THE AMICA NEWS BULLETIN

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- Advertising rate is $12.50 per quarter page or multiple thereof. PRESIDENT NO. CALIFORNIA Bill Mintz Pres.: Maury Willyard - Camera-ready copy must reach the publisher bv the 15th of VICE-PRESIDENT Vice Pres.: Nick Jarrett the preceding month, Bob Rosencrans Sec.: Tom Hawthorne Treas.: Bob Bartlett - All lids will appear on the last pages of the Bulletin, at the SECRETARY Reporter: Dick Reutlinger discretion of the publisher. Isadora Koff SO. CALIFORNIA Publication of businea advertising in no way implies AMICA's BULLETIN Pres.: Richard Rigg enclonement of lIny commercial operation. However, AMICA Ginny Billings reserves the right to refuse any lid that is not in keeping with Vice Pres.: Bobby Mintz AMICA's general standards or if complaints are received indicating 661 Chapman Drive that said business does not serve the best interests of the members Campbell CA 95008 of AMICA, according to its goals and by-laws. MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Reporter: Evelyn Meeder (New Memberships and TEXAs Mailing Problems) Pres.: Tom & Carol Beckett Anita Nickels Johnson Vice Pres.: Wade & Becky Newt on P.O. Box 666 Sec./Treas.: Jim Meadows Grand Junction, Reporter: James Guinn Colorado 8150I TREASURER MIDWEST Jack and Mary Riffle Pres.: Bill Ackman Vice Pres.: Bob Fortier AUCTION Treas.: Molly Yeckley Sec.: AI Theil BOARD REPRESENTATIVES PHILADELPHIA AREA Bill Johnson, N. California Pres.: Bob Rosencrans Sally Lawrence, Alternate 11'1 Vice Pres.: Jesse Macartney ..:ii"' Cecil Dover, S. California "Ill .• 1 Sec.: Mrs. Lawrence Cornell Jim Hollinsworth, Texas Charlie Johnson, Alternate SOWNY (So. Ontario, . 1111 1111111111 iii, III!.Iii. Jim Weisenborne, Midwest West N.Y.) Alfred C. Busse, Philadelphia Pres.: Rick Simpson SOWNY Pending Vice Pres.: Alan Mueller Acting Sec.: Mary Lou ,l"II'I!I!II'i!II!!IIIIII'I""liillilill' BOSTON Pending Mattioli Iii' Treas.: Richard Drewniak ,' "I••11'.I."", i, ,..I Reporter: Edith Aldridge

BOSTON CHAPTER Pending THE AMICA BULLETIN JUNE, 1975 PACE 93

Ii\jTER"~ATIONAL Ar1ICA NOMINATION COMMITTEE FI i~AL REPORT IT'S HERE! The slate for the 1975 1976 AMICA year is as follows VICE PRESIDENT: BOB ROSENCRANS AIICA TECHNICALITIES VOLUIE II SECRETARY: ISADORA KOFF 1972-1974 TREASURER: MARY & JACK RIFFLE $7•50 pOS t pa Id MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: ANITA NICKELS JOHNSON teehnlea1ttles vol I (1969-1971) is still available $5.50 post paid ORDER BOTH FOR $12.50 POST PAID PUBLISHER: TOM BECKEn howard koff 2141 deodara drive AUCTIONEER: OPEN los altos, ea 1If. 94022 Thank you very much. Isadora Koff Tom Beckett has agreed to be AMICA's new Publisher, and he will do an excellent job of it. The first few months of putting out the Bulletin are always the most difficult, and Tom will need your cooperation and help. If you have any articles in the works, or have been FROM THE PUBLISHER thinking that you'd like to write one, now is the time BY GINNY BILLINGS to do it. Tom will be able to use all kinds of informa­ We are happy to have a new musical J1gsaw for you tion: original articles, newspaper clippings, photos of from AMICA Honorary Member and recording artist Ruth yourself and your instruments, information about your­ Bingaman Smith. Have fun with it. self and your collections, projects for the Bulletin-­ just about anything that you would like to read about You should be receiving this issue just before the in the AMICA Bulletin. Start sending him your articles date of the Convention in Buffalo. I hope most of you now, or at least let him know what you have in the manage to attend--great things are planned by a very works so that he can prepare for his first issue in competent convention committee, and you'll have a ball! September. Bob and I won't be able to make it this year, but we'll be there in spirit. I have been actively involved in the Bulletin since late 1969, when I took it over from Jim Elfers (who was n really responsible for the club becoming the large and exciting group it now is), with the partial exception of the year when Hester Zimmerman took over. Next issue is my last, and, although I've enjoyed being publisher, I J.. am really looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the ... hobby again••. the Bulletin work leaves little time for fun. I have especially enjoyed meeting (at least by mail) some very good friends!

A.JCltA, Jtrms AMICA Stationery, $2.00 (letter size), $1.75 )fur .au (note size), including mailing charges. Fine AMICA TECHNICALITIES BOOKS: Volume I quality stationery with ornate AMICA borders. Each packet contains 25 letters and matching AMICA BULLETINS, BOUND ISSUES: 1969, (1969-1971), $5.50 postpaid; Volume II $9; 1971, $15; 1972, $15; 1973, $15. 1974 un­ (1972-1974), $7.50 postpaid; or order both envelopes. Send orders to Robert Lemon, bound sets, $15; 1974 bound sets, $18. sets for $12.50 postpaid. Reprints of inter­ 4560 Green Tree Drive, Sacramento, CA 94823 PRICES INCLUDE POSTAGE AND esting technicalities articles which have HANDLING. Spiral bound to lie flat. Send to appeared In the AMICA Bulletin, arranged and "They All Laughed When I Sat Down At The Mary Lilien, 4260 Olympiad Drive, Los indexed into appropriate categories, spiral Plano,. But When IT Began To Play .••" Angeles, CA 90043. bound to lie flat. Send orders to Howard Koff, This sound and color super-B movie, 2141 Deodara Drive, Los Altos, CA 94022. produced by AMICA members, is again ROLL LEADERS: DUO-ART, Authentic. For available for loan to AMICA members and order sheet, see the April, 1973 Bulletin. Nick AMICA Sterling Sliver Pins, $4.25, including chapters. For more information write to Jarrett, 3622 - 21 st Street, San Francisco, CA mailing charges. Lapel pin or tie tack with Howard Koff, 2141 Deodara Drive, Los Altos, 94114. ~~ICA design. CA 94022. PAGE 94 JUNE, 1975 THE AMICA BULLETIi'<

THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, L:f7S

Those Old Player Pianos Roll Again

roll. That Is why such com­ By JOURDAN and ALAN posers as Debussy, Stravin­ HOUSTON sky and Grieg made rolls for CONTRIBUTED BY JIM DOHENY these Instruments, which Thousands of tunes ago the were aIso produced as con· old time player piano pI'Ilcti­ cert grand pianos. cally 4isappeared. Baniahed In the words of Theodore Into barns. ba"ements and DeWitt, a meticulous profes­ tinderboxes. It was largely sional restorer in Chesa­ dilplaced by 11>s lower cost, peake, Va., who began as a more versatile modem coun-' hobbyist, "Comparing a re­ terparts-the radio and the producing piano to a player record player. Approximlltely is like comparing a stereo set 2,500,000 player pianos were to a ,transistor radio." ' built between 1900 and the However, reproduceris are Depression years, and most so much more intricate thU of these. like the 1:llack·iron most novices choose to' work wood stoves of the Period. on the simpler player pianos were never expected to be first. Restoration always reo seen again. quires a complete rebuilding But just as 'necessity has of what is commonly called rekindled tlames ia the 011«­ the "player action:~ (the me· banwhed wood &tov., .a nos­ chanical series of bellows talJi. has served to pump air and vaives that operate the Into thole big wooden music 'pi~ 1'0115), as welI as a com­ bolla ot yesteryear. Stocked plete refinishing of the outer with as little III $75 worth of cabinet in most cues.. ftrvlce manuals, (usually re­ printed trom the orIginai), in­ Hobbyists in•search of un- .uuetlon books and a few be­ restored players have learned sic tools aDd materials, en­ to look for them in the recess­ thusiasts can tranaform what es of second-hand shops and they calltlhe "player action" moving company ware- (as opposed to simple plano houses, where the in- Innards) from a weather-wea­ struments were often hauled, ry, mouse-molelted reject to unwanted, from homes., They an orchestration of ezpand­ watch for advertisements in ing and collapsing bellows­ local newspapers and depend the pumpa that breathe life also on word-of-mouth to Into these v&ICUum-operated ,bring ,them news of available,

,.; .~ machines. privately. owned pianos. . ,-.'. EnthU8iasts collect ail ADother way to learn about , , ,,' lIIaJ11ler of roll·aetultecf in. th" whereabouts of 'available .munentl, but tile player pia­ instruments Is through the 110 and Its more elaborate rel­ Automatic Musicai In­ ative, the reproducing piano, struments Collectors' Asao- an the most popular. The reo , clation (AMICA), M intema­ producer does not have the tional group of enthusiasts -pedal-and-pump mechanism thllt holds regional chapter Old "battleships" like the one above ,that activates the player-it meetings lind publishes a operates electrically, moving newsletter which all mem­ can be'picked up for as little as $200. a complex series of special bers get as part of their $15 a bellows that repl'Qduce the year dues, (For information phrasing and modulation of \ write to Anita Nickel's John­ tingent, with Philadelphia tions and conducts yearly one million rolls per year. whoever created the' piano son. membership chairman, and Buffalo among the most conventions, In 1975 the con­ An indication of the grow­ Box 666, Grand ,Junction, Col. active chapters, (Jllpan, Aus­ vention will be held in Buffa­ ing interest in rebuilding and Th. HoustollS Cr. /I' hus­ 81501). Spawned a decade tralia and several European '10, the world's "piano roll cap­ band-and-wife teclm who ag(l in San Francisco, which countries have chapters too,) rejuvenating early players is ital," where the QRS Com­ the growth have restore

Tll0se Old Player Pianos Roll Again

part; t.h:lf are the actual rial~, In any case, there :lrf' rebuild hot h a piano and a Continued source o( the sound. To gain [!',W such experts.) Befon~ un- pJayer i=l~:ti()n. savvy in that department, a drrtakinJt a restoration, thp. The hour~ f')r y.:r1rk """qllirprl East Dou~la~ Street, Wichita, gOod h00k to plJrcha~e i~ H. r.ovice should con!'ult avail· llr(' fluc nflf 'f1 H,:~: ("fllrlcxity St~lJntoll \Vnndn'fln'~ J<:1n.;ac;. ~ cnn1pany that i~ "How ahte trchniral ·mClnnalc:. \..,ith nf th~ task but tn it~ rr'p~ti­ IfRehlliJdin~ 1 To Tune A Piano" (Cor\vood (he Givens Thp i~ '11 ':,' ~"ppl~'ing more than 4,­ th'e natuJ('. fnrcxanlplr. it non ru,;tom('I~. most. of thrm PLJbli~her!', Ravcrrst, Hun- Player Piano" a prrr{'qui~itP. not difficult to cJean and Jlul tin~ton, ~p.cf)nd i~ hohhyi~ts, with parts and N. Y. j] i4:l: $3.50), J\ useful hook ;t. rt'- nc\\r cloth on ;tn rxpr~ssion nlat('rial~ for re~toring old \\'ith it.~ hp1pful chapter on print by thp Ve~tal (1':. Y.r pnrumatir. (;I snl(lll. thr('r,­ playf'r pi?nos. HOur clicnl.cJe ,vhat. tn look for in a used Prr.s~ entitlf'd HPrinriplcc; or i"rh h('tln\\'~ \"hirh, \\'hr.h h~~ douhled in two years." pi;u10. ~layer Action Opertltinn," It. roJ1ap~ed in a vactJun1. hp.lp~ !'t~y!; DiJrrell Armstrong, head A .\vell-, rsf.ol'ro playrr pia- ~eJls for $3. t rip the piano nnle). Ho\vf,\'­ of thf?' r.onlpany. no \~dJJ hp \vnrth ahnut as Thrse and othrr bnnk~. phi, rr, th('rr. tlrf' R~ or fh('~p,. lon~ Anot.her ~ign or t.h~ in­ 11lur.h ~~ ;:w, ronfen'porary reprints of old player pi;rno :l \vith a \,ah'e for (tach, ~r~ase. in activit.y i~ that the pJavrr pi:lnn. OJlP of thE- new '5~r\'lce n1anuaJs. arc a"~ilahl" Thcrt~ i~, rtf rnurse, a r~ nge of dr,~ign ~jmpJir.ity ~upply of old players has ~ud­ gener;:wfinn of usually snlalJer from Vest.:l! Prc~g ;1nd from (or. if dcnly diminishpd. Two years and more cheaplv·built olay- suppliers of piano parts such ynU're tt prssinlist.. (onlplcxi­ ago, f\'tr. A nnstrong could ers spa,\vned in the 1950's. as Durrell Arnlstronf!. Ot.hrr tV), fronl the conlnlon and r!'l­ say, "The old players are "New players cannot begin parts suppliers include Pad· aOth·ely easy stand::trrI pneu­ going to last for a long time to compare \vith old ones, fic Piano Supply Con1pany in nlatic action to the early Gul­ -speaking of the pedal­ quality-\vise," "according to North Holly\lJood, Calif.: Tu­ bransen players ''lith th~ir pump variety only-because Larry Giv~ns of \Vexford, ner's Supply, SomprvilJe, multitude of '\·(\od-to-\\~(\od, so many of them ,vere Pa.• author of the hobbyist's Mass.: Schaff Piano Supply nnn-ga~keted glued joint~ made." \ Now. two years af­ bible, ICRebuilding The Player Company, Chicago; and Trefz that spIint~r at t.h~ s1i!:ht.(',;t ter his prediction of adequate Piano" Vestal Press. Box 97, Piano Co., Philadelphia. mis-tug. Even the pnls trrrn supply, Mr. Armstrong feels Vestal, N. Y. 13850: S7.95). In addition to'simple han1 hIe to see one of the<;e ""tf\r· that the picture has chan~ed. "They ,vin never last: half as tools, the only other t'loJ rp.- in;:t their shn~s. UThe price has risen greatly Jon~ as the old 'battleships' quired for the endeavor Oncp. r"cstorf.'d, a pltlyer .1 in the pa~t year and costs of the 1920's." \vould be a table-type disk piano demand~ only thp. care may soon be out of reach for Oncp a p('r~on locates a sander. Since the early play- due al1 piano~-r('~ular many individuals," he says. A Uhatt.le~hin" and decides it is ers \Vfre almost entirely maintenance by a pitlno tech­ ,typical price for an unre· worthy of a year or more of made of wood, fabric, Tub- nirian and protection from stored player (in need of attention Rnd repair, he her tubing, leather and ~Iuc, wide variations of hunlidity work) is no\V between $200 should have also established these are just about the only -t-plus a regular cleaning of and $300. that the piano action itself is materials neerled to rehuild the tracker bar. This i~ the Any pip,no that has heen a ~ood one. It is also wise to them. There are, of cours(\ perforated rail over \\'hich a' hZllored for decndps will dctcnninp. if the instrument . "arious typf'!' of fahrics or piRno roll run~, tripping t he I havp. d~tE'riorRt~d, so the has heen cursed \vith lnake- ' leathers for specific u5r~.' "ut. tiny pneunlatics (the RR units h()bh~'ist' n111~f. b~ ,vary of shift ~nlaf.r.l1r repair~. "Most that is nnt a r.onlpJica trd that took ~o much \vork) and, pot.f'nti~1 de(ect~. The cahi­ collectors:' Durrell Arm- matter, anrl ilvailabl~ hookc; in turn, the key~o I net ",ay he r:nllapsin~ or it stron~ ohser\'p.!'. "feel that it 'rlnd ca.taloJ!~ An' quit f' (·Ip.~r Evpry ont' or thp. J:rn\lJin~ I ~nmethinst i~ out1inin~ nlay he painted hettpr to rrslore one that in nne's np.cds. n11J"hpr~ ~ rJay('r piann hnh­ likf.' pJ;:tyroonl purpl~. That hR~ nr,\'cr been tampered Ar~ any :<;peei~ I ~kirr~ r('- h\'i~' s ha c:: hlid tn Irar" hy Ii nlPans a refinishin~ .inb. ~!'ith by an illnat.pur, J agree. quirP.d fnr HlP. titsk? First. r~r rloin~: n1 n st mr.n,bcr~ of ,\T\1T- \VRtr.r datnage 1l1iiy hav~ But with sn l11any people miliaritv And dp.xteritv \\'Hh h(ln,,~d the player parts, f.earin~ into them, there are hand tools ;\re helpfuL ~pr· r A tcnd to call themsclvl's I \\'hir:h are joined by ",'ater-so­ not. many vir~jns.left.'t ond. one' should ant.icip~t." n()\ ices. Says DurreJi AI'n,- luhle glup. ~'fQths -may have Fortunatelv, even a ra"·aged 110t a \veekend or a ''''£'f'k's ".tron~. "Therf.' is no training banqueted on the felts of the piano can be restored with "'ork~ but se\'eral hundr~'1 ~round (or th is ,.;ork, and striking mechanisms, , patience-and it.s poor state hours of involvement, and comparatively little literature Since the pl~Yer action of a may mean it ,viII cost less as possibly more. is a,,;ailable to aid a rerson in potential hobbyist's piano is an initial investment~ The 'Consult a piano tuner and gaining technical kno\';ledge. prf~sumably going to be fully equipment needed to cajole it technician, or check ,\rit.h But \\·orking on the \'~ rious rebuilt any\vay, disruption or hack t9 \vorking condition is, vour local Piano Technici~ns' player action~, after rxamin­ that action. though woeful, happily, minimal and inex- Guild (PTG), about r('p(\irjn~ ing them carp.ful1y, ran r~ally can be tolerated. One must, p~nsive. (The expense, in hav- or rebuilding the piano act.ion prove quite intp.restin~."And however, be very carefUl in jng a profrs~ional restore a itself (the parts that rna I

