Many of the orchestrian manufacturers strove to build machines which would reproduce the sound of the violin. A number of popular instruments used string-toned organ pipes hidden inside the casework but only two successful machines actually played real violins.
The Violano-Virtuoso was developed by the Mills Novelty Company of Chicago and was first sold, in its original form, in 1905-6. It was unusual among automatic instruments in that it did not employ a pneumatic mechanism, and all the moving parts were set in motion either by electric motors, or by electromagnets. The whole machine operated on 110 volts DC and started by dropping a coin into the slot.
The music roll contained five 'hit' tunes of the day, and although individual tunes could not be selected, everything else took place automatically - even the tuning of the violin strings! They were remarkably trouble free and even now require very little maintenance.
The violin, on which all four strings can be played simultaneously, was accompanied by a 44-note piano.
The Phonlizst-Violina was developed by the Hupfeld company of Leipzig and when it first appeared in 1908, it caused a sensation! It was quite different in concept to its American counterpart both in appearance, and in its pneumatic mechanism.
A full-compass piano was available to accompany the three violins which were hinged vertically in the top part of the cabinet.
A 'bow' of genuine horsehair, is mounted in a circular frame. In order to maintain the necessary expression on the violins, the speed of the bow, and the pressure could be constantly varied.
The Phonliszt-Violina, was more realistic in sound than the Violano-Virtuoso, but was much more complicated and prone to breakdown. Many of them were dismantled when they no longer functioned correctly and the pianos were then used for hand playing in the conventional manner. Very few complete Phonoliszt-Violinas survive.
Click Short film of the Hupfeld Phonolizt-Virtuoso in action. (MPG File 10.5MB)
Click Electric Girl to download and hear a clip of this instrument in action (MP3 File 105KB)
Clip used with permission from Terry Hathaway.
