the amica bulletin - stacks are the stanford

The AMICA BULLETINAUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS’ ASSOCIATIONJULY/AUGUST 2006 VOLUME 43, NUMBER 4

Entire contents © 2006 AMICA International Printed by Engler Printing Co., Fremont, OH • [email protected] 201

VOLUME 43, Number 4 July/August 2006

FEATURESRudolph Ganz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .From Piano Mastery Vol. 1 . . . .205The Music World Mourns . . . . . . . . . . . .From Chicago Daily News . . . .206Welte-Mignon Recordings by Rudolph Ganz . . . . . . . . .Mike Kukral . . . .207Duo-Art Recordings by Rudolph Ganz . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mike Kukral . . . .209Steinways, Warhols and Antique Cars . . . . .From The Morning Call . . . .211The First Jazz Piano Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .From The Boogie Beat . . . .213Foot-Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .From Music Trade Indicator . . . .220Zaharako’s Sells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .From therepublic.com . . . .220Those Piano Roll Blues are Back . . . . . . . . . . . .From Sunday News . . . .222Two Interesting Welte Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeffrey Morgan . . . .224A Blip in Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Yousuf Wilson . . . .227They Remember Him . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .From Milwaukee Journal . . . .237Grandpa’s Pianos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Katherine Emmons . . . .244Murtogh D. Guinness . . . . . . . . . . . . . .From The New Jersey Herald . . . .245Mana-Zucca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .From Miami Beach Times . . . .245

DEPARTMENTSAMICA International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203Publisher’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204New Piano Rolls & Recuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246They Shall Be Remembered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248Chapter News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249Classified Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258

Front Cover: Rudolph Ganz. Duo-Art Editor and artist, pianist, composer, conductor.Uncle of AMICA Honorary Felix Ganz. Contributed by Bill Knorp and Robin Pratt.

Inside Front: Two old Ads: Steinway Welte & Monola. Submitted by MikeKukral.

Back Cover: Photo from Wilson article. “Hitchy Koo”-In a burst of enthusiasm, I managed to find a dozen matching sheet music to slide sets, but only a single piano roll turned up-“Hitchy Koo” in the collection of Palmer Mai of St. Louis. Submitted by Yousuf Wilson.

Inside Back Cover: Duo-Art roll leader with Rudolph Ganz. Submitted by MikeKukral.

THE AMICA BULLETINAUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS' ASSOCIATION

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

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

Associate Editor: Mr. Larry Givens • Editor Emeritus: Robin Pratt

AMICA BULLETINDisplay and Classified AdsArticles for PublicationLetters to the PublisherChapter News

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

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

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

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

ISSN #1533-9726

202

AMICA INTERNATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERSPRESIDENT Mike Walter

65 Running Brook Dr.Lancaster, NY 14086-3314

716-656-9583e-mail: [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENT Dan C. BrownN. 4828 Monroe Street

Spokane, WA 99205-5354509-325-2626

e-mail: [email protected] PRESIDENT John Motto-Ros

P.O. Box 908Sutter Creek, CA 95685-0908


SECRETARY Florie Hirsch8917 Wooden Bridge Rd., Potomac, MD 20854-2448


TREASURER Wesley Neff128 Church Hill Drive, Findlay, Ohio 45840


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


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

Phone & Fax: 760-564-2951e-mail: [email protected]

— COMMITTEES —AMICA ARCHIVES Tom Hutchinson

15361 Hopper Rd., Sturgeon, MO [email protected]

AMICA MEMORIAL FUND Halie Dodrill4488 W. Mercer Way, Mercer Island, WA 98040-3934

206-236-0067, e-mail: [email protected]

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

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

HONORARY MEMBERS

WEBMASTER MANAGER Karl B. Ellison6 Lions Lane, Salem, MA 01970-1784

e-mail: [email protected]

BOSTON AREAPres: Bill KownigsbergVice Pres: Bob HuntSec: Ken VolkTreas: Dorothy BromageBoard Rep: Bob Hunt

CHICAGO AREAPres: Mel Septon - 847-679-3455Sec: Carol VeomeTreas: Joe PekarekReporter: Curt CliffordBoard Rep: George Wilder

FOUNDING CHAPTERPres: John Ulrich - 510-223-9587Vice Pres: Bing Gibbs & Karen SimonsSec: Jack and Dianne Edwards

[email protected]/Bd Rep: Richard ReutlingerReporter: Bonnie and Bob Gonzalez

GATEWAY CHAPTERPres: Yousuf Wilson - 636-665-5187Vice Pres: Gary Craig - 314-771-1244Sec: Mary WilsonTreas: Cynthia CraigReporter/Bd.Rep: Gary Craig

[email protected]

HEART OF AMERICAPres: Tom McAuleyVice Pres: Robbie TubbsSec: Rick McDowell - 816-781-1965Treas: Mike Schoeppner - 816-767-9766Board Rep: Ron Connor

LADY LIBERTYPres: Bill MaguireVice Pres: Aris John DousmanisRecording Sec: Bill MaguireCorresponding Sec: Richard KarlssonReporter:Buzz RosaBoard Reps: Marvin & Dianne Polan

631-673-0388Newsletter Editor: Bill Maguire

MIDWEST (OH, MI, IN, KY)Pres: Don Johnson - 248-650-1840Vice Pres: Liz BarnhartSec: Sharon NeffTreas: Alvin WulfekuhlReporter: Christy CountermanBoard Rep: Liz Barnhart

NORTHERN LIGHTSPres: Phillip BairdVice Pres: Paul WatkinsSec: Jason E. Beyer - 507-454-3124Treas: Barbara WatkinsReporter: Dorothy OldsBoard Rep: Dorothy Olds

PACIFIC CAN-AMPres: Halie Dodrill [email protected] Pres: Troy TaylorSec: Brian TateTreas: Jack & Mary Lou BecvarReporter: Ron Babb Bd. Rep: Carl Dodrill - 206-236-0067

ROCKY MOUNTAIN Pres: Larry Kerecman - 303-377-7729Vice Pres: Jere DeBackerSec: Louise LuceroTreas: Fred WilsonReporter: Jere DeBacker

SIERRA NEVADAPres: John Motto-Ros - 209-267-9252Vice Pres: Alex ThompsonSec: Sonja LemonTreas: Doug & Vicki MahrReporter: Nadine Motto-RosBoard Rep: John Motto-Ros

SOWNY (Southern Ontario,Western New York)

Pres: Mike Walter - 716-656-9583Vice Pres: Daniel TenerowiczSec: Garry LemonTreas: Holly Walter

[email protected]: Garry & Anne LemonBoard Rep: Audrey CannizzaroPhotographer: Nancy Group & Anne

Lemmon

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAPres: Jerry Pell - 760-249-6380Vice Pres: Frank NixSec./Reporter: Shirley NixTreas: Lloyd A. OsmundsonBoard Rep: Frank Nix

TEXASPres: Jerry Bacon - 214-328-9369Vice Pres: Bill BoruffTreas: Vicki BradySec./Reporter:Maureen BarisonekBoard Rep: John McCall

AFFILIATED SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONSATOSPresident - Fr. Gus Franklin6508 Willow Springs RoadSpringfield, IL 62707-9500Phone: 217-585-1770 Fax: 217-585-0835E-Mail: [email protected] - Dale BakerP. O. Box 51450Indianapolis, IN 46251-0450Phone: 317-838-9345E-Mail: [email protected]

ASSOCIATION ITALIANA MUSICA MECCANICAVia Comte le Monticino No. 48547020 Cesena, ItalyPhone: 39-547-346-046

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

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

FRIENDS OF SCOTT JOPLIN1217 St. Croix Ct.Kirkwood, MO 63122-2326website: http//stlouis.missouri.org/[email protected]

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

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

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

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

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

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

PIANOLA INSTITUTEClair Cavanagh, Secretary43 Great Percy St., London WC1X 9RAEngland

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

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONDivision of Musical HistoryWashington, D.C. 20560

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

CHAPTER OFFICERS

By the time you read this message, a new president will have been installed at the 2006 Chicago Convention. As outgoing President, I hope you will allow me the opportunity to thank all of the members of the Executive Committee for their commitment to AMICA and their willingness to be an active part of this great organization. I also wish to thank all of the members of theAMICA Board who have taken the time out of their busy schedules to reply to the numerous e-mails that they have received from meover the past two years concerning organizational business, and whoalso have come to the real meetings at the conventions.

I also need to thank the many movers and shakers in our organization who actually make everything work. These include all those people on the “AMICA INTERNATIONAL” page of eachbulletin, and a lot of others who promote our organization but get noofficial recognition for their efforts.

I also urge the many of you who have only a few minutes to spare each month to become more active in our organization. It doesn’t take much time to promote our organization. Send for some AMICA brochures and drop them off at your doctor’s officewhen you go for a visit. Take some of the brochures to a music (piano) store and leave them there.

Talk to a friend about organizing a band organ rally in your area. The opportunities are endless and the rewards are so great foryour community!

In closing, I ask each of our members to seriously consider becoming more active in our organization. Each individual in our organization has much to contribute and we want to hear from you!

AMICAbly yours,Mike Walter

203

President’s Message

From the Publisher’s Desk

Mike Kukral, Publisher

GONE FISHING!

AMICA – CONVENTION DATES –

2007 Germany/Holland July 5 - July 20

Hi Mike,

How are things? From the sound of

your message in the latest publication,

you are doing great. It’s a great Bulletin,

and thanks for your work in the

publication of it. I went to Spain with

my Spanish teacher in the summer

of 1971, right after high school

graduation. It was a great trip and

we spent nearly a month in Pamplona,

including the running of the bulls. What

a fun time. I saw my teacher at the

theater in Denver a week or two ago

and he is doing well at 70 now. He was

always very active and fit, and I bet

he’ll live many more years. He has

stopped taking kids to Europe, but did

it at least 25 times while he was

teaching.

Talk with you soon.

Jere DeBacker

1122 Harrison Street

Denver, CO 80206

[email protected]

Dear Mike,

I’m writing to request inclusion of

new information as well as current

advertising rates in the AMICA journal.

I own and operate the Valley Forge

Music Roll Co. and maintain the Neilson

Musical Museum and Archives in Oaks,

PA. We often host AMICA meetings and

tour members through the collection.

I would very much appreciate

your help in informing the AMICA

membership of the services we offer at

VFM, and in particular the news that Mr.

Stephen Kent Goodman, a world-renown

musical arranger, has recently joined

forces with us. We intend to produce an

unprecedented offering of new music

rolls for a wide variety of automatic

musical instruments, and I would like

to inform AMICA members of our

capabilities.

(1)General information about Valley

Forge Music Roll Company.

Valley Forge Music Roll Company

is dedicated to the preservation of

paper roll music originally intended

for use in nickelodeons, band organs,

orchestrions, home player pianos and

many other types of instruments. We

have the capability to optically scan

and cut a perfect copy of virtually

ANY paper roll, regardless of the

original format in terms of width or

perforation spacing. We also arrange

original music rolls, and can construct

customized line-ups of favorite tunes

for our customers. Our library of

roll music is one of the largest in

existence, numbering in the many tens

of thousands. Our on-line roll catalog

is the largest and most comprehensive

of its kind ever assembled in the area

of coin-operated music, and contains

superb examples of some of the rarest

and most exciting music roll music

discovered to date. Included are rolls

for nickelodeons and band organs

which haven’t been produced for 30

years or more.

(2)Announcing Stephen Kent Goodman

as our musical arranger.

It is my great pleasure to announce

that Stephen Kent Goodman has

joined forces with Valley Forge Music

Roll Co. for the purpose of offering

his outstanding compositions and

world-class arrangements to the

international family of automatic

music instrument and roll collectors.

Mr. Goodman is one of the greatest

arrangers of concert band music of

all time. His musical experience

ranges from Hollywood film scoring

to arranging for symphony orchestra.

His work has been repeatedly honored

by ASCAP.

For the near term we are focusing

upon selected band organ and popular

nickelodeon formats. These will include

Wurlitzer Style 150, Artizan/BAB

46-key, 65-Note APP, Caliola, Pianino,

Mandolin PianOrchestra, A-roll,

G-roll, and 88 note formats. Band organ

enthusiasts will be excited to learn that

we intend to issue genuine period ragtime

and circus music. We plan to continually

expand our arrangements to cover a

greater number of instrument formats.

Please earmark our website

http://www.valleyforgemusicroll.com

for future announcements regarding

the availability of Stephen’s unique

arrangements.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at

any time regarding further information

about Valley Forge Music.

Sincerely,

Frank L. Himpsl

Valley Forge Music Roll Company

604 Linnet Road

Audubon, PA 19403

(484)-250-7046 roll shop

(610)-291-1841 my cell


204

ETTERS TO THE EDITOR

“One of the most necessary things isthe conserving of vital energy in pianopractise, said the pianist Rudolph Ganz to me one day. “The wrong way is tocontinually practise the piece as thoughyou were playing it in public—that is to say, with all possible energy and emotion. Some of the pianists now beforethe public do this, and it always makesme sorry for them, for I know what a needless waste of energy and vital forceit is. An actor, studying his lines, does notneed to continually shout them in orderto learn how they should be interpreted.Neither does the lyric actress practise herroles with full tones, for she is well usedto saving her voice. Why then should the pianist exhaust himself and give outhis whole strength merely in the dailyroutine of practise? I grant this principleof savings one’s self may not be easy tolearn, but it should be acquired by allplayers, great and small. I think a pianistshould be able to practise five or sixhours daily without fatigue. If the playeris accustomed to husband his vital forceduring the daily routine of practise, hecan play a long, exacting program inpubic without weariness. In every daypractise one often does not need to playforte nor use the pedals; a tone of medium power is sufficient. Suppose, forinstance, you are studying the ChopinEtude Op. 10, No. 12, with the left handarpeggio work. Every note and fingermust be in place, every mark of phrasingobeyed; but during practise hours youneed not give the piece all its dashingvigor and bravura at every repetition.Such a course would soon exhaust theplayer. Yet every effect you wish to makemust be thoroughly studied, must be inmind, and used at intervals whenever acomplete performance of the piece isdesired.

“As I said before, it is often difficultto control the impulse to ‘let loose,’ if thework is an exciting one. At a recentrehearsal with the Symphony Orchestra, I told the men I would quietly runthrough the concerto I was to play,

merely indicating the effects I wanted.We began, but in five minutes I foundmyself playing with full force and vigor.

“In regard to methods in piano studythere seems to be a diversity of opinion,resulting, I think, from the various waysof touching the keys—some playersusing the tip and others the ball of thefinger. Busoni may be cited as one whoemploys the end of the finger—Paueralso; while the Frenchman, Cortot, whohas an exquisite tone, plays with the handalmost flat on the keys, a method whichcertainly insures weight of hand and arm.Of course players generally, and teachersalso, agree on the employment of armweight in playing. The principles ofpiano technic are surely but few. Was itnot Liszt who said: ‘Play the right keywith the right finger, the right tone andthe right intention—that is all!’ It seemsto me piano technic has been pushed toits limit, and there must be a reversal; wemay return to some of the older methodsof touch and technic.

“The vital thing in piano playing is tobring out the composer’s meaning, plusyour own inspiration and feeling. Youmust study deeply into the composer’sidea, but you must also put your ownfeeling, intensity and emotion into thepiece. And not only must you feel themeaning yourself, but you must play it ina way to touch others. There are manypianists who are not cultured musicians;who think they know their Beethovenbecause they can play a few sonatas. Inmusic ‘knowledge is power.’ We need allpossible knowledge, but we also need tofeel the inspiration. One of the greatestteachers of our time holds that personalinspiration is not necessary; for the feeling is all in the music itself. All wehave to do is to play with such and such a dynamic quality of tone. Like a countrydoctor measuring out his drugs, this master apportions so many grains ofpower for forte, for mezzo, for piano, and so on. This plan puts a damper onindividuality and enthusiasm, for it means that everything must be coldlycalculated. Such playing does not reallywarm the heart.

“I believe in teaching tonal contrastsand tone color even to a beginner. Whyshould not the child form a concept offorte and piano, and so get away from the deadly monotony of mezzo? I havewritten some little descriptive pianopieces, and my small boy learned one ofthem to play for me. There is a closingphrase like this,” and Mr. Ganz illustratedat the piano; “it is to be played forte, andis followed by a few notes to be touchedvery softly, like an echo. It was reallybeautiful to see how the little fellowreached out for the pedal to make the loud part more emphatic, and thenplayed the echo very softly and neatly.He had grasped the first principle of tonecolor—namely tone contrast, and also apoetic idea.

“There are so many wonder childrenin these days, and many marvels areaccomplished by infant prodigies. Veryoften, however, these wonder childrendevelop no further; they fail to fulfil theirearly promise, or the expectations held ofthem.

“A youthful wonder in the field ofcomposition is Eric Korngold, whosepiano sonata I played in my New York recital. I have played this work eighttimes in all, during my present tour, often by request. To me it is most interesting. I cannot say it is logical inthe development of its ideas; it oftenseems as though the boy threw in chords here and there with no particularreason. Thus the effort of memorizing isconsiderable, for I must always bear inmind that this C major chord has a Csharp in it, or that such and such a chordis changed into a most unusual one. Onecannot predict whether the boy willdevelop further. As you say, Mozart wasan infant prodigy, but if we judge from the first little compositions that have been preserved, he began very simply and worked up, whereasKorngold begins at Richard Strauss. Hiscompositions are full of the influence ofStrauss. The critics have much to say for and against these early works. I donot know the young composer personally,though he has written me. In a recent

205

CONSERVING ENERGY IN PIANO PRACTISEUDOLPH GANZ

Contributed by Past Editors Bill Knorp & Robin Pratt

From Piano Mastery Vol. 1By Harriette Brower, 1911

206

letter which I have here, he expresses thethought that, though the critics havefound many things to disapprove of inthe sonata, the fact that I have found itworth studying and bringing out morethan compensates him for all adversecriticism. To make the work known in the great musical centers of America issurely giving it wide publicity.”

On a later occasion, Mr. Ganz said: “Ithoroughly believe in preserving one’senthusiasm for modern music, eventhough, at first glance, it does not attractone, or indeed seems almost impossible. Ienjoy studying new works, and learningwhat is the modern trend of thought in piano work; it keeps me young andbuoyant.

“One of the novelties lately added tomy repertoire is the Haydn sonata in D.On the same program I place the Korngold sonata. A hundred years andmore divide the two works. While Irevere the old, it interests me to keep abreast of the new thought in musical art and life.”

continued. . .

A last link with Liszt passes on

If there is anything in the field ofmusic that Rudolph Ganz didn’t do, itprobably wasn’t worth doing.

Chicago’s senior musical citizen, whodied quietly at his Lake Shore Dr. homeWednesday at the age of 95, was a composer-performer of worldwiderenown, a master teacher revered by several generations of now establishedex-pupils, and one of our last direct linkswith Brahms and Liszt.

My own acquaintance with this greatman’s exploits was necessarily somewhatsecond-hand, for our first meeting camein 1967, the year after a severe stroke had put an end to his performing careerand drastically curtailed his teachingactivities. Astonishingly, these pursuitshad continued for more than sevendecades with unabated vigor—as late as 1962, Ganz was giving premiere performances of Webern songs at theSeattle World’s Fair in partnership withhis second wife, Esther, and his last concert appearance (again with Esther,this time in a program of Americansongs) was in Pittsburgh in1966.

AFTER THE 1966 ILLNESS,WHICH followed a milder stroke a yearearlier, public performance was no longpossible. Ganz’ fabled liveliness in conversation, too, inevitably suffered: hewas still sharply aware of everything thatwent on around him, but he found itmuch harder to express himself, and it

was touching and beautiful to watchEsther’s devotion as she helped himthrough the frustrations a failing bodyinflicts on an alert mind.

But even then, Ganz continued to bean assiduous attender at musical events,not only when his own former pupilswere on the bill, but whenever the program promised anything out of theordinary, and particularly when there wasnew music to be heard. It was, indeed, asan encourager of young composers andperformers and as a champion of theirmusic that he had done some of his mostvaluable work since the century began.

As long ago as 1908, Ravel-a widelydisparaged musical “radical” at thetime—acknowledged Ganz’ devotion to

the contemporary cause by dedicatingone of his most substantial piano works,“Scarbo” from “Gaspard de la nuit,” tohim. In a dedicatory letter, Ravelexpressed his eagerness to meet “theparadoxical virtuoso who interested himself in the music for the very reasonthat it seemed to him new, and at the verymoment when our national virtuososstubbornly insisted upon revealing withaudacity the sonatas of Beethoven.”

Bartok—in 1910, when he was only29—was another composer to write ofhis gratitude for Ganz’ advocacy. Andunlike most devotees of the new, whetherin the arts or in other fields, Ganz kepthis openness of mind and his freshness ofperception intact through a long life.When he was already in his 80s, herevised Ernest Hutcheson’s book “TheLiterature of the Piano,” adding a newchapter on piano technique and morethan 60 pages on modern works notincluded in the previous (1949) revision.

