Dream A Little Dream Of Me - Armand Muth

Here is a tune originally written by Gus Kahn. W. Schwandt & Andre Fabian, but has mistakenly been credited to others, and sung /played by a list of performers whose credits would run longer than this video.
It was judged by NPR as one of the top "100 most important tunes of the 20th century", and has been performed by every genre from crooners, to big bands, to folk singers, to rock groups.
This is a very unusual roll as were many of those arranged and played by Armand Muth of PlayRite Music rolls (Milwaukee) back in the 20's and 30's. I find ...you either love or hate his style, and his arrangements vary in tempo, style and format... all within one song....but no matter what you may think of this man, this man had talent !
The tune, as presented here, is in fox trot dance step style.
Enjoy the rendition of this classic piano roll on my 1925 Stroud Duo Art Pianola, and subscribe to my channel for more classic piano rolls.
Thanks for viewing!

[@aknabea]

Always have loved that music. I remember Mama Cass and always loved her singing it. This is a very nice roll and arrangement. Thanks for sharing it.

[@sdygks303]

It's like I can hear some kind of voice and lyrics through this. I love the tune

[@pm0501]

It is amazing how many people think Call Elliot was the composer. I hear it every time I play my QRS roll.

[@bill3murr]

what a wonderful version of this classic. i use this number frequently when singing for retirees; they love it just as much as i do. thank you for an excellent post.

[@PianoFatso]

Now that's how a player piano should sound. Lovely arrangment. Simon.

[@HarborGuy]

Shades of "Mama Cass" love it ........

[@roybo1930]

@bsgs98 The first time I ever heard this song was when I bought the Ozzie Nelson Brunswick 78 when I was very Young, I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT INDEED!!! The flip side is just as SWEET! "Do I Really Deserve It From You" I have several other versions of this song (Dream A Little Dream) & each is just as wonderful as the other. Indeed one of My very favorits.

[@5riverboat]

Very nice Gershin-tinted intro and overall a pleasant Muth roll. I dislike the recurrent mid keyboard tremolo but such is life. Wonderful tune, brings back more recent memories of Mama Cass Elliott's rendition....what a difference! Oh, BTW the roll would have been even more enjoyable at a slightly more relaxed tempo

[@Pianosyncrazy]

I agree with you Terry, but rolls by Muth go all over the place in tempo, it is part of his "unique" style. Very tuff to pump and make all the parts sound lime they should be there. While I also disdain the marimba effect, It seemed to be the signs of the times and with Muth being Muth you take the mundane right along with his 'originality" in arranging. One either loves or hates these early PlayRight rolls.

[@Pianosyncrazy]

@bill3murr It does "take me back" also... lol

[@Pianosyncrazy]

@pepsifest Thanks, appreciate your comments :)

[@Pianosyncrazy]

@kwiksmile Of course anything is possible... but to make it sound like the Mamma's and the Pappa's would require a bit of tinkering around as the song was adapted to piano roll in the 20's by Muth in a jazz / dance style arrangement and would be most difficult to play as punched on the roll. Certain parts of it would really drag if that is done and if there is one thing worse than "off to the races" in a piano roll, it would be a mortuary song made out of a popular tune. but thanks very much. :)

[@Pianosyncrazy]

@PianoFatso Thanks !!

[@Pianosyncrazy]

@aknabea You are welcome John! Glad it brings back memories... even as recent as that... LOL

[@leeshipton7362]

While I agree with the comment re tempo. I still like the recording. Other recordings are by the beautiful south, Jacqui about in the French kiss. Also max Raab with the Palast Orkestra.

[@Pianosyncrazy]

@HarborGuy he he he he.....

[@kwiksmile]

Enjoy the notes of this rendition, but wish it was played a bit slower. Is that possible?

[@Pianosyncrazy]

@bsgs98 Yes, I noticed that.. to me it was another "Muthism"... LOL

[@kevinceniceros1690]

Pianosyncrazy, may I ask you something? Well, I bought an old piano-roll and I was wondering if you could help me figure out what year the piano roll was released. The piano roll is titled New England Idyls, Op. 62. The songs that it contains are No. 3. Midwinter. D minor; No. 5. In Deep Woods. Key D; No. 7. To an Old White Pine. B minor. I believe that it was by an artist called MacDowell. The number to the piano roll is 301692. If you could help me with finding out what year my piano roll was released in, then I will be thankful; I'm thankful either way.

[@Pianosyncrazy]

+History Man ...That roll number appears it may be an early Universal roll, an Aeolian product. The composition was written in 1902 by Edward McDowell. That said, the roll could have been cut from that date on, but more than likely if it is an 88 note Universal, it was probably cut in the following decade (of the teens)... Classical melodies often stayed in the manufacturers catalog on into the late 20's... rather than the short lived "pop" tunes of the day that stayed around in production for maybe a few years.

[@kevinceniceros1690]

+Pianosyncrazy Damn, my theory was correct; I did think that it might have been released after 1902, for I also did research on the roll, but I had to be sure. Pianosyncrazy, you ought to be my friend, LOL, thank you. Well, at least the piano roll is over eighty years old. But I should have been more smart and wise about buying it at an antique store.

[@kevinceniceros1690]

+Pianosyncrazy Do you have any recommendations when it comes to research old artifacts for me? Other than researching the call numbers, names, etc.? You see, I am a very big collector when it comes to collecting vintage records, books, music rolls, and more.

[@Pianosyncrazy]

+History Man ..well.. consider me a friend. I try to be one and help unless someone has other ideas... 'Antiques people' who honestly do not "know piano rolls", can only guess about how old the rolls and pianos are... and my experience is that they sometimes inflate the numbers to make them sound more rare. Hey... 80 years for something made out of paper is sliced thin is no minor feat. The really old one like from around the turn of the century were actually made of better stuff than the ones in the latter years... and therefore they tend to survive if not stored in the basement or attic (two popular infamous storage places.

[@Pianosyncrazy]

+History Man ...the library of Congress is a great place to start, but if you desire more input, then message me on my channel page and I will give you an email.

[@MrCrowebobby]

I prefer it at 0.73 speed, but of course that just a personal preference.

[@Pianosyncrazy]

Thanks. The tempo on this thing was espcially hard to keep in line because the roll pianist was so freeform in his playing....just about the time one got it right, it was changed. That's what endeared Muth to his fans.... unpredictable.

[@Pianosyncrazy]

@bsgs98 and a host of others....

[@kennethnutt6380]

REGULATE THE SPEED ON THE SETTINGS BELOW THE PIC.WOODYBOY.

[@Pianosyncrazy]

Not sure who this was directed to, but if you tried to play a roll cut by Muth, I would like to see how that came out. There is NO tempo setting on a Muth roll, he went all over the charts with his arranging.. One had to practice his music forever it seems because he changed stride so much. People loved or hated his rolls. I loved them for his creativity and originality.. albeit however hard it was to sync with his style. Thanks for the view though.

[@SuperWoodyboy]

Tempo too fast.....

[@Pianosyncrazy]

+SuperWoodyboy Yeah... kinda.... Muth is a tricky pianist to play.... it is not a conventional arrangement to be sure. Thanks for the view

[@SuperWoodyboy]

Enjoyed it...Thank You..only wish i could find a version of this or one like yours....appears to be a hard selection to find anywhere!

[@Pianosyncrazy]

+SuperWoodyboy If I still had it I would be happy to sell it to you, but unfortunately others like it also. It was really interesting to see the 1920's roots in what we thought was modern music in the 70's and 80's. The great ones keep coming back.

[@SuperWoodyboy]

sorry to hear...thanks for your kind thought though!