~----------~

The AMICA News BulletinAutomatic Musical Instrument Collectors' Association

Volume 25 • Number 4July/August 1988

The AMICA News BulletinAutomatic Musical Instrument Collectors' Association "

EDWIN WARD, Publisher(419) 849·2616

191 Riverview DriveWoodville, Ohio 43469-9745

Published by the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors' Association, anon-profit group devoted to the restoration, distribution and enjoyment ofmusical instruments using perforated paper music rolls, AMICA wasfounded in San Francisco in 1%3.

Single back issues of the Bulletinare available from the Publisher

for $3.00 each.

".

,.

BOSTON AREAPres: Judy WelshVice Pres: Michael PotashSec: Bill KoenigsbergTreas: Philip KonopReporter: Donald Brown

IOWAPres: Rex FrittsVice Pres: Leland ZimmerlineSec/Treas: Ed PouschReporter: Al Johnson

HEART OF AMERICAPres: Charles TylerVice Pres: Gerold KoehlerSec/Treas: Kay BodeReporter: Willa Daniels

NORTHERN LIGHTSPres: Dorothy OldsVice Pres: Jerrilyn BoehlandSec: Tim WheatTreas: Robert & Katheryn DumasReporter: Tim Wheat

GATEWAYPres: Roger WiegandVice Pres: Deane WileySecTreas: Carole WileyReporter: Jean Milburn

SIERRA-NEVADAPres: Bob PattonVice Pres: Richard RileySec/Treas: Gail ShinnReporter: Julie Riley & Bob Patton

CHICAGO AREAPres: Rob DelandVice Pres: Barry SchultzSec: Fred PlankTreas: Joe PekarekReporter: Mel Septon

SOUTHEAST AREA:Pres: David OppenheimVice Pres: John DalySecretary: Wayne FisherReporter: Wayne FisherTreasurer: Don Winter

ROCKY MOUNTAINPres: Larry KerecmanVice Pres: Owanah WickRep: Don WickSec: Art TarrTreas: Art Tarr

MIDWESTPres: Liz BarnhartVice Pres: Barry LeedySec: Russell & Jeanne BlossTreas: Alvin WulfekuhlReporter: Margaret Frazer

LADY LIBERTYPres: Alan LightcapVice Pres: Paul CianciaSec: Michelle PollittTreas: John EllemsRep: Dennis Valente

CHAPTER OFFICERS

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAPres: Frank NixVice Pres: Lloyd OsmundsonSec/Rep: Shirley NixTreas: Ken Hodge

FOUNDING CHAPTERPres: Rob ThomasVice Pres: Bill WherryTreas: Elmer & Lou KleinRep: Nadine Moto-RossSec: Jack & Dianne Edwards

PUBLICATION DEADLINES FOR 1988For January/February issue " December 15For March/April issue February 15For May/June issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. April 1For July/August issue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. June 10For September/October issue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. August 15For November/December issue October 15

PHILADELPHIA AREAPres: Paul DietzVice Pres: Dave CharrierSec: Bob RosencransTreas: Bob TaylorRep: Joan Pollitt

SOWNY (Southern Ontario,Western NY)

Pres: Gary LemonVice Pres: Jim BarleySec: Janie McClearyTreas: Mike WalterRep: Stan Aldridge

TEXASPres: Ken LongVice Pres: Richard TonnesenSec/Treas: Janet TonnesenRep: Richard Smith$120.00

60.0030.00

$20.00

7W'xlO"7W'x4%"35

/ g"x4%"2"x31;2"

ADVERTISINGClassified: 1O¢ per word, $3.00 minimum for members.Non-members may advertise at twice the above rate, $6.00minimum.

• See Bulletin Deadlines on this page. Payment mustaccompany order. Make checks payable to:AMICA INTERNATIONAL.

• Checks or money orders from advertisers in foreign coun­tries must be drawn on a U.S. Bank.

Display AdvertisingFull PageHalf PageQuarter PageBusiness Card

• Each photograph or half-tone $8.00.

• See Bulletin deadlines on this page.

• We recommend display advertisers supply camera-readycopy. Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changedto correct size at your cost. We can prepare your adver­tisement from your suggested layout at cost.

• Payment must accompany order. Typesetting, layout or sizealteration charges will be billed separately. Make checkspayable to: AMICA INTERNATIONAL.

• Checks or money orders from advertisers in foreign coun­tries must be drawn on a U.S. bank.

• All ads will appear on the last pages of the Bulletin at thediscretion of the publisher.

Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA'sendorsement of any commercial operation. However, AMICAreserves the right to refuse any ad that is not in keeping withAMICA's general standards or if complaints are received in­dicating that said business does not serve the best interestsof the members of AMICA according to its goals and bylaws.

AMICA International

AMICA CONVENTIONBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

August 24-27, 1989-*-

MBSI CONVENTIONTEANECK, NEW JERSEY

August 30 - Sept. 4, 1989

• Do you wish to become a member of AMICA?Write to Membership Secretary.Annual fee for U.S. members " $22Canada and Mexico (air) $28Other non-U.S. countries (surface) $28New and lapsed members add processing fee. . .. $ 5

• Has your address changed?Write to Membership Secretary.

• Do you have a contribution for the Bulletin?All subjects of interest to readers of the Bulletin are en­couraged and invited by the Publisher. Every attempt willbe made to publish all articles of general interest to AMICAmembers at the earliest possible time and at the discretionof the publisher. See Bulletin deadlines on previous page.

./ -----------------------AMICA International News Bulletin

Volume 25 Number 4 July/August 1988

CONTENTSFeatures

Friends At The Pianola 118BBS News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 119The Orchestrelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 120QRS Autograph Roll Master List - Part Two 122Grainger To Live Again In Schaumburg 126Carnegie Hall Requests AMICA's Help 127Beware The Buyer ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 128A Winner Surfaces ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 130Fats Waller At The Organ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 132Saluting Irving Berlin 133Adam Carroll's Recollections - Part Three 134Letter to J. Lawrence Cook - 1923 138Tribute To Pauline Alpert 139Vestal Publishing Firm to Change Hands 152Intensity Measurements of the AmpicolDuo-Art . . . . . .. 152The Joys of Domestic "Would" - Working . . . . . . . . . .. 156Roll Playing Hammond Organ . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 156The Duo-Art Tracker Bar Pump. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 158Do Dey Redo Oem Duo-Arts Like Dey Say Dey Do? .. 160

DepartmentsAMICA International. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 117President's Corner 118People 132News From the Chapters 142Technicalities 152Clas~ified Ads 162

Cover: Adam Carroll Playing the Mason & Hamlin - Circa 1940.From the Collection of William Knorp.

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERSPRESIDENT Ron Connor

(501) 636-1749Route 4, Rogers, AR 72756

PAST PRESIDENT Terry Smythe(204) 832-398255 Rowland Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3J 2N6

VICE PRESIDENT Robert W. Taylor(314) 875-61112508 Cimarron Dr., Columbia, MO 65203

SECRETARY Mel Septon(312) 679-34559045 North Karlov, Skokie, IL 60076

TREASURER Larry Norman(213) 538-946117700 Avalon Blvd. #295, Carson, CA 90746

PUBLISHER Edwin Ward(419) 849-2616191 Riverview Drive, Woodville, OH 43469-9745

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Valerie AndersonNew memberships

Home (803) 791-1487P.O. Box 172, Columbia, SC 29202

BOARD REPRESENTATIVESFounding Chapter: Gene McGrawSouthern California: Mary LilienTexas: Richard TonnesonMidwest: Vincent RiccaPhiladelphia Area: Bob RosencransSOWNY: Jan DrewniakRocky Mountain: Larry KerecmanLady Liberty: John DeParisIowa: Alvin JohnsonBoston Area: Sanford LibmanNorthern Lights: Tom OldsSierra-Nevada: Ray BauerChicago Area: Jim EdwardsHeart of America: Ron BoppSoutheast Area: John O'LaughlinGateway: Roger Wiegand

COMMITTEES

TECHNICAL, Harold Malakinian2345 Forest Trail Dr., Troy, MI 48098

ARCHIVES, Bob Rosencrans109 Cumberland Place, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

PUBUCATIONS, Edwin Ward191 Riverview Dr., Woodville, OH 43469-9745

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

CONVENTION COORDINATOR, Liz Barnhart919 Lantern Glow Trail, Dayton, OH 45431

HONORARY MEMBERS, Dorothy Bromage45 Forest Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107

AFFILIATED SOCIETIES-See May/June 1988 issue for addresses

The Player Piano Group (England)The North West Player Piano Association (England)Netherlands Mechanical Organ Society - KDVAustralian Collectors of Mechanical Musical InstrumentsDutch Pianola AssociationSociety of Friends of Mechanical Musical Instruments (Germany)

DISCLAIMER: Acceptance of articles for publication in the AMICA NewsBulletin does not imply a guarantee of the accuracy of the facts containedin any article, nor an endorsement of an author's recommendation.

-117 -

The President's Corner . . .I'm writing this just before

leaving for the Convention butyou'll be reading it (I hopesomeone reads these columns)after our 25th anniversarycelebration is over. I hope youwent and helped ring in oursecond quarter century.

I have been trying to thinkof ways in which AMICA

could better serve our members and it occurred to me that manyof our members travel during their vacations and would like tosee automatic musical instruments among other things. I'm surethere are many instruments over the country available for view­ing if we only knew what museums or other attractions had them.There is such a collection in Eureka Springs about thirty milesfrom my house yet I'll bet not many AMICAns are aware of it.

Perhaps not many AMICAns come to Arkansas either, and that'stoo bad as it's a beautiful and interesting part of the country.,/"""I'd like to suggest that as you travel and come across things that'would be of interest to fellow AMICAns you pick up a brochure .and send it to me along with a note giving your evaluation. Thenfrom time to time, perhaps once or twice a year, we could printa little directory of places to see in the Bulletin.

I have no idea whether this idea will produce an avalancheof mail, or nothing at all, but I think it's worth a try. If I geta flood of mail I'll have to pick out the places that look mostinteresting. Let's keep it to places that are readily accessible toany AMICAn and feature automatic instruments. A restaurantwith a Mortier dance organ would qualify, a modern piano barwould not. See what you can find out there.

Keep in tune,

Ron Connor, PresidentAMICA International

*******************************************************************

FRIENDS AT THE PIANOLAEmmett M. Ford

Conductor Franz Wasman raised his baton and the orchestrasailed into the opening bars of Stravinsky's piano concerto. Whenhe gave the nod for the first piano passage, the piano began oncue. This was at an International Music Festival in Los Angeles.The audience of 2,000 did double takes; the piano bench wasvacant and the music was coming loud and clear.

The instrument was a player piano and the unseen fingerspounding the keys belonged, in a way, to Stravinsky himself. Theabsent Igor had made a piano roll (D-A 528-4) of the first move­ment of his concerto in 1925, but he was in Europe and didn'thear Stravinsky play Stravinsky. The Steinway, unmanned, wasnote-perfect. Through the concerto, thousands of other pianolashad performed in the past and present.

The foot-pumped pianolas were played for the r­fun of footpumping. Many dusty instruments were .­being rescued from dusty oblivion and comingback into favor.

At one time Macy's sold ten rolls a week andnow with the revival of the player piano (pianolas)it sells about 200 rolls weekly. Their supply comesfrom QRS Company in the Bronx, the lone sur­vivor of the once more than 50 U.S. roll makers.

J. Lawrence Cook turns out the rolls by play­ing on a special piano rigged to a device like anIBM machine, which punches the proper holes ina master roll. The master roll is placed on the pro­duction perforator which can punch out more than30 finished rolls at a time. A second manufacturer,Aeolian Music Rolls of Glendale, CA, began rollmaking and turns out 1,500 rolls a day. InPalisades Park, NJ, ex-tug boat Captain John Duf­fy, deals in both new and rebuilt player pianos. Hisbusiness grew from kitchen-and-basement opera­tion to a 14-man organization in four years, gross·ing $220,000 in 1961 and expects to go to$500,000 later.

NOTE: The above excerpts were taken from an article in amagazine of forgotten date and it continues:

In coffee houses and cabarets across the land, pianolas are. 1=

twanging away. Hardman, Peck Co., makes most of today's new .player pianos but no longer grands or uprights-people refuse .to give them house space. They furnish spinets with foot pedalsonly, creating a nostalgia of "pumping out the music:' And asnumerous foot-pumping purists relate, there is the "satisfactionof being a genuine part of creating the music."

-118-

BBS NEWS

The Computer Shopper for 3/88 carries some ad's for MIDI"starter" set-ups. Music Quest Inc., Plano, TX gives you "sequencer,editor/librarian, utility, and interface" (supposed to be MPU-401and Voyetra OP-4000/4001 compatible) for $199. CMS Inc.,Walnut, CA has something they call the CMS401 which soundsmuch the same but includes Cakewalk for (list) $299. Anyadvice from the old heads as to whether these are really usefulfor someone just getting started (with modest MIDI goals), andwhether prices seem in line??? Thanks, John

by Terry Smythe

./ It's only been a short time since the Bulletin containing notice Date: 05-09-88 (12:14),tf my BBS service has been mailed, but in that short time, a To: ALL

-member caJled in and left this message in response to my article From: JOHN GRANTof trials and tribulations trying to remove tracker bar cement from Subj: MIDI "STARTER" PACKAGESan old AMPICO system:

Message 1188, Wednesday, 30-Mar-88

From: John Grant

To: Sysop

Re: Tracker Bar Cement Removal

Hello Terry, please see my article, page 149, Aug/Sept 1979AMICA Bulletin re Ampico A tracker bar cement removal. Keepin touch!

Number:Refer:Read:

Status:

7808NONE(N/A)PUBLIC

**************************SIGNIFICANT NEW SOFTWARE

CPIANo.ARCPlay the piano on your computer. Excellent screen displays,

works best with color screen. Very well thought out system. (FromFargo ND, PC User Group)

ME.ARCThis is a simple music editor for IBM PC type computers

and compatibles. It is written with Borland's Editor Toolbox andis alot of fun to play with. You can make up little tunes, transcribethe works of your favorite composers, study the timings of notes,and get very good at the BASICA "Play" command, which thiseditor uses.(From CCC, San Diego)

MUSIC2.ARCMUSIC2 is a BASIC program which helps you create and

play music on you pc. The package utilizes the "PLAY" com­mand in BASIC and allows you to enter and play one "voice"(note) at a time as if your PC was a piano keyboard.

You may enter whole, half, quarter, eighth, or sixteenth notes.The notes may be tied together to create notes of any longerlength. You may also play dotted notes (notes which play one­and-a-half times as long as an undotted note). Notes are entereddirectly from the keyboard and flats and sharps are shown asflats (A-sharp is shown as B-flat). (From CCC, San Diego)

LIST OF MIDI BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEMSMax.Baud

24002400240012001200

300120012002400

??

12001200

Number

202-966-9896212-751-2347213-438-6783213-826-4288214-276-8902214-570-3930305-755-3039404-454-8059405-733-3102415-733-3102512-826-0659604-263-8487714-921-2255

Name

Washington MIDI Users GroupENIAC MIDI BBSRoland MIDI BBSMIDI World NetworkAmerican MIDI Users' GroupSanctum Viaticus (2 confMIDI StationMicroMusic MIDI BBSMidwest MIDI BBSIntI. Elec. Musicians U. G.The MIDI ExchangeWest Coast MIDI UG BBSSnapps MidiBoard

**************************Yup, I guess I sorta did re-invent the wheel a little. . .Oh well ts

**************************Then I got a phone call from Kieth Biggar, also in response

to my appeal for suggestions on alternate methods of removingthe dreadful tracker bar cement. He suggests soaking the trackerbar in gasoline for several days to soften that stuff enough, suchthat it can be removed somewhat easier.

He also passed on an interesting anecdote. It seems that whileKieth was interviewing Dr. Hickman, the composition of thattracker bar cement surfaced in discussion, and he revealed it wassimply a gunk made from a "mix of shellac, and free sawdust froma mill next door".

~**************************'-" Then I received a call into my BBS from member Will Wild

who downloaded some music related software into his MS/DOScomputer, and then kindly uploaded to my system the follOWing:

WILLTELL.cOM 4/5/88 WILL WILDWilliam Tell Overture-Should also downloadTIMING.cOM with this.

TIMING.COM 4/5/88 WILL WILDAdjusts speed of music programs to your CPU.

Self documenting (almost)

**************************In my travels through BBS systems around North America,

I did encounter a nice BBS system in Washington, DC focusingon MIDI, recommended to me by AMICAn John Grant. Afterchecking into it, I found a couple of interesting messages, anda nifty list of similar BBS systems around North America. Here'sthe messages I found:

**************************Extracted from MIDI-BBS, Washington, DC, 11 May 88

**************************Date: 05-06-88 (15:29) Number: 7746To: ALL Refer: NONE

From: JOHN GRANT Read: (N/A)Subj: FORTE MIDI-MOD Status: PUBLIC

Anybody out there heard anything about the MIDI-MOD"'11ade by Forte Music Co., San Jose, CA? Supposed to be a kit

'-"Of velocity-sensitive switches and I-don't-know-how-much-other­hardware which can be instal1ed in "any" acoustic piano (and someelectrics) ·to turn it into a "MIDI" keyboard. Assume you wouldstill need interfaces and software. Sounds pricey at $1495. Info?Experience? Local dealers? ????? Thanks, John

-119-

to work with "SongEdit'; or as BASIC programs. Using "SongEdit;you can link up to six tunes together, to create large compositions. ,r

Other features of "SongEdit" include a feature which allows .your PC to compose its own music. Help screens are always .available to assist you, and a handy directory feature lets you keeptrack of your TUN files. (From CCC, San Diego)

BBS-NEWS continued ­

MORGAf'l'.ARCMemory Resident Organ Program COM allows you to play

your IBM PC keyboard like a one-note organ. The program hasthree' advanta!iJE!s over all previous keyboard programs:

1. Unlike "piano" programs which beep the note only once,MORGAN starts the note the instant you press the key and holdsit as long as you hold the key down. If you hold down more thanone key the most recent one has priority.

2. It is memory resident, so you can play music even as yourun other programs. Whistle while you work! You can use it witha typing-tutor program to get audible feedback - every key isa different note. Yet it takes only 1.5K of RAM and gets alongwith many other memory-resident programs.

3. You can redefine the key assignments.(From CCC, San Diego)

SONGED.ARC"SongEdit" is based on the BASICNGWBASIC PLAY state­

ment, and allows you to take full advantage of the capabilitiesbuilt into those languages.

Anyone who has written music with BASICNGWBASICrecognizes the difficulties of working with the interpreter's editor.Too often, attempts at composition are abandoned because ofthe awkward user interface.

"SongEdit", compiled with Microsoft QuickBASIC, solvesthose problems, making the process of writing music a pleasure.Using "SongEdit", you can create new compositions, transcribeexisting music, and edit or change your musical creations. Its in­teractive editor allows you to play your tunes, returning to theeditor for changes. You can save tunes, either as TUN files, meant

MUSV17.ARC

Musical selections with varying tempo, of music previouslycoded, from a front-end menu facilitating selection of a varietyof Christmas carols, a few classical selections like Teleman's Con­certo in G Major, and some additional random sound effects suchas motorcycle gearing up, etc. (From CCC, San Diego)

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

My BBS system has had a major update in the last fewweeks, with the following additions:

1. Now providing file transfer service at 300/12001240019600baud, with a newly installed US Robotics HST high speed modem.Members eqUipped with the same HST modem may now enjoyfile transfers at a full 9600 baud over the voice network, a speeduntil only a year ago thought to be technically impossible.

2. My BBS software, TP-Board, has now been upgraded torelease version 4.0, with some modest improvements in user com­mands, and the addition of a new huge increase in the numberof file transfer protocols supported. Very fine system.

Regards to all,

Terry12 May 1988

~"7

********************************************************

THE ORCHESTRELLEREED ORGAN SOCIETY BULLETIN-FEB., 1988

Contributed by Dorothy Bromage

Westem Regional Councillor Jim Bratton reports that he hasacquired not one, but two Orchestrelles recently. The large playerinstruments are not numerous in his area and he considers thisa noteworthy event. A red oak-cased Style V, Serial Number 1832,with illegible signature is dated 10-16-1898. The pressure instru­ment has six sets of reeds and twenty stops. Jim reports thatit was virtually saved from the dumpheap last fall and will berestored as time permits.

Of slightly more recent manufacture is a walnut-cased Or­chestrelle (model number unknown), Serial Number 2644, sign­ed P.J. (?) Sturges, dated 6-28-1901. This pressure instrument

has seven sets of reeds, 22 stops, and is a 58-note C-compassorgan. The walnut is described as either French Walnut or Cir­cassian. The instrument appears to be identical to the one descnb-

~ ed by Dave Kopp (ROS BULLETIN, Volume VI, No. 1, page 3.)and is a much traveled instrument, having come from Australiaabout a dozen years ago. "The organ will play about 90% of thenotes and stops by hand, but not by the roll (player mechanism):'

Jim also reports that Larry Leonard of New Hampshirerecently found a Solo Orchestrelle with 116 note tracker bar, StyleXW, Serial Number 8974, date unknown. This instrument is ina mahogany case.

Stops: L-R

16' Bourdon Bass (p)S' CornopeanS' Euphone4' Principal4' DolceS' Aeolian HarpS' Violina (dra\lls 4 & opens a flap)S' French Hom16' Sub-Bass (0

Tempo

13 reeds[Set 11

213]4]5]

61

Aeolian Orchestrelle # 1832

ReRollVox Humana

S' GemshornS' Dolcissimo (draws 4 & opens a flapS' Aeolian HarpS' Salicional4' FluteS' HornS' Trumpet

Pneumatic to Manual

-120-

5]41312111

Order of the Reeds on the chest,top to bottom:Set 1 cornopean-Trumpet F4/5 Aeolian Harp/Dolce-Salicional .'3 Principal-flute -6 French Horn-Gemshom2 Euphone-Horn

THE ORCHESTRELLE continued -

Aeolian Orchestrell # 1832; dated: 10-16-'98; Signed: ; Pressure;6 sets of reeds &; 13 note 16': Slyle V; Red Oa.~ case: C compass/, 58 noles,break at #21 G # I'll A, below middle "C"

For amateur and virtuoso-idler and student-for the man of business who findsabsorption in music of his own making a glad relief from daily care-for the family atlarge and every member-for the club, the yacht, the lodge, the church-wherever

. music of the very highest class in every possible variety would be appreciated, thesplendid capabilities of the Orchestrelle have only to be understood to insure theinstrument a ready and a cordial acceptation. Wherever "...The toudles of sweetIulrmony" are most intelligently appreciated, the wonderful possibilities of the Orch­strelle have only to be demonstrated to meet with the most enthusiastic admiration.Visitors are cordially welcome.Orchestrelle-<ases are finished in mahogany, walnut, and oak. The instruments are alsomade to harmonize with interior decorations, special designs for which will besubmitted upon application.Orchestrelles range in price from $600 to $3,500, purchasable by moderate paymentswhen desired.Descriptive catalogues sent upon request.

THE AEOLIAN COMPANYAEOLIAN HALL

362 AFfH AVENUE, NEAR 34THE STREET, NEW YORK

Ad from Pease collection and Vestal Press

Aeolian Orchestrelle # 2644, Stops: L-R

Order of lhe Reeds on lhe chest, top to bottom:Set 1 Comopean-Trumpet

4 Orcheslral Flule-Orcheslral Flule6 &; 7 Aeolian Harp/Muled Strings/Viola-Violina5 Euphone-French Hom2 Bassoon-Oboe3 Flule-Piccolo

16'16'8'8'4'[8]8'8'8'8'

8'8'8'

Double Bass (0Contra BassComopeanBassoonFluleOrchestral FluteEuphoneViola (opens flap also)Aeolian HarpMUled Slrings (6, flap closed)TempoReRollMUled Strings (6, flap dosed)Aeolian HarpViolina

13 reeds

[Set 1]2)3)4]5]6)7)

7)6]

8'[8')[4']8'8'

French HomOrchestral FlulePiccoloOboeTrumpelPneumalic 10 ManualVox Humana

5)4J3]2)1]

Aeoll~n OrcheSlrelle # 2644; daled: 6-28 lQOl; signed: P.]. (?) Slurges. Pressure; 7 sets of reeds & 13 nole 16 '; C compass, 58 notes, notesbreak at #21 G # 22 A, below middle "C". Style --.,; Walnut case. A very tattered tag glued on top of the spoolbox reads: "The num­ber of this organ is: 2644. To enable us to act intelligently when wriling about this organ, please mention this above number. "

-121- ROS Rul/elin, Feb., 1988

QRS Autograph Roll Master List,Part Two: Some Highlights and Observations

By Rob Deland,.

