Gershwin's “An American in Paris” — Frank Milne's complete 1933 Duo-Art Recording

This piano roll performance the first complete recording ever made of George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris”. It was arranged for 4-hand piano and performed by Frank Milne in June 1933. Milne worked for the merged Aeolian American Corp., and had previously collaborated closely with Gershwin, with whom he probably consulted on this project. Aeolian issued this as two-roll sets for both Duo-Art (rolls #7467-7468) and Ampico, as well as a combined Jumbo roll for Ampico B. It was marketed as played by “Milne and Leith” to give the impression of two simultaneous performers, but Milne recorded the whole thing himself, using his “Ernest Leith” pseudonym. This video features a recently restored 6’6″ Steinway model OR Duo-Art built in 1922. This late Duo-Art performance has been rarely recorded, partly because the demanding music and coding require a piano and player in top condition to showcase its wide dynamic range, with several unusually powerful passages of loud, rapidly-repeated chords. Please see www.historicpianos.com for more information on this instrument.

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