The AMICA BULLETIN AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS’ ASSOCIATION JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2002 VOLUME 39, NUMBER 1 MoOLURIil'S MAGAZINE
The Self-Playing Piano is It
People who have watched these things closely have noticed that popular favor is toward the self-playing piano. A complete piano which will ornament your drawing-room, which can be played in the ordinary way by human fingers, or which. -'\ can be played by a piano player concealed inside the case, is the most popular musical instrument in the world to-day. The Harmonist Self-Playing Piano is the instrument which best meets these condi tions. The piano itself is perfect in tone and workmanship. The piano player at tachment is inside, is operated by perforated music, adds nothing to the size of the piano. takes up no room whatever, is always ready, is never in the way. We want everyone who is thinking of buying a piano to consider the great advan tage of getting a Harmonist, which combines the piano and the piano player both. It costs but little more than a good piano. but it is ten times as useful and a hundred times as entertaining. Write for particulars.
ROTH ~ENGELHARDT Proprietors Peerless Piano Player Co. Windsor Aroade. Fifth Ave.. New York
Please mention McClure·s when you write to ad"crtiscrt. 77 THE AMICA BULLETIN AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS' ASSOCIATION Published by the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association, a non-profit, tax exempt group devoted to the restoration, distribution and enjoyment of musical instruments using perforated paper music rolls and perforated music books. AMICA was founded in San Francisco, California in 1963. ROBIN PRATT, PUBLISHER, 630 EAST MONROE ST., SANDUSKY, OH 44870-3708 -- Phone 419-626-1903, e-mail: [email protected] Visit the AMICA Web page at: http://www.amica.org Associate Editor: Mr. Larry Givens
VOLUME 39, Number 1 January/February 2002 AMICA BULLETIN
Display and Classified Ads FEATURES Articles for Publication Letters to the Publisher The Sounds are Magical — 8 Chapter News Where Old Pianos go to Live — 10 UPCOMING PUBLICATION DEADLINES How To Use Your Amica By-Laws — 12 The ads and articles must be received 101 Keys — 14 by the Publisher on the 1st of the Odd number months: Franklyn Baur — 15 January July March September Alexander Ziloti — 16 May November National Belgian Museum — 18 Bulletins will be mailed on the 1st week of the even months. Robin Pratt, Publisher 630 East Monroe Street Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3708 DEPARTMENTS Phone: 419-626-1903 AMICA International — 2 e-mail: [email protected] President’s Message — 3 From the Publisher’s Desk — 3 Calendar of Events — 4 MEMBERSHIP SERVICES Letters — 5 New Memberships ...... $42.00 People — 13 Renewals ...... $42.00 Chapter News — 23 Address changes and corrections Classified Ads — 37 Directory information updates Additional copies of Member Directory . . . . $25.00 Single copies of back issues ($6.00 per issue - based upon availability) William Chapman (Bill) Front Cover: The Atlantic Monthly 53685 Avenida Bermudas Inside Front: McCLURE’S Magazine La Quinta, CA 92253-3586 (760) 564-2951 Back Cover: The Atlantic Monthly e-mail: [email protected] Inside Back Cover: Munsey’s Magazine - Advertising Section To ensure timely delivery of your 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.
Entire contents © 2002 AMICA International 1 AMICA INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS CHAPTER OFFICERS PRESIDENT Dan C. Brown BOSTON AREA NORTHERN LIGHTS N. 4828 Monroe Street Pres. Bill Koenigsburg -(978) 369-8523 Pres: Dave Kemmer Spokane, WA 99205-5354 Vice Pres: Bob Tempest Vice Pres: Phil Baird 509-325-2626 Sec: Ginger Christiansen Sec: Jason E. Beyer - (507) 454-3124 e-mail: [email protected] Treas: Karl Ellison Treas: Howie O’Neil PAST PRESIDENT Linda Bird Reporter: Don Brown Reporter: Dorothy Olds 3300 Robinson Pike Board Rep: Sandy Libman Board Rep: Dorothy Olds Grandview, MO 64030-2275 Phone/Fax 816-767-8246 CHICAGO AREA PACIFIC CAN-AM e-mail: OGM [email protected] Pres: George Wilder - (630) 279-0872 Pres: Kurt Morrison - (253) 952-4725 VICE PRESIDENT Mike Walter Vice Pres: Curt Clifford Vice Pres: Don McLaughlin 65 Running Brook Dr., Sec: Jo Crawford Sec: Halie Dodrill Lancaster, NY 14086-3314 Treas: Joe Pekarek Treas: Bev Spore 716-656-9583 Reporter: Kathy Stone Septon Reporter: Carl Kehret e-mail: [email protected] Board Rep: Marty Persky Board Rep: Carl Dodrill SECRETARY Christy Counterman FOUNDING CHAPTER SIERRA NEVADA 544 Sunset View Drive, Akron, Ohio 44320 Pres: John Motto-Ros - (209) 267-9252 330-864-4864 Pres: Bing Gibbs - (408) 253-1866 Vice Pres: Mark Pope Vice Pres: Sonja Lemon e-mail: [email protected] Sec/Treas: Doug & Vicki Mahr Sec: Lyle Merithew & Sandy Swirsky Reporter: Nadine Motto-Ros TREASURER Wesley Neff Treas: Richard Reutlinger 128 Church Hill Drive, Findlay, Ohio 45840 Board Rep: John Motto-Ros Reporter: Tom McWay Registered agent for legal matters 419-423-4827 e-mail: [email protected] Board Rep: Richard Reutlinger SOWNY (Southern Ontario, Western New York) GATEWAY CHAPTER Pres: Mike Walter - (716) 656-9583 PUBLISHER Robin Pratt Pres: Yousuf Wilson (636) 665-5187 630 E. Monroe Street, Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3708 Vice Pres: Mike Hamann 419-626-1903 Vice Pres: Tom Novak Sec/Mem. Sec: John & Diane Thompson e-mail: [email protected] Sec,/Treas: Jane Novak Treas: Holly Walter Reporter: Mary Wilson Photographer: Garry Lemon MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY William Chapman (Bill) Board Rep: Gary Craig 53685 Avenida Bermudas, La Quinta, CA 92253-3586 Reporter: Frank Warbis 707-570-2258 – Fax 775-923-7117 HEART OF AMERICA Board Rep: Mike Walter e-mail: [email protected] Pres: Ron Bopp - (918) 786-4988 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — COMMITTEES — Vice Pres: Tom McAuley Pres: Frank Nix - (818) 884-6849 Sec/Treas: Robbie Tubbs Vice Pres: Richard Ingram AMICA ARCHIVES Stuart Grigg Reporter: Joyce Brite Sec./Reporter. Shirley Nix 20982 Bridge St., Southfield, MI 48034 - Fax: (248) 356-5636 Board Rep: Ron Connor Treas: Ken Hodge Board Rep: Frank Nix AMICA MEMORIAL FUND Judy Chisnell LADY LIBERTY 3945 Mission, Box 145, Rosebush, MI 48878-9718 517-433-2992 Pres./Reporter: Bill Maguire TEXAS (516) 261-6799 AUDIO-VISUAL & TECHNICAL Harold Malakinian Pres: Jerry Bacon - (214) 328-9639 2345 Forest Trail Dr., Troy, MI 48098 Vice Pres: Keith Bigger Vice Pres: Tony Palmer (817) 261-1334 CONVENTION COORDINATOR Frank Nix Sec: Richard Karlsson Sec./Treas: Janet Tonnesen 6030 Oakdale Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-884-6849 Treas: Walter Kehoe Board Rep: Dick Merchant Board Reps: Marvin & Dianne Polan Bulletin Reporter: Bryan Cather HONORARY MEMBERS Jay Albert Newsletter Editor: Bryan Cather 904-A West Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-4745 MIDWEST (OH, MI, IN, KY) (805) 966-9602 - e-mail: [email protected] Pres: Judy Chisnell - (517) 433-2992 SOUTHERN SKIES PUBLICATIONS Robin Pratt Vice Pres: Stuart Grigg Pres: Debra Legg - (727) 734-3353 630 E. Monroe St., Sandusky, OH 44870-3708 Sec: Judy Wulfekuhl Vice Pres: Bill Shrive Treas: Alvin Wulfekuhl WEB MASTER Meta Brown Sec: Howard Wyman (813) 689-6876 400 East Randolph Street, Apt. 3117, Chicago, IL 60601 Reporter: Christy Counterman Treas: Dee Kavouras (352) 527-9390 312-946-8417 — Fax 312-946-8419 Board Rep: Liz Barnhart Reporter: Dick & Dixie Leis Board Rep: Debra Legg AFFILIATED SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ATOS INTERNATIONAL PIANO NETHERLANDS MECHANICAL PLAYER PIANO GROUP President - Nelson Page ARCHIVES AT MARYLAND ORGAN SOCIETY - KDV Julian Dyer, Bulletin Editor The Galaxy Theatre Performing Arts Library,University of Maryland A. T. Meijer 5 Richmond Rise, Workingham, 7000 Blvd East, Guttenberg, NJ 07093 2511 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center Wilgenstraat 24 Berkshire RG41 3XH, United Kingdom Phone: (201) 854-7847 Fax: (201) 854-1477 College Park, MD 20742 NL-4462 VS Goes, Netherlands Phone: 0118 977 1057 E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: (301) 405-9224 Email: [email protected] Editor - Vernon P. Bickel Fax: (301) 314-7170 NORTHWEST PLAYER PIANO 786 Palomino Court E-Mail: [email protected] ASSOCIATION SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION San Marcos, CA 92069-2102 Everson Whittle, Secretary Division of Musical History Phone: (760) 471-6194 Fax: (760) 471-9194 INT. VINTAGE PHONO & MECH. 11 Smiths Road, Darcy Lever, Washington, D.C. 20560 E-Mail: [email protected] MUSIC SOCIETY Bolton BL3 2PP, Gt. Manchester, England SOCIETY FOR SELF-PLAYING C.G. Nijsen, Secretaire General Home Phone: 01204 529939 AUSTRALIAN COLLECTORS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 19 Mackaylaan Business Phone: 01772 208003 MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Gesellschaft für Selbstspielende 5631 NM Eindhoven 19 Waipori Street Musikinstrumente (GSM) E.V. Netherlands PIANOLA INSTITUTE St. Ives NSW 2075, Australia Clair Cavanagh, Secretary Ralf Smolne DUTCH PIANOLA ASSOC. MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY 43 Great Percy St., London WC1X 9RA Emmastr. 56 Nederlandse Pianola Vereniging INTERNATIONAL England D-45130 Essen, Germany Eikendreef 24 P. O. Box 297 Phone: **49-201-784927 5342 HR Oss, Marietta, OH 45750 Fax:. **49-201-7266240 Netherlands Email: [email protected] 2 President’s Message New Year Greetings to all. I hope you’ve all sent in your renewal payments so that you can continue to receive the Bulletin and continue to be part of this great organization. Renewal time is also a convenient occasion to make a contribution to the Memorial Fund, which we have used primarily for new member recruiting. Inside the last Bulletin, you found the registration form for the Convention in June in Arkansas. I encourage you to send it in as soon as possible and look forward to seeing many of you there. I have received a number of inquiries about the publication of a new directory this year. This is the scheduled year for it and one of the reasons for the dues increase was to fund this project. Rest assured that it will get underway as soon as possible and I’m working to facilitate the quick completion of it. Keith Bigger has been in touch with me regarding the possibility of creating an e-mail newsgroup for AMICA. This would be an opt-in, no-cost project for discussion of topics relevant to our collecting interests. Yes, some aspects of the Mechanical Music Digest is to address this need, but rather than having a daily discussion of the full realm of automatic music, this would be on an as-needed, topic oriented basis. If anyone has input, please contact Keith or me. Dan Brown
Hi There, Well, another year passes and once again it is renewal time for the old AMICA membership. Did you know that AMICA is the ONLY collectors association in the world that had its start focused on the reproducing piano? Sometimes we lose sight of that in our panic over numbers (i.e., numbers = members = warm bodies = numbers). Through the years AMICA has expanded to welcome all paper roll and paper book operated musical instruments, but as any of you know, we welcome any and all instruments and their caretakers. No one cares if you have a Stroud or a Steinway, a Seeburg or a Seybold, an Amphion or an Aeolian, a Welte or a Werner or even a Beckwith or a Bechstein. ALL are welcome here and no one is judged on their collection. A collection is not used as the criteria for the worth of a person/member. I love reading (elsewhere usually) that AMICA is doing something so bad that it deserves print (elsewhere). Usually this is a condemnation constructed of falsehoods or misinterpreted recollections. One current whine is about how the AMICA dues money is wasted by us (AMICA) and the Publisher (Me) on the historic reprints. Now, yes honey they cost money, but guess what? You get them for free! In the past, as you may or may not recall, you got NO reprints with your six Bulletin issues. NONE! One person even called them “illegitimate” because we had the audacity to put an AMICA copyright on them. Those bastard reprints. “Illegitimate?” A most interesting choice of words I thought. But then we figured that just maybe some people didn’t like a copyright stamp on them because they couldn’t foist the reprints off on a unsuspecting public as originals. I guess the quality of the printing is too good. I have heard that this has indeed happened, not with AMICA reprints, but others. Not nice! Oh well, I discovered that some AMICA reprints are already in the Library of Congress and other are being used as reference materials in articles written for other societies with credit given to AMICA in the bibliography. So any way, to the grousers I say, “Bite me.”. Hope your shop is as fun and busy as is this one in this old Indianapolis music store postcard. Have a great year and renew you membership now! Robin
PS. The copyright is for the reprint, NOT the original! DUH!!!