I,

QRS Autograph Music Rolls were one of the first hand-playedroll series to be marketed, spanning from 1912 to 1927. Theyincluded (arguably) the widest and best choices of popular rollartists, and far more superior performances if just by sheer volumethan any other label at the time. The list ram compiling of popularrolls. is to be published in the AMICA Bulletin beginning inJanuary, 1989. It is approximately 35 pages long. Each page con­tains 75 listings with roll number, title, pianist, composer, and dateincluded with each listing.

The information has been taken from monthly bulletins andmore than fifteen different QRS catalogs and supplements, allcirca 1912-1927. There was not much to do beyond adding newtitles to the list as they came up; once the typographical errorsfrom these different sources were identified and eliminated, thebiggest challenge remaining was to identify release dates for therolls as closely as possible. I used three methods of dating therolls. First I used QRS monthly bulletins to date rolls by theactual month they were released. This was the preferred method,but ir. many cases, especially for the earlier rolls, no bulletins wereavailable and I had to rely on other means. My second methodwas to seek copyright dates from outside references, such asJasen & Tichenor's Rags and Ragtime book which covers cakewalks, classic ragtime, and later novelty rags. My third methodwas to use the date when the title in question was known to bepopular; that information was almost exclusively culled fromRoger Kinkle's excellent Complete Catalog of Popular Music andJazz 1900 - 1950 which gives a year-by-year listing of Broadwayshows and popular songs, plus a list of representative recordingsfrom each year. The latter two dating methods were useful, butof course the QRS rolls could have been released any time beforeor after the song was copyrighted or popular.

The list of approximately 570 missing popular titles appearson page 77 in the May/June 1988 issue of the AMICA Bulletin,and the list of roughly 350 missing classical roll titles follows thisarticle. After the first part of this article was completed, I acquiredseven QRS Autograph monthly bulletins from 1912 which ac­counted for over twenty missing titles, mostly from the 200,000series and including everything from 200,001 to 200,045 (at thispoint, finding any missing titles is a minor miracle, so this wasvery significant). Those AMICAns who have been good enoughto look through their collectiqns have added yet another halfdozen titles so far.

QRS bulletins were being issued monthly by 1915. However,in 1912 the classical rolls were listed in bulletins issued on thefirst of the month, and popular rolls were listed in separatebulletins issued in the middle of the month! From the previousparagraph it is clear that a few key monthly bulletins could fillin many more blanks in the master list and save a lot of troublelooking through entire roll collections for sPecific numbers. Ifanyone knows of any other QRS monthly roll bulletins issuedbetween January, 1912 (or earlier?) and November, 1916 it couldbe crucial to this project and I would be most interested in see­ing them. I would be happy to trade photocopies of any of mybulletins with anyone who can find additional bulletins still miss­ing from my list (l would also be happy to donate copies of allcatalogs, supplements and monthly bulletins to the AMICA ar­chives if there is any interest - my goal in all of this is to shareas much information as possible to everyone's benefit). Follow-

...

ing is a list of all QRS monthly bulletins from 1912 to 1927 thatI have copies of so far:

(note: format is YEAR: MONTH except 1912, when multi­ple bulletins per month necessitate a YEAR: MONTH-DATEformat)

1912: 7-1, 7-15, 8-15, 9-1, 9-20, 10-1, 11-11915: Oct. (incl. July & Sept.)1916: 6, 7, 11, 121917: 1-8, 10, 111918: 1, 3, 4, 6-121919: 1-12 (Complete)1920: 1-12 (Complete)1921: 1-12 (Complete)1922: 1-6,8-121923: 1, 2; portions of 3, 4, 7, 9, 121924: 8-11, portions of 3,7,8, 121925: 4, 8, 11; portions of 2,6, 121926: 7, 8; portions of 31927: 6

A copy of the August 15,1912 bulletin is included with thisarticle. These "popular" bulletins from 1912 are very unusual, withred ink used to emphasize the cover page. Notice that there areonly three such popular bulletins listed above, and that they are ._the only ones known to exist - at least that is the case with 7all the collectors I have contacted; has anyone out there seen anyothers? There must be at least one more laying aroundsomewhere...

A few general observations have become evident as this listreaches completion. There appears to be a core of "house artists"which made most of the rolls. This core is predominated by FelixArndt, Phil Goldberg, Hans Hanke, Max Kortlander, Roy D. Lower,Richard Merton, Phil Ohman, Lee S. Roberts, Ferdinand Steindel,Charley Straight, Madame Theodora Sturkow-Ryder, and PeteWendling. Several pseudonyms were apparently used, but theyremain undocumented (with the exception of Stanford Robar ­see below). Many of the later classical rolls also were played byHoward Brockway, Rudolf Friml, and Marguerite Volavy.

The 90,000 series wasn't just "light classics" as I stated inthe previous article. The rolls are either Broadway show tuneswhich included references on the roll label to the shows thatfeatured them, or "favorite strains" from Faust (roll 90020), orfrom other operas such as Carmen, The Mikadq Aida, LaBoheme, and so on. Siegmund's Love Song from "Die Walkure"(90182) begins an almost exclusive series of rolls played byHoward Brockway which leads all the way to the last roll in the90,000 series, Minuette from Don Giovanni (90229).

Apparently some sort of deal was worked out between QRSand Ampico after November 1918 and before April, 1922 whenthis "Brockway marathon" began. There are also over 50 rolls 7'"'

by Marguerite Volavy: from Loreley (80808) released after':September, 1919 to Romance d~mour (81190) releasedsometime before August, 1924. In all there are 45 artists whoappeared in the QRS Autograph (either classical or popular) serieswho made rolls for either Duo-Art or Ampico.

continued -

QRS Autograph Roll Master List, continued ­

Now that the list is near completion, we can also scrutinizeit to see how many rolls some of the superior popular roll artists

. recorded for QRS (this list emphasizes ragtime pieces in,) particular).

In alphabetical order, I found the following: George Blissrecorded three rolls, including his compositions That Blissful Rag(100110) and Spoofing (100199); Blind Boone recorded sevenrolls, including his Rag Medley No. 2 (200142); AxelChristensen, the noted "dean" of tum-of-the-century rag timeschools 1 recorded two rolls of his own compositions: CauldronRaff (100005) and La Reine Annette - A Ragtime Waltz(100011). Zez Confrey recorded three rolls, all his own com­positions;Phil Dahm recorded seven rolls, including The GoofyRag (100026), The Opera Rag (200152), The Ragtime JockeyMan (100028), and Ragtime Soldier Man (200105)3; Seger Ellisrecorded his composition Texas Wail Blues (101061)4; RaymondFagan recorded his tune Rag-Bag (200290)5.

Don Heath recorded three rolls, including his compositionRag-Rag-Rag (200065)6; Fred Heitman recorded two of hiscompositions, CheWing the Rag (200292) and Clover BlossomRag (100062). E.W. Hille recorded his own Rubber Heels Rag(100022); Harry Jentes recorded his compositions BantamStep (100340) and The Cat's Pajamas (101023); James P.Johnson recorded four rolls, all his own compositions: CarolinaShout (100999), Eccentricity (101000), Harlem Strut (101014) andRunning Wild Medley (101027)1. Nat Johnson recorded his ownCalico Rag (100193); C.C. Jones recorded six rolls, includingfour Irving Berlin compositions and Ramshackle Rag (100016);Max Kortlander recorded 112 rolls (!) including dozens of very

,/ interesting rags and blues. Four of his rags are especially desirablebecause they were never copyrighted or published, which means

. they exist only as piano rolls. These four are Funeral Rag(100306), Hunting the Ball Rag (100470), Let's Try It (100660)and Lil' Joe (100706)8. Pierre La Fontaine recorded four rolls,including Swanee Ripple Rag (10<X>48); Riley McCowanrecorded two very early rolls, The Oceana Roll (100003) andDahomean Queen Rag (100004); Ed Pirsell recorded sevenrolls, including Cannon Ball Rag (100058) and his own The RealStuff - The Medley Rag (200262) and Right Off the Griddle Rag(200282); Robert E. Redgate recorded six rolls, includingBohemia Rag (100015).

Stanford Robar was an alias of Lee S. Roberts (guesswhat the US" in "Lee S. Roberts" stands for? That's right - Stan­ford!) under which 24 rolls were recorded, including Wild Cher­ries Rag (100030)9, Bits of Rags (200028), Junk Man Rag(100063), 1915 Rag (100020), Soft Pedal Rag (100017), and ThatDaffydill Rag (100013). Lee S. Roberts recorded over 140popular rolls under his own name, most of which were salon orballad types which hold little appeal for today's collectors. Theonly known "hot" rolls he recorded under his own name are hisown compositions Just a Rag (100008) and You're On (100364)

J. Russel Robinson recorded only one QRS Autographroll, the excellent Dixieland Jass Band One Step (100800);

. Wickersham Sanders10 is an unknown who also recordedonly one known piano roll, Original Blues (200395) which was

./ based on Stephen Foster's Old Black Joe. Phil Schwartzrecorded 38 rolls, including several rags: The Boogie Man Rag(1000191, Miss Cutey Rag (100018), Rag Medley (100075), Rag­gin'the Old Virginia Reel (200063), Ragging the Nursery Rhymes(200339), Ragtime Echoes (100068), and Ragtime Jim (100069)11.

David H. Silverman was a band leader in St. Louis whorecorded three of his own compositions around 1912 or 1913:The Bushwah Trot (Much Hot Stuff) (100103), The Tango Girl(100097) and That Hand Played Rag (100107)12. FerdinandSteindel is another prolific QRS Autograph roll artist, havingmade 34 rolls, including many "One Step Medley(s) for Dancing"which apparently comprised shortened versions of single-tunereleases. In a few cases these medley rolls are known to be verylong and may include nearly complete versions of their individualtitles. Two of Steindel's rolls are rags: Chanticleer Rag (100140)and Popularity Rag (100145).

The next name in the alphabetical "pianist" list is CharleyStraight, who made at least 112 Autograph rolls. Straight's rollsare consistently some of the best of the popular rolls releasedduring this period. Among the highlights are the following Straightcompositions which are listed in Hasse's book as being unpublish­ed: Black Jack Rag (100705), Itsit (100600), Lazy Bones(100500), Mitinice (100475), Out Steppin' (100650), Playmor(100571), S'more (100409), Try Me (100406), and Universal Rag(100801).

Egbert Van Alstyne made 16 Autograph rolls, all his owncompositions and including Hold Up Rag (100038) and JamaicaJinger Rag (100036); Jeff Watters, half of the popular duo Scott& Watters, recorded one solo Autograph roll, An OperaticNightmare-Desecration No. 2 (100482); Harold Weberrecorded five rolls, including Long Lost Blues (100256) and Rag­ging the Scale (100263).

Pete Wendling recorded 34 Autograph rolls. Like CharleyStraight, many of Wendling's rolls are simply good, hot ar­rangements of standard pop songs. There are several blues, foxtrots and one-steps; one highlight is an excellent medley fromEubie Blake's Shuffle Along (200505)13. And finally, Maurice(Roy) Wetzel recorded one roll, his composition Fireworks(100251) (Mr. Wetzel is an honorary AMICAn who still lives inthe Chicago area).

The list of missing numbers from the classical roll series(80,000; 90,000; and 500,000) are listed at the end of this arti­cle. If anyone can identify titles for any of the listed numbers Iwould appreciate hearing from you (please send correspondenceto Robert Deland, 240 N. Ashland Ave., Palatine, IL 60067).Again, the numerical list of missing titles for popular rolls is onpage 77 of the last issue. And many thanks to all who have takenthe time to respond to the first list.

1 See chapter seven of Blesh & Janis' They All Played Ragtimefor a fascinating account of ragtime schools in America and ofAxel Christensen's involvement in particular.

2 This roll has not turned up for collectors today. If anyone comesacross it, the author would be very interested in buying, recut­ting or even just taping it. If nothing else, he would just be gladto know it still exists!

3 Only Ragtime Soldier Man has turned up; the other three arealso still "at large" !

4 (See footnote No 2)

contjnued -

-123-

5 AMICAn Alan Mueller wrote an interesting tale about Faganin the April, 1972 AMICA bulletin (Vol. 9, No. 4, page 8) whichincludes the following:

"About ten years ago I worked at a music store and this manworked there also as a piano salesman. I asked him if he hadever made piano rolls and he said no - but then he thought aminute and said ,that yes, he'd made one many years ago inChicago. I astounded him by mentioning I had a copy of it, andI brought it in and played it for him.

He told me he had been visiting in Chicago and had a friendwho worked at QRS. He went to see the operation one day andthe friend mentioned to someone that Mr. Fagan was a pianistwho had composed a rag-song. Before he knew it, he was seatedat the recording piano and was recording his composition. Heclaimed he never heard the finished roll or received anything fromthe roll's issue." '

This is one of the most insightful references the author hascome across regarding the early days of QRS and hand-playedrecordings. The roll would have been issued around 1913.

6 (See footnote 2)

7 James P. is too important of a composer and pianist not to saymore about him - his rolls were the main reason the author

, started this project! None other than Duke Ellington claims helearned to play Carolina Shout by playing the roll over and againuntil he could play it - see his autobiography Music Is MyMistress for accounts of this and how he played the song for thecomposer at a conceit in Washington, DC. after learning to playit from the piano roll! Johnson also made acoustic recordings ofHarlem Strut and Carolina Shout in 1921, the same year theserolls were released. The acoustic recordings compare veryfavorably to the piano rolls and attest to the accuracy of the QRSrecording process.

8 A complete list of unpublished rags issued on piano rolls ap­pears in Ragtime: Its History, Composers, and Music, edited byJohn Hasse. This book is one of the finest references availableon ragtime and is highly recommended. It consists of severalseparate articles on ragtime which are all very readable and in- {teresting. Of special note is the chapter Ragtime on Piano Rolls 'which was written by Mike Montgomery, Trebor Tichenor' andJohn Hasse.

9 (See footnote 2)

10 Next to nothing is known about Sanders. The only referenceto him I was able to find is a list of contestants in a ragtime con­test poster which was reprinted in Blesh's They All Played Ragtime(thank you, Messrs. Himpls and Montgomery). On the next-to­last page of photos before page 181 you can see his name listedfifth in the first column. You will also find at least one more pianoroll artist listed - Clarence Jones - as well as Jelly Roll Mor­ton's idol, Tony Jackson, who is best known for his compositionPretty Baby.

11 The Boogie Man Rag, Rag Medley, Raggin'the Old Virginia Reel,and Ragging the Nursery Rhymes have not yet turned up; seefootnote 2.

12 That Hand Played Rag is particularly interesting for severalreasons: first because it is an excellent composer - played rag,but also because it appears to be the only rag or piano roll writ­ten which commemorates the advent of the hand-played musicroll! The sheet music for That Hand Played Rag appears in TreborTichenor's Ragtime Rediscoveries folio, and features photos ofthe composers on the cover and the depiction of a piano roll be­ing played (the other two Silverman rolls are still undiscovered;see footnote 2).

13 This roll is also the last roll issued in the 200,<XlO series, itis listed in the QRS monthly bulletin for April, 1922.

A Monthly Bulletin of

Autograph Hand-PlayedMusic Rolls

De.otcd Escl...ively to Lat. Popular Hit.

On Sale Au~. IS. 1912

Q. R. S. COMPANY"MAKERS OF MUSIC"

Fine An. BId,.. CHICAGO

For e ••• by

...

AUTOGRAPH HAND-PLAYED 88 NOTE MUSIC ROLLS

Compo.ition. Played by Phil Sc!"varlz

No. PriceIlJOOlU Bootie Mara Rae. The•.....••...•..•.Sherman $1.00

Key of EiJPJap:ll by Phil Schw;lrtz

~'••">1 C.ddl. Up ••d Cli.lto M " Mi,,'shilO 1.00l'ey Hf ....Playetl by Phil Schwartz

~'M"t\JI How Do You DoMissR.ttimc? ..... Ilir!'l"!l 1.00I-::cy 'If I"IJlayt."tl by Phil N:hwartz

:!uUI,rJ How Would You Like 10 M..ke Love t.)Ie? ••.•...•••.........~ Cit:o. l:hristic 1.00I\C\' of H~Pla)'c<1 by Phil Schwartz

~M");S7' I Love. Lov•.••••..............••Chas. Gebf~9t 1.00"'rom 'fhe Kt:d WiduwK.y 01 A~

PI"yed by Phil SchwartzH.'UI~ lllia C.toy R l'hil Schwartz 1.00

Key of FPlay.<1 bv th~ Compo..r

lMkI3D 1(,.. Little renia. Roae..Anatol Friedland 1.00From A Pe~ian liardenKc\' uf F;;:1'I,iyc<1 by Phil Schwartz

~OUWI Till rh. 5.ads.f tb. Duert Grow Cold.................................Erne.t R. Ball 1.00l'\,.'v uf Ii;. nlinorP'a\'e<f by Phil Schwartz

tlUltl/ T.rIli'k P.trol Phil Schwartz 1.75IntLrmeno. Ke\· of B minorPlayed by th~ COlDflO""r

2tJOOllO EIe..tor III.., T Irving Berlin LOOI' ;oillK Up) I.:er of EPl")'e<f b)' C. c. Jones

2_ Fiddl. D•••IlM __ lrv!ag BerliD 1.00~ey or E,1'1"yed by C. c. JoDe.

2UU\l.i2 a...,. Lo ,••••••••Stanford Rohar 1.00I.:eyol IJ~

Pla)e<f by the Compoeer

-124-

AUTOGRAPH HAND-PLAYED 88 NOTE IIIUSIC ROLLS

N.. Price200100 J JIliu Yo. MOlt at Twili.bl..........•Concy $1.00

"KeyufCI'laye" by Jerry Jarnal.';n

2f)Oto.1 L.ad M. t. Th.t B...tif.1 Ba.d••. ~•...•........•....••........•.. Irving Berlin 1.00Key of CI'layed ,by C, c. Jones

';,,'Oflfl!lM Let·, M.ke Love While the Mooa Shia...•:.....•....••............••••••••••••• Robinson 1.00Key of GPlayed by J.rry Jarnagin

~f100"'j JIlr. R.etim. WlriippoorwilL..•.•Lou Sien:rs 1,00Key of 8{,I'layed by Robl. E, Redgate

~)f.M"'.! Neat Saada, .t Hi••.................... Llo\"d 1.00Kev of U .Pli;ycd by Jerry Jan,a%in

~OOCl8U Oh You GirL.................. rnie Erdman 1.00Key of~:

PI"y.d by Rob.. E, Redgate2000911 o. I Beaalihl Hi....t Witll. • a..atil•• Girl

•..••...••••.•••.....•.....•••.•..•Gu. Ed",'ard~ 1.00Key ofGPlayed by Cha.o. A. Pierce

~lO:; a••ti.... Sold.... Jlaa.............................. 1.00Piay.d by Phil Uahm

tOOOO5 T.UIII. Tht T.. Lo.. JIe..................................Leo Friedman 1,00Key of Ilio1'1"yed by Robt. E. Redgate

·1,00~ Th.t 1II.1I0w 1II.lody,.•••••.Geo. W. MeyerKey of EPlaved hy Arthur E. Behim

!lOO8ll Two Lilli. Lo...................Roinhardt 1.00t'rom The Spring MaidKey 01 EPlayed by Harry Moore

801r.o V...piro WaIb.............................Coney 1,75Key of FPlayed by Jerry Jarnagin

'Ji1flO9O Wh.. I lII.t T.. Laot Ni.htla D.....od..............................__........Wiltiams 1.00Kev of E~

Played by J.....y J..ma~n'J/NJI4H Who I Walt, With T..... lbertl:umble 1.00

Key or CPlayed by Cha•. A, Pierce

QRS Autograph Roll Nos. Which Are Missing Titles

A • C D E F1 80000 80197 80367 81234 100U 11000162 80002 lt0199 80369 81244 90008 5000233 80003 80201 '03 70 81247 90009 500n334 80004 80203 80371 81248 80012 5000355 80006 80205 80373 81248 80016 5000378 80007 80207 80375 • 81250 80018 5000387 80008 80209 80377 81251 90018 5000418 80010 80210 80379 80024 500043

• 80011 80211 80381 "'u. 80025 5000451 0 80012 80213 80382 '11'7 80026 5000471 1 80013 80215 80384 .nd I.'., 80029 5000491 2 80015 80217 80385 80030 50001111 3 80016 80219 80387 90031 5000531 4 80017 80221 80389 90032 5000551 5 80018 80223 80391 90033 5000691 8 80019 80225 80393 90034 50007017 80020 80227 80395 90035 5000721 8 80021 80229 80397 90041 5000791 • 80022 80231 80399 90043 50008120 80024 80233 80401 90045 50008221 80025 80235 80403 90047 50008322 80026 80237 804'05 90049 50008923 80027 80239 60407 90051 50010124 80028 80241 80409 90053 50011125 80030 80243 80411 90055211 80034 80245 80413 90057 ,,'u.27 80038 80247 80415 90059 '0012'28 80039 80249 80417 90061 .nd I.'.,2. ·80040 80251 80419 9006330 80041 80253 80421 'OOU31 80042 80255 'DUZ 9006532 80043 80257 80423 9006733 80047 80259 80425 9006934 80055 80261 80427 9007135 80057 80263 80429 90073311 80061 80265 80431 . 9007537 80064 'DZ66 '043Z 9007738 80070 80267 80433 1007'3. '00'5 80269 80435 9007940 '001' 'DZ7D 80437 1001041 '00'6 80271 80439 9008142 80109 'DZ7Z 80441 IDOIZ43 80110 80273 80443 9008344 '0113 80275 80445 9008545 80118 80277 80447 90087411 80119 '027' 80449 9008947 80124 80279 80451 9009148 80125 80281 80453 '01374. '0133 '02'2 80455 '011'50 80142 80283 8045751 80143 80459 ,,'u.52 80144 flOZ'5 80461 1023053 801.51 'hrauah '0512 .nd I.'.r54 80153 '033' 8058955 80155 Inclu./nJ 80590

II 80157 'OIlS7 80159 80337 106048 80161 80339 '060'

• 80163 80341 '065'0 80165 80343 '06'41 80167 '0344 '06'62 80169 80345 '06113 80171 '034' '07214 80173 80347 807265 80175 80349 80727II 80177 80351 '07437 80179 80353 '07118 80181 80355 '07'3

• 80183 80357 '07'070 80185 80359 '0'0071 80187 80361 'tII2672 80189 80362 8123073 80191 80363 8123174 80193 80364 8123275 80195 80365 81233

6'4/88

GRAINGER TO LIVE AGAIN IN SCHAUMBURGDaily Courier-News April 15, 1988

A Review by Andrew Cottonaro

Contributed by· Jim Edwards

During that era, the two rivalfirms presented special concerts inwhich to exhibit their product,hoping to attract customers.

These were strictly profit­motivated ventures. Everybody ­conductor, musicians, soloist andeven the local music critic - waspaid in advance to sell the product.

Leopold Stowkowsi gave apiano roll concert in Philadelphiain 1918. In Chicago at OrchestraHall, conductor Eric De Lamarterand the Chicago Symphony gavea piano roll concert on Dec. 9,1918.

A few years later, probably in1923, Grainger cut the Tchaikov­sky first piano concerto forDuo-Art. This was heard at a con­cert in New York's Lewishon ;Stadium. On another occasion,Grainger served as conductor, ac­tually acompanying himself andhis own roll of the concerto

...

It is this roll that will be heard......." ....c...............--..... at the Symphonette concert. The

roll was never issued for sale toprivate individuals, and was onlyused for full concerts. As far ascan be determined, this roll has

not previously been heard in the greater Chicago area.

The Depression, the new process of electrical recording andthe radio qUickly ended the fad for reproducing pianos. The in­struments were consigned to junk shops and the rolls put instorage About 25 years ago, a fire in Duo-Art's Memphiswarehouse destroyed the originals.

Fortunately, there were duplicate copies in the company'sEnglish warehouses so these valuable performance mementoswere not totally lost.

Grainger will not be the only musical resurrection during theconcert. Reginald DeKoven, once one of America's most popularcomposers and now utterly forgotten, will be represented withtwo selections from his opera "Maid Marion." Some unfamiliarJohn Philip Sousa is also promised. More recognizable music from ~

Rossini, Mascagni, Dvorak and Mac Dowell will round out theprogram.