person a music rack full of dents and tell him that he must carefully and painstakingly steam each single dent until It rises he works for a moment then considers the hundreds and hundreds of dents In the entire plano, then runs screaming Into the street. Perfection can be achieved not by broad strokes but by hundreds and hun­ dreds of tiny steps, each one completed perfectly before beginning the next. In an age when one pays more and more for less and less, finding the type of person cap­ able of working one step at a time with no Immediate end in view has become practically impossible. Add to this the necessity of his working for the love of It rather than a lot of money, and the new breed of finishing craftsmen just doesn't appear. The horrible truth Is that a refinisher who does perfect work can never get rich "doing his thing." He can make a I iving, but just barely. There are no short cuts to a perfect finish. He must do all the work that was done on the plano when men worked for SO¢ an hour. Getting good pay for his labors would put the refinish­ WHERE ARE THE GOOD REFINISHERS? ing fee completely out of the range of reason. He has BY BOB WALTRIP to charge about twice what the average shop would charge for a mediocre satin finish, and even this considerable Refinishing Is now and has always been the "poor fee merely pays his living expenses until the job Is relation" of piano restoration. In almost every case completed--If he's lucky. refinishing Is undertaken helter-skelter by the owner, or left to the shoddy ministrations of the "profession­ al" refinishing shop. Thus rare and beautiful veneers are left open-grained, scratched and dented by the amateur or obscured by "satin" finishes of the profes­ sionals. Why must a gorgeous, rare and quality item such as a fine piano look cruddy? Quite simply because those rare refinishers who might be capable of a fine finish are motivated by profit and not craft. They make more money doing cheap finishes and--to a man--that is what they do. Consequently the most a plano collector can expect from them is a rare and intrinsically lovely Instrument that has been made to look like every other plano--new and cheap. Instead, why can't it look exactly like It did sitting on the showroom floor a half century ago? The point Is that It can, but It almost never does. There Is nothing secret or difficult about restor­ Ing the wood on a plano case. Al I it takes is skill, patience, and tlme--three commodities almost universal­ ly lacking In modern shops. Years and years of dents and scratches must be removed. The wood must be stained to exactly the original color, then filled and finished --and rubbed. Manufacturers have convinced the average housew~at high polish finishes are out--because they would cost the manufacturer a lot of money. No­ thing, however, shows the beauty of wood more than a hand-rubbed high pol Ish finish. Only then can one see through the finish to the wood beneath. "Satin" finish­ es leave thousands of tiny scratches In the topcoat that catch the light and do not allow us to see all the wood underneath. In the good old days almost all pianos were high polish, and they were gorgeous. Modern lac­ quers and varnishes allow us to exactly duplicate the old finishes with the advantage of much greater durabi llty. Given the premise that it's possible to restore a rare plano to exactly the way It looked when brand new, where will we find the men or women willing to do so? I truly don't know. I've had dozens of apprentices but they always gave up the ghost, for finish restoration requires the ability to address oneself totally to min­ ute and seem i ng Inf InIte deta 11. If I hand a young THE AMICA BULLETIN JUNE, 1975 PAGE 97

The 1973 Arnica a:>nvention, held in Texas. John Vander1ee.

Clare Spenaer with his 1921 Steinway OR (6'6") Duo-Art.

~ ~41t- .. t -.t :t

4 - < 1-- ACQUISITIONS - AND SOME EXCITEMENT , ~ ... .,. p~ -' It's been a busy period at the Becketts', which was t nearly polished off with a fire on May 13th. At about , , 10:30 in the evening, a passing hail and thunderstorm The 1973 Arnica a:>nvention, held in Texas. decided to apply the coup-de-grace by delivering a Gar Britten and Ursula. lightning bolt to the living room roof. This resulted in a slow but stubborn roof fire that eventually caused loss of roof and ceiling in about half of the room. The slowness of the blaze, plus rain, applied garden hoses, helpful neighbors, and eventually the fire department, allowed them to remove all the furniture and the Ampico to safer, drier areas. Now they are faced with a differ­ ent kind of restoration. New on hand is a Wangerin organ player unit which is basically an oak box on turned legs housing a com­ plete player mechanism that uses pneumatics to operate organ key-type electrical contacts. This is another funeral home item and so is right in keeping with the Seeburg M.D. Since it will accept 88-note rolls, it has been restored and tied in to Tom's present expanded Seeburg pipe system to allow even more variety in roll play. Also acquired in the same package deal, was a beautiful and heavily-carved walnut Aeolian Duo-Art Pipe Organ console, a 10-roll Concertola unit, plus attend­ ant combination action and reversible units. Unfortun­ ately, only four damaged rolls were available in this package, so the search is on. Restoration of the console .~.. (which was also in a fire and water damaged before Tom got it) is under way. The amount of wiring and leather that will have to be replaced has certainly been an eye­ opener and an education in organ construction to Tom. ~ PAGE 98 JUNE, 1975 THE AMICA BULLETIN

The Michigan Buffet.

The girls making plans for future activities. From left: Doris Berry & son, Beverly Naddeo and Barbara Macartney.

ITEMS OF INTEREST by Emmett M. Ford Henry Gerlach listens to Bob Rosencrans outlining future plans. Annetta ESIPOFF was PIANIST TO THE PRUSSIAN COURT and a teacher ingtheSt. Petersburg Royal Conservatory. She separated from her teaching husband, LISCHETIZKY. She toured America in 1876. She died in the city of S~. Petersburg and was almost buried in the pathetic mantle of oblivion, Time. LISZT became tired of his pupils bringing his Eb concerto to classes and said, "If anyone dares to bring again that concerto, he. will have the choice between the door and the window! "

y~ SAINT SAENS;-in his 86th year, has delighted Parisienne audiences by his wonderful playing of his recent piano compositions, Rhapsody d'Auvergne and Cypress et Lauriere (1921). ITURBI, the eminent Spanish pianist, will make his first American appearance when he plays with the Philadelphia Orchestra on October 10, 1929.

( ~ There are pianos which can be bought for very small sums. Other pianos, with decorated cases BAUER, Harold: received the rosette of the bearing the signature of great artists, like Legion of Honor in 1927 and RAVEL dedicated that made by Sir Alma Tadema, may bring as his ONDINE to BAUER. much as $20,000. THE AMICA BULLETIN JUNE, 1975 PAGE 99

The QRS piano roll operation.

;:;:;:::;:;:::::::::::;:;:::::::::::;:::::::;:::;:;:;:::::;:::::;:::;:;:::;:::::::::;:;:;:::;

PLAN TO ATTEND THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL EVENTl AMICA CONVENTION LAST WEEK IN JUNE 1975

::::: SEE YOU THERE--SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO! ::::- ~:~:~ ~~~~~ . :.:.:.:.:.:.:-:.:-:.:.:-:-:.:-...... :- PAGE 100 JUNE, 1975 THE AMICA BULLETIN

Joplin: 'Chopin Of Ragtime' mold rag mus1c into sweet. sensitive. in 1915. The initial performance was Stark. a music pUblishe~. came into and delicate forms which might be considered a musical f.1Iure, the club one evening when .Jou!in played in concert halls as well as in himself was playing the spirited honky·tonk bars. «is credits include Jop1ln is a classic example of • piec~. Stark was so impressed wtlh "Maple Leaf Rag" (1899). "The genius who was lorgotten. Th~ llnal the music that he invited Joplin to Easy Winner" (lOOt). "Fig Leaf years o( his lire were spent in men­ come to his store the following day. Rag" (1908), "Stoplime Rag" tal and physical 3ll0ny due to pro­ Their meeting resulted in Stark's (1910), and two operas, "A Guest of gressive deterioration from d1ieue. purchase of the "Maple Leaf RaS" Honour" and "Treemonisha." In these years he waa feverisllly for $50 and some royalties to the preoccupied with the creation and composer. The deal was considered As he produced piano rags and completion of "Treemonlsha," He a good one in those days. gave music lessons in the early experienced rejection of the work 1900s, he dreamed of composing and by whJt.. and blacks alike. The pub­ The "Maple Leaf Hag" maue producing an opera, His first was ..A lic failure of "Treemonisha" was a Stark one of the most successful mu­ Guest of Honour. " The original man­ severe psychological blow to him. sic publishers in the country. Dur­ uscript has never beet) found. al­ ing his lifetime Joplin published though evidence of inter'\t to file a He spent the final months of his more than 50 ragtime songs. The copyright does exist. life in a New York hospital with the "Maple Leaf Rag" had been the characteristic neurological compli­ most generally acclaimed, until the It was his grand opera, "Treemon­ caUens of syphJ1Iis. (He was a victim :Jse of "The Entertainer" as the isha," which represented a culmina­ of what had been referred to as an theme for "The Sling" focused at· tiOfl of his creative dream. The occupational hazard of the early tention on another of Joplin'~ rag theme is a straightforward story of a years of his. chosen and beloved oc· songs. small black community in a post· cupatiun.) Civil War setting. A beautiful young Joplin died in New York on. April Joplin also has been referred to as black woman, Treemonisha, 1, 1917. John Stark, JopUn', partner the "Chopin of Ragtime." He ex­ emerges as a symbo1lc leader and in musical destiny said of hJm, tended his creation of the "rags" by heroine to "deliver her people" way of his superb craftsmanship (rom an eQvironment o( ignoranc~t "Here is the genius wnose splrtt, into what became known as classical though diluted, was filtered throuah rag. poverty and superstitution. Joplin thousands of Cheap songs and.lmita­ himself financed the presentation 01 tions... He left his mark on Ameri· It was his desire to shape and the opera on a bleak ",tas:::e in Harlem can music,"

Brian A. Williams operates marKing machine while QRS artist Mike Amorosi listens during recording session with Liberace. THE AMICA BULLETIN JUNE, 1975 PAGE 101