3 AMICA CALENDAR OF EVENTS CHAPTER MEETINGS
Membership Dues: Heart of America Chapter April 27-28, 2002 - We will have our final convention planning meeting. AMICA Members should send their It will be hosted by the Washburns and the Birds. membership renewal payments to Bill June 1-2, 2002 - Organ rally at Lafayette Square in St. Louis, MO. Chapman, payable to AMICA, Int. Bill now It will be hosted by Cynthia and Gary Craig. lives in the desert in the Palm Springs area at June, 2002 - AMICA International Convention 53685 Avenida Burmudas, La Quinta, CA Fall, 2002 - Organ rally in Eureka Springs, AR. 92253-3586, USA. Linda and Galen Bird will organize. December, 2002 - Barbara and Doug Cusick will host the If you have questions regarding your annual Christmas meeting in Leawood, KS. account, contact Bill at (760) 564-2951 or May, 2003 - The Tulip Festival will be held in Pella, IA. e-mail: [email protected] Ideal for monkey organs, but not big organs. Organized by the Railsbacks and Craigs. A number of members have paid ahead September, 2003 - Meeting in Branson, MO one year and are credited for 2002. hosted by Billie & Bill Pohl. Thanks to the many members who pay before Feb. 28. The reminder letters sent to faithful but tardy members is an expensive Texas Chapter extra that can be avoided! Sunday, January 27, 2002 at 2:00 pm at Bill Flynt’s home at 11815 Woodbridge Drive, Dallas, TX Sunday, April 14, 2002 at 2:00 pm at the home of Larry and Jean Williams at 6502 Connie Lane, Colleyville, TX Saturday, May 18, 2002 at 4:00 pm at Glynn Childer’s home at 6905 Meadow Road, Dallas, TX. THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE (Dinner afterwards in a nearby resturant.) Contact Jerry F. Bacon at 214-328-9369 and my IS PLEASED TO REPORT THE e-mail is [email protected]. FOLLOWING SLATE OF OFFICERS: ~ President: Dan Brown June 26-30, 2002 AMICA Convention, Springdale, Arkansas Vice-President: Mike Walter Secretary: Christy Counterman Treasurer: Wes Neff Immediate Past President: Linda Bird AMICA
Dan, Mike and Linda will be serving a second Memorial Fund Donations term. Christy and Wes will be serving their first Please think of AMICA as a place to full term as they were appointed by Dan Brown remember your friends and family with a dona- during the past year. We are grateful for their tion to the AMICA Memorial Fund. willingness to continue to serve the organization. The members of the committee are: Send to: Linda Bird, Chairman, John Motto-Ros, Christy Judith Chisnell Counterman, Dee Kavouras, Jere DeBacker, and 3945 Mission, Box 145 Paul Dietz. Rosebush, Michigan 48878-9718 We will vote on these officers at the annual 517-433-2992 meeting in June. The floor will be open at that time [email protected] for other nominations.
4 Letters…
Dear AMICA,
The enclosed color copy may be of some interest to readers of the Bulletin, if it can be reproduced for publication. I recently found the original in the roll box for Duo-Art 713174 “Sweet Man” played by Edythe Baker. The roll was in a collection originally with a local Weber Duo-Art grand and the name on the approval form was that of the Grand Rapids family who purchased the Weber in the 1920’s. As you know, Grinnell’s had stores throughout Michigan, plus Ohio and Windsor, Ontario locations. For your information, the other roll listed on the form, 713175 is “Want A Little Lovin’” played by Freddie Rich, also still remaining in the collection. Not many of these forms have survived, I’m sure.
Bill Burkhardt, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Dear AMICA, This is the piano roll cabinet I mentioned to you. I found out that a man inherited a beautiful Marshall & Wendell Ampico in a Spanish style case, which he had restored. Unfortunately, the roll cabinet was in a garage and suffered “water damage.” He wants to restore it. Now that I’ve seen the pictures I realize it probably IS an Ampico cabinet, from the series, but in the console style, which wasn’t advertised as much as the uprights. My Ampi- co cabinet catalogue lists console types 24 and 25, and this one is 28. I imagine this was issued as a companion cabinet to his Spanish style piano. If you’ve seen this cabinet style, please let me know. I know he wants to have the missing parts made for it including the connecting piece between the four leg arrangement. In the 1960s a woman in S. F., as I mentioned, sold me some of her rolls and had a piano like this one. She sold me “Shanghai Dream Man” and “Dancin’Dan,” both fine fox trots. This is where I remember the Spanish style Marshall & Wendell. Regards, Bill Knorp, Oakland, California
5 Letters • • •
Mystery.Memb:ership Renewals!!!
PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELVES! "
Signatures on a few of the membership renewal forms listed below were not legible and therefore the account could not be credited. These credit card payments were received with postmarked enve~opes as.indicated but NO NAME OR ADDRESS! Plus, the signatures are too ilJ.divid,ualistic/artistic to be decipherable. Also, there are no other indj~ations on the renewal forms to reveal the renewing members' names. Without a credit, ,these members will miss Bulletins for 2002. In other words, if we don't know who you are., then we can'trenew your membership!
Here is a list of the few "lost members":
Santa An~, CA $42 (exp. date 7/03) last four numbers 6952 Palatine, IL $42 (exp. date 7/03) last four numbers 2279 Miami FL $42 (exp. dat.e 2/02) lasr four nUIl,lbers 3485 Royal Oak, MI (exp. date 8/03) last four numbers 2773 Palatine, IL $42 (exp. date 3/02) last four numbers gO 18 Houston, TX $42 (exp. date 12/03) last four numbers 8018
> Post Mark blurred $42 (exp. date 5/05) last four numbers 3002 :Baltimore MD last four numbers 7713, amount omItted, pestmark blurred, last four numbers 0526, $42
It is important that these members receive credit for their AMICA membership. If you believe one of these is your payment ofAMICA dues, contact Bill Chapman, Membership Secretary (60) 564-2951, fax 775-923-7117, email shaza'[email protected], or write 53685 Avenida Bermudas, La Quinta, CA 92253. . Thanks!
"Hustle your chores, Han~. Gotterdammerung is fust starting:'
6 YOUR ADISWANTED!
For the NEW 2002 AMICA Membership Directory
The 2002 AMICA Membership Directory is being organized as you read this. Now is the time to send in an advertisement for your business, your collecting wants, services or related items for sale or simply a “Best Wishes AMICA!”, we want your ad. Including your ad in the new 2002 Directory will give you years of visibility as well as reference for yourself and other members. Plus, your paid ad will help AMICA directly by offsetting some of the production costs. Many AMICA Members refer to their Directory regularly for ads, products, services, telephone numbers and addresses. Finding others who might own a similar instrument and getting help becomes a simple task with the instrument listing! Travel, locating and visiting other members becomes a breeze! The AMICA Directory is an excellent resource!
THE AD RATES FOR THE 2002 AMICA DIRECTORY ARE: FULL PAGE – 7 1/2’ x 10”...... $200 HALF PAGE – 7 1/2” x 4 3/4” ...... $110 QUARTER PAGE – 3 5/8” x 4 3/4”...... $65 Photo/s included in ad @ $20 each (unless ad is complete and camera ready.)
Make your check out to AMICA and mail it with your camera ready copy to: AMICA Publications – Directory Robin Pratt, Publisher 630 East Monroe Street Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3708 You may submit your ad in a simple written form and we will do the composition for you and dress it up. What could be easier? If you have any questions about your ad, its composition or cost, contact the Publisher directly at: (419) 626-1903 or email: [email protected]
Thanks, AMICA really appreciates your help!
7 THE COURIER-POST NOVEMBER 18, 2001
‘The‘THE SoundsSOUNDS are ARE MMagical’AGICAL’
By Robert Baxter, Courier-Post Staff Sent in by Charles Cloak Musical boxes and other mechanical music makers are featured in a new exhibit at Stedman Gallery.
From the delicate tinkle of a Swiss musical box to the The exhibit if filled with fascinating items. Many are mighty roar of an American calliope, the sounds of mechanical priceless. Every music box or instrument produces a unique automated musical instruments are echoing through Camden’s sound. Stedman Gallery. A tinkling tune comes More than 100 musical from a Chevron Fusee boxes and other instruments Musical Box made in are featured in Timeless Switzerland in the early Melodies: Musical Boxes 19th century. The handsome and Automatic Musical walnut case is inlaid with Instruments of the 19th and brass and mother of pearl. 20th Centuries, on display at The sound is produced the Rutgers-Camden gallery by a cylinder covered with through February 16. tiny pins. As the cylinder “The sounds are magical,” turns, the pins strike tuned says curator Nancy Maguire. teeth that create a musical “They lure people from the tinkle amplified by a sound lobby. Everyone loves the board. sound of a music box.” “These Swiss musical Timeless Melodies marks boxes are seriously high- the first exhibit sponsored tech for their times,” by The Musical Box Meekins says. “Everything Society International, an has to be so precise, organization of 5,000 music sometimes within only a box aficionados in 18 few thousandths of an inch, The band organ and encore automatic banjo are two of countries. The exhibit gives the items in the exhibit. or the wrong note will be a preview of the society’s played.” permanent display to be part Musical boxes emerged in the 18th century as the of SoundWave, an international museum of sound set playthings of kings and queens and wealthy to open on Camden’s Waterfront in 2005. aristocrats. Swiss artisans turned the music box into “These were the home entertainment centers of a work of art with elaborate decorations and superbly the 19th century,” explains Al Meekins, a member of crafted mechanisms that reproduced popular songs the society’s museum committee. “Before CDs and and operatic selections. TV, people brought music into their homes with As the Industrial Revolution progressed, music music boxes.” boxes were mass produced and became prized Meekins, who lives in Collingswood, discovered possessions in middle-class homes in Europe and music boxes more than three decades ago. Enthralled America. by the sound and the intricate mechanism that Music boxes became even more popular and produces the music, he has devoted his life to accessible in the early part of the 20th century. Swiss restoring and selling music boxes. cylinder musical boxes were quickly replaced by boxes that played discs.
8 The advent of the phonograph, radio and the motion picture The exhibit also showcases New Jersey’s role in the history ended the popularity of music boxes. In recent decades, they of recorded sound. One of the first Victor Phonographs, made have become popular collectibles. in 1896 in Camden, and cylinder recordings made by Thomas Edison are featured in the display. “Many music boxes are works of art,” notes Paul Ottenheimer, a Mantua resident and member of The Musical One of the highlights of the exhibit is an automaton of a Box Society International. “The clown mask seller. When activated, precise craftsmanship of the musical the seller’s body moves and the mechanism is matched by the beauty masks he holds come to vivid life as of the cabinetry.” their eyes open and close and their tongues dart out of their mouths. To illustrate his point, Ottenheimer opens a lady’s A display case holds several necessaire, a beautifully crafted box novelty music boxes that gained in which a 19th-century woman kept popularity in the 19th century. The her perfume bottles, manicure and items range from a musical alarm sewing instruments. When the clock and clothes brush to a beer woman opened the lid, she was stein. serenaded by a soothing melody for The Mills Violano, made in 1920, harp and violin. A Reginaphone console music box is featured in the features an electrically powered “Here is 19th-century version of a Stedman exhibit, along with roughly 100 other piano that accompanies a violin juke box,” says Meekins as he points instruments. The exhibit is open until mid-February. played by mechanical action. to a coin-operated music box from a A hand-cranked monkey organ made railway station. Once the traveler inserted a coin, the box sent in 1895 recalls the street entertainers popular more than a out its musical tinkle accompanied by dancing dolls and three century ago. clowns who strike bells with tiny mallets. Automatic musical instruments are still popular. The That music box has scarcely stopped before Ottenheimer Stinson Organ Co. recently manufactured a large band organ activates another placed under the seat of a walnut chair made featuring a bandmaster conducting rousing circus music in Germany. The music box begins to play as soon as someone accented with drum, bells and cymbals. sits on the ornately carved chair. Its raucous cousin, a 1925 Tangley Calliope, produces a New Jersey became a center of the music box industry in mighty roar familiar from steamboats on the Mississippi River. the late 19th century. Jersey City was the home of F.G. Otto and Sons and U.S. Guitar Zither Co. Other companies included “This exhibit will give people a taste of what the the Symphonion Music Box Co. of Asbury Park and Perfection permanent museum will be like,” says Meekins. “It gives Music Box Co. of Hoboken. people a fine idea of the history and variety of music boxes and automatic musical instruments.” The Regina Company in Rahway capitalized on the growing popularity of the early phonograph by creating the Reginaphone, a combination music box and phonograph.
IF YOU GO:
• “Timeless Melodies: Musical Boxes & Automatic Musical Instruments of the 19th and 20 Centuries” can be viewed through February 16 at Stedman Gallery in the Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts, Third and Pearl Streets on the college’s Camden campus. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursday evening until 8 p.m. Admission is free.
• The gallery will host exhibition tours at noon February 7.
• For reservations and information, call (856) 225-6271 or visit the Web site: http://rcca.camden.rutgers.edu
9 THE NEW YORK TIMES NOVEMBER 22, 2001
WHEREOldOLD P PianosIANOS GO TO LIVE
By Anthony Tommasini Sent in by Linda Armstrong A Massachusetts Petting Zoo for 19th-Century Instruments.