According to Edwards, thehistory of player and reproducingpianos can be traced back toJoseph Jacquard, an early 19thcentury textile manufacturer whoexperimented with perforatedpaper on his looms to facilitate theweaving of pattems on cloth. This technology which is inciden­tally also a forerunner of how a computer "reads" numerical code,was expanded and applied to different machines. In a piano, atracker bar was devised that could read the punched, paper rollsthat moved along by pneumatic force

The earliest examples - the true player pianos - requireda bit of user skill if the sound was to faithfully imitate a real per­formance In 1903, the German designer Edwin Welte perfecteda piano and roll so that discrete, musical dynamics also couldbe reproduced.

American entrepreneurs qUickly followed the lead set inGermany, and by 1910 the Ampico and Duo-Art Companies wereeach doing a brisk business. Serge Rachmaninov was the starfor Ampico Rudolph Ganz, long associated with music inChicago, was artistic advisor for Duo-Art and lured IgnacePaderewski to make rolls for his company.

THE CRAZE for such "reproducing," "recreating," or "perfor­ming" pianos reached a peak in about 1925. Grainger liked toexperiment and it was not long before he, too, was cutting rolls.

-126-

"It's a passion, a sickness, adisease, a fatal interest," said Ed­wards, in acknowledgement of hisown mania for player pianos androlls, and from whose collectionthe Grainger specimen is on loanfor the concert.

Percy Grainger, the eccentricEnglish composer and performer,died in 1961. Now 27 years later,he returns as guest piano soloistwith David Katz and the ElginSymphonette during their"Remembering Things Past"concert next Saturday at Schaum­burg's Prairie Center for the Arts.

Grainger's belated debut iscourtesy of Batavia resident JimEdwards. Edwards is a member ofAMICA - Automatic Musical In­struments Collectors Association- a worldwide network of

.enthusiasts who preserve anddocument mechanical, music­producing apparatus.

A letter from Gino Francesconi of Carnegie Hall's Archives'I' (shown below) requests our help in locating an old Ampico film.

The film was apparently shown at a Leo Ornstein and SymphonyOrchestra performance on May 4, 1922 but has sincedisappeared.

The film, entitled "IMORTALIZED", was billed as "a picturedrama which tells how Science came to the rescue of Art andproved to be the realization of a dream". A number of prominentpianists of the day appeared and performed in the film-play, as

Carnegie Hall Requests AMICA's Help in Locating Rare Ampico FilmAlf E. Werolin

did the inwntor of the Ampicq Charles Fuller Stoddard The 1922Carnegie Hall program is reproduced below.

This film would be a rare gem if it still exists. AMICAmembers are requested to provide whatever information they havewhich might lead to finding the film. Please write me if you haveany suggestions and I'll consolidate the replies and forward tothe Archives Section at Carnegie Hall. I'll also report back in alater issue of the Bulletin. Many thanks. (AI's address: 141 ElmStreet, #3, San Mateo, CA 94401. Telephone: (415) 343-7574)

CARNEGIE HAIL

18, 1988

-127-

Sincerely,~

.~ \

G1no France coni

Mr. Alf Werolin2230 Oakdale RoadHillsborough, CA 94010

Dear Ur. Werolin:

I received your address from Mr. Severo Ornstein in hopes thatyou can help me.

As of September 1986, Carnegie Hall began its first officialArchives. Unfortunately, because the hall never had a centralrepository for its collective memory, most of our memorabiliahas disappeared. It is my job to locate as much as possiblewithin the next two years as we are celebrating our centennialduring the 1990-91 season.

I have enclosed a copy of a Carnegie Hall House program whichI found about seven months ago. I was most intrigued and excitedabout this 'Ampico' film on this program and even more ~ex~ited to know that all these performers were captured on filmtogether.

The problem is this: I have not found one person who has everheard of this film. And believe me, I have looked. Most of thefilm archives acrosss the country have been of no help, try asthey might. It has been almost impossible to penetrate theworld of private film collectors. I have met ~l kinds ofcollectors since most of what I am searching~~ill probablybe in private hands. The most elusive of all, so far, have beenthe film collectors.

So, I thought I would try the Ampico wayl Have you ever heardof this film or know where I might go? There is a good chancethat it is destroyed but I can't really give up.

I would be most grateful for any information that you cansupply me with. Thank you for your time.

Gino FrancesconiArchivist

(212) 903·9629

April

The Camellie HallCorporation Archives

881 Sn<:nth AvenueNew York, NY 10019

with the aulstance of

X- O.....teJa. PlaDl.st

.... 8rmphoft)' Orcheeu&HuCQ IUeaenteld. CoDductor

JWSIC WEEKSgeel.! Pr8Iiea.t&t1oD

(Firat Um. In Ne.... York)Th. Amplco Film

"IMMORTAUZED"

PIlUI 110'1'10-~__ 1I0W .... _ the ......

.. Iktt 10 10l1li" MIlt. fa .... of an ...(IUlt rua) to TIIAT Edt. Do 110& ",., tobe&&: 7O'Ilr -elchbor to &II. IItzoMt,molUS 1. DRBNl(Al'. II'II'e eo-JM_

(;AltNEGIB HAT.J,~Thursday. M., 4th. at .. ,..~

PROGIlAJ(

I. Overture-u sa.kulllal." ...GoldmarkOreheotre

II. 'fa) Kluu.t Behubert(bl Irish Tun, trom Count,

Derry . • : .....••.... . Oralnll8rOrch••tra

lit. Lee P..ludeo ••••••••••••••••• LintOreheotre

INTERKISSION

GJ,neg{c Hall~ p, 0' , /I m

IV.-DDlORTALlZEDA. pJcture Drama wblc:h tells how Selence

cam. to th. racu. of Art and proYed. to•• th. neUzaUoll of a dream.

Tko r_ ID tbe PIqCIu>.-r Impeno_ II)'

- OruteiJl X- OruteiJl"Olp" Orute1D...•••.•.• Irma. Harrlaon.....pold QocIo....kT•••••Leopold GocIo_kTAnal' BodalltJ' ...•..•...Artur BoduJkJ'Ile<tbo\cl N.uer•••••••••• B.rthold Neuer""Iel Bachm&U1Dolr.Sercel _olr.

-A1mA Glucl<••••••••••••••••~.... GluckB_·Z1mbe1l.st••••••••Btnm 21mb&1l.stWI111aal 'rJaoraer••••••••W1111am ThorJlu

. Charill J'uU.. StocIcIud,Charlll J'u\l.r StocIcIu'4

Natloll&1 Srmpboll7 Oreheetra.NaUoll&1 SrmpllOll' Orehlltre

Ap-ma. ID _II lDelcleot&1 to til. plq:B4c1)' 8<0.... - Il_ Po....lI..AJul&.J'Ib111 - AIulreu d. 81.....1&~_der ......bert-Alul. SwlDb1Ull.A1lncl KIronteh . -Anlold Volp.~e1 PIutro -JIua Zueea

AIlcI Oth....

Jllelcl...t&1 Kula ArraDpd b,Huao a_o\cI

Pro4acUoa. Baum.er FIlm.

V.~DKIDor. tor Pl&Do

1'lnt~~~~.:~rao~,~~:lutelllperaoD&1 noontiDe for ch.Ampl...

BEWARE THE BUYERby Terry Smythe

"If any two men desire the same thing, which neverthelessthey cannot both enjoy, they become enemies." by Thomas Hob­bes, from his "LEVIATHAN"

Got a story to tell you; it's a true story, only the names havebeen changed to protect the guilty, the innocent, or whomever.What it sez is a classic tale of "Beware The Buyer" when youare making a purchase, even from a source you would ordinarilyhave a right to expect to be reputable and legal. Here's thesequence of events:

On Monday, 16 Nov 87, 1received a spontaneous phone callfrom the General Manager of a local storage house, local agentof a major north American van line, who expressed a proposalto me:

"I understand you have an interest in player pianos. If so,we have a player grand piano on our premises that appearsto have been abandoned. It's been here for many manyyears, and our efforts to determine ownership or origin havebeen unsuccessful, and we are arranging now to getclearance to dispose of it. Therefore, I am contacting severalpotential buyers, such as yourself, to advise of this situa­tion, and that the piano is now up for bids:'

At noon, 17 November, I visited the premises and attemp'ted to inspect the piano. It had been removed from storage, putup on its feet, and was available for viewing in the back of thewarehouse. Conditions were not favorable, principally becauseof inadequate lighting, but as best I could determine with a penlightflashlight, the piano could be described as follows:

• Grand piano, in natural wood finish, approx 5' to 5'6"

• Brand-Mason & Risch

• Serial 41906, making it approx 1912-1915 in age

• Foot pumped player piano, no apparent technical featuresof significance.

• Completeness uncertain, but appeared mostly so

• Case plain, with some carving on legs

• Matching bench missing

Based on what little I could determine on site, 1expresseda bid of $1,500 (Canadian $$) as is.

About 3 weeks later, I received another spontaneous phonecall from the General Manager, advising me that his Head Officehad cleared the disposal, and that 1was the successful bidder,and did I stili want it. I agreed to conclude the deal, and he directedme to pay for the piano in raw cash. Following this advice, I madeindependent arrangements for a professional piano mover to pickup the piano 8 Dec 87.

At noon, 8 Dec 87, I went to the storage company, met withthe General Manager, paid him the $1,500 in cash (1/1,000 &511(0), received a signed receipt (on Van Lines letterhead) for thepiano, and while he supervised, it was moved out shortly afterto my home by independent professional piano movers at myexpense.

In my home, where I could inspect the piano at my leisure,under brilliant lighting conditions, I determined that the piano wasin fact in far better condition than originally perceived, and ongeileral principles arranged with my insurance company to haveit added to my Named Perils Rider listing my collection ofautomatic musical instruments, for an additional $10 premium,for an estimated value of $12,000 in its present unrestored state.

In fact, the instrument is virtually flawless, the strings still /'gleam, the soundboard has no dust, not even hairline cracks ineither the soundboard or the bridges, entire exterior finish (mottledAfrican Mahogany) is clean, scratch free, check free, and grainpattem fully visible; and aU key tops are snow white original ivorieswith not even so much as a single hairline crack anywhere in them.Styling is Louis XV, with beautifully handcarved legs!

Of its total 75 year life, it bears all the characteristics of hav­ing been on its feet for likely less than 10 years! fm convincedthis piano (totally untouched) has been in covered storage forsome 50-60 years or perhaps even more, condition is startling!

Six weeks later, on Friday 4 Mar 88, I received a phone callfrom the General Manager, who was in a somewhat agitated state,who proceeded to tell me a story that his Head Office staff haduncovered the original owner, and determined the circumstancesof its arrival here in Winnipeg.

He then claimed it was in storage in Vancouver for some 10or so years, and was properly registered, billed, and paid for atthat time. Upon instructions from the then owner, it was shippedto Winnipeg for storage, with billing to a new consignee. He statedthat due to an oversight, no contact was ever made with the newconsignee, up to and including the present situation.

He now puts forth the situation that the piano is not minebecause it was never their's to dispose of, and now he wants toarrange to pick up the piano, put it back into storage, refund me,and save face. He sez he will "try to get it back for me': In themeantime, I am directed to cease and desist whatever work I am 7'

doing on it.

Unfortunately for them (and perhaps fortunate for me), 1hadstarted restoration of the player action almost immediately, andwhile I might eventually dedicate several hundred hours to thetask, the point of committed no-return was reached within thefirst 6 hours as I reduced it to basic stripped parts. It is highlyunlikely they could cope with a laundry basket full of misc parts,should worst case ultimately result.

Frankly, I do not wish to give up the piano, it's an incrediblefind! I entered into and fulfilled a contract with his company ingood faith. The General Manager is a professional in the businessof the care and protection of other people's personal possessions.

... I had the right to believe he had the authority to sell, and no causeto suspect that one day the question of ownership might surface.

They sought me out, I made a bid along with others, paidfor it in full, received no favours, moved it independently at myown additional expense, and have a receipt as evidence of mycontract.

From my viewpoint, I am the bona fide owner of the pianoat this time. If there is any future challenge, it will in my judge·ment be between the original owner and the storage companytotally independent of me, if in fact an "original owner" really didtum up at this terribly convenient moment.

Two weeks later, I got a phone call from the General Manager,who claimed he had spoken with his corporate lawyer, and theirconclusion was that the piano is not and never was mine because ~

the storage company never had the right to sell it. He tried once ~

again to persuade me to give up the piano and let them pick itup. I told him I believe the piano is rightfully mine, and that 1haveno wish to allow it to be removed from my premises.

continued -

-128-

Beware the Buyer continued -

Like a broken record, he kept repeating only that I had togive it back because it was not really mine, because it was notreally their's to sell. Compensation was only casually mentioned,

fA. principally in terms of reimbursement of the $1500 plus out-of­pocket expenses "for your time and trouble". He neither propos­ed nor invited any alternative considerations.

He asked me, "Well, what do you want me to do?" I respond­ed quite simply, "I cannot tell you what to do, and you know Ican't." He replied, "OK then, rll have to hand the matter over toour corporate lawyer, and you will likely hear from him in duecourse."

Received a letter 10 Mar 88 from corporate Legal Counselfor the major north American van line, stating:

1. ~ ..purported to sell me a piana.:'2. "...that you have refused to return the piana.."3. ~..if you do not...return the piano we shall commence a

court action..."

This action on their part is, I believe, fundamentally unfair ...and unethical. They took the initiative to sell the piano in the firstplace, they sought me out as a potential buyer, they accepted mybid, they sold me the piano, and now they are making me outas the bad guy.

As someone never before afflicted by any kind of legal ac­tion, I am monumentally offended by the application of what Iterm "legal terrorism" in a blatant attempt at intimidation; andthat the vendor's legal fees are a legitimate tax deductible businessexpense to be distributed among their customer base, while forme they are a substantial personal expense not admissible as a

~ deduction against my income.

,./ So what's their real motive? Why all this sudden agitationto undo a bad decision on their part? The matter should be atrest. However, considering that they now know they let a winnerslip through their fingers, it's certainly not difficult to speculateon a number of reasons why they are behaving in this manner:It was a simple matter to research our appropriate legislation here,and draft a response to their Legal Counsel, which essentially sezthey have no claim on me for reasons well defined in our Saleof Goods Act, and Limitations of Actions Act.

For whatever reason, perhaps nothing more profound thanthe mating dance called "business development", their LegalCounsel has seen fit to register a formal lawsuit (Statement ofClaim), and I have responded with a formal Statement of Defenceand my own counter suit. Fundamental issues:

1. The vendor initiated the action. They were the aggressors,they sought me out, invited me to bid along with others, declaredthey had the authority to sell, accepted my payment in full of anagreed price, and voluntarily surrendered the piano to me follow­ing payment.

2. Why raw cash? Why was sales tax not charged andcollected?

3. Vendor has changed story 3 times:

a. We have a piano here, abandoned many, many years .

b. We accepted this piano for storage 10 years ago, butfailed to advise client.

./ . c. Storage has been properly billed and paid for thesepast 10 years, but vendor has made a simple

•administrative error in not linking the payments withthe particular piana

4. Overall condition of the piano is consistent with the firststory. I estimate it was in use, or at very least on its feet for likelyless than 10 years of its total 75 year life.

5. Vendor now claims a defect in their right to sell, and thatan "original owner" has surfaced, and therefore demands the returnof the piana However, they have consistently failed to provideproof of the existence of this "original own~

6. The vendor has breached the implied warranty that I shallhave and enjoy quiet possession of this piano, as provided forin the Sale of Goods Act.

7. In reliance upon the validity of the purchase of this piano,I disposed of my previously prized Mason & Risch DuoArt, theinstrument that has served me so well in various public perfor­mances over the years. It would be imprudent and terribly inap­propriate for me to attempt to similarly recover it if I should suf­fer the loss of this new piana ,

8. It took them 6 weeks to advise me of their "error," but inthat time, it took me only 6 hours to reduce the player mechanismto a laundry basket full of parts, and destroy the old fabric, tub­ing, etc., therefore making it impossible to reassemble withoutgoing the full distance of complete restoration, thereby defeatingtheir declaration I am precluded from claiming damages forrestoration costs.

In response to my Statement of Defence and Counterclaim,their Legal Council has filed a Reply to Statement of Defence andDefence to Counterclaim, wherein they, except as expresslyadmitted, have denied each and every one of my allegations. Oneof those allegations is that the Plaintiff had consistently· failedto provide proof of alternate prior ownership. In this statement,they say they have done so, although in fact they have not.

Uncertain where the matter rests at the moment, althoughit now appears it may be dormant. If so, it can sit that way forup to two years, after which I may appeal to the court for"Dismissal For Want of Prosecution". In that time, it could be dif­ficult for me to dispose of the instrument should I choose to doso, because of this outstanding claim.

If the vendor wishes to pursue the matter still further, theywill likely now have to go to Court, where they risk damaging .public exposure. There is no question the media will pick up onthis incident and have a field day, and this major north Americanvan line will emerge as the bad guys and the losers.

For the purpose of shOWing the fun story of this incident, Ihave chosen to include "adjusted" copies of the relevant criticaldocuments. Makes for interesting reading, particularly I wouldthink for the lawyers in our Association. Question now is, "Whatcould or should I have done differently to prevent this offensiveand expensive course of action?" What are the lessons to be learn­ed here?

EDI70RS NOTE: Space did not permit including 17 pagesof legal documents related to this article. Those AMICAns of alegal bent may request copies by writing to the publisher.

Has anyone else eXperienced similar aggravation? How wasit resolved? Anybody have ideas and suggestions? If so, get intouch with me:Terry Smythe,55 Rowand Ave.,Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3J 2N6;(204) 832-3982 (voice-res),(204)945-6713 (voice-bus),(204) 832-4593 (Computer BBS system, 12/24/9600HST, 8N1)

-129-

A WINNER SURFACES! By Terry Smythe

In another article for this AMICA Bulletin (BEMIare the Buyer!), I:" hi' k b II d .I rt d fi eli d ., (t k I h I) 1912 M ror Its age, t e payer system IS remar a Iy we eSlgned.reJ>.O e , n ~g an acqumng 0 eep ope. ~ ason Significant features include: /'

& Risch 6 WUIS XV foot pumped player grand plano. The pur- . . .pose of.this article is to reveal a little bit about this unusual in- 1. Roll frame and stack are a Single Integrated assembly.·strument which is rapidly acquiring a colorful heritage. mounted above the keyboard in a location visually similar to a

h '. .. Duo-Art. However, the similarity ends there, 'cause the stack isW en I first saw the plano I~ a dark .comer of a large also located in the same area. Nicely designed, very well thought

warehouse, .1 had only a small penhgh~ flashhght, and as best. I out, whole assembly is held in place with only two scrEMIS, supercould examine, I made a successful bid, and only after I got It simple access.home and could examine it more closely under proper lighting . "did I realize I had acquired an incredible winner under most 2. S.tack IS a co~pact two-tier umt, full 88 note, and allunusual circumstances. pneumatics are fully adjustable as to travel, upper stop, and lower

The instrument is 76 years old, but it's like new! Everywhere stoP... .I look, there is clear evidence of something like 10 or fewer years 3. Single valve system, In the style of .the Stand~d action,of use, and that throughout its remaining 65 years of life, it has an? all valve surfaces clean, spotless, soft, phable, and tight. Thesebeen in proper, heated, covered, storage. Some considerations I dl~ no~ touch. A?solutely no. traces of animal hide glue fragmentsof condition, age and use: ordlnanly found In such actions.

1. Exterior finish is original, and untouched in any way. It 4. Original assembly was flawless. No surplus glue runs wereis mottled African Mahogany, and full grain pattern is still highly apparent. anywher~ all gasket~ cut to perfect fit, all screws in-visible, although generally, some normal darkening has started. stalled. Without .a Single 0!1e being.burred or brutalized, all screwThere are no scratches, bruises, dents, or any other damage of slots hned up hke neat httle soldiers on parade.any kind. 5. All screws throughout the system were still clean and

2. Sound board is clean, slight film of dust, and is totally free gleaming, including that portion embedded in the wood. No tracesof any suggestion of even so much as hairline cracks. Decal is of rust that one would ordinarily expect to find.

. flawless and still gleams in full color. 6. The only negative aspect of this piano is the big ugly drop3. Treble strings are all there, still clean and shiny. Bass strings box containing the full array of foot pedals, exhausters, and reser-

have started to bronze a little in their color, but are still clean and voirs that one would ordinarily expect to find in the bottom ofshiny. Black tuning pins are still tight and clean, with no scrat- a conventional player piano of that same era. Piano pedals pass-ches, abrasions, chips, etc. around the surface of the plate in this ed through the full depth of the box, and actuated trap-rods fromarea. And would you believe it is still very close to being in tune! the inside of the rear of the box.

4. Cast iron harp is remarkably clean, with no scratches, 7. Belly of the piano contained only the regulating unit forchips, abrasions, etc., that I would ordinarily expect. A slight film bass theme, treble theme, and soft. However, its beam construc- 7'of dust is found only on the top side of frame members, suppor- tion is clearly set up for possible installation of an electric motorting my belief it has been up on its side for seventy-seven years and rotary pump, although there are no predrilled mounting holesand properly covered. Underside of same frame members is for this purpose.spotless. 8. No clues of any kind as to who the manufacturer was of

5. All h~mers.are snow-white clean, with only min~r dents, the player action. All parts are quite standard, but their uniquetotally consistent With 10 or fewer years of actual use. Plano ac- assembly in this instrument has been exceedingly well thought out.

. tion still. fee~s ~nu~ and secure, .and shows no sign of dust ac- 9. Access to the upper player action is possible by totalcu~ula~lon In ItS Inner mechamsm or under the key, as would removal of a complete integrated shroud composed of the facade,ordlnanly be found. . . . . . roll access panels, and collapsible music rack. This complete

6.. Key top~ are gorgeous! All o?gmal snow-white IVones.are assembly was held in place by only three screws, and they show-there, Intact,. ~th absolutely no chips or scratches of any kind, ed signs of never having been touched-no marks, and all slotsnot even harrhne cracks! still neatly in-line.. ?Pedals are original brass, still clean, with little or no in- There are so many good things about this instrument, that

dlcatlon of wear. ... I felt compelled to share my thoughts and feelings. After all, how8. Casters and ferrules are original brass, still clean and shiny, often does a classic windfall like this come along? rve been in

with no traces of paste wax, liquid wax, or dirt of any kind. this avocation for nearly 20 years, and this is the first such event9. Inside of the two front legs do have some minor abrasions, to come my way. At least for me that is, as in the past I have

same height on both sides, too high for today's vacuum cleaner, found instruments for others that later turned out to be a wind-too low for a bench, but perhaps consistent with a carpet sweeper fall for them.or an early vacuum cleaner of that era. I frankly admit that rm sorely tempted to upgrade this in-

10. Player action note pneumatic fabric has the appearance strument into a full-up reproducer. I already have a complete AM-of being nEMI, with no firm creases or pin holes one would or- PICa A system, and a suitable wuis XV pedal lyre and benchdinarily expect. However, upon being touched, the fabric cracks are routinely available now. As it currently stands, its appearanceor shatters like super thin glass or thin celluloid, revealing all the is, I believe, degraded by the presence of that huge drop-box whichclear signs of ordinary age deterioration. is so simple to replace. I know there are some among us who

11. Tubing is similarly afflicted. It is all there, with only one ~l be dismayed ~y ~his p~o~sal, but rm hopeful there are othersor two broken tubes in the exposed underside. Everything else hke I who are Similarly Inchned and would support such anhas the visual appearance of being new, until touched, then it upgrade.shatters. In any case, this instrument is eminently suited to upgrade }'"

Upon reviEMI and analysis of overall condition, the inescapable into .~n ~MPICO. system~ and would .r~quire rela~ively littleconclusion is that this piano has not seen the light of day for modlflc~tI.on to do It. ~ertalnly the capablhty of restonng It backsomething like 60 or more years! Absolutely unbelievable! Clear- to an onglnal pumper IS ~sy ~o accommod~te, should any newly, it is a classic windfall, and 'tis no wonder at all that the storage owner at so~e ~nknown time In th~ future Wish to do so. I ratherhouse from whence I got it are trying desperately to retrieve it ~uspect I Will Yield to t.~e temptation, and ~o the upgrad~ .butthrough the courts, having let it inadvertently slip through their In s~ch a ~ay as to faclhtate reverse restoration back to onglnalfingers. configuration. Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

-130-

Left side of integrated action, spool box & tracker.

Side view of integrated action.Showing 2-tier action & wind motor.

Top side view - revealing remarkable cleanliness.

Right side of integrated action, spool box and wind motor.

Bottom view, showing theme & soft regulators, & beamstructure for rotary pump assy.

Music rack and upper action shroud.

....- .

Drop-box containingpedals, exhausters,reservoirs & traprods, etc.

Overview of the in­strument, showing itsLouis XV styling,minus its drop-box.

-131-

*******************************************************************

~GESELLSCHAFT FOR SELBSTSPIELENDE MUSIKINSTRUMENTE E.\/.

