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The AMICA BULLETINAUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS’ ASSOCIATIONMARCH/APRIL 2004 VOLUME 41, NUMBER 2

Edvard Grieg listens to his recordings, Berlin 1907

The Literary Digest for October 26, 1918 79

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Entire contents © 2004 AMICA International 65

VOLUME 41, Number 2 March/April 2004

FEATURESMusical Boxes for New Collectors — 72Busby Berkeley’s Piano — 78Music - Backhaus for Your House — 79Music - Romancing the Score — 80Steinway-Welte Comes to Life — 83Selfridges Secondhand Players 1938 — 86Player Piano Man — 88Freezer Not the Key to Piano Tuning — 90The Reproducing Rollmonica C — 91Performance Characterization — 93

DEPARTMENTSAMICA International — 66

President’s Message — 67From the Publisher’s Desk — 67Announcement — 68Letters —69New Piano Rolls & Recuts —101Chapter News — 103Classified Ads — 116

Front Cover: Photo from “IM AUFNAHMESALON HUPFELD” by Eszter Fontana,2001, Janos Stekovics, Publisher

Inside Front: QRS Company Ad from The Literary Digest for October 26, 1918

Back Cover: Aeolian Company Ad from Country Life in America, June 1906

Inside Back Cover: Chickering Ad

THE AMICA BULLETINAUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS' ASSOCIATION

Published by the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association, a non-profit, tax exempt group devoted to the restoration, distributionand enjoyment of musical instruments using perforated paper music rolls and perforated music books. AMICA was founded in San Francisco, California in 1963.

PROFESSOR MICHAEL A. KUKRAL, PUBLISHER, 216 MADISON BLVD., TERRE HAUTE, IN 47803-1912 -- Phone 812-238-9656, E-mail: [email protected] the AMICA Web page at: http://www.amica.org

Associate Editors: Mr. Larry Givens & Robin Pratt

AMICA BULLETINDisplay and Classified AdsArticles for PublicationLetters to the PublisherChapter News

UPCOMING PUBLICATIONDEADLINESThe ads and articles must be receivedby the Publisher on the 1st of theOdd number months:

January JulyMarch SeptemberMay November

Bulletins will be mailed on the 1st weekof the even months.

Dr. Michael A. Kukral, Publisher216 Madison Blvd.Terre Haute, Indiana 47803-1912Phone: 812-238-9656e-mail: [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

New Memberships . . . . . . . . . . $42.00

Renewals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $42.00Additional $5.00 due if renewed

past the Jan. 31 deadline

Address changes and corrections

Directory information updates

Additional copies ofMember Directory . . . . $25.00

Single copies of back issues($10.00 per issue - basedupon availability)

William Chapman (Bill)53685 Avenida BermudasLa Quinta, CA 92253-3586(760) 564-2951e-mail: [email protected]

To ensure timely delivery of yourBULLETIN, please allow 6-weeksadvance notice of address changes.

AMICA Publications reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any and all submitted articles and advertising.

66

AAMMIICCAA IINNTTEERRNNAATTIIOONNAALL

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERSPRESIDENT Dan C. Brown

N. 4828 Monroe StreetSpokane, WA 99205-5354

509-325-2626e-mail: [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENT Linda Bird3300 Robinson Pike

Grandview, MO 64030-2275Phone/Fax 816-767-8246

e-mail: OGM [email protected] PRESIDENT Mike Walter

65 Running Brook Dr.,Lancaster, NY 14086-3314


SECRETARY Christy Counterman544 Sunset View Drive, Akron, Ohio 44320


TREASURER Wesley Neff128 Church Hill Drive, Findlay, Ohio 45840


PUBLISHER Dr. Michael A. Kukral216 Madison Blvd., Terre Haute, IN 47803-1912


MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY William Chapman (Bill)53685 Avenida Bermudas, La Quinta, CA 92253-3586

760-564-2951 – Fax 775-923-7117e-mail: [email protected]

— COMMITTEES —AMICA ARCHIVES Stuart Grigg

20982 Bridge St., Southfield, MI 48034 - Fax: (248) 356-5636

AMICA MEMORIAL FUND John Motto-RosP.O. Box 908, Sutter Creek, CA 95685-0908 209-267-9252

AUDIO-VISUAL & TECHNICAL Harold Malakinian2345 Forest Trail Dr., Troy, MI 48098

CONVENTION COORDINATOR Frank Nix6030 Oakdale Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-884-6849

HONORARY MEMBERS Jay Albert904-A West Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-4745

(805) 966-9602 - e-mail: [email protected]

PUBLICATIONS Robin Pratt630 E. Monroe St., Sandusky, OH 44870-3708

WEB MASTER Meta Brown400 East Randolph Street, Apt. 3117, Chicago, IL 60601

312-946-8417 — Fax 312-946-8419

BOSTON AREAPres. Bill Koenigsburg -(978) 369-8523Vice Pres: Bob TempestSec: Ginger ChristiansenTreas: Karl EllisonReporter: Don BrownBoard Rep: Karl Ellison

CHICAGO AREAPres: Curt Clifford - (630) 279-0872Vice Pres: John MuellerSec: Thad KochannyTreas: Joe PekarekReporter: Kathy StoneBoard Rep: George Wilder

FOUNDING CHAPTERPres: Bing Gibbs - (408) 253-1866Vice Pres: Karen Ann SimonsSec: Lyle Merithew & Sandy SwirskyTreas: Richard ReutlingerReporter: Tom McWayBoard Rep: Richard Reutlinger

GATEWAY CHAPTERPres: Tom Novak - Vice Pres: Bob CrowleySec,/Treas: Jane NovakReporter: Mary WilsonBoard Rep: Gary Craig

HEART OF AMERICAPres: Tom McAuleyVice Pres: Robbie TubbsSec/Treas: Kay BodeReporter:Board Rep: Ron Connor

LADY LIBERTYPres: Vincent Morgan (718) 479-2562Vice Pres: Keith BiggerSec: Richard KarlssonTreas: Ira MalekReporter:Marty RosaBoard Reps: Marvin & Dianne Polan

MIDWEST (OH, MI, IN, KY)Pres: Stuart Grigg - (248) 356-5005Vice Pres: Liz BarnhartSec: Sharon NeffTreas: Alvin WulfekuhlReporter: Christy CountermanBoard Rep: Liz Barnhart

NORTHERN LIGHTSPres: Phil BairdVice Pres: Sec: Jason E. Beyer - (507) 454-3124Treas: Howie O’NeillReporter: Dorothy OldsBoard Rep: Dorothy Olds

PACIFIC CAN-AMPres: Carl Kehret - (360) 892-3161Vice Pres: Peg KehretSec: Halie DodrillTreas: Bev SporeReporter: Mark Smithberg Board Rep: Carl Dodrill

SIERRA NEVADAPres: John Motto-Ros - (209) 267-9252Vice Pres: Sonja LemonSec/Treas: Doug & Vicki MahrReporter: Nadine Motto-RosBoard Rep: John Motto-Ros

SOWNY (Southern Ontario,Western New York)

Pres: Mike Walter - (716) 656-9583Vice Pres: Stan AldridgeSec/Mem. Sec: Gary & Anne LemonTreas: Holly WalterReporter: Frank WarbisBoard Rep:

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAPres: Frank Nix - (818) 884-6849Vice Pres: Richard IngramSec./Reporter. Shirley NixTreas: Ken HodgeBoard Rep: Frank Nix

TEXASPres: Jerry Bacon - (214) 328-9369Vice Pres: Bill BoruffTreas: Vicki BradySec: Janet TonnesenBoard Rep: Dick MerchantBulletin Reporter: Haden Vandiver

CHAPTER OFFICERS

AFFILIATED SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONSATOSPresident - Nelson PageThe Galaxy Theatre7000 Blvd East, Guttenberg, NJ 07093Phone: (201) 854-7847 Fax: (201) 854-1477E-Mail: [email protected] - Vernon P. Bickel786 Palomino CourtSan Marcos, CA 92069-2102Phone: (760) 471-6194 Fax: (760) 471-9194E-Mail: [email protected]

AUSTRALIAN COLLECTORS OFMECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS19 Waipori StreetSt. Ives NSW 2075, Australia

DUTCH PIANOLA ASSOC.Nederlandse Pianola VerenigingEikendreef 245342 HR Oss, Netherlands

FRIENDS OF SCOTT JOPLIN1217 St. Croix Ct.Kirkwood, MO 63122-2326

website: http//stlouis.missouri.org/[email protected]

INTERNATIONAL PIANOARCHIVES AT MARYLANDPerforming Arts Library,University of Maryland2511 Clarice Smith Performing Arts CenterCollege Park, MD 20742Phone: (301) 405-9224Fax: (301) 314-7170E-Mail: [email protected]

INT. VINTAGE PHONO & MECH.MUSIC SOCIETYC.G. Nijsen, Secretaire General19 Mackaylaan5631 NM Eindhoven, Netherlands

MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY OF GREATBRITAINAlan Pratt, EditorP. O. Box 299Waterbeach, Cambridge CB4 4PJEngland

MUSICAL BOX SOCIETYINTERNATIONALRosanna Harris, Editor5815 West 52nd AvenueDenver, CO 80212Phone: (303) 431-9033 Fax: (303) 431-6978E-Mail: [email protected]

NETHERLANDS MECHANICALORGAN SOCIETY - KDVA. T. MeijerWilgenstraat 24NL-4462 VS Goes, Netherlands

NORTHWEST PLAYER PIANOASSOCIATIONEverson Whittle, Secretary11 Smiths Road, Darcy Lever,Bolton BL3 2PP, Gt. Manchester, EnglandHome Phone: 01204 529939Business Phone: 01772 208003

PIANOLA INSTITUTEClair Cavanagh, Secretary

43 Great Percy St., London WC1X 9RAEngland

PLAYER PIANO GROUPJulian Dyer, Bulletin Editor5 Richmond Rise, Workingham,Berkshire RG41 3XH, United KingdomPhone: 0118 977 1057Email: [email protected]

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONDivision of Musical HistoryWashington, D.C. 20560

SOCIETY FOR SELF-PLAYINGMUSICAL INSTRUMENTSGesellschaft für Selbstspielende Musikinstrumente (GSM) E.V.Ralf SmolneEmmastr. 56D-45130 Essen, GermanyPhone:**49-201-784927Fax:**49-201-7266240Email: [email protected]

I don’t mean to be a nag, but I’m still waiting for suggestions from members forways to build membership and to strengthen AMICA International. There have been conversations among the members of the committee created at the last convention(myself, John Motto-Ros, Bill Chapman, and Bing Gibbs), but other input has been slowin coming. Some ideas have focused on the website, on possible publications, and onbuilding chapters.

As the result of a newspaper feature in January, I did spots on a local early morningnews show and a profile on the local Public TV station (this one has been shown at least8 times locally and picked up by some cable feeds). I have gotten responses from all overand after my initial excitement about getting the word about AMICA and automaticmusic out to many members of the public, I’ve come to be even more concerned aboutmembership and the future of our organization. I’ve been keeping track of responses andI’ve had 65 so far. 3 people expressed interest in AMICA, 21 wanted me to help themdispose of their instruments (some offered them at no cost), and only 5 people were interested in finding someone to restore their player or reproducing piano. Most people just wanted to say they enjoyed the programs.There are obviously lots of instruments out there awaiting good homes, so we need to do what we can to build interest in accomplishingthis. If the ratio is similar to the “sale” of retail items, repeated exposure is needed, so keep up the sharing of your musical treasures and welcome new people to our world of collecting. Ken Caswell, a name which should be familiar to many AMICAns, contacted me after seeing the newspaper article. He’s established a non-profit foundation to record and distribute historic Welte-Mignon rolls on Cds. I have heard some of these and they are superb. Look for reviews in an upcoming Bulletin. Ken has done extensive research on the artists and the correct regulation of the reproducing action and worked hard (often comparing several copies of the same recording) to obtain optimal results.

Amicably, Dan Brown

67

President’s Message

Greetings from the banks of the Wabash! Another river, another time, another place: it seems there has always been a riverconnected to my life in some way. I have received a few requeststo say something about myself and that can be a daunting task.Where do I start? I suppose it all begins for me on the westernridges above the Cuyahoga River in northeastern Ohio. Althoughthe Kukral’s were true blue Clevelanders since the days of theCivil War, my father married a country girl and I was raised amile from my grandfather’s Bath, Ohio farm. I loved the farm,the outdoors (this is currently maple syrup making time), andmusic. I studied piano since the age of six and by the age of 12,I convinced my dad that we needed a player piano like the one ofhis youth that he always talked about while I practiced. Webought a player for $50 from a newspaper ad. It was in a garage,the case all painted green, and there was writing on the back thatread, “Property of Paramount Theatre, Akron.” Well, my dad andI tried to fix it for several months without success and so we soldit quickly (to our surprise) for twice what we paid for it. Dad saidthat was for the best because all the player pianos he knew had foot pedals instead of the funny fly wheel and an electricmotor like this one. I have often wondered what happened to thatHamilton Welte-Mignon.

By the time I was 17 we had a basement full of players and I was restoring them while also working in the piano shop of CarlWarmington (former AMICA member and today residing in Florida at age 96). In college at Ohio University I played trombone in the marching band and majored in Geography. Aftereight years at OU and three degrees (B.S., M. Sc., M.A.) later I went to the University of Kentucky and completed my Ph.D. inGeography. During that time I spent a year as a Fulbright Scholarin Prague, Czechoslovakia and witnessed the overthrow of communism during the “Velvet Revolution.” What an amazingtime. How fortunate I was that our ambassador soon knew me by

name and I was invited to lunch and parties at her home. And,how fortunate that our ambassador to Prague was Shirley TempleBlack! She said that I was the only young person who knew all the old songs from her movies. So you never know howcollecting player pianos will open doors for you and take you toamazing places. It sure did for me and continues to do so today!

I was a visiting professor at Ohio Wesleyan and also at OhioUniversity during most of the 1990s before joining the faculty atRose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana in1999. I am the only geographer among professors of engineeringand technology at this nationally ranked private college and teacha wide range of classes. I also serve the school as Director ofEuropean Studies, Chair of Student Affairs, and Faculty Advisorto Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity (of which I am also a member).My home is filled with player and reproducing pianos, a musicbox, coin pianos, a victrola, and lots of other stuff like most ofyou. The player piano and AMICA membership has taken mefrom the Cuyahoga to the Wabash River, with stops along the wayat the Hocking and Vltavarivers, too. What a journeyso far.

If you want my photowell here it is: Practicingat the Lester upright in ourbasement. Notice the fine‘piano lamp’ placed by myever practical father.

Mike Kukral, Publisher

From the Publisher’s Desk

68

The Sharing of Information . . . THE FUTURE OF OUR TRADE

Mark Haas, Dearborn, Michigan

ATTENTIONPresent and Future Player Rebuilders

NNOUNCEMENT

An “all day” class will be offered at this year’s national Piano TechniciansGuild convention devoted exclusively to rebuilding of the pneumatic player. Membership in the Piano Technicians Gild is NOT a requirement for convention attendance, and ALL AMICA members are welcome.

A portion of this class will be “hands on” in areas of pneumatic recovering,pouch replacement and valve rebuilding including gapping. We will also present many examples of problems encountered while rebuilding modern as well as vintage players, their solutions, and much more including a detailed source list.

The class will be taught by myself and Norman Cantrell of Lawton, Oklahoma. I have been a full time player and piano technician since 1972, having rebuilt or serviced over 1500 players. Norm has been a full time player and piano technician since 1984, bringing with him 6 years of previous experience in the field of pipe organ service.

In addition, a single period class will be offered during the convention by Clarence Zeches of Toccoa, Georgia dealing with the rebuilding of the Ampico “B”.

The convention will be held at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. The “all day” player class will be on Tuesday, June 29,2004 with additional classes presented through Saturday, July 3rd.

For convention information contact The Piano Technicians Guild at 913-432-9975 or www.ptg.org or [email protected]

For any questions about the player class, you may contact me at 313-381-7799.

The Mirrie Denham

Bucks. UB9 5DS England

Tel . 01895-832009 Fax 01895-832009

[email protected]

19 January 2004

A certain amount of attention has been focused recently on Gordon Butler Iles, inventor and Duo-Art designer for the British Aeolian Company. As one knows, a 1961 3-minute colour news film about his piano-roll work, can be accessed on computers, in preview form, from www.itnarchive.com<http://www.itnarchive.com/> , their reference “Pianola Man”.

2004 marks the 75th anniversary ofthe invention of the Link Pilot Trainer,and is being celebrated in England by the Royal Aeronautical Society with an international conference on the subject. Besides Edwin Link, Gordon to

designed a simulator, made by the Aeolian company of player parts plus his own further inventions. When America entered WWII, theU.S.Navy took an interest in Gordon’sSilloth Trainer and commissioned copies to be made by an organ companyin the USA.

All this is detailed in a paper whichcan be released later in the year after the conference has made its own presentation. If you are minded to publish it yourself, please let me know,since I would need to obtain permissionfrom my RAF co-author.

It does, however, occur to me that an article, which I wrote in 1961, about a first visit to Iles’ factory, would meanwhile be of interest, and you might wish to reprint same. (Photos canbe sent).

I have also collected all his recordedradio and other talks, and put 74 minutesof them onto an audio-quality CD.

Yours truly Gerald Stonehill

Letter from Keystone & Magic Melodies

February 12, 2004

Dear Mike:Enclosed is our latest catalog of

Keystone Ampico rolls. The majority ofthe rolls listed have been produced on the 3 to 1 Keystone perforator since the owner, Richard Groman, completedrenovation of the machine earlier thisyear. The 1 to 1 perforator is also beingrestored. We expect to have new Duo-Artand late Ampico rolls produced andincluded in our Fall Catalog for 2004.

We believe great things are in store. The Keystone perforators are commercialmachines capable of producing quantitiesof numerous titles, some never before re-cut.

We have moved all of the existingDuo-Art inventory from Keystone to our Home/Shop here in Kentucky. After inspection, boxing and labeling (if needed) these rolls we will offer them in a special Discount Sale this coming April.

By agreement with Richard Groman,Magic Melodies (Laura Lee and ShelbyKennard) will be working very closelywith Keystone during the comingmonths. We have already made severaltrips to Bethlehem and plan to travelthere many times each year to assist withroll production and to bring newly cutrolls to Kentucky. We then prepare therolls for sale, which includes inspectionof each roll, making any minor edits

needed, printing the labels and affixingtabs. The preparation of the catalogs isalso done by Magic Melodies. Catalogsmay be mailed from either MagicMelodies or Keystone. In general, largerdistributions are sent from Bethlehemunder the Keystone Bulk Mailing Permit.All sales, invoices and shipping are handled from here in Kentucky.

We cannot thank Richard Gromanenough for giving us this opportunity to participate in the renewal of Keystone and for providing us a greatretirement activity. The production of fine reproducing rolls remainsRichard’s primary objective, consumingmuch of his time and resources.

Sincerely,Laura Lee & Shelby Kennard

Magic Melodies360 Lawless Rd.

Jamestown, KY 42629Phone 270-343-2061

A Correction tothe Publisher:

Please note on page 47 of the Jan/Feb Bulletin:

This is NOTthe first “convention”

in Colorado.The first “annual meeting”

was held in the early 1970s

in Grand Junction,

Colorado!!

Kindly make correction (check the by-laws)

Anita Nickels JohnsonGrand Junction, CO

continue. . .

69

ETTERS

70

On first arriving in Ramsgate, a rather

declassé summer resort, but one shade

better than its next-door neighbour

Margate, I missed the factory altogether,

since it turned out to be poorly marked

in a converted garage. Mr. Iles, bluff,

charming and somewhat rotund, greeted

me. He lives alone in a flat above

the works.

In the works itself there are two

benches, one about 30ft long, the other

somewhat shorter. The longer one is in

operation with a perforator, one of the

forty once in operation for the Aeolian

Company, and linked by an electric cable

to two scanning systems, one of which

is largely obsolete. There is another

perforator at the other bench, disused,

and six more rumoured to be “upstairs”..The obsolete scanner has certain

attributes enabling easier musical

alteration of rolls being copied. The later

one has a row or scanning wires on

a brush scanning the holes, and, unlike

the earlier one, does not unwind onto a

conventional take-up spool. Alterations

in speed therefore are not followed

on that principle. There is a button for

stopping the scanner to give a rallentando

effect, and a newly-installed button

for introducing a circuit breaker, giving

contiguous punchings on the copy where

the original had only long cuts. Various

gears are available to adjust the fineness

of “feed”, i.e. punches per inch to be

followed. The finest feed is not, however,

available, but can be copied by

phasing the scanner and perforator, and

recalibrating the roll speed on the basis

of the greater length of paper.

Originally the rolls were recorded on

88-note rolls with carbon markers,

and the measurements were transferred

to 65-note-scale stencils marked for

88 notes. These were perforated by a

reducing gear to 88-note scale. Later on,

a system was devised for recording

direct onto the stencils. Iles’ present setup

eliminates the stencils entirely. The old

way was to have a man turning a wheel

slowly to perforate and stopping when

the stencil went off track. The present

arrangement is tracked on the original by

moving the feed spool in response to

electrical contacts. The new copy is

tracked purely by shearing the edges

while punching. Duo Art and Themodist

punches are switched on or off by

electrical switches as needed for the type

of roll being made, (since most Artona

rolls have no Themodist punchings).

Iles makes the spool ends himself. He

only makes one size due to a dispute with

a manufacturer of toy trains, who was

lent the other moulds by the Universal

Music Roll Company with permission to

adapt them for train wheels. Moreover,

since Iles uses standard boxes and

packing cartons he does not want to

make non-standard rolls. He uses a thin

manila paper which enables a longer roll

than the old thicker paper. Where stuck,

he makes two rolls out of one. He could,

of course, copy long rolls on cardboard

tubes, leaving buyers to find ends and

boxes. He does not use American

fasteners on the roll ends, since they are

dearer. He reinforces those he uses

himself. He tapers the rolls with a small

pair of scissors. Rolls are composed

by him almost freehand from the

music, since he finds conventional

roll-composing machines too slow. He

adds touches of accompaniment from

what he hears on the radio, and often fills

in the octaves for effect. The factory is

worked single-handed by Mr. Iles,

working seven days a week. He has a

recording piano, not actually working,

which takes down the recording by

carbon, which Iles then burns out by

hand. The roll is then corrected and put

on the copying machine. The recording

piano looks like an upright pianola with

wires coming out to a junction box.