The one thing you will never see at the Frederick Historic Piano Collection in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, is a sign that reads, “Do Not Touch.” Unlike most museums, this important collection of historic 19th-century pianos is meant to be used. Its owners and directors are a married couple with a mission: Edmund Michael Frederick, a former East Asian history major and harpsichord builder and an amateur performer, and Patricia Humphrey Frederick, a specialist in elementary music education, church organist and choir director. They purchased their first instrument in 1976: a Stodart built in London about 1830 that cost them just over $2,000, with an additional $1,000 for air freight, that required extensive restoration upon arrival. Drawing upon some inheritance, they kept searching for and buying historic instruments in whatever condition. Today the collection has 18 pianos, restored by Mr. Frederick and ready for play. These range from an unsigned instrument from about 1795, almost certainly Viennese, to an 1907 Bluthner built in Leipzig, a typically warm-toned German piano, though Debussy acquired one in 1904 and loved it. Another 14 pianos are being restored. The current combined value of the restored pianos is hard to estimate: it’s like setting a price on antiques. But Mr. Frederick puts it at An 1871 Streicher from the Frederick collection, roughly $400,000. similar to the one Brahms owned. The couple fulfilled a long-held goal last spring and moved Beethoven, Schumann, Liszt and Ravel pieces on pianos the collection into a renovated 1890 one-story brick like the ones those composers would have played, by former library in the center of this town in north-central manufacturers like Clementi, Bosendorfer, Graf, Erard and Massachusetts. For now, they are leasing the building from the Pleyel. Workshops, lecture-recitals and scholarly research also town at $1 a year in exchange for financing the renovations take place there. Though they have no standard fee system for themselves, supported by some crucial grants, including one using the collection, Mr. Frederick said, “we beg energetically.” from the Massachusetts State Historical Commission. The couple also present concert series, but for these For more than 20 years they kept all the instruments in performances the desired piano is moved to the nearby their five-room house down the road. At the collection’s new Community Church, a commodious space that can seat 200. home you can see a floor plan of the Frederick house as it used The nominal admission fee is $5 (free to students and children). to be, showing furniture more or less stuck between multiple The fall season ended on October 21 with Susan pianos that dominated each room, including several that could Alexander-Max playing works by Mozart, Haydn, Johann only fit when kept on their sides. Christian Bach, C.P.E. Bach and Clementi on a Clementi piano from 1806. The concerts resume in May. This nonprofit institution is intended as a resource for pianists, scholars, students and the curious. Conservatory Familiarity with 19th-century pianos is critical to teachers regularly bring groups of piano students to try out their interpreting piano music of that era. It is widely assumed that
10 The piano, it must be remembered, is a percussion instrument. So once a tone is struck, it starts to die away. “If you want lingering tone,” Mr. Frederick said, “try the 1877 Bosendorfer.” Mr. Currier did, playing the Brahms again, and indeed the thick, smoky tone just quivered in the air.
Michael and Patricia Frederick Mr. Currier was curious about an 1846 adopt period pianos. Before Streicher, a Viennese piano that Schumann and the their museum opened, the young Brahms would have known. He played some collection was shoehorned into of Schumann’s dreamy “Kinderscenen” and then their home, diagram to left. parts of that composer’s rhapsodic “Kreisleriana.” once the precursors to modern concert grand pianos were The sound was bright, piercing and clear. “Maybe built, during the 1820’s, pianos just got progressively bigger, too clear,” Mr. Currier said, as he struggled to keep inner voices louder and more efficient. This, Mr. Frederick asserts, is a from sticking out. Yet the metallic brightness of the sound was misconception. somehow soft spoken, making Schumann’s remembrances of childhood at once impish and tender. “People have this idea of a simple linear development from Cristofori to Steinway,” he said. “In fact it wasn’t that neat. The Streicher’s special strength, Ms. Frederick suggested, What went on was all sorts of pianos of different kinds and is as an instrument for accompanying singers. To demonstrate, qualities were being made and used at the same time.” she both sang and played Schumann’s “Widmung.” Sure enough, no matter how much body she brought to the restless The strength of the Frederick collection is its accompaniment patterns, the clear sound was so distinct that it comprehensiveness. A pianist hoping to make a recording on, never covered her voice. say, a Broadwood, from a mid-19th-century London manufacturer, might find one somewhere preferable to the 1871 Matters of tempo in 19th-century piano music are heated Broadwood at the Frederick collection. But few other places topics among those who visit the collection. The metronome offer such a range of 19th-century instruments in one inviting markings in Beethoven, Schumann and other 19th-century room, which is why musicians and scholars from around the composers tend to be on the fast side. Could the metronomes world regularly trek to this bucolic town. back then have been faulty? Some scholars think so. Not Mr. Frederick. The best way to appreciate the collection is to sit down at the pianos and play them. Last summer, armed with a stack of When Clara Schumann went back to work as a concert scores from Haydn to Ravel, I did just that. And for another pianist after her husband died in 1856, she got some “very bad point of view I brought along my former piano teacher, Donald reviews for playing too fast,” Mr. Frederick said. “If these were Currier, professor emeritus at the Yale School of Music. Robert’s tempos, the critics said, then there must have been something wrong with his metronome. Nothing was wrong. Mr. Frederick usually suggests that visitors start with the What had happened was that the sound of pianos in the 1850’s newest and work back. So he first directed us to that elegant, had gotten noticeably thicker. So tempos that sounded restored 1907 mahogany Bluthner, which he acquired, in pretty reasonable in 1835 sounded rushed and blurry 20 years later.” unplayable condition, for just $2,500 from a Dutch dealer. To drive home this point Ms. Frederick played a piece from Mr. Currier began by playing Debussy’s “Soiree dans Czerny’s “School of Velocity,” a volume of technical studies Grenade” from “Estampes” (1903). In this slinky, slow and still used today on a Viennese piano, a Katholnig, most likely exotic music, the sound of the Bluthner was aptly rich and from about 1810. She took it at Czerny’s seemingly reckless warm, perhaps a little woofy in comparison with bright modern metronome marking. The Katholnig has an extremely light Steinways, but quite alluring. The repeated midrange C-sharps keyboard action and a slightly clattery but shimmering sound. that gently suggest a habanera rhythm came through with Played at that tempo on a modern Steinway the music would seductive presence. Most striking was the way the slightest have been a blurry mess. On the Viennese instrument it pressure from Mr. Currier’s fingers caused the insinuating sounded fleet and clear, a whirlwind of runs and misty melody in the left hand to ring out with haunting effect. harmonies. He next played a late Brahms work, the wistful Intermezzo Mr. Currier was eager to try a Haydn sonata on an 1806 in A, Op. 118, on the same piano, and again, though the overall Clementi piano from London. When Haydn visited London in sound was somewhat buzzy, the piano had a remarkably the mid-1790’s, he was struck by the big lush bass sound and lingering tone. Brahms’ harmonies blended in bracing ways, dry middle register of local pianos. “That’s why the ‘London’ with dissonant notes bumping up against one another and sonatas have so many thick, forte chords in the lower range, and tweaking the music. so many doubled lines in thirds and octaves in the upper range,” Mr. Frederick said.
11 Mr. Currier played the two-movement Haydn Sonata No. I tried playing that passage on the Katholnig, with its light 48 in C, with its slow opening Andante (a long-spun melody action and quick response, and it was almost easy. Slide up, keeps returning with increasingly elaborate ornamentation) and slide down; just like Chico Marx. rollicking rondo finale. As he played, every little melodic But what about, say, the late “Hammerklavier” Sonata. and ornamental gesture came out vividly, with no sense of Even a steely modern Steinway can barely stand up to the forcing. The left hand chords became a harmonic bedrock of demands of this monumental music, with its pummeling chords, wonderfully buzzy sound reminiscent of an enormous gnashing trills and hell-bent final fugue. I played the harpsichord. Mr. Currier, who has spent many years trying to bracing chordal opening theme on an 1828 Graf, a renowned figure out how to play such music on a modern piano, was Viennese company. It was like using a kiddie piano for an elated. “That’s the sound you want,” he said. “It’s easy. For adult job. once you don’t have to tiptoe through the piece.” Mr. Frederick was quick to point out that each piano from Haydn wrote contentedly for the pianos of his day. But that era was valued for its individual qualities. The ideal of what about Beethoven, a thumper of a virtuoso, famous for a standardized piano with perfect evenness throughout its busting strings when he performed his works on the pianos at range came with the late industrial age, he said. As he and his disposal? Beethoven complained constantly about the Ms. Frederick write in an essay about their collection, “Pianos inadequacy of keyboard instruments. True, he complained built before the 20th century frequently displayed intentionally about everything. But the hard-driving “Appassionata” would wide ranges of tone color.” seem to have been conceived for a piano of the future. So Beethoven used to advantage certain aspects of the And yet some things in the Beethoven sonatas are virtually pianos he had at hand and looked beyond the qualities he found impossible to play on modern grands with their heavy actions, deficient. At the Frederick collection, through its concerts, for example the glissando octaves in the climactic coda of the workshops and lecture-recitals, you can hear virtually every “Waldstein” Sonata. Holding your thumb and pinky at an type of piano Beethoven would have played. Better yet, play octave’s distance in each hand, you must slide up and down the them yourself. That’s the whole idea. white keys. In concert Rudolf Serkin used to wet his fingers in his mouth discreetly as the passage approached to ease it along.
How to use your AMICA BY-LAWS, Article II, Section 1g: “To educate the public about the historical and cultural significance of automatic musical instruments.”
Mark and Charmaine Haas, AMICA members from costumes and playing many of their favorite Rolls, Mark and Dearborn, Michigan, take this seriously as they plan each year Charmaine handed out AMICA brochures and gave visitors to take one of their player pianos to an area function and to the event an opportunity to try pumping the player him demonstrate it for the enjoyment of festival goers. or herself. This year, in September, they took their player to Trenton, Thanks, Mark and Charmaine, for promoting our hobby Michigan to the 17th annual “Somewhere In Time” festival, a and our organization! celebration of bygone days. Besides dressing in period
12 THE ROSE THORN ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
PeoplePEOPLE By Eva Barlow Sent in by Michael A. Kukral
PLAYER PIANOS COME TO MOENCH HALL
Imagine walking into a saloon in the Old West. You walk Player pianos were the main source of home entertainment up to the bar, get a drink, and sit down at a table. You chat with in the 1920’s because their sound was more lifelike than your fellow cowpokes and watch the showgirls dancing on the phonographs. They were expensive, but they produced music stage. But what are they dancing to? Why, the player piano in for the average household who would not otherwise have had the corner, of course! access to the music. With the introduction of radios and electric speakers, player pianos were pushed out of the market. In reality, player pianos were not invented until the early twentieth century. And instead of being played in saloons in the Player pianos come in many shapes and forms. The most “wild” west, they were mostly found in homes on the eastern recognizable are the upright pianos, but they also take on the portion of the country. So why has the misconception style of the grand piano. The earliest forms looked like a continued? Actually, Hollywood has promoted the sideboard that could be rolled up to the keys of the piano and misconception through the movies. Michael Kukral is fighting then moved when the song was done. There were also this misconception and ignorance by displaying the many reproducing pianos, which were live performances by famous mechanical parts and rolls of a player piano in a case on the artists. The music was as lifelike as someone playing. second floor of Moench by D-115. The world of rolled music was as cut throat as the record Kukral, a geography professor at Rose-Hulman, became companies now. Reproducing piano companies signed artists interested in reproducing player and other pianos when he was exclusively to their labels. They even hosted concerts where young. His father used to tell Kukral about the player piano in the same song was played twice: once by the piano and once his boyhood home. When Kukral was in junior high school, he by the artist. Some of the concerts were even sabotaged by began working in a piano restoration store. He worked there competitors! through college, and now he collects and restores pianos in his The player piano has affected all of our lives. It was in a spare time. player piano laboratory that cellular devices were discovered. Kukral’s collection contains six restored pianos, hundreds Another discovery was that of karaoke: some of the rolls of rolls of songs, and other paraphernalia. He buys the pianos displayed the lyrics as they played! in any condition and spends approximately 180 hours restoring the 4,000 moving parts in the pianos. His collection includes one of the first player pianos ever created. There are roughly eight of these in existence.
13 101-Key101-KEY
By Leonard Grymonprez
101-Key Mortier Dancehall Organ Thalia
From the nearly fourteen hundred dancehall organs and orchestrions which have been made over the years by Mortier (see pages 892-905 of Bowers Encyclopedia), this is the largest, most beautiful, and for a thousand more reasons exquisite dancehall organ which has left the firm. It was manufactured for dancehall owners in the county of West Flandres, but later on moved and set up for years at the “Thalia” Dancehall in Blankenberge (a city alongside Belgium’s sea coast, check page 898 of Bowers Encyclopedia), until dad bought it (without the façade) on July 10th, 1950, the day of the author’s 18th birthday. Certain rumors have occurred ever since which confused connoisseurs and owners of Mortier instruments in Europe and the U.S., but the true story is this: dad, our crew and I stopped by at Eekloo for a refreshment at the dancehall “The Circle” when we came back from an organ hire cruise in early July 1950. While chatting things over with the dancehall owner, who used to be a long time friend of dad, we heard the grand news first - this particular organ was for sale or would otherwise be destroyed! We hastened, nearly rushed to Blankenberge and didn’t wait to pay a pre-deposit on it. Unfortunately, the façade If one studies the Thalia on lower part of page 898 of the already had been mashed down from its seven feet high balcony Bowers Encyclopedia and the Tajmahal on page 903, one since “the removing people” explained they couldn’t find a way would notice the middle section of the Thalia façade had much to take it properly apart! My goodness . . . ! evidence with that of the Tajmahal, except it doesn’t have both Fortunately, the organ main chassis plus the four additional female life-size hand-carved statues on it. Also both left and left and right cabinets were rescued. After general cleaning, right niches of the Thalia organ have milk-glass columns fixer-up and pneumatic restoration which took us around three against the carved columns of the Tajmahal, which only has two months of work, it played for three years in our dancehall for glass columns against the six milk-glass columns of the Thalia. the enjoyment of visitors, listeners and dance couples. The measurement of the Thalia was: length thirty-six feet and Although it performed without the façade, people didn’t care height twenty-two feet. that much, but rather preferred its fine voiced music above all. Some other differences between both beauties are Because of strong inside family affairs, it was sold in 1953 remarkable as well, although of minor importance. The Thalia to organ builder Arthur Bursens of Hoboken (Antwerp) and dancehall organ, an instrument which entertained hundreds of ever since traces are lost. Most probably Mr. Bursens used the thousands of listeners and dance couples, is once again a basic most precious pipe ranks and other components. I could not statement of never-surpassed beauty and tonal quality plus top state one single argument against it . . . it solely could have had craftsmanship by all people on the Mortier crew! no better future! As I expressed many times before in my articles which This particular 101-key Mortier dancehall organ had an covered the Mortier firm, it is the Rolls Royce above all other identical instrumentation as the present day 101-key Mortier dancehall organs and pipe rank orchestrions and it never again dancehall organ Tajmahal owned by Mr. Q. David Bowers, a will be surpassed for sure! Unfortunately I have no picture of dancehall organ that dad and I also have owned and sold in the this organ any longer, but fortunately one could study it in winter of 1967/68 to Mr. Bowers. detail on page 898 of the encyclopedia towards the curiosity and interest of all.
