PLAYER PIANOS
REPRODUCING PIANOS o WELTE-MIGNON o AMPICO o DUO-ART o ORCHESTRIONS o BAND ORGANS o VIOLIN PLAYERS PLAYER PIANOS THE AMICA AUTOMATIC MUSICALINSTRUMENT COLLECTORS’ ASSOCIATION
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NICKELODEONS NICKELODEONS BULLETIN
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PIANO ROLLS PIANO ROLLS Volume 45,Number6 www.amica.org
December 2008
VIOLIN PLAYERS VIOLIN ORGANS BAND ORCHESTRIONS DUO-ART AMPICO WELTE-MIGNON PIANOS REPRODUCING o o o o o o
ISSN #1533-9726 THE AMICA BULLETIN AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS' ASSOCIATION Published by the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association, a non-profit, tax exempt group devoted to the restoration, distribution and enjoyment of musical instruments using perforated paper music rolls and perforated music books. AMICA was founded in San Francisco, California in 1963. PROFESSOR MICHAEL A. KUKRAL, PUBLISHER, 216 MADISON BLVD., TERRE HAUTE, IN 47803-1912 -- Phone 812-238-9656, E-mail: [email protected] Visit the AMICA Web page at: http://www.amica.org “Members-Only” Webpage - Current Username: “AMICA”, Password: “valve” Associate Editor: Mr. Larry Givens • Editor Emeritus: Robin Pratt
VOLUME 45, Number 6 December 2008 AMICA BULLETIN
FEATURES Display and Classified Ads Pairing of Reproducing Piano & Organ, An Odyssey . .Keith Bigger . . . .341 Articles for Publication Letters to the Publisher More on the Choralcelo ...... Keith Bigger . . . .343 Chapter News Preserving Our Published Heritage ...... Terry Smythe . . . .344 UPCOMING PUBLICATION Leo Ornstein - New Music ...... Joshua Kosma . . . .345 DEADLINES Original Mozart Music found in France ...... Andrew Klusman . . . . The ads and articles must be received 345 by the Publisher on the 1st of the Piano Plays A Roll at Music Festival ...... Sandra Matuschka . . . .346 Odd number months: January July The Last Doughboy ...... Richard Rubin . . . .347 March September Tale of a Duo-Art Concert Grand Steinway D 217715 .Tockhwockh . . . .348 May November Perlee Performs at Walt Disney Concert Hall ...... Jack Conway . . . . Bulletins will be mailed on the 2nd week 355 of the even months. Putting on a Convention ...... Frank & Shirley Nix . . . . 356 Dr. Michael A. Kukral, Publisher Play It Again, Harry ...... George Palmer . . . .360 216 Madison Blvd. Terre Haute, Indiana 47803-1912 Does the Vatican Still Have Its Ampico? ...... Peter Phillips . . . .362 Phone: 812-238-9656 The Craines’ Player ...... Ruth Craine Lembke . . . .363 e-mail: [email protected]
DEPARTMENTS MEMBERSHIP SERVICES AMICA International ...... 338-339 Membership Dues: President’s Message ...... 340 USA Bulk Mail ...... $55.00 USA First Class ...... $70.00 Publisher’s Message ...... 340 Overseas ...... $70.00 Canada-Mexico ...... $65.00 Letters to Editor ...... 341 Renewals – Additional $5.00 due if Obit ...... 365 renewed past the Jan. 31 deadline New Piano Rolls & Recuts ...... 365 Address changes and corrections Chapter News ...... 369 Directory information updates Classified Ads ...... 377 Additional copies of Member Directory . . . . $25.00 Single copies of back issues ($10.00 per - issue – based upon availability) William Chapman (Bill) Front Cover: Pillows Christmas Portfolio submitted by Terry Smythe 53685 Avenida Bermudas La Quinta, CA 92253-3586 (760) 564-2951 Inside Front: 2009 Cincinnati Convention Info e-mail: [email protected] To ensure timely delivery of your Inside Back Cover: 2009 Cincinnati Convention Info BULLETIN, please allow 6-weeks advance notice of address changes.
AMICA Publications reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any and all submitted articles and advertising. While the AMICA Bulletin offers accurate and historic information to its members, the bulletin, its publisher and the AMICA Board cannot be held responsible for contributions that may be considered by some as inaccurate, speculative, or of an OP/ED Format Entire contents © 2008 AMICA International Printed by Engler Printing Co., Fremont, OH ¥ [email protected] 337 AMICA INTERNATIONAL
– INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS –
PRESIDENT PAST PRESIDENT PUBLISHER John Motto-Ros Mike Walter Dr. Michael A. Kukral 110 Allen Ranch Road 65 Running Brook Dr. 216 Madison Blvd. Sutter Creek, CA 95685 Lancaster, NY 14086-3314 Terre Haute, IN 47803-1912 209-267-9252 716-656-9583 812-238-9656 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER Tim Baxter Robbie Tubbs 939 Briarcliff Rd. NE 7405 Willow Alanta, GA 30306-4664 Raytown, MO 64133 404-377-1220 816-313-1075 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail:[email protected]
SECRETARY MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Marlene Beckman William Chapman (Bill) 4046 SE 53rd Street 53685 Avenida Bermudas Berryton, KS 66409-9714 La Quinta, CA 92253-3586 785-862-0128 Phone & Fax: 760-564-2951 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]
– COMMITTEES –
AMICA ARCHIVES CONVENTION COORDINATOR Tom Hutchinson Frank Nix 15361 Hopper Rd. 6030 Oakdale Ave. Sturgeon, MO 65284 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 e-mail: [email protected] 818-884-6849
HONORARY MEMBERS AMICA MEMORIAL FUND Mike Walter Ray Dietz 65 Running Brook Dr. 1250 Lanier Rd. Lancaster, NY 14086-3314 Martinsville, VA 24112-5212 716-656-9583 e-mail: [email protected]
WEBSITE MANAGER AUDIO-VISUAL & TECHNICAL Karl Ellison Harold Malakinian 6 Lions Lane 2345 Forest Trail Dr. Salem, MA 01970-1784 Troy, MI 48098 e-mail: [email protected]
338 AMICA INTERNATIONAL
CHAPTER OFFICERS BOSTON AREA Treas: Maryam Morgan SIERRA NEVADA Pres: Bob Hunt Reporter: Martin “Buzz” Rosa Pres: John Motto-Ros - 209-267-9252 Vice Pres: John VanOpdorp Board Reps: Marvin & Dianne Polan [email protected] Sec: Kirk Russell 631-673-0388 Vice Pres: Doug & Vicki Mahr Treas: Dorothy Bromage Newsletter Editor: Bill Maguire Sec: Sonja Lemon Reporter: Don Brown MIDWEST (OH, MI, IN, KY) Treas: Doug & Vicki Mahr Board Rep: Bob Hunt - [email protected] Pres: Don Johnson - 248-650-1840 Reporter: Nadine Motto-Ros CHICAGO AREA [email protected] Board Rep: Chip Lusby Pres: Jerry Biasella Vice Pres: Liz Barnhart SOWNY (Southern Ontario,Western New York) Vice Pres: Richard Van Metre Sec: Hilda Merchant Pres: Sec: Carol Veome - 773-338-1042 Treas: Alvin Wulfekuhl Vice Pres: Mike Walter - [email protected] Reporter: Christy Counterman [email protected] • 716-656-9583 Treas: Joe Pekarek Board Rep: Liz Barnhart Sec: Garry Lemon - [email protected] Reporter: Curt Clifford NORTHERN LIGHTS Treas: Holly Walter - Board Rep: Pres: Paul Watkins - [email protected] FOUNDING CHAPTER [email protected] Reporter: Garry & Anne Lemon Pres: John Ulrich - 510-223-9587 Vice Pres: Ron Olsen Board Rep: Audrey Cannizzaro - [email protected] Sec: Michael LuBrant [email protected] Vice Pres: Karen Simons Treas: Barbara Watkins Photographer: Nancy Group & Anne Lemmon Sec: Bonnie and Bob Gonzalez Reporter: Jerrilynn Boehland SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Treas/Bd Rep: Richard Reutlinger Board Rep: Alan Turner & Paul Watkins Pres: Richard Ingram Reporter: Jack and Dianne Edwards - PACIFIC CAN-AM Vice Pres: Mike Choate [email protected] Pres: Carl Dodrill - [email protected] Sec./Reporter: Shirley Nix HEART OF AMERICA Vice Pres: Halie Dodrill - [email protected] Treas: Diane Reidy Pres: Robbie Tubbs - Treas: Mark Smithberg Board Rep: Frank Nix [email protected] Reporter: Peg Kehret TEXAS Vice Pres: Charles Tyler Bd. Rep: Carl Dodrill - 206-236-0067 Pres: Rich Clayton - 972-369-0470 Sec: Rick McDowell - 816-781-1965 ROCKY MOUNTAIN [email protected] Treas: Mike Schoeppner - 816-767-9766 Pres: Jere DeBacker - [email protected] Vice Pres: Bill Boruff - [email protected] Reporter: H.C. and Marlene Beckman Vice Pres: Ken Hodge Treas: Janet Tonnesen - [email protected] Board Rep: Gary Craig Sec: Louise Lucero Sec./Bulletin Reporter:Maureen Barisonek - LADY LIBERTY Treas: Fred Wilson [email protected] Pres: Vincent Morgan - Reporter: Larry Emmons Board Rep: John & Suzanne McCall - [email protected] [email protected] Vice Pres: Bill Maguire Sec: Richard Karlsson AFFILIATED SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS) International Piano Archives at Maryland Northwest Player Piano Association President - Ken Double Performing Arts Library,University of Maryland Everson Whittle, Secretary 1201 McDuffie St. #173 2511 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center 11 Smiths Road, Darcy Lever, Houston, TX 77019 College Park, MD 20742 Bolton BL3 2PP, Gt. Manchester, England Phone: 713-520-1911 Phone: 301-405-9224 Home Phone: 01204 529939 Email: [email protected] Fax: 301-314-7170 Business Phone: 01772 208003 Theatre Organ Editor - Jeff Weiler Email: [email protected] 1845 South Michigan Avenue #1905 Pianola Institute International Vintage Phono Clair Cavanagh, Secretary Chicago, IL 60616 & Mechanical Music Society Phone: 312-842-7475 43 Great Percy St., London WC1X 9RA C.G. Nijsen, Secretaire General England Email: [email protected] 19 Mackaylaan Associazione Italiana Musica Meccanica 5631 NM Eindhoven, Netherlands Player Piano Group Julian Dyer, Bulletin Editor Villa Silvia - Via Lizzano, 1241 Musical Box Society of Great Britain 47023 Cesena (FC), Italy 5 Richmond Rise, Wokingham, Alan Pratt, Editor Berkshire RG41 3XH, United Kingdom Phone: 0039-547-323425 P. O. Box 299 Fax: 0039-547-661264 Phone: 0118 977 1057 Waterbeach, Cambridge CB4 4PJ Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] England Website: www.ammi-mm.it Musical Box Society International Smithsonian Institution Australian Collectors of Rosanna Harris, Editor Division of Musical History Mechanical Musical Instruments 5815 West 52nd Avenue Washington, D.C. 20560 19 Waipori Street Denver, CO 80212 Society For Self-Playing Musical Instruments St. Ives NSW 2075, Australia Phone: 303-431-9033 Fax: 303-431-6978 Gesellschaft für Selbstspielende Netherlands Pianola Association Email: [email protected] Musikinstrumente (GSM) E.V. Nederlandse Pianola Vereniging Ralf Smolne Netherlands Mechanical Organ Society - KDV Att. Jan van Hulzen, Member of the Board Emmastr. 56 Chopinrode 25 A. T. Meijer D-45130 Essen, Germany 2717 BH Zoetermeer, Netherlands Wilgenstraat 24 Phone:**49-201-784927 Email: [email protected] NL-4462 VS Goes, Netherlands Fax:**49-201-7266240 Friends of Scott Joplin Email: [email protected] 1217 St. Croix Ct. Kirkwood, MO 63122-2326 website: http//stlouis.missouri.org/fsjoplin Email: [email protected] 339 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Hi All
Hope all of you are enjoying your holiday season. AMICA is doing well with a worldwide membership of around 1200 with everything from player pianos to large fairground organs.
Our local Sierra-Nevada Chapter hosted a musical organ rally October 11 and 12, thanks to the Southern California Chapter and a few from the valley bringing their machines. Organ music was played on Main Street, Sutter Creek, which is a tourist town. We advertised the event locally and had a great turnout of locals and many from out of town. This was the second year for this event, and merchants want to do it again in 2009. It generated interest in mechanical music, many questions were answered, and membership applications given out.
If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to renew your membership for 2009. When paying, please consider including a contribution to the Memorial Fund.
Again, I would like all members to look at our web site www.amica.org. Check out the “Members-Only” section which contains some good information and history: Username “AMICA” and Password “valve.” Karl Ellison, with input from Terry Smythe, has devoted a considerable amount of time to the web site.
John Motto-Ros [email protected]
FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK
HO, HO, HO !!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!
From Mike Kukral and friend!
340 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
HOROWITZ ON WELTE-MIGNON You are partially responsible for my always loved classical piano, 20's/30's ON YOUTUBE.COM intensive interest in reproducing pianos. popular music and music history. I'm also Your interview with Mark Hallenberg in AMICA and I enjoy the Bulletin when I Dear Mike, about your Steiwnay Duo-Art (still on the get it. Just a quick note - I noticed your Ohio University website) got me started Perhaps we can meet at the next Amica comment posted on the "Hororwitz on about 4 or 5 years ago. I now have two convention. I'm in Ridgewood NJ, near Welte-Mignon" video. I see you have a reproducing grands and hundreds of Duo- NYC. few pianos and actively collect rolls. Art and Ampico rolls (more Duo-Art). I've All the best, Tom Turrin
The website’s Members-Only area password will change to “valve” on January 1, 2009.