Iles’ own Duo Art is a converted

Gotha-Steck grand pianola, made for him

during the war by the Automatic Player

Piano Actions Company in gratitude for

orders sent by Iles from the RAF - which

enabled them to keep their financial

head above water. Instead of Duo-Art

expression accordions it has an Ampico

lever system, with the 1 2 3 dynamics

removed and smaller 1 2 3 4 5 dynamics

inserted, with the 3 & 5 teed together to

give power 8. The suction motor is in

the piano seat. Iles intends to put the

mechanism in a cabinet, isolating the

theme and accompaniment, and, with two

blowers situated in the works, to give

silent and faultless operation upstairs.

Since he personally made and designed

all the scanning mechanisms in the

Works, he will soon accomplish this.

On Iles’ desk is an Aeolian box of the

sort in which King George V had his rolls

delivered. It looks like an Audiographic

box, but it is in black leather, deeply

embossed in gold and lined inside with

white silk. Iles has a bound collection of

Aeolian magazines, some of which refer

to the Prince of Wales, now Duke of

Windsor, as a fellow Duo-Artist. Aeolian

installed a Duo Art in his battleship when

he went to sea.

Iles has a formidable collection of

Duo Art rolls and a number of Master

VISIT TO MR. GORDON ILESArtona Music Rolls Ltd.. 1961

ETTERS continued. . .

continue. . .

71

rolls, not the stencils, though, which

were destroyed during the war. He has

no idea what he possesses and has no

time to find out (at 35 cents per roll

wholesale). I intend to catalogue his

rolls at a later date, but did have time

to spot Chopin 014, which is unknown

elsewhere. I have asked him to make ten

copies, but this order might be increased

to l5 if circumstances warrant it. This

may be the only 014 I ever locate. So it

is obviously necessary to cut it.

When Iles can set identical feed on

scanner and perforator, his rolls appear

perfect, as they should be, since he is

using the original Duo-Art perforator. He

has cut Sophie Menter 019 for me

already, although this, for accuracy, was

recalibrated faster. Iles has all the

original rubber stamps giving the

signatures and acknowledgements of

the pianists, shown on English-made

rolls. He also has labels and aprons -

somewhere. He got rid of his spare boxes

since he likes his new folding variety.

In the course of a five-hour interview,

Iles offered the following information or

views. When Duo Art is working, it is

the best, although Reginald Reynolds

used to say Welte was the best, and

Ampico could do some things Duo Art

could not. Ampico was the cheap

system, and could not switch

intensities in the wonderful way that

the Themodist hole could for Duo Art.

Iles dislikes losing the four notes on

the bass of Duo Art, as also the need

to stagger themed notes. For concert

performances, the Duo Art was specially

prepared with a separate blower for

special crashes. This was activated from

the maid-of-all-work, the stop hole.

Some special buyers, who paid more,

had special rolls with stop holes

performing this function for specially-

built pianos. Iles states that pianos like

his pianola in the workshop (1930) and

mine (l929), with top-action, had smaller

note pneumatics and had heavier reliance

on the perfect functioning of the piano

action. He prefers the under-action on his

own Steck. He has a paper-testing

machine, which has a bowl of water and

a heater and observes the stability of

paper. He says the Aeolian Company

found that one batch was not like another

from any one manufacturer. They stocked

their paper for a year before using it. The

trouble with their recording system was

that direct dynamic recording resulted in

an overlap of readings. Thus 5 plus 2

changing to 8 would give a temporary

reading of l5. They should have had

larger rolls with l5 grades. They could

record accurately enough, but not direct

onto rolls. When they did, they spent so

much time sifting out the errors, that they

found the old way faster. He likes

Grainger’s rolls best, because Grainger

made his own. Gordon knew nothing

about the crash box, although he thinks

he must have heard it mentioned, i.e. the

crash-valve expression box. Artona’s

average production is estimated to be

about ten rolls per day. Iles is thinking

of designing a push-up pianola. If things

ever come back, he may put some more

machines into operation.

Gordon’s father had many interests,

especially amusement parks. He visited

Coney Island, from which he brought

back new ideas. There used to be a Duo

Art piano operating at the Margate park.

The family still fortunately derive an

income from the amusement park at

Margate and a greyhound track, etc.

With the death of old man Palmer of

the Automatic Player Piano Actions

Company, Iles is one of the few survivors

of the Aeolian Company here still with

us. He is not old by comparison, and is

young in outlook, though preoccupied by

the necessity to cater to demand. His

transport is a motorcycle.

Iles was impressed with Larry Givens’

rolls, by the fine feed, but wondered

whether the paper was going to cause

trouble for above mentioned reasons, and

he dislikes the non-standard Themodist

holes. He liked the printing and

presentation and general aspect of the

copying. His preoccupation with the

Themodist ‘snake bites’ relates to the

habit of offset punching of these holes

to enable foot-operated Duo Arts to

gain power from temporarily-opened

accompanimental dynamics, which is a

vital subject for him, about which he has

recently written a detailed letter to me.

He regards the moment of Themodising

as intensely important. He thinks there is

no paper to beat a good manila. A Pathé

news film was recently shot at the works,

but Iles was made to turn all sorts of

meaningless knobs, which offended him

from a historical point of view. His

answer to any offending roll is to bash a

few new holes into it and correct it. His

most recent Duo Art test-roll was a new

roll, composed by him with new tests

on it, (of some considerable interest

to collectors). He is dead scared of

copyright troubles, which is why he

will not have anything to do with

sending Duo-Art copies abroad, except

ones composed by him.

After-thoughts:

Iles has a four-foot row of flashlight

batteries as a booster on the perforator

to prevent errors when the machine

is switched off during a run and has

to start again in the middle. His most

popular roll for sale is the Warsaw

Concerto. What he really wants is an

arrangement of the Tchaikowsky First

Piano Concerto, of which he only

possesses roll 2 in Themodist. The

contact on the scanning machine is a

bar of pure silver, “the only thing

of value in the place!” as Iles puts it.

FINIS

continued. . .

The authors are providing an easy-to-understand document on the subject of themusical box. While many fine and detailedarticles have appeared in previous journalsand texts, the majority of these are intendedfor the advanced collector. The intent of thisarticle is to provide basic information for the

new or beginning collector as well as a quick refresher for those AMICA memberswho have not specialized in the wonderful

world of the intricate musical box.

Among the most interesting discoveries in an antique shop, or afriend’s attic, is that of a musical box, adevice that has been around in one formor another for over 200 years. Musicalboxes have an aura all their own and this document will point out importanthistorical facts as well as elaborate on the many aspects of this fascinatingmusical instrument.

Fortunately, a number of books havebeen written in the last 40 years or so onthis subject and in order to understandthe nature of musical boxes, we must dosome research. A simple description of amusical box is as follows: a box or caseenclosing an apparatus that reproducesmusic mechanically when activated byclockwork. Basically, we find a pinnedcylinder that is programmed to play oneor more musical selections (Figure 1).

The cylinder is powered by a coiledspring motor (by way of a set of reduction gears). The power of the motorcauses the cylinder to revolve, whichplucks the teeth of the musical comb,thus producing the tune. A governingmechanism with a gear train and endless

screw air brake (a revolving fan that constantly rotates as long as the cylindercontinues to turn) sits at the opposite endof the cylinder and allows the entiremovement play at a constant and safespeed.

Musical boxes had their beginningwhen Swiss and/or French clockmakersbegan putting tiny and simple musicalmovements into pocket watches (Figure2). It was Antoine Favre, a master Swiss

horologist, who in 1796 is said to havedeveloped a vibrating tuned steel tooth toproduce musical sounds—instead of utilizing the then-popular bell carillon.(A recent discovery, however, of a musical pocket watch by Ransonet ofFrance disputes this origin by an earlier24 years.) This led to the development ofthe musical comb, the basis for the firstmusical box movements. Although small,these early movements were quite accurate and played with precision. Thevery first type of movement was one thatplayed with the musical comb laid out ina fan-type arrangement. This was calledthe “platform movement” (or “surplateau”) and these are rarely seen today

because of their short time of production(Figure 3). In addition, their use was limited only to very small items such assnuffboxes. The musical movementswere placed in the base of the snuffboxand a celluloid or tortoiseshell cover was put over this to then hold the snuff(Figure 4).

Approximately 20 years after the concept of the musical box was introduced, timekeepers began installingtiny cylinder movements into watches.Attributed to Antoine LeCoultre ofSwitzerland, this type of movementbegan what we recognize today as themore common cylinder musical box.During this same time period of 1810 to1830, there was the evolvement of the solid musical comb, the part of themusical box that provides the actualtones, which involved an evolution fromindividual teeth (Figure 5) to sectional

combs (commonly found in early clockbase movements) to the one-piece solidcomb found in all movements after the1830s (Figure 6). The sectional combswere interesting (mechanically speaking)arrays of from one to five or more teethproduced in a small comb fashion, which

72

USICALBOXES FOR NEW

COLLECTORS(A Primer of the Musical Box)

By Ron Bopp & Angelo RulliAll photographs by Ron Bopp

continued. . .

were then individually attached in rowson the bedplate to form a complete comb.After the 1830s, it was the industry standard to produce a one-piece comb.

The time period of 1820 to 1840 sawthe flourishing of the musical box as an early industry. Many towns inSwitzerland, particularly Geneva and SteCroix, were primarily devoted to thisproduction. Several residents wereengaged with one facet or another of theproduction of parts or assembly of musical boxes in what was then a cottageindustry.

The first cases for musical boxes werequite primitive compared to the moremodern musical box, and the earliestwere simply small snuffboxes made ofwood, gutta percha (see inset — or textbox or however you choose!) or tortoise,with a delicate movement (Figure 7).

These were followed by cases that werevoid of any decoration that were simplyassembled wood pieces. The early musical boxes are referred to as “keywind” stemming from the use of a winding key, similar to most clocks, towind the spring barrel that is needed forpowering the movement (Figures 8 & 9).

Early musical boxes had their controls onthe outside of the case instead of inside,as did later models. The earliest of thesehad no outside protection, but after the1840s a wooden flap was provided.

Gutta percha was one of the firstplastic materials. It was made froma mixture of resins from Malaysiantrees. It was molded and used for daquerreotype cases, toilet articles, and picture frames in thenineteenth century. Gutta perchawas used almost exclusively in theearly snuffboxes because it wasmoldable . Three-dimensionalscenes (of famous places) were typically created. Some of the best cylinder musical

boxes were those made by Nicole Freres,perhaps the most celebrated maker ofmusical boxes. The Nicole brothers ofGeneva made them from 1815 to 1903.Nicole stamped its marque on severalplaces of the movement, obviously veryproud of their work. Few musical boxes,however, are embellished with themaker’s name and more detective work isinvolved to find the maker. (Makers thatdid attach some form of signature to theirboxes most often did so by placing it onthe top or bottom of the bedplate and/ortune sheet although marks have also beenfound on the end of the cylinder, on thecomb, on the winding handle and even onthe bracket that holds the endless screw.)

Nicole Freres are well-known for their“fat cylinder” or “overture” movements,which have a larger cylinder than normalthat allows for longer pieces of music tobe played (Figure 10). Usually classical

music would be selected for this type of movement. Because of the extra materials and time involved with the production of a musical box of this type,it was very expensive in its day and is quite an unusual find today, and alsovery collectible.

Musical boxes produced between the1830s and 1890s began to take on otherimprovements and changes. First, the key wind was eliminated and the leverratchet wind was substituted (Figure 11).The controlswere movedfrom the outerleft of the caseand insertedinto the rightside (Figure12). Anotherimprovement in

the mid-1800s was the development ofthe “forte-piano” movement (Figure 13).Whereas most movements utilized a single comb, the forte-piano had two different length combs: a longer one thatwas voiced loudly (forte) and a smallercomb that was voiced much softer(piano). With proper arrangement of themusic this would allow for expressionand thus, are very desirable among collectors today.

During the mid-1800s the consumerbecame tired of hearing the same six or eight pieces programmed on theirmusical boxes. This problem wasaddressed by the invention of first, the“rechange” musical box, one that hadtwo or more cylinders made just for it;

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and then the “interchangeable” musicalbox, one that used multiple cylinders,cylinders made for all similar musicalboxes made by the same manufacturer(Figure 14). These were expensive boxes

and not every household could affordsuch a piece, but they did offer diversityof the musical selections that ownerscould enjoy. Smaller interchangeablemusical boxes stored the extra cylindersin their base, but large boxes with multiple cylinders presented a problemfor storage and ingenious ways to circumvent this resulted in spectacularcases and matching tables.

Perhaps one of the highlights in theperfection of the cylinder musical boxwas in 1882 when Albert Jeanrenaud ofthe Paillard firm (another well-knowncylinder musical box company of Ste Croix, Switzerland) invented theplerodienique (plur-o-di-en-eek) or telescoping type of cylinder. Thisallowed for uninterrupted music to bepinned on a cylinder. Accordingly, thiswould provide for classical numbers tobe included in their original length, notcut down or re-arranged to fit a set timethat an ordinary cylinder would require.

In the late 1800s the musical box industry became more aware of competition and changes began to takeplace. The quality of the musical boxdeclined slightly as the once made-in-the-home product that was made withdedication for quality, workmanship andsound gave way to mass production of areal business product. Musical box casesbecame fancier with inlays of exoticwoods. The addition of musical bellsbecame commonplace. At first, the bells were hidden under the musicalmovement, but later were put out for display; oftentimes they were engravedand struck by butterfly-shaped hammers.Then a drum and castanets or wood block

were added for additional effects. Somemusical boxes were manufactured withminiature reed organs that would complement the sounds of the traditionalmusical box.

Some fancy musical boxes had all theadditional elements (bells, drum, castanets and reed organ) including thebasic cylinder and comb and these werereferred to as “orchestra” boxes (Figure15). The addition of the extra elements

produced musical boxes that are verydesirable by collectors today because ofthe obvious visual effects.

In the late 1800s and early 1900scylinder musical box movements commonly were used in applicationsother than in an ordinary musical box case. Interesting uses included movements in time-keeping devices suchas mantel clocks. The movement couldbe set to play on the hour and such cylinders had one or two tunes programmed on it. Also, the use of oilpaintings with both a real clock and musical box movement was notuncommon. Musical albums have alsobeen found with a one or two-tune movement (Figures 16 & 17). Familyhistorians of the 1890s must haveenjoyed viewing their photographs

and listening to mechanicalmusic at thesame time.Attractive piecesof furniture, suchthe Black Forestcarved chair,

would be fitted with musical movements.When one would sit on the seat, themovement would play one or more tunes.

During the 1880s competition hadbecome keen enough, and the publicdemand was strong enough, that the evolution of a musical box that would beless costly and offer more and variedmusic was inevitable. Paul Lochman ofthe Symphonion Musikwerk of Leipzig,Germany, was one of the first craftsmento invent the disc musical box. This hadtwo primary advantages: first, instead of an expensive pinned cylinder to playthe musical comb, this type of musicalbox depended on inexpensive and interchangeable zinc, or steel (either tinor copper-plated) round discs to play thecombs. The disc would indirectly playeach tooth by way of an intermediary starwheel. Secondly, the disc arrangementoffered an almost endless choice of tunes,whether they were classical or popular,marches or waltzes, sacred or holidaytunes. The choice was now up to the consumer as to what type of music wouldbe heard. The peak of sales of disc musical boxes was from 1895 to 1905.

Disc musicalboxes becamevery popular inthe United Statesand the leadingmanufacturer wasthe Regina MusicBox Company(Figure 18).Located in Rah-way, New Jersey,this business wasincorporated in1894, six yearsafter the Sym-phonion Musikwerk and four years after the beginning of the PolyphonMusikwerk. These three companiesaccounted for 90% of the disc musicalbox market. Manufactured from 1894 to 1919, the Regina musical boxes were the most popular in the UnitedStates and approximately 100,000 unitswere sold. Regina made several popularsizes ranging from 8 1/2” to the 27” style. The 15 1/2” table model was apparently the most popular as this styleis the one found most in collectionstoday.

continue. . .

continued. . .

Of similar size and producing as brilliant a sound was the Mira musicalbox made by the Mermod Freres Company of Ste Croix, Switzerland (Figure 19). The Mermod brothers’ firm

was an earlierproducer of finecylinder boxesand, in keepingup with competi-tion, producedboth the Mira andStella brands ofdisc musical box.While made inonly modest num-bers compared tothe Regina boxes,

this was still a popular brand of disc musical box. Their musical boxmechanisms per se were only made by the Mermod firm. Later these movements were installed into cases provided by the distributor.

The music of the disc musical boxeswas produced by use of steel combs:either one or two, or rarely, four. Four-comb machines were quite brilliantin sound and design. New Century musical boxes, with four combs, exemplify this quality. As with the cylinder boxes, bells were sometimesadded and with usually good results. Thebells in the disc musical box were eitherin the form of saucers, the form mostcommonly seen, or bars or tubes, assometimes found in Polyphon andLochman upright disc musical boxes(Figure 20).

The Regina Company, as well asPolyphon and Symphonion, made changer models that were tall-cased and would play one of twelve differentselections. (Polyphon changers weremade to hold either ten or twelve discs and the Symphonion changerswould hold either six or twelve discs.) The Regina changers are very popular with collectors today

(Figures 21 & 22). All one needs to do is choosefrom one throughtwelve on the tuneselector, drop acoin or switch thebox to “on” andlisten. The Reginafirm manufacturedchanger modelsthat would usetheir 15 1/2”,

20 3/4” and 27” discs. The changermodel is a favorite with collectors today because of their beauty, their mechanical uniqueness, and of course, themusic.

The 27” discboxes, whetherfound in thechanger model(Figure 23) orthe single-discmodel, the Regi-na OrchestralSublima (Figure24). Even rarer

the “casket” tablemodel (referredto as a casketbecause of thefolding doorswhich opened forthe playing of thelarge disc) hadcombs encom-passing overseven octavesand played about

two minutes during a revolution of the disc. The larger upright cases incorporated a piano sounding board

for better tonalquality.

The ReginaCompany, not to be outdone by other competi-tion, domestic andforeign, produceddeluxe models on special order.Sometimes artglass panels wereadded to their 15 1/2” changers(Figure 25). These changers could also be fitted with a clock, one thatwould not only keep time but also allowthe musical box toplay on the hour.

Special casesreferred to asRookwood stylesfor their beautiful,h a n d - p a i n t e dscenes could beordered. Thesewere available inseveral styles,including drumtables (Figure 26)and secretaries. Regina movements were even incorporated into desks (Figure 27) and china cabinets.

The largest disc-operated instrumentproduced (only in small numbers,however) was a Concerto modelmade by bothPolyphon of Germanyand later, by theRegina Music BoxCompany (Figures28 & 29). Using a 32” disc this was not even a continue. . .

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musical boxin the truesense of theword as it incorporateda piano, bellsand trapeffects. Theywere initiallyi m p o r t e daround 1905but had ashort time of product ion ,

as they never achieved the popularity ofthe coin-operated pianos produced by thedeKleist/Wurlitzer and Peerless firms inthe early 1900s. Being eight feet, sixinches tall they are certainly novelties intoday’s world.

Likewise the Symphonion Companyof Leipzig, Germany made several models. Symphonion utilized their movements in both large upright modelsand, not too infrequently, grandfatherclocks. The musical movement would behoused in the base and called uponhourly to play depending upon the moodof the owner.

A most unusual type of music box wasthe Symphonion Eroica (Figures 30 &31). Inside this tall-cased instrument are

placed not one, but three identical movements. Each disc plays its own separate sets of combs. The discs were sold in three-disc sets and weremanufactured to either play in unison (to provide great depth and volume) or to play with slightly different versions (toprovide melody and countermelody). A most unusual musical curiosity, these musical boxes hold a special nichein collections today.

One of themore popularvariations ofdisc musicalboxes was theCapital cuffbox which wasproduced byFrederick G.Otto and Sons,Jersey City,New Jersey(Figure 32).Production began in the mid-1890s andsales paralleled those of the ReginaMusic Box Company. The cuff boxmovement includes a comb and starwheel assembly (a star-shaped wheelwhich is struck by a projection on thecuff and which, in turn, plucks a tooth inthe music comb) and a metal cone. Thiscone (or “cuff”) is not unlike that of amusical box steel disc, but rather thanbeing laid out in circular disc fashion it isin the shape of a gentlemen’s shirt sleevecuff, thus the name.The cuffs were ofpainted blue steel withan eagle emblem andwere made in threesizes with the largermodels providing thebest musical quality(Figure 33).

As the popularityof the musical box was waning, manufacturers tried to recoup business by combining the attributes of both thedisc musical box and the phonograph.The Regina Music Box Company recognized the need for this change andin the early 1900s began production ofthe Reginaphone. This was produced inseveral casestyles (Figure34) includingthe Rookwoodpainted case.The turntablefor the recordcould be easilyattached to aspindle whichwas poweredby the musicbox motor.With the inside- or outside-mountedhorn, one could hear a record of the day,

or by removing the turntable and adjust-ing the motor speed, a favorite musicalbox disc could be enjoyed. Such attemptswere short-lived, however, as the phono-graph industry soon took over and, afterthe early 1900s, the musical box industrywas a thing of the past. The Regina firmmanufactured music boxes to 1919, butsales dropped dramatically after the early1900s. Ironically, the laboratory ofThomas A. Edison, the inventor of thephonograph, was barely five miles awayfrom the home of the Regina Music BoxCompany.

We have now traveled a time span ofwell over 200 years in the developmentof a fascinating item, the musical box andits movement. Some of our questionshave been answered and many more havebeen raised. The interested reader isinvited to browse through the attachedreference list for more detailed informa-tion regarding the musical box.

REFERENCE

Bahl, Gilbert, Music Boxes, CourageBooks, Philadelphia, 1993.

Baumel, Rachael Bail, Alex Templeton’sMusic Boxes, Wilfred Funk, New York, 1958.

Bowers, Q. David, Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments, Vestal Press, New York, 1972.

Bulleid, H.A.V., Cylinder Musical BoxDesign and Repair, Almar Press, New York, 1987.

Bulleid, H.A.V., Cylinder Musical BoxTechnology, Almar Press, New York,1994.

Chapuis, Alfred, The History of the Musical Box and of MechanicalMusic, Musical Box Society International, Summit, 1980, republished St. Paul, Minnesota, 1993.

Clark, John E. T., Musical Boxes, 1943.

Metzger, Frank, Bulletin, Musical BoxSociety, Denver, 2002.

Mosoriak, Roy, The Curious History ofMusic Boxes, Lichtner PublishingCorporation, Chicago, 1943.

