Album Notes

Before the age of electronics, people relied upon mechanical musical instruments such as player pianos and cylinder or disc musical boxes for entertainment when they could not listen to live music. Music boxes enjoyed a brief period of popularity from approx. 1880 to 1920. Eventually, the phonograph and later all the modern electronic devices we know today replaced the music box.

Today, HensTooth Discs still manufactures metal discs for many antique Disc Musical Boxes. This 3 CD-R set is a catalog of authentic arrangements which we offer on 4.5 inch metal discs that can be played on 'AD30' model Thorens and Reuge disc musical boxes. (There are several selections for larger music boxes also included.) They are heard here as rendered by an accurate computer simulation. Each title is approximately 26 seconds long, which is the actual playing time of the Thorens/Reuge 4.5 inch movement.

Keep in mind that THESE ARRANGEMENTS ARE THE ACTUAL MUSICAL SCORES WE USE TO PUNCH OUR DISCS. Because of the inherent limitations of these mechanical devices, there are many ‘time-tested’ techniques which must be employed to create a usable piece of music. The result is a true ‘music box sounding’ composition.

Jack Perron is the founder and chief musical arranger for HensTooth discs. He has likely created more arrangements/compositions for actual music boxes than any other person, ever. In the past, arrangements of his have found their way into such places as The Phantom Manor (EuroDisney attraction), the homes of Tom T. Hall (Country Recording Artist) and Walt Disney, and were featured on Bjork's Grammy Nominated (2002) Album, 'Vespertine' (Frosti, Cocoon, Pagan Poetry). His version of 'Sweetheart of Sigma Chi' was heard in the 1981 movie 'Ghost Story', Fred Astaire's final film. Lately, Jack’s harmonization of 'Ablassen' was heard introducing CBS' "Sunday Morning".

Below you will find a brief ‘personal history’ written by Mr. Perron, and also a link to an interview concerning his collaboration with Icelandic singer Bjork.

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Personal History
Just about 30 years ago, having taken a leave of absence from Medical School, and while working as an itinerant musician traveling 'round New England playing traditional fiddle music, a friend asked me over dinner, 'What would you like to be doing, if you had completely free choice?' I answered without hesitation that I'd like to be putting traditional music onto music boxes.
I was surprised at my answer, as it had not occurred to me until that moment. At the time, I had very little knowledge of music boxes. To shorten the story, less than 24 hours later, I had a job arranging 'Lara's Theme' for a Porter Music Box Company 15.5" Regina disc.
Since then, I have been responsible for the music on several hundred discs of 'new music' sold by the Porter Music Box Company of Randolph Vermont, USA.
In the 1970's, and under special arrangement with Porter Music Box Company, I produced a series of discs consisting of traditional dance music, mostly from the British Isles, and representing a type of music that had very little chance of finding its way onto music box discs otherwise.

Today, I create new arrangements for my small company, HensTooth Discs™. The charm of a music box still enchants me. Mostly, I suppose that I feel a music box may best be heard in one’s private moments: it has an intimacy meant for an audience of one (or perhaps two?). Yet, there is a certain purity, an innocence, to the sound. You might want to listen to these CDs as you go to sleep (as a child might), for it may be in that quiet time that its unique feeling is best received.

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Link to interview on collaboration with Bjork:
http://www.bjork.fr/Jack-Perron-interview.html