AIRING OF REPRODUCING PIANO P AND ORGAN, AN ODYSSEY
Keith Bigger
Dear Mike, President. The Club itself set on grounds I was reading the review of the new owned by the Lake Placid Company, in CD, "The Perfect Combination" by Jim which he was chief stockholder. In short, Riggs in the August/September 2008 he controlled it all, even though owner- edition of the Bulletin, (published by ship papers may not have identified him Robin Pratt). I was struck by the sentence that way. on page 236, "I'm shocked it hasn't been “I believe your Ampico was located in done (in any big way) before." He is the Agora Theater on the Club grounds, speaking of his pairing of Wurlitzer organ the same theater which housed the Club's Ampico and reproducing piano. $30,000 (Austin) organ. That is the subject of my story. “Dewey was absolutely adamant about In 1984 I purchased my 1924 Haines the kinds of music played at the Club. I Bros. Ampico A Reproducing Piano from feel comfortable telling you no jazz or a man in Windsor, NY. He told me he popular music was allowed, unless it was acquired it from an estate sale of the two the kind of music people could dance to grand-daughters of Melvil Dewey, (1861- while not holding each other too close. 1931), (of the Dewey Decimal System of The Club had strict rules, and the music Library Classification fame). selected matched.” Front cover of Dr. Wiegand's biography on I contacted Professor Wayne A. He enclosed two news items he had Melvil Dewey, published by Forest Press, come across while doing research in Lake Wiegand of the College of Library and Albany, NY Information Science, University of Placid, NY the previous week. Kentucky. He had been commissioned by He wrote back to me the following, The first one is taken from the the Forest Press (publisher of the Dewey dated 5/15/85: Lake Placid CLUB NOTES, No. 157, Decimal Classification), to write a "Your Ampico, as far as I can gather, December 1924, p. 1237, and is written in biography emphasizing Dewey as really didn't belong to Dewey, but to the Dewey’s system of simplified spelling: educator and librarian. Lake Placid Club, of which he was Ampico. After 2 years experience our
341 enthusiasm is undiminisht for this won- to the claim that you are the first one to education director for American Piano derful invention. It not only gives dance use it in this combination.” Company. He lectured widely, gave radio music better than the average but repro- "The first piano, which evolved direct- talks, and became popular on radio as duces with all delicate shadings the actual ly from the clavichord and harpsichord, ‘The Tune Detective.’ ” playing of the greatest artists. We also use was made by Bartolomeo Christoforo in Now, here's the kicker. I also own a it in concerts, where it seems almost Florance in 1709. The first method of Moller Artiste Reproducing Player Pipe uncanny to have a perfect accompaniment playing an ordinary piano by mechanical Organ. One of the rolls that came with it is played with no one near the piano.” means was invented by Debain in "Pomp and Circumstance" by Elgar. So as Paris in 1848. The manufacture in a finale, I set the organ roll tempo to New York in 1897 of the first Medium, and synchronize Ampico Roll pianola with its 65 pneumatic No. 56077M, Four Hands, by the same fingers operated by pedals, levers, title, (a Klavier re-cut made from the same and perforated music rolls, master). It takes a little doing as the initiated this mechanical piano rubatos and retards don't appear in the playing as an important factor in modern musical development and education. The Ampico, the most recent invention of its kind and the Picture of Lake Placid Club Agora Theater photo- product of the American Piano copied from a Dewey biography published in 1932 by Company, as its name enigmatical- Grosvenor Dawe, supplied to me by the Forest Press, ly signifies, offers exceptional Albany, NY possibilities as our Sunday evening The second is from the local LAKE program testifies. With closed eyes the PLACID NEWS, 5/14/26, page 10: istener could easily imagine the musician “The success of the welcome home at the instrument and the happy combina- recital to Dr. and Mrs. Dewey (who had tion and interplay of organ music quite Ampico Roll of "Pomp and Circumstance" spent the winter in Florida), announced in obliterated any slight mechanical element. these columns last week, is worthy of “Dr. Sigmund Spaeth, manager of the same places on each roll, but the results farther comment. The rendering of Elgar's American Piano Company's educational are breath-taking. 'Pomp and Circumstance' by both organ department and often guest of Dr. Dewey's at Interestingly, although I was born 15 and Ampico piano was a remarkable the Club, is keenly years after Dr. Dewey's death, it was he accomplishment. This march, composed at interested in Dr. Van who taught me how to catalog my piano the time of the coronation of Edward 7, is Lier's organ-Ampico rolls. Six original Ampico piano rolls a work of superb effectiveness with a experiments. Thru sweeping melody which never fails to him the Club has make a deep impression by whatever recently acquired a instrument it is played, but the use of new Knabe piano organ and piano gives the effect of a full with Ampico attach- orchestra. The comment of special interest ment.” however lies in the following quotation According to Elaine from a letter received by Mr. Van Lier, Obenchain's book, Club organist, from the American Piano “The Complete Company: 'After talking the matter over Catalog of Ampico with Dr. Spaeth I am able to tell you that Reproducing Piano as far as we Moller Artiste Organ Roll of "Pomp and Rolls,” page 154, Circumstance.” know the Sigmund Spaeth, Ampico has (1885-1965), came with my instrument. I noticed in Title page of Sigmund never been “...became best each case, the composer's name was used publicly Spaeth's book, "They underlined with red pencil on the roll box Still Sing of Love," known as a highly in combina- published in 1929 readable and label. I assumed, then that Dr. Dewey tion with a illuminating author cataloged all his rolls alphabetical by pipe organ. of books on the world of music. His composer, (popular rolls by title). Thus I Dr. Spaeth writings, aimed at the general public learned to catalog my rolls by the Father believes that rather than the professional musician, of Library Science. you have a provided both entertainment and under- Keith Bigger, Organ Curator perfect right standing of all kinds of music to the lay- The New Baptist Temple, Brooklyn, NY man.” (I have one of his books in my 718-875-1858, Ext. 160 Sigmund Spaeth portrait taken from a large poster by the American Piano Company possession published in 1929, see picture). http://www.nycago.org/Organs/Bkln/html/ picturing over 300 Ampico Recording Artists Elaine continues: "From 1920-27 he was BaptistTemple.html 342 ORE ON THE M CHORALCELO
Keith Bigger
Thanks, Robin for the wonderful work mechanism which Wade still has in his you did in getting all that to fit in the possession. Bulletin. Interestingly enough, on our first visit C. Wade Jenkins had been a member of in 1980, we met Wade's wife Rita, who's AMICA some years ago, but lack of funds maiden name was Breault. She had told us prevented him from continuing his that she had been a child prodigy studying membership. to be a concert pianist. As the winner of a I first met Wade back in 1980. AMICA Chopin competition while still a child, she Member Allen Dreyfuss was in the market said she remembered making a recording for an AMPICO A for me to restore for for the AMPICO of the Chopin piece. She him, and we were put in touch with Wade remembered hearing the roll played on an by Harvey Roehl. It was then that we saw AMPICO in a home in the Chicago area. I the 3 Choralcelos in his collection. The spoke with Richard Groman of Keystone sight of it literally haunted me for years. Music Rolls, but he found nothing among the Master Rolls. On my way up to an Organ Historical Society Convention in Boston in the year I would hope the AMICA Board would 2000, I decided to pay Wade a visit and consider including the Choralcelo link on get lots of pictures. the AMICA web site. As I searched the Internet it became Keith Bigger, Organ Curator evident to me that what ever information The New Baptist Temple, Brooklyn, NY was out there was not accurate. I then 718-875-1858, Ext. 160 decided, with the help of Terry Smythe http://www.nycago.org/Organs/Bkln/html/ that we would create a web site that you BaptistTemple.html see here, that would include material that Wade loaned us. http://members.shaw.ca/elnore/choral- celo.htm It was several years in the making, but I feel it was well worth it. It includes pictures I took of two original installations. One is at the Ruthmere Mansion in Elkhart, Indiana, which is played for visitors using the original player mechanism, but with a recycled pipe organ in the place of the original remote Choralcelo units, and the other one in Colorado Springs, (not Denver as our web site states). Wade then put together the paper we now have in the AMICA Bulletin. Several years ago, Wade donated two of his Choralcelos to the National Music Museum at the University of South Dakota. I have included pictures of the early version of the Choralcelo player
343 RESERVING OUR PUBLISHED P HERITAGE By Terry Smythe
In the 37 years I have been a member make available pieces out of their personal much consideration in 1995, he chose to of AMICA, I’ve seen extensive, well collections. This very much appreciated. donate this collection to the University of deserved attention focused on our What is now on our AMICA web site is a Maryland Libraries (UML). instruments and music media. However, mix of items from a variety of our The Howe-Collection is accessible, but much less attention has been focused on members. All are freely available to all realistically this wonderful collection is our published heritage. There have been AMICA members. readily accessible only to the very few some articles and occasionally, greatly In our enthusiastic quest for new AMICA members living in the immediate appreciated reprints appear within our discoveries of instruments and music, vicinity of College Park MD. Widespread AMICA News Bulletins. many of us often incidentally acquire access to the Howe-Collection, for The magic and power of the internet original literature. A good example is an AMICA purposes, will emerge, but not now makes it possible to replicate and upright Bradbury Artrio-Angelus I swiftly. There are some hurdles, such as make freely available, off our AMICA acquired many years ago that had hidden variable interpretations of copyright web site, a vast amount of literature that away in the bottom an original Artrio- legislation, coupled with uncertainty about would otherwise remain hidden away, Angelus promotional brochure, which was the progress of the Orphan Works Act (HR risking eventual destruction by our heirs, ultimately reproduced for all members. 5889) currently in Committee. simply not recognizing the value of this On our web site currently there are All AMICA members are encouraged material. numerous examples of original literature to participate in this initiative to archive Within some 40+ years in this loaned, archived and ultimately returned original literature. An appeal is expressed delightful avocation, a small collection of undamaged. AMICA members are invited to all AMICA members to consider about 150 pieces of original literature has to review original literature in their making original literature available from come my way. About 4 years ago, I collections and consider making them their personal collections. A beginning has wondered why I should be the only one to available on loan. Please contact me at been made. Many AMICAns have be able to view and enjoy this material. I
VISIT THE AMICA WEB PAGE at www.amica.org
344 Leo Ornstein - New Music By Joshua Kosman From: SF Chronicle-September 14, 2008 Submitted by former AMICA publisher Bill Knorp
Pianist and composer Leo Ornstein winsome, rather florid pieces, in which the started off as a modernist wild man in the rippling arpeggios of Debussy and Ravel 1910s, before mellowing over the course veer off in speculative and distinctly of a long career into a hard-to-classify American directions. That gives them an post-Romantic (he died in 2002, at the unmistakable freshness even when the remarkable age of 108). On this inviting figuration sounds precious, and Cahill—as new disc, Bay Area pianist Sarah Cahill tenacious and committed an advocate as makes a beautiful case—if not always a any composer could dream of—plays the convincing one—for Ornstein’s late style, pieces with all the urgency and tenderness assembling a bouquet of short character they require. pieces from the 1960s and ‘70s. They’re
Original Mozart music found in France News Brief by Andrew Klusman The Rose Thorn – Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology September 19, 2008
An original piece of music written by states that there is no doubt the piece was through its archives. The sheet was given Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the famous handwritten by Mozart himself. The sheet to the library by an autograph collector in Classical composer, was found in a library itself is a melody sketch, according to the 19th Century, and then placed in the at Nantes, France. Ulrich Leisinger, the Leisinger, and it is missing only the library’s collection. It was then forgotten head of research at the International harmony and instrumentation, but the tune by scholars for more than one hundred Mozarteum Foundation in Salzburg, is complete. The piece of music was years. If sold, the piece could sell for Austria, which is Mozart’s birthplace, discovered while the library was going around $100,000.
WANTED: AMICA Advertising Manager to contact businesses or individuals who would benefit by advertising in the AMICA Bulletin. This position will receive a percentage payment of advertisements sold. The AMICA Executive Committee of the Board of Directors will set the percentage to be paid. Please contact President John Motto-Ros, [email protected] or phone 209-267-9252.
