<<

Guess the Number of Fleas upon this Dog and get a Grand Piano Free

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In ordcr to pro\"c the indisputable value uf the NEPLUSCLTRA PIANO we arc making the above astollisliing o~fcr. No Piano firm in existence has the courage to risk a similar test.· lf we were not absolutely sure uf mlr pearly tone, our unapproach­ able scale, our transparent varnish, our moth proof fclt and our unimpeachable actions, could we afford to nuke such an offer? ·Simply catch an ordinary dog of the size represented in the above \ctching. Carefully remove the fleas olle by one and preserve t hem in alcohol to avoid future dispute. Then count the aggregate, divide by 17 and take the square root. Sell9 the result to us on Or before February 31st, 1912, and we will s<:nJ the prize piano by return mail. NEPLUSULTRA PIANO COMPANY

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,-_.~======~=====~======~ The AMICA BLTLLETIN AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS' ASSOCIATION JULY/AUGUST 2000 VOLUME 37, NUMBER 4 THE LATEST SONGS OF THE RENOWNED GENIUS ALPHONSUS POMADE

'Thc fQIlowing may be obtained in any key f ron1 lo\v X to high &.

"Johnny Get the Tweezers, There's a Clove in Father's Breath." A beautiful song for low voice, the lower the better. Especially suited for White Ribbon meet­ ings. Sixty-seventh edition.

"Sister's Switch is Turning Grey." A pathetic little ditty with beautiful lantern slides. ThreC" million sold.

"Shower of Gold, or Why Waste the Eggs When He's Doing the Best lie Can." Always makes a hit. Three­ LAST PORTRAIT OF PROF. POMADE thousand sold in tel! minutes.

) l "Don't Scratch It or It'll Never Get Well." A touching little canzonetta with a staccato accompaniment.

FOR SALE AT

ALL HABERDASHERS AND SHIP CHANDLERS if' " THE AMICA BULLETIN AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS' ASSOCIATION Published by the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association, a non-profit, tax exempt group devoted to the restoration, distribution and enjoyment of musical instruments using perforated paper music rolls and perforated music books. AMICA was founded in San Francisco, California in 1963. ROBIN PRATT, PUBLISHER, 630 EAST MONROE ST., SANDUSKY, OH 44870-3708 -- Phone 419-626-1903, e-mail: [email protected] Visit the AMICA Web page at: http://www.amica.org Associate Editor: Mr. Larry Givens Contributing Editor: Mr. Emmett M. Ford

VOLUME 37, Number 3 July/August 2000 AMICA BULLETIN

Display and Classified Ads FEATURES Articles for Publication Gateway Plans October Small Organ Festival — 200 Letters to the Publisher Chapter News Harvey Northrup Roehl— 202 UPCOMING PUBLICATION In Praise of Pianos — 208 DEADLINES The ads and articles must be received Victor Herbert Vignette— 218 by the Publisher on the 1st of the Piping Up— 219 Odd number months: January July Know Your Roll Artists — 221 March September May November I Created Jazz in 1902 — 222 Bulletins will be mailed on the 1st week of the even months. Robin Pratt, Publisher 630 East Monroe Street Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3708 Phone: 419-626-1903 DEPARTMENTS e-mail: [email protected] AMICA International — 194 President’s Message — 195 From the Publisher’s Desk — 195 MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

Calendar of Events — 196 New Memberships ...... $37.00 Letters — 197 Renewals ...... $37.00 AMICA People - 199 Address changes and corrections Crossword Puzzle— 216 Directory information updates Tech Tips — Additional copies of 224 Member Directory . . . . $25.00 Chapter News — 228 Single copies of back issues Classified Ads — ($6.00 per issue - based 239 upon availability) William Chapman (Bill) 2150 Hastings Court Santa Rosa, CA 95405-8377 Front Cover: 707-570-2258 From: The Etude, August 1912 Inside Front: e-mail: [email protected] Thanks to Beverly Brabb To ensure timely delivery of your Inside Back Cover: BULLETIN, please allow 6-weeks Back Cover: From AMICA April 1978 advance notice of address changes.

AMICA Publications reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any and all submitted articles and advertising.

Entire contents © 2000 AMICA International 193 AMICA INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS CHAPTER OFFICERS PRESIDENT Dan C. Brown AREA NORTHERN LIGHTS N. 4828 Monroe Street Pres. Ken Volk Pres: Dave Kemmer Spokane, WA 99205-5354 Vice Pres: Dorothy Bromage Vice Pres: Jerrilyn Boehland - 509-325-2626 Sec: Ginger Christiansen (612) 780-5699 e-mail: [email protected] Treas: Alan Jayne Sec: Jason E. Beyer - (507) 454-3124 Treas: Terry Goepel PAST PRESIDENT Linda Bird Reporter: Don Brown Board Rep: Sandy Libman Reporters: Paul & Barbara Watkins 3300 Robinson Pike Board Rep: Dorothy Olds Grandview, MO 64030-2275 AREA Phone/Fax 816-767-8246 Pres: Richard VanMetre - (847) 402-5391 PACIFIC CAN-AM e-mail: OGM [email protected] Vice Pres: George Wilder Pres: Mark Smithberg - (206) 763-9468 VICE PRESIDENT Mike Walter Sec: Curt Clifford Vice Pres: Kurt Morrison 65 Running Brook Dr., Treas: Joe Pekarek Sec: Halie Dodrill Lancaster, NY 14086-3314 Reporter: Kathy Stone Septon Treas: Ward Folsom 716-656-9583 Board Rep: Marty Persky Reporter: Dan Brown e-mail: [email protected] Board Rep: Carl Dodrill FOUNDING CHAPTER SECRETARY Judith Chisnell SIERRA NEVADA 3945 Mission, Box 145 Pres: Bing Gibbs - (408) 253-1866 Vice Pres: Mark Pope Pres: John Motto-Ros - (209) 267-9252 Rosebush, MI 48878-9718 Vice Pres: Sonja Lemon Sec: Lyle Merithew & Sandy Swirsky 517-433-2992 Sec/Treas: Tom & Virginia Hawthorn Treas: Richard Reutlinger e-mail: [email protected] Reporter: Doug & Vicki Mahr Reporter: Tom McWay Board Rep: John Motto-Ros TREASURER Robert DeLand Board Rep: Richard Reutlinger Registered agent for legal matters 485 Gatewood Lane SOWNY (Southern Ontario, Grayslake, IL 60030 GATEWAY CHAPTER Western New York) 847-548-6416 - Fax 847-548-8615 Pres: Dorothy Crowley (314) 843-2140 Pres: Anne Lemon - (905) 295-4228 e-mail: [email protected] Vice Pres: Yousuf Wilson Vice Pres: Mike Hamann PUBLISHER Robin Pratt Sec: Mary Wilson Sec/Mem. Sec: John & Diane Thompson 630 E. Monroe Street Treas: Mary Wilson Treas: Holly Walter Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3708 Reporter: Cynthia Craig Photographer: Garry Lemon 419-626-1903 Historian: Larry Hollenberg Reporter: Frank Warbis e-mail: [email protected] Board Rep: Gary Craig Board Rep: Mike Walter MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY William Chapman (Bill) HEART OF AMERICA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 2150 Hastings Court Pres: Ron Bopp - (918) 786-4988 Pres: James Westcott Santa Rosa, CA 95405-8377 Vice Pres: Tom McAuley Sec./Reporter. Shirley Nix 707-570-2258 Sec/Treas: Linda Koehler Treas: Ken Hodge e-mail: [email protected] Reporter: Joyce Brite Board Rep: Frank Nix — COMMITTEES — Board Rep: Ron Connor TEXAS AMICA ARCHIVES Shawn Fox LADY LIBERTY Pres: Jerry Bacon - (214) 328-9369 1319 Pearl St., Sandusky, OH 44870 419-621-9758 Pres: Keith Bigger - (718) 528-9443 Vice Pres: Tony Palmer (817) 261-1334 Vice Pres. & Reporter: Bill Maguire Haden Vandiver AMICA MEMORIAL FUND Judy Chisnell (516) 261-6799 3945 Mission, Box 145, Rosebush, MI 48878-9718 517-433-2992 Michael Barisonek Sec: Richard Karlsson Bryan Cather AUDIO-VISUAL & TECHNICAL Harold Malakinian Treas: Ron Kilfoil Sec./Treas: Janet Tonnesen 2345 Forest Trail Dr., Troy, MI 48098 Board Rep: Marvin & Dianne Polan Board Rep: Dick Merchant CONVENTION COORDINATOR Frank Nix - (631) 673-0388 Bulletin Reporter: Bryan Cather 6030 Oakdale Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-884-6849 MIDWEST (OH, MI, IN, KY) Newsletter Editor: Bryan Cather HONORARY MEMBERS Mike Walter Pres: Judy Chisnell SOUTHERN SKIES 65 Running Brook Dr., Lancaster, NY 14086-3314 716-656-9583 Vice Pres: Stuart Grigg Pres: Debra Legg - (727) 734-3353 Sec: Judy Wulfekuhl PUBLICATIONS Robin Pratt Vice Pres: Bill Shrive Treas: Alvin Wulfekuhl 630 E. Monroe St., Sandusky, OH 44870-3708 Sec: Howard Wyman (813) 689-6876 Reporter: Christy Counterman WEB MASTER Terry Smythe Treas: Dee Kavouras (352) 527-9390 Board Rep: Liz Barnhart 55 Rowand Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3J 2N6 Reporter: Dick & Dixie Leis 204-832-3982 — e-mail: [email protected] Board Rep: Debra Legg AFFILIATED SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS AUSTRALIAN COLLECTORS INTERNATIONAL PIANO NORTHWEST PLAYER PIANO SOCIETY FOR SELF-PLAYING OF MECHANICAL MUSICAL ARCHIVES AT MARYLAND ASSOCIATION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS INSTRUMENTS Performing Arts Library, Hornbake 3210 Everson Whittle, Secretary Gesellschaft für Selbstspielende 19 Waipori Street University of Maryland 11 Smiths Road, Darcy Lever, Musikinstrumente (GSM) E.V. St. Ives NSW 2075, Australia College Park, MD 20742 Bolton BL3 2PP, Gt. Manchester, England Jürgen Hocker Home Phone: 01204 529939 Heiligenstock 46 DUTCH PIANOLA ASSOC. MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY Business Phone: 01772 208003 D-51465 Bergisch Gladbach Nederlandse Pianola Vereniging INTERNATIONAL Eikendreef 24 P. O. Box 297 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Phone: 2202-932524 5342 HR Oss, Marietta, OH 45750 Division of Musical History Fax:. 2202-932526 Washington, D.C. 20560 NETHERLANDS MECHANICAL INT. VINTAGE PHONO & MECH. ORGAN SOCIETY - KDV PLAYER PIANO GROUP MUSIC SOCIETY PIANOLA INSTITUTE A. T. Meijer Julian Dyer, Bulletin Editor Clair Cavanagh, Secretary C.G. Nijsen, Secretaire General Wilgenstraat 24 5 Richmond Rise, Workingham, 19 Mackaylaan 43 Great Percy St., WC1X 9RA NL-4462 VS Goes, Netherlands Berkshire RG41 3XH, England 5631 NM Eindhoven Phone: 0118 977 1057 Netherlands Email: [email protected] 194 President’s Message

Hello, remember how our president Molly Yeckley almost single- handedly did this with her I’m excited to begin my term as AMICA President and reproducing pianos. They’re grateful to Linda Bird for having left the organization in such not as easily or safely moved good condition. AMICA has new by-laws and standing rules as band organs, but there is a which accurately reflect current procedures and which will vast public out there which has faciliate the organization’s progress. Many of us have recently never seen or heard a player or returned from the convention in Sacramento. Thanks are due to reproducing piano and a gener- John Motto-Ros and members of the Founding and Sierra- ation for which a piano itself is Nevada chapters for a job very well done. We recently received an unfamiliar object. Try to the news of the death of Harvey Roehl. For many of us, his pio- recall your excitement at first neering publication “Player Piano Treasury” was our first indi- hearing a player or reproduc- cation that other people might be interested in these wonderful ing piano. machines. Harvey and Marion were great promoters of our hobby and our sympathy is extended to her. I will rely upon your support and assistance to keep AMICA alive and vital. The photo of me was taken recently at AMICA has declined in membership for several years and Richard Reutlinger’s home in San Francisco, the city where this growth will be critical to survival. Some chapters have “mem- adventure all began in 1963. bers” who are not International Members. Chapter officers are encouraged to remedy this situation as quickly as possible. Many chapters work hard to introduce AMICA to the pub- Amicably, lic. Heart of America and Southern California chapters have emphasized band organ rallies to accomplish this (the organs in Dan Brown Sacramento were certainly attention-getters). It has been a dream of mine to present player and reproducing pianos to the public as well. If you’ve been around long enough, you’ll

in history. That is, unless the decal man had a rough night dur- ing Prohibition and the next morning slipped while applying the gold transfer. Would that be he “fell” on the “fall”? Or, histori- cally speaking, “Legends of the Fall”? How about if he hurt his knee as a result, would it then be a “fell o’ knee”? Anyway, I digress...the WEBER piano is correctly spelled with one ‘B’. This is whether it is a Weber piano, a Weber Pianola, a Weber Themodist-Metrostyle, a Weber Duo-Art Pianola or a plain ol’ Weber Duo-Art. The Weber piano was named for its maker and Two Bs or Not Two Bs. I might add, Steinway nemesis, Albert Weber (1828-1879).

Hi All, Just thought you’d like to know! I have noticed that since the introduction of an Asian piano Robin label designated the Webber that many AMICA members and other people often misspell their own as well as their hosts’ piano brand name. There has never been a WEBBER Duo-Art

195 AMICA Memorial Fund Donations Announcements ! AMICA has received two generous donations in mem- ory of AMICA member Mr. Lynn Guyett of Council Bluffs, Iowa. These were from the AMICA Heart of America ST. LOUIS RAGTIME FESTIVAL Chapter and also from Galen and Linda Bird. The 2000 St. Louis Ragtime Festival will be held, as Please think of AMICA as a place to remember your last year, on the second weekend of September, the dates of friends and family with a donation to the AMICA Memori- which are September 9 and 10. The venue again will be the al Fund. acoustically-divine Ethical Society. Sincerely, To ensure diversity, a radically different line-up will be showcased this year, featuring three pianists and three Judith Chisnell ensembles. Last year we were treated to the pianistic fire- 3945 Mission, Box 145 works of Tony Caramia; this year’s featured virtuoso is not Rosebush, Michigan 48878-9718 one iota less of a pianist extraordinaire, none other than 517-433-2992 Novelty Ragtime connoisseur Alex Hassan, of the Library [email protected] of Congress Music Library. In addition, nimble-fingered pianist-composer Reginald Robinson of Chicago, who at the tender age of 25 has composed over 100 rags and recorded three CD’s for Delmark Records, and our own Jan Hamilton Douglas, renowned house musician at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, will perform. The ensembles to be featured this year include: the Turpin Tyme Ragsters, a wonderful six-piece concert band CALENDAR OF EVENTS from Kansas City; the Et Cetera String Band, a three piece group from the border country of Western Missouri and ANNUAL CONVENTIONS Eastern Kansas, which has dazzled our ears for years with a folksy barn dance style of ragtime interjected with music of February 16-26, 2001 the Caribbean which, astonishingly, blends well into the AMICA Convention, Melbourne, Australia ragtime repertoire; and the Elite Syncopators of Indianapo- June 26-30, 2002 lis, a four piece group led by the phenomenal pianist Terry AMICA Convention, Springdale, Arkansas Parrish, who have been featured for years on the Goldenrod Showboat. CHAPTER MEETINGS But that is not all! The St. Louis Vintage Dance Asso- ciation will accompany the Turpin Tyme Ragsters, demon- Heart of America October 14-15, 2000 September 1, 2, 3, 2000 Midwest Chapter strating dances of the Ragtime Era, providing dance Mt. Pleasant, Iowa at the Leedys instruction to all who wish to take advantage of this unique Band Organ Rally with the Chicago Chapter opportunity. Christmas Meeting in Sandusky & Norwalk, Ohio AND . . . the young winners of the St. Louis Ragtime Heart of America Piano Competition will be given the opportunity to show- December, 2000 case their budding talent. Joplin, Missouri October 8, 2000 Afternoon meeting of ALL brought to you, at no charge (makes up for Texas Chapter in Arlington Treemonisha, huh?), by your friendly friends, the Friends of August 27, 2000 at the home of our Scott Joplin! Afternoon Meeting of Bulletin Reporter/Newsletter Editor, Texas Chapter at the east and Vice-President Bryan Cather Dallas home of our president, for a Mart/Swap Meet Jerry Bacon, to see and hear his newly restored December, 2000 The Ragtime for Tulsa Foundation presents the millen- photoplayer and other instruments. Sierra Nevada Christmas Party nium talents of Mimi Blais and Jeff Barnhart in our Rag- Doug and Vicki Mahr Orangevale time 2000 Concert, June 6th, in the John H. Williams The- September 23, 2000 ater of the Performing Arts Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For Sierra Nevada Chapter December 3 more information call/fax (918) 749-3184 or e-mail: John and Nadine Motto-Ros Texas Chapter [email protected]. Please visit our website at Sutter Creek Evening Holiday Dinner at the home www.webtek.com/ragtime. (joint meeting with Founding Chapter) of Myriam and Tony Palmer,

196 Letters…

Dear Editor, My wife and I are new to AMICA and are enjoying the people we have met, our new (to us) Marque Ampico piano and now The AMICA Bulletin. I have been reading the May/June bulletin with great fascination. I just finished the article “Bird Repertoires” by Archie A. Mumma. Just as I read about musical inversions a bird outside my window gave me a perfect exam- ple of what I was reading at that very moment. I have a couple questions. 1. I noticed that there was no ex. 3, but that ex. 2 was repeated in the ex. 3 space. Is there an ex. 3 or was this a mistake in the original text? On page 169, middle column, 9th line should it read, “Among the robins that I have heard...?” I was all set to write to the author when I noticed that it was originally written in 1929. I guess it is a bit late. But, I do know a number of people that I would like to send this article to. May I make copies? It certainly would be good for music teachers and students as well, especially with the ready-made quiz at the end.

Vincent Morgan, NY

Dear Editor, I would like to comment on the most recent AMICA Bulletin. I have enjoyed reading the various articles. However, I got the biggest kick from the picture of Durrell Armstrong and his little red truck (Ford) on the back cover. This photo was taken prior to 1958 in front of our home in Vestal. 1958 was the year we built the first addition on to our home to accommodate the growing collection, things just grew from that point. On another matter may I say a few words of thanks. I would like briefly to say Thank You to our friends for their caring support these past few months of Harvey’s ill- ness. This was a great source of strength during a trying time. Sincerely, Marion Roehl

Phonograph Recordings of Ampico Artists By Martin Hersch The April 1984 article “Ampico Performances With Disc Counterparts” reprinted in the May/June 2000 AMICA Bulletin was most informative. It might be interesting to note that Benno Moiseiwitch recorded Schu- mann’s “Carnaval” on LP (MCA 1408) late in his life and issued in 1980. It is fascinating to compare this late recording with his much earlier Ampico recording of the same work (over 26 minutes long on four rolls). Also, a number of Joseph Lhevinne’s 78 rpm recordings were reissued in 1970 on an RCA LP recording (VIC 1544) in 1970. Interestingly, his phonograph recording of the Schulz-Evler arrangement of the Johnann Strauss Jr. Blue Danube Waltz omits the long and elaborate introduction, so beautifully captured on the Ampico piano roll recording (probably omitted due to the time limitations imposed by the 78 rpm disc).

