Reverie Op 86 (York Bowen); Primrose Mount (Dyson); Rondo (Ireland) - Duo-Art roll

The Daily Express newspaper ran a piano-playing competiton in 1928, to encourage home pianists. This was part of the generously-funded prize competitions run by the major popular papers of the day in the UK to drum up trade (the Daily Mail's Ideal Home Exhibition remains the most famous of these). A full report is repeated at the end of this description. The overall winner was Cyril Smith, who went on to be a major concert pianist; opera-singer-to-be Kathleen Ferrier won a piano too.
The Express organised for the Aeolian Company to issue Duo-Art rolls of the competiton pieces (there were five rolls), and for Columbia to issue 78rpm discs of the same pieces. All the rolls and discs were performed by William Murdoch.
Here, for Grade A (the over-18 category), are three contemporary British compositions.
1. Reverie Op 86 (York Bowen);
2. Primrose Mount (George Dyson);
3. Rondo from 'Sonatina' (John Ireland)
played by William Murdoch.
Played on a Weber model 12 grand Duo-Art pianola-piano
The American journal, the Music Trades Gazetter, described it in more detail:
"LONDON, ENG., December 3 1928.-The First National Piano Playing Contest held in Great Britain under the auspices of the Daily Express in co-operation with the British Federation of Musical Competition Festivals, the Federation of British Music Industries, the Music Masters' Association and the British Music Society came to a close on December 1, when the grand finals were held at Kingsway Hall, London. The contest aroused great interest throughout Great Britain and a capacity audience crowded into the hall to learn the final decision. In all there were some 20,000 entrants from all parts of the country.
"As has already been reported, Great Britain was divided into eighteen areas for the purpose of the contest which began in the Spring, and
through local elimination contests there were selected from each area four finals, one in each of the grades specified. These were Grade A,
for eighteen years of age and older; Grade B, for contestants of fifteen, sixteen and seventeen years; Grade C, twelve, thirteen and fourteen
years of age, and Grade D, eight to eleven years inclusive. Special compositions by recognized British composers of the day were selected for each of the grades so that all contestants were on an equal basis in that regard.
"Each of the seventy-two area winners was awarded a piano, and the four final winners at the Kingsway Hall contest received a grand piano and a special diploma, as did each of the runners-up in Grades A and B. The remaining sixty-six competitors received upright pianos and diplomas. Scholarships will be awarded to those who showed special talents by the Daily Express on the recommendation of the Board of Adjudicators. It is estimated that the pianos given as awards had a total value of nearly
$40,000 and were of the Broadwood, Brinsmead, Collard & Collard, Cramer, Marshall & Rose and Rogers makes.
"In addition to the pianos and diplomas awarded to the contestants themselves recognition was also extended to the teachers of the
winners. The teachers of the successful contestants in the local and area competitions each received a special certificate and the teachers of the four final winners in the Kingsway Hall Contest received special awards of twenty guineas each.
"The winner in Grade A was C. J. Smith, of the London area, who received a Broadwood piano; in Grade B, Miss I. Crowther, of the Liverpool area, who was awarded a Collard piano; in Grade C, Miss E. Harmsworth, of the
Home County South area, who received a Marshall piano, and Grade D, Miss J. C Engli, of the London area, who was awarded a Cramer piano, all four instruments being grands. A. Templeton, of the Leeds area, runner-up in Grade A, received a Brinsmead grand, and Miss J. Townshend, of the London area, runner-up in Grade B, received a Rogers piano."

[@RobinPratt]

Fascinating. Thank you!