345 IANO PLAYS A ROLL AT P MUSIC FESTIVAL By Sandra Matuschka From The Newport Daily News, July 14, 2008
NEWPORT – Sometimes something coded in the roll.” Russell restored the piano to its is so beautiful that you lack the words to The holes in the piano roll on the present condition, a project that took him describe it without sounding as if you are right and left sides are the “codes” that two years. Brown said Russell is “one of exaggerating. tell the piano how soft or hard the pianist the best and most knowledgeable people That is the case with the Welte- is striking the key or pushing the pedal. in the field; nobody knows these better Mignon reproducing piano, which this It’s reminiscent of the 1960s and ‘70s than him.” year is part of the Newport Music computer punch cards that predated our Movers estimated the weight of the Festival’s 40th anniversary season. It’s current technology. The holes in the piano at about a ton. A forklift was used not that the piano’s cosmetics are so out- middle are the actual notes played. to lift it. standing, although the deep mahogany It is easy to travel back in time in the Bowerman said the producers of the sheen is attractive. ornate room adjacent to the concert room piano tried to “get every pianist they What is so magnificent about the at Ochre Court, surrounded by the could get their hands on to play for them, piano – along with its more than 2,200 opulence of gild, gorgeous ceiling all the famous pianists of the time.” He rolls of music collected during 25 years murals, a double marble fireplace, said the reason he decided to share the by its owner, Robert Bowerman of chandeliers and elaborate sconces. The instrument at the festival was because “I Middletown – is its history, its marvelous piano acoustics are so good that it seems want people to know that (these pianos) sound and the ambiance it creates in as though the pianist is sitting at the exist and are available to be heard.” playing, recreating its ghostly pianists piano, just that he is invisible, with only You can see and hear the Welte- accurately and superbly decades after the effect of his fingers seen on the Mignon reproducing piano playing its their deaths. dancing keys and in the breathtaking antique music rolls at Ochre Court in the Given today’s audio technology, you music that fills the room. large dining room adjacent to the concert might expect that an instrument that Many of the selections are played by area for one hour before the following played piano rolls would reproduce a the composers, such as Claude Debussy, concerts: Tuesday, 5 p.m., Mozartiad ’91; tinny sound, something like a hurdy- Bowerman said. Thursday, 5 p.m., Saint-Saensiad ’00; gurdy. But you would be wrong. This “The recordings are not always the Friday, 4 p.m., Mendelssohniad ’95; sophisticated instrument, originally built ones people are used to hearing,” he said. Saturday, 4 p.m., Dvorakiad ’01; and around 1913 by the prestigious American For example, in “Engulfed Cathedral” by Sunday, 4 p.m., Tchaikovskyad ’96. firm of Mason & Hamlin of Boston, Debussy, the chords are different. is considered by some people to be Bowerman began collecting the rolls the finest ever made, according to after hearing such a piano in upstate Bowerman. New York, at a meeting of the Automatic The Pianola Institute maintains the Musical Instrument Collectors instrument that is “regarded as the first Association. “The instrument fascinated true reproducing piano, in that it me,” he said. automatically replayed the tempo, The piano has an amazing history. In phrasing, dynamics and pedaling of a 1978, Bowerman bought it from Brown, particular performance.” and then gave it to a restorer in New Larry D. Brown, a piano technician Hampshire, who had it for 18 years. for the festival and a previous owner When the restorer died, Kirk Russell of of the Welte-Mignon on display, Wakefield went to retrieve the piano and explained that the piano has “expression found it in pieces scattered throughout reproducing capability, reproducing the the man’s house, his barn and his airplane pedaling and touching of the keys by the hangar. original artists, many of whom were from “It had been house and home to the turn of the century. mouse and moth,” Russell said, as well “It reproduces the varying pressure as home to bird nests. applied to each key,” he said. “This is
346 T HE LAST DOUGHBOY By Richard Rubin From Smithsonian, October 2008, Photographs by Karen Kasmauski
He lied about his age to serve in Some were World War I. Today, at 107, he says he professional feels an “obligation” as America’s only musicians, living link to the Great Conflict a few con- ductors; they staged Frank Woodruff Buckles was visiting concerts. the Kansas State Fair in Wichita one day “Where in the summer of 1917 when, seeing a they got the Marine Corps recruiting booth, he instru- decided to enlist; the nation had just ments, I entered World War I. Buckles was only don’t 16, but he told the recruiting sergeant he know,” he was 18. The recruiter, perhaps suspecting recalls. the boy’s real age, offered a fib of his “But we own: he told Buckles he had to be at least would take 21 to become a United States Marine. boards and Undaunted, Buckles passed another At age 107, Frank Buckles proudly wears the French Legion of Honor medal, one put them on booth and tried his luck with a Navy of many honors to have come his way lately. boxes to recruiter. He, too, turned Buckles down, 1917. To Buckles’ dismay, his unit was make benches and listen to the concert.” saying he had flat feet, which he didn’t. held in reserve there, while others, under One late night he found himself about to But Buckles wouldn’t give up. The the command of Gen. John J. Pershing, exchange blows with a young prisoner Great War, which had started in 1914, were in France fighting the Germans. over some dispute long since forgotten. was “an important event,” he explains. Buckles spent most of his time in “A big German on each side just took us “The world was interested in it. I was England on a motorcycle with a sidecar, by the back of the arms and read the law interested.” So he traveled south to try shuttling officers, delivering dispatches, to us,” he recalls. That was as close as his luck with recruiters in Oklahoma driving the occasional ambulance and Buckles got to fighting any Germans. He City. Again, the Marines turned him trying to get to the action. “I let any was sent home in January 1920 and down. So did the Navy. But an Army person who had any influence at all know mustered out of service. sergeant passed him on to a captain, who that I wanted to go to France,” he says. Those who fought in World War II asked him for a birth certificate. “I are now celebrated as “The Greatest explained that when I was born in Finally, after six months in England, Generation,” but there were no such Missouri, birth certificates were not a Buckles managed to get himself sent to honors for the veterans of Frank Buckles’ public record,” Buckles recalls. “It would France, where he was assigned to escort war. Many came home to find their jobs be in the family Bible. And I said, ‘You an American lieutenant—a dentist—to gone or their farms in a terrible state. wouldn’t want me to bring the family Bordeaux. He was in the right country, Bible down here, would you?’ He said, but still miles from the fighting. As the “I was lucky—wherever I went, I got ‘Go on, we’ll take you.’” And so it was war wound down, he continued to chafe a job,” Buckles says. After paying his that in August of 1917, Frank Buckles behind the lines. way through business school, he worked joined 4.7 million Americans recruited or He was still there when the shooting in Toronto, then New York City and conscripted for the new American stopped on November 11, 1918, having then on steamships, which took him all Expeditionary Forces. They are all gone claimed 8.5 million lives. “I wasn’t over the world. He was running the now—all except Buckles, who turned disappointed that the war ended,” he Manila office of the American President 107 this past February. He is the last recalls. “{But} I would have liked to Lines when the Japanese invaded the living American veteran of the Great accomplish what I had started out for.” Philippines in December 1941 and promptly took him prisoner. He spent 39 War. Following the armistice, Buckles’ unit months in prison camps. “When I got After basic training, Buckles joined was ordered to escort 650 prisoners of down to 100 pounds, I quit looking at the the first Fort Riley Casual Detachment war back to Germany. He remembers scales,” he says. He also developed and shipped out for England in December them as mostly friendly and cultured.
347 He returned home to the United ago, but he still makes forays with States, got married, became a father and Susannah to inspect his farm and to visit bought more than 300 acres of gently nearby Charles Town. He also travels to rolling meadows in West Virginia, where events around the country, and was his ancestors had farmed more than two invited to the White House last March, centuries earlier. Today, he remains when President Bush recognized active on the farm, raising cattle and his World War I service. “That was maintaining his 18th-century farmhouse. interesting,” he says. “I went to the White He spends a good bit of time in a small, House and sat in the Oval Room, and Hungry for action, Buckles (as a private) was sunny reading room filled with World here came President Bush…and he asked destined to spend the war behind the lines. War I artifacts—including his dough- me, ‘ Where were you born?’ And I said, boy’s cap, letters he sent home from ‘That’s exactly the words that General beriberi, a degenerative disease caused France and a German belt buckle Pershing used,’” when Corporal Buckles by malnutrition, which affects him to this inscribed with COTT MIT UNS, or “God met him after the war. day. Nevertheless, he led a daily calis- Is With Us.” As the last of his kind, thenics class for his fellow prisoners. “I Frank Buckles isn’t surprised to be a Buckles receives a lot of mail from explained to them,” he recalls, “that centenarian. His father lived to 95, his strangers, writing to thank him for his we’re under severe circumstances, but grandmother to 96. “I had been warned service. He responds to all of it, with the you must keep yourself in shape—for by my two aunts, both of whom made it help of his daughter, Susannah, 53. “I when the war is over.” On February 23, past 100, to be prepared—that I was know that I have an obligation,” he says, 1945, they were all liberated in a raid led going to live past 100 years old,” he says. “to keep the {next generation} aware that by the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne “I see no reason why I shouldn’t live to we had a World War I.” Division. Frank Buckles was then 44 115.” years old. Buckles stopped driving a few years
ALE OF A DUO-ART CONCERT GRAND T STEINWAY D 217715 By Tockhwockh (Continued from AMICA Bulletin, vol. 44, no. 3, June- July 2007, pp. 115-126. and vol. 45, no. 2, April-May 2008, pp. 95-100.)
By Way of Review One might have thought that after parts to repair them). It could be like This project to restore one of the the merger, Aeolian/American would having the ultimate Concertola, and original ten Steinway concert grand Duo- have put B drawers in everything they cheaper than buying new rolls – much Arts has only been possible because had. It certainly would have been cheaper. Those are real points. So why AMICA exists. The top action was what cheaper than extending cases. It would bother building an antiquated pneumatic started this project. Mel Septon (Chicago have been cheaper than re-extending the system with very questionable re-sale AMICA) had offered me one of those one we got – much cheaper. It would value? electric, long-play Duo-Art top actions at have been easier for Aeolian to regulate If all I wanted was the music, I’d have the 2004 Denver convention. I bit and production of reproducing pianos to gotten rid of my Pianolas and bought a bought. The next question was which match demand – as all the builders of top-of-the-line sound system years piano was to be built around it. Putting it drawer-model pianos knew. But Aeolian ago. They’re really cheap in in an original gutted piano was not an didn’t do drawers – at least not until comparison. They play other option. To my knowledge, they had only really late on. The reason why is a very instruments, and Judy & her friends can been installed in 6’ and 6’ 6” Steinways- good question. I, for one, am glad they sing to me. I could have installed a both too short. I’d already lengthened an didn’t. Drawers get in my way. They Stahnke reproducing system. They do a original Steinway B to 7’ 6” to install one bang on my knees, and get caught on the wonderful job, and I wouldn’t have needed of these actions, so another B was also bench. I prefer to watch the paper move to extend the case. and read or sing looking above the key- out of the question. Been there; done But I’m a hopeless dreamer. As I see board rather than down in my lap. I that. However, a short review of why I it, music is special among the arts in that really like uprights for the same reasons. did not pursue other options might be it exists only whilst being played. It’s entertaining. I know electronic gadgetry is much like time that way. The future really does improved since the first Pianocorders, Why Not a Drawer? not exist…at least, not yet. Neither does and I could play lots of stuff at the push the past; it’s gone. The present moment, Why Not Electronic Gadgetry? of a button (as long as I could get the where music actually exists, is like an 348 continued. . . infinitesimal point, moving on a time- stopped tubing from the tracker bar under the pin-block – a real lap-full when line, taking up no space at all. through the keys (thank goodness) and you pull it out. Pianola music is different from all ran the tubes around the ends through Duo-Arts with long play (LP) top the rest. The music played on a Pianola junction blocks in the treble and bass. actions, which play jumbo rolls, use exists not just in the present; it has a This is the bottom half of the bass a Bodine CAR-2 electric motor. They visible future and a visible past. Right junction block, screwed in the piano and govern the speed within the gear there, before my eyes, as the paper tubed to the stack and expression system exchange using counter-posed cone moves, I can see the next measure (or so) below. Aeolian should have done this castings and a movable rubber tire to as it approaches reality (the line of holes from the beginning. engage them (next photo). in the tracker bar). With a Duo-Art, my peripheral vision learned years ago to take in and anticipate what the pianist is about to do at the same time the pianist is anticipating what’s about to happen. It’s like being inside his/her mind. I can see a pianissimo approaching…a crescendo in the making...a thunderous crash about to burst on the scene…like the approach of the gods. I sit there, reading the music and turning the pages, with my pianist. Could there be a greater luxury? All the tubing goes through spring- loaded junction blocks at the bass and This photo of a complete, very rare, treble ends of the piano. All the original tube-around-the-ends, long-play components of the top action are (LP) Steinway, thanks to Boston mounted on a 4-foot long by 6-inch wide AMICAN, Bill Koenigsberg. 1/16” thick piece of steel which is, in The difference between this piano turn, held in the piano by only four and the previous one is readily apparent. screws. To remove the top action one In 1930, it was generally believed need merely remove those four screws, that the downside of a typical laissez- two spring clamps, and unplug the juice. faire business cycle would pass in 3-5 That’s all. The top action can be years. They always had. It took a while removed and replaced in less than five to sink in that this one was different. Oh yes, I'm not always staring at the minutes. I like that. I think I’m not Even Steinway & Sons almost went holes going by. I can and do listen from alone. They should have done it when under. They closed the factory in 1932 various places around the house as well – they began building player-grands. for two years; and when they re-opened, as I might a record machine. Sometimes Electric Roll Drives the workroom was only open one day a I’m eating dinner, or doing dishes, week – even as late as 1937. The Great or dancing, or swimming, or just Some of the late top actions Depression meant that there was not a relaxing.