Ord-Hume, Arthur W.J.G., ClockworkMusic, Crown Publisher, New York,1973.

continue. . .

continued. . .

Ord-Hume, Arthur W.J.G., CollectingMusical Boxes and How to RepairThem, Crown Publishers, New York,1967.

Ord-Hume, Arthur, W.J.G., The MusicalBox, Crown Publishers, New York,1980.

Ord-Hume, Arthur, W.J.G., The MusicalBox, A Guide for Collectors, SchifferPublishing, Atglen, PA, 1995.

Ord-Hume, Arthur, W.J.G., RestoringMusical Boxes, Crown Publishers,New York, 1980.

Rulli, Angelo, Musical Boxes and OtherMusical Marvels, MBSI, St. Paul,Minnesota, 1987.

Tallis, David, Music Boxes: A Guide forCollectors, Stein and Day, New York,1971.

Webb, Graham, The Musical Box Handbook, Volume 1 - CylinderBoxes, Vestal Press, New York, 1984.

Webb, Graham, The Musical Box Handbook, Volume II - Disc Boxes,Vestal Press, New York, 1984.

MUSICAL BOX GLOSSARY*

Automatic disc changer - in a disc-typemusic box, a device which stores a quantity of discs (usually 10 or 12) andwhich plays them automatically, either insequence or by manual selection.

Bedplate - metal plate or foundation,usually of brass or cast iron, used to support the music combs and attendantmechanisms of a disc-type or cylindermusic box.

Cartel box - small or medium size cylinder music boxes made during thelate 19th century by Bremond, Mermod,Paillard and others with factory-typeassembly facilities.

Cylinder pin - A steel pin inserted intothe cylinder and representing one musicalnote.

Cylinder end caps - The brass caps orplugs which close off the open ends ofthe cylinder and provide the bearings forthe arbor.

Comb - a series of tuned metal teetharranged in a musical scale. Used in discand cylinder music boxes.

Cuff - descriptive of the sleeve-shapedtruncated metal cone used on the Capital“cuff” boxes made by F.G. Otto & Sons.

Cylinder - barrel, usually of woodor metal, on which music is pinned -metal wax or cement-filled cylindersused in cylinder-type music boxes. Individual notes are represented byprotruding metal pins.

Damper - in a music box a small piece ofwire which brushes against a tooth in amusic comb and dampens or mutes itsvibration before it is plucked again.Sometimes called a hairspring (In someearly cylinder boxes feathers were used.).

Duplex comb - two music box combs,both tuned to about the same pitch, andboth played at the same time for anintended effect of extra volume.

Endless screw - in a music box the spirally cut worm gear used to drive thefan-fly or governor assembly.

Forte-piano box - type of cylinder musicbox with two music combs, one tunedloudly and the other tuned softly.

Governor - speed control device in an automatic musical instrument. The parts for a musical box generallyconsist of a bracket or cock, the cockplate which holds the jewel, an endless worm or screw, the first and second wheels and pinions which engage the governor to the great wheelon the end of the cylinder. The governoris usually of the fan-fly type with rotating fan blades. (Sometimes called an airbrake.)

Harp attachment - a popular attachmentaffixed to the combs of a music box. Seezither attachment.

Jewel - A small jewel, usually a syntheticruby, at the top of the governor and usedto resist the pressure of the endless screw.

Key-wind box - a cylinder music box,usually of the early or mid-19th century,in which the mainspring is wound by adetachable key.

Lever-wind box - a cylinder type musicbox, usually of the mid-or late 19th century, wound by a permanentlyattached lever with a ratchet escapement.

Mandolin box - cylinder music box withthree or more teeth tuned to each notein its musical scale. Plucking adjacentnotes in series produces quickly repeating mandolin-like sounds.

Manivelle - a small cylinder or disc-typemusic box, which is operated by continuously turning a hand crank.

Orchestra box - cylinder music box withadded effects, usually saucer bells, asmall drum, a wood block or wood drum,and occasionally, a reed organ section.

Overture box - a cylinder music box,containing overtures or operatic selections, usually elaborately arrangedon a large-diameter cylinder and played on a music comb with finely spaced teeth.

Parachute - a safety check, which stopsthe cylinder from spinning out of control,should the governor fail. Sometimescalled a safety check.

Platform movement (Sur-plateau) -small musical movement used in 18thand 19th century watches and similarsmall items. The pins are arranged inmusical sequence on the surface of a discor platform. Separate steel teeth arearranged around the periphery so that theend of a given tooth will be activatedwhen a pin in that position plucks it.

Plerodienique box - cylinder music boxwith the cylinder made in two parts, eachof which shifts laterally outward fromcenter during the tune changing process.

Projection - term used to describe theprotruding studs on the underside of amusic box disc. Made by forming metaldisplaced by partially perforating the discsurface.

Revolver box - cylinder music box withthree or more cylinders affixed to endplates, which are mounted on a common shaft. The cylinders can bechanged by rotating the entire assemblyso that another cylinder is brought into the playing position adjacent to the music comb.

Rookwood finish - decorative finishapplied to certain automatic instrument.Separate scenes, usually in oil, are painted on different portions of the

continue. . .

77

This newly restored piano was in the country house of the celebrated, innovative dance director Busby Berkeley. A gift from Warner Bros.,where Berkeley made Footlight Parade,42nd St., Gold Diggers of 1933, GoldDiggers of 1935, Dames and many more,it is a WurliTzer baby grand piano circa

1914 with a modified case fabricated ofnickel-plated corrugated steel, skyscraperlegs and high polish black trim withmatching bench.

It was during Busby Berkeley’s yearsat Warner Bros. Studios that he choreographed songs such as “Forty Second Street,” “Shuffle Off to Buffalo,”“Shadow Waltz,” “The Gold Diggers

Song (We’re in the Money),” “By aWaterfall,” “Sittin’ on Backyard Fence,”“Shanghai Lil,” “Honeymoon Hotel,”“Lullaby of Broadway,” “The Words arein My Heart,” “I Only Have Eyes forYou,” “The Lady in Red,” “Goin’ toHeaven on a Mule,” “All’s Fair in Loveand War,” “At Your Service, Madame,”and “Where Am I?”

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continued. . .

instrument. Portions not painted are fin-ished in a red mahogany color.

Sectional comb - in a cylinder music boxa comb made by affixing by screwsgroups of one to five teeth.

Snail cam — A star-wheel shaped wheelwith the top face arranged into a series ofsteps, each step measured so that, whenin contact with the cylinder stud, it push-es the cylinder one step, or one song, tothe left, allowing several songs on acylinder to be played in succession.

Snuffbox - small pocketsize-hinged boxused to carry snuff. Often fitted with asmall cylinder music box movement.

Star wheel - in a disc-type music box, anintervening star-shaped wheel which is

struck by a projection on a disc andwhich, in turn, plucks a tooth in themusic comb.

Sublime harmonie - widely used combarrangement in music boxes. Two nearlysimilar combs are tuned Celeste, thusgiving an extra depth and richness to thetone.

Sur plateau - A French term meaning“upon plate,” and used to describe thevery early movements fitted into watch-es, etc., consisting of a brass disc withpins protruding at right angles to one orboth surfaces and plucking the individualsteel teeth which produces the sound.

Tooth - tuned tine or projection, usuallymade of hardened steel, used to sound anote in a music comb.

Tune card - listing of tunes giving themusical program of a music box.

Tune indicator - pointer arm, numbereddial, or other device, which indicates thenumber of a tune being played on a cylin-der music box.

Zither attachment - a tight roll of stifftissue paper positioned in a metal protect-ing plate and positioned over the teeth ofa comb in a cylinder or disc music box.When lowered at will it produces avibrating sound similar to a zither.

*Taken in part from Bowers’ Encyclopedia ofAutomatic Musical Instruments.

USBYBERKELEY’S PIANO

The Modernism Show, New York, 2003Piano offered by preeminent Los Angeles Art Deco dealer Off the Wall Antiques on Melrose Avenue.

79

Backhaus for Your HouseBy Jay Nordlinger

From National Review/July 28, 2003

Daniel Barenboim just completed acycle of Beethoven piano sonatas atCarnegie Hall. That is, he played all 32sonatas, over eight recitals. In so doing,he became only the fourth pianist to perform this cycle in that historic hall.The first was Artur Schnabel, in 1936.Then came Alfred Brendel, almost 50years later. Then Maurizio Pollini. Andnow, Barenboim.

The Beethoven sonatas may be considered the summit of the piano literature. They are almost written ontablets. Of course, another summit isBach’s Well-Tempered Clavier (if we can speak for the keyboard in general,rather than the piano in particular). It’spleasant to reflect that Beethovenimbibed The Well-Tempered Clavier –both books – while learning in Bonn.Bach soaked into his brain, serving himwell, forever.

I have written about Barenboim extensively (elsewhere), and don’t intendto repeat myself now: but I will not resista comment or two. He is a mighty musician, of course, now better known asa conductor than as a pianist. But he is not always a successful pianist. As heproved in those eight recitals, he is shockingly inconsistent, capable of superb playing in one sonata, and outright amateurish – disgraceful – playing in another sonata. He often bullshis way through, not caring what hewrecks. And, at this stage of his career,he may suffer from a lack of practicetime.

And yet he things he has a lot to sayabout Beethoven, and we should not contradict him. He has recorded the complete sonatas three times, and he hasplayed the cycle of sonatas many times,

all over the world. Listening to him in Carnegie Hall, one thought a lot, naturally, about Beethoven, and aboutBeethoven pianists, past and present. I happen to like pianists in Beethovenwho are not necessarily known asBeethoven pianists. Artur Rubinstein, forexample, was extremely good inBeethoven, no matter his reputation as aRomantic.

I cherish an anecdote told about Malcolm Frager, a fine all-purposepianist. Apparently, he turned to oneorchestra, before rehearsing a Beethovenconcerto, and said, “As I’m not aBeethoven specialist, I think we shouldtake this at the proper tempos.” There is a store of wisdom in that crack.

The market offers many boxed sets ofcomplete Beethoven sonatas. You can get the historic – Schnabel (always), Wilhelm Kempff, Annie Fischer; you canget the contemporary – Richard Goode,John O’Conor, Ian Hobson. But, in recentweeks, my mind has gravitated to Wilhelm Backhaus, the great pianist wholived from 1884 to 1969 – and who performed continually for all but the veryfirst of those years. You might say that, inlistening to Barenboim batter Beethoven,I was driven to Backhous, seeking relief.

He is – was – a German pianist, commonly grouped with Kempff andEdwin Fischer. These are thought to beavatars of intellectual, contained, almostprofessorial pianism. But Backhaus wasmuch broader than merely the Germanicpianist (as were the others), and he was capable of anything. A Germanicgrounding, however, never hurts anyone.

A brief biographical rundown, beforegetting to some recordings: Backhauswas born in Leipzig, when Brahms wasstill going strong – hell, when Liszt was still alive. He studied with AloisReckendorf at the local conservatory, andthen with Eugen d’Albert, the titanicLiszt student. In 1905, he won the AntonRubinstein Competition, in which BelaBartok finished second – an outcomewith which the great Hungarian was nonetoo pleased. Backhaus would devote hisentire life to piano playing, appearing tosome as a kind of musical priest, havinglittle “life” outside of his instrument, buttaking his craft and his calling with theutmost seriousness. (This is not to saythat music doesn’t have its fun, whichBackhaus well knew.)

He loved recordings, and the idea ofrecording, and took to it early. He was inthe studio as early as 1908, when singerslike Caruso had barely gotten their ariasout. (Singers went before all others,being best suited to the acoustical horn.)Backhaus was the first pianist to recordmany works: the Chopin etudes; theBrahms D-minor concerto; the Griegconcerto. Sage though he was, he had analmost superhuman technique. He was, infact, a virtuoso, although this did notdominate his art. He liked to say that hekept in shape with scales, arpeggios, andBach – the basics. He thought the publicdeserved a trim technique, in addition tomusical revelation.

Backhaus was associated with whatwas called “die neue Sachlichkeit” (“thenew objectivity”). He was faithful to thescore, trying to serve the composer as best he could, while not denying himself altogether. Walter Frei, in a 1992 essay, referred to his “beautifulunobtrusiveness” – a beautifully aptphrase. Vladimir Horowitz paid him a

USICSubmitted By Robert M. Taylor

Wilhelm Backhaus

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kind of compliment when he said thatBackhaus was “a wonderful pianist, notreally representative of the German style[ahem]. He was far more relaxed thanmost of them.” He was almost an idealcombination of head and heart, eruditionand instinct, obedience and freedom. Itseems clearer every year that he was asurpassing musician.

He recorded the complete Beethovensonatas twice. The second cycle camewhen he was in his 80s, because his label– Decca – wanted him to lay down thesonatas in stereo: Everything that hadbeen recorded before had to be re-recorded, using this marvelous newmethod. So these Decca discs (which are easily available) show Backhaus inhis autumnal years. His powers are still formidable, even if some – just some – ofhis fire has dimmed. What you get fromBackhaus, above all, is honesty: honestyof expression. Backhaus lets you hearthrough “interpretation” to the essence ofthe music itself.

Given that he was more than aBeethoven pianist, I should mention aCD from Pearl, belonging to its PianoMasters series. This features Backhaus ina variety of music, recorded in the 1920sand ‘30s. He plays two pairs of preludesand fugues from Book 1 of The Well-Tempered Clavier, including thevery first, in C major. What music couldbe simpler, humbler, purer, greater?Backhaus merely allows it to be. Hisplaying is mature, understanding, andbalanced – one might even call it “welltempered.” He also plays Liszt’s transcription of the Schumann song“Widmung,” as was once popular. In hishands, it is sweet and sincere, with nomelodrama. And a Moment musical(Schubert) is especially touching: a souvenir from a long-ago era.

The Naxos label – very cheap – offersan all-Brahms disc, which includes Backhaus’s traversal of the Variations ona Theme by Paganini. This is one of themost difficult works in the repertory, butBackhaus evinces no strain – he was asadept as any Russian barnstormer. Butthe primary miracle of this performanceis musical, not technical. He reveals theVariations as Brahms himself mighthave, if he had had the fingers for it. (I myself have my doubts!) The Naxosdisc also provides that first recording of

the D-minor concerto, with Adrian Boult– a magnificent Brahmsian in his ownright – conducting. Together, Backhausand Boult are impassioned, controlled,and enthralling.

A very nice compilation comes fromAndante – a set of four CDs purveyingearly recordings, including those initialefforts in 1908. It takes a while to getused to the hiss – these cuts date from theTheodore Roosevelt administration,remember – but Backhaus easily winsout. His Chopin etudes are both stylishand startlingly accurate – and we shouldbear in mind that Backhous benefitedfrom no touching up, as later, lazier, lesscapable pianists would. Some morceauxof the age include a Smetana polka (not terribly Germanic, believe me) and Moszkowski’s Caprice espagnole(likewise). There are Beethoven concertos, too – the Fourth and the Fifth– and they are noble, feeling and right.

Perhaps the best taste of Backhaus,however, comes on his Great Pianists ofthe 20th Century discs. I refer to his two-CD installment in the mammothseries issued by Philips five years ago.We hear Backhaus in five Beethovensonatas, performed in 1954, when hewas, arguably, at his very best; we hearhim – almost incomparably – in theBrahms Second Concerto; and we hearhim in a group of small pieces he woulduse as encores.

There is a Schubert impromptu, andSchumann’s “Warum?” – so gentle andinquiring – and a Chopin etude, andBrahms’s C-major intermezzo (a reliableencore of the Austro-German pianist forgenerations). But the piece I would liketo single out is “Soirees de Vienne,”which is “Liszt after Schubert,” as wesay. In music, some things need to beheard, as they are indescribable in words(which is why we have music, apart fromspeech). All I can tell you – or allege – isthat, when Backhaus plays this piece, heconjures up a former, and better, world:Central Europe before 1914, before 1933,before 1939, when all seemed sane and good and lovely. The longing andnostalgia in that playing is almostunbearable. It is hard to stop listening to.

There are plenty of pianists who canplay today. (Well, not “plenty.” As I frequently say, there is no need to retreatto recordings. Past-worshiping is to be

avoided. But the likes of Wilhelm Backhaus are thin on the ground, and he has much to teach us, through the documents he took care to leave.

Romancing the Score

Terry TeachoutFrom Commentary July-August 2003

Most listeners would agree on whatthe word “romantic” means when it isused to describe a piece of music. Butwhat does it mean when used to describethe interpretive style of the artist whoperforms it?

The distinction is not trivial, for it ispossible to play any kind of music –including the intensely subjective musicof such romantic-era composers asChopin, Schumann, and Liszt – in aninfinite number of ways, some of whichdo not sound “romantic,” just as it is possible to “romanticize” the music ofpre- and post-romantic composers. Yetthe music itself remains unchanged, evenwhen it is being performed in what wemay perceive as an unidiomatic way.

Does this mean that performance styleis a purely arbitrary convention? Or arethere right and wrong ways to play agiven piece of music? It is tempting tosuggest that these questions would beless vexing if musical notation were moreprecise, and if it were thus possible toknow from looking at a score exactlyhow a composer intended his music to beplayed. But that is not the case: changesin speed and volume (dynamics) cannotbe notated precisely, merely suggested.In practice, moreover, many vocalists and instrumentalists distort or disregardeven the most specific directions. SergeiRachmaninoff, for example, completelyrewrote the dynamics in the funeral-march movement of Chopin’s B-flatMinor Sonata, Op. 35, and countlessother performers of his generation madeequally dramatic changes in the piecesthey played.

We know how Rachmaninoff playedthe Chopin B-flat Minor Sonata becausehe recorded it for Victor in 1930.1 Most(though not all) of the major performers

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active during the first quarter of the 20thcentury made records that shed similarlight on contemporary performance practices. Two of these artists, thepianists Vladimir de Pachmann (1848-1933) and Rudolf Serkin (1903-91), are also the subjects of newlypublished biographies that do almost asmuch as their recordings to answer thecomplicated question of what makes amusical performance “romantic.”2

Pachmann’s name is now known onlyto collectors of early piano recording, butas late as the 1920’s he was one of themost celebrated virtuosos in the world –though not for his playing. Midwaythrough his career, he began to talk toaudiences, delivering mock-serious lectures on his own greatness and muttering half-audible explanatory asideswhile he played. This habit becamesteadily more pronounced as he grewolder, to the point where some observersbegan to doubt Pachmann’s sanity.

For all his personal peculiarities,Pachmann’s playing was greatly admiredby many of the leading critics of his day,including a number of normally sober-sided observers who might reasonably have been expected to beantagonized by his erratic behavior.Samuel Langford of the ManchesterGuardian, for instance, described a 1925recital – one of Pachmann’s last publicappearances – as follows:

Pachmann has always been unquestionably among the greatestpianists in the world . . .One beganto forget his age, for he had workedhimself into a sort of youth oncemore, and his opulence and rapidityof execution enabled one to sensethe true Pachmann, the exhaustlessgenius of the piano.But his reputation went into a steep

decline after his death in 1933, and thecondescendingly colorful account of hisplatform antics included in Harold C.Schonberg’s The Great Pianists fromMozart to the Present (1963) was formany years the only readily availabledescription of Pachmann’s playing.3

Not until recently were his recordingstransferred to CD, making it possible formodern listeners to judge his playing –and eccentricities – for themselves.4

The first thing one notices on listeningto Pachmann’s recordings of Chopin,

the composer with whom he was mostclosely identified, is their pronouncedinstability of tempo. This trait can beheard to striking effect in his 1912 performance of the popular E MajorEtude, Op. 10/3. In this familiar piece, a serene melody floats above an evenly undulating sixteenth-note accompaniment. No pianist ever playsthese sixteenth-note patterns perfectly“straight”; instead, they are always executed with unwritten rhythmic fluctuations known as rubato. Such fluctuations are the life’s blood of romantic music, and they can be heard inthe playing of every modern-day pianistwho has recorded the E Major Etude,from the expansively romantic VanCliburn to the coolly contemporary Maurizio Pollini. As differently as thetwo men play the piece, their playing hasin common a restrained application of rubato that is for the most part characteristic of postwar interpreters.

Pachmann’s version of the E MajorEtude, by contrast, is extreme to the pointof capriciousness in its use of rubato. Notonly is his playing of the accompanimentrhythmically uneven, but the overalltempo of the performance ebbs and flowsto a degree that modern listeners mayfind exaggerated (even though Chopin’snotation indicates that he wanted thepiece to be played with frequent touchesof rubato).

At the same time, Pachmann’s playingis not “sentimental” in any conventionalsense. His basic tempos, for example, areactually quite brisk – his recording isthree minutes and seventeen secondslong, a minute and a half shorter thanCliburn’s 1961 version – and he plays thetempestuous middle section much fasterthan the song-like opening and closing,in the process completely disregardingChopin’s explicit instruction that this partshould be played with only “a little moreanimation.”5

No less striking is what, for lack of a better word, might be called the “vocalized” quality of Pachmann’spianism, in which top-voice melodies are decoupled from their inner-voiceaccompaniments and played with greatrhythmic flexibility and a singing, resonant legato, much as a soprano of theperiod might have sung an operatic aria, taking for granted that the conductor

and orchestra would follow her lead. This quality is also on display in Pachmann’s 1911 performance of the F Major Nocturne, Op. 15/1, whosemelody he phrases in a wayward, seemingly improvisational manner reminiscent of a turn-of-the-centurysinger.

Pachmann’s playing is a relic of a lostworld far removed from us in time. Bornthe year before Chopin died, he made his first recordings in 1907, nearly a century ago. And for all his well-attestedidiosyncrasies, the salient features of hisstyle are not uncharacteristic of other,less eccentric 19th-century performerswho left behind records of their playing.The French pianist Alfred Cortot, forexample, born in 1877, made a recordingof the E Major Etude in 1934 that is similarly vocalized and rhythmicallyflexible, and also prepared a “student’sedition” of the piece in which heexplained that it requires “expressivemerging of the rubato tempo with themusical phrasing” and “clarity of tone . ..to give the melodic line full opportunityfor limpid play against a shrouded background.” It would be hard todescribe the romantic style of both Cortot and Pachmann more preciselythan that.6

Such subjectivism was bound in timeto fall from favor. Just as the modernmovement in musical composition reacted against the hyper-romanticexcesses of Wagner, so did a new generation of younger performers call for a return to classicism in musical interpretation.

