Weber Unika Piano & Violin Orchestrion plays four popular tunes of 1929

Here we have the Weber Unika (Piano and Violin Orchestrion) playing a roll No. 2131 featuring four popular tunes from the year 1929, including Singin' in the Rain and That's You, Baby.

Gebr. Weber (Weber Brothers) was founded in 1880 in Waldkirch, the Black Forest, Germany. They were a small company which made around two instruments a week, but the quality and workmanship, and particularly the musical qualities, are among the best ever made worldwide. The musical talents of Gustav Bruder contributed greatly to their success after he joined the company in 1913.

The Unika featured here was made in 1924 and comprises a piano, with expression, accompanied by a rank of violin organ pipes. These are no ordinary off-the-shelf violin pipes, but are meticulously and carefully voiced to sound as close to a real violin as possible - a feat which any organ builder will confirm is extremely difficult. The Unika was the Weber equivalent to the Hupfeld Phonoliszt Violina - that instrument had real violins but required frequent maintenance and tuning, whereas the Unika performs reliably and capably on all types of music.

The capabilities of the Unika include:

61 Playing Notes
Mandolin Attachment
Sustain Pedal
Half Blow (Soft) Bass
Half Blow (Soft0 Treble
Piano Pneumatic Regulator
Violin Pipes
Piano Treble Shutoff
Violin Vibrato
Swell Shutter
Shutoff
Rewind

Quite impressive from just a 66 hole trackerbar - the secret is in the use of a clever duplexing system which uses two simultaneous holes to perform a different function to either of the holes on their own.

The paper roll is 'read' by use of pressure, not the more common vacuum, using a set of pinch rollers and a weighty trackerbar metal roller, similar to that used in paper roll organs. The pinch rollers also pull the paper roll across the trackerbar, ensuring the speed of the roll remains unchanged throughout (the take-up spool has a friction clutch to allow for this).

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• weber
• unika
• maesto
• otero
• brabo
• grandezza
• orchestrion
• nickelodeon
• piano
• violin
• pipes
• roll
• pressure
• vacuum
• waldkirch
• black
• forest
• gustav
• bruder
• hupfeld

[nickn5nl]

@GDupons Thanks for the comment! Yes indeed the piano can be played normally, as it still a standard piano inside a much larger case. The keys do not move on most European piano orchestrions though, when playing a roll.

[nickn5nl]

@tgs1947 Thanks very much for your comment and sorry for my late reply having missed the fact there was a comment pending! I agree that they are very musical instruments indeed, and the word 'mechanical' could be easily overlooked in these Weber machines, the arrangements are so well done.

[GDupons]

Very nice instrument and tunes! Btw, is it stil possible to play the piano?

[tgs1947]

Personally, these WEBER machines were so musical they imitate a salon orchestra as do the larger Maesto. I feel so privileged to witness these videos. And the videos are VERY well done. Thank you!

[nickn5nl]

@petermackett37 Thanks Peter :) Gustav Bruder really knew how to get the most out of these fine instruments! I have it on good authority that the Amersham Unika is being/to be restored, I think as soon as St Albans Unika is finished. For now this one's the only playing example in the UK. I will have a Schlager Potpourri for you shortly on this, with interior views too.

[petermackett37]

They have this roll on the Unika in Amersham Organ Museum,sadly the instrument no longer plays and needs a lot of work to get it playing again!,this roll is arranged by Gustav Bruder. The second tune's original title is "Ich hab kein Auto,Ich hab kein Rittergut"