See below for Shane’s sleeve images, processed and linked to Wikipedia.
— MordEth
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THE VIOLIN AND ITS MUSIC
VOLUMES have been written on the
violin, the “king” of the orchestra. There has been more romance centered in the violin, probably, than in any other instrument. The origin of the violin goes back to the very dawn of civilization itself. According to tradition, in the time of the king of Ceylon, called
Ravana, about five thousand years before the Christian era, the
ravanastron, the most ancient prototype of bowed instruments, was invented. It possessed all the elements, in a primitive form, of the modern violin—catgut strings, bridge, resonant box, neck, pegs and the bow. If you should desire to see what this instrument looked like, hunt up some Chinaman who has one of his native fiddles, and you will get an idea of the
ravanastron.
So far as we are able to trace the work, historically, the Arabs and Persians were the people who developed the crude fiddle of India into an instrument more nearly resembling the physical form of our violin. The
rehab, as their violin was named, arrived in Europe some time during the Middle Ages, and was experimented upon by many instrument makers. Then, in the Seventeenth Century and the early part of the Eighteenth, came the glorious line of master violin makers, headed by
Amati,
Stradivarius and
Guarnerius, whose artisanship has never been equalled, and probably never will be surpassed.
Apparently, the form of the modern violin is beyond improvement. Since the day of
Stradivarius, only non-essential alterations have been made in the instrument and these consist chiefly in the strengthening of certain parts such as the bass-bar, and in the thinning and lengthening of the neck to meet the demands of modern left-hand technique. The violin is made of about seventy separate pieces of wood. Of this number, sixty are built permanently into the structure, while the rest are merely “fittings.” The belly is made of some such soft wood as pine, the bridge and back are both of hardwood, the former generally maple, the latter either maple of sycamore. The length of the body of the instrument varies slightly, according to make. In the finest “Strad” specimens, it is, as nearly as possible, fourteen inches.
On the technique of violin playing,
Albert Spalding, the leading American virtuoso, holds interesting ideas. In a recent interview he said:
“My candid opinion about technique is that it is just the same today as it was two hundred years ago. I can hardly see where the essential innovation has come into violin playing since the six
sonatas of
Bach were written. Whoever can play those works is fully equipped to undertake any modern piece. I can think of only one man who has added anything to the scope of violin execution in the last one hundred years, and that is Paganini.”
Besides Spalding, you will find a number of famous violinists playing on Edison
Re-Creations: Vasa Prihoda,
Carl Flesch, Joel Belov, Isidore Moszkowitz, Mischa Viólin, Marta de la Torre and Carmine Fabrizio. There is also the work in popular vein of Rae Eleanor Ball.
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A WORD ON THE PIANO
MUSICAL instruments, the strings of which were struck or plucked, were among the earliest of art inventions. Egyptian remains show pictures of performers playing upon the
harp. In the book of Genesis, there is mention of a
kinnor, which was neither a
lyre or a small harp. There is frequent mention of the
dulcimer in the Bible. This instrument was struck with hammers, and was very much like the Hungarian zimbalom. The ancient Greeks were familiar with an instrument called the
monochord, which was a string stretched across a sounding board, the tone of which was regulated by a movable bridge for dividing the string at different points, thus changing the tone. The monochord, harp and dulcimer all contributed to the evolution of the modern
piano. Perhaps the most important step toward the creation of the
pianoforte was the device of a keyboard. In all probability the keyboard originated with the
organ. In any event, a keyboard of sixteen keys is said to have been part of an organ built in the
Cathedral of Madgeburg, at the close of the eleventh century. Its first application to the piano-type of instrument is lost in mediæval obscurity. First mention of the
clavichord and
harpsichord is found in a musical work written by Eberhard Cersne, in 1404. The chief difference between these instruments was that the strings of the
clavichord were struck while those of a
harpsichord were plucked. Playing the
clavichord, one used a touch in which pressure was predominant, thus producing a sort of
portamento effect which could not be obtained on the
harpsichord.
Bach preferred the
clavichord.