RUDOLPH GANZ, WHO HADBEEN a U. S. citizen for 47 years at thetime of his death, came from a worldvery different from Chicago and a timevery different from today. Born inZurich, Switzerland, on Feb. 24, 1877, hemet Liszt (a photograph treasured in thefamily shows the man and the boytogether), heard Brahms play in Viennaand studied with Busoni in Berlin.

Curiously, he made his public debut atthe age of 12 not as a pianist but, like thatother celebrated nonagenarian PabloCasals, as a cellist. Five years later, a performance of Beethoven’s Third Piano

RUDOLPH GANZ, BUT HIS LEGACY ASMAN AND ARTIST REMAINS

HE MUSIC WORLD MOURNSSubmitted by Mike Kukral

Chicago Daily News,Thursday, August 3, 1972

By Bernard JacobsonDaily News Music Critic

Rudolph GanzPianist, conductor, composer and teacher

3063 ABENDLIED (Evening Song), Konzert-Paraphrase, in A-Minor (trans by Raff)—R. Schumann

C-3063 do (6/23-1927)

P-3063 do (Purple Seal)

*3941 ALLA MARCIA, fr “Sechs Characterstuecke”, op 34, no 6—Sinding

*3904 AMOURETTE DE PIERROT—Stojowski

X-3904 do (3/22-1927)

*3826 ANDANTE DE LA 36eme SYMPHONIE (From Symphony No 36) (trans by Saint-Saens)—F. Haydn

3059 “ANNEES DE PELERINAGE”: Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, Second Year, Italy, no 5, in E—Liszt

207

Concerto with the MunicipalOrchestra of Lausanne launchedhim on the way toward acclaim asone of the most brilliant pianists inliving memory.

But even before the turn of thecentury, Ganz’ energies were too effervescent to be containedwithin the single career of a virtuoso instrumentalist. Two of his compositions for string orchestrawere performed in Lausanne in 1895; and when the Berlin Philharmonic played his Symphonyin E major, Op. 1, in 1900, Ganzhimself conducted.

It was in 1900, too, that he married his first wife, the American-born singer Mary Forrest (who died in1956), and that he came to Chicago. Thelatter move was made in rather disillusioning circumstances—FlorenzZiegfeld, founder of Chicago MusicalCollege, engaged Ganz as head of theschool’s piano department, but when the23-year-old immigrant had alreadycrossed the Atlantic he discovered thathis contract was drawn up in terms ofSwiss francs, not U.S. dollars, and thathis salary was thus to be a quarter ofwhat he was expecting.

Mr. Ganz’s American debut took placehere on May 10, 1902, and the next yearhe was a soloist with the Chicago Symphony. He subsequently performedwith the New York Philharmonic and theBoston Symphony Orchestra and overthe years made annual musical tours ofthe United States, Canada, Cuba andEurope.

HE ENJOYED playing the works of composers who were little know then—including Ravel, Debussy, d’Indy, Bartok

and Busoni—and he said repeatedly thatthese composers would take their placeone day with the great com—“It isadding to it.”

“The new music is not taking anythingaway from what we already have,” heasserted. “It is adding to it.”

Another time he said that “all the greatcomposers, Bach and Beethoven, wereradicals in their time. We are living in anage of struggle and strife and you can’twrite namby-pamby music now.”

Ravel expressed his appreciation toMr. Ganz for his support by dedicatinghis piano work, “Scarbo,” from “Gaspardde la Nuit,” to him.

MR. GANZ left the city for six years,from 1921-27, to be director of the St.Louis Symphony Orchestra. During thattime he directed concerts in more than 75cities.

When he returned to Chicago in 1927to become vice president of the ChicagoMusical College it was to stay. He cameto love the city and said once that is has

two great beauties: the Outer Driveand its future.

Mr. Ganz was named presidentof the college in 1933 and presidentemeritus in 1954, when the collegewas incorporated into RooseveltUniversity.

AFTER retiring from active teaching, Mr. Ganz kept up anactive interest in the city’s culturallife, which he said one was “awakening.” “We are moving,” hesaid.

He had hoped a time wouldcome when a Chicago orchestrawould play subscription concerts in outlying towns and youngsters from throughout the Midwest would

gather here for music festivals.“It is our duty as a big city to furnish

the state with cultural resources,” he said.MR. GANZ was married twice. In

1900 he married Mary Forrest, an American concert singer. She died in 1956.Three years later, married Esther La Berge,a singer who now is an associate professorof voice at the Chicago Musical College.

Rolf A. Weil, Roosevelt’s president,issued a statement Wednesday saying“the entire Roosevelt community isdeeply grieved to hear of the passing of Dr. Rudolph Ganz, Chicago MusicalCollege’s president emeritus, professor ofpiano, educator, conductor and concertpianist.”

BESIDES his wife, Mr. Ganz is survived by a son, Anton Roy; a step-daughter, Colette La Berge Collester, anda nephew, Felix Ganz, current dean of the Chicago Musical College.Memorial services are being planned for September. The family requested that there be no flowers or visits.

continued. . .

BY RUDOLPH GANZ

Rudolph Ganz was known for his deep dedication to music.

ELTE-MIGNON RECORDINGSSubmitted by Mike Kukral

208

3048 BAUERNTANZ (Peasant Dance), op 24, no 3—R. Ganz

B-3048 do (5/22-1927)

*3936 BEAR DANCE (Baerentanz) (Medvetanc), fr “Ten Easy Pieces”—Bartok

*3943 BERCEUSE—Heller

*3933 CANTIQUE d’AMOUR, fr “Harmonies poetiques et religieuses”, no 10, in E—Liszt

*3934 COURANTE—C. Scott

3043 ETUDE, op 10, no 6, in E-flat minor—Chopin

D-3043 do (1916-1919) (C-3043, 1923-1927)

*3937 ETUDE-CAPRICE, op 14, no 4—R. Ganz

3057 FEUILLES d’ALBUM (Albumblaetter) (Album Leaves), in A-flat—Liszt

*3905 FUNERAL MARCH OF A MARIONETTE (Trauermarsch einer Marionette) (Marche funebre d’une marionette), in D-minor—Gounod

M-3905 do (Purple Seal)

3047 IM MAI (In May), op 23, no 3—R. Ganz “INTERMEZZI”

3046 Op 23, no 2—R. Ganz

3040 Op 118, no 6, in E-flat minor—Brahms

*3902 IRISH TUNE FROM COUNTY DERRY, fr “British Folk-Music Settings”, no 6—Grainger

3054 “LYRISCHE STUECKE”: Geheimnis (Secret), op 57, no 4—Grieg

C-3054 do (9-22-1927) “MAERCHENBILDER” (Fairy Tales), Op 3:

*3829 No 4, The Elves—Korngold

*3901 No 7, Epilogue (Das Maerchen spricht den Epilog)—Korngold

3041 MARINE, op 38—Chaminade (GN)

B-3041 do (3/23-1927)

3037 “La MASTRALIA”: Buendner Landsgemeinde-Marsch, op 8, no 2—Barblan (9.VIII.13) (GN)

*3825 MAY NIGHT—Palmgren

D-3825 do (2-22) (C-3825, 12/22-1927) “MAZURKAS”:

*3946 In E-minor—Chopin (no opus number listed)

*3945 In F-minor—Chopin (no opus number listed)

3062 Op 24, Second, in G-minor—Saint-Saens (GN)

3051 Op 103, Fourth, in B-flat—B. Godard (GN)

E-3051 ddo (1916-1919) (C-3051, 1923-1927)

3052 Op 127, Fifth, in A-minor—B. Godard

3039 Menuett (Famous) (Celebrated), in A(arrg by Plante)—Boccherini (GN)

F-3039 do (1916-1919) (C-3039, 1923-1927)

3058 MIGNONS LIED (Mignon’s Song): “Knowest Thou The Land?”, fr “Sechs Poesies” (Six Poems), no 3, in F-sharp—Liszt

F-3058 do (1916-1919) (D-3058, 6/22) (C-3058, 12/22-1927)


*3940 MINUET, fr “Six Minuets”, op 167, no 2, in G—Beethoven “NOCTURNES”:

*3938 Op 9, no 1, in B-flat—Chopin

C-3938 ddo (10/23-1927)

*3947 Op 32, no 2, in A-flat—Chopin

*3824 Op 75, no 8, in G, fr “Album de Peterhof”—Anton Rubinstein

3050 La NUIT (Die Nacht) (The Night), Etude, Charakterstueck—Glazounow (GN)

*3828 ORIENTALE, op 7, no. 2, in C-minor—Amani

X-3828 do (12/22-1927)

*3935 PASSACAGLIA, fr “Pastoral Suite”—C. Scott

*3939 PAVANE POUR UNE INFANTE DEFUNTE (Pavane For A Dead Princess)—Ravel “PRELUDES”:

3044 Book II: no 5, Bruyeres; Book I, no 6, General Lavine, Eccentric—Debussy

3045 Book 1, no 8, La fille aux cheveux de lin; Book II, no 3, La puerto del vino—Debussy

F-3045 ddo (1916-1919) (C-3045, 1923-1927)

*3822 La RETRAIT (Swiss March)—unl

3060 “SCENES PITTORESQUES” (Malerische Szenen) (Picturesque Scenes), Fourth Orchestral Suite: no 2, Air de ballet—Massenet (GN)

E-3060 do (1916-1919) (C-3060, 1923-1927)

9017 ddo (Pianon)

3042 SCHIFFERLIED AUF DER WOLGA, Russisches Volkslied (The Volga Boatmen’s Song) (Song Of The Volga Boatmen)(Song Of The Boatmen Of The Volga) (arrg by Cady)—Old Russian (GN)

C-3042 do (2/22-1927)


9009 ddo (Pianon)

3049 SERENADE, op 24, no 2—R. Ganz

*3944 SERENATA (Serenade), op 15, no 1, in D—Moszkowski

P-3944 do (Purple Seal) (L-3944)

*3942 SLAVONIAN CRADLE SONG—J. Klein SONATA, Op 2, no 2, in E…

3055 1st and 2nd mvts—Korngold

3056 3rd and 4th mvts—Korngold

*3903 SPANISH DANCE (Danza espanole): Andaluza (Playera), op 37, no 5—Granados

X-3903 do (7-22-1927)

*3827 SPINNING SONG, op 67, no 4 (Songs Without Words, no 34)—Mendelssohn

*3840 SWEDISH WEDDING MARCH (Schwedischer Hochzeitsmarsch) (Broellopsmarsch) (Marche nuptiale swedoise), fr “The Wedding At Ulfasa” (operetta), op 12, no 1 (trans by composer)—Soederman

3064 TRAEUME (Dreams), fr “Fuenf Gedichte” (or, “Wesendonck Lieder”, five songs after poems by Mathilde Wesendonck), no 5—R. Wagner (GN)

3053 VALSE (Walzer), Second, op 56, in B-flat—B. Godard

3061 VALSE DE CONCERT, op 69, in F—Moszkowski

C-3061 do (5/23-1927)


*3932 VALSE OUBLIEE, no 1, in F-sharp—Liszt

continued. . .

209

6474(-4) AFTER MIDNIGHT, op 27, no 1—Ganz (10/21)

10121(5) AMERICA (National Hymn sr in G)—Carey? Or “Thesaurus Musicus”? (7/22)

1053s(9) The ANGELS ARE STOOPING (sr accomp Sop in B-flat)—Ganz (11-21)

6070(-4) AVE MARIA (Meditation arrg fr J. S. Bach’s Prelude 1 in C) fr “Well-Tempered Clavichord”—Gounod (11/18)

6200(-5) BALLET MUSIC, op 26 fr “Rosamunde” (arrg by Ganz)—Schubert (11/19)

523-4 “The BARBER OF SEVILLE” Overture (arrg by Ganz)—Rossini (1/26)

7098-3 BERCEUSE fr “Jocelyn” (arrg by Ganz)—Godard (2-27)

74728 BOLERO—Ravel (10/33)

7378-4 CANTIQUE D’AMOUR (Song of Love), no 10 in E fr “Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses”—Liszt (1/30)

6141 CONCERTO (First), in E-flat, 1st mvt (Piano Part only)—Liszt (?mid/19)(listing fr collector)

6142 2nd mvt: Piano Part only—(?mid/19)

6143 3rd mvt: Piano Part only—(?mid/19)

5525 CHANT D’AMOUR (Song of Love), op 26, no 3—Stojowski (?4/14)

5517(-4) COUNTRY DANCE—MacFayden (?3/14)

68550 CUBAN ECHOES (Vuelta Abajo)—Osgood (3/25)

7057-3 ELEGIE, op 3 no 1 in E-flat—Rachmaninoff (9-26)

6823-4 ETUDE CAPRICE, op 14, no 4—Ganz (12/24)

6993-4 GAVOTTE (Second), op 5, no 2—Sapellnikoff (4/26)

6571(-3) GONDOLIERA fr “Years of Pilgrimage”: Venezia e Napoli, no 1—Liszt (11/22)

1006(8-5) GRAVE IN FRANCE (sr accomp Baritone or Low Vce in G-minor)—Ganz (12/19)

6369(0) HUMORESQUE (Humoreske), op 101, no 7 in G-flat—Dvorak (12/20)

A-65 do (annot by A. Milne)—(2/28)

6526(-5) HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY no 15 in E (“Rakoczy March”)—Liszt (4/22)

104559 ICH LIEBE DICH (I Love Thee), op 41, no 3 (piano solo or bld sr, English & German)—Grieg (5/30)

11618 IL FAUT AIMER (Love Must Be) ( accomp Sop or High Vce in E)—Ganz (erly/25)

br 8010 INTERMEZZO, op 118, no 2 in A—Brahms

11388-s IRISH LOVE SONG (Mavourneen), op 22 (sr accomp Sop)—Lang (11-24)

6504(-4)ISOLDE’S LOVE-DEATH (Liebestod) fr “Tristan and Isolde” (trans by Liszt)—Wagner (2/22) “LIEBESTRAUME” (Dreams Of Love) Nocturnes—Liszt

5513(-4) No 2, Seliger Tod (Blissful Death)—(?2/14)

6081(-4) No 3, O Lieb’ (O Love)—(12/18) ddo: see Musical Bouquet

6418(-3) LIEBESWALZER (Love-Waltz) (Love’s Waltz), Valse d’Amour fr “Spring Suite”, op 57, no 5—Moszkowski (5/21)

/114-4 The LORELEY (Die Lorelei)—Liszt (4/27)

A-88 do (annot by Kerridge)—(11/28)

11449-s LOVE AND SONG (sr accomp Sop or High Vce in A)—Ganz (12/24)

7311-3 MALEGUENA, op 49, no 1 fr “Boabdil, The Moorish King”—Moszkowski (3/29)

5719(8) MAZURKA, op 33, no 2 in D—Chopin (1/16)

6326(-5) (Second), op 54 in B-flat—Godard (9/20)

6223(-5) (Fifth), op 127 in A-minor—Godard (1/20)

5636(-4) MELODIE, op 3, no 3 in E—Rachmaninoff (4/15)

6381(-3) do, op 10, no 2—Ganz (1/21)

13288-s A MEMORY (sr accomp in G)—Ganz (6/28)

5629(0) MENUETT, op 14, no 2—Ganz (3/15)

7373-4 “The MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR” OVERTURE—Nicolai (12/29) do: see Bulletin roll (December)

1005(9-5) MICAELA’S AIR fr “Carmen” (aria sr accomp Contralto in E-flat)—Bizet (12/19)

br0106 do (accomp Vce in E-flat)—(by9/23)

6255(-5) MIGNON’S SONG (Knowest Thou the Land Where Sweet Citron Blows?) , in F-sharp—Liszt (3/20)

6172(-3) MURMURING ZEPHYRS, op 21, no 4 in G-flat—Jensen (9/19)

6087(-4) MY JOY (My Joys) (Meine Freuden), op 74, no 12 fr “Polish Songs” (trans by Liszt)—Chopin (1/19)

6920-3 NARCISSUS, op 13, no 4 fr “Water Scenes”—Nevin (10/25)

A-79 do (children’s roll annot by Jones)—(8/28)

6966-4 NOCTURNE, op 32, no 2 in A-flat—Chopin (2/26)

5680(0) NORWEGIAN BRIDAL PROCESSION (March), op 19, no 2 fr “Aus dem Volksleben”—Grieg (9/15)

A-20 do (annot by Fowles)—(by 12/27)

D-295 do (children’s roll annot by Winn)—(3/27)

D-685 do (annot by Fowles) (PE 11/27)

Scan-7 do (annot by Winn)

6470(0) The OLD REFRAIN (Viennese Popular Song “after Mattulah”)—Kreisler (9/21)

BY RUDOLPH GANZUO-ART RECORDINGS

Submitted by Mike Kukral

210

S-31140 do (alt. roll)—(by 10/24)

5514(-4) L’ONDINE (Undine), op 101—Chaminade (2/14)

6489(-4) PERPETUAL MOTION (Rondo) fr Sonata (First), op 24 in C, 4th mvt—Weber (12/21)

1207-4 POLONAISE, op 77 (for Two Pianos, accomp First Piano Part only)—Saint-Saens

7417-3 PROCESSION OF THE SARDAR fr “Caucasian Sketches”, no 4—Ippolitov-Ivanov (11/30)

6285(-4) ROMANCE—Rachmaninoff (5/20)

7295-3 In A-flat—Mozart (1/29)

5842(0) Op 24, no 9 in D-flat—Sibelius (12/16)

A-11 ddo (annot by Dunham)—(by 12/27)

D-285 ddo (annot by Lee)—(by 3/27)

D-631 ddo (annot by Dunham)—(PE 11/27)

5660(0) Op 28, no 2 in F-sharp minor—Schumann (6/15)

6397(0) The ROSARY (“free piano” arrg trans by Ganz)—Nevin (3/21)

6729-3 RUSTLE OF SPRING (Fruhlingsrauschen) (Voices Of Spring), op 32, no 3 in D-flat—Sinding (3/24)

A-5 do (annot by Gartlan)—(by 12/27)

D-57 do (annot by Lowe)—(by 10/26)

D-639 do (annot by Gartlan)—(PE 11/27)

S-3103-3 do (alt.roll)—(by 10/24)

7358-4 SCHERZO, op 16, no 2 in F-sharp—d’Albert (11/29) ddo: see Bulletin roll (November)

6205(-4) do (Third), op 39 in C-sharp minor—Chopin (12/19)

D-87 ddo (annot by Jonson)

S-3112-4 ddo (alt. roll)—(by 10/24)

6683-3 The SECRET (Das Geheimniss), op 57, no 4 fr “Lyric Pieces”, Book 6, no 39—Grieg (11-23)

74440 “SEMIRAMIDE” OVERTURE—Rossini (2/32)

br 0371 Roll 1—(by 7/34)

br 0372 Roll 2—(by 7/34)

74080 SERENADE fr “Swan Songs”, no 4 in D—Schubert (9/30)

540-4 SLAVIC MARCH (March Slav), op 31 (arrg byGanz)—Tchaikovsky (5/28)

6835(-4) SONATA No 7 in D: Allegro con brio; Largo; Presto finale—Haydn (1/25)

7288-4 SONATA EROICA (Second), op 50, 3rd mvt: Tenderly, longingly, yet with passion—MacDowell (12/28)

6358(0) SONG OF THE BOATMEN OF THE VOLGA(Song of the Haulers of the Volga) (trans by Cody) —Russian (11/20)

A-106 do (trans by Cody, annot by Jones)—(by 5/29)

D-785 do (trans by Cody, annot by Jones)

10126(5) The STAR-SPANGLED BANNER (sr)—Smith (7/22) “SUITE ALGERIENNE” (for Two Pianos)—Saint-Saens

1094(8) No 2, Rhapsodie Mauresque (accomp First Piano Part only)—(12/22)

1002(8) No 3, Reverie du Soir, in A (accomp Second Piano Part only)—(12/19)

1001(9) No 4, Marche Militaire Francaise, in G (accomp Second Piano Part only)—(12/19)

6064(8) The SWAN (le Cygne) fr “Carnival Of the Animals”—Saint-Saens (10/18)

A-136 do (annot by Rene)—(11/29)

D-903 do (annot by Rene)

5420 SYMPHONY (Jupiter), no 41 (k.551), 1st mvt: Allegro vivace (arrg by Ganz)—Mozart (11/28)

D-821 ddo (annot by Mason)

5430 2nd mvt: Andante cantabile—(11/28)


5440 3rd mvt: Minuet and Trio (Allegretto)—(11/28)


5450 4th mvt: Allegro molto—(11/28)


5260 SYMPHONY (From the New World), op 95, no 5 in E-minor, 1st mvt: Adagio; Allegro molto (arrg by Ganz)—Dvorak (11/26)

5270 2nd mvt: Largo—(11/26)

5290 3rd mvt: Scherzo (Molto vivace)—(12/26)

5300 4th mvt: Allegro con fuoco—(1/27)

7208-4 TO A WATER LILY, op 51, no 6 fr “Woodland Sketches”; MARCH WIND, op 6 no 10 fr“Twelve Virtuoso Studies”—MacDowell (2/28)

6936-4 VALSE CARNAVALESQUE, op 73 (Duet for Two Pianos, First Piano Part only) ( a collector states: “Second Part of Four Hand Duet”)

5530(-4) VECCHIO MINUETTO, op 18 in D—Sgambati (?4/14)

6674-3 WALTER’S PRIZE SONG (Walther’s Preislied) fr “Die Meistersinger” (trans by Jaell)—Wagner (10/23)

5653(-3) WELLENSPIEL (Play Of the Waves), op 14, no 1—Ganz (5/15)

12388-s WHAT IS LOVE? (sr accomp High Vce, Tenor or Sop, in D)—Ganz (9/25)

541-4 “ZAMPA” OVERTURE—Herold (10/28)

GANZ & HUTCHESON515-6 FINGAL’S CAVE Overture (The Hebrides), op 26

(arrg for Four Hands)—Mendelssohn (2/25)

A-32 do (annot by Scholes)—(by 12/27)

D-605 do (annot by Scholes)—(PE 11/27)

539-4 FINLANDIA (Symphonic Poem for Orchestra), op 26, no 7 (arrg for Four Hands)—Sieblius (4/28)

536-4 “The MAGIC FLUTE” OVERTURE (arrg for Four Hands)—Mozart (10/27)

continued. . .

