The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-03
HERR ANTON SElDI.
HIS COMMENDA TION OF THE y,o,y,x
A Wonderfii Musical instrument as lie.
scribed In Tho Euoch


The pioneer OF tho many automatic devices
Tor producing good music of infinite variety tx
unquestionably the Eolian. an instrument
which has been 50 improved and perfected
that 1t obtained the commentator Of so cpi.
.nent q Judge rs Anton Scidl. the foremost nr.
chestral leader OF this country. Ii is NOT mora
than ten years ago that all automatic inst,u.
ments OF this type were regarded simrly IA
toys Tho principle is an old ono. but ltsnn
plication. as tho history and success of tha
Eolian has proved. was capable VI vast i'm,
provement As in the case of the ,ypcwrii,r
II was years after the automatic musical dn.
vices which formed tho germ Of the !TnIin,
were In use that an instrument was produc,d
which could stand the test of serious criticism
Prominent business men without number. moi
longer than fifteen years ago. declared that
the typewriter would never be anything more
than toy. and that they had not time f.,
waste over such nonsense. To-day tho snm,
men declare that they have no time tn wns,a
over pom.
Tho very people who few years ago de-
clarcd that an automatic organ or piano could
never be anything but n toy-the serious mu.
sicians-nre quite ready now to admit that IL
fills an important place OF it's own rud ILLS it
we'll. To borrow another parallel from type.
writer history. the moment practical. CONNER.
cial success came into view hosts OF imitators
entered tho field. There are now no fewer
than forty-two different kinds OF typowrtcrs
made In this country. and several moro in Eu.
rope 1t will not BIO many years before w.
have dozens of automatic pianos and organs
bidding against ench other for public favor
Nothing succeeds or invites competition likL
SUCCESS.
In the mean time the pioneers In tho field and
1uh hac atnJ 4;
money. and ingenuity to the task OF producin:
perfect instrument OF this type. is tho
Eolian Company. The advantages ofreredby
the Eolian arc evident Mt n glance to any ons
who takes the trouble to listen to it In tho
warerooms Mt IL West Twenty-thrd street,
whore 1t may BIO heard at any time To begin
with. its library. that is to say tho music which
can be bought for 1t. comprises now nearly
5000 pieces OF every phonies,
sonatas. overtures songs. dance music. hymns,
and even whole church services. The moment
tie makers Of tho .Eolian reached the point
when they could play simple waltz with good
tone and musical effect tho whole Geld Of
music was open to them. To play difficult
sonata on the Eolian. one which would require
months of study and practice hy even IN ac.
complished pianist requires no more skill
than tho simplest hymn: YOU pull the
stop and the Eolian does the rest, And
yet the playing Of the Eolian is net tho
soulless work OF music box; the player can
really guide the music OF the .Eollan as II Lead
err conducts an orchestra. and can give infinite
expression by changing the time. the power.
and tho use OF different combinations OF stops.
Not only docs tho Eolian provide pleasant
music Of any description. but 1t will certainly
make unnecessary the endless and dstractirg
practice Of beginners upon the organ nnd
piano. A good organ or piano costs as much
as an Eolian. and. as only one In q THOUSAND
amateur musicians will ever be able to equal
upon an ordinary organ the performance OF
the Eolian it is pretty certain that In the good
times to como ordinary people will no moro
think OF playing their own music than OF writ
ing their own books. Life is too short. There
is no telling how far-reachng tho .Eolian may
prove to be as an instructor in music Pcon!s
everywhere-even in the smallest hamlet on
the praire-will be able to hear tho same
music that only tho jewellers in big cities. and
the rich dwellers at that. are able to enjoy