The Central Library shows an exhibition on the history of the pianola and its impact on the world of music

Benidorm Central Library has made a new exhibition available to the public in its facilities to make known and disseminate among the citizens part of the artistic and cultural heritage of the Benidorm City Council. In this case, the exhibition, called 'Mechanical Music: Collection of pianola rolls of the Benidorm City Council', represents "a unique exhibition that explores the fascinating history of the pianola and its impact on the musical diffusion of the 20th century", as the councillor for the area, Ana Pellicer, has conveyed.

The Councillor for Historical and Cultural Heritage has pointed out that this exhibition is made up of a selection of pianola rolls, dated between 1910 and 1925, all of them part of the donation of Edelmiro Trillo de Cáceres to the Council and that offers visitors "the opportunity to discover the history and operation of the pianola, an instrument that revolutionised the way of enjoying music in homes at the beginning of the 20th century".

Through eight information panels, the exhibition offers a complete tour of the evolution of this device, from the first ‘piano players’ to the sophisticated ‘player pianos’ and ‘reproducer pianos’, which allowed music to be played with a surprising degree of fidelity and expressiveness.

The exhibition also includes information on the technology behind the pianola, its cultural and social relevance, and the role it played in democratising access to music. The rolls on display, which cover genres from classical music, popular music and zarzuela, provide a valuable window into the musical past. In addition, through a QR code, you can access the playback of them, to experience the sound as it was in its origin.
Ana Pellicer recalled that the Edelmiro Trillo collection is “especially notable for its rarity and state of conservation, including pieces that are not found in any other musical archive in the world”.

The public will also be able to see historic images of pianola rolls, advertisements from the period, and samples of the decorations and illustrations that adorned some rolls. Rolls with texts to sing are also on display, showing an early antecedent of modern karaoke.

The exhibition is on display in the hall of Benidorm Municipal Library and promises to be “an educational and nostalgic experience for all lovers of music and history.”