Music Trade Review
Issue: 1914 Vol. 59 N. 12 - Page 46
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46
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
PLAYER-PIANO CRITIC HAS PREJUDICE REMOVED.
Prominent New York Doctor Is Convinced of the Musical Qualities of the Behning Player-
Piano at the Cost of a Dinner—How a Salesman Made Good.
The musical qualities of the Behning player are
generally recognized by the trade, and in line with
this player's ability to reproduce a music-roll as
though the selection were being played manually,
George A. Scofield, manager of the Behning retail
warerooms, 427 Fifth avenue, New York, related
the following incident:
''One of our star outside salesmen had been
working for some time on an unusually difficult
prospect who had absolutely declined to evince the
slightest interest in the player and to all appear-
ances was beyond the range of all usual arguments.
This prospect was a physician of considerable
prominence, and in addition was possessed of an
extensive knowledge of music.
"Our salesman made frequent visits to this
physician's residence without receiving any en-
couragement or even being told the reasons for
the doctor's aparent antipathy to all player-pianos
in general. Finally, however, after our salesman
had exhausted every possible sales argument last
Saturday the physician turned around and stated
emphatically that there was not a single player-
piano in the world that did not sound tin-panny
and mechanical. He stated further that it was
impossible for any player to resemble manual play-
ing in any degree, and that the automatic banging
on players which he had heard was well calculated
to inspire hatred for all players in general.
"These remarks somewhat riled our representa-
tive, who, thoroughly conversant with the musical
value of our player, felt that they were unjust and
untrue. Being slightly nettled, he thereupon of-
fered to place a wager with the physician for a
wine dinner for a party of four that he (the
prospect) could not tell the difference between a
selection played on the Behning player and the
same selection played by hand. To this offer the
doctor readily consented, and accompanied by a
close friend, who is a prominent inventor, the
party of three visited the warerooms immediately.
"'The purpose of the visit was explained, and
another one of our salesmen who has made a
study of the musical possibilities of our player
elected to fulfil the terms of the wager. He ac-
cordingly selected Bartlett's 'A Dream,' as played
in a certain key, and also selected the same roll
in another key for the demonstration, without ad-
vising the doctor of his selections. He played the
first roll on our player, and the physician, sitting
outside the booth, exclaimed instantly, 'That is
hand-playing—no player could ever perform like
that.' Without any further explanation the sales-
man took the same roll in the other key and played
it through on another player. This time our pros-
pect was certain that the selection was being re-
produced on the player, as he claimed that the dif-
ference between the two renditions was apparent
beyond the shadow of a doubt.
"When the playing was finished we pointed out
to the doctor that both rolls had been played pneu-
matically, and his surprise and amazement was
unbounded. He admitted candidly that his generic
hatred of player-pianos was unfair, and stated that
the Behning player had proven a revelation to
him in countless ways. He paid his wager imme-
diately, and what is more important, will be the
owner of a Behning player within a very short
time."
PATENTS NEW EMPHASIZING DEVICE.
(Special to The Review.)
WASHINGTON, D. C, September 14.—A pneumatic-
ally operated musical instrument, patent No. 1,108,-
385, is the invention of Friedrich Moritz, Dort-
mund, Germany, and a primary object is to pro-
vide a device by means of which one single note
of a gro.up of notes can be rendered conspicuous.
This is attained by subdividing the bellows used
for producing the notes into two chambers, each
of which can be influenced by a perforation in
trackers, one of the chambers being used for pro-
ducing ordinary no.tes, while the second is simul-
taneously used with the first for producing con-
spicuous notes. By arranging two evacuated
chambers which are fed by the common principal
magazine and whose vacua can be relatively va-
ried by the player, it is possible to vary in strength
the note which is to be rendered conspicuous from
the other notes.
SPOOL FORJVUJSIC ROLLS.
(Special to The Keview.)
WASHINGTON, D. C, September 12.—Patent No.
