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VOLUME 43, NUMBER 1 • SPRING 2019 NMM WEBSITE • NMMUSD.ORG

National Music Museum

NewsletterVERMILLION, SOUTH DAKOTA

University of South Dakota

Visit the NMM Online at eMuseumAs our mission statement asserts, the National Music Museum exists to “explore, enjoy and preserve the world of musical instruments.” Even though the NMM’s doors are tempo-rarily closed, our mission, in the In-ternet age, can still be met. Anyone with a computer or smartphone can engage with NMM’s collections us-ing eMuseum. Obviously, eMuseum does not replace the physical expe-rience of the museum, and our entire collection is not yet accessible, but it is a great supplement – both for the general public and researchers.

eMuseum software allows over 200 museums and similar institutions to share their collec-tions via the Web, according to NMM Deputy Director Rodger Kelly. “You can look for instruments that were made in a specific country, in a specific range of years, and much more. Users can also create their own accounts on eMuseum, allowing them to save their favorite objects in My Collections. And they can share these favorites on social media!”

Three years ago, thinking ahead to the Museum’s physical metamorpho-sis, the NMM sought and received a Core Collections Digital Access Enhancement Initiative grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which provided the funding that made the adoption of eMuseum possible.

The initial focus of the eMuseum project has been to catalog, pho-tograph and provide digital access to two subsets of the NMM’s collec-tions: the NMM’s founding collection (that is, the instruments collected by Arne B. Larson and officially donated the museum in 1979) and all NMM instruments made before 1800. “Over the past couple years,’ says Kelly, “we’ve essentially had an assembly line at the NMM where 3,140 instruments were retrieved from display or storage, photo-graphed, cataloged, and returned to display or storage. During that time, 10,355 images – including multiple

views of many of the instruments – were taken.”

Given that the NMM has some 15,000 musical instruments as well as thousands of artifacts in the ar-chives, this is not a complete reveal of the collection. Consider it instead a virtual journey through some of the vaults – learning about many things here that have never been on display and accessing more in-depth information on items that will be on public view. NMM objects will be continually added to eMuseum database, so there will always be more for you to explore.

Click https://emuseum.nmmusd.org to see NMM instruments made before 1800, as well as instruments that are part of the Arne B. Larson Founding Collection. More to come in the future!

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The NMM’s challenge: How to stay ‘open’ – sharing the collection and maintaining critical visibility --when the museum building is closed for expansion? In 2019, there are great ‘real’ and virtual solutions: exhibit loans to other museums (“Trumpets Weird and Wonderful” at the Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ, through March); NMM Live! concerts off-site with live streaming-video of the shows recorded for later replay; eMuseum online [see cover story], Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and oth-er social media posts; newsletters, and this: NMM ‘pop-up’ displays each featuring one or a few NMM instruments, placed and rotated around various Siouxland venues. Think of each as a mobile micro-mu-seum.

The first NMM Pop-Up Museum was installed in September in Vermillion’s new McVicker Plaza (2 E. Main), near the Vermillion Chamber and Development Company offices and USD’s Charlie’s store, which offers

also NMM merchandise. This Pop-Up exhibit features a ‘pop’ symbol: the NMM’s 2005 Ibañez electric guitar autographed by rocker Steve Miller, The Beach Boys Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, and Creed-ence Clearwater Revival’s Stu Cook and Doug Clifford.

The University of South Dakota’s Wagner Alumni Center, home to the USD Foundation, is another NMM Pop-Up site. Go there to see a ca. 1902 double-bell euphonium, by C.G. Conn, of Elkhart, Indiana. This is the Wonder model, first produced in 1890 and endorsed by Simone Mantia, a euphonium soloist with Sousa’s Concert Band. Fittingly, this displayed instrument was played in the University of South Dakota Cadet Band by alumnus Andrew Lider Anderson, Class of 1903. Vermillion’s City Hall is the site of the NMM’s whimsical “Flabongo.” Made by Wisconsin metal-artist Bill “Bee” Reid, this art piece incorporates a bongo drum in the body of a flamin-

NMM Without Walls

NMM staff were assisted in their installation of Mandrell guitar-crutch pop-up display at Sanford medical center by George Hanson, precocious son of Susan and Tim Hanson of Vermillion.

go. The bird’s wing can be plucked like a thumb piano.