197 198 AMICA People

Player--Piano Demonstration

"Jelly Roll'Morton" Jazz and other Pop/Classical Rolls Karl Ellison .. Guest Lecturer Monday, September 18, 2000 11 :00 a.m.... Community Time Salem State College Charlotte Forten Hall

hiS demonstration will feature some of the piano playing of the legendary 1920's jazz T musician Ferd "Jelly Roll" Morton as well as some popular music of the Roaring Twenties - played live at the Charlotte Forten Hall on Mr. Ellison's recently restored 1917 upright grand pneumatic player piano. This instrument used to be a household commodity and was one of the only sources for music in the home before both the popularity of the phonograph and the avail­ ability of radio.

r. Ellison's piano will express nuance, tempo, and any manner of dynamic that he wishes Mwhile pumping its treadles and working the levers in its keyslip. He states, "The music is top-notch, well-orchestrated, full-sounding pieces - pop, jazz music from the 1920's to Chopin and Schubert - played, as one piano-roll company touted, [in the manner of] "the Masters fin­ gers on your keyboard" Several of the pieces will be preceded by a narrative history regarding the piece of music. A range of styles that will be demonstrated will provide rewarding music for everyone.

199 Gateway Plans October Small Organ Festival with Missouri Botanical Garden By Cynthia Craig

Gateway Chapter has been busy reorganizing, seeking new members, and arranging demonstrations of automatic musical instru- ments in the area. Last year the chapter was invited by the DeMenil Mansion and Museum to celebrate its large collection of 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair memorabilia.

The Chapter members, Tom Novak and Gary Craig, 1859 and is one of the played their brand new Stuber street organs around the oldest botanical gar- grounds to entertain visitors to this free public display and dens in the United family outing Ice Cream Social. A display of musical boxes States. and organettes was manned by Mary Wilson and Dorothy In 1971, the Mis- Crowley on the back porch as visitors exited the inside collec- souri Botanical Gar- tion and tour. In the cellar of this 18th Century Mansion in den was listed on The the video lecture hall, Yousef Wilson demonstrated and lec- National Register of tured on the Magic Lantern slides he has showing construction Historic Places by the of the 1904 Fair. U.S. Department of On the lawn Bobby the Interior. Also, the Norfolk, a well known Garden was designat- regional story teller ed a National Historic who assumed the per- Landmark in 1976 by sona of Scott Joplin, the National Park Ser- accompanied on the vice because it pos- piano by Ragtime his- sesses national signifi- torian and musician cance in commemo- Gateway member Tom Novak manning Trebor Tichenor, rating the history of his 20 note Stuber organ on the DeMenil House grounds. entertained onlookers the . Of reflecting on ragtime particular historical interest are the Tower Grove House and the world’s fair. (Henry Shaw’s 1849 Victorian country home); the Strauch As a blossoming Fountain Angel sculpture on the west side of Tower Grove interest in organs House, which originally stood at the 1904 World’s Fair; the emerges in the Gate- Linnean House (1882 conservatory built by Henry Shaw); the way Chapter of Museum Building (built by Henry Shaw in 1859 to house his AMICA based upon original scientific collections); and the Administrative Build- Storyteller Bobby Norfolk as Scott Joplin ing (Henry Shaw’s 1849 urban townhouse that was moved to and ragtime musician/historian Trebor events like the DeMe- its present site from downtown). The fully furnished Tower Tichenor entertain visitors to DeMenil. nil exhibit, its mem- bers have decided to Grove House and the Linnean House are open to the public. sponsor a street organ festival this year, October 13-15, at the world renown Missouri Botanical Garden, located in St. Louis, Missouri. The chapter will provide a public exhibition of street organs - which will be scattered throughout the Gar- den playing. An exhibition of other mechanical musical instruments will be displayed at the entrance of the garden including a video display of larger instruments. During the day (10 am to 4 pm) in the Garden’s Schoenberg Theater, mul- timedia presentations on the history of organ grinders and mechanical musical instruments will be offered periodically to add to the public’s education of these instruments. The Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the top three botanical gardens in the world and is renowned for research, education, and display. The Garden opened to the public in Dorothy Crowley with Jane Novak and DeMenil staff in costumes serving visitors.

200 “The Climatron” (see changes are occurring in trop- photo to right) was the first ical regions, the Garden has geodesic dome to be used as made a long-term commit- a conservatory, incorporat- ment and assumed a leader- ing the principles of R. ship role in the study and Buckminster Fuller, inventor conservation of these imper- of the geodesic system. In iled habitats. 1976 it was named one of The Garden works to pro- the 100 most significant mote pharmaceutical and architectural achievements agricultural research by col- in United States history. lecting a vast array of plant The term “Climatron” was samples from around the coined to emphasize the cli- world to identify chemicals mate-control technology of that might be useful to the greenhouse dome. humans as drugs, pesticides, Many fine pieces of herbicides, and in other appli- sculpture adorn the living collections throughout the Garden, cations. The Garden’s reference library contains over 122,000 including seven monumental bronzes by Swedish artist Carl volumes, including many rare books that date as far back as Milles, located in the Water Lily Sculpture Garden. 1484. The Garden’s herbarium contains almost 5,000,000 plant specimens that have been collected, pressed, dried, The Linnean House is the oldest continuously operating labeled, and cataloged, with some dating back as far as the greenhouse conservatory in the United States, and has housed mid-1700’s. Flora projects are comprehensive single or multi- the Garden’s camellia collection for over a century. volume publications that describe all of the plants growing The William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening is spontaneously in various regions of the world. The Garden the largest non-profit gardening information center of its kind contributes to many flora publications around the world, in the nation. It provides recreation, education and resources including: Flora of China, Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana, for home gardeners. Flora of North America, Flora Mesoamericana, and Flora of Missouri. The Center for Plant Conservation, a national orga- TROPICOS, developed at the Missouri Botanical Garden nization dedicated to the preservation of endangered plants in the early 1980’s, is the largest botanical database in the native to the United States, maintains a living collection of world, containing almost 800,000 plant names and nearly endangered native flora and is headquartered at the Garden. 1,300,000 specimen records. The Garden operates the world’s The Garden has over 1,100 volunteers who do a wide range of most active tropical botany scientific research program that jobs from building exhibition props and rebinding books to focuses on exploration of the tropics, which encompass the teaching and gardening. earth’s least known, most diverse, and most rapidly vanishing ecosystems. Because of the speed with which irreversible

Seiwa-en (see picture) is located on 14 acres at the Garden and is the largest Japanese strolling garden on the North American continent. The Margaret Grigg Nanjing Friendship Garden, a showplace of extraordinary traditional craftsmanship, is the most authentic Chinese gar- den of its size in the United States. Over 750,000 visitors from all over the world come to the Garden each year. The Garden has over 33,000 members.

AMICA members who have street organs are encouraged to register and bring them to this weekend event (October 13-15, 2000) in the midst of the Midwest fall season. Even if AMICAns don’t have organs, the Gateway Chapter cordially invites them to attend. To receive registration information, call 314-771-1244 or E-mail Cynthia Craig [email protected]. View of the Seiwa-en (Japanese Garden).

201 He Shall Be Remembered Harvey Northrop Roehl

HARVEY NORTHROP ROEHL OF VESTAL, NEW YORK Memories of Harvey Roehl Harvey Northrop Roehl, 76, died Wednesday, June 12, 2000 at his home. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Marion C. Roehl, one niece, one nephew, several cousins. Harvey graduated in 1949 from Cornell University. From 1952 to 1973 he was employed at Broome Community College as Administrative Dean. He was a WWII Veteran and retired as Major from the U.S. Air Force Reserves. He was the owner and operator of the Vestal Press, Publishers of Books on Mechanical Musical Machines. Harvey was an avid collector of mechanical musical instruments. Through his membership in the Musical Box Society International and AMICA, Harvey and Marion made many friends throughout the world. He was a former Craftsman Member of the Piano Technicians Guild. He was a member of the First Congregational Church, U.C.C. and served on many Church Boards and committee positions Harvey Roehl (l) and Mike Barnhart (r) over the years. He was a member and Past President of the Attending Convention in Dayton, Ohio Binghamton Kiwanis Club. He was a Licensed Private Pilot Photo from AMICA News Bulletin 1978 and a NYS Licensed Professional Engineer (inactive). Harvey and Marion were avid travelers and visited many parts of the world. I first met Harvey at the MBSI Band Organ Rally in Muscatine, A memorial service was held at the First Congregational Iowa where he played my calliope and signed an “A” roll for me. Gee, I wish I would have kept that roll. Church, U.C.C., 30 Main Street, Binghamton, New York, with the Rev. Clifford L. Aerie officiating. Rick McDowell In lieu of flowers it was Harvey’s request that memorial contributions be made to the Endowment Fund of the Musical Box Society International, Box 297, Marietta, Ohio 45750 or CHOW, 81 Main Street, Binghamton, New York 13905. Harvey and Marion and their Vestal Press not only chronicled much of the history of mechanical music, they played a major role in Marion would like to express her appreciation to the Hos- the “Player Piano Revival” and so have become a part of that history. pice Staff and doctors for the care they provided during An utterly honest and dependable man. I’ll always remember him Harvey’s illness. Arrangements were made by the Ernest H. giving me a no-nonsense lesson in how to tie a bow tie. Parson Funeral Home, 71 Main Street, Binghamton, New Bob Berkman York.

My memories are of my first exposure to the world of automatic music through the wonderful reprints and books offered by Harvey’s Vestal Press. I cannot overstate the important impact he had on all AMICA members and friends may choose to our lives and the present higher standards exhibited because we all remember Harvey through the AMICA Memorial were exposed to his foresight and industry. I, for one, will never be Fund, in care of: Judy Chisnell, able to thank him adequately for nurturing and encouraging this 3945 Mission, Box 145, hobby through his fine efforts. We shall all miss his contributions. Rosebush, Michigan 48878-9718 Robert Ridgeway

202 On November 23, 1999, I wrote to Harvey after fixing his Sorry to hear of Harvey Roehl’s death. He was always a keen Ampico B roll drive motor. Here is part of that letter. and interested person, particularly if there were problems. At one “Since it is Thanksgiving time, I am giving you thanks for all stage we conversed in detail about electric piano roll drive in repro- that you have done for me over the last 25 years. The books of the ducing pianos. His was - mine wasn’t! He had electrified his 1924 Vestal Press were my early mentors as I became hooked on this stuff. Bauer Welte Licensee and I was struggling for maximum perfor- My library in Arlington Heights, Illinois, was less than 200 yards mance from our Hamilton. He will be missed by all of us. from my house. It was there I discovered the Ampico B. Larry Grahame Code Givens’ books and others, started this adventure. When our second son was born in 1977, his hyperactivity soon became apparent and we needed many resources to cope. Bedtime for him was always a challenge. Our nightly ritual that worked for years was playing a tape of carousel music that I had purchased from you. Memories of Harvey N. Roehl That tape lasted several years and was quickly replaced by another. Harvey was indeed a very special person. He will be missed by You owe me nothing. all. He left a very big void in our hears, and with AMICA. We found Thanks to both of you and get well soon.” Harvey to be a very caring and private person. However, when we needed advice, he was like the Patriarch of the Mechanical Musical Bob Taylor family. When we needed advice Harvey was there for us. If he didn’t know the answer, he would research it and get back to us. Harvey was an avid collector of mechanical musical instruments. He was the owner and operator of the Vestal Press Publishers of Books and Mechanical Musical Machines. He wrote and published A few thoughts on Harvey Roehl. many of the books found at Vestal. I first met Harvey at an MBSI Mid-Am Band Organ Rally. Har- Harvey loved collecting misspelled signs, posters, advertising vey was at that time always looking for piano rolls of out of copyright and odd worded slogans. For instance, we found him a sign that read tunes to use for the cassettes Marion was selling. As I was setting up “Graves Real Estate.” He enjoyed telling funny stories as to how he at the mart with two or three tables full of rolls, I attracted his atten- acquired some of his musical collections. When I rewrote the Bylaws tion right away, as not many others had as many rolls. Over the next with our committee for our chapter, I called Harvey our “English few years of attending other meetings and marts, I found Harvey had Guru.” We charged him with checking the punctuation marks, the many interests similar to mine, including the history of amusement spelling words and anything else that didn’t make sense. He did his parks, and of music reproduction overall. In 1998, The Mid-Am Band charge well, and was pleased and happy to have had the opportunity Organ Rally came to my backyard in nearby Berrien Springs, Michi- to help. gan. As usual, Harvey was present with his Calliope, and in one of our conversations, the topic turned to a local area business that was no Harvey will be missed at our AMICA Conventions telling his longer in business, Voice of Music of VM. Harvey had one of their many stories and playing the instrument he knew best, the piano. early tape recorders, and wondered if anyone was collecting them, or Marvin and I lost a friend who cared not only for us, but for all the if a museum in the area had attempted to collect any of the many VM people he knew. products. Much to his disappointment, I told him that I knew of none. Dianne K. Polan Sunday morning at our open house, I did show Harvey a couple of early VM portable record players (1950’s mono) that I had collected, although they are in need of some repair and don’t work. Little did I know that as Harvey and Marion drove out the drive Sunday morning from our open house that it would be the last time I would see him. Harvey was such an early driving force in the hobby/field that he He will be missed, but not forgotten, as he was one of the major con- will be very much missed. tributors to the hobby with the books he wrote, and the publishing of Yes, Harvey will be missed. Every day something comes up and Larry Givens “Rebuilding the Player Piano” that has to be considered I tell myself that I need to tell Harvey about it and then I remember a major landmark in the advancement of the hobby of automatic that he is gone. Being only 10 miles away, we would occasionally do music instruments. It was the first book I read after acquiring my first things together and would talk on the phone several times a week. player piano in 1970. When Harvey joined the internet last fall, it made communications Bennet Leedy even more frequent. On top of everything else, he was an engineer who spoke and wrote well. He would enjoy plays on words, humor- ous typographical errors and other misappropriations of the English language. I remember a couple years back when our local bus system had public service messages printed on the sides that he pointed out to I met Harvey Roehl at the Bethlehem Convention for the first everyone that a local Planned Parenthood Clinic was offering “Free time. I had bought some things from his Vestal Press prior to our Pregancy Tests” (sic). meetings. Our chapter (Philadelphia) went to visit his home in Vestal, He was a good friend and I’m sorry that we have lost him. He New York. He and his wife were terrific hosts. He had lots of talent. certainly had a significant influence on the mechanical music hobby He played the Photo Player and the Calliope for us and showed us his through his writings, publications (via the Vestal Press), his leader- very large collection. We had a great time. ship and organizational skills and through his friendship and sharing Paul Dietz of his own collection, and especially his encouragement of newcom- ers to the hobby. Bob Conant

203 history, how it came to be in his collection, and usually an amusing anecdote about some aspect of its history. The best part about the tour is that we did get to hear these machines. And they all sounded won- derful. The end of the tour found us back in the upper Music Room where we would be treated to a silent movie accompanied by Harvey on the Photoplayer, with all the stops pulled out and all the bells and whistles too! Harvey was always ready to answer any questions that may have come into your head during the course of the tour and was willing to share any information which he had. Most members of the SOWNY Chapter had limited contact with Harvey over the years, but I’m certain that these memories that they share will be fond ones. Mike Walter

I was greatly saddened to hear of the death of Harvey Roehl. He was a gentle man and a gentleman. My acquaintance with Harvey began as I took on the enormous task of organizing and building the Merry-Go-Round Museum in San- dusky, Ohio. Starting with very little knowledge of the history of the carousel - let alone the wonderful music that has always made it so exciting - I turned to Harvey and Marion Roehl. My wife and I started collecting antique mechanical music in I knew so little of the field that I didn’t even know if Harvey and 1983. We wanted information and checked out libraries and book- Marion were brother and sister, brother and brother, - or husband and stores in the area, finding nothing. It wasn’t long before we found out wife! Many times through my years at the Museum, I was fortunate about AMICA, and from there Vestal Press. We now own more than enough to spend time with them and know them for the marvelous a dozen books on mechanical music due to the efforts of Harvey people they were. Roehl and the authors he encouraged. Some of them may have been published anyway, but Harvey made sure it happened. Harvey was very patient with my ignorance of the topic and more than patient as we struggled to pay our bills. He sometimes had We have seen Harvey and Marion at several conventions and a more confidence than I did about our ultimate success. couple of band organ rallies through the years. They were always fun to be around, and Harvey was always willing to share or help with And when ASCAP came in and demanded large payments (from ideas and information. our nearly empty coffers), Harvey again came to the rescue. He creat- ed tapes and CDs which were proven to be in the public domain and We visited their home once and had the opportunity to enjoy supported us in our presentation to ASCAP. Thanks to Harvey, we their friendship and a fine collection. While we were there, Harvey were successful. found out we wanted a quality reproducing piano. He went to his desk, pulled out a letter about an untouched Steinway Duo-Art and I am no longer involved with the Merry-Go-Round Museum and put us in touch with the owner. No charge, just Harvey helping those who are came in long after our early struggles. Fortunately the another collector. We bought the piano, had it restored, and still Museum is still a success, but it only became so with the steadfast enjoy its’ fine music. support and guidance of people like Harvey. We will always remember Harvey’s talks at Conventions, his Thank you again, Harvey. calliope playing at organ rallies, and most of all his friendship. Sincerely, We heard the sad news of his passing at the AMICA Convention Rachel C. Pratt, Founder and Former Director in Sacramento. The following night at the pumper contest there were The Merry-Go-Round Museum, Sandusky, Ohio two new members entered. One was 24, the other just 14. Besides doing well in the contest, both were very accomplished pianists, and entertained us for hours. All we could think of was that Harvey was looking down smiling and still getting things done. A Milestone in the World of Mechanical Music Passes Frank and Shirley Nix From the Scene When the news reached me about the passing of Harvey N. Roehl, it had the same effect as those pivotal points in one’s life, where an influential person no longer remains a part of the group - in this case, the Player-Piano community. SOWNY meets Harvey Roehl My first experiences with Harvey Roehl began in the ‘fifties, It was a great privilege for the SOWNY Chapter to be able to say when his Player Piano Scrapbook was one of the first postwar (that’s that we had the pleasure of visiting the Roehl’s not once, but twice, World War II, for the younger readers!) publications on the subject of over a period of years. Each time we had the opportunity to travel pneumatic players. This volume had hand-printed text and many down to Vestal, New York, we were treated to a wonderful afternoon illustrations of instruments as well as reproductions of original adver- of musical excitement. Harvey’s collection of instruments were var- tising. While the book has been out-of-print for many years, one ied in scope and impeccably restored, down to the last detail. He amusing effect has remained, at least for this writer: would go to each instrument and tell us about the machine, it’s past

