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THL
REVIEW
flUSIC TIRADE
VOL. X L V . N o . 1 1 . Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, September 14,1907
SINGL E
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$ 2 .OO°PER YE°AR
plied with wind by the rotary fan blower. Al- nection with the Nordheimer exhibit, owing to
ready more than half of the new instruments that the fact that M. W. Glendon, manager of the
Robt. Hope Jones Gives an Interesting Account
are built are furnFShed with these electrically Canadian interests of the Foster-Armstrong Co.,
of Old Time Devices as Compared With the
driven machines. By skilful arrangement the found it impossible to secure a separate space
noise can be suppressed and the other defects this year.
Improved Methods Now in Vogue in the Con-
enumerated are likely to be reduced as time goes
struction of Pipe Organs.
on.
MUSIC AT SEA.
Twenty years ago the great "Willis," and one
In the August number of the New Music Re-
Steady
Increase
in Number of Ships Provided
view, Robert Hope Jones writes on revolutionary or two other builders, supplied organs in some of
with Bands or Orchestras—Advance Over
new methods of supplying wind to organs, and which no fluctuation in wind pressure could be
the "Scrub" Bands of Other Days—Music at
gives an interesting account of old-time devices: detected; but almost univer3ally organs of that
Meals Often Distasteful to Persons Seeking
One of the earliest recorded means of supply- date suffered from unsteadiness of wind which
After Complete Rest and Quiet.
ing wind to organs was the following: The wind- robbed the music of dignity and caused distress
chest or sound-board was connected with the to a sensitive ear. Curiosly enough, organists
The custom of band playing on merchant ships
upper end of a large, rigid recaptacle containing had grown so used to the defect as to deem it
originated on the German liners. Afternoon
air. Water was then forced into the lower part inseparable from the organ. Indeed, many of
of this receptacle, thus gradually filling it and them (and organ builders, too), failed even to concerts were given by improvised bands, gen-
expelling the air through the pipes. History fails distinguish the imperfection when pointed out! erally recruited in the steward's department, and
to record what happened when all the air was ex- Now the chief cause of unsteady wind was the the same Hans who had spilt sauce on the lapel
pelled and the water reached the pipes. As practice (at that time universal) of putting of one's coat at breakfast could be seen earnestly
Handel's "Water Music" had not at that date weights on the bellows. For hundreds of years blowing the trombone while the band was mur-
been written, it is presumed that the organ-beat- this curious custom had prevailed in all parts dering "Heil dir in Siegeskranz," or a selection
er (as the man who thumped the keys was of the world, in spite of the fact that so little from "Freischutz." These primitive musical at-
tempts have progressed like everything else, and
called), had to take a rest till the water ran out thought was needed to show its absurdity.
to-day professional orchestras are by no means
again. In spite of any "organ-beaters' union"
uncommon on passenger steamers.
which may have existed and have opposed the in-
WEBER BROS. CO. REORGANIZED.
The most conservative of British lines has been
novation, the unfortunate musicians were soon
obliged to follow suit, and very soon it will be
deprived of their excuse for periodic rest by the
New People Take Hold and Weber Brothers
impossible to escape from this flood of harmony
gradual but universal introduction of the familiar
Will Act in an Advisory Capacity.
on the broad Atlantic as it is now to find actual
bellows and feeder arrangement with its pump
rest, and for a week at least remain out of the
handle attachment. Before, however, this be-
(Special to The Review.)
reach of Wall street news. Whether this evolu-
came universal, many curious arrangements were
Lawrence, Kans.. Sept. 10, 1907.
