John Wolff's Web Museum

Sample Music Files

This page contains a number of short musical samples in MIDI and MP3 format. The tunes have been selected to give an idea of the capabilities of the instruments, and the styles of music that can be found on the original rolls. There are more downloadable MIDI files on the various instrument pages.

If your devices have trouble playing MIDI files, please see the suggestions on the MIDI Playback page.

The "Rolmonica" roll-playing harmonica

Although often described as a "novelty" instrument with a scale of only 12 notes, the "jazzy" Rolmonica arrangements were often surprisingly effective with the music of the time. Here are a couple of MIDI files of typical examples, each scanned and re-mastered from original music rolls from the "Roaring 20s":

There are more downloadable MIDI files on the Rolmonica Music Files page.

The 14-note Organette

Here are two sample tunes that have been scanned and re-mastered from original 14-note tune sheets from the early 1880's. The arrangements can be very effective, in spite of the limitations of the 14-note scale. The actual sound you hear will depend on how well your computer plays the MIDI "Reed Organ" setting.

There are more downloadable MIDI files on the 14-note Organette Music page.

The 20-note Organette

Here are three short MIDI extracts which show several quite different styles of 20-note organette arrangements. These files were scanned and re-mastered from original Wilcox & White "Symphonia" rolls from the 1880s and 90s.

Shall we meet beyond the river. (MIDI file, 2kb, 43 seconds).
Grandfather's Clock. (MIDI file, 2kb, 40 seconds).
Yankee Doodle. (MIDI file, 2kb, 20 seconds).

There are more downloadable MIDI files on the 20-note Organette Music page.

Here are some audio extracts from new arrangements for the 20-note organette by Stephen Kent Goodman. The tunes have been played on the computer using the "Reed Organ" setting, then recorded and compressed into MP3 files.

Amazing Grace (MP3 file, 45kb, 20 seconds)
London Bridge, from Children's Medley (MP3 file, 54kb, 27 seconds)
The Thunderer March (MP3 file, 38kb, 19 seconds)
Alabama Dream (MP3 file, 64kb, 22 seconds)

There are further details and descriptions of these (and other) tunes on the New Arrangements for 20-note Organettes page.

The "Gem" Roller Organ

This tune is an audio recording from an original roller from the 1890s. This is the whole tune - the rollers only play for about 40 seconds. The recording was made from a Gem organ in fair unrestored condition, and compressed into an MP3 file.

Where Is My Boy Tonight (MP3 file, 156kb, 40 seconds)

There are more downloadable MIDI files on the 20-note Roller Organ Music page.

The 14-note Pipe Organ(ette)

Here are three audio samples recorded from my home-built 14-note crank organ.

Rock-a-bye baby. (MP3 file, 82kb, 33 seconds). A simple nursery tune, originally arranged for the 14-note organette back in 1996.
Oh dem golden slippers. (MP3 file, 60kb, 24 seconds). A music-hall song from 1879, transcribed directly from an original 14-note tune sheet.
Drinking song from La Traviata. (MP3 file, 104kb, 42 seconds). Adapted from an original roll for the 16-note Tanzbär automatic accordion.