Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-14
The Musical World
By Genevra Johnstone- BlshoT

carly III Ine morning 10 see tne Wolh
started, crowd made up of those with
faces wreathed in smiles over the pros
pect of tremendous new musical en-
terprise in Philadelphia, and some hum
dred odd laborers seeking work, ready
armed with pick and shovel. Arthur
Hammerstein, son of Oscar, who Will
have charge of the building, started
the work by beginning to tear down the
old mansion that stands on the site.
AS he loosened the first brick he broke
a bottle Of champagne on the spot amid
great cheers from the crowd, as 1t was
realized that the project was really un-
der way. After this simple ceremony
workmen at once began the destruction
of the old house. How much this work
may mean to the musical work and
standing of this city it would indeed be
hard to estimate.
Josef Sucher, formerly famous Wag-
ner leader and twelve years conductor
at the Berlin Royal opera, died in that
city last week.
Theodore Spiering will tour America
next season. After an absence of four
years from his native land, the cele-
brated violinist will again visit Canada
and the United States. Mr.. Spiering Is
now permanent resident of Berlin and
has had great success abroad.
q
The Courier says that we are to hear
Tetrazzini's top notes for at least five
years to come. Before going abroad
she signed a contract with Hammer
stein for that length of time.
People make a great mistake in think
ing for a moment that the Chicago Or
chestra that is touring the west is the
Thomas orchestra. Far from it! 1t is
really the Rosenbecker orchestra. They
will not be heard in Los Angeles this
season, but the Damrosch orchestra
will be here early in May.
The English Lutheran choir of thirty
five voices will render Stainer's Cru
cifixion" Wednesday evening at s
o'clock, assisted by ]. P. Dupuy, tenor,
and Robert M. Granger, baritone. Miss
Edytha Marchant is the director.
-T<-
Out On South Central avenue a mu-
steal marvel in the shape of an cleo
trical instrument has just been finished.
Original in construction, in tone mech
anlsm, with nothing squeaky or imper-
feet in vibration, new electrical or
chestra has been constructed which will
reproduce the united efforts of 271 mu-
cicians.
The devices used to produce the in
ternal vibrations in this most wonderful
of Urchestrions are all in harmony with
the law Of acoustics, the air being
taken in, instead of expelled, through a
series of properly arranged apertures,
mingled in qualifying chambers, then
reacting between two lifts and pro-
ducing the finest quality in its process
of tone construction.
Following this the tone is secondarily
reproduced through larger apertures,
and thence forth out into the atmos-
phere, guided by properly propor-
toned bell made of Prosphor- bronze.
This construction deviates entirely
from tone produced by reeds or pipes,
making it impossible for either parts
of the instrument to get out of tune.
The external construction is in sylnpa-
thy with the internal, in connection
with the vibration produced by the pri-
mary apertures, being accepted by a
properly proportioned sounding board,
which is connected with the case con-
Struction. The phrasing, emphasis and
shading in tone are brought about
with transparent automatically manlp-
ulated afflation blind or shutter, thus
producing extreme fortissimo, mezzo-
forte and pianissimo effects.
The pneumatic system which is used
Is entirely different and is positively
compensating, requiring no adjustment,
each valve being made of phosphor-
bronze, balanced and placed in metal
guides, assuring long endurance and
positive execution.
The orchestra bells are original in
their manipulation, producing the trem-
ulo effect instead of single stroke. The
case construction and design is also
original, being properly graduated and
arranged to produce sonorous qualities
with the internal vibration, and with
this exception is the same to the mu-
steal productions that the violin forte Is
to its primary, the violin string.
The instrument is entirely automatic,
controlling the expression and execut-
ing the instrumental combinations ana
orchestra traps while playing a con-
secutive repertoire from three to fiVe
hours.
There is no adjustment in the entire
construction, consisting of over $4,000
pieces, each part being compensating,
thus assuring no trouble commonly
arising in other compensating instru-
ments.
The material used has been carefully
selected relative to wearing qualities
and resistance; the bellows or generat-
ors are made of Arabian goatskin IN
stead of the usual rubber or sheepskin;
the pneumatic and primary systems are
constructed of morocco instead of rub
ber, as commonly used in all mechanl-
cal Instruments The woods used are
thoroughly seasoned California white
cedar and sugar pine, these being the
best woods for tone productions.
The controller which manipulates the
master roll of music is made of phos-
phor-bronze, and all metal parts are
heavily nickeled. In addition to the
tone production and adding much to
the beauty of the case, and in harmony
with the playing, are series Of cleo
trica1 appliances connected and manip-
ulated with each note in the combined
orchestra enabling anyone to carry the
melody in connection with the tone
manipulation by simply watching the
color produced during the duration or
the note by the twinkling of small
exposed incandescent light, producing
a bewildering effect which adds to the
harmonious whole.
This is a very imperfect description
of one of the most wonderful of up-to-
date musical Instruments, which VIII
be shown to the public for the hrst
time at Simpson auditorium on Thurs-
day evening, April l6. In c0nnection
with a two hours program of complete
Instrumentation, "The Holy City ana
other numbers will be sung by capa-
BILE quartet, with symphony accompanl-
ment This instrument should be seen
ard hdard +o he thoroughly appreciated