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JUN19REC'O 3 26: , l ' . ClSne AMICA N ews B ul l e ti.n of t h e A U TOMATIC M U S ICA LI NS TRUM E NT ,. , CO LLE CTORS' A S SOCIAT ION --_.... :t .._."~ u · Jun e, 1970 CONTENTS Vol. 7 No.6 Cheriov.e th & Grofe 1 What Do You Know ---- 8 May Corrections ---- 1 Posteria1 Anthem ---- 9 Int n ' l Mee t . ------- 2 Brooks' History 10 ~o . Cal. May Meet. - 2 Research Fodder --- 12 No. Cal . June Meet. 3 Armbruster Bio. --- 13 Apo logi es ---------- 4 Master's Fingers -- 17 B-roll Chronology -- 5 There It Stood ---- 1B Echani z Bio. -------- 7 Auction #5 Results - 19 1970 Of fi ce rs : JARO LARK, Pres ident C. F. CARNES , Treasurer JIM ELFE RS, Ed itor SAM THOMPSON, Reporter ED HAYDEN, Members hip Secretary BILL KNORP, Corresponding Secretary GORDON OSSER, Auctioneer DOUG HICKLING Trus ee ( \.. 1 FERVE GROFE ANV WI LBUR CHENOWETH NOW HONORARY ~,fEMBERS OF AMI CA by 'Bi 1,1, Knopp When f was in Los Angeles the last week of April I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with three of the famous artists who made rolls for either the Ampico or ( the Duo-Art. One was Robert Armbruster, who played some fine tapes of his music for me and performed superlatively on his beautiful Steinway piano (Rachmaninov's Prelude Op. 2J, No.6 and Chopin's VaZsB in c-ehaxp Minor and also a bit of the Saint-Saens Concerto No.2 from the first movement). The tapes of his compositions included the "Western Overture", the Church Scene from the fi 1m Northwest Outpost which starred Nelson Eddy and Ilona Massey, scored by Robert Armbruster with additional songs by Rudolf Friml. Other tapes included the fine Variations on a Theme (with composer Armbruster at the piano, with orchestra) and the PreambLe to the Constitution, set to music for four-part chorus by Armbruster. These thrilling performances were a pleasure to hear, but since your Editor had already interviewed Mr. Armbruster, I'll mention the other two artists. It was a pleasure meeting Mr. & Mrs. Wilbur Chenoweth in their beautiful home in Santa Monica. Mr. Chenoweth was very pleased to learn of the AMICA and of its many interested members. He graciously played some of his compositions on his fine Steinway grand. Among his pieces heard live were Dreams, Waltz Caprice, Magic Moments~ VocaLise, The Arpow and the Song, Wedding Song, and the Concert Waltz (Memories of Old Vienna). This last piece, written too late to be recorded on Ampico, is a fabulous piano piece, and it is a shame it hasn1t been recorded. Mr. Chenoweth also played his song "The Sun Would Shine Aqa i n!' and an excerpt from Deems Taylor's A Kiss in Xanadu. A word here about Mr. Chenoweth1s playing today! I had always admired his rolls as some of the most human and most realistically piayeu anu a true cr"edit to the Ampico system of recording. However, to hear him in person is even more exciting. A pianist with a fabulous technique, great feeling and depth, and capable of giving unforgettable interpretations of everything he plays including his own compositions. This was a truly memorable morning at the l Chenowetns • I did not have the pleasure of seeing Mr. Grofe as he had not been well, but I talked with him on the telephone, and he is also most interested in AMICA and had not been contacted by the Los Angeles Chapter as yet. He was very happy to hear that the reproducing pianos are being restored and that the rolls are being appreciated: ain. Mr. Grofe! has had an illustrious career as pianist and arranger, not to mention his compositions and orchestrations for such people as Paul Whiteman and George Gershwin. 'Naturally we hope for the time when all these artists wi ll be our guests at AM,ICA meetings, so we have a great deal to look forward to in the future. Incidentally, I tried to locate Madame Ethel Leginska, whose telephone number was still in service, but was told she had died within the last few weeks, which is a pity, as she was one of the great ones and recorded for both Duo-Art and Ampico. The Chenoweths have left for Europe where they will meet the famed American tenor Richard Crooks and his wife. Crooks has been_undergoing treatment at Stanford University Medical Center and has happily recovered very nicely. The Crooks, the Chenoweths and the Armbrusters are all good friends, I might add, and I hope to plan a meeting with all of them at one time when they 'return from their trip. This could be, if it works out, a memorable meeting. '1I1I1I1a"UIIIIIIIII MAY CORRECTIONS Your Editor lied about the Hinvnelreichrecording of "Be l i eve Me If All Those ( Endearing Young Charms" being dropped from the 1925 Ampico cataiogue, as Bill Knorp and Ralph Obenchain pointed out. Apologies -to Hathaway &. Bowers for not reading more carefully the reference book they so kIndly donated to the AMICA Library. The Winning Bid on roll #2 in Auction #4 was .