211

At-Home Steinway AHit At Sunset Acres

They were singin’ in the rain out atSunset Acres on Friday, June 2. Butdespite the storm that struck theLehigh Valley that evening thingswere warm and cheerful at the former A. K. Laros estate in SuburbanBethlehem, now the home of RichardGroman and his partner, that TCGrand Guy, Frank Shipman.

The event was the second in Moravian College’s At-Home Steinway Series. In its quest for musical excellence, the college is inthe process of replacing its currentpianos with Steinways.

This fundraising event broughtabout 90 folks, including Scene, out onthe damp June evening to hear and enjoythe player pianos of Richard Groman,Moravian Class of ’78.

The “Great Gatsby”- like setting ofthe event made it a truly exceptionalevening. Groman and Shipman have beenin the process of restoring the home to itspre-stock-market-crash grandeur and aredoing a marvelous job. “I came out forthe music,” one guest who asked toremain incognito whispered to Scene,“but I also really wanted to get a look atthis house.”

Groman and Shipman were perfecthosts and seemed to be everywhere atonce seeing to the comfort of theirguests. As the champagne and canapésflowed on a back porch by the pool, the guests mingled. T. Robin Cook ofRob-Win Press noted to Scene what awonderful time he was having.

Richard “Dick” Schantz, who founded Moravian’s Music alliance,which aids in funding Moravian’s musicprojects was seen deep in conversationwith local classical music maven GeorgeBoyer. Schantz was kind enough to statehow much he enjoys “your social andhistory columns.” Thanks, Dick.

Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestramusic director Donald Spieth was at the

center of a circle of friends and clearlyenjoying himself. Dr. Robert Wilson-Black, Moravian’s vice president forinstitutional advancement, and wife JuliWilson-Black were on hand. Sceneenjoyed our chat with Dr. Wilson-Black,who seemed delighted at the turn-out.

Few in the room could miss MoravianCollege’s president Ervin Rokke andwife, Pam. It was while attending a concert with Rokke that Jane Schultzwas inspired to create the At-HomeSteinway series. Schultz noted to Sceneher family ties to Hugh E. Crilly, a 19th-and early 20th-century traction magnatewho, during his long local career, wasboth an ally and rival of Gen. HarryTrexler himself.

When word spread that the concertwas about to begin, the porch quicklyemptied and the living room filled. After a brief welcome from Groman and Rokke, the program, a brief tourd’horizon of player piano history by Groman followed, to which the guestslistened with interest.

When he was done, the big roomechoed to the sound of Groman’s 1910Technola Player Piano’s playing of a littleragtime ditty called Russian Rag. It was very period for those of you whoremember Robert Redford in “The Sting.”

The “rag” was followed by two

delightful performances. Chelsea A.Dehner, Moravian ’08, held the room spellbound during a delightfulrendition of the song, first in Germanthen in English, of “My Little Nest ofHeavenly Blue” from Franz Lehar’s1932 operetta “Frasquita.” Theapplause that greeted the performancewas wonderful to hear.

Dehner was accompanied by a1929 Knabe Ampico ReproducingPiano, the queen instrument of its day.When Groman announced that thedress Dehner was wearing was onethat had belonged to his grandmotherand had been purchased in Paris in1927, a second round of applauseshook the room.

Dehner was followed by ShirleyHart McBride, Moravian ’63, with a

wonderful violin piece “Madrigale” by A.Simonetti, also accompanied by theKnabe Ampico. It was greeted by wideapplause.

Mark J. Love of Jacobs Music Co.,the regional representative of Steinway,then gave a preview of their latest cre-ation, a 2006 Steinway & Sons Inc. Opuswith the latest in player piano technolo-gy. It is a truly wonderful instrument thatis a home entertainment system in itself and promises well for the future of the industry. But I hope Scene will beforgiven for giving my heart to Groman’s1929 Knabe Ampico.

The evening closed in the foyer of Sunset Acres with the special presentation of Moravian’s newest Steinway in honor of the Rokkes. Astirring rendition of “Proud Moravian”played by recent Moravian grad KeithLaBar was the first piece performed on it.The third At-Home Steinway event willbe held in June 2007 at the home ofAngeline (Jo) and Robert Pearce, withSusan and George Boyer as co-hosts.Stay tuned for more details.

Wow of a Warhol Gala at Art Museum

To judge from the crowed of 1,200that gathered at the Allentown Art Museum on Saturday, June 3, the Lehigh

WARHOLS AND ANTIQUE CARSTEINWAYS,

By Frank Whelan

The Morning CallSunday, June 11, 2006

Richard Groman (right) holds plaque for Pam and Erv Rokke (left), retiring president of Moravian College,in a ceremony presenting a new Steinway piano to Moravian College. Also pictured is Jane Schultz, co-chairof the At-Home Steinway Series concerts with Groman, at whose Bethlehem home the piano was unveiled.

212

Valley has gone madly for Andy.The crowd for the Warhol Preview

Party was greeted by floral arrangements wrapped in posters ofthe Great One’s works. There was theever popular Marilyn and those evericonic soup cans standing by forguests to ogle.

The menu stuck to the Warholtheme. There was crabmeat moussewith crackers prepared with Campbell’s Mushroom Soup,Pringles potato chips and Shake n’Bake Chicken. For the more upwardly mobile types, there weregourmet cheese with grape clusters,decorated brie, steak au poivre bitesand duck a la orange skewers.

Who was there? Well, Scene couldgo on. But life is short, art long andwe have to draw the line somewhere.Among the politicos were Charlieand Pam Dent, Karen Beyer andEd and Lisa Pawlowski.

William and Mary Ann Heydtwere there, as were Heather Rodale,Mal and Janet Gross and Ruth andCharlie Marcon. Dick and ConnieCowen were in attendance, as were Annand Craig Bartholomew. Ann Eliza-beth Schlegel—yes, the artist Ann Eliza-beth Schlegel of South Bethlehem—Jettand Norman Sarachek and Edie Rittercame to enjoy the event.

Music was provided by Craig Thatcher and Roger Latzgo, and guestswent home with free exhibition posters and copies of Lehigh Valley Style.According to the museum’s Shana HerbJohannessen, 25 people signed up as newmuseum members.

Sounds like Andy’s still a draw. Somuch for those famous 15 minutes.

The Concours D’Elegance Rides Again

It was the 1930s. If you were rich,things were cheap. If you poor, thingwere cheap—but you had no money tobuy them. Crazy men with dreams of warhaunted Europe and Asia. And some ofthe most beautiful cars ever seen onGod’s green earth were created.

The Concours d’Elegance of the Eastern United States looks back at thatlost time. “The 1930s: A Decade ofDelight and Contradictions” is the themefor this year’s event that will be held on Saturday, June 17 and Sunday, June 18 at Northampton Community

College, 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem. Admission is $17, adults; $5,children 6-12; free children 5 and under.

Saturday’s events include an automobile and memorabilia auction preview from 10 a.m. to noon and a Garden Party Reception and Dinner from6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. At 10 a.m. on Sunday, the show field opens to the public. From 10 to 11:30 a.m., theConcours will be held.

The event funds the Burn PreventionFoundation and the Lehigh Valley Hospital Burn Center. Tickets go on saleat 8 a.m. Saturday. For more information,go to www.concourseast.org on the Web.

Lehigh County Historical Society Puts Out A Call

Hess’s lovers! The Lehigh CountyHistorical Society wants you! If you arelike Scene, you undoubtedly have something in the closet or attic that camefrom Hess’s department store. Scene stillcherishes a wonderful Harris Tweed jacket purchased nearly 30 years ago, and with tug here and there we can stillfit in it.

On Oct. 7, 2006, the Lehigh CountyHistorical Society plans to open anexhibit titled “The Wonderful World ofHess’s.” It will include a luncheon at theLehigh Valley Heritage Center on thatdate, and, on Nov. 3, a gala tribute at theHoliday Inn Fogelsville.

The LCHS is on the lookout for itemsfrom Hess’s to use for the exhibit. Theywould appreciate any and all Hess’srelated items that you might be willingto loan to them for the show. For moreinformation, contact Erin Firestone atthe LCHS, 610-435-1074 ext. 20.

Diversity Network Photo Showat Theatre Outlet

For many years it was common tohear people say they didn’t know anygay people. The struggle for gay civilrights and the tragedy of AIDS havechanged that.

Allentown Gay activist Liz Bradburyis doing her part to give faces to the gaypeople of the Lehigh Valley. She hastaken photos of gay couples, some ofwhom have been together for 30 years,for her exhibit, “100 couples: FacingInequality.”

The photos will have their first publicshowing on Thursday, June 15 at the Theatre Outlet at the SilkWerks

building, 930 N. Fourth St., Allentown. Itis being coordinated with the comedyplay “Psycho Beach Party.” The photoshow begins at 7:45 p.m. The play at8:30 p.m. The play will run until June 24.

In a prepared statement, Bradburysays she got the idea for the project when she heard a comment by Republican candidate for Pennsylvaniagovernor Lynn Swann in support of a constitutional amendment banninggay marriages.

“Mr. Swann seemed to be implyingthat if there were some kind of discriminatory constitutional amendmentthe gay population of Pennsylvaniawould disappear,” says Bradbury.

“He and I guess many other peopledon’t seem to realize that we’re here,we’ve been around forever and that we’renot going away. We’re good citizens, wepay taxes, we’re your neighbors.”

Tickets for the event and play Thursday are $18, which includes a gala reception with light food and wine.Cost of play tickets on other nights range from $10 to $25.

For more information on the play call 610-820-9440 or visit www.theatreoutlet.org.

Gay and lesbian couples who want to be a part of the Pennsylvania Diversity Photo project or just want moreinformation, can call 610-432-5449.

continued. . .

Chelsea A. Dehner, Moravian College Class of 2008,sings ‘My Little Nest of Heavenly Blue’ by Franz Lehar.She is accompanied by Richard Groman’s 1929 KnabeAmpico Reproducing Piano during a concert at Groman’s Bethlehem home.

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There seem to be three categories ofmusic lovers who buy records (and CDs).There’s the casual record buyer who leadsa full and rewarding life and whose recordcollection is no more than 1,000 pieces(even including 78s, rerecorded cassettetapes and CDs). He attends concerts, dinesout, travels, does community volunteerwork, and is good to his mother. Thenthere’s the record collector who more seriously haunts record stores, flea markets, estate sales and library booksales. This guy buys for himself and keeps an eye open for things friends of his may want. Other than that, he’s fairlynormal. He is probably married, has a dayjob, one or two cars and children. But theserious Record Collector is the one who’sobsessed about hunting and gatheringrecorded sound, in any form.

The Record Collectors of old are theones who, if they had the money tospend, picked up new releases as soon asthey appeared on the shelves of the storesin the late 20s. There are a few legendaryguys who fit this description, but they’reall gone now. The second wave ofRecord Collectors got turned on to jazzand blues 78s in the 1930s and 40s.These guys were smart enough to lookfor ragtime sheet music (if they saw it)and glance at the labels of used pianorolls as they headed to the piles of shellac. A few perceptive ones noticed thatJelly Roll Morton’s name occasionallyappeared on piano rolls. There was somuch of this stuff to look through that thejunk shops, to get rid of the stuff, usually

prices records and rolls at five or tencents each. And even though the collectors probably did not have workingplayer pianos at home to listen to the jazzrolls they picked up, they knew theyshould rescue the obvious gems.

In addition to Morton rolls, theypicked up rolls credited to James P. Johnson, Thomas “Fats” Waller, Eubie Blake, Cliff Jackson and TeddyWeatherford; even Jimmy Blythe. Asearly as 1937, a group calling itself the United Hot Clubs of America got permission to reissue out-of-print jazz78s. The experts peg 1935 as the year the“swing” era began. Jazz didn’t disappear;it just got a new name. And there werethousands, maybe millions (nation wide)of old records to buy—cheap.

In the early 1940s, a publication calledthe Record Changer came into being.This was primarily for the hot jazz andblues crowd. Each issue devoted the first half of the magazine to editorialcomments, feature stories (with photos),label-of-the-month columns, and display advertising. The lasthalf of each issue was forrecord disposition—straight priced sales,and auctions ofrecords. The BigGuys could takeentire pages to listtheir records, and theLittle Guys could payfor just a few lines fortheir disposables and wants.

There were scads of records in those days. A lot of 78s supposedly disappeared during 1941-45 in the manyscrap drives that were held to aid the U.S.war effort. In my town, bacon grease wasturned in, and old tires contributed to the remanufacture of new tires for themilitary; and the shellac in old 78s was also reclaimed for some wartimepurpose. Record buffs lament the numberof great jazz records that were lost in thisprocess, but I am skeptical to think thatthe collecting world lost items that couldn’t be found in the millions of itemsthat escaped the scrap drives.

By 1950, the pages of the RecordChanger were full of original 78s thatcould be won by bids of just two or three dollars, and the record reissue phenomenon was now in high gear.Below is a short list of some of the manyrecord labels that were cranking out reissues of old, rare, out-of-print 78s. TheBig Four (shown in bold caps below)were occasionally reissuing gems from

their vaults, but the proliferation of items by other smaller

entrepreneurs shows that theJazz Record Collectors

apparently wanted it all; the newly-recordedstuff and the old stuff.The prices rangedfrom 79 cents to $1.25 for two-sided

stuff. (Asterisks meanthese labels reissued

old records.)

PIANO ROLLS TO GET ON RECORDAND THE BOOTLEG 78 REISSUE INDUSTRY

HE FIRST JAZZBy Independent Music Historian

Mike Montgomery

The Boogie Beat-Volume 3, Issue 1Winter/Spring 2005

*American MusicApolloAtlanticAtomicAladdinAsh*AFCDJBlue DiscBluenote*BRS*BRUNSWICKBlack and WhiteBlue StarBandwagonCapitol

Castle*CenturyCircle*COLUMBIACommodoreCoralComet*Creole*Decatur*DECCADialExnerGood Time Jazz*HJCA

HMV*HRS*Jazzman*Jazz ClassicsJazz InfoJumpKeynoteKingLondonMercury*Mouldie FyggeMGMParadox *Paramount

*ParlophoneRampartSavoy*Steiner-DavisSignatureSwing*Special-EditionStinsonSunriseSwing Society*UHCAUnited*VICTOR*West Coast

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There was an unspoken state of mind in all this: “The reissued 78s must be the best of the bunch. Why would anyonererecord any sides that weren’t top-notchmusically?” Andso the panicwas on.

A fewlaw suitst o o kp l a c ew h e nthe smallreissuers,known asBootleggers,copied originalsstill in the vaults of the Big Four. The BigFour were making money issuing currentrecording artists like Les Paul and MaryFord, Doris Day, Harry James and so on.Their decisions not to reissue the obscurestuff were plain business decisions—they weren’t going to sell enough to(probably) break even.

One amusing story concerns RCA-Victor. Each of the Big Four had specialservice divisions which would take theentire output. One time, a Bootleggerwent to Victor and ordered a quantity of old Victor jazz records which Victor, itself, didn’t recognize as its ownout-of-print material! [Each of the maincompanies during the 1920s did this too.Gennett, for example, issued records forthe Ku Klux Clan using the Klan’s label.They also recorded material for HomerRodeheaver, the white gospel singer, forhis Rainbow label. And Gennett made itpossible for small jazz bands to get, say,100 disks of their own playing for localsale and distribution. We call these Gennett Personal Recordings.]

The first jazz piano roll reissues onto78s were being advertised during 1950.The first two rolls were played by JellyRoll Morton, thanks to some sharp-eyedRecord Collector, who in turn loanedthem to a Bootlegger to reissue onto a 78.Morton’s Vocalstyle rolls of Grandpa’sSpells and Stratford Hunch were issuedon a HJCA (Hot Jazz Club of America)12” recording (HJCA 607). These cost$1.25. These same rolls were almostimmediately also issued on the (10”)Biltmore label. There was no original rolldata shown on these labels. No one at thetime seemed to know that Vocalstyle

went out of businessin Feb. 1927,

when it waspurchased byQRS, still inbusiness inthe Bronx,NY as the

I m p e r i a lIndustrial Co.

Had anyonethought to approach

QRS for permission, Max Kortlander3

would probably have been pleasantly surprised and would have given hisapproval wholeheartedly. He might have asked for a credit line that mentioned Imperial, but I doubt that Max subscribed to the Record Changer or that he even knew about the HJCAand Biltmore reissues. So no harm done.And Jelly died in 1941 in California, sohe wouldn’t complain.

The key reissue man in this countrywas Sam Meltzer, a jazz record dealer inthe Bronx, HJCA, Biltmore (which wasthe first to reissue the only known copyof King Oliver’s 78 of Zulu’s Ball onGennett), and Century were labels ownedand operated by Sam. In the RecordChanger of March 1950, Sam’s ad offering jazz classics and HJCA reissueshad this plea for piano rolls:

“Wanted Wanted Wanted WantedAny 44, 66 or 88 key player piano

rolls wanted by early jazz artists or ragtime piano stylists. Send lists of your dispositions or send for our want list.”

Sam was clearly fishing for good rollsbut did not have a good handle on therare jazz rolls that were out there to find.Nevertheless, the Record Collectorsresponded as best they could.

The Record Changer had two staffwriters at the time who faithfullyreviewed (and usually touted) the newreissues: George Avakian and BucklinMoon. Moon, in the March 1950 RC, hadthis to say:

“This is one of those records I’d liketo stand out on the street corner and peddle myself, not that I need the change (ha!) but merely because I thinkevery family ought to have at least one. The era of the piano roll was a great onewhich many of you may have missed, but

I used to pump a mean foot-treadlemyself. Anyway, Mr. Jelly (better knownperhaps as The Great One) cut himself afew too, and this is a fine example, andone that Sam Meltzer can be mightyproud of in every way. These two Jellystandbys take on a whole different shading here and I wouldn’t come up with the shorts on this one for anything-animal, mineral or vegetable.Git it!” (JCA 607) (B.M.)

At last jazz fans who appreciated JellyRoll Morton could hear a sample of hisroll performances. It is interesting tospeculate that these 1924 Jelly rolls wereprobably reaching a vastly wider andmore appreciative audience than theyever got in the 1920s.

So, by 1950 a few jazz and rag rollsbegan appearing on 10-inch 78 as reissues, enabling jazz lovers the chanceto enjoy and analyze some of the legendary piano solo recordings made inthe 1920s by “name” pianists. Until theRecord Collectors began picking thesegems out of the second-hand stores of thecountry, few remembered them at all andalmost all the roll companies had eithergone out of business or had destroyed the“master” rolls. And no one, it seemed,had a concept – or a list – of all the greatpiano rolls that might be found. The liston the following page shows the fewrolls that were reissued, the 78 reissuelabels, the original roll companies andserial numbers, the artists (of course),and relevant remarks such as the namesof the collectors who donated their rollsfor reissue. (None of these names areknown to me.)

There was a prevailing misconceptionthat the rag rolls that turned up were, inall cases, played by their composers.Most of these rolls were not hand played by anyone. They were allarranged by staff musicians who workedfor the various roll companies unless the label itself said “Played by…” Thesearrangers worked from published sheetmusic to convert the printed notes into perforations, adding whatever wasappropriate so that the finished performance was satisfying and true tothe composer’s intent.

continued. . .

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continued. . .