Händel,
Scarlatti and
Mozart were devoted to the
harpsichord.
What caused the
clavichord and
harpsichord to be superseded by the type of instrument on the order of the modern
piano, was the hammer action, which was the invention of
Bartolomeo Christofori, born at
Padua, May 4, 1653. His revolutionary invention was made known to the world in 1711. It was known as the
piano e forte, which, translated into English, means simply soft and loud. Owing to the inability of the
harpsichord players to acquire the proper touch, this instrument of
Chrisfori’s fell into disuse in Italy; but in Germany it found favor and further development.
Originally, the device which enabled the volume of the
pianoforte to be changed was “two iron springs, ornamented with copper knobs, in that part of the chest nearest the bass. In order to move these springs it was necessary that the player should use his left hand, and consequently he was obliged for a moment to quit the keyboard.
Stein improved these springs by making them act by means of knobs placed against the knees.” Pedals, as we know them, were not known until the eighteenth century. In fact the first modern pedals are first found in
John Broadwood’s patent of 1783.
Edison owners may be interested in what
Victor Young, one of our artists, has to say about playing the
piano with Edison
Re-Creations: “To improve your musicianship, especially in the matter of interpretation, my suggestion is to obtain
piano solo
Re-Creations, a tuning record and sheet music of the selection under study. Strike your A on the
piano and tun phonograph to
piano by turning speed regulator with the tuning record on the turn-table. Play the
Re-Creation first alone, with the sheet music before you, and, as you listen, mark the phrases and every variant of expression. After that, try playing in unison with the phonograph¹. I think you will find it a great source of pleasure, as well as a wonderful stimulant to better and bigger musicianship.”
¹ This was typoed on the sleeve as ‘ponograph’.
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PIANO TONE — The True Test of a Phonograph
TRUE piano tone, as you doubtless know, is the most difficult to record. For that reason we are always eager to have the most exacting music critics hear the results obtained by Thomas A. Edison. A side-by-side comparison of the Edison Piano Records with Talking Machine Piano Records will quickly answer the question—“Which is the best phonograph?”
Listed here are just a few of the Piano gems available on Edison Records.
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PIANO NOTES
THE constantly increasing demand for Edison
Re-Creations of the Piano, is a gratifying acknowledgement of their fidelity to the original tone of that instrument. Whether it be the fiery brilliant interpretation of the works of the old Masters, demanding an almost superhuman piano technique; the quiet, smoothly flowing melody of a dreamy waltz; or the toe-tempting rhythm² of the latest fox-trot—the Edison
Re-Creation of the original Piano tones is noteworthy for its realism, and is proving a delightful revelation to thousands of musically cultured people. Full tone values, perfectly defined melodics, harmonics with no blurred effect—all of the factors so essential to full enjoyment—are contained within the minute spiral grooves moulded into the Edison disc, and are brought to life—
Re-Created—by the magical touch of the Edison diamond reproducer.
² Typoed as ‘rythm’.
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THE MUSIC AND INSTRUMENTS OF HAWAII
SEVEN or eight years ago, the American public knew little about the characteristics of
Hawaiian music, the native
Ukelele³ and the
Hula Hula dances, but since then Hawaiian music and our own versions of it have taken the United States by storm. Restaurants, theatre and cabaret orchestras, and vaudeville artists, have all taken a hand at it.
The instruments used by the natives of Hawaii are few in number. They play what is known as a taro-patch fiddle, the
ukelele³, and the
guitar, which they have developed to a high state of perfection. Music to the Hawaiians means more to them than church or other worldly goods. No matter how poverty-stricken a home may be, it has its musical instrument, ordinarily a
guitar. They play at all hours, from before breakfast right up to midnight. The majority of the natives become quite expert musicians, and they experiment in new harmonies as a matter of course. Singing with them seems to be a natural gift.
Those who are familiar with the music of the Hawaiian
guitar will understand just why it has attained such a high degree of popularity. Capable of expressing a wide range of emotions, in music of the most haunting kind, it has sung its way into world-wide renown and gained for itself, in an exceeding short time, recognition as an orchestral instrument of rare possibilities.