14 / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUSICAL AMERICA for February 10, 1934 ;NEW YORK TIMES DECEMBER 5,' 193il DEBUT Ifi HAfLED R A N K L y N OF FRANKLYN BAUR Tenor R.vo~l. Unusual Gift. of Sensitivity and Mus ic;an ship at the Town Hall. I ADMIRABLE IN DEBUSSYI
Delicate PrtlClllon of Dtct)o/, a.nd Intonation ~. Noted B A u R Lodl1er Group Given. In hllll d'but TeeHAJ (n Un Town! Hll.1l leat. nl,ht, Jl"ra.nkLyn B..ur•. Unor. nveahd unu3ual gltl1ll ot: Franklyn Baur Appears in JleJUlUvlt)' and ll\utrchuuhlp. D ..
bUIl&Y hi a periloul te",t (It: • IlnS-tt'.B I First New York Recital lAl!Ile cmd. command. of hi. tn:Jtru nunt. He mUlit. nat only oencompUI dlWcult phruC"C' and tnhrva.lI, but From Musical America/or December 25, 1933 project Debu,",ey'. unique c:omblnA· lion. or ('001, Jlquld det.a.c:hmcnt Ilnd ... votupl~ tha.t It motc ot air and Franklyn Baur, tenor, Edwin McArthur, water than or the human l1u.rtl All this Mr. Baur admlre.bly ..c accompanist. Town Hall, Dec. 4, evening: compH:Ilhed In hi, third [froup com ~rlslDg "Le jet d·...u." uC'rl!l.n," Durch's Feuer wird das Silber rein; Deposuit "C't-It I'c:xta.a 1anroureu"," and "Rondeau.of It I... long time .Inet potentes de sede Bach one hu hurd the trrencb multI' 080 tlntty dc::Uy~rtId. The Ilnru'. Der Gang zum Liebchen; Nachtigal!; Wie .lyle ad.mlrably encomp..'ud, til' aubJ.ct, hot ODly ... \0 ton. C1o%or and Illm04phoTC, but a. to d~lIe.h Melodien zeiht es mir; So willst du des preclsion of diction o.nd an hHona· lton alw")'1 precisely In Un voeal Armen Brahms Iln~. The ;sam!! qu.HUe. marked. moat Le jet d'Eau; Green; C'est l'Extase Ian ol his othtt'. 1lIlnrlDI'". pl.l"t1c:ularly goureuse; Rondeau Debussy ~.ls·UddocOnn~ag~r.F. "~~~I~~.,,~g~g~ nel" al\d IIA. D,u,m WIlhln & Sudden Light; To Helen; Sonnet; A Dream ~e:~h"'" Hj~::;n~l~od~ B8if:~: I roin" &.1\4 ltDi-pClJun. potent.., d. within a Dream Loeffler ae4e/' beth florl41Y npld, 41 pl~y.4 bit tlexlbttUt All,do. ... • t.nd~n~ 0.1' .. dltter.,,~ ~/ One of the fmest song programs given thus far this !5rlLhht. ITOuD on~,~ v --Yseason was the above, in which Mr. Baur'introduced himself to New York's recital public. He sang this exceedingly taxing list of vocal art music entirely from memory, in itself an undertaking, one that required N R unusual courage, to say nothing of skill. Fortunately his musicianship is of a quality that insured his doing it well. "Anyone who can get such a 'hand' as he did with a group of the more ab'struse Debussy songs is an artist to be reckoned with. His fine tenor Mr. Baur deserves all manner of praise for the way voice and finished style made his entire concert a genuine suc.cess.." in which he devoted his art to the music, bending his New York JOIlr:na!, December 5, 193.8 vocal equipment to its service, instead of making it a means for personal display. His voice is one of great "Mr. Baur sliilg with admirable ul.1.d.lJJstanding [a:nd taste. He preYed a purity, generally well produced, he phrases artistically newcomer of artistic value." New York Sun, December 5, 193'3 and intelligently and his enunciation of the texts in all the languages he sang was admirable. "He was most successful in his Debussy songs, wh.ich were SUJlg with fine appreciation of the composer's style and with considerable imagination." He is a young artist, who should go far in this . New York Herald Tribune, December 5, 1933 field, if he continues to apply himself with the same seriousness of purpose that had obviously been "}I\ concert tenor of uncommon qualifications. Mr. Baur, singing an employed in the preparation of this program. His uJlha,ckne~,ed progrC!!TI, has the valuable asset called 'Une.' This with sound hearers applauded him heartily and demanded extras, musician*ip, good natural resources and clear articulation should win him a ranking with fhe cQIrlparatively few worthwhile recital-giving tenors." among them the Berceuse from Godard's opera New Yorker Mtrgasine, December 16, 1933 Jocelyn, the old English Cherry Ripe and the Londonderry Air. "A debut of considerable importance. The voice is warm, luscious and Mr. MacArthur's share in the enjoyable evening directed by a fine sensitive musicianship." .' was a considerably one, executed with technical BrooklynTimeJ, December 5, 193.'1 mastery and tonal beauty.
Management NBC ARTISTS SERVICE - 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York. George Engles, Director
15 AlexanderALEXANDER Z ILOTIZiloti By Denis Condon Alexander Ziloti - Only on the Duo-Art
es, it’s true! Ziloti did Friedheim’s help, Ziloti planned to surprise Liszt at one of the Ynot make rolls for any Sunday afternoon entertainments given at the home of the Stahr other reproducing piano nor sisters. These two women were former pupils of Liszt and he did he make any gramophone rarely missed one of their musicales. Ziloti’s idea was for he records. So, the eight pieces and Friedheim to play from memory Liszt’s Faust Symphony which he recorded for arranged for two pianos. The success of this venture led to a Aeolian in 1922/23 are the performance on the following Sunday of the Dante Symphony only examples of his art given in the same way. This in turn led to a concert in the available to us today. [I take Gewandhaus in Leipzig at which the two works were again the spelling of his name from played on two pianos. Quoting Friedheim: “The performances the New Grove, the old were given in the presence of the composer, he received a spelling Siloti is no longer mighty ovation from the audience and a legitimate performance used.] of the two symphonies with orchestra soon followed.” Born in South Russia in In 1887 Ziloti became a professor at the Moscow 1863, he became a pupil of Conservatoire, but he soon took up the life of a touring Tschaikowsky and of Nicholas Rubinstein in the Moscow virtuoso, playing in Russia, Germany, Belgium, France, Great Conservatoire. His great success there culminated in him being Britain and the United States. He eventually made his home in awarded the Gold Medal at his final examination. Rubinstein the USA in 1922 and taught at the Julliard School for a number advised Ziloti to take lessons from his more famous brother of years. Among his pupils were Nikita Magaloff, Wilhelm Anton. However, Anton had neither patience nor skill as a Backhaus and Rachmaninov, who was Ziloti’s cousin. teacher, and Ziloti said that the lessons were “a nightmare”. In Alexander Ziloti died in New York in 1945. All who heard him an attempt to avoid accepting Ziloti, Rubinstein asked invariably mentioned his beautiful singing tone. the young man to prepare four major works: Schumann “Kreisleriana,” Beethoven “Emperor Concerto” and “Sonata Ziloti’s Duo-Art rolls Op. 101” and Chopin’s “Sonata in B minor”. A formidable array of pieces which had to be ready in six weeks! Ziloti had 6585 nothing pleasant to say of Rubinstein except that it was through Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 in C#m his advice that he went to study with Liszt in Weimar. Original copies of this roll are hard to find. Considering Ziloti had no means of his own to go abroad so the the competition, Grainger 6497 and Hofmann 6139, this directors of the Imperial Russian Musical Society decided to performance stands up very well. It is straightforward [a few send him to Liszt at their expense. Liszt’s “lessons” were the decorations do not tally with the Joseffy edition] and compares foundation of today’s master classes. Pupils would arrive with favorably with my own preferred performance, Stavenhagen on their music which they would leave on the piano and Liszt the Welte. The Finale in particular is brilliant and exciting. would go through the music to select a piece for study. Thus the chosen pupil would then play the item with Liszt offering 6636 encouragement and criticism. Ziloti was part of this routine Liszt: Benediction of God in the Solitude from Harmonies, from 1883 to 1886. Poetic and Religious [revised and abbreviated by Ziloti] Among his fellow students were a number of pianists As originally written by Liszt this sublime music takes at whose work we also know from piano rolls - Rosenthal, least fifteen minutes to play. Ziloti’s performance with his Ansorge, Reisenauer, Sauer, Stavenhagen, Lamond and more. abbreviations and “revisions” lasts round about eight minutes. A particular associate of Ziloti was Arthur Friedheim. They Nevertheless this splendid roll [made all the more splendid began their friendship in Liszt’s class and maintained it for the in the British edition by Percy Scholes’s Audiographic rest of their lives. In his remarkable book Life and Liszt, annotations] is one of the jewels of the Duo-Art catalog. The Friedheim gives an account of some of the ways that Ziloti beautifully phrased tenor melody stands out in perfect would attempt to amuse Liszt. For example, enlisting proportion from the whispered accompaniment while the
16 climax is in magnificent contrast to the devotional atmosphere rather than sacred, nature of the event for which it was of the music as a whole. Wonderful! composed - the inauguration of the Leipzig Town Council in August 1731. Ziloti’s playing of this is, as I hear it, not as vital 6875[1] as that of Pouishnoff. Schubert: Wanderer Fantasy - Movement Two: Adagio Ziloti also contributed to the Duo-Art auction roll of This strange mixture is odd indeed. The second movement “Variations on Chopsticks.” He played the sixth variation of the Fantasy is some ninety bars long, Ziloti gives us a composed by Rimsky-Korsakov: Grotesque Fugue. version of twenty bars only and does not come near to To conclude this monograph, I quote from Ziloti’s expressing the nature of the music’s grave solemnity. It is description, in later years, of Liszt’s fascinating personality: followed on the same roll by: There were thirty or forty of us young fellows and I remember that, gay and irresponsible as we were, we looked small and 6875[2] feeble beside this old man. He was literally like a sun in our Liadoff arr. Ziloti: Goolenki [A Cradle Song] midst. When we were with him, we felt the rest of the world to From a composer who was famed for his indolence, this is be in shadow, and when we left his presence our hearts were so a gentle piece rendered by Ziloti with affection and a good deal filled with gladness that our faces were, all unconsciously, of style. This and the disappointing truncated Schubert strike wreathed in smiles. one as being odd bedfellows on the same roll and there is Further reading: probably a story as to how they came to be issued together. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 6657 Ziloti: Reminiscences of Liszt Riabinine: Ukrainian Folk Song Friedheim: Life and Liszt Ziloti was a country lad who was brought up on his father’s Dubal: The Art of the Piano estate near Kharkov in the south of the Ukraine. This is the Burger: Franz Liszt - A Chronicle of his Life in Pictures and very sort of song that his nurse would have crooned to him as Documents [This has some wonderful photographs of Ziloti] an infant. The dark somber and rich tone makes this an ideal showpiece for the Duo-Art.
6600 Bach: Prelude in E minor - Andante [arranged from the organ solo by Ziloti] The elaborate note about this music that appears in the Two Pieces 1927 Duo-Art catalog really does say it all. Sufficient to say, the performance fulfills all of the qualities that the catalog note Beautifully suggests. It is indeed “impressive, loftily beautiful and uplifting.” This is the sort of roll to which the listener comes Played by Siloti back again and again.