ERNO RAPEE BY EMMETT M. FORD Now that many of the great movie palaces have fallen to the bulldozer and the steel ball, and many others scheduled for destruction in the future, it is worth­ while to recall the history of the Duo-Art recording pianist Erno Rapee, and his influence on the advance­ ment of music In the movie palaces. He was influential in getting and presenting many great pieces of music In the motion picture theatres in his conducting of 80 to 100 member-orchestras there. His programming of music for the radio continued to interest the public, and cause it to demand the best music. The symphonic, operatic and chamber music was transmitted to the entire world by radio and the untiring efforts of Mr. Rapee. He was conductor of the Roxy Theatre Symphony Orchestra and also was known to millions on radio for his "Over The Air" program. Erno Rapee was born in Budapest, Hungary on June 4, 1891. Enrolling In the famous Budapest Conservatory, founded by Franz Llszt, he studied plano with Emil Sauer and composition with Ernst von Schuch. Graduating with honors, he gave piano concerts and became a con­ ductor of various orchestras In Europe. Some of his compositions (concerto, symphonic poem, etc) were per­ formed by these orchestras. He also was a conductor )f opera companies and was a pianist of a trio which he formed. Though a pianist of ability, Mr. Rapee is of over 15,000 selections and over 60,000 orchestra­ best known as a conductor. While In Dresden, he was tions, carefully classified and card indexed with a assistant conductor to Dr. von Schuch. His plano con­ cross index by number, so that the various musical certo was performed by the Philharmonic Orchestra of settings for moods and psychological conditions could Vienna. be located in an Instant. Arrangers did not have time In 1912 he came to America as an accompanist and a to compose an original score for a film, but they could year later was engaged as a director of the Hungarian compile excerpts from the great classics.] Opera Company, making tours of the U.S. For several Moving to Hollywood, Rapee was associated with War­ seasons he was director of the Modern Music Society In ner Brothers and National Studios as musical director. New York. Later he became the conductor at the Rialto Later he became musical director of the National Broali­ Theatre In New York. From this time on, Mr. Rapee was casting Company and conducted a series of concerts by a strong force In obtaining the best of music for his the Genera 1 Motors Symphony Orches t ra. From 1933 to programs. Future activity was as musical director and 1945 he was the musical director of Radio City, N.Y. orchestra conductor of the Rialto, Capitol and Roxy His death was In June of 1945. Theatres, theatres managed by a man known as "Roxy," Rapee's Duo-Art recordings are accompaniments for Mr. S. L. Rathafel. One of his biggest successes was songs by Monk, Metcalf, Bach-Gounod, Seller, Bland, Mr. Rapee's orchestral arrangement and performance of Romberg, Harrison, Norton-May, Barnaby, Kjerulf, Sulli­ Llszt's Hungarian Rhapsody #13. van, Nltke, Wallace-Smith, Forsyth, Woodworth, Hawthorne, Moving to Philadelphia, Mr. Rapee conducted a 68­ deKoven, Kinkel, Adams; a series of educational dance member orchestra at the Fox Theatre. During this en­ rolls for children; plano solos; plano arrangements of gagement, one of the guest artists was the pianist operas by Bizet, Wolf-Ferrari, Thomas, Puccini, Belli­ ?ercy Grainger. ni, von Suppe, Verdi, Gounod, Rossini, Balfe and the With an 85-member orchestra, Mr. Rapee went to Llszt transcriptions of Wagner. Berlin and performed at the Ufa Theatre, conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra In a concert. After this performance, he conducted the Budapest Philharmon­ Ic and other famous European orchestras. Returning to the U.S. in 1926, he became conductor of the Roxy Theatre Symphony Orchestra. [Refer to page 78 of Ben Hall's "The Best Remaining Seats." Further u...... it. :I:. ~ ~. ~eference to Mr. Rapee's association with the theatre ! ,rchestra are on page 180 of the same book.] Every - 'Sundayon the "Roxy" hours, his symphonic concert~ were 4 ~~ ~ ~\'~ heard all overrthe U.S. via air by radio broadcasts. ~ ... The successful and interesting arrangement of great . +i: ~ ~ music, his arrangements, were enjoyed and accepted also I I" ... on the concert stage. [The Roxy Theatre had a library • PAGE 102 JUNE, 1975 THE AMICA BULLETIN

ROSE AND OTTILIE SUTRO SY EMMETT M. FORD Queen Victoria. The remainder of the tour was cancelled by the death of their father. After· returning to Balti­ Rose and Ottilie Sutro, sisters who formed their more, Miss Ottilie was involved in an unfortunate musical talent into two-piano concerts, showed early accident, preventing her playing the piano for six and remarkable talent for music. Rose Laura was born years. In 1910 they returned to Europe to give concerts in Baltimore, September 15, 1870, and Ottilie was born in leading cities, and these were a great success. on January 4, 1872. The sisters began the study of Returning to America, the sisters devoted much time piano with their mother, and were sent to Berlin in in an effort to create an American art center, estab­ 1889 to continue their studies. In July, 1894 they gave lishing themselves in New York after World War I. their first two-piano recital in London, creating a Making concert appearances, they made efforts to create sensation for their playing. The sisters in two-piano interest in the founding of a National Conservatory in recitals were first called "Ensemble Pianists," but Washington, the leadership being under the American upon signing a contract with the Aeolian Company of composer Reginald de Koven, with musicians from every New York in 1919 to make Duo-Art reproducing piano state as members. The project attracted much attention, rolls, the name was changed ·to "Duo pianists." but never won sufficient support. Returning to the U.S., their debut was with the New During 1926, the sisters moved to Washington and York Philharmonic Orchestra in Brooklyn, November 13, performed the works of American composers. They contin­ 1894, with the outstanding conductor Anton Seidl. Tours ued to have an interest, and made efforts to create a were made in principal cities with the orchestra 'and National Art Center, devoted to music, opera and Seidl. After this tour, they returned to Europe to con­ drama. At that time, the prominent actor Sothern and certize in the principal cities and to appear with his wife, Julia Marlowe, were also actively engaged in leading orchestras. One performance was before the trying to create a national theatre and drama school

OEuvres pour Deux Pianos

ecrites pour Rose et Ottilie SUTRO I ~

"Lr.F.n:\O~ ASHTO:\.. f'tu:!e S)·llcopiqlle. )bu"",it.

.\II!s. H. II..\. BEACIl. Suite founded upon old Irish ~lelodies.

.\IAS BIlCCII. COllcerto pour 2 piano,; et orchestrc..Vbl\uscr;!.

.\lAX BHUCII.. Nordiselle Sui/e. ~1:'llluscrit.

J'JI:RRr. \IAl'I

\v. G. O\\'ST... .\fillllell.

Rose et Ottilie SUTRO \\'. 11. Hu.\lIs"(J~. 1-<1 Che7'auch"e des Wall'J"'ies (R.\V.\G~EH). Tr

.. Imitators they arc bound 10 find wherever Ihey go, but they themselves t::DllUAHIl SCHUTT.. ,raise Pamf'hr.1se d'apres STRAUSS. ~hIlU"';L will be hard 10 match. "

FULLER .\1AITLAND ,\LEXIS lIoLLAF.KllER.. Pel'peluum Mobile de \VEBER.

OTTO FJ.OEHSJlFJ.I1 .

.. Elles produiscnl des e[els seduisants - des sons d'orehestre que je croyais

impossible ele lirer de pianos. 11 Pn·:nnE ~IAUItICF. PROGRAMME O'UN RECITAL ., The eITeet of some garganluan piano in the hands of a giant performer...

Concerto ell lit "wjefO' J. S. BAC-If Coquette . .. Ein Zusammcnspiel in idealer Vollendung... Andante et Variations H. SCllUMA':'\~ Polichinelle . Mllenc!lencr Nelle.,ll! Nachrichlen. Deux petites pieces en (orme Revel1r . ~IAuRIcr; dl! fugue. Pierre Scherzo .... ",--. Caprice .. J. Pllillfll' La chev8uchee des Walkyries. H. \VAl~SER Andante .. E. SClIihT Arralll-:t'llIl-'nl I)(lUI' 2 Pinnns filii' \\'. II. JI nIlSTO~ Scherzo (lnl'IFt, joui' d\ipl't·S J~ 11I;'Il\IS('I'it) PUll!" ~ol::nir.l1lrlll~ : :\\ ... LOLA BOSSAX 1'1. rue II!" TnclfllC'vil1C. THE AMICA BULLETIN JUNE, 1975 PAGE 103

for actors. The beginning of World War II phased out FINDING THE "LOST" CONCERTO any of their plans. BY RAYMOND ERICSON Returning to Baltimore, the sisters turned their Contributed by Emmett M. Ford; Courtesy of Eugenia Cal­ interest to collecting and creating a memorial of their vert Holland, Assistant Curator, Maryland Historical father's musical activities. They established a Sutro Society. Club Room in the Maryland Historical Society in memory In 1894, two sisters from Baltimore, Rose and Otti­ of their father, Otto Sutro, dedicated on February 24, lie Sutro, made a "spectacular" debut in London as a 1952. The room contains rare art objects, sketches of two-piano team, and they were heard in European and the family, family heirlooms, and two'miniature twin American concert halls for another two decades. Ba1ti- ebony grand pianos, exact replicas of those used by .more remained their home; Rose died in 1957 at 86, the sisters in concerts. The father, Otto, came from Ottilie in 1970 at 97. The announcement that Ottilie's Germany at the age of 17 and settled in Baltimore in effects would be sold at auction intrigued pianist 1851. Mr. Sutro founded the music publishing house and Nathan TWining. He attended the sale and came away with was active in promoting American composers by publish­ a carton of miscellaneous items for $11. On going ing their works. He was organist at the Franklin Street through the box, he found an old blue-bound score Presbyterian Church, and for nearly 50 years was active bearing the title "Concerto For Two Pianos." On the in local musical affairs, being the found~r of the last page was the signature of Max Bruch. Baltimore Oratorio Society. He also formed the Wednes­ Bruch was the composer made famous by his "Ko1 day Club, the members being amateur musicians and Nidrei" for cello and his G Minor violin concerto, two actors. He also started the Wagner Society's first of the most popular pieces in the standard repertory. American branch. A grandfather of the Sutro sisters was Twining knew nothing about the newly found work, except Chief Justice A. H. Handy of Mississippi, and the that on leafing through it he found it impressive musi­ sisters presented a stained glass window to the Frank­ cally. With Martin Berkofsky, also a pianist and a good lin Street Presbyterian Church in his memory. friend, he began investigating the concerto's back­ Several composers dedicated their works to the sis­ ground. It was in the list of Bruch's compositions as ters, and many were performed in their recitals. Opus 88 (it should be Opus B8A, according to Bruch's Composers included Mis. H. H. A. Beach, Algernon Ashton son, Ewald; Opus 88 is a concerto for clarinet and (London), p~erre Maurice, W. G. Owst, W.H. Humiston, viola). It had been premdered in 1916 by the Sutro Edouard Schutt, Alexis Hollaender, Roessler, Arensky, sisters with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Stokow­ and others. Max Bruch wrote his concerto for two ski's direction, and it was repeated the following pianos and orchestra expressly for the two sisters, year with the New York Philharmonic under Joseph which they premiered in Berlin and again in America Stransky. Still, no one had known of the existence of (December 29, 1916) with the Philadelphia Orchestra a score. with Leopold Stokowski as' conductor. It was performed A- STRANGE STORY again in New York, the following year, with the New Further digging brought to light a strange story. York Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Joseph Bruch had heard the sisters play his "Fantasy for Two Stransky. Not much was known of the concerto until Pianos," and, in 1915, he was happy to have them visit after the death of Ottilie, when her effects were him near Berlin. He was 76, retired and poor; they were bought by the pianist Nathan Twining. Among these was rich Americans. They asked him to write a two-piano a blue-bound score bearing the title "Concerto for Two concerto for them, and he did. Then there was trouble. Pianos," the last page having the signature of Max The Sutros either couldn't play or didn't like the Bruch. Further investigation by Mr. Twining and the music. They asked Bruch for enormous changes. They pianist Martin Berkofsky revealed the concerto had been made changes themselves, hacking out great swatches of copyrighted. Too many changes had been made by the orchestral and solo material. (Berkofsky says there is Sutro sisters, until the composition was no longer a apparent evidence that Ottilie was still fussing with major work, but a series of cliches. alterations in 1961). Bruch agreed to conduct a private Rose Laura passed away after a brief illness in rehearsal of the work. But he refused to let them play Baltimore, January 11, 1957. it in Europe. In its final version, as performed here, At the age of 96, Miss Ottilie was active mentally it was not too well received by the critics, and and physically, taking walks daily in all kinds of Twining and Berkofsky think they understand why. Their weather. In 1961 she gave a third program in memory of cross-hatched manuscript shows that the emasculation her father, which was reminiscent of the ones given at reducf!s a "major" piece to a series of cliches. the Wednesday Evening Club formed by Mr. Sutro (1869 to The Sutro sisters must have been a little odd. When 1885). Miss Ottilie passed away at the age of 97 in people inquired about the concerto later, they said 1970. they knew nothing about it. A copyright version of the The 1927 Duo-Art catalog lists the rolls which were altered score in the Library of Congress disappeared made by the sisters: The Saint Saens "Entree de.Fete" and turned up among Ottilie's effects. And another (DA 62140); Brahms' arrangement of Chopin's "Etude #1" association with Bruch was even more unfortunate for (DA 62650); and the Dvorak "Slavic Dance" (DA 67800). him. During a visit by the sisters in 1920, they asked The Chopin-Brahms "Etude #1" is an amazing roll. Later if they could buy the manuscript of the G Minor violin :olls might have been 'made. concerto he had held onto despite offers from such ( My appreciation and thanks to Eugenia Calvert artists as Eugene Ysaye, the violinist. Holland, Assistant Curator of the Maryland Historical NEVER GOT PAID Society, for'much valuable information. Bruch agreed to let the manuscript go, on the under­ standing that he would be paid in American dollars, which would help him in the mddst of Germany's terrible postwar inflation. The sisters took._ the work back to PAGE 104 JUNE, 1975 THE AMICA BULLETIN