The form of the instrument is like that of the ordinary guitar, but the origin of the manner in which it is played is unknown. It is made of
Koa wood, which is found only in the Hawaiian Islands, and which has to be seasoned for seven years before it is in suitable condition to be fashioned into the
ukelele³. The limited supply of wood and the necessity of prolonged and careful seasoning make the supply of genuine Hawaiian instruments exceedingly small. The
guitar is played by placing it flat on the knees and plucking the strings. Its peculiar, slurred tones, are secured by a small piece of steel, which is held in the left hand of the player and passed rapidly along the strings above the frets.
Tradition has it that a Portuguese trader brought it to Hawaii many years ago and charmed the natives it the exquisite music that he drew from it. As a result, the instrument and the method of playing it were adopted by the inhabitants of the island, who developed it from its crude state into the instrument of today. The earliest players found music at hand in the melodies of hymns that were sung by missionaries, and in much of the real
Hawaiian music traces of the strains of old sacred selections can be heard.
Who does not know and like “
Aloha Oe,” the song written by the late queen of Hawaii,
Liliuokalani? It has an appeal that will never die. It might be called the “
Annie Laurie” and “
Home, Sweet Home” of that beautiful land. Most people are familiar with this melody, but there are scores of other Hawaiian melodies that hold the ear of the listener.
³ This is a British variant spelling of ‘
ukulele’.
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EDISON DANCE MUSIC
EDISON dance
Re-Creations are noteworthy for their
quality and
quantity. Their
playing time is longer than that of the talking machine records, and their tone quality is quite incomparable, while their variety of instrumental novelties is up to the popular demand for new and titillating “effects.”
Testimony as to the superiority of the New Edison dance
Re-Creations comes to us from time to time. Thus, not long ago, at a Style show, held in the State of Oregon, there was a friendly contest of phonograph dance music staged, wherein a fox trot and a waltz were rendered by competing makes of phonographs, after which a vote was taken. The New Edison won.
What do you seek in dance music? Is there anything that the Edison
Re-Creations cannot satisfy? If you want pep and jazz stimulus, there are Harry Raderman, the man who “made the
trombone laugh,” and his orchestra of live boys. This organization plays at one of the gaiest and most patronized of Long Island resorts. Likewise, there is Orlando’s Orchestra, which has become a prime favorite with dance epicures, because of its mastery of rhythm and perfect ensemble playing. If you want style and class in your dance music, both the Club de Vingt Orchestra, which plays for a select circle of society people at the Hotel Vanderbilt, New York, and Conrad’s Orchestra, which plays for the fashionable Newport set at the Casino there, will meet your exacting taste. If you want orchestras representative of Broadway cabarets of the highest type, you have at your command Lanin’s Orchestra,
Earl Fuller’s New York Orchestra, the Broadway Dance Orchestra and the Green Bros. Novelty Band. Then, too, are the popular old standbys, Max Fells’ Dell Robbia Orchestra and Lenzberg’s Riverside Orchestra, both of which are capable of wonderful volume, suavity of tone and pulse.
ORIGINATED by the Edison Psychological Research work, Mood Music is being talked about a great deal just now, and many of us have discovered that our emotional state may be changed through the subtle influence of music quite independent of our will. But from ancient times it has been known that dance tunes have the power to make us feel happy, that we undergo both mental and physical transformation under their spell, even if we do not trip the light, fantastic toe, and are content to dance in our minds only.
The superiority of the New Edison has been testified to by many teachers of æsthetic dancing, including Miss May Quilty, of Springfield, Mass., who said:
“I am delighted with the results that are possible when teaching my pupils to interpret the music I play on the New Edison Phonograph.
“Any person learning to dance will get along faster and the results will be more noticeable when the character of the music is all that it should be.
“My success with the New Edison in teaching æsthetic dancing has been highly satisfactory when I consider the results from a very critical viewpoint.
“The real reason for this success is due to the realism of the music I can get on the New Edison.”
