Scan 31
Musical Courier 1893-07-01: Vol 27 Iss 695, 1893
57 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 28. See the scan on archive.org.
1perusal of their points will assist the progressive dealer.
3The Armonipiano and the Improved Harmonium.
4A distinct novelty, having musical worth, is the Armonipiano, invented by Mr. V. J. Hlavac. This instrument and the improved harmonium were played in concert recently, and Mr. W. S. B. Matthews has written such a good description that we append:
6The instruments used were first a grand piano by a celebrated St Petersburg maker; a fine instrument, by the way, being part of the Russian exhibit to which Mr. Hlavac has made certain important additions. The addition consists primarily of a repeating mechanism and a second set of hammers, which are smaller than the usual ones, by means of which a sustained effect can be produced. For example, it is well known that no piano is able to sustain a tone. In the best instruments the tone sings for quite a while, but every moment after the impact of the hammer the amplitude of the vibration diminishes, and the volume of tone with it. When Mr. Hlavac would prolong a tone on his instrument he works a pedal with his foot, which actuates a mechanism placing all the smaller hammers in rapid vibration.
8Under ordinary circumstances the hammers do not reach the string, being held in place by certain checks. When a key is touched, however, it not only actuates the usual hammer, making the well-known percussion tone of the instrument, but at the same time liberates the secondary hammer, which goes on vibrating until the key is let up. Thus the instrument gives the usual sforzando tone, along with the sustained tone, the quality of which is like that of a harmonium. By means of a knee swell he is able to sustain tones while the fingers are removed from the keys. Should he desire the sustained effect without the usual percussion, he has only to touch the keys gently and to a slight depth. Should he desire a crescendo or decrescendo in the sustained tone, he has only to move another knee swell one way or the other. The instrument therefore meets the desideratum so long sought in vain, of sustaining the tone without losing any of the qualities already acquired for the piano.
10The entire piano part of the program and considerable of the supplementary part was devoted to illustrating the effects possible to this instrument. It is much better than the combined harmonium and piano, because the tones are necessarily in tune with each other, being obtained from the same strings by means of different hammers, and the quality also blends better than that of reeds and strings. The numbers played for illustrating the possibilities of the instrument were those of a march of Tchaikowski, certain studies of Chopin, &c. Later the overture to "Tannhäuser" was played in part. Mr. Hlavac had also a harmonium of his own improvement, which, besides all the celebrated Alexandre peculiarities, had also sustaining attachments and other devices for increasing the powers of the player.
12Mr. V. J. Hlavac will exhibit this piano every day in Section I, Manufactures Building, and manufacturers who can should carefully study it. The attachment is applied to a beautiful Schroeder piano.
14The Story & Clark Baby Organ.
15The Story & Clark Organ Company's "baby" organ is another ingenious invention of this enterprising firm. The instrument is designed to occupy small space, so as to carry around the country comfortably. They have certainly hit it, for the little organ folds up as readily as a camp stool and can be about as easily carried.
17Mr. Melville Clark calls it an "entire new organ creation," and the description adequately describes it. The little instrument is 35 inches high, and on looking at it you wonder where the wind from the bellows gets up to the reeds. At the bottom can be seen the bellows, but no pipes lead up to the reeds. The only connection between the reed bottom and the bellows is the two upright legs of wood. It is in channels through the centre of these uprights that the wind passes up to the reeds. When the instrument is to be folded the bellows are secured by a button; then the uprights "break" in the centre, and the top sinks down on the bottom. It folds from 35 inches to 15 inches net, and can be slung over the shoulders troubadour fashion.
19The construction of the instrument is radically different from that in ordinary use. The bellows are clothed all around and are susceptible to full expansion. There are no hinged sides. Spiral springs inside the reservoir reverse the ordinary spring pressure, drawing instead of pushing, thus making collapse possible. The reeds are in an upright position instead of the usual horizontal position, and are placed directly in the upper reservoir, thus dispensing with the customary middle board. Leaded gravity valves are placed outside above the reeds. This substitution of gravity for the usual spring valves gives a quicker response as well as a purer quality of tone.
21This is a new system and applicable to instruments in either rigid or collapsing form.
23Mr. McChesney's "American Keyboard."
24This invention consists of two supplementary rows of key surfaces—or touching points—attached to the fronts of the keys of the keyboard in common use, thereby providing each key with two playing surfaces, at either one of which the key may be struck. One of these touch points is narrow and of the same shape and size as that of the black keys, and one is wide and of the same shape and size as that of the white keys upon the keyboard in common use. The object of these prolongations to the front of both black and white keys is:
251. To give to the thumb or the fingers—or to both of them—a choice of touch points at which they may strike the keys, thus making it possible at all times for the hand to secure a convenient, natural position, which it could not do upon the old keyboard.
262. To render it possible for the thumb to pass under any finger as easily from a white key to a black one, or from one black key to another, as from a black key to a white one, or from one white key to another. This is not possible upon the ordinary keyboard.
273. A glissando in single notes or in octaves may be made upon the "American" keyboard as well from a white key to a black key, or from one black key to another, as well as from a black to a white key, or from one white key to another. This also is impossible upon the old keyboard.
284. It makes it possible to play interlocking passages with ease, many forms of which are extremely difficult, and some forms of which are impossible of execution upon the old keyboard.