…It all depends on my mood. had electric roll-drives. There were at major production run of these top By comparison, to me the electrical least two versions of these. One is actions. I know of seven, but I suspect systems, like the radio, are distant and photographed below. there weren’t more than 100. un-involving. The table favor at the L.A. When I first lengthened my Convention was an immaculate 4” high Steinway B 30 years ago, I didn’t have an copy of a Wurlitzer band organ. It original LP top actions, so I gutted an sounds great, even totally real when Ampico B (a tiny “Harvy-O-Rohel-a- broadcast over a good sound system. Try phone” in sad condition) and used its it. You’ll love it! But it’s not like drawer to build what I needed. I actually riding a period merry-go-round. mulched the piano. Later, Bill So, I still play paper, just as when I was a Koenigsberg told me that Dick Kroeckel little child. I still love pneumatic (Colorado AMICAN) had a long-play technology and riding merry-go-rounds. Duo-Art top action. Dick generously sold it to me, and I passed the Ampico B Okay, a Pneumatic Top Action; But Why Unfortunately, this model does NOT drawer parts on to an AMICA-ble B This One? play long-play (jumbo) rolls. It has a GE owner who needed them. No sooner than Simply put, for me his top action roll drive motor. You will notice in this I had finished building that LP top action, epitomized what Aeolian was all about. photo, there are no tubes around the ends when Ray Siou (AMICAN) began Why? or through the keyboard either. The stack making his famous (or infamous – By the 1930s, Aeolian had finally on this baby is above the keyboard and depending on your piano) LP rolls. For 349 continued. . . me, his timing couldn’t have been better. only appeared in Steinways with heavy- shafts run at over 200 rpm’s. Some of his rolls run at as little as 45, duty re-engineered gear-exchanges and Finally, I’ve been told similar and can be taped together with a second cone-governors. Remember, Aeolian Bodines were used in arcade machines LP roll running at about 95 to make a real hadn’t given up. In the mid 1930s, when and military equipment from the 1920s jumbo roll. even Steinway was having real trouble, through WW II in “an almost endless Originally, the spool-box of a Duo- Aeolian, according to Bower’s Encyclo- array of speeds and voltages.” But if this Art LP top action fits into a routed-out pedia, was paying substantial dividends. is so, I don’t know how to find out hollow in the piano’s stretcher. The Later, more questions were raised which, if any, might fit our specifica- arc-shaped cut goes all the way through about how many were actually built tions. the stretcher and back to the pin block. when I bought Mel Septon’s. Its serial Loading jumbo rolls into them is difficult Occasionally, other pianos with this number is 80 points higher than any of top action (and motor) surface, but I – especially really long ones, piled the rest. If the “box lot” theory holds high to the spool edges. Schumann’s could never gut one for parts. On the true, then there could have been as many other hand, if someone really must “Carnival” (parts 1 & 2) is a good as eighty. While searching for the example. replace one with a Stahnke, I am in the answer, I found out that Bodine sold my market. In both our B and D, I eliminated the second motor to Aeolian in 1933, the infernal fall-board (finger-banger) to same year corresponding to the serial Building the Top Action create most of the space necessary to number on Bill Koenigsberg’s piano. I began by tearing the original down build a large, square spool-box similar to There was no mention of its being part of in order to build the exact configuration I the familiar 1920s format. It is much a “lot,” ’though it still might have been. wanted. It needed to match my B. It easier for loading long rolls, and I can If I/we could find out how many were needed to be something Aeolian might watch the keys whilst it plays. sold to Aeolian, we’d have the answer to have done in the 1930s, had this job been An Electric Roll-Drive Motor: The how many Aeolian had planned to build. theirs. I like to do things in a way I think Achilles’ Heel Tells All Thus the motors could tell all. Can they might have. anyone find the answer? Before lengthening the D, I built and The Achilles’ Heel ? hung the new spool-box and all its compo- These motors are truly the “Achilles’ nents, uncompleted on a 4-foot long, 6-inch Heel” of this system. If one burns out, or wide, 1/16” steel backing. We screwed it in was “borrowed” by some hobbyist to run place in the un-re-extended D and his erector set, finding a replacement is lengthened the piano to fit. neigh onto impossible. I’ve tried. This made it certain that, after the The Bodines used in these Duo-Arts dust settled, the top action would fit and are 1500 RPM, CAR-2 gear-motors. The the new long keys would be exactly the shaft that runs the ladder-chain goes 190 right length. When I did this part of the rpm’s. I’d like to find two spares to job, I was racing against the clock. The include with my two pianos, for the next moving vans were due, and this was only guy -- if the oceans don’t rise first. one part of the “D-kit” which I needed to create before I closed my shop and There are many other CAR-2’s gave away most of my stock-pile of around, but the output speeds vary These Duo-Art LP top actions have Aeolian Company parts. The other greatly. The ratio should appear on a an electric roll drive. I prefer wind- pieces I needed to take with me were: a smaller, separate plate on the side. How- motors; I can rebuild them. But they blank drilled out stack, a fan expression ever, on the Duo-Art motors, there seems can’t pull the weight of an LP roll at an system, pumps and hardware for a foot- to be no such separate plate. Peculiar. even tempo. Aeolian used electric pedal box. When we came West, I On the other hand, the bottom portion of motors which were built by Bodine, c.75 packed my “D-kit” with the remnants of the housing is cast so that the drive-shaft years ago. For some time, based on the my shop. Just after we arrived, my body can be mounted in any of four directions; fact that all of the known copies of this gave out, and I underwent three major so there had to have been other uses. motor in Duo-Art top-actions bore serial surgeries (knee, hip, spine) in eleven numbers that ranged within 20 digits of AMICAN Jeff Wood tells me similar months. After recovery, I tried to each other, it was reasonably assumed Bodines were used as clock motors, but remember what I was doing. A year there might have been only about 20 L.P. would probably run too slowly even to under heavy sedation was no help. play Chopin's “Funeral March.” actions produced. It seemed a reasonable Winter of 2008, I finished the stack. guess that Aeolian might have purchased Furthermore, modern NS-type Spring of 2008, I pulled the unfinished a single lot of motors for an initial, Bodine gear-motors are quite similar, but top action apart and began on it in perhaps experimental, run. But the idea are about a third larger. One might earnest. I glued the veneer for the back that these top-actions were experimental barely fit in a Duo-Art; but they are of the spool-box right onto the steel, and seems really questionable, given that they really noisy (progress?), and the gear- painted the steel with black shellac.
350 continued. . . Inside the Transposing Tracker Bar Pictured below is the centre, movable section with all the note nipples. It slides in a slot in the tracker bar. A 1/2” wide, 1 1/2” long, piece of spring steel (not visible) mounted just below the long slot in the tracker bar “clicks in place” to assure that the note holes are in the correct positions. The spool-box ends were also I ran the veneer over the top edge of veneered with Avodire crotch from the the steel, so a metal edge wouldn’t show same fletches as we used on the rest of when the spool-box was open. the piano. Tracker Bar I like the DA tracker bars that have the tracker-ears through the bar. They have an 8/64 screw through the bar to adjust them. Now-a-days, rolls often vary in width because so many different folks have been re-cutting and setting their trimmers slightly differently. Humidity can also alter roll widths. Thus, I like to finely adjust the tracking After the veneer had cured for a as a roll begins. But you need to keep a week, I removed the tape, laid eight coats tiny screw-driver handy – too bother- of Sherwin-Williams varnish sander some for me. I always replace the sealer and two coats of varnish. original tracker adjusting screw with a new brass screw. I grind its top flat, and then shape it into an arrow. I grind its back edge (where it contacts the ear assembly) ovate so it moves the tracker Most Duo-Art transposing tracker ear all the way left or right in a half turn bars automatically turn off all four treble instead of six or eight. This way I can set (or bass) notes as soon as any one of the ears with my thumb and finger as the them lines up with accompaniment or roll begins. This makes that much easier theme expression holes. To accomplish than any set-up I’ve seen on any other this, Aeolian used the same kind of cut- reproducing piano. out block (gate) they used to cut out notes or expression in most Duo-Arts. In Pictured here is the steel piece with my application, however, each note shuts the back of the spool-box hanging on the off separately, one by one, as the stretcher. transposer clicks over. This required building a pair of cut-out blocks with gates that operate each note separately – one set for the four treble notes, and one for the four bass notes. Below are the photos of the pieces of the two blocks before being sealed shut. Notice the odd hole just below the On top is a pair ready to shut. One is expression holes in the tracker bar. This covered with the pouch leather that opens is the bass end of what a transposing or closes the signal passages, the other Duo-Art tracker bar looks like. Original- has a leather gasket cut out and glued on ly, it played only the 80 notes available it which keeps the individual notes Late Duo-Art spool boxes used on 1930s stacks. This was almost every- separate. metal for the inside bottom of the spool- thing I was looking for, except I added On the very bottom of this first box, and as space was at a real premium, four note-holes to this tracker bar so that photo is the leather gasket, the second so did I…except I veneered it. I could pull notes 1, 2, 3, and 4 into play. piece up is the piece to which it will be
351 continued. . . glued, and the next is the inside. Years the Gods” last night – four notes low. old B Ampico, is above, and the “copy” ago, I ground out a spade drill so it would What a trip! And when Jose Bohr plays is below. replicate the shape of this inside cut. his tangos, they really get down ’n dirty. This next photo also shows clearly a tracker-ear with its tracker-ear adjusting screws. As this is both a floating and a transposing tracker bar, this complete assembly also moves to keep the tracker bar in line with the holes in the roll. I like floaters because they seem to be more gentle with the bridging on old paper rolls.
The next photo is one of the blocks, This is how it mounts in my spool- closed. Each block has five gates, in the box. event one malfunctions.
I use grey tubing for components and expression; black tubing for the notes. Different colors help me when This configuration also allows me to I’m tracing something down. Thin-wall add my bass notes one by one. Or, with 9/64 is necessary for the first several Reroll/Motor-Off and Automatic the flip of a switch, I can add in all four inches from this tracker bar; there just Tempo-Change low bass notes without changing the isn’t the space for heavy wall. As the tracker bar, like an organ stop would. I tubing passes out the back side of the The “motor-off” hole on the tracker can choose to add them instead of notes spool box, I change over to heavy wall, bar is “live” during play and “dead” 13 - 16 (one octave higher), or as would but keep the color scheme. during re-roll. I keep it live during play an octave couplet on an organ so that because I can put a 1/4 ” hole in the Vacuum Play-Break when 13 – 16 play, so would 1-4. Need- paper so that it stops between movements less to say, I really like the sound of a To my Aeolianly-warped mind, this on sonatas and other rolls of my own good, deep bass. is possibly the most useful invention in creation which I have taped together but the model B Ampico – especially since which are not tempo compatible. This If you want to hear what a trans- the re-cutting business began. Long rolls allows me to manually change the tempo. posing tracker bar could do in your piano now available have an even greater The “motor-off” hole can also be used (and your Duo-Art has an 88-note stack), propensity to slip than did originals. I as a “change-of-function” switch during try moving all the short tubes between copied one for the D because, with a few play so that the tempo could be auto- the stack and the bleed board over four to modifications, it works superbly on my B matically reset (without stopping) from the left (bass) so that # 1 note is your first Steinway. My version is larger, and has a holes in the roll, as the Concertolas did; a speaking note (instead of note #5). If different rate of bleed from the Ampico project still on my drawing-board. I kill you have several Duo-Arts, you might B, allowing it to play even longer rolls. I the tracker bar “motor-off” during re-roll like to keep one tubed this way – just for needed that. It also had to be in mirror because, when re-spooling rolls wander, fun. You’ll get much more than just low image to the one in the Ampico in order they can cause the piano to shut off C. It’ll sound like you’ve added a couple to mount correctly in a Duo-Art spool- prematurely. The “motor off” at the end of feet to the length of your grand, or box. One might think doing a reverse of re-roll is activated by a lever riding on height to your upright. Word-rolls that would be a piece of cake. But I’m the take-up spool, like the one on the are pitched too high become much more dyslexic. Intentionally building some- Recordo & Ampico. sing-along-able. It’s something other thing in a mirror image and not getting reproducing pianos can’t do. As I am The Gear Exchange something doubly backwards (actually writing this, the piano is playing a front wards and totally wrong from This close-up shows the “cones in the Mozart “Fantasie,” four notes lower than what was intended) is for me a great gear exchange,” which govern the speed of it should be. Very Wagnerian. Ha! opportunity to practice patience. the roll. An “arm” (clearly shown) connect- We were doing Liszt’s “Hungarian ed to the tempo lever moves to the left to Rhapsodies” and Wagner’s “Twilight of In this photo, the original, from an slow the speed down, to the right to speed it 352 continued. . . It is simple, easily rebuilt, nothing to trouble-free. I sanded the one on the D to break or burn out. roughen it up, and it’s working just fine too. A Rubber Tire? The gear exchange is not at all like those common in the 1920s. Adjusting it That’s right; there is a solid rubber can be really ticklish, as the amount of tire in the gear exchange. It’s sand- movement is minimal. Too far either wiched between two 25 cent sized pieces way can cause it to jam up. The one in of steel. Here are two of them. my B has always been trouble-free. The one in the D has taken much more tweaking. The adjustment is not up. During play mode, the arm itself is held finalized within the exchange, but on the tightly in place by a pneumatic clutch at the rod at the re-roll/repeat pneumatics. bottom of the gear exchange. Not visible in Travel of the rod is limited by careful this photo is a rubber tire attached to the end placing of the collar and the amount of of the arm which makes the actual connec- felt. tion between the “cones” while a roll is The Tracking System playing. I placed the tracker to the right of the Hold on; A Clutch? roll-drive motor; I needed the space on Yup. Inside the lower part of the gear The rubber tire, as it ages, can the bass side of the spool-box. It is a exchange is a pneumatic clutch. When the harden and become slippery, and needs to typical double Duo-Art tracking tempo lever is moved, a pallet engages that be replaced. It is really important to use pneumatic. This one moves the tracker releases the vacuum from the clutch, and the correct rubber. Too hard and it slips, bar during play to center the roll. On the then the tire easily slides between the two too soft and it catches. Bill Koenigsberg far right, however, you’ll see a pneumatic cones to speed up or slow down the roll. had the properties of the original which is the same size as the very early When the tempo is set, the pallet closes and measured on a “Shore A-2 