Reissue Label & No. Roll Titles Original Roll Labels & Artists RemarksHJCA 607 Stratford Hunch Vocalstyle 50485-JRM A 12” RecordHJCA 607 Grandpa’s Spells Vocalstyle 50487-JRM Sold for $1.25Biltmore 1035 Stratford Hunch Vocalstyle 50485-JRM Now a 10” recordBiltmore 1035 Grandpa’s Spells Vocalstyle 50487-JRM Sold for $0.79Century 4000 Dead Man Blues QRS 3674-JRMCentury 4000 Hock Shop Blues QRS 3616-CJ From H.H. HollisCentury 4001 18th Street Strut QRS 3377-TW From H.H. HollisCentury 4001 Make Me a Pallet on the Floor QRS 3626-JPJ From H.H. HollisCentury 4021 Dead Man Blues No. 2 Imperial 06515-JRM From H.H. HollisCentury 4021 King Porter Stomp Vocalstyle 50480-JRM From Stan BlachmanCentury 4022 Grace & Beauty Rag Unknown N/A

(James Scott)Century 4022 Ragtime Oriole Unknown N/A

(James Scott)Century 4023 Charleston QRS 3143-JPJ From Aubrey FinkCentury 4023 “Monkey Man Wiggle” QRS 1338-JPJ From Sam Fink

Correct title: Don’t TellYour Monkey Man (MonkeyMan Blues)

Century 4024 St. Louis Rag (Turpin) Unknown N/ACentury 4024 American Beauty Rag Unknown N/A

LambCentury 4025 “Last Man Blues” QRS 2444-TW From Sam Fink

Correct title: You Can’t DoWhat My Last Man Did

Century 4025 Boll Weevil Blues Melodee 4259-EB From Stan BlachmanJazz Classics 533-A Scott Joplin’s New Rag Unknown N/A, from Jack Whitstance

(Scott Joplin)Jazz Classics 533-B Fig Leaf Rag Unknown N/A, from Emerson Parker

(James Scott)Jazz Classics 534-A Original Rags Unknown N/A, from Roger Williams

(Scott Joplin)Jazz Classics 534-B The Entertainer Unknown N/A, from Aubrey Fink

(Scott Joplin)***London (Eng) L-808 Laughin’ Cryin’ Blues QRS 2215-TW***London (Eng) L-808 Roumania QRS 1479-JPJ

Key to abbreviations:

Artists: JRM=Jelly Roll MortonJPJ=James P. JohnsonTW=Thomas Waller (“Fats” would come later)EB=Eubie BlakeCJ=Cliff Jackson

HJCA=Hot Jazz Clubs of AmericaN/A=No Artist-not hand played

NOTE: ***London (Eng) L-808 Laughin’ Cryin’ Blues and Roumania (pictured on thefollowing page) is the only overseas reissue of jazz rolls that I have found. Joe Showler of Toronto sent me a copy of an article in the Melody Maker for May 12, 1951, in which the history of this English reissue is detailed. A British Collector, Jack Fisher, traded with one or more US Collectors (records for rolls) and obtained the two rolls that appeared on this London 78. On June 5, 1950, Jack himself took his Pianola to Broad Hurst Gardens and personally pumped these rolls while Decca engineers ran therecording equipment. Another of Jack’s rolls Sugar Foot Stomp played by Theodore“Teddy” Weatherford, might also have been issued but no suitable roll could be found for the second side. Thanks for that tidbit, Joe!

Collector and Record Changer sub-scriber Ambrose Cayuga wrote to SamMeltzer in January 1950 with an offer toloan one of his Waller rolls for this reis-sue project. Ambrose received (andsaved) a post card, dated Jan. 10, 1950,written in longhand from Sam. It gives anidea of how Sam treated those wholoaned him rolls, and it reads:

“Dear Ambrose- 1/10/50Thanks for your offer of the Fats

Piano Roll. At the present, I can’t use it,as I’ve so many others that I want torecord. Most of them have been sent tome for gratis, but I usually give the per-son 5 records of their choice. Wouldn’tpay royalty on any piano rolls. Too muchcost involved in manufacturing them.

Thanks,Sam Meltzer”

Later in 1950, Rudi Blesh (co-authorof the book that changed my life, TheyAll Played Ragtime, 1950) recorded sixpiano (and Pianola) rolls from DocPruett’s collection in St. Louis. Rudiwrote the liner notes to an album(“Pianola Ragtime,” Circle Album CD-30N) containing six of Pruett’s rolls. Thedetails are:

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continued. . .

Reissue Label Roll Titles Original Label & Artists RemarksCircle DocumentaryD-5003-A Maple Leaf Rag Connorized 10265 Yes, played by Joplin

(Scott Joplin) “as played by Scott Joplin”D-5003-B Hilarity Rag Unknown Not hand played

(James Scott) “as played by James Scott”D-5004-A Sunflower Slow Drag Unknown Not hand played

(Scott Joplin/Scott Hayden) “as played by Scott Joplin”D-5004-B Excelsior Rag Unknown Not hand played

(Joseph F. Lamb)D-5005-A Weeping Willow Rag Connorized 10277 Yes, played by Joplin

(Scott Joplin) “as played by Scott Joplin”D-5005-B Quality Rag- Unknown Not hand played

A High Class Rag “as played by James Scott”(James Scott)

3 Max Kortlander-Joined QRS as a lad and rose to become the chief of the recording department. He purchased the assets of the company when QRS went bankrupt in 1930. He then formed a new firm and named it the “Imperial Industrial Company.”

Doctor Hubert S. Pruett (pictured leftat the pianola) was one of the originalRecord Collectors who looked for jazz78s, piano rolls and sheet music. I metPruett in 1955 on a visit to St. Louis. Itwas Pruett who mentioned to me thatJack Baker, Columbus, Ohio, had a col-lection of 78s, jazz films and piano rolls,and that he was interested in selling hisroll collection. (The story of my meetingJack Baker and buying his roll collectionin 1956 has been told in my article in theAMRF 6th Annual Motor City Boogie

Woogie and Blues Festival concert pro-gram of Oct. 16, 2004.) Perhaps you cansee how tantalizing these few piano rollswere to an impressionable teenager likeme. Beginning in 1951 for the next 53years I spent my spare time trying to findout which jazz and blues rolls were pro-duced because no one else seemed to bedoing this. I sought original catalogs,interviewed surviving artists and bought(and traded for) all the hot piano rollsthere were to find. At long last, now Ipretty well know!

Submitted by Mike Walter

The following is a radio program. By the time this bulletin is published thisexact program will have gone by, but I believe that their website has live

broadcasts, so anyone on-line can pick the show up.

90.3 MHzFM

THE RAGTIME MACHINE CONTINUES TOMAKE RADIO HISTORY

TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF WEEKLY SHOWAIRS JULY 3, 2006

The only program of its kind in the world celebrates over1300 weekly shows. In what may be a broadcast record,producer David Reffkin hosts The Ragtime Machine every weekwithout reruns, co-hosts, substitutes or missed shows.

"MUSIC FROM '1'HE CONCER'1' HALLS AND BARROOMS Opt AMERICA"

premiering on July 4, 1981, The Ragtime Machine broadcastsragtime music, interviews and news. The hour-long show airson Monday nights, 9-10 pm and is netcast in streaming audioat kusf. org. Featuring thousands of recordings andinterviews and. the widest assortment of ragtime-relatedsegments to be found anywhere, Reffkin draws from the entireragtime community as well as his extensive background as thedirector of The American Ragtime Ensemble and a notedresearcher. (See enclosed for more on the program and DavidReffkin. )

In the history of American radio there have only been a fewprograms devoted exclusively to ragtime music. The RagtimeMachine succeeds in entertaining and enlightening a· largedevoted audIence "every·w:e"ek".-··Many"· of l)a.vId's~nterviewswithcomposers and performers, and his reviews, appear in aleading trade paper for ragtime fans, The Mississippi Rag(mississippirag.com). He won their Readers' Poll as UBestRagtime Journalist."

Ragtime, the predecessor of jazz, is America's first originalmus ic • The increase in its popularity and the modernblossoming of recordings and concerts since the 1970s is atrue musical revolution.

The 25th Anniversary show airs Monday, July 3, 9-10 pm (PDT).

David Retfkin is available for interviews. Email him [email protected], or call KUSF at 415-386-5873. Thecomplete program guide is available at kusf.org.

UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO· 2130 FULTON STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. 94117·1080 • (415) 386·KUSF

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o

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90.3 MHzFM

THE RAGTIME MACHINE

Ragtime music from the concert halls and barrooms of America

The Rag'time Machine is a weekly one-hour radio program presented Mondaynights, 9:00-10:00 on KUSF, produced and hosted by DAVID REFFKIN. The purposeof the program is to develop an audience for ragtime performance by providingentertaining and informative broadcasts featuring music, interviews and news.It is the only program of its type in the country.

Since its inception on July 4, 1981, The Rag'time Machine continues to offerrecordings and taped live performances of ragtime compositions and artists.The program also features interviews with the creators and performers of themusic and coverage of ragtime-related topics.

Among the highlights of past shows:

* interviews with Donita Fowler (Scott Joplin's niece), Harold Scott (JamesScott's nephew), Patricia Lamb Conn (Joseph Lamb's daughter), Neil Daniels(Charles Daniels's son), Lalo Schifrin (film composer, arranger/conductorfor The Sting II), Gunther Schuller (Director, New England Ragtime Ensemble)

* exclusive broadcast of ragtime peformances, including the original 1972concert of The New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble, as well asrecordings from around the world

* broadcast of the lq83 USPS Joplin postage stamp commemoration at the ScottJopll.n Qatj:time ¥ee'tival

* the first comprehensive interview with Larry Melton, creator of the ScottJoplin Ragtime Festival

Air time for The Rag'time Machine is provided by the University of SanFrancisco, which owns and operates KUSF. Underwriting is solicited fromorganizations ansd individuals to help cover production costs. Donations aretaX-deductible, and acknOWledgement is given in each program, in the quarterlyprogram guide and in subsequent pUblicity.

UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO. 2130 FULTON STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA· 94117·1080 • (415) 386·KUSF

a

a

DAVID REFFKIN is the producer and host of The aagti.. Machine. He is aviolinist and graduate of The New England conservatory, where he was arecording engineer on tiThe Red Back Book" album of the NEe Ragtime Ensemble,with which he has performed. As a professional violinist, he plays with avariety of orchestras and small groups. In 1973, he founded The AmericanRagtime Ensemble, which performs the popular music of 1890-1920, includingsalon music from around the world, from the original orchestrations. Davidand his ensemble are featured in highly successful commercial recordings, andhe has emerged as an authority on ragtime orchestration and performance. Heis a contributing editor and reviewer for The Mississippi Rag, which featurestranscribed interviews from The Ragtime Machine.

SAMPLE OF INTERVIEW GUESTS:

Elliott Adams~ltr1r1!hw.nder

Ed BerlinRudi BleshTom BrierAnn ChartersBill CoffmanDavid DallwitzJohn De ChiaroJan DouglasRoy EatonPhil ElwoodGale FoehnerRobin FrostDan GrinsteadJohn HasseDick HymanMartin JaegerLeslie JohnsonSue KellerDiCk KroeckelCarl Sonny LeylandJohnny MaddoxLarry MeltonMike MontgomeryPeter MuirTerry.'&t'rishTorsten RatzkowskiDalton RidenhourReginald RobinsonRon RossKevin SandersLalo SchifrinJoe ScottiMichael StalcupButch ThompsonVirginia TichenorTerry WaldoIan WhitcombAdam YarianDick Zimmerman

John Arpin'J3'6b AultMimi 81aisWilliam. BalcomTony CaramiaSam ChartersMichael CoganNeil Moret DanielsPete oevineBrian DykstraMarty EqgersJohn FarrellGeorge FoleyJohn Gill (US)Johnny GuarnieriBrian HollandMasonabU IkemiyaDavid JasenMolly KaufmannScott KirbyArthur LaBrewBob LongDave MajchrzakRod MillerMax MorathJohn Novacek

1:ltlinfttt' P~!1hAddison ReedRichard RileyAl RoseJack RummelAlex SandorGunther SchullerBob SeeleyAnn SteeleJan ThomsenJim TurnerKjell WaltmanDavid WrightBrett Youens

Paul AsaroJeif .BAr_ai€,Neil BlazeNan BostickJudy CarmichaelYvonne CloutierSusan CurtisBob DarchNeville DickiePhillip DysonGloria EkromAnn FennessyFrank FrenchJohn Gill (AU)Alex HassanNora HulseHal IsbitzGlenn JenksBrian KeenanJanet KleinMorten Gunnar LarsenPeter LundbergTom McDermottBob MilneJoan MorrisCalm O'Brien:tMfftl $It!!"Robbie RhodesDavid Thomas Robertswally RoseBill Rydencynthia SayerMike SchwimmerEd SprankleIttzes TamasTrebor TichenorCraig VentrescaBrent WatkinsTex WyndhamJudith Lang Zaimont

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Lenore Preston remembers listening to Zaharako’s Welte self-playing pipeorgan often after Central High Schoolbasketball games 70 years ago.

The downtown confectionery was the place to be then, according to the 87-year-old Preston of Columbus.

“When the organ was playing, therewas a festive atmosphere in there,” shesaid.

Zaharako’s sold the 98-year-old musical instrument to a California businessman Feb. 28 for an undisclosedsum.

A crew removed the organ at 329Washington St. piece by piece Saturday,placed the parts in a Penske moving truck and hauled it to an organ restorationfirm in the northeast.

“I hate to see it go,” said Preston. “Butwhoever bought it probably paid a prettygood price.”

The 185-pipe organ, built by a German firm that frequently catered to

the wealthy, had fallen into disrepairoften in recent years, according to Lew Zaharako, who owns the turn-of-the-century restaurant and soda fountainwith his brothers.

No real options.“I hope people will understand and

not be too angry,” said Zaharako, whobegan working at the family business as a14-year-old. “I know we’ve taken awaysomething from people.

“But we felt like we had no realoptions.”

He said Indianapolis-area organrepairers had gotten to the point that they could no longer provide the detailed service the instrument needed.

Zaharako said he is limited about what he could say about the sale because the purchase contract includes a non-disclosure clause, as requested by the buyer.

The businessman, who contacted thebrothers about three weeks ago, plans toinstall the organ in his house, accordingto Zaharako.

The instrument, which cost $5,000new, was valued at $35,000 in 1972,according to The Republic archives. Itplayed about six German tunes.

“Sometimes, though, it was hard totell when one song ended and anotherbegan,” said Zaharako.

The orchestrations within the instrument included trumpets, drums,cymbals, triangles and flutes, accordingto the 1972 Republic story.

The Welte instruments became popular especially after the World Fair in Chicago in 1893 and St. Louis in 1904. They were later installed in beer gardens, parks and luxury ocean liners.

The local confectionary has beenclosed for more than a month because Zaharako was hospitalized inIndianapolis, but it will reopen soon.

Zaharako and his brothers plan to replace the organ.

AHARAKO’S SELLSSubmitted by Mike Walter

Wednesday, March 8, 2006the republic.comANTIQUE PIPE ORGAN

American Piano Company ShowsNew Instrument Possessing Many Important Features—Dealers WillRegard This as a Most Important Addition to Their Line

New York, March 30—In the development of the player-piano, in all of its various branches, the AmericanPiano Company has taken a most prominent part, and has brought to theindustry many important inventions, and improvements which have beenembodied in their instruments, whichhave led the way in many instances along the line of artistic achievements.

The latest instrument which they have brought out, and the first one ofwhich was seen at the offices of theAmerican Piano company this week, wasthe Stoddard-Ampico foot power player,as installed in the Knabe piano, which isan instrument which dealers all over thecountry will delight in calling to theattention of their most fastidious trade.

The Stoddard-Ampico mechanism is

familiar to the entire trade, but in the production of the foot power, Stoddard-Ampico, through an invention of theexperts of the American Piano Company,and by the use of the hand-played rollswhich contain an exceedingly wide rangeof expression, the operator can obtain the most exquisite degrees of expressionand shading without touching a singleexpression device, and whether he pumpshard or easily, the music is not affected.For instance, in demonstrating this player, it was noted that the operator waspumping very hard, but the music washeard in a delicate pianissimo.

By the simpe turn of a lever, the various expression devices of the Stoddard-Ampico come into play and the operator can follow his or her interpretation of the music.

The development of the Stoddard-Ampico has been along the lines of thegreatest advance in the player industry,and this latest mechanism is one whichpossesses many refinements.

Connorized April RollsNew York, March 30—The April

list of the Connorized Music Companycontains a large variety of hand-playedrolls, including those by Emanual Wad,who was recently secured by this company. Two numbers from Chopin,and a minuettino by Mr. Wad are included in the list. The “Maple LeafRag” and the “Magnetic Rag,” by ScottJoplin, the well-known rag-time player,are among the lighter numbers offered,and the other hand-played rolls are by Miss Muriel Pollock, C. HermanKornbau, and Ed Bergeson. Some up-to-date new music is included in the list, including a selection of the popular “Katinka” music.

OOT-POWERSubmitted by Mike Kukral

Music Trade IndicatorApril 1, 1916STODDARD-AMPICO READY

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Submitted by Vincent Morgan

After 30 Years of Silence, theRolling Rhythm of Foot-PowerPianos is Being Heard Again

Ex-tugboat captain John Duffy of Palisades Park, N.J., fell in love with avintage player piano. Fortunately, hiswife, Marilyn, also liked its music andthey played their one roll—“Begin theBeguine”—till the piano broke down.

Duffy took his old player apart carefully, studied each piece and figuredout what it was supposed to do when hesat down to play. After he memorizedeach part and knew where it should go,he managed to get his player in workingorder with some rubber tubing.

“I had to,” Duffy said the other day.“We had grown to love the player piano.So had our children…and friends whocame over to sing along with us duringour cookouts.”

The Duffys and their friends are typical of the growing number of Americans who are salvaging playerpianos from basements, attics, garagesand barns and restoring them to rumpusrooms, living rooms, rathskellers and taverns.

Besides, gleaming modern compactplayer pianos are being sold every day.Mrs. Vivian Manucia of Staten Island gotone as a 36th wedding anniversary gift,and a satellite tracker in Jupiter, FL.,ordered one because he longed to hearthose old piano roll blues again.

All in all, an estimated 200,000 playerpianos are producing their kind of musicfrom coast to coast today.

The first ripples of reviving interest in player pianos came in 1956, when anex-player piano salesman, nostalgic forthe good old days, talked his companyinto marketing a new player—somethingthat hadn’t been done in almost 30 years.

Barely 400 new player pianos weresold in 1956. Better leave the past deadand buried, music industry insiders said.No one had been interested in playerpianos since the late 1920s, when radioand phonograph music captured the market.

But player pianosales crept up to the tune of 5,000 in 1961, 7,500 in 1962 and 10,000last year. Today, nine companies are making them…In1923, 347,589 play-ers were produced.

Of course theplayer piano rollbusiness is feelingtwinges of prosperity.Over at Macy’s inHerald Square, forexample, 200 to 400player piano rolls a week are soldnowadays against 40 to 50 per weekfive years ago.

Show tunes like“Hello, Dolly!” andpop songs like theBeatles “I WannaHold Your Hand” are big sellers atMacy’s. There a customer can choosefrom 2,500 rolls—including hymns,Strauss waltzes, sentimental favorites,

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HOSE PIANO ROLLSubmitted by Mike Kukral

From Sunday News, July 12, 1964By Michael IachettaBLUES ARE BACK

Making comebackafter 30 years in

oblivion, bulkyplayer piano of yesteryear has been repackaged in sleek, compact form to suit modern tastes.

Worth $7,000, this gussied-up job enables pedaler to become one-manband. Activated by levers, instruments tinkle, tootle and thump alongwith the piano. Rumpus-room model offers built-around bar toencourage sing-alongs, as dealer John Duffy and family demonstrateshere. Happily, player pianist needs talent only in feet.

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pop classical selections, polkas, Dixieland, jazz, ragtime, blues, twistsand cha-chas.

Every player piano roll in Macy’sstock is supplied by the Imperial Industrial Co. in the Bronx, where they have been making QRS brand rolls since 1905.

Piano Roll Business Up 50% Over Past 5 Years

“Business is up about 50% over thepast five years,” said Herman Kortlander,who has been with Imperial Industrial formore than 32 years. “My brother Maxstarted in this business around 1932. Maxdied last year. Now his wife and I…wetry to carry out his ideas.”

As he spoke, he glanced around theImperial plant, which is filled withmachines, wires, loops, spools, conveyorbelts and boxes and boxes of QRS rolls.About 15 workers were adding to the 50million or so rolls the factory has spunout over the years.

“We had the depression and thephonograph and radio…and TV. But wenever did stop turning out rolls. Somepeople just wouldn’t give up their players.”

While he talked, Kortlander walkedinto a small room where arranger-perforator Hi Babit sat hunched over aspecial piano, producing another number.

Babit is one of the four or five men in the country who can punch out a piano roll tune. He works out a new

arrangement on a piano equipped withpulleys, levers, extra keys and a footlever attached to a device called thepunch press.

When he knows exactly what notes hewants to cut, his fingers hit the keyboardof his special piano as though he wereplaying a regular piano. At the exactmoment he hits the keyboard, though, hepumps the foot lever, which activatespneumatic tubes on the press.

There is a clicking sound like castanets as the keys on the press danceforward, computer-like, to punch holesinto a master roll.