The NMM Pop-Up in the atrium of Sanford Vermillion Medical Center features one of the more unusual instruments in the NMM’s collec-tions: country-music star Barbara Mandrell’s “crutch guitar.” This fully operable crutch and electric lap-steel guitar by Semie Moseley (Jonas Ridge, North Carolina, 1984) was custom built for Mandrell after her serious 1984 car crash. Mose-ley’s gift lifted her spirits and her body during her long 18 months of recovery. 

Themed as an homage to music as language, NMM’s Pop-up at the er-million Public Library contains some very ‘novel’ NMM objects: a Hohner Marine Band-model harmonica in A-flat, signed by songwriting giant

and winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature Bob Dylan; a Depres-sion-era cigarbox fiddle, made for a W.P.A. school project in 1935, and the “bibliolin,” a violin made from a book, by Wisconsin instrument-artist Hal Rammel. 

The farthest Pop-Up from the NMM mothership is in the lobby of Law-rence and Schiller in Sioux Falls. L&S company-president Scott Lawrence offered the busy lobby as a secure but high-traffic visual location. This display showcases the NMM’s Frisco Artist “Tait” Model Trombone in B-flat by C.G. Conn Ltd., Elkhart, Indiana, ca. 1926. (See pg. 5)

These Pop-Ups will eventually rotate to other venues as the NMM build-ing-expansion project progresses.

Ibañez electric guitarConn double-bell euphonium

Reid ‘Flabongo’

NMM’s Dr. Debbie Reeves installing Pop-Up Museum at the Edith B. Siegrist Vermillion Public LibraryFrisco Artist “Tait” Model Trombone

Maccaferri ukulele

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“This is no mere factory, this is a jewelry shop,”

proclaimed the prominent French

manufacturer Amédée Couesnon, after touring

the Conn’s facility in 1911.

It has been said that Charles Gerard Conn and Elkhart, Indiana, were once to musical-instrument manufacturing as Henry Ford and Detroit were to the early auto industry. C. G. Conn (1844-1931) founded his company in 1874, produc-ing America’s best professional line of band instruments at the turn of the 20th century. Despite turning out products on a mass scale, Conn also had an international reputation for the fine artistic finish of his instruments. As the Conn company proclaimed in their March 1886 publication of Trumpet Notes, “Noth-ing so elaborate was ever attempted in the manufacture of band instruments till Mr. Conn, feeling assured that the cornets made by him were worthy of a more elaborate ornamentation […] at once employed a number of the finest metal engravers that could be procured to embellish the work that was otherwise as near perfect as human skill could make it.”

Among Conn’s elite master engravers, Swedish-immigrant brothers Charles “Doc” Stenberg (1865-1958) and Julius V. Stenberg (1868-1954) were at the top of their profession. Doc recalled his apprenticeship to Conn’s first master engraver James Gardner (1842-1923): “The designs were done entirely free-hand. A complete design could be put on a horn by a good engraver in about a half day.” But — he said — “It took four to five years of conscientious practice first.”

And the younger Stenberg, Julius, who started working for Conn when he was only 19, would come to be considered as Conn’s finest master engraver, and indeed, the industry’s best. After 64 years of artistry on thousands of instru-ments, Julius retired at the age of 85 in 1952. (He was outlasted at the bench, however, by Doc, who logged 72 years.)

Conn “Tait” or “Frisco” Model trombone, ca. 1917-18

The “Tait” or “Frisco” Model” trombone, also marketed as the Artist Symphony Tenor model, was produced by the Conn company from roughly 1924 to 1930,

Conn master-engraver Julius Stenberg, photographed most likely in the late 1940s.

Conn company engraving department, Elkhart, Indiana, ca.1913

Recent Acquisitions

Image of the Conn factory as it was conceived when rebuilt after the devastating fire of May 1910. Widely used in Conn’s marketing, this image exaggerated the configu-ration of the factory, which was not as long as depicted. This is also the image that Julius Stenberg copied in his engraving of the factory on the back of Fred Tait’s trombone [NMM 15070].

and was designed originally for the renowned San Francisco Sympho-ny’s principal trombonistist Frederick Tait (1878-1957). Conn catalogs and ads noted that this professional mod-el was “exceedingly popular with symphonic and theatre trombonists” — particularly on the Pacific Coast.