America, without leaving any written agreement or down payment. Bruch never heard from them, and he died a few months later. A mysterious sum of money, origin unknown, arrived eventually in worthless German marks. The sisters sold the manuscript in 1949, and it wound up in the Morgan Library. What of the "found" concerto's future? Twining and Berkofsky, with financial help from friends and founda­ tions, have had orchestral and solo parts copied from the original version. In this they had the assistance of the west Chester (Pa.) State College orchestra under the direction of Jacques Voois, who read through the concerto with the pianists. The reading confirmed the opinion that this was a work worth resurrecting. They have a date, November 23, to record the concerto with the London Symphony under Antal Dorati for EMI. Perhaps there will be a live performance before too long. --FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE-- ~ been divorced from hIs wife and NotedChopin she had married Laborl, the great French attorney who wu Dreyfus' J:..pan 13ack and IJsten counsel In the celebrated French Pianist Dies case, DePachmatm said to a group H IS ve'}' evening, in the quiet ofyourown home, you may summonfor Of friends: T your dehght such :lrtists an Deryl Rubinstein, Herma Menth, Harold "Laborl? I like Labor!! He Is a Bauer, Yobnde Mero, Doris Madden, Gabrilowitch and Godowsky. In Rome at 84 gOod husband to my wife' He Is a good father to my childrenI 1 like Lean back and Ibten. Theywill play your favorite compositions. Science and him," art have struck hands to make yeur dreams come true. They have created De Pachmann Loved to Fitting. at th18 time, Is the oft­ repeated story of DePachmann THE ARTRIO ANGELUS REPRODUCING PIANO Boast to Audiences of pla;y\ng a Chopin SOnata In which there Is a tuneral dirge. P1a;y\n1 In itself a superb txa.I:'"iple ofcrafismUlshipJ the Th; Amio ia also a beautifully constructed and It as perhaps nobody else COUld. he e:ectrically operated Artrio briDgs to every beautifully toned grand piano tbat you may play Musical Greatness held his audience spellbound. As lolT.c the truc pleasure of hearing rr.usic as the youndf. There are no projections to interfere tQUBd by T~arsico i.n the ftnal chords sounded, his hear­ artLt hiulsclf tirst played it. with playing found in other reproducing grand•• ~,qM\r~p,... ers could not contain themselves. W, ar, ""dt"l ifth, Angllll' Piano, TAt A."C,IM, Playtr Au;o1l, T'\t Art,.;. A"lt/Il' ("t~ 'I'hey thundered Into applause. rriuily 0Jl#rtU,d) a"J .Anl,llI, Art;.,,', Ro'''. $nJJ for Oil" ;lI"mti"l tlllit'or 1Iw",6,,, 34. aOME. Jan. 7-'I'he death of DePachmann, In a fraction ot a Vladimir De Pachmann. world fa­ second, swung about, IItted a THE WILCOX & WHITE CO. mous plan18t. waa announced to­ silencing hand Imperiously. MERIUEN, CONN. night. "Sh-h-h-h'"he whispered through De Pachmann. who waa S4, was, the hall. "He Is dead I" regarded by some as the world's DePachmann. at.that moment;, eX­ greatest pianist and the most expert pressing through his great 11ft ot Interpreter of Chopin. musIc the ml\je~ty ot death. did not Although he died last nllht, his death was kept secret until his son and daughter could • rrlve from Par18. want 1\lllllause. '~~~~~~~E~~~~~~~~§~~~~~~~~~~~i~~~~~~~ Despite his age, De Pachm,ann re­ Joseph A. Mooney ~ ~ mained a great artist until the end. Only last year, when he was visited Fort Lauderdale, Fla. here by a United Press reporter. he sat down at the plano .."d played with nimble nngers. along with his late brothel Josepb A. Mooney. whe ~~~~§§~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~§~~§~ "1 can play just as well today u Dan ~ and Tom1P.Y ever:" he boasted. Dojo~ey De Pachmann, a Russian, was were known as the noted for his eccentrIcitIes. He rlld Sunstdn.. Btlys in a radio not hesitate to proclaim his own show

The dates these rolls were played were not given in PIANO ROLLOGRAPHY Mr. cather's work. Apparently there is very little in­ formation available as to when these rolls were cut. JELLY ROLL MORTON The numbers (3674 & 3675) on the QRS issues belong BY ED NOBLE to late 1926 or early 1927. But the liner notes of Orpheum LP-l03 (which reissued a bunch of Jelly Roll's Collectors of early jazz music on phonograph re­ Gennet recordings) state, "Some of the selections here­ cords have always highly valued their Jelly Roll Morton in are his first piano solo recordings, if one does not items. Fortunately, for jazz record collectors there is count a piano roll he cut sometime in 1922 of 'Dead Man a fairly good supply of original issues and numerous Blues. '" The source of Orpheum's information is unknown reissues available. His early piano solos on Gennet 78's to me. It may be just a careless rendition of informa­ are quite rare on original labels, but most of them tion contained in Alan Lomax's Mister Jelly Roll have been reissued. Several of his Victor recordings published by Grove Press in 1950, as the arrangement of with the Red-Hot Peppers and Trio sold very well and the material in the book makes it fairly easy to over­ appear regularly on record auctions. Some of these can look "Grandpa's Spells." be obtained for modest bids. Lomax quotes Jelly Roll as having cut piano rolls Although Jelly' Roll Mor'ton played several piano for American, Imperial and QRS. Lomax's parenthetical rolls they apparently are quite rare. Copies of some remarks indicate three of these rolls have been dis­ may no longer exist. The only Jelly Roll Morton roll covered and reissued. His chronological listing shows that I know of which is currently available is t.he QRS only "Dead Man Blues" and "Grandpa's Spells" as cut for reissue of "Mr. Jelly Lord" which was originally issued QRS in 1922 or earlier, and he does not ~tate what the on, Vocalstyle. However, in the early '60s Mr. Pat third rediscovered title was. Possibly he was referring Cather reissued on Vulcan Label several piano rolls by to "Midnight Mama," QRS 3675. Who reissued the third varous jazz artists. He reissued five tunes by Jelly tune, and was it "Grandpa's Spells"? Also, did Jelly Roll Morton: Roll cut "Grandpa's Spells" for both Vocalstyle and QRS? Vulcan 110 Deadman Blues If QRS 3674 and 3675 were reissues, what were the Vulcan III Stratford Huntch original issues? , Vulcan 112 King Porter At the time of Mr. cather's publication the known Vulcan 113 Grandpa's Spells copies of the original rolls ranged from none to six. Vulcan 114 Tin Roof Blues However, he probably did not have a source of informa­ I don't know who did the perforation for Vulcan nor tion as broad as the AMICA membership to survey for his how many copies were made, but that information should data. For example, Everest LP FS-267 of piano rolls by be forthcoming soon. Unfortunately for me, I was not Jelly Roll contains one additional title, "Sweet Man," purchasing any piano rolls in those years. Except for not included in Mr. Cather's rollography. Interestingly, records recorded from piano rolls, the only roll played all tunes listed by Cather except "Tin Roof Blues" are by Jelly Roll Morton which I have is the QRS reissue of composed by Jelly Roll, but "Sweet Man" was not composed "Mr. Jelly Lord." by Jelly Roll. He liked to play his own tunes, so other Mr. Cather also published, for a few years in the early tunes composed by Jelly Roll to watch for include early 60's, a jazz magazine called MUSIC MEMORIES "Frog-i-more Rag" (or "Froggie More"), "Wolverine MONTHLY. It was one of the few such magazines to give Blues," "Big Foot Ham," "Milenberg Joys," "Tia Juana" major emphasis to piano rolls by jazz artists in addi­ and "Perfect Rag." tion to the usual material about jazz records. If AMlCAmembers having rolls played by Jelly Roll The April 1963 issue of MUSIC MEMORIES MONTHLY con­ Morton will send me the information, I will add any tained a Jelly Roll Morton Rollography, which is re­ omissions to the rollography and prepare a revised peated below, rearranged in alpha-numerical sequence estimate of the number of rolls existing for publica­ and with the recent QRS reissue added. tion in a future AMlCA Bulletin. For this latter item, it is important that you let me know about any original Imperial (no. unk) Dead Man Blues (1) issue copies, although they would not expand the number QRS Q-159 Mr. Jelly Lord (2) of tunes listed in the rollography. Particularly impor­ QRS 3674 Dead Man Blues tant are the tunes listed below of which there were no QRS 3675 Midnight Mama copies known to Mr. cather. The Pearls Vocalstyle 12973 Mr. Jelly Lord Kansas City Stomp Vocalstyle 12974 Tin Roof Blues New Orleans Blues Vocalstyle 12983 Tom Cat Blues Mamanita Blues Vocalstyle 50478 Mamanita Blues Tom Cat Blues Vocalstyle 50479- London Blues Vocalstyle 50480 King Porter Stomp Fortunately, for Jelly Roll Morton fans, he did Vocalstyle 50481 Shreveport Stomp record all five of the above tunes in piano solo ver­ Vocalstyle 50485 Stratford Huntch sions on records'at one time or another. But more Vocalstyle 50486 Kansas City Stomp important, did he record other piano rolls not listed Vocalstyle 50487 Grandpa's Spells so far? Vocalstyle 50488 The Pearls If anyone can provide information which would Vocalstyle 50505 Jelly Roll Blues clear up the matter of whether QRS 3674 and 367s'are Vocalstyle 50508 New Orleans Blues (1) Same performance as QRS 3674 . (2) Same performance as Vocalstyle 12973 PAGE 106 JUNE, 1975 THE ArvncA BULLETIN

original issues or actually reissues, that would be while his companion danced. Then there was the music of most helpful. Surely, someone can supply the data on street cries: "Chinaware cheap," "Milk-O," "Jubilee "Sweet Man." Write to: Coal Blocks." (How many of you can remember the cry of Ed & Marg Noble "EXTRA PAPER~ READ ALL ABOUT IT! II )? PO Box 759 There was more organized music. England had four Mesilla Park, New Mexico 88047. classes: Royalty, Aristocracy, Middle Class, and Work­ ing Class. Each knew its proper place, and each had its form of entertainment. Queen Victoria could command a Sarasate or Paderewski to perform at Buckingham. If she did, you were made--like appearing on the Johnny carson show. Aristocracy invited young artists to pro­ PIANO FANS' BOOKSHELF vide music as a background for eating and conversation BY ART FANER at their parties. No money was ever paid because an HAROLD BAUER: HIS BOOK: 302 pp., Index, Illustrations. appearance at Lady Fartmore's "might lead to something. 1I Copyright 1948 W. W. Norton & Co., Inc., New York. 1969 It lead to another free concert. Typical of these Greenwood reprint. $12.00. titled slobs, Bauer wrote, "I shall never forget the sight of a violoncellist bending over his instrument. This was a different planet when Harold Bauer was while playing, and being gently but firmly thrust ~s1de born in London, April 28, 1873. There were no automo­ by an aristocratic gentleman on the way to greet h1s biles; travel between cities was on trains which burned hostess." Remember the Dorothy Parker line when told a coal and belched dark smoke and ash. Light was from an certain woman was kind to her inferiors? IIWhere does ~il lamp in the ceiling; if you liked to read much, she find them?" Miss Parker asked. Among the English you carried a candle in a reflector lamp. Travel within aristocracy, perhaps? cities was on horse-drawn omnibuses or cabs. Brick­ Only middle-class people could make their own music. paved streets were lighted by gas lamps, lit each The working class couldn't afford the instruments.and evening by a man carrying a torch at the end of a pole. for a gentleman of the aristocracy to play a clar1net Bauer's lower middle-class home was typical. Coal had foreigner~ ~ght tha~ to be carried in and ashes carried out of each room, as or a piano, Gad! One of those do but you wouldn't want to appear too art1st1c, now wau central heating hadn't arrived. There was a bathroom you? Middle class people went to concerts also, usual~ but no hot water on tap, so people smelled of soap after at St. James Hall. Gallery seats were only 25¢. There a bath--there wasn't enough water to rinse with. Clothes were novelties by those up and coming young composers: were washed by being placed in a washtub with a mangle Grieg, Dvorak, Brahms. Equally up and coming, but later and a crank turned by the little boys of the house. In down and going, were Spohr, Raff, and Rheinberger. One the kitchen, meat was roasted in the fireplace on a time Master Harold was shocked when a red-bearded young spit turned by clockwork. Toasted bread required a long stick held over'an open fire. No refrigerator: critic next to him called dePachman a monkey. That was meat and milk were delivered each day from carts (milk G. B. Shaw. dePachman had a wild reputation anyway. When poured into a pitcher left hanging outside on a fence). a lady asked him how he liked London, the freaky Vladi­ Pantries were the coolest part of the house; here un­ mir corrected her, "Dot iss not zee qvestshun. Zee qvestshun iss vot dos London sink off dePachman?" used food was left covered with gauze to keep off the many flies, and warm, flat beer was kept in a small He heard the fabulous Anton Rubinstein, who kept barrel and drawn off into a glass held low so as to two pianos on stage. One was to have hanuners and make some suds. Ice cream was a rarity bought at a con­ strings replenished, while his powerful hands smashed fectioners. If you wanted ice you got it from a fish­ the other. Imagine the impatient gesture of his big monger who cut it from frozen lakes and rivers. But bear of a man as he brushed away a flower tossed by an what would you want ice for? Safety razors hadn't been admirer that landed on top of his head. Clara Schumann invented yet, so men wore beards instead of cutting was a dumpy little woman who brushed away the wrinkles their throats with a straightedge. Stiff, hard shoes on her skirt's behind before sitting down, and played had to be "broken in." Nail polish might have been used with her face bent close to the keyboard. Hans von by heathen Chinese women, but not by Christians. As for Bulow, who had given up his wife, even unto Wagner, was using powder, paint, and cigarettes--like Carmen in the the first to play all the Beethoven sonatas. He came on opera--well, you know what kind of women did that. stage holding his hat and cane, then carefully drew off his gloves. What a showman! In 1886 young Bauer saw the A wealthy home ~ight have a music box but of course there were no TVs, radios, or even phonographs. The last public appearance of Franz Liszt. Dressed in phonogr~ph was a tinny box toy sold at bicycle shops cassock and crucifix, Abbe Liszt had come to honor until Caruso made records--that was far away in 1903. Frederic Lamond by attending his concert--but unfortun­ Yet there was music, real live music all around. ately he didn't play. Then there was a new Polish pian­ People possessed and_played musical instruments in ist who had "an immense lot of yellow hair•••a white their homes. Bauer's father worked in an office, yet he face with a desperate expression••• a white silk cravat taught his son violin while his aunt taught him piano, which seemed to spread allover his chest•••he was upon which he composed an 8-measure polka when he was wearing dancing pumps." Audience response to Paderews four. Outside your window might be four or five men in was not enthusiastic. One young woman was heard to "---'" shabby clothes with shiny brass instruments: a "German comment, "I don't like his playing as well as Staven­ hagen's•••but I never saw such an interesting man." Band." An organ grinder with his scampering monkey might be playing II Trovatore selections. OCcasionally If royalty was to attend a concert, such a mark of a violinist strolled by, or a man who played a yellow approval was advertised. When royalty entered, music­ clarinet, or a man who played wild, exciting bagpipes ians had to stop in the middle of the Moonlight Sonata THE AMICA BULLETIN JUNE, 1975 PAGE 107