AMICAns INVITEDMay I announce an extraordinary event in the field of Mechanical Music in Germany.

For the firs~ time in more than half a century there will take place a concert event with compositionsfor mechanical musical instruments in Cologne in Germany, on the 15th of October 1988. There will befour performances on this day at 11:00 a.m., 3 p.m., 8:15 p.rn. and 10 p.rn. in the biggest Concert Hallof Cologne, the Philharmonie.

Compositions by Hindemith, Toch, Lopatnikoff and Haass will be performed on a Welte-Mignon-playerand several "Studies for Player Piano" from the famous contemporary American composer Conlon Nancar­row, who lives in Mexico and who will be present at the performance in Cologne. The "Studies for PlayerPiano" will be played by a Bosendorfer Ampico grand. On the program are also "live" - compositions fromCowell, Ligeti and Antheil (Ballet mecanique).

Last but not least the French Musician Pierre Charlal will play transcriptions of compositions from Ligetiand Xenakis on a barrel organ.

If you plan to join this event, please contact:Dr. Jurgen HockerPreSident, German Society for Mechanical Musical InstrumentsHeiligenstock 460-5060 Bergisch Gladbach 2

Tel. 01149 I 2202 41222

*******************************************************************

FATS WALLER AT THE ORGANL.P. Review by Emmett M. Ford

Thomas "Fats" Waller was born in New York City, May21,1904, and by the age of sixteen had written his first song,"Squeeze Me." He became famous with his talent for the Harlemstride piano, idoliZing James P. Johnson, who was Fats' teacher.

Fats' first work was playing the organ at the Lincoln Theatrein Harlem in the mid-20s, playing during the intermission betweenfilms. The pipe organ was a favorite instrument of Fats.

This Ip (MHS Stero 4937Y) features 14 tracks of piano rollsFats made between 1923 and 1927, transposed through a player­piano mechanism to play the magnificent Compton TheatreOrgan now in the studio of organist, Ronald Curtis, in Darcy Lever,Bolton.

The organ was originally installed in the Paramount Theatre,Liverpool. ·It was of four manuals and ten·ranks of pipes, laterenlarged to have extra pipes from various other Compton organsalong with a tibia rank from a Wurlitzer organ. A detailed storyof the arrangement to transpose the piano rolls through to theorgan is detailed in the Ip notes of Kevin Daly (1981).

It is astounding to hear the pipe organ repeating the pianorolls with various arrangements and stops and registrations. Thelp is available from Organ Literature Foundation, 45 Norfolk Rd.,Braintree, MA 02184, $9.50 plus postage.

32-

8·C-Th'l Mining Journal, MarqueHe, Michigan, Sunday, May 8, 1988

Saluting Irving BerlinOne of America's top composers turns 100

Editor's nole: Irving Berlin, America's IIesI.known but m061 private SOIIpriter. wrllS 100 thisweek. A diverse group of entertainers wl1ltakepart in a tribule to Berlin al Carnegie Hall. butdon't expect him to at/end. Except for occasionalstrolls, Berlin stays home, talking infrequenUywith his friends by re/ephone.

NEW YORK CAP) - Shortlybefore midnight on May 10, a smallgroup of carolers will gather in frontof a five-story brick mansion facing'the East River on New York's poshBeekman Place.

When the clock strikes 12, thisimpromptu glee club, led by compos·er and cabaret performer JohnWallowilch, will break into "HappyBirthday," followed b a chorus of"Always."

They will becelebrating at thedoorstep of theman who wrotethat haunting lovesong. IrvingBerlin, America'sbest-known - yetmost private ­songwriter turns100 on May 11,

. 1988.Just mention the

melodies Berlin BERLINwrote, and you'll start to sing:"White Christmas," "Easter Para­de," "God Bless America," "There'sNo Business Like Show Business,""Alexander's Ragtime Band," "APretty Girl Is Like a Melody,""Pullin' on the Ritz," "Blue Skies,""How Deep is the Ocean?," "Cheekto Cheek," to name a few.

Wallowitch's Berlin salute, anannual celebration he began morethan 20 years ago and which heusually holds at 6 p.m. on ChristmasEve, may be the most personaltribute to Berlin this year.

"They have been devastatinglyemotional experiences," says Wallo·witch, an unabashed Berlin fan wholives down the street and around thecorner from the composer.

But the only festivity officiallyrecognized by the songwriter will bea Carnegie Hall salute on May 11held in connection with ASCAP, theAmerican Society of Composers,Authors and Publishers. Berlin is acharter member of the organization- founded· in 1914 - that licensesmusic for public performance.

The. collection of diverse perfor·mers expected to appear at the ~alaincludes Frank Sinatra, WillieNelson, Jerome Robbins, WallerCronkite, Isaac Stern, Ray Charlesand Garrison Keillor. It will be tapedby CBS for a television special laterin the month.

Don't expect an appearance by themaster. Berlin is passionate abouthis privacy. Except for short walksaround Beekman Place when theweather is warm, Berlin never isseen in public. On his infrequentstrolls through the tranquil, tree-

lined neighborhood, he usually isaccompanied by a young woman or adoorman from a nearby building.

Call the Irving Berlin Music Corp.and ask for an interview with theboss. You'll get Hilda SChneider,Berlin's longtime secretary. She ispolite and friendly but adamant indeclining interviews for heremployer.

'.'I'm sorry I can't be more encour­aging," the woman says. "If we doone, we'd have to do them all. It's allin the record. You can look it up."

And the record is prelly impress­ive: some 1,500 songs that span theworlds of theater, movies and popu­lar music. No other composer canmatch that record.

For the stage, Berlin wrote "AnnieGet Your Gun" and more than adozen other Broadway shows. His

-movies include several Fred Astaire­Gin~er Rogers classics such as "TopHat' and "Follow the Fleet." Hispop hits, those songs not wrillen forany particular stage show or film,include such standaros as "Remem­ber" and "All Alone."

What makes his music so great?"His songs have the sophistication

of simplicity," says' Morlon Gould,president of ASCAP.

"He also expresses universaltruths," Gould adds. "If you look athis song tilles and listen to his music,he expresses emotions that humanbeings would. like to experience.Most people want blue 'skies. Theywant the equivalent of while Christ·mases or the whole idea of what'Easter Parade' evokes. And most ofus don't want to be all alone by thetelephone. He says it directly andyou feel it."

Ironically, the telephone is howBerlin communicates with theoutside world today. When he wantsto talk, he calls. The songwriter has asmall circle of telephone friends,people he dials when he has some­thing on his mind. Gould is one suchlistener.

"He will just call," Gould says."His liaison will say, 'Mr. Berlinwould like to talk to' you.' When thathappens, you drop everything andpick up the phone. It's a wonderfulthing. He has a keen mind, and he'sright on top of everything,"

Another member of this selecttelephone circle is Stanley Green, amusical comedy historian andauthor of several books about theBroadway musical. GreenJast spoketo Berlin when Fred Astaire died lastyear. Berlin called Green to expresshis regret about the passing of a manhe admired very much.

Most of Berlin's contemporariesare dead. He's the last of the greatmusical comedy composers, a panth­eon that once included GeorgeGershwin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porlerand Richard Rodgers. Of his theaterconlemporaries, only director

-133-

George Abbott, who turns 101 inJune, survives.

Berlin, born Israel Baline inRussia, came to the United States atthe age of 2. His family settled onNew York's Lower East Side where,as a young boy, Berlin got jobssinging on the Bower)'. He worked assQng plugger and a smging waiter ata Chinatown cafe. It was there thathe learned to play the piano, labori­ously picking out, tunes with onefinger. This self-taught musicianwrites the same way. .

'It's an incredible catalog this manhas achieved with no formal educa­tion as well as no musical educa­tion," Green says. "And to be able towrite music AND lyrics."

For alI his success, Berlin is aloner, a man very much aware·of hishumble origins. His first wife,Dorothy, died from typhoid feverless than a year after they, weremarried.

In 1926, Berlin married his secondwife, EIlin Mackay, the daughter of awealthy and socially prominentbusinessman, Clarence Mackay, thepresident of a commercial telegraphcompany. She eloped with Berlinover her Catholic father's objectionsand the marriage was front-pagenews all over the country.

In the more than 60 years theyhave been married, Berlin has kepthis wife and his three daughters outof the public eye.

Berhn is the only major songWriterwho never had a film biography likeCole Porter's "Night and Day,"Geor~e Gershwin's "Rhapsody inBlue, 'Sigmund Romberg's "Deep inMy Heart" or Rod~el's and Hart's"Words and Music.'

Coupled with his desire for privacywas Berlin's shrewd businessinstincts. In the early 19205, he andtwo partners built the Music BoxTheater to showcase his musicalrevues. He and the Shubert Organi­zation still own it.

In alI his years of serenadingBerlin, Wallowitch finally wasinvited into the Berlin home nearlyfive Christmas Eves ago after achorus of "White Christmas." On animpulse, he rang the doorbell. Amaid answered the door and he andhis fellow singers were taken into thekitc.hen.

There they were greeted by Berlinhimself, wearing a bathrobe andslippers. The composer hugged themen, kissed the women and toldthem, "That's the nicest Christmaspresent I've ever had."

Every day, Wallowilch walks hisdog Winnie around Beekman Placeand oflen wonders what is going oninside the big house now.

"I keel? holding on to the idea thatthe man IS not aliowing himself to bebored and is stili writing," WalIa­witch says. "God, I hO{>e it's true."

ADAM· CARROLL'S RECOLLECTIONS - Edited by Richard J. Howe

>~..

-/

(Truer words have never been spoken, say I, A.c.)

(NOTE: Most people throughout the United States, afterhearing the Whiteman orchestra perform the "Rhapsody in Blue,"said "the E-major theme!")

The late Victor Herbert was right when he said, "I likeAmericans because they enjoy and appreciate melody and I'mhappy to write it for them:'

- PART THREE OF A SERIES

Vincent Youmans, truly one of America's finest composers, recorded for Ampico. The composerof "Without a Song;' "Tea for Two," "I Want to be Happy;' "Oh Me, Oh My!" and so many other songswas a diffident young man in those happy days who played the piano in one key only, G flat. Whileplaying, Youmans always whistled the tune and his piano accompaniments were superb! He had theknack of employing gorgeous harmonies and the result was "out of this world!" Naturally, when record­ing for .Ampicohe had to "stick to the melody" which he did, and you'll find that all of his rolls weremagnificent.

Vince, may God have mercy upon him, was to die young after suffering from a tubercular disease.It was my good fortune to meet him about three years before his demise. He was most interestingand played piano just gorgeously. Before his death, Vinnie, as he was known, came to our studioto.play what was to be his last recording. I was in the recording room as he played and never haveI heard such beautiful harmonies and dynamic phrasing as he displayed that afternoon. We had becomechummy and after recording, he'd always come to my room where we'd have a chat. This day I notic­ed that Vinnie looked pale and I said to him, "Vinnie, don't you feel well?" He replied, "Adam, I justam not up to snuff and don't feel good:' "Too bad;' I said, "l-lere's hoping that you'll feel better realsoon." After our chat, Vinnie departed saying, "I'll be seein' you, Adam, so long."

A few weeks later I heard that he was drinking, something if used in the Ampico recording, would prove rather mechanical.which I knew was unusual for him. One night shortly thereafter This was something I always endeavored to avoid. Finally, afterI saw Vinnie at the St. Regis Hotel roof garden, where Vincent carefully examining various possible methods of presenting anLopez was performing with his orchestra. I hardly recognized him. effective recording, I decided to feature the "E major theme," whichHe was intoxicated and morbid. Approaching him I asked, "Vin- is now world-famous, and "sell" the melody (a credo with me).nie, what are you doing to yourself - you can't win drinking your Hence, into rehearsal I went. After a day or so, I told Del thathead off!" He mumbled, "OK Adam, don't worry about me, I'll I would like to have him hear what I had arranged. He said, "Comebe all righf' I told Lopez that we'd have to see to it Vinnie got on, let's hear if' I played my version of therhapsody and Del flip-home safely to Yonkers. We arranged to send him home in a taxLped, saying "OK by me, record if' I did and was gratified at theThat was the last time I was to see this talented lad alive. Several amazing success the recording achieved.weeks later, I learned of his death. He died in a hospital in Denver,Colorado, where he had been taking treatments for tuberculosis.Yes, Vincent Youmans, like Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, SigmundRomberg and George Gershwin, will be remembered by the splen­did music he left behind him which, in our beloved America, shallalways be cherished.

George Gershwin wrote his "Rhapsody in Blue" in 1924. Oneday, Del summoned me to his office and said: "Adam, Gershwin's"Rhapsody in Blue" is a national sensation and we must recordit. I'd like to have Gershwin himself play it for us. I know you're I was asked to appear as soloist at the Allen Theatre inacquainted with him and I want you to make contact and 'feel Cleveland, Ohio, with Angelo Spitalny directing the pit orchestra.him out' about the idea:' "OK Del;' I responded, "I know George, After consulting with Del, and getting his permission, I consentedhis sis, his brothers Ira and Arthur and Rosie, his mother. Sure, with the provision that I could perform "Rhapsody in Blue" in con-Del, I'll contact him." Iarranged a luncheon date with George, who junction with my Ampico recording. Their answer was "Yes!" Thus,was always. smiling and smoking a .cigar. During" lunch I co~- the sponsors, the Maitland Piano Company, proVided a beautifulgratulated hIm upon the success of hIS marvelous Rhapsody In Knabe Ampico Grand which was to be used on stage. I had withBlue:' Then, finally, I popped the question saying, "George, we me, upon arrival in Cleveland, a 'special-cut' of my Ampico rhap-at Ampico would like very much to have you record your "Rhap- sody recording, and proceeded to rehearse with Spitalny and thesody in Blue" for us, I'm sure proper arrangements can be made orchestra. The Ampico was placed on stage center. I had anassis-if we can have your consent. How about it?" He replied, "Adam, tant off stage who would push one button to start the AmpicoI would like to play my rhapsody for your Ampico organization and another to stop it. I also got permission from Ferde Grofe'but I'm committed, and more or less indebted to the Duo-Art outfit to use the same orchestration that Gershwin used in his debutsince I've played a few recordings for them and they've been so of the rhapsody with Whiteman at Aeolian Hall in New York Ci-kind to me. Frankly, I've already consented to record my rhap- ty. Thus, fully equipped I was prepared for my week's stay at thesody for them:' I dejectedly replied, "I understand, George, here's Allen Theatre.Wishing you continued success:' After thanking me for the " "I h h 'd db and de a ted The act, as presented, was as follows. The orchestra open-unc eon e sal goo ye p r . . . .

, ed WIth a clannet solo and I'd make my entrance from stage-nght,The next day I broke the sad news to Del, who said, "Too wearing tails, high hat and a carnation. Removing my hat, I'd hang.,.-?

bad, but that's that!" After a moment of silence he shouted, "Wait it on a costumer which was downstage-right. Nearby was a ;a minute, Adam! How about you recording the rhapsody? After beautiful table with a phone placed upon it. On stage, I'd playall, you were with Whiteman and that makes you my next logical the introduction to the "E major" theme and then add a long arpeg-choice since we can't have Gershwin. Get 'up' on it just as soon gio. This was the cue for my man to push the "on" button. I couldas you can, and record it!" Happy at what I had just heard, I im- hear the "click" as the Ampico started and played my "E major"mediately scanned the piano and orchestra scores. I found that section of the recording. Immediately I'd stand up from the pianomost of the piano passages required orchestral background which, and the audience applauded as I walked down stage near the

-134-

footlights. I would take from my coat pocket a beautiful silvercigarette case, remove from it a cigarette, light it with a handsomesilver lighter, and smoke the cigarette as the Ampico continued.About fifteen seconds later I would move toward the table, which

.-. was the cue for the telephone to ring, douse the cigarette andanswer the phone, "Sotto Vocal" Hanging up the receiver, I'd pro­ceed back to the piano in time for my next passage. Meanwhile,when my man off stage spotted me seated, he knew that thiswas the cue to push the "stop" button. Then I'd resume playingwith the orchestra to the conclusion of the rhapsody. The spon­taneous applause was most gratifying and I would have to takeseveral bows.

As aforestated, I played a week at the Allen Theatre, a pic­ture house. As a result the Maitland Piano dealers received manyinquiries about the Ampico that eventually resulted in sales. Thus,my stint at the Allen proved successful. Following this engage­ment, I received many offers to play the "act." There was one reallyfine offer to play one of the "top" picture houses in our largestcities. Financially, it was too good an offer to not at least con­sider. After mulling over the situation I deemed it best to wireDel in New York and inform him of the offer and ask his advice.I sent him a night letter which included the details, and the nextday I waited impatiently for the answer. A telegram finally cameand nervously, I opened it and read it. I'll never forget the con­tents of that wire which contained but one word - "NO!" Natural­ly, I was disappointed but in a flash I could commend his deci­sion! The Ampico and the respect he had for it was all explainedin just one single word, "No!" No doubt his decision was not meantto prevent me from earning a neat sum, but rather the more logicalfact that I'd probably lose interest in my recording for Ampicoand enter show business. I believe it to be the shortest wire eversent. A couple of days later I was back on the job at the studio,

-' eager, avid and ready to resume the work I really loved, recor­ding for Ampico.

. (Moral: Stick to your guns, Kid!)

This next story involves Jerome Kern, who in the musicalcomedy and operetta field was just about the "top." Prior to theopening of his smash hit, "Sonny" on Broadway, Kern had com­plained that the orchestral arrangements of his music, as playedby recording orchestras, were vastly over-arranged, played in adifferent tempo and lacked the flavor of his songs as presentedin the stage productions. His complaint was published in a NewYork newspaper, with other papers also "playing up" his beef. Kern,who owned an Ampico, occasionally would write a letter to eitherthe Ampico officials or Del and praise our recordings of his music.The fact was that Del, himself a showman, would insist that weon the Ampico recording staff, before recording a show tune, seethe show, remember the tempo, and get the general feel of themusic. Then, we'd find the result would be a better-played recor­ding. Among the letters that Kern sent was one to Del in whichhe wrote that, with his "Sonny" score, he was putting a stop-gapon all recording bands, singers, etc., thus preventing them fromrecording any of the music until six months after the show hadrun on Broadway. However, Kern also wrote that he liked my Am­pico renditions of his music and that he would give us specialpermission at any time to record whichever "Sonny" songs weselected. Shortly after "Sonny" opened in New York, everybodywas humming "Who", the sensational hit from the show. Del

. assigned me to record it. Knowing that Ampico had the jump. on all competition, I faithfully put my best efforts to work and

./ carefully arranged the tune and recorded it. The "Whd' recordingproved popular with Ampico owners and I was gratified and happyover th~ fact that we were the first to record Kern's fine song.

I was fortunate to personally meet "Jerry," as the professionknew him, about a year before his demise. Through a mutual

friend, Kern invited me to his lovely home in "Hanbeck(?) Acres,"long Island, where I spent a most delightful afternoon. Jerry askedme to play some of my arrangements of his music and he, inreturn, played his new "Music in the Air" score.

(Herbert, Sousa, Youmans, Gershwin, Romberg and JeromeKern are gone but not forgotten by all America!)

One of our Ampico artists was Harry Shipman, whospecialized in recording Hawaiian music. His rolls were popularand he received quite a bit of fan mail. One day, into our studiocame a very wealthy woman named Mrs. Campbell, who possess­ed an Ampico and who wished to meet Mr. Harry Shipman. Shewas introduced to Del, who politely asked her to his office. "Whatcan we do for you Mrs. Campbell?" asked Del. She replied, "Mr.Delcamp, I must confess that my favorite Ampico artist is Mr.Harry Shipman who plays the Hawaiian recordings and I'd loveto meet him." "You see," she continued, "I've often been to Hawaiiand have heard the natives play and sing their exotic songs andmust say that Mr. Shipman has caught the spirit and the moodof the Hawaiians which is reflected in his recordings:'

While Mrs. Campbell was talking, Del pushed a button underhis desk which buzzed in my room and I, of course, went to hisoffice. "Mr. Carroll," Del said, "meet Mrs. Campbell, who ownsan Ampico and is a real admirer of Harry Shipman's recordings.She would like to meet him. Is he in the studio?" Replying, I statedthat, "Unfortunately, Mr. Shipman hadn't come in to the studiotoday but most assuredly would be delighted to meet Mrs. Camp­bell:' "Oh! Thank you, Mr. Carroll, I'm looking forward to meetinghim. By the way, here is my card. Will you please phone me whenMr. Shipman is available?" Nodding that I would, I took her cardand left the room. Several minutes later Mrs. Campbell made herexit and I returned to Del's office where we both roared withlaughter. Why? Simply because Harry Shipman, you see, is agentleman who has never been in Hawaii - Me! (A.c.)

To complete our Ampico studio personnel, there was MissKathryn Hutchison, Del's private secretary, and Ethel Johnson,Miss Kelly and Mary McAter, also stenos. Miss Tiffin's assistantswere Gertrude Hanson and Miss Neillsen. Thus you have the en­tire complement on the Ampico staff which collectively was veryefficient.

Del was partial to playing ballads and created the idea of .the Ampico dinner music recordings. Milton Suskind was equal­ly at home playing classical music, ballads and popular music.Victor Arden favored show music but also was effective in record­ing rhythm numbers. Phil Ohman, a terrific technician, was likeVictor Arden. He was adept at recording show music, especiallythe rhythm type. Zez Confrey was a great exponent of intricate,rhythmical piano passages and excelled in his performance in thiscategory. Vincent lopez was the "Arpeggio Kid" and was spec­tacular with his 'right-hand' manipulations. Ralph Rainger was the"blues" exponent and favored this type of music. Lee Sims andHenry Lange were great keyboard performers of all types ofpopular numbers. I, Adam Carroll, "played the field~ballads,

operettas, rhythm numbers, novelties, Hawaiian and show music.

Milton Suskind recorded pop music under the name of EdgarFairchild and ballads under the name of Corrine DeSert. J. MiltonDelcamp recorded under his proper name, Ralph Reichenthal,under the name of Ralph Rainger. Adam Carroll also recordedunder the names of Victor Lane, Cal Adams and Harry Shipman.Victor Arden was occasionally Victor Lane; his proper name wasLew Fuiks. Zez Confrey used his proper name.

Del, ill for a year or so, died. We, in our beloved studio whereso many famous artists carne and there was so much enthusiasm,were stunned and saddened beyond words. I personally lost abuddy and friend whom I was deeply fond of and for whom Ihad so much respect.

His death shocked the entire music world. With his well­known wonderful personality, musical ability, executive prowessand kindness he had set an example that many of us might wiselyfollow apd emulate!

Following Del's demise all of us - recording artists, editorsand assistants alike - in due respect to J. Milton Delcamp weredetermined to make better and better Ampico recordings. I, forone, noticed the renewed vigor that was displayed by our wonder­ful Ampico staff. And most assuredly, rll never forget those sad­dened days with the hope and determination that followed, enabl­ing us to carry on without Del.

Mr. F.H.B. Byrne, a fine executive, became our manager,whom we liked and respected. He proved a worthy successor tofill the capable shoes worn by Del. We in the studio lost no timein cooperating with and encouraging Mr. Byrne with the resultthat soon our work returned to its normal status.

("By their works ye shall know them." I'll always rememberDel.)

After the Wall Street crash in 1929, needless to state, mostpeople went broke with the result that the piano business fell flat.It meant that piano manufacturers had to do something drasticin order to remain in business and they did. The grand reproduc­ing pianos - Ampico & Duo-Art - which were expensive, were notselling. Mr. and Mrs. America demanded a cheaper piano whichresulted in the bird'! of the spinet and console types. Also, as aresult of the crash, the American Piano Company merged withAeolian and, from 1930 till the end, our Ampico rolls were alsore-edited for the Duo-Art mechanism. I played quite. a fewrecordings bearing both labels. My very last roll was recorded inthe middle 1930's. Its title was "Porgy & Bess-Medley." It wascomposed by my friend, the late George Gershwin, a fitting finale,believe me. My hope and prayer has been and always shall bethat our Queen -"Ampico" - again will ascend her throne for yearsin the years to come.

Sincerely,Adam CarrollAlias, "The Ampico Kid"

SUMMARY OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE1916-1918

Accompanied silent movies and played piano in vaudeville.

1919-1922Featured pianist with orchestra for Arthur M. Fraus, top agent

who wrote the first fox trot, which was titled "Meadowbrook FoxTrot:'

1923Joined Paul Whiteman's original orchestra playing at the

"Palais Royale," New York City.,1924

"Adam Carroll and his Orchestra," presented by PaulWhiteman. Played important social functions, college proms, etc.