Rudolf Serkin, who first won fame asthe recital partner and protégé of hisfather-in-law, the German violinist AdolfBusch, was among the most prominent of these neoclassicists. Virtually every aspect of his and Busch’s stylesconstituted a rebellion against what they took to be the self-aggrandizementof the romantic-era interpreters who hadcome before them. Significantly, Buschand Serkin spoke of their crusade againstromantic subjectivism in moralisticterms. As Busch put it in 1927:

Playing interestingly is nothing –anyone can do that; but playingrightly, as we can do, no one elsecan do that – not even us . . . Our

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way of making music, Toscanini’sway . . . is nevertheless the rightway and the “enduring” way!For both men, as for the similarly

inclined Arturo Toscanini, the first step inplaying “rightly” was to eschew thecapricious, improvisational rubato thatwas the principal feature of romantic-erainterpretation. “For any music, the pulseshould remain unified, with a certainflexibility,” Serkin declared, adding that any performance failing to observethis rule was “a crime.” Similarly, he disdained Pachmann’s delicate, sensuoustone, opting instead for a harsher sound,one evocative not of a lyric soprano butof a symphony orchestra in full cry.

Not coincidentally, Serkin devotedmost of his time and energy to the Austro-German classics, playing comparatively little Chopin and Schumann, hardly any modern music,and no Liszt at all. (The seventeen soloprograms he played at Carnegie Hallbetween 1970 and his farewell concert in1987 were devoted exclusively to themusic of Bach, Haydn, Mozart,Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, and MaxReger.) In this respect he resembled ArturSchnabel, though Serkin did not admirethe playing of the older pianist. According to Richard Goode, one ofSerkin’s most successful pupils:

He was very critical of Schnabel.He said a very interesting thingabout Schnabel and [Arthur]Rubinstein, whom I’d never previously thought of in the samecategory. He said, “Both of themhave a kind of love of self and, asyou know, self-love can be veryinfectious.This remark goes a long way toward

explaining Serkin’s self-abnegatingchoice of repertoire. On the rare occasions when he played Chopin in public, he almost always programmed anentire book of the Etudes or the completePreludes, Op. 28, rather than picking andchoosing a group of shorter showpieces.One of these performances, a 1948Library of Congress recital featuring theOp. 25 Etudes, was privately recorded,and the results are uniquely revealing ofSerkin’s ambivalence toward romanticmusic, for his interpretation is deadlyserious, tonally uningratiating, and rhythmically direct to the point of

baldness. The effect is ascetic, even penitential – two adjectives that couldnever have been applied to the playing ofPachmann or Cortot.7

A kind of law of opposites seems to beoperating here. Just as Serkin playedChopin in a way most listeners, then as now, would consider unidiomatic,romantic pianists like Rubinstein, JosefHofmann, Benno Moiseiwitsch, andVladimir Horowitz found the Austro-German classics strangely elusive. Their rhythmically flexible,tonally lush interpretations of middle-period Beethoven usually soundsoft-centered, even spineless. To listen to these variously unsatisfying recordingsis to come away wondering whether the ability to play Chopin and Beethovenconvincingly might be mutually exclusive.

Only when a younger generation ofperformers began to cultivate what I haveelsewhere called and “international” styleof interpretation did this begin to change.In this international style, the modes ofthe romantic and neoclassical eras wereamalgamated into a single, unifiedapproach to interpretation.8 Though the result is too often bland and unadventurous, its most gifted exemplars,including Cliburn, the Rumanian pianistDinu Lipatti (1917-50), and Murray Perahia, a Serkin-influenced Americanpianist who also studied with VladimirHorowitz, rank among the most giftedmusicians of the 20th century.

As for Rudolf Serkin’s “pure” neo-classicism, it is now as much a thingof the past as is the equally pure romanticism of Vladimir de Pachmann,and both styles survive only on record-ings. Pachmann, who recorded exceptionally often for a pianist born inthe mid-19th century (fourteen sessionsbetween 1907 and 1927), was certain that his own recordings would be of the highest interest to posterity:

I shall not be forgotten. And whenyour children and grandchildrenask you, “Who was this de Pachmann?” you will be able toshow them how he played . . . Andthough they cannot see me, theywill hear my voice through mymusic and then they will know why all the world worshipped de Pachmann.

Not so Serkin. According to his biographers, “no major instrumentalist of his time made as little of his solorepertoire available on recordings,” andthe reasons for this unwillingness seemclear enough in retrospect. Serkin’s toneas reproduced on CD sounds hard andsplintery, while his self-consciously plaininterpretations, however convincing theymay have been when heard in concert, donot stand up well to repeated listening.9

And what of Pachmann? The elaborate idiosyncrasies of his playingwill no doubt mystify listeners raised onthe international style, in much the sameway that they might be puzzled by therhetorical excesses of a performance byEdwin Booth or Sarah Bernhardt of aplay by Shakespeare or Racine. Suchexcesses, however, were taken for granted in the 19th century; indeed, they were in a very real sense whatromanticism was all about. By the sametoken, the “self-love” of which RudolfSerkin was so suspicious is one of the principal features of Pachmann’srecordings, which are as much about hispersonality as the music he played. It isone thing to be puzzled by these excessesand another to be offended by them, as were Busch, Serkin, and their fellowneoclassicists. One may prefer thestraightforward playing of Serkin to thewayward rubato of Pachmann, just as onemay prefer Beethoven and Schubert toChopin and Liszt. But to claim that onestyle is “right” and the other “a crime” is,quite simply, nonsensical. Moral considerations are not at stake in musicalinterpretation. And while it may bemeaningful to say that Rachmaninoff’sperformance of the Chopin “FuneralMarch” sonata is in some sense “incorrect,” the statement is also pointless. In spite of (or because of) its deviations from Chopin’s text, Rachmaninoff ’s playing, like Pachmann’s, exerts a compulsion on theopen-minded listener that is infinitelymore relevant to appreciation than hiscomparative “incorrectness.”

In the end, the presence of this compelling force is the only thing thatmatters, since the ambiguity of musicalnotation ensures that, the question oftechnical proficiency aside, the classicscannot be played rightly or wrongly, they

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In a previous article ‘Steinway-WelteComes to Life’ (see previous Bulletin),Denis Condon tells the story of his Steinway-Welte upright piano, how heacquired it some 15 years previously, itsknown history and how it remained unrestored until August 2003. I wouldlike to continue that story by telling how I restored the Welte player action ofthis wonderful instrument, by sharingwith you some of the restoration workexperience and knowledge I haveacquired over many years, which I had toapply to this very challenging task.

Having previously rebuilt six German“Welte-Mignon” player actions over thepast 20 years, two of which were theT100 system (Red Paper Rolls) and four

were the T98 system (Green PaperRolls), I came to the conclusion that eachand every German built “Welte-Mignon”T100 or T98 player mechanism is different in its behaviour, character andexpressive capabilities, although the

expected end result using the Test Rollshould be exactly the same from oneinstrument to the other. I believe thereare logical reasons why the end resultsare different.

Welte Player DifferencesFirstly, from the period of

approximately 1905 until the end of theproduction of these German built actions(c.1930), the very clever and capabletechnicians from M. Welte & Söhneintroduced minor changes to improvemaintenance accessibility and overallperformance in expression and to reducemechanical noise from the pump andelectric motor. Other improvements

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can only be played more or less interestingly – and what makes an interpretation interesting is the extent towhich it embodies the personality of amaster interpreter. This is why, a centuryafter the fact, connoisseurs continue toseek out the recordings of Pachmann,Rachmaninoff, Cortot, and other greatperformers of the romantic era. Strangethough they may sound to modern ears,they are at all times compellingly, evenexasperatingly personal. “Incorrect,” perhaps – but never, ever boring.

1. This recording is included in the Rachmaninoff volume in the GreatPianists of the 20th Century series (Philips456 943-2PM2, two CD’s). This CD, and the others mentioned below, can be purchased by viewing this articleduring the months of July and August on Commentary’s website, www.commentarymagazine.com.

2.Vladimir de Pachmann: A Piano Virtuoso’sLife and Art, by Mark Mitchell (Indiana,231 pp., $37.95), and Rudolf Serkin: ALife, by Stephen Lehmann and MarionFaber (Oxford, 344 pp., $35.00).

3. A very different and far more sympatheticperspective on Pachmann’s playing andpersonality is to be found in Dana Gioia’spoem “An Elegy for Vladimir de Pachmann.” Reprinted as the epigraph to Vladimir de Pachmann: A Piano Virtuoso’s Life and Art: “[T]he criticsthought his madness / was theatrical, butthe less learned / members of his audience,to whom he talked / while playing, knewthe truth.”

4. Vladimir de Pachmann, the Mythic Pianist:Recordings from 1907-1927 (Arbiter 129),the first in a planned series of CD anthologies of Pachmann’s 78’s, containsa representative selection of his Chopinrecordings, including a spectacularly inaccurate 1927 performance of the G-flat“Black Key” Etude, Op. 10/5, on whichthe seventy-nine-year-old pianist can beheard discoursing volubly about hischanges to Chopin’s score.

5. Cliburn’s recording is available on MyFavorite Chopin (RCA 60358-2-RG).

6. Cortot’s versions of the complete Etudesare available with his other Chopin recordings in a budget-priced boxed set(EMI Classics CZS 7 67359-2, six CD’s).

7. This performance can be heard on a bonusCD bound into copies of Rudolf Serkin: A Life. (Serkin also recorded the ChopinPreludes for Columbia in 1976, but neverapproved the tapes for release.)

8. For a discussion of this phenomenon, see my article “What Killed Classical Recording?” in the May 2001 COMMENTARY.

9. Serkin’s playing with Busch was far more “phonogenic,” and a particularly fine document of the Busch-Serkin partnership is their austere yet passionate1941 recording of the Beethoven“Kreutzer” Sonata, currently available onCD in a transfer from 78’s marred byexcessive artificial reverberation (PearlGEM 0019). Sony Classical has kept few of Serkin’s solo recordings in print,but a representative sample of his post-Busch playing can be heard on three budget-priced CD’s containing the Beethoven “Pathetique” and “Hammerklavier” Sonatas (Sony ClassicalSBK 47666), the Brahms Second PianoConcerto and Strauss Burleske (Sony Classical SBK 53262), and the SchumannPiano Concerto and Piano Quintet (CBS MYK 37256).

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83

TEINWAY-WELTECOMES TO LIFE

The Restoration Story From Australian Collectors of Mechanical Musical Instruments, February 2004

By Jim Nicholson

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included the use of a sealed glass cylinder to safely contain the mercurytilting switch – a move away from thosedangerous open metal pots whichallowed the mercury vapor to escape intothe atmosphere and also spill into the player action whenever the piano or Vorsetzer was upended, thus damaging components. Also, why I feelthese wonderful instruments are so different overall, even though they were installed into top quality Pianossuch as Steinway, Bluthner, JuliusFeurich, Bechstein, etc., is that the materials used in the piano actions (hammers, strings, soundboards); thegeometrical balance between rail pins and key capstans (apart from thegauge of jack springs); hammer returnspring; damper springs; temperature and humidity of the atmosphere and room acoustics; all affect the overall performance of the individual player action.

Secondly, some of the Welte playeractions used primary valves simply madeof wood that were covered with thinleather on the bottom surface and thickleather on the top of the valve button,while in others they incorporated moldedvalves made from an amalgamated lead mixture to preserve longevity fromcorrosion. On some models the tinysquare primary pouch envelopes weremade from thin pouch leather while onothers zepher skin was used. The primarybleeds were either made individuallyfrom celluloid or incorporated zinc plates sandwiched between two leather gaskets for ease of cleaning andmaintenance. These are more examplesof technological improvements made by Welte.

Work PhilosophyHaving said all of the above, my

enjoyment of player piano work is that Iknow that when I restore a reproducingplayer piano whether it be a Welte,AMPICO or Duo-Art, that each job will add to my store of knowledge andexperience and help me become a betterinformed Player Piano Technician. I amalways open to new suggestions. A verywise man taught me a valuable lessonmany years ago when he said to me,“Jim, the moment you think you know itall, is the very moment you realize just

how much more you don’t know”. I stilllive by this piece of advice or philosophy.

Getting StartedNow getting back to the Red Welte

(T100) Steinway upright, I wasn’t quitesure how much work was required to resurrect the Welte player action to itsformer glory, so I brought the pneumaticstack to my workshop to assess what wasrequired and then start working on it.After taking many photographs of the player action and drawing a tubingdiagram, I proceeded to dismantle the topaction beginning with the carefulremoval of the lead tubing. Upon inspection of this tubing I found the outside surface to look fine, however the inside wall of the tubing was full ofwhite lead oxide and the lead tubing to the tracker bar nipples was glued withthick shellac. To remove these lead tubesI simply ran a hair dryer over the tubes to soften the shellac, which made it easierto slide the lead tubes off the tracker bar without any damage. The tracker barwas chemically cleaned and repolished.

Whilst on this subject, I would like to point out the fact that while the materials used in this action were ofsuperior quality, they like all other playerpiano mechanisms, had reached the endof their life, i.e., the leather pouches hadbecome porous and deteriorating; theleather valve facings had dried out andwere no longer supple; the tannins in theleather facings were starting to corrodethe brass valve wires which were thread-ed through it (the brass had become verybrittle); some of the wooden buttons ofthe secondary valves had warped causingthe leather coverings to no longer sitflush on their respective bottom seats andthe rubber pneumatic cloth covering thestack components (including the materialcovering the pump if still original) hadperished.

Air MotorThis was taken apart right down to the

skeleton. The wind chest and pneumaticsupplies were internally sealed with thickshellac and recovered.

Control Box for Primary and AirMotor Governor

The box was completely opened, allchannels were shellacked, all valvesrecovered with new leather. New brass

wires were used to replace the originalbrittle ones and all pouches replaced.

Primary ValvesAll valves were re-leathered and

calibrated to +/- 1/32” movement, allleather envelope pouches were replacedwith new ones, all five hundred air channels and the chest were re-sealedwith shellac. The pouch to valve stemclearance was adjusted.

Secondary ValvesNew brass wires were made to replace

the old brittle ones. All of the secondaryvalves were re-covered with new leatherfacings and calibrated to travel 3/64”, allsecondary overhead pouches werereplaced with new leather. The bottomhalf of the wind chest was filled withshellac and drained using some verytricky masking techniques to preventshellac reaching the bottom suction areawhere the secondary valves are seated.

Main Pump and ReservoirDenis Condon had already restored

the pump and it was working fine.

Expression Boxes and ValvesThe boxes containing valves and ‘lock

& cancel’ channels were shellacked andall valves stripped and re-covered. Bothexpression manifolds, regulators andexpression pneumatics were re-sealedwith shellac and re-covered. The envelope pouches were done away withand conventional pouch wells were carefully drilled to the correct depth and covered with pouch leather with cardboard buttons glued in the centre ofeach pouch to facilitate efficient valvelift. The expression valve celluloid diskswere also done away with and replacedwith brass bleeds for ease of replacementand adjustment of correct bleed size.‘Forzando ON’ bleeds were replaced withsolid brass adjustable bleeds for ease ofadjustment using the Test Roll. All of theold porous cardboard tube supplies werereplaced with heat treated PVC inletswhich connected to each other usingclear plastic hoses for ease of futureremoval and maintenance. This removedthe risk of porosity or air leaks.

Electric MotorAll the oil leaks were rectified in the

brass capillary tubes and the inner rubberseals replaced. The oil drain plugs were

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rectified before it was installed inthe piano. The lesson here is not totake anything for granted - checkeverything BEFORE you install itin the piano.

AppreciationI would like to express my gratitude

to Denis Condon and Dr. RobertMitchell for their patience andhospitality during the long period ittook to restore their Steinway-WeltePlayer Action. I also wish to thankthem for the privilege, over themany years I have known them, ofbeing able to hear via the CondonPiano Roll Collection the musicalperformances of some of the world'smost famous pianists, which Iotherwise would not have beenaware of and forgone a greatmusical experience.

...................-.-..-.-......- ....----.-..--...........IJ~@~q.j

Soft Pedal Pneumatic Switchover Blocks

--._.._-_ --._-- --" ~ _ _. . ~--;;;c"::"'-..;;:=---j

instruments to be able to use the'soft' and 'loud' pedal pneumatics ofthe piano, I designed two sets ofpneumatic switchover blocks so thatwhen using the 'Red Welte' 'soft'and 'loud' pedal valves the pneumaticcommunication to the Green/LicenseeWelte' valves is cut off by the springloaded pouches and vice versa. Forthe sake of simplicity only the softpedal pneumatic switch over blockshave been illustrated (see diagram).

An additional duplicate set of switchover blocks equally apply to operatingthe sustaining pedal pneumatic.

ConclusionFrom what I have described above,

one can well understand the enormousamount of time, labour and patienceinvolved in resurrecting one of theseWelte instruments so that it canagain perform and re-enact the artists'performance as the manufacturerintended. Unfortunately time and spacedoes not permit me to describe all ofthe special jigs and equipment necessaryfor testing individual components,except to say for example, that withoutthe help of this equipment, I wouldnot have discovered until too late, thatfive tracker bar nipples were leakingvia the soldered joints to their nextdoor neighbour. The problem was

re-installed using lead washers whichmade the plugs not only air tight but oil'ight as well. In the commutator, the old

>-...Jrica was undercut and refilled with heatresistant softer material - it was alsoturned and machined true to centre on thelathe. New carbon brushes were installedand adjusted. New rubber grommets wereinstalled in the motor feet mountings toabsorb noise and vibration.

Pneumatic switchover blocks.The keyboard of Denis' Steinway-

~elte piano also has the ability to beplayed by his T98 (Green/Licensee)Welte Vorsetzer via a switchover deviceusing 'lock & cancel' valves. For both

Variable ResistorThe sliding bridges as well as the

nichrome wire (or element) cores werecleaned, dried and repolished. They werethen rinsed in thinners to remove anytraces of electrically conductive polishingwax.

Important NoteIt is important to remember that the

original sealant used in all air channelsbecomes dry and flaky and in many casesthese loose flakes break away duringplaying and under vacuum can be suckedunder the valves and unseat themresulting in air leaks which will adverselyaffect the entire instrument. It is wiseto replace all old sealants.

'~novations:Compensation regulator

In order to facilitate more tempouniformity when using larger Welte rollsduring fortissimo playing, I designeda separate compensation regulator.The new regulator was built on Welte'sown technology design using anadjustment screw inserted into theexisting air motor regular. Turningthe adjustment screw anticlockwiseproduces more influence on the airmotor compensator and vice versa. Oncethe special compensation regulator hasbeen correctly adjusted it automaticallycompensates when a large roll is played.As the building of the regulator andthe necessary adjustments to set itcorrectly are technically very complex,I have decided to include thetechnicalities and accompanyingdiagrams in the next ACMMI Bulletin.

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86

ELFRIDGESSECONDHAND PLAYERS 1938

From Player Piano Group Bulletin 169, December 2003

I have found a Selfridges piano salebrochure dated 1938 and I thought youmight like to see the pages devoted toused player pianos. There were no newmodels, in fact there were very few new

pianos in the sale. The only means I haveof deciding the date of the sale is fromthe “new 1938 range of Pullman all-waveradio and radiograms” included in thebrochure.

It is interesting to note that the layoutof the Selfridges brochure is very similarto that of the Harrods version although 6years later on.

Alan Whytock has sent these adverts in, prompted by the 1932 Harrods adverts printed in Bulletin 165 last December.

continue. . .

1. Zumpe is a (a) chocolate bar; (b) piano maker; (c) music publisher or (d) pianist?

2. Mozart wrote music for (a) piano; (b) clavichord; (c) harpsichord or (d) all of the afford said?

3. Escapement in piano technology means (a) convicts played pianos; (b) key travel; (c) hammer travel to the strings or (d) is hinged and attached to a spring?

4. Pantalon means (a) long pants; (b) short pants; (c) type of harpsichord or (d) instrument with bare wooden hammers?

5. Name the non-piano maker: (a) Schroter (1699-1782); (b) Silbermann (1683-1753); (c) Hoffman (c.1784) or (d) Charles Burney (c.1740’s)?

6. Pianos first had bells, drums, triangles and cymbals added to them in (a) early 1800s; (b) late 1800s; (c) early 1900’s or (d) never?

7. Una corda means (a) one chord; (b) tone modifying lever allowing hammers to strike all strings; (c) tone modifying lever allowing hammers to strike one or two strings per note rather than all or (d) pedal operating half sustain?

8. Jonas Chickering patented a complete iron frame in (a) 1820; (b) 1838; (c) 1843 or (d) 1857?

9. Cross stringing was applied to upright pianos as early as (a) 1798; (b) 1828; (c) 1830 or (d) 1862?

10. Sostenuto (third) pedal technology was patented by (a) Beale; (b) Steinway; (c) Mason & Hamlin or (d) Chickering?

11. The highest paid pianist of all time was (a) Thalberg; (b) Paderewski; (c) Liszt or (d) Rubinstein?

12. The Fantasy on Rossini’s Moses by Thalberg was written for (a) two hands; (b) three hands; (c) two pianists or (d) three pianists?

13. This pianist visited Australia: (a) Thalberg; (b) Liszt; (c) Hambourg or (d) Alkan?

14. I studied with a pupil of Chopin: (a) Rachmaninoff; (b) Pugno; (c) Anton Rubinstein or (d) Josef Hofmann?

15. I was born in 1830: (a) Czerny; (b) Leschetizky; (c) Friedman or (d) Busoni?

16. I played Chopin’s Revolutionary Study with octaves in the left hand: (a) Alexander Dreyschock; (b) Chopin; (c) Liszt or (d) Tausig?

17. I made a cylinder recording at the end of my life: (a) Brahms; (b) Liszt; (c) Debussy or (d) J Raff?

18. I was a pupil of Leschetizky: (a) Paderewski; (b) Clifford Curzon; (c) Busoni or (d) Frederic Lamond?

19. Temperament means (a) aligning thirds and fourths to octaves; (b) tuning to a compromise scale; (c) pitch or (d) tuning all octaves to fifths?

20. How many composers wrote a series of paraphrases called Chopsticks: (a) one; (b) three; (c) five or (d) seven?

Answers:1-(b); 2-(d); 3-(d); 4-(d); 5-(d); 6-(a); 7-(c); 8-(c); 9-(b); 10-(b); 11-(b); 12-(a); 13-(c); 14-(b);

15-(b); 16-(a); 17-(a); 18-(a); 19-(b); 20-(c)

UIZFrom Australian Collectors of Mechanical Musical Instruments, February 2004

Spokane’s Dan Brown has put together a

collection of player pianos that includes some 7,000

rolls of musicBy Chris Wille, Staff Writer

Dan Brown lives in his own museumof magical sounds. Four player pianosthat date back seven decades or morealong with 7,000 rolls of music fill hismodest North Side home. And then thereare the antique jukeboxes, phonographsand music boxes.