204 There was an illustration of the Leabarjan Model #5 perforator in to compare about the history of this obscure beverage - still bottled Harvey’s early book. Beneath the picture was the mention of a today in a muted version of the original “tonic”.) (quote) “Little Gem Home Dandy Perforator”. I was - at that time - Books by Roehl on other subjects followed: railroads, postcards, one of the few people familiar with these cast iron arranging carousels, history of limericks, a book on living in an RV(!), and other machines, having purchased the first of the three being used in Maine topics dear to those who relish “vanishing Americana.” today, and would - therefore - receive letters from people who, having seen the one in Roehl’s Scrapbook, set out to acquire a machine of While not up on the mechanics of Vestal Press, the publishing their own. For decades afterwards, I’d receive letters asking if I knew house changed hands in recent years, while the audio recording the whereabouts of a “Leabarjan” (tm) perforator . . . or the “Little business continued under the Roehls’ auspices. As with all good Gem Home Dandy” brand - which was, of course, the same product! things, nothing lasts forever, and many player enthusiasts soon found that their reprints of rare service manuals and the informative “ency- Not long afterwards, Vestal Press began . . . launched with the clopedia” style player-oriented volumes were being closed out, being impressive Player Piano Treasury, an illustrated history of players and replaced by books on other subjects not related to the core of the coin-operated “nickelodeons” (orchestrions) which went through enterprise: mechanical music. Vestal Press apparently closed its many printings. I regret to this day selling the first printing of this doors not long ago, but this is something I can’t document, since the 1961 book, because the subsequent editions didn’t have the photo- phase-out of Pianola topics began about the time that Harvey left the graphic detail and contrast of the first 1000 copies. (We were running publishing house, and that’s when I ceased being a mail-order cus- The Old Salzburg Music Box Shop - Danilo and Lois Konvalinka and tomer. I - in Washington, D.C., so it was natural to “retail” a book which could be purchased again.) My replacement edition (#1852, signed by We all age and face an uncertain future. Danilo Konvalinka, Harvey) dates from 1962 . . . and this time I held on to my purchase! who owns the museum collection with me, had a stroke shortly before Thanksgiving last year. One of the first people to write, via E-mail Harvey and Marion Roehl built up the Vestal Press in these now, was Harvey Roehl. Danilo was not on-line at that time (as I years, adding an impressive array of reprint service manuals for the was!), but had a forwarding/FAX service going, so the kind messages more elusive player actions and publishing books and papers by Q. reached him in Massachusetts, where he underwent physical therapy. David Bowers, Art Reblitz, Mike Kitner, David Saul and other noted (My partner was lucky, and while recovery was slow, progress experts in the restoration/collection field. The crowning achievement became apparent by Spring. He’s now hosting our collection at the from 1972 has to be the Bowers Encyclopedia of Mechanical Musical museum, around the corner, for the 37th Season - as mentioned Instruments, crammed with pictures and advertising material which above.) covered most bases on the subject. While Harvey, the publisher and energetic personality, is no During this period of growth, Harvey and Marion traveled longer with us, his recordings, books, service manual reprints and the around the country, in their camper (something Lois Konvalinka and I other facets of Vestal Press will be around for decades . . . many still do with a passion today) . . . and his interesting periodical “The Xeroxed for future collectors, since the bulk of his publishing is now House Organ” was widely distributed. out-of-print. As Danilo once said, “Paper is patient” - so Harvey will By 1963 the Konvalinkas and I had launched The Musical Won- be speaking to future generations through the results of his unique der House (Music Museum) in Wiscasset, Maine, and it wasn’t long publishing business . . . one which had much to do with re-interesting before the Roehls came by for a visit. Always the one to try out the people in the hobby - and the business - of restoring/playing mechani- “new technology” along with preserving the old (as with “reproduc- cal musical instruments. ing” pianos), I recall him having a portable light for his photographic There would be many less Player Pianos, band organs and musi- equipment with “Sun” on it; if memory fades a bit here, this is due to cal boxes playing today if his vision in publishing hadn’t occurred at my scrambling around to find sockets for his chargers in our museum, the historical time that it did. Suburban sprawl was just beginning, a Georgian-style residence built in 1852 . . . and with electrical con- and many wonderful instruments were being swept away as cities and nections not in the most ideal of places. Harvey featured The Musical towns experienced their populace leaving. Wonder House several times in “The House Organ” and eventually began selling our audio products: LPs and Cassettes, especially many I don’t think there’s a collector today, who - when consulting 2-tape Cr02 sets recorded on our Steinway “AR” entitled Chopin some book on the subject - doesn’t pick one up with the logotype of Spectacular. “Vestal Press” on the spine. The museum is not in its 37th year and still features some new Harvey’s gone, but he and his wife Marion have shown the dif- (but out-of-print) Vestal Press books in the shop . . . many of interest ference a couple of dedicated people can make. Single-handedly he to the visitors once they’ve seen and heard the restored instruments injected “life” into an obscure subject, and we all owe a major debt to playing on our Guided Tours. his efforts for having reprinted so many rare items in the field of self- playing instruments. The Konvalinkas and I ran into the Roehls on many conven- tions/meetings in the Musical Box Society and player clubs, often Rewind. hearing him perform Ragtime “live” on one of the instruments - usu- ally a grand piano. The last time I met Harvey was in ‘90 at the Ohio L. Douglas Henderson AMICA Convention, over the dinner table, and he was talking about Artcraft Music Rolls “Moxie” - the bitter New England beverage, which originated in Maine (a sexual elixir turned into a soft drink when the Pure Food and Drug Act originated). He had just published the memoirs of the first “Moxie Girl” - a silent movie star - and was happy to converse with someone familiar with what has become to be known as “The Moxie Mystique”. (I’ve appeared at several Moxie Festivals with my travel- ing ‘29 Story & Clark player, discovered and rebuilt by Robin Pratt, of Sandusky, Ohio . . . having arranged and published two illustrated Word Rolls of “Moxie Music.” Thus, Harvey and I had a lot of notes

205 Harvey Roehl - A Tribute In 1957 Harvey located a treasure trove of rare 44-note mechan- ical pianos, 45 in all. And these formed the basis of the Roehl piano Harvey Roehl was one of nature’s true gentlemen. He was intel- collection - many being sold or swapped for other machines. They ligent, kind, unassuming, ethical and one of the most genuinely decent had been put into storage at the advent of Prohibition, by a piano human beings it has ever been my privilege to encounter in this life. mover, who had his eye on the money that remained inside them! His contribution to the world of automatic musical instruments was Harvey Roehl was, of course, best known to collectors as the extraordinary! His loss will be acutely felt; all in AMICA should owner and operator of the Vestal Press, in Vestal, New York, publish- mourn his passing as it marks the loss of a truly good person from our ers of books on mechanical musical instruments and machines. He midst. I miss him already. also had a collection vast enough to encompass the whole history of I will never forget my first encounter with Harvey and his wife the specialty. Marion - a simple mail order business transaction, usually an imper- Wise collectors, if they have not already obtained a copy, would sonal kind of thing. Enclosed with my order was a personal handwrit- be well advised to obtain the video film of Harvey talking about the ten note welcoming me to the world of automatic musical instruments manufacture of Music Rolls - Punching a Hole, Playing a Roll, with and to the Vestal Press, which was the Roehls’ publishing house. It Bob Berkman of QRS Music Rolls Inc. and Harvey Roehl of Vestal was the sort of note one gets from a dear old friend with whom one is press, Limited, produced by The Brockway Broadcasting Corporation. very comfortable. You know, the kind of friend you’ve known for This is a splendid introduction to Harvey for those who did not know years . . . almost one of the family. It was kind and warm and gen- him personally. uine. Try finding something like that nowadays on the Internet. Harvey and Marion were avid travelers and made friends all over Many people (and I am one of them) believe that a singularly the world. He will be much missed and sympathy will radiate to Mar- traumatic and stressful event can trigger the onset of a precipitous ion from so many friends and admirers. decline in one’s well-being or immune system. Harvey endured just Gerald Stonehill such an event in the early 1990s. Just about anyone who came into contact with Harvey during the past few years can testify that his usually robust high spirits seemed to be absent, or somehow waning. Oh, he put on a brave face, and, as always, found a positive remark to say about something or somebody. Dear Editor, I often got the feeling that it was in Harvey’s nature to pay a compli- I thought I might submit this letter to you in tribute to Harvey ment, even when it pained him to do so. Yet, the twinkle in his eye Roehl, who was my friend for 40 years. As with many “Nickelodeon” was beginning to flicker. friendships, we didn’t see each other that much, but kept in contact Those who knew him can’t help but get the gnawing suspicion with each other by way of the telephone, or just “bumped” into each that it was Harvey’s traumatic brush with darkness in the early 1990s other at various meets, and social affairs. He was a good man, and I that led to his final illness. Rest in peace, Harvey. thought it would be interesting for the “younger” members to know what it was like in the days B-4 “Dave Bowers!” No one had estab- Jeffrey Morgan lished prices on the various machines yet, and it was every man for himself! Would you allow me to pay tribute to Harvey by printing this Harvey Northrop Roehl article about him? Harvey Roehl died on June 21, 2000, at his home in Binghamton, Thank you. New York, after an illness during which he was cared for by the local When I started in 1960, Seeburg “G’s” were going for $600, and Hospice. He is survived by his wife Marion. Wurlitzer orchestrions went for $350. I missed a Seeburg “H”, 80 Harvey first swam into my consciousness when he published his miles away, which was bought for $400. I bought a Gebruder-Bruder own Player Piano Treasury in 1961 - a moment when several pioneers Band organ, brass and wooden pipes, 16’ wide, 12’ high, and 4’ deep throughout the world were engaged in reviving the interest of musi- for $500. cologists in the forgotten virtues of mechanical music. But at this time I was making top wages as a Class “A” tester for As Harvey Roehl wrote, publication of his book “brings to the RCA, during the ATLAS MISSLE program, of $125 per week, so public for the first time the story of the vast player piano industry in these prices were big money for a father of 6 . . . who knows . . . America. Today it is all but forgotten . . . except for a few scattered maybe they are a bargain today at what they’re selling for!!! collectors.” Oh, for the good old days, but with money $$$$. It was not until the age of ten that Harvey heard his first player piano, when he visited an uncle in Minneapolis, and “right then and Sincerely, there” he decided that this was a machine that suited his “soul”. How- Walter Nuss “Nussy” ever, he had to wait until he was demobilized in 1946 before he could indulge this enthusiasm, since his parents had not been minded to exchange their beloved Ivers and Pond upright, the only object that they had ever bought on installment payments, for “any such mechan- ical contraption foolishness”. Harvey served in World War II, ending up as a Major in the U.S. I Knew Harvey Roehl Air Force Reserve. He graduated in 1949 from the School of I got interested in mechanical music after I saw the collection at Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University and also gained a Mas- the Cape May County Airport, Cape May, New Jersey. I always did ters Degree at the same institution. From 1952 to 1973 he was things the hard way, and I never owned a player piano first. My Administrative Dean at Broome Technical Community College at “first” was a Coin piano. On the way home from work at RCA-Victor Binghamton, and was a Licensed Professional Engineer in New York in 1960, I spotted a piano on a loading dock covered with a moving State and a Craftsman Member of the Piano Technicians Guild, as blanket. I wondered why there was a lock on the bottom board, but well as a Licensed Private Pilot. when I lifted the blanket, I discovered it was a Wurlitzer automatic

206 player piano (Coin straight piano to you), so I bought it for $125. him talk. He was pompous, shy, modest, (somewhat unusual for a Shortly after that I found a Wurlitzer Orchestrion in the second floor nickelodeon collector???), somewhat laid back (unless he really knew dance area of a Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia. When I asked the you), but if you think he was a pussycat, prepare yourself for a shock! oriental person who owned it how much he wanted, he replied “hun- He had a dry sense of humor that would knock you off your feet. dred dollar!” I said, “That’s a lot of money;” and then I received an Harvey, Marion and myself had a unique friendship. We saw each old oriental proverb. . . “Not like fish, you have to buy today, you other about every 20 years and from telephone calls. When Harvey come back 3 year from now, and it still be here!” Well, I couldn’t passed away, it was 40 years from the time I first walked in their door, fight that one, so I just paid it! The third one came from Don Janich, yet it seems like we knew each other forever. Marshall, Wisconsin, who was setting the woods on fire locating Many people were surprised to know that a man with so many Nickelodeons and band organs. I bought a Wurlitzer Violin - flute pianos that played themselves, was an accomplished piano player. On Pianinno from him for $350. Now the plot thickens. In those days one visit to his home, he said to me (I was honored), “Listen to this there was no way to locate other Nickelodeon collectors - except by Walter,” and he turned on his North Tonawanda 44-note Pianolin. way of the publications, “The Antique Trader,” and the magazine The song he had set us was “Dynamite Rag” a real finger buster. “Antiques.” (I think that was the name of it.) If you located a Nick- Harvey sat at the American Photo player (piano) and played along elodeon collector, maybe just maybe he might put you on to another with the Pianolin note for note, and never made a mistake. Some collector he knew, unless he wanted to keep all the wheeling and deal- years later at the great Pittsburgh Band Organ Rally and meet, at the ing to himself! Somehow, I got Harvey and Marion Roehl’s name Coal Barons mansion, while at the hotel/mote used for the convention, and called them that day. I was walking through the lounge, which was empty, and heard a They invited me to their house, and after I looked at the map, he piano playing. It was the old style where the artist plays the rhythm might as well have lived in deepest, darkest Africa. I lived in New with the left hand. I followed my ears, and came up behind some man Jersey near Philadelphia, and they in Binghamton, straight up! At that seated at the keyboard. As I walked around this person, to see who it time the NE Extension of the TP ended at Clarks Summit, Pennsylva- was, I was amazed to learn it was none other than Harvey Roehl. I nia, and the rest of the journey was by county and state roads to their complimented him, and years later, I made a suggestion about some- house. I arrived with a list of questions in hand (as I knew nothing thing that had been on my mind. “Harvey, why don’t you record about Coin pianos). He and Marion tutored me, while they both yourself. There are just no more piano players playing in “stride.” worked on their latest acquisition. They played the 146 Wurlitzer As always, modest Harvey side-stepped the compliment and sugges- band organ and a Cremona with pipes (on and off when they felt like tion, and told me about a man from England who was really good, and it or to bad tubing). I recorded all of these machines, on a reel to reel gave me the info on how to get recordings of the person. That sounds tape recorder, and remember, tape recorders had only been around like Harvey, not taking the credit for himself, but complimenting since about 1952-54. I was amazed at how great the band organ someone else. sounded live, and how terrible it sounded on tape. This was because At this same meet, on a bus ride to tours and places having things the Wurlitzer arrangers had to “fudge” the music up to make the song for sale, I was sitting in the front seat of the bus with a companion, “fit” due to the missing notes in a band organ scale. I didn’t know and all of a sudden, someone was standing alongside of me. My God, this, and in listening to it live, you were overwhelmed with the vol- it was Harvey Roehl. I didn’t even know he was on the bus. Harvey ume! Afterwards Harvey told me he admired my 1940 Lasalle, as at spoke to me as if I was an old friend, and then warned me about the one time in his life he had been an Automotive engineer. I believe at place we were going. He advised me to be very careful about dealing that time he was (or had been) the Dean of the local college. I showed with this person, as things had happened in the past that indicated he him some pictures of my small collection, and he saw the picture of might be shady. This was the rare side of Harvey. This is the man my Wurlitzer Piannimo, and Harvey replied, “hey, I could use this.” you will never hear say anything bad about anybody, a man who has Then he showed me the galleys (proofs) of the book he was working nothing but good to say about everybody, that looks for the good in on - “The Player Piano Treasury.” So I got to see the book B4 he people. Here he was, going out of his way to warn a friend to be care- published it, and my name and the picture of my Piannimo were put ful. Harvey will never know how overwhelmed I was that a man of into it. his importance (to everyone else, not him) would walk down the aisle At this point I have been talking exclusively about “Harvey of the bus just to talk to me. He will never know, because I was so Roehl.” Let us not overlook the other half of the team, Marion Roehl, overwhelmed I couldn’t talk, and never had a chance to thank him. who has always treated me and everyone else I know, like they were Some people had said, “The meek shall inherit the earth.” Oth- royalty. When you are a long way from home it is nice to be treated ers laugh and say “It will be because they wouldn’t have the guts to like your are “family” and that is the way Harvey and Marion treated refuse it.” me. Harvey showed me a “pamphlet” he had done, I believe as a But here is a man, modest, shy, quiet, but to those who judge by favor (Marion?) about mechanical musical instruments, B4, player external qualifications, be not fooled. This man, Harvey Roehl, was a piano treasury. Years later I remarked how it tickled me, inserted in real man! He saw no reason to impress anybody. He knew what he this pamphlet was the sentence, “Books like this don’t make any could do, and did it. money, etc.” I wonder if “these” books have made any money yet? Some years later, I discovered a Wurlitzer Orchestrion in a black bar When you get to Heaven, Harvey, drag along your Wurlitzer in Cape May, and bought it for $350 (inflation!). I traded this off to Automatic Harp and lots of rolls (nobody cutting ‘em), and tell St. Q. David Bowers for a Seeburg “G”, and eventually Harvey bought it Peter all you need is a hot electrical outlet. They need harp players up from David, and this is the one he recorded with songs you only there, but they already have too many street piano players, and the dream about, and made cassette tapes of it. rent partys are driving St. Peter crazy because nobody uses their right name! As with everything, Harvey (and Marion) do, it was perfection. Harvey was a perfectionist to a degree, where he didn’t overdo it. Good Bye Harvey. We will never see the likes of you again, The result was Perfection. I almost “cried” when I heard my machine Your friend, Walter Nuss play like that. The 146B Band organ he recorded, to me sounded bet- ter than the real machine, when they made compact discs of it. This was the best band organ recording I ever heard! Harvey was very giving, but you would never know it to hear

207 In praise of pianos . . . From the Smithsonian Photographs by Robert Lautman Send in by Alison Fahrer and Tom Kimble

It’s impossible to imagine life without the piano. The automobile, the computer and the pizza, maybe, but not the pianoforte. Since its invention in Italy around 1700 by Bartolomeo Cristofori, a keeper of musical instruments for the Medici, it has become indispensable to our survival as a civilized people. What else, after all, has enriched society in so many different ways? It’s not only a versatile musical instrument but also a striking work of decorative art, a handsome piece of furniture, a complex product that gener- ated a worldwide industry, a status symbol, a prop for Pres- idents (Harry Truman) and performers (Liberace), a muse for classical composers and Tin Pan Alley songwriters alike and, not to be overlooked, a constant reminder for millions of fledgling pianists that there is more to life than pleasure - namely, practicing. Over the years, the piano’s impact has been as impres- sive as its size. It has been called “the single great factor in the development of musical art and the dissemination of musical knowledge.” During the mid- 1800s, it was the embodiment of Victorian attitudes toward music. In the early 1900s, it became a symbol of domestic bliss in the middle class American home, where “Give us a tune, Sis,” was an oft-heard request. Today it continues to command esteem among players and nonplayers all over the world. Everybody who enjoys music (and who doesn’t?) loves the piano. Elaborating on that theme, the National Museum of American History opens a fascinating exhibition on March 9, “Piano 300: Celebrating Three Centuries of People and Pianos.” The show features some two dozen historic pianos, including one by Cristofori and the rectangular 1850 Chickering shown above (together with its ornamented iron frame and strings, opposite), plus the five other beautiful instruments depicted on the following spread. The exhibition will run through March 4, 2000, at the Smithson- ian International Gallery. - Jim Doherty

208 The 1974 grand by John Broadwood & Son of London (right) had 51/2 octaves; most pianos then had only 5. One of the first small uprights (above) was produced in 1801 in Philadelphia by John Isaac Hawkins. An 1830s piano (below, top view), also made in Philadelphia, featured a one-piece metal-frame invention by Alpheus Babcock.

209 For the young lady of the 19th century who had everything, an ingenious side table (above, left) turned into a sewing cabinet (center) or a piano (right). The Art-Deco Steinway (below) was displayed in the U.S. pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York.

. . . and the artists

By Rudolph Chelminski cally demanding concerto program: Chopin’s Second and Illustrations by William Bramhall Beethoven’s “Emperor.” No sooner had the last thunderous notes sounded than the stage was flooded with a sea of carna- In May 1975, Arthur Rubinstein, at 88 still one of the tions in Poland’s red and white national colors. Standing, the world’s top concert pianists, returned for the last time to his audience cheered itself hoarse, the orchestra rose to applaud birthplace, the grimy Polish industrial city of Lodz, southwest and, up in the balcony, a chorus of youthful admirers chanted of Warsaw. As luck had it, I was his gopher on that trip, carry- the traditional song “Sto Lat” - may he live a hundred years. ing his bags and running his errands. There was to be only a Walking to the front of the stage, dabbing his eyes, the elderly single performance in Lodz, so not a seat or an inch of standing concert pianist smiled, bowed and repeatedly lifted his hands room was free in the Grand Theater as he launched into a typi- from his heart in an embracing gesture toward the public.