1925I was pianist for the Gold Dust Twins radio show which was

the second commercial show to be presented in the United States.The "Twins" were actually four people-Harvey Hindermeyer,(Goldy) Earl Tuckerman, (Dusty) David Beriad(?), and Adam Car­roll, pianist. The Twins radio show, a weekly program, continuedfor several years. I also played with our orchestra with James A.N. Caroso(?), (Whiteman's manager), directing.

1926-1927Besides the Gold Dust Twins radio show, I continued club

date appearances.

1928Appeared with Ralph Rainger in ''Angela" a Shubert operet­

ta production on Broadway starring Jeanette MacDonald.

1929./

Rainger and Carroll were featured at two pianos in :'The lit-tle Show" presented by Dwight D. Wimen and another show star­ring Clifton Webb, Fred Allen and Libby Holman.

1931Since Rainger was being filmed by Paramount Pictures, I ap­

peared alone and was featured at the piano with orchestra in aspectacular musical "Three's a Crowd" which also starred Webb,Allen and Holman. Also made phonograph recordings for vocalsand with other orchestras.

1932Toured with "Three's a Crowd." Incidentally, Fred MacMur­

ray, also a famous motion picture star, was a sax player whoplayed in the show with "The California Californians," a band ofseven who were featured on stage. After that tour, I resumed play­ing with my orchestra and performed at many college proms, etc.- N.Y.U., Fordham, Yale, Cornell, Princeton, etc.

1933Became personal pianist for Fred Astaire. Accompanied him

while rehearsing for "Gay Divorcee" a Universal production, whichstarred Fred and Claire Luce (Monty Wooly and Eric Blake werefeatured). Also accompanied Astaire for his movie test for Para­mount Pictures which, eventually, after being dubbed "OK forsound" (a picture phrase) made Fred a millionaire.

1934Due to crash in 1929, the American Piano Company had

merged in 1930 with the Aeolian Company and by then thereproducing piano and its recordings had become all but defu.nct.Our Ampico rolls were also edited for the Duo-Art system andbelieve me, the 'honeymoon'was over. Truthfully, I was very muchsaddened to find our 'champ' Ampico, on the floor. Thereafter,Iconcentrated on my band dates, performed for Lopez and MeyerDavis and arranged for and accompanied singers' recordings.

1935Things picked up again as I was engaged by the Shuberts

to be featured at the piano in the first posthumous productionof "The Ziegfeld Follies," starring Fannie Brice, Bob Hope, JudyCanova, Gertrude Neissen, and Josephine Baker. Edgar Bergenwith his Charlie McCarthy did a small bit in this production afterappearing with Rudy Vallee who later became famous on radinJohn Murray Anderson, famous production director, who directedthe Follies had a knack for dubbing everybody he met with a

.... nickname. He called me "Arpeggio" by which name I was knownby all members of the "Follies" cast.

1936I quit the "Follies" shortly after opening at the famous Winter

Garden Theatre on Broadway and rejoined my 'sidekick' EdgarFairchild. We signed with Dwight Wiman to be featured in hisforthcoming musical "On Your Toes;' which starred Ray Bolgerand featured Doris Carson, Monty Wooly and Louella Gear. We,Fairchild and Carroll, recorded phonograph albums for Liberty,a well known outfit in New York City. Also appeared on the RudyVallee radio show, The Magic Key Hour, a "top" radio program.We also had our own Cocktail Time radio show featUring Fair­child and Carroll and their orchestra. We signed Elsa Maxwell '"to perform with our orchestra. Society's most famous host, shearranged parties which included royalty and the "top" social figuresin the country. Also made a phonograph recording with Ethel Mer­man (Fairchild and Carroll and orchestra) of the "Red, Hot andBlue" medley.

-136-

After rehearsing four weeks we opened in Boston at theColonial Theatre. The press notices were better than fair and itseemed that, with a little fixing, the show would soon be readyfor the big toom, New York City. However, Jessie Mathews, whopersonally got "raves" from the critics, was suffering from slightshell shock caused by the German bombardment of lDndon. lon­don was Jessie's home toom where she was residing before theRoyal Air Force flew her over to the United States to appear inthe show.

(Note: The British government gave Miss Mathews the OKto come home and appear in the show with the promise that halfof her salary ($1,500 weekly) be given to help the disastrous wareffort during those sad days. After our first Saturday matinee inBoston, Jessie "blew her top" and went into hysterics shouting,"You horrible Americans, you're letting my people die, while yousit here enjoying yourselves." Well! That proved fatal for JessieMathews who disappeared as the press all over the countryheadlined the facts. The result ,was that our show "The LadyComes Across" opened in New York with a talented young ladynamed Evelyn Wyckoff who replaced Miss Mathews. It closedafter one week. Six weeks later Miss Mathews was found in themedical center uptown New York City, suffering from amnesiaand shock. Shortly after her recovery, she flew back to Englandto rejoin her husband, Sonny Hale, a famous British actor.)

(True is the saying, "There's no Business Like Show Business.")

1942-1948In all my theatrical career never have I met anyone who had

so much on the ball as Frank Fay. Theaterwise, he was the "top."I met Frank in 1942 and appeared with him on stage in the ter­rific review "Laugh Time" which starred him with Bert Wheelerand Ethel Waters. The sho\.v was well received and one critic wrote"Frank Fay is a one man show, by himself." Yes, Frank early in.his career was also the headliner at the No. 1 Vaudeville Theatre,The Palace in New York City. He held the all time record of be­ing held over for seventeen weeks. During that time he marriedBarbara Stanwyck, famous movie star, and it was Frank who wasresponsible for her film career.

Following "Laugh Time" I toured with Frank billed as "FrankFay with Adam Carroll" and played practically every top night clubin the country. While playing the Copacabana, one of the famous.New York spots, Fay read the script of "The White Rabbit~ Heliked the theme but not the title, which he changed to "Harvey."The rest is theatrical history as Frank played "Harvey" on Broad­way for nearly five years. He starred as Elwood P. Dowd andJosephine Hull played his sister. When "Harvey" opened at the48th St. Theatre on November 1st, 1944, the critics, to a man,"super-raved" One week later all New York papers ran this headlineon their respective theatrical pages: "Harvey!" The box scOre was9 to 0 in his favor. The film rights to "Harvey" were sold for onemillion dollars, the largest sum ever paid, with Universal Picturespicking up the tab.

During the long run of "Harvey," several stars replaced Frankfor a couple of weeks while he vacationed. Among these wereJimmie Stewart, the famous picture star, who eventually starredin the film. As for me, we had a string orchestra which played"entracte" music between scenes as Iplayed poker with the stagehands. (Ha!) The record shows that in 1944 "Harvey" won thefamous "political prize" for the best shOO' of the season, with FrankFay and Josephine Hull being named the best actor and actress.During the "Harvey" run I was extremely busy with Frank, ap­pearing on radio, early T.V. and other engagements that didn't in­terfere with Fay's performance in the show. As an overalJ resultof "Harvey" Frank again became an extremely wealthy man who,when the shOO' closed, decided to take it easy for a while in hisfabulous estate in Brentwood, California. .Continued SeptemberPctober News Bulletin -

-137-

1937Having been extremely successful in 1936, Fairchild and I

were again signed by Mr. Dwight Wiman to appear in his musical"Babes in Arms" starring Mitzi Green and Ray Heatherton. In thislazy youthful sho\.v was Ralph Drake, who later was to score heavi­ly in "Kiss Me Kate." Between this show and playing dates at theMaxwell, Fairchild and Carroll were kept very busy, indeed.

1938Eddie Cantor, who heard Fairchild and Carroll's whole per­

formance in "Babes in Arms; signed us as Fairchild and Carrolland their Orchestra, to a two-year contract to appear on his week-ly Camel Hour, the famous radio show. We were the first radioshow to open at the "C.B.S. Studio" at Sunset Boulevard andGower Street in Hollywood. We alternated between Hollywoodand New York every four weeks. Our guest stars included ninetypercent of the great film artists. This radio show with Cantor pro­ved a bonanza for "F&C~ I personally got a kick out of travelingacross country on the Santa Fe Chief and the New York Cen­tral's Twentieth Century trains. We traveled with about fifteen pe0­

ple in a special car added to the train. In addition to the Cantor ~

radio show, Fairchild and Carroll played many other importantengagements.

1939This, our second year with Eddie Cantor, was also exciting

and lucrative moneywise for Cookie and me. The Cantor radioshow, which ran second only to the Jack Benny Show in theHooper ratings, was extremely popular. As the war clouds werehovering over Europe, Cantor, unwisely, after his program wouldaddress the live audiences and give his political views, which theCamel Company (American Tobacco Company) didn't approveof. Thus, they did not re-sign Cantor for a third year. However,Cantor got the OK to use the name Cantor's Camel Caravan andFairchild and Carroll toured the country from coast to coast withCantor from September through December iJ)1939. On this trek,we· appeared and played at the California~ditOrium on TreasureIsland during the World's Fair. One ofour dancers in the showwas Ann Miller, who was alreadyw~ known then. Later she wasengaged by George Whitet~r in his "George White Scan­dals" which proved to be11efspringboard to Hollywood fame andfortune.

1940Back home in New York City, I was also engaged to assist

Johnny Green, the composer, to prepare the cast (songwise) forhis musical "Hi¥o Gentlemen" which was to star Syd Silver andAudrey Christie and feature Max Baer, the former fighter.

/ The shOO' failed before arriving on Broadway on account ofthat horrible disease "money trouble." "Hi¥o Gentlemen" calledit a day in Boston. Fairchild and his family moved to Hollywood,where they still reSide. I forged on alone and resumed myoidstandby, the club dates. I had a fairly successful year.

1941With Germany and England at war, Broadway was offering

shows with war themes. One such musical production was "LetFreedom Ring" which starred Mitzi Green. Poorly casted, the shOO'had a short run. In November I was engaged by George Hale,former dancer also turned producer, to appear in his musical "TheLady Comes Back." I was to be featured at the piano Solovox,a small electronic organ which played all orchestral effects in-

- cluding strings, saxes, brass, etc. I recall rehearsing on a Sundayaftemoon at the Forty-Fourth Street Theatre in New York Cityand hearing a lot of shouting. I rushed out to the street and sawand heard newsboys shouting, "Extra, extra, Japs bomb Pearl Har­bor." The show was to star Jessie Mathews, a great British beau­ty, singer, dancer and brilliant actress. Also to be featured wasMischa Auer the famous movie actor.

The letter below is a photocopy from the Estate of Herman KortiandeJContributed by Bill Burkhardt.

T. M. PL.ETCHER,PFt&etDl!.NT

L~I!: S.ROBEATS.VICE ~ ..£s.

ALBERT N. PAGE,aEcy."TR&A•.

THE o·R·S CO.MUSIC

PLAYER ROLLS

CA_LIE ADDRIE••

"QU"RESCOCHICAGO OR NEW YORK"

A •••C; WEaTI:"N UNION0111 .aNTLIEV cooa.

B. 183TD ST." WALNUT AVE.

Yoar aooeptanoe will be signified by your aigning thisin duplioate. ones for our files and one for your own.

Seoond2 3

NEW YORK, N. Y.A.pril1 9

Dear, 51 r:

Mr. J. Lawrenoe Oook.104 W. l3lst 5tra.et,New Yorlt. N.Y.

~..

/'

P~r8~ant to our ~nder8tandlng and verbal agreement.andyo~r application for employment with ;he Q. R. S. M~sio

Company, you are to remain in the .~lusive employ otThe Q. R. S. Muslc Company trom Kay 1st. 1923 untilKay 1st, 1924. under the tollowing oonditions -

1 - Th,t you will not play nor make masters or arrange.ments of any kind for any other maker of pertorated rollsor records durin6 this agreement.2 - ~ha~ you will at all times devote your entlre time.best en.rgles and ability to the seve~al duties assignedyou.3 - That your sal ary will be at the rate or TWO HUNDREDDOLLARS ($200.00) per month payable weekly.

•••"l';t:1O. Jl7.

(iiiiOO"]I..22J

. ,'I' i!,1111111

~" lIi,I'iii'1'JIIIII1I1III11I 1111111

Illdl' 1III,I) 11111 IIII[l \I ill IIl"" I III II Ii,

'1'11

111'11'1'11

~IlIlllli

I 1111 '11111I III, I,j I'll

, 1111

I III

II ::1111 I~ I"!WI

111'hl,I,I,1/1/111!

n.........ct-=:tp:::r..r~---=e..., ­_...,....-Il~

Q'R'SfWfD~'VED

Se_lilnluclll......... , ..~~~.t 24 CJUiii

...Very truly yo~rs,

• I{ IC~-W -d

/r-~~NA

11,{ I P C

Read and accepte~. ),.te&W ... !'''r'(' •~

-138-

A Tribute to Pauline Alpert

PAULINE ALPERT ROOFF19QO-1988

Pauline Alpert Remembered

The Rag Times, May 1988The Whirlwind Pianist by Galen Wilkes

Contributed by Dorothy Bromage

Pauline Alpert, known as The Whirlwind Pianist, died onApril 6,1988 in the Bronx, New York. She was 87 and one ofthe last of the great pianists of the novelty era and also one ofthe many outstanding female pianists. As with any of the sur­vivors of the ragtime/novelty era Icould find, I tried to get to knowher and most of the information which appears here is directlyfrom her. She had a charming personality and was always verygrateful for her fans. The times I talked to her she always wasgregarious and full of energy.

Pauline Alpert was born in New York on December 27, 1900.Both of her parents were very talented. Her childhood was vir­tually spent in poverty, roaming all over wherever her father,Samuel Alpert, could find work painting portraits. He was a Rus­sian immigrant and an excellent painter. After a while they final­ly settled in Rochester. When Pauline was nine years old hepainted her portrait and it hung over her piano at her home inthe Bronx. He died in 1919. Pauline's mother was from New York,possibly born in Maryland, and was Hungarian. She was a verygood pianist and singer. She gave Pauline her first piano lessonsat the age of seven for about two years. She died in 1931. WhenPauline was eleven the family's finances were so bad she was forc-

. ed to go out and earn money by teaching piano lessons for twenty­/ five cents. Her sister Ethel played violin and still lives today in

Florida.,

Apart from a private scholarship Pauline won a four yearscholarship to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester whereshe received her classical training. During lunch hours she'd enter-

tain her friends on the piano. She had a knack for popular musicwhich she played in her own arrangements. Because of thepopularity of this she decided to go into popular music.

Many contemporary ragtime and old popular music en­thusiasts will probably know Pauline best as a piano roll artist.She turned out many rolls, her own arrangements, of medleysfrom Broadway shows and her own novelty piano solos, of whichshe composed around 25. Her most well known was Dream ofa Doll (1934) which became her theme song. She recalled thather career really didn't get going until the late 30's, around 1938.

She played several years in vaudeville, was featured at theRoxy and Paramount theatres, and on practically every radio sta­tion in New York City. It was at one of her theatre engagementsthat Zez Confrey happened to hear Pauline interpolate his Kittenon the Keys into her performance, unbeknownst to her. He wasso impressed he wrote her a letter to say how much he enjoyedit. Kitten and Dizzy Fingers remained two of her favorite pieces.She was an outstanding pianist, in fact she even won great ac­

claim from George Gershwin. She had a firm touch, and playedvery cleanly and precisely with great confidence. Her techniquewas truly awe inspiring. She stood only 5'2 1/2" but possessedthe power of a Tom Turpin.

A few years ago while doing research Idiscovered that Paulinemade two sound pictures in 1927 for Vitaphone. They were soloappearances of her just playing the piano. Among the selectionsshe played were Kitten on the Keys and Nola. Not only wasPauline captured on film but many other famous musicians andvaudevillians including Percy Wenrich and Dolly Connolly! Whatincredible "living" documents these must be! I am in the processof trying to hunt them down.

[n 1940 she married Dr. Sidney Rooff who was also a finemusician. He played violin in a doctors' orchestra. Pauline con­tinued with her career, haVing no children. Dr. Rooff died around1968.

Pauline played many cruises, toured all over the United States,Canada, and South America, played a six month tour of the WestCoast and the White House three times. Besides her piano rollsshe recorded for the prestigious Victor label, and even for Muzak.In fact, she was doing so much work that she recorded the Muzakmaterial under the pseudonym of Peggy Anderson, using the sameinitials. She told me that she would occasionally go into a lobbyand hear herself playing! "It's nice to know I'm still around:'

Among her radio work she split a half hour show with thecelebrated harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler during the 40's and50's. In recent years she made appearances for AMICA, theAutomatic Musical Instrument Collectors Association, where shestill mesmerized audiences at the keyboard. Her death calls tomind the fact that she was one of the few left from that era andthat we are simply running out of survivors from that cherishedpast.

She was a member of ASCAP and her music was publish­ed by Mills and Southern Music. Her music has not been reprintedto my knowledge but I have seen her folios so they are possibleto find. Some of her performances have been reissued onFolkways. Chopsticks is on Ragtime Piano Interpretations andDoll Dance is on Ragtime Piano Novelties of the Twenties.

(Subscriptions to publication Rag Times, $9.cXJ/year, 5560 W.62nd St., Los Angeles, CA 90051)

RECOLLECTIONS OF PAULINEBy Robert M. Taylor

We met first at the Dayton Convention in 1978. I had heardin detail about Pauline Alpert from Molly Yeckley who was to go .to the airport and pick her up. . .if she actually would come.AMICAns were gathered in a reception area of some sort andall of a sudden Pauline Alpert was with us.

I have forgotten who it was that had some of her rolls, butI believe it was Brian Meeder. One was put on the Duo-Art; itbegan playing and she shook her head and said "faster~ the tempowas increased, she said "faster" again and was not content untilthe roll was going about tempo 110. Of course, as we saw Pauline'sphysical disabilities, we thought that this was just a poor oldwoman with delusions of what she could do - then she sat downat the piano and we all became believers. I didn't have much timeto spend in a small group with Pauline due to other responsibilitiesat Dayton, but somehow we got to know each other and thetelephone calls began.

Pauline was always right there by her telephone. Sheanswered in a voice that seemed to carry an the way toPhiladelphia without the aid of a telephone. The television wasalways blaring in the background. She was always good for a nicelong chat, but we all learned fairly qUickly that getting Paulineto answer a letter was impossible. Bill Eicher even sent writingpaper and stamps (which Molly and Lee Yeckley and I presentedto Pauline and then took a photo for Bill to prove that we hadactually presented them to her).

There was a great love of chocolate candy and fudge saucethat we discovered fairly soon. A large box of Godiva chocolateswould be devoured in short time. Jim Weisenbornesent Paulinea jar of fudge sauce for ice cream and Pauline confided to methat it was--so_9-Qod that she just ate it without ice cream.

-... ------Because of business ancffamily connections, I go to New

York City a number of times a year. It was only a little over 2hours from my home in Philadelphia to Pauline's on the GrandConcourse in the Bronx. Pauline and her late husband, Dr. Rooffmoved to this apartment in the late 1930's and Pauline continuedto live here until the neighborhood became so dangerous and herhealth so delicate that a move was necessary in the mid-1980's.

A number of trips were made to visit with Pauline. She wouldnever permit any of us to come to her apartment; we would pickher up in front of her apartment house at an appointed time. Adrive around the city, a lunch or early dinner at a nice restaurantwere always appreciated, and we were always regaled with stories.

The Yeckleys and I somehow managed to get Pauline up tothe Rainbow Room on the 65th floor of the NBC BUilding atRockefeller Center. It was still just as she remembered it whenshe played there in the 1940's, and she was thrilled to be thereshe told us. Of course, it brought back a flood of memories andshe told us that "I used to be so pretty and look at me now". Shetold us that she came upon some old photos and tore them allup because they made her so sad.

On another occasion, Bobby Clark (then AMICA's member­ship secretary) was visiting me. We went to New York City tosee Pauline. We had a lovely brunch on a Sunday at Windowson the World on the 110th Floor of the World Trade Center in jlower Manhatten. As we drove north up Sixth Avenue, Bobbypulled out the cassette tape recorder that we had purchased forPauline; Bobby had recorded a number of Pauline's 78 recordsand he began to play the recorder softly, then a little louder. Allof a sudden, Pauline shouted "that's me" and Bobby handed herthe tape recorder and told her that this was a present to her

-140-

PAULINE ALPERTHIGHLIGHTS NEW JERSEY MEETING

October 1, 1978 marked. a very important first in the historyof the New Jersey Chapter of AMICA. Pauline Alpert, the womanwho sounds like two pianos, was the guest of honor at the homeof Mr. and Mrs. Richard Dearborn. Not only was this a great honorfor New Jersey, but for the whole eastern AMICA region as neverbefore has a recording artist attended an east coast meeting.

The afternoon began normally with our usual businessmeeting. This was followed by Ms. Alpert who held us all spell­bound with her amazing talent on the keyboard. She played avariety of the music that made her famous; from Rain on the Roofto several Gershwin favorites. When we finally allowed her to takea break from the piano, she was bombarded with questions abouther career and those of other period artists with whom she wasfamiliar. She also autographed several of her Duo-Art rolls and78 r.p.m. records which several members had brought with them.Pauline was certainly an inspiration to be around. Not only is shestill extremely gifted, but her marvelous sense of humor endearedher to everyone. We hated to see the afternoon end.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Bob Rosencrans and theofficers of the New Jersey chapter accompanied Pauline to din­ner at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the Delaware River nearTrenton. Ms. Alpert kept us entertained throughout dinner withnumerous stories of her own experiences in the 30's and 40's,not only about her years of association with the Aeolian Corpora­tion, but also of performances she gave for Franklin Rooseveltand Harry Truman just to mention two!

The following are excerpts from a recent letterwritten by Ethel J. Lorber, sister of Pauline Alpert.

". . . One day after George Gershwin's death, Pauline wasentertaining on a cruise ship, and Mrs. Gershwin (his mother)came over to admire her playing and asked Pauline to please comevisit her in New York City. When the time came and Pauline ar­rived, she discovered another brother, Arthur Gershwin, whowanted to take lessons from Pauline. This went on for a while,but I am not sure of the length of time.

Also, of interest to AMICAns, when Pauline made her pianorolls for Duo-Art, they had to block out some of the notes, becausethey said the public would never believe it was one person play­ing. Arther Levine, the great Classical pianist, met her at a partyand said, "My dear Pauline, I wish I could play the way you do!"

Also, once when performing for President Truman at theWhite House, he invited her upstairs and played for her on hisold upright piano from Missouri. She said he was very charming.

...Pauline was married in 1940 to Dr. Sidney B. Rooff. Dr.Rooff passed away 21 years ago They did not have any children."

from us. That was one of the few times that I ever saw Paulineoverwhelmed.

Those of you that had Pauline autograph rolls she made,treasure them as [ do the 10 or so that she personalized to me

J. over the years. She always looked at the title to see what the rollwas and I remember when I handed her a copy of "Pompanola"she looked at it rather qUizzically and said the title in her bestBronx accent and then said "that's a dumb title, [ don't everremember playing that" ...but she autographed it in any case.

Never being one to dispute the word of a woman as to herage and much less our own expert in such matters (Emmett Ford),there is at least a difference of opinion as to when Pauline wasbom. In one place her date of birth is listed as 1900 and elsewherewe read 1912 with great authority. No matter, she was a one ofa kind, and we were all enriched by knowing her in person. Westill have the pleasure of her magnificent Duo-Art performances.

********************************************************

Photo from the Collection of Robert J. Rosencrans Photo Credit: Stan Favret

I.-r. - Henry Lange, Ursula's grand-daughter, Jeanette, Ursula Hollingshead, Flora Mora, Pauline Alpert, and Ruth B. Smith.Bill and Jo Eicher in back.

-141-

· -. - - _._-~ ~CNCRlC~Ck1C .­l!!CCIll~ffi~ClNcC~CffiCffiClRJCmCC ~

News from the Chapters~mCllacm~Mc8CmCijClm!\~:mClllCRrCffi~R~HC&l~mCft~Ill~~BallC!lllQ!llCllIall~

,/

/'

Dick and Dixie's Wurlitzer build-up Orchestrion. ,.Sunday morning found us at the home of Lawrence and~

Margaret Frazer. After brunch was served, the business meeting .was held, chaired by President Liz Barnhart and plans for thenext meeting was discussed. It will be held in Troy, Michigan; atthe home of Betty and Harold Malakinian.

Dick Leis welcoming the group with music from his Artizan.

Herb Merritt and Mike Barnhart listening to Mike's double MillsViolano.

Seeburg Model "1.:', Peerless Coin Piano, Wurlitzer Upright Built·up Orchestrion, Astor Barrel Parlor Pipe Organ, and 1925 FisherAmpico A. He is currently working on an "0" Roll Jazz BandDance Organ. A mart was held in the garage by the LeedyBrothers, Bennett and Barry.