6985 Fantasia (Slow Movement) Composed by Schubert Bach: Choral Prelude in E minor and Liadoff-Siloti and Goolenki (Cradle Song) Played by [Theodor Szanto, Edited by Ziloti] Alexander Siloti
This piece is one of the forty-five chorale preludes in 68759 - $2.25 Bach’s Orgel-Buchlein. These consist of hymn tunes often decorated with expressive ornaments usually spread over a Schubert’s great Fantasia in C Major (Opus 15) is one simple traditional hymn. They are one of the glories of the of his finest and most poetic compositions for piano. Reformation where the congregation provides the sung hymn Its Slow Movement comprises a set of ineffably lovely with a solid basis for the often elaborate organ accompaniment. variations on the entrancing melody of one of the most famous and most beautiful of all his songs, 6600 “The Wanderer.” The wondrous beauty of the melody is Bach: Cantata No. 29 Prelude [Arranged by Ziloti] effectively set off by the simplicity and corresponding beauty of the harmonic investure. Here the distinguished There is a British Duo-Art roll of this music [Duo-Art Russian pianist, Alexander Siloti, has played it most No.098] played by Leff Pouishnoff in the arrangement by poetically, and has also followed it on the same record-roll Saint-Saens, from a worthwhile group of Bach transcriptions with his own skillful arrangement of a little masterpiece for the piano by this adventurous musician. The British catalog, by Liadoff - a Cradle Song in which a lovely, singing mistakenly, gives its number as Cantata No. 28. I prefer the melody is deftly set to a gently rocking accompaniment. Pouishnoff rendition, as it is more in keeping with the secular,
17 THE ILLUSTRATED LQNDON NEWS, JULY 17, 1926.-137
c .~
H o s p [ TA L TY ROM the wdcome to the farewell English hospitality knows no peer. The restful contentment bred of tha:t F consummate art that conceals all art is the happy lot of every guest. The hostess is at her best when she knows she is giving of the best, and no hostess can provide better entertainment than perfect music. The ·Duo~Art' 'P I A N 0 LA· P I A N 0 SOLVES FOR EVER THB PROBLEM OF PROVIDING ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOUR GUESTS, YOUR FAMILY AND FOR YOURSELF The !l\test dance, a popular song Qr a great classic-using the 'Duo-Art~ as a •Pianola' Piano you can play them yourself, the delicate controls allowing the fullest scope for every variation of expression. Us~g specially .·pr~p~red. artists' rolls, the ·~~o.Art' will.reproduce, without asslStince, and mdisungulShably frora the onguJlll, the finished platform per formances of the greatesr living pianists. Then, as an ordinary piano for hand playing, the 'Duo.Art' has that beauty oftone Price List D C 2 and Easy and delicacy of touch always associated with the famous names of Steinway. Weber and Steck. . Payment and Exchange An [n"italian Terms free on refJuesl. At Aeolian Hall are many beautiful raudels of this wonderful instrument that you are cord.iaJly invited to inspect and to play. Easy payment terms with immediate delivery call be arranged and a liberal allowance made for your present piano or player piano in part excl).ange. THE AEOLIAN COMPANY LTD. AEOLIAN HALL· NEW BOND ST. LONDON WI
18 THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, A~R)L 24, 1926.-789
It E L A x A T I a N HEN the day's game has been finally re-fought, when conversation flags, and pipes burn out unnoticed, when W sport - wearied muscles gratefully relax and silence and reverie hold sway, then the hour's great need is Music-to bridge the void, to soothe th~ senses, to stimulate remembrance, to satisfy some inward want of the soul.
brings rest after tht day's stress. With '!- 'Duo-Art' your repertoire is infinite!y greater than that of the most versatile pianist. You become a skilled musician, able to play any and all music, an(j the simple' Pianola' controls, which include the celebrated Themodist and Metrostyle, enable you to play it with personal expression, exactly as ii playing by hand. If you would listen to music rather than play it yourself, you have but to select a 'Duo-Art' roll actually· recorded by one of the world's great pianists, and the 'Duo-Art' will reproduce for you exactly the artist's original performance. The 'Duo·Art' 'Pianola' Piano may be either a STEINWA Y, WEBER, or STECK, and therefore is always a superb piano for Price ListD.Ca.and easy Pay",<,nJ playing by· hand in the usual way. $nd .rchangeterms sent on ;eq~st. AN INVITATION TO PLAY THE 'DUO.ART.' You are cordially invited to inspect. andpl.ay the beautiful Upright or Grand Models of the •Duo.Art . :tt Aeolian Hall. Prices are moderate; convenient payment terms can be arranged, and a generous allowance made for your present plano in part exchange. THE AEOLIAN COMPANY LTD ~ Jtal,b cN'-eAff dDon2 $f:#ee6. J:on.:iJorb W1.
19 THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS. JUl.Y 17. 1926.-13l!
THE CHRONICLE OF THE CA.R. By JOHN PRIOLEAU.
ON BUYING A CAR.
HERE is m:Lgic in the very words. Of all the are useful to (oUow when cb()O§i.ng a now ear. buy« must knaw exactly what he WlloDts. and T ~ings the ave "';;:;Z~{::::=::::;;:::'--::----:---:::--:::-"'"7""77-;-;:-:::i--:::;::J_tJlat YQU should ma.kCJ built, and. will put up w;th a lot of ill·usage for a H 1:hi5 limit as higb as loug time, but it is DO mQre sensible to expect th.em you can alford to, but. to catTy heavy 103oc18 day in an4 day out, economic gencrn.lly speaking, it is ally, ~ it is to expect the wo Even to the hardened veteran of ~ty yean I u- hillliteU', for exa..r:nple. to be '\-rooed porionoe. wbo bas bougbt as many ca<'S as he bas from the path oC ""mmon-senso by driven years, there is always something of a very the beauty of a "Sports Clover genuine thrill about buying the .twenty-first and Leaf," when what he really D« RADIO NOTES. be varied from ·inside tile cabin by a special lever aerial for this apparatus is a. short length o[ \"'"irC which may be adjusted and locked to suit the speed stre.tcbed between the wireless cabin and oae o( the N tbe pastt most cxpeditioos to the Pclar Regions at which the ship is tra.velling. Or at tnc rate re engine gondolas. Loop aerials, for use when direv I have had to undergo long periods o( complete quited by tbe dynamo. lion-finding is in progress. are fitted diagonally round isola.tion from the oUUsidc world, since it has not Into the base of the goodola i. lilted a special the outside of the airship's envelope, the centre of bce.n po'iSjblc to carry the me3.l1jl of communic.a.ting type of faLdead. for paying-out the trailing aerial. the loops coiuciding with the lead-in to the \'Ioi.rele:ss with clvilisation. It is o( particu.lar intetest. there wbiC'11 )s 300 ft. long. 'this fairlead+ enables a new cabin. The loops consist of two turns 01 wire spaced fore. to know tl.Lat. in regard to the Amundsen aerial and weight to be fitted while tbe airship is 9 in. apart. and are doped to the fabric with linen Ellsworth Polar 8igbt. arrangements have been made in 8ight, should it be necessary to do· so. Spocial tape. forming a neat and unobtrusive, bllt very whereby tbe Marconi Company have equipped .Marconi receiving apparatus is utilised botb for efficient, fitting. Inside the cabin~ eigllt termina..ls the a.j[7jhip Norg8 I. with special transmittiog and direction-tindmg and for ordi.o.ary reception. As in are fitted on an ebonitc panel to which the ends of receiving apparatus. which. will the loops are connected. This enable the: commander to keep enables tbe loops to be put in in touch. witb either ship or land either panllcl Or series. as might stations up to very considcr~ be found most advantageous OD. able distances. The airship will, the wave--lcngth being received. In fact. be in a position to For the reception of continuous maintain oommunication with wave, spark, and telephone mes~ the outside world throughout its sages, a. plug-in coil tuner, cover voyage through Arctie solitudes. ing a Vo-ave-range of 300 to 25,000 In regions where interlerence is metres, is connected to the high not great, the transmitting and frequency amplifier in pi""" of receiving range will probably be tb.e transformer and radio~gonio anything up to 2000 miles. meter units whi.cb are used for 01 specioI int...... t is the direction-finding. Eleven plug-in directioo·finding system. which coils are provided to COV("-'r the will enable the navigators accu full wave-range, anyone of which r3.tely to determine their" position can be inserted according to the and COO"",, despite tile lact tbat wave-length being rtceived. compasses will have reduced The chie! difficulty in fixing navigational value in the region the apparatus in tue wireless "I the P FACE LIITING Don't buy a Mew Car until yoU have seen the new 10 h.p. and 12{35 restores your contour and h.p. Swifts. Sturdinea and performance are makes you 20 years younger the outstanding qualitie. of thee«: two excellent can. With either of them you do not have The Ireat~eDI ]a dven by I:l to cOlISider whether the work that you have f:l(l:..)lI' Continoota.l Specialist wbo b:u for them i. within their power. They will not prucli*t.J in I.-ond-oo for the: hut :J.O )"C3.t'1I. Be remove_ in on~ sillier, perman fail you, for they are deugned for hard work, cnllJ <:lopol withou1 paie, thOK: lines. yet they are sen.itive to your control witbout WT\ftklll, aod loose .skiD; about !.he e}'m. being delicate. ;LOt! (rolD no'iC to m<:)uLb. Be re8Core8 to the faeo a.nd neck i.tt ~-ootbfo.l f;O"toUI" by tightctling tM ib4by tinlt~. lfo l't3.ulIfle$ lhe compie:l.ion, He Bhapes the Dose ;lt1d can jato Ideoll ff)(ro. tl.nd l"l!lDOVQ' or corrects .n)' 10 b.p. Modeh from £236 b.cizl bl~milh. 12135 hop. Model. from.. £376 Let us tobow )'OU thl!: way to look (rom 15 W 10 ~aC'$ }"otlegcr. We l,l~C 00 Aak for tUasttated Art Cata!O.,.If· ."d ~e of nea:r_t Antllt. lotiOi'll. poma.d.c:s, m:u..~ge or m<:loke.up: ManW4ciuJ'cf3 : 0..,( 1"osull,$ aTIC Smmecl~te ll.l'ld la&tinJI. W~ charge ;ab)'olutcly nolwllK for SWIFT OF COVE.NTRY. LTD., COVE.NTRY. :'l.dVH:("-COltJc 70nJ ,c<: hOiV we dQ i.t "'od Lmtiofl SItQlllTOO!JfS. RrbGlr ond SudC$ Dr~f; judge {(Or y('ur~lt IH.5. lollJ AMe, W.C.2 (oae !Dill..,11 from Ltier:tl« SoUUIt TGbeSr.!ion.). Broc}m.-e "ot. 7(1. .ulll jru. HYSTOGENE INSTITUTE Ltd 40, Baker Street, Loudon, W.l ul.1910. -rv-r";'l";'-:~1";N-:-';N'N-("';'NN':-;~tN 21 NBelgianATIONAL BELGIAN MuseumMUSEUM By Leonard Grymonprez The National Belgian Museum for Mechanical Musical Instruments. The year 1974 was proclaimed by the Belgian Organization understandably, the municipal officials immediately agreed to of Tourism as the Year of Folklore and Folkloristic Activities. support any effort of Mr. Dagraed for the future expanding The Belgian seaside resort of Koksyde (20 miles from Ostend) and coming events inside and outside the museum and already had several such folkloristic activities before. For congratulated him for his personal and amazing efforts which instance the Iceland-seamen cortege (a colorful folkloristic all turned into the museum of today. dance group); the procession of St. Marten (a celebrity devoted Beside the present Belgian Organ Museum, one will to an imaginary coming home from the giant KO back from simply agree with me that whenever, wherever a fine fairground Iceland and a successful cod fishing); a three-day-long organ appears, in many versatile aspects it deserves great animated and folkloristic market and more of such events. admiration and estimation among many people. In fact they But, finally after long years of waiting, a Museum devoted reflect a joyful memory into the richness of ours and other to Mechanical Musical Instruments was opened on Easter of national folkloristic symbols. The fact is Belgium always has 1974 on a sun-graced Saturday. The inauguration by the mayor been the most remarkable country in Europe covering the of Koksyde, Mr. F. Dewulf and in the presence of Mr. Alfons subject and the manufacture of dancehall organs and Bursens (Arburo), Mr. Romain-Charles Hooghuys, the owners orchestrions. I am certain in saying that by now precisely Daniel Dagraed-Parreyn and a large group from friends and everyone knows this is true! sympathetic supporting visitors attended the grand opening. Famed names such as Theofiel Mortier; Gebruders Decap; The museum is located at 45 Vandamme Straat, Koksyde. Frans Decap; Arthur Bursens (Arburo); Alfons Bursens; Louis It is opened Easter until late September with entrance being 75 Hooghuys; Pierre Verbeeck; Koenigsberg; Van Steenpurt; pence. There are well over one hundred and eighty collected Daneels; DeVreeze; Fasano; Remond Duwyn and others have and exposed instruments on display. Mr. Dagraed himself been the manufacturers of these instruments which gained name started collecting mechanical musical instruments years before and fame in our country and far abroad, even in both the which turned into his collection of today. The necessary space Americas. One even may not forget the many German and accommodations are a former dream which today is turned manufacturers which had their sales branch offices in Belgium, into reality and cozy presentation for visitors to have a close and I could well assure you my dear readers, that they all have look at all of these music makers which at one time had delivered a world of beautiful, versatile instruments to Belgian entertained many of their ancestors. buyers at the time. . . however, exact figures will never be The unique collection comprises a group of remarkable revealed! organs and orchestrions, for instance the famed Aalster 84-key Both neighboring country’s - Holland and Belgium - now Mortier orchestrion, which has a tremendous amount of have their own museum of mechanical musical instruments. semi-classical and operatic music books arranged by the late Nevertheless, the Dutch museum at Utrecht was founded noteur Mr. August Schollaert. There are several Mortier organs years earlier, but one must agree that the Belgian museum was and orchestrions on display, two 92-key Gebruders Decap realized only with the personal research force and private orchestrions, three 88-Arburo orchestrions with perforated efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Dagraed. paper music rolls, three Pierre Eich electric coin pianos. There are also several foreign manufactured instruments such as the Since the joyful opening day on Easter 1974, a possibility German Gebruder Weber Unika violin solo piano, two Philipps existed in Belgium to offer the