History of the Musical Box and of Mechanical Music

Few books have been devoted to the field of mechanical music, yet among the many innovations of the 19th century, few have had a greater impact on how Americans were entertained, especially in the home. This book, originally published in French, examines the industry from the Alps of Switzerland, birthplace of the cylinder box, to the shores of the United States, where the disc music box reigned supreme until the advent of the phonograph. From a scholarly yet compact introduction to the production of sound, the author leads the reader in easy stages through the development of the carillon & of mechanical organs to musical clocks, barrel organs, fair organs & orchestrions. The detail provided on the dozens of instruments cited is impressive & noteworthy. Some of the topics include: Considerations on the Production of Sound & its Characteristics; Mechanical Carillons; the Beginnings of Mechanical Music; Musical Clocks; Mechanical Pianos & Violins; Invention of the Comb-playing Mechanism; Early Music Boxes; Principal Musical Movements; Disc Musical Boxes. Alfred Chapuis, 1880-1958, is considered yet today the foremost authority in the fields of horology & mechanical music. This is his masterpiece contribution & will forever remain the quintessential reference book in the field.Chapuis, Alfred is the author of 'History of the Musical Box and of Mechanical Music', published 1992 under ISBN 9780915000012 and ISBN 0915000016.