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THE
MUSIC
FULL EQUIPMENT OF STEINWAY PIANOS
FOR LARGEST AMERICAN-BUILT SHIP
W
HEN the S.S. Manhattan, the larg-
est ship ever built in the United
States, makes her maiden voyage to
Europe in the near future her elaborate
of 32,000 tons. She is designed for service
between New York, Cherbourg and Ham-
burg, and in addition to being the largest
will also be one of the finest ships in the
AT RIGHT:
ONE OF THE
SPECIALLY
DESIGNED
STEINWAY
GRANDS
FOR THE
S. S.
"MANHATTAN"
BELOW:
MODEL
OF THE
SHIP
TRADE
REVIEW,
May, 1932
Several glass tubes, ranged in groups of
three, are suspended from the ceiling of the
stage. Reflection of the lights in them pro-
duces "color notes." This reflection, Pro-
fessor Varnum believes, adds to the beauty
of the stage lighting.
By means of the color piano he hopes to
make an application of color to the dance
drama. Color would be shifted to fit vary-
ing aspects of the action.
A chart has been constructed to show the
"influence" of colors, with their reactions
listed as follows:
Red—Warm, exciting, passionate. Orange
—Warm, exciting, suffocating, flowing, lively.
Green—Neutral, tranquil, peaceful, sooth-
ing. Blue-Green—Sober, sedate. Blue—
Cold, grave, tranquil, sedate.
Violet—
Solemn, melancholy, neutral. Purple—Neu-
tral, solemn, stately, pompous, impressive.
KURTZMANN & CO. NOT
AFFECTED BY RETAIL MOVE
C. Kurtzmann & Co., the prominent pi-
ano manufacturers of Buffalo, N. Y., have
recently sent a message to their dealers
advising them that the announced retirement
from business of the Kurtzmann Piano Co.,
Inc., Buffalo, has no bearing on the manu-
facturing business. The retail store was
controlled by J. Hackenheimer and J. A.
Owenhouse, as a personal venture, and had
no connection with Kurtzmann & Co., other
than that of dealer and manufacturer.
C. Kurtzmann & Co. announce that they
are continuing the manufacturing business,
and have arranged to place the agency for
the Kurtzmann Piano with a prominent re-
tail house in western New York.
Hold Jazz Piano Contest
equipment will include eight Steinway
pianos in the various public and private
rooms. These instruments include a grand
with Chinese decorations, another in walnut
of the Queen Anne period, and still another
walnut grand of regular design. In addi-
tion there will be one upright with Vene-
tian decorations and four regular model up-
rights.
The ship, which will sail under the flag of
the United States Lines, is 70S feet long and
trans-Atlantic service under United States
registry. A duplicate equipment of Steinway
instruments will also be placed aboard the
sister ship of the S.S. Manhattan, which is
now in course of construction and as yet un-
named.
During the past month a fine model of the
Manhattan has been on display in the window
of the Steinway & Sons warerooms on Fifty-
seventh street and has attracted much atten-
tion.
A NEW PLAN TO ADD
COLOR TO PIANO MUSIC
nization of music and color presents possi-
bilities for the stage of the future.
The stage used by the students has 195
vari-colored electric lights, arranged on the
inner side of a frame about 12 by 5 feet
and corresponding to a proscenium arch.
Electric contact that operates the lights is
provided by the piano keys and nine switches
arranged above the keyboard. Each octave
on the piano has a complete color cycle.
The nine switches, corresponding to stops on
an organ, provide major COIOT chords.
These major chords lay a base which per-
mits a smooth transition from one color to
another of great contrast. With a purple
color base, for example, the operator can
introduce a vivid yellow without effecting
an irritating color change.
A ten-dollar piano from a junk shop has
been converted into an instrument that plays
"color notes" at the University of Wiscon-
sin.
For two years Professor William H. Var-
num of the Department of Art Education
and a group of graduate students have been
busy constructing the instrument in the hope
that notes seen as well as heard would add
enjoyment for the music lover.
They have linked color notes directly with
musical notes to create "visible" rhythm.
Thus far the color piano has been adapted
only to a miniature stage, but preliminary
experiments have demonstrated that synchro-
A Waltham piano was awarded as grand
prize to Howard Lambert, aged twenty-two,
Milwaukee, for first place in the Jazz Piano
Contest held at the Wisconsin Theatre in
Milwaukee and sponsored by radio station
WTMJ. Other winners were awarded silver
loving cups and scholarships.
Suffers Fire Loss
The entire stock of pianos, radios, and
other musical instruments, in the store of the
LaForte Music Co., Monessen, Pa., was com-
pletely destroyed by fire recently. The loss
was estimated at $15,000, partly covered by
insurance.
Watkin Co. Enlarges Studios
The Will A. Watkin Co., Dallas, Tex.,
which for many years has provided studio
and recital facilities for the music teachers
of the city, and thereby built up many friend-
ships and much business, has found it neces-
sary to expand his studio quarters. The
recital hall has been booked almost contin-
uously for the current season for both after-
noon and evening.
Boyd R. Felty, for a number of yeaTs con-
nected with Millers' Music Store, Lebanon,
Pa., has gon« into business for himself at
738 Cumberland street, that city, the premises
formerly occupied by the Miller store before
they closed.