Early Arrangements

Cobs 1-47+ and 101-234+ have an early arrangement often characterized by additional melody Octave Notes. It is conjectured that the earliest rollers (cobs) were arranged for pressure instruments, and upon the change to vacuum it was determined that an arrangement with fewer concurrent notes would be preferable.

In addition, Alternate Pinning Patterns are also common.

It is often possible to recognize Early Arrangements by their Label Styles.

  • Front Labels:
    • All known cobs which have labels with a wide “N O.” (with a slight space between the letters) are Early Arrangements.
    • Later labels have “NO.” without the space; these may possibly be Early Arrangements.
    • No known Early Arrangements have the late “No.” labels.
  • Directions Labels:
    • Early labels have two-sentence Directions; these may possibly be Early Arrangements.
    • Later labels have a single sentence; these may possibly be Early Arrangements but it is very unlikely.
    • No known Early Arrangements have late directions labels with “emblems” above the text.


Early roller (cob) features in contrast to later editions: (Unlisted titles are not yet known.)

No. - NameLabel StylesDoubled OctavesLower KeyExtra NotesStretch1)Wood Finish2)Comments
#1 - The Sweet Bye And Bye N O./NO. YNYNY
#2 - Nearer, My God, To Thee NO. -Y, 4th Yearliest
(2nd arrangement) NO. YNNlonger Ystill “early”
#3 - I Need Thee, Every Hour NO. YNYshorter Y
#4 - From Greenland's Icy Mountains N O. YNYshorter Y3rd “almost early” has one more note than “late”
#5 - Duke Street N O. YNY Y
#6 - Onward, Christian Soldiers NO. Y, few NYNY
#8 - Sweeping Through The Gates N O. YNYNY
#9 - I'll Stand By Until the Morning N O. YNharmony change NY
#10 - The Shining Shore—Nelson N O./NO. YNYsome shorter Y
#11 - Sicilian Hymn NO. YNNslight Y
#12 - Hold the Fort NO. YNharmony change NY
#13 - Just as I Am NO. YNNslight Y
#14 - America N O. -Y, 4th Y Y3rd “late” exists, with a few octaves added
#15 - Antioch NO. YNNlonger Y
#16 - O to be Over Yonder N O. YNNNY
#17 - What Hast Thou Done for Me ?YNY Y
#18 - He Leadeth Me N O. YNYNYpauses between phrases
#20 - The Home over There N O. YNNlonger Y
#21 - Is My Name Written There N O. YNNshorter Y
#22 - Almost Persuaded ?YNNNY3rd “late” has original melody octave
#23 - Where is My Boy To-night NO. YNharmony change shorter Y
#24 - Bringing in The Sheaves YNNslight Y
#25 - Let the Lower Lights be Burning N O. YNN Y
#26 - Only an Armor Bearer N O. YNNslight Y
#27 - I Will Sing of My Redeemer ?YNNlonger gaps Y
#28 - He Will Hide Me N O. -Y, 4th Y
#29 - Pull for the Shore NO. -Y, 4th Y“early” has sustained harmony notes
#30 - Precious Name NO. YNYsome shorter Y“late” has sustained harmony notes
#31 - Christmas NO. YNNslight Y
#32 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing NO. YNNNN
#35 - Manoah NO. YNN Y
#36 - Pleyel's Hymn NO. YNNshorter Y
#41 - I Hear Thy Welcome Voice NO. YNNlonger Y
#42 - Even Me NO. YNNNY
#43 - Watchman, Tell Us of the Night NO. YNNvery slightY
#47 - Mozart ?YNNshorter Y
#101 - Waltz—Les Roses NO. YNY, many changed shorter Y
#102 - Polka—La Bonne Bouche N O. -Y, 4th Y3rd “late” w/ very slight differences