tion of the steamship into a floating hotel, with
to be found. The writer remembers playing on
According to the Gazette of this city, the all the discomforts of the latter, as well as its
Schultzes great and celebrated organ in Doncas-
ter parish church, England, less than fifteen Weber Bros.' Piano Co. have been entirely re-' advantages, constitutes a real improvement re-
years ago. Several men behind the instrument organized and new capital secured to put the mains as yet to be proved. The question may be
were kept busy stepping on to vertical slides business upon a sound foundation that is ex- asked in all seriousness whether steamship com-
which in falling caused their weight to operate pected to mean dividends in the near future. The panies are not now giving their patrons more
huge reservoir feeders. As the air was used, Weber brothers have sold out their interests in than they really expect for their money, and cer-
the men sank down into a pit. On touching bot- the concern but may remain in a purely advis- tain it is that there are many—and among these
tom they ran up ladders, and, stepping on to a ory capacity to assist in the further development the genuine lovers of music—who would prefer
to eat their dinner in peace and silence.
fresh slide, started another journey into the of the enterprise.
The directors of the new company are C. V.
bowels of the earth.
It is said that music as a feature of the din-
Jones, C. P. Nellist, C. C. May, T. J. Sweeney,
It was about this time that the writer first W. D. Stevenson and J. E. Wilson. These men ing-room has become in vogue owing to the pre-
attached rotary fans to his organs. He used will take active charge of the work, and all of vailing dulness of the present age. Conversation
for the most small fans driven at from 3,000 them are men with capital sufficient to do what- is a lost art, and nothing better than music could
to 7,000 revolutions per minute, and producing ever is necessary to be done to make the manu- be found to enliven the atmosphere while all are
wind pressure of from five to twenty-five inches. factory a success. They all have invested money maintaining an awkward silence. To the few,
Thanks largely to the inventions of Mr. Cousans, in the industry. They have taken the factory however, who need the spice of agreeable talk
of Lincoln, Eng. (introduced into this country as it is, and will go to work at once to make to facilitate digestion, music at table is a posi-
by R. P. Elliot), and to the subsequent efforts pianos. Already arrangements have been made, tive nuisance. The man making a trip to ban-
ish unpleasant memories from his mind will not
of two energetic American engineering firms,
it is said, for the sale of the first hundred pianos take kindly to the heart-rending notes of "I
the series rotary blower is quickly becoming the
the factory can turn out, and other orders are Pagliacci" or to Schubert's "Serenade." The
most popular supplier of wind to organs. Sev-
ready as soon as assurance can be given that flighty music of Puccini may become perfectly
eral fans are placed on the shaft, revolving at a
they can be filled.
abhorrent to him who has just been apprised
speed somewhere between 600 and 1,200 revolu-
by wireless of enormous financial losses, says
tions per minute. The first fan raises the pres-
Shipping Illustrated, while the inexperienced,
sure of the air some two or three inches and
PIANOS AT TORONTO EXHIBITION.
making his first trip, who may be thinking of
passes it on to the next, and the next, and the
"the girl he left behind him," will become un-
next—the process being repeated over and over
(Special to The Review.)
nerved when the orchestra unfeelingly reminds
again until the wind pressure has been stepped
Toronto, Ont, Sept. 4, 1907.
him
that "la donna e mobile." In short, music
up to the required amount. The enemies of this
Among the many pianos, chiefly of Canadian
system have truth on their side when they say manufacture, exhibited at the Canadian National should be restored at sea to what it originally
that its mechanical efficiency is low; that when Exhibition in Toronto recently, were several was. Nothing is better than an open-air concert
on the boat deck on a calm afternoon, but let
the organ is silent 75 per cent, of the current that may claim the States as their native land.
necessary for operating the "full organ" is still
The Nordheimer Piano & Music Co., Ltd., the atmosphere of the dining-room at least re-
absorbed; that the wind becomes unduly heated; agents for Steinway & Sons in Toronto, included main free from all melody save that produced
and that the apparatus is noisy in action. In a handsome Steinway grand in their extensive by the clinking of glasses, the popping of corks
spite of these defects, however, the indications exhibit. A number of Haines Bros.' and Mar- and the soft murmur that rises over an assem-
blage of well-bred folks gently conversing.
are that the organ of the future will be sup- shall & Wendell pianos were also shown in con
ADVANCE IN^RGAN BUILDING.