210 Paderewski crisscrossed the country like a monarch in his private railway car - Ie· equipped not only with bed- I ~ room and dining room but J salon with grand piano, too­ attended by a tuner, a physician and a chef.

~- ----

They wouldn't let him go. Encore upon encore followed -I dramatic shock of reddish gold (later white) hair, and the gener­ can't even remember how many today, so overpowering was the ous portions of tempo rubato that he slathered onto the keyboard '" wave of gratitude and love that washed over him. But it wasn't made him an impresario's dream. A hundred years ago (:".. ..ifinished, not just yet. The old pro knew very well what they Paderewski bowled them over in America the way Elvis Presley ~wanted, and he was making them wait. Finally, he held up his would a few generations later. He crisscrossed the United States arms to make an announcement. like a monarch in his own private railway car - equipped not only with bedroom and dining room but salon with grand piano, "I have been asked," he said with angelically false inno­ too - attended by a tuner, a butler, a chef, a physician and the cence, "to play Chopin's 'Polonaise.''' Pandemonium. It could pianist's wife. Rubberneckers would gather .at railroad crossings be only one, of course, the "Heroic," the A-flat Polonaise that just to catch a glimpse of his car gliding by. makes every Pole's heart swell. Noble of visage, brilliantly framed by his signature aureole of white hair, Rubinstein Modern pianists may be somewhat more restrained than returned to the keyboard, raised those powerful, gnarled hands, their flamboyant predecessors, but in this tlicentennial year of and finished off the concert playing what he always played best ­ the piano's invention, it's clear that many still inspire extrava­ the audience. gant adulation. Clearly something is going on here that has more to do with personality than with merely playing an instru­ As he had repeatedly done throughout his long career, the ment. Painters and poets may slink through life as the most pal­ old maestro had his listeners wound around his little finger, lid of dweebs and still enjoy hugely successful careers, but no demonstrating once again the power of the mysterious bond that art shakes the soul as deeply as music, and within this vast ties a great concert pianist to his public. It is one of the most domain there is no sorcerer with quite the conjuring power of a intriguing aspects of the classical music scene, this bond. No great concert pianist. rules seem to apply, no fonnula can make it happen or training develop it, but when the rapport is there it is very much like a "You have to be born to perform," Gary Graffrnan told me love affair. Franz Liszt, granddaddy of the profession, drove his when I interviewed him recently in his donnish, oak-paneled audiences to such fits of hysteria that ladies would hurl their office in Philadelphia. Graffman should know. Now director of jewels up onto the stage in his general direction, shrieking and the Curtis Institute of Music, he was one of America's foremost swooning. It is said that a couple of countesses once staged an concert pianists himself before an injury to his right hand limited impromptu wrestling match in order to approach the Hungarian his performing activities to repertoire for the left hand. "No demigod. When he ventured close enough to them, they kissed matter how good you are, no matter how much you want to do it r-his hand. or how hard you practice, some people are suited to life on stage ~--4 and some aren't. Charisma, whatever that means, can drive Ignace Paderewski (Smithsonian, March 1999), the most audiences wild - there's a kind of transmission to the audience celebrated of Polish pianists after Chopin himself, was by al! . which can't be described. And if you happen also to play very accounts only a so-so technician, but his regal demeanor, his well, then you've got it made."

211 religiously (how else?), traveled to Vienna for lessons with Mozart, and further studied with Haydn and Salieri .. but he took the gos- samer of their harpsichord-based fingering and wrung its neck, stunning the Viennese( salon crowd with a style so wild and tempes--- -.-J tuous that it frequently ran away with him. The violinist and conductor Ludwig Spohr described an incident that occurred as Beethoven was performing with an orchestra in Vienna. "Beethoven was playing a new Pianoforte-Concerto of his, but forgot at the first tutti that he was a Solo player, and springing up, began to direct in his usual way. At the fITst sforzando he threw out his arms so wide asunder that he knocked both the lights [candles] off the piano upon the ground." Two boys were deputized to take the lights off the piano and hold them on either side of the keyboard, but one got just a hair too close and, at the next appearance of the fatal sforzando, received Beethoven's back­ hand right in the kisser and dropped the can­ dlestick clattering to the stage, much to the audience's merriment and the maestro's fury. Beethoven's new style was revolutionary and spellbinding, but it came at a price not only to kids and candles - the musical hard-" .~ ware suffered, too. Harold Schonberg, fo(- .. ,;, It wasn't always like that. many years the New York Times' distin­ The star system didn't exist guished music critic, noted that "Beethoven when the well-tempered I.S. Bach banged the hell out of the piano." was plying his trade in Muhlhausen, And then along came Franz Liszt. It is Weimar and . Ironically, Bach almost impossible to avoid hyperbole where was much more admired in his time for his Liszt is concerned. He had it all. Handsome, keyboard talents on organ and harpsichord dashing and romantic, he was at the same than for the titanic depth of his compositions, time an extraordinary composer and a pianist a situation roughly similar to Shakespeare of such unbelievable ease and skill that many The star system didn't being appreciated as an actor only. Even concluded that he had entered into some though he was an acknowledged virtuoso, exist when J. S. Bach Faustian pact with the Devil - or perhaps, Bach usually performed at a far remove from considering his unconventional lifestyle and was plying his trade. his chilly Lutheran public, improvising his numerous mistresses, that he was- ..the Bevil. fantastic fingerings and pedal work out of He usually performed He was to the piano what Paganini was to the sight in dusty organ lofts. Mozart, one of the violin (they were roughly contemporaneous), at a far remove from the first great keyboard artists to make the transi­ and he deliberately set out to prove that any­ tion from harpsichord to the newfangled public, undertaking his thing the Italian could do on his instrument, pianoforte, played directly in front of his he could equal or surpass on his. Liszt fasci­ fantastic fingering and audiences, and wowed them with the nated observers with his prodigious memory. unequaled artistry of his touch. But his pedal work out ofsight Like America's eccentric chess genius Bobby venues were mostly royal and noble salons, Fischer, who is said to remember every move in dusty organ lofts. and he struggled throughout his adult life of every game he played in competition, against the injustice of the servant-class posi­ Liszt could faultlessly play back any piano tion to which musicians were then consigned. piece, however long or complex, after a· ,. The profile of the modern concert pianist single hearing. "I don't think anyone today' _j took shape slowly over many years. It was could do that," says Claude Frank, a New Beethoven, as much as anyone, who set the York-based pianist who has soloed with most standard for flamboyance. He studied Bach major U.S. and European orchestras and, for 212 Franz Liszt drove his audiences ~':. ~" to such fits ofhysteria that ladies would hurl their jewels at him, shrieking and swooning. Two countesses once staged a wrestling match in order to approach him.

the past 25 years, taught advanced class- the most sensational of the lot. He began organized classical music programs for (" es at Yale. "He also had an overwhelm- at the harpsichord at age 3, and at age 4 elegant cruise ships. As is customary, - ~~ng personality, far more powerful than informed a professional musician that his Sgouros was prepared to perform from . . anyone playing today." violin was half a quarter-tone out of tune. memory. By 5, he was composing and at 6 he was Liszt, Frank point out, was the first "What Beethoven can you play?" touring with his father, playing and true concert pianist in the sense that he asked Borocz. "Everything," replied the improvising for the astonished imperial was the first to separate composing from lad without a blink, and it wasn't a lie. court in Vienna. Felix Mendelssohn playing. Before he came along, pianists When he sat at the piano it was no longer played at 4 and began composing at 8. mostly played their own compositions a boy but an old man who played. He Camille Saint-Saens played complex and variations, but Liszt's recitals around joined the cruise, of course, and it was pieces at 5, composed at 6 and appeared Europe - he called them "soliloquies" ­ the start of a tumultuous roller-coaster in public at 8. The Pole Raoul von included not only his own music, but also ride to fame, In less than a year he Koczalski made his debut at 4. works by Beethoven, Schubert, and any played Rachmaninoff's mountainous others he deemed worthy of presenting to And so it goes. Maddeningly, how­ Third Piano Concerto in Carnegie Hall his hysterical admirers. He was a dedi­ ever, only a few prodigies deliver on their under the direction of Mstislav cated and hugely influential propagator early promise. It is one of the great baf­ Rostropovich. "A miracle from God," of the musical faith, and it seemed some­ flements of the musical world that most Rostropovich exclaimed. "I've never how natural that in his later days he took of the early bloomers fail, fade or simply seen anything like this." That same year, the four minor orders of the Roman give up, no one quite knows why. A Sgouros gave a concert for Arthur Catholic Church and dressed in the black recent example is the Greek pianist Rubinstein at his home in Geneva, a few cassock of an abbe - still surrounded, Dimitris Sgouros. Born in 1969, he did­ months before the old lion died. "Yours though, by adoring women. Almost n't begin piano lessons until age 7, but is the greatest playing I have ever heard," single-handedly, Liszt raised the status of within three months of that he was said the 95-year-old Rubinstein, the concert pianist from entertainer to composing, and four months later made "including my own." maestro. his pUbli~ebut. He entered the Athens And yet, the Sgouros rocket some­ conservator'x at 9, and graduated at 12 There is no formula for becoming a how stalled. Now 30, Sgouros continues with first prize and the title of professor - - \maestro, but a distinguishing characteris­ concertizing, mostly in Greece and of piano, but by then was already a veter­ ~c of those who achieve the distinction is Germany, but he is merely one brilliant an of concertizing. His professional that they almost always begin as child pianist among many. The fantastic inter­ career began in 1981, when he auditioned prodigies. Mozart himself was probably national career that had been predicted for Andre Boroci,' an impresario who

213 for him has not materialized, while other young pianists who were unknown when he was making his juvenile starburst ­ talents like Yevgeni Kissin and Arcadi Volodos - drive audiences and critics into fits of thunderous acclaim. Whatever is o the magic that passes from performer to listener, the phenomenal Sgouros has not yet produced it. How does it happen that way, and why? No one knows, but the answer may have something to do with the sheer number of penormers vying for attention today. Three hundred years after Bartolomeo Cristofori introduced the pianoforte in Florence, Italy, that got this whole thing rolling, there are mores accomplished pianists around the world than ever before. "The economics of survival," is how Jerome Lowenthal, professor of piano at New York's Juilliard School of Music, describes the reality facing the aspiring concertizer. 'There are far more performers around than opportunities.". In Brussels, Cecile Ferriere presides over the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition. Last May her jury it into the recording. (Claude Frank was one of its members) Playing a concerto ofhis listened to 102 very good pianists at the "Everybody fixes," Frank told mr..:-­ start of a month-long marathon before own, Beethoven sprang up while sitting at a piano in his 12th-floor --~ winnowing them down to 24, then 12, and began to direct in his studio on New York's West Side, where I then six. Taking in two days of the semi­ usual way, throwing his had interrupted his practicing. "Most of finals, I listened to nine of those contes­ us are a bit ashamed of fixing but admit tants. Each played so brilliantly that r anns so wide that he it. And I'm one of them. My corrections was convinced he or .she had to be the knocked the candles offthe are minimal, though, and in my solo surefire winner. But no. Of those nine, Beethoven sonatas I even left some of only four made it to the finals before piano upon the ground. my clinkers in." At which he launched Vitaly Samoshko, a 25-year-old Borocz told me a few months before his into a terrifyingly perfect Beethoven riff Ukrainian, took the grand prize after hav­ death last year. Founder of the Menton for me, then punctuated it with a deliber- ing proved his mettle in sonatas by Music Festival in the South of France, ate clinker - two adjacent keys struck at Beethoven and Prokofiev and a concerto Borocz had a good overview of the clas­ the same time. "I think there's too much by Rachmaninoff. sical music scene, having worked in the emphasis today on musical and technical The abundance of fine pianists fight­ industry for nearly 50 years. "I would cleanliness," he said. "If we play too lit- ing for the honors in Brussels was a pardon any number of bad notes to hear a erally it can become sterile, but now we sobering illustration of just how stiff the little emotion in the playing today," he compete with recordings - even some- competition has become today. Alas, the said by way of explaining his disdain for times with our own!" economics of survival dictate that most the technicians. The obsession with technical penec­ of these performers will be obliged to The recording industry has hugely tion has swept away a lot of the excesses make their livings in entirely different influenced young pianists' determination and egregious showmanship that were lines of work, or teach or, at best, play to seek perfect technique at all costs, commonplace in years past. Even so, in sporadically in minor-league circuits. because decades of flawless, note-perfect this dry-cleaned new age it is difficult not How good are all these dedicated recordings have led listeners to expect to yearn at least occasionally for the tics musicians? It's a subject of some debate that as the norm. Modern recording and quirks of piano eccentrics like ~ and disagreement. "The difference equipment is so advanced that it is child's Canada's Glenn Gould, who reinvented: _J between the 19th and the 20th centuries play for sound engineers to have a musi­ Bach while driving critics, audiences and ( is that technique has been projected to a cian repeat a passage where he has hit a conductors to distraction. Franz Mohr, previously unheard-of perfection," Andre sour note, record the new version and slip the longtime head concert technician for

214 Steinway and Sons, describes in his book deeply impressed by Gould's interpreta­ grating to America in 1940, he developed My Life With The Great Pianists the day tion of Beethoven's Third Piano Concer­ the madcap comic piano routines that in 1957 when Gould shuffled into a to. "That bum can play the piano," he became one of the most successful one­ rehearsal with the Cleveland Orchestra. admitted. man shows in history. Today, the 91­ -: rHe was dressed in a typically shabby out- Gould is gone now, but we may all year-old maestro, still at it, can always be ~ fit and carrying his music and personal thank Providence that the oldest living sure of a laugh when he takes one of his effects in a black plastic garbage bag. child prodigy is still with us. Victor patented pratfalls from a piano stool, but George Szell, the Cleveland's autocratic Borge, born in in 1909, studied his finest moment invariably comes when conductor, was outraged. "I'm not play­ piano with a disciple of Liszt's and gave he pretends to stumble and, catching ing with that bum," he cried, storming his first serious concert at age 8 before himself, comes down hard on the key­ out of the concert hall. Eventually he switching over to music-hall perfor­ board with his backside. "I assure you," returned to his podium and the rehearsal mances a couple of decades later. Immi- he says, "I can play much better by ear." took place as planned, and Szell was

215 36 THE MUSICAL CROSS WORD PUZZLE BOOK ...... --._- _----_.._--_._--..-- _--_ -_. __ __ ,..-- --_ ..

PUZZLE NUMBER FIFTEEN

A few operall.

216 -J THE MUSICA.L CROSS WORD PUZZLE BOOK 37 ...- --_. __ ------.---_. __ ------_ ------_ ---_ ---.. _-_._--.--- _ _._.-

HORIZONTAL

1. Initials of the first and last names of the com· 41. Louder. (abbr.) poser of the opera "The Mikado." 43. Initials of the composer of the opera "Esmeralda." 2. Left hand. (abbr.) 46. The theatre. 4. A term indicating the use of the soft pedal. 48. An oratorio by Haydn. (Article omitted.) (abbr.) 51. From. 6. Initials of the composer of "Danse Negre." (See 52. A key. Final letter omitted. page 97.) 53. A large bassoon. 8. With the bow. (abbr.) 57. Bound, connected. (abbr.) 9. Panionate; hurried. (French.) 60. A portable organ, used in former time, in reli· 13. In time. (abbr.) gious processions. 15. An opera by Puccini. Article omitted. 61. Used to print music. 16. An opera by Ambrose Thomas. 63. An opera by Flotow. 18. 650. 66. An opera by Verdi. 19. The. (French.) Masculine. 70. Six. 21. If; in cue; provided. 71. Initials of a celebrated piano teacher and com· 22. Moderate rate of speed. (abbr.) poser who was Mendelssohn's friend and teacher. 24. An opera by Verdi. Article omitted. 73. Thee. (French.) 26. Len. (abbr.) 74. Initials of the composer of the opera "The 29. An echo. Masked Ball." (See page 91.) 31. Dan&hter of Polonius in the opera "Hamlet." 76. A, an, one. 33. Celebrated Italian violinist and composer. 0653· 77. First three letters of an Italian word meaning 1713.) "the text, subject or theme of any coplposition." 34. In. (French.) 78. Of the. 35. And. 79. A composition consisting generally of three 36. Altemative. movements for a solo instrument, with orchestral 37. The seventh note of the scale. (French.) accompaniment. (abbr.) 38. Latin preposition meaning "from." 80. Initials of pianist and composer; the most pop­ 39. Initials of an American violinist and composer. ular of his compositions being his well·known Born in St. Louis, Missouri 1871. Polish dances. 0850.1925.) (See page 96.)

YERTICAL I. Initials of operatic soprano; former member of 41. An order of selections in concerts. Metropolitan Opera Co. 42. An organ with all its registers or stop" in use. 2. Last syllable of a term occuring frequently in (abbr.) the Psalms, indicating the interlude in which the 43. First and third letters of the musical alphabet. priests should blow the trumpets. 44. A triplet. (French.) 3. Tone. (German.) 45. Sweetly. (abbr.) 5. Becoming softer and slower by degrees. (abbr.) 46. A short poem in pastoral style. •. Initials of pianist and composer of piano works; 47. Initials of famous pianist, teacher and composer, famous for his melodious studies. (1815·1888.) born in Austrian Poland 1830. (See page 91.) 8. With the. 49. Initials of noted Italian operatic tenor. _ 9. Initials of the conductor of the Handel and _) 0845.1896.) Haydn Society, Boston. 50. That part of a violin extending from the head 10. Melody, tune. (French.) to the body, and on which the fingerboard is n. An opera by MasseneL Last letter omitted. fixed. 12. Initials of the composer of the light opera "La 54. Two vowels. Mascotte." 55. Initials of an English composer of psalm tunes. 14. Time; rate of movement. (abbr.) (1758·1831.) IS. The continued bass. (abbr.) 56. Initials of composer and organist; famous for 17. A preposition. his church music. (1765·1838.) 18. A cathedral. (German.) 58. Initials of a modern French composer and con· 20. Initials of famous dramatic tenor. Born in ductor. Born 1860. Belgium 1861. 59. A French dance. First three letters. 21. Without regard to time. (abbr.) 61. A change of position of an interval. (abbr.) 23. In two parts. 62. Initials of an opera I'omposer, born in Malta. 24. An opera by Francesco .Schira. (1775·1818.) 25. An opera by Richard Strauss. 64. Gradually slower. (abbr.) 27. An indefinite period of time. 65. The note "B sharp." (German.) 28. Initials of the greatest virtuoso upon the violin. (.1732·1840.) (See page 91.) 67. A species of musical declamation. (abbr.) 29. Spanish article. 68. Agitated. (abbr.) 30. The note "C sharp." (German.) 69. A letter of the Greek alphabet. 32. At, to, by, for. (Latin.) n. Initials of a celebrated American organist. (Born 33. With the. 1851.) (See page 97.) 4.. The name originally given to the bighest note 75. Initials of famous German lyric compo~er, in the scale of Gnido. known as the greatest song writer. (See page 90.)