#103 - When the Swallows Homeward Fly N O., patent stamp YNY, much fuller longer Y
#104 - The Blue Alsatian Mountains N O. YNharmony change longer Y
#105 - Waltz—Blue Violets NO. YNmore of tune Ymuch faster, ending is longer/repeated
#106 - The Soldier's Joy N O. YNNsome shorter Y
#107 - When the Leaves Begin to Fade N O., no patent YNNNY
#108 - Sweet Violets N O. YNYlonger notes Ysome changed octaves/notes
#109 - Marching Through Georgia N O. YNYlonger Y
#110 - Victoria Polonaise N O. YN black/gold label
#111 - Waltz—My Queen N O. YNY, changes some shorter Yred label, but early large-diameter core
#112 - Old Uncle Ned N O. YNY, changes Y
#113 - Austrian National Hymn N O. YNYlonger Y
#115 - Climbing up the Golden Stairs ?YNYshorter Y8 single stray pins (highest note) at start of every measure
#116 - Waltz—Good News N O. NNNshorter Y
#117 - Boccherini Minuet ?
#118 - Meet Me in the Lovely Twilight N O. YNNshorter Yboth shorter and longer notes
#120 - Minuet—Bright Eyes N O. YNNlonger Y“early” has some longer harmony notes
#121 - Old Folks at Home NO. YNYlonger notes Ysome sustained
#122 - Sailors' Hornpipe N O. YNYshorter Y3rd has shorter bass, melody jumps to higher octave
#123 - Home, Sweet Home NO. YN, see note Y, few longer Y3rd “late” is 5th higher, moving notes in harmony
#124 - Marseillaise Hymn YNYlonger Y
#125 - Chorus from I Puritani N O. -----late change
#126 - Auld Lang Syne YNYlonger Y
#127 - Die Wacht am Rhine (The Watch on the Rhine—German) N O., patent stamp YNNshorter Y
#128 - Die Lorelei (The Lorelei—German) N O., patent stamp YNN Y
#129 - In the Eye Abides the Heart N O., patent stamp YNY, few longer Y
#130 - The Hunter's March N O., patent stamp YNYNY
#131 - In the Gloaming N O.
#132 - The Dreamland Waltz NO. YNNslight Y
#133 - Policemen's Chorus NO. NNYslight Y
#134 - Marble Halls YNYshorter Y3rd “late” adds octaves back in!
#135 - Annie of the Vale N O. YNNsome longer
#136 - Bonnie Eloise N O. YNNNYsome sustained notes, rather than repeated staccato
#137 - Miserere, from Il Trovatore ?YNNshorter N
#138 - The Parade March NO. YNNsome shorter Y3rd has different octaves, notes
#139 - Only to see Thee, Darling N O.
#140 - Ye Merry Birds N O. YNYlonger Ysome sustained, marked “Play Slowly”
#141 - Mignonette Polka NO. YNYslight Y
#142 - Time will Roll the Clouds Away NO. YNYsome longer Y
#143 - Chorus from Castor and Pollux N O., patent stamp YNN? Y
#144 - Darling Nelly Gray N O. YNharmony change NYharmony has more beats
#145 - Dora's Waltz ?YNYsome notes longer Y
#146 - Annie Laurie NO. YNYNNsome note changes
#147 - The Leap Year Waltz N O. YNNslight Y
#148 - Thou Art so Near and Yet so Far N O. YNNlonger Y
#149 - The Last Rose of Summer N O. YNY, much fuller longer Y
#150 - Waltz—German Hearts N O. YNNNY
#151 - Alice Polka NO. YNY, few shorter Y
#152 - See Saw Waltz NO. YNY, few shorter N3rd “almost early” with very slight difference
#153 - Polka—On the Wing N O. YNNsome shorter Y
#154 - O Ye Tears! N O. YNYlonger Y
#155 - The Beautiful Blue Danube N O. YNY, few some shorter Yending is shorter/truncated
#156 - Listen to The Mocking Bird N O./NO. YNYlonger Y3rd “late” slightly different