Babit usually needs three or four daysto complete a master roll that satisfieshim. “Sometimes it takes more time, someless,” said Babit. “You have to work untilyou get away from that mechanical sound.You want to give the roll a human touch,interpretation, flavor…”

A master roll is placed on a productionperforator that can punch out as many as30 rolls at a time. Then the words to thesong are inked on the copy, alongside thepunctures that cause the notes to besounded.

Finally, the rolls are labeled, put onspools and boxed. (Retail price: from 95cents to $.1.25.)

Kortlander placed a roll on a playerpiano and flicked a lever. The keysdanced on their own, and the room wasfilled with “The Old Piano Roll Blues.”

In 1862, a Frenchman named

Forneaux patented what appears to be the first player operating on pneumaticprinciples. His pianista, as he called it,was operated by means of a hand crankwhich produced a vacuum to work a setof “fingers.” These fingers played thekeyboard on an ordinary piano.

A year later, John McTammany, anOhio agricultural machinery repairman,began working independently on his ownversion of the player. McTammany hadbeen critically wounded while fighting asa Union soldier in the Civil War.

During his convalescence, he wasrepairing a music box and thought of anew musical instrument which would be

continued. . .

In sequence above, l. to r. oldtimer J.Lawrence Cook, one of vanishing breed of piano-roll punchers, checks musicalarrangement with sales executive John

Gettel. Then he works out score, note bynote, on complicated puncher-piano thatturns out those delightful ricky-tick rollsthat make everyone a ragtime virtuoso, particularly when beer barrel is rolled out for party. With player, no one can

say, “They laughed when I sat down to play…”

The Music ComesOut Here-Shirt-sleeved Hi Babit

and Herman Kortlander take

final look at master roll

before it goes tomachine which

turns out finishedrolls. If you’re

less than 40 years old, you

don’t know thatsing-along words are printed on rolls, which is

what worker is supervising here. Shelves thatgathered dust for years now are filled withmusic as a new generation discovers those

old piano roll blues.

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worked by depressions instead of pins and staples. He considered hisinvention finished in 1876 when he filed a caveat which described his idea fully and gave him two years to file for a basic patent.

For some reason, he never did. ButMcTammany’s invention made manyplayer pianos run as manufacturers modified his ideas and put them to work.

In 1887, paper player piano rolls were introduced. And in the early 1900s, somebody thought of using electric power to run the pumps in the players. Approximately 42 companies were turning out playerpianos in 1914, with about 14 companiesproducing rolls.

Modern Player Pianos Are Slimmer, Trimmer

There were players in parlors, dancehalls, department stores, lunch rooms, amusement parks, hotels and clubs.

Today, players have been redesignedto give slimmer, trimmer proportions.Most of them are built so they can also be played as regular pianos, but they are equipped with foot pedals and an electric motor.

“You need the foot pedals,” a salesman explained, “because creatingyour own expression to the music is half the fun. And you need the electric

motor in case youwant to get up anddance…Just turn theplayer on and awayyou go.”

Meantime, Duffy,the ex-tugboat captain, has built a new life out ofplayer pianos sincehe patched up hisown. He rebuilds,remodels and sellsold ones and offersnew models, too.

He said his business grossed morethan a quarter of a million dollars lastyear.

“I went from fixing my player torepairing players for friends. I wasspending so much time, I started charging. There was such a demand I had to quit my job to go into players full time.”

In the beginning, he advertised forused instruments in local papers. “Youwould be surprised how many people justmoved away and left them behind on thethird or fourth floor of buildings,” saidDuffy. “You had to pay to have yourplayer taken away. Some people couldn’tafford it.”

He paid from $25 to $40 for an oldplayer. Then he went to work on it,

patching the 200 odd feet of rubber tubing that all but fills the inside of a player and tinkering with the 83 tinybellows which operate the hammers thatstrike the wires to produce the sounds.

Countless hours, sometimes days,were spent getting a piano to play. But,when it did, Duffy could resell it for anywhere from $275 to $400.

New players are priced from $575 to$1,400.

“Why are people buying playersagain?” Duffy mused. “Because youwould feel mighty silly standing in front of you hi-fi or stereo and singingalong with the music. But you can singalong and play along with your player asthe words spin by on your roll.

“People don’t want to just watch any more,” he said. “They want to participate.”

continued. . .

In 1920s, status-seekers disguised their players in classic grand-piano form.

As the May/Juneissue of the AMICA

Bulletin went to press, the following twoads appeared on my doorstep via FedEx.They were graciously forwarded to meby Nelson Barden (president of NelsonBarden Associates, restorers in residenceat Boston University) as a result of hisongoing research efforts. Both adsappeared in the financial pages of TheNew York Times. The first ad appeared onDecember 12, 1922, the second on May8, 1925.

Both announce stock offerings byMcCown & Co., a major (if not the chief)broker for the Estey-Welte Corporation, aholding company. Indeed, by the time the

second ad appeared (in 1925), Frank C.McCown, Jr. is openly listed as an Estey-Welte Corp. director.

These ads tend to underscore the verity of facts presented in several of myprevious articles. The pertinent text isshaded for the convenience of Bulletinreaders. The italics, underlining, and capitalization, however, appear just asthey did in the original ads. It should be noted that patent rights and royaltyagreements are explicitly touted as majorcompany assets. And, there is no timidityapparent in the statements that all reproducing pianos manufactured inAmerica were affected by such rights andagreements. The ads implied: Because

the entire American reproducing pianoindustry is subject to our patents, and islicensed by us with royalty agreements,our stock represents a sound investment.Hence, you should buy it.

Ironically, investors retaining Estey-Welte Corp. stock after January 25, 1927were in for a rather rude disappointment.And, as neither Welte-Mignon Corp. norEstey-Welte Corp. assets were controlledby Welte family members by the timethese ads appeared, they emphasize, onceagain, what I expressed in prior articles.That is: It’s doubtful that Edwin Welteever received compensation for hispatents appropriately proportionate to theroyalties collected under them.

WO INTERESTING WELTE ADSBy Jeffrey Morgan

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Did you ever wonder how a song was chosen to appear on a piano roll,phonograph record; and at the same time be heard on every music machinenationwide? Some songs were obviouschoices; but others had to be selectedfrom among thousands flowing from Tin Pan Alley, the rest of the country, and Europe every year. Without someidea of the public’s acceptance, a fewwrong choices could result in thousandsof sheet music, piano rolls or phonographrecords remaining unsold. From 1895 to1918, a method was found to not onlyreach the entire country quickly, but havetheater owners, film distributors and thepublic foot part of the bill.

Events happen throughout history that,at the time and to the people involved,appeared too important or too involvedwith every day life to be forgotten in the span of a lifetime. All of us fascinatedby mechanical music and the time span involved are confronted by this“disappearing” act. Many machines andideas in their time were as important as a color TV or digital recordings aretoday. Sadly, some events do not rate the smallest footnote in history; and illustrated songs seem to be one of theseitems.

Shortly before 1900 an idea and product appeared on the music scene like a bright comet, at least in the United States. This bright flash was the“Illustrated Song Slide”, a novel butimportant idea for selling the sheet music of the hundreds of songs beingproduced by booming “Tin Pan Alley.”Although lasting barely 20 years, illustrated song slides were an integralpart of song plugging, vaudeville, and the early Nickelodeon movie theaters.These slides are unknown today by manycollectors of early music, theater andvaudeville memorabilia.

Getting a song heard throughout the country in 1900 by the sheet musicbuying public was a problem. Giving or “loaning” the sheet music to a popular singer, musician or vaudeville act was an accepted method to

publicize a song, but every new title could not be pushed this way.

There were, of course, a number ofprofessional singers and musicians whowere paid to introduce songs, but theycould not reach the rural public or all theurbanites. A method was needed to reachthe potential purchasers fast, sell them ona particular song and get them to buy the sheet music. One idea that workedamazingly well, the illustrated songslides, started with a single slide.

The magic lantern (the fast disappearing slide projector of today) had for some time been a fixture of anypublic entertainment establishment world wide. The slide projector was used along with appropriate slides toaccompany poem recitation, traveloguelectures, and push various Victorianmoral causes, among other uses. With aslide projector on hand, stage electrician,George Thomas, used a single slide toaccompany a particularly melodramaticscene and song in the stage play “TheOld Homestead”.

Being a sharp-witted and astute member of the entertainment crowd, heeasily connected the dots and realized the use of the right slides would help fix a song in a listener ’s memory. He convinced a couple of aspiring songwriters to try his idea on their ballad,“The Little Lost Child”. Accompanied byvarious slides, the song was wellreceived by the audience and soon notedby other music publishers.

This event occurred in 1894; and soonthe professional song plugger, along with the house pianist were accompaniedby a set of slides made to illustrate the particular song at hand. If you werefortunate enough to attend a certain burlesque show, you would have seen a young Al Jolson, or some other upcoming star, belt out a ballad whilestanding beside a screen on which wasflashed brilliantly colored slides.

A sideline to the music publishingbusiness, manufacturing song slides, wassoon established and flourished on theeast coast. Two of the more dominatefirms were DeWitt C. Wheeler and Scott

& Van Altena. Both firms made qualityslides with Scott & Van Altena beingnoted for their brilliantly colored slides. The natural and beautiful colorachieved in these slides is credited to Jack Scott of Scott & Van Altena. Scottinsisted on using highly diluted colors,passing the slides down a line of womencolorists several times until the desiredbrilliance was achieved. The single-dabmethod used by some firms resulted insome very poor quality slides enteringthe market.

Of course, photogenic models wereneeded for the “boy and girl” in the lovesongs, so local boys and girls, many ofhigh school age, were used. The eastcoast, being the birthplace of the earlysilent movies, lured many of the modelsfor illustrated song slides to the moviestudios. Several became leading moviestars of the silent era, including NormaTalmadge and Frances X. Bushman,names not recognized by the present generation but still remembered by a few old timers.

Although illustrated song slides werevery successful in introducing new songsin burlesque shows, vaudeville housesand various other formats, by 1905 or1906 their effectiveness began to wane.Just in the nick of time, came our “WhiteKnight”, the nickelodeon theater.

Short silent films were being exhibitedfor a number of years before 1906 but the producer/distributor/exhibitor partnership did not exist. A film companymight show their own film, rent it, or sell it. Some early entrepreneurs wouldbuy a few films, each running 10 minutesor less, and exhibit them along the east coast. Everything about the filmindustry was evolving, including themovie projector. Since the slide projectorand its slides was the direct forerunner ofthe movie projector and film, somemovie projectors were constructed byremoving the slide holders from a slideprojector and substituting a mechanismfor the film strip. For a short period,these early itinerant movie exhibitersharked back to the earliest magiclanternist and organ grinders who

BLIP IN TIMEBy Yousuf Wilson

THOSE WONDERFUL ILLUSTRATED SONG SLIDES

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roamed Europe as much as two centuriesearlier.

By 1906, the movie industry wasbeginning to take the form that still existstoday. The films were shown in a fixedlocation, anything from a former grocerystore to the second floor storage area of ahardware cleared every Saturday nightfor the weekly movie1. The films stoppedbeing sold to individual exhibitors butwere rented along with illustrated songslides to the nickelodeon theaters by a distributor. This format proved verypractical; and these one-room moviehouses quickly spread across the entirecountry.

The stage was set for the blossomingof the sing-along slide, much to thedelight of song writers and music publishers. The path from words andmusic first put on paper to appearing onpiano rolls and phonograph records andheard on every mechanical instrument we collect today, usually followed thesame route.

A song with promise was presented to a slide manufacturer by a music publishing house to prepare a set ofslides. The set usually consisted of 16slides, the first slide a photo of the sheetmusic cover, and the last slide having the words of the chorus. The rest of the slides presented scenes hopefullymatching images in the wording of thesong. If Scott & Van Altena was selectedfor this work, the publisher could expectsomething special. Topnotch color was just one of Scott & Van Altena’s specialties. The company had amassed alarge stash of scenery negatives fromaround the world, and for every season,so they could prepare a set of slides withcherry blossoms, orange blossoms, orapple blossoms, whatever the song called for. This work could be done in the dead of winter and usually had theircompetitors scratching their heads.

Scott & Van Altena also made some of the best “trick or effect” slides. Acomplicated method of layering slidesproduced these effects. They amaze someof us almost a century later, even in aworld filled with special effects.

After a set of slides was approved and additional copies were made, theyusually ended up, along with appropriatesheet music, with a film distributor whothen rented the latest film and slides to a

string of nickelodeon theaters. Withinweeks or at most a couple of months, the latest film and hoped for hit song had reached the remotest corners of thecountry. This pairing of silent movies and illustrated song slides was a matchmade in heaven.

In live theater, cabarets and vaudevillehouses, the song being plugged had tocompete with a number of songs used byvarious musical acts and the sometimesrowdy crowds that attended. It was hopedthat the melody remembered was theright one and not some other catchy tuneused in a vaudeville act.

This was not the case with songsaccompanied by illustrated song slides.When used as a filler or added entertainment in a nickelodeon theater,there was no song competition, the tinkling piano accompanying the moviewas remembered as part of the film, if at all.

Although the slides were only anadvertisement to plug the latest song,they were always presented to the publicas entertainment. The song was intendedto be the important part with the slidesplaying only a minor role. The best of theslides, as stated by some who livedthrough this era, reversed these roles.(This scenario seems all too familiar, likewatching the Super Bowl to see the newcommercials.)

The silent films, with little plot or storyline still fascinated the audience; but it was often the slides that drew people to stay for two or more performances, if allowed by the management.

After viewing a few of the now rareslides, it doesn’t take much imaginationto conger up this oft repeated scene. (It’s late winter and the local nickelodeontheater is crowded with families weary of the cold and drab winter scenes. Themovie is ending, and after a harrowingrescue from the villain, the hero gets thegirl. There is no kiss; but after holdinghands and, with the pianist playing a sentimental tune, the movie fades away.After a round of applause dies down,there is nothing heard but a murmur fromthe crowd and the scraping of chairs and benches on which they are seated.

Suddenly the screen is brightly illuminated by a slide projector; and thefirst slide appears, a hand-colored image

of a sheet music cover. The piano playerplays a strain from an unfamiliar song asa young girl walks up and stands next tothe piano. The first illustrated slideappears as the girl starts singing to theunfamiliar melody. It turns out to be alove song with lilting lyrics and a nicebeat. The musical pair had ample time topractice the new song as the movie film,illustrated song slides and sheet musichad arrived several days earlier. As thesongstress and piano accompanimentcontinue, appropriate slides appear thatfollow the song story.

Suddenly, an especially bright andbeautiful slide appears that draws oohsand ahs from the rapt audience. The performance continues until the last illustrated scene, an overly protectivefather slamming the front door shut on anunsuccessful suitor, fades away. Thisbrings a chuckle from the crowd as theverse ends. The words of the chorus areflashed on the screen; and the girl andpianist paired together sing it throughonce. The duo then invites the patrons to sing along, and the chorus is repeated several times. If the participantsare regular movie goers, they know what to expect and gladly sing along. For some, the sing-along is the highlightof the evening.

The crowd exits into the chill winterair; but the thought of an enjoyableevening lingers and many hum or whistle the new ballad as they headhome. Next day, the local music storewill sell a dozen copies of the new tune,and then wait anxiously for the piano rollor phonograph record to make theirappearance.

This is how the illustrated song slideswere supposed to work; and indeed thisis how they did work. In some of thelarger movie houses, before the slidesfaded away, a concession stand would beset up in the lobby; and sheet musicwould be hawked to the patrons beforethey left the premises.

By the 1930’s, very few slidesremained; but other clues hint at theirimportance. Figure 1 is a good example.This flyer or mailer and trade cards of the St. Louis Calcium Light Co. wasmailed to theaters, burlesque houses, andother entertainment centers throughoutthe United States if the statement, “Allorders to any part of the United States

continued. . .

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Filled promptly”, can be believed. Thelarge print in the advertisement, “Lubin’sMoving Picture Machine and Films forSale” seems to date this flyer before 1909or after 1912.

Known only to a few movie buffs ofthe early silent film era, Sigmund Lubinappeared on the movie scene in the1890’s and had the reputation of piratingand copying other people’s films ( not as bad as it seems as this was a commonpractice). Lubin was also known for his films of heavyweight fights or other newsworthy events. Billed asscoops or on the spot film, what peoplesaw were actually reenactments shot on a Philadelphia roof top. Lubin was also part of a combine of nine filmcompanies, including Edison, that tried to squeeze everyone else out of themovie industry permanently.

The combine, known as the “PatentsCo.” lasted from 1909 to 1912 and hadexclusive distributors. The St. Louis Calcium Light Company was not one ofthese distributors and would not havehandled Lubin’s films or equipment during this period.

These advertisements almost containenough information for a book. The “Single and Double Stereopticon” in theflyer and trade cards are simply animproved slide projector capable of special effects. This snapshot in time notonly hints at the commercial venturesexisting at this time; but offers a glimpseat the lifestyle, entertainment, and dancecraze—“Serpentine or skirt dance slidesfor sale or rent” in vogue. The lime pencils mentioned for sale, when heatedby a gas flame flared into a brilliant lightand were used extensively early on for stage lighting and slide and movieprojecting. The theatrical term “In theLimelight”, still used today, derives fromthis era or earlier.

The flyer boasts 1200 sets of illustrated song slides for rent at this timeor a total of 19,200 slides (1200 x 16).This is a drop in the bucket compared to the total made.

Ed Van Altena of Scott & Van Altenaestimated that he and his partner alonewere responsible for a half-million slidesproduced. In 1938, Ed Van Altena had anidea for an article in the picture magazine“Life”. When he could not find a complete set of slides from a popular

song in the memorabilia from his owncompany, he contacted everyone he knewthat had any connection with the slidebusiness, but never turned up a completeset! Needless to say, the article in “Life”never appeared.

Certainly, several million illustratedsong slides were made; but, with thecoming of large movie palaces and musicsuch as Ragtime or fast dance tunes thatdid not fit the sing-along, the illustratedsong slides quickly disappeared from thescene. Being a commercial product andnot worth the storage space required,they ended in city dumps by the millions.

Collectors of early movie and Tin PanAlley memorabilia ran into frequentmention of these slides; but the slidesthemselves rarely turned up. A few slidesets had ended up at remote nickelodeonsor at other sites and were kept out of sentimentality or appreciation as the best hand-colored slides ever made. As collector ’s do, these specialized collectors dreamed of a few hundredslides turning up from time to time. Butthat didn’t happen. Instead, a stash of20,000 slides turned up. As you probablyguessed, this hoard was the slides fromthe St. Louis Calcium Light Company.

By 1950, almost 40 city blocks alongthe St. Louis riverfront had been demolished for the site of the JeffersonNational Memorial, the St. Louis Archgrounds. This area had been crowdedwith block after block of warehouses andbusiness sites of early St. Louis, manydating to the steamboat era. One of thebuildings demolished for furtherimprovement of downtown St. Louis wasthe former home of the St. Louis CalciumLight Company; and in the basement,undisturbed for many years and in theiroriginal storage and shipping boxes werethe slides (See Figure 2). Some of theboxes were coming unglued; but theslides were as colorful as the day theywere made. The slides accompanying thisarticle are from this find and a part of mysmall collection.

Some may think I have overstated the importance of illustrated song slidesin their day; but the fact that they were advertised along with the latestmovie and live performance on a Nickelodeon Theatre’s marquee, shouldbe an indication. See Figures 3 thru 7.Space on a marquee was reserved for

advertising sure to convince a patron theevent was worth the price.

It’s evident that by 1910, just four orfive years after the nickelodeon theaterspread across the country, the illustratedsong had assumed a life of its own. Getting equal billing with the latest filmas seen in Figure 7, illustrated songs wereviewed by movie patrons as an integralpart of the evenings entertainment, and itobviously paid to make a production ofthe sing-along.

The illustrated slides were made to beused like a movie poster, accompanyingthe latest film until the country had beenblanketed, and then traded in for the latest song and film, never to be seenagain. However, theater proprietors andfilm rental firms soon realized that theslides, especially ones of popular songslike (“Take Me Out to the Ball Game”, or“Down by the Old Mill Stream”, bothintroduced with illustrated song slides,could be rented over and over again.When theaters were through with theslides, they were rented to the generalpublic for private parties, public entertainment, etc., as evidenced by the St. Louis Calcium Company’s advertisements.

Illustrated songs and the public’sexpectation of musical entertainment certainly helped weld music and filmtogether before the talkies, and may haveinfluenced the choice of photo players,orchestrions, and pipe organs that wereinstalled in the movie palaces.

How illustrated songs that wereknown to almost every man, woman, andchild in the United States could be forgotten in a generation is simply amazing, even when compared to thissame era’s wonderful music machinesthat are slipping away.

Whether the next generation will be impressed enough with this bit of nostalgia to preserve it is doubtful—it ishard enough to impress them with thewonderful music machines we collect,including the photo players that replacedthe illustrated song slides. Oh well! Someday, someone will pull one of these slidesfrom its box, hold it up to the light; andits brilliance will amaze the viewer like acomet in the night sky.

continued. . .

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continued. . .

