Music Trade Review
Issue: 1920 Vol. 70 N. 1 - Page 41
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
JANUARY 3, 1920
WAR DEPARTMENT FAVORS MUSIC
Announces to Effect That Special Attention Will
be Given to the Organization of Army Bands
in Future—War Proves Value of Music
WASHINGTON, D. C, December 29.—Among the
definite lessons which the war taught is the
vital necessity and unquestioned value of music
in the field in creating and sustaining morale.
As a builder and maintainer of stanch morale,
as.a- relief for tired nerves and as a tonic for
flagging spirits music was found indispensable
and its development was encouraged to the ut-
most by all the great military leaders, accord-
ing to an announcement of the War Depart-
ment.
The American army, late in the field, had a
splendid chance to study the methods and or-
ganizations of its Allies, and full advantage
was taken of this opportunity. The result was
that American bands in the A. E. F. combined
the best points which were found in the Allied
armies.
With demobilization the splendid army musi-
cal organizations were disbanded. Nevertheless,
the War Department—determined to maintain
a high standard of music as a military essential
—set about to devise a method by which the re-
maining army bands could be brought back to
a high standard of proficiency and kept per-
manently at concert pitch.
As a result of a special study of conditions
surrounding the enlistment of bandsmen by the
Recruiting Section of the Adjutant General's
Office, certain definite conclusions have been
reached.
The enlistment of trained musicians is becom-
ing increasingly difficult because of the great
demand for them in civil life, and the unusual
large salaries and short hours. Much canvass-
ing has been done among army bandsmen dur-
ing demobilization by commercial bands.
Since this condition is apparent and shows
no sign of immediate change, it has been deter-
mined by the War Department that the only
certain source of musicians lies in the training
by the Army in all authorized bands of as many
men as possible who have musical talent or
aspirations. In furtherance of this policy or-
ders have been issued which make it incumbent
upon commanding officers of all authorized
bands to promote and encourage in every way
the study of music and to furnish band leaders
every facility to offer a complete musical educa-
tion.
Although it is as yet too early to observe
the effects of this order, indirect reports indi-
cate that its provisions are being faithfully car-
ried out and will prove productive of beneficial
results.
MUSIC
TRADE
$1,000,000 CARILLON COMPLETED
• Trenton, N. J., piano dealers cooperated gen-
erously in the health campaign conducted by
the Mercer County Tuberculosis League, among
them being the F. A. North Piano Co., the Lau-
ter Piano Co., Belly Bros., G. A. Barlow's Sons'
Co., the Music Shop and Elmer Fouratt.
An unusual feature of the concert of the
Symphony Society in Aeolian Hall on Sunday,
under the direction of Walter Damrosch, was
the introduction of a chromatic harp which Mme.
Wurmser-Delcourt, a French artist, used with
remarkable success. This chromatic harp was
invented a little more than twenty years ago
by Gustavc Lyon, head of the old pianoforte
manufacturing house established by Pleyel, the
friend and colleague of Haydn. The mechani-
cal feature which distinguishes this instrument
is that it is strung to give an individual string
to each of the half-tones throughout its com-
pass, whereas in the ordinary harp the chromatic
tones are produced by shortening the strings by
means of pedal action. It has not come into
extensive use because of a conviction that it is
deficient in sonority when compared with the
pedal-harp.
Critics seem to agree, however, that the utility
of the chromatic harp is in some respects incon-
testable. The harp some time ago lost its place
in popular admiration as a solo instrument,
though its position as a valued member of the
NEW SYNCHRONIZING DEVICE
orchestra is assured. The chromatic harp may
WASHINGTON, D. C, December 29.—Patent No. do much to revive the popularity of this instru-
1,322,795 was last week granted to Reese B. ment as a soloist, if we. may judge from the re-
Kent, Wheeling, W. Va., for a musical instru- ception given Mme. Wurmser-Delcourt.
ment.
Greatness is never thrust upon a man who
This invention relates broadly to playing
mechanism for stringed instruments, and more leads an aimless life.
particularly to a mechanical player for stringed
instruments, associated with a player-piano and
actuated in conjunction with the latter by a
traveling perforated music-sheet.
The primary object of the invention is to pro-
vide in association with a player-piano a mech-
anism whereby the strings of a stringed in-
T H E OLDEST AND
strument, as a violin, are sounded and fingered
ir. synchronism with the playing of the player-
LAROEST MUSICAL
piano during the same time that such piano is
MERCHANDISE HOUSE
played as ordinarily, such mechanism being op-
IN AMERICA
erated under the control of the same music-
sheet by which the piano is played. In other
sfwfp' Wholesml*
UTABUSHCO 183*
words, it is aimed to so combine or connect
a player-piano and a violin-playing mechanism
that both are adapted to be played in synchro-
nism by the use of a single specially cut note-
Yictor Distributors
sheet.