or anything and stand with everyone else, until they sound the same in white light. Music heard in the dark were seated. is different from music heard in strong light. Wasn't Notice the reqression: royalty coDlll&Jlded, aristo­ he right? Debussy was the most violent of critics: he cracy invited, middle class attended, working class despised Brahms, made fun of Wagner in the middle went to music jlalls, which. came from barroom entertain­ section of Golliwogg's Cake Walk (imitating the Tristan ment, and sidewalk ballad singers with songs of dying Prelude), and once boasted he had "escaped" when a children, shipwrecks, soldiers who never returned. All Beethoven quartet was playing and "the old deaf one" classes were united, however, in one kind of musical had started "to develop a theme." Yet when his own enjoyment: the oratorio. Wales had its glee club. music was played, he walked in agony to a courtyard London had its Mendelssohn Society. These brought outside, afraid his new music and its humor would not hundreds and even thousands of people together for be accepted. Only after Bauer told him the audience mammoth festivals. Pianists, violinists might go hungry laughed and liked it did he feel relief. but a gasping old oratorio singer could still find an Such was the immense talent in Paris around 1900. audience--a paying audience to remember him/her when. In 1900 Bauer received an invitation to tour The prospect of forever playing at Duchesses' homes America, sponsored by Mason & Hamlin pianos. Immediate­ without pay and an anonymous 50 pound gift enabled ly he noticed American advertising and the drive to Bauer to go to Paris, but as a violinist. It was Pader­ get ahead. In Europe a solo performer might hustle, ewski who, meeting him in Paris, told him, "You should but--discreetlYi so our newcomer had his· manager be a pianist. You have such beautiful hair."--and got change "Greatest pianist in the world" to "Master him a job to accompany a soprano on a tour of Russia. Pianist." In Europe, a man who went bankrupt was con­ Harold was to play violin music during intermissions, sidered the moral equal of a child molester. In the but the manager decided it would be a waste to hire an U.S. you just had goofed. At meals, ice water lacked accompanist for the accompanist. When he returned to the cheerfulness of a glass of wine, a raunchy cocktail Paris, lovely-haired Harold had lost his reputation as hardly took the place of an apertif. Soggy hot biscuits a violinist and was thought of as pianist. One job seemed an indigestible substitute for long rolls of Paderewski had sent his young violinist friend to was French breadi fruit salad coagulated with mayonnaise at the squalid apartment of an old Marshall. Surrounded was a horrori waffles and sausage "the aberration of a by dirt, with candles burning while shades were drawn lunatic." If you were starving, you might eat cheese against the daylight, the old fellow would accompany and apple pie; and milk or coffee with meat and vege­ violin sonatas, stopping once in a while to exclaim, table dishes would be like eating soup for dessert. "Let us play that chord once IOOre--it is too beautiful." In England a "lady" meant servants and a country The Marshall had an unusual reverence for Chopin be­ place. "Gentlemen" belonged to clubs and carried canes. cause he was a nephew of Abbe Jelowicki, who had attend­ In the U. S., cooks, cleaning "help," and cab drivers ed Chopin on his deathbed. To him, music died with were addressed as "ladies and gentlemen. 1I All this Chopin, and Brahms onl·y had a couple of good parts that democracy confused Bauer, so he went about shaking he got from Chopin. Bauer was embarrassed when the old hands cordially with chauffeurs, butlers and maids. fellow invited him tolunch--how could he afford it, Audiences in Oklahoma City were "refined and in­ living in this dirt? His embarrassment became amazement telligent" because of the cultural efforts of women's when they went to one of Paris' most expensive restaur­ clubs. He fell in love with San Francisco as he had ants, and maitre d's and waiters bowed to Monsieur with Paris years before. In Los Angeles IIOne could not Theodore, who ordered an elaborate luncheon. Because, help being saved. If redemption was not forthcoming at you see, the old boy was loaded, and emigre Poles would the hands of this revivalist, one needed only to go come up and kiss him on the shoulder before sitting across the street to find more fervid intercession." He down. Amazement became anguish when he and the Marshall r thought San Diego a "lovely and sleepy old city" (re­ atten~ed a concert by the awesome Ferrucio Busoni. member, this was 1900), but "The city I liked most was After one Ballade, the Marshall whispered, "That is Pasadena••• the inhabitants were determined that it too fast!" After a second Ballade, he squirmed, "It is should develop into a center of beauty and culture." an outrage. What is he doing?" He wanted to leave Seattle was in the midst of a real estate boom: Bauer after the third, but his young friend told him that was smart enough not to be taken in by operators who would make a terrible impression. After the applause offered downtown lots for $200,and the idea of washing for the fourth Ballade had ended, the old gentleman, mud down Seattle hills to make mud flat docks was deathly pale, turned-around from his front seat and obviously insane. In Phoenix he visited an Indian told ev~ryone in a broken voice, "In the name of school and as their old batt~red upright "didn't work," Chopin, I protest!" and walked out. he gave a concert just for Indians, young and old, at Saint-Saens was afraid young Bauer would play the the Opera House. A little girl later reviewed it. "It finale of the master's Violoncello Sonata too fast; to was lovely to see the way Mr. Bauer hit his working demonstrate, starting slowly, he let his fingers run piano, and we all hoped he did not hurt his beautiful away until it was faster than anyone had ever played it hands." before. So the composer afterwards remarked, "You see, American audiences were more receptive to contem­ I am just like the rest of you musical pigs." Scriabin, porary music than European ones. Bauer played Debussy who thought of light shows before they could be here while Parisians were still putting him down. Don't realized, e~lained, wDifferences in color mean differ­ get co~ceited about our cultural superiority, though. ences in vibration frequencies, and nothing can prevent One evening, from outside his hotel room in a small the body from responding sympathetically to those vary­ western town, came the sound of banging drums, tambour­ ing frequencies precisely as it responds to changes of ines, and loud singing. When he started to the concert temperature." Organ music, where the light was colored hall, a "Stalwart Salvation Army lassie threw herself by passage through stained glass windows, could not into my path. 'Don't do it, brother. Don't lead these PAGE 108 JUNE, 1975 THE AMICA BULLETIN

poor people into sin and misery with the arts of raised a half step since Beethovents time. We should Satan. '" Let us hope this vestal music critic never play the "Moonlight" Sonata in C M'inor, the "Eroica" lived to see the flickering immoralities of Rudolph Symphony in E Major, if we are to have it sound as it Valentino or Clara Bow. In another western town, did to the composer. probably Colorado, Beethoven's adagio sostenuto was a A Bob Hope joke had Jerry Colonna calling to ask, counterpoint to ushers yelling, "Get your peanuts, "Hello, Hope? Tell me, do you build a building from candy, and chewing gum!" With uncontrolled fury, the the bottom up or from the top down?""Why, from the soloist advanced to the footlights. He promised to bottom up, of course." "See, I told you fellas. Come on sell the peanuts, candy and chewing gum himself, just doWn." Does a famous pianist create his interpretation so the audience would not suffer a shattered mood. by learning all the notes and then working out each Two other experiences of Mr. Bauer are worth re­ section, each sentence, loud or soft, faster or slower, counting. He was allowed to look into the 100-inch Mt. to create a musical design? Or does he play it over to Wilson telescope after meeting Robert Millikan, whose see the design and then improve his technique, fit the experiments checking the speed of light had started details to this overall conception? Mr. Bauer writes Einstein's calculations. that he decided to reach an understanding and give a "I climbed up a steel ladder about fifty feet high piece a definite characterization at the beginning of and came out on an open platform with a railing around studying it. Technical effects are not created to stand it. My companion pointed out that a smail frame in the out by themselves; they must be varied with the chang­ steel structure had been placed immediately opposite a ing line of musical expression. Otherwise, it would be mirror which reflected the image received by the main like a young man, a student from Texas, who was finally object glass below. ' Hold on tightly to that railing.' persuaded to playa Chopin Nocturne, although, he ad­ There was a faint whirring sound as he touched a button mitted, he hadn't added the expression. He proceeded to and the earth seemed to fall away from me. I became a play the part written for white keys only. The part for mere point in space and saw everything around me moving black keys, the expression, these were to be added in all directions at once. The shutter in the roof later. opened, and the entire dome began to revolve. The angle And what about all those markings composers put on of the telescope was altered to find the required di­ music? Should they be followed scrupulously? No. Com­ rection and the platform on which I stood was raised posers don't themselves know exactly what the wanted to correspond to the changed position. I should have to sound. Beethoven put slur marks on piano music as \, ~ fainted from dizziness but the various motions ceased they would be used to indicate bowing for stringed in­ immediately the proper position was attained. I was struments. Besides, how fast is "presto?" How soft is next instructed to hold a small magnifying glass in "Piano?" front of my eyer and to peer through it at an almost Mr. Bauer writes that although he has sought every invisible slit in the shutter which closed the small opportunity to consult a composer prior to playing his frame previously desc!ibed. The view of the terrific music in public, it is only very rarely that he has de­ conflagration presented by the Orion nebula almost rived any benefit from the composer's suggestions. caused me to recoil in fright. The flames and clouds Besides, styles vary; artists vary, we might add. of smoke being motionless, however, I realized the fire Having 2,000 people sing The Messiah in 1880 was awe­ was quite a. long way off, and I was able to contemplate some; today we would call it bloated. The rubatos of a the stupendous spectacle calmly, if with awe." dePachman might have wowed audiences in 1900, but we He was seeing light which had left Orion nebula would say that's phony, overwrought. Great Rachmaninoff around the year 400 A.D. might be poor Lhevinne. Once Mr. Bauer heard Paderewski We think our music, developed in western Europe dispute with a violinist and a violoncellist about a from about 1200 to 1974 A.D. to be the most expressive, diminuendo mark in a Brahms' Trio. He played it cres­ conveying more meaning and feeling than any other music cendo because "It is not what is written; it is the in the world. Yet no other area or time has produced musical effect that counts." harmony; most cultured music has depended upon the What is the effect of Harold Bauer's book? Courtesy subtle patterns of scales, finding meaning and feeling and reticence. He gives no opin.ions of other performers in varying at which pitch a scale may begin, or in --no gossip of arguments or conflicts among high­ varying the steps between tones of a scale. We have voltage personalities. His friendships, marital diffi­ traded the subtleties of pitch and scale for the sub­ culties, if any, or dealings with managers are absent. tleties of harmony. Ridiculous? To Plato some scales Like his playing, his book is correct but seldom were effeminate, some martial. Confucious, when he exciting. However, he is one of the few pianists of finally became a governor, had a man put to death for that age who left a narrative of What it was like to singing the wrong scale at the wrong time! make piano rolls and an estimate of their success or When Mr. Bauer was in the Hawaiian Islands he wrote usefulness later. This will be expanded in a following in western (our style) musical notation some native article. songs. Later he asked natives to repeat a certain song Mr. Bauer died in Miami, March 12, 1951. which he started to sing, but in the "wrong key." They looked blank. He tried another key. Never heard of it. Finally he sang it in the key or pitch which they first had used. "Oh! That one!" Immediate recognition. Beet­ hoven was sensitive to the tone color of different keys: Heroic? That's E Flat Major. Contemplative? C Sharp Minor. Fierce determination? The C Minor Symphony. Yet we hear these all wrong because our pitch has been THE AMICA BULLETIN JUNE, 1975 PAGE 109

I lHE DUo-ART'S FORMAL INTRODUCTION TO THE DECEMBER PLAYER EXPORTS SHOW SUGBT INCREASE MUSICAL WORLD OF ENGLAND ,from, THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, FEB. 7, 1925 fromThe Aeolian, International Tribute Week Edition, May, 1923 CONTRIBUTED BY BILL BURKHARDT contributed by Douglas Pederson

JIO_'''C lire cOlllttless COl1­ Washington, D.C., February 3.--The summary of exports certs Ihat u'erc gi'i.'Cll and imports of the commerce of the United States for the throughout thc 1.i.'orld month of December, 1924, the latest period for which it during Duo-...4 rt lreck. has been compiled, has just been issued as follows: tile one gh.'Cl1 by tllc El1?,­ The dutiable imports of musical instruments and parts, lish hcadquarlers of The including strings, during December, 1924, amounted to ..-len/ian C0l11pauy at $327,865. The twelve IOOnths' total, ending December, QlIecl1 's Ifall, London, 1924, shows importations valued at $4,034,831. The total domestic exports of musical instruments was of 1'lllpressh'c significancc, for December, 1924, amounted to $935,238, as compared Its bllporlaucc l11uslcally cau best be with $981,288 for the same.period of the previous year. esli111aletl by the follo'i.i..'1I1J! exeerpiS by JIr, The twelve months' exportations of musical instruments Ne"wI11al1. critic of tlte "Jltll1rhestcr Guard­ amounted to $12,004,650 in 1924, as against $11,774,056 ';all," fro1l1lris ariiclc ill tlte ..\·O'i·t.~lllber issue in 1923. This is an increase of $230,594 over the period. of that publira/iou. Of the aggregate exportations in December there were "The t"oo Inost interesting- e\"ents of 105 organs valued at $15,890, as compared with 131 or­ the past ""cck ,,-erc the rcturn of I,rcislcr gans, valued at $11,587, in 1923. The twelve IOOnths' and the concert givcn by The ..-\eolian total showed that we exported 1,418 organs, valued at COtnpany at Queen's Hall to introduce $148,533, in 1924, and 1,428 organs valued at $157,472, their Duo-..-\rt pianola as a soloisl~ for the same period in 1923. In December, 1924, we exported 400 pianos, valued at "The latter concert J11ust haye set the $100,891, as compared with 719 pianos, valued at distinguished audience thinking. The $168,430, for the same period of the previous year. piano-player per se ,,"ill prohably never The twelve months' total shows 5,147 pianos valued at threaten t he existence of the professional $1,243,765, as compared with 7,837 pianos, valued at pianist; ho,,"ever pleased the plain JUall $1,809,738 for the same period of 1923. may be ,,-ith hi~ 0""11 pcrforlnances on the The exports of player-pianos show that 830 of these piano-player. he kno"'s that de Pachnlann instruments, valued at $261,543, were exported during or Hofnlann can do far better. anti he "oil I December, 1924, as compared with 748, valued at continue to go to hear them. $243,098, exported in 1923. The twelve months' total "The case alters a little "ohen the clcc­ shows that 10,981 player-pianos, valued at $3,459,515, trically-dri\Oen piano-player rl~produccs were exported during 1924, as compared with 10,656 the actual playing of a de Pachrnann or a player-pianos, valued at $3,355,460, for the same Hoflllann ,,'ithout the inter\'cntion of the period during 1923. plain man, .Instruments of this sort have The exports of perforated music rolls for the month been in existcnce for some years. The of December, 1924, amounted in value to $19,998, as significance of last Friday's concert \\Oas compared with $16,456 in 1923. The twelve months' total the proof, by nleans of the Duo-.-\rt, that amount:s in value to $277,532, as compared with $300,420. a reproduction of this kind can be so in exports for the same period in 1923. perfect as to enable. us to dispense \vith Player-piano actions and parts thereof shipped abroad the performer in a concerto. during December, 1924, were valued at $22,856. The exports of piano actions proper and parts thereof were "Some years aRO, it t1lay be rcrncm­ valued at $23,252. bered. The ..\eolian Company gave a Band instruments to the value of '$25,573 were shipped some\vhat sinlilar concert, at \vhich the abroad during December, 1924, while string instruments solo part of a piano concerto (the Schu­ totaled $20,042. mann, I think,) "·as played on the Pianola The value of all other musical instruments and parts while the orchestra. underXikisch, ac­ thereof exported during December, 1924, amunted to companicd, On Friday \VC got a step $103,020, as compared with $266,101 in '1923. The total farth'er; the Dlio-..-\rt did all that \va~ exports for the twelve DDnths under this heading foot 'required, ,,·ithout an operator. in the up to $1,366,735. Saint-Saens G 1I1;,zor Concerto, accol11panied by Sir Henry ""ood and the Queen's Hall Orchestra. "So far as synchronization of piano and

