Connorized Music Company, Vocalstyle Song Roll, and especially Q-R-S. Lithuanian folk music (songs, dances) predominate, but this medium also includes numerous unique examples of Lithuanian art music composed by Lithuanian composers in the U.S.: Jonas Žemaitis, Vincentas Nickus, Antanas Vanagaitis, and Augustas Antpusaitis. Unfortunately, Lithuanian piano rolls in Lithuania itself are almost unknown, because of a lack of instruments to play them (player pianos) and the high price of the rolls. Only a few instruments and rolls were shipped before WWII from America to Lithuania, and only one roll has remained in a state museum during all the years since, having survived the Soviet Era. Consequently, these rolls were unknown to Lithuanian librarians and researchers up to 2006, when several collections of rolls were discovered in American archives.