Music for Pianos

Max Kortlander

Max Kortlander 1890-1961

As a child Max Kortlander was a highly talented pianist and became highly regarded as a performer and composer.  He began cutting piano rolls for QRS about 1916 and over the next ten years he arranged and produced over a thousand rolls for the company.  His rolls were distinguished by his energetic playing style and a polished technique.  In QRS he worked alongside Victor Arden, Zez Confrey, J.Lawrence Cook, Lee S.Roberts, Thomas "Fats" Waller, and Pete Wendling.

 Kortlander released rolls under the pseudonyms of Ted Baxter and Jeff Watters particularly when making four hand arrangements.

Shortly after World War One he was made General Manager of the QRS laboratories in New York City.  In 1931 as the bottom fell out of the U.S. economy and the firm was threatened with bankruptcy Max Kortlander mortgaged his home and bought out the firm changing its name to The Imperial Industrial Corporation.  World War Two saw an increase in the demand for QRS products but the advent of television brought a decline in sales.  Largely due to the efforts of Max Kortlander he maintained the profitability of the company up to the time of his death in 1961.

The MIDI files below are produced from QRS rolls scanned by Terry Smythe  or his associates on the Rebirth Site, these have a uniform dynamic, I have taken the opportunity to try and give a "live" feel to the files by editing the dynamics of the scanned rolls.  The original files can be found on the Rebirth Site.

 MIDI Files produced from piano rolls made by Max Kortlander or his pseudonyms

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