“Basically, I like anything mechanicalthat makes noise,” he says while loadinga music roll into one of his pianos.“They’re very fascinating.”

And during the holidays, dozens ofnutcrackers from a collection of morethan 300 sit atop his most prized piano. Athird of his 120 ceramic replicas of NewYork City buildings, from the EmpireState Building to Radio City Music Hall,overwhelm his dining room table.

When Brown starts collecting something, there’s no stop sign in sight.

His player pianos, though, are hisforemost treasures. Brown owns seven but can only accommodate four in his home. The other three are on loan to family and friends – “fosterplacements, I call them,” he says.

Brown, a psychologist in the DeerPark School District, also happens to be president of the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors Association.

The international organization has1,500 members, including a handful in the Inland Northwest – all fans of music boxes, nickelodeons, circus organs and player pianos.

Brown’s four-year reign as presidentof the 40-year-old group ends this coming summer.

Ask Brown any question about playerpianos, and the answer comes quick andcomplete. That passion began in hischildhood when he visited North Sideneighbors who owned them.

“I couldn’t keep away from them,” he says. “The neighbors indulged me andlet me play them.”

The attraction, he says, is simple:“You can have the artist perform in yourhouse, and all you have to do is push abutton.”

They perform for him every day –Christmas music in December instead of his favorite old foxtrots.

Brown acquired his first piano at age 20.

Now, 30 years later, he points out his new prize – the Cadillac of playerpianos, he says. The Mason & HamlinAmpico grand piano, built in 1926,stretches out 6 1/2 feet. Only 175 modelswere made. “That’s why they’re so difficult to find,” he says. “I searched for that type for years and finally found

one from friends who were upgrading to a bigger one,” he says.

The grand piano originally cost$5,000; it began life in a Philadelphiadepartment store.

“The grands were incredibly expensive,” he says. “This is like twonice houses in a good neighborhood in 1926.”

Brown paid about five times that,which included some restoration workand the move from Philadelphia.

Brown pulls out a roll of music bySergei Rachmaninoff, “Prelude in C-Sharp Minor,” and places it on the pneumatic player mechanism.

When he flips the switch, the spoolof paper moves across a tracker bar, its punched-out holes admitting air into a chamber. That opens a valve that eventually triggers pressure on the piano keys.

The Mason & Hamlin grand belongsto the generation of reproducing player pianos – so-called because they duplicate real performances with the tempo and emphasis signals

88

LAYERPIANO MAN

From The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Washington, Jan. 4, 2004

Dan Brown sits next to his 1926 Mason & Hamlin Ampico player piano in his North Side home.Brown, president of the Automatic Musical Instruments Collectors Association,

has been collecting player pianos for 30 years.

continue. . .

89

cut into the paper roll. Rachmaninoff’srich, powerful music fills Brown’s living room.

From the beginning

The first player pianos, which evolved in the late 1800s, operated as an external device housed in a cabinet almost as large as the piano.Wooden fingers played the keys like a real pianist.

By the end of the century, the designprogressed to foot pedals that propelledpaper rolls of music inside the piano.Sales exploded in the early 1900s, withsome of the most inexpensive modelspriced at $250.

Music wafted through many homesduring the dinner hour.

Brown has loaned out his pedal piano, a 1911 Chickering that is also hisoldest. “That’s a fun one,” he says. “I wish I had room for it because I like to play it. But I had to draw the line.”

Electricity powered the next generation of player pianos, includingBrown’s 1915 commercial Coinolamodel. The giant unit, popular in hotelsand bars before Prohibition, comes complete with bass and snare drums, acymbal, tambourine, triangle and woodblock, all behind glass doorsabove the keyboard.

Standing in front of theCoinola in a narrow alcove offhis dining room, Brown switcheson “Let It Snow! Let It Snow!Let It Snow!” Thanks to therhythm section, the Christmascarol echoes through the house.

Brown’s grand comes fromthe heyday of player pianos, theRoaring ‘20s. He also owns an upright Welte from 1926,dressed up for the season with hiscollection of Hallmark houseornaments.

As “Silent Night” plays, one of the piano keys clicks. “It’sdriving me crazy,” Brown says. “Thereare always things to fix.”

With the rise of the cheaper phonograph and radio and the stock market crash in 1929, player piano sales plummeted. Manufacturing soonstopped altogether.

A resurgence of interest occurred inthe 1950s, and manufacturing resumed.Some historians credit television, whichbeamed images of piano performancesinto homes.

Nostalgia also appears to be a factor.

Several companies produce playerpianos today, though the operating system is electronic rather than mechanical.

Piano culture, though, appears to be fading, Brown says. “Unfortunately,most of the American piano industry is gone now,” he says. “People justdo not buy pianos anymore.”

The music rolls on

But for collectors like Brown, there’salways another roll of music to purchase, another piano to covet, anotherconvention to attend. Brown held court over the national gathering in Portland in August. Approximately 200people attended.

Today, computers play a vital role inthe preservation and advancement ofplayer piano music. Pianists record musicon a digital piano, lay out the rolls on thecomputer screen and then edit and sendthe finished files to a paper cutter.

“It’s a lot easier than the original system,” Brown says. Musicians nolonger draw pencil lines on paper, cut outnotes by hand, edit and then start over.

During the player piano’s heyday, themusic of George Gershwin, Scott Joplin,Eubie Blake and Jelly Roll Morton wasrecorded onto rolls.

Today, hits by Neil Diamond, JohnLennon, Celine Dion and Britney Spearscan be found in the 80-page catalog putout by a company called QRS.

“It’s the big manufacturer of rolls,”Brown says, and has been in business forthe past century.

While prices ranged from $2 to $5back then, today’s music rollsstart at around $10.

The price of a player pianotoday depends on “conditionand restoration, because that’swhere all the expense is,”Brown says. An upright foot-pumped model might costonly $2,000, while top grandsfetch up to $30,000.

The player models also function as regular pianos. ButBrown is not a pianist – yet.

He attempted to play yearsago, “But I lost patience with itbecause the players were somuch better at performing thanI was.”

“I fully intend to get back into that,because I do like fiddling around.”

continued. . .

Some of the 7,000 rolls of music that Dan Brown owns sit on the 1929 Fischer Ampico player piano in Brown’s home.

Dan Brown’s 1926 Mason & HamlinAmpico player piano plays a roll of

music in his North Side home.

It got a cold in its notesBy M.L. Lyke

From Seattle Post-Intelligence, May 30, 2003

Everett – Yesterday was a balmy 75degrees on the Everett waterfront. But inside Marine View Cold Storage,where the 5-foot baby grand awaited rescue, the temperature held to a lung-scraping 10 below.

Piano craftsman Chris Chernobieffcrunched across the frosty floor, past theboxes of precracked Dungeness crab andAlaskan king crab legs, full of anticipation.

Was his hypothesis correct? Would 24hours in a freezer drop the piano’s tone?

“I think it’s the first time anyone has ever tried to do this to a piano,” saidChernobieff, a 42-year-old piano tuner-restorer-builder-mover-composer-artist.

Chernobieff is the curious kind ofrenaissance dreamer who’d be as comfortable in the 17th century as in the21st. He’s a self-taught classicist, with a passion for Bach and Scarlatti. His workingman hands, with stubby nailsrimmed in black, dance like butterfliesacross the ivories of his works-in-progress.

The interior of the ChrisPiano shop onGrand Avenue – where a fine layer ofwood dust coats dismembered instruments– illustrates the free play of the craftsman’sideas.

In one corner is an ornate piano leg with horse heads and stars, one of threeChernobieff is designing and carving. On workbenches are the piano tools he’sendlessly inventing – devices to measurethe curves of a soundboard, or the degreeof a hammer’s drop.

His penciled compositions are scatteredacross piano tops and his crowded bookshelves contain tomes on mastermusicians and scientists: da Vinci, Steinway, Stradivarius. It was a little bookon this last master violin maker – a simplepaperback titled “Stradivarius: Secret(s) ofthe Sound” – that inspired Chernobieff’s

latest sub-zero experiment.In the book, a Texas researcher named

James Smith recommended freezing a violin to lower its tone, a process that can add Stradivarian warmth and fullnessto an instrument. “After freezing, your violin will have a very good carryingpower with the sweetest sound you haveever heard,” Smith said.

If it worked on violins, reasoned Chernobieff, why not pianos?

He had a badly-abused 1920s Aeolianbaby grand with a cracked bridge that, if all else failed, he could afford to take to the dump. On Wednesday, he and assistant Dale Blindheim took the piano,stripped of its legs, keys and strings, to cold storage at about 1 p.m.

Yesterday, after paying a $25 fee to the cold storage unit with the “crab andbait sign” outside, they reclaimed it.

Chernobieff was clearly happy to see itin one piece. “At least the veneer didn’tpeel off,” he said, as he and Blindheimrolled the Aeolian out the brine-scentedfrigid storage locker into the warm day.

They were eager as boys as theyworked, anxious to get the Aeolian back to the shop to check the tone with a computerized “Verituner.”

The “Verituner” had tested the soundboard’s tone Wednesday at a

low-octave D.Chernobieff had hoped it would drop to

a C-sharp after a 24-hour freeze.But the piano that came in from the cold

defied his scientific theory.Instead of a C-sharp, the “Verituner”

showed the piano’s tone had actuallyraised a whole step, to E.

Chernobieff looked disappointed foronly a flash. “At least the tone changed,”he said, as he pounded the soundboard like a drum. “And the sound is more resonant. Listen.”

Chernobieff is already busy planninghis next experiment.

This time, he hopes to increase the density and strength of the wood in the piano’s soundboard using a simplehousehold method.

He is going to boil it.It’s all about improving his craft,

says the renaissance piano man, wholaments the generic, quick-paced modernmanufacture of pianos. “The industrynever experiments,” he says.

That’s obviously not a problem at thelittle shop on Grand Avenue, where allideas are fair game.

“I do one piano at a time,” says Chernobieff, “and each piano gets betterthan the last.

90

REEZER NOTTHE KEY TO PIANO TUNING

Sent in by Ray Parkinson

Dale Blindheim, left, and Chris Chernobieff retrieve a 1920 Aeolian piano cabinet and sound-board from its storage place between boxes of frozen crab legs and fish on the Everett waterfront.

“Some people are born great, andsome people have greatness forced uponthem.” This hackneyed quote has neverbeen more prominently proven correctthan it has been in the life of ProbertaGerber, the world’s foremost recordingartist for the reproducing Rollmonica C.

You must remember from her biography, Rolls I Have Blown, writtenby famed biographer Milo Escobar thatMs. Gerber led a troubled life. She wasborn to Irma and Isaac Snodgrass in asuburb of Ellwell’s Knob, Nebraska, andwas raised on a hops farm in westernWashington State. With the advent ofprohibition, the hops industry was nolonger profitable since people were notbuying hops to make beer. Hard timesfell on the Snodgrass family. Proberta’sfamily moved to Waterproof, Louisianawhere Proberta studied music at the NovaLou Counts School of Music, Baton andClassic Crochet. While studying the B flat tambourine and classical auto-harp,Proberta became fascinated by thesounds of the harmonica coming fromthe town jail next door. It would not be stretching the truth to say that if it were not for the town drunk, Mr. OsbyV. Pruett, the world would have been deprived of a true genius of the harmonica, Proberta Snodgrass Corona Gerber.

After graduating from WaterproofHigh School with a heavy emphasis in office assisting and study hall, Proberta pursued a career in the culinaryarts being a jelly shooter and part timesprinkle sprinkler at a local donut shop.But, even astounding success in hercareer could not keep Proberta Snodgrassfrom music. Such was her karma, herdestiny. One day at the donut shop,Norco Corona, the man who was destined to be Proberta’s first husbandstopped to have a cup of “joe” and a jelly donut. Proberta was instantly

attracted to this man with his dapper double-breasted suit and William Powellmustache. When a small blob of jellyoozed from his donut onto Norco’s chin, Proberta almost leaped across thecounter to wipe that blob with her very own clean apron. Three weeks later,the couple repeated their vows in front of Myron Proudfoot, the justice of the peace for their Parish. Proberta Snodgrass Corona left Waterproof forever to follow her husband and herdream of being a professional musician.Proberta got her first chance at an amateur night at the Roxy Theater inBiloxi, Mississippi. She won secondprize, six dollars, for her stirring rendition of “Yes, We Have No Bananas”played on her auto-harp.

From then on, there was no stoppingher. With $1.15 of her winnings, she purchased her first harmonica from the local F.W. Woolworth store and began practicing night and day, the time duration, not the song. It was thenthat tragedy struck. Proberta and Norcowere traveling toward New Orleans whenit became necessary for Norco to go into the woods to “answer nature’s call”.He had just found a tree to use as cover from the road when Simon Funk,who was out hunting, shot at a raccoon who was in that tree. The frightened raccoon fell from his branch inthat tree and hit poor Norco right on thetop of his head. The force of the blowbroke the man’s neck and Norco diedinstantly. The raccoon ambled off deeperinto the woods. Mr. Funk was not happyabout losing his dinner, but what couldhe do? Proberta was decimated by herloss. Her mate, mentor and manager wasgone, and without his direction, she waslost. She returned to the culinary arts, and secured employment as a chef at aprominent café in Baton Rouge, ChezDeni. While she had to keep up this mundane employment, she kept up hermusical studies spending as many hoursas she could spare refining her harmonicavirtuosity and tambourine technique. Few people know that she was

ambidextrous, and could play the tambourine equally well with her righthand or her left. One day, behind the café during a slack time, Proberta waspracticing and her efforts were heard byone Mr. Charles Woonsocket of theAlabama Woonsockets.

Mr. Woosocket was the southern areadistributor for the Rollmonica Company.Proberta’s style and easy grace instantlytook him with both the tambourine andharmonica. After he parked his car, heapproached Proberta and told her hewould take her to the world headquartersof the Rollmonica Company so she couldaudition for a recording contract. Naturally, she jumped at the chance.Immediately after insisting on her split of the tips for the afternoon, she tendered her resignation and accompanied Mr. Woonsocket to theHoboken, New Jersey headquarters of the Rollmonica Corporation. Her audition was barely two minutes alongwhen the talent coordinator, Mr. ArthurB. Gerber fell in love with her music, and later, with her. Proberta signed along-term contract with Rollmonica onthe spot. She recorded many standardRollmonica rolls, but there was something missing. The heart and feelingshe poured into each and every song justdidn’t make it through the rolls as theywere cranked and blown.

Something had to be done. ArthurGerber went to work in the Rollmonicalaboratories instantly. He borrowedextensively from the work done on suchreproducing pianos as the Ampico andthe Duo-Art to produce the worlds firstand only reproducing player harmonica,the much storied Rollmonica C. ProbertaCorona went to work recording roll afterroll. Nobody of the time can forget hertender and expressive rendition of “DoDah”. It brought tears to the eyes of thosewho heard it. It wasn’t long before Arthur Gerber realized that he could notlive another day without Proberta’s beingby his side. He proposed, and she accepted. They lived happily as man and

HE REPRODUCINGROLLMONICA C

By Jack Edwards

continue. . .

91

92

wife for many years, even after the repro-ducing harmonica had lost its popularityto other musical instruments such as thenose flute and the electric slide whistle.One facet some people don’t know aboutare the other inventions Proberta, nowGerber, inspired. People don’t know thatProberta loved to sing, and was quitegood at it, but she obviously could notsing and play the harmonica at the sametime. It was then that Arthur attached acompressor to a Rollmonica and hookedthe motor to the hand-crank to producethe first ever electric player harmonica.The only drawback to this invention wasthe fact that the harmonica produces asignificantly different sound dependingon the direction the air is traveling overthe reeds. So, Arthur had to invent amachine that could suck as well as blow.And, this he did. In response to thisinvention, Proberta produced severalmusic rolls for this instrument that wereaccompaniment rolls for vocalists. Hermost popular accompaniment roll wasthe “How Dry I Am” number RM3450-ain the catalog. She wanted to do a special“Ninety Nine Bottles of Beer on theWall” roll, but the size of the roll itselfwould not allow more than three bottles,much below Proberta’s capacity.

Shortly before Proberta’s death in1952 due to a sewing accident, sheturned to composing. Her most famousworks are her “Theme and Variations on John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt” and“Fantasy on She’ll be Comin’ Around the Mountain When She Comes”. Themusical world of course mourns the lossof such a dynamic member of its family.There is no place in the world wheremusic lovers sit down to a Rollmonicaconcert without a tear of remembrancemoistening each and every eye in theaudience. Proberta Snodgrass CoronaGerber is truly a giant of the musicalages.

continued. . .

OF EVENTSSCHEDULE

DENVER, COLORADOAugust 4 - 8, 2004

REVISED

(subject to fine tuning)

Wednesday, August 4th� Registration

� International Board Meeting

� Downtown Denver sightseeing

� Dinner On Your Own

� Hospitality Room

Thursday, August 5th� Welcome Breakfast

� A Quick Orientation to Denver and Colorado

� Multi-media presentation by Art Reblitz: “100+ Years of Automatic Music in Colorado”

� After Art’s talk - Bus trip to Georgetown, Silver Plume and Central City Alternate “flatland” activity, Denver walking tours and sightseeing

� Dinner On Your Own

� Pumper Contest


Friday, August 6th� Buffet Breakfast

� Bus Trip to Scenic Colorado Springs

� Chuckwagon Supper at Historic Four Mile Park with western entertainment


Saturday, August 7th� Workshops

� The Mart

� Banquet with Queen City Jazz Band


Sunday, August 8th� Farewell breakfast

� Time to Explore Denver

� “An Afternoon of American Music at the Historic Paramount Theater” (a late art-deco movie palace with a rare orginal twin-console Wurlitzer) featuring Dick Kroeckel on the concert grand and Patti Simon on the Wurlitzer

� Optional “Home” Tours


93

. . .of the Model A AmpicoExpression Regulator

Reprinted from The AMICA Bulletin,July/August 1997

This article examines design and operation of the Model A Ampico expression system, i.e., the systemdescribed in the 1923 Ampico Inspector’sReference Book(1) and in the 1920 Supplement(2) to the (1919) Inspector’sInstruction Book. An analytical model is developed for characterizing theexpression system’s performance, andresults are compared with measured data from an actual expression system.Readers are assumed to have some familiarity with the Model A Ampico andits expression coding scheme.

This article’s chief concern is automatic pressure regulation. In view ofthis, the hammer rail lift mechanism(although it contributes to dynamic control) is not a main topic of discussion.The Model A Ampico is also equippedwith finger buttons for manual expression control, and with a subduingcapability for curtailing forte dynamics.These are not central to the regulator’smain function, and are assumed inactive.

Regulation Components and ConceptsIn the Model A Ampico, automatic

regulators of identical construction provide separate control of bass and treble dynamics. In each instance, twocomponents operate jointly to performthe regulating function. These are the expression mechanism (see 1923Inspectors Reference Book(1), p. 8) andthe crescendo (see 1923 Inspectors Reference Book(1), p. 6). Ampico terminology was not consistent. In the 1920 supplement, the respective regulator components are called the stepmechanism and crescendo mechanism.The 1920 nomenclature seems more

appropriate, and will be used throughoutthe remainder of this article.

Elementary physics can be appliedfairly easily to model the regulatingbehavior of the Ampico A expressioncomponents. Efforts toward this end have led to performance predictions thatclosely parallel measured test data froman operating expression system. In asense, this effort began as an exercise in “reverse engineering” to glean engineering data from existing expression components. Data gathered in this manner was utilized to model stable regulating states achievable viastep and crescendo coding.

Characterizing the crescendo mechanism’s influence on the overallregulation process has been one of thiseffort’s foremost objectives. Of particularinterest is what happens to the intensitystep scale in a Model A system while acrescendo is underway i.e., in variousstates between at rest and fully activated.Until now, this topic has not received the scrutiny it deserves, and is often a subject of misunderstanding and/ormisinformation. The widely promulgatedModel B charts, which are totally inappropriate for the Model A, haveprobably added to the confusion. Underpractical test conditions, the Model Acrescendo mechanism’s inability to stop in a partially applied conditionimposes certain measurement difficulties.(Manual intervention for test purposes is possible, however, and a proceduredescribed later in this article wasemployed to obtain useful test data.)

The simple theoretical modeldescribed in this article provides insight into the step intensities’ behaviorduring crescendo operation. This information, backed up by hands-on performance measurements, provides a clear illustration of the effects ofcrescendo activity on the Model A scaleof intensity steps.

Pressure Regulation and Control Principles

The expression system’s supply and

output pressures discussed in this articleare measured as differential pressures,scaled below atmospheric pressure andalways positive in algebraic sign. In thevernacular, these are often referred to assuction levels. In this article, the termspressure, differential pressure, and suction level are used interchangeably. In the context of this usage, a pressureincrease corresponds to a suction levelincrease, and vice versa.

From a hardware point of view, theregulating function depends on the combined action of the step mechanismand the crescendo mechanism. The stepmechanism contains elements of a pneumatic pressure regulator having sufficient capacity to govern the bass ortreble half of a pneumatic stack. Thecrescendo mechanism at all times suppliesa reference pressure, without which thestep mechanism cannot function.

During normal Ampico operation, discrete pressures corresponding to theAmpico intensity step scale are activatedvia the music roll’s dynamic coding.Regulated output is further influenced by the status, at any given time, of thecrescendo mechanism. The crescendomechanism’s status (at rest or withcrescendo action in progress) is determined by its response to crescendodynamic coding, or the absence of it.

The crescendo mechanism functionsas a rather sophisticated pressure regulator in its own right. The differentialpressure inside its large pneumatic isadjustable to a precise value in the reststate. The crescendo mechanism’s largeextension spring is fitted with a screw adjustment for this purpose. Thecrescendo pneumatic’s regulated internalpressure is communicated to the springpneumatic via a direct tubing connection.During crescendo activity, this referencepressure changes in response to signalsfrom the 1 and 5 tracker bar opening as described in the 1923 book(1) and elsewhere. The crescendo mechanism’sregulating function is adequate for a situation in which airflow demand ispractically nil, i.e., for reference only.

ERFORMANCECHARACTERIZATION. . .

By David L. Saul

continued...

