Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
OCTOBER 30, 1926
Ampico Entertains Queen Marie of
Rumania on Board Her Special Train
First Time Electrically Operated Reproducing Piano Has Been Used on Train from Current
Supplied by Train Itself—Newspaper Comment on Instrument Is Wide
I T is not unusual for the Ampico to entertain
^ members of the reigning houses of Europe,
but it is somewhat unusual for that instrument
to play so important a part in shortening the
hours of travel as was the case last week when
a Knabe baby Ampico upright, with handsomely
decorated case, was installed in the special car
which took Queen Marie of Rumania and the
royal party to Washington to make their offi-
cial call on the President of the United States.
From the trade angle the occasion was also of
servation platform. An elaborately decorated
piano had been installed in the car with a full
complement of rolls covering both the classic
and the jazz field. Princess Ileana and Prince
Nicholas busied themselves with this and spent
most of the afternoon at it. They tried a few
of the classics, but experimented mainly with
American music and laughed over "Why Do
You Roll Those Eyes?" and "Thanks for the
Buggy Ride." And once, when the door at
the end of the car was opened, a burst of song
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particular interest for the reason that it is be-
lieved to be the first time that an electrically
operated piano re-enacted the playing of great
artists aboard a moving train from current sup-
plied by the train itself. The instrument meas-
ured up to the requirements admirably and
played without a flaw throughout the trip,
despite the uncertainty of the electrical energy
and the motion of the train.
The Queen herself and members of the royal
party, particularly the younger folks, apparently
gave more attention to the music of the
Ampico than to the American scenery that was
unfolded before their eyes during the course
of the trip, for many of the newspapers took
occasion to comment upon the popularity of the
Ampico. The New York Times said, for in-
stance, in its story:
"After luncheon the Queen, instead of grasp-
ing the opportunity to rest, returned to the ob-
Radio Favorites Are
Recorded for Duo-Art
Musical Comedy Hits of Other Days Which
Have Again Become Popular Through Radio
Will Be Recorded on Duo-Art Rolls
The effect of the radio in reviving public in-
terest in the popular melodies of a decade or
two ago has generally been recognized, but
seldom more opportunely than by the Aeolian
Co. in arranging for the issuance of a new series
of medley Duo-Art rolls of Radio Favorites.
The first of these rolls will be issued in De-
cember, and others will follow at frequent in-
tervals. Particular attention will be given to
the musical comedy hits of years past, whose
tunefulness, quite as much as their sentimental
value, keeps them popular.
The first of the Duo-Art rolls of the new
series will be known as Radio Favorites No. 1,
and will comprise the following selections:
"Cuddle Up a Little Closer" (from "The Three
Twins") »by Hoschna; "Babes in the Woods"
11
The Music Trade Review
Ampico on
Board
Special Train of
Queen Marie
of Rumania
lyn when a young man, as an employe of the
F. G. Smith Piano Co., which in 1879 sent him
to this city as manager of its branch establish-
ment. Following the death of Mr. Smith, Mr.
Van Wickle organized his own company here,
occupying the building at 1217 F street for many
years.
Mr. Van Wickle was prominent in the civic as
well as the business life of Washington. He
was treasurer of the Washington Board of
Trade for eight years, was chairman of the
committee on marking historical sites in the
Capital and was instrumental in the establish-
ment of permanent markers on several historical
buildings here. He served as secretary of the
Admiral Dewey reception committee in 1899 and
as associate secretary of the National Capital
committee, which celebrated the one hundredth
anniversary of the establishment of the seat of
government here. He was also a thirty-second
degree Mason, a member of LaFayette Lodge,
No. 19, F. A. A. M.; Mount Vernon Chapter
No. 3, Royal Arch Masons; Washington Com-
mandery No. 1, Knights Templar, and the As-
sociation of Oldest Inhabitants. He is survived
by his widow, Mrs. Albenia G. Van Wickle.
Ampico Galleries Are
Opened in London, Eng.
Two New Companies, One Wholesale and One
Retail, Organized to Look After the Inter-
ests of the Ampico Abroad
As a result of the arrangements made about
two years ago between Sir Herbert Marshall
& Sons, Ltd., and the American Piano Co.
for the introduction of the Ampico in England,
there has been formed recently a new whole-
sale company known as Ampico, Ltd., for the
purpose of arranging with manufacturers for
the installation of the Ampico and appointing
agencies for that instrument. Ernest Marshall
came from the car ahead—American male voices is managing director of the company.
singing 'Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here.' "
There has also been formed a retail com-
The New York Evening Post said in part: pany to take over the well-known premises of
"Princess Ileana and Prince Nicholas, both Sir Herbert Marshall & Sons, Ltd., in Regent
blue-eyed and brown-haired, came into the circle street, London. The quarters will in future
and were introduced. They appeared eager with be known as the Ampico Galleries, operated
delight and one of the Rumanian attaches said by the Regent Piano Co., Ltd., of which Ernest
that during the ride from New York they kept Marshall is chairman. Charles E. Gorham, of
the piano in the observation car going most of the American Piano Co., is a director in the
the way with the latest popular American airs." new company.
Queen Marie herself in her impressions of
Ampico Galleries will not only provide show-
America, of which she writes daily for the New rooms where the public may see various Am-
York World, said of the Washington trip: "The pico-equipped instruments side by side, but
railway car put at my disposal welcomed us will also serve as headquarters for Sir Herbert
like a comfortable home in which we could Marshall & Sons for the sale of their Marshall
collect our thoughts after the turmoil of the & Rose and other pianos.
streets. I found my little salon full of flowers
and fruit, of telegrams and letters of welcome.
There was also an electric piano which en-
chanted my children."
Stowers Store Damaged
in Havana Cyclone
(from "Oh, Boy") by Kern; "When You've Got
the Ball and Chain Around Your Ankle and the
Stony-hearted Jailer Is Your Wife" (from Vic-
tor Herbert's "Only Girl"); "Two Little Love
Bees" (from "The Springmain) by Reinhart,
and the ever-popular "Japanese Sandman" by
Whiting.
" .•>•••
W. P. Van Wickle Dies
at Age of Sixty-four
Well-known Washington Piano Man Dies in
Emergency Hospital After Illness of Six
Months
WASHINGTON, D. C, October 25.—William
Perrine Van Wickle, for many years connected
with the music industry of Washington, died at
Emergency Hospital, October 24, after an ill-
ness of six months. Mr. Van Wickle was near-
ing his sixty-fourth birthday anniversary. He
had been a resident of Washington since 1879,
coming here from Brooklyn.
He was born at Lyons; N. Y., going to Brook-.
Heaviest Loss Incurred in Warehouse Near
Docks Where Store's Surplus Stock Was
Stored
Cable advices from John L. Stowers, presi-
dent of the Howard-Stowers Co., Inc., New
York, to Louis Bromberg, secretary of the com-
pany, state that the recent tornado which hit
Havana, Cuba, did extensive damage to his
business as well as his residence there. Mr.
Stowers makes his permanent headquarters in
Havana, at San Rafael 29, where he conducts
one of the largest retail piano stores in Cuba.
He stated that his heaviest losses were in-
curred when pianos, placed in a storehouse near
the wharves, were ruined by the storm.
Knabe Dealers in Town
Among the visitors to New York who called
at the executive offices of William Knabe & Co.
last week were John A. Turner, of the Turner
Music Co., Florida; Otto and Wert Heaton, of
the Otto B. Heaton Co., Columbus, O., and S. S.
Eccles, of the* Thatcher Music Co., of Logan.