single one or the groups of Sohn Pianella models, a Popper Happy Jazz Band - model, a visitors a glimpse, and the fascination, to see and hear again the Hupfeld orchestrion (exact style number unknown so far), one “survivors” from a bygone era, which quite probably at one Paul Losche orchestrion, two Spanish street pianos, one time had entertained in many ways most of their ancestors. Too Thibouville-Lamy organs, two small Gavioli barrel organs, two many, much too many mechanical musical instruments passed Mignon reed and music roll operated organs. Further more away through the care of the axe. Too many also have been there are two Ariston reed organs and a Harmonipan reed organ, slaughtered off, only to be recalled again by a hundred thousand a concert grand player piano. There is a line of Komet, different stories. If it might occur, certain names are and may Polyphon and Symphonion table and upright music boxes of be unknown by an innocent knowledge of them, have them various styles and a number of discs, a collection of cylinder checked up through the index of the renowned Bowers and disc boxes from Switzerland, France and Germany, a line Encyclopedia. I am sure you will find traces of them. I thank of antique gramophones, one bird organ Serimette from you for the interest and, maybe we might meet each other the eighteenth century, and a series of smaller reed and someday at the museum. Who knows? pipe organs. Unique to record on your cassette recorder! Quite 22 of Richard’s player pianos. About 6:00 p.m. members started to leave to go home. Again another great Christmas AMICA party at Richard’s home in San Francisco. Thanks again News Richard from all AMICA members. From The Chapters Richard Reutlinger’s Victorian Home at 824 Grove Street in San Francisco FOUNDING CHAPTER Reporter: Thomas J. McWay III Richard Reutlinger President: Bing Gibbs (408) 253-1866 and Bing Gibbs talk. Our joint Christmas Meeting was held again this year at Richard Reutlinger’s Victorian Home in San Francisco on December 16. This was from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. About 40 members showed up this afternoon for a relaxed get-together. The first hour everyone had light drinks and snacks and took a tour of Richard’s Victorian Home. Richard has several player pianos on each level of his home. About 3:30 p.m. dinner was served. Again Richard did the home cooking with a great tasting chicken stew and other vegetables. We also had several types of pies and cookies. About 4:30 p.m. Bing Gibbs, President of the founding Chapter, gave his report for the year 2001 AMICA activities. During this discussion members talked about activities for the Many player pianos in this room which used year 2002. Richard Reutlinger, our treasurer, gave a report to be a garage for cars. on our financial situation which is very good this year. Also there was talk and action on getting John Motto-Ros considered for Outstanding Award for AMICA Member doing outstanding work and effort for promoting AMICA and player pianos in America. John has spent the past several years doing extra work all year long helping AMICA. Bing Gibbs talked about all the extra work that John Motto-Ros has done for AMICA and the Sierra Nevada Chapter and also helping the Founding Chapter with many activities. Bing then talked about AMICA activities for the coming year 2002. About 5:00 p.m. the meeting came to an end and members went back for more food or down to listen to some 23 Members talking about AMICA Members listening to some of Richard player pianos Christmas tree with American Flags on it. Christmas tree on top of player piano Dinner being John next to the patriotic Christmas tree served. Dinner being served. 24 Dinner being served. Bing Gibbs listens to members talking about future AMICA activities for the year 2002. Members eating dinner and relaxing Bing Gibbs, President, talks Player piano used in the Movie Theatres when silent about AMICA movies were played up to 1928. Activities from this past year 2001 - a good turnout all year long. Bing Gibbs talks about other members having meetings at their home next year. Richard Reutlinger, treasurer, reports on our financial situation which is very good this year. Bing Gibbs talks about AMICA activities this year 2001 and next year 2002. AMICA members listening to player piano that was used in Movie Theatres to play along with silent movies. 25 BOSTON CHAPTER Reporter: Donald Brown President: Ken Volk Chris Christiansen in his ’47 Crosley The Boston Area Chapter journeyed to nearby New Hampshire to the home of Ed and Jean Everett. Since our last visit with the Everett’s, they have moved and have sold the big Bursens Dance Organ they had to Bill Harris. This time we had an organ grind outdoors that brought the neighbors to hear and see, and Chris Christiansen arrived in his restored 1947 Crosley auto. Inside awaited the Everett collection of toys from the 20s and 30s, and Ampico Chickering grand piano, a Regina musical box, an 88-note upright, a 58-note Orchestrel, Edison phonos and cob organs. There was an elegant snack table with punch and coffee while Ken Volk and his organ we gathered and reacquainted. The organ grind brought three crank organs, and a yet to be assembled laser-cut kit brought by Jack Breen called a Castlewood Busker Organ from Australia. The playing organs were brought by Ken Volk, Tony Misiano and Chris Christiansen, and all did well. Ken Volk ran our business meeting, and under old business, our search for a replacement upright pumper piano for the Charles River Museum has not produced one worth restoring. Many have too much rust in strings and critical parts. Dorothy Bromage may have a Lester “Colonial” already in her barn that would do. New business was nominations and election of new officers: Bill Koenigsberg-President; Bob Tempest-V. President; Ginger Christiansen-Secretary; Karl Ellison-treasurer. Chris Christiansen and his Joe Lavacchia reported that 70-year-old Bill Harris now has Hofbauer organ Ed Everett’s Dance Organ, and is restoring the two Revere Beach Hippodrome Band Organs. The facades are being made in Europe, and the pipework in one is missing. We heard that Art Reblitz has a new book published, “The Golden Age” from Mechanical Music Press in Woodsville, NH 03785. Tony Randazzo plays his organ The December meeting will be a dinner at Livingstones in Billerica, Massachusetts. A short meeting will be held while waiting to be served, followed by coffee and music at the home of Dorothy Bromage nearby. Her Duo-Art, Ampico and Welte pianos will supply the music. The Music Room in the basement 26 GATEWAY CHAPTER Reporter: Mary Wilson President: Yousuf Wilson Karl Ellison plays the pumper Gateway and Heart of America AMICA Chapters held a joint meeting and monkey organ rally on October 20, 2001 at the St. Louis City Museum. The “Cranks and Pranks” rally began on Friday night with a BBQ at Cynthia and Gary Craig’s. Setup at the museum began at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. “Cranks”, of course, referred to the cranking of the organs while “pranks” consisted of various hobbies, collections, and antics of the members. This included quilts, music boxes, small music box collectibles, carbide canons, and noisemakers. Gateway Chapter had an interesting display of the John 58-note Oak Case Orchestrel Smith organ they are building as a chapter project. A finished organ was displayed. The finished parts of the chapter project were displayed on a table, along with pictures taken at the various work sessions. Also displayed was a hand-made roll punch demonstrating the actual punching of rolls for this organ. After the rally ended at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, everyone headed for historical Scott Joplin House and the restored “Rose Bud Café” for a catered dinner. Meetings of Gateway and Heart of America Chapters were then held. At the Gateway Chapter Meeting, it was decided to play our street organs for various Salvation Army Kettle locations in the St. Louis area to encourage more donations. Plans were also discussed for completion of the John Smith organ and for Bill Koenigsberg and Tony Misiano our upcoming Christmas Party. discuss the Chickering Ampico. Heart of America Chapter also held their meeting, at which the 2002 Convention and their Christmas Party at the Koehlers were discussed. Excellent entertainment was then provided by the “St. Louis Ragtimers” consisting of Don Franz on the tuba, Al Stricker on the banjo and Trebor Tischner at the piano. They played favorite rags that were on rolls (piano and nick- elodeon), such as “Shame on You,” “St. Louis Rag,” “Down on the Levee,” “Red Rose Rag,” “Maple Leaf Rag,” and many more. It was a great ending for a great weekend. Bob Tempest, Bill Koenigsberg, Ginger Christiansen, Ken Volk, Chris Christiansen 27 Tom Novak and Chapter project pictures and parts for the John Smith Busker Organ the chapter is building at City Museum. Carl and Kathy Cavitt and friends at City Museum. Robbie Tubs and Charles Tyler with their music box display at St. Louis City Museum. Tom Novak and Bob Crawley of Gateway Chapter demonstrating Hal O’Rourke and Eugene Zeeman at City Museum the roll punching machine made to punch rolls for the John Smith Busker Organ at City Museum. At Cynthia and Gary Craig’s Friday night BBQ - shows Kathy Cavitt playing Yousuf and Mary Wilson’s twin of the Gateway Chapter Organ. Tom Griffith, Ron Bopp, Hal O’Rourke at Cynthia and Gary Craig’s BBQ. Ron Bopp, Mary Jo Bopp, Carl Cavitt at their City Museum Display. Mary Wilson with a display of her quilts at the City Museum Organ Rally. 28 Ron Olsen, Don Barton, Howard O’Neill NORTHERN LIGHTS CHAPTER Reporter: Dorothy Olds President: Dave Kemmer On December 2, 2001, many Northern Lights Chapter members were found meeting at the lovely home of Barb and Paul Watkins, which overlooks the Mississippi River in Champlin, Minnesota. It was a bright sunny (winter, hardly Barbara Watkins, any snow) day for driving to an AMICA meeting, with hopes Jason Beyer, Paul of seeing and hearing their grand piano. Unfortunately, the Watkins restoration is still in progress. Our President Dave Kemmer had the misfortune of hitting an icy spot on the highway following the storm of November 24-25, tipping his van and suffering a fractured vertebrae in his neck. Hence, he is recuperating at home in a magnificent neck brace. The meeting was conducted by V.P. Jerrilyn Boehland. Don Barton presented information regarding the proposed convention to be hosted by our chapter in 2005. Discussion followed and members volunteered their assistance in planning. Chapter officers for the following year (or two) are President; Dave Kemmer, Vice President: Phil Baird, Secretary: Jason Beyer, Treasurer: Howie O’Neill, Reporter: Dorothy Olds. As per usual, following the meeting, we enjoyed a Phillip Baird and Dorothy Olds licking the spoons traditional Holiday dinner. after dinner while Ron Olsen, Don Barton, and Howard O’Neill chat nearby. Future meetings are scheduled as follows: February - Randy Hammond’s; April 27, 2002 - Don Barton host at Heights Theater - movie and organ concert with dinner at Nye’s Polonaise Restaurant; Summer - Ron Olson’s; August 18 - Dave Kemmer’s Oronoco. Don Jones, Ron Olsen, Tim Wheat Dorothy Olds, Jerrilyn Boehland, Tim Wheat 29 Jerrilyn Boehland, Dorothy Olds, Susan (Kelley) Beyer, and Don Barton discussing proposed 2005 AMICA Convention. Janean and Don Curderla talking with Barbara Watkins. Phillip Baird, Dorothy Olds, Susan (Kelley) Beyer Our hosts, Barb and Paul Watkins in their fantastic kitchen. Jason Beyer reading minutes while Don Curderla, Barbara Watkins, and Ron Olsen listen. Jerrilyn Boehland, Tim Wheat Barbara Watkins, Ron Olsen, Paul Watkins, Phillip Baird Jerrilyn Boehland, Tim Wheat, Ron Olsen, and Phil Baird enjoying refreshments. 30 Francis Riley acts as the tremolo as Wes Spore demonstrates the foundation’s first organ. PACIFIC CAN-AM CHAPTER Reporter: Carl Kehret President: Kurt Morrison Halie Dodrill plays the Steinway as Carl and Our December meeting was held at the Mercer Island Jack Becvar listen. home of Carl and Halie Dodrill. It was our first visit since the Dodrill’s formation of the Pipe Organ Foundation, a charitable group that accepts donated non-working pipe organs that are then rebuilt and provided to churches that want, but can’t afford to purchase, a pipe organ (www.piporganfoundation.org) Several of our chapter members are involved in this new effort. During the meeting we heard the Dodrill’s 1927 two-manual thirteen rank Aeolian Duo-Art pipe organ, as well as a 1912 Steinway, Model O, Duo-Art player/pumper grand which is tied to the pipe organ. Two orchestrelles also live with the Dodrills - an 1897 model V and a 1900 model W. Concerts featuring all of these instruments were spaced throughout the afternoon. Following a delicious potluck dinner, the annual holiday gift exchange was its usual melee of getting and stealing gifts. Mark Smithberg and Dan Brown admire Myra Karp’s gift of a monkey that records and repeats any message. Halie played the Steinway in a Christmas duet with the Aeolian Duo-Art pipe organ. Our host, Carl, prepares the Aeolian pipe organ Carl Dodrill in his pipe organ workshop, explaining the to play a march. foundation’s work on restoring a 2/8 electro-pneumatic organ. Brian Tate checks out the console. 