1M,

!M1

l

The step mechanism's three intensitypneumatics are square, each measuring2 by 2 inches. Each pneumatic boarrthus has an interior surface area of i. jsquare inches (which we can abbreviate

as in. 2). These pneumatics

are of unconventionalconstruction, not hinged, withthe span of their clothbeing the same all around.Mounting symmetry is suchthat force exerted byeach intensity pneumatic isdirected along a line passingthrough its center and normalto the plane of the movableboard. These forces can berepresented as vectorsperpendicular to the leverarm, and parallel to theregulator valve stem.Fortunately, all vectors to beconsidered in this systemare essentially parallel tothe regulator valve stem,considerably simplifying theanalysis.

Figure.2 identifies.variou~forces Illvolved III tV.,;regulation process, alongwith moments applied tothe regulator valve. Notethe force resulting fromdifferential pressure betweenthe supply and regulated sideof the valve element, appliedover its effective surface area.The regulator valve consistsof a leather-faced disc thatcloses against a circular seat7/8 in. in diameter, giving itan effective working area of0.6in.2

•

The spring pneumaticmeasures 2.28 in. by 4.38 in.,with a movable board area ofapproximately 10 in. 2

• It ishinged at the rear, andthe regulator valve stem issituated about 7/16 in. beyondthe working end of thespring pneumatic. A metal tabextends outward to activate

the regulator valve stem, as shown if'Figures 1 & 2.

During operation, the regulatorsystem seeks a state of balance. More

F4

~'l~LdJ4.384.82

Figure 2

Figure 1

CWMomentCCWMoment

provided a basis fof·this article's theoretical perfonnance model were taken froma step mechanism that appeared best torepresent an average of the samplesexamined. Positions of the various pieces

are shown in Figure 1. Note that theupper side of the regulator valve is thesupply side, and the lower side is atregulated (pneumatic stack) pressure.

STEP MECHANISM MEASURED DIMENSIONS

M1M2

STEP MECHANISM FORCES AND MOMENTS

Area of ea. Intensity pneumatic board. 4 In. 2

Area of spring pneumatic movable blard = lOin. 2Working area ot valVe =(1l/4)"(.875J =o.S In. 2

F1 = Force exelted by Intensity Pneumatic "A"F2 =Force exerted by Intensity pneumatic "8"F3 =Force exerted by Intensity pneumatic "C'f 4 =force exerted by sprlntl pneumaticFS = Force of differential, i

pressure on valve

~ ~~

,. 8.81

I. 4.88--e1

Under normal operating conditions,reference pressure applied to the springpneumatic remains independent of supplypressure variations. This referencepressure changes only during crescendoactivity.

Performance characteristics ofthe step mechanism depend uponthe dimensions and placement ofparts that act on the regulatorvalve, and on pressure actingdirectly on the regulator valve.Step intensities are controlledby intensity and lock valvesconnected respectively to the 2, 4,and 6 tracker openings, withtracker opening 7 connected tothe common cancel valve. Eachintensity valve is associated witha particular intensity pneumatic,and activates it in an on-offfashion as called for bydynamic coding. Three intensitypneumatics are attached to aboard that serves as a lever armas shown in Figure 1. Theintensity pneumatics and theircorresponding intensity, lock, andcancel valves are operated byregulated pressure.

The lowest intensity step, i.e.,first intensity, is obtained whenall three intensity pneumaticshave regulated suction applied.The remaining intensity stepsare acti vated by openingvarious combinations of the threeintensity pneumatic to atmos-phere. The contribution of eachintensity pneumatic to the overallregulation process depends on itsposition on the lever arm.

Developing aPerformance Model

The first step was to measurethe physical dimensions ofregulator parts and determinethe location of each intensitypneumatic along the lever arm.Several step mechanisms fromunrestored spare parts wereexamined, and measurementstaken. When this was done, variations upto about 1/16 of an inch were noted in theplacement of the intensity pneumatics.Such variations were probably withinfactory tolerances. Measurements that

continue...

94

continued...

specifically, the system seeks adifferential pressure output such that

( tthe reference force provided by the'~l)fing pneumatic (via the crescendo

mechanism) exactly balances opposingforces. Those opposing forces arecommunicated via the lever arm andintensity pneumatics, and by differentialpressure acting on the regulator valve.Any drop on the regulated side, due toplaying demands, leakage, etc., willbe communicated to the intensitypneumatics, which will weaken andallow the regulator valve to open, therebyacting to restore the state of balance.

Forces In PneumaticsPressure, according to elementary

physics, can be defined in terms of forceper unit area. Available force exerted by apneumatic of the familiar player pianotype results from the combined influenceof: (a) differential pressure acting ona pneumatic's movable board, and(b) differential pressure acting to inducetension in pneumatic cloth attached tothe movable board. A comprehensivetheory of how these factors combineto determine strength of a pneumatic

~t various degrees of opening wasauthored by Peter W. Brown andpublished in the JanuarylFebruary 1995AMICA bulletin(3). Anyone interested inpursuing in-depth analysis of pneumaticstrength should refer to that article,which contains Me. Brown'stheoretical treatment of the subject,plus data from a laboratorynotebook of Dr. Clarence Hickman.

Performance characterization ofthe intensity and spring pneumaticswill best be understood after areview of some of Me. Brown'sfindings. His article points out thatdifferential pressure acting on apneumatic tends to form flexible,air-tight cloth into the shape ofa circular are, as viewed in crosssection. When a nearly wide-openpneumatic is activated, its clothis tensioned to pull in wardtangentially at the point ofattachment. The cloth's inwardpull adds to the closing moment of

'Jfferential pressure acting directlyon the boards, and can actuallyexceed the latter in magnitude when apneumatic is completely open or nearly

so. (Thus a wide open pneumatic canexert substantially more force than apartly closed one.) At some critical point,as a pneumatic moves toward its closedposition, it reaches a condition at whichclosing force contributed by tensionedcloth drops to zero. As this critical pointis reached, the tangent angle ofthe cloth's circular arc at the point ofintersection with the pneumatic boardbecomes parallel to the board. Closingbeyond that critical point furtherdiminishes the pneumatic's strength ascloth rolls inward against the movableboard and reduces effective workingarea. When a pneumatic is openedexactly to its critical point, availableforce is determined by differentialpressure acting on the entire surface areaof the movable board, with tensionedcloth contributing nil.

For whatever reasons, the Ampico Aintensity pneumatics were designed tooperate very close to the critical point.(Because of this, it is especiallyimportant when re-covering these toinstall new cloth having the samedimensions used by the factory.) Asa result, movable board area aloneprovides a suitable basis for estimatingan intensity pneumatic's force.Details are shown in Figure 3. Duringoperation, the intensity pneumatics aremechanically constrained to a very

INTENSITY PNEUMATIC DETAIL

Measured factory cloth width: 1.437 Inch.Meaauredthlckneaso'boarda: 0.188 Inch.For critical opening with boards parallel,

1tR +2T. 1.437: R. 0.33eT.0.188 InchR • 0.338 InchD • 1.052 Inch

Critical opening is 2(R+T) • 1.052 inch = DMeasured opening with valve closed: 1.0 Inch

Figure 3short range of movement, so they cannotdeviate significantly from the criticalopening position.

The spring pneumatic, by way ofcontrast, generally operates in a morenearly open position, with tensionedpneumatic cloth accounting for asubstantial fraction of its available force.We shall examine this in more detaillater on. For now, a full characterizationis not needed.

Units, calculations and resultsBefore we proceed further, some

comments are in order regardingmeasurement units. Length can readily bemeasured in inches, and area in in. 2

•

Although scaled conveniently forpractical measurements, inches of wateris not a properly defined unit for use inengineering or physics calculations.Nearly all suction level measurementsin player work, however, are scaled ininches of water. For convenience, we canintroduce a slightly modified system ofunits that will allow direct use of thesemeasurements. By so doing, we canavoid continual conversions into, and outof, less familiar pressure units. Towardthis end, a re-defined unit of force can beintroduced to satisfy the relationship of

(1) Pressure=Force/unit areafor our specific needs, this becomes

(2) In. of H20=Force/in2.

Since 1 inch of water converts toapproximately 0.57802 Oz.lin2, we can

see that the unit of force in (2) hasto be equivalent to 0.57802 Oz. Ifwe call 0.57802 Oz. a "specialforce unit," abbreviated as s.f.u.,we can see that one inch of waterequals one sJ.u. per square inch, or

(3) 1 in. H20=1 sJ.u.lin2.

This is not a unit of force likelyto be found in any textbook, but itis sufficiently well defined to yieldcorrect answers for our purposes.When needs dictate (not often,and that's the whole point) thesespecial force units easily convert toounces or other units.

We are now ready to write anequation setting the sum of theregulator's moments equal to zero,corresponding to a balanced state.Initially, we shall assume that theregulator is at the first (lowest)

intensity step. We shall identify the firstregulated pressure step as PI and the

continue. ..

95

continued...

supply pressure as Ps. (Pressure step 2with be Pz, and so on.) For Ph all threeintensity pneumatics will have regulatedsuction applied. The equation can bewritten as follows:

(4) 2.25/8.81(4P])+4.88/8.81(4P])+7.44/8.81 (4P] )-0.6(Ps-P1)-Fsp"=O

The first three terms represent forcesapplied to the valve stem by the threeintensity pneumatics at regulated suctionlevel Pl. Fspr is the force applied by thespring pneumatic to the valve stem, andthe term 0.6(Ps-P]) represents forceresulting from differential pressure actingon the regulator valve, which haseffective working area of 0.6in.2.

20 in. HzO with amplifier not activated.Substituting these values into equation(4) and solving for Fspn we getFspr=27.68 s.f.u., (or 16 Oz., if youprefer).

Now comes the really fun part. Sincewe have determined the value of Fspr(which remains valid as long as thecrescendo mechanism operates in its reststate), we can substitute that value backinto equation (4) and solve for each ofthe remaining intensity steps. The higherintensity steps are represented bydropping out various combinations ofthe equation's first three terms, i.e.,letting them go to zero. (An intensitypneumatic exerts zero force whenatmosphere is admitted.) To evaluate, we

Figure 4 is a graph of the intensitysteps, as predicted by our model, forsupply pressures of 20 in. and 30 in. orHzO. For convenience, an Exce'. 'spreadsheet was set up to handle thecalculation and plotting chores. Notethat with 20 inches, the math calls for aphysically unrealizable pressure levelat the two highest steps. The regulatorcannot achieve balance if either of thesesteps is selected, and supply pressureappears at the output in both instances.This results from setting the modifyingswitch to the medium position. Withsupply pressure fixed at 20 inches, nodynamic change occurs when intensitystep coding changes from step 6 to step 7(i.e., from 4-6 open to 2-4-6 open).

•

Theoretical Step Scales 020 and 030 In.

30

25

i 20til

~

'0 15.."z:.~ 10

5

01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Pre.sure StePI

Steps @20 in.

--0- Steps @ 30 in.

r.~./

Under practical operating conditions,PI and Ps are routinely set in accordancewith factory specified criteria. Theirvalues are therefore known. Assigningvalues to PI and Ps in equation (4) allowsus to solve for Fspr' We shall set PI to 5.5in. HzO, a representative value for anAmpico in good operating condition.(This corresponds to a real-world valuefor this writer's Model A Ampico, thusfacilitating comparative evaluations tofollow later.) Likewise we know that Ps,the supply pressure, will be set to about

96

Figure 4

simply collect the terms remaining foreach respective intensity step and solvefor the regulated output pressure.It is convenient to call these possiblepressures Pz, P3, ... Pg• Readers will notethat the Ampico intensity step scale hasonly seven steps, although there are8 possible combinations. This is becauseP4 and Ps have nearly the samevalue and were treated as equivalentby Ampico personnel. For the sakeof completeness, we shall keep all 8possible combinations.

When supply is raised to 30 inches,pressure step 7 (Ampico step 6) goes to adistinct value below supply pressure,while step 8 (Ampico step 7) alonereaches maximum. Note that the lowernumbered steps all increase slightly whensupply pressure rises from 20 to 30 in.HzO. This slight supply pressuredependence is due to the regulator valvrterm in equation (4).

Figure 4 shows an important reasonwhy the Model A Ampico's modifying

continue. . ·

continued...

switch should be in the brilliant position(thus allowing amplifier operation)

( to achieve a full range of dynamic_____performance. If the amplifier is not able

to function, the step intensity scale willbe truncated.

Note that in an operating Ampico,dynamic coding on either side of thepneumatic stack can be employed toactivate the amplifier and thereby boostsupply pressure on both sides. Thisopportunity was often exploited byAmpico music roll editors to workaround the amplifier's lethargic responsetime.

Since the spring pneumatic's momenthas been calculated, we can examine thespring pneumatic and crescendo

Ampico is set up for best musical results.(For setup purposes, this writer prefers toset bass and treble crescendo referencepressures to 3.7 inches of water and thenregulate the spring pneumatic's openingto achieve desired first intensityperformance; more on this later.) Whencoding calls for a maximum crescendolevel, the crescendo mechanism'sreference pressure to the springpneumatic rises (slowly or quickly, ascalled for by coding) and eventuallyreaches a point approaching maximumsupply pressure. As this point is reached,the crescendo pneumatic should benearing a totally collapsed condition.

At this point, the spring pneumatic'scharacteristics can be examined more

Normalizing this value leads to anestimate of about 61 % of the springpneumatic's force attributable to boardpressure, and 39% from tensioning ofpneumatic cloth. This is consistent withan opening of the spring pneumaticbeyond the critical point, but stillsomewhat less than fully open. Aconsiderable range of adjustment ineither direction can be obtained byregulating the amount of the springpneumatic's opening.

Theoretical vs. MeasuredFor comparison purposes,

measurements were taken from thiswriter's Model A Ampico, a Marshall& Wendell top-loading studio upright,

Theoretical vs. Measured @20 and @30 in. Supply Pressure

30

25

..20I)..

~ i Meas. vs. Theor. @30 in.

'0 15

'"I).cuoS 10

5

o

• Theor. @ 20 in.

--Cl-- Meas. @20 in.

• Theor. @ 30 in.

, ---0-- Meas. @ 30 in.

~ Meas. vs. Theor. @ 20 in.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Pressure Steps

Figure 5

interaction more closely. Specificreference pressure levels communicatedto the spring pneumatic by the crescendomechanism are, to the best of thiswriter's knowledge, not documentedanywhere in surviving Ampico literature.Discussion of this topic is long overdue.Directly measuring the crescendo'sreference pressure, especially during',"itial setup of an expression system, is

---....iighly desirable. Hands-on experiencehas shown that the crescendo mechanismat rest will produce a reading of about 3.5to 4 inches of water when a Model A

closely. See Figure 1 for dimensions. Ifwe assume 3.7 in. H20 reference pressurefrom the crescendo mechanism and a surface area of 10 square inches, we canwrite

(5) 3.7(l0)(Leverage Factor)K=27.68 sJ.u.

where K is the ratio of the pneumatic'scalculated moment to that fraction ofthe moment contributed by differentialpressure on the movable board.

This becomes 37(0.45464)K=27.68;solving for K, K=1.646

Serial No. 111022. All measurementswere taken using a Dwyer Model 121172 water manometer gauge. Beforeperformance measurements were taken,the supply pressure was adjusted to20 in. H20 without amplifier, and to30 in. H20 with amplifier activated.All regulator tests were done on thetreble side. Spring pneumatic referencepressure was 3.7 in. H20 with crescendomechanism at rest, and regulatedstep-one intensity was checked andverified at 5.5 in H20.

continue. ..

97

r

continued. ..

Figure 5 shows theoretical vs.measured performance at 20 in. H20, andat 30 in. H20. Supply was fixed at 30inches of water for all step measurementsat the amplified level. Automaticamplifier operation was disabled duringthese tests to avoid conditions of partialamplifier activation. To accomplish this,the amplifier pneumatic was kept in afully activated position by mechanicalmeans while measurements were taken.

Limitations Of The ModelAlthough this model provides a

reasonably accurate representation ofregulator behavior, it does not deal withdynamic air flow phenomena. Largeamounts of air flow are not the rule,however, and any discrepancies from thissource can reasonably be expected to

Figure 5. The largest discrepancy showsup at pressure step 7 (Ampico intensitystep 6) in the 30 inch plots of Figure 5.This point's measured value is 26 inches,about 7.7% below the predicted valueof 28.17 in. H20. Airflow anomaliesinvolving the regulator valve weresuspected, and further checks helped toconfirm this. To test this hypothesis, thetreble step mechanism was disconnectedfrom the piano's pneumatic stack. Thestep mechanism's regulated side was thenblocked so the only air admitted wouldbe through a single #65 bleed. Asexpected, the regulated pressure at thisstep rose to a value within a fractionof an inch of the theoretical value.Admitting even slightly more air tendedto cause a noticeable drop. A normal

greater influence here than at any otherstep.

Crescendo Influence onIntensity Step Scale

Since mechanical constraints restrictthe spring pneumatic to very smallexcursions, its force can, for practicalpurposes, be treated as linearlyproportional to applied differentialpressure. Therefore we can evaluateintensity step performance during acrescendo simply by multiplying thepreviously calculated value of Fspr by aconstant ~ 1, substituting into equation(4), and incrementing upward torepresent states of partial crescendoactivation.

Figure 6 shows predicted theoreticalvalues of intensity steps as the

CRESCENDO EFFECTS. THEORETICAL" 30 IN. SUPPLY PRES. • Cras. at rest 3.7 in.

30

25

~ 20

i'5 15I

:! 10

5

CrescendoNear Max.

Crescendo approx. 50%

Crescendo at increasing levels

Crescendo at rest

----0-- Cres. @ 5.5 in.

• Cres. @ 7.4 in.

--0- Cres. @ 9.2 in.

...-- Cras. @ 11.1 in.

----tr- Cres. @ 12.8 in.

- Cras. @ 14.8 in.

--0---- eras. @ 16.7 in.

-x- [email protected].

-::t:- Cres. @ 20.4 in.

I eres. @ 22.2 in.

,I'.I

o I I I I I I I ICres. @ 24.1 in.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 --- Cres. @ 25.9 in.

Pre.sure Steps from Step Mechanism

Figure 6

remain small. The model also assumesperfect components with zero leakagethroughout the system, a situation nevercompletely achievable in workinghardware. Minimal leakage, as in aproperly restored expression system,should not lead to discrepancies of anyserious consequence.

Agreement of theoretical vs. measureddata is generally good throughout most of

amount of residual leakage in thepneumatic stack seems to be sufficient toaccount for the difference. Conceptually,it is easy to understand why thisparticular step is strongly affected. Onlyone intensity pneumatic is active, whichhappens to be the one having the weakestlever arm moment. Thus the regulatorvalve, with its inherent susceptibility toairflow anomalies, has a significantly

crescendo's pressure is incremented inthe manner described. Figure 6 is basedon a steady supply pressure of 30 in.H20, i.e., amplifier active throughout. AsF spr takes on higher values due tocrescendo activation, the entire sterintensity scale is more or less pushei...,upward. As the process continues, eachintensity step approaches, and ultimately

reaches, a ceiling imposed by supplypressure. (The top step always goes tosupply pressure.) As a crescendo ensues,higher numbered steps, followed by theremaining ones in descending order,reach supply pressure, and persist at thatlevel as long as the crescendo remains so activated. During a decrescendo, theprocess is reversed as levels progressively drop. Note that in a partially activated crescendo state, onlythe low-end intensity steps retain somecontrol of dynamics. As the crescendomechanism approaches a fully activatedstate, all of the intensity steps are boostedto supply pressure, and 2, 4, 6, and 7 coding has no effect whatever.

Perhaps even more striking is the factthat partial activation of the crescendomechanism (as in normal use) alwaystends to reduce the number of intensitysteps available for dynamic control.(Dynamic levels can be brought down, ofcourse, through use of the hammer raillift.) (See Figure 7 & Figure 8 on next page.)

Figures 7 and 8 allow direct comparisons of theoretical and measuredplots. Incremental reference pressures up to 14.8 in. H2O to the spring pneumat-ic are plotted, i.e., up to about half ofsupply pressure. Similar effects can beseen in the respective figures. Agreementis substantially as expected, with measured results showing a slightly morerapid boost of intensity steps toward supply pressure than the theory predicts.As crescendo activity ensues, intensitysteps top out in a corresponding mannerat or near supply pressure.

To permit measurements, somemethod was needed to stabilize thecrescendo mechanism in a partly activated condition. The normal screwadjustment did not have enough range, so Styrofoam material of varying thickness was inserted between thecrescendo hook and pallet valve. Withappropriate thickness in place, thecrescendo was stabilized at each desiredreference pressure long enough to takethe desired intensity step measurements.A tapered Styrofoam wedge was found tobe quite effective for this.

System Adjustment ImplicationsThe crescendo reference pressure

setting has a profound effect on

crescendo response. Consider what happens, for example, if the spring pneumatic should be regulated to a morenearly wide open condition, making itsufficiently strong that a reference levelof only 2 in. H2O is needed to set up afirst intensity value meeting test rollrequirements. Under such conditions,when the crescendo is activated andreaches a reference level of 10 in. H2O,or only one-third of full supply pressure,the crescendo-at-rest value of Fspr willalready be multiplied by a factor of five.This will boost the intensity step scalebeyond the highest levels shown in Figures 7 and 8. All steps will top out at supply pressure long before thecrescendo is completely collapsed, a situation with disastrous musical implications.

Lower steps of the intensity scaleshould remain viable until the crescendoreaches a condition near supply pressure, as illustrated in Figure 6. Whenperforming initial setup of an expressionsystem, adjusting the crescendo to a level in the region of 3.5 to 4 inches ofwater will generally accomplish this.Also this reference level will be high enough to insure that cloth will betensioned sufficiently to remove slackand overcome stiffness. After setting thecrescendo adjusting screw to achievesuch a reading on a water manometergauge (never use a dial gauge for this),use the leather nuts to regulate the opening of the spring pneumatic andthereby adjust stack pressure to obtainthe desired first intensity performance.Observe due precautions to avoid bindingor excessive friction that might inhibitthe valve stem’s movement. Also makesure that crescendo mechanisms on bothsides, bass and treble, are initially set toidentical reference pressures, or verynearly so. This will help to ensure similarbass and treble crescendo response. Later on, during routine servicing, minortrimming of bass and treble first intensities can be accomplished byadjusting the respective crescendosprings, as service literature instructs. Ifinitial setup has been properly done, this should have only a slight effect onreference pressure. If you don’t mindexpending some extra time and effort,however, best results can be obtained by

keeping bass and treble crescendo reference pressures exactly matching asdescribed, and always adjusting firstintensity by regulating openings of therespective spring pneumatics.

