TheAMICA _~ews Bulletin of the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors' Association April 1985 Volume 22 Number 3 SHURA CHERKASSKY RUDOLPH GANZ ~o GITTA GRADOVA : AMICA International !Vews BuUetin DOROTHY BROMAGE, PUBLISHER POB 275CCB (207) 767-4446 Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 Published by the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors' CHAPTER OffICERS Association, a non-profit club devoted to the restoration, FOUNDING CHAPTER IOWA distribution and enjoyment of musical instruments using per­ Pres: Phil McCoy Pres: George Apland forated paper music rolls, AMICA was founded in San Francisco Vice Pres: Isadora Koff Vice Pres: E.H. Breckenfelder in 1963. Treas: Bob Wilcox SeclTreas: Marjorie Apland Sec/Reporter: Jack & Dianne Reporter: Jack Niewoehner Edwards SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BOSTON AREA Pres: Warren & Rosemary Pres: Judy Welsh Deasy Vice Pres: Michael Potash Vice Pres: Jerry Pell Sec: Bill Koenigsberg Sec: HoIIy & Peggy Treas: Philip Konop Hollingsworth Reporter: Donald Brown Treas: Larry Norman Reporter: Bill Toeppe TEXAS NORTHERN LIGHTS Pres: Wade Newton Pres: Jerrilyn Boehland Vice Pres: Lorane Smith Vice Pres: Tom Wordeman Sec/Trease Carole Beckett Sec: Tracy Tolzmann ADVERTISING Reporter: Janet Tonnesen Treas: Robert & Katheryn Classified: 10¢ per word, $1.50 minimum. Duma • All copy must reach the publisher by the 10th of the preceding Reporter: Ruby Ahneman month. Payment must accompany order. Make checks payable MIDWEST SIERRA-NEVADA Pres: Edwin Ward Pres: Bob Patlon to: AMICA INTERNATIONAL Vice Pres: Liz Barnhart Vice Pres: Vicki Mahr • Checks or money orders from advertisers in foreign countries Sec: Lawrence & Margaret Sec/Trease Audrey Winters must be drawn on a bank. Frazer Reporter: Bob and Sonja Leomon u.s. Treas: Alvin Wulfekuhl Display Advertising Reporter: Sue Ricca Full Page 7V2"x10". $100.00 PHILADELPHIA AREA CHICAGO AREA Half page 7V2"x43/4" 50.00 Pres: Bob Taylor Pres: Jim Edwards Vice Pres: Frank Diamond Vice Pres: Carol Dayton & 3 Quarter page 3%"x4 /4" 25.00 Sec: Frank BasH Mabel Zivin • Each photograph or half-tone $7.00 Treas: Len Wert Sec: Bob & Gloria Taylor Reporter: Bob Rosencrans Treas: Bill & Dee Kavouras • See Bulletin deadlines on this page. Reporter: Mike Ehart • We recommend display advertisers supply camera-ready copy. SOWNY (SOUTHER ONTARIO, HEART OF AMERICA Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changed to correct WESTERN NY) Pres: Tom Hellstein Pres: Janet Drewniak Vice Pres: Charles Tyler size at your cost. We can prepare your advertisement from your VicePre~: Carl Guhlow SeclTreas: Billie Pohl . suggested layout at cost. Sec: Alice Guhlow Reporter: Katie Hellstein Treas: Mike Walter • Payment must accompany order. Typesetting, layout or size Reporter: Fred Buchwald alteration charges will be billed separately. Make checks ROCKY MOUNTAIN SOUTHEAST AREA: payable to: AMICA INTERNATIONAL Pres: Jere De Backer Pres: John O'Loughlin Vice Pres: Steve Johnson Vice Pres: Norman Arnold • Checks or money orders from advertisers in foreign countries Sec: Don Wick SeclTreas: David Burke must be drawn on a U.S. bank. Treas: Steve McCormick Reporter; David Burke • All ads will appear on the last pages of the Bulletin at the Reporter: Art Reblitz Fehrman discretion of the publisher. NEW JERSEY GATEWAY Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA's Pres: Oliver Vitakis Pres: Del Sewell endorsement of any commercial operation. However, AMICA Vice Pres: Lenny Finkel Vice Pres: Paul Stelzner Rec Sec: Millie Freyer SeclTreas: Jean Wiegand reserves the right to refuse any ad that is not in keeping with Corr Sec: Margery Vitakis Reporter: Marilyn McGartiand AMICA's general standards or if complaints are received indicating Treas: John Ellems that said business does not serve the best interests of the members Reporter: Richard Groman of AMICA according to its goals and bylaws. BULLETIN DEADLINES FOR 1985 For January/February issue January 10 Single back issues of the For March issue February 10 Bulletin are available from For April issue March 10 the Publisher for $2.00 each. For May/June issue May 10 For July issue June 10 For August issue July 10 For September/October issue September 10 For November issue October 10 For December issue ; November 10 AMIOt International INTfRNAnONAL OffICERS 1985 CONVENTION PRESIDENT Terry Smythe (204) 452-2180 DETROIT, MICHIGAN 547 Waterloo St., Winnipeg, Manitoba JULY 17-21 Canada R3N OT2 PAST PRESIDENT Robert M. Taylor HOST: MIDWEST CHAPTER (215) 735-2662 1326 Spruce St., #3004, Philadelphia, PA 19107 VICE PRESIDENT Molly Yeckley • Do you wish to become a member of AMICAl (419) 684-5742 Annual fee for U.S. members $22 612 Main St., Castalia, OH 44824 Non-U.s. fee $28 SECRETARY Richard Reutlinger New and lapsed members add processing fee $5 (415) 346-8669 824 Grove St., San Francisco, CA 94117 • Has your address changecU PUBUSHER Dorothy Bromage Write to Membership Secretary. (207) 767-4446 • Do you have a contribution for the Bulletinl P.O. Box 275 Cape Cottage