Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
A PIANO MADE OF ROCKS
New Hampshire Musician Has Constructed a
Piano Which Has Rocks Instead of Strings,
and Which Weighs Nine Hundred Pounds
In the home of Charles R. Gilman at Hemp-
stead, N. H., may be found a remarkable instru-
ment called a Rockophone. Its shape is that
of an ordinary piano, but the length of the frame
is twice as great, or twelve feet. The frame is
made of whitewood, stained green. This is sup-
ported by six legs and the weight of the whole
instrument is 900 pounds.
The music proceeds from rocks, numbering 43,
which are arranged in two banks. Three peo-
ple can perform upon these at the same time—
one playing soprano, one alto and one bass.
It is possible to play upon the Rockophone
any music that can be played upon a piano.
The maker of this musical instrument is
Alonzo R. Gilman, who is a resident of South
Berwick, Me., and who is a born musician. Pro-
fessbr Gilman always has held high positions in
musical circles, having been choir master in
the Free Will Baptist Church of South Ber-
wick and director of the band in that place,
which organization is named "The Gilman Band"
in honor of its leader.
Ever since Mr. Gilman was a small boy he
has played the violin and has been able to coax
music from cowbells, crockery ware and coal-
shovels. He was seventeen years in making the
Rockophone, and the stones of which it is com-
posed were obtained from stone walls and pas-
tures near Mr. Gilman's home in South Berwick.
Cartloads of these stones were tested in the
choosing and discarding process necessary in
order to obtain the musical results found in this
wonderful instrument.
At first, eight rocks were found which gave
the sounds of the scale; later the number was
increased whenever stones were discovered
which would be an addition in the way of mel-
ody. If a rock was found which was an im-
provement upon the original it was substituted
in the latter's place.
Nearly all of the rocks which sound bass
notes are two feet long and a foot wide, while
the higher tones are given forth from rocks
which are much shorter and narrower. Each
rock is marked with the name of the note which
it represents. The stones rest upon steel wheel-
tires, straightened to conform to the frame of
the instrument, and rubber discs are placed be-
tween the steel and the stones.
DURRO
AND
STEWART
Largest Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
Buegeleisen & Jacob son
113 University Place
NEW YORK
REVIEW
47
These musical rocks are composed of what
in geology is called phonolite, a stone closely
allied to diabase. Diabase and diorite are the
rocks of which stone walls are builded and
street gutters paved, so that one may say truly
that: "In the mud and slime of things there
alway, alway, something sings." If this strange
rockophone were less unwieldly, more people
might enjoy its delightful music which never
falls from the correct pitch; but, of course, a
collection of rocks is necessarily heavy and can-
not often be moved.
A similar group of sounding stones may be
found in the old town of Marblehead on the
grounds of Mrs. A. A. Frost. The history of
the town relates that these were placed in posi-
tion by the Indians and to this day they have
remained undisturbed.
their distinctive tastes," said Professor Stevens.
"The music of the oboe is acrid, like a lemon
or persimmon. The flute is crystal sugar, the
'cello like good coffee, the clarinet reminds me
of a well-seasoned grape fruit, the violin is
feverishly intoxicating, like claret; and the saxa-
phone as usually played, is as stimulating as
buttermilk is.
"So also with composers. Chopin is like
luscious fruit, Gilbert and Sullivan are full of
prunes. Victor Herbert is cracker-jack—indi-
gestible in large quantities. The top notch of
good taste is found in Bach, who is the true
musical oatmeal."
INFLUENCE OF MATERIAL ON TONE
Experiments Prove That Golden Flutes Give
Sweetest Tones
By some pretty experiments with organ pipes
of different materials, Dr. Dayton Clarence Mil-
ler, professor of physics in the Case School of
Applied Science, Cleveland, O., has proved that
the quality of tone in a wind instrument depends
upon its material far more than is generally
believed. Writing of flutes in his recently pub-
lished book, "The Science of Musical Sounds,'
he says:
"The traditional influence of different metaLs
on the flute tone are consistent with the experi-
mental results obtained from the organ pipe.
Brass and German silver are usually hard, stiff
and thick, and have but little influence upon the
air column, and the tone is said to be hard and
trumpet-like. Silver is dense and softer, and
adds to the mellowness of the tone. The much
greater softness and density of gold adds still
more to the soft massiveness of the walls, giving
an effect like the organ pipe surrounded by
water. Elaborate analyses of the tones from
flutes of wood, glass, silver and gold prove that
the tone from the gold flute is mellower and
richer, having a longer and louder series of
partials than flutes of other materials."
Chicago
WASHINGTON,
D. C , August
28.—Patent No.
1,194,311 was issued last week to Albert F. and
Clifton H. Norris, of the Norris Noiseless Pedal
Action Co., of Stoughton, Mass. This patent
was issued upon a device to be used in connec-
tion with their noiseless pedal action for pianos,
and promises to become an important addition
to the pedal action. The patent is on the form
and method of attaching a spring to the pedal
action, which will take up the wear and pre-
vent lost motion and rattling. The spring is
also designed to keep tight the pivot bearings
automatically upon which the pedal action
works.
JUST THINK
"That guy Stradivarius must be a wonder,"
remarked the Lowbrow.
"He was the greatest violin maker of all time,"
replied the Man of Culture.
"I don't doubt it. I see where a man paid
$5,000 for one of his old second-hand fiddles.
Just think what it must have been worth when
it was new!"
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
WHAT MUSIC TASTES LIKE
CHICAGO, I I I . , August 28.—Most any one who
listens to a Beethoven sonata gets exactly the
same sensation that he would have in consum-
ing a juicy steak, according to Robert W. Stev-
ens, director of music at the University of Chi-
cago, in a lecture recently.
"Particular instruments and compositions have
The oldest ar\d
largest musical
merchandise house
h\ America ---
OLIVER DITSON CO.
SEND FOR
CATALOG
BOSTON, MASS.
CBruno&Son.k
Manufacturers
Importers and Jobbers of
351-53 ^P Ave. Newybrk
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
ESTABLISHED 1834
Cincinnati
Norris Pedal Action Co. Secures Patent on
Spring Bearing for Pedal Action
Prof. Stevens Describes Music in Teims of the
Dining Table
Attractive Specialties
Modern Service
MUSICAL
Merchandise
PATENT FOR PEDAL ACTION
WEYMANN
Manufac-
turers of
Superior Quality MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Victor Distributors
1010 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Established over half a century
Black Diamond
Strings
THE WORLD'S BEST
National Musical String Co.
New Brunswick, N. J.