As ISTERESTED Al·DIESCF. IS }.\\'.\ HEARl> THE Dl'fl·ART COSCERT

I" Irllclically ntr)' ririli:cd ctllllliry (~f lite i.('orld. Duo-,trl CtJllurls i;:tre ,(h.'CII 011 Ille ddy agrr~J UpO;I. Cables lelling of l!l(u fwd of lilt (I,II,',sicl.f1n &i:illl &i:/tid, IIIC).' "'tTt rtYeirrcl (tlme /0 .-lco!itW 1l,rl/ /10"1 A,utralia alld .\"r...· Zt'cl[d"l. Ccl"(/o~',,. }tJl'tl1llU'sb"r.v., 11IIt! Gihrllllllr. Jell-'el. Gol/Z,."b"rg tllld Trolldbjtm, NtJrtI.'tJy,' from [)o,mcJ,k, lIol/dlld. Fre11:("(,. Gcrm,,,I.\', Spcli". (1"ly: from ICY",'1H ;" E."gla"d. from Chiua, Jclptln, ArgclIti,It, B'd:iI. Clt£/i. r('n'::1Ic!cJ, Ctllombicl. EClIdt!cJr dud lite Ires/Indies. THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW 41 ~v=~ =-:fj .., 'J) OJ n :=: M- (j ::n~'3' 0 ." ~ "-t ,...J ~ ~o ~ ~ fl) 0 ~::r::ro..'"0 ""1 > 0 C .., \:! :::3,.J (1) ~ ~ r-I'- ro -- \.1.. n o '-<'1O.(j'h =f"'\ -- o ~ c: fj 0 0 .., - c:;;-""1 ~ lT1 ~-.-. ~ ;:30 "'1 ~ (b ~ -- M ~ r:> :r 2:g:::; ~ ~ 17J(;P NT] c.. (j M"~~"-""'1 ::r c..(j '?' - .' -~ ;:::j~ -- - 0 .(J_rt - 0 (J'J CPJ O(J)('";)f? (=5"'1 o LAROEPLAYERSCUOOLATTENDANCE ]. Orlando Yount, :\Iayport. Clarich County, ---~ PATENTSPLAYERACCENTINGDEVICE ~. ~ Pennsylvania, 87Y!\ pcr cent.; Takuro Fukushima, rt u: ="" ~=' ::3~:L~~"';~ ..CJJ ~ Several Students Get High Averages at Dan­ Oimachi, Tokyo, Japan, 84~~per cent.; William New Invention Enables Player to Be Used for ,., '- ", S ~ ,....J Q.. ~ ~ ~ ~ quard Institution's Graduation-New Students A. Pluth, Waterloo, IlL, 99 per cent.; Lutellus _..- .- c ;;-e:..2 Either Ordinary or Accented Playing - 0 0 ~ - Come from Afar-List of Graduates L. \Voods, Cottage Grove, Ore., 82 per cent.; o ;;..- r- :::_~(f) :='M;-; 0.._ ::::;:= n r; o~~r::=n ~~::::3 Henry]. Lauer, 1015 Lafayette ,;treet, Fort Wayne. WASHINGTON, D. c., April 17.-The Simplex ~ rt ~ d ,...J ~ The Danquard Player Action School, New York, Ind., 91:% per cent.; Harney O. Fiala, Grantwood, Plaver Action Co., Worcester, Mass., is the :=3::: M O ~r-t(ZPJ shows a splendid recon} in its record for M'arch. N. J., 94 per cent.; Leon Feldman, 10 Montgom­ o\\l;er through assignment by Theodore P. Brown, :r PJ ~- o...if2 ~o..= --:r r-:::::"'" Added to the 37 player actions upon whil'h the cry street, Johnstown, N. Y., 87Y.t per cent.; Ja­ same place, of Patent No. 1,179,274 for a musical Ci:-PJ ~ o(?r,I'?O~:T~~­ 8 ~ ~. students are instructed has been the Natimllal coh 1.1 Wilkens, Morrison, III., 95V. per cent.; instrument, the object of which is to arrange a r':l "-t r-;, c t"';: "-t r-; _. - (5 Air-O-Player. Harvey R. Russell, Washington, N. J., 84?l! per player piano so that it can be used for ordinary cr (j (II rt o 'll- ~ ,...-:;::::~~:::~r-t~M Fifteen new studeuts were enrolled .in the day "-'...... ""'T"'iI ~ cent. or unaccented playing, or so that it can be used ('";) 0 c rtc- "";.-;:,....,.:r classes and four in the night class, while nine ~ ~ 0 M ~ "'1 Q-~ (I. - =. as an accenting instrument wherein any desired :r ~ ~ ~ ~ ~l "'1 were graduated. The new students in the lIay AIR"GOVERNORDEVICEFORPLAYERS note or notes can be played louder than the otht'r rt(j ..... rt 0 "'1'. _.ro := class are as follows: _ 1--'l;.J;~PJ uott'S, such for illustration as playing the melody ::r~ o..ry ~('""tr'I fJ':J, Improvement on Governing and Expression ~ 8 2 ]. M. Bowman, Harrisonburg, Va. ; ]. P. ~~ \ "'1 "'1 =..:rJ) ~ Devices in Player-Pianos Patented of a piece of music louder than the accompani­ r:. = "'1. ~.'~ ..- Menges, Galion, Ohio; Wm. I>. Osterhoudt, 75 "-t 9 - ment. rt n-- u 0 ~ ~.~ "'1 ~ Q North Clinton strcet, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; R. W. \V.\SHINGTON, D. April F. To this end the instrument is arranged so that ,...J -- c., 17.-William :$ qw~s.,~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Howard, 1908 Prospect avenue, Bronx, N. Y.; Bayer, Buffalo, N. Y., was last week granted Pat­ an ordinary or standard width note-sheet can he ~ r: ;-:= "':·5- C Clifford Cade, Anderson, S. c.; Ernest M. Cady, ~ .... ,....., M- C- _::~~r"'- ent No. 1,178,618 for an air~governingand expres­ employed therein, or so that a wider note-sheet ·PJ rt ('J ,....,. _ ~ -: rr; J~ ~ 21 Glendale avenue, Pleasantville, N. J.; Henry ~cd"'c rt sion device for musical instruments, which relates having openings for the music aud accent con­ 8 ~ ~ ~ W. Stratton, 1003 l\lassachuselts avenue, N. E., t-J ~ ~ ..., ::r c- -. r::.. to the air-governors or tension regulating deviccs troIling openings can he employed therein. c "'1 ::J ::3 Washington, D. Walter Altenburg, 518 Madi­ '...I ~ ::: <"'0 '...... :-. rt 'r...... :- 0,....J ::; c.; '< "'1 CL ,-.. ~. ~ employed in pnenmatic lIlusical instruments for The instrument is also arranged. so that when .. lf1 ::r c ,jJ C ,..., son avenue, Elizaheth, N. J.; Carter C. UZlde, producing a uniform tension in the wind chest "'1~()~ c-~ ~ ~ ~ l\lount Olive, N. c.; Chas. II. Curtis, 207 Sumter lhc music spool containing either note-sheet is in­ '.....v _.::: regardless of the quantity of wind wnsumed, and ~ :l. U1 :=.2..<"' "'1 .. l-T-' p.; ~ r:, _.,M , sl'rt~d,the act of placing the same in the instru­ -- St., Sumter, S. c.; Samul'1 E. Schupp, Wil­ more particularly to governors of this dlaractrr o~ ~V."'C:=J.~~~ n1cnt will adjust the medlanisms for proper ac­ ~Oort:=~...... t"""'t" loughby, Ohio; Emilo Callegari, Titnzaingo 1391, which arc combined with expression meclianism .II "'1 rt ~ ~ tion. That is to say, when the standard note­ ~ ~ P- ,..., :: :Vlontevideo, S. A.; Charles F. IIeffron, 60 Butler for acct'nting certain notrs or passages of a com­ o~ (f;::3r-J= '-\ 2. S r"1" r.r: n'~ ~ street, Pittston, Penn.; Thomas Hctherington, 307 position. In some de,;crs, as hitherto constructed, sheet is placed in position, the instrument will ~ ~ M 0 r':l C' r-t,...,..;-; ~ ~ ~ ~ West One Hundred and ElrYcuth street, N. Y. where the. accenting devices are associall'd with Joe adjusted to play in the ordinary way, or when r,/J ::r l:J ::: 0..., vJ ::r ~.. :J'''; ::'::;::r ""1 ~ :./) ,...J ~ ~ ~(fI-~"'1-I't'~-,..J City. snch .an air governor the governor-bellows has the wide note-sheet l'llIplpycd for accent playing is Those in the night class arc: John :\ccnrrato, a tcndency to Hutter_ arid pruduce a disagreeable il!st'rted, the instrument will he adjusted to operate 26 Horatio strcct, Nt'w York City; Waltrr' J. noise when the accent-valve is opl'ncd. as an acccnting instrument. Dobson, 541 Sixty-second street, Brooklyn, N. Y.; One of the objects of this imentiun is to im· Chas. Weber, 341 East Thirtieth street, N. Y. prove the construction of sllch governing and ex.. SPECIALSALE OF PLAYERS City; Henry 'Palladino, 416 \Vt'st Forty-first street, prcssiun devices with a view of o\'l'rcoming said Hilgendorf & Sielaff, piano dealers of Junuae, New. York City. objection by comparati\t'ly simple, inexpensive and \\·is., rcc('ntly hel<1 a good sale of Waltham Those who graduated and the percentages rcliable means. player-pianos. . ' which they attained arc as follows: A further object is to so combine the parts that , , ----' thc cxprrs"ion dc\in's llIay he operated manually, How to Maintain Your or autolllaticalh-, In' the customary tracker and = pcrforatt'd n1l1sic SI;lTI. . ONE SummerTime PROMPT S"IPMENTS APPRECIATED Declares A. W. Johnson, Vice-President of the Musle Roll Standard Pneumatic Action Co., on Return GRADE from Recent Trip Through the West ~·~s u 0 r-t- "'1"' ~ PJ U C "0 ~ t; "'1 Trade A, \V, Johnson, treasurer of the Standard &0 ~ ~ ~ PJ -·::rro ('J:= ~=::JcE:::: It is a well-known fact that the demand Pneumatic Action Co., l\ew York, has just re­ ONLY '.J} G. : for music rolls listed at rdatively high ~ ~ ~ ~t~ ~ ~ ~r;)~ ~ a _ r-; C - prices has always decreasrd dllfin~the sum­ turned frolll a very successful trip through the I'? a ("; r-. ,.., ~ ::J f"'.. mer months. \\' cst, during which he found hu"ine,,; condi­ if. :1'_ -. 0 _. ::r -- o n ~ ~ ~ •: • : • :• ~-: -: -: -: -: -: • : 4 :• :- :• n - ~ c.. ~ "'~ rJ f'? ::r- The demand for a thoroughly high-class tions generally healthy and the country pros­ = ::r(j ~. ,.., n 25c. roll is certain to be comparatively uni­ perous, so much so that the trade in gel1l'ral is ~ ~ =-~~~~5~i~~cC1Q form during all seasons of the yrar. .. :::- ;::J) seeing the importance of furnishing shipping PJ;:l~-. '" 0o~-' o~ "PERFECTION" is thc trade name Riycn .··:::::::::·i!:!:!..:::;i··: dates on for placed, Mr. ... ~ M ::: ~ "'1 ~, to the only rral roll re­ orders gouds already =- _0· P ': t; rt "'1 HAND-PLA YEn _ ~ (fi tailing generally at 25c, (some places at Johnson declared that the prompt shipping ::J ,.r; ~ M(")~C:::;-"'?O 3Oc. and 35c.). ' senice of the Standard I'nrumatic Co. is greatly ~ .-" ~ (f) ~·~"'1~::r:r':l~~~()_3 I t has taken 21 years of intelligent effort appreciated hy its many customers, for it nev~r ~ -r-t~ ==; ~ ~ _ (? "'1 rt ::: ~ :=:. and a modern plant co,;ting ovcr a quarter disappoints and therehy sa\'es worry and un­ ,~S. rs rJ :- of a million dollars to enable us to produce certainty on the part of the manufacturer. ~~~"'1 r::'Jl:;::3 25c. rolls which arc musically and muhan­ ~~ :!...0n ------_ ..- :::- ~ ~ ~ ical/.v perfect. • () J-I ::r() I'; ('J Consult the universal Want Directory of -r-t,....rt::3 ~.-.h ~ .....:.. \Ve are anxious to share the fruits of :r, P __ . ° 0 :J Review. r:J~=:;" ~ 0 our sucCl'ssful efforts with vou and thus The In it advertisements are inserted ~2~;:iPJ~ ~~~. head off the usual dnll old Slimmer time, free of charge for men who desire positions (j"'''';~ n,...J~~-:=~ of any kind. ;:i,..J()'" No other concern can gi"e you the qual- =1 ~ "'1 ity, service or price which we offer toward~ o ~.~ • ... PJ ~ PJ ::;,~';;. n- getting your music roll department on a ::: ~ t~~I~ ~ ~ _ ~ () M ~ profitable sumnfer-time basis. n ...... : () (fJ 0 PLAYER If,· ~ ~'c-~ \..,1 You should start right now to circularize AND 5 with the high-class music roll literature ORGAN ~>5S.~2 :!... ~ ~~. s..~.() 0 -J ~ ~ which we will furnish you free. PIANO r-t ::::J,..., r-J f'.,..J:r ...... ,...... ~-r-+('";)r:J You ha\'e stopprd, looked and listened LEATHER o Vi t-J ;::) ('; () f? ~ ~ =m long enough, Put all the proofs and risks a~ THAT S :' 2. S" c • rJ~~ ~ up to us, hut act-aet to-day. At least write ... __ UJ (? ::: r; 8 ,...J f:.: ~ :::-:0 J. out a sample order, or a request for a 3: sample 25c. roll-do it to-day, :::. ~f;~ ~ ::T ~~~'te:p.;~0~""1:1 CHAMOIS ~ ~ ~ ~ (=) Yours 'Very trllly THE ...,J ::r "" ""''': "'C ::. EJ ,.... (fj .-, Ui r-t-O~rt ~ ~.~ ~~.5 ~ ~ M ~ g Standard Music Roll Co. ~ cc Orange, N• .I. v; =-"'00 r;0 S (') "'1 '~(? ::r c (j~0 to c:: BEST c.. _. ~~~UJ::::-~::3~~c (We pay the freight.) ~ 0..::3 l"" ::: - ::: ro n c·"''/.2~:T~':5:::: M r0­ ~ ~ ~.;:J=..' ~ r:, r:; (':) r-t ,..J ~ 1!1!!!!!!!!!!!I!!!!!I!III!I!1m -.- ('J ~ ~ ~ r7~ ~~~.~.~. " f"') rt (Ij ..., ~)_. C j ~YII4. 0.. ~ K.i-li ~~~':::~ ~,. .. :.> -. r-t.oJ I• ~ z ( Rear view of the "pUsh-up." Honnally, these devices were not capable of play­ ing the entire range of the piano, but :2 could encompass only 65 notes. Their m CPdsh,GJledalandGRott chief disadvantage, aside from bulk, was that, when pumped too vigorously, the ~ ...... registration of the felt-covered strikers (') by dohnGR.~ant distorted the music. :>- ct>l to< to< m o-,l ...... z