The recently completed cathedral that domi-
nates the town and harbor at Queenstown, Ire-
land—completed after fifty years' work at a cost
of $1,000,000—can boast the finest and largest
carillon in the United Kingdom and the best-
adjusted set of bells in the world tuned to equal
temperament.
It is a carillon of forty-two bells, with clavier,
the compass extending through three and a half
octaves. The great bell weighs 3,755 pounds and
the smallest only thirteen pounds.
One of the programs played by Anthony Neu-
velaerts, the city carillonneur of Bruges, at the
formal inauguration of the completed cathedral,
affords a fair idea of the possibilities of a caril-
lon such as can now be heard across the Queens-
town harbor.
It embraced a sonata by Van Hoey, the Schu-
bert "Ave Maria," one of Bach's organ preludes,
the Adagio from Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique,
a march by Menoit and a Neapolitan Song by
Alfred Casella, the Italian futurist.
RUNQ
A. BURDWISE
WHOLESALE MUSICAL
JOHNFRIEDRICH&BRO.
> 279 r\H HAVE
SEND FOR
OUR
NEW YORK
tST. IS83
, Largest Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
Buegeleisen & Jacobson
NSW YOMK
WEYMAHN
Superior Quality MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Victor Distributors
1108 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Established over hilf a century
Manufacturer*
I m p o r t m and Jobb«r» m*
STEWART
it 3 University Place
"(jRAUD PRIZES^
VIOLINS
\ BEST STRING?"""**
BOSTON, MASS.
AND
MERCHANDISE
BALTIMORE, MD.
OLIVER DITSON GO.
DURRO
CHROMATIC HARP AT AEOLIAN HALL
Remarkable Set of Chimes Has Range of Three Is Chief Feature of Sunday Concert of Sym-
phony Society—This Harp a Distinct De-
and One-half Octaves—Carillonneur of Bruges
parture From Ordinary Instrument in Design
Plays Sonata at Opening Ceremony
FOLD & NEW
AIDING HEALTH CAMPAIGN
41
REVIEW
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
Attractive Specialties
M o d e r n Service
ESTABLISHED IBM
Black Diamond
Strings
THE WORLD'S BEST
National Musical String Co.
New Brunswick, N. J.
THE
JANUARY 3, 1920
WAR DEPARTMENT FAVORS MUSIC
Announces to Effect That Special Attention Will
be Given to the Organization of Army Bands
in Future—War Proves Value of Music
WASHINGTON, D. C, December 29.—Among the
definite lessons which the war taught is the
vital necessity and unquestioned value of music
in the field in creating and sustaining morale.
As a builder and maintainer of stanch morale,
as.a- relief for tired nerves and as a tonic for
flagging spirits music was found indispensable
and its development was encouraged to the ut-
most by all the great military leaders, accord-
ing to an announcement of the War Depart-
ment.
The American army, late in the field, had a
splendid chance to study the methods and or-
ganizations of its Allies, and full advantage
was taken of this opportunity. The result was
that American bands in the A. E. F. combined
the best points which were found in the Allied
armies.
With demobilization the splendid army musi-
cal organizations were disbanded. Nevertheless,
the War Department—determined to maintain
a high standard of music as a military essential
—set about to devise a method by which the re-
maining army bands could be brought back to
a high standard of proficiency and kept per-
manently at concert pitch.
As a result of a special study of conditions
surrounding the enlistment of bandsmen by the
Recruiting Section of the Adjutant General's
Office, certain definite conclusions have been
reached.
The enlistment of trained musicians is becom-
ing increasingly difficult because of the great
demand for them in civil life, and the unusual
large salaries and short hours. Much canvass-
ing has been done among army bandsmen dur-
ing demobilization by commercial bands.
Since this condition is apparent and shows
no sign of immediate change, it has been deter-
mined by the War Department that the only
certain source of musicians lies in the training
by the Army in all authorized bands of as many
men as possible who have musical talent or
aspirations. In furtherance of this policy or-
ders have been issued which make it incumbent
upon commanding officers of all authorized
bands to promote and encourage in every way
the study of music and to furnish band leaders
every facility to offer a complete musical educa-
tion.
Although it is as yet too early to observe
the effects of this order, indirect reports indi-
cate that its provisions are being faithfully car-
ried out and will prove productive of beneficial
results.
MUSIC
TRADE
$1,000,000 CARILLON COMPLETED
• Trenton, N. J., piano dealers cooperated gen-
erously in the health campaign conducted by
the Mercer County Tuberculosis League, among
them being the F. A. North Piano Co., the Lau-
ter Piano Co., Belly Bros., G. A. Barlow's Sons'
Co., the Music Shop and Elmer Fouratt.
