Music Trade Review
Issue: 1912 Vol. 55 N. 26 - Page 6
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
of the player-piano as a musical instrument. Who-
soever can read the signs of the times can see
plainly that weighty matters are on hand. On the
one hand there can be no doubt whatever that the
tendency which is at the moment being expressed
in the development of the record roll will be
markedly developed during the coming year. This
development is quite likely to lead in directions at
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
present hardly considered. There can be little
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage). United States and
Mexico, $3.00 per year; Canada, $8.50; all other coun-
doubt that one school of thought is pushing di-
tries, $4.00.
rectly towards a gf-eater and greater automatism—
Telephones—Numbers S982 and 5983 Madison Sq. an automatism refined to the highest degree, but an
Connecting all Departments
automatism nevertheless. On the other hand, we
find a growing school of design and practice which
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 28, 1912
insists with no little emphasis that the player-
One of the most difficult things in the world is piano will lamentably fail of its mission unless it
to compose, beforehand, an editorial which will be continues its development along the lines of more
read half way between Christmas and New Ydar's and more magnified personal control. There can
Day. People are never in the right state of mind be little doubt that lines of demarcation will soon
at this time. The married man has recovered be most positively drawn between what may be
from the delirium of Christmastide and is begin- termed the passive and active schools. Is the
ning to consider~with gloomy apprehension how he player-pianist of the future to be a passive listener
is to pay his Christmas -bills. The bachelor is be- or an active performer? One of these two things,
ginning to wonder how he can snelak out of sight it would seem, we must face. But we live in a
•
friends have overwhelmed him. Both types of men from what we expect. Certain features of these
are indulging also at this time in gloomy anticipa- tendencies are considered in an article which ap-
tions as to the expense they have yet to incur dur- pears elsewhere in the present issue.
ing the New Year's celebration. Piano men have
The attention of the reader is also invited to the
emerged in la 'breathless state from the rush and
turmoil of the Christmas business and are begin- article in this issue in which the Player is dis-
ning to wonder 'how they are going to feel when cussed in the spirit of certain suggestions recently
the annual financial statement comes out. All in rrtade by a distinguished Austrian pianist now vis-
all, it is probably true to say that the present edi- iiing this country. The possibility of regarding the
torial will be read by most people with gloomy player-piano as an entirely new musical instru-
and pessimistic feelings. How fortunate, there- ment, and of writing for it from this new point of
fore, that the present writer is compelled by the view, may or may not have occurred to other peo-
exigencies of getting out this newspaper to com- ple. But there is no doubt whatever that a good
deal is to be said for the proposition. In the ar-
pose his end-of-the-year exhortations a week
before they are to ibe read. If anybody, therefore, ticle referred to we have pointed out that while
feels that the air of light-hearted joyousness which the player-piano is not alone in possessing an
is intended to pervade this particular page is at all enormous range and unlimited technical capacity—
out of place, let him consider the circumstances since the orchestra and the organ may both be re-
garded in a similar case—it does stand alone in the
which have attended its composition.
sense of being accessible to all, land in the further
sense of possessing a quality of power through-
First of all, then, let us express a sincere hope
out. For the conclusions which are based on these
that the Christmas business not only has 'been sat-
and the other facts alleged the reader is referred
isfactory to verybody, but that the signs point
to the article mentioned.
towards still better conditions next year. And
really there is no reason in the world why this
We do not know how many of our readers no-
should not be so. All the information which has
ticed
the leading article in the Player-Pianist's
•come to this office points towards the existence of
most excellent 'business conditions. There seems Department of last month's Player Section, entitled
to be every reason to expect that 1913 will be a "Wanted—A New Conception." The article was
most wonderful player year. Let us then hope the first of a series whereof the second appears
that the player trade everywhere will work to- this month. We wish a lot of people would read
gether sanely, with mutual confidence and under- these articles, because they contain, for probably
the first time in the history of the player business,
standing, to the end that these desired consumma-
tions may be brought out. A year ago things did •3 calm discussion of a subject which, though little
not look so bright, and there seemed to be consid- thought about generally, is nevertheless of vital
importance. For the subject itself we refer the
erable reason to doubt whether the year 1912 would
turn out well. The political revolution which has reader to the articles, hut we should like to add
since come about was just beginning to make its here that we consider them of far-reaching im-
first efforts felt. To-day, we have passed through portance, and that every player man ought to
that revolution, and we find ourselves in a Condi read them.