Branch, All subjects of interest to readers of the Bulletin are Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 encouraged and invited by the Publisher. All articles must MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Will Wild and Valerie Anderson be received by the 10th of the preceding month. Every (New memberships and mailing problems) (803) 758-8846 attempt will be made to publish all articles of general P.O. Box 172, Columbia, SC 29202 interest to AMICA members at the earliest possible time TREASURER Tom & Dorothy Olds and at the discretion of the publisher. (218) 326-2488 See Bulletin deadlines on previous page 1327 Crystal Springs Rd., Grd Rpds, MN 55744 Original Bulletin articles, or materia~ for reprint that is of BOARD REPRESENTAnVES Founding Chapter: Howie Koff significant historical quality and interest, are encouraged Southern California: Dick Rigg _' and will be rewarded in the form of AMICA membership Texas: Haden Vandiver dues discounts. (Chapter reports and Forum inquires are Midwest: Vincent Ricca excluded.) Philadelphia Area: len Wert SOWNY: Rick Drewniak Rocky Mountain: Dick Kroeckel AMICA International News Bulletin New Jersey: John De Paris Iowa: Alvin Johnson CONTENTS Boston Area: Sanford Libman Northern Lights: lowell Boehland Features Sierra-Nevada: Bob Moore A Tale of Three Concerts 54 Chicago Area: Jerry Biasella Ruth Bingaman Smith 54 Heart of America: Ron Bopp The "0" Roll Project 56 Southeast Area: John O'loughlin Gateway: Del Sewell Reed Organ Society 58 COMMITTEES Mieczyslaw Horszowski 62 TECHNICAL, Mel luchetti A Pianolist's View 63 3449 Mauricia Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95051 Late 65-Note Rolls ARCHIVES, Jim Weisenborne in England 63 73 Nevada St., Rochester, MI48063 The Real Johnny Honnert AMICA GOALS, Robert Moore Tells What Really Happened 64 3100 Sagittarius Dr., Reno, NV 89509 The Estonia Ampico Recordings 65 AUDIO-VISUAL, Howie Koff 4271 No. First St., #1, San Jose, CA 95134 Departments PUBLICATIONS, Dorothy Bromage News from the Chapters 67 P.O. Box 275 Cape Cottage Branch, New Members 72 Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 Classified Ads 73 AFfIUATED SOClmES The Player Group (England) The North West Player Piano Association (England) .../' The Cc;»ver: See page 54. Netherlands Mechanical Organ Society - KDV Australian Collectors of Mechanical Musical Instruments Dutch Pianola Association Society of friends of Mechanical Musical Instruments (Germany) • 53· Idea of the Month: Orchestrions The Ravinia Festival, held in Highland Park, Illinois is one ofThe By Dorothy Bromage great summer musical festivals. It is here that the Chicago Symphony Orchestraperforms under its principal summerdirector The cover picture on the last issue, the March Bulletin, was James Levine. AMICA's own Gitta Gradova will perform the I intended to stimulate ideas about orchestrions, band organs, Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.1 on Friday Evening, July 5th. dance organs, fair organsand the like. Iwould love to come up with Wow! What a line-up! Chicago AMICA will hold their first meeting an issue of the Bulletin that features these fascinating instruments of the summer at Ravinia the afternoon of the 5th. We will be owned and/or enjoyed by so many AMICAns. The Taj Mahal on picnicing on the grounds of Ravinia Park and will host a reception last month's cover is an example of automatic instruments which for Gitta Gradova following the Concert. Gitta was a confidant of utilize perforated paper in a glorious style. "The Great Man" (Rachmaninoff) and she is emerging from Although I have some articles and several pictures of such retirement for this most special concert. instruments as fair organs, I would welcome contributions from Gitta Gradova was born in Chicago in 1904. She began her members so that a variety of material could be presented for the formal instruction at the age of 7and attended the Lewis Institute in interest of Bulletin readers. One of the sweetest sounds on earth Chicago. In the Spring of 1920 she became a pupil of Mme. Djane for me is a large Ruth - live or on recording. Lavoie-Herz, a friend and disciple of Scriabin. Gitta made her Do you have a photograph of any type of orchestrion?; Send it debut in Town Hall, November 20, 1923 to much acclaim, and she with as much explanatory information as you have. Contributions appeared in Town Hall again in January, 1924. need not be lengthy. Do you have technical or historical information She first appeared with orchestra with the Cincinnati Symphony. on a special dance (fair, band, etc.) organ that you have seen - or It was with this orchestra in March, 1924 that she performed the would like to see? Please assist the publication of the Bulletin by Cesar Franck "Variations Symphonique."2 sending something for a "theme" issue as I have suggested above. AMICAns nationwide are invited tojoin ChicagoAMICA for our It will be very much appreciated. When I have acquired sufficient meeting onJuly 5th. Help us honor a true national treasure -Gitta material, the theme issue will be published.