Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW/
THE LYRACHORD-SYMPHONIA A REMARKABLE PRODUCT.
Interesting New Instrument to Be Turned Out by the Lyrachord Co. Organized This Week in
New York with C. Alfred Wagner as President—Really Four Instruments in One—Elec-
tricity Utilized to Produce in a Piano, Orchestral, Pipe Organ and Vox Humana Effects—
Surprising Musical Results Possible—Those at the Head of the New Company.
prolonging the tones and swelling them collectively
or individually at will.
Four Instruments in One.
In conjunction with the player-piano the Lyra-
chord demonstrates its most wonderful and in-
teresting capabilities. With the aid of the player
orchestral and solo effects are. not only possible
to the novice but can be rendered to satisfy the
most critical musical ear. The Lyrachord in-
stalled in the player-piano combines four instru-
ments into one: (a) . Manual piano, (b) manual
Lyrachord-Symphonia,
(c) player-piano (d)
Lyrachord-Symphonia player.
Think of being able to play Dvorak's
'Humoresque" with the player and realize the
tone of the violin, or play an operatic overture
and get the orchestral effect of strings, wood
winds, etc.!
Musicians who have heard the Lyrachord-Sym-
phonia, or rather have heard the piano amplified
by this wonderful apparatus, declare that mar-
velous possibilities are apparent which will tre-
mendously advance the position of the piano as
a musical instrument.
C. Alfred Wagner's Career.
C. Alfred Wagner, president and general mana-
ger of the new company, has been identified with
the piano industry all his life. He started his
business career with the Aeolian Co. in 1896, in
the retail department of this company, at 18 West
2:kl street, and was subsequently connected with
the Brooklyn, Cincinnati and Indianapolis branches
of that company. He was in charge of the latter
branch before becoming connected with the whole-
sale department of the Aeolian Co., which he rep-
resented in the middle west and southern territory.
Leaving the Aeolian Co., he was placed in charge
of the player business in the branch stores of M.
Steinert & Sons Co., Boston, where he remained
until the Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Co.
C. ALFRED WAGNER, PRESIDENT LYRACHORD CO.
started to build its own player actions. He was
then given charge of its player-piano business,
ciple which is somewhat new in music. Electricity wholesale and retail. This important position he
is introduced to vibrate the strings of the piano. managed for three years with conspicuous ability.
Orchestral, pipe organ and vox humana effects, On February 1, 1911, Mr. Wagner became vice-
and the tone of strings and wood winds can be
president and general traveling representative of
produced. To appreciate the musical effects of
the Autopiano Co., and is perhaps best known in
this instrument it must be heard. The mere ex- the industry through his latter connection. He has
pression of words does not do justice to its visited in this capacity every State in the Union
musical value. With the Lyrachord, as long as
one or more keys are depressed, prolonged singing
tones are reproduced. Not only is it possible to
produce these wonderful tones and to modulate
them at will, but the general effect is to give to the
music of the piano and player-piano greater body,
sharpness and carrying power.
The Lyrachord Co. was incorporated this week
under the laws of the State of New York, with
a capital of $150,000 fully paid in. The officers of
the new company are C. Alfred Wagner, president
and general manager; George Breed, vice-presi-
dent ; and F. A. Decker, secretary. The company
has been formed to manufacture for the trade the
Lyrachord-Symphonia, which is the latest innova-
tion in the piano industry. It has taken a long
lease on the large factory building, 635-637 W.
49th Street, where it will occupy six floors.
The Lyrachord-Symphonia is founded on a prin-
9
several times and his many friends in the trade
will be glad indeed to know of his new responsibil-
ities. He is an all around piano and player-piano
man; he is thoroughly familiar with constructional
details; is an expert on recital work, and is
thoroughly familiar with retail and wholesale prob-
lems.
F. A. Decker, secretary of the company, is an ex-
pert technical engineer. He will be general
superintendent of the factory. Mr. Decker is
prominently known in scientific circles. He was
awarded the John Scott Legacy Medal for scien-
tific research and has obtained over one hundred
patents on various articles, many of which are in
practical use to-day. Prior to his active connection
with the Lyrachord Co. Mr. Decker was a de-
signing engineer with the Western Electric Co.
He has been closely associated with Mr. Breed, the
inventor of the Lyrachord, for the past fifteen
years and has assisted in carrying out many of
Mr. Breed's ideas in connection with this wonder-
ful invention. As secretary and technical engineer
of the new Lyrachord Co. he will be filling a posi-
tion for which he is abundantly equipped by his
past experience.
Much Money Spent Toward Perfection.
Thus after more than a century of development
when the pianoforte was thought to have reached
a stage where little further improvement was to be
looked for, a new way to the development ot
greater powers has been opened.
Men have labored for more than three quarters
of a century, and have probably spent more than a
million dollars, to produce tone in a pianoforte
other than realized by blows of cushioned hammers
upon steel strings. This system of producing tone
developed in the pianoforte a distinctly staccato
quality, with only limited possibilities for a
sustained tone, and always falling short of the
ideal legato, which could be increased or dimin-
ished in volume as in the violin, 'cello, organ or
voice.
GOGGAN VERDICT SET ASIDE.
The verdict for $51,316 recently won by Mike
Goggan against Thos. Goggan & Bro., in the
Thirty-seventh District Court in San Antonio,
Tex., has been set aside by Chief Justice James
in the Fourth Court of Appeals, who holds that
the trial judge's charge was erroneous. The suit
followed the withdrawal of Mike Goggan from the
old-established Goggan business and his subsequent
entrance into the retail piano business on his own
account.
Simplicity of Construction.
The perfecting of this instrument has been ac-
complished by George Breed, the vice-president
of the company, who is a recognized scientist
hailing from Philadelphia, and a well known elec-
trical engineer. The mechanism is simple in con-
struction. In front of each string corresponding
to a note of the piano is fixed a small magnet,
causing the string to vibrate, which creates a sus-
tained tone of astonishing force and exquisite
quality under absolute control of the performer.
Many attempts have been made t~> i>roduce an in-
strument similar to the Lyrachord-Symphonia.
Few, however, have gotten beyond the laboratory
stage and been placed on the market. Those
which have, have not been sold at a price that
would make them a commercial product.
No Alteration of Piano Case.
The electrical apparatus has been so well planned
and so compactly designed that no alteration in
the case, the action or any other part of the piano
is necessary. The Lyrachord device does not in
any way interfere with the playing of the piano
through the medium of the hammers when the
electrical current is not connected, but the per-
former can instantly call the Lyrachord into play,
THE PLANT OF T E E LYRACHORD CO., NEW
YORK.