tion far happier tfhan we might last Christmas
The trade should certainly be interested in the
have anticipated. For all the 'blessing that this
fact that, as reported in last week's Review, the
implies let us be supremely thankful, and let us ad-
long wished-for appearance of the player on the
dress ourselves with renewed courage to the prob-
concert stage in this country has at last occurred.
lems of the coming year.
Two weeks ago, on December 15, Mr. Egon Putz,
And there is no doubt that we have a great many a German pianist, surprised music lovers in St.
problems—some of them are less apparent than Paul by using a Pianola and a Steinway piano
others; but there is one it would seem that is of with the St. Paul Symphony Orchestra at their
paramount importance. It relates to the position Sunday afternoon popular concert. Although the
first appearance of a player with orchestra oc-
curred in London, we must none the less be glad
that such recognition has been made in this coun-
try, even though we have not the satisfaction of
claiming primacy. Little by little the tide is turn-
ing and the player is taking its proper position in
the world of music. Those members of the player
trade who continue to believe that this instrument
has no right to any serious musical consideration
should take heed. They have been wrong, and
the absurdity of their opinion is now becoming
apparent to all.
To each and every reader—wherever The Re-
view goes—the editor of the Player Section here-
with presents his heartfelt and sincere wishes for
a happy and prosperous New Year.
TO RECORD ANDREPRODUCEMUSIC.
Some Details of the Patent Just Granted to C.
W . Nystrom of Karlstad, Sweden, for an Ap-
paratus for Recording and Reproducing Mu-
sic Produced on Key Instruments.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Dec. 17, 1912.
An apparatus for recording and reproducing
music (Patent No. 1,046,487) was granted last
week to C. W. Nystrom, Karlstad, Sweden.
This invention consists in improvements in ap-
paratus for recording and reproducing music on
key instruments. The improvements are especially
adapted to be applied to apparatus of a previously
known type, consisting of a rotary cylinder or an
advancing note strip, on which impressions are
made during the performance of a piece of music,
by means of cutting tools, entering into action
when the keys are depressed, said impressions con-
sisting in lines, the lengths of which depend on
how long the keys have been depressed. For re-
producing said piece o.f music, which can be done
on the same instrument or on another key instru-
ment, reproducing tools are made to abut against
a rotary cylinder or a note strip provided with
such impressions, the corresponding keys are de-
pressed by means of a lever transmission between
the reproducing tools and the keys. In apparatus
of this known type only one cutting tool and one
reproducing tool have been used actuated from or
actuating each key, and the impressions on the
cylinder or the note strip have been independent
of the variations of the tone intensity. It has
been proposed to record and to reproduce said
variations by means of special devices, but such
devices are very complicated and have not worked
satisfactorily.
According to the present invention two or more
cutting tools are employed for each key, success-
ively entering into action at different times accord-
ing to the velocity with which the key is de-
pressed, and thus two or more impressions are
made on the rotating cylind^. or the advancing
note strip for each tone, said impressions repre-
senting the length as well as the intensity of the
tone in question.
,
For reproducing the piece of music two or more
reproducing tools are used for each key, success-
ively entering into action at different times ac-
cording to the impressions on the note strip or
cylinder, whereby the key is depressed with more
or less power.
P. J. Cunningham, head of the • Cunningham
Piano Co., was recently elected vice-president of
the Home Life Insurance Co., of America.