An unusual feature of the concert of the
Symphony Society in Aeolian Hall on Sunday,
under the direction of Walter Damrosch, was
the introduction of a chromatic harp which Mme.
Wurmser-Delcourt, a French artist, used with
remarkable success. This chromatic harp was
invented a little more than twenty years ago
by Gustavc Lyon, head of the old pianoforte
manufacturing house established by Pleyel, the
friend and colleague of Haydn. The mechani-
cal feature which distinguishes this instrument
is that it is strung to give an individual string
to each of the half-tones throughout its com-
pass, whereas in the ordinary harp the chromatic
tones are produced by shortening the strings by
means of pedal action. It has not come into
extensive use because of a conviction that it is
deficient in sonority when compared with the
pedal-harp.
Critics seem to agree, however, that the utility
of the chromatic harp is in some respects incon-
testable. The harp some time ago lost its place
in popular admiration as a solo instrument,
though its position as a valued member of the
NEW SYNCHRONIZING DEVICE
orchestra is assured. The chromatic harp may
WASHINGTON, D. C, December 29.—Patent No. do much to revive the popularity of this instru-
1,322,795 was last week granted to Reese B. ment as a soloist, if we. may judge from the re-
Kent, Wheeling, W. Va., for a musical instru- ception given Mme. Wurmser-Delcourt.
ment.
Greatness is never thrust upon a man who
This invention relates broadly to playing
mechanism for stringed instruments, and more leads an aimless life.
particularly to a mechanical player for stringed
instruments, associated with a player-piano and
actuated in conjunction with the latter by a
traveling perforated music-sheet.
The primary object of the invention is to pro-
vide in association with a player-piano a mech-
anism whereby the strings of a stringed in-
T H E OLDEST AND
strument, as a violin, are sounded and fingered
ir. synchronism with the playing of the player-
LAROEST MUSICAL
piano during the same time that such piano is
MERCHANDISE HOUSE
played as ordinarily, such mechanism being op-
IN AMERICA
erated under the control of the same music-
sheet by which the piano is played. In other
sfwfp' Wholesml*
UTABUSHCO 183*
words, it is aimed to so combine or connect
a player-piano and a violin-playing mechanism
that both are adapted to be played in synchro-
nism by the use of a single specially cut note-
Yictor Distributors
sheet.
The recently completed cathedral that domi-
nates the town and harbor at Queenstown, Ire-
land—completed after fifty years' work at a cost
of $1,000,000—can boast the finest and largest
carillon in the United Kingdom and the best-
adjusted set of bells in the world tuned to equal
temperament.
It is a carillon of forty-two bells, with clavier,
the compass extending through three and a half
octaves. The great bell weighs 3,755 pounds and
the smallest only thirteen pounds.
One of the programs played by Anthony Neu-
velaerts, the city carillonneur of Bruges, at the
formal inauguration of the completed cathedral,
affords a fair idea of the possibilities of a caril-
lon such as can now be heard across the Queens-
town harbor.
It embraced a sonata by Van Hoey, the Schu-
bert "Ave Maria," one of Bach's organ preludes,
the Adagio from Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique,
a march by Menoit and a Neapolitan Song by
Alfred Casella, the Italian futurist.
RUNQ
A. BURDWISE
WHOLESALE MUSICAL
JOHNFRIEDRICH&BRO.
> 279 r\H HAVE
SEND FOR
OUR
NEW YORK
tST. IS83
, Largest Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
Buegeleisen & Jacobson
NSW YOMK
WEYMAHN
Superior Quality MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Victor Distributors
1108 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Established over hilf a century
Manufacturer*
I m p o r t m and Jobb«r» m*
STEWART
it 3 University Place
"(jRAUD PRIZES^
VIOLINS
\ BEST STRING?"""**
BOSTON, MASS.
AND
MERCHANDISE
BALTIMORE, MD.
OLIVER DITSON GO.
DURRO
CHROMATIC HARP AT AEOLIAN HALL
Remarkable Set of Chimes Has Range of Three Is Chief Feature of Sunday Concert of Sym-
phony Society—This Harp a Distinct De-
and One-half Octaves—Carillonneur of Bruges
parture From Ordinary Instrument in Design
Plays Sonata at Opening Ceremony
FOLD & NEW
AIDING HEALTH CAMPAIGN
41
REVIEW
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
Attractive Specialties
M o d e r n Service
ESTABLISHED IBM
Black Diamond
Strings
THE WORLD'S BEST
National Musical String Co.
New Brunswick, N. J.
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