I'd like to comment on Brian Smith's statements on the MMD
yesterday regarding the Mills Violano-Virtuoso and the Hupfeld
Phonoliszt-Violina.  While it's true that I have heard some
harsh-sounding Mills Violano-Virtuosos as well, I have also heard
some truly superb examples.

There are a lot of factors at work that contribute to the less than
spectacular performance of these machines.  One of course is the
lack of knowledge to produce a proper restoration.  Sadly, in some
instances, once the machine is just "making sound", they are left at
that with no further refinement or regulation given in the quality
of the music they produce.

Secondly, in many instances even a beautifully restored and
regulated machine is perhaps not properly maintained.  Third, the
violin, strings, and bow wheels certainly have a great deal to do
with the musical output of the Violano, which can be quite excellent,
especially considering the mechanical challenges and limitations one
is faced with in designing a compact violin-playing mechanism.

Lastly, the roll arrangements contribute greatly to the sound of all
Violanos.  A couple of very musically enjoyable Violanos on public
display were still being heavily played into the 1970's with their
original bow wheels, and needed only periodic light maintenance.

A Violano-Virtuoso is not supposed to screech.  Perhaps Brian just
hasn't found a nice one yet, but they are certainly out there.  I have
certainly heard several examples that were really great.  We have to
remember to appreciate the sound of the Violano (as well as all
mechanical musical instruments) for what they are -- a mechanical
device designed to make good, listenable music.

How many Violanos do you think would have been sold if they had
produced a horrific, screeching, cacophony of noise when they were new?
My fairly uneducated guess would be less than a hundred.  Amazingly,
the Violano mechanism in various designs was produced over a span of
almost 25 years.  That has to say something about the original sound
that these machines produced!

Vintage mechanical musical instruments will not and can not sound
exactly human.  A Violano is unique in the world of mechanical music
for many reasons.  It is a novelty act first, and then a musical
instrument.  Above all else they were made to make money.

They can be made to sound very good, but it's highly unlikely you'd
ever mistake that the music is being played by humans.  You'll never
turn your back on a 44-note Peerless or North Tonawanda Pianolin and
think they're Horowitz either, but that doesn't detract from the lively
ragtime music at which they excel.

While we're on the topic of the Violano-Virtuoso, Let me take this
moment to say here that people who pronounce the name "Violano" as
"Veeolahno" bother me far more than a poorly regulated instrument does.
It's an "i"--the same as the first "i" in "violin."  I have never heard
of an instrument called a "veeolin."  The "boys" at Mills Novelty would
have never said "Veeolahno" either.  It's a violin + piano = "Violanno"
with a flat Chicago "a" and the accent on the third syllable.  There's
no "ah" sound in it.

I would now like to address Brian's comments about the Hupfeld
Phonoliszt-Violina (the name "Phonoliszt" contains a "z", even though
it is silent).  Brian said that he felt that the Phonoliszt-Violina
"sounds OK".  That is an interesting comment to make, as this is the
only mechanical musical instrument which offers more than just piano
that even nearly approaches the concept of sounding human.  To say that
this machine is only "sometimes impressive" is disconcerting.  It leads
me to wonder which machines he has heard and under what conditions.

Properly restored, tuned, and regulated, the Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violina
is one of the most realistic sounding vintage mechanical musical
instruments ever created.  It really doesn't get any better than that.

John D. Rutoskey
Baltimore, Maryland