Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, OCTOBER, 1941
15
and the Piano Industry in the Middle West
OST recent issue of the Orgatron
M
World, published by the Everett
Piano Co., South Haven, Mich., shows a
full page illustration of the interior of the
Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New
York City as well as one of the exterior
and the Orgatron as installed in this mag-
nificent edifice at which is seated Dr.
Norman Coke-Jephcott, organist and
choirmaster. The Orgatron is now a per-
manent installation in this church regard-
ing which the Everett Co. states: "When
it became necessary to make use of a sub-
stitute for the mighty cathedral organ
while that instrument was being moved
and reinstalled in its permanent location
in the Chancel, Dr. Coke-Jephcott selected
the Orgatron. It is installed there now, six
tone cabinets being required to fill the
vast interior with glorious organ music
created by Dr. Coke-Jephcott's masterful
fingers." The installation was made un-
der the supervision of Edward Luberoff
manager of the Orgatron division of John
Wanamaker, New York.
the role of chief fixer for the entire indus-
try and from all reports he is not leaving a
stone unturned in order to get results. So
far his reports are encouraging resulting
in the greater confidence for the future of
the piano industry.
* * *
EN magazines were chosen for Ham-
T
mond Organ advertising this fall. They
include the American Home, House Beau-
appearance of the gorgeous Life adver-
tisement in natural color".
A full page is devoted to the Wurlitzer
augmented sounding board which is also
illustrated. A diagram of the calibrated
element under the bridge is also repro-
duced. Regarding this improvement the
company states: "For years manufacturers
said it was impossible to build a small
piano with full, resonant tone, because
the sounding board had to be proportion-
ately smaller.
tiful, House & Garden, Town & Country,
Christian Herald, The New Yorker, Broad-
casting American Funeral Director and
"Knowing that there was a real musical
Casket & Sunnyside. Between September need to be met, Wurlitzer research engi-
and Christmas these magazines will neers began conducting scientific experi-
carry 33 insertions with a reputed circula- ments in sounding board construction.
tion of ten and one half million. With this The result of their thorough research -was
comprehensive campaign all classes of the "Wurlitzer Augmented Sounding
prospects are reached with attention com- Board."
pelling copy interestingly illustrated.
"This new type of sounding board con-
In the new installment regulations Ham- struction was proclaimed by acoustical
mond organs come under the 10' '< down and technical experts as "a revolutionary
18 months to pay ruling but the Solovox development in piano construction." It
and Novachord under the 20' < down and immediately did away with the tonal
18 months to pay ruling. Reports from limitations of the small piano by properly
dealers handling these items are that they distributing the string vibrations and aug-
HILE B. K. Settergren, president of are not being effected by these rulings menting the resonance.
the Estey Piano Corp., Bluffton. Ind., to any appreciable extent due to the fact
"The "Calibrated Element" is a thin
has been sitting at the helm at the factory that down payments of 10' o or more have piece of spruce which is scientifically
been
the
usual
procedure
heretofore.
keeping the wheels turning at top speed
designed to carry the reverberations of
in order to take care of the requirements
the strings from the bridge over a wider
of the host of Estey dealers throughout the
area of the sounding board, thus trans-
country, vice persident R. W. Stevens has TNCREASE in production continues at forming into audible musical tone some of
•L
the
extensive
plant
of
the
Jesse
French
been doing a lot of traveling and recently
the finer little reverberations which would
made a tour of the East. Estey business <& Sons division of H. & A. Selmer, Inc., otherwise be lost. In this way the tone is
according
to
J.
M.
Grolimund,
executive
has been very high in percentage of
made richer and fuller and the volume is
grands this year and the new consoles vice president of Selmer. Mr. Grolimund, greatly enhanced.
who
recently
made
an
extensive
eastern
which were first shown at the convention
in New York have made a distinct appeal. trip, stated that inquiries had been re-
"The fundamental principle employed in
The company and its employees took an ceived from dealers all over the country the Wurlitzer Augmented Sounding Board
important part in the recent Bluffton Fair since the announcement of their taking is by no means new to acoustical science.
which was held late in September during over the company during the summer. Famous violin makers discovered the
which the city was visited by thousands of Several new models have been developed secret long ago. When you hear the
people from the state of Indiana. This fair since that time which are becoming ex-
names "Stradivarius" or "Cremona," you
is similar to a good old fashioned County ceedingly popular.
immediately think of rich, vibrant tone. A
* * »
Fair but is confined within the city limits
principle similar to that employed by
of Bluffton.
ITIHE Wurlitzer Bulletin for September these world-renowned violin makers has
I contained some interesting facts been utilized in the construction of the
W. C. Heaton, Pacfic Coast representa-
among them being the announce-
tive of this company has just completed
ment of a full bleed page in colors which Wurlitzer Augmented Sounding Board.
a successful tour of Pacific Coast States.
"The extra thickness of the underbridge
will appear in "Life" on November 17th
Regarding this insertion the company section of the violin top, or sounding
P. BULL, vice president of the Story states: "This Wurlitzer color page will be board, and the bass bar corresponds to
• & Clark Piano Co., has been busy the outstanding piano advertising to ap- the "Calibrated Element" of the Wurlitzer
recently, practically commuting between pear in the last ten years and is certain Augmented Sounding Board.
Washington, New York and Chicago for to help Wurlitzer dealers in their efforts
"The Augmented Sounding Board is an
the past two months. As chairman of the to produce piano prospects and profitable
exclusive
Wurlitzer feature and it is pro-
Materials Committee of the National Piano sales. Effective promotional pieces for
tected
by
numerous patent applications."
Manufacturers Association he now has dealer tie-in will be furnished prior to the
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