THE CLASSiC COLLECTORiSPRING 1974

II A front view of a typical "push-up" plano player which could produce no sound of its own. Manufactured by the Chase & Baker Company arou"d 1904, this device had to be pushed up and attached to a II '-< "nonnal" piano before the music could ~ go round and round. m

Automatic musical instruments, an and its ancestry is nothing, if not actually designed to serve as extra miniaturized and enclosed various tion about automatic musical de­ ..... \D K innocent sounding term, is ac­ fascinating. pieces of furniture when not in use. types of pneumatic playing mech­ vices; and Q. David Bowers of Bev­ ..... tually the flag at the tip of an ex­ A pneumatic actuating concept When somebody wanted to put the anisms in their own special cabinets; erly Hills, California has written VI tremely large and complicated ice­ for playing a piano was patented by parlor piano on "automatic" the and by 1910 it was common practice several fascinating books on the berg. For many people the phrase a Frenchman named Fourneaux as "push-up" was quite literally pushed for music stores to offer automatic same SUbject. His most popUlar probably conjures up visions of a early as 1863. His mechanism en­ up to the instrument, the height ad­ player pianos alongside the stand­ volume, which he calls Put Another player piano or a music box sound­ joyed some commercial success and, justed so that the player's felt-cov­ ard models. The production of player Nickel In, and which contains a his­ ing forth at the drop of a coin in a as so often happens, it's highly ered strikers registered with the pianos had begun to literally sky­ tory of coin-operated pianos and penny arcade. But. as the old-time probable that several of his models piano's keys, the pedals were un­ rocket by 1920, with the peak of their "orchestrions," costs more than a barkers used to say, "That's only the were dismantled by other enterpris­ folded, a roll placed in a chamber popularity reached in 1923, which nickel, but is well worth the price. beginning, folks!" ing inventors seeking a way to build and the music began to go round was the year that almost 200,000 Finally, there is an Encyclopedia of So far as I know, no serious effort a better musical mouse trap. Thus, and round. players of all types were sold in the Automatic Musical Instruments, a has ever been made to automate the as the years passed continuous re­ As a general rule, these push-up United States. These production mammoth 1008-page document bagpipe or the kazoo. But with these finement improved the quality and devices were not designed to play figures are given in a book entitled which is without doubt one of the two exceptions a surprising number capability of Fourneaux' brainchild, the entire range of the piano, since Keys to a Musical Past by Harvey N. most exnaustive treatises ever pro­ of musical instruments have at one and by 1895 the mechanism had been most could encompass only65 notes. Roehl. The author also advances the duced on the subject. Both books, time or another been converted into developed to a point where it was an A majority of these automatic play­ theory that the fairly rapid dwindling Put Another Nickel In and the afore­ self-acting devices which, at the extremely responsive and fairly re­ ers were incapable of producing any of interest in player pianos, which mentioned encyclopedia, are pUb­ drop of a coin, have sounded forth liable automatic musical device. sounds of their own, although an in­ began around 1925, was due in part lished by The Vestal Press. 0 like diabolical monsters. There was, however, one major draw­ strument called TheAngelus Orches­ to the successful introduction of the The lowly harmonica has been back. The thing was bulky and, as a tral Piano Player, which contained radio and phonograph for home en­ John R. Grant collects and restores IIII!IIIII automated, and so have the world's consequence, took up far too much brass organ reeds, could play solo tertainment. Then came the crash, old-fashioned player pianos, organs largest pipe organs. The list of "self­ room. And so, after a great deal of as well in concert with a piano. and who knows how many old player and similiar musical devices. Most of players" also includes, but is not trial and error, the "player" was The music was sweet-at first; but pianos were broken up to keep the his spare time is spent in eager pur­ the sugar soon wore off because the limited to, pianos, violins, banjos, packaged in its own special cabinet home fires burning, thus making the suit of information on the subject of ~!I

THE BUSH & LANE UN ITYPE PLAYER board between to keep the creases in order. A decal in BY ALAN PIER the spool box proclaims this. to the the UNITYPE system. One of the factors which continuously stimulates my The valve assembly is integral with the lower front interest in player pianos is the wide variety of mech­ portion of each pneumatic. The pneumatics are secured anisms employed. After nine years in the hobby I am to the suction trunk by a single screw. A simple metal still finding new ones. finger at the rear gives an upward push to the piano My introduction to the curious mechanism of the Bush wippen when the pneumatic collapses. This finger &Lane Autotype player came when a lady in Wellsley, extends 2~ inches from the hinge, providing a lever Mass. asked me to examine and perhaps fix an old up­ ratio of about ~ as compared to systems where keys are right player which she had impetuously purchased at an worked from the front of the pneumatic. Thus excess auction. The foot pump, governor, and control valves stroke is traded for increased force and the resultant in the bottom of the case were conventional and I was power equals that of a 2 deck system. Tracker bar hoses expecting to find a Cecilian stack as specified in the connect to an elbow at the rear of each unit. 1926 PRESTO BUYERS'GUIDE. Instead, I found a stack with The owner lady decided to undertake the restoration a single deck of pneumatics,. each only ~ inch wide. I of her piano in steps, so J rebuilt the foot pump and am familiar with 2, 3, and even 4 deck player stacks. governor, replacing supply hoses in the process. At This is my first experience with a single stack. this point the piano began to play reasonably well, so To compensate for the small area of the pneumatic I haven't rebuilt the stack yet. However, I noticed (2 square inches), the open span has been made l~· that several non-functioning pneumatic units had been inches, or about twice what you find in a 2 deck stack. included on the stack as spares and I obtained permis­ Two accordian folds are used with a perforated internal sion to take one home for inspection. UN' TYPE PLAYER PIANO PNEUMATJC BUSH f LANE PIANO VfNT

sucrlON

Sflcru'N ~~-~....

LSICNAl t SICNAL CONVENTIONAL VALVE CE'NTEIt • vrNT VALVE fl1 PN(UMAT'C CONNlCT3 TO CHAMIER rAlTHEST rROM POUCH PNEUMATIC CONNECTS TO CENTRA l CHAMBER 1

ACCORD'AH BOARD~------...... _~ 4000. ______SLOT rROM vALVr --...... ~ TO PHlflMATIC ... --~--~ WIP'IN r'NGrR~ S" STROkE +0-__...., t:::::------. . ...t...L:.!.J\ W --= --:: :=::::::::::::--- -- ~-lI'""'IlI!'~_:::::--'-..:::::~::~-..:.__~__------:=~ --~-- ~""~ '-'TRACkf:R ------...... ~~ BAR CONNECTION-----.,.

I Ii .. i 1.J. i-'''! PORT TO VAC LJUM ~RUNK ~GJ.! I ~UCH ~-- -, ,0 I. I TO VACIJVM TRUNK II@)

MOUNTING 5URfACE

CARDBOARD SIDES I...... ---.--'1,.-~ DRAWN BY ~ P..... 11-5-'7. THE AMICA BULLETIN JUNE, 1975 PAGL 11.)

I removed the cardboard sides of the valve and found that the valve stem is riveted to the pouch. The RESTORATIor~ OF Af1PICO PUMP CO~NECTING RODS valve travel measured only .010 inch. When I completed BY THOMAS E, KIMBLE tracing all the~pneumatic passages I realized that the valve design is quite unconventional. To illustrate How often have you heard an otherwise-acceptable the difference between the Unitype center-vent valve Amplco performance spoiled by a knocking or squeaking and the conventional valve style, I have drawn two pump? It doesnlt take much noise to make one constantly schematic representations. These two cross sections are aware of mechanical contraptions at work. Although live drawn to illustrate the principles of operation and restored many Ampicos, only recently have I tried tc don't represent any actual player designs. analyze the functional problems associated with the One thing seems certain: the rivited assembly and ubiquitous con rod. The theory of its operation is small travel of the Unitype valve will make it diffi­ obvious enough: cult to rebuild. Fortunately, the valve leathers in my The con rod bushing holes are exposed on their sample are in fine condition so I expect I can get by inner sides by a slot which passes through the length with simply blowing out the dirt. The old pneumatic of the rod. The slot contains two loose wooden pieces cloth is a bit stiff and I will suggest to the owner which fill in the exposed sides of the bushings, plus that we replace it with Polylon. I will have to be a spring-loaded wedge in the center to preload the two careful to sandpaper very lightly when cleaning off pieces against their shafts. the old cloth or critical dimensions may be changed. The usual advice for restoring this assembly in­ Also, I may have to make a special fixture to insure volves renewing the bushing cloth and replacement of the internal accordian board gets properly centered the original coil springs with somewhat stiffer ones when I glue on the new cloth. to assure that the preloading devices will perform This Bush &Lane upright has one other curious effectively. Finally, one can work graphite into the feature which deserves mention. The piano plate is inner surfaces of the bushings to rel ieve friction be­ similar in design to a grand piano plate. The back of tween the bushings and shafts. Sounds like an accept­ the piano has no wooden columns. Instead, a laminated able procedure, doesn1t it? curved WOOden rim encompasses the sound board like a A restoration performed in this manner will produce grand. A brace on the plate casting runs directly over silent pump operation for about two weeks of hard use-­ -- the treble hammers, making it impossible to insert then trouble starts. first come almost imperceptible tuning mutes. I had to remove the piano action and squeaks, which after a few more hours of operation be­ pluck these strings for tuning. Does anyone have a come loud squeaks, finally accompanied by knocking. The better method? sequence of occurrences producing this result starts The effect of haVing a grand type plate in this up­ with disappearance of the graphite into the body of the right is to increase the exposure of the sound board. I bushing cloth. Then the unlubricated bushing fibers am not prepared to say this actually improves the tone work against their shafts in violin-bow fashion, pro­ or volume, but it is a good sounding piano and it ducing squeaks. Finally, the resultant high friction, should be better if we ever get it up to concert pitch. aggravated by the new stronger springs, produces jerk­ I would be interested in corresponding with any Ing motions in the crank bearing block, which are heard reader who has or knows about a similar player piano. as knocks. I assumed that the Ampico con rod was just a lousy design, and built a couple of alternative arrangements. These donlt bear discussion here, but I finally return­ ed to the original rods, adopting the philosophy that t the original design must have worked well, or it wouldnlt have been produced unchanged for so many years. Here1s a procedure for restoring the little devils to

BURNISH SURFACES CLOTH LINE

USE ORIGINAL SPRING GLUE BUSHING CLOTH ONLY AT END PAGE 114 JUNE, 1975 THE AMICA BULLETIN

perfect, long-lived operation: cut--don't tear.) Disassemble the rods and soak them in lacquer Again, pull the strip into the con rod hole so that thinner for a fe~hours to dilute out any entrained oil it Is roughly centered, positioning the joining line or grease. Scrape out the old bushing cloth. Dry out exactly as shown in the Illustration. Apply hot glue to the lacquer thinner in a warm oven, using obvious pre­ the untapered end of the bushing cloth in the area in­ cautions. Then comes the critical operation: replace­ dicated, and pull the strip to bring the glue-smeared ment of the bushing cloth. Please not that this is area into final position. Allow the glue to dry for a woven 1/16" bushing cloth. Common felt won't do. few minutes, and trim off excess cloth and glue with a Replacing bushing cloth is easy if one uses this sharp knife, using alight sawing motion. No glue may technique: Cut a strip of the cloth 1-5/~' wide and be applied to the inboard-side of the bushing. If the about 5" long. Then cut a long triangle off of one side bushing is glued around it~ entire circumference, it of the strip, starting at the center of one end and will resist the functionin~ of the wedge-loading system terminating along one side at a point about 2" from the and malfunctions are virtually guaranteed. beginning of the cut. Pull the tapered end of the strip Apply a light film of common brown grease to the through the con rod hole until the sides of the cloth bushing surfaces. It wi 11 remain at the bearing inter­ just come around and meet. Make a mark on the tapered face without penetrating the bushing cloth. Common side of the cloth at its point of entry into the hole, grease won1t react with hide glue. Other types of remove it, and cut the entire strip to the width indi­ grease and glue, such as silicone grease and Elmer1s, cated by the position of the mark. (Bushing cloth is may not perform satisfactorily. normally torn to width, producing fuzzy edges which Reassemble the pump and finally install the pre­ interweave at the joining line upon installation. In loading mechanisms with their original springs. this special Instance we don1t want this to happen, so Enjoy the silence.

