[ In last night's Digest 970528 I asked Nancy, "What _is_ a
 [ musical box?" and inquired about the scope of the term.   -- Robbie

Yes, Robbie, player zithers are considered mechanical music -- nobody
would argue with that!  Banjo & harp definitely qualify as automatic
music.

I use the term 'musical box' to infer a _disc_ or _cylinder_ box -- I
think most of us do.  You don't usually hear a piano, band organ, or
orchestrion referred to as a music(al) box.

The question, 'What is a Musical Box', has come up for heated discussion
about every five years in the MBSI.  I'm not going to attempt to 'define'
it, but will defend my last letter by just saying that all the piano
inquiries are great, but of little interest to those who like _disc_ and
_cylinder_ boxes, you know, the stuff _without_ the pneumatics!  (Yes, I
know someone will bring up that there were cylinder boxes with organ
sections built in!)

I see lots of info being exchanged, sources supplied, and personal
opinions/experiences offered on MMD -- it's _great_!  But -- I'd just
like to hear from more of the Disc & Cylinder box people!    Oh ... maybe
we don't hear much from them because you can't really modify a music box
the way you can a piano...

Just to keep the piano people from writing me nasty letters -- I do own a
Knabe Ampico A and enjoy it very much!  A different kind of sound to fit
different listening moods.

Keep up the great work!  Glad you got home safely!

Nancy Fratti
MusicBoxLady@Juno.com

 [ Thanks to Philippe Rouille and Hauke Marxsen I now have a very small
 [ collection of 'traditional' music boxes like you describe, Nancy, and
 [ I'm sure that visitors will recognize them as 'music boxes'. ... "Ah,
 [ what's in a name," complained Shakespeare !  :)  -- Robbie