The NMM’s newly acquired Conn tenor trombone in Bb (low pitch) is extraordinary not only for being an early Tait model, but for being the original Tait trombone presented by the company to the artist (ca. 1917-1918) — the model for the model — made for, played and owned throughout his lifetime by Fred Tait himself. Gold-plated and hand-bur-nished, its oxidized silver areas reveal the fine engraving details. The exquisite ornamentation — including a detailed image of the Conn Facto-ry itself and a lush American eagle — was done free hand by a master Julius Stenberg.

Fred Tait stopped playing profes-sionally in 1935. In 1952, he gave this particular instrument, along with a custom-made, Conn alto trombone (NMM 15069) to his 10-year-old neighbor Philip Fredinburg. Six-ty-six years later, this past fall, Philip Fredinburg donated these to the NMM after having them assessed by appraiser Claire Givens at the San Diego taping of the Antiques Road-show earlier in the year.

Conn Model 38H, Ballroom tenor trombone, 1926

Coincidentally, the NMM acquired another custom-engraved Conn trombone at about the same time as the Tait instrument last year. Gold plated and hand burnished over all with silver highlights in its extensive engraving, this trombone is a model 38H, Ballroom tenor, made ca. 1926. Unlike the Tait instrument, howev-er, the name of the original owner

Conn’s cutting edge Two highly engraved trombones

is unknown. Conn’s Americana is everywhere: The Statue of Liberty is engraved in silver on one side, while a frontiersman holding a Kentucky long rifle and wearing a coonskin cap and buckskin coat is engraved in silver on the reverse. Several silver-plated, five-petal flowers and ornate scrolling complete the en-graving that can be solidly attributed to Julius Stenberg, who, incidentally, was also an accomplished trombon-ist. Why were these two seemingly different images chosen for this instrument? Although it’s specula-tion—the Statue of Liberty may have been selected as a motif because 1926 was the 40th anniversary of its dedication and public opening in New York’s harbor. And what about the mysterious frontiersman? Per-haps it is Davy Crockett (1786-1836), whose 140th birthday, as well as the 90th anniversary of his death, would both have been observed in 1926.

The NMM also happens to preserve another Tait-model trombone in its collections. The gold-plated ca. 1926 ‘Frisco Artist’ 18H Tait-model trombone in B-flat. [NMM 5384] Telltale Stenberg embel-lishments are elaborately engraved on the front and sides of its bell: Four female figures representing Education, Justice, Progress, and Liberty. This trombone was formerly owned and played by Henry “Hank” Julius Cole, who performed with the Dorsey Brothers Band, Sammy Kaye, and Benny Goodman.

Want to see this in person?This trombone is currently on display as an NMM Pop-Up Museum at L&S in Sioux Falls! [See p. 3].Statue of Liberty and frontiersman engravings by Julius Stenberg,

on Conn Ballroom Tenor trombone.

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City of Vermillion commits $700,000 to NMM expansionOn February 10, 2019, during the “#LOVermillion” celebration at the USD men’s basketball game, Vermillion Mayor Jack Powell and City Council Vice President Kelsey Collier-Wise presented a check for $700,000 to representatives for the NMM — Uni-versity of South Dakota President Sheila Gestring, National Music Museum Board Chairman Scott Lawrence, and USD’s Dean of the College of Fine Arts Larry Schou.

The City will allocate $100,000 per year to the NMM over a seven-year period. The commitment will help the NMM to fill a gap in the Museum-expansion construction budget. City officials praised the NMM for drawing tourists and scholars and significant economic activity into the community.

The National Music Museum has recently received the following memorial gifts:

In honor of Vern Holter, Vermillion from Ron Johnson, Centerville; Rod-ger Kelly & Dennis Acrea, Vermillion; and Jo Wohlenberg, Yankton.

In honor of former NMM Board of Trustee, Marlowe Sigal, Newton Centre, MA, from Claire Givens & Andrew Dipper, Minneapolis, MN.

In honor of Claudia Goodrich, Ames, IA, who donated a three-quarter-size cello to the NMM in 1999. Her daughter writes: “The fact that you would accept the cello that was hand crafted by her father in 1934 made Mom very happy and relieved. She felt the workmanship was ap-preciated and that she found a good home for the cello.” From Karen Walters-Crammond, Ankeny, IA; Mark & Deborah Blaedel, Ames IA; Paul Lundy, Ames, IA; Dewey & Pat Behrens, Meriden IA; Tom & Carol Stockebrand, West Des Moines, IA; Steph Scherbart, Ames, IA; Gerri &

Sharon Dunn, Ft Dodge, IA; Chuck & Sylvia Terlouw, West Des Moines, IA; Bernice McIntosh, Marcus, IA; Gary & Elaine Snyder, Fergus Falls, MN; Rod Fischer, Ames, IA; Gayle Cad-wallader, Carlsbad, CA; Lee & Mary Walters, Maple Grove, MN.