#157 - Then You'll Remember Me NO. NNNshorter Nslight, different octaves, last note not held
#158 - Annen Waltz, from "Nanon" N O. YNNNN
#159 - Tyroler and Child YNYNY
#161 - The Blue Bells of Scotland NO. YNNNN3rd “almost early” has much longer notes
#162 - Du, Du, Liegst Mir im Herzen (You, You, Nearest My Heart—German) ??YNNN
#163 - The Wearing of the Green NO. YNY, few some longer N
#164 - The Campbells are Coming N O. NNNsome longer Ystaccato harmony
#165 - The Minstrel Boy ?YNNNY
#166 - The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane N O. YNNsome longer Y
#167 - It's Funny When You Feel That Way NO. YNNsome shorter Y
#170 - "La Mascotte" Quadrilles—III N O. NNNsome longer Nonly stretched
#172 - "La Mascotte" Quadrilles—V N O. YNYNY
#173 - Darling Bessie of the Lea N O. Ylate version not yet found
#174 - The Guards' Waltz N O. YNNshorter Y
#175 - Rhine Wine Charley N O. YNNshorter Y
#176 - The Witches' Carnival N O. Ylate version not yet found
#179 - Laura Waltz, No.1 N O. YNNshorter Y
#180 - Laura Waltz, No.2 N O. Ylate version not yet found
#181 - Brucker Lager Marsch N O. YNNNY
#183 - The Flyaway Galop N O. YNNsome longer Y
#185 - Plantation Galop N O. late version not yet found
#186 - Oft in The Stilly Night N O. late version not yet found
#187 - Dearest May N O. late version not yet found
#188 - Back to Our Mountains N O. late version not yet found
#190 - Yankee Doodle NO. YNNorder Yverse, chorus repeat in different order
#191 - White Wings NO. YNNlonger Y
#194 - The Golden Slippers NO. YNY, few NY
#196 - Waltz Song, "Love Comes" ?YNintro NYintro, faster
#199 - Promenade Quickstep ?NNY, few some shorter N
#200 - "Gay Life" Quadrilles—I NO. YNNNYstaccato
#201 - "Gay Life" Quadrilles—II NO. YNNlonger Y
#202 - "Gay Life" Quadrilles—III NO. NNNsome shorter Ysome held
#203 - "Gay Life" Quadrilles—IV NO. Y, few Nfew different shorter Y
#204 - "Gay Life" Quadrilles—V NO. NNNlonger Nstaccato
#205 - Dixie NO. YNNlonger Nstaccato
#206 - Waltz—Till we Meet Again NO. YNNsome shorter Y
#207 - The Arkansas Traveler NO. YNNNYsome staccato
#209 - The Kiss Waltz NO. YYNNNshorter
#212 - When You and I Were Young NO. YNNNYsome longer, some shorter
#213 - College Hornpipe NO. YNY, few longer Y
#216 - The Zigzag Clog NO. YNNsome shorterY
#217 - Medley Jig NO. NNY, few longer N
#218 - Svensk National sang (Swedish National Hymn—Swedish) NO. NNOne changed NNa few holds are different
#221 - Galop—A Day in Vienna NO. YNNshorter Nlong last note
#222 - Gen. Boulanger's March NO. YNNNN
#224 - Wait Till the Clouds Roll by NO. YNNNN
#226 - Bring Back My Bonnie to Me NO. YNYNY
#229 - Tramp, Tramp, Tramp ?YNNNN
#230 - Don't Be Angry With Me, Darling NO. NNY, few NN
#232 - Johnnie, Get Your Hair Cut NO. NNY, few NN
#234 - Waltz—Cricket on the Hearth NO. YNNNNsustained notes
1)
The individual notes can differ in length (a different number of pins). Cobs with mostly longer notes are considered to be stretched in comparison.
2)
Earlier cobs usually have a glossy finish, although it's often difficult to tell. Later cobs are usually plain wood.
 
 
 

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