1,107,328 for spool for music rolls was last week
granted to Ellis Linder, Belleville, N. J., and which
he has assigned to the Aristo Co., same place, which
has for its object to provide a new and improved
spool for music rolls. These spools consist of a
cylindrical body portion having end flanges. It is
common to make the right-hand flange rigid with
the body portion, and to make the left-hand flange
adjustable moving lengthwise of the spool body to
allow for expansion of the paper roll in moist at-
mospheres.
H. Hermann, Eastern sales manager of the
American Photo Player Co., 62 West Forty-fifth
street, New York, left Saturday night for a trip
to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Dayton, Cincin-
nati, Columbus, St. Louis and several other im-
portant trade centers. E. M. Boothe, Eastern trav-
eler, is also away on a short trip through New
York State.
TEL-ELECTRIC PIANO PLAYER
299 Fifth Avenue, NEW YORK
Attachable to any piano
No pumping
METAL MUSIC ROLLS
Chase & Baker
Go.
Manufacturers of
PIANOS, PLAYER PIANOS AND PLAYER ACTIONS
They are UNEQUALED for musical efiectiveneM. reliability and durability and are the TRADE STANDARD
Factory and Office, Jewett Avenue and Belt Line, BUFFALO, N. Y
Rlayer Piano
Established Retail Price
Consistent with Quality
ANGELUS
PIANO
PIANO-PLAYER
Ic'roduced in 1895 and constantly im-
proved and developed to its present point
of superiority.
An excellent upright piano with an
Angelus incorporated in it, making one
complete and compact instrument.
THE MELODANT and THE PHRASING LEVER
are patented expression devices found only on the Angelus. The Angelas
instruments are the results of years of experience and success.
THE WILCOX & WHITE COMPANY
THE
PLAYERNPIANO OF
INTERNATIONAL
DISTINCTION
AVE. N EW Y O R K
5 I $ - T to 52*- b ST. an x d
MERIDEN, COIMV.
Established 1876
$700 to $2400
Melville Clark Piano Company
FINE AKTS BUILDING
CHICAGO
THE A U T O P I A N O C O ' S FACTORIES
ARE T H E LARGEST I N T H E W O R L D
D E V O T E D TO T H E M A N U F A C T U R E OF
PLAYER PIANOS EXCLUSIVELY.
46
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
PLAYER-PIANO CRITIC HAS PREJUDICE REMOVED.
Prominent New York Doctor Is Convinced of the Musical Qualities of the Behning Player-
Piano at the Cost of a Dinner—How a Salesman Made Good.
The musical qualities of the Behning player are
generally recognized by the trade, and in line with
this player's ability to reproduce a music-roll as
though the selection were being played manually,
George A. Scofield, manager of the Behning retail
warerooms, 427 Fifth avenue, New York, related
the following incident:
''One of our star outside salesmen had been
working for some time on an unusually difficult
prospect who had absolutely declined to evince the
slightest interest in the player and to all appear-
ances was beyond the range of all usual arguments.
This prospect was a physician of considerable
prominence, and in addition was possessed of an
extensive knowledge of music.
"Our salesman made frequent visits to this
physician's residence without receiving any en-
couragement or even being told the reasons for
the doctor's aparent antipathy to all player-pianos
in general. Finally, however, after our salesman
had exhausted every possible sales argument last
Saturday the physician turned around and stated
emphatically that there was not a single player-
piano in the world that did not sound tin-panny
and mechanical. He stated further that it was
impossible for any player to resemble manual play-
ing in any degree, and that the automatic banging
on players which he had heard was well calculated
to inspire hatred for all players in general.
"These remarks somewhat riled our representa-
tive, who, thoroughly conversant with the musical
value of our player, felt that they were unjust and
untrue. Being slightly nettled, he thereupon of-
fered to place a wager with the physician for a
wine dinner for a party of four that he (the
prospect) could not tell the difference between a
selection played on the Behning player and the
same selection played by hand. To this offer the
doctor readily consented, and accompanied by a
close friend, who is a prominent inventor, the
party of three visited the warerooms immediately.
