A last trip to see
Harvey Roehl page 2
The highlight
of the trip for me was the American Photoplayer that
holds court all the way down one side wall of the music
room--almost as long as a Semi.. Harvey played it
exceptionally well for us. With a box on each end
of the piano it would not all fit into the
photo.

He was happy
to show us inside. First the Bass box showing the
Bass Drum, Tom Tom, Jingle bells and the bass
pipes.


Then the
Treble end box with the solo pipes in the swell
box.

and above that
were the other sound effects. The Klaxon horn
(OOO-GAH horn), the Cymbal, tambourine. The wedge
shaped bellows is a boat or train whistle. and the black
thing with tacks around the edges is the pistol
crack. It was like a leather covered
slapstick.

There was then
a trip to the basement where the automatic harp sits
along with several other nickelodeons and this lovely
Wurlitzer fairground organ.

I really
appreciate Harvey and Marion letting us visit their
music room. They were both such lovely
people. I put up this
page as a memorial to the life of a man and woman who,
together brought many people into the world of automatic
music through the publications of the Vestal Press which
may be found in most libraries in this country and around
the world.
|