The Compatibility IssueFor the benefit of readers familiar

with the Model B Ampico and its technology, this article’s findings provideabundant evidence that the Model AAmpico responds to routine step andcrescendo coding in a very different manner than does its Model B successor.This, of course, has a strong bearing ondynamic coding for the respective systems. Implications extend wellbeyond the more obvious factors that areusually considered. In the Model B, for example, all intensity steps remainfunctional in all possible crescendostates. B rolls are coded to take fulladvantage of this. As regards the ModelA, a totally different situation exists.There can be no doubt that performanceis compromised when a B roll is playedon an A piano, or the other way around.Optimum coding is unique to the particular system involved. Hopefullythis article will contribute to a betterunderstanding of basic principles.

References:1. Ampico Service Department,

“The Ampico Reproducing Piano Inspector’s Reference Book”, American Piano Company, 1923.

2. Ampico Engineering Department, “Inspectors’ Instruction Book 1920 Supplement”, American Piano Company, 1920.

3. Peter W. Brown, “A Contribution to the Theory of Striker Pneumatics”, The AMICA Bulletin, Vol. 32, No. 1, January/February 1995.

List of Figures:1. Step Mechanism Measured

Dimensions

2. Step Mechanism Forces and Moments

3. Intensity Pneumatic Detail

4. Theoretical Step Scales @20 and @30 In.

5. Theoretical vs. Measured @20 and @30 In. Supply Pressure

continued. . .

continue. . .

99

continued...

6. Crescendo Effects, Theoretical @30In. Supply Pressure

7. Crescendo Effects, Measured @30 In.Supply Pressure (50% Applied)

8. Crescendo Effects, Theoretical @30In. Supply Pressure (50% Applied)

/'

CRESCENDO EFFECTS, MEASURED @ 30 IN. (FIRST 50%)

30

25

.. 20f~

'0 15Ii 10

5

• Cres. at rest 3.7 in.

---0-- Cres @ 5.5 in.

+--- Cres. @ 7.4 in.

--<>-- Cres. @ 9.2 in.

.-- Cres. @ 11.1 in.

---tr-- Cres. @ 12.8 in.

• Cres. @ 14.8 in.

o I I I I I I I I

Figure 7

Pressure Steps from Step Mechenism

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

r-I

CRESCENDO EFFECTS, THEORETICAL @ 30 IN. (FIRST 50%)

30

25

.. 20

I'0 15I~ 10

5

• Cres. at rest 3.7 in.

-0-- Cres. @ 5.5%

+--- Cres. @ 7.4 in.

--<>-- Cres @ 9.2 in.

.-- Cres. @ 11.1 in.

-tr-- Cres @ 12.8 in.

• Cres. @ 14.8 in.

o I I I I I I I I

Pressure Steps from Step Mechanism

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 f"f

100

Figure 8

101

New from

Leedy Brothers

Ampico MusicAndante Favori F Major, (Beethoven),

played by Alexander Sklarevski

Ballade Op. 23, G Minor, (Chopin),played by Ferruccio Busoni

Tarantella Op. 43, (Chopin), played byTina Lerner

Waltz Op. 42 A Flat Major, (Chopin),played by Marguerite Volavy

To Spring Op. 43, No. 6, (Grieg), playedby Hans Barth

The Only Girl Selections, (Herbert),played by Adam Carroll

Die Lorelie (Liszt), played by JosefLhevinne

Prelude Tragique C Sharp Minor, (Ornstein), played by the composer

Popular Hits of the Day: Fox Trot Medley #13, played by Milne

Limehouse Blues, played by FerdieGrofe

S’posin’, played by Arden & Carroll

Brother Can You Spare a Dime, playedby Adam Carroll

Wagon Wheels & Lullaby in Blue,played by Adam Carroll

Goodnight, My Love; Was It Rain?; I Hear A Call To Arms, played byFrank Milne

They Can’t Take That Away From Me,played by Adam Carroll

Robin Pratt: Artist Choice Music Rollswww.wiscasset.net/artcraft/pratt.htm

[email protected] 419-626-1903

Rob Deland: Blues Tone Rollswww.bluesrolls.com


Larry Norman: Rollertuneswww.home.earthlink.net/~rollertunes


David Saul: Precision Music Rolls1043 Eastside Road

El Cajon, CA [email protected]

Tim Baxter: Meliora Music Rollswww.members.aol.com/meliorarol/index.htm

[email protected]

Magic Melodies & Keystone360 Lawless Road

Jamestown, KY 42629Phone 270-343-2061

Leedy Brothers Music Rolls4660 Hagar Shore Road

Coloma, MI 49038www.leedyrolls.comPhone 269-468-5986Fax 269-468-0019

EW PIANOROLLS & RECUTS

Welte Licensee Recordings

Home, Sweet Home (paraphrase), playedby Angelo Particolo

Die Lorelie (Liszt), played by JosefLhevinne

Symphony in G Minor (Mozart), playedby Singer & Reichmann

A Cup of Coffee, A Sandwich, and You,played by Howard Lutter

Sugar Plum, played by Vee Lawnhurst

Meadow Lark, played by Henry Kiselik

Your Mother and Mine, played by Holbrook King

If I Had A Talking Picture of You, playedby Jack Wehrlen

PLEASE VISIT THESE SUPPLIERS OF RECUT ROLLS

102

New from

Magic Melodies and Keystone

Ampico Music RollsWho’s Sorry Now?, Artist: Corrine

de Bert

Ballads by Adam Carroll

Querida, Artist: Adam Carroll

Chalita, Artist: Enrico Lavarro

Ballads By Edgar Fairchild

Nights of Gladness, Artist: Andrei Kmita

Toy Soldiers’ March, Artist: FritzKreisler

Der Freischutz Overture (von Weber),Artists: Pelletier-Loesser

Dance of the Manikins, Artist: John Woods Duke

Eugene Oneguine (Tschaikowsky),Artist: Juan Reyes

Serenade, Op. 3, No. 5, B Flat Minor,Artist: Composer Sergei Rachmaninoff

Schon Rosmarin (Kreisler), Artist: Maurice Dumesnil

L’Amour de L’Apache (Offenbach-Ely),Artist: Henri Lefevre

Theatre Waltz, Artist: McNair Ilgenfritz

Dinner Music – Series No. 7, Artist: J. Milton Delcamp

Toddling, Artist: Adam Carroll

Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 1 – B Flat,(Chopin), Artist: Maurice Dumesnil

Le Chat Et La Souris (Copeland), TheCat and The Mouse, Artist: AaronCopeland

Dinner Music – Series No. 9, Artist: J. Milton Delcamp

Concerto, Op. 70, No. 4, Mvt 1, (Rubenstein), Artist: Leo Ornstein

Elegie, Op. 3, No. 1, Artist Sergei Rachmaninoff (Rachmaninoff)

Jeux D’Eau, (Ravel), Artist: E. RobertSchmitz

Etude, Op. 25, No. 1, A Flat “AeolianHarp”, (Chopin), Artist: E. RobertSchmitz

Etude Tableaux, Op. 39, No. 4, B Minor,“Picture Study” (Rachmaninoff), bythe composer

Gondeliera, (Liszt), Artist: JosefLhevinne

Polonaise, A Flat, Op. 53, (Heroic),Artist: Josef Lhevinne

Enchanted Nymph, (Levitzki), Artist:Mischa Levitzki

Le Petit Ane Blanc, (Ibert), “The LittleWhite Donkey”, Artist: Moseiwitsch

The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise,Artist: Lee Sims

AIDA – Part 1, 2 and 3, (Verdi), Artist:Emanuel Bay

1. Enthusiasm

2. Disillusionment

3. Panic

4. Search for the Guilty

5. Punishment of the Innocent

6. Praise & Honor for the Nonparticipants

VISIT THE AMICA

Web page at

http://www.amica.org

6 Phasesof a Project

103

NewsFrom

The Chapters

Christmas Party 2003Our yearly AMICA Christmas Party was held again at

Richard Reutlinger’s Victorian home in San Francisco on Saturday, December 13, 2003 from 2-6 P.M. Close to 40AMICA members came to this last get together for the year2003.

This year again like last year there were two wonderfulpiano players who together played lots of old time Christmasmusic and ragtime for all the AMICA members. They wereTom Brier and Nan Bostick. They played on the two playerpianos in the living room.

From 2:00 P.M. on members relaxed and got together inthe living room with lots of homemade eggnog and punchmade by Richard. During this time everyone was free to taketheir own tour of Richard’s award winning Victorian Home.

Speaking of Richard, AMICA just can’t say enough aboutall his constant hard work in doing so much all year long.Richard spent a lot of time and money putting together thiswonderful Christmas Party for all the AMICA members here.Thanks again Richard for all your extra effort with everythingyou do for AMICA.

About 3:45 P.M. Richard had all the AMICA members godownstairs to his player piano room to listen to his manyplayer pianos and to watch a silent movie with Laurel andHardy in “Selling Christmas Trees in California.” This wasabout 20 minutes long with Richard playing on the playerpiano with sound effects to go with the silent movie.

FOUNDING CHAPTERReporter: Thomas J. McKay, III

President: Bing Gibbs - (408) 253-1866

After this movie was over most AMICA members stayedin this big room some time. About 4:45 P.M. dinner wasserved with one of Richard’s great tasting Stews. After thisthere was desserts and fresh brewed coffee for everyone.

Everything went so well and everyone was so relaxedthat Karen Simons and Richard decided that there was noneed to have a meeting now. Just enjoy the holiday spirit thateveryone was enjoying here. I had the feeling that severalAMICA members wanted to spend the night here in one of theVictorian bedrooms.

About 6:00 P.M. several AMCIA members were reluctantto leave this wonderful AMICA Christmas party but had toleave to get home. Again, another wonderful AMICA gettogether at Richard Reutlinger’s Victorian Home. Thanksagain Richard foryour constant extraeffort for thisAMICA ChristmasParty 2003.

Richard Reutlinger’sVictorian Home, San

Francisco, California

AMICA members watching the silent movie “Selling Christmas Trees in California” with Richard Reutlinger on the player piano.

Wide angle view of Richard’s playerpiano room. There are at least 7player pianos in this big room.

John Ulrich with his movie projector.

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Another three players here also.

Three player pianos here.

Christmas Treeson top of the

two playerpianos.

Tom Brier playing Christmas music and Old Time music.

Looking down thestairs to the front door.

Master’s Victorian Bedroom.

Victorian Bedroom.

Victorian Bedroom.

After the movie AMICA memberstalking and relaxing.

Pumping a ragtime song here.

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Living Room with twoplayer pianos at therear of this picture.

Living Room from theother end by the two

player pianos.

Nan Bostick and TomBrier playing Christmasmusic and 1920’s music.

Living Room and Dining Room in the back.Richard is third person from the left.

Dinner is nowbeing served.

Richard cooking another one of hisgreat Stews for the AMICA members.

Eggnog and fruit punch both available here.Richard’s eggnog (homemade) is the

best there is according to many AMICA members here.

John Ulrich, LewisMotisher and friend.

AMICA membersenjoying the

Holiday Spirit.

AMICA members relaxing here. Karen Simons in the long red dress.

AMICA Christmas Dinner.

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BOSTON AREA CHAPTERReporter: Ginger Christiansen

President: Bill Koenisgsburg - (978) 369-8523

A beautiful early fall day in New Hampshire saw only afew members in attendance for various reasons. At this timeof the year there are conflicting meetings with other clubs

Victorian Room for relaxing.

Victorian Roomfor many uses.

Richard Reutlinger talks about the silentmovie player piano.Movie shown today

was Laurel and Hardy,“Selling Christmas Trees

in California.”

Silent Movie player piano with dual rolls.

plus members are busy closing up camps for the season. Sothere were just us hard-core people at this meeting. There wasa lot of discussion of technical problems regarding wiring,lyre removal, and pressure leaks.

All of these members have been here before so they sawthe same instruments as we had all the other times. The new addition wasn’t musical at all but a kit car built by myhusband Chris. We bought the car last September. He workedall winter on it and we’ve been driving it around since the latespring. The kit is a Heritage replica of a 1934 Mercedes 500.It’s long, black sleek, a convertible and a real head turner. Hisfirst kit car is a replica of a 1929 Mercedes. In the picturesare: Anna (striped sweater) and Joe Malyndziak (plaid shirt& light pants), Ed Everett (light shirt), Ed Patt, ChrisChristiansen (short sleeves) and me (making sure my ear isstill attached to my head). Like everyone else in our club, we tend to collect everything and make space wherever we can.Mostly we collect lifelong friends.

Photos taken by Bill Koenigsberg

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CHICAGO CHAPTERReporter: Kathy Stone

President: Curt Clifford (630) 279-0872

Marian and Jasper Sanfilippo hosted the 2003 ChicagoArea Chapter’s holiday party at their beautiful home that sitsmajestically on 54 acres in Barrington Hills, Illinois. Webegan the evening with a fabulous buffet dinner in theircarousel building. Restoration has been completed on theEden Palais Salon Carousel, the style 37 new Ruth FairgroundOrgan, 92 key Fasano Dance Organ and a steam locomotivethat is now accompanied by a spectacular “luxury passengercar”. The passenger car has been completely restored and contains ornate walnut paneling, etched glass windows andseats upholstered in burgundy velvet. We also enjoyed severalother new additions including a Ballroom Automation atop the 104 Gebruder Bruder Organ, a Louis Hooghuys Fairground Organ, steam engines, and many antique motorsand generators.

Following dinner we walked to the house and enjoyed a concert of seasonal music on the 5 manual – 80 rank Wurlitzer Theater Organ. After the concert, we were free totour the Sanfilippo’s home that features an extensive phonograph collection, several reproducing pianos, orchestrions, band organs, antique gambling equipment,antique arcade machines and even an antique ice cream parlor.

We sincerely thank the Sanfilippos for their generosityand hospitality in sharing their home and collection with ourmembers and invited guests.

Members enjoy their drinks in front

of the Limonaire Fairground

Organ.

Elie and Fred Schwimmerwith Bennet Leedy in

front of the Gebr. Bruderorgan with the ballroomautomation on top. Theelegantly dressed dolls

dance around a miniatureballroom to the music

of the organ.

A Viking warrior guards theentrance to the Eden Palais Salon Carousel.

George Wilderwith family and

friends enjoy the dinner.

A rocking gondola boaton the carousel.

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A beautiful carousel horse follows aspinning tub. Behind them, in the centerof the carousel is a magnificent Gavioliorgan. All of the gold trim on thecarousel has been gilded with 14 caratgold leaf.

Sandy Persky and guests enjoy thevast collection.

Wayne Wolf and MargaretBisberg with a very rare

Seeburg style J Orchestrion.

The foyer in the Sanfilippo’smusic addition to their home.

Bob Liesendahl poses with anoriginal Encore Banjo.

A lovely Phillips Pianorchestra.

Beautiful art glass of a Seeburg/Harwood coin piano.

Connie Wolf (right) with guest in front of the Wurlitzer CX.

Nickelodeons and phonographs occupy the lower level of the house.

Wayne Wolf (right) andguest with Seeburg G.Orchestrion.

The only known specimen of a Wurlitzer Style EX Orchestrion.

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Three different styles of Seeburg KT coin pianos.

LADY LIBERTY CHAPTERReporter: Buzz Rosa

President: Vincent Morgan - (718) 479-2562

The last 3 months have been very busy for Lady LibertyAMICA members. On Oct 17th AMICA member RandolphHerr moved his 1913 foot-pumped Steinway Pianola from his home in Forest Hills Queens to the auditorium of theNorthport Public Library. He performed selections from JellyRoll Martin, Franz Liszt, Scott Joplin and Chopin. With thehelp of a closed circuit TV camera he was able to answerquestions from the audience and demonstrate how the pianolaputs expression into the performance and how he controls it.

On Oct 19 the Lady liberty Chapter arranged to haveRadio City Music Hall organist Dave Calendine perform atBob and Cathy Martin’s home in Little Falls NJ. They havea fully restored 3 manual, 24 rank Griffith Beach theaterorgan that occupies the 35 by 55 foot music room of theirhome. The organ has a Devtronix midi record and playbacksystem and a Moller-Artist roll player will soon be added.Dave performed a wide range of movie and Broadwaymelodies on the restored theater organ . After a short intermission we arranged the chairs to watch the silent movie“Big Business” starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Daveprovided the music and sound effects for the entire moviewith a expertise that couldn’t be matched.

On Saturday Oct 25th the New York Empire StateCarousel Museum located in Holtsville had its grand opening.The music for the carousel was provided by a Stinson organwhich had recently been tuned by members of the Lady Liberty Chapter. Outside the Carousel building the chapterheld its first official organ rally. Bill Maguire brought his player piano, Bob Yorburg brought his Gavioli that plays Wurlitzer 125 scale music, Dianne Polan played herHoffbrauer monkey organ while Marvin Polanstrolled through the crowd playing tunes on his portable

midi-controlled accordion -a real crowd pleaser. Besides our rally there were also carving demonstrations and barbershop quartets. Other AMICA members who were there to help were Vincent and Maryam Morgan, Gail andDee Clarke, Gene and Maureen Saboda and Dave Polterand Janet.

On December 28th we had our meeting at Marvin andDianne Polan’s home in Melville NY. Their latest addition to their collection is a fully restored Aeolian Orchestrelle with 400 rolls of music. Joe Hutter put on a super workshopon how he restored his own Orchestrelle and all the effort that is needed to play it correctly. With Marvin’s help Joe was able to remove some of the exterior panels and demonstrate the operation of the Orchestrelle as it played to the membership.

An excellent workshop on a unique musical instrument.

Randolph Herr introduceshimself and his 1913 Steinway Pianola to the audience at the

Northport Public Library.

Randolph demonstratesthe dynamic range of the piano by playing loud and soft passagesand how he can add his own expression to the music

President VinceMorgan takes

care of chapterbusiness before

the concertbegins.

Bob Martin welcomes Dave Caledine to the Griffith Beach 3 manual, 24 rank theater organ.

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Bob Torburg with hisGavioli that plays

Wurlitzer 125 Scale Music.

Dianne Polan lets Rapid T Rabbitplay her Hoffbrauer monkey organ during the band organrally at the New York StateCarousel.

George Cohan is one of 3 handcarved people who are on the

facade of the Stinson organ.John Phillip Sousa is the

animated band leader in centerand Irving Berlin occupies the

right side of the facade.

Marvin and Dianne Polan play theirHuffbrauer monkey organ as peoplewait in line to ride the carousel.

Maryam and Dave enjoy their turn on the recently

opened carousel

The Lady Liberty Chapter enjoys a medleyof Broadway and classic movie selectionsas Dave takes command of the show

Another view of Daveperforming and some of the other instrumentsattached to the ceilingthat can be readilyplayed from the console.

Bill Maguire foot pumps his playerpiano at the Grand opening of theNew York State Carousel

A wide view of the New York State Carousel on opening day.

The official entrance to the New York StateCarousel on opening day.

Joe and LindaHutter enjoy a ride on the recently opened Carousel

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MIDWEST CHAPTERReporter: Christy Counterman

President: Stuart Grigg - (248) 356-5005

The Midwest Chapter’s traditional holiday gathering was held the first weekend in December in Findlay, Ohio. Fortunately for us, Friday’s snowstorm gave way to good driving weather for Saturday as we began the day at Gustwiller’s Clothing Store. It was much more than a clothingstore as the merchandise was surrounded by wonderful woodwork, stained glass windows and light fixtures salvagedfrom turn of the century homes. Members enjoyed trying outthe slot machines and listened to the Mills Violano as they shopped for everything from sweaters to sporting goods.Several people commented that they’d like to take home a vintage pedal car from the collection that ringed the main partof the store.

Not far away was the home of host Tom and Bev Gustwiller, where we were treated to demonstrations of theirextensive collection of automata and early vending machines.Everything was in working condition, and was housed in beautiful rooms trimmed in more vintage woodwork – completewith fireplace mantels and Victorian stickwork. The walls weredecorated with shadowboxes displaying vintage board gameswith colorful graphics.

That evening we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the homeof Wes and Sherri Neff, accompanied by music from the 1927Knabe Ampico grand and the 1925 Wheelock Duo-Art uprightin the living room. Later came the challenge of “Name ThatTune”, using excerpts of old piano rolls put together on one rolland pumped by Wes on the Bond upright player. Musical prizeswere given to the people who guessed the most tunes, thoughsome of them stumped us all. Next came the musical giftexchange, where each member was allowed to either keep thegift they unwrapped, or trade it for one already opened by a previous recipient. There was some heated competition forsome of the more popular gifts! The last time we visited theNeff’s in 2001, we saw the Chickering Ampico A uprightstripped down to the bare wood, without strings or action. Thisvisit, it was playing beautifully and looked just as nice thanks toWes’ fine restoration job.

The next morning found us back at the Neff’s for brunch,followed by the business meeting. For the members not in attendance in Portland, we reviewed items discussed at the convention and asked for a vote regarding the Adopt-A-PianoProject. We confirmed that our chapter would like to participateand look forward to choosing an instrument soon.

We also discussed upcoming meetings which are tentatively scheduled for May 1-2 in Chagrin Falls, Ohio and

for July in Indianapolis, Indiana, along with a possible trip toMichigan for the fall meeting.

Sunday afternoon took us several miles away to Rawson,Ohio, the home of Elizabeth Rettig’s Music Roll Shop. ManyAMICAns participate in her roll auctions by mail, and we got tosee the shop firsthand. Along with the rolls and roll repair items,she sells literature and books, as well as a few instrumentsincluding a push-up player and cylinder music box. Most everyone went away with a few treasures from the shop beforeheading up I-75 to Jeffrey’s Antique Mall, one of the largest in Ohio. It didn’t have many piano rolls, but it had most everything else!

The Neffs and the Gustwillers were wonderful hosts, andwe especially thank Tom and Bev for opening up the family’shome to our chapter for the first time.

On a sad note, our chapter has lost five members this year.They include past Secretary Judy Wulfekuhl, Frank Rider,Lewis Schwartzkoph, Donna Counterman and Lawrence Frazer.They had all been active members and will be missed. TheChapter sends it condolences to the families and voted to makea contribution to the Memorial Fund in their names.

Karl Thiel and Miriam Hanscom enjoybreakfast in the Neff’s new sunroom.

Jody Trittipo, Carol Thiel,Liz Barnhart and MiriamHansom try to “NameThat Tune.”

Mike Barnhart and JackLinker accompany Wes on

the “Stumpf Fiddle” or“Drum Schtick”.

Hostess Sherri Neff plays an Elvis tuneon the Seeburg Select-O-Matic 100.

Happy Birthday to Liz Barnhart!

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Karl Thiel makes hisselections at the Music

Roll Shop.

Elizabeth Rettig rings up a purchase.