217 Victor Herbert Vignette By Andrew L. Stone - Fro~'The AMICA Bulletin, April 1978

Ampico rolls have served many purposes besides being a mere show called "The Lambs Gambols." Most of the male stars appearing ~ fireside divertissement in some country squire's living room. on Broadway took part, making it an outstanding gala evening. In 1939 I made a film for Paramount called The Great Victor In May of 1924 Victor Herbert devoted much energy and time to Herbert. During our music rehearsals, an all out brouhaha developed the staging of that year's event. On May 26, 1924, following a morn­ in respect to the correct interpretation of Herbert's "Kiss in the Dark." ing of strenuous rehearsals for the "Gambols," Victor Herbert felt ill and went home. A few hours later he succumbed to a heart attack. Arthur Kay, the musical director, felt that Herbert had in mind a Viennese beat. Mary Martin, the star who was to sing the song, was So much is history. The balance of the story was related to me, in equally intransigent in her belief that the composer intended that it be the forties, by an executive of the American Piano Company. If the sung in a lilting ballad style. On the other hand, Louis Lipstone, the incident is true (and it might be well worth AMICA's time to verify head of the Paramount music department, and my musical advisor, Phil the tale), it would represent a highly moving and dramatic tribute to Boutalje, had ideas of their own on the subject and were equally dog­ Victor Herbert and the Ampico. matic in their beliefs. The setting for the closing number of the "Gambols" revealed a This, of course, is one of those dreadful enigmas which confront white Mason & Hamlin concert grand piano in the center of a bare the producer-director of a movie. If I ruled in favor of Mary Martin, stage. The backdrop was a black cyclorama. After a moment of the other three would consider it a gross example of a weak producer hushed silence, the light of an overhead spot flashed on revealing a pandering to the star. If I went along with the head of the music bowed figure standing motionless against the cyclorama. The figure department, the conductor would be outraged, and vice versa. And if I was that of one of the great composers in the musical comedy field. disregarded the hallowed expertise of my musical advisor, I'd have a Then, one by one, in succession, additional figures were spotlight­ sulking bent reed by my side for the rest of the picture. ed until the stage was circled with a somber colonnade of Victor So - what did I do? Herbert's most renowned colleagues. There followed a long, dramatic moment ofcomplete silence. Not a man on the stage moved so much I bundled the four of them into my car and drove straight-away to as a muscle. my home. They were then seated around my Knabe. Without further ado, I put on the Ampico roll1201F "Kiss in the Dark," played by Slowly the great piano and empty bench became illuminated until Victor Herbert, and let the composer himself demonstrate precisely the effulgency of its glow dimmed the figures fringing the cyclorama, what he had in mind when he wrote the piece. making them appear as eerie specters. All at once the keys began mag­ This ended the argument. It was done in the picture as Herbert ically to move. It started as if the tune was coming from a great dis­ played it on the Ampico recorded three years before his death. tance, then became louder. On the Ampico was roll 371 G "Kiss Me Again" - played by , one of the most poignant moments in theatre history .~'"' revolves around another of Victor Herbert's Ampico recordings. Once Victor Herbert. every year the famous theatrical Lambs Club in New York gave a It must have been a truly soul-shaking moment.

STACCATO AND LEGATO. Humor, Wit and Anecdote.

r­ " ~J

THE. '"IKTV():"'O'::' T~lt·:\fPH.

218 Dear Robin, I thought the enclosed might make interesting fodder for the AMICA Bulletin. I attended the Thursday performance and found the organ a real treat. The venue is not elaborate or exotic but it is special for a city like Los Vegas. The shutter boxes were framed in light which contribute to that exclusive “Vegas effect.” Have you thought of doing a series of articles on pipe organs and “Where are they now?” (How about it AMICAns? - ED) Just a thought. Keep up your good work. A.J. Todkill

Piping Organist David Wickerham makes himself at home at a restored Up 1927 Kimball organ, originally built for New York’s legendary Roxy Theater, that’s now the star attraction at Roxy’s Pipe Organ Pizzeria inside the Fiesta. Fiesta organ provides a live soundtrack for silent-film series

By Carol Cling once graced New York’s legendary “If it’s done right,” Wickerham From Las Vegas Review-Journal, Roxy Theater - the sounds of silents explains, the accompaniment “becomes April 13, 2000 come alive as organist David Wicker- part of the movie - to where the music ham accompanies a variety of silent sort of disappears.” comedies shown free at the restaurant. With the coming of talking pictures The sound of silents. The silents - including shorts star- in the late ‘20s, live musical accompani- From train whistles to bird chirps, ring such legendary clowns as Charlie ment for movies did disappear. from crashing cymbals to clanging bells, Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, But not before the Roxy’s huge they’re back where they started. and Laurel and Hardy - will be shown Kimball was built in 1927 to accompany At least on Thursday nights at the on the hour from 4 to 8 p.m. today and silent movies. Fiesta, 2400 N. Rancho Drive. every Thursday, preceded and followed The Fiesta’s weekly movie nights by Wickerham’s organ renditions of Inside Roxy’s Pipe Organ Pizzeria - return the mighty Kimball to its popular and classical requests. named for the mammoth pipe organ that “original usage, doing the accompani- One of the three organists who ment of silent films,” Wickerham perform on the restored Kimball pipe explains to audience members enjoying organ, Wickerham demonstrates snazzy last week’s opening comedies. They showmanship during his solos. included such slapstick exercises as During a medley that chugs from Keaton’s 1922 classic “Cops,” Keaton’s “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” to “I’ve 1921 “The Paleface” and Lloyd’s 1920 Been Workin’ on the Railroad,” for “Haunted Spooks.” example, the tuxedoed Wickerham dons Originally, silent movies had no a striped engineer’s cap and red kerchief accompaniment at all, says Wickerham. to add a touch of authentic costuming to Then theaters began employing the train tunes. pianists to set a musical mood. And the movie screen provides a “The old projectors were so noisy bird’s-eye view of the organ’s five key- they had to do something,” he explains. boards - and Wickerham’s command of them - during the musical interludes. Some silents had specially created musical scores the distributors would But when he’s providing musical send to theaters, along with the movies accompaniment to the comedy silents, themselves. his goal is not to call attention to himself or his music. But some organists drew on their A poster from Rudolph Valentino’s 1926 hit own knowledge of popular and classical “The Son of the Sheik,” displayed inside Instead, the art of accompanying tunes, creating musical medleys to Roxy’s, adds silent-era atmosphere to silent movies requires the opposite reflect and reinforce the images on the Thursday night showings of silent classics. approach. screen.

219 water gushing skyward, Keaton takes Since the place opened in Decem- refuge under an umbrella to the tune of ber, “this is our 36th visit,” notes Walter “April Showers.” Erickson, sitting with his wife Isora. “We come two or three times a week.” With its bells, whistles, special effects and various pipes, the organ can They come for the music, but the silent movies add to the appeal, they re-create the scope and sound of a 110- acknowledge. piece orchestra, Wickerham explains. “After all,” says Isora, “we’re old It took more than a year for a crew, enough to kind of remember” the tradi- working seven days a week, to install tion. Indeed, Isora’s mother-in-law once the mammoth Roxy’s organ at the provided piano accompaniment for Fiesta, according to Bob Maes, silent movies. who supervised its restoration and “We came because of the organ,” installation. says Julie Dixon, who brought two The Roxy organ’s original movie- visiting friends from Texas because she palace home was demolished in 1955. wanted them “to see something different and unusual.” In 1978, Phil Maloof - a member of the family that owns the Fiesta - bought the “It’s something different,” Maes organ and moved it to the Classic Hotel agrees. “And it has universal appeal. There’s no language barrier, no in Albuquerque, New , where it profanity - it’s just good, clean fun.” was played for 15 years. (Maloof’s Las The movie nights will continue Vegas home includes several other his- indefinitely - “as long as the audience is toric organs, including the 20-ton Barton there,” Maes says. pipe organ that spent six decades at In addition to the short comedy Chicago Stadium, home of Bulls basket- silents scheduled Thursdays, Maes and ball and Blackhawks hockey until the Wickerham hope the program will mid-’90s.) include full-length silent features from Organist David Wickerham supplies fast- When the Maloofs closed and sold time to time. (Halloween-season paced musical accompaniment for Buster showings of the original 1925 version of Keaton’s antics in “Cops.” the Albuquerque hotel, the Roxy organ spent the next few years in Maes’ “Phantom of the Opera,” with Lon That’s the approach Wickerham Kansas City, Missouri, warehouse - until Chaney, or the landmark vampire classic “Nosferatu” are possibilities.) takes as he prepares for each of the the Fiesta’s expansion provided a new silents shown at Roxy’s pizzeria. home. Cable television stations occasion- ally feature silents with organ accompa- “You don’t typically do it by the In conjunction with its return, the seat of your pants,” he acknowledges. niment, “but it’s nothing like seeing it organ was completely rebuilt “to resur- live with a good organist at the helm,” Instead, he watches the comedy rect it to its 1927 grandeur,” Maes says. Maes maintains. “You get into it.” shorts on video, familiarizing himself As the largest organ Kimball ever Indeed, during the music-only with the plot, the characters - and the built, the two-story, 16-ton instrument is interludes, Roxy’s patrons “are listening, comedic highlights - of the two-reelers, powered by a 60-horsepower turbine but they’re talking,” he says. When the which typically run 20 minutes. that supplies the wind for its 29 ranks of movies are running, however, “the pipes. Through repeat viewings, Wicker- whole house goes quiet” - to listen to the Mirrored swell shades, surrounded ham can identify where the car crashes sound of silents. by rows of twinkling lights, control the into the pole, for example, or when organ’s volume. Its crimson console somebody slips on a banana peel. festooned with elaborate gold-leaf Pinpointing comedy bits enables accents, the Roxy organ is in as good a Wickerham to incorporate tongue-in- shape as it was in 1927, Maes says. cheek musical references into his “The craftsmanship in these things is accompaniment. During “Cops,” for phenomenal.” example, Wickerham plays the first few So is the sound that craftsmanship bars of “We’re in the Money” every makes possible, according to time the purloined contents of an unsus- Wickerham, who moved from the Midwest for the opportunity to play the pecting bystander’s wallet change legendary organ. hands. “There’s No Place Like Home” “This is a Cadillac, for sure,” punctuates a family’s moving day. The Wickerham says. “This particular soothing strains of Brahms’ “Lullaby” instrument is one of the finest in the Jim Mulleague, left, and Jason Doucette float through the air as the hyperkinetic country. It’s an honor to play it.” appear as Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel Keaton, destined for immediate inter- And it’s a thrill to hear it, according during Roxy’s inaugural silent movie night, ruption, attempts a brief nap. And when to several Roxy’s regulars. which will feature Laurel and Hardy comedy a broken fire hydrant sends a torrent of shorts in upcoming weeks.

220 KNOWYOUR ROLL ARTISTS From Radio Digest, January 10, 1925 /'" -'-! Playing His U'lay Into the Hearts of Millions, Snodgrass Attains Fame Discharged Next Week «King of the Ivories," Inmate at Missouri State Prison, Receives Snodgrass will be discharged on the six­ teenth of January, at which time he will ful­ Thousands ofLetters After Giving Concert - Sentence fill a vaudeville engagement. Expires on January 16 In addition to playing the piano in recitals, he also plays this instrument with Although it is generally conceded that a Displays Wonderful Technique the prison orchestra and the saxophone in the prison would be the last place to go in order Owing to the national reputation he has prison band. Both of these organizations to attain national fame and honor as an enter­ acquired by Radio as the time for his dis­ appear regularly every Monday fortnight tainer, Harry M. Snodgrass, an inmate of the charge draws near, the theatrical managers from the studio of Radio Station WOS, MissoU1; State Prison, through his extraordi­ and record piano roll manufacturers are all located in the dome of the State Capitol, Jef­ nary skill as a pianist has played his way by anxious to contract with him for his services, ferson City, Missouri, and operated by the means of Radio into the hearts of millions of so great do they anticipate the public demand State Marketing Bureau. It is claimed that Radiophans throughout the length and will be for his piano numbers. these are the only convict entertainers who breadth of the country and has won several regularly broadcast from any station. popularity contests as the most popular Snodgrass, as you can see by the accom­ He has made his musical reputation since Radio t

221 “I Created Jazz In 1902, Not W.C. Handy”

August, 1938 Please do not misunderstand me. I do not claim any of the creation Dear Mr. Ripley: of the blues, although I have written many of them even before Mr. Handy had any blues published. I had heard them when I was knee- For many years I have been a constant reader of your (Believe It or high to a duck. For instance, when I first started going to school, at Not) cartoon. I have listened to your broadcast with keen interest. I different times I would visit some of my relatives per permission, in frankly believe your work is a great contribution to natural science. the Garden district. I used to hear a few of the following blues players, In your broadcast of March 26, 1938, you introduced W.C. Handy who could play nothing else - Buddie Canter, Josky Adams, Game as the originator of jazz, stomps, and blues. By this announcement you Kid, Frank Richards, Sam Henry, and many more too numerous to have done me a great injustice, and you have also misled many of your mention - they were what we call “ragmen” in New Orleans. The can fans. take a 10 cent Christmas horn, take the wooden mouthpiece off, having only the metal for mouthpiece, and play more blues with that instru- It is evidently known, beyond contradiction, that New Orleans is ment than any trumpeter I had ever met through the country imitating the cradle of jazz, and I, myself, happened to be creator in the year the New Orleans trumpeters. 1902, many years before the Dixieland Band organized. Jazz music is a style, not compositions; any kind of music may be played in jazz, if I hope that this letter will familiarize you more with real facts. You one has the knowledge. The first stomp was written in 1906, namely may display this in the most conspicuous places, it matters not to me. I “King Porter Stomp.” “Georgia Swing” was the first to be named played all ’s tunes in jazz, which helped their possibilities swing, in 1907. greatly. I am enclosing you one of my many write-ups hoping this may help you in the authenticity of my statements. I am able to uphold You may be informed by leading recording companies. “New all of my statements against any that may contradict. I barnstormed Orleans Blues” was written in 1905, the same year “Jelly Roll Blues” from coast to coast before Art Hickman made his first trip from San was mapped out, but not published at that time. New Orleans was the Francisco to New York. That was long before Handy’s name was in headquarters for the greatest ragtime musicians on earth. There was the picture. more work than musicians. Everyone had their individual style. My style seemed to be the attraction. I decided to travel, and tried Miss- I think one should have conclusive proof before being able to claim issippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and many a title. I also advocate much more rigid laws so thieves may get their other states during 1903 and 1904, and was accepted as sensational. just deserts. There are many who enjoy glory plus financial gain’s abundance, even in the millions, who should be digging ditches or In the year of 1908, I was brought to Memphis by a small theatre sweeping the streets. owner, Fred Barasso, as a feature attraction and to be with his number- My dear Mr. Ripley, I also ask you for conclusive proof, which I an one company for his circuit, which consisted of four houses, namely sure that you will never be able to offer, due to the fact that the one Memphis, Tennessee, Greenville, Vicksburg, and Jackson, Mississippi. who inveigled you into this announcement cannot give you any. He That was the birth of the Negro theatrical circuit in the U.S.A. It was doesn’t know anything about the foundation. New York itself is just that year I met Handy in Memphis. I learned that he had just arrived beginning to get wise to jazz and all the decent dispensers either came from his hometown, Henderson, Kentucky. from parts that I have educated or from tutors of the good New York He was introduced to me as Professor Handy. Who ever heard of musicians. Not until 1926 did they get a faint idea of real jazz, when I anyone wearing the name of Professor advocate ragtime, jazz, stomps, decided to live in New York. In spite of the fact that there were a few blues, etc? Of course, Handy could not play either of these types, and great dispensers - such as Sidney Bechet, clarinet and William Brand, I can assure you he has never learned them as yet (meaning freak bass - New York’s idea of jazz was taken from the dictionary’s tunes, plenty of finger work in the groove of harmonies, great improvi- definition - loud, blary, noise, discordant tones, etc., which really does- sations, accurate, exciting tempos with a kick). I know Mr. Handy’s n’t spell jazz music. Music is supposed to be soothing, not unbearable ability, and it is the type of folk songs, hymns, anthems, etc. If you - which was a specialty with most of them. believe I am wrong, challenge his ability. It is great to have ability from extreme to extreme, but it is terrible Professor Handy and his band played several days a week at a col- to have this kind of ability without the correct knowledge of how to ored amusement park in Memphis, namely, Dixie Park. Guy Williams, use it. Very often you could hear the New York (supposed-to-be) jazz a guitarist, worked in the band in 1911. He had a blues tune he wrote, bands with 12-to-15 men. They would blaze away with all the volume called “Jogo Blues.” This tune was published by Pace and Handy that they had. Sometimes customers would have to hold their ears to under the same title, and was later changed to “St. Louis Blues.” protect their eardrums from a forced collision with their brains. Williams had no copyright as yet. In 1912, I happened to be in Texas, Later in the same tune, without notification, you could hear only and one of my fellow musicians brought me a number to play - drums and trumpet. Piano and guitar would be going but not heard. “Memphis Blues.” The minute I started playing it, I recognized it. I The others would be holding their instruments leisurely, talking, said to James Milles, the one who presented it to me (trombonist, still smoking reefers, chatting scandals, etc. Musicians of all nationalities in , playing with me at that time), “The first strain is a Black watched the way I played; then soon I could hear my material every- Butts’ strain all “dressed up.” Butts was strictly blues (or what they where I trod; but in an incorrect way, using figures behind a call a Boogie Woogie player). I said the second strain was mine. I conglomeration of variations sometimes discordant, instead of hot practically assembled the tune. The last strain was Tony Jackson’s swing melodies. strain, Whoa B- Whoa. At that time, no one knew the meaning of the word jazz or stomps but me. This also added a new word to the dictio- My contributions were many: First clown director, with witty nary, to which they gave the wrong definition. sayings and flashily dressed, now called master of ceremonies; first glee club in orchestra; the first washboard was recorded by me; bass The word blues was known to everyone. For instance, when I was fiddle, drums-which was supposed to impossible to record. I produced eight or nine years of age, I heard blues tunes entitled “Alice Fields,” the fly swatter (they now call them brushes). “Isn’t It Hard To Love,” “Make Me A Palate On The Floor” - the latter Of course many imitators arose after my being fired or quitting. I which I played myself on my guitar. Handy also retitled his catalogue do not hold you responsible for this. I only give you facts that you “ Blues.” Mr. Handy cannot prove anything is music that he may use for ammunition to force your pal to his rightful position in fair has created. He has possibly taken advantage of some unprotected life. material that sometimes floats around. I would like to know how a person could be an originator of anything, without being able to do at Lord protect us from more Hitlers and Mussolinis. least some of what they created. Very truly yours, I still claim that jazz hasn’t gotten to its peak as yet. I may be the Jelly Roll Morton only perfect specimen today in jazz that’s living. I guess I am 100 years ahead of my time. Jazz is a style, not a type of composition. Originator of Jazz and Stomps, Victor Artist, World’s greatest Hot Tune writer 222 Remembering the Man Who Said He Invented Jazz 36 years after Jelly Roll Morton’s death, his part in music history stays largely obscured