295. It makes extremely easy the fingering of ascending or descending passages in single notes, thirds and sixths or in chords and octaves at a tempo rarely acquired by the most expert pianists upon the ordinary keyboard.
30It is impossible in a written article to plainly describe all the advantages secured by the use of the American keyboard. To be fully understood the invention must be seen, when some of the most important of them will be manifest almost at a glance.
31To the composer for keyboard instruments this invention opens up a wide field. New forms, new effects and new technical methods of treating existing forms will at once suggest themselves upon even a slight study into its possibilities. How much more then can be accomplished when its range of resources has become fully known to our leading composers and executants.
32In 1877 Mr. McChesney invented and patented a keyboard which embodied the leading fundamental features which years afterward were claimed by Paul de Janko as original inventions of his own.
33After giving that invention four years of trial, Mr. McChesney abandoned it, becoming convinced that there was but small chance for its general adoption by either manufacturers or artists, on account of its being such a radical change from the old established form of keyboard. So he set about discovering some invention which would embody the best features of his former patent and still preserve the well known form of the keyboard so long in use. The result is the "American keyboard." Besides the facilities it offers to ambitious pianists it possesses the great advantage of being as easily played upon by those who have never before seen it as the ordinary keyboard.
34A controlling interest in the invention has been secured by Geo. P. Bent, of Chicago, Ill., the manufacturer of the well-known "Crown" piano and organs, who has placed a piano equipped with the "American keyboard" upon exhibition in his booth, in Section I, Liberal Arts Department of the World's Columbian Exposition. All visitors to the Fair are invited to call and examine it. Mr. McChesney, who is in charge of the booth, will be glad to answer any questions regarding its construction or use.
36M. F. Rachals & Co.'s Sectional Piano.
37The sectional cottage piano of Messrs. M. F. Rachals & Co. comes under the head of novelties. The instrument is designed for introduction into flats where ordinary instruments have to be hoisted into windows. Two long screws that run home into nuts inserted in the case secure the side together, which is split from the pin block down. When these screws are removed the back, sounding board, plate and strings are separated from the action and the half sides. In the overstrung pianos the plate is then removed, when the back end sounding board readily splits apart in the middle. The instrument can be taken apart in a few moments and as readily readjusted. In a smaller piano with a flat scale, the back sounding board and string plate are in three pieces and readily come apart.
38In addition to the convenience in putting this instrument into flats, there is commercial value in mountainous countries where mule locomotion holds sway. In sending packages and machinery into the mountains care is taken that they come apart readily, so that they may be loaded on mule backs and thus transported. This piano admirably meets the requirements of this kind of carrying.
40A COMING RETAIL BOOM IN CHICAGO.
41A Prophecy, and Grounds on Which It Is Based.
43(no line here) one of two readings
44MANUFACTURERS WHO WILL BE BENEFITED.
46CHICAGO OFFICE THE MUSICAL COURIER, June 27, 1893.
48THERE is bound to be a boom in retail trade in Chicago during the closing months of this summer, increasing through the fall, and terminating the year with the largest volume of business ever enjoyed by the oldest dealers.
49To make such a prophecy without tangible grounds from which to draw conclusions would be the height of foolishness. The reasons for this surely coming boom are readily deducible from events now transpiring in the city.
50To make a boom in the retail market two things are necessary: The public must be plentifully supplied with money, and the disposition to purchase pianos present. The last proposition we will consider first, and dismiss it briefly by referring to the prospect books of salesmen now full to overflowing—something rare at this time of the year. Another thing that proves present the disposition to purchase pianos—that being the number of Chicago people that purposely visit the piano exhibit on the Fair grounds. Still another reason, and one contingent on the first clause to our proposition, which eventuates a boom in the purchase of pianos and organs when financial prosperity has blessed a community, is the fact of money flowing into private purses that ought to and will purchase pianos.
51Two reasons based on facts for the second clause of our proposition are already stated, and now it remains to prove the first proposition, to make true the third reason contingent to it.
52There will be a flush of money in the hands of the people this fall. This will come from several causes. Many people have been providing funds to meet World's Fair expenses that will not exist. Notably a rise in all necessaries of life which was predicted. All tendency to this end has been counteracted by the crowds that did not come during the first two months of the Fair, as well as the offsetting that the farmers did by sending in produce in larger quantities than ever before. There has been no rise in provisions, in fact, some staple articles are lower than usual; occasioned somewhat of a glut of produce on South Water street, which is the commission mart of the World's Fair City. Then many who have been expecting friends will be disappointed by their non-arrival or through a limited stay in Chicago. Here will be a saving in funds, saved for disbursing in entertaining and sightseeing.
53Another class of people are the families of those who have secured either extra work or additional money during many busy months. This class embraces all artisans employed in constructing and maintaining the Fair, as well as those in different parts of the city that have been called upon to sell extra labor at extra price to entertain the city's guests.
54Still another large class, and one who are piano purchasers, are the owners of private boarding houses, or those who rent out a spare room or two. The number of these amateur bonifaces are almost countless and they are all making money doing a land office business. In the main these people are of the middle class, who are moderately well off and who will have good banks accounts when the Exposition closes.
55The last class are the wealthy storekeepers who are doing a great volume of business. These merchants are rightly named last, as they are in the minority in numbers.
56The money blowing into Chicago is not going into the bank accounts of corporations, but directly into
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