“How Would You Like to Make Love to Me?”- A 1912 slide by DeWittC. Wheeler, made near the peak of slide production.

“Hear Those Chimes”-Identified as a Curtis Bi-Plane by fellow Amican, John Washburn, this slide accompanied the words

“I Was on My Way to Glory; But I Lost My Way”.

“Good Night Moonlight”-What can I say? Color at its best! “Harvest Days Are Coming, Jennie”-For the illustrated song slides,harvest day came and went all too soon.

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continued. . .

This 1918 coming attraction slide used the same format as the IllustratedSong Slide, but its obvious sophistication shows a change that hadalready doomed the Illustrated Song Slides. Often, a coming attractionslide or newspaper ad is the only evidence a film ever existed. Womenwere seldom, if ever, mentioned in silent film history as anything butactresses; but “The Risky Road” seems to be an all-female effort withscreenplay by Katherine L. Robbins, producer-Ida May Parks and thestar Dorothy Phillips controlling the production company.

“I Want You All the Time”-Sure to draw oohs and ahhs from the audience. These were a Scott & Van Altena specialty.

“I Wonder Why It’s You”-Aladdin’s lamp, here a two handled Chinese jar, conjures up a scene complete with the

eternal symbol of love, a white dove.

“I’d Like to Have You Like Me as Much as I Like You”-Sometimes special effects like this example made up

over half the slides in a set.

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continued. . .

“I’m Bugs About You”-How would you have liked to have seen this slide as a 10-year-old and then dreamed about it that night?

“I’m Longing For the Old Days Marguerite”-A rarity among the rare,this full blown kiss slide was from a lesser known slide company

“Simpson’s Celebrated Slides”. In some theaters, it was certainly pulled from the set and not shown.

“I Love the Name of Mary”-Note that titles in my collection all beginwith G, H, I, or M. The St. Louis Calcium Light Company kept the

slides in boxes in alphabetical order; and this is how I acquired them.

“I Miss You Honey, Miss You All the Time”-Holy Smokes!-Is that marijuana he’s smoking?

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continued. . .

“Go Easy Mabel”-Comical songs were popular along with sentimentalballads. Here, the self-proclaimed dandy, Percy, has been fleeced to

the amusement of Mabel, her mother and sister.

“I’m going to Steal Some Other Fellow’s Girl”-An attention-getter.It’s no wonder music publisher’s often preferred Scott & Van Altena.

“I’m Always Home on Sunday”-Besides the studio, the sets could beanywhere-a city park, beach front, or street corner. Here the set is anapartment kitchen, with a cast iron coal-burning stove, warming clos-

ets above and a water heater tank in the corner.

“I Live Uptown”-This street corner scene apparently shows a subwayentrance marked “downtown”. Can anyone identify the city and street

corner?

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continued. . .

1-Footnote

The first time I encountered illustrated song slides was around 1980.A friend told me about some colorful magic lantern slides he hadseen in an antique store in St. Louis County; and about a week later,I went to see them for myself.

I’m sure when I picked up the first of many slides and held it up tothe light, my mouth dropped open in amazement. The slides wereobviously photographic images and dated well before colored film. Ihad seen tinted slides before, but what I was looking at was so supe-rior, I simply had no explanation. Within a couple of weeks, I hadtraded the only music box ever in my possession, a 15 inch Regina,for all the slides and some cash. Unknown to me, the antique dealerhad acquired these slides from the St. Louis Calcium Light Companystash, but they hadn’t sold well. The slides were probably overpricedat the time, but I’ve never doubted I got the best of the deal. I ratethem at the top with a few other rarities I’ve encountered.

For the next few months, I inquired of friends, visitors, etc. about theslides but gained absolutely no information. When my dad, who wasin his 80’s at this time, paid a visit, I immediately queried him aboutmy find. For the first time I got an inkling of the illustrated songslides place in history. Here is what dad related—[As a young boyattending grade school in our home town of Nokomis, IL, he had ajob at the local hardware store. His job was sweeping the floor andstraightening up each night after school. On Friday or Saturday (mymemory lapse, not dads), he had the additional chore of straighten-ing up the second floor storage area of the store and setting upchairs for the weekly movie. During the evening’s entertainment, itwas his responsibility to hand the projectionist the illustrated songslides in correct order and position].

Here was the only person, my own father, I ever encountered whohad a direct connection with these slides. The slides involved almostcertainly came from the St. Louis Calcium Light Company; indeed,Dad may have handled some of the slides I possess today!

“My Prairie Song Bird”-the first slide in a set of Illustrated Song Slides wasthe cover of the sheet music. A striking example like this 1909 slide would

help identify the sheet music if the title had been forgotten.

“I want you all the time”-The last slide, the words of the chorus, in this case also contained the visual invitation “All join in the chorus”

and the publisher and slide maker.

“My Prairie Song Bird”-A slide like this was made byphotographing the model against a black background;and after being developed, scraping away all but theimage of the model.

235

continued. . .

Figure 1 - Advertisements from the St. Louis Calcium LightCompany.

Figure 2 - The slides from the St. Louis Calcium LightCompany in original boxes.

The illustrated slide and Figures 1 and 2 were furnished by Yousuf Wilson; and the theater illustrations, Figures 3 thru 7 are used with the permission of Q. David Bowers and are from his book “Nickelodeon Theaters and Their Music”.

236

continued. . .

Figure 3 - This small nickelodeon theater in a park setting gaveequal billing to illustrated songs and moving pictures. Evidently atheater that featured illustrated songs along with moving pictures

was more successful than a theater that featured films only.

Figure 4 - My favorite of the 20 plus theaters advertisingillustrated songs in “Nickelodeon Theaters”, this 1908 shotof the Dreamland advertises the movie of the day and thesong of the day. Evidently the small building at the right isthe ticket booth or combination concession stand. Perhaps ablock of ice was placed in the barrel, with its spigot, to pro-vide ice water for the patrons.

Figure 5 - This impressive front on a 1909 nickelodeontheater has illustrated songs along with moving pictures

written in stone on the top of its façade. Although theColonial also featured vaudeville, famous singers weresometimes employed in all sizes of theaters in connec-

tion with illustrated songs.

Figure 6 - An obvious store front conversion, thistheater proprietor certainly believed in advertising.The featured song of the day is “It is Not the CowlThat Makes the Friar”.

237

continued. . .

Figure 7 - In Dave Bower’s intriguing book,“Nickelodeon Theaters and Their Music”, illustrated song advertisement is obvious in over 20 of the theater photos. Illustrated songsare incidentally mentioned in several captions,but not mentioned in the “Theater Music” section. This is in keeping with the way theslides were treated originally by theater andmusic historians. Although illustrated songsmushroomed into much more than a cheap filler between reels, or a song plugging device,they were never connected directly with thesilent movies and the music that accompaniedthem.

Paul Dresser is bet-ter known as theolder brother of novelist TheodoreDreiser, but thesong writer fromTerre Haute has his own niche inAmerican Music.A nations’ history

and moods are reflected in its popularsongs. In the era of our Revolution,William Billings wrote flaming patrioticand revolutionary tunes. The Civil War gave us “The Battle Hymn of the

Republic” and many other enduringsongs. George M. Cohan, the Self-styledYankee Doodle Dandy, wrote “OverThere” on the day after the United Statesentered World War I.

The “Gay ‘90s,” which likewise werethe overly sentimental ‘90s, are not evena memory to 99% of the people today.But their songs in tribute to heaven,home and mother have a permanent nichein the archives of Americana.

Paul Dresser wrote a tune, “I BelieveIt, for My Mother Told Me So,” andwhen he sang it for his parents, brothersand sisters, his young brother Theodorewept.

Dresser is the representative tunesmith

of those sentimental ‘90s, we are reminded by David Ewen in his newlyrevised “Great Men of American PopularSong” (Prentice Hall). He was born JohnPaul Dreiser Jr., in 1857, in Terre Haute,Ind., and brother Theodore grew up tobecome a great novelist. John Paul Jr.,the oldest of a dozen children, adoptedPaul Dresser as a stage name.

Family Poor and UnhappyThe Dreiser family, which moved

from one Indiana town to another, wasmiserably poor and unhappy. The father was a religious fanatic and he disciplined his children accordingly.Paul, a rebellious sort, got into troubleearly. He was jailed on suspicion of

HEY REMEMBER HIMSubmitted by Mike Kukral

By Walter Monfried Of the Journal Staff

The Milwaukee JournalAugust 27, 1972ON THE BANKS OF WABASH

238

robbery and served another brief term forforgery. The lawyer who won the youth’sfreedom had seduced one of Paul’s sis-ters, as W. A. Swanberg notes in his biog-raphy of Theodore Dreiser.

Considering Paul incorrigible, hisfather sent him to a seminary at Evans-ville. There the boy taught himself toplay piano and guitar and learned manyminstrel show songs which he sang to hisown accompaniment.

At 16 he ran away from the seminaryand joined a traveling minstrel troupe asa black face entertainer and song writer.The troupe dispensed Dr. Hamlin’s Wiz-ard Oil, “guaranteed to cure all ills.”

Paul was a natural in the song andentertainment business and was billed as “a sensational comique.” He made his way to New York, joined a Bowerytheater company and became an end man(jester and wisecracker) in the popularPrimrose and West Minstrel Company.He was well paid and he didn’t forget hisdestitute family back in Indiana. He sentmoney home and occasionally he made avisit.

Paul’s Visit Brought SunshineTheodore later recalled one visit:

“Paul strode in, plump, well fed, beaming, wearing a silk hat and fur coat, brandishing a gold headed cane. It was like the sun or a warm, cheeringfire. Soon he produced a thick wallet and peeled off greenbacks.”

Paul, as did Theodore later, found his lifelong diversion in the company ofthe wenches. As a young man he beganto acquire mistresses in houses of illrepute and never broke the habit. Thetitle character of one of his most popularsongs, “My Gal Sal,” was such a madam.“A wild little devil but dead on the levelwas my gal Sal,” he recalled musically.

In his 20s Dresser had such success inwriting songs that he could forsake his actor’s career and concentrate oncomposing.

The public of the 1890s created anenormous market for tear jerking music.Dresser described an unhappy romancein “The Letter That Never Came.” “The Convict and the Bird” presented aprisoner in his cell visited by a bird whosings “Come to me, I pray, come to meeach day.” But the lonely man dies in his cell without being able to accept theinvitation. “The Pardon Came Too Late”was another Dresser product dealing withprison life.

Other Writers Cashed In, TooThere were other writers who enjoyed

this lucrative market, as Ewen points out,with such tearful ballads as “My MotherWas a Lady,” “She Was Happy Till SheMet You,” “She May Have Seen BetterDays,” “Gold Will Buy Most Anythingbut a True Girl’s Heart.”

In his 30s Dresser married a burlesquequeen, May Howard, who was flagrantlyunfaithful, left him, returned and finallyleft permanently. His unhappinessinspired him to compose “The Curse ofthe Dreamer.”

Dresser, six feet tall, weighted 300pounds. “And every ounce of him oozedwith generosity and sentimentality,”Ewen relates. “A needy friend, an actorwithout a booking, a family lacked fundsfor a funeral, all found him ready withhandsome money gifts. He carried a rollof $20 bills and was quick to remove onefor a passing acquaintance obviouslycome upon hard times. He never passed a beggar without handing out a dole. He had as much trouble curbing hisbeneficence as he did alcohol andwomen.”

Theodore, who endured a long periodof poverty and failure, occasionally visited Paul in New York and received a hearty welcome and substantial gifts of cash.

Brother Theodore Was DisdainfulOn a Sunday afternoon in 1897 Paul

was improvising on the piano and toldTheodore: “Why don’t you give me anidea for a song, sport?”

“Me?” Theodore said, with a touch ofcontempt. “I can’t write those things.Why don’t you write something about a state or a river? Look at ‘My Old Kentucky Home,’ ‘Dixie,’ ‘SwaneeRiver.’ Why don’t you do something thatsuggests a part of America? People likethat. Take Indiana, what’s the matter with

it? The Wabash River? It’s as good as anyother river and you grew up beside it.”

Paul realized it was a fine idea andpersuaded the reluctant Theodore to writea few lines of words. Paul immediatelyturned out the musical part and reworkedTheodore’s words into verses that wouldscan and fit the music. The result was“On the Banks of the Wabash Far Away,”with its famous chorus:

“Oh, the moonlight’s fair tonightalong the Wabash. From the Fields therecomes the breath of new mown hay,Through the sycamores the candle lightsare gleaming On the banks of the Wabashfar away.”

The song became a hit and made a lot of money for Paul, who took creditfor the words as well as the music. But generous as always, he forced a good share of the royalties uponTheodore, who accepted it disdainfully.Theodore, never noted for his sweetnessof character, was jealous of Paul andresented his prosperity and popularity.

The brothers were alike in havingenergetic minds and the ability to worklong and hard. In later years Theodoresaid that he was not happy if he wasn’tgrinding out 5,000 words a day. A wag inTin Pan Alley once remarked that “PaulDresser is slowing up; he hasn’t written asong in the last 30 minutes.”

Paul Composed Hundreds of TunesIn his lifetime Paul earned a half

million dollars, the equivalent of severalmillions today. About 160 songs werepublished in his lifetime and he wrotehundreds of others.

But he tossed away his money as rapidly as it came in. When he was in his40s he had lost his ability to please thepublic, business declined and his songpublishing firm went bankrupt. In hisadversity he was forced to move into thehome of a sister living in New York andthere he died of heart disease at 48. Hedid not leave enough money to pay forhis funeral, which drew a large throng toSt. Francis Xavier Church.

“If he sinned, he always repented,”said the priest who celebrated therequiem mass.

The last song he had written, butlacked the means to promote, was “MyGal Sal, or They Called Her FrivolousSal.” Immediately after Dresser’s deaththe song began to have a huge sale. Thatand other songs he left earned large sumsfor his estate in the ensuing years. In1948 “My Gal Sal” was made into amovie, with Victor Mature taking thePaul Dresser role.

continued. . .

This photo, from “Dreiser,” by W. A. Swanberg, is captioned in that book, “The far greater

brother is forgotten in Terre Haute.”

244

By Katherine EmmonsPO Box 203 • Poway CA 92074

[email protected]

“I’m here!” said Emily, giving Grand-pa a big hug. His beard tickled her. “I’m taking piano lessons. I want to try outyour piano.”

“Go right ahead, my girl.” Grandpa’svoice sounded gruff, but he had a twinklein his eye.

Emily sat down at a dark red-brownpiano that sat in the hallway.

“That’s my Wurlitzer,” said Grandpa.“Wur-lit-zer,” Emily repeated, and

carefully lifted up its keyboard cover.The notes sounded clear and rich,

echoing off the wood floor and smoothwalls. Emily played her favorite song, allthe way up to the part that was too difficult.

“That’s beautiful,” said Grandpa.“It’s an old song, called Für Elise.

But even old songs sound good when youplay them on a piano. What can youplay?”

Grandpa rubbed his beard. “I’ll justhave to show you, my girl.”

He slid open a door at the base of theWurlitzer, and tipped out some strangepedals.

“Those look like the pedals on Mom’sexerciser,” said Emily.

Grandpa laughed. “On this playerpiano, the more you exercise, the moremusic you get.”

He opened up another door above thekeyboard. “We’ll put a roll right inthere.” He got out a long, narrow boxwith a roll of paper inside. He fastenedthe roll inside the piano.

“Sit down, Emily, and get your exercise,” he said. “Pump!”

Emily pushed: left, right, left. It washard! She stopped with surprise when she heard a flutter of piano notes.

“Keep going, pump harder!” saidGrandpa. Emily pumped and listened.She watched, too, as the paper unrolledfrom the top and re-rolled at the bottom,revealing tiny holes, up and down andacross the paper.

“See the paper passing over the holes on this metal bar?” asked Grandpa. He had to shout over the noise. “Eighty-eight little holes, as many as keys on the piano. Each

connected to a little tube that sucks in air. When the paper passes over the holes, they get plugged up. Except…”

“When there’s also a hole in thepaper.” Emily was panting from all thatexercise. “Then it plays a note,” sheadded.

“Exactly.”The harder Emily pumped, the

louder the piano played. Mom came and began to sing, reading words that were printed on the roll of paper.

Pack up all my care and woe,Here I go, singing low,Bye bye blackbirdWhen the song was over, the

roll switched directions and spooled back up.

“More Grandpa,” said Emily, catchingher breath. She spotted a whole cabinetfull of long narrow boxes. Some of them looked as old as boxes in a museum, and had a musty smell.

“Hang on. I’ll show you the nickelodeon first,” said Grandpa

“But Grandpa,” Emily said, “I don’twant to watch Nickelodeon. I want to see your pianos. Please?”

Grandpa bent down so he could lookEmily in the eye. “My girl, you’ve neverseen a nickelodeon like this.”

The nickelodeon was a tall piano withcolorful glass on the front. Grandpaplaced a nickel in Emily’s palm. “Goahead, put the nickel in. No pumping onthis one,” he said. “It’s electric.”

When the nickel clanked down to a hidden coin box, the piano belted out a series of bright, noisy tunes. So thatwas a nickelodeon! Emily got up andstarted to dance with Grandpa, threesongs in a row.

“In the 1920’s this nickelodeon played in a bar,” said Grandpa when the roll began re-rolling. “When customers wanted to sing and dance, they spent a nickel to hear their favorite songs. It was a big hit. But let’s go out to my workshop now.”

Three more player pianos were there, being repaired. The insides of one lay on Grandpa’s workbench.

“Here you can see eighty-eight pneumatic bellows, Emily. When youpumped those peddles on the Wurlitzer,they opened and closed to make the notesplay.”

“Why are they broken, Grandpa?”Emily asked. She opened and closed

one of the bellows with her fingers.“They’re old. One had a family of

mice living in it. They used the felt from the piano’s hammers for a nest, and nibbled the glue that held the cloth to the bellows.”

As they walked back to the house,Grandpa told Emily how during a timecalled the Great Depression, peoplecouldn’t afford to buy pianos. The companies that made player pianos went out of business. A lot of pianoswere left behind or thrown out as people moved to find work.

“These old pianos are survivors.When he was a boy, your Great-Grandfather’s family had a Wurlitzer just like mine,” Grandpa said. “But hisfather lost his job. My dad, your great-grandfather, had to chop the Wurlitzer up into firewood so the family could stay warm a little longer.”

Emily almost choked. Chopping abeautiful piano into firewood?

“When he grew up, your Great-Grandfather found one just like it thatsurvived. It didn’t work, but one day I was old enough to try to fix it myself. I didn’t know what I was doing at first, but I learned. My dad was sohappy to hear it finally play.”

For the rest of the afternoon, Emilyplayed song after song on the Wurlitzer.Grandpa had hundreds of rolls. Gettingthrough all of them would take the wholevisit, Emily thought. She loved the quick, happy songs, with names like Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue, and Let aSmile Be Your Umbrella. But she likedthe William Tell Overture, and HungarianRhapsody, too. They sounded deep andmysterious, or bold and adventuresome.Emily even found a roll of Für Elise.

“I like the way you play that one better, Emily,” said Grandpa.

“Me too,” said Emily, “but I like hearing your new songs. I mean yournew-old songs.”

“Bringing new life into old songs,”said Grandpa. “That’s the best part of itall.”

Author’s note:When the author was twelve years old,she helped her father restore a 1929 Wurlitzer player piano. It now sits in herliving room, for her own children to enjoythe new-old songs.

RANDPA’S PIANOSSubmitted by Larry Emmons

245

By JEANETTE CALO, New Jersey Herald Staff Writer

MORRISTOWN - The Morris Museum broke new ground Monday for an $8 million expansion project thatwill house one of the largest collectionsof music and motion.

As part of a $15 million campaign, themuseum will add a wing to house TheMurtogh D. Guinness Collection. The700 mechanical musical instruments,which date from the late 16th century toearly 20th century, include music boxes,player pianos and automata. Automataare mechanical figures that mimic humanand animal behavior.

When the 4,300-square-foot gallery is completed, the museum will have the first major exhibit in the WesternHemisphere devoted to mechanical musicand automata that is open to the public,museum officials said. Work is scheduledto be completed by summer 2007.

“This is not for Morris Township, notMorristown, but for the entire area,”Chairman Emeritus Peter Mancuso said at the groundbreaking ceremony,which attracted donors and Morris County officials.

The collection, awarded to the museum in October 2003, is from theestate of Murtogh D. Guinness, a wealthy

heir to an Irish brewing company, whocollected music boxes, fairground organsand other mechanical items for most of his life. After the wing is completed,the museum will receive a $7 millionendowment from the Guinness estate tocare for the collection. The endowmentcould not be used for the gallery’s construction, museum officials said.

Building the Guinness wing is onlypart of the museum’s expansion and renovation project.

So far, $5.8 million of the $8 millionthe museum needs to raise for the project has been pledged. Other plansinclude a new two-story pavilion throughwhich guests can enter the museum andBickford Theatre, as well as a FamilyDiscovery Place for children and a Science Learning Center to house Natural History of New Jersey galleriesand a science laboratory and classroom.Plans also include renovating the historicTwin Oaks home, built in 1913, in whichthe museum is housed.