31 The gift exchange was the highlight of the party with Doug Mahr acting as Santa. We all draw numbers, with number one picking a wrapped gift and opening it. Number two has the choice of picking a wrapped gift or taking the number one gift. If a gift is moved three times, it stops on the third turn. This can get pretty exciting if there is something of interest to several people. Our first meeting of 2002 will be business oriented to plan the events of the year. Sorry our full membership could not attend; they missed a great Christmas party. Members listen in appreciation to the duet of Halie at the piano, with the pipe organ. Clockwise are Dan Brown, Fran Willyard, Ron Babb, Maury Willyard, Mara French Ray Parkinson, Peg Kehret, and Phil Dayson. with Fred and Lorie Deal John and Nadine Motto-Ros hosts Food enough to feed an army. Clockwise are Larry and Jackie Slosson, Norm Gibson, Wes Spore, Mary Lou Becvar, Phil Dayson, Jack Becvar, Maury Willyard, Aileen and Ted Miholovich. Vickie Mahr, Sharyn Cunningham and Roy French (guest) SIERRA-NEVADA CHAPTER Reporter: Nadine Motto-Ros President: John Motto-Ros (209) 267-9252 On Saturday, December 8, we met at the home of John Nadine and Nadine Motto Ros for the Chapter Christmas Party. We Motto-Ros sidestepped a formal meeting for more fun-oriented things. and Doug Mahr Several tunes were played on all of the instruments. The Seeburg KT Special and Marshall & Wendell Ampico B had Christmas rolls, classical was on the Link 2E, popular 1920’s music on the Seeburg G, and Mexican music on the Empress 2E. 32 some rain, another unusual event for our Southern California Chapter. Dave had arranged for a driver to come down the hill and pick up those who had a hard time walking up his driveway . . . “up” is the key word there. Everything had been considered, and taken care of. The Reidy’s are wonderful hosts, and we all had a great time. We had a short business meeting, with the officers on the SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER balcony and the members in the driveway below (the rain had stopped by then, luckily), and our Prez, Jim Westcott said he Reporter: Shirley Nix thought everyone should put in a balcony as it made us feel President: James Westcott quite regal being up there. Our next meeting will be the Christmas party December 1st at the home of Frank and Shirley Nix. We are trying it November Meeting earlier this year since so many people say they have so much going on in December as it gets closer to the holidays. This year we had a meeting in November, which is not our normal month, but it worked out that it was a good time and didn’t clash with any other plans. This meeting was at the wonderful home of Dave and Diane Reidy in Santa Ana. This home has to be seen to be Our host and hostess believed! Dave and Diane have filled it to the brim with (with the mostest) antiques, all top quality in perfect condition. They have Dave and Diane Reidy. decorated the house itself with paper, paneling, and all the extra touches to make it another world when you enter. You seem to have slipped back into the Victorian era for sure. It would be hard to tell about all the extras in the home - light fixtures, dolls, furniture, pictures and prints on the walls, clocks, just everything that is needed to set the tone of the home. In the living room is the Ampico piano, a fairly new acquisition, and it got a lot of use this day. They have some great music for it, and we availed ourselves of the assortment. Another super piece, with a matching roll cabinet. From there, we ventured upstairs to the music room, all decked out with an antique soda fountain and life-size figures of Dan Dailey and W.C. Fields. Do we keep good company, or what? This was the first time Dave had demonstrated the band box attachment for his Violano, and it was really a crowd pleasing experience. The Violano is also fitted out with a midi system. As I said, everything is top of the line and in perfect condition. Another item most of us hadn’t seen was “Sam the Piano Man,” which is an automata of sorts of a piano player. It is really fun to watch - he is quite real-looking, and tireless! Frank Nix and Fred Roth Of course, the Wurlitzer Pianorchestra is the crowning item. The case on this machine is really beautiful, and the music matches or surpasses the case - need I say more? It is really quite an experience to sit in the soda fountain room and listen to this wonderful instrument. Richard Rigg looking somehow When one got tired, if one ever did, of listening, the like he’s caught with his hand in Packards were on display in the garage for our enjoyment. the cookie jar. (He was actually Dave has two Packards, again in perfect condition, and they fixing the clock??) are really gems. They were in the garage because we had 33 December Meeting The December meeting was early this year compared to our usual, occurring on December 1st at the home of Frank and Shirley Nix. The Nix home was decorated for the holidays, setting the tone for a festive evening, with lots of goodies to eat and loads of good music from the Nix collection. Most everyone had been to see the collection before, but for those who hadn’t, it was an interesting evening, to say the least. Frank keeps adding to his collection, and can fill several hours just playing one after the other of his wonderful Lloyd Osmundson and Betty Canada getting good seats for music machines. the meeting. The Duwyn is always a favorite, and of course the Banjo-orchestra is a real crowd pleaser every time. Throw in the Weber Styria, the Mortier 80-key, the Carl Frei Dutch street organ, violanos of several styles, Wurlitzer B-X and C-X, just to name a few, and you get an idea of what the entertainment was for the meeting. We had a short business meeting, with the main business “Sam, the of course being the announcement of the slate of new officers, Piano Man.” which was, as usual, voted in unanimously. Our new President will be Frank Nix, until someone else agrees to take the office, our new Vice-President is Richard Ingram, Treasurer is Ken Hodge, and Secretary/Reporter is Shirley Nix. Frank will stay on as International Board Rep, so we are all set to go for the next session. Jackie Porter presented Jim Westcott with a novelty item in thanks for his term of office, along with a list of suggestions for him to keep him busy in his “retirement” from office. Jim graciously agreed to all she threw at him, although somehow I questioned his honesty in doing so???? We all hate to see Jim leave office, but couldn’t talk him into another term. I guess time will tell if he is actually going to apply himself to all Jackie’s suggestions. Depends on how bored he gets, I guess. Jim gave out some gifts of his own to people who had Brook Osmundson and our “Prez” Jim Westcott. helped him during his time in office, CDs he made of the collection of band organ music from the Luis Suierveld LP records. These great mementos went to Richard Ingram for help with meetings, Bill Whitney, who has acted as “Badge Master,” making name badges for us on demand, to Ken Hodge, Treasurer, to Jackie Porter, his Vice-President, and to Frank and Shirley Nix for whatever! We have played ours, and they are just great music, with a big variety of instruments and style. It was a really nice act from our departing Prez. . . Thanks, Jim. The gift exchange followed the meeting, and there were, again, some wonderful gifts. It seems that every year the gifts are more creative than the year before, and really do include some marvelous items. It’s always a lot of fun to see what people come up with, and is a great part of the meeting. It was nice to see Ben and Mary Lilien at the meeting. Bill Chapman, AMICA Membership Secretary They can’t make it to too many of them anymore, and we are always happy to have them. There were several new members, also, which is always a welcome sight. We seem to be getting some really enthusiastic new people lately. 34 Our next meeting will be in February, although time and place are not set yet. In April we will be having an organ rally in Descanso Gardens again, and we urge anyone who is in the area to come out. It will be a super rally, with perhaps some surprise guests? We here in Southern California wish all our AMICA friends a wonderful New Year, and hope 2002 is filled with happiness and peace. Some of the attendees in front of the Duwyn Café organ. Members listen to the banjo orchestra Jim Westcott, our retiring (Ex) Prez, and his wife Carol. Our host and new President Frank Nix in the holiday spirit. Bill Blair, Jean Hurley and very enthusiastic new member Maggie Richardson. SOWNY CHAPTER Reporter: Frank Warbis President: Mike Walter One early August morning a group of SOWNY members headed in convoy to Ottawa to ultimately end up at the home of John and Janet Johns for our meeting. Halfway to Ottawa, we stopped for a delightful lunch at a restaurant renowned for its Bohemian fare. As we were staying over night, we had made arrangements to stay in Ottawa. WOW! - Robin Biggins and the place that Anne Lemon had chosen for us was a fabulous Dave Berstein four-star Inn that had originally been built in 1872 as a private admire the gifts they received home called “Gasthaus Switzerland.” It is now listed as one while Ken Hodge of Ottawa’s finest Bed and Breakfast Inns since 1985, and looks on. located right near the Byward Market. When we arose in the morning we enjoyed a complimentary breakfast (buffet style) offering a variety of breads, jams, croissants, muffins, French toast, eggs, cheese, and their famous “Birchenmusli.” 35 We connected with the Johns at the Canadian Science and Stella disc Technology Museum on St. Laurant Blvd as they had player, with arranged a tour of the storage facilities for us. Only 1/7 of the Colin Hinz complete collection is on public view in the museum at one ready to take a picture. time, the rest being stored in large warehouses. We were met by Dr. Helen P. Graves Smith who is the assistant to the curator, Cuatorial Division. To arrange tours she can be contacted at 613/991-3086. Our tour guide had previously pulled out several musical treasures for us to study. We started with a 1924 Knabe then moved on to the Sakbut - an electric piano synthesizer. Our guide then showed us a Capital Cuff box cylinder player which was weighted with lead to give more mass which would be added or deleted to aide in tuning. There were many more instruments that were shown to us but it became time to leave for an evening with the Johns. John and Janet have a lovely home in Ottawa, complete with a heated greenhouse where Janet grows orchids for competition and pleasure. We had a fabulous gourmet meal prepared by Janet muchly enjoyed by all. We finished with one of our usual sparkling meetings led by our President Mike Walter. Our group for a final picture at the Museum. 1924 Knabe - company established in 1837, admired by Anne and Gary Lemon. The Sackbut - an electric piano synthesizer. John Johns seated at his 1920 Steinway Duo-Art grand. Mike Walter(Pres.) on the way out managed to stop a runaway train. 36 ADVERTISING FOR SALE ORANGE COAST PIANO Orchestrions:Wurlitzer “Pianorchestra” GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT Style 12 with Silver fox finish 100% excellent condition works great. ALL ADVERTISING IN THE AMICA BULLETIN Also includes the Original Peacock Wonderlight comes with a 68 roll All advertising should be directed to: library can be seen on page 681 of the Encyclopedia of Automatic Robin Pratt Musical Instruments top right side of the page. Greatly reduced price 630 East Monroe Street call for quote. 1880’s Imhof Mukle Barrel Orchestrion 50 key 114” Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3708 high with nickel plated trumpets very impressive instrument a similar Phone (419) 626-1903 e-mail: [email protected] model can be seen on page 466 right side lower part of page. Includes 9 Ad copy must contain text directly related to the product/service tune barrels call for more information. Pierre Eich “Super being offered. Extraneous text will be deleted at the Publisher’s Violin” Orchestrion with original pewter lights Sound Great! discretion. All advertising must be accompanied by payment in $38,980.00 or near offer! Weber- “Unica” Excellent condition with U.S. funds. No telephone ads or written ads without payment will beautiful beaded lamp shades $48,950.00 or near offer. 1893 Very be accepted. This policy was established by a unanimous vote of Rare North Tonawanda 25 key with tremolo Monkey Organ 9 tune the AMICA Board at the 1991 Board Meeting and reaffirmed at Barrel $10,750.00 or near offer, Coinola-Cupid Rebuilt with Burl the 1992 meeting. AMICA reserves the right to edit or to reject any ad deemed inappropriate or not in keeping with Walnut case comes with 4 “A” rolls priced to sell fast. Mira 18 1/2” AMICA’s objectives. Concert Grand Console Disk Music Box with built-in storage in Fiddleback Mahogany. Very loud and bell like tone only one word The BULLETIN accepts advertising without endorsement, implied or otherwise, of the products or services being offered. describes this “BEAUTIFUL” with 10 Disk’s call for quote. Late Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA’s Model 1929 Mills Violano Virtuoso Mahogany Case works great! endorsement of any commercial operation. with 4 incredible rolls, 2 recuts and 2 Original and also with service manuals $33,500.00, or near offer! 4-Nickelodeon’s from “ Knott’s AMICA PUBLICATIONS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO Berry Farm” : Engelhardt style “A” tiger oak with 3 original art ACCEPT, REJECT, OR EDIT ANY AND ALL SUBMITTED ARTICLES AND ADVERTISING. glass panels $4,750.00, Link “2E” Keyboardless needs some work $6,250.00, Nelson/Wiggens “3A” with reiterating folded xylophone All items for publication must be submitted directly to the $7,500.00, Seeberg A with Violin Pipes added $7,500.00 or make an Publisher for consideration. offer on all. 4 Mortier 80 key Book Music 12 books available make CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: $.20 per word, $5.00 minimum offer! Call for more information and prices at (714) 432-7426 for AMICA members. Non-members may advertise double the ask for Kim or John. We also carry the largest collection of Ampico, member rates ($10.00 minimum). Because of the low cost of Welte, Duo-Art, Recordo etc., player piano rolls anywhere! advertising, we are unable to provide proof copies or “tear sheets”. You can see our current Musical Instruments on our website at DISPLAY ADVERTISING http//www.playerpianos.com (1-02) Full Page — 71/2 " x 10" ...... $150.00 Beautiful 5’8” 1919 CHICKERING Ampico #130428. Piano com- Half Page — 71/2 " x 43/4" ...... $ 80.00 pletely rebuilt approximately 20 years ago, new hammers and strings. Quarter Page —35/8 " x 43/4" ...... $ 45.00 Exquisite hand-rubbed lacquer finish on case has been returned to the Business Card — 31/2 " x 2" ...... $ 30.00 original brown mahogany color. This early A-model Ampico plays all Non-member rates are double for all advertising. Ampico rolls with wonderful expression, from the earliest to the late B Special 6 for 5 Ad Offer - Place any ad, with no changes, for a rolls. Includes matching bench and approximately 100 Ampico rolls. full year (6 issues), and pay for only 5 issues. Payable in advance. Asking $11,900, will consider offers. David Wallis, 708-366-3103 Photographs or halftones $15.00 each (Chicago area). (2-02) Loose Sheet or Insert Advertising: Inquire 1916 WURLITZER 125 MILITARY BAND ORGAN mounted on We recommend that display advertisers supply camera-ready 4’ x 6’ small wheel parade trailer, very good condition. Can deliver copy. Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changed to west to Midwest, pictures on request, $24,000. WATLING OWL 5¢ correct size at your cost. We can prepare advertisements from SLOT MACHINE with music box, oak and nickel, very good condi- your suggested layout at cost. tion, $12,500. Ervin Canada, 909-882-2297 (CA). (2-02) PAYMENT: U.S. funds must accompany ad order. Make check Great American Orchestrions for sale!!! SEEBURG G Orchestrion payable to AMICA INTERNATIONAL. Typesetting and fully restored, $55,000 - a bargain! Rare SEEBURG L Orchestrion layout size alterations charges will be billed. restored, $55,000. Historic SEEBURG H Orchestrion with many DEADLINES: Submissions must be received no later than the rolls, unrestored; rare COINOLA SO Orchestrion, restored, one of first of the odd months (January, March, May, July, September, three known to exist! Spectacular AMPICO CONCERT GRAND! November). The Bulletin will be mailed the first week of the by Schiedmayer of Stuttgart, Ampico A, stunning inlaid furniture finish even months. (Rev. 6-98) case with warm Mason-like tone! Tim Trager, 630-654-1145, [email protected] (2-02) LARGE COLLECTION FOR SALE: Over 1250 rolls including approximately 100 Welte, 110 Soloelle, 100 65-note, 115 Cecilian “They may forget what you said, but they will organ rolls, 100 Angelus 65-note, 5 Wurlitzer, also some Melodant, Angelus, Themodist, Recordo, Solo Carola, Art Echo, Artrio Angelus, never forget how you made them feel.” Gulbranson instruction rolls, O rolls, A rolls and 88-note rolls. 58-note ~Carl W. Buechner push-up player (walnut), Pianocorder kit, Pianocorder push-up player, “Sally” animitronic piano player and singer. Call Dick “Some cause happiness wherever they go; Leonard, 415-665-7916. (2-02) WILLIAM KNABE COMPANY GRAND PIANO with Ampico others whenever they go.” “A” Reproducing Player System (restored), retubed, new tuning pins, ~ Oscar Wilde dampers, and hammers (1983), dark walnut case, matching bench, and roll collection. F. Moon, 417-886-6280. (2-02) 37 CLEVELAND PIANO KEY - quality key services at competitive prices. Serving the trade for over 30 years. Our service available in top and front replacement, sharps, key bushings, blast cleaning and polishing. Call or write for complete pricing information. Other ser- vices available upon request! Richard Salamone or John Hoelzl, [email protected]; 440-933-3906; UPS to: Richard Salamone, 4700 Lakeside Avenue East, Cleveland, Ohio 44114. (2-02) PLAYER AND REPRODUCING ROLLS for sale. Newly re-cut “Magic Melodies” DUO-ART and AMPICO rolls and new “Top Hat” 88 note roll. Original and other re-cut rolls; program rolls for AMPICO and DUO-ART. All in excellent condition. Write or call for listings. Magic Melodies, 360 Lawless Road, Jamestown, KY 42629, call 270-343-2061. (6-02) TANGLEY CALLIAPHONE, Model CA-43 (Miner Mfg. Co.) automatic/hand play, great condition, with trailer, Honda generator and 8 rolls, $7750 firm, fob Houston. Call for info and photos. Dick Howe, 713-680-9945. (4-02) REPRODUCO, Operators Piano Co., complete with all pipes and many rolls, good condition, $5200. Jukebox AMI D-80, very good condition, $1150. Jerry Cuda, 417-753-2063, e-mail: [email protected] (5-02) WANTED AMPICO, DUO-ART, WELTE, RECORDO rolls wanted. I’ll buy small or large collections. Now is the time to clean out duplicates and unwanted tunes! Contact: Dave Caldwell, 400 Lincoln Lake Rd. Lowell, MI 49331, phone: 1-616-897-5609, email: [email protected] (1-02) ARTRIO-ANGELUS reproducing rolls and catalogs wanted. David Krall, 4218 Torrence Ave., Hammond, IN 46327, 219-932-2322 (4-02) AMICA Pacific Can-Am Chapter invites you to its second with the Annual Kite Festival May 31, June 1&2, 2002 in scenic Ocean Shores, Washington Join us at the Ocean Shores Convention Center for a weekend of American and European fair organs, street organs, and calliope, and a host of other mechanical musical instruments. Enjoy the large organs outside, then go indoors to the exhibit and demonstration rooms. Registration fee includes a banquet, two box lunches, open house, door prizes, and discount coupons from local businesses. Located on the Pacific Ocean, mid-way between Seattle and Portland, our rally site is only minutes from beautiful sandy beaches. Galleries, shops, good restaurants, and Visit the recreational activities abound, all within easy walking distance of the rally. The host hotel, Linda’s Landing, AMICA is offering 2 nights for 1 (50% discount) or with a 3rd night Web page at another discount. For Information & Registration: Norm or Sally Gibson, http://www.amica.org 125 Taholah St. SE, Ocean Shores, WA 98569-9549 Registration Forms at: www.thegibsonsbandb.com 38 BENNET LEEDY ROLLS THE PIANO ROLL CENTER AMICA LEEDY BROTHERS MUSIC ROLLS 4660 Hagar Shore Road BROCHURES Coloma, Michigan 49038 (Free) Phone 616-468-5986 • Fax 616-468-0019 Email: [email protected] and Ampico, Welte, Duo-Art, 88 and 65 Note, Nickelodeon, and other rolls. Send for your auction and reissue lists today. Serving collectors since 1970. Web page: www.leedyrolls.com BROCHURE HOLDERS (2-02) ($3.00 each Post Paid) yer Piano Order from: ’s Pla Ser vi Ben A Complete Restoration Service ce ROBIN PRATT For The Pneumatic Piano 630 East Monroe Street Complete pianos and player systems restored using factory Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3708 original techniques by an experienced professional. Complete or partial systems can be sent to my shop for restorations. Phone: 419-626-1903 I supply special UPS cartons for this unique service. Ben Gottfried e-mail: [email protected] 464 Dugan Rd. • Richfield Springs, NY 13439 315-858-2164 (6-02) John Wrasse Piano Moving Don’t Specializing in: Player Grands, Nickelodeons, & Orchestrions Anywhere in Continental US & Canada ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ Forget 25 years experience Knowledgeable Rebuilder and Collector Well-known ¥ References Available Insured To Renew ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ Your instrument is wrapped, padded and secured for transport in an insulated and clean custom-built heavy-duty trailer. Professional and personal service. Your John P.Wrasse Phone: 536-872-3495 - Cell: 536-580-2472 E-mail: [email protected] Membership 31449 216th St., Bellevue, IA 52031 (6-02) 39 The Golden Age of Automatic Musical Instruments By Arthur A. Reblitz For a preview of this important new book, please visit our website: www.mechanicalmusicpress.com “I highly recommend this new book. It is an outstanding achievement. After some 35+ years in this delightful avocation, I was astounded at the amount of new information... It is a truly wonderful coffee table book, to be read throughout as a fine reference document. Run, don’t walk, to your keyboard and order it. It’s well worth it.” Terry Smythe, Winnipeg, Manitoba Only $120 each, plus $5 postage and handling for single copy USA ground shipment. For payment information, shipping rates on multiple copies, air mail, insurance, and outside the U.S., contact: Mail To: Mechanical Music Press-A • 70 Wild Ammonoosuc Road • Woodsville, NH 03785 603-747-2636 (Voice/Fax) or 877-760-8243 • E-mail: [email protected] WANTED TO BUY MUSIC BOXES MUSICAL CLOCKS MECHANICAL ORGANS Always in the market for better quality disc and cylinder music boxes, musical clocks, singing birds, band organs, player organs, monkey organs, Wurlitzer 78 rpm jukeboxes, slot machines. Any condition. MARTIN ROENIGK 75 Prospect Avenue Eureka Springs, AR 72632 (800) 671-6333 • (479) 253-0405 www.mechantiques.com • [email protected] (6-02) 40 1916 Wurlitzer “G” Photoplayer INSTRUMENTATION: Piano, mandolin, violin pipes, flute pipes, base drums & snare drum. SOUND AFFECTS: Crash cymbal, wood block, & tambourine. ROLLS: Wurlitzer APP 15 tune DIMENSIONS: Piano 61 1/2” W x 28” D x 56 1/2” H. Side chest 56” W x 26” D x 52” H. REFERENCES: Bower’s Encyclopedia p.699 Player Piano Treasury p.228 PHOTOPLAYER PRICE: $21,500 Includes 12 rolls 2 custom made California redwood roll cabinets, each containing 48 Wurlitzer APP recut rolls in perfect condition. (Photoplayer purchaser will have first right of refusal on the roll cabinets & rolls.) $4,800 each. CONTACT: Doug Mahr (916) 988-7794 Sacramento, CA – ANNOUNCING!– THE BILLINGS ROLLOGRAPHY, VOL. VI: THE TEL-ELECTRIC COMPANY, 1905-17 This unique company made an all-electric piano player that used brass rolls. It was in business only 12 years, until the start of the U.S. entry into WWI, but in that time issued as many as 8,000 titles! Volume VI contains a catalog of over 6,000 of known titles issued by the Tel-Electric Company, arranged by roll number, title and composer, plus pictures of some of the pianists for the hand-played series. This is an interesting snapshot of the music enjoyed by the wealthy in the first 20 years of the 1900’s. We have compiled the first ever history of Tel-Electric, with many previously unkown pictures of the facility and machinery. Also included is a large technical section with descriptions, pictures and schematic diagrams of the various models of players, and many patents. Over 600 pages, hard-bound. TO ORDER: Send $75.00, plus $3.50 postage to : ROCK SOUP 14010 Rim Rock Drive, Reno, NV 89511-7347 Phone: (775) 853-4659 • Fax (775) 853-3261 *********************** Also specializing in the sale of RECORDO ROLLS, recut and original. 41 42 AMICA ITEMS FOR SALE Get the Whole Story ! Shipped Immediately ! In Stock Now The AMICA Bulletin remains the single source of complete information about the technical and social aspects of our hobby. No home library would be complete without a FULL SET of the AMICA Bulletins, bound into sets by year. In addition, technical articles published in the bulletin have been extracted and published as invaluable reference volumes. More than 30 years of knowledge, discovery and revelation can be found in the TECHNICALITIES, a complete set of which takes less than 30 inches of shelf space! ORDER TODAY! In stock for immediate shipping via United Parcel Service or US Mail. AMICA Technicalities The AMICA Bulletin Since 1969, AMICA has been publishing into bound vol- umes, collections of technical articles written and con- 1971 through 1999 bound annuals tributed by its members for publication in The AMICA Bulletin. They may be purchased as follows: of the AMICA Bulletins Vol 1 - 1969 to 1971 ...... $10.00 $24.00 (U.S. Dollars) per year postage paid Vol 2 - 1972 to 1974 ...... 8.00 Vol 3 - 1975 to 1977 ...... 9.00 Make checks payable to: AMICA International Vol 4 - 1978 to 1980 ...... 7.00 Send Orders to: Stuart Grigg Vol 5 - 1981 to 1988 ...... 20.00 Vol 6 - 1989 to 1993 ...... 20.00 Grigg Graphic Services, Inc. Postage Paid 20982 Bridge Street Please note: Supplies of the earlier volumes may be Southfield, MI 48034 temporarily unavailable as stock is depleted. Fax: (248) 356-5636 Overseas orders may take longer than domestic shipments. e-mail: [email protected] Attention Chapters! AMICA AMICA Brochure Holders STATIONERY are now available and for $3.00 each. ENVELOPES They are clear plastic This is a reduced with AMICA Logo imprinted sample of the small letterheads on a gold label. which can be purchased. Included will be as many AMICA New Member Info Brochures as you wish at no charge. Make checks payable to AMICA International. AMICA STATIONERY & ENVELOPES For Quantities and Pricing contact: Order from: Stuart Grigg Grigg Graphic Services, Inc. Robin Pratt 20982 Bridge Street AMICA Publications Southfield, MI 48034 630 East Monroe Street Fax: (248) 356-5636 Sandusky, OH 44870-3708 e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] 43 REPLACEMENT LEADERS These 11 1/4” x 17” reprints, not trimmed and without tabs, are excellent replicas of the more popular types of reproducing piano roll leaders. While intended for roll repairs, they may also be used for decorative purposes. To splice, overlay new leader on old roll, lay a straightedge on an angle, cut through both papers with a sharp knife, discard scrap, and butt-join with magic mending tape on top surface. A. Brown on buff B. Black on ivory C. Black on ivory D. Black on ivory (For early red label boxes) (Area for reusable (Most common) (Very late rolls by combined artist photo) Aeolian/American) Note: Early Welte’s with blue leaders may be repaired with this brown leader. Many of these when reissued had brown leaders. E. Green on ivory F. Green on ivory G. Welte (Most common) (Favorite Fifty & Brown on buff Selected Roll Service) (Most common) Please make checks payable to Checks or money Price: $ 1.00 each Style Quantity AMICA INTERNATIONAL, orders from for- Minimum Order: $10.00 A ______And send to: eign countries B ______must be drawn C ______BRIAN K. MEEDER on U.S. bank. D ______904A West Victoria Street Postage and Handling $ 5.50 Santa Barbara, CA 93101-4745 E ______Roll Order $ ______F ______e-mail address for orders: G [email protected] Total Amount (U.S. $) $ ______Total Quantity ______ 44 MUNSEY'S MAGAZINE-ADVERTISING SECTION. /',-(p i' ~ THE AEOLIAN HE presence of an Aeolian in the home means that you can have music at all times, ~ Any music that your mood may call for. H means this, but it also means rouch more. Ij, '" A good modern music box will produce music when you wish it. , You have but to move a lever or press a button, leave it, and it will play itself- Play by the hour if you wish it to. The Aeolian won't do that. It don't play itself, it can't. It isn't that kind of an instrument. You ha'lJe to play the Aeolian. There is as much difference in the performances of two people on the Aeolian As there is in the playing of any other musical instrument, With this exception: The Aeolian sounds the noles, there can be no discords. The player gives to the music the expression, tone, shading, and tempo. The people who are fondest of music play the Aeolian best. The Princess Aeolian, price $75.00, catalogue No. 13. Other Styles, up to $750.00. Aeolian Orchestrelles, $1,500.00 to $2,500.00. Aeolian Pipe Organs and Aeolian Pipe Orchestras, $2.500.00 upward. A new Piano, The Aerial, played in the same manner as the Aeolian. THE AEOLIAN COMPANY, .8 West 23d Street, New York. BOSTON, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, The M. Steinert & Sons Co., C. J. Heppe & Son, Lyon & Healy, 50 Boylston St. III1 Chestnut St. Wabash Ave. and Adams St. In answerinr this advertisement 21 is desira/Jle thai :you 1?"~e,/.twn M UNSBY'S MAGAZINR.