Alvin Wulfekuhl tests out a music box for sale.

This French roll has a beautifullyillustrated blue and yellow leader

shown by Jay Merrill.

Host Tom Gustwillerdemonstrates and early

Roulette Wheel.

Jim Althouse, Karl Thiel and Betty Malakinianconsider switching gifts with Liz Barnhart.

Hilda Merchant is delighted with Bev’s giftof handmade musical motif napkins. DennisBurchett wonders about a trade.

Jack Linker unwraps his snowglobe as Jeff Brabb and Sherri

Neff look on.Liz Barnhart and Carol Thiel

take their chances at the wheel, flanked by turn-of-the-century board games.

At Gustwiller’s clothingstore, you can be serenaded by the Mills Violano while in the “lavatory” next door.

Pull the cat’s tail andget a prize!

Carol and Karl Thiel watch Tom’s demonstration of an automaton.

Wes Neff leads us in Name That Tune on his1918 Bond foot-pumped piano.

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PACIFIC CAN-AM CHAPTERReporter: Marty Smithberg

President: Stuart Grigg - (248) 356-5005

March 15, 2003On Saturday, March 15th, the Pacific Can-Am Chapter of

AMICA met at the home of Norm and Sally Gibson in theresort town of Ocean Shores, Washington. We were treated to“The Tour” which is usually reserved for the guests that stayat their bed and breakfast. Their home is a showcase for theirmany collections and musical inventions, both vintage andNorm’s originals. It also contains a theatre and a fully functional soda fountain. We had 11 members attending.

We heard a report from convention chairman CarlDodrill to update us on the upcoming AMICA convention inPortland, Oregon from the 20th to the 24th of August. It willbe here very soon. We hope you’re all planning to attend. Wehope to see you then.

Our chapter was very saddened by the death of one of ourown members. Many of you may have known Dean Randallfor his remarkable expertise and technical advice pertaining topiano rebuilding. We moved to make a donation to theAMICA Memorial Fund in his memory.

Our usual potluck buffet followed.

June 28, 2003The Pacific Can-Am Chapter of AMICA met Saturday,

June 28th at the lovely waterfront home of Larry and MyraKarp. Their home contains a staggering array of music boxes,phonographs, automatons, musical clocks, a band organ and aBush and Lane upright player piano. In addition to all this isan equally staggering array of Wedgewood pottery. There’severything from lamps and clocks to earrings and shoes withWedgewood heels.

We broke with tradition and followed an open house format, dispensing with our usual potluck and finishing earlierin the afternoon. Myra and others supplied plenty of snacksand refreshments.

As this was our last meeting before the August Convention, Carl Dodrill gave an extensive overview of the details. He touched on the events, trips, tours, workshopsand concerts that will be featured. Carl and Halie werethanked for several years of planning and hard work putting it all together.

We finished the meeting with a sneak preview of the convention souvenir roll. It’s Great!!!

Norm and Sally Gibson.

Inside of the theatre

Sally Gibson at the soda fountain.

Myra Karp and Mark Smithberg,Kurt Morrison in the background.

Carl Kehret giving areport surrounded

by music boxes and AMICAns.

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October 12, 2003The Pacific Can-Am Chapter of AMICA met Sunday,

October 12th at the home of Ted and Aileen Miholovich.Their home was built in 1949 across the street from LakeWashington in southeast Seattle looking toward Seward Parkto the east. The house itself is just as it was when they movedin back then. They have a beautiful 1926 Steinway Duo-ArtOR 6’6” grand which was put to good use. Our theme wasvariations on tunes, different lyrics, or tunes within a tune. We heard Gypsy Blues with My Little Gypsy Sweetheartinterpolated in it; Military Waltz; Swannee River Boogie;Here Comes the Navy (set to the tune of Beer Barrel Polka);An Operatic Nightmare and others.

Our business meeting followed including a conventionreport from Carl Dodrill. After Show and Tell we had ourusual potluck.

Norm and Sally Gibson will again be spearheading thethird band organ rally in Ocean Shores, Washington early next June. Watch the AMICA Bulletin for information.

December 13th, 2003The Pacific Can-Am Chapter of AMICA met Saturday,

December 13th, at the Mercer Island home of Carl and HalieDodrill. They have a 1912 Steinway 65/88 note foot impelledgrand, an Aeolian Duo-Art Residence pipe organ, an AeolianModel V Orchestrelle and others in their home.

We began with a program with a simultaneous concert onpiano and organ. Halie played Silent Night on the piano whilethe organ played the roll. Then she played Little DrummerBoy on the organ while the piano played the roll. Then sheplayed What Child Is This solo on the piano. We kept her verybusy.

Co-presidents Carl and Peg Kehret discussed two pro-jects being taken on by the chapter as part of our communityawareness and education to the public. We will be restoring afoot operated player piano and placing it in a period setting atthe American Museum of Radio in Bellingham, Washington.It is a hands-on museum and almost everything in it is avail-able for demonstration. The period living room setting will beopen for use by visitors and school groups so the piano will beused.

We are also planning to restore the Knabe Ampico in thelobby mezzanine of the Paramount Theatre in downtownSeattle. It was originally in that location, and through theyears had been sold to a private party. It is now back where itbelongs, but doesn’t work very well. After restoration, it willbe used at intermission to entertain patrons. We are hoping itwill stimulate interest and we gain new members.

We had our annual White Elephant Gift Exchange. Somegifts were stolen eight or ten times, and it got a bit lively.

We held elections for 2004. We followed this with ourpotluck buffet.

Myra and Nipper with some Wedgewood, phonographs, and music boxes.

Jim Freeburg, Peg Kehret,

Ted Miholovich (at the piano), Halie Dodrill,

Jean Freeburg. Ted presides over our variations of

songs on rolls.

Peg Kehret, Halie Dodrill, Carl Dodrill, Norm Gibson, Maury and Fran Willyard.

Steinway in the living room.

Halie Dodrill, piano, Carl Dodrill, organ.

Our annual White Elephant Gift Exchange.

Carl Dodrill, piano, Halie Dodrill, organ.Carl Dodrill, Aeolian Orchestrelle

Model V

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ADVERTISING GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT

ALL ADVERTISING IN THE AMICA BULLETINAll advertising should be directed to:

Mike Kukral216 Madison Blvd.Terre Haute, Indiana 47803Phone: 812-238-9656e-mail: [email protected]

Ad copy must contain text directly related to the product/servicebeing offered. Extraneous text will be deleted at the Publisher’sdiscretion. All advertising must be accompanied by payment inU.S. funds. No telephone ads or written ads without payment willbe accepted. This policy was established by a unanimous vote ofthe AMICA Board at the 1991 Board Meeting and reaffirmed atthe 1992 meeting. AMICA reserves the right to edit or toreject any ad deemed inappropriate or not in keeping withAMICA’s objectives.

The BULLETIN accepts advertising without endorsement,implied or otherwise, of the products or services being offered.Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA’sendorsement of any commercial operation.

AMICA PUBLICATIONS RESERVES THE RIGHT TOACCEPT, REJECT, OR EDIT ANY AND ALL SUBMITTED ARTICLES AND ADVERTISING.

All items for publication must be submitted directly to thePublisher for consideration.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: $.20 per word, $5.00 minimumfor AMICA members. Non-members may advertise double themember rates ($10.00 minimum). Because of the low cost ofadvertising, we are unable to provide proof copies or “tear sheets”.

DISPLAY ADVERTISINGFull Page — 71/2 " x 10" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150.00Half Page — 71/2 " x 43/4" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 80.00Quarter Page —35/8 " x 43/4" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 45.00Business Card — 31/2 " x 2" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 30.00

Non-member rates are double for all advertising. Special 6 for 5 Ad Offer - Place any ad, with no changes, for afull year (6 issues), and pay for only 5 issues. Payable in advance.Photographs or halftones $15.00 eachLoose Sheet or Insert Advertising: InquireWe recommend that display advertisers supply camera-readycopy. Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changed tocorrect size at your cost. We can prepare advertisements fromyour suggested layout at cost.PAYMENT: U.S. funds must accompany ad order. Make checkpayable to AMICA INTERNATIONAL. Typesetting and layout size alterations charges will be billed.DEADLINES: Submissions must be received no later than thefirst of the odd months (January, March, May, July, September,November). The Bulletin will be mailed the first week of theeven months.

(Rev. 6-98)

“The problem with stupid people.

They don’t know they are stupid.”

~ Michael Daniel

FFOORR SSAALLEE1924 STEINWAY OR Duo-Art walnut Art case w/veneer damage from fire on one side, rebuilt player, in crates, w/new Ivory keys -$11,500 Condition: D; 1995 BALDWIN 4’7” red polish Mah.W/Pianodisc - $8,900 Cond.: A; 1987 YAMAHA G 2 Ivory polishw/Pianomation - $11,500 Cond.: A; 1920 FRANKLIN 56” AmpicoMah. $3,500 Cond.: B+; 1924 MARSHALL & WENDELL 52” Ampico Mah. $2,900 Cond.: B+; MARIONETTE AMPICO GRAND original complete w/matching bench $2,500 Cond. C-; 1995 STORY & CLARK 42” Wal. $2,500. Contact: Schroeder’sPianos 562-923-2311 (2-04)

GEORGE STECK semi-art case mahogany, 5’8” Duo-Art grand, refinished, rebuilt player, action, strings, hammers, etc. Piano and Duo-Art in A-1 condition. Plays and reproduces Great! $6,000 OBO.Call for more information: Pete Miller, 847-697-9565. (2-04)

KNABE AMPICO “B” 5’ Grand, CA. 1930, brown mahogany, someinlay, fair condition, no bench. $3500. KNABE AMPICO “B” 5’Grand CA. 1937, walnut, rare single legs, good condition with originalbench, $4,000. STROUD DUO-ART upright CA. 1926, brownmahogany, fair condition, no bench, $1,000. All prices negotiable,delivery available. Willing to accept in trade: post-1923 Ampicouprights, original coin-ops and some very clean original upright players,preferably unrestored. Skip Woodhull, 419-227-8565. (2-04)

MILLS VIOLIN-VIOLANO, Seeburg, MO, Ampico rolls, Seeburg148 jukebox. Call 585-249-9434. (2-04)

STEINWAY ART CASE DUO ART REPRODUCER GRANDPIANO - Model AR-3, 7’-0’’, circa 1920. Outstanding condition withIvory keys. This is an amazing musical instrument and is in like-newcondition with unbelievable tone and sound, superb. Being sold by private party/collector, I have moved and the new house does not haveroom. The asking price of $55,000 includes rolls, contemporary benchAND professional moving and set up to most US destination. Great history also, the Minneapolis Philharmonic Orchestra borrowed thispiano, moved it to the Orchestra Hall where, for the first and only time,a concert was performed between the Minneapolis PhilharmonicOrchestra and a Reproducer Steinway, I have photos, a copy of the program and ticket stubs for this performance. A complete first classrestoration of the piano was performed 14 years ago, since then it hasalways been expertly maintained by Steinway representatives, tuned and played. The following was done during the restoration: New pinblock; New finish; restrung; repined; New dampers; the player workswere all redone, this work was done by Bill Ackman; All new leather, hoses, belts, etc.; New Ivory keys; Basically everything wasrebuilt/refinished. I think the cabinet style is “Aeolian #3011” - A slide show of photos can be seen on the internet here, click on theSteinway portfolio: http://photos.yahoo.com/norsepottery, John Danis,2929 Sunnyside Dr D362, Rockford, IL, 61114, (815)978-0647, Email, [email protected] (2-04)

TELECTRIC PLAYER, table top, 65-note, no solenoid bank. $300.Contact Lauren Peckham, 194 Ormiston Road, Breesport, NY 14816;phone 607-739-5443 (2-04)

1914 STEINWAY OR Duo-Art Grand #161135. Completely restoredcase, piano action and player action with original perfect ivory. Includescustom bench, rare 72 roll cabinet and 150 Duo-Art rolls - $19,950. Call509-248-4145 or email [email protected] for more info or flyerwith photos. (2-04)

CHICKERING AMPICO A, 6 foot grand, rebuilt 20 years ago, $1900.MARSHALL & WENDELL AMPICO A, 5’8” grand, Walnut, roundfluted legs, floral design on legs and across top of legs, leg connectors,matching padded bench, perfect ivory keys, $1700. Call John Babey,Cleveland Piano Service, 216-531-9255. (2-04)

1918 HAZELTON BROS. (Welte Licensee) 5’10” mahogany grand,20 year full restoration, needs some TLC to really play 100%. Over 100rolls included $13,500. All offers considered. 561-395-3812 (2-04)

CLOTH-COVERED ELECTRICAL WIRE FOR REPAIRS ANDRESTORATIONS. Many styles, colors, gauges. Safe and authentic.Sundial Wire, PO Box 1182, Easthampton, MA 01027; phone 413-582-6909. Full service web site: http://www.sundialwire.com; e-mail: [email protected] (4-04)

COINOLA X, piano completely rebuilt and refinished, mechanismincludes only spoolbox, stack, motor, xylophone. Also several reproducing pianos. Call for info: 619-281-3717. (2-04)

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1929 KNABE GRAND AMPICO B, #108445, restored in 1980’s,plays well, plain cabinet, $12,000. HIGEL PLAYER PIANO #122,restored, plays fair, $700. ANGELUS PUSH-UP PLAYER, restored,plays well, $200. CHASE & BAKER PUSH-UP, restored, plays well,$300. Transposing Piano (GEO. RUSSELL, LONDON, FORREST& SON) #89375, not restored, in pieces (work was in progress), makeoffer. EDISON DISC PHONOGRAPH #0032 SN 1417, plays, nicecabinet, many records, $300. All located near Fortuna, California. Call Linda at (805) 967-7920 or email [email protected] for more information. All prices negotiable (5-04)

MARSHALL & WENDELL AMPICO, electric player 5’ baby grand,sn#113128, refinished off-white lacquer, new keyboard, re-strung,excellent playing condition. Pump in player requires repair. Asking$7700, call 201-224-2265. (4-04)

“Rose City Rag” 2003 Convention Rolls available for $12, shippingincluded. Contact [email protected] (4-04)

AMPICO, DUO-ART, WELTE, AND 88 NOTE PIANO ROLLS.New Recuts and Originals, including “Jumbo” and Program Rolls. AlsoN.O.S. QRS 88 Note rolls. Check out my website:http://www.maui.net/~uni/caldwell/ Dave Caldwell, 400 Lincoln LakeAve. N.E., Lowell, MI 49331; e-mail: [email protected];phone 616-897-5609. (6-04)

The Golden Age of Automatic Musical Instruments. Art Reblitz’ magnificent 448-page book. Fabulous photos, history, collecting stories, tracker scales, original prices and more. $120 plus $5 S/H (single copy USA ground shipment). Mechanical Music Press-A, 70Wild Ammonoosuc Road, Woodsville, NH 03785; 603-747-2636.http://www.mechanicalmusicpress.com (4-04)

HANDMADE BARREL AND PNEUMATIC ORGANS made inGermany. With moving figurines and a lot of humorous surprises. See: www.magic-mechanical-music.de Musik & Spiel Automaten Geratebau, Ing. Hansjorg Leible, D-79400 Kandern/Holzen, Kirchstr. 2;Tel: 07626-7613, Fax 07626-971009 (6-05)

NEW REPRODUCING ROLLS FOR SALE – Magic Melodies isnow the Exclusive Dealer for new Keystone Ampico and Duo-Art rolls.For periodic Catalogs and other listings, write or call us. MagicMelodies, 360 Lawless Road, Jamestown, KY 42629 or phone 270-343-2061. (1-05)

One Only AMPICO A&B SERVICE MANUALS - AMR Publication- Quality spiral bound. $22.00 including shipping - Accept check orPayPal, [email protected], Dr. Frank Adams, P.O. Box 3007, Arlington, WA 98223, 360-653-1799 (2-04)

WWAANNTTEEDDRED WELTE MIGNON piano rolls (T-100). Paying top dollar. MikeKukral 812-238-9656 or [email protected] (6-04)

AMICAMemorial Fund Donations

Please think of AMICA as a place to rememberyour friends and family with a donation to theAMICA Memorial Fund.

Send to: John Motto-Ros - 209-267-9252P.O. Box 908Sutter Creek, CA 95685-0908

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AMICA TechnicalitiesSince 1969, AMICA has been publishing into bound vol-umes, collections of technical articles written and con-tributed by its members for publication in The AMICABulletin. They may be purchased as follows:Vol 1 - 1969 to 1971 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10.00Vol 2 - 1972 to 1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.00Vol 3 - 1975 to 1977 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.00Vol 4 - 1978 to 1980 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.00Vol 5 - 1981 to 1988 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20.00Vol 6 - 1989 to 1993 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20.00

Postage PaidPlease note: Supplies of the earlier volumes may be

temporarily unavailable as stock is depleted. Overseas orders may take longer than domestic shipments.

AMICA ITEMS FOR SALE

The AMICA Bulletin1971 through 1999 bound annuals

of the AMICA Bulletins$24.00 (U.S. Dollars) per year postage paid

Make checks payable to: AMICA International

Send Orders to: Stuart GriggGrigg Graphic Services, Inc.20982 Bridge StreetSouthfield, MI 48034Fax: (248) 356-5636e-mail: [email protected]

Get the Whole Story !In Stock Now Shipped Immediately !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 theAMICA Bulletins, bound into sets by year.

In addition, technical articles published in the bulletin have been extracted and published asinvaluable reference volumes. More than 30 years of knowledge, discovery and revelation can befound 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.

(2-04)

A GUIDE TORESTORING THE

AMPICO “A”Forty-five pages

of technical information focusing on aspects of restoration unique to

the Ampico “A”. A list of materials and suppliers, diagrams for specialized

tools and three floppy discs containing 100 photos.

Send $40 to: Paul Manganaro,

P.O. Box 535, Coopersburg, PA 18036

_ '. LEEDY BROTHERS MUSIC ROLLSIC~ .

~ 4660 HAGAR SHORE ROADCOLOMA MI 49038

Phone 269-468-5986Fax 269-468-0019

email: [email protected]

Welte LicenseeDUO-ARTAMPICO

88 NOTELimited edition reissues and new music rolls.

Contact us or check our web page for our latest list of music rolls.Web page www.leedyrolls.com

(4-05)

\,

BENNET LEEDY RESTORATIONS4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD

COLOMA MI 49038Phone 269-468-5986

Fax 269-468-0019email: [email protected]

High quality restorations of Ampico,Duo-Art, Welte and other reproducingpianos. All makes of 88 note player

pianos, and other automatic instruments.

BENNET LEEDY ROLLSTHE PIANO ROLL CENTER4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD

COLOMA MI 49038Phone 269-468-5986

Fax 269-468-0019email: [email protected]

Reproducing, 88 note, 65 note, rolls.Musical related publications and othercollectibles for sale by mail auctions.

Serving collectors since 1970.

Contact us to receive our auction lists.

Web Page: www.leedyrolls.com (4-05) Web Page: www.leedyrolls.com (4-05)

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REPLACEMENT LEADERSThese 11 1/4” x 17” reprints, not trimmed and without tabs, are excellent replicas of the more popular types ofreproducing 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 sharpknife, discard scrap, and butt-join with magic mending tape on top surface.

A. Brown on buff (For early red label boxes)

B. Black on ivory (Area for reusable artist photo)

C. Black on ivory (Most common)

D. Black on ivory (Very late rolls by combined Aeolian/American)

E. Green on ivory (Most common)

F. Green on ivory (Favorite Fifty & Selected Roll Service)

G. Welte Brown on buff (Most common)

Note: Early Welte’swith blue leaders maybe repaired with thisbrown leader. Many ofthese when reissuedhad brown leaders.

Please make checks payable toAMICA INTERNATIONAL, And send to:

BRIAN K. MEEDER904A West Victoria StreetSanta Barbara, CA 93101-4745

e-mail address for orders:[email protected]

Checks or moneyorders from foreign

countries must be drawn on U.S. bank.

Style QuantityA ______________

B ______________

C ______________

D ______________

E ______________

F ______________

G ______________

Total Quantity ______________

Price: $ 1.00 eachMinimum Order: $10.00

Postage and Handling $ 5.50

Roll Order $ ________

Total Amount (U.S. $) $ ________

JUNE, 1906 COUNTRY LIFE IN AMERICA 205

.~

EMPERO~ WILLIAMBUYS A

WEBER PIANOLA PIANO

EST month the Aeolian Company received a Royal Command from Emperor William, throughthe Head Court Marshal, His Excellency Count A. zu Eulenburg, to send a Weber PianolaPiano to the Royal Palace.The instrument, when delivered, was installed in the pfeiler Saal, or family quarters. After

an interval of four days, during which it was in almost constant use, a request was received to senda bill, as the Emperor was greatly delighted with the piano and wished to retain it permanently.A cablegram to the New York Staats·Zeitufig has since been printed:

"PRAISE FROM THE IMPERIAL FAMILY.

On recommendations recenrly received from America, Emperor William purchasedfrom the Aeolian Company one of their Pianola Pianos.

"The Empress and Prince August William played On it, and spoke enthusiasticallyof the purity and rich tone of the instrument."

The Staats-Zeitrtng cabled back to learn the source of the above information and in replyreceived word from its correspondent that the item was furnished directly by a member of theImperial Household.

~)

Art Catalog V sent upoo request.

THE AEOLIANAEOLIAN HALL, 362 Fifth Avenue

The Planol:k 1'1",,0 (unllil'~ in a single 'ns~rumC'o.t a pia"Q (orthe hoicht~t :&:,,,,le a1\<1 ;\ /lh'tto)..I\k l";;\cH)lo:. .•

It is mOlt significant that, having decided to buy an instrument oftbis type, His Majesty, the Emperor of Germany, the foremostmusical nation in the world, should have selected the WeberPianola Piano, thereby endorsing in the most emphatic mannerpossible the opinion of the world's greatest musical authorities.

Royalty has bee.n a most consistent patron of the AeolianCompany's instruments. Not one, but every member of theEnglish Royal Family has purchased a Pianola. Other patronsinclude the Tsar of Russia, the King of Spain, the King ofPortugal, His Holiness, the Pope, Prince Ferdinand of Bul!!:aria,the Sultan of Turkey, the Khedive of Egypt, the Shah of Persia,the King of Siam, etc,

The world over, from New York to St. Petersburg, fromCairo [0 Melbourne, the Pianola'· and other instruments of theAeolian Company's manuf3Cture are invariably given preferenceover all others by the most diStinguished and discriminating classof purchasers.

COMPANYNear 34th Street, NEW YORK

l...' ,"

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