Music Trade Review

JUNE
THE
21, 1919
MUSIC
TRADE
45
REVIEW
1~~MHr~~B1SK~ I
TROMBONE CHOIR OF 100 PIECES
Methodist Centenary Features Trombone Choir
Which Is Unique in Annals of Musical His­
tory-Special InstrU'lIlents for the Occasion
Musical history will be made at the Methodist
cent ena ry celebration to be h eld at Columbu s,
0., June 20 to July 13, ac cording to Prof. \lYill­
iam Kraft, of Co lumbu s Univers it y's musical de­
partment, who will direct all vocal and instru­
mental music at this exposition.
Unique in
the annals of music is the Methodist Centenary
Celeb ration Trombone Choir of 100 instruments,
the first organization of its kind ever kn ow n
to have been form ed on so large a scale.
Under the direction of Frank M. Sutphen, Co ­
lumbu s trombone artist, 100 players were
brought together, new instruments were made
to order and the musicians drilled until all har­
monized to blend tl lcir music into one trium­
phant chorus. Dr. Edgar Stillman Kelley, who
occupies the chair of musical composition at the
Western College for \V omen and w ho is best
known as th e composer of the New England
Symphony and of Pilgrim's Progress, prepared
a new harmonization of "America," which he
dedicated t o the Celeb ra tio n Trombone Choir
for its first rendering.
Bo th Dr. Kelley and Herman Bellstedt, well­
kn own musicians of Cinci nnati , composed a
number of extraordinary m usical scores espe­
cially for the Trombone Choir after h eari ng
this organization in reh ea rsal. ;\lthough skep­
tical at the outset, the se prominent musicians
we re quickly convinced and enthus ia stically
threw themselves into the work of making this
orche stra a famous olle in musical history.
The soprano and the F bass trom bones used
in this orchestra ha d to be made esp ecially for
the celebration choir. The sop ran o trombone,
which is an extremely small instrument, not
much larger than a cornet, had not been us ecl
genera ll y by orchestras for 100 years.
Its re-
Jonah Kumalae
Ukuleles
(lmporl Only)
Produced Exclusively from Burl Koa Wood
Wbol esa lc stocks in all Jarfe cities for immediate ddivery.
Write for descriptive folder. prices and trade discounts.
H C. CHURCHILL
Agent lor United Sta.tes and Canada
268
~(arket
Street
~an
Francisco
vival was necessitated by the make-up of the
Celebration Trombone Ch oir, which is composecl
of tw elve sopran o trombones, eighteen a ltos,
forty tenors, eighteen baritones and twelve
basses.
l; nique al so is the great pipe orga n built un­
cleI' tohe supervision of Prof. Kraft at a cost of
$50,000. Pro f. K raft agreed to preside at the
organ on special days during the cel eb ration ,
and through his invitation the acceptances to
play were rec eived from some of the leading
orga n ists of the world.
Co. 13anjos and banjo-mandolins are especially
in demand, and there is at present a shortage of
saxophones, due to the gr eat popularity of that
instrument.
Band in str ument s of all descrip­
ti ons seem to be in great demand eve rywh ere
and the ' outlook continues to be more and mor e
prosperoU!';.
POPULARITY OF STEEL STRINGS
Steel E String Finding Favor After Tests Forced
by War Conditions-Many Famous Violinists
Now Use and Endorse Them
DETERIORATION OF TONE QUALITY
Constant Use Will Result in Impaired Tone in
Cornets and Other Brass Instruments
Many pe rsons wonder wh y cornets a nd other
instruments of the brass type deteriorate in tone
a her they have been llsed for a long period.
"\l ith constant using during many years, even
the best made instrum en t will deteriorate as
re gards its tonal quality. First , the valves will
wear, and as they become more loose a more
dec ided effo rt is requir ed to produce the desired
effect; with escaping air going to waste an un­
na tural method is em plo yed by the performer,
and the free, pure cornet tone is not in evidence.
Cndersta nd , however, that CJu ite a few yea rs
m'ust elapse before valves become leaky, eve n
if th e in strument is equipped with valves made
of the metal formerly used by all manufacturer s,
whic h was considerably softer th an the phos­
phor-bronze now in use in many instrument
fact orie s. The latter metal causes les s friction,
c(lnseque ntly a cornet with valves made from
this material will not become leaky for many
years. There are men who have used the same
cornet for twenty yea rs, but they Were 110t pro­
fessional performers. There are also men who
apparently fall in lov e with a lmost every ' new
instrument th ey try , and such people willehange
instruments severa l times each year. They do
not make these changes because their old instru­
ment has ou tliv ed its usefulness -­ --it is simply a
cas e of " nobody home" when th eir "upper story"
is visited.
One of the many effects of the war felt in the
musical merchandis e iield is the growing popu­
larity of the steel st ring s for use on the violin
and the guitar. For many ye ar s these strings
were u sed by som e famous vio linists, but we re
not popular wi~h t he public as a whole.
In­
deed many violinists of note had expressed
their dislike for these strings and the re seemed
to be much said on both sides. But when the
condit io ns of war mad e it difficult to obtain
gut st rings , and especially the gu t E vi olin
string, it was necessary to try the steel str ing.
This test assured its lasti ng favor, for it has
be en found that many of the old troubles en­
counte red when using gut st rings are now over­
co me by the steel string.
Fo r examp le, co nc ert players always dreaded
the breaking of their violin E str in g, for this
breaking was by 110 means an uncommon hap­
pening. T lhe steel string almost never breaks
and does not get o ut of tune in th e co urse of
pla ying a selection.
This in itself is one of
the most important factors in its rapid growth
in favor.
Likewise, it ten ds to increase the
sale of musica l instruments because beginners
do not become discouraged and dissatisfied
011 ac count of str in g breakage.
DURRO :¥~~GS
VIOUNS
AND
STEWART ~!lINS
ORPHEUM INSTRUMENTS ACTIVE
There is a stro ng demand in this section for
the Orpheum instruments manufactured by C.
Bruno & Son , Inc., 351 Fourth a venue , New
York, according to Ceo. C. Roth . of the band
instrument department of Chas. H, Ditson &
Largest Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
Buegeleisen & Jacobson
113 Un/.,.,. sit, Place
NEW YOJlK
A. BURDWISE
WHOLESALE MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
BALTIMORE. MD.
OLIVER DITSON CO.
BO~N. M.... s,'1.
M ...ufaeturen
IDlperten ...d I.lta... of
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
THE OLDEST AND
Attrac:d..-e Spec:ialdee
Modern Ser't'lce
UTABLJIIBJU) 11114
LAROEST MUSICAL
Black Diamond
Strings
THE WORLD'S BEST
National Musical String Co.
Ne." Brunswick. N. J.
MERCHANDISE HOUSE
"
INAMERICA
Exc./usJvety lfltoIesal.
I.STABLl5HED 1834
C.BRVNO ~ SON,INc. _
351·53Fommt!VE.NElVYORKCIrt
YlctorOiatrlhutonJ
~£tj'l4~HW -
-
Superior Qualify
Manufac­
turers of
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Victor Distributors
1108 Cbestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Eatabliahed over balf a century
I
WILL BUY
FOR CASH
Sheet Music and Small Goods
Peate's Music
HOUGe.
Utica, N. Y.