$5. 7nat was the typist's fault, and I would have fi red her, but she left on vacation and this issue I .have to' make my ONn mistakes again. '......'i"............... ., FIRST INTERNATIONAL MEETING AUGUST 28, 29 & 30, 1970 3 28J Plans are progressing for the first AMICA' International Meeting, to be held in San Francisco during the la~t weekend of August. We hope you are likewise making your 'plans to attend. The festivities will begin Friday night, August 28, with a get-together and concert. It is expected that the strongest beverage served will be wine, as some of our members· social consciences are of the same vintage as their reproducers, and we wouldn't want our concert raided by Elliot Ness. However, those with a taste for strong waters may sate themselves with cocktails before dinner in an excellent San Francisco restaurant of their choice, before the get-together. Saturday August 29 will begin in the morning Nith a live auction at Portcullis, President Jarod Clark·s renowned showplace nee warehouse. To keep the costs down and allow visitors a chance to try the fable: cuisine available in the area, it was decided that Saturday lunch should also be d:..~ing "fiee t irne!", and at any place of the visitors· choosing. Saturday afternoon :1ere will be an informal get-together during which items may be sold by any member ~ho wishes to set up a table of wares pertinent to the hobby. In the evening there will be a catered buffet dinner, followed by guest speakers and a concert. Mcst of this is expected to take place at Portcull is, but the concert plans for Fri:ay and Saturday night must remain vague until we can ascertain which places an: pianos will be available, and which of our talented Honorary Members will be able to attend and perform. The technical sessions will be held late SUr::3Y morning. Dave Saul has kindly agreed to head them, but they will be informai, allowing everyone to contribute his views, for I daresay none of our many fine te:hnicians know all the answers. By sharing what each knows, they should all co~e out wiser for it. It is expected that the rest of Sunday will :e given to various independently sponsored open houses throughout the Bay Are2. During the Friday and Saturday get togethers you can decide which home, host, a~j/or instruments you would most like to visit. The cost per person will be between $5 and S·J. The original estimate was based on the expense of flying several Honorary Membe-s to the meeting and putting them up in hotels, but in view of the current "ha rd t Irnes" and numerous members' wishes that the costs be kept down, we were forced to ac-:t that the AMICA Treasury Just isnlt as rich as we would like it td be, and we ca-1t finance the treatment that we feel our illustrious Honoraries deserve. Stil 1, ~elre hoping that some of them will attend on their own, with whatever assistance and accommodations the individual members can provide. 111111111,,"1'''1 1 u n t PARENT ORGANIZATION ME:~S IN THE COUNTRY by Gar Br ' tten The May AMICA meeting was held on a balmy Sa:urday night, the 30th, in the delightful country setting of Roy Peekls home. Castro Valley cooperated and gave us urban dwellers the background music of crickets a~d the "ree-deeptl of the frogs just off the terrace. Roy's 1920 upright WurliTzer player piano was in great shape. He had spent six months giving each of its many coats a professional, hand-rubbed finish. It also played very well. We were surprised to learn that even from another room we could tel 1 when an Ampico recording was being played on it. Nelson Barden was right - the agogics and rubato alone make t:--e recordings almost II rep roduce", even on a player. A short business meeting was convened by President Jarod Clark. Gordon Osser discussed tentative plans for the International Meeting, outlined above. Then we adjourned for the bountiful table that Royls mother had ~repared. The ·punch with a hint of mint was refreshing after such a warm Bay Area day. Next feature was the roll auction. then back to the dining room for more of the chocolate or banana cake. It was an extremely.