..

The Mike Barnhart Special

Later in the evening we motored to Queen Eleanor Courtto the home of Dixie and Dick Leis where a delicious catereddinner was served. We were welcomed by the playing of Dick'sBand Organ in front of the house! The rest of the evening wasspent being entertained by Leis' Seeburg "KT" Orchestrion,

-142 -

Harry Garrison in a philosophical discussion with Mel Septon atthe Barnharts.

MIDWEST CHAPTERReporter: Margaret Frazer

Mike and Liz Barnhart hosted the Midwest AMICA meetingSaturday, April 9th. We enjoyed their collection of the WeberOtero, Chickering Ampico, Weber Duo·Art, Double Mills Violano,Barnhart's Special Orchestrion and another chance to checkMike's progress on his Wurlitzer Theater Organ restoration andinstallation.

Midwest Chapter continued -

Where the boys are.

When the last note had died away, Kay set aside her roleas vocalist to assume a culinary mantle, serving a chili lunch toher appreciative guests,

HEART OF AMERICA CHAPTER

third and fourth at Fort Scott, Kansas in conjunction with TheGood Old Days. The membership voted a donation to the Gran­da Theatre in appreciation of the previous evening's entertainment.The fall meeting will be August 12, 13, and 14 at Lake of theOzarks.

Following the meeting, Kay Bode, accompanied by the Bodes'Marshall and Wendell Ampico B, presented a musical program,The Player Piano as Vocal Accompanist, with a variety of musicappropriate to the age of the piano. Kay's lovely clear voice enrap­tured her audience with a diversity of selections such as Whenthe Boys Come Home, Rock of Ages, The Last Rose of Sum­mer, and the haunting Un Bel Di from Madame Butterfly.

Reporter: Willa Daniels

Heart of America Chapter's 7th Annual Band Organ Rally,held in conjunction with Fort Scott, Kansas' Good 01' DaysCelebration, attracted rallyists from as far afield as St. Paul,Chicago, and California. Good 01' Days officially kicked off witha five dclock parade Friday evening, June third. AMICA musicmachines furnished a large portion of the parade music, sincethe usually ubiquitous school bands were "dis-banded" for thesummer. Parade judges awarded "1st Place Caliope" to Dan andWilla Daniels's 49 key pink Limonaire mounted on a high wheel­ed trailer behind their 1904 high wheeled Schacht horseless car­riage. A post-parade "Chicken !'v1ary's" supper served on SkubitzPlaza in front of the restored fort was a focal point for meetingand greeting. EVERYONE was there, not excepting Fort Scott'sone and only "bag lady;' toting a pair of well filled two-wheeledshopping carts.

:~I!1 .__

/HEART OF AM/ERICA CHAPTER

Lawrence Frazer's 1880 Rosewood Weber Grand withPianocorder.

After the meeting the group was invited to the home of Maryand Cliff Pollock in St. Paris, Ohio, to view their collection.

Reporters: Willa Daniels and Katie Hellstein

The prospect of seeing a rare classic silent film presentedin an actual movie palace the way it was exhibited over 60 yearsago drew 33 members of Heart of America Chapter to theGranada Theatre in Kansas City, Kansas the night before theMarch 20 spring meeting.

After supper at Mrs. Peters's Chicken Dinners and thenceto the theater, we were swept up in the swashbuckling adven­tures'of Douglas Fairbanks in The Black Pirate. Organist DennisJames came in from San Francisco especially for this movie. TheGrande Barton Theatre Pipe Organ, restored and enlarged at acost of over $100,000, weighs over 20 tons and rises over twostories. It consists of over 2000 pipes and tuned percussions aswell as a complete toy counter.

Tom and .Kay Bode with their Marshall and Wendell Ampico B.

Tom and Kay Bode hosted the Sunday morning meeting. RonBopp reported on the organ rally to be held the weekend of June

-143 -

The group enjoyed Lawrence's 1925 Chickering, 1910 Welte,1880 Weber Rosewood Grand, 1900 Estey 2/pedal Reed Organ

'and a Story and Clark Parlor Organ.-/,'

~~;----~~Tr'!'l'''''r.'!'!''I'''!'I''':'\''''I''''''''''

(

f

That'sa Italian !

Dan Daniel's pink Limonaire.

Paul Morgenroth, strol/ing troubador.At five, "the happiest music on earth" shut down to adjourn

to Gunn Park's airy stone shelter house overlooking lazy Mar­maton River. Beer and a small mart at six, Kansas City steaksat seven, chapter meeting at eight, to discuss next year's organrally and the upcoming fall meeting August 12, 13, and 14 at Lakeof the Ozarks, culminating with Angelo Rulli's speaking on thesubject of his so far largely unproductive search for informationabout the history of "The Organ Grinder in America:' To remedy ',--,this lack, he is continuing to research, and is writing a book on:­this topic. He enhanced his presentation with slides of rare old~pictures depicting organ grinders.

Sunday Ron and Mary Jo Bopp and Gerold and LindaKoehler opened their homes in Joplin to rally participantsbetween nine and two.

~

Big guy (AI Kelly), little band organ.

Heart of America Chapter continued -

Saturday morning at eight was set-up time, amidst thebustle of booths and stages going up along a four-block stretchof Main Street. Music was everywhere. Larger organs were scat­tered judiciously apart; cart organs roamed the streets. Mike Han­chett's ingenuity produced a new "toy" that stole the show, a"North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works, Inc~ minature bandorgan on an antique style toy truck, a real charmer. A tape playerinside provided sound and a hand-held remote control unit,locomotion.

Stuart and Diana Perry of Little Rock with their new HanchettTangley-type Calliope.

Charlie 'Tyler was busy all day answering questions about his nicecollection of phonographbilia.

FOUNDING CHAPTER(Northern California)Reporter: Nadine Motto-Ros

_/ - Ray and Elsie Camyre were hosts to 30-plus members of theFounding Chapter on the evening of April 9th in their lovely LosGatos Home. The Camyre's collection includes a 1920 HainesBros. Ampico "N grand. Restored by Jack Gustafson and RichardQuigley in 1980, it reproduces perfectly. Other instruments in theircollection are a Yamaha E70 electronic organ, a Conn 652 elec­tronic organ, a Gulbransen Premiere electronic organ and a Ham­mond M3 electronic organ (in garage).

Host Ray Camyre at beautiful Ampico Grand.

Richard Reutlinger and Bob Wilcox in front of GulbransenPremiere electronic organ.

We were entertained first by our host on the Conn 652 organ;a fine job Ray. Elmer Klein played the Ampico, sans rolls; Elmeris really great. Don MacDonald concluded with several enjoyableselections on the Yamaha E70 organ. Elsie served an excellentarray of dips, snacks and desserts. A short business meeting wasconducted by our vice president, Bill Wherry. The pulse of thechapter was at a high with the convention right around the cor­ner. By the time you read this, the convention will probably behistory.

FOUNDING CHAPTER(Northern California)

Reporter: Nadine Motto-Ros

On Sunday, May 15, 1988, Founding Chapter AMICAnsgathered at the home of Barbara and Bob Whiteley to socializeand listen to their 1927 Chickering Art Case Ampico "N'. TheAmpico has the distinction of being in Barbara's family since 1927.Her father first heard it that year at Kohler & Chase on O'FarrellStreet in San Francisco and bought it new for $3,000.

The Whiteleys live in one of San Rafael's earlier homes. Builtin 1888, the house is celebrating" its centennial year. Barbara in"sists "it's just an old farm house from Victorian times;' and theyare gradually restoring it.

We were entertained by four of Barbara's friends: MitziErickson on flute, Ina Mumford on violin, Barbara Ward on cello,and Jean Ferrell on piano. As custo~ary, the afternoon meal wasvaried and quite tasty; so tasty, in fact, that a bluejay was seenkidnapping a small cracker. Of course, we had another beautifulday weather-wise.

Bob Whiteley's efforts at gardening are very much in evidencearound the grounds. Learning a lesson from the drought of 1977,many plants reqUire a minimum amount of water. What used tobe a side lawn is now a Japanese style garden with raised planterbeds, redwood bark pathway, gravel walks, etc. As we NorthernCalifornians face a drought situation again in 1988, the Whiteleysare well prepared. Barbara has a balcony where she practices theart of bonsai - no, not kung fu or Japanese wrestling, bonsai isthe art of grOWing miniature trees and shrubs.

Thank you, Bob and Barbara, for a lovely Sunday afternoon.Thanks again to Bill Wherry for taking notes as John and I wereat Lake Tahoe celebrating our anniversary.

CHICAGO CHAPTERReporter: Mel Septon

The first meeting this year of the Chicago Chapter of AMICAwas held on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend at the homeof Carol and Roger Dayton in Batavia, Illinois, a western suburbof Chicago. The Daytons' home is a converted 1893 school housewhich contains 15 classrooms, a full size gymnasium and isap­proximately 26,000 square feet in size. The weather being perfectthis day, we gathered on the rear lawn for a picnic.

Chapter President Rob DeLand holds a brief business meeting.

-145 -

Chicago Chapter continued -

Mabel Zivin and Aaron Carlson posed in front of Bob Cobbs'1938 Buick Special. Band organ music was provided via taperecorder.

TEXAS CHAPTERReporter: Rtchard Smith

./The Texas Chapter hosted its first meeting of the year at

Theater Three in Dallas on May I, 1988. PreSident, Ken Long, .graciously loaned his beautiful 1925 George Steck Duo Art tothe theater for a homage to George and Ira Gershwin. In returnfor Ken's good deed all the Texas AMICA members were invitedto the presentation of "Clap Yd Hands", a homage to George andIra Gershwin.

The tribute lasted approximately one hour and forty-fiveminutes, with a brief intermission which enabled the patrons torefresh themselves and discuss the program's progress.

The cast of six did an admirable job in paying tribute to theGershwins. The show's music included some rare and favoritetunes that Gershwin performed only at parties.

The Duo Art performed two solo numbers to an unsus­pecting audience as they watched what appeared, to be anillusion. It was well received, and enjoyed by all.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Executive Producerand Director Mr. Joe Alder visited with all of the AMICAmembers, and answered questions about the performers and theTheater. He, too, voiced his admiration regarding the performanceof the Duo Art.

We then retired to the court yard for refreshments, bringingto an end a most enjoyable first meeting.

r

Leslie Lazar shows off the "Hamburger" cake while Joe & ElsaPekarek look on. LADY LIBERTY CHAPTER

i.

."'--.

'Il··.~······' \~~' ' . ....., .-IIL::,if,

T ...... .'C,' \ " •. " -J.,,' ..• . I '. .' ." ,' ...-

V~.n~~

Reporter: Dennis Valente

The Christmas party for the Lady Liberty Chapter was heldat the home of Paul and Michelle Manganaro.

...

The host and hostess.

Paul has been a dealer and restorer of automatic musicmachines for 15 years. The members saw many instruments,some of which were for sale, including a restored Violano in anoak case, a restored Capitol nickelodeon with violin pipes, anupright Weber with inlaid case, an upright Melodia with inlaid casewhich has an unusual German-built player mechanism, a Knabeygrand reproducing piano, etc. Another one-of-a-kind piece is theirWurlitzer autograph piano This is a Welte reproducing piano with'a roll-changing mechanism housed in a Wurlitzer piano Therewere only 13 made and this is the ONLY ONE in existence. Theyalso collect Wurlitzer juke boxes from the 40's and their wallsare lined with Seeburg juke boxes from the 50's, antique gumballmachines, penny arcade machines, etc., etc.

-146-

Inside the school Wayne Wolf examines a 20*4" Regina musicaldesk while AI Choffnes looks at another superb specimen.

Chapter President, Rob Deland, held a brief businessmeeting after which the feast began. The Daytons provided thebeverages and delicious lasagna and the members brought eithera side dish or a dessert. The big hit in the dessert departmentwas a huge hamburger shaped cake complete with a few frenchfries on the side brought by members Leslie and Richard Lazar.After the meal, Carol and Roger took many of us on a brief tourof the school, where we were able to view many fine pieces intheir collection. Many thanks to the Daytons for hosting such adelightful meeting.

Lady Liberty continued -

Capital Nickelodeon

Melodia piano being examined.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIACHAPTER

Reporter: Shirley NixOn April 30, a very windy day, we drove to Glendora to view

the private museum of Paul and Maryann Milhous. Actually, ifyou were headed the right way you really didn't have to drive ­just point the car in the right direction, and the wind did the rest.

Noel Burndahl speaking about a reproduction Seeburg made in.their shop to exacting specifications.

The Plane - The Plane ! and a few cars, too.

Paul and Maryann have a large, varied collection, and theirinterests run in many veins. They have a lovely assortment ofmusical instruments, from small music boxes to a VERY largeMortier dance organ. This, of course, to AMICA members wasa real treat, but it was just a sampler in a many-course meal. Theyalso have vintage autos, all restored to perfection. (My favoritewas an old beer wagon, but other people opted for the more ex­otic.) Going along with that is a collection of old-time gas pumps,and sitting by the old cars is an old-time gas station.

There are also false-fronted houses, a park square, completewith lamp posts and large wheel type bicycle. All of this in themuseum, which is still in the making. To give you an idea of thesize of the building, over all of the cars, buildings, park, and such,hangs an old Ryan PT20 trainer plane!

Ye Olde Gas Station for Ye Olde Cars.

We had a short business meeting, and then the curator, NoelBurndahl, took us on a tour, and showed us the instruments andother niceties. Nestled in among the musical items were clocksof all kinds and shapes, and downstairs were slot machines, andso many other things it was hard to absorb· it all.

This museum is strictly private, and is never open to thepublic, so it was really a treat for us to be able to visit.

In June, we have no meeting since, hopefully, most of ourmembers will be headed for San Francisco for the conventjon.

In August, we will be going to San Sylmar to the "Tower ofBeauty" and the Nethercutt collection. This is always a pleasanttour, especially since we are able to visit the fifth floor ':Vhere alot of the restoration is done, and which is not open to the public.

-147 -

Reporter. Don Brown

.::......--

D

~. ,..

• _ ' .-4 ~-.---"- _.'

,--:.-- ".,.,.:1 .,.........i~'l .'~ 'f__ ~~"~; .. , .... ,".,'~~ .'i:~~~ .~ ,.~..pJ''--'''-' .\' \ .."....{, ~.. \ ~ ': .

~\... 1' ..... \.J.: .

.'

;to} ;~~. \. l'~' •

. .~.... :.,.. ,,"iilUUU '.' _. ~'''. I; ..., ,.-

'>;.t.l~·.'· . .... .: '!._~: ~"'~;~':-'d' -:

BOSTON AREA

Wurlitzer 6-roll Autochanger Nickelodeon.

Herschell Spillman Band Organ.returned from Hawaii, a crank phonograph console, and threemusical boxes. During the business meeting, we learned that thetreasury was just under $12, so dues were proclaimed due!

6-rol1 Autochanger mechanism.

With a scant year and a half to Convention time, many itemswere discussed to move along our plans. The former ChickeringPiano factory, is now 'Artists-In·Residence' and not necessarily

The winter meeting of the Boston Area Chapter was held rat the home of Allan Jayne in New Hampshire. On display and -'playing beautifully were a OX Wurlitzer 6-roll autochanger nickelo­deon, a Tel-Electric in a Sohmer piano, a Violano Virtuoso fromDr. Len Weitz of Philadelphia, a Herschell Spillman Band Organ

The Mortier Dance Organ- unfortunately it wasn't playing the day we were there.

Noel Burndahl, curator, trips one of the machines for us.

Southern California Chapter continued -

A lovely Regina Changer, complete with clock and art glass.

-148-

Boston Area continued -

Alan Pier checks bellows . . .note cabinet depth which houses pipes at rear.

a point of interest for visitors. There was a presentation anddiscussion of mechanical layout of roll making, and handpunching. A Scottish roll, 'Gay Gordon' was made hole-at-a-timethis way, by Tony Parks. An AMICA slide show with audio tapeaccompaniment was shown by Dorothy Bromage, and DonBrown's video tape of the last summer premier performance ofJoe Lavacchia's Photo Player was viewed.

installed. The owners, Ron and Jean Nienaber now use the placeas a base for their catering service and other operations.

Ceaderhurst: site of Spring Meeting

After dinner, we were treated to Mike Erie's talented stylingsat the organ. Mike plays music of all types, but concentrated onhits from the 20's, 30's and 40's.

At the Morton Organ: Mike Erie.

NORTHERN LIGHTS CHAPTER

Mills Violano Virtuoso.

Refreshments and group discussions of project progress andspring meeting plans rounded out the day.

"Where is everybody?": A partial group photo

The business meeting following, included a report on TerrySmythe's piano in the Gershwin series in Winnipeg and Calgary,as well as donation of a rare Italian reproducing piano record (agift from Dr. Antonio Latanza and his wife} to the AMICA Na­tional Archives.

Our next meeting will be July 24, a summer picnic meetingat the home of Warren and Ruth Anderson. See you In SanFrancisco!

It is a house rich with history, house guests includingPresident~ Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, Calvin Coolidge,Warren G. Harding, and Queen Marie of Romania. It has aspacious ballroom and now sports an 8 rank Robert Mortontheater organ, replacing the Aeolian roll-playing organ originally

Reporter: Tim WheatPhotos: Dorothy aids, Ron Olsen

Our Spring meeting was held May 1st at the historicCedarhurst mansion in rural Cottage Grove, Minnesota, southeastof St. Paul. This home was begun in the 1860's and last expand­ed in 1917 by the owner, Cordenio Severence,.an influential:itizen. - ..

'.-./

-149-

Northern Lights continued -

..r-

.:.,..:---../

Meditation from Thais by MassenetKaren Kalivoda, FluteMortimer Browning, Ampico piano 64781

Sonatina (one movement) by KabalevskyRene Favand, piano

Prologue from Pagliacci by LeoncavalloBill Favand, tenorRichard Hagemen, Ampico piano 59493

On the Road to Mandalay by SpeaksBill Favand, tenorJohn Duke, Ampico piano 62083

. Karen Kalivoda plays with Dick Price accompanying and BobTaylor listens intently.

The performances were excellent and the varied nature of r­the program showed what a delightful· program can be put·together when you have musical friends like these to call upon.At the conclusion of the program, several of the performers men­tioned how unusual it was to be pulled along by your accompanist(but at least you knew there wouldn't be a wrong note played).

Then as the program concluded, there was a banquet spreadout in the dining room. We gathered around, filled our plates andheaded back for more music. The foot pumpers headed up tothe second floor to give the Steck, recently rebuilt by AlanLightcap, a workout; and what a responsive instrument it is. Ifyou love pumping player rolls, you haven't lived until you haveexperienced a grand foot pump piano. The Ampico lovers stayedon the first floor (close to the food as well), and listened to anumber of Dick's unusual rolls, many old favorites plus a few re­cent releases of Keystone's.

r"""w--~

Lucy Merrill, Dick Price, Bill Favand.Sadly, we must report that late in May, Dick died. He wiU

be missed by all of us who knew him through chapter activities,the work on two AMICA conventions in Philadelphia, and hisnumerous articles for the Bulletin. Dick was a good friend to manyAMICAns around the country and he will be missed by us all.

-150-

Listening to the organ: Tom aIds, Ruby Ahneman, KatherynDumas, Don Barton & friend, Bob Dumas.

PHILADELPHIA AREA CHAPTERReporter: Robert M. Taylor

The occasion of the arrival of a freshly rebuilt piano is alwaysthe time for an AMICA Chapter meeting. So it was that thePhiladelphia Area Chapter gathered at the 19th Century bricktownhouse of Dick Price and Collin Clark in Baltimore on March13, for the unveiling of their recently rebuilt Steck grand pianolawith 65/88 tracker bar.

Because of the distance that many of us came, Dick andCoUin had thoughtfully arranged both a sumptuous mid-afternoondinner and a program using the pianos. in the front parlor. Anumber of Collin and Dick's friends from the Baltimore area werepresent for the program, we gained 2 new chapter members, andsaw our former chapter members wcy and Dick Merrill ofBaltimore.

Dick Price plays the Baldwin with John Metcalf and JohnEnterline in background.

The program that Dick Price prepared for us was variedusing both. his Knabe Ampico B and his concert grand Baldwin(yes, this is a home with 3 pianos!). The program was:Two Sacred Pieces by J. S. Bach

Karen Kalivoda, fluteDick Price, piano

PHILADELPHIA AREACHAPTER

Reporter: Robert M. Taylor

Spring comes to Philadelphia and the chapter tours the coun--/ .tryside. Our member John Metcalf, the resident horologist at the

National Clock and Watch Museum in Columbia, PA, had beenafter us for some time to visit and so we finally got there on April30. Columbia is a beautiful 18th and 19th century town on theeastern bank of the Susquehanna River just west of Lancaster.

The Bank Museum.

The town of Columbia was founded by the Wright family.(The Wrights encouraged the town to change its name fromWright's Ferry to Columbia in the hope of becoming the Nation's

.Capital but Maryland and Virginia won out with their gift of the.-J District of Columbia.) This was where the first bridge across the

Susquehanna was built and the millions who headed west alongthe Lincoln Highway (Route 30) passed thorough Columbia.

Wilbur Smith seems a little reluctant to push that handle to"clock-in':

At the beginning of the 19th century the local citizens form­ed a bank from the over-subscription to the plan to build a tollbridge across the River. The bank is still there, and the familythat have restored it to look just as it did in 1850, guided usthrough the office.

Then, after lunch at one of the 19th Century road-houses_~Ahat are still in Columbia, we went to the National Clock and- Watch Museum. For anybody with a fascination for the evolu­

tion of mechanical items such as clocks this was a mostfascinating time. The museum traces the evolution of time keep­ing from sun and water powered clocks, to the primitivemechanical means, up to the atomic clock.

Clark Cressman and George Epple ready to "Clock-in':

As we entered the museum we all had an opportunity to"clock in" and there was more than a little reluctance on the partof some of our retired members to' pull the handle. John Metcalfgave a thorough tour with a stop for every question that our grouphad - and there were many remarkable items we had to ques­tion. There are a number of musical clocks, some with figuresthat move in addition. There was also a nice Regina Changer thatJohn demonstrated for us.

Paul Dietz and Mrs. Lloyd Motter (the owner of the Bank building)in the Tellers Cage.

John Metcalf describes an 1835 German Black Forest Clock.

Thanks to John Metcalf for providing such an interesting dayfor the Philadelphia Area Chapter.

- 151-

.VESTAL PUBLISHING FIRM TO CHANGE HANDSThe Vestal Press, founded in 1961 by Harvey and Marion

Roehl to publish a single book on the commercial history of theplayer piano (Player Piano Treasury) and which has since expand­ed to a number of different subject areas, is being taken over bynew owners. Mrs. Grace Houghton of Vestal and Bowers andMerena Galleries of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, are to assumemanagement of the business as of June .30.

The Vestal Press sells through mail order, and issues a sizablecatalog of several hundred publications and audio cassette andLP recordings. Its fields of interest include antique radio, carousels,music boxes and other mechanical music machines, reed organsand theatre pipe organs, antique phonographs, and early filmhistory.

Its most recent book is Radio Manufacturers of the 1920's,and new books being issued this month include The Incorrupti­ble Cashier (a history of the cash register, in which Thomas J.Watson played a role with the National Cash Register Company)and Great Radio Personalities in Historic Photographs. A seriesof picture post card history books is 'in the works; follOWing thesuccesses of A Picture Postcard History of New York's Broome

County Area done with the Kiwanis Club of Binghamton, andHarvey Roehl's Cornell and Ithaca in Postcards. New titles aref'"'Old Milwaukee in Picture Postcards - A Historic JOur, New YorkState Railroads in Historic Postcards, and Early Fire Fighters inHistoric Postcards. Two books on early film history are currentlyin preparation.

The principals of the New Hampshire firm are former BroomeCounty residents, and Ray Merena is a Johnson City native. Bothhave been engaged in sales of rare coins in the Triple Cities, andtheir current business is in coins and books on numismatics.

Mrs. Houghton, a 24-year resident of Vestal, has been amember of the Vestal Press staff for the past 14 months. Sheand the other new owners plan to expand mail order operationsand produce additional titles in the fields in which they alreadymarket. The business will remain in Vestal.

Mr. Roehl was on the staff of Broome Community Collegefor a number of years before leaving in 1973 to devote full timeto The Vestal Press. He and Mrs. Roehl will continue a minorityinterest in the firm.

