The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-19
MUSIC ron THE MILLIONS.
Organ Grinders Getting Themselves Ready for
the summer Campaign.

the summer Campaign.
Late in the fall tho grotesuue figure Of the
organ grinder disappears from the rural land
scape and the notes OF tho barrel organ are
heard no more for n season. As tho voiceful
robin betakes himself TO the SOUTH so does tho
tuneful organ grinder hie himself to the city.
With the robins he returns but, unlike his
feathered companion in song. he brinRs now
melodies. The requirement Of n fresh set Of
tunes is n matter OF great importance TO the ro-
tary musician and to this work he turns his at
tentlon during tho winter. 1t is easier to pro-
pare the programme Of grand concert before
a Boston audience than to select the ten pieces
with which the ordinary barrel organ s loaded.
The burden Of ts song must be composed Of
popular airs the words ~ well ns tho notes OF
which are familiar to tho multitude. Then
there must be waltz or something lively, and
AZ least one OF the old and popular Irish meo-
dies. selection from the music OF the sea-
sons most attractive thlng In opera boune IL
sometimes thrown in. Tho necessity OF playing
airs with words familiar to the public ear IL IL
Illustrated by the experience OF two pieces on
Pcricholc," and MY Johanna. y from the re-
pertory Of Harrigan and Hart. Tho air Of tho
but the words as originally written were beyond
the reach OF tho multitude. and each OF the sew
era translatlpns vas TO awkward 70 b9 OF use;
run-ao great that the organ grinder who
should have the hardihood to venture into the
country WIN III tle coming season WOnlu Dc IN
danger Of receiving treatment more discourage
ing than that OF the hero whom they were wont
70 throw out into the hallway or stow away on
the refrigerator Sunday nights, when the pnrlOr
CHANGED to bo occupied Hence tho necessity Of
starting out with new set Of pieces at tho be-
One Of the few places in this country where
hand Organs are made to play new tunes ie
RSa'q Ny c6&G" e MnrI
Ann" and Baby Mine" are to be the leading
hand organ pieces the coming season. Each
TO utilizing the capabilities Of the instrument.
the same as pieces are arranged for the piano.
the violin. or any other instrument. IL IL con-
a lently expected that the effect Of the tick.
tck-tick tick" and tho bar illustrative OF the
sudden and unaccountnble stoppagc OF the an
p6sscssor. viii be very fine. Ny Mary Ann"
will be entirely new TO the hand organ. and.
with the Introduction Of sort OF running nc
compartment To act Ms lubrcator TO the Ierky
movement OF the air. cannot lail 70 please the
multitude. When the reporter called To- obtain
and Wien i is Flushed i is to go into Tie coun.
sung the praises Of the publ C instructor who ~
not only darling; but 4, daisy, a dumping and
as now this side Of the Rocky Mountains. Last
season i was set in the barrels Of hand organs
in SAN Francisco and was brought some dis
lance this way 10y the miustrcls OF tho crank. 1t
had great run. aud nearly every organ taken
out the coming spring will play 1t. The Island
also 10 be played; but it is too much 70 expect
that this piece will communicate with n re-
sponsive chord through the diaphragm OF the
rural or suburban ear.
1t Is seldom that u piece Is produced which
has all the requisites necessary TO 4 great run
on the hand organ. The only infaible criteri.
on Is an R'tual test The Sweet By-and-By"
had a remarkable run. and. still earlier.
wearing Of IL" Green was played by every
hand organ. 10 the intense satisfaction OF listen
ing mutitudcs. As rule. other things being
equal those pieces ia which tho music and the
words are best fitted To each Qther-pirces In
which tue instrument talks the plainest-are
the ones HAT have the most extensive runs.
In the shop in Chatham square "A number OF
hand organs and crank pianos were seen in va
riouH stages of ,lis memhermrnt preparatory TO
being put in order for the approaching season.
The barrels are removed. the Degs extracted.
and the outside Of the barrels planed on thun
strips Of wood are glued to the Darrell and II il
put In a lathe mud turned down to its former
size. The pegs are then put in at proper inter-
vals by the peculiar method that has been 50 frc-
quently described.