By Tom Lyles “He was an extremely brilliant man,” “Since it happens to be a thing like the Special to The Washington Star 7/8/77 Lomax said. “Showers of sparks emerged archives,” Morton told Lomax, “you’re sup- Reprinted in the AMICA Bulletin, March 1978 from him if you gave him a chance.” posed to give facts.” Between his facts and half-truths, he offered a fascinating glimpse of LOMAX GAVE Morton that chance in the the New Orleans that had been peopled by What a braggart and a rambler that Library of Congress’ Coolidge Auditorium in “Winin’ Boy” was. African, French and Spanish settlers whose the spring of 1938, when together they did a cultures pulsed in the streets, bars and music He signed his personal letters Ferd and series of recordings on jazz history. The halls, offering Morton the disparate invita- called himself Jelly Roll and said he invented recordings, done during a five-week period, tions of the opera, brass bands and ragtime he jazz. “If everybody read those little black became the basis of Lomax’ biography, “Mr. used to make his music. dots” on a music sheaf, he said, he could have Jelly Roll.” taken jazz from turn-of-the-century new MORTON LEFT New Orleans in 1907 to Orleans red light night life and made a Some of Morton’s recordings from those begin rambling, hustling pool, selling fake respectable lady of it. Instead, Ferdinand sessions, and earlier, show a sophisticated medicine, playing cards and, after careful lis- Joseph “Jelly Roll” Morton - after “my cre- musician keenly aware of polyphonal struc- tening, “cutting” every pianist he met. Later ation of jazz music” - watched other musi- ture, dynamics and interior order. came Morton’s Red Hot Peppers band, of six cians wrest the music from him and take it up His statements - “When you’re playing to nine members. When he told Lomax his the Mississippi River, where it slipped slowly jazz piano you must make it sound like a story he was largely a forgotten man remem- bering “when I made $100 a day (and) from his grasp. band. If you don’t make it sound like a band, thought I had a small day.” He talked of peo- Musicians and critics agree in varying you’re not playing no jazz piano” . . .”Never ple plotting against him and of his failure to degrees with Morton’s self-assessment, but discard the melody” . . . “Without clean repay an old voodoo debt. Those he trusted, clearly he was a jazz musician of the first breaks you cannot even play jazz” - are more Morton said, were taking his money. order. Larry Lucie, who played with Morton than rhetoric. They are a manifesto of his in the late 1930s in New York, says, “I don’t music. know anybody else who created any more in Commercial recordings of those Coolidge You should see him strolling down the jazz as far as syncopation and jazz bands were street, concerned. sessions have been officially out of print for more than a decade. Originally issued in The man’s an angel with great big feet! “He was a natural musician and he 1947 as an expurgated 12-volume set by wouldn’t brag if he couldn’t back it up. He With his melodies, Circle records, they were re-released on the and Scott Joplin, I think, are responsible for Have made him lord of ivories. Riverside label a decade later. Although creating syncopation . . . that started the jazz condensed bootleg copies are available from Just a simple little chord. thing going.” Australia and Sweden, the Smithsonian Now at home as well as abroad, Institution has been unsuccessful with plans They call him Mister Jelly Lord. GEORGE BROWN, who played with to re-release the recordings. He’s simply royal at that old keyboard. Jelly Roll when he lived in Washington dur- DURING THE LAST decade, some ing part of the 1930s, said: “I learned a lot requests for release right to the master materi- from Morton, but it took me years to realize al have been received, according to H. Melvin it. I was young then and Morton’s music was “You hear that riff?” Jelly Roll told Swift, Jr., the attorney representing Morton’s strange to me. But he was doing some very Lomax. “They call that swing today, but it’s estate. He said rights would be granted to advanced things, even though he was playing just a little thing I made up way back yonder. music whose time had really passed.” anyone giving the material “the greatest dis- Whatever those guys play today, they’re play- semination and also are appropriate return to ing Jelly Roll.” Ironically, that time began passing as the beneficiaries.” But even if rights are HE CAME TO WASHINGTON one Morton reached for a wide audience but found secured, it seems unlikely all of the material his music was largely being supplanted by the sleety 1936 day and spent nearly three years will be released; Morton, adding occasional trying to run a club, known variously as the sparkle of another New Orleans master, Louis disclaimers about “terrible songs,” heavily Armstrong. When the Depression hit and Music Box, the Blue Moon Inn and the Jungle blued the Coolidge Auditorium air. Those Morton lost a recording contract, he virtually Club, at 1211 U St. NW. Brown remembers sections, amounting to nearly two hours, were disappeared. it was a “strange place, with lots of strange not released by Circle or Riverside. people.” One night someone stabbed him “He liked to talk about himself,” Lucie Between playing and singing, Morton told while he was playing the piano, and Jelly Roll said, “and he took pride in what he had done . packed out of town. . . he didn’t think he was doing as well as he Lomax of New Orleans when “wine flowed should have been doing to know what he like water,” myopically discarding the He went to New York, then . knew about music and (have) the name he Depression that had partially obscured him. He died there 36 years ago this Sunday. had. He wasn’t getting the breaks that he He talked of the giants he knew, the songs he Prying his music and memories loose wanted to get at that particular time.” wrote, “of my creation of jazz music” and from his estate may be impossible, and we are “the first hot arrangements . . . I made the Alan Lomax, Morton’s chief biographer, the poorer for it. arrangements, but they didn’t call me Jelly says: “Jelly Roll was the most talented com- poser we’ve had. He just kept on originat- Roll then (1912). They called me Winin’ ing.” In fact Lomax places Morton’s “witty Ball.” When using his nickname in a song, and urbane” music on a level with Mozart. Morton, in turn, changed it to “Winin’ Boy.”

223 MR. TWEEDY

"U you deelde to take the apartment, there's ODe tIlIllIl tblDk maybe IlhouW tIIlI you •• :' 6/16/77 From The Washington Star. Contributed By John R. Grant.

TECH TIPS GLOSSARY This landmark article by Peter Brown was originally published in the AMICA Bulletin, August/September 1978 Ball bleed valve: Valve for controlling operation of a pneumatic, containing both a small bleed and a large bleed controlled by a ball check valve. The Automatic Ampico Bleed: A constriction in the form of a small orifice placed in the air-flow path to cause a pressure drop. The Stencil Machine diameter of the bleed orifice is specified by Drill Number. By Peter Brown Chain bridging: A line of perforations in a music roll The Ampico stencil machine could make a playable trial with a narrow bridge of paper between each perforation. roll from the original non-playing note sheet recorded by Chain bridged notes are sustained for the duration of the the artist. Now there is nothing extraordinary about copy­ line of perforations. ing one music roll from another. The remarkable thing Master roll: Used in the quantity production of music about the Ampico stencil machine is that it was not copying rolls. Ampico masters, or stencils, are three times the length of the playable roll and slightly wider. - it was inserting most of the perforations itself. How the Music roll: A playable "piano roll." machine was able to do this, and what pneumatic circuits were used, is explained in this article. Note sheet: Original record of an artist's performance showing by means of penciled lines the sequence and duration of each note played. A non-playable record. Stencil: Same as master roll, q.v.

224 Trial roll: The first playable record representing one to the bleeds, the results were perfect. Mr. Stoddardordered the stage in the production ofa finished music roll. LJ sed by four-valve units installed throughout the machine. the editor in developing the final master stencil. The four-valve assembly is shown in Figure 1. On the left of the ( During the Ampico recording process two simultaneous records figure is a representation of the hand-punched note sheet passing "'....,..J'were taken of the artist's playing: one of the notes and pedaling over the double-hole tracker bar of the stencil machine. At this - and the other of the dynamics. The record of the notes consisted point in the note sheet, for the note track shown, the system is of pencil lines made on a moving sheet. As part of the editing "off" and no holes are being punched in the stencil. A leading operation the lengths of some of the pencil lines, indicating note quarter-inch pilot perforation is approaching the tracker bar. duration, were artifically extended and the dynamics were transferred to the note sheet. The note sheet was then ready for preliminary perforating which was done by hand. Pilot perforations were placed at the beginning and the end of each note with blank paper in between. A quarter-inch long perforation was punched at the start of each note with a single perforation at the end, and the expression coding was treated similarly. In the next stage of the process the note sheet was taken to the stencil machine. With only the pilot perforations as guides the machine could produce a stencil and a trial roll by automatically inserting chain bridgingbetween the start and end of each note. In Re-Enacting the Artist (1970), Larry Givens gives a very full description of the whole process of making an Ampico music roll. He includes illustrations of the original note sheet, the note extensions, the hand-punched pilot holes at the beginning and end of 'each note, the three-to-one stencil and the stencil machine. Mr. Stoddard patented his system of note extensions in 1912 and instructed that "bleeding" of certain notes be a matterofroutine on all Ampico rolls. The note extensions made it especially desirable to develop a machine capable of automatically Valves VI and V3 are outside valves and V2 is an inside valve: inserting chain bridging between the pilot perforations. valves VI and V2 have No. 65 bleeds. Valve V4 is a special Whatever the longest note extension may be, it is certainly no intermittent valve which controls a ball-bleed valve. This valve rarity to find a roll with half a dozen notes held down for ten in tum controls a punch pneumatic and when the ball-bleed ~';nches or so. These alone would require 600 hand punched holes. valve fires, one hole is punched in the stencil. The pouch - No wonder Mr. Stoddard said that prior to the development of chamber of VI is exhausted by high-pressure suction H, and V2 the automatic stencil machine the work of punching the stencil has a separate suction supply G. Valve V3 has no direct for Lehvinne's "Blue Danube Waltz" would have taken six boys connection to suction although the underside of its pouch is about three days to complete. exhausted through a No. 55 bleed by suction H. The pouch of V4 is intermittently connected to suction H in a "punch-skip­ It may be obvious why it was done, but how was it done? There skippunch-skip-skip" sequence controlled by the cutting head. are no drawings of the stencil machine, no patents, and this high point of pneumaticdevelopment was destroyed sometime in the The sequence of starting punching, inserting chair bridging and 194Os. Reconstructing the principle of the stencil machine has stopping punching is shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, S, and 6. In Figure been something like a detective story, and important clues were 2 the pilot perforation at the start of the note has opened hole I in provided by Dr. Hickman and Mr. Larry Givens. A solution to the tracker bar. This fires VI and admits atmosphere over the top the problem is presented but, like any good detective story, an of V4 to fire the ball-bleed valve, which collapses its pneumatic ultimate twist is saved for the end. causing holes to be punched continuously in the stencil as long as hole I is open. Since the pouch chamber of V3 has no suction The earliest reference to the Ampico stencil machine appears in supply at this time it does not fire. a Scientific American article in November, 1927, later reproduced in Harvey Roehrs Plnyer Piano Treasury (1961). Probably this account is based on information supplied by Dr. Hickman, for the entry in his diary for February 17, 1927, reads: "Interviewed Mr. Hopkins of Scientific American." The automatic stencil machine took Mr. Stoddard more than five years to design and constructand was placed in operation in 1925, about a year after Dr. Hickman joined the Ampico Research Laboratory. On December 4, 1926, Mr. Stoddard left New York for a three month vacation, travelling to California by way of Cuba and the Panama Canal. During his absence, problems with the stencil machine were brought to Dr. Hickman. In the middle of January 1927 the Doctor began to give the stencil machine his serious attention. By February 17, he , had reduced the number of valves needed for it to perform its ~function from seven valves per note, as originally designed by Mr. Stoddard, to five per note. On March 3,1927, the day before Mr. Stoddard returned from vacation, he was down to four valves per note. The four-valve unit was installed on one note of the stencil machine on March 10 and, with minor modifications

225 The leading perforation has opened both tracker bar holes in suction to hold this pouch up and its underside is exhausted by Figure 3. The opening of hole 2 fires V2 and connects the pouch suetion H, valve V3 re-seats thus terminating the intermittent ehamb£'r of V3 to suction G. Consequently V3 rises and locks punching. At the same time, sincve VI is up, the ball-bleed valve "on" due to the atmosphere supplied to its pouch from under its fires one last time to punch the end of the note. After the stop own head. The pouch chamber of V4 is connected to perforation clears hole I valve VI re-seats and punching ceases. . - atmosphere from V3, but this has no effect on the ball-bleed The subsequent passage of the stop perforation over hole ~V valve because the atmosphere supplied from VI is still calling simply closes V2 but causes no other reaction. The four-valve for eontinuous punching. unit is now ready for the next instruction and is in the configuration shown in Figure 1. The system described so far would be adequate if all Ampico music rolls consisted only of extended perforations. Despite the sometimes slanderous remarks about the note extensions, Ampico rolls really do contain staccato passages, trills, and the whole gamut of note sequences and durations. For example, see Ampico roll 63883-H "Elementsof Music or Musical Directions." How all this was accomplished by the stencil machine while still retaining the automatic chain bridging feature forms the next part of the story.

As the note sheet continues to advance over the tracker bar, Figure 4, hole I is sealed off and valve VI re-seats. This action euts off the atmosphere supply from VI to the ball-bleed valve and interrupts the continuous punching. Since atmosphere is ' .. supplied to the pouch chamber of V4 from V3, punching will r-T-~I~ only occur when pouch V4 is drawn down by the intermittent H ....."... supply. Consequently, chain bridging is now punched in the stencil in a "punch-skip-skip-punch-skip-skip" pattern. \\"hen hole 2 is saled off in Figure 5, valveV2 re-seats, cutting off suction G fromV3. Valve V3 remains "on", however, because it Ifthe automatic chain bridging were on all the time it would not is now connected to suction H from VI. In this configuration the be possible to punch short notes - staccato passages would four-valve unit will continue to insert chain bridging in the come out legato and trills would be impossibly blurred. To stencil until the stop perforation comes along. It should be noted prevent this, the stencil machine provided for very fine control that suction G is not needed for chain bridging and was only used of its automatic capability. This was achieved by switching the to get the unit locked into the configuration shown. "guard section" G on and off, under the control of special "Guard Perforations" in the note sheet. With the guard suction supply to the four-valve unit turned off, all punching would be controlled by hole 1 in the double tracker bar and hole 2 would be inoperative. So that a note three-quarters of an inch long could be obtained by hand-punchinga three-quarter inch hole in the note sheet, this arrangement would turn offsuctionG before this perforation reached the tracker bar. The Ampico stencil machine was more subtle than this, however, because it could cut staccato notes and extend notes simultaneously. It should be recalled that suction G is not needed after the fourvalve unit is locked into chain bridging. Consequently, at the point shown in Figure 5 suction G can be turned off and this valve unit will continue to punch in its note track. At the same time other valve units, since suction G is off, can begin to punch trills or staccato passages. By careful control of the length of .. staccato notes and by precision positioning of the guard • perforations in the note sheet, the stencil machine could achieve some really remarkable results. All done automatically from the pilot perforations - and without the aid of electronics. To keep track of the work needed to produce a stencil, Ampico ~ stamped information blocks on the leaders of note sheets. An -V­ At the end of the note extension the single stop perforation opens example is shown on page 46 of He-Enacting the Artist. This hole I in the tracker bar, Figure 6. This fires VI, cutting off particular one records that the note, stop, and guard perforations suction from the pouch chamber of V3. Since there is now no were inserted by Winifred Ford. But where are the guard

226 perforations!' Tum to page 43 of the same book and look at the dynamic coding on the right of this note sheet recorded by ;"fischa Levitski. The perforations in the IS T track are the guard (' perforations. The 8 T hole in the Ampico tracker bar is the re-roll ~ Jhole. Sincl' there is no need to automatically re-wind the note G ~ sheet, the IS T track is available for the guard perforations. In the - guard track suction G is turned on by a single perforation and turned off by a quarter-inch perforation - exactly the opposite to the way in which the note chain bridging is turned on and off. H The four-valve unit controlling the guard suction is shown in schematic form in Figure 7. Points I and 2 are connected to the V4 double-hole tracker bar. High-pressure suction H is supplied to Vl the pouch chambers of valves VI, V2 and V4, which each have conventional pouch bleeds. The output of V4 is the guard suction supply to the pouch chamber of valve V2 in Figure I. Just as in the case of electronics schematics, the physical realization of the circuit shown in Figure 7 may look quite different from the diagram. For example, valve V4 has to supply guard suction to all of the 83 note punching units and must therefore be large enough to handle this volume of flow.

V2 Figure 7 V3 H

This is the end of the story of the Ampico stencil machine and its automatic chain bridging feature. But there is one last puzzle concerning the intermittent suction supply to valve V4 in Figure I. The obvious way to obtain this supply is to geara rotary valve to the punch head so that the rotary completes one revolution for ewry three strokes of the punch. Then ifthe rotary valve is open, and passing suction in the 12 o'clock position, and closed in the4 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions, intermittent suction will be supplied to V4, Figure I, on every third punch. With this type of intermittent supply all the chain bridging holes would be synchronized and aligned across the paper. But they are not. For example, see page 45 of Re-Enacting the Artist. It is quite evident that following the continuously chained holes at the start To set up the guard circuit, a quarter-inch hole was punched in of extended notes there are always two skips before the chain the IS T track of the note sheet in advance of any of the note bridging starts. As a consequence the chain bridged holes are not perforations. The simultaneous opening of holes I and 2 fires all aligned. four valves - since the pouch chamber of V3 is supplied with \\'hy Mr. Stoddard introduced this degree of refinement into the suction from V2 - and valve V310cks on. As first hole I and then intermittent punching is not clear. He undoubtedly was a hole 2 are sealed, valves VI and V2 re-seat but V3, now supplied perfectionist. But the complication of requiring exactly two with suction from VI, remains locked on. Therefore valve V4 skips before the first punch of the chain does not appear to be remains up and supplies atmospheric air to G. Thus at the start of warranted. In the absence of any obvious motive it seems the note sheet the guard circuit was off. impossible to judge what intermittent mechanism was actually 1'0 start the automatic chain bridging a single perforation was employed. Anyway, that is the twist in the end of the story. punched in the 8 l' track. The passage of this single perforation over hole I fires VI and cuts off suction from V3. As a result -.- valves V3 and V4 re-seat, connecting G to suction which turns Talking about the days when he toured as a professional the guard circuit on. The "on" perforation must be aligned with magician, Dr. Hickman says thathe never wanted to be told how the quarter-inch perforation of the note to be extended in such a a trick was done. Since there is usually more than one way of manner that the "on" perforation opens hole I in the 8 T track doing a trick he preferred to devise his own way of producing a before the pilot perforation seals hole I in thenote track - that is magical effect. Not by choice but by necessity, this account of to say, before the situation shown in Figure 4 occurs. the Ampico stencil machine is ofmy own devising. This at least is how it could be done. On the evidence, I think this is probably The Ampico stencil machine is shown in the photograph on page how it was done. It is unlikely that we shall ever know for sure. 42 of Re-Enactin~ the Artist with Mr. Isaacson at the controls. The note sheet on the right is passing over the double hole tracker bar and the three-to-one stencil is being punched on the \ left. When the stencil is finished it will be used to make the first ~trial roll on the same versatile machine. This process of making a finished stencil and a trial cutting took less than an hour and a half compared to the eighteen boy-days needed to do the jobby . -_ hand.

227 News From The Chapters

BOSTON CHAPTER Ginger Christiansen, Secretary Paraphrased/edited by Karl Ellison

Boston Chapter Spring Meeting, June 4, 2000 The meeting was held at Ed and Althea Patt’s home. Attending were: Ken and Helen Volk, Chris and Ginger Christiansen, Joe and Pat Lavacchia, Norman Daly, Ed and Jean Everett, Karl Ellison, Robert Tempest, Sanford Lib- man, Jack Breen, John and Joan Sullivan, Bill Koenigsberg. Prior to the meeting, our host, Ed Patt gave a tour of his extensive collection of clocks, musical boxes, and Weber player piano. There was also a tour of his new home graced with 9’ ceilings to accommodate his many grandfather clocks. Each hour was purely musi- cal. Ken Volk began the meeting addressing the issue of paid mem- bership. It was sug- gested that the mem- bership expiration date be put in the corner of the mailing labels as a reminder of when dues were due. Old Business - the minutes were read and one correction was made. The summer meeting will be hosted by Charlie Randazzo and Barbara MacFall in Middleton, MA. New Business: Ken asked for movies, etc. to be put in a video to use as publicity for AMICA. Joe Lavacchia announced that he saw member’s Carlton and Nancy Lutts on PBS playing at one of their gigs in Dover, NH. A call for items wanted: Jack Breen is looking for Thoren’s 4 1/2” discs, Sandy Libman wants a fully restored Nickelodeon, and Bill Koenigsberg is looking for Ampico B rolls. The meeting was adjourned at 4:25 Ken Volk then shows slides of his trip to the U.K. of a steam-powered convention.