In honor of Jerry Kurtz, Anchorage, AK, from James & Barbara Bun-ning, Sturgeon Bay, WI; Denise & David Bunning, Evanston, IL; Dr. John Kurtz, Bucrus, OH; Christinee Sitbon, Anchorage, AK.

In honor of David Flanders, Long-mont, CO, from Edy-Kay Ward, Longmont, CO; Anne Alia, Indianap-oils, IN; Lynette Moyer, Longmont, CO; Ron & Carol Biocic, Grand Junction, CO; Tom & Paula Bohnert, Louisville, KY; Margaret Malchow Sass, Berthod, CO; Andrew & Bar-bara Krause, Menomonie, WI; Chris & Vicki Meyer, Boulder, CO; David & Laura Fisher, Denver, CO; Barbara Brewster, Jeffersonville, IN.

In honor of Susan K. Vaughn from Frank & Sandi Baron, Sioux City, IA.

Thank you for naming the NMM in memorial requests

Upcoming Spring 2019 NMM Live! showsThe music lives! Even though the National Music Museum building is closed for architectural expansion and renovation (reopening in 2021), events like NMM Live! shows continue, held off site. For any schedule changes or breaking NMM event news, follow the NMM also on Facebook and Twitter.

Friday, March 15, 7:00-8:30 p.m.NMM Live! — The Maroons in concertFarber Hall/Old Main Bldg, USD campus, Vermillion

This Minneapolis-based trio bring the energy and social his-tory of Caribbean-African music to NMM Live! The sounds of Jamaica and Trinidad — Calypso, and the roots of reggae. The rhythms of the steel pan, conga drums, fonde, rhumba box, mbira, guitar, and bass. General public, $7. Free to USD students, faculty (with I.D.) and NMM Members.

Friday, April 5 — 7:00-8:30 p.m. NMM Live! — Rock Garden Tour show Farber Hall/Old Main Bldg, USD campus, Vermillion A ‘garden’ of quirky delights! Heartland humor and wit, stories, sound effects, and music (as varied as indie, alt country, folk, soul, or gospel). Plus, appearances by some very different and surprising National Music Museum instruments... General public, $7. Free to USD students, faculty (with I.D.) and NMM Members.

The Maroons

Rock Garden Tour

Show your love of music and the NMM!Give online at nmmusd.org/support

Recent grants to the NMM

Grants large, medium, and small, public and private, are invaluable sources for non-profit funding. The NMM recently pursued and was awarded two grants: • $15,000.00 from the Mary Chil-ton Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolu-tion through the Mary Chilton DAR Foundation, Sioux Falls, SD, for the preservation and storing of histor-ic NMM pipe organs during our expansion (specifically, to support the packing and moving of several pipe organs, which will be done by a specialist — in this case, ‘organ surgeon’ John Nordlie of Sioux Falls.

• $5,000 from the Martin Guitar Foundation (Nazareth, Pennsylvania) to help the NMM purchase sup-plies for the preservation of some of our plucked stringed instruments and accessories, including guitar/mandolin cases (particularly for our Martin instruments) and archival supplies to be used in the temporary storage of the D’Angelico/D’Aquisto/Gudelsky guitar workshop during our expansion.

The walls are up! Standing tall against its first Vermillion winter, the NMM’s new off-site Preservation Center looks more like a fortress than a museum facility at the moment. But the 28,350-square-foot structure at 125 N. Carr Street (note the city water tower and USD Dome in background) is on pace to securely house some 4,000+ NMM musical instruments by summer.

NMM Preservation Center

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414 E. Clark St Vermillion, South Dakota 57069-2390

Membership privilegesMembership in the National Music Museum offers the tangible benefits of this NMM Newsletter; special invitations to previews and receptions, concerts and other events; gift shop discounts; and research services. It offers the intangible rewards of being associated with a unique institution, one of the greatest of its kind in the world.

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