********************************************************

--INTENSITY MEASUREMENTS OF THE AMPICO/DUO-ART - PART 1

by Steven Cooper - AustraliaSome years ago as a poor Junior Engineer commencing work

in the field of Acoustics I was endeavoring to try and understandthe Duo Art expression system in scientific terms. The sub­jective opinion I had reached was that the expression steps hadbeen selected for increments in loudness that should be able tobe expressed in a mathematical relationship.

Conducting some experiments with the Phillips/Condon DuoArt Vorsetzer, we established a variation of 20 dB(A) betweenthe lowest audible single note (75 dB(A) for 4.2" water) and thegreatest vacuum (52.5" water).

Setting up the Vorsetzer to give steps in equal incrementsof dB(A) sort of worked but we were unable to compare with atrue Duo Art as the Phillips/Condon Vorsetzer does not use aDuo Art type spill valve or accordion pneumatics.

Plotting the dB(A) level versus the log of " /water provideda graph with a linear relationship between power 4 and power12. The graph deviated from a straight line at either end of thevacuum range.

On looking through AMICA Technicalities Volumes, I foundChester Kuharski's articles on Duo Art measurements had asimilar relationship but they didn't seem right to me because thedB levels were far too low to relate to any sound levelmeasurements one would record near a piano.

Further experiments with converting my foot blown D/A in­to a full D/A system using 2 expression boxes indicated that thespill value is absolut~ly critical in obtaining accurate variation in

expression and that the number of notes for a given settingdramatically alters the measurement results.

The results were encouraging but not having access to a pro­perly working real Duo Art Expression system to conduct fur­ther measurements, the mathematical analysis was put in the toohard basket.

TRY AGAIN!

Being somewhat older and supposedly wiser (but still poor)and having let the previous experiment results dwell in the oldmemory banks for a few years, when the opportunity was givento conduct measurements on an Ampico system that was in ex­cellent working order, the challenge was there to try to evaluatea relationship between loudness and vacuum using the Ampicointensity steps and to see if I could get a mathematical relationship.

A series of Sound Level Measurements were conducted withthe Ampico set up at various power settings for a single note be­ing repeated once a second. Using a Bruel and Kjaer 2209 Im­pulse Meter, measurements of dB(A) Slow, dB(A) Fast, dB(A) Im­pulse, dB(Lin) Slow, dB(Lin) Fast, dB(Lin) Impulse and dB(Lin)Peak Hold, were recorded for all power settings.

The results revealed a constant dynamic range of 16-17 dB(N-~(pump pressure range of 5.5" to 39") for all measurementparameters tested. On normalizing all results to a zero intensityeqUivalent to 70 dB(A), it was found using either the dB(A) im­pulse or dB(A) slow results produced identical increments inloudness with very good correlation (.965) and repeatability.

Intensity Measurements of the Ampico/Duo-Art continued ­

On plotting the log of the " of water vs dB(A) there appearedto be a response which was linear in the middle of the vacuum

/ range but deviated at either end of the vacuum levels (that seem­-...-'~ familiar to the Duo Art results some years earlier). The results, indicated an approximate logarithmic response which was very

encouraging.

Following the measurements I checked the AMICATechnicalities articles in my files that endeavored to relate DuoArt or Ampico intensity versus dBs and from 'The AMICABulletin December 1975' there appeared a paper by Dr. ClarenceHickman on the intensity of the Ampico which included threevery important graphs (page 235). The graphs showed a linearrelationship between Ampico Intensity Steps, Intensity Level (dB)and the Log of the Square of Hammer Velocity.

Rynt's notes accompanying the Hickman paper indicated theHickman results agreed with the Model B curve No 1. Hickman'sresults revealed an 18dB variation for a change in vacuum from4.75 to 46" water or approXimately 16.5dB for a change of 4.75to 35" water. The Hickman results generally agreed with our tests,which warranted further investigation.

Hickman's data shows that the square of the hammer velocityis linearly related to the loudness level in decibels but the difficultpart was to relate the intensity to the hammer velocity. A fewnights trying different analyses revealed that the Hammer veloci·ty is proportional to the cube root of the vacuum!

Finally the following relationship between the Hickman dBlevel and the " of water was derived.

2 log (166 x ("water)1!J - 220) - 0.2809dB • :.-... _

0.1016

...

These results show a linear relationship between the loudnessand the intensity steps, with the 8 intensity valve settings for theNormal Scale corresponding to Hickman's Intensity Steps 0-8 in­clusive. This confirms the statement that the Ampico B expres­sion system was based on different degrees of loudness that areperceptible to the ear.

For comparison purposes Figure 2 also includes our AmpicoA results.

WHAT ABOUT DUO ART?If we apply Chester Kuharski's premise that 'since Ampico

and Duo Art stacks are quite similar in performance, I expect thereis little error in borrowing this information (Hickman data)', thenwe can now provide a more accurate plot for the Duo Art Inten­sity versus decibels as shown in Figure 3. This graph indicatesthe Duo Art intensity steps, are not based on equal incrementsin loudness.

In order to provide a clearer picture of the relationship be­tween the various systems and recommended settings, Figure 4sets out the relative intensity levels for Ampico versus Duo Artbased on the formulae in Part 1.

From the Steinway data of Gerald Stonehill (from The MusicBox Player Piano Topics) powers zero to 6 reveal distinct stepsthat would be audible to a sensitive ear. If the accordions of theStonehill and the Kuharski Steinways are similar then can thissignificant difference be accounted by different adjustments ofthe linkages?

In addition to generating further discussion to the Am­pico'Duo Art debate, possibly this data may help fellow AMICAnsunderstanding of the expression coding used in the originalmastering.

Our tests gave a base level of 70dB(A) whereas the Hickmandata used 30 dB as a base level. However in working with decibels,we are only dealing with ratios relative to some reference level.NormaliZing our test results to fit in with Hickman's base levelof 30dB revealed the Ampico A measurement results fitted inabove formulae.Figure 1 shows the above formulae in graphical form.

N.B. Our Ampico A measurements used only one note ineither the bass or treble end, thereby permitting me to use dB(A)as a loudness level. It is this dB(A) that I have equated toHickman's dB. Use of multiple notes to gauge changes in loudnessversus vacuum for Duo Art expression requires highly directionalmicrophones in order to ascertain individual contributions.

However by use of the formulae we can measure the reduc­tion in vacuum for multiple notes and work out the resultantloudness level versus the number of notes.

35 40 45 50

decibels (dB) re Hickm&11 data

[

(10 0.1016

II water •

x dB + 0.2809) + 220] J

166

Inches

of 40

Water

30

20

'0 .

o

I. Ii

I: I /I

!I ,

I I 1/

1 II [7i i

L---~,I i II I

30

Figure 1

InchesofWaterVacuumversusSoundLevel

~NSITY MEASUREMENTS OF THE AMPICO/DUO ARTPart 2

From the formulae derived in Part 1 and using the AmpicoB Intensity Scales (Fig 10 of the 1929 Service Manual) we cangraph the steps versus the sound level as shown in Figure 2.

-153-

~ntensity Measurements 0/ the AmpicqlDuo-Artcontinued -

2,4,6

Intensity 4,6

Levels '2,4

6

4

2

o

,

FIGURE 2

AMPI CO

30 35 40 45 50

DUO ART

FIGURE 3

50454035

. '. ,~"

: 1"'1; : ;

30

I!, I

...-: .- . 'r . : ... J ~- ... -~. r. - I' , , I I

! ! 'i:' : j \. ; I"'., .. ,'ll"'i .! ,: :' I: ;: :. i' , I j ; ,~,t-~':T --.-; ."~] r., -: i!: : 'i . ': !, i I I I,,. I, -,' I -, ': -, I ,. i j 1-: I I' '. ' I - i, , " - I : I : :f : ,: i : -, ! : -I ; i:!:' I' ! i 'I' i; i' i : i I ! #;i: ! I ,.

.~ .... ~. 'iT" ':.-'.:1--;'· '.' t~"-'-I t' ,-', i "I ,. ') ,I 11" i" I

H:;.1 : !i: ;: i : ,-r i;! 1 i!! 1;;: I:""·,_·ti-i·...,·-'-"'rd " --h,'· '-'----r-+ -'-;., ~'"llr-

: j ~. I! i' ;. - j .! I t i: :-j- ~ .~ ! -). I l .' ,"

I : j j i j' . t ,I ~ -f-. • i I! ~i

I,; ! t ! ntH'!! I"iL-. ._~~ -t-~ ~ : I I':' ,.l.~ 'ill' 1;'; rI' : i I ~ i ,I·'T')! i; ·1 I, [' ~ ,! _! i: I j ; ~ )"; iiii ,;: :: ii' ,I .': 1 ! Ii; ! I ": :"~.. ·.rt-r ..I'n'......;T! ; I il, : I' ! . 1- : ! ~ : I 1; , I 1 I ~ I;:

": I' ,.:, ,I~J,A'L-4+: I ;l 1"".. , :' i

~ j I4 •

o

5

15

10

Intensity

steps

, ,

I-1I

I

\ ' '

'11--,--~, '

! _'R~: __:__..

! ;,~~...;.+~~+

i lJ ,- ! : 1-' '.. "1'! 1 :', : j I :;';-A- ' I Ii, ',I, 1 : I : ' ,

I I: ! i

t

- -'-: I ---- ~[~:tl,r ~--r~:I T';-; ,-'.. "--,-,- 1--;-;-- -;- -- ~ -j'

: i ! ! ~ ~. ~ : i : I ' i ! I !' ,I 'i,i --i-r·l -rl~ ~-~- ---rl :.,-,-;- : " , ,:,...1 ',:; _:_'_:l! Ii, il i / ':,:. •i " !' 0,

i I! j I i J' :: i f 'II i it: i, ' 'I 'j,::: 0, 'I " i : !Ij ..l_L _:.-:, !' I r';! I j : : i ' P f· : . i· .-. i 1

, , , t- '~: ,~T-;-'; ,--, '-:i-' .. 1 -, -' :,-I--:--~'~'"-~---'1' I '; II: I I , t, ',I ' " , " ; I : ; , "; ; ,: ! I! ! I l J' ,I: I I :' I I' :: "! ..: - ~

I ,": :- I : I I 0 0 I I'" , : 0 I ;:' I : ! ' .i 1 til' ,', '1, 'to" ,. i ',I,' ,:Trr -f-rrt ! -:--: -: . -; ~-,- - 17"71!~~~ .~- I

1· i I I :-. I I I j " • " ' , '

; i.j 1 :;:! :;; ~ '; ,+,.'i:! IIi; ",>--H-+,--~,~~ "TT""" ---"',., -, ~~_{I: II ',lli:,1 i, i iO, ~',; t. :, ; , i I i'~l'; :: ,: ;~. I0 Iflit !! I I !: ;:~ ~Mm'l.t~ • '\' 1 : -t-:-! "::

-()--:-; ,j Iiit TTT! -[Tr-~"':;1d" 'w'"~"'" 0 ~; : II i 'I' . , :'ft';: G-;;-.. - '. i l '1 1 ,:I! Ii ,,', ,I : 'f! , '.' -r'II':I'

" . I I I ',: 'I I, !: 'A I , , i ' , I , ' : ' : I , : ': I Go S~~ I/' ' '; I' .,.'~-~rrt '~I' 'i-_"I-:-H-+~:.;-rH.t:4~ Tr-:'''I'~~,·II;'J'~~,!(-+'~~ '1 m,t~JH,~~ ~ ,H+~,t-+-;'~~-:"00: '-j-Il " '''':1' <,,'f I",,; •. 11

"T.... , " "1'"1,, IO'I,I'.":":.'.~:.'.'.,.:.• ,t:' :l~j !T~~ : : +~~-: -~i~-:l'~~~- ~:--j';j'~T~Tl:'i-"I,- ";,~':, lr'---~~- ,~~:,I~:T: ,f .~ 0

, I I I l I!" I I I .,' :,. I ,II' i' "', " ,.. I . ~!. I", I:::,:, '~!-~~-LTl..."!, ~- :,~.~-~ ,~;"l- !,:-~ ..'~_., ---- -:'_-' ~ J... .1... ----"--..----'1

1-----'-- : '4;'.I ,;; I : 0 I :, i ,j' .. ': ' . I .,•;l': I I: "I ! i, i ' ;:: I : 1 '

I ' .J_....~!, .. ,: ~ -i.:.-;-J_~_J-:-.--;J~-:- .. ~.:.__ !,..~.L .. ,1.- . ~_ ~-~J~~..~J ," i i

-155-

.THE JOYS OF DOMESTIC "WOULD" - WORKING.By Craig Brougher

It is an unfortunate situation that seems to be compoundingupon rebuilders recently concerning the inabUity to purchase bothwell made piano action components and seasoned lumber.

It is not unusual to find that nearly every part is either drilledcrooked, slopped together, or made from green maple that driedout in a bin somewhere after manufacture, leaving the pinningso loose that it is actually worse than the part you have justreplaced.

There seems to be a curse upon our basket and our storewhen despite our factories' finest efforts to do well, we cannotseem to do it right. .

Early Steinway action components and others were wellseasoned, and then the flanges were "marinated" in a hot waxsolution to prevent further shrinkage. Today, this relatively hightechnology seems to be lost. To check for wax, just heat up afew old hammer flanges with a heat gun. You may see a liqUidrise immediately to the surface and vaporize. The odor will tellyou that the stuff you saw for an instant was paraffin.

If you decide to build any new part from domestic maple orother hardwood lumber, I suggest first sawing the blanks to arough dimension and drying them thoroughly in an oven at about175 degrees for as long as you can afford to If you notice anycupping, twisting, or extreme dimensional changes, you have pur­chased lumber that was not well cured or cut at the right timeof the year. If the boards are long enough they should be planedagain on both sides before further shaping or drilling is done.Otherwise the part will gradually dry out in service and becomemore porous, leaking air in the case of player components, ordimensionally changing size and geometry with the seasons andcracking itself apart. To add to the problem is the fact that nomatter how old such a part may be, it will continue to be unstable.

.~

After the first curing you will be able to tell if the wood 1reasonably stable or not. There will always be some change, butit should not distort the part. If the change is not extreme, planefirst, then shape and drill a few samples. Recuring your com­pleted samples should confirm the wood stability after you havepress fitted nipples into the holes you had drilled. If you find thatthe holes are now too tight to press fit nipples into them, bethankful that you did not assume that the first heating solved themoisture problem. If you had gone ahead and made your com­ponent anyway, the nipples you would have driven in could haveeventually split the wood months later, as experience will prove(Some woods carry as much as 50% of their dry weight in water).

When selecting maple boards for utility and parts, I look forsomething that is light in color and weight for its size. If it hasalready twisted, curved, cupped, or checked, I leave it alone. If,when I rip a smooth cut on a table saw with a planer blade, theboard pinches the saw and burns or curves apart in the oppositedirection, just figure that it won't even make good glue pot stirsticks unless it is oven cured in short lengths. Such lumber is liableto shrink perhaps 5% or more in your oven, so plan on redimen­sioning it after an overnight curing.

To repair loose flanges that have shrunk after manufacture,I first try Pin Tite. It does not hurt either wood or felt, and it ispermanent, as contrasted with the ethylene glycol concoctionswhich dissipate, leaving the wood more compressed than ever.Even Pin Tite has its limitations and cannot fix them all, but itwill stabilize the wood and improves with time. I have used thischemical for about 15 years for this purpose, and can recommend,.,-.it with confidence. .

ROLL PLAYING HAMMOND ORGANBy Dorothy Bromage

It's a Hammond organ, a 4000 series Regent, theatre type,model 4072. It's an electronic organ-so why is there an Electrolux .r

vacuum cleaner in the basement underneath, connected to theorgan? If you pay a visit to Earle and Florence Fenderson inPortland, Maine, Earle will tell you about the roll box he got fromJohn Powers. Earle placed it behind the music rack on the organand started a four-month project that involved soldering 540joints, "ringing out" wires 480 times, and deciding more than onceto chuck the whole thing.

In the May/June issue of the AMICA News Bulletin, JohnGrant's article on the Hammond organ player unit included somediagrams. Earle had none of this printed assistance. But to tellthe story in Earle's own words:

There are 56 relays for notes: 12 for pedal, 14 for accom­paniment and 30 for the soh All relays are connected to thetracker bar with plastic tubes to conduct vacuum which actuatesthe relay wire contacts. These, in turn, are wired to a terminalstrip of 5 sections of 12 each. This strip of 60 contacts was wiredto 4 sets of 12 unit Molex connectors male side. The 4 sets offemale Molex connectors were wired through multi-wired cablesto the pedal, accompaniment and solo keyboard contacts.

From the tracker bar, the bottom and top octaves are con-

nected to the next above and below relays to compensate for thedifference between 88 note tracker and the 56 note unit. Con­trols located on the unit are Rewind, Play, Tempo, Auto trackingand on.!off.

A regulated vacuum is supplied from the Electrolux, whichis located in the basement for quietness. The on.!off control forthe vacuum is located on the console.

With this unit,. the artist may play along with piano rolls. Also,the unit has no effect on the organ when being used separately.

I got the unit without cables or any circuit diagrams; in fact,I had no idea as to how it was usable with the Hammond organ.fm handicapped with one eye blacked out and depth perceptionhindered. To find out just what could be done, I had to study cir­cuits of the Hammond electronic diagrams. In order to begin theconnections, I had to ring out all 60 notes through contacts ofthe keyboards and pedals to all relay contacts.

More about the player unit itself. Any 88 note roll may Eplayed. Holes on the roll are the device to maintain proper align­ment. The reroll hole on the roll is a STOP signal for the playerunit. To choose the "sound" of the roll, a person chooses registra­tion, according to taste, as when playing manually. This can bechanged ad lib as the piece rolls on.

-156-

Roll Playing Hammond Organ continued -

Retired now - "85 years young and holding" - Earle is anarchitect who also worked as a movie projectionist and TV sta­tion film director. One room in the Fenderson's house looks like

_A;; the command center for NATO. Earle is part of the Military Af­filiate Radio System for the Navy and Marine Corps. Togetherwith equipment for that, one can see various electronic andphotographic equipment. In a glass front case, there is a collec­tion of many types of telegraph sounders and relays (what onewould probably call the telegraph "key").

We are on the trail of information requested by John Grantin his article, regarding where these player units originated. Theinformation trail regarding the player mechanism for a Hammondorgan has led to the inventor, Lee Von Gunet of Ohio Larry Whitemarketed the unit out of Cleveland, Ohio It is called the ORGAN­MATIC. Larry White is a distributor for a Japanese piano.

Ramsi Tick of QRS bought the Organmatic from Larry WhiteWith the idea of using it as an attachment to pianos. Various pro­blems with that application made it advisable, after awhile, toreturn the units to Larry White.

Earle Fenderson at the Hammond consol, roll box behind musicrack.

Original worksheet for layout.

Unit attached at back of organ, showing relays.

Close-up of relay unit, removed and laid horizontally.

Player unit, closed.

-157 -

Roll Plqying Hammond Organ continued -

Organ with roll box open, showing controls. Tracker bar of player unit.

********************************************************

MISUNDERSTOOD PARTS - (One of a Series)

The Duo-Art Tracker Bar PumpBy Richard Geddes

A Duo-Art Tracker Bar Pump? You're laughing. Actually I Art on/off switch is in, because the piano isn't running and nomean to discuss the unnoticed misunderstood part that defeats vacuum is being supplied to the backs of the pouches to holdyour efforts with the tracker bar pump only in the Duo-Art, but them away, so all nipples turn off the moment you pump them..t-"I claim the title in an indirect way is justified. The misunderstood What to do? _part if generally hidden from view, dead reliable, and is one of In the 80 note stack you can produce dramatic and comfor-those. advanced parts whose electrical equivalent boasts "s~lid ting results providing you maintain your sense of humor and don'tstate". I refer to the rarely noticed cut'out pouch block, of wh.lch mind getting intimately involved with your piano. Go to the blockyou have either two or four. They turn on and off the accordion of valves which controls the separate accordion sections, .removepneumatic control valves and the note valves for notes numbered each tube in turn, (the small ones which go to the tracker bar1-4 and 84-88 in the case of the 88 note stack. These pouch and get intercepted by the pouch block discussed earlier) and blowblocks take turns being either on or off when you move the Duo- furiously through each tube. You will want to close the fallboardArt on/off switch. They are elegantly simple in design, have no first because you may blowout a snowstorm of lint and dustseats, stems, guides, bleeds, facings, only pouches. The soft which has collected in the pouch wells. This performance will con-pouches are the only moving part, and they only flex. They will vince any witness of its merit. Now connect each valve nippleclose over. dirt and dust, even small insect parts. Their small size in turn to the tracker bar pump using probably two sizes of tub-enables them to hide behind the spoolbox where they are logi~ally ing in order to get the connection to match, and pump out thenear the tracker bar holes they control, and also to the sWitch valve with the dirty bleed. Remember the valve you wanted towhich tums them on and off themselves.. They ~e silent ~nd work pump out when all this started? A stuck accordion valve fails toin any position. Certain pipe organ bUilders hked them so well repeat just like a stuck note valve, so remember when an accor-that they used them for pressure by the hundreds to connect dian section closes without reason one day, maybe the bleed iswhole manuals to each other note by note, stop by stop~ banks clogged. Blowout the tube and pump the valve before panickingand banks of trouble free switches. The draWing below Will show and digging through the tubing behind the tracker bar. When blow-how simple they are. It may also give a clue as to the dirty secret ing out the tubes from. the valve end of things, you may wantthey hide. to use one of those little pink squeeze bulbs they do rude things

When either tube nipple is supplied with vacuum as from a to babies with, as you can get plenty of pressure without dangervalve waiting for air from an opening in the tracker bar, it sucks of slobbering. Sin,ce the pouches blow flat .ag~lnst the backboardthe pouch closed over itself, and nothing further happens. The the pressure won t damage them. J,ust Walt till you see the snowonly way to get a nipple to communicate across the well to the ~torm from the ~-bar .holes! and don t forget to get all of the valvesother nipple, is to apply vacuum from behind the pouch to hold In both accordIons If there are two of them.it out of the way. It is so simple, and because the pouches are About the 88 note stack, you could do the same thing withglued up around their edges, they are all isolated pneumatically the note tubes that you did with the accordion section valves,,__'from the passages they control, they are tubed together as a group but you probably don't want to go digging through masses of brit.!"'·to a single control nipple. Now back to what I said a moment tIe tubing into hard-to-reach places. You might not need dramatic-ago..When either tube nipple is supplied with vacuum...that means visible proof that this is necessary. Instead I have another solu-also the tracker bar pump, which closes the pouch on itself and tion, tested with a vacuum gauge to be sure it works. You simplydefeats your efforts to communicate yo~r vacu~m to the valye supply the missing vacuum to the backs of the pouches by suck-at the other end, you remember, the one WIth the dirty bleed you re ing through a piece of tubing which you have connected tomeant to be cleaning. It doesn't matter what position your Duo-

-158-

Misunderstood Parts continued -the appropriate tube in the Duo-Art on,bff switch, while you pumpout the bar. See the drawings below. When you feel the hand

, pump affecting your mouth tube, you know that you are in the)isht place, and that your hand pump has overpowered your suck-

-ing tube. So you must suck harder whilst pumping until you feelconfident that your mouth has overpowered the hand pump dur­ing your efforts. Then switch your mouth tube to the other func­tion control nipple, rernernber you must get the accordions onboth sides, and the notes on both Sides, and repeat. You thinkfm completely crackers? Connect your vacuum gauge to a tubeyou can get at (probably an accordion control valve tube) andtry this routine, and viola, proof! This could save you a lot of trou­ble and worry. Good luck and understanding.

~ t-Accovnetbcuurn r" Se t;'rSOU tt'e gg note

rolls

·ut

~CUUl'Yl Pl4 J\5POlAC~ "waftrom p~-th

~I I

I ', ,. I

: tI ,

I II II ,,!OR, 'I I

I :I •: .

.~

/

-159-

Do Dey Redo Dem Duo-Arts Like Dey Say Dey Do? continued ­

Trying to suggest to a reader how to regulate this box is__ almost impossible There are too many interacting elements. The

,deal accordion travel is not necessarily the criteria, either. It is-just a place to begin. Each box is different and should start with

the accordions pre- travelled. From there, a sensitive gauge shouldbe used at the outputs of the box along with the aforementionedbleeds, and a pressure chart should be followed after the spill isadjusted.

If the build up of intensities is too fast, either the accordionlever arm that attaches to the box via the link is angled too farback, or the regulator spring is too tight. Conversely, if the inten­sities do not build fast enough the spill valve will bottom out onthe cover and the accordions won't seem to have enough traveLThis can be caused by many things including a stretched outspring or an accordion lever that is too close to vertical.

