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THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
^
There Appears to Be a Wide Field For a Portable Pipe-Organ for Home Use,
and Several Different Factors in the Music Industry Are Now Considering
the Possibility and Advisability of Placing Such an Instrument oh the Market
It has been always the boast of The Music
Trade Review that its editorial policy leads, and
does not^follow. To be on the firing-line con-
stantly may have its disadvantages; but among
them is certainly not the cardinal disadvantage
of being a mere appendage to the thoughts of
others. To be a pioneer is, probably, to be ex-
posed quite often to the danger of making mis-
takes in judgment, and especially in prediction;
but it is also to be the creator of all the ideas
that do subsequently become valuable.
The Review has always felt that a very good
case is to be made out for the instrument that
may best be called the domestic pipe-organ.
As is well known, the Aeolian Co. for years
have been placing in the homes of the wealthy,
magnificent instruments of this type, equipped
with both the regular keyboards and with
player mechanism^ Quite a large and very fine
library of organ music has been arranged, all
of it designed to give the same effects of solo
and color-contrast as are possible with the
multi-manual and pedal equipment under the
hands (and feet) of a skilled organist. It is a
very interesting development and one of which
the Aeolian Co. has said little; for, of course.
the class of persons with whom they deal and
the very expensive kind of goods they sell put
this line far out of ordinary trade channels.
But, of course, installations that cost from
$6,000 up to $25,000 or more, do not furnish ma-
terial for the practical consideration of the play-
er trade. They are symptoms of a condition
that exists; namely, the desire for and apprecia-
tion of, good music of a special kind, which, in
fact, cannot be produced in any other way or
by any other instrument or combination of in-
struments. The fascination of music produced
by instruments of the modern orchestral organ
type, is undoubtedly very great; nor can it be
supposed that only a limited number of people
necessarily will be interested in it.
Value of the Concert Organ in the Home
The truth of the matter is, of course, that the
pipe-organ as developed in these modern days
for the concert hall of for the home, is riot in
the least ecclesiastical in its ways or speech. It
is virtually a pipe-orchestra, which is to say,
that the various typical orchestra voices have
been reproduced, by methods of construction
developed within the last few years, so-rWiark-
ably well that a variety of tonal co'ntfast, a
richness of voice and a command over dynamic
levels is obtained that would have teen incon-
ceivable fifty years ago. In short, before tbe
idea of organs in connection with the regular
branches of our trade is even thought of, the
old church idea must be entirely pufcout of mind
and the modern concert-organ, compressed in
size to suit domestic interiors, must be thought
of instead.
Western and Middle Western trade men who
are not acquainted with the Aeolian house pipe-
organ, can refer to the work which has been
done for a number of years past by the organ
department of the W. W. Kimball Co., along
similar lines, and with equal success.
v So far, of course, the whole question lias been
academic, for the simple reason that instruments
of the prices mentioned are not in the ordinary
sense commercial. Now, however, fresh inter-
est is imparted to the whole proposition by the
suggestions which were set forth in an editorial
article in this paper of March 10, 1917. These
suggestions obtain point from the ideas re-
cently ventilated by F. K. Morton, of the Amer-
ican Steel & Wire Co., in his address before
the Illinois Council of the National Association of great advantage to him, would open up'a new
of Organists in Chicago. The present is an field for sales, would bring in cash and would
stimulate the* public interest in music.
opportune time to consider them practically.
Portable Pipe Organ at Reasonable Price
Can we say that the idea is practical? At
Suppose, for the sake of argument, it were first sight, of course, it looks visionary. But
possible to build, at a price certainly not greater then, every new idea is regarded as visionary;
When this
than that of a high-class player grand piano, or until it is proved to be correct.
perhaps not more than that of a really fine up- happens, everyone is sure that the idea was
right player-piano of the highest class, a small always all right; only nobody had time to at-
domestic pipe-organ capable of going into a hall tend to it. The gentleman who learnedly proves
or even into a large living-room, handsome in that something is impossible is so painfully
appearance, provided with great variety of tonal often interrupted in the middle of his demon-
capacity and color, with the effect, in short, of a stration by the authentic news that some un-
small sweet-toned orchestra of strings, wind and learned idiot outside has been and gone and
kettle-drums, such as Mozart would have loved. done it. We had better not conclude, a priori,
Suppose this possible, with a player built in, that the thing cannot be done.