The Master Player-Piano
is now equipped with an
AUTOMATIC TRACKING DEVICE
Which guarantees absolutely correct tracking of even the most imperfect music rolls
W I N T E R & CO., 220 Southern Boulevard, New York City
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
of the player-piano as a musical instrument. Who-
soever can read the signs of the times can see
plainly that weighty matters are on hand. On the
one hand there can be no doubt whatever that the
tendency which is at the moment being expressed
in the development of the record roll will be
markedly developed during the coming year. This
development is quite likely to lead in directions at
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
present hardly considered. There can be little
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage). United States and
Mexico, $3.00 per year; Canada, $8.50; all other coun-
doubt that one school of thought is pushing di-
tries, $4.00.
rectly towards a gf-eater and greater automatism—
Telephones—Numbers S982 and 5983 Madison Sq. an automatism refined to the highest degree, but an
Connecting all Departments
automatism nevertheless. On the other hand, we
find a growing school of design and practice which
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 28, 1912
insists with no little emphasis that the player-
One of the most difficult things in the world is piano will lamentably fail of its mission unless it
to compose, beforehand, an editorial which will be continues its development along the lines of more
read half way between Christmas and New Ydar's and more magnified personal control. There can
Day. People are never in the right state of mind be little doubt that lines of demarcation will soon
at this time. The married man has recovered be most positively drawn between what may be
from the delirium of Christmastide and is begin- termed the passive and active schools. Is the
ning to consider~with gloomy apprehension how he player-pianist of the future to be a passive listener
is to pay his Christmas -bills. The bachelor is be- or an active performer? One of these two things,
ginning to wonder how he can snelak out of sight it would seem, we must face. But we live in a
•
friends have overwhelmed him. Both types of men from what we expect. Certain features of these
are indulging also at this time in gloomy anticipa- tendencies are considered in an article which ap-
tions as to the expense they have yet to incur dur- pears elsewhere in the present issue.
ing the New Year's celebration. Piano men have
The attention of the reader is also invited to the
emerged in la 'breathless state from the rush and
turmoil of the Christmas business and are begin- article in this issue in which the Player is dis-
ning to wonder 'how they are going to feel when cussed in the spirit of certain suggestions recently
the annual financial statement comes out. All in rrtade by a distinguished Austrian pianist now vis-
all, it is probably true to say that the present edi- iiing this country. The possibility of regarding the
torial will be read by most people with gloomy player-piano as an entirely new musical instru-
and pessimistic feelings. How fortunate, there- ment, and of writing for it from this new point of
fore, that the present writer is compelled by the view, may or may not have occurred to other peo-
exigencies of getting out this newspaper to com- ple. But there is no doubt whatever that a good
deal is to be said for the proposition. In the ar-
pose his end-of-the-year exhortations a week
before they are to ibe read. If anybody, therefore, ticle referred to we have pointed out that while
feels that the air of light-hearted joyousness which the player-piano is not alone in possessing an
is intended to pervade this particular page is at all enormous range and unlimited technical capacity—
out of place, let him consider the circumstances since the orchestra and the organ may both be re-
garded in a similar case—it does stand alone in the
which have attended its composition.
sense of being accessible to all, land in the further
sense of possessing a quality of power through-
First of all, then, let us express a sincere hope
out. For the conclusions which are based on these
that the Christmas business not only has 'been sat-
and the other facts alleged the reader is referred
isfactory to verybody, but that the signs point
to the article mentioned.
towards still better conditions next year. And
really there is no reason in the world why this
We do not know how many of our readers no-
should not be so. All the information which has
ticed
the leading article in the Player-Pianist's
•come to this office points towards the existence of
most excellent 'business conditions. There seems Department of last month's Player Section, entitled
to be every reason to expect that 1913 will be a "Wanted—A New Conception." The article was
most wonderful player year. Let us then hope the first of a series whereof the second appears
that the player trade everywhere will work to- this month. We wish a lot of people would read
gether sanely, with mutual confidence and under- these articles, because they contain, for probably
the first time in the history of the player business,
standing, to the end that these desired consumma-
tions may be brought out. A year ago things did •3 calm discussion of a subject which, though little
not look so bright, and there seemed to be consid- thought about generally, is nevertheless of vital
importance. For the subject itself we refer the
erable reason to doubt whether the year 1912 would
turn out well. The political revolution which has reader to the articles, hut we should like to add
since come about was just beginning to make its here that we consider them of far-reaching im-
first efforts felt. To-day, we have passed through portance, and that every player man ought to
that revolution, and we find ourselves in a Condi read them.