Durometer.” model Aeolian single tracker systems. In the vacuum clutch collapses, pulling the He describes the results as follows: this case, it is connected to a tracking- rubber tire into place between the two “There are many different scales for cam from a typical Duo-Art tracking “cones.” This determines the tempo. If the Durometer measurements, ranging from system (which tracks by moving the roll speed is to be changed while the paper is in soft to hard. A-2 refers to one particular left to right). In my application, this motion, the clutch automatically disengages scale of the Durometer, in this case small pneumatic closes during play, while a new selection is made. covering soft to medium springiness of to center the roll. On re-roll, it opens, The components for the gear the rubbery materials it is intended to moving the roll about 1/4” to the right. exchange “clutch” are seen in the first measure. The designation of the scale is With the left roll-flange pulled out 1/2” photo below. referred to as Shore A-2 Durometer. The before playing, this guarantees the paper Durometer device consists of a calibrated will never touch either spool-end during flat-tipped penetrator rod (coupled to a re-roll. Old rolls do not tear. New rolls spring-loaded dial indicator) that do not get any wear on their edges. But, is pushed into a sufficient thickness the left flange MUST be pulled out about (representing the bulk of the material) of 1/2” and hold in place for this system to the rubber sample of interest. The depth work. Aeolian didn’t need to do this. I of penetration after a stop position is do. reached is a measure of the softness, hardness, rubberiness of the material and provides a standard means by which to compare one rubbery material with another. Replacements for the rubber In this next photo, the clutch is material in nearly the same thickness as assembled. the original, but in neoprene, silicone rubber, or BUNA rubber, can be obtained from McMaster Carr, New Brunswick, NJ. You can request a catalogue from them directly. It is one of the best in the materials supply business.” Theme, Hammer-rail, Re-roll, and Motor-off Valves The proper rubber for the tire should reg- ister between 55 and 60 on the A-2 scale of the This is the top of the valve block Shore Durometer. I changed the one on my B that ran the original hammer rail lift, twenty years ago, and has been absolutely theme, re-roll, motor-off and repeat for 353 continued. . . the factory-built LP top action. I say retro-plus because I finally The next and final article will be found a use for all those spare threaded about the fan-expression system which theme-valve top plates. Turned clock- I’ve installed. It will also be the follow- wise it decreases valve travel; turned up about that system which I promised counter-clockwise, travel is increased. back in the December 2002, vol. 39, no. 6. This makes it easy to set the speed for the At that time, I invited anyone to reply to motor-off, the hammer rail, and re-roll. I my plea for more information. Many of like the re-roll hole to take about 3/4” of you did. Thanks to you, I have over 55 paper to do its job. This means a roll examples to work from. playing with slightly damaged or poorly repaired edges won’t suddenly flip it into re-roll. Far too modern for me, it didn’t feel That about winds it up for the top at all Aeolian. I now have two spares, if action. This is it installed: anyone wants them. I went totally retro-plus and built this:
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354 ERLEE PERFORMS AT P WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL Sent in by Jack Conway
I was asked to bring my 22 Key organ played to the end of my three-hour Perlee Dutch Book Organ to the Walt time slot. I barely had time to eat the Disney Concert Hall for their “Toy provided lunch. Theatre Festival” held on June 14 and 15 When asked I would explain how the , 2008. The festival brought together organ works, showing the book, key acclaimed puppetry artists from all over frame, and pipes. One young lady, who I the world. thought might be too small, cranked the “What is Toy Theatre? Toy Theatre is entire book at a constant and correct a genre of puppetry that enacts plays using speed. Some of the boys thought they two dimensional rod puppets in miniature were in a race. Some would tire quickly. theatres. It’s origins date to early 19th One locked up at the top of the wheel and century England, where drawings tried to go backwards. Music books don’t depicting a proscenium theatre, characters, like that. and scenery were printed, reproduced, and I had a terrific time and it appeared sold packaged with play scripts for that the children did also. I received nice a penny plain, two pence colored. thank you notes and a very nice set of This young lady finished the entire book at a Families – including children and adults – pictures of the performance. When you get constant and correct speed. assembled the stages and performed Toy the chance to perform, take an instrument Theatre productions in their living rooms to a festival and share it with the public. as home entertainment.” Over the two days about a dozen puppet shows were available to attendees. They were performed in the main hall and other venues around the hall. I was asked to perform in the patio Who wants to play area where the crafts area was set up. the next tune? Workshops showed families how to create their own theatres and puppets to take home. A cardboard box formed the main body of the stage. A “Penny Plain” proscenium was glued to the front of the theatre. Preprinted characters were glued to dowels for the rod puppets. The organizers liked the Perlee because it looked very much the proscenium they were using for the stages. The Perlee has a key frame containing 22 keys. I took 20 music books and cycled through them three times each day. I played for three hours each day. Or should I say the children played the organ for three hours each day. Once I asked the first child if they would like to crank Jack Conway explaining how the 22 key Perlee the organ that was the end of my cranking. book organ works. When I asked all the hands shot up. I felt like I was back in the classroom. A seemingly unending line formed and the
355 P UTTING ON A CONVENTION By Frank and Shirley Nix
First of all, remember that a costs, and those were pretty high, and they We took our group to a fourth of July Convention is a meeting of people who did rise on us because the Hotel found concert at the Hollywood Bowl, which are interested in mechanical music themselves being charged fuel surcharges most tourists don’t do. We had lunch at the machines. They all have a lot in common, for all food deliveries because of the high Reagan Library under the wings of Air and are friends who often only see each cost of gas. They worked with us, though, Force One. You get the idea. Every area other once a year, so you want to have a and kept things under control. You want to has it’s own unique charm, and that’s what party atmosphere. It should be aimed at keep in touch with the Hotel all along the you want to accent. having fun and learning more about our way to be sure there are no surprises at the Be conscious all the time of the hobby and the mechanical music field and last minute. budget, and figure that budget on a low machines. There is a business meeting to There should be at least a welcome number of registrants needed to break attend also to handle the important issues breakfast, a banquet, and a farewell break- even. You can always throw in another the club has, and that is a vital part, but it fast. If you can throw in other meals, meal or extra if you have a larger than only takes up a small amount of time that’s great. You will probably need box expected registration, but it’s almost compared to other venues. lunches for tours, or at homes if you are impossible to cut things out if registration Putting on a convention is a big going there to visit. Often times local falters. So many things like airline prices, undertaking, but the rewards far outweigh attractions make it possible to make it the economy, health, and other concerns the liabilities. I thought it might be helpful lunch on your own. can affect registration to give some guidelines for anyone You need rooms for workshops, the You need to have a registrar who considering hosting a Convention, and mart, the pumper contest, the Board handles all the registrations, and a each chapter really has an obligation to do meeting, and of course the Banquet. A husband and wife team is ideal for one to so. hospitality room is also a must, and that be registrar and the other to handle the One of the big things is to decide on a needs to be in a location available for money. That makes it much easier to budget, because without that expenses can pianos to be moved in, and easy to find. communicate. run away from you. You have to think of You need a pumper piano for the One thing you need to stress is that buses, meals, and admissions if you are pumper contest, and other pianos in the registrants ONLY are allowed to the taking the registrants to local attractions, hospitality room. They will need to be events. You will almost always have entertainment, and miscellaneous moved into the hotel and tuned, then someone who wants to come just for the expenses. The ones I have listed are moved back to their homes after the workshops or the mart and doesn’t feel he probably the biggest cost involved. convention. Check prices with piano should pay to register. That’s not allowed, You have to check out hotels in the movers and tuners. and you need to enforce it. The only area. You want to guarantee as few rooms If you have collections in the area, exception is if you want to make the as possible, since if you don’t make the that’s a plus for tours. If there aren’t any Banquet open for guests for a price, but guarantee the cost falls back to the club. collections then look for things in the area they don’t get a table favor, just dinner. Rooms should cost $100 or less ideally, that are unique, and if possible, things the Usually the registrar makes the tickets but if that isn’t possible, as close as normal tourist won’t see. I remember for events, the program for the nametag possible. when we went to Indianapolis and the bus holder, and the nametags. However, if Don’t be afraid to check several took a spin around the racetrack. A trip to your registrar isn’t willing or able to do hotels to see who offers the best deal. Our a pizza parlor with an organ was another these things, you can usually find some- last Convention here in Woodland Hills fun trip, the barbecue and cowboy poetry one who is computer literate to do the we signed with the Hotel almost two years in Colorado, visits to various museums of printing. in advance, and they gave us a price at different areas, the train ride in Northern It’s nice if you can get a person or that time and stuck with it, although their California, the zany Li’l Abner theme of group of people to handle entertainment rates had gone up tremendously in those St. Louis, visiting the amusement park in for the banquet. They can check out two years. We were able to guarantee a Sandusky, the list goes on and on, each various entertainers and decide what is minimum amount of rooms, and were one a treasured memory for all those who best that fits your budget. Entertainment given the rooms we needed for the various attended. Make the most of what you have can be a dance band or a performer or events free. We had to guarantee food to offer. group of performers.
356 continued. . . When you check out the bus something easier if it’s presented in a less years, meeting once or twice a week most companies, be sure you are getting the formal manner, but you still want to of the time to produce the Wurlitzer 105. bottom line, find out if there are learn.) That doesn’t mean every chapter is surcharges, and what the time frame is. The mart is another important part, obligated to do so. Plan out what works What is the charge if you are late, and is and the larger it is the better. There are for you, and go for it. We have had many there any gratis time. Also, include tips for always lots of piano rolls, but we tried out favors, which were purchased, and a the bus drivers. (We got hit with here to encourage people to bring other sticker put on them. Don’t feel you have surcharges at the last minute, due to the items. As long as they are mechanical to meet or beat anyone else’s table favor. high cost of fuel.) music related they are welcome. Piano rolls should be ordered ahead You need bus captains on each bus. You need someone to emcee the of time, and watch your budget. (Does It’s a fun job, and usually easy to fill. event. That doesn’t mean he or she should that seem to be a recurring theme? “Watch They just make sure how many on the bus be a real public speaker, just willing and your budget” is a must.) when they leave the hotel, the same able to do the job. Remember, though, that hosting a number on the bus leavings any stops, and You should have someone take notes Convention should be fun, too. It’s a big the same when they return. They are also and write up the Convention for job, but it brings members closer together, in touch with the driver to make sure he is publication in the bulletin. Pictures, too, and the rewards come in the form of the on the same page. If different buses are are important. Remember, though, thanks you’ll receive. going different places then the bus captain pictures must have labels or they won’t be Most important, don’t be intimidated needs to collect the tickets to be sure published. Find out who is in your by other Conventions. They are all everyone on his bus belongs there. The pictures…it’s easy enough to do, and you different, and all take advantage of what front seat on the bus should be reserved may find you make new friends by doing the area has to offer. You will get a great for the bus captain. so. (You can ask anyone to write up the sense of accomplishment when you are Workshops are an important part of event, it doesn’t even have to be a member done, and may even be ready to do it any convention, and the more informative of your Chapter, just someone who it again in a few years. and interesting they are the better. There willing to do so.) If you have any questions, you can should also be one or two that are Table favors are a favorite part of contact Frank Nix, the Convention entertaining also, for those who aren’t the banquet. We are lucky here in So. Chairman, at 818-884-6849, or email him up to the really technical side. (By enter- California because we have a good group at [email protected]. He’s ready and taining, I don’t mean they shouldn’t also of people who like doing this job. For the willing to give you all the help he can. be informative…sometimes you can learn 2008 Convention we spent nearly two
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357
P LAY IT AGAIN, HARRY By George Palmer-Enquirer Reporter The Enquirer Magazine, Sunday, Sept. 24, 1972 Submitted by Ken Snowden The tinkly sound of old time player The surgery here is not easy. Some of rebuilding an upright player. A grand piano music still can work magic. It’s hard the patients need as many as 88 parts player, he adds, has 20,000 parts. not to laugh, or even sing, at the first replaced—transplanted through the There’s no doubt that Harry Garrison sound of those dancing keys. One ingenuity of the head surgeon. is the best doctor in the Cincinnati area for Cincinnatian who keeps the show rolling The sign hanging out from the second sick player pianos. is Harry Garrison, a part-time magician floor level is a hand-lettered proclamation: He’s buying and selling them at a and full-time player piano doctor. He’s “Player Piano Shop,” brisk pace. fixed and sold hundreds of players to a A slogan beneath the shop’s name sets clientele that just can’t get enough of that “I have about 50 pianos here now,” he the tempo of the place in four easy words, old-time music. says, tweaking his auburn beard and and one pun: “Our Uprights Are Grand.” There it is—a scrawny, skinny build- mustache, and flicking his black mop of ing, some of its clapboard hanging loose, long hair back from his brow. painted olive green, its three stories “Twenty-five of them are player adding an element of both figurative and pianos. About 12 are in working order literal color to the quaint décor of now and ready for sale. The others are ‘in Cincinnati’s O’Bryonville. process.’” Nestling between a delicatessen and a Harrison, a vibrant, young 35, fairly barbershop in the 2000 block of Madison exudes projects—“Some are still in the Road, it’s an unlikely kind of transplant back of my head and I can’t wait to get hospital. them out.”