commanding the entire range of powers, colors
The fact is that there is nothing necessarily
and contrasts, and putting the whole under the absurd in the notion of a portable, readily sal-
control of any music-lover! Would there be' a aide pipe-organ, which is not a toy and yet also
market for such an instrument? And is the idea not a white elephant. There would be no tre-
practical?
mendous difficulty in finding a field for the
The argument in favor can be summed up in sale of such an instrument, provided it were
very few words. Given a portable pipe-organ fitted with a player action. As a manual in-
of the sort we have described, the dealer could strument solely, we take leave to suppose that
carry it in stock. Given the price not higher there would be a much more limited field. But
than we 1 have stated, and the dealer could sell ihe inclusion of a player mechanism is « matter
it The field is new, the instrument can be sold neither impractical nor difficult.
Overcoming Technical Difficulties
for cash and a whole fresh field of prospective
At the moment, of course, the difficulties
buyers is opened up at once.
The friends, of the idea likewise believe that woujd appear to be technical. The manufacture
the instrument M4I1 be equally attractive to the of instruments like these has not yet been de-
public, or to tho.se oj^that body who have money veloped, and considerable experimenting would
to spend. They reason as follows: Given once have to be done first. Yet, the experience of
those prominent* concerns that have already
an opportunity to hear the variety andijfe'olor of
the organ, and no other instrument is as fasci- made domestic pipe-organs of the larger sizes
nating from that moment onwards. On the is both available and, to a large extent, ap-
other hand, the piano does not become' at all plicable. If supplies can be had in sufficient
obsolete, for its percussion tone, in combination variety and quantity, and standardized, the ques-
with the sustained song and lovely color of the. tion of producing a regular output of stock in-
organ, takes on new life and becomes more struments would be in large part solved.
beautiful. If there were a pipe-organ in every
One Western supply house, The Widney Co.,
home, there would also have to be a piano in of Chicago,'! are understood to be ready to take
every home; and thais the slogan of the Tre- up this question seriously and in a large way.
maine Bureau woulcjflie translated into fact.
The subject is important, it is timely, it is at-
How the Dealer-Would Benefit
tractive, and it deserves attention. At the mo-
So much for the" public.
How about ."the ment, its detailed analysis can scarcely be un-
dealer? The argument is advanced that the dertaken, in the absence of required data. But
dealer "needs another leg to stand on," and that so far we cannot sec it as cither unpractical or
We can only see it as new;
the addition to his line of an instrument small very difficult.
enough to go into the home, cheap enough to which is a recommendation in itself.
It is our intention to discuss this matter
be within reach of the moderately well-off, and
played just as the piano is, with -the attraction again; and meanwhile we seriously ask our re-
added of warm, varied, colorful tones, would be tail readers to think over this proposition.
in price, easy to operate and costs nothing for
power. With hand-played rolls the old trouble
of learning to control the tempo disappears, and
that cannot be ignored. The whole player busi- you have something that any one can work with
ness has been built up on the idea that you good results. Take also the automatic loud
make your own music; and although the auto- pedal, and what more can anybody want?
"The foot-driven player can go anywhere, and
matic side of it has been prominent, it has not
been so to the exclusion of the personal end. I it is no longer possible to bring up against it
believe that if the dealers could not talk per- the old charge of hard pumping. The modern
players are easy, pumpers, and the children can
sonal control they would sell fewer players.
Then
"The very high-grade reproduction player is in work them as well as anybody else.
a different class. This instrument is not an again, most of the player-pianos are sold to men
ordinary player-piano. It is in a class by itself, these days, and the men like the sense of doing
'and. although;it can be used unde.r personal'eon- something. The dance craze has certainly in-
trol when desired, the chances are this will not creased the sales of player-pianos, and I am not
very often happen. When you can get the in- kicking against it; but I cannot see any reason
terpretations of Paderewski or Godowsky or for getting excited over the death of the foot-
If you ask
someone like that, why should you waste your pumper until that has occurred.
time in trying to' do the thing yourself?.. That me, 1 say that we shall wait a good long time
k, the way mcSst people will argUe. •"
-:'•- "to see the death, not to mention the burial;
"But the majority of the peopje tytll no.f b.tfy and meanwhile we are making lots of player-
player-pianos of the high-grad"e''type." '" The" or-' pianos of the same old kind and expect to keep
dinary foot-driven player is,.simple, moderate oh doing so!"
THE POINT OF VIEW
(Continued from page 3)