"'The purpose of the visit was explained, and
another one of our salesmen who has made a
study of the musical possibilities of our player
elected to fulfil the terms of the wager. He ac-
cordingly selected Bartlett's 'A Dream,' as played
in a certain key, and also selected the same roll
in another key for the demonstration, without ad-
vising the doctor of his selections. He played the
first roll on our player, and the physician, sitting
outside the booth, exclaimed instantly, 'That is
hand-playing—no player could ever perform like
that.' Without any further explanation the sales-
man took the same roll in the other key and played
it through on another player. This time our pros-
pect was certain that the selection was being re-
produced on the player, as he claimed that the dif-
ference between the two renditions was apparent
beyond the shadow of a doubt.
"When the playing was finished we pointed out
to the doctor that both rolls had been played pneu-
matically, and his surprise and amazement was
unbounded. He admitted candidly that his generic
hatred of player-pianos was unfair, and stated that
the Behning player had proven a revelation to
him in countless ways. He paid his wager imme-
diately, and what is more important, will be the
owner of a Behning player within a very short
time."
PATENTS NEW EMPHASIZING DEVICE.
(Special to The Review.)
WASHINGTON, D. C, September 14.—A pneumatic-
ally operated musical instrument, patent No. 1,108,-
385, is the invention of Friedrich Moritz, Dort-
mund, Germany, and a primary object is to pro-
vide a device by means of which one single note
of a gro.up of notes can be rendered conspicuous.
This is attained by subdividing the bellows used
for producing the notes into two chambers, each
of which can be influenced by a perforation in
trackers, one of the chambers being used for pro-
ducing ordinary no.tes, while the second is simul-
taneously used with the first for producing con-
spicuous notes. By arranging two evacuated
chambers which are fed by the common principal
magazine and whose vacua can be relatively va-
ried by the player, it is possible to vary in strength
the note which is to be rendered conspicuous from
the other notes.
SPOOL FORJVUJSIC ROLLS.
(Special to The Keview.)
WASHINGTON, D. C, September 12.—Patent No.
1,107,328 for spool for music rolls was last week
granted to Ellis Linder, Belleville, N. J., and which
he has assigned to the Aristo Co., same place, which
has for its object to provide a new and improved
spool for music rolls. These spools consist of a
cylindrical body portion having end flanges. It is
common to make the right-hand flange rigid with
the body portion, and to make the left-hand flange
adjustable moving lengthwise of the spool body to
allow for expansion of the paper roll in moist at-
mospheres.
H. Hermann, Eastern sales manager of the
American Photo Player Co., 62 West Forty-fifth
street, New York, left Saturday night for a trip
to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Dayton, Cincin-
nati, Columbus, St. Louis and several other im-
portant trade centers. E. M. Boothe, Eastern trav-
eler, is also away on a short trip through New
York State.
TEL-ELECTRIC PIANO PLAYER
299 Fifth Avenue, NEW YORK
Attachable to any piano
No pumping
METAL MUSIC ROLLS
Chase & Baker
Go.
Manufacturers of
PIANOS, PLAYER PIANOS AND PLAYER ACTIONS
They are UNEQUALED for musical efiectiveneM. reliability and durability and are the TRADE STANDARD
Factory and Office, Jewett Avenue and Belt Line, BUFFALO, N. Y
Rlayer Piano
Established Retail Price
Consistent with Quality
ANGELUS
PIANO
PIANO-PLAYER
Ic'roduced in 1895 and constantly im-
proved and developed to its present point
of superiority.
An excellent upright piano with an
Angelus incorporated in it, making one
complete and compact instrument.
THE MELODANT and THE PHRASING LEVER
are patented expression devices found only on the Angelus. The Angelas
instruments are the results of years of experience and success.
THE WILCOX & WHITE COMPANY
THE
PLAYERNPIANO OF
INTERNATIONAL
DISTINCTION
AVE. N EW Y O R K
5 I $ - T to 52*- b ST. an x d
MERIDEN, COIMV.
Established 1876
$700 to $2400
Melville Clark Piano Company
FINE AKTS BUILDING
CHICAGO
THE A U T O P I A N O C O ' S FACTORIES
ARE T H E LARGEST I N T H E W O R L D
D E V O T E D TO T H E M A N U F A C T U R E OF
PLAYER PIANOS EXCLUSIVELY.
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