tion far happier tfhan we might last Christmas
The trade should certainly be interested in the
have anticipated. For all the 'blessing that this
fact that, as reported in last week's Review, the
implies let us be supremely thankful, and let us ad-
long wished-for appearance of the player on the
dress ourselves with renewed courage to the prob-
concert stage in this country has at last occurred.
lems of the coming year.
Two weeks ago, on December 15, Mr. Egon Putz,
And there is no doubt that we have a great many a German pianist, surprised music lovers in St.
problems—some of them are less apparent than Paul by using a Pianola and a Steinway piano
others; but there is one it would seem that is of with the St. Paul Symphony Orchestra at their
paramount importance. It relates to the position Sunday afternoon popular concert. Although the
first appearance of a player with orchestra oc-
curred in London, we must none the less be glad
that such recognition has been made in this coun-
try, even though we have not the satisfaction of
claiming primacy. Little by little the tide is turn-
ing and the player is taking its proper position in
the world of music. Those members of the player
trade who continue to believe that this instrument
has no right to any serious musical consideration
should take heed. They have been wrong, and
the absurdity of their opinion is now becoming
apparent to all.
To each and every reader—wherever The Re-
view goes—the editor of the Player Section here-
with presents his heartfelt and sincere wishes for
a happy and prosperous New Year.
TO RECORD ANDREPRODUCEMUSIC.
Some Details of the Patent Just Granted to C.
W . Nystrom of Karlstad, Sweden, for an Ap-
paratus for Recording and Reproducing Mu-
sic Produced on Key Instruments.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Dec. 17, 1912.
An apparatus for recording and reproducing
music (Patent No. 1,046,487) was granted last
week to C. W. Nystrom, Karlstad, Sweden.
This invention consists in improvements in ap-
paratus for recording and reproducing music on
key instruments. The improvements are especially
adapted to be applied to apparatus of a previously
known type, consisting of a rotary cylinder or an
advancing note strip, on which impressions are
made during the performance of a piece of music,
by means of cutting tools, entering into action
when the keys are depressed, said impressions con-
sisting in lines, the lengths of which depend on
how long the keys have been depressed. For re-
producing said piece o.f music, which can be done
on the same instrument or on another key instru-
ment, reproducing tools are made to abut against
a rotary cylinder or a note strip provided with
such impressions, the corresponding keys are de-
pressed by means of a lever transmission between
the reproducing tools and the keys. In apparatus
of this known type only one cutting tool and one
reproducing tool have been used actuated from or
actuating each key, and the impressions on the
cylinder or the note strip have been independent
of the variations of the tone intensity. It has
been proposed to record and to reproduce said
variations by means of special devices, but such
devices are very complicated and have not worked
satisfactorily.
According to the present invention two or more
cutting tools are employed for each key, success-
ively entering into action at different times accord-
ing to the velocity with which the key is de-
pressed, and thus two or more impressions are
made on the rotating cylind^. or the advancing
note strip for each tone, said impressions repre-
senting the length as well as the intensity of the
tone in question.
,
For reproducing the piece of music two or more
reproducing tools are used for each key, success-
ively entering into action at different times ac-
cording to the impressions on the note strip or
cylinder, whereby the key is depressed with more
or less power.
P. J. Cunningham, head of the • Cunningham
Piano Co., was recently elected vice-president of
the Home Life Insurance Co., of America.
The Master Player-Piano
is now equipped with an
AUTOMATIC TRACKING DEVICE
Which guarantees absolutely correct tracking of even the most imperfect music rolls
W I N T E R & CO., 220 Southern Boulevard, New York City
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).