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
MMD > Archives > December 2001 > 2001.12.10 > 03Prev  Next


Mechanical Musical Instruments of Russia
By Will Herzog

Karl Ellison asked:

> So -- did Russia and the states of the former USSR ever
>  manufacture player pianos, orchestrions, anything?

> Many European countries can boast the invention or manufacture of
> a major automatic instrument, but I've yet to read of any Russian
> mechanical instruments, other than their clocks and eggs that are
> essentially small music boxes.

Those eggs were not made in Russia; they were made by Faberge and
sold on commission.

> The Estonia Piano Co. (on the Baltic Sea) I wouldn't think count
> as Russian, and I doubt they made players.  Their pianos exhibit
> a "unique sound which comes from the superior spruce timber that
> grows only in extremely cold areas".

That "Sitka Spruce" wood is used in the balalaika and many other
instruments for the sounding board.  It is quarter sawed, and
book-matched for such use.  I often wonder about the fact that there
is a city in Alaska called Sitka.

Here in the U.S.A., Russian-made guslis, balalaikas and domras are
played by at least 300 members of the Balalaika and Domra Association
of America (BDAA).  The other 300 members play instruments built in
USA.  Ours are now as good as theirs.

Will Herzog
Rochester, New York


(Message sent Mon 10 Dec 2001, 05:35:33 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Instruments, Mechanical, Musical, Russia

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