The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

The Phonoscope (Copyrighted, 1896) A Monthly Journal Devoted to Scientific and Amusement Inventions Appertaining to Sound and Sight Vol. II. NEW YORK, SEPTEnBER, 1898 No. 9 "Zhe phonoscope" (Solb flliebal Hwarbeb to jfvebenck XHflL Ibaoer The contest for the gold medal which was offered by "The Phonoscope" to the artist making the most creditable violin record was held at the Pittsburgh Exposition, under the auspices of the Stieren Home and Commercial Phonograph Company on Tuesday, September 30. After a thorough and impartial test the five judges, consisting of three members of Sousa's Band and two prominent record-makers of Pittsburgh, awarded Mr. Frederick W. Hager, of New York City, the medal offered by "The Phonoscope." In the opinion of the judges his rendering of the selection "Traumerie" surpassed the efforts of the other contestants. Mr. Douglass Bingham, of Pittsburgh, Pa., followed a close second. The balance of the records were, however, extremely praiseworthy and deserving of special mention. In order to secure impartiality the records of all contestants were reproduced alternately J the machines so adjusted that the announcement was withheld from the judges who were thereby constrained to judge solely on the merit of the record. We have previously published Mr. Hager's biography in one of our earlier issues. We deem it proper to also call attention to the parties who so successfully took the record of Mr. Hager's efforts — Mr. John Kaiser and Mr. Henry J. Hagen, of the firm of Harms, Kaiser & Hagen, who deserve great credit. Mr. Henry J. Hagen entered the phonograph business in its early days, when it was but in its experimental stage, in the year 1888. He was employed in the Edison Laboratory in 1890. He took charge of the record-making department of the New York Phonograph Company, then on Fifth Avenue, near Eighteenth Street. The firm later consolidated with the North American Company and Mr. Hagen was placed in their record department and was chief record-maker up to the time of their assignment. He then became a member of the firm who purchased their record plant and continued in the same capacity until the record-making firm called The Phonograph Record and Supply Company entered the field in Reade Street in 1897 and was a member of this firm up to its insolvency the following year, when he took charge of the laboratory of the United States Phonograph Company of Newark, N. J., until May, 1898, when he again entered into the original record business with Mr. John Kaiser and The T. B. Harms Publishing Company and formed the present concern of Harms, Kaiser & Hagen. His entire time and interest was spent in taking records for the various firms from his entrance in the field, making ten years in all, and his prominence was due to his earnest and progressive methods, always leading with excellent results. Mr. John Kaiser's first appearance was in 1891, when he was employed in the New York Phonograph Company. He at first shaved cylinders, but, being a thorough mechanic, he won the attention of Mr. Hagen and was made his assistant the following year, and followed in this capacity along with Mr. Hagen after the time of the Phonograph Record and Supply Company's departure, when he introduced the horn known as the "Kaiser Horn," and became connected with Lieutenant Bettini and the Judge Publishing Company, where he conducted the record department and also enlarged the horn business and brought it into prominence. In May of 1898 he and Mr. Hagen once more united as partners in making records, and it resulted in the formation of the present concern known as the firm of Harms, Kaiser & Hagen and once more the two are interested in the interesting capacity of record-makers, and their hard labors are being rewarded by magnificent results. Following is a statement made by the Judges: Pittsburgh Exposition, October 1, 1898. Exhibit of the Stieren Home and Commercial Phonograph Company: We, the undersigned judges, award the gold medal to Mr. Frederick W. Hager; his violin solo "Traumerie" proving the best record of the fourteen entered. Tone, volume and execution were duly considered. The average of the other contest records were surprisingly good and speaks well for the five other artists who entered the contest. Signed. TH. W. GUENTHER, JOHN GERNERT, J. S. DUSS,. ' ■ M. K. MOSELEY, F. F. HOWE, [The Phonoscope wishes to extend its sincere thanks to the Stieren Home and Commercial Phonograph Company for the time, trouble and expense which they have exercised in carrying out and successfully terminating this interesting contest. We wish also to gratefully acknowledge the assistance rendered by Messrs. Th. W. Guenther, John Gernert, J. S. Duss, H. K. Moseley and F. F. Howe who acted as judges.] FREDERICK W. HAGER