Steven Miller, the museum’s executive director, said the project willhelp the museum to enhance its educational programs and become a cultural hot spot.

“The community we serve covers thewhole northern half of New Jersey,”Miller said. “Without serving a

community, we’re talking to ourselves.”During Monday’s groundbreaking,

a group of pupils from Denville participated in one of the museum’s educational programs by creating theirown automata.

“This place never feels quite rightunless it has a group of kids here,” BoardChairwoman Mary Chandor said.

A selection of 60 pieces from the Guinness collection - which emphasizes technology, entertainmentand craftsmanship - is currently on display at the museum. One piece thatattracted guests was a upright piano with three violins, built in Germany in1912. Curator Ellen Snyder-Grenier saidthe piece, which was Guinness’ favorite,was advertised as very reliable.

“They said you didn’t have to worryabout the same thing you would if you hired a human performer,” said Snyder-Grenier. “But the violins do notself-tune...so you do need a human tocome in anyway.”

Several of the pieces in the extensivecollection were crafted in New Jersey.

“I’ve said that New Jersey is the mostcreative state in the Union,” Miller said.“And I haven’t heard that it wasn’t - noother states called up anyway.”

COLLECTION GETS NEW WINGURTOGH D. GUINNESS

Submitted By Karl Ellison

Mana-Zucca relaxes in the livingroom of her Miami Beach home, herrefreshing smile adding to the warmth ofthis room filled with the memories of acomposer, singer and pianist.

Mana-Zucca was and is all of that.Rightfully known as the grand dame ofMiami music, she has lived a life as different and exotic as her name.

Her bright eyes flash today with thesame spirit of life that she personified forfuture generations in her famous song, “I Love Life.” A child prodigy whobegan to compose at the age of four,Mana-Zucca has published over 1,100songs, sonatas, concertos and chambermusic etudes, written for piano, violin,

flute, recorder, cello, saxophone, balletsand orchestra.

And, amazingly, she has 1,000 moreworks still waiting to be published. She is particularly excited about her latest work, a sonata, that she calls “mybest work.”

She has lived in Paris, Berlin and London and as a gifted child composerwas known by all the great musicians of America and Europe.

“I sat on more famous laps than anychild in the world,” she laughs. “Thecalled me a lap-lander.”

Success and fame have accompaniedher throughout her life, but neither have succeeded in turning her head.

She remains a charming and unassumingperson.

“You don’t think of yourself”, sheexplains. “Those people who think theyare famous are really not famous.”

She laughs, remembering how sheonce told a musician friend of a work shehad published that was becoming popular.

“Is it as bad as all that?” her friendasked.

Mana-Zucca has seen many changesin her world and she has formed her ownopinions about most of them.

About men’s and women’s fashionstoday she says: “We’re going to have aneuter gender. Boys looking like girlsand girls looking like boys. If it looked

GRAND DAME OF MUSICANA-ZUCCA

Submitted by Mike Kukral

From Miami Beach TimesNovember 29, 1973

246

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better I’d say fine but it doesn’t. A girlshould look like a girl.”

On women’s liberation she is in sympathy with the libbers demands forequal pay for equal work, but, she adds,“I like to have men take care of me. I likemen to open doors, give me a seat andcarry my packages. Do these womenwant to go to war and dig trenches?”

On today’s rock music she says: “Ilike anything that’s well done. The rockmusic I’ve heard I didn’t like but I’msure it must be better or else it wouldn’tbe popular.”

But she is quick to add that she wishesmore modern popular songs had softmelodies.

“I write more melodic things,” shesays. “I believe in melody. You needinspiration for melody.”

Being famous means having fans andMana-Zucca has her share.

She remembers fondly the letter shereceived addressed to: “Beloved Mana-Zucca, composer I Love Life and1,000 others, Mazzica Hall, Miami,Fla—Yes she’s in Florida, locate.”

Then there was the woman who recognized Mana-Zucca one night at aperformance of the Miami symphony.The fan congratulated the composer on “ILove Life” and then suggested to her,

“Why don’t you publish somethingelse?”

“I told her, ‘That’s a good idea,’”recalls Mana-Zucca. “ ‘I think I’ll do it.’”

One of Mana-Zucca’s most famousfans was the Duke of Windsor. While visiting England once, she ran into twoperformers who hold her that the Dukewas enchanted with one of her songs.

Later in New York other musicianfriends told Mana-Zucca the same story.Then fate intervened. One afternoon, shewatched the door to the elevator of herNew York apartment open and there hewas in flesh and blood, the Duke ofWindsor.

The Duke had been posing for a portrait on the top floor of the apartmentand by coincidence was descending inthe elevator just as Mana-Zucca rang forit.

“We shook hands and he said the songwas his favorite one,” she remembers.

Although for her fans it would be hardto believe, Mana-Zucca has at times haddifficulty getting some of her works performed.

She laughingly recalls one incidentwhen she had just written a “Spanishsong” and asked a friend who handledSpanish music to perform it. The man,somewhat haughtily, told her that he

didn’t even want to hear the song becauseit was not written by a Spaniard.

“You have to be Spanish to get theright feeling,” he said.

Undaunted, Mana-Zucca removed hername from the song and substituted aSpanish name. A short time later she sawher friend again and he immediately fellin love with the song, not realizing it wasthe same one he had turned down soabruptly before.

“He told me, ‘See what I mean, thiscould only have been written by a Spanish person,’” Mana-Zucca laughs.

In at least one instance, however,Mana-Zucca’s own name was moreimportant than her work. A woman wroteher an apology saying that as a child sheand her brothers and sisters could not useprofanity so when they were angry theywould shout ‘Mana-Zucca!’

“We took your name as a swearword,” the woman wrote. “We feel weowe you an apology.”

Through all the years Mana-Zuccasays she has never lost her own love oflife.

“I am most proud of the things I amgoing to write,” she says. “I want them toremember me as a composer.”

continued. . .

247

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71333 Popular Hits Of The Day, FoxTrot Medley No. 26..P/B Frank Milne…(1) I’m In Love; (2) I’ll Close My Eyes To Everyone Else; (3) Out In The Cold Again; (4) Fun To Be Fooled; (5) Sweetie Pie.

71473 Outstanding Hits Of The Day, FoxTrot Medley No. 35..P/B Frank Milne..(1) I’m the Echo; (2) Life Begins At Sweet Sixteen; (3) If You Were Mine; (4) I’ve Got Love; (5) Hypnotized.

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THEY SHALL BE REMEMBERED

STAN ALDRIDGE

It is with great sadness that theS.O.W.N.Y. Chapter reports that one ofit’s founding members, Stan Aldridge,passed away on April 7, 2006. Stan hadbeen a long-time member of AMICA andhad been instrumental in bringing manynew faces to the chapter in his over thethirty-plus years with S.O.W.N.Y. Hislove of player pianos, pipe organs andother automatic musical instruments wascontagious. His presence at chapter meetings will be missed.

MARY LILIEN

Submitted by Shirley Nix

Mary Lilien died on June 15 at the ageof 90.

Mary and her husband Ben had beensolid supporters of AMICA for many,many years, and she will be missed byher many friends. (Ben died earlier.)

The Liliens hosted many meetings,both for AMICA and MBSI, at theirhome, and anyone who was at their convention dinners will remember thesteaks and full dinners served there.

Mary always insisted guests at herhome, no matter their number, eat on real plates with real silverware…no paper or plastics for Mary, much tothe dismay of her granddaughters, whopulled dishwashing duty. (At the memorial, one of her granddaughtersremembered that they finally convincedher to buy plastic plates for a family picnic…but she gathered them all upwhen they were done, took them home,and you guessed it…had them washedand ready for the next event!)

Mary and Ben welcomed everyone to their home, and you were not onlywelcome to their home, but to their hearts and lives, and felt like family.

They went to every convention up tothe time Ben’s health made it impossible,with the last one they attended being in Sandusky, Ohio. Mary always missedgoing, but she had such an upbeat attitude about everything, and just figured one day at a time.

They did a lot of charity work, havingfull dinners at the house, with lots andlots of music from their fine collection.They usually recruited friends to helpdemonstrate the instruments and share inthe fun. There were numerous plaquesand awards on the walls from the variousorganizations which benefited from theLilien’s dedication.

They took their calliope out forparades and outings, and Mary loveddressing up as a clown to sit at the keyboard and pretend to play.

Mary also collected vintage clothing,and she organized fashion shows for any hospital, convalescent home, or organization which asked her, againrecruiting friends as models.

They were instrumental in several ofthe table favors for AMICA and MBSI,and Ben had a full shop in his garage, sothe work was done at their home, withwonderful food and music as the reward.

When Mary and I went shopping itwas amazing…she came out of the store knowing the salesclerks life’s history, who she married, how many kids she had, and all the little problemsand accomplishments in this completestranger ’s life. It was the same at restaurants. She had such a love for people, and they responded in kind.

They had exchange students live withthem, and stayed in touch with all ofthem to the end. We met a couple of theJapanese who had been their guests, andthey looked on Mary and Ben as theirAmerican family.

Her family had a memorial service for her at the house, and it was a lovelygathering. They had a large, loving family, and many memories were sharedby all. Unfortunately, we got very shortnotice, and since it was father’s day

many people had made plans whichcouldn’t be changed, so there were onlyabout six of us from the Automatic MusicField, and even less from the car club,although I know she was in the thoughtsof many, many people that day.

Mary and Ben were special friends ofours, and there is a hole in the universewithout them. She had friends all overthe world, and I’m sure they all feel thesame way. It’s the end of an era. Wecount ourselves lucky to have knownthem and to have had them as friends.

Mary Lilien, taken ata convention in

Chicago, with Maryin period clothes.

She really loved this particular

picture.

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NewsFrom

The Chapters

Photos by Phyllis Konop

Ed O’Brien joined AMICA early this year after attendingthe winter meeting of the Boston Area Chapter. He immediately offered to host a meeting. Boston Area Chaptermembers just as quickly took him up on this, and a successfulmeeting was held Sunday, May 7, at the Franconia NotchMotel which he owns in Lincoln, NH. Ed’s Dutch Street Band Organ was on site and delighted members, a well aspassers-by on the main street in Lincoln, gateway to theremarkable scenery of the Franconia Notch area of the White Mountains. Indoors was his 1927 Kohler & Campbellbaby grand 88-note Auto Deluxe reproducing piano.

With ideal weather for May, most of the time was spent in foot-tapping happiness around the band organ as itplayed—midi operated—tunes of popular and classicalnature. There was also a mart and a business meeting chaired by President Bill Koenigsberg to keep members busy. As part of the meeting, discussions centered on members’ interests and questions and the project of restoringthe Aeolian player piano to be presented to the Charles RiverMuseum of Industry in Waltham, MA.

The 2004 band organ, “Three Roses,” came from Netherlands Boekorgal Centrum. It was built in Hilvarenbeek,Netherlands by Anton Heesbeen and Chris Van Laarhoven.Prior to visiting Ed, we had a look at the organ by visiting his web site: www.franconianotch.com. We appreciated the hospitality of Ed O’Brien and Denys Draper and theinstruments they shared that day.

BOSTON AREA CHAPTERReporter: Dorothy Bromage

President: Bill Kownigsberg

The motel’s attractive signout front assured members

they were in the right place.

When “The Light Cavalry Overture” plays, you have to pretend togallop, at least this is what Dorothy Bromage believes. By the band

organ, Ed Everett and Ed O’Brien are more pensive.

“Three Roses,” its beautifulsounds complemented thebeautiful weather for theBoston Area Chapter Spring meeting.

Following the businessmeeting, Bob Hunt demonstrated his midi e-valve system, and BillKoenigsberg paid attention.

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Aldo Mancusi rolls hisHoffbauer crank

organ into place forthe rally.

On April 9, 2006 the first ever Organ Rally was held in NYCity. Our president Vince Morgan teamed up with localConey Island promoter Todd Robbins also known as “ConeyIsland Todd” to organize this rally. It was held across thestreet from the Coney Island Subway station starting at theConey Island Museum and going down West 12th St. whichwas closed to motor vehicle traffic. Lunch was available ablock away at the famous Nathans Hot Dog Stand with picnictables supplied by the Museum. Many people learned of therally from news reports the night before. After the rally theLady Liberty chapter members held their meeting at the newhome of Ira and Norma Malek and enjoyed seeing theirmusic and car collection.

LADY LIBERTY CHAPTERReporter: Buzz Rosa

President: Bill Maguire - (214) 328-9369

Pat and Joe Lavacchia danced to the insistent rhythm of a fox trot.Some of the motel’s cabins are in the background.

Bob Hunt and Bill Koenigsberg chatted, refreshments in hand. Phil Konop soaked up the sunshine and the music.

Vince Morgan keeps an eye on the monkeyorgans as the rally setsup for the day.

Dianne Polan, GeneMassucci and Leasa

Mancusi enjoy alaugh during

the rally.

Pete Zorlenzanand Bob Stuhmerdiscuss the tuneson a Wurlitzer150 roll.

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Ira Malek plays one of his restored players and answers questions from the public.

Marvin Polan demonstrates a Castlewood and a Molinari crank organ to the public.

Bill Maguire foot pumps his Stroud player piano as Ira Malekand Dianne Polan sing along.

Vincent and Gene Massucci brought their monkey organs in this1930 Model A Pickup Truck.

Paul de Vries explains to DaleRowe how his monkey organplays midi files from a palmpilot seen on top —no paper

rolls or cylinders.

Bob Yorburg’sHomebuilt PellOrgan and super woodcarvings.

Pete Zorlenzan’sWurlitzer 153 “Miss Kay” was a crowd pleaser.

Rapid T. Rabbit as portrayedby Rich Conception discuss themusical dynamics of the street

organ with Dale Rowe.

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Josh Rapier had put together a program for us featuringthe 1928 Steinway AR Duo-Art 7’ Grand, the 1924 Hallet Davis Atrio-Angelus 5’ 8” grand, the 1924 BaldwinWelte-Mignon Licensee 6’ 4” Grand, The 1920 Knabe Ampico Grand, Model A with B drawer, the 1909 Aeolian XYSolo Orchestrelle, Duo-Art capability added and the 1920A.B. Chase foot-pumped upright player with custom recordoadded.

Josh always presents a program which gives each instrument it’s share of the spotlight, and it is certainly a treatto hear the wide variety of music he chooses.

To add to our pleasure, Tawnya Rapier, Josh’s wife, made up very professional looking programs, making it easyto follow along.

Among the selections were “Gypsy Airs”, “Butterfly”,“Humoresque”, “The Whistler and His Dog”, “LiebestraumeNocturne No. 3”, “The Music Box”, “New York Days andNights Suite”, and many others.

Terry and Reese were top restorers of reproducing grandpianos, and many pianos were saved due to their knowledgeand abilities. They did some remarkable work, and we havethem to thank for our Steinway Duo-Art, which we love.

They are retired now, but Josh has worked with them forquite a while prior to retirement, and he is taking over thework. It’s good to see a young person coming into his own inthe field of restoration.

It was a lovely day, and the weather was perfect for theintermission with refreshments on the patio. We had a goodturnout, with some faces we haven’t seen in a while, which isalways a good sign.

We owe Reese, Terry, Josh and Tawny a real vote of thanksfor hosting the meeting, and putting in the work to make itsuch a success.

April found us at the lovely Victorian home of Terry andReese Banister for a meeting. It’s a great setting, and thehome alone is worth the trip, but there was so much more.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTERReporter: Shirley Nix

President: Jerry Pell - (760) 279-6380

Aldo Mancusiexplains the workingsof a Hoffbauer to thecurious during therally.

Todd Robbins expertly plays Bill Maguire’s Stroud player piano

to the delight of the public

Local Street Talent wasattracted to the uniquemusic of the rally and performed.

Our hosts Josh Rapier, Reeseand Terry Banister.

At dinner after the meeting-Ed & Peggy Cooley, Jack

Conway, Diane Minsey, JerryPell, Josh & Tawnya Rapier.

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Kelly Peters in the workshop.

Mike Ames and Frank Nix having a mini consultation.

Diane Minsey, Jerry Pell, and Richard Ingram take a break.

Don Henry and Robin Biggins.

Lloyd Osmundson, local treasurer, give Bill Chapman pointers.

Lloyd Osmundson, Don Henry, Jerry Pell and Frank Nix.

June MeetingJune 24 was the date for our last meeting, a barbecue put

on by Frank and Shirley Nix at their home in WoodlandHills.

We had seventy plus people attend, which is a very highnumber for an AMICA meeting, particularly since the weatherdidn’t cooperate very well, with the temperature over 100.

The weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the AMICAn’s,though, and we enjoyed lunch in the shade of the carport in thebackyard, with Steve Nix, son of Frank and Shirley, doing thebarbecuing of the hamburgers and salmon burgers, and his wife,Tara, keeping him supplied with meat and buns and whateverhe needed. We really owe them a great big thanks, since itwould be extremely hard to put this on without their help.

We had lots of food, not wanting anyone to go home hungry. Poor Steve shut down the barbecue when everyonewas done, and then people arrived who had been stuck in traffic, or for one reason or another arrived late. He startedback up and everyone got fed.

Before and after lunch the music room was open, and Frank demonstrated the instruments for anyone who wandered in. (After lunch Steve took over some of thoseduties, too…he’s a multi-talented man.)

The Ramey Banjo Orchestra is always a favorite with anycrowd, and this was no exception. In fact, Ed Cooley, whojust ordered one, sat and listened to it as long as anyonewould play it. I think he decided he had made a good buy!

Everything was playing well, and the Hupfeld Helios, theMortier, the Duwyn, the Weber Styria, the Mills Violanos, andthe Imhof-Mukle were all in exceptionally good voice. Thesmall instruments were not forgotten, either. The KT, theCoinola Midget, the Wurlitzer BX and the Wurlitzer CX-B alljoined in, along with various other instruments, to entertainthe AMICAns.

In the house the Weber Unika and the Steinway Duo-Arttook center stage, with various music boxes and miscellaneous items pleasing the visitors.

The organ house, which Frank hadn’t figured on opening,since he didn’t think anyone would be interested, had to bereadied in a hurry, since he had many requests to go insideand hear the organs.

Several people tried their hand at cranking the Ruth Organ,which is a chore at any time, but with the heat outside it made

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it all the harder. They seemed to enjoy doing it though. Theroom is air-conditioned, so it really wasn’t all that bad.

Even the music box room upstairs got its share of attention.It’s so nice to have a group of collectors, who really enjoyeverything.

The first attendee arrived at 10:00 a.m., and the last toleave was at 10:00 p.m., so it was a full day. It was veryrewarding for us to put it on, since everyone seemed to haveso much fun.

Who says music doesn’t soothe one’s soul? Ron Burchard enjoys listening while Ardis Prescott & Rochelle Mercer take advantage

of the air-conditioned room to take a snooze!

Michael Choate & family, Nora and Bill Klinger, Mike Ames.

Leslie Hoffman, Richard and Beverly Ingram enjoying the music.

Jack Conway in background, Don Barr & guest Olga, Erwin Cohen. Weber Styria in back.

Bill Blair, Robin Biggins, Warren Deasy and Peggy Cooley brave the heat.

Ed Cooley on right, checks out the interior of the banjo orchestrellewhile Joe Renaudo looks on. (Ed just ordered one, so he

was super interested.)

Steve & Tara Nix relaxafter doing all the hard

(and hot) work.

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Photos by Nancy Group and Anne Lemon

It was May and it was that time of year for our SOWNYgroup to renew friendships and to make new adventures. Ourfirst visit was to the Wilcox Mansion in Buffalo. The largehouse was originally built as an army barracks in 1838 butwas later re-fashioned into a house for the Wilcox family. Itwas almost 105 years ago to the date of our visit that Presi-dent McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo while he attended the Pan-American Exposition. It was here, in the WilcoxMansion, that Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office tobe president of the United States.

It was in the small library room off the front hall and withthe stroke of a pen that the American presidency took a different path. This room is one of three in which the oath wasofficially taken outside of Washington. McKinley’s popularityand Roosevelt’s vision shaped American domestic and foreignpolicy for years to come.

Buffalo has many other interesting sites for visitors. Manyreaders visited QRS during the AMICA Convention of 1998.For those who did not, you will view several photos from our re-visit. Mike Walter, our chapter president and also AMICAn president, was our host and guide. We gathered in thelobby and listened to a violano, accompanied by a synthesizedpiano and capable of being connected to pianomation. Thisrecent creation from QRS is a rare and intriguing musicalinstrument. An original Marking Machine is also on displayand demonstrates how playing on the piano will recordgraphite markings on paper. A testimonial to Melville Clarkand his innovations was placed close to this instrument.

