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THE
PLAYERS AND MUSICIANS
(Continued from page 3)
the sympathy of the general mass of the mu-
sical profession.
Personal Control
The second point of view is diametrically op-
posite. The player-piano has been developing
commercially as a personally controlled instru-
ment. The vastly greater number of the player-
pianos sold to-day are, as they have always been,
foot-pumped and personally controlled.
But
the public has never developed any special de-
sire to play music well, and consequently has
refused with pleasing unanimity to try the task
of learning the secrets of player-piano manipu-
lation. In consequence, we find that the ex-
pressive control of the player-piano has become
stiffened into a scheme of bare essentials, with-
out any sort of refinement either intended or
desired. The standard types of player-piano
mechanism to-day are reasonably responsive
to pedal action, when anybody, knows how to
pedal them well. They are capable of a divi-
sion between bass and treble and of delicate
speed-control. That is all; but for the public
it seems to be quite enough. Even with this
imperfect equipment, very good effects can be
had, but much better ones would be possible
if the artistic technical development of the in-
strument were opened up to the market to the
extent to which it has successfully gone in va-
rious private and experimental equipments.
Commercially, it would seem that there is no
sense in trying any such refinement. But there
is a query here!
To a very marked extent, we believe, the mu-
sical world would be ready to welcome and
assist an instrument developed to the highest
possible extent of personal control. "There al-
ready exist several specimens of player-piano
development, in various private hands, which
have been worked out to a condition of remark-
able sensitiveness and flexibility. The writer is
acquainted with several instruments which have
been developed by their owners out of ordi-
nary player-pianos to a pitch of expressiveness
really wonderful. There are, in certain experi-
mental rooms of player manufacturers, ap-
paratus and instruments of equal wonder, which
would be put on the market if it were believed
that they would find a sale. But so far the pub-
lic has refused to touch instruments of this sort.
Still, that does not mean that the musical
world would so refuse. In fact, we are of the
opinion that if the musical world were given an
instrument of the player type, brought to the
highest possible pitch of expressive sensitive-
ness under personal control, the musical world
would take to it, recognizing the possibilities
of an instrument that is not in the least to be
worked as a substitute for piano playing, but
as an extension of that playing into realms be-
yond the ordinary piano!
We believe that the future development of
the player-piano requires the support of the mu-
sical world. This support, we are confident,
can best be obtained if the reproducing piano,
on the one hand, and the highest type of
personally controlled player mechanism, on the
other hand, are persistently developed, together,
as allies and mutual support.
FEATURING GULBRANSEN PLAYERS
G. M. Steger, of the Steger Piano Co., 206
North Adams street, Peoria, 111., has secured
the agency for the Gulbransen-Dickinson line of
player-pianos in that territory. The company
recently enlarged their sales and display room
and have also added a modern repair depart-
ment. They also handle the Steger & Sons,
Reed & Sons, and Singer and Thompson pianos
and players.
PIERCE CO. OPENS NEW STORE
The L. M. Pierce Co., of Springfield, Mass.,
has opened .a branch store at 38 Park Row,
Greenfield, Mass., to be conducted by Robert
C. Peck.
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
CLASSICAL MUSIC IN DEMAND
Aeolian Co. States That Music Rolls of the
Works of the Great Masters Are More
Sought for Than Cuttings of Popular Songs
Classical music is becoming more popular
than rag-time, according to statistics recently
gathered by the Aeolian Co. Even the whim-
sical New Yorker, who is reputed to be a fol-
lower of popular airs only, buys more Chopin,
Liszt and Rubinstein music rolls than the so-
called "popular rags."
Ten or fifteen years ago the old-home stand-
ard in music rolls marked "The Maiden's
Prayer," "The Lily of the Valley Mazurka" and
"The Blue Danube" as the height of musical
genius. By playing Liszt rhapsodies and Chopin
nocturnes for prospective customers and then
sending them the music rolls on approval a
taste for classical music has been fostered un-
til at the present time almost twice as many
classical rolls as rag-time are sold, according
to the Aeolian Co.
The war has not only vastly increased the
sale of "singable" songs with plenty of swing
and rhythm, but via the Pianola method it has
created an unusual demand for patriotic airs
such as "The Marseillaise," "God Save the King"'
and "The Star-Spangled Banner."
ELECTRIC ACTION FOR ORGANS
WASHINGTON, D. C, October 22.—Ellis F. Frost,
Washington, D. C , was last week granted Pat-
ent No. 1,243,280 for an electric action for or-
gans, the object of which is the production of
a novel, useful and feasible electric-organ-ac-
tion of the general type disclosed in Patent No.
1,228,899, issued June 5, 1917, whereby it is
made possible to play the registers of organ
pipes on each of a number of keyboards in any
combination of the registers or in any com-
bination of any of the registers in any desired
relative musical transposition thereof.
The Gamble-Desmond Co., of New Haven,
Conn., recently opened a new music department
under the management of John Duncan.
"CatchingUp With Demand!"
The great manufacturing facilities we have developed
during the last seven years are now enabling us definitely
to bridge the gap hitherto existing between our output
and the ever-increasing demand for the
M. Schulz Company
Player-Piano
Seven Years of Unexampled
Success; with demand always
overtaking output.
Seven Years of Continuous
Detail Refinement; without a
backward step.
We Unqualifiedly Claim the Following Points of Supe-
riority ; and are ready to prove them:
Lightest Pumping — Highest Responsiveness
to Pedal —Tightest Construction — Lowest
Maintenance Cost — Highest Simplicity—
Greatest Ease in Playing—Least Complexity
Made throughout in our own
factories.
Wholly original design.
Fool-Proof
Simple
Reliable
Solves Tracking Problem
Associated only with the most
reliable of pianos.
Leakless
Good to Look At
Has its own features; not copies
of others!
Let us send "The SCHULZ PLAYER BOOK."
It tells you player facts you need to know.
We have a good' proposition for good dealers.
M. SCHULZ COMPANY
Established 1869
General Offices
711 Milwaukee Ave.
CHICAGO
3 Factories in
CHICAGO
Southern Wholesale Branch
1530 Candler Bldg.
ATLANTA, GA.