Music Trade Review
Issue: 1906 Vol. 42 N. 25 - Page 11
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MU3IC
JTiiNU PLAYING FOR THE MIGXON.
THE MARVELOUS "MIGNON"
Has Excited the Admiration
the World's
Its
Leading
Interpretation,
and Approval of
Musicians—Human in
Makes One Feel
Perfec-
tion Has Been Reached—Some Testimonials
—Description
of the Instrument.
Among the host of musical inventions that have
been brought before the public at any time, past
or present, none has elicited more universal ad-
miration and praise from the world's greatest mu-
sicians than the "Mignon" player-piano. This won-
derful creation is the product of the ingenuity of
Edwin Welte and Karl Bockisch, members of that
world-renowned firm of orchestrion manufactur-
ers, M. Welte & Sons, of Freiburg, in Baden, Ger-
many, and 49 West 30th street, New York. This
invention is one of those marvelous discoveries
that almost pass human comprehension and seems
to be a thing endowed with life.
While being a purely automatic player-piano,
it is in no sense of the word mechanical in its
rendition of any music, the absolutely human
touch being preserved. The exquisite shading and
temperament of the artist is as faithfully pre-
served and reproduced as a perfect photograph
can picture that which no brush can imitate.
This is due to the patented expression device,
which in a measure is the soul of the instrument.
The music rolls are cut by a marvelous device
by which the exact touch, temperament and in-
dividuality of the performer are recorded with
the utmost accuracy and are signed in facsimile
by the one producing them. These are all made
in Germany under the direct supervision of M.
Welte & Sons.
Those who have heard the instrument on ex-
hibition, through the courtesy of Marc K. Mer-
mod, at No. 39 Union Square, have been unable to
fully express their feelings when for the first
time they have had the pleasure of listening to
its reproductions. "Uncanny, positively uncanny,"
was the first expression made by a great pianist
when he heard a production of Pugno, and no
other words so clearly express the human deli-
cacy of touch and expression which it gives forth.
If it was hidden from view by a curtain it would
REVIEW
11
l'ADEHKWSKI MAKI.NC A MIGNON RECORD.
be hard work to convince the hearer that any
such tones could be produced by any mechanical
means.
To give a technical description of its workings
would be almost impossible. Its basic principles
are much the same as in most pneumatic player-
pianos, but the devices for producing the expres-
sion are exclusively the invention of its owners.
It is hoped in a short time that this instrument
will be placed on this market in quantities, and
a great demand would seem to be in store for it.
There has been a story circulated that a heavily
and can only express my regret that this marvel was
not known 100 years ago. How much would "youth
and age" have learned from it! What happiness there
would be in being and in remaining young, that we
might harvest the fruits of this wonderful invention for
till time!
TnKniMUt I.KSCJIKTIT/.KY.
Feb. IS. 1 !)(•(!.
I consider the invention of this Art I'iano to mark an
epoch in the history of music. The reproduction of any
composition played for this device by an artist, is In all
respects so amazingly true to the original, both as to
merely technical perfection and in regard to the mu-
sically poetical element, that it really creates the delu-
sion of having the artist personally before us and of
listening to his own execution.
The value of this invention therefore consists, not
only In its eminently Instructive influence on the learn-
er, but likewise in Its enormous advantages for those
who, desirous of procuring for themselves an hour of
artistic enjoyment without personal effort, would
imagine some prominent artist before them.
Prof. ARTHUR NIKISCH.
March 31, 1905.
The only objection I have to the "Mignon" Is founded
exclusively on its name, as the latter is not in keeping
either with its powerful effect or its enormous import-
ance.
1. J. l'ADKKEWSKI.
Feb. 28,1906.
It is only to be regretted that this Invention was
not made a hundred years ago.
Imagine how im-
mensely valuable it would be in our day to be able to
hear how Beethoven, or Chopin, Liszt, or Rubinstein
interpreted their own works !
KAOLI, 1'UGNO.
Sept. 25, 1905.
The marvel is "Mignon," a modest name for a marvel-
ous device. How can we refrain from regretting not to
have known of it before? We might then hear Bee-
thoven, Mozart and Chopin themselves.
Nov. 13. 19O."i.
C. SAINT-SAENS.
The "Mignon" Is a truly extraordinary invention, !>e-
THE JIIGNON I'LAYER-FIANO.
ing the only ono among all similar mechanical devices
capitalized company had been formed to make which may lay claim to artistic importance. I give
these instruments in this country, which is en- expression to my most sincere admiration for the in-
tirely premature, and the final plans of Mr. Welte
are still in abeyance. One thing is certain: the
mechanism will be used with a piano of only the
highest grade, and under conditions that will keep
it in a class strictly by itself.
The matter of supplying the music will be
solely under the control of the owners of the pat-
ents which pertain to the Mignon. It is
interesting to note what some of the best-known
artists have to say about the results they have
obtained on this instrument, and what they think
of its wonderful qualities:
T must consider this invention to be really wonderful.
t.ESCHETITZKV AFTER MAKING A MIGNON RECURD.
ventors.
l>r. RICHARD STRAUSS.
Feb. 1(5, 190G.
The list of world-renowned artists, who are en-
dorsers as well as players of this wonderful in-
strument, embraces eighty whose names are
familiar to all who have made music a study.
Among them are Eugene D'Albert, Teresa Car-
reno, Ernst von Dohnanyi, Annette Essipoff, Ar-
thur Friedheim, Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Dr. Edward
Grieg, Alfred Griinfeld, Mark Hambourg, Joseph
Hofmann, Prof. E. Humperdinck, R. Leoncavallo,
Alfred Reisenauer, Emil Sauer, Xaver Schar-
wenka. Felix Weingartner.
