Sound heritage on paper The Spanish National Library's collection of pianola rolls

Abstract

The Biblioteca Nacional de España's collection of pianola rolls totals 7.011 documents, mainly purchased but also donated. This musical sound heritage is halfway between a musical score and a sound recording, as the music is encoded in the perforations of a paper roll and at the same time requires the mechanism of a pianola to be played and interpreted. The collection can be considered very important given the number of brands and manufacturers represented, around 42, both Spanish and foreign.  In addition, there are a large number of artist rolls, which are live recordings of performances by prominent national and international pianists and composers. Currently, half of the rolls have been digitised and are accessible for consultation (digital audio, photograph of the perforated roll and flap), through the digital portal of the Hispanic Digital Library.