CONTRIBUTED BY TERRY SMYTHE COLLECTOR'S ITEM THEWINNIPEGTRmUNE A SOUTHAM NEWSPAPER PnRled and published «Uily e.«Pt Sunday by Soulham Prt>u I.Jnvted. at 2S7SmithStret>l,Wuuuprg.MaMolw A. RONALD WILLIAMS TOM GREE~ . Publisher Editor Music box nostalaic "Idey. Jo_ry ~•• 1975 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY, JANUARY 25,1915 CONTRUBUTED BY TERRY SMYTHE N£WS11JM: SOME CDN.fORC.ES'8ANDS TO BE PISBANDED.----.. I wonder why it is music boxes into their own and were incorpo­ have such a plaintive sound. No rated in alI maMer of items such as matter how jolly the melody. the cane tops, jewelry and snuff boxes. rendition is always sad and nos­ After that, the history was one of talgic. Nothing else evokes the steady technological improvement. spirit of the past so effectively and The first changeable cylinder ap­ yet the great age of the music box peared in 1850. In 1869, we were was relatively brief. nearly pitchforked into the modern We first hear of musical watches age by a patented device developed made in Switzerland in 1789 and in by Frank Kullrich, which would less than 90 years, Edison had in· ,how a series of pictures through a vented his speaking machine deal­ built-in aperture, synchronized in ing the important music box in­ time with the music. There is no ev­ dustry a blow from which it never idence that this primitive. television recovered. ever actually came on the market. In 1879, Paillard of Geneva. one of the truly great names in music By JOHN HEARN boxes, arranged a series of dif­ ferent cylinders on a single rotating ;;haft so that a number of melodies It must be remembered that could be played on the same those early models were far more machine. This would have been a than novelties for the amusement major breakthrough had it not been of children, they were, in fact. the for Edison's invention which ap­ only devices which existed at that peared around the same time. In time for bringing recorded music 1886 came the disc-actuated music into the home. box. The first electrically driven The industry was originally an model appeared in 1890 and. in 1892. offshoot of watch-making. hence coin-operated sets anticipated the the strong Swiss influence The ap­ juke box in the ice cream parlors of paratus bad to be compact. preci­ tile day: The automatic changer ap­ sion-crafted and spring-operated. peared in 1897 but. b.v that time. The first models therefore were Edison's versatile player wa, built into actual watches as op­ sweeping all before it The mw,1c tional additional eqUipment. so to box was finished but it sfi II remains speak. the ~ost charming and intrt~u,ng . By 18is. 'music boxe, had come of rollcctor's items. . AUTOMATIC MUSIC ROLL COMPANY 'You don't ho."<1; to p"ad t.ee" , P. O. Box 3194 Seattle, Washington 98114 PHON E: 206 - 323·3376

AMR = AUTOMATIC MUSIC ROLL COMPANY --- AM R AMPICO, DUO-ART and WELTE recordings are known throughout the world for highest quality in piano rolls. The paper used, the accuracy, the straight edges, the highest quality boxes, the highest quality labels··­ and now all of our latest recordings have fully printed leaders. We have received many leters --- from the AMPICO, DUO-ART and WELTE owners --- those who have purchased our roUs --- these are the real judges of quality. Quoting from two of the letters we have received: Wisconsin College-Conservatory, Brian;. Gerl. May 20,1975 I received my order of AMPIca rolls in today's mail, I would like 10 tell you ho w wonderful the rolls are. I ordered the Liberace roll (It \' Impossible) to see the quality of the expression coding. It has sur· passed my expectations in every respect. ------I am most pleased thaI The above picture of the little boy playing your rolls now come with fully printed leaders----. the player piano --- is available --, 4 times Another letter: San Francisco, California May 8, 7975 Peter MinLufJ. larger, in vivid multiple color on 8% by 11 I. can't begin to tell you ho w pleased I am with your latest AMPIca inch cover stock. Ideal for framing. you recuts and re-prlnts. The paper is good, your original-style printed may have the lame color..eiC!Yre free with leaders are a great improvement 0 ver other re-cut rolls, the boxes are anx.eurcha~ofj 20.00 or more. Just re­ beautiful, but what REA LL Y floored me was the origInal type paper quest R-200 with your order. Note: this seal wrapped around the center of the roll! _Such.1!.talj..! offer expires after August 20, 1975. If you have not received our lists of piano rolls for sale---send today ••• ••• ••• •••••••••••• ••• ••• for the list of your choice·--We have a Spring 1975 Ampico Catalog OUR MAGAZINE: Automatic Music listing over 170 different Ampico Rolls ••. and now a Summer 1975 Collector will soon be ready. Ampico Bulletin supplement with many more Ampico Recordings. Since our 1975-76 Catalog of Boxes, ~ have a Catalog of Duo-Art Recordings and soon a Catalog of Labels and reprints will not be published Welte Record ings. until this fall, we are sending with each ***************************************************** Ampico, Duo-Art and Welte Roll list a AMPICO: Our Ampico lists contain a large selection of the Jumbo Complete listing of our Ampico, Duo-Art Ampico BRoils -- sometimes called Program Rolls or Long Play Rolls. or Welte reprints. All of the Jumbo B Rolls will play on the Ampico A or B mechanisms. ... ••• ••• ... ••• ••• ••• ••• DUO-ART. We also have Duo-Art Program Rolls sometimes called - d SOME OF OUR LATEST REPRINTS ARE Long Play Rolls. These rolls play up to 20 minutes each. We have on- LISTED BELOW: ly found 2 Duo-Art Pianos that could not play our Program Rolls and DUO-ART October. 1921 Numerical List of Duo- these 2 Duo-Art mechanisms could be modified to accomodate them. Art Music Rolls. 27 Pages.6% by 9% inches. A very One has had this done. All others over 80 play them perfectly. We high quality reprint on ena.mel paper wit.h.cover stock had 5 different Pro am Rolls listed in our last list. 2 or 3 more will that exactly matches the hIgh quality orlgmal pub- ,gr . IIcation. This lists by number all Duo-Art Rolls that soon be avaIlable. All of our newest Duo-Art Rolls WIll have fully were produced up to October 1921. R.44 = $ 3.75 printed leaders. AMPICO 5 of the very late fold out postcard type WELTE. We will also have 3 or 4 Program Rolls---Long Play Rolls bulletins·--1935-39 .. all 5 of these bulletins, exact . . . 1 L' t replicas of the original bulletins. R.27 = $ 3.60 for sale m our mam Welte Rol IS. JANUARY 1917 PIANOLA MUSIC ROLL BULLET- ••• ••• •.•• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• • •• IN. Metrostyle-Themodist. Metro·Art and Song Roll. 88 note and 66 note for use on the pianola ( and oth. ersl 3\4 by 6 inches 16 pages. R-201.=$ 1.75 r ~NI/' REPRODUCER MODEL P The Pratt Read Player master charge Action Company---5 by 7% inches. 8 pages. Describes THE INTERBANk CAAO BAN KAMERICARD and pictures the action. High quality reprinJ. $ 2.00 VICTROLA 21-0"'1 nstructions for"the: Strtting "i.Jp, Ope~atjon 'and care of Victrola 2-10. 15 ·pages,· high -- AMR quality reprint. R.203.= $ 3.00 AUTOMATIC MUSIC ROLL COMPANY ****.****************** FOR SALE AEOLIAN-HAMMOND ROLL PLAYING ORGAN 1938 with 26 rolls. zerox copies of instruction manuals, needs normal restoration ••_. $ 2750.00 FOR SALE: 179 AMPICO "A" Rolls, very good to ex­ FOR SALE cellent condition, original boxes. Mostly classical, Hardman Peck Baby Grand electric reproducer, mid many opera, a few popular. $800. Tom Halterman, 1930's, Serial #113180, upholstered bench, 43 rolls. 334 S. 19th St., Phlla, Penna. 19103. Phone Excellent condition, recently refinished and rebuilt. [215] PE5-7299. Make offer. Bernard Dombrowsky, 79 Redbrook Rd., KIngs Point, N.Y. 11024. 518·Hu·7-9122. FOR SALE: Player Organ, Aeolian Hammond, Bench, two-tone cabinets. EA·20 & DA-20, 80 rolls. FOR SALE: Wurlltzer Juke Box approximately 36 Good condition. Make Offer. Gene Marlow, 5707 years old. In excellent playable condition and stores Marble Arch Way, Alaxandrla, Va. 22310. twelve 78 APM records which move automatically 703·971·1887. Into playing position when coin is Inserted. Model #312, Serial #47255. Also about 60 records available. This valuable instrument has been appraised by a FOR SALE: Seaburg "A" Eagle, late model with highly qualified appraiser which may be shown to reiterating xylophone and soft, loud, medium qualified buyer. Call [408] - 335·5696 evenings or control. Steck Duo-Art grand, professionally re­ write J.H. Edwards, 151 Moon Meadow Ln., Felton, finished and restored. Amplco upright, unrestored. Ca. 95018. Ampico, Duo·Art, Welte and Aeolian grand rolls. Also, A, G, Link A-X, Link pipe organ rolls. R. Jensen, 811 Warwick Ave., WarwIck, Rhode Island, FOR SALE: Amplco "A" 5'8" HaInes. Blond finish In 02888[401]781·2037. good condition, walnut? Piano and player in good condition except the pneumatics in the stack need rebuilding and a minor amount of retublng. Some WANTED: Amplco Violin AccompanIment rolls In rolls. $2,000.00 or best offer. Jeff, Box 222, good condition; reasonable. Kenneth Perslon, 10444 Sumneytown, Pa. 18084. Holman Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90024 [213] 278·7455.

~ . 01 auto"""" ME1{ANisl{ MUSil{ MUSEUM ~ Vesterbrogade I so, Copenhagen, Denmark ~ rr-'\.p . Serious About Collecting? Then You Definitely Need a Copy of "THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS" "The Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments," by AMICA member Q. David Bowers with the assistance of C1aes O. Friberg and many other AMICANS, is 1,008 pages in length, contains thousands of photographs, and a wealth of historical information, model numbers, original advertisements, and other information pertaining to all types of automatic musical instruments. Since "The Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments" was first released (in the summer of 1972-­ with the premiere being at the AMICA convention that year) it has gone through four printings and has sold thousands of copies worldwide. It has been designated by the American Library Association as "one of the most valuable reference books" .. a rare honor accorded very few publications in any field. Your own copy of this hefty (weighs seven pounds when boxed for shipment!) volume is a "must" if you are a serious collector. In the field of reproducing pi~nos you can read all about Ampico, Duo· Art, Welte-­ how they work, when they were made and how they were made, comparisons of one with the others, and so on. In addition, important but lesser-known makes such as Recordo, Dea, Dul.:a, Artrio-Angelus, and others are discussed in detail -- as are regular player pianos an d piano players. In addition you will find a wealth of information on disc and cylinder type music boxes, nickelodeon pianos, orchestrions, violin players, organettes, band organs, player pipe organs, calliopes. and a dozen and one other things .- plus a unique and useful dictionary of automatic musical instrument terms. In short, this is the book which you cannot afford to be without .- a book which will pay for itsel f many, many times over! A copy of the latest edition is available for $30 postpaid directly from the author: Q. David Bowers; Box 1669: Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Your copy will be personalized and autographed to you by the writer. Or, if you live in Europe you can order your copy from the Mekanisk Musik Museum; Vesterbrogade 150; Copenhagen, Denmark. The overseas price is $32 postpaid. Either way, order your copy today! _~,-/.L3

FORSAIE: Wurlitzer Art Case Baby Grand 4'10" with Apollo Player in choice unrestored con­ dition. The case is similar in appearancE' to the piano shown on the front cover of one of the Arnica Bulletins (May 1973). €atalBgaes nBW Available Price $2500.00 and comes with original bench. ROSEWOOD XYLOPHONES Will have for sale soon several other re­ FLUTE PIPES & CHESTS producing grands. Complete rebuilding and PERCUSSION UNITS refinishing services available for all types players. Official QRS Dealer. ORCHESTRIONS FOR SALE For Information Call or Write: SEND $2.00 FOR CATALOGUE REFUNDABLE WITH FIRST ORDER. DE HAAS PLAYER PIANOS 412 WALlACE ST. 11 Maple Street BAKERSFIELD. CA. 93307 ~orgetown,Connecticut06829 (805) 325-4678 (203) 544-8750

World's Largest Selection Of GReissues MUsic Boxes AMPICO I I FllIt~ tAMP 1015 MINVTE WALTZ In D Chopin (OP. 64, No.1) (50602) Played by Eugen d'"LBERT Main wholesale source for music boxes, tAMP 1016 REVOLVTIONARY ETUDE, Chopin (OP. 10, No. 12) circus organs, nickelodeon pianos, reproduc­ (62621) Played by Mleczyslaw MUNZ * AMP 1017 STARDUST (Carmichael) ing pianos, etc. Oller 500 instruments in .(213701) Played by Emse DAWSON stock! Visit us in person or send $2 for tAMP 1018 FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLE BEE (Rlmsky-KorsakDff) (70301) Played by Sergei RACHMANINOFF large illustrated catalogue (air mail postage * AMP 1019 CARIOCA (Vincent Youmans) to Denmark is 26¢). Or, you can subscribe (214861) Played by OHMAN & ARDEN to our next six issues for just $10. Com­ DUO ART plete packing and shipping service for U.S.A. * DA 1015 BODY AND SOUL (Green) (104735) Played by Robert ARMBRUSTER collectors and dealers. Instruments offered t DA 1016 ETUDE in E Flat Minor, Chopin (OP. 10, No.6) are f.o.b. various Warehouse points around (Pt. 1 of 7287-4) Played by Vladimir HOROWITZ t DA 1017 ETUDE In C Minor, Chopin lOP. 25. No. 12) the U.S.A. and Europe. The MMM is owned .(Pt. 2 of 7287-4) Played by Vladimir HOROWITZ and operated by two long-time AMICA t DA 1018 RITUAL FIRE DANCE, de Falla I'EI Amor Brujo') members: Claes O. Friberg and Q. David (6755-4) Played by Artur RUBINSTE N * DA 1019 CARIOCA (Vincent Youmans) Bowers. (0964) Played by OHMAN & ARDEN • DA 1020 THAT OLD GANG OF MINE (Henderson) Mel{ANlSl{ Musil{ (19325) Played by HESS & LEITH IMPERIAL "30's Sounds of the M:>vie MJsicals" Q 204 LOVE IN BLOOM (1934) MUSeUM (08605) From 'She Loves Me Not' Q 205 A FINE ROMANCE (1936) ~ _ Vesterbrogade I so _~ (09085) From 'Swlng Time' ~ Cope~agen, ~ rol Denmark o:.e(\~9\e~e CO \a\oQ Q·R·S MUSIC ROLLS, Inc. '(('..EP Tel. 716 885 4600 1026NIAGARAST-BUFFAlO I\J Y 14111 Now On Ampico

40161 40191 40181 TONY BENNETI MEDLEY FRANK SINATRA FAMOUS MOVIE THEMES 1. I Left My Heart in San Francisco MEDLEY NO.2 1. Strangers in the Night 1. The Shado", of Your Smile 2. Who Can I Turn To? 2. Softly As I Leave You 2. More 3. The Good Life .~. l. [ Wanna Be Around :\. In the \Vee Small Hours of the Born Free Morning: L Nancy .1. The Second Time Around Played by J. LAWRENCE COOK Played by J. LAWRENCE COOK Played by J. LAWRENCE COOl(

Produced from masters on original Ampico factory perforators. You are always welcome to visit our new headquarters and choose from the world's largest selection of Ampico, Duo-Art, Welte, Nickelodeon and Band-Organ Rolls.

Unconditional Money-back guarantee. Klavier Music Rolls 10515 Burbank Blvd., No. Hollywood, Calif. 91601 Phone: (213) 980-8254 Bonafide dealers invited to apply.

BULLETIN NON-PROFIT Ginny Billings U.S. POSTAGE AMleA Puhlishel PAID AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION CAMPBELL, CA 661 Chapman Drive Campbell, California 95008 Pt:RMIT NO. 42 DATED MATERIAL

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