Garrison goes over all 13,000 parts of He is loquacious, almost garrulous, as this upright. Prices range from $650 to if—like a player piano—someone is $1500. pumping him on and on. Inside the grimy window, a sign It all fits. Garrison is also a public straight out of the past recalls the time speaker who lectures on almost anything. when the owner of even a modest shop And besides, he is a magician who was proud to tell the world who he was: presents most of his shows dressed as “Harry H. Garrison, Prop.” Uncle Sam, complete with white hair and The shop and sign keep spirit with beard. the antiquish business of rebuilding A Sociology major, he dropped out of conventional and player pianos, both of the University of Cincinnati in 1957 in his which, like wide neckties and long hair, fourth year when he “just lost interest in are back in vogue. school.” Player pianos, according to Garrison, “My interests had switched to my job were produced by piano firms around at UC as a recording engineer, and to my 1900. They thrived on the market until interest in the antique business.” He is a about 1930, when the Great Depression licensed Cincinnati antique dealer. reduced most music to “Brother, Can You “I went back after nine years and Spare A Dime?” completed a degree in 1968 in the fields of The heart, or properly, hearts of a rhetoric and public address,” he says player piano are 88 rubberized cloth proudly. bellows that strike the blows that activate When he dropped out of UC, the 88 keys. Garrison opened a piano repair business in Harry H. Garrison, Prop., bends an elbow on Of course, there are other bellows and his parent’s garage in Westwood. one of 50 player pianos in various stages of mechanisms in a player piano. Garrison “That was just for minor repairs,” he says. repair at his shop. says 13,000 parts have to be checked in
360 continued. . . “At that time I didn’t know much about Henry Mosler “whose family owns the sub-atmospheric pressure.” player pianos. But I’ve always had Mosler Safe Company in Hamilton.” “By using this slight difference a pretty good mechanical ability. So I Garrison the magician, has an between the pressure in a room and the started to specialize and found that the estimated 1800 magic shows behind him pressure inside, you activate a complex demand for player pianos was in the 27 years he’s been performing (he system of leather pouches and wooden substantial.” started as a kid for family and friends). valve buttons covered with leather, and Now in his ground floor shop at 2020 also rubberized cloth bellows that strike Madison Rd.—and he has other storage the individual notes.” and work space, either owned or rented, It was suggested that since a player up and down the block—Garrison fairly piano works on Earth’s atmospheric hops and skips from one piano to another pressure, the instrument would not work in his sales pitch to a potential buyer. in the vacuum of outer space. He looks like a red-bearded Santa “By golly!” he exclaimed. “I’ve never Claus in a North Pole toy factory as he thought of that. I really don’t know.” busies himself with the hard pump, both at But he gives the impression that selling and at the piano on display. Harry H. Garrison, Prop. has now stored A young man from the Cuvier Press another project in the back of his head and Club comes in. can’t wait to try it out somehow. “Whatever you like,” Garrison says, pumping furiously. “I have it. Prices range from $650 to A licensed antique dealer, Garrison tunes $1500.” up his 1915 Victor wind-up Victrola. Harrison puffs a cigar that grows He gleefully leads you through the ragged as the industry of the day proceeds. barbershop next door and into a back He chomps on his cigar, pumps, chomps, room where a refinished cabinet of a 1926 pumps, chomps—and the tinkly, pizzicato Steinway electric-reproducing grand sound of old time music fills the dim lit player piano gleams with polish. The guts rooms of the shop. are being reassembled in the handsome The guts of the many players under case. renovation sprawl around the rooms of the “That’ll cost $6500 when it’s all small shop, including many sets of 88 finished,” he says. “Brand new in 1926 it spaghetti-like tubes that feed the 88 keys sold for $5200.” of a player. They look like some massive Italian main course. The “Player Piano Shop,” in fact, looks like what such a shop should look like—something run by a benevolent Scrooge, miserly in his protection of the past, but finally ebullient in his gift to the present. Garrison lives upstairs in an apart- ment on the second and third floors of the building, surrounded by his collection of art, both minor and major pieces. “He’s not a very significant part of this room,” Garrison says of a Pan-like A grand player piano that cost $5200 brand figure on a pedestal in his living room. new in 1926 will sell for $6500 today—newly “I’ve never taken the time to research his repaired. history in the world of mythology or Then he plops himself on his back literature. I don’t even know who he is.” beneath the grand, auto mechanic style, But he takes pride in other items in and points out some of the 20,000 pieces the room, including a bas-relief by that make the piano work. Clement Barnhorn (a Cincinnati sculptor “A player piano works on atmos- who once was a member of the Art pheric pressure,” he explains. “It does so Academy faculty) and an 1873 painting by by creating inside its chamber a
361 OES THE VATICAN STILL HAVE D ITS AMPICO? By Peter Phillips From Australian Collectors of Mechanical Musical Instruments-Bulletin 148-August 2008
Sydney residents will no doubt remember World Youth Day, The Knabe Ampico in the an event that took over the city in July. Pope Benedict was the Vatican main draw card, who we learned through the media is a fine “The Vatican is a vast palace pianist (likes to play Bach and Mozart), and who also loves cats. connected with St. Peter’s in I therefore fell to wondering about the Ampico piano that was Rome, the official residence of the purchased for Pope Pius XI. Given that the Vatican rarely sells Pope, the head of the Catholic anything, perhaps it’s still there. According to Ampico, the Church. It contains great salons of Vatican first purchased a Knabe piano for Pope Leo XIII (1810- state, chapels, halls of audience, 1903, Pope 1878-1903), as evidenced by this extract from an offices of administration of the Ampico magazine (date uncertain, suspect 1922): great business of the Church, gal- A Tribute of Leo XIII to the Knabe leries containing priceless treasures “During the reign of Leo XIII, a Knabe was placed in the of art, one of the greatest and most Vatican at the direction of the Pontiff, and William Knabe & valuable libraries in the world, and Company were created Pontifical Purveyors by Appointment with the private apartments of his the right of using a plate bearing the coat of arms of His Holiness. Holiness. This signal honor is now renewed with the presence of There are many pianos the Knabe Ampico in the private apartments of Pius XI.” scattered throughout this vast The same magazine makes much of supplying a Knabe structure, instruments that are never opened, merely there in Ampico to the Vatican, “under orders from Pope Pius XI”. The fulfillment of formal and meaningless agreements, signifying magazine’s front cover features the Pope’s photo (see right), and nothing for the very reason that they are never opened and never those below show the instrument’s arrival and location. heard. With the Knabe Ampico it is Different The instrument recently installed in the Vatican was placed at the request of His Holiness in his private sitting room. The Pontiff’s choice of the Knabe Ampico was made on the recommendation of personal friends whose judgement he trusted. The first instrument sent was destroyed in a railway accident, but the second made the journey without mishap. Cardinal also an Ampico Owner Papal Secretary of State, Cardinal Casparri, was enthralled at its beauty, and at once ordered an instrument for himself. A The article accompanying these and other photos is extraor- Knabe Ampico, specially selected, was accordingly sent to dinarily glowing and long, so the following are edited extracts I Rome, and is now in the palace of his Eminence, a genuine music thought to be the most interesting… lover.”
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362 T HE CRAINES’ PLAYER By Ruth Craine Lembke Special to The Sentinel
Hi Mike, Although I was only 10 years old, my This is from the Milwaukee Sentinel, dated sense of importance and feeling of 2-12-80. It was in a book that belonged to maturity grew as I pulled the roll of music good friend and long time AMICA member from the box and put it in the slot while (now deceased), Roger Burgoon of Hazel followed every move I made. Statesboro, Georgia. Roger had owned a Transfixed by the little holes in the roll, Kimball player as a teenager in the late Hazel jumped on the piano bench when 1940’s. Maybe you can use this. the first chord blared forth. She tried to Take care, read the words to “When It’s Springtime David Openheim in the Rockies” as they appeared on the right hand side of the roll, but they came too fast for her to read. She sang a few House was too small for all the chords behind, but happy. neighbors who wanted to hear it. “Play another,” she kept saying as we rewound each roll. Two hours later A crowd gathered on the sidewalk. Hazel’s mother came to the door to pick Cars shrieked to a halt in the middle of the her up, but she didn’t leave until she, too, 2400 block on N. 37th St. in Milwaukee, had heard the player. Oct. 20, 1978. Mouths gaped and eyes Because the house was too small to bulged as all watched the old player piano hold all the neighbors who wanted to see, dangle from a derrick erected in front of hear and play “Craines’ player,” we the Craines’ house. Children held their devised a system of opening the windows breath as the venerable piano glided from and doors when we played it. The sound the second story down to the waiting of player music rippled out and rolled the Not only did it entertain, it brought truck. length of the city block. Our house was relatives to our house who had not been Not a scratch marred the dark just in the middle. No one ever around for years. They began to come mahogany finish. Who could guess by complained about the music, but often frequently, and always spent much time at appearances that it had lived 57 years at requests came for us to play it. Everyone the piano. Mother was happy about this, that address? Now sold, it was to begin a smiled when the music floated along the for she loved to have family about, what- new life in another place where it would street. ever the reason for their coming. be loved as much as it had been here. My parents were frugal and I have In winter we warmed up by pumping From the day in 1920 when Olive and often wondered what transpired during the the pedals as we played. When Mother George Craine purchased her as a surprise sale of the piano to them. Mother quoted and Father had important discussions they for their daughters, Florence and Ruth, the the salesman as saying, “The family that didn’t want us to hear, they said, “Girls, piano was a celebrity. At a cost of $500, a sings together stays together.” That must we’d like to hear some music,” and off we smart price in those difficult days, the have been the magic that convinced would run to the parlor, delighted with the player was the biggest and most expensive them to purchase it. As soon as the new excuse to play and sing. item in the house. possession stood in the parlor, Father On occasions when Mother felt Immediate popularity came with her. decided to confiscate the old phonograph. Neighbors whose names we scarcely knew There wasn’t room for both. We had had depressed, she’d say, “Girls, I feel the rang our bell. the Edison phonograph since I could need of whistling. Will you play, “’O Sole remember. It was a task to dust the big Mio?” Away we went to begin a nice long “May I see the player?” asked the girl session with our favorite companion, the from the corner. She wore her pink hair black horn that protruded above the arm, player. Soon Mother was whistling and bow neatly arranged in one of the new which in turn rested on the cylinder happy once more. brass barrettes. She had long white records. We gave the machine and all the stockings and black patent leather shoes cylinder Edison records to our country Special days like birthdays, with a strap fastened with a button. Hazel friends in Rubicon. Christmas, Easter or any day that we had came in and stood in awe before the With the piano filling our lives, we extra money to buy a piano roll, we did. player, which filled our small parlor and never missed the old phonograph. That We’d hurry home with the new roll, eager dwarfed all the other furniture in the room. player had side effects that fascinated us. to play it. Father preferred marches and he 363 continued. . . bought all of John Philip Sousa’s music. 10 hours of work and slipped out the and youth. No one ever entered or left Mother liked “Love’s Old Sweet Song.” door to see that Ted had a package under our house without commenting on the Florence chose “Bye Bye Blackbird,” his arm. No one could miss guessing that wonderful player piano. The happiest while I bellowed out “It Ain’t Gonna it was a new piano roll. times I can remember are those when we Rain No Mo’” until the roll tore. We hurried home and rushed into the all sat and stood crowded around it, My cousin Ted who lived in Chicago parlor. He wouldn’t let me see the title singing with abandon. I inherited it .The came to see us frequently. He liked the until it unrolled, “I Found a Million fabulous player entertained our friends in piano, too. About the time I was 18, I Dollar Baby (at a Five and Ten Cent our home for 32 years after my husband worked at the dime store, as we called Store).” We played it over and over until and I were married. Woolworth’s Five and Ten Cent Store. we had memorized the words. Now it rests in a new home where One Saturday night he waited for me as Yes, that Kimball player piano, the again there are young children who love the store closed at 9 p.m. I picked up my only piece of furniture I enjoyed dusting, it. Happiness goes with it! envelope with my $1.80 pay in cash for maintained its aura of happiness, charm
Submitted by Thad Kochanny
364 IN MEMORY
HENRY Z. STEINWAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2008 I am sorry to be the bearer of more bad I do not have any more news, but Henry Z. Steinway, the last information on John Clark’s descendent of the original Steinway arrangements. I searched the family, passed away today in New York papers today, but found City. Many of you met him two years nothing. ago at our grand opening when we had Everyone, please stay well. him and Roger Williams at the store. I can’t keep doing this!! Services are still being planned. Lee Maloney
N EW ROLL RELEASES 2008-09 Meliora Music Roll Recuts www.melioramusicrolls.com Duo-Art Price List
365 N EW ROLL RELEASES 2008-09 Meliora Music Roll Recuts www.melioramusicrolls.com Welte-Mignon Price List
Ampico Price List
366 N EW ROLL RELEASES www.gnaw-vol-ty.com