228 Added to that, there was a motorcycle group having a road trip, and they managed to at least honk and wave as they drove through. Some of them stopped to enjoy the sights. As I said, the town is small (Old Town, that is), just a few blocks long, and we had organs everywhere. Music filled the streets and, we hope, the minds of those who were able to hear us. (That is, of course, pretty much everyone in Town, and some outside of town.) It got warm, but we managed to keep cool, although some of us got a little sunburned. One of the hazards of our “profes- sion” I guess. After that, we had a couple of weeks to relax and get ready for the next event, which was a great one. May 27th saw us traveling to San Diego to open houses at the wonderful homes of Leland Fletcher and Ron Wolf.

Leland Fletcher, one of the Open House hosts. These are unique homes, with Leland being a palm tree aficionado . . .he has over 100 palm trees in his yard. His backyard has a waterfall coming down through the SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER hill and into a pond. Reporter: Shirley Nix It is just wonderful, and then we pro- President: James Westcott ceeded inside and Leland took us on a This has been a busy time for the Southern California tour of his home and Chapter, with an organ rally in Old Town Temucula on May 6th musical box collec- and 7th starting off a string of events. tion. Old Town has been particularly appreciative of our instru- Leland only started ments and music, and it looks as though this will be an annual collecting musical event. It’s a really neat place for us, with the old west atmos- boxes about four phere, and antique shops galore. Leland Fletcher’s lovely back yard. years ago, although We played to good crowds Saturday, and then found that he had been into Sunday we were sharing the town with an antique car show. clocks and other items, and he has really put together a mar- There were really beautiful old cars everywhere in the small velous collection. Many of his boxes are rare, and almost all town, and their owners were as interested in our music and are unique. He also has clocks, phonographs, and the various instruments as we were in their cars. There was a lot of infor- little gems that most of us seem to acquire along the way. It mation being traded, that’s for sure. Neither group was aware was a real treat to visit with him, and everyone certainly the other would be there. enjoyed his collection. He gave us a super tour.

229 Mike Ames, our host, demonstrates the Imhog-Mukel, while Bruce Pier shines a little light Ed Walker playing the George Wright Theater Organ. on the subject. From Leland’s home, we ventured on to see Ron Wolf, and again, the home is really wonderful, with views from nearly every window of the canyon which borders his property. It is the kind of place that says “come in, sit down, relax, and enjoy.” When you move out in the back yard, there is a pond, and a fantastic grotto, or cave, with bougainville flowering over the top. Gracing all this is a huge bronze giraffe. In fact, there are bronzes everywhere . . . lots of monkeys, for example. The whole place just begs to entertain . . . and we were there to accommodate that urge. Inside the home, there are more treasures, of course. Starting out in the living room there is a George Wright Charlie Porter and Dave and Diane Reidy. Theater Allen Organ, which Ron played for us. When he got through, his friend, Ed Walker played us a short concert. They were both excellent, and sitting there enjoying both the music and the wonderful view was enough to make one want to just move in, but then Ron took us upstairs to see more toys. The first instrument he played here was the Verbeeck Dutch Organ, always a favorite, and the one he brings to all our organ rallies. It’s a fine, fine organ, with super arrangements on the music. To make the ambience complete, Ron dons his hat, complete with long hair, which changes his appearance completely. (In fact, the first time he wore the hat to an organ rally, I saw him from across the park and started over to chase the “hippy” away from Ron’s instrument. Luckily, as I got close I realized it was just Ron, so I didn’t holler at him, saving Jackie Porter, Caroyl and Jim Westcott and Audrey Maxwell myself at least a little embarrassment.) enjoy their meal. When the Verbeeck was done, we moved over to the See- burg K - a really fun machine. From there to the Arburo dance organ, which really made us all feel like dancing. It really gets your toes tapping! Then over to the Wurlitzer 153 band organ, which is loud and wonderful. These instruments each have their own particular sounds and charm, and as in most collections, it would be hard to pick out a favorite. As collectors, we love them all. Ron has pur- chased a Bursen’s dance organ, but it didn’t arrive in time for us, since it is being restored. Frank and I told Ron that we want to know when it comes in, because we are inviting ourselves back. From Ron’s home we traveled to the Trinity Church for an organ concert on the Wurlitzer Organ there. Chris Gorsuch Ron Wolf - caught off balance ? by his Arburo Dance Organ. played for us, and he made that organ sing. 230 The organ was acquired from the defunct Arden Pizza and a very large antique car show at the Lutheran University in Pipes Pizza Parlor in Sacramento, rebuilt and enlarged to its Thousand Oaks. This event brings in about 4,000 people, and present capability and installed in the church. How many we have been asked to participate with our organs. It should churches do you know of which have a theater organ to use for be a lot of fun, and all the “fathers” will spend time with their its’ purposes? The organ has a long history, and it was a “children” (organs), enjoying themselves and entertaining all replacement for the former organ, which was burned by an 4,000 people at the same time. arsonist at the church after having been fully restored, a sever- As the meeting came to an end, Mike showed how he is al-year project. This organ, too, was in terrible shape and had putting a double violin on midi to split the violins, making it to be completely restored, with Jackie Porter acting as gener- like first and second violin plus piano. Since he didn’t have a al, directing the restoration. double violano, he made do with two singles. The result is Chris Gorsuch was a student of Lyn Larsen, and is a real quite pleasant, and is sure to be a hit with the owners of the entertainer. He kept us all involved in his program, which double violanos. ranged from a “tour” of the organ, playing all the different instruments and pipes to show us what the organ had to work with, to a set of great music from The Mickey Mouse Club Song as it might have been done by four famous composers to Broadway songs to Classical. It was a super program, and was followed by dinner. Then we went to our Hotel rooms to wait the start of another day. Sunday we all trekked over to Solana Beach to the Collec- tion of Mike and Marilyn Ames. Marilyn had put out coffee and donuts for us, and Mike played the nickelodeons and instruments for a while. Then he operated his 3000 cubic inch Union Tool Gas Engine. After that he operated the Whimshurst, Van de Graff, and Tesla Coil. I didn’t get in there, Ervin Canada, Dave Wasson, Royal Akin, and Charlie Porter but those who did all seemed to come out of what seemed to be enjoying the music. a mad scientists laboratory saying “WOW,” or something in that vein, with their hair standing on end!!!! Another interesting use of instruments came next, with the Aeolian Organ, Mills Violano and the Mason and Hamlin Jody Kravitz was there to discuss template roll and book Piano playing in concert the Brandenberg Concerto first creations. Dave Wasson showed the art of midi scanning, and movement, #5 in D, composed by J.S. Bach, and arranged by Larry Broadmore was there to demonstrate his PowerRoll Dave Wasson. This is an incredible merging of the instru- unit. ments, and held the audience in rapt attention. Dave Wasson also did a demonstration of roll perforating, Of course, no visit to the Ames collection is complete which held the attention of all of us. without a concert by the Mortier Dance Organ, and this was We broke for lunch, then came back to hear more instru- no exception. This organ is so beautiful to look at that it’s ments, and Mike showed off his Imhof and Mukle Barrel hard to believe it could be even better to listen to, but that’s Organ, which is a lovely machine. He played it first from a roll the case. and then from midi system. This is a really stately instrument, A finishing concert was on the Aeolian Residence Organ, playing wonderful, rich music. another impressive instrument. Let’s face it, Mike and The fun stuff had to wait for a short while as the business Marilyn have nothing but impressive instruments, all in meetings were held. Since this was a joint AMICA/MBSI fantastic restored condition. I overheard several people say meeting, both groups had their meeting, one after the other. that seeing all this made them think of going home and Our President, Jim Westcott, thanked Mike and Marilyn, and Jackie Porter, who arranged the whole weekend, and all those who held open houses or helped with the planning. A special thanks goes to those who helped at the Ames Collection. We all learned of the very severe illness of Harvey Roehl, and out thoughts and prayers go to Harvey and Marion. Har- vey has been a mainstay of this hobby for so long, and such a good friend, that it was indeed sad to learn that he is so ill. Another suffering also from severe illness is our friend Ed Richmond. Ed and Dodie have been coming to all the organ rallies, and their smiles and happy faces are much missed. We wish them both the best. The upcoming organ rallies were discussed, particularly Frank Nix, Susie Coade, Thomas Jansen from Germany, and the Father’s Day rally, which is being held in conjunction with Bob Brown, currently from Florida.

231 HEART OF AMERICA CHAPTER Reporter: Joyce Brite President: Ron Bopp - (918) 786-4988

The spring meeting of the Heart of America chapter was held March 18 and 19 in Wichita, Kansas on a cool and drizzly weekend. Chapter members met at the home of hosts Dan and Willa Daniels for a pizza luncheon before embarking on their tour around Wichita. The first stop was at the Museum of American Fan Collec- Jody Kravitz ready to give his demonstration. tors in Andover where we were met by Mike Coup who also served as tour guide for a number of the weekend’s activities. The museum contains many fascinating examples of antique electric and unique fans. It is an interesting display for those who enjoy old technology or wish to recall memories of every- day household items from years ago. Mr. Coup demonstrated several of the fans including “The Standard,” a 1908 feather vane fan made by Robbins and Myers Company. The next stop was Player Piano Company where members Chris Gorsuch were given a tour by Durrell Armstrong. After demonstrating the organist. I some nickelodeons, Durrell led us to the old reliable service ele- don’t think he is vator which took us to the second floor. The entire floor was exactly filled with many racks of parts, hardware and other supplies for camera-shy. pianos and nickelodeons. We then ascended to third floor trashing their collection and starting all over. This is said, of course, with tongue firmly in cheek, since how many among us could even begin to amass the collection Mike and Marilyn have. They have spent years ( and a few dollars, too) collecting and restoring, and they are always refining the collection. The fortunate thing is that they are so willing to share with the rest of us. As the lights began to blink, reminding us that time had indeed flown by and it was time to go, we regretfully began to drift out to start the journey home, but with the thought firmly entrenched in our minds that we are so lucky to be in this Katie Hellstein admires hobby, and doubly lucky to have people like Leland, Ron, and some of the antique fans at Mike and Marilyn so hospitable to us, opening their homes and the American Museum of sharing their collections. Of course, they probably are glad to Fan Collectors have us, since how many people outside the hobby can possibly understand?

One wall of fans at the museum.

232 Mills Expression Mike Coup demonstrates a 1908 Robbins & Myers feather vane Piano fan while Ron Connors and Dan Daniels watch.

Is this a fan or a helicopter? Work area at Player Piano Company.

Spool frames under construction.

where the work areas are located. There were several projects in progress as evidenced by the hammer assemblies neatly laid out on work tables and the spool frames under construction. Both floors held many uncommon mechanical music machines from Durrell’s collection, including several rare instruments. Art Nouveau style fan After Player Piano Company, the next stop was at Lawrence Smith’s collection of antique and classic cars. Mr. Smith has a very impressive assemblage of automobiles and members marveled at the Packards, Bentleys, Rolls Royces and other classic cars. Two vehicles that were particular favorites were the 1911 Fiat Tipo 6 with its snake-shaped horn, and a rare 1930 Isotta Fraschini. The evening concluded at Wichita’s Century II Exhibition Hall with a showing of the 1926 German silent movie classic, “Metropolis.” The movie was accompanied by Jeff Weiler playing the Wurlitzer theatre organ which was formerly at the Paramount Theatre in New York. Mr. Weiler successfully recreated the ambience of a 1920’s movie house in demonstrat- ing his mastery of the Wurlitzer with music which blended with Durrel Armstrong with some nickelodeons. the story line and mood. 233 The next morning, chapter members met once again at the Daniels’ residence for breakfast. At the business meeting, reports were given by members and plans for future meetings were discussed. Afterwards, members headed once again for Century II where we were met by Mike Coup. Members were given a special tour of the organ chambers of the Wurlitzer we had heard the night before. The public rarely gets the opportuni- ty to see the organ chambers so this was an exceptional treat for us. For the final tour of the weekend, members went to the Little River Studio at Mr. Coup’s home to view another impres- sive organ which had once been used at a local Wichita theatre. It was a whirlwind weekend with a varied agenda of won- derful tours and experiences. Thanks to Dan and Willa Daniels for hosting the meeting, and special thanks to Mike Coup and Lawrence Smith for the tours. Inside the organ chamber Inside the organ of the New York chamber - or is this a set Paramount from Metropolis? Wichita Wurlitzer

1911 Fiat Tipo 6 with snake-shaped horn

Console of the Wurlitzer theatre organ.

Mike Coup with the Wurl- itzer theatre organ console. Note the rungs 1930 in the back- Isotta Fraschini - ground that we very rare had to climb to reach the organ chamber.

Row of Rolls Royces. Craig Brougher and Durrell Armstrong 234 group dinners. The food was fabulous and we were enjoying a nice meal on the wrap around verandah when a big storm blew in so we headed inside to finish our meal. At our meeting later in the evening we learned the history of the place and its 16th century living room. Many thanks go to Tom and Carol Griffith for planning such a fun weekend. Carol makes porcelain miniature dolls and donated her latest creation for a drawing at the close of the evening. Our next meeting will be an organ rally, September 1-3 in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa at the Great American Steam Engine Show.

Theatre program from “Metropolis” showing the famous robot.

On Friday, May 19th, the Heart of America chapter headed to MIDWAY USA, Kinsley, Kansas, home of the Carnival Heritage Foundation. The Foundation owns the Heyn Double Decker Carousel that once resided in Tivoli Gardens, , and is currently undergoing restoration. After setting up our organs for the Saturday rally, we met at the Carousel Café for a delicious barbecue dinner. After din- ner we headed to the Jerry Weaver Studio to view his Native American Drum collection of completed and in progress drums. Jerry is the Nation’s top artist in creating drums for LADY LIBERTY CHAPTER Native Americans and his drums are in galleries and museums Reporter: Bill Maguire throughout the United States. He and Joan design and make President: Keith Bigger - (718) 528-9443 these drums out of cottonwood logs. We had a great time look- ing and learning to play his drums and hearing the interesting stories involved with each one. Our May 7th meeting took place at the home of Dianne and Bright and early the next morning the Organ Rally began. Marvin Polan, Melville, Long Island, New York. The Polans Ron and Mary Ellen Connor played their Artizan, Style D. are indispensable members of our chapter. We rely quite heavi- Galen & Linda Bird brought the Perlee owned by Blaine and ly on their wisdom and they have always opened their home and collection to us. Armeda Thomas. Cynthia Craig and Gary Craig both played their Stuber Organs. Dan & Willa Daniels brought their Limonaire and Seeburg L. Tom & Carol Griffith were seen around town playing their Raffin. Dale Haller brought his Haufbauer and Tom McAuley wandered the streets playing his Pell. Leonard & Billie Railsback brought their Stinson. Charles Tyler set up his display of phonographs and also played his OGM organ. Yousuf and Mary Wilson brought the street organ he had just completed called Wilson’s American Peacock. Following the organ rally we visited the workshop of Bruce White. Bruce showed us how he carves carousel ani- mals and then makes the molds to reproduce them and how they are painted. He has carved animals for carousels all over the world and also has made about 1800 carousel houses for the Applebee’s Restaurant chain. The Polans had an artist paint this mural on one of their walls. It depicts Coney Island as it might have appeared back in its We were then in for a real treat when we drove to Prairie “hayday.” Oaks, a restored farm home outside of Kinsley that serves 235 Marvin Polan explaining some of the great features of his Gloria Lauterbach came all the way from Connecticut and is Mason and Hamlin Ampico B grand equipped with a “Power very glad she did. Roll.” Marvin is clearly in his element, giving the tour and demonstrating the collection. He knows the history, the music and a lot about the technical. There was a tour of Marvin’s workshop, which unfortunately, I missed.

Joe and Linda Hutter posing next to an original Coney Island Everyone gathers around for a song. Carousel horse the Polan’s had restored.

Representing the younger Hutters in attendance are Carolyn Dianne shows off some of their great musical novelties. A big and Eric. The monkey goes along with the Hofbaur Street thanks to Dianne, Kay Kehoe and others who worked hard in Organ. The organ is German made, ten years old and plays the kitchen. from memory cartridges.

236 Hosts Halie and Carl Dodrill at the Aeolian Duo-Art organ console.

Walter Kehoe just “kicking back” on this nice sunny day with a “cold one” (Coke that is) and taking it all in.

1927 Aeolian Duo-Art two manual/12 rank pipe organ console.

PACIFIC CAN-AM CHAPTER Reporter: Dan Brown President: Mark Smithberg 206-763-9468

More than 40 members attended the March 25th Chapter meeting hosted by Halie and Carl Dodrill at their home in Mercer Island, Washington. Their collection continues to grow and now includes a 1927 Aeolian Duo-Art pipe organ (three additional ranks of pipes were recently added to bring the total Recent installation of the 16 foot Violone rank of pipes on the living room ceiling. to 12), Aeolian Orchestrelles models V and W (this one was Carl Dodrill far left, Wes Spore 3rd from left. originally used in the Aeolian Hall in Portland, Oregon), and a 1912 Steinway 65/88 Themodist-Metrostyle grand, model 0. The new ranks of pipes for the organ have been installed in and around the living room, giving listeners the impression of being inside the organ as it plays. The roll “The Storm” was most effective in demonstrating the organ. Jim Heyworth shared a video of a television program which featured our late chapter member Dave Zeffert showing his collection. The usual potluck dinner was a success as always and a number of members shared plans to attend the convention in Sacramento in June. Our next chapter meeting will be at the Kent Museum (WA) on July 22nd, hosted by Gary Lacher and Larry Slosson listen to a concert by Phil Mary Lou and Jack Becvar. Collier at the 1912 Steinway. 237 LYON & HEALY, CHICAGO M79

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No. M9(}-24-inch Tudor Silk Shade. ~~dM~.o~~:~~.e.~.~:.$31.25 Cretonne Border, $1438 N.o. M98-24-inch Silk Shade, lined with Ameri~ Chenille fringe. . • •.. • ....• No. M99-24-inch Silk Shade. lined with ­ can Beauty Sateen. trimmed with tinsel band. silk. trimmed with ruching lIilk apron. 4-!nch Chenille $20 63 fnnge...... ••...... •.... • ~t:; ~~.a~ ~?~ $25.25