Mike took us upstairs to the Master Roll ‘editor andarranger ’ room. By depressing individual keys, theeditor/arranger could perforate the master roll. Our trip continued downstairs to the manufacturing room. Adam, aQRS employee, had set up the Perforating Machine to showhow the several rolls of paper could be coordinated to passthrough the machine and be perforated. Next in the processwas the Stencil Machine. Mike explained that variations inhumidity, paper, ink thickness and the actual speed of themotor all impact on the accuracy of imprinting the lyrics. Theleading edge is trimmed by double blades and an end tab isglued onto the roll. The eyelet of the end tab is fashioned on a machine that was made in 1886 and originally used to make leather eyelets for shoes. Adaptation of machinery andcreation of new technology was as important in the early1900s as it is today.

S.O.W.N.Y. CHAPTERReporter: Garry Lemon

President: Mike Walter - (716) 656-9583

Supper was at a Greek restaurant in the trendy Allentownarea of Buffalo. Many antique stores and arts/crafts shops linethe street and are the backdrop to the Taste of Buffalo Festivaland the Allentown Antique Festival. Buffalo is worth visiting.

During our supper, Mike conducted a meeting and weremembered our friend and a founding member of SOWNY,Stan Aldridge. Stan died recently but will be remembered forthis thoughtfulness, dedication to the club, commitment to theRiviera Theatre, his fondness for sport cars and his wonderfulcooked beans. He knew service and served his country welland was a friend to us. We will miss him.

Library in Wilcox House, site of Roosevelt’s inauguration.

Harrold and Muriel, Anne, Joanne, Garry, John and Mike at theTheodore Roosevelt Inauguration Site.

Display of Roosevelt’s connection with Buffalo.

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Staircase with presidential decoration.

QRS Player Saxophone.

Story & Clark orchestrion.

Arranger/Editor at the piano.

Mike explaining the Marking Machine. Making the master.

QRS Violano.Display of Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo.

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Rolls for perforation machine.

Perforation machine, Walter, Nancy and Holly listen to machine operator, Adam.

Supper-Anne, Garry, Mike, Holly, Janet, John, Nika, Daniel,prospective new members from Buffalo, Ed, Nancy,

Muriel and Harrold.

Mike at the stencilmachine.

Mike preparing theleader.

Sunday, May 27, 2006

The Texas Chapter AMICA gathered in the parish hall of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Dallas for their May meeting. But the concert and lecture prior to the meeting in the church itself was just heavenly. St. John’s is a small, modern church built in 1961. It’s lovely setting offWhite Rock Lake enhances the architecture and adds beauty to the services held within. Jerry Bacon, the chapterpresident, arranged for the meeting at St. John’s. He is the curator of the church’s Aeolian-Skinner organ. On thisday, the organ was brought to life though the gifts and talents of the three men who played it. Each man chose very different music, showing off the organ’s versatility andbringing out the best that this instrument had to give.

A little history of the organ—the original three manualReuter organ was installed in St. John’s in 1964 containing 15 ranks of pipes. In 2002, funds were given to the churchwhich allowed it to complete the organ. At that time, a threemanual 31 rank 1953 Aeolian Skinner organ, located at theManhattan School of Music (formerly Julliard School ofMusic), was available for purchase. Once the organ was inDallas, the challenge was to find a company to put all thepieces together. The Range Organ Company was selected toreinstall the Julliard organ. The mandate was to maintain theoriginal tonal integrity and keep the overall appearance as near to original as possible while fitting it into the St.John’s space. What St. John’s organ committee and all who worked on this project accomplished was to preserve a great instrument, to successfully integrate it with the

TEXAS CHAPTERReporter: Maureen Barisorek

President: Jerry Bacon - (214) 328-9369

original organ and to add state-of-the-art components to makean instrument that feels like it has been part of the church for a very long time. The music from this instrument fills the church with an amazing sound from narthex to altar.

The musical program began with Jim Quashnock. Amember of the Texas chapter, Jim is the organist for Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wichita Falls, TX. Jim began with a 17th century French piece by Louis Couperin, Chaconne (a dance). This was very loud, dramatic and reedy. More French music followed, this time of the mid-twentieth century, Jean Langlais’ Chant dePaix (Song of Peace). Here, the music shows off the stringsand its theme is played with the feet. The third song was by the Italian, Marcello Benedetto. Heavens Declare Psalm19 is a well-known piece among organists. It was a very impressive ending to his program.

Jerry Bacon played for the group next. He began withmusic from the German composer Sigfreid Karg-Elert entitled Landscape in Mist from the Seven Pastels. Jerrydescribed it as a romantic and complex piece popular in the60’s. Following the romantic theme, Jerry played Americancomposer Hugh McAmis’ 1929 Dreams. At the time of its composition, McAmis was living in San Antonio, TX.Jerry ended with Bach’s Fanfare Fugue. And then, just to throw us off a little, added Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer.

To end the musical program, Daniel Harp, the organist from Kessler Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX, delighted the group with a portion of CesarFranck’s Chorale in A Minor and JS Bach’s Deck Myself Thy Soul. What a magnificent performance. Throughout their playing, Jim, Jerry and Daniel talked with the group about the technical of the organ—the four organs in one, the keyboards, the feet, the reed chorus, the principal sounds, the string tone, the harp and chimes (elec-tronic both, but very good “fakes”), performance anxiety and all those buttons. For this musical meeting of the Texas Chapter AMICA, they really did “pull out all the stops.”

http://www.revealer.com/caldwell/

[email protected](6-07)

WEBER UNIKA Beautiful Oak Case from

famous Chicago area collector and recent mechanical work by D. C. Ramey Piano Company.

100 ORIGINAL AND RECUT ROLLS AVAILABLE.

J. UhlerBox 126 • Ingomar, PA 15127

724-940-4331

FOR SALE OR TRADE

(4-06)

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259

ADVERTISING GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLASSIFIED AD RATES FOR AMICA MEMBERS:1-50 Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.0051-100 Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20.00101-150 Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30.00

Non-member rates are double for all advertising.

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

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

(Rev. 5-05)

FOR SALEORCHESTRION “Solo Concerto” Custom built Serial # 65376 inH.C. Bay Co, Makers, Chicago piano. It is an electric “buildup”. Piano, triangle, tambourine, bell, wood block, drums and 2 cymbals.Includes 2 rolls (possibly more if there are any) Nice leaded art glasscase. In storage in a dry place but needs some work. Must sell as too tall for the place we planned to use it. Best offer over $2,000. [email protected] (603) 934-3287. Lakes Region, New Hampshire (4-06)

Player Grands $5,000 up; 1000 QRS Ampico, Duo-Art Rolls $5.00 up-victorpianos.com 305-751-7502 (3-07)

1920 Piano Roll QRS original cabinet, holds 125 rolls; 1930 100 rollcabinet; 1928 100 roll cabinet; 1910 Duo-Art player piano with bench,needs repair; make offer. Call 410-968-3078. (4-06)

Moving sale-bad health forces sale of the following items: Steck Duo-Art Grand, 5’ 6”, partially restored; Apolla Art-Echo Baby Grand,needs total restoration; Bona-Antoniazzi coin operated barrel piano,needs restoration; Gulbransen Rialto Model K Theatre Organ with thetwo original isomonic Leslie 4 channel speakers, sounds great. Othermiscellaneous items. Make offer and take all. David Watkins. Call 386-427-4076 Edgewater, FL. (4-06)

1926 Mason Hamlin 5’ 8 1⁄2” ebony cabinet. Ampico A system original untouched, piano restrung, shimmed board, new hammers, new keytops, needs cleaning. Minor cabinet defects, $4,000. 1929Weber Duo-Art player, original with belly cloth in place, late modelwith tubing around cheek blocks. Mahogany cabinet, replaced keytops& hammers, nice clean piano, $1,000. Photos available upon request.Louis A. Gentile, 96 Federal Avenue, Quincy MA 02169, 617-471-2494, [email protected] (4-06)

Important living estate sale-Wurlitzer Fotoplayer, Model U Link 2E;American Fotoplayer, Style 15-only one known to exist; Seeburgs A, E,F & L; Belgium Weber Unika with 100 rare rolls; Coinola X; WelteMignon Welte Concertola Grand, one of only seven built; Weber 5’ 9”Duo-Art with 150 rolls; Encore Banjo; Cylinder Music Boxes; HellarModel A; Outstanding Autopiano in mission styled oak case; WheelockThemodist Aeolian-controls in key cover; Tom Thumb Records; original Chinese Motif case; additional rare rolls & pieces. Jim Harvey185 Lamplighter, Lewisburg, WV 24901, info @ greenbrierpianos.com304-645-6579, 304-667-9564 (4-06)

WEBER UNIKA, COINOLA “X” with Bells Oak Cabinet; Seeburg“E” with xylophone “A”roll piano with art glass scene; Wurlitzer 1015Jukebox; Encore Banjo “Ramey” replica, some original Encore itemsused in assembly, many rolls; Cylinder music box 10 tune; cylinder 14 1⁄4inches long inlaid mosaic top $3,500.00; cylinder music box 20 tune, 2tunes per turn, cylinder 7 1⁄2 inches long, lid with tune sheet $3,000.00.All items professionally restored and refinished. J. Uhler – Box 126 – Ingomar, PA 15127 – 724-940-4331 (5-06)

THE GOLDEN AGE OF AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. Art Reblitz’ Award-winning reference that bringshistory, musical and technical information to life with hundreds of spectacular color photos. 448 oversize pages. Get your copy today! $120 plus $5 S/H (single copy USA ground shipment). MECHANICALMUSIC PRESS-A, Wild Ammonoosuc Rd., Woodsville, NH 03785.603-747-2636. http://www.mechanicalmusicpress.com (2-07)

1923 KIMBALL WELTE-MIGNON Licensee Reproducing PlayerGrand piano, 5’2”, serial #350911. Restrung, new hammers, action regulated, refinished, includes original matching bench and 20 rolls.Welte-Mignon mechanism completely rebuilt. Bodine motor/Minarikspeed control for accurate tempo. Incredible expression! $9,000. CallRon Olsen 763-535-6662 or write 4155 Quail Ave. N., Robbinsdale,MN 55422 (2-07)

1920 HAINES BROS. AMPICO REPRODUCING UPRIGHTPLAYER PIANO with Bench. The Ivories are Near Perfect, and Original. The Player Action was rebuilt about 30 Years ago (I was told)and still sounds Great! The Case is Mahogany, and does not have theoriginal Finish. It has a Dampp-Chaser Humidifier/De-Humidifier System installed. 30 Ampico Rolls are Included. $3,000 Please [email protected] for Photos. (6-06)

“For a list of all the ways technology hasfailed to improve the quality of life,please press three.”

- Alice Kahn

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NEEDED: A sincere Piano/Player Technician to buy my Piano Shop &Business and serve a large area of the country by keeping it in operation.My piano shop was featured on CBS News “Sunday Morning” and islocated a few hours north of Denver in western Nebraska. It includes anice building in a small town of 500 people with I-80 nearby, with goodschools, hospitals, lakes- a great escape from the problems of the bigcity. The shop comes will all equipment, supplies, parts, more than adozen players, a few square grands, and other pianos. Please call me andlet’s talk about it; Klint Schlake, 308-889-3522. P. O. Box 88, 409 PineSt., Big Springs, NE 69122.(5-06)

1924 WURLITZER BABY GRAND 4’10” professionally refinishedwalnut plain case with bench. Serial #61388. Restored ART ECHO/APOLLO with 20 original rolls. $5000.00 OBO. More rolls available.Ina Spady 425-746-7182, Seattle area or [email protected] (6-06)

UNRESTORED 1933 STROUD DUO-ART WITH BENCH, $3,000. Serial number 104176. The case is mahogany in excellent original condition with nice detailing and minor checking. The tubing isaround the ends of the action. A small collection of Duo-Art rolls willbe included with the piano. This piano is from the estate of Sandy Libman. Proceeds of this sale will go directly to the AMICA MemorialFund. For more information and photos, please contact Dorothy Bromage, 8 Skyline Drive - Billerica, MA 01821 978-670-1269 or e-mail: [email protected] (5-06)

NEW PIANO ROLL BOXES - Duo-Art Audiographic series -Exactly like the originals! Marroon with Gold Printing, all 3 sizes available! (small & medium are “Top Hat” style) $7.00 ea. Quantitiesare limited, so get them before they are all gone! AMPICO “Top Hat”boxes- Black Leather with Gold Printing and False Bottom, Exactly likethe originals, $5.00 ea. 88 note roll boxes in two sizes- Large (fits 2 3⁄4flange) covered with Black Alligator paper (Top), Black Leather (Bottom). or Brown Leather Paper (Top & Bottom) $3.00 ea. Small (fits2” flange) Covered with Black or Tan Leather Paper (Top), White Litho(Bottom) $1.80 ea. Other repair supplies available- Parchment Leaders,Tabs, Tubes, Flanges, Repair Tissue. Quantity Discounts available. RichIngram [email protected] (760) 244-ROLL (7655) (6-06)

AMPICO, DUO-ART, WELTE, AND 88 NOTE PIANO ROLLS.New Recuts and Originals, including “Jumbo” and Program Rolls. AlsoN.O.S. QRS 88 Note rolls. Dave Caldwell, 400 Lincoln Lake Ave. N.E.Lowell, MI 49331; Check out my website: www.revealer.com/caldwellemail: [email protected]; phone: 616-897-5609. (1-07)

STEINWAY RED WELTE GRAND (T-100), Hamburg Model O,with original rolls. Please contact [email protected] for additionalinformation. Alejandro Radchik, Av. Mexico 37-507, Condesa 06100,Mexico, DF. [Mexico City] Tel.: 011- 52-555-419-5374 (6-06)

WANTEDTangley Calliope Wanted. Looking for an indoor style Tangley Calliope with muted volume and organ style cabinet. Also looking for an advertising vehicle customized by the Tangley Factory with a Tangleycalliope installed in it. Martin Roenigk, 75 Prospect Ave, Eureka Springs,AR 72632. 479-253-0405. Email [email protected] (6-06)

WELTE-MIGNON LICENSEE AND DELUXE REPRODUCINGpiano rolls. Mike Kukral 812-238-9656, email [email protected] (1-09)

RED WELTE MIGNON piano rolls (T-100). Paying top dollar. MikeKukral 812-238-9656 or [email protected] (6-06)

BOOK: WELTE-MIGNON — ITS MUSIC AND MUSICIANS byCharles Davis Smith printed for AMICA by Vestal Press. Do you havea copy you are not using that is sitting on the shelf or in a box? Let meknow. Robin Pratt, [email protected] 419-626-1903 (3-06)

NEEDED: A sincere Piano/Player Technician to buy my Piano Shop &Business and serve a large area of the country by keeping it in operation.My piano shop was featured on CBS News “Sunday Morning” and islocated a few hours north of Denver in western Nebraska. It includes anice building in a small town of 500 people with I-80 nearby, with goodschools, hospitals, lakes- a great escape from the problems of the bigcity. The shop comes will all equipment, supplies, parts, more than adozen players, a few square grands, and other pianos. Please call me andlet’s talk about it; Klint Schlake, 308-889-3522. P. O. Box 88, 409 PineSt., Big Springs, NE 69122.(5-06)

(1-08)

FILMUSIC, PICTUROLLS, AND SUPERTONE PIANO ROLLSwanted. Call Alex at 209-478-0099. (6-06)

ARTRIO ANGELUS rolls and literature/catalogs/brochures/bulletins.Also want combination motor/generator set for Tel-Electric/Telektra pianoplayer system. Motor 110 volts A.C., 1/4 h.p., generator 15 volts, D.C. 10amps. Various makes ok such as Westinghouse, GE, Robbins & Meyers.David Krall, phone 219-932-2322, email [email protected]. (6-06)

Complete pianos and player systems restored using factoryoriginal techniques by an experienced professional. Complete

or partial systems can be sent to my shop for restorations. I supply special UPS cartons for this unique service.

Ben Gottfried464 Dugan Rd. • Richfield Springs, NY 13439

315-858-2164 (6-06)

A Complete Restoration ServiceFor The Pneumatic Piano

Ben’s Player Piano Ser vice

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(3-06)

JOHN WRASSEP I A N O M O V I N G

Specializing in:Player Grands, Nickelodeons & Orchestrions

Anywhere in Continental US• • • • • •

25 years experienceKnowledgeable Rebuilder

Well-known - References AvailableInsured• • • • • •

Your instrument is wrapped, padded andsecured for transport in an insulated,clean custom-built heavy-duty trailer.

Professional and personal service.

John P. Wrasse, Piano Pro31449 216th St., Bellevue, IA 52031

Cell (John): 563-580-2472E-mail: [email protected]

(6-06)(3-06)

WANTED TO BUYMUSIC BOXES

MUSICAL CLOCKSMECHANICAL ORGANS

Always in the market for better quality disc and cylindermusic boxes, musical clocks, singing birds, band organs, player organs, monkey organs, Wurlitzer 78 rpm jukeboxes,slot machines. Any condition.

MARTIN ROENIGK75 Prospect Avenue

Eureka Springs, AR 72632

(800) 671-6333 • (479) 253-0405

www.mechantiques.com • [email protected]

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Richard S. ComrasPost Office Box 1826Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

Potential Buyers,

For the past thirty-five years we have lived in Tarzana and have recently moved to RanchoMirage. We have no room in our new desert home for our wonderful upright Steinway Duo-Art Player Piano. We’ve had this instrument for the last thirty years. It is in excellent condition, hasrinky-tink, electric playing, and also has foot pumps. The piano was manufactured in 1925 andcarries the serial number 230525. It comes with a beautiful bench and many player rolls.

We are motivated sellers and have placed a reasonable price of $18,500.00 on this wonderful instrument. A friend of ours who owns the Ivy Antiques Shop at 12318 Ventura Blvd, Studio City,CA 91604, has allowed us to leave it with her for viewing and sales. Ms. Dio, the owner, has fullauthorization to handle the transaction.

While looking at the piano be sure to look through the shop. It is large, beautiful, and hasmany unusual and fantastic items.

Sincerely,Richard S. Comras

STEINWAY DUO-ARTMMoottiivvaatteedd SSeelllleerr--BBuuyyeerrss,, pplleeaassee mmaakkee aann ooffffeerr!!

(4-06)

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A number of months ago it became evident that a source of Test Rolls for AMICA members should be made. I contacted a number of roll manufacturers about the proposed project and all were enthusiastic about it. Bob Billings was selected to do the perforating. I am very pleased with the rolls he has produced and I am sure you will be too. Since this is the first offering of test rolls made for AMICA members, quantities are limited. This current offering includes:

Ampico 55743 Installation Test Roll – This roll was used in the factory and in the field to makecertain that the instrument was performing to specification. The end of the roll includes a run up thescale in thirds. The roll includes printing as found on the roll.

Ampico 58434 Special Amphion Tester – This roll was used in the factory only to test the capabilities of the Amphion stack. The end of the roll includes a part of Ampico roll #50977K Poet & Peasant Overture played by Volavy & Brockway. Since this roll was used only in the factory, there are no instructions to accompany the roll.

Ampico 201873 Special Staccato Tester – This early test roll was used to check playing andrepetition capabilities at low intensities. Included on this roll is a portion of #52315 Caprice Burlesque, played by Olga Samaroff. This roll does not include instructions, only a keen ear by the technician is needed.

QRS Recordo 6910 Test Roll – Originally produced by QRS, this is a very thorough test rollidentifying the different functions of the Recordo system. An enclosed instruction sheet as well asprinting on the roll makes this roll extremely easy to use. An added bonus of the “Sphynx Waltz” atthe end rounds out an extremely useful roll.

The cost of each roll is $12.00 U.S. ($10.00 plus $2.00 shipping) for U.S. orders. Outside of the U.S. shippingcosts will depend on overseas rates. Since only a limited number of rolls are available at present, backordersmay be necessary. Please be patient if this occurs. I will try to fill orders as quickly as possible.

Additional test rolls are planned for the future. These would include test rolls for the Welte and Duo-Art systems.

To order a roll(s), please make out a check to AMICA International and send it to:

Mike Walter65 Running Brook Drive

Lancaster, New York 14086

Make certain that you specify which roll(s) you are ordering. If you have any questions, you may send an

e-mail to: [email protected] or call me at 716-656-9583.

TEST ROLL PROJECT

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REPLACEMENT LEADERSThese 11 1/4” x 17” reprints, not trimmed and without tabs, are excellent replicas of the more popular types ofreproducing piano roll leaders. While intended for roll repairs, they may also be used for decorative purposes.To splice, overlay new leader on old roll, lay a straightedge on an angle, cut through both papers with a sharpknife, discard scrap, and butt-join with magic mending tape on top surface.

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

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

C. Black on ivory (Most common)

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

E. Green on ivory (Most common)

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

G. Welte Brown on buff (Most common)

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

Please make checks payable toAMICA INTERNATIONAL, And send to:

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

e-mail address for orders:[email protected]

Checks or moneyorders from foreign

countries must be drawn on U.S. bank.

Style QuantityA ______________

B ______________

C ______________

D ______________

E ______________

F ______________

G ______________

Total Quantity ______________

Price: $ 1.00 eachMinimum Order: $10.00

Postage and Handling $ 5.50

Roll Order $ ________

Total Amount (U.S. $) $ ________

the amica bulletin - stacks are the stanford

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