To those who thought ragtime was a The piece starts out dead music, I invariably answer "why no, with a tribute to the in fact, it's Alive and Well! That answer Indians; first inhabitants was the impetus to title a rag, representa- in this land. The second tive of the rags that are written today. strain heralds the arrival Alive & Well is a rare combination of of the white man, with a pianistic- all of his hopes, dreams style rag, and aspirations. The with the introduction to the trio form and represents both the great quality of stampeding herds of an Arthur buffalo and the conflicts Pryor-style that resulted from the US expansion into the west- concert Andrew Lloyd Weber's The Phantom of ern territory. In the Trio, a peaceful rela- band rag; the Opera, operas such as I, Pagliacci and tionship between red man and white man, particular- Magic Fire Music from Die Walkyrie are a musical ly in the cheerfully desecrated with typical ragtime truce is last strain, where the tempo slows dramat- irreverence. ically and a counter-melody is heard. heard. The Final strain Each Black Rats Jubilee March: realizes a roll is This march was composed to honor modern $18.00 the memory of several domestic all-black west, postpaid rats that I where one within the owned: is only continen- the most limited by tal US, intelli- their abili- Hawaii, gent, ty to dream and realize their goals, regard- Alaska, affection- less of their ethnic backgrounds. APO, ate and FPO and International Orders require playful That Phantom of the Opera, A Ragtime extra postage. Please e-mail us for quote: animals I Nightmare: [email protected] ever had During the original ragtime era, These are our 4 new releases and as pets. (1897-1917), to parody what were consid- already reviews have come in: The first and second strains have a playful ered the sacred strains of serious music, Famous Ragtime Piano Player and lightness about them; the Trio alludes to operatic themes, was a common practice Expert Dick Zimmerman had this to say them being called "little black ninjas" by amongst ragtime composers. It was that about That Phantom of the Opera, A their breeder. era's equivalent of what would be known Ragtime Nightmare “It’s a terrific rag as "jazzin' up" a classical theme in years Two of them were purchased from a with a killer arrangement…a “must have” to come; much to the disdain of serious Japanese show rat breeder; hence the for all piano roll collectors.” Japanese march quality annunciated in the "high-class" musicians and aficionados. Mechanical Musical Instrument Trio section. That Phantom of the Opera, A Rag- Collector JU: “Wish that you would make time Nightmare (1992) not only contin- Of the many marches penned by me rolls out of every one of your ues in this less than charming tradition, since I was 14 years of age, this is the first compositions… you are the greatest…” to be committed to perforated paper roll. but I have also chosen to "ragify" only the most poignant and emotionally-charged You can hear samples of each roll on Legends of the West, Ragtime Intermezzo: themes of certain operas I knew- gleefully our web site and purchase them in our This composition is a descriptive rag stringing them together in this parody to on-line store: that tours the progression of America's end all operatic parodies. Themes which www.Gnaw-Vol-ty.com expansion westward. are musically murdered in the tradition of Roll Quantities are Limited – Order Today truly "tragic" opera include quotes from
367 PLEASE VISIT THESE SUPPLIERS OF RECUT ROLLS
Rob Deland: Blues Tone Rolls Joyce Brite: Player Piano & Musical Music Exchange www.bluesrolls.com http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/ [email protected] http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/rollpage.htm Phone: (847) 548-6416 Tim Baxter: Meliora Music Rolls www.melioramusicrolls.com Bob & Ginny Billings: Rock Soup [email protected] 14010 Rim Rock Drive, Reno, NV 89521 [email protected] Phone: (775) 853-4659 David Caldwell 400 Lincoln Lake Ave., N.E., Lowell, MI 49331 Phone: (616) 897-5609 Leedy Brothers Music Rolls DavidWFrom [email protected] 4660 Hagar Shore Road, Coloma, MI 49038 www.leedyrolls.com Dick Hack: Hack Mechanical Music Phone: (269) 468-5986 - Fax: (269) 468-0019 2051 Chesapeake Road, Annapolis, MD 21409 [email protected] (410) 279-5859 Cell Days Larry Norman: Rollertunes (410) 757-2164 Home Evenings www.home.earthlink.net/~rollertunes [email protected] Phone: (540) 721-7188 Frank L. Himpsl: Valley Forge Music Roll Company 604 Linnet Road, Audubon, PA 19403 (484)-250-7046 roll shop Don Teach: Shreveport Music Co. (610)-291-1841 my cell 1815 E. 70th Street, Shreveport, LA 71105 http://www.valleyforgemusicroll.com [email protected] Phone: (318) 798-6000 - Fax: (318) 797-4572 Kukral Collection: Welte-Mignon and 88-Note Rolls 216 Madison Blvd., Terre Haute, IN 47803 Phone: (812) 238-9656 Robin Pratt: Artist’s Choice Music Rolls [email protected] [email protected] Phone: (419) 626-1903 516 Pierce Street, Sandusky, OH 44870-4725 Julian Dyer 5 Richmond Rise, Wokingham RG41 3XH, United Kingdom www.pianorolls.co.uk Steve Bentley: Playrite Music Rolls [email protected] 1536 N. Palm St., Turlock, CA 95380 U.S.A. Phone/Voice: (209) 632-5784 - Fax: (209) 667-8241 John Motto-Ros “Nickelodeon Rolls” “A” “G” “O” Rolls & Boxes QRS Music Technologies, Inc. 110 Allen Ranch Road, Sutter Creek, CA 95685 1026 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14213 209-267-9252 Phone: 1-800-247-6557 - Fax: 1-716-885-7510 www.johnnysmusicrolls.com www.qrsmusic.com e-mail: [email protected]
Magic Melodies Keystone Music Rolls 360 Lawless Road, Jamestown, KY 42629 P.O. Box 650, Bethlehem, PA 18016 Phone: (270) 343-2061
David Saul: Precision Music Rolls Gnaw-Vol-ty Rolls 1043 Eastside Road, El Cajon, CA 92020-1414 Stephen Kent Goodman [email protected] www.gnaw-vol-ty.com
368 AMICA Chapter Lady Liberty S.O.W.N.Y. America Heart of Rocky Mountain Texas Southern California Sierra Nevada Pacific Can-Am Northern Lights Midwest Boston Founding Chicago LOCATION OF states do not have an CHAPTERS KEY Currently the rest of MAP of the AMICA Chapters
369 News From The Chapters
Rob Thomas and Bonnie Gonzalez in the foreground with John Ulrich right behind. John is chapter president.
FOUNDING CHAPTER Reporter: Jack Edwards President: John Ulrich - 510-223-9587
The Founding Chapter journeyed to the East Bay home of Ann Culbertson to celebrate her new piano and the arrival of November. The view from her living room includes a hard- ware store, a fast food restaurant, the Richmond - San Rafael Bridge and the city of San Francisco. The sky was cloudy, but the photographers in the crowd coveted being in Ann's home on a clear day or even better a colorful sunset. Dianne Edwards left and Phyllis McCoy Ann just recently purchased a Yamaha with a Disklavier, and it plays very well indeed. One thing that had us all surprised was that it fit perfectly within a book shelf unit that was already in the room. Now, she can read her favorite books to her favorite music. A perfect match. We were all delighted to see two of our favorite ragtime pianists, Frederick Hodges and Nan Bostick. Frederick had to leave early to play an engagement. Too bad. He and Nan play some really good duets. Also on the "where have you been?" list were Phyllis McCoy and her son Paul. It's been an age and a half since we saw Paul. It was a treat. Along with that was the arrival of Rob Thomas. Rob has been a member for a long time, but has had to absent himself for way too long. The business meeting was conducted by the co chairs of the 2013 Convention Committee. Yes, we know it's five years from now, but this will be AMICA's fiftieth birthday, and we want to properly celebrate. It was surprising to find out how much had already been done. Gayle Ellis left and hostess Ann Culbertson Ann Culberson is a wonderful hostess, and a really neat person. All of us who were there can hardly wait until we invade her beautiful home again. 370 ourselves let down-650 feet underground-in the salt mines carved from salt deposits formed 275 million years ago. It is the only museum of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. The mine provides a display area for actual costumes from famous movies as well as other Hollywood movies and memorabilia stored in the ultra secure underground vaults and storage facility. Our Saturday evening meal was served family style in a near by Amish community restaurant. The remainder of the evening was spent enjoying Moller pipe organ music at the First Presbyterian Church in Hutchinson. On Sunday morning Len and Billie Railsback were hosts for a delicious brunch and business meeting at their home. We discussed future meetings and projects. Len and Billie and Tom McAuley did a super job planning an Nan Bostick with her back to the camera, Bonnie Gonzalez, Karen educational and entertaining weekend Simons and Blanche Korfmacher.
Heart of America members & guests prepare to visit the Ann Culbertson giving directions to someone over the phone. Kansas Cosmosphere in Hutchinson
HEART OF AMERICA CHAPTER Reporter: H.C & Marlene Beckman President: Robbie Tubbs - [email protected]
On October 17 we spent the evening in Hutchinson, Kansas, enjoying, visiting and watching pictures from earlier activities. On Saturday morning thirty-three members and guests found themselves getting high at the Kansas Cosmosphere, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. It was awesome to see the world’s most significant collection of U.S. and Russian space artifacts, including the actual Apollo 13 Command Module, Liberty Bell 7 Mercury Capsule, and a flown Vostok Len Railsback drove the tram of AMICAns through the salt mines spacecraft. The Cosmosphere has activities of interest to all age groups. Everyone agreed the tour was an incredible experience. After getting high in the space museum we found
371 BOSTON AREA CHAPTER Betty Golmanavich Reporter:Dorothy Bromage models a glove & President: Bob Hunt helmet once used on a space mission February Meeting On Sunday, February 24, the Boston Area Chapter met at Charles Jackson’s home/shop/museum in Hopkinton, MA. Charlie has a collection of antique upright pianos dating back to the 1870s. This is a piano museum established in 2000 as a non-profit public charity. The collection includes 130 pianos, of which 12 were on special display for the meeting. Space limitations for the museum are being addressed by a barn enlargement project. As the meeting was held in the shop area, seating consisted of piano benches as well as chairs, and the near record attendance result in a cozy time. The date had been designated as the annual meeting, and officers were elected as follows: Bob Hunt-President, John VanOpdorp-Vice President, and Dorothy Bromage- AMICAns Treasurer. The position of Secretary ended up vacant, to be enjoy a filled at a later date by the Executive Committee. Other concert on the recently business included discussion of progress on the museum expanded & piano (for the Charles River Museum of Industry in Waltham, restored MA), possible venues for future meetings, and several out- Moller pipe reach ideas. Bob Hunt gave a presentation on electronic organ. means of preserving rolls (scanned rolls to play on a pneumatic instrument) which brought out a lively discussion and clarification of terms. The usual show-and-tell followed the business meeting, which was in turn followed by a mini- mart with a number of rolls changing hands. When the group gravitated to the house for refreshments, other collections were enjoyed, notably a spectacular teapot and tea cup collection.
Serious discussions take place at the business meeting.
Ed Bordeleau, Steve Bucknam, Phyllis Konop, Bill Koenigsberg, and Merrill Furbush near a portion of the teapot collection.
Billie Railsback & Trudy Moffitt stop talking to pose for a snapshot.
372 July Meeting The Newport Music Festival is a world renowned event with a 16-day schedule of chamber music. It is held each year Charles Jackson among the famous mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. This was its 40th season. We met between concerts on the last day of the Festival, Sunday, July 27, in the mansion referred to as Ochre Court, a part of Salve Regina University since being donated to the institution. A unique piano (c.1913) was in place at Ochre Court and being demonstrated by Bob and by Kirk Russell. It is the Bowermans’ Mason and Hamlin Welte-Mignon upright grand (c.1913). (The following is taken from the Festival brochure.) “Historic Piano Roll Performances As a pre-concert treat, the Festival will play historical piano roll performances prior to and during intermission at seven Ochre Court concerts. This is a wonderful chance for ticket-holders to hear antique piano rolls of world famous pianists in the Library at Ochre Court. The restored antique Welte-Mignon Reproducing Piano is courtesy of Mr. Robert Bowerman and the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’Association (AMICA).” The July 14 Newport Daily News featured an article about the piano, confirming that the opportunity to create awareness of mechanical music was definitely carried out. The headline of the article was “This piano plays roll at festival.” The chapter meeting was chaired by Past President Bill Koenigsberg. A feature of the meeting was rolls played on A part of the group during the business meeting the Welte-Mignon to the delight of the members and guests from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. A second highlight of the meeting was a comprehensive presentation by Kirk Russell. He supplemented a four-page handout by talking about the details of Red Welte or T 100, Welte Licensee (98 hole tracker bar), and Green Welte. Included were details of bass expression and treble expression with a diagram of the holes at the two extremes of the tracker bar.The Green Welte was further developed by a diagram to explain the 2 valve system. The home of Bob and Claire Bowerman is in Middletown, just ten minutes from Ochre Court, and following the meeting, members found refreshments and more Jon Hall and Norm Daly music there before heading for home.
The Mason and Hamlin Welte-Mignon upright grand Paul Caron, Bill Koenigsberg, Steve Bucknam, Bob Hunt reproducing piano, showcased at the Newport Music Festival.
373 Mark Smithberg, Larry Sanchez, and David Goodwin enjoy the music.
Clair and Bob Bowerman who arranged the meeting place and contributed much time to placement and enjoyment of the piano. Bill and Judy Mote tuning their Tangley Kirk Russell calliope. showed two of the Bill built this three types of calliope from Welte rolls he scratch and further described reproduced it in a handout. down to the original lifting handles.
PACIFIC CAN-AM CHAPTER Reporter: Peg Kehret Mark Baratta fills in as an organ grinder President: Carl Dodrill
The Pacific Can-Am Chapter of AMICA and the Carousel Organ Association of America co-sponsored the Leavenworth Mechanical Musical Festival in the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth, Washington, on Aug. 15-17. Record setting heat of over 100 degrees each day did not dim the enthusiasm of members or visitors. Instruments included a 1925 Wurlitzer 153 and a 1920 Wurlitzer 125, a roll-operated calliope, several small organs, roller organs, Tanzbar roll-operated accordions, disc and Rob Wilson cylinder music boxes, a singing bird box, disc and cylinder with his 30- phonographs and a Triola automatic zither. note Raffin. Lydia Dodrill loaned her Aeolian player piano and this was a popular favorite with young visitors. Lydia also hosted a picnic on Friday night, and there was a group dinner at a restaurant on Saturday night. Thirty members of the two associations demonstrated the various automatic music machines. 374 Ron Babb with Ingemar and Rita Krause and the Krause’s 20-note Berlin Monkey Organ.
