Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-06-24
Hand Organ Music.

"The popular taste just now seeems to
run more to light and comic than TO serious
and sentimental music, said Mr.. Taylor,
Americas only hand-organ maker, pressing
down the ashes in his pipe bowl and medi-
tatIvely giving a twist to the nearest crank,
which brought forth protesting yowl from
the instrument. "But, of course, " he con-
tinued, "when they get their musical car
goes by the hand-organ line, they have to
take them mixed We put up the tunes IN
assorted lots, as you may say. For spring
styles just now, the principal choice seem
to be selections from the pirates of Pen
zance, Ed. Harrigan's airs, The Pitcher of
Beer and The Jumping jack" airs from
'Fatinitiza- and "A variety of jigs, reels and
waltzes. What are we doing from the
'Pirates?' Well, the opening chorus, the
second chorus from the policemen, and the
aria of the Generals daughter. Published2
Well, believe some of the Pirates music
is published, but Pm not certain. 1t isn't
necessary for us to wait until music is
printed TO get it on our cylinders. can
listen to piece of music once and write it
out afterward correctly, without 1t is terri
bly, complicated. But the Pirate is weak,
viewed from the hand-organ standpoint. 1t
lacks taking airs, melodies such as 'Pina-
fore was rich in, things that everybody
gets to know and that the children sing.
We had great rush on 'PinafOre' airs last
season, but now they are never called for.
| only make organ barrels, or cylinders, to
order, and the person ordering picks out for
himself the tunes he wants put on; so there
is no regularity about the arrangement, and
no two are alike. AS | said the demand
this year is lively for music more than ever
before, but still there are some serious tunes
that hang on well. Silver Threads Among
the Gold is one of them, and the Sweet
BY and By will always be good in the
West and through Connecticut. Some of
Moody and Sankey's tunes are good to have
in working the rural districts particularly
the sort of lively ones, such as Where is
My Boy No-night2' and Hold the Fort is
a good, steady standby. An operate air,
one from some old, good, standard opera is
always well to throw in.
"Negro minstrel airs are very seldom
called for now. That sort of music seems
to have in great measure died out, and it's
pity, for some Of the sweetest purely
American music was written for the burnt
cork brethren. | have good deal TO do
putting in old country songs, German and
Italian, generally, that people come and
whistle or sing to me for the purpose of
getting them set up. But the popular fav-
orites, you may say, for the coming season,
those which you will hear on more organs
than any others, will be the Jumping
Jack and Pitcher of Beer mo don't
make a great many instruments. | can
turn out about two week, if ] want to,
but the demand is limited and n os, of my
work is in repairing and making new CYL
lnders. 4 cylinder with eight or nine
tunes for hand organs cost from $32 TO $40,
and for parlor and JsisAfsshow organs from
$33 10 500, according to size. The score
of instruments you see about you all belong
to individual owners who are having some
thing done to them. The large ones come
from the carousel sat Jones Woods, Coney
Island and soGe other places of summer
resort. | don't hire out any organs, but
there is an Italian on Baxter street who
rents out dozen or more during the sea-
son. / never tried that, but l did try once
selling hand organs on the installment
plan. 1t didn't pay. Organs are too light
and handy to get away with"