238 ADVERTISING FOR SALE Visit the Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange, a GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT popular Internet site for advertising mechanical music machines for ALL ADVERTISING IN THE AMICA BULLETIN sale. In continuous operation since 1997. Find us at: All advertising should be directed to: http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/ (4-00-G) Robin Pratt 1915 AEOLIAN Weber Duo-Art upright reproducing piano, serial 630 East Monroe Street #71633, mahogany, restored and in perfect condition, $10,000. Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3708 William Jindra Jr., Raleigh, NC, 919-269-4808. (5-00) Phone (419) 626-1903 e-mail: [email protected] 350 DUO-ART player piano rolls with mahogany roll cabinet, rolls Ad copy must contain text directly related to the product/service in excellent condition and cabinet like new, $3,000. William Jindra being offered. Extraneous text will be deleted at the Publisher’s Jr., Raleigh, NC, 919-269-4808. (5-00) discretion. All advertising must be accompanied by payment in CHICAGO COTTAGE ORGAN CO. reed pump organ, $800. U.S. funds. No telephone ads or written ads without payment will William Jindra Jr., Raleigh, NC, 919-269-4808. (5-00) be accepted. This policy was established by a unanimous vote of the AMICA Board at the 1991 Board Meeting and reaffirmed at DUO-ART Mechanism for Steinway Duo-Art model XR or OR 88 the 1992 meeting. AMICA reserves the right to edit or to note temponamic style, $2500; early 1921 AMPICO A mechanism reject any ad deemed inappropriate or not in keeping with for 5’4” Chickering grand, $1200; MASON & HAMLIN Ampico AMICA’s objectives. B stack, $1000. Mel Septon, (847) 679-3455. (4-00) The BULLETIN accepts advertising without endorsement, 88-NOTE PIANO ROLLS, hundreds of used rolls, Fox Trots, implied or otherwise, of the products or services being offered. Waltzes, Marches, Hymns, Song Ballads, Classicals - $3.00 each Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA’s plus shipping. Nice clean playable rolls. Also new old stock endorsement of any commercial operation. Q.R.S. ROLLS $5.00 each. Will furnish lists on request. Dave Caldwell,400 Lincoln Lake Rd. NE, Lowell, Michigan 49331; AMICA PUBLICATIONS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO phone (616) 897-5609 (6-00) ACCEPT, REJECT, OR EDIT ANY AND ALL SUBMIT- TED ARTICLES AND ADVERTISING. AMPICO B Grand Piano, SN 40323. Original finish and ivories. Included are 130 “A” rolls, 21 “B” jumbo rolls, and 30 “B” rolls. All items for publication must be submitted directly to the If interested, make offer. Fred Fisher, Publisher for consideration. 1056 Woodruff Plantation Parkway, Marietta, GA 30067. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: $.20 per word, $5.00 minimum E-mail: [email protected], for AMICA members. Non-members may advertise double the Fax 770-612-1817, phone 770-612-1816. (6-00) member rates ($10.00 minimum). Because of the low cost of TWO PLAYER 88-note upright pianos; cases in great condition, advertising, we are unable to provide proof copies or “tear sheets”. players play poorly, need restoration, $390. Fischer Ampico Grand DISPLAY ADVERTISING Piano, case in excellent condition, player is in original condition, Full Page — 71/2 " x 10" ...... $150.00 $2750; also an Aeolian player console, 64 notes, $790, in great Half Page — 71/2 " x 43/4" ...... $ 80.00 working condition. Many 88-note piano rolls, $2.50 each. Send Quarter Page —35/8 " x 43/4" ...... $ 45.00 for list. Phone 212-690-9999. (4-00) 1 Business Card — 3 /2 " x 2" ...... $ 30.00 STEINWAY XR-plate 1920’s, antique deco, oak organ w/mirrors, Non-member rates are double for all advertising. Hardman rebuilt 1960’s player console. Sell or trade for standard Special 6 for 5 Ad Offer - Place any ad, with no changes, for a piano. Jay Mart Wholesale, “The Piano Store for Piano Stores”, full year (6 issues), and pay for only 5 issues. Payable in advance. 800-411-2363; 216-382-7600. (4-00) Photographs or halftones $15.00 each FISCHER Grand Reproducer, bench, rolls, some work necessary, Loose Sheet or Insert Advertising: Inquire $2500 negotiable. Help with shipping. Or trade for white baby We recommend that display advertisers supply camera-ready grand. Mankoff, 631-321-5857 NY (4-00) copy. Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changed to 1904 GEORGE STECK Metrostyle Themodist pianola piano. correct size at your cost. We can prepare advertisements from The serial number is 28548. This piano is in original condition your suggested layout at cost. except that I had the player mechanism rebuilt about 10 years ago PAYMENT: U.S. funds must accompany ad order. Make check by a Mr. Geoff Procter. The wood has never been refinished and is payable to AMICA INTERNATIONAL. Typesetting and a beautiful reddish brown mahogany or cherry wood. This piano is layout size alterations charges will be billed. in excellent condition. Darlene J. Johnson, 3839 Hamilton Way, DEADLINES: Submissions must be received no later than the Redwood City, CA 94062; 650-367-0846. (4-00) first of the odd months (January, March, May, July, September, November). The Bulletin will be mailed the first week of the 1926 KNABE 6’4” Ampico , mahogany w/matching bench, 30 even months. rolls, restoration supplies, valves, etc. for Ampico, a find sounding (Rev. 6-98) piano otherwise, $4975 U.S. funds. Harold Braker, 8527 111 Street, Delta BC Canada V4C 7E3; 604-572-6110. (4-00) NEW PIANO ROLL BOXES - Large and Small available. Small boxes (2 x 2) are covered with White Litho (bottom), and either Black Leather or Brown Leather paper (top). Large boxes (3 x 3) “When an old person dies, are covered with Black Leather paper (bottom), and Black Alligator paper (top). Prices are: $1.20 each (small), $2.50 each (large), plus shipping. A 20% discount will be given for orders over $100. it is like a Many other repair supplies available (leaders, tabs, tubes, flanges, repair tape). New QRS Rolls 20% off catalog price on orders over $100, 5% on orders less than $100. Refurbished 88-note rolls (new library burning down.” leader, tab, labels and box), $6.00 each. Hundreds of used rolls starting at $3.00 each (guaranteed playable). California Player Roll Co., www.calroll.com, (760) 244-ROLL (7655) (4-00)

239 LINK style 2E replaced with a Seeberg “A” rollframe some time 1906 ELLINGTON Upright Victorian style non-player. Exquisite ago. This is a 44-note keyboardless machine with Mandolin rail white/black design, new pin block, restrung, action rebuilt, highest still works and could make a great Seeberg KT (Buildup) $5,400 quality show piece. Photo sent on request, $6000. ONO; NELSON/WIGGINS style 3A “A” roll player “Piano-O- Call 336-547-9486 Greensboro, NC (4-00-G) Grand” piano with mandolin and xylophone folded type 22-bars, similar model in the Nelson/Wiggins ad on page 528 of the ency- WANTED clopedia, this one has a clear glass front, needs small amount of WURLITZER violin-flute pianino. Jon Tench, 203-790-6239 work, however still plays, $7,300 ONO; SEEBERG Model “E” (CT) before 11 p.m. E.S.T. (4-00) with piano, banjo rail and 25 (rare) wood violin pipes, refinished (oak), restrung and player refurbished with original beveled clear ARTRIO-ANGELUS reproducing rolls and catalogs wanted. glass front and decal, $13,800 ONO (The three items I just men- David Krall, 4218 Torrence Ave., Hammond, IN 46327, tioned came from the famed Knott’s Berry Farm Collection. We left 219-932-2322. (1-01) their original location tags and stamps inside stating they were the We buy all types of standard pianos - “concert grand to miniature Property of Knott’s Berry Farm); HUPFELD RONISH, the case grand” - we sell wholesale to the trade. We exchange pianos for was refinished in ebony satin, the piano was restrung and re-ham- what you are looking for! Jay Mart Wholesale, “The Piano Store mered, the player is in original condition (needs to be restored) for Piano Stores”, 800-411-2363; 216-382-7600. (4-01) $1,700 ONO; 1992 RAGTIME Model 143 DG Home Calliope, Music Deck Base for Steinway Duo-Art (OR) grand piano. Pres- 43-Calliope pipes, 27-note glockenspiel, 1-castanet, 1-tambourine, sure reservoir for Seeburg MO Mortuary organ. G Roll (Bohemian 1-triangle, 1-bass drum and timpani, 1-snare drum, 1-crash cymbal, G-287). Baxter, 1133 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; handsomely carved oak with beveled glass doors plays “O” rolls, 716-473-5322. (4-00) comes with 12, a $10,000 value for $8,600 ONO (By the way Wanted: Wurlitzer 65 with tracker bar and APP rolls. Book you’re probably wondering what ONO means - Or Near Offer). Automata Golden Age 1848-1904 by Christian Bailly. Bob Fine, We also have AUTOMATON’S, RARE BIRD BOXES, BAND 4064 Conejo Drive, San Bernandino, CA 92404; 909-886-3033. ORGAN’S, MUSIC BOXES-CYLINDER and DISC TYPE. (4-00-G) Nickelodeon’s and Reproducing Pianos. View our Website to see Estey Residence Pipe organ music rolls. Looking for 32 note more stuff!: www.playerpianos.com. We now have our Ampico, grand roller organ cobs. John A. Kadlec, P.O. Box 10544, Spring- Duo-Art, Recordo and Welte Library in alphabetical order. In field, MO 65808; 417-738-2161. (4-00-G) Ampico’s alone over 10,000 used rolls for sale, adding our 88 note Roll wanted: Duo-Art 19555 - “I’m Goin’ South” song roll, John roll collection makes us the largest used player roll dealer in the Werth, 503 Shinnecock Ct., New Bern, NC 28562; 252-636-5541; world - over 20,000 rolls total. If you are looking for a certain title, [email protected] (4-00-G) either call us or e-mail us your request - perhaps we have the title Song rolls from the “When We Were Very Young” series. Please you’ve been looking for! Orange Coast Piano, 2658 South Grand phone John Phillips on INT + 61 3 6227 8324 or e-mail: Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705; phone Kim Bunker at 714-432-7426. [email protected] or write 29 Channel Highway, Taroona, Our e-mail address is [email protected]. (6-00) Tasmania 7053, Australia. (4-00-G) The Rudolph Wurlitzer Manufacturing Company Factory Tour VHS video tape, $20 each. A rare little documentary from the early 1920’s featuring a tour of the Wurlitzer Company in Tonawanda, New York. See a Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ being built. A musical score is provided by Ray Brubacher, popular east Leave the Hurly Burly coast artist on the 2/10 Wurlitzer formerly in the Loew’s Colonial Theatre in Reading, Pennsylavnia. Approximately 30 minutes Join the Hurdie-Gurdies long. Also available in PAL format for foreign countries (same price $20 each!) Add postage USA $3 per order; Canada and for- Gateway Chapter eign $7 for 1, 2 or 3 video tapes. Order from: The Organ Litera- ture Foundation, Henry Karl Baker, 45 Norfolk Road, Braintree, invites AMICAns to its MA 02184-5915; phone 781-848-1388; Fax: 781-848-7655; E-mail: [email protected] News Item: The COMPLETE cat- STREET ORGAN FESTIVAL alogue of organ books, classical and theatre recordings and videos is now available electronically. Send your request for Catalogue October 13-15, 2000 HH/e to our e-mail address: [email protected] (4-00-G) WURLITZER 125 Military Band organ, complete turn key busi- at The Missouri Botanical Garden ness includes trailer, generator, 5 rolls, etc. Delivery possible from Iowa, $24,900. Robert Brandel, 2536 Queen Street, Dubuque, IA Join us for our Fall 2000 organ event sponsored by Gate- 52001; 319-583-7537 or [email protected] (4-00-G) way Chapter and the world famous Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. Established in 1859, the MILLS VIOLANO, newly restored, mahogany cabinet, beautifully Garden is one of the world’s top three botanical gardens. refinished inside and out. Plenty of music, quality, appearance and sound. Frank Nix, 818-884-6849; [email protected] (4-00-G) Come join Gateway Chapter AMICA for a mart, KIMBALL Player Organ, 70’s model, re-tubed with black rubber entertainment, garden tour, street organs, music, open tubing, has leather pouches, plays good, has bench. houses, good food and good company for this weekend Call 517-741-5167 and leave message. (4-00-G) event. Come early or stay after to enjoy other fun things to do in St. Louis and at hotel rates of $51 single or double 1928 SEEBURG Audiophone Jukebox - Seeburg’s first audio occupancy. model (transition from coin-operated pianos). Unrestored, original setup instructions, tubing/wiring schematic. Baxter, 1133 South Get registration information from event organizer Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; 716-473-5322. (4-00-G) Cynthia Craig by calling (314) 771-1244, Ten 78 rpms, classical; 346 45 rpms (26 EPs), all with sleeves, in emailing at [email protected] or writing for information: good condition. 45s collected 1950-61. Mostly top 40, rock’n’roll, 2941 Russell Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri 63104. some r & b, Dixieland, Elvis. Prefer to sell as package, $1000. For a listing, e-mail Gloria J. Swanson at [email protected] or phone Beautiful Music in a Beautiful Garden 614-459-0720. (4-00-G)

240 AMICA Visit the BROCHURES AMICA Web page (Free) at: and http://www.amica.org BROCHURE HOLDERS ($3.00 each Post Paid)

Order from: ROBIN PRATT 630 East Monroe Street Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3708

Phone: 419-626-1903 e-mail: [email protected]

Wrasse’s Custom Piano Moving

Specializing in: Player Grands, Nickelodeons, and Orchestri- ons

Anywhere in Continental US and Canada (4-00) ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ 25 years experience Knowledgeable Rebuilder and Collector Well-known ¥ References Available ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ Magic Melodies Your instrument is wrapped, padded and 360 LAWLESS ROAD - JAMESTOWN, KY 42629 secured for transport in an insulated and Reproducing and 88 Note Rolls clean custom-built heavy-duty trailer. Program Rolls Collectibles Professional and personal service. AUCTIONS AND FIXED PRICE SALES! ALL ROLLS IN PERFECT PLAYING CONDITION John P. Wrasse WITH GOOD BOXES 608-862-1268 [email protected] For Periodic Lists Write or Call (4-00) Tel. 270-343-2061 Laura Shelby (4-00)

241 AMICA ITEMS FOR SALE

Get the Whole Story ! Shipped Immediately ! In Stock Now The AMICA Bulletin remains the single source of complete information about the technical and social aspects of our hobby. No home library would be complete without a FULL SET of the AMICA Bulletins, bound into sets by year. In addition, technical articles published in the bulletin have been extracted and published as invaluable reference volumes. More than 30 years of knowledge, discovery and revelation can be found in the TECHNICALITIES, a complete set of which takes less than 30 inches of shelf space! ORDER TODAY! In stock for immediate shipping via United Parcel Service or US Mail. AMICA Technicalities The AMICA Bulletin Since 1969, AMICA has been publishing into bound vol- umes, collections of technical articles written and con- 1971 through 1999 bound annuals tributed by its members for publication in The AMICA Bulletin. They may be purchased as follows: of the AMICA Bulletins Vol 1 - 1969 to 1971 ...... $10.00 $24.00 (U.S. Dollars) per year postage paid Vol 2 - 1972 to 1974 ...... 8.00 Vol 3 - 1975 to 1977 ...... 9.00 Make checks payable to: AMICA International Vol 4 - 1978 to 1980 ...... 7.00 Send Orders to: Stuart Grigg Vol 5 - 1981 to 1988 ...... 20.00 Vol 6 - 1989 to 1993 ...... 20.00 Grigg Graphic Services, Inc. Postage Paid 20982 Bridge Street Please note: Supplies of the earlier volumes may be Southfield, MI 48034 temporarily unavailable as stock is depleted. Fax: (248) 356-5636 Overseas orders may take longer than domestic shipments. e-mail: [email protected]

Attention Chapters!

AMICA AMICA Brochure Holders STATIONERY are now available and for $3.00 each. ENVELOPES They are clear plastic This is a reduced with AMICA Logo imprinted sample of the small letterheads on a gold label. which can be purchased. Included will be as many AMICA New Member Info Brochures as you wish at no charge. Make checks payable to AMICA International. AMICA STATIONERY & ENVELOPES For Quantities and Pricing contact: Order from: Stuart Grigg Grigg Graphic Services, Inc. Robin Pratt 20982 Bridge Street AMICA Publications Southfield, MI 48034 630 East Monroe Street Fax: (248) 356-5636 Sandusky, OH 44870-3708 e-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

242 REPLACEMENT LEADERS These 11 1/4" x 17" reprints. not trimmed and without tabs, are excellent replicas of the more popular types of reproducing piano roll leaders. While intended for roll repairs, they may also be used for decorative purposes. To splice, overlay new leader on old roll, lay a straightedge on an angle, cut through both papers with a sharp knife, discard scrap, and butt-join with magic mending tape on top surface.

A. Brown on buff B. Black on ivory C. Black on ivory D. Black on ivory (For early red label boxes) (Area for reusable (Most common) (Very late rolls by combined artist photo) Aeolian!American)

AlVITlPITCO 'R..~ C 0 'R.. <[) [ :l'( (j Note: Early Welte's with blue leaders may be repaired with this brown leader. Many of these when reissued had brown leaders.

E. Green on ivory F. Green on ivory G. Welte (Most common) (Favorite Fifty & Brown on buff Selected Roll Service) (Most common)

Please make checks payable to Checks or money Price: $ 1.00 each Style Quantity AMICA INTERNATIONAL, orders from for­ Minimum Order: $10.00 A And send to: eign countries B must be drawn C BRIAN K. MEEDER on U.S. bank. o (. 90.4A West Victoria Street Postage and Handling $ 5.50 ~aBarbara, CA93101-4745 E .- Roll Order $ _ F e-mail address for orders: G [email protected] Total Amount (U.S. $) $ _ Total Quantity _

243 Four great reasons to visit the automated music show ,,--... and one good reason to stay home!

1. Great selection. Browse tables from over 125 dealers at the Delaware sho~ over 80 dealers at the Ohio sho~ See every­ thing in one place, at one time. 2. It's buyer friendl~ Buy with the dealers! Doors open to ev­ eryone, dealers and·buyers alike, 7am Sun­ da)T. No additional early buyers' fee. 3. Great values. Aren't you tired of ridiculous auction prices, and of buying a pig-in-a-poke? 4. It's fun! Meet people with a common interest from all over the world. Our 15th .. r- ...... :.- Claymont, DE. Sunday, year! I (480)~'-- October 1, 7am-3pm atthe Holiday Inn Select, junction 1­ 95, 1-495 and Naamans Road. Why stay home? You Lodging, Holiday Inn Select, 302-792-2700 (ask for in­ can participate in the house reservations) Ohio show live, in real time, September 24, on the world wide web. Visit our website, ww~intertique.com for details and to see Richfield, Ohio. Sunday, September 24, 7am-3pm, hundreds of photographs of prior shows Holiday Inn Richfield, just with e-mail links to dealers. south of Old Exit II of the Ohio Turnpike on Route 21, Brecksville Rd. Lodging, Holi­ day Inn Richfield, 330-659­ First uploads approximately 8:30am 6151. Sunday, September 24, 2000 f"""\ , '----

For further information contact Lynn Bilton; Box 536; Hartville OH 44632. (330) 325-7866

244 n-/' Madame Screacherina Topnote Teacher of tl'1e Oldest Possible Italian Method

ADAl\.IE TOPNO'TE'S Illethods are based upon M the indisputable pedagogical principle that all other method.s are \vrong. Breathing taught with or ~'ithout a bicycle pump. I\1adame T'opnote guarantces to place your I} voice where it will do the least . h~Hln. Assorted Registers. Grand --L ()pera taught in 23 languages. ~ 1'his is the only. rncthod in which t he head voice is "velded to the chest voice, Inaking the intercostal rcsonance subsiJe b e for e the frontal vibrations as "vell as lnak­ ing the epiglottis on friendly tcnns \vith the Diaphragnl.

1'ERl\fS: / I rJ~ EN DOLLARS IN ADVANCE, EVERY NO\V AND THEN. Coup de (~'Iot-Ics extra.

REFERENCES: I-Ia rry Lauder, Bert Willia ms, ~1arie Dressler. Dr. \Viley and J. P. Morg-a n lYhIE. SCREACHERINA and Ringling Brothers. TOPNOTE Graduatc of the Roya1 Address, 13,009 Carnegie Hall, Conservatory of Peking Bumbleton, Nevada.

,./ \ ,r r Symphonola End View Top Action (Patented)

Write for catalogue showing Sympho­ nola player pianos, grand pianos, and upright pianos. ,I /

..~--- Tube to Tra(.k~T Bu '

_-- M~I;\] Action Brack.et

-Addre•• PRICE & TEEPLE PIANO CO., Chkago, U. S. A.- - }