Carl Dodrill playing his Aunt Lydia’s player piano
Ron Babb demonstrates a Mermod cylinder music box
Dan Brown with his beautiful collection.
The 1920 Wurlitzer 125 was restored by the Whidbey Island Historical Society. Mike Wallace with Terry and Bruce Miller in front of Bruce’s 1925 Wurlitzer 153.
Mark Smithberg demonstrating the player piano
Mark Smithberg at the gazebo.
375 NORTHERN LIGHTS CHAPTER Reporter: Jerilynn Boehland President: Paul Watkins - [email protected]
The Northern Lights Chapter gathered at the home of Tom Kuehn in Mahtomedi, Minnesota on Sunday, September 14, 2008 for our fall meeting. His lovely home is located on Long Lake, with a new two-story addition to house his collection and restoration shop. Tom gave an informative talk about his collection which included a brief history, restoration anecdotes, and a demonstration of each of his lovingly restored instruments. Chapter meeting in Tom’s music room. From left is a Loesche Included were a Bursens 68 key street organ, Violano, violin solo piano, Bursens 68 key street organ, Poppers Konzertist Expression Piano, Losche Coin Piano, and a facade for a DeCap cafe orchestrion. Gasparini 52 key Fair Organ, Seeberg B Nickelodeon, Frati #36 Monkey Organ, and others. A beautiful buffet was provided by Tom and the participants. Paul Watkins conducted a business meeting in the music room. Our next meeting is a Holiday party at the home of Michael LuBrant and Jeff Charlton on Sunday, December 7.
Paul Watkins conducts the meeting. Behind him is a Stroud Themodist piano.
SOWNY CHAPTER Reporter: Mike Walter President:
No, members of SOWNY AMICA did not travel to Ari- zona to see the national baseball team play. What we did, Tom Kuehn with the replica of a Wurlitzer 105 band organ he built. though, was hop into our cars and traveled to Greece, New York, to visit Tom and Chris Cardinal. The day was overcast but comfortable, so we had an enjoyable journey along the I- 90. When we arrived, we were greeted by friends sitting in the back yard, chatting about this and that. This did not last for long, for it started to rain and some of us found ourselves inside a screened porch, enjoying the wet outside and dry inside. Those who ventured farther inside found themselves meandering into the Music Room. Tom and Chris have care- fully designed and decorated this area to display a wide variety of very interesting musical and non-musical devices with framed literature gracing the walls. The piano of choice, for the moment, was an Ampico Symphonique that nicely played up a storm. Made in 1927, this was the American Piano Company’s first venture into making a less expensive grand piano that provided full-sized sound. Next in line was a 1928 Aeolian Duo-Art grand with a dignified sound that was Tom describing a Loesche 2K orchestrion that he is converting representative of Aeolian’s piano output during these “grand” back to its original configuration. years. A 1928 Behr Brothers foot pumper was also in the Behind him is a Loesche flute and violin solo piano. room and played up a storm that could match the inclement 376 weather outside. One particular piece of player piano history Donna was brought to this meeting. One of our members, who had in Stengel, past years worked at the American Piano Company, brought hostess to the meeting the original Artist Contract book that listed Chris Cardinal, artists, what selections they recorded and when, how many Janet & recordings they were required to make, what their royalty rate John Johns was, and other information about their contract. A very interesting piece of player piano history! Another musical instrument that made a brief appearance was a roll operated monkey organ brought to the Cardinal’s by a local resident. I saw it for only a short moment and then it seemingly vanished before I could find much more about it. It sounded great, though. Dinner came much too soon on this day when musical instruments were the main attraction. (The pulled pork sandwiches were quite fine as well as all of the other food stuffs that were brought by other AMICAns.) Everyone had a great time for while it lasted. Unfortunately, evening came and we had to bid farewell to our hosts. Everyone thanked Tom & Chris for allowing us to come into their home.
Tom Stengel, Tom Cardinal, Mike Walter
Representative Page of the Ampico Corporation Artist Record
Monkey Organ Interior Bruce Bartholomew
Host Tom Cardinal and guest Will Herzog
ATOS ExperienceAmerican Theatre Organ Society Preserving a unique art form. Concerts, education, silent film, preservation, fellowship and more. www.atos.org Jim Merry, Executive Secretary P.O. Box 5327, Fullerton, CA 92838 [email protected] (6-08) Craig Smith, Glenn & Shirley Roat, Holly Walter
377 ADVERTISING FOR SALE NEW PIANO ROLL BOXES - Duo-Art Audiographic series - GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT Exactly like the originals! Maroon with Gold Printing, all 3 sizes ALL ADVERTISING IN THE AMICA BULLETIN available! (small & medium are “Top Hat” style) $7.00 ea. Quantities All advertising should be directed to: are limited, so get them before they are all gone! AMPICO “Top Hat” Mike Kukral boxes- Black Leather with Gold Printing and False Bottom, Exactly like 216 Madison Blvd. the originals, $5.00 ea. 88 note roll boxes in two sizes- Large (fits 2 3⁄4 Terre Haute, Indiana 47803 flange) covered with Black Alligator paper (Top), Black Leather Phone: 812-238-9656 (Bottom). or Brown Leather Paper (Top & Bottom) $3.00 ea. Small e-mail: [email protected] (fits 2” flange) Covered with Black or Tan Leather Paper (Top), White Ad copy must contain text directly related to the product/service Litho (Bottom) $1.80 ea. Other repair supplies available- Parchment being offered. Extraneous text will be deleted at the Publisher’s Leaders, Tabs, Tubes, Flanges, Repair Tissue. Quantity Discounts discretion. All advertising must be accompanied by payment in available. Rich Ingram [email protected] (760) 244-0251 (6-09) U.S. funds. No telephone ads or written ads without payment will 5,000+ PLAYER PIANO ROLLS. All in Boxes and in playable be accepted. This policy was established by a unanimous vote of condition. $1.25 each plus shipping Rich Ingram the AMICA Board at the 1991 Board Meeting and reaffirmed at [email protected] (760) 244-ROLL (7655) (6-09) the 1992 meeting. AMICA reserves the right to edit or to REGINA ORCHESTRIAL UPRIGHT MUSIC BOX 27” DISCS. reject any ad deemed inappropriate or not in keeping with Single play, Style 4 (home model), no coin mechanism. Ser # 30787, AMICA’s objectives. Mahogany case, purchased 40 years ago from original owner. All origi- The BULLETIN accepts advertising without endorsement, nal including Mahogany case, double comb and mechanism, included implied or otherwise, of the products or services being offered. approx 25-27” discs. $22,500.00. Page 201 Encyclopedia of Automatic Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA’s Musical Instruments, bottom of page. Joe Uhler, Box 126, Ingomar, PA endorsement of any commercial operation. 15127; 724-940-4331. (6-08) SOUSA BAND 78RPM RECORDINGS: 106 ten-inch and 16-twelve AMICA PUBLICATIONS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO inch (1898-1931 era). All are in good to very good playing condition. ACCEPT, REJECT, OR EDIT ANY AND ALL Many are over 100 years old and rare. Wish to sell as a collection or SUBMITTED ARTICLES AND ADVERTISING. make offer. I am still interested in acquiring Sousa Player Piano Rolls. All items for publication must be submitted directly to the [email protected] (1-09) Publisher for consideration. COLLECTION LIQUIDATION: Estey Reed Organ, two manual pedalboard, bench; Packard Reed Organ; Marshall and Wendell Ampico CLASSIFIED AD RATES FOR AMICA MEMBERS: B Grand Piano; Welte Mignon Concertola, eight roll carousel wheel 1-50 Words ...... $10.00 with hand selector, rare; Steinway Duo-Art XR, very rare Renissance 51-100 Words ...... $20.00 case; Rolls: Duo-Art; Ampico, including Jumbos, Welte, Recordo. 101-150 Words ...... $30.00 Selection of roll cabinets. Call or write. [email protected] Non-member rates are double for all advertising. 304-645-6579; 304-667-9564. (1-09) BAND ORGANS, KNABE AMPICO GRAND, JUKEBOXES, DISPLAY ADVERTISING PLAYER ORGAN, AND MANY PERFORATED MUSIC BOOKS 1 Full Page — 7 /2 " x 10" ...... $150.00 AND ROLLS FOR SALE. Band organs include a Stellemann, 70 key 1 3 Half Page — 7 /2 " x 4 /4" ...... $ 80.00 Hooghuys organ, and a Wurlitzer 125 roll with oak case, and more. 5 3 Quarter Page —3 /8 " x 4 /4" ...... $ 45.00 Jukeboxes include a Mills Deluxe Dance Master model 886, a 1953 1 Business Card — 3 /2 " x 2" ...... $ 30.00 AMI model E, and a Wurlitzer 1015. For photos and information please Special 6 for 5 Ad Offer - Place any ad, with no changes, for a email: [email protected] or call Ron at 404-314-5744 in Atlanta, full year (6 issues), and pay for only 5 issues. Payable in advance. GA. (1-09) Photographs or halftones $15.00 each WEBER DUO-ART UPRIGHT 1920, rebuilt & refinished new Loose Sheet or Insert Advertising: Inquire hammers & dampers, new bass strings, new key tops, pump rebuilt, We recommend that display advertisers supply camera-ready new rods made by Robert Streicher, all new bearings, Expression very copy. Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changed to good. Asking $3500, will sell for $2500. Carl De Nunzio, 789 Lake Rd., correct size at your cost. We can prepare advertisements from Conneaut, OH 44030, phone 440-593-2155 (1-09) your suggested layout at cost. 1913 STEINWAY UPRIGHT pump player with added Duo Art PAYMENT: U.S. funds must accompany ad order. Make check mechanism. The motor and pump are installed in a new and matching payable to AMICA INTERNATIONAL. Typesetting and beautiful roll cabinet. The piano, cabinet, and player mechanism were layout size alterations charges will be billed. completely rebuilt in 1989 by Harry Garrison and associates in DEADLINES: Submissions must be received no later than the Cincinnati. Approximately 2000 new and old 88 note and Duo Art rolls. first of the odd months (January, March, May, July, September, Two other old roll cabinets and shelves are included. It is a fun and November). The Bulletin will be mailed the second week of the sensitive pumper, but sad to say, we are moving to a smaller home. even months. $20,000. Bob Howard, Apt 109, 2 Fenwick Rd., Hampton VA, 23651 (Rev. 5-05) 757-637-7168, [email protected] (2-09) SEEBURG “E” with xylophone - Walnut case; WURLITZER 1015 Jukebox; CYLINDER MUSIC BOX 20 TUNE, 2 tunes per turn, cylinder 7 1/2 inches long, lid with tune sheet $2,500.00. All items professionally restored and refinished. J. Uhler, Box 126, Ingomar, PA “I cannot give you the formula for 15127; 724-940-4331. (6-08) success, but I can give you the formula NEW PIANO ROLL BOXES - Duo-Art Audiographic series - for failure: Try to please everybody.” Exactly like the originals! Maroon with Gold Printing, all 3 sizes available! (small & medium are “Top Hat” style) $7.00 ea. Quantities - Herbert Bayard Swope are limited, so get them before they are all gone! AMPICO “Top Hat” boxes- Black Leather with Gold Printing and False Bottom, Exactly like the originals, $5.00 ea. 88 note roll boxes in two sizes- Large (fits 2 3⁄4 flange) covered with Black Alligator paper (Top), Black Leather
378 (Bottom). or Brown Leather Paper (Top & Bottom) $3.00 ea. Small (fits 2” flange) Covered with Black or Tan Leather Paper (Top), White Litho (Bottom) $1.80 ea. Other repair supplies available- Parchment Leaders, Tabs, Tubes, Flanges, Repair Tissue. Quantity Discounts available. Rich Ingram [email protected] (760) 244-0251 (3-09) 5000+ PLAYER PIANO ROLLS. All in boxes and in playable condition. $1.25 each plus shipping. Rich Ingram, [email protected](760) 244-ROLL (7655) (3-09) THE GOLDEN AGE of AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. Art Reblitz’ award-winning reference that brings history, musical and technical information to life with hundreds of spectacular color photos. 448 oversize pages. Get your copy today! $120 plus $5 S/H (single copy USA ground shipment). MECHANICAL MUSIC PRESS-A Wild Ammonoosuc Rd., Woodsville, NH 03785. 603-747-2636. www.mechanicalmusicpress.com (2-10) WANTED FISHER LINCOLN TURNOVER TURNTABLE, Stereo turntable plays both sides of the record automatically. Kirk Russell, 401-742-1565 or russellmusicco.aim.com (5-09) J & C FISCHER “SPANISH AMPICO GRAND” Style 14GE Piano. Picture can be found in the Bowers Book page 278. Please email me at [email protected] or call me 619-559-0564. Keith. (6-08) RED WELTE MIGNON piano rolls (T-100). Paying top dollar. Mike Kukral 812-238-9656 or [email protected] (3-09) Need one NORTH TONAWANDA PIANOLIN in any condition or parts for same. Need twenty-four rose wood (or equal) xylo phone bars. Scale #A to A to be used on “O” roll arrangement. Call Mike Krumenacker @ 610-489-7394 or e-mail at [email protected] (6-08) WELTE-MIGNON AND DELUXE REPRODUCING piano rolls. Mike Kukral 812-238-9656, E-mail [email protected] (1-09)
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