Repeatability is such an overlooked problem. I believe thereason for this is the blind faith that too many rebuilders havein the accordion gap settings. One culprit is very often the thinflat metal link between the accordion lever and the box's expres­sion lever. Often, these two levers are not in perfect alignment,and so the link binds up. When rebuilding these boxes, each linkshould be labeled bass or treble Also the link has a front/ backand differently drilled ends. Even the tiniest amount of lost mo­tion in this link can easily amount to ± I" or more ofunrepeatability.

Another test is the effect that the theme accordions haveon the accompaniment. When the theme nipples are open to airand the outputs read 5", close the theme accordions by hand and

~:~atch the gauge If you see more change than about 1" to perhaps11/4~ your respective theme pouch is leaking. Check both sidesto see this effect.

Next, you must check to see if the two one-way valves leak.This is done by actuating the theme accordions first, then theopposite theme pouch to the side your gauge is on will be open­ed with a vacuum. If your gauge shows a deflection, you havea leaky one-way flap valve to that side

Another problem common to these boxes is a poor jointdirectly below the oval channel between the two one-way flapvalves. It causes a similar problem of channeling between the twosides of the box such that the adjustment of one side affects theother. Combinations of these problems can be weird (Maybe Ishould say, wierd).

Yet another very important characteristic of the box is themuffler felt in the spill hole If this isn't done exactly like MikeKitner says in his reprint from Vestal Press, there is no way thatthe box can ever build up its intensities realistically. The box,ironically, is designed around that little piece of felt stuffed in itshole

Concerning the analogous expression system substitute thathas been tried by a number of inventors, I agree with John againthat it cannot be done using a compensating curtain. It can bedone, however in many different ways other than mechanicall~nkages. I think that all one has to realize first is the principle

behind the regulators - their philosophy of operation. Then ifone wishes to use the curtain principle to establish the intensitiesrelative to the pump supply pressure, he will isolate this resultantpressure output from the stack.

This can be done by allowing the "curtain intensity" to IxiIancea proportional regulator which in turn feeds the stack, thus com­pletely isolating the initial set up intensity from the actual stacksupply.

Frankly, I don't see the purpose in it. The Duo-Art, when pro­perly restored and regulated plays beautifully and realistically onwell arranged and perforated rolls. Like all reproducers, the rollis designed with the limitations of the expressions in mind andtimed and coded so that these limitations are no longer limita­tions but characteristics that are automatically compensated for.

If your Duo-Art is not playing as softly as you might like, youmust look at the roll (providing your stack is perfectly even). Youwill probably notice on the roll that it obviously was intended toplay that way.

Most Duo-Art rolls I have seen seem to be coded at slightlyhigher intensities than, say, Ampico on purpose so that the in­flexible characteristics of these individual pianos could be minimiz­ed. This would obviously be a requirement in any piano systemdesign that could not compensate for even the smallest stackpressure drops, as we have just seen. Therefore, Duo-Art rollshad to have been cut with slightly more generous margins inthesoft intensity spectrum to provide enough latitude for differences.

The exception to this rule, in part, seems to be theAudiograpic rolls. Many otherwise acceptable selections take ona new, fresh, realistic performance with these rolls not found onthe more common variety. These rolls were conceived to teachconservatory students and to appeal to the more critically mind­ed music student and performer. I believe theY might not be com­pensated as much as the ordinary rolls, but have not done anyresearch on them, so maybe it was just the pretty pictures andnotations on them that I reacted to At any rate, it would be awonderfully interesting project for someone with access to theserolls to undertake

As was mentioned above, some rebuilders, it is noticed, havetried to compensate for this roll compensation by removing thefelt packing and simply lining the spill hole with nameboard felt.Another form of compensation for this is the curtain regulatorlike Harold Malakinian has built. By self-compensating the piano,the soft intensities will safely adjust to a lower level without fearof dropout. However, when the coding calls for, say, a No 1 in­tensity for a 5 or more note chord and puts down the coding ofNo 3, the self-compensating mechanism unhappily gives you a3. The original Duo-Art mechanism would drop these notes tothe proper level of No 1.

A final note conceming John Grant's article in the December1979 issue That was one of the most helpful articleto ever ap­pear in any AMICA Bulletin in my opinion. If anyone interestedin the restoration of a Duo-Art expression box hasn't seen yethow to get into one safely, this should put their fears to rest.

-161-

******************************************************************************************

CL.ASSIFIED****************************************************************************************** ,/'.

FOR SALEREPRODUCO PIPES - 97 pipes (one missing) organ chests,keyboard, blower/vacuum unit (motor missing) tremulant bellows,all restored, $1,500. OBO. Dan Tuttle, 3315 Pinecrest Rd., Indpls.,IN 46234. (317) 298-7812.

MASON &: HAMLIN AMPICO "A", 5'8" V-legged case, 1927unrestored, $5,500. OBO. Artecho/Appolo Rolls, send SASE forlist. Bill and Dee Kavouras, 2740 Lighthouse Ct., Lynwood, IL60411. (312) 474-8787.

ARTCASE WEBER DUO-ART GRAND, matching bench,SN77278WR, 5'8", mahogany case. Bridges, keyboard in excel1entcondition. Instrument complete. $4,000. Jon Littman, 154 SelyeTerrace, Rochester, NY 14613. (716) 647-9890.

ROLLS AND INSTRUMENTS: 30 Pianino rolls (list available)$25.00 ea., 6 Wurlitzer Theater Orchestra rolls $200.127 Art-EchoRolls (list available) $1,200. 100 58-note piano rolls $900. 100Ampico Rolls $500. 27 Angelus Symphony Wilcox-White rolls $240.20 Welte Philaharmonic rolls $600. 175 Blue Amberol CylinderRecords. 18 Popper Stella rolls. 32 Apollo Concert Grand 15lA" rolls$250. 95 Kimball Player Organ rolls. 2 Estey Pipe Organ rolls $40.22 Apollo 88-note 15lA" rolls $170.1961 Aeolian Player Piano,restored like new, $1,900. Mortier Dance Organ, 350 pipes. 15' wide,$35,000. Western electric Mod. C Nickelodeon, restored, $7,000.Phillips Violine (European Orchestrion), choice restored (Encyl. pg.574) $29,000. Red Welte cabinet-style piano, oak, orig. condo (pg.333 of Encyl.) $3,900. Wayne Edmonston, 2177 Bishop EstatesRd., Jacksonville, FL 32259. (904) 287-5996.

5'S" KNABE AMPICO "A". Piano and player in original andunrestored condition. Soundboard, bridges, and bearing perfect.Pinblock tight. Striped brown mahogany case, original finish isglazed. Ivories: one small chip, the rest perfect, no wear. Beautifulinstrument, great tone, $5,800 . 5'2" AEOLIAN DUO-ART.Piano restrung, soundboard, plate, and brown mahogany cabinetrefinished, action reconditioned. Ivories in excellent shape except 6with small repaired chips. Player unrestored, and missing spoolboxand controls, $2,200 or will consider selling player parts separately.Also, KURTZMAN UPRIGHT PLAYER, Action recondition­ed, player unrestored, figured walnut cabinet refinished, $1,200.Pianos located 5 miles from greater Pittsburg Airport. Tom DeFer­ran, Box 268A, RD 2, Centre Hall, PA 16828. (814) 364-9812.

1924 BABY GRAND WURLITZER PLAYER PIANO,fully restored $7,000. (213) 378-2596 CA.

WURLITZER STYLE C, Violin and flute pipes, identical toBower's Encyclopedia page 677 upper right comer, outstandingoriginal condition, $19,500. Martin Roenigk, 26 Barton Hill, EastHampton, CT 06424. (203) 267-8682.

DUO-ART PUMP AND MOTOR unit. $150. L. Wagner, 1500Trepanier Street, Chomedey Laval, Canada H7W 3G6. Tel. (514)688-4640.

1925 WEBER GRAND PIANO 5'9" reproducing Duo-Art,reconditioned, 100 rolls, $9,000 OBO. (415) 342-1398 CA.

MARSHALL &: WENDELL 5' AMPICO, circassian walnut,with bench, unrestored $3,300. Nicholas Fiscina, 20-17 JacksonAve., West Islip, NY 11795. (516) 661-9270.

FRANKLIN AMPICO UPRIGHT, Serial No. 81376, FISHERAMPICO UPRIGHT Serial No. 102159. Both instruments areunrestored, $2,000 OBO. We are able to do all, or part of the restora­tion work. STEINWAY DUO-ART GRAND, Queen Ann,perfect ivory keys, Serial No. 184698. This piano has been restored.$14,000 OBO. Hewitt Pianos & Organs, 13119 Downey Ave.,Paramountt CA 90723. (213) 923-2311. Steve Schroeder.

Very rare TOM THUMB MINIATURE UPRIGHT ELEC­TRIC PLAYER PIANO. Needs adjustment to correct "slUrring"of notes. Approx. 50 rolls included. Art glass has been added. I willtake offers by sealed bid. All bids to be tendered by September 1st,1988. For more information, please call or write: Henry C. Lickel414 26th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90402. (213) 393-4082.

AMPICO PARTS. Have drawer, pump, two crescendos,decorative drawer tags. Sell or trade for DUO-ART parts. Need 17inch Duo-Art Pump. Al Pulis, Kennett, Missouri (314) 888-6551.

Rare transposing upright by HEINTZMAN (Canada's finest) ... just like the famour Irving Berlin's. Keyboard shifts to play in allkey signatures as easily as in the key of C. A collector's item. RolandGrittani, 578 William St., London, Ont., Canada, N6B 3E9. (519)434-0027.

REGINA SUBLIMA Model 304, Seeburg Celestz Deluxe Pianowith pipes For Sale or interested in a band organ or disc music boxtrade. For further information, please contact Wayne Butler, Box465, Jaffrey, NH 03452. (603) 899-5653.

SHOW - CRANFORD, NJ, Sunday, September 18.Phonograph music box - automated instrument show. 8 a.m. -4 p.m.,Coachman Inn, Exit 136, Garden State Parkway. Largest one daysale of its kind in the United States. Records, parts, memorabilia,repairs. Easily accessible to aU major roads in New York and NewJersey, minutes from Newark Airport. Buyers from five continentshave participated in the Cranford event - come see why! Details:Box 25007, Chicago, IL 60625 or (216) 758-5001.

AMPICO "B" PUMP. Welte Licensee: Drawer, grand expres­sion, upright expression, pump, stack, etc. Link continuous roll - driveassembly. Larry Broadmoore. (818) 365-6231.

27" REGINA CHANGER, with one dozen disks circa 1899,musical comb, rebuilt by Bomand Company, good playing condi­tion, oak case, $11,500. John K Armstrong, M.D. 911 Sixth Ave.,Fort Worth, TX 76104. (817) 332-1945 days, 927-5988 nights.

NEW AEOLIAN DUO-ART ROLL CATALOG. Completelistings of U.S. and British issues by artist (With notes), composer,number and title. Hardbound, 325 pages with dust cover. $40.00plus $2.00 postage and handling ($4.00 outside U.S., surface mail).Order from author Charles Smith, 625 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia,CA 91016.

OLD PIANO ROLLS for sale, over 40,000 rolls in stock, alsosheet music. Catalogues available. We buy collections of sheet musicand rol1s. Ragtimes, Box 367, Port Washington, NY 11050.

KNABE GRAND AMPCIO "A", 5'3",1925. Walnut case, re­strung and refinished in 1969. Ampico needs restoration, $3,400.Warren Knapp, 6425 31 Terr. N. St. Petersburg, FL 33710. (813)381-0204.

VIDEOS of the 1986 and/or 1987 Mid-Am Band Organ Rallies.You can listen to as well as watch our tapes. $37.50 each. SpecifyVHS or Beta. George Fawkes, Oleoacres Farms, KK 4, Diney, IL62450.

SEEBURG "E" with xylophone, walnut case, unrestored, $4,000.Knabe Ampico "N 5'8" mahogany, unrestored, $4,000. Gibson­Welte upright, unrestored $500. COin-op O-roll piano with mandolin~~

block, triangle, walnut case and stained glass, restored $4,000. Tw(restored players (1) walnut $3,800, (2) mahogany $3,400. Five pumporgans from small to large. Joe Hilferty, Box 80, KD. 27, York, PA17402. (717) 755-0209.

For Sale continued -

-162-

$120.0060.0030.0020.00

For Sale continued -

CHICKERING 5'8", 1917, Ampico removed. Excellent tone,very good original condition. Larry Broadmore. (818) 365-6231.

STEINWAY XR, 1922. Refinished, restrung, new hammers, new./ repititions cross valves replaced by conventional valves. Beautiful tone

and appearance. $16,500. firm. (212) 246-6000 Ext. 244 days;231-8465 evenings. Jerry Goldstein, 3530 Bainbridge Ave., Apt. 21,Bronx, NY 10467.

PIANO ROLL AUCTIONS. Since 1970, we've been conductingmonthly auctions of vintage reproducing and 88-note rolls. We alsoissue re-cuts of all types of rolls and produce our own exclusive originalrolls of classic jazz and ragtime performances. We now serve manyAMICAns, so won't you give us a try for your roll needs? Mike &Fred Schwimmer, 325 E. Blodgett, Lake Bluff, IL 60044.

GRAND PLAYER PIANO WELTE MIGNON - POOLE.Totally restored in 1987. $6,500. Tony Misiano, Mass. (617) 233-1851.

WANTEDSPENCER, BOBCO OR OTHER BRAND ORGANBLOWER capable of producing 8" to 10" of pressure; Duo-Art GrandExpression box; Steinway Player Grand, preferably 6'5" or longer;All types of rolls such as Welte, Orchestrelle, Mills Violano, pipe organ,player organ, Red Welte, etc. Wayne Edmonston, 2177 Bishop EstatesRd., Jacksonville, FL 32259. (904) 287-5996.

Does anyone have a SEEBURG UK" EMPTY CASE? Will buyoutright or trade other coin piano parts. Let me know what you areneeding. Also have some rough restorable band organs, one doubletracker Artizan, two North Tonawanda, 46 key. Also makings forWurlitzer 146 Carousel, mostly for parts, no pipe work. Will sell allthese, plus new sides made up for cases in one lot. For details, DuaneEngels, 106 3rd St., Vincent, Iowa 50594. (515) 356-4926 eves.

MILLS VIOLANO ROLLS. Classical selections wanted. Will buy_/ outright or trade for popular rolls. Paul Ciancia, 683 Birchwood,

Wyckoff, NJ 07481. (201) 891-6842.

DISC AND CYLINDER MUSIC BOXES WANTED. Alsowant music box parts, discs or anything music box related. Top pricespaid. Arnold LeVin, 2634 Woodlawn Road, Northbrook, IL 60062.(312) 564-2893.

MILLS VIOLANO VIRTUOSO in good playing condition. KenRosen, 10447 Danube Ave., Granada Hills, CA 91344. (818)891-5250 or 7210.

MUSIC BOXES WANTED. Buying disc and cylinder musicboxes, monkey organs, unusual organettes, musical clocks &watches, mechanical birds, automata, etc. Martin Roenigk, 26Barton Hill, East Hampton, CT 06424. (203) 267-8682.

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORYADVERTISING- CONTACT-

VALERIE ANDERSONp.o. Box 172

Columbia, SC 29202

An excellent wayto advertise your product or service.

-*-*-*-New Directory coming out October, 1988

AMICA ITEMS FOR SALEAMICA BULLETINS, BOUND ISSUES: 1971, 1972,1973 bound Bulletins at $15 each. 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977,1978,1979, 1980 bound Bulletins at $18 each. 1981, 1982, 1983bound Bulletins at $21 each. 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 boundBulletins at $24 each. PRICES INCLUDE POSTAGE ANDHANDUNG. Spiral bound to lie flat. Send order to Mary Lilien,460 Olympiad Dr., Los Angles, CA 90043.

AMICA TECHNICALITIES BOOKS:Volume I ...-. . . . . . . . . .. (1969-1971), $9.50 postpaidVolume II ............. (1972-1974), $7.50 postpaidVolume III ............. (1975-1977), $8.50 postpaidVolume N ............ (1978-1980), $6.50 postpaid

Reprints of interesting technical articles which have appeared inthe AMICA News Bulletin, arranged and indexed into appropriatecategories. Brian Meeder, 1206 Miramonte Dr., Santa Barbara,CA 93109.

Roll Leaders: Duo-Art, AMPICO and Welte: Excellent replicas.For order form, see mailing cover of Bul.letin or write to BrianMeeder, 1206 Miramonte Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93109. Sendorder to Brian.

AMICA STATIONERY: $3.50 (letter size), $3.20 (note size),including mailing charges. Fine quality stationery with ornateAMICA borders. Each packet contains 25 letters and matchingenvelopes. Send orders to Tim Passinault, 105 Hemlock St.,Munising, MI 49862.

AMICA STERLING SILVER PINS: $8.00 each, postpaid.Very attractive on your lapel or dress. Send orders to TimPassinault, 105 Hemlock St., Munising, MI 49862.

Please make ALL CHECKS payable toAMICA INTERNATIONAL

ADVERTISINGClassified: lO¢ per word, $3.00 minimum for members. Non­members may advertise at twice the above rate. ($6.00 minimum.)

• See Bulletin Deadlines on inside front cover. Payment mustaccompany order. Make checks payable to:

AMICA INTERNATIONAL.• Checks or money orders from advertisers in foreign countries

must be drawn on a U.S. Bank.Display Advertising:

Full Page 7W'xlO"Half Page 7W'x4%"Quarter Page 35

/ S"x4%"Business Card 2"x3Y2"

• Each photograph or half-tone $8.00.• See Bulletin deadlines on mast head.

• We recommend display advertisers supply camera-ready copy.Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changed to cor­rect size at your cost. We can prepare your advertisement fromyour suggested layout at cost.

• Payment must accompany order. Typesetting, layout or sizealteration charges will be billed separately. Make checkspayable to: AMICA INTERNATIONAL.

• Checks or money orders from advertisers in foreign countriesmust be drawn on a U.S. bank.

• All ads will appear on the last pages of the Bulletin at the discre-tion of the publisher.

Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA'sendorsement of any commercial operation. However, AMICAreserves the right to refuse any ad that is not in keeping withAMICA's general standards or if complaints are received indicatingthat said business does not serve the best interests of themembers of AMICA according to its goals and bylaws.

-163 -

~."n.11 PI

!:ln

~;:

IBorgy

Wendli",LaHoadlq

Burl FranklinPaul Van KDlwUk

Clanna JonesStraight

Percy IfinrIch

1;l®~G1 ~®(!)(;J

SEND FOR LIST No.1

AVAILABLE NOW

I;l®(!l~ f:J®[!)~

~1:1'1l0 ~(!)[}{ll'll~U~[Pca [J.).\fJca~Q ~@)taOWl~{ll~Q ~(;.\ @)~®®~ ~

ll~~~l) ~lD~Q~'i1lDf:l I.wnGOTNOIODY

The world's foremost RECORDO collectionshave temporarily combined to present 26Limited Edition recuts of scarce Imperial,

QRS, & U. S. Recordo-coded rolls!

KDlutL«SImsIIcNtWIt,eJrf,1u

WIlma A. GilmanMax Kordander

..:IlE<;2T¥DO

ga:l

~8FRECKLFS

The STEINWAY DUO-ART

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: AL PULIS OF KENNETT, MISSOURIAT (3141 888-6551.

THE ULTIMATE PIANO -STEINMAY- COMBINED WITH THE FINESTRRPRonllCTNG PIANO MF.CII1\NISH- TUB DUO-ART, HEAR IT TOU~Llt::Vl!: 1'1'.

FOR SALE: STEINWAY OR 6' 5" DUO-ART. 1922. BEAUTIFULBROWN STRIPED MAHOGANY. THIS IS THE TOP OF THE LINE INllEl'llOlJUCl NG l' II1NOS.

AR1' REBLI'l'Z IN HIS CLASSIC, "PLAYER PIANO SERVICINGIINlJ REBUILDING" SIIYS. "'filE DUO-ART IS THE ONLY ONE INWHIC~VERS PERMIT PRECISE MANUAL CONTROL OF EXPRESSIONFOR ,'IlOSE WIlO WISIl "0 PUT TIlEIR OWN EXPRESSION INTO TilEMU~IC.

THIS MODEL HAS 'rHE FAMOUS "TEMPONAMIC" KNOB ALLOWINGPRECISE SIMULTANEOUS CONTROL OF TEMPO AND ACCOMPANIMENTLEVEL WITH ONE HAND! IT ALSO HAS THE HIGHLY DESIRABLE ANDOVEll ENGINEERED EARLY PNEUMA'I'IC S'l'ACK ALLOWING POWERFULDYNAMICS AND YET FEATHER SOFT PIANISSIMO! THE POWERFULROLL MOTOR IS UNEQUALED IN HANDLING THE PIANO ROLL.

THIS STEINWAY IS UNDERGOING COMPLETE RESTORATION WITHA COMPLETION DIITE OF ABOUT DECEMBER 1988. THERE IS STILLTIME TO SELECT THE PIANO FINISH. STAIN, AMOUNT OF PLATING.

BROADMOORE AUTOMATICINSTRUMENT RESTORATIONS

r-

'/1

"

~

~

BROUGHER RESTORATIONS

S2:

Reproducers, Nickelodeonsand Fine Grand Pianos

COMPLETE RESTORATIONFACILITIES

OWNER OPERATED

20 years of experience in each related fieldof restoration.

CASE AND VENEER REPAIRS

FINEST HAND-RUBBED MIRROR FINISHESOR SATIN FINISHES AVAILABLE

VOICING AND lONE SPECIALIST

Concert Quality RegulationLowest Prices, Known References,

Guaranteed Work.

only the worlds finest known grades of materials are used.They are always fresh and continually checked.Hot glue and original materials used throughout

wherever possible

Craig Brougher3500 Claremont Independence, MO(816) 254-1693 64052

1m

"'II~~~~I~

~M~M~"Ie

Restoration of orchestrionsand reproducing pianos

our specialty.

Finest materials used.

"Each part is treated as the most importantpart in the machine."

We are authorities on authenticity.

Prices of restoration vary according to the grade ofwork you select - from "Excellent" to ''Perfect.''

~No trade secrets - we will gladly discuss procedures

thoroughly with any customer.

21 years experience -

~references proudly given upon request.

Laurence Broadmoore, Owner1709 "C" First St.n San Fernando, CA 91340 n

U 818/365-6231 U

b* *1 -r "- "- • I

F~

~

!

-164-

DUO-ART "Over Easy" UPDATE

00

On page 83 of the May/June issue of the AMICABulletin is a picture of an upside-down 9'6" SteinwayDuo-Art that I am currently refitting. The Duo-Artmechanism was unfortunately removed and discard­ed many years ago, so a proper "original" mechanismmust be built. I had planned to publish the story ofthis instrument (including its having been set on fireby vandals) in this issue but a number of custom partsare still being manufactured. When the work isfinally done, a detailed acticle will appear. Iapologizefor the delay.

Mel Septon

9'6" Steinway Duo-Art without playerready for the work to begin.January 1988.

AMICA Audio-Visual Tape File

g.John Honnert, Matilda L. Hart, Ursula D.Hollingshead, Pauline Alpert, Armbruster,Armbruster/Flint.

No. 6 Pasadena InterviewsWerolin interview with Victor Zuck andSmithsonian.

3/4" SUPER U-MATIC ONLYSUBJECf V.H.S. BETA U·MATIC 8MM Film

1975 Buffalo 11981 Texas Convention X X No.1 Pasadena Interviews

Bethlehem Convention (1982) XRuth Bingaman Smith - Julius Burger

Davton Convention (1978)No. 2 Pasadena Interviews

X X Louis Alter - John HonnertPhiladelphia Convention (1979) X(2) X(2) No. 3 Pasadena InterviewsSan Francisco Convention (1970) X X X(2) Matilda Hart - Ursala D. Hollingshead -

Pauline Alpert

Potpourri of Performances X No. 4 Pasadena Interviews

They All Lauqhed X X X(2) Rigg - Cherney' Beckett, Abram Chasins,

Shura Cherkasskv Interview X XWerolin, Armbruster/Flint.

No.5 Pasadena InterviewsMs. Mana-Zucca Interview X X X Ruth B. Smith, Julius Bur er, Louis Alter,

NOfE: All 3/4" U-Matic Tapes are to be copied on V.H.S. format.Copies in V.H.S. Format only - $15.00 each postpaid.

Send orders to: Harold Malakinian, 2345 Forest Trail Dr., Troy, MI 48098 (Make Checks Payable to AMICA International)

( ,'.

Contributed by Don Hubert

From New York Times, May 8, 1988

(

~m~H!~c3Irving Berlin as he looked in the 20's-He's been famous for 7,7 years, and he's stiII playing the piano strictly on the black keys and in F sharp only.