PRUF. NIKISCH MAKING A MIGNON RECORD.
THE
MU3IC
JTiiNU PLAYING FOR THE MIGXON.
THE MARVELOUS "MIGNON"
Has Excited the Admiration
the World's
Its
Leading
Interpretation,
and Approval of
Musicians—Human in
Makes One Feel
Perfec-
tion Has Been Reached—Some Testimonials
—Description
of the Instrument.
Among the host of musical inventions that have
been brought before the public at any time, past
or present, none has elicited more universal ad-
miration and praise from the world's greatest mu-
sicians than the "Mignon" player-piano. This won-
derful creation is the product of the ingenuity of
Edwin Welte and Karl Bockisch, members of that
world-renowned firm of orchestrion manufactur-
ers, M. Welte & Sons, of Freiburg, in Baden, Ger-
many, and 49 West 30th street, New York. This
invention is one of those marvelous discoveries
that almost pass human comprehension and seems
to be a thing endowed with life.
While being a purely automatic player-piano,
it is in no sense of the word mechanical in its
rendition of any music, the absolutely human
touch being preserved. The exquisite shading and
temperament of the artist is as faithfully pre-
served and reproduced as a perfect photograph
can picture that which no brush can imitate.
This is due to the patented expression device,
which in a measure is the soul of the instrument.
The music rolls are cut by a marvelous device
by which the exact touch, temperament and in-
dividuality of the performer are recorded with
the utmost accuracy and are signed in facsimile
by the one producing them. These are all made
in Germany under the direct supervision of M.
Welte & Sons.
Those who have heard the instrument on ex-
hibition, through the courtesy of Marc K. Mer-
mod, at No. 39 Union Square, have been unable to
fully express their feelings when for the first
time they have had the pleasure of listening to
its reproductions. "Uncanny, positively uncanny,"
was the first expression made by a great pianist
when he heard a production of Pugno, and no
other words so clearly express the human deli-
cacy of touch and expression which it gives forth.
If it was hidden from view by a curtain it would
REVIEW
11
l'ADEHKWSKI MAKI.NC A MIGNON RECORD.
be hard work to convince the hearer that any
such tones could be produced by any mechanical
means.
To give a technical description of its workings
would be almost impossible. Its basic principles
are much the same as in most pneumatic player-
pianos, but the devices for producing the expres-
sion are exclusively the invention of its owners.
It is hoped in a short time that this instrument
will be placed on this market in quantities, and
a great demand would seem to be in store for it.
There has been a story circulated that a heavily
and can only express my regret that this marvel was
not known 100 years ago. How much would "youth
and age" have learned from it! What happiness there
would be in being and in remaining young, that we
might harvest the fruits of this wonderful invention for
till time!
TnKniMUt I.KSCJIKTIT/.KY.
Feb. IS. 1 !)(•(!.
I consider the invention of this Art I'iano to mark an
epoch in the history of music. The reproduction of any
composition played for this device by an artist, is In all
respects so amazingly true to the original, both as to
merely technical perfection and in regard to the mu-
sically poetical element, that it really creates the delu-
sion of having the artist personally before us and of
listening to his own execution.
The value of this invention therefore consists, not
only In its eminently Instructive influence on the learn-
er, but likewise in Its enormous advantages for those
who, desirous of procuring for themselves an hour of
artistic enjoyment without personal effort, would
imagine some prominent artist before them.
Prof. ARTHUR NIKISCH.
March 31, 1905.
The only objection I have to the "Mignon" Is founded
exclusively on its name, as the latter is not in keeping
either with its powerful effect or its enormous import-
ance.
1. J. l'ADKKEWSKI.
Feb. 28,1906.
It is only to be regretted that this Invention was
not made a hundred years ago.
Imagine how im-
mensely valuable it would be in our day to be able to
hear how Beethoven, or Chopin, Liszt, or Rubinstein
interpreted their own works !
KAOLI, 1'UGNO.
Sept. 25, 1905.
The marvel is "Mignon," a modest name for a marvel-
ous device. How can we refrain from regretting not to
have known of it before? We might then hear Bee-
thoven, Mozart and Chopin themselves.
Nov. 13. 19O."i.
C. SAINT-SAENS.
The "Mignon" Is a truly extraordinary invention, !>e-
THE JIIGNON I'LAYER-FIANO.
ing the only ono among all similar mechanical devices
capitalized company had been formed to make which may lay claim to artistic importance. I give
these instruments in this country, which is en- expression to my most sincere admiration for the in-
tirely premature, and the final plans of Mr. Welte
are still in abeyance. One thing is certain: the
mechanism will be used with a piano of only the
highest grade, and under conditions that will keep
it in a class strictly by itself.
The matter of supplying the music will be
solely under the control of the owners of the pat-
ents which pertain to the Mignon. It is
interesting to note what some of the best-known
artists have to say about the results they have
obtained on this instrument, and what they think
of its wonderful qualities:
T must consider this invention to be really wonderful.
t.ESCHETITZKV AFTER MAKING A MIGNON RECURD.
ventors.
l>r. RICHARD STRAUSS.
Feb. 1(5, 190G.
The list of world-renowned artists, who are en-
dorsers as well as players of this wonderful in-
strument, embraces eighty whose names are
familiar to all who have made music a study.
Among them are Eugene D'Albert, Teresa Car-
reno, Ernst von Dohnanyi, Annette Essipoff, Ar-
thur Friedheim, Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Dr. Edward
Grieg, Alfred Griinfeld, Mark Hambourg, Joseph
Hofmann, Prof. E. Humperdinck, R. Leoncavallo,
Alfred Reisenauer, Emil Sauer, Xaver Schar-
wenka. Felix Weingartner.
PRUF. NIKISCH MAKING A MIGNON RECORD.
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