Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info

End-of-Year Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > August 1997 > 1997.08.24 > 05Prev  Next


Makers of Themodist/Solodant Player Actions
By Colin Hinz

Julian Dyer wrote:

> What companies made pianos with themodist-type actions - that is to
> say, actions which use 'snakebite' marginal perforations to activate an
> expression mechanism to subdue the music's accompaniment and bring out
> the theme? I use the term themodist in a generic sense, rather than
> Themodist as the Aeolian trade name.

My Karn player is a Themodist, although labelled "Solodant" on account
of the trade name issue.  It was made in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada in
ca.1916. The fallboard proudly proclaims a corporate existence in London,
England, although in reality this was a branch sales office!  The pianos
were really made in Woodstock and Toronto.

Much of the actual action components were made by the Otto Higel company,
headquartered in Toronto, with manufacturing facilities somewhere in NY
state, and possibly something or another going on in the UK somewhere..

Colin Hinz * ASFi Music Works * asfi@interlog.com * (416) 516-8686 *


(Message sent Sun 24 Aug 1997, 06:33:05 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Actions, Makers, Player, Themodist/Solodant

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page