Topic starter
14/11/2008 9:31 pm
I was cruising through Youtube (bored of course) and I ran into this video of the Steamer Alaska Queen YouTube - Alaska Queen. 55 seconds in, it shows the calliope they have onboard. I've read before that it, like the Minne's calliope, is a Wilde Calliope. Not sure exactly what song they were trying to play, so you be the judge of that. Figured it was something interesting.
14/11/2008 10:22 pm
Matt,
What is a Coliape?
~Travis~
14/11/2008 10:43 pm
Travis, correct me if I'm wrong, but one of the key ways of identifying a Wilde instrument is by the similar whistle scaling. In the photo Matt posted you can see that many of the whistles have very nearly the same bell diameter. Contrast this with the graded scaling of a Nichol instrument, in which each whistle's casting was one of only two or three whistles with the same diameter. I'm sure Dave M. can "chime in" as well!
Topic starter
14/11/2008 10:48 pm
I believe that that is the customary way of spelling 'calliope' in Alaska, but nice catch Travis. I didn't see that the first time through. I also came across an earlier photo of what they said is the same calliope. Correct me if I'm wrong.
15/11/2008 12:28 am
Matt,
I couldn't resist asking! Dave Morecraft and I have seen this video several times and have a blast with this spelling. Printed out it looks like some pill you should ask your Doctor about!
You couldn't be more right in your identification of this instrument, it is the same Wilde instrument. Hal Wilmunder got ahold of it and at one time was going to mount it on his steamboat ELIZABETH LOUISE. Unfortunately, he passed before he was able to achieve this goal. Hal sure put a great steamboat together in this boat. Isn't she a peach! The current owners mounted the calliope aboard the boat while they were refitting her in Tacoma, WA. back in 2007.
The diameters of the whistles are a good indication of a Wilde, Jon! Those red valve arms on the outside of the manifold are another good indication (if however, you have found a untouched original Wilde, as this one is). Those valves were electronically manipulated by selonoid units which came from automobile starters. If nothing else, E.J. Wilde was rather inventive whith what was available to him when he built his calliopes!
Wow, the new generation of calliope fans are getting their eagle eyes faster than we did in our day! Dave, are you seeing this? Between these two and your son Zach, we are gonna be eclipsed before we are 50!
Wonder if they can listen to a recording of a calliope player/perfessor and tell who they are lie we can?
I was in correspondance with some folks who worked on the ALASKA QUEEN earlier in the season and they were working on getting the coliape playing. From what I am hearing in this video they haven't tuned the whistles to the steam pressure they are operating at. This is why they are over-blowing (wildcatting in calliope terms...or screaching to the layman) when played. With the Wilde calliopes you not only set the distance from the languid to the base of the bell (windway in pipe organ parlance) for pressure, you have an internal baffle plate to determine the length of the resonant tube (whistle bell in calliope parlance) which sets the note for the whistle.
Which is to say, they need a professional to show them what they have and how to get it to operate properly. The Wilde instruments were notoriously sharp and rather harsh instruments. Part of that harshness is the lack of differentiation in the whistle diameters, which ruined the tonal quality. Yes musical purists out there, I said ruined tonal quality and was talking about a steam calliope in the same sentance!
In summation....
One has to have a little sence of humor when it comes to a calliope as a perfected instrument...but, they sure don't have to sound this bad! This patient can be fixed up!
~Travis~
Topic starter
15/11/2008 2:24 am
Travis,
I think that you're giving me more credit than I deserve. As I said, I read this from another post from a couple years ago. Actually, I got so bored today that I was looking for more information about the Minne's current calliope (if there were any leads on the internet. You had said something earlier about the CHAPERON), and I ran into this. Also, I would say 'fan' is correct, but not a 'perfessor' per say. I've seen Jon's videos, and I couldn't hold a candle to what he can do on a keyboard. I consider myself decent for the Minne's calliope, but that isn't saying much.
15/11/2008 2:25 am
Wait a min,,
let me get my ear plugs ,,,....
15/11/2008 2:45 am
Yes your right Travis ,,
I think we have a GREAT new generation of CaLLiope fans and players on here,, 🙂
I was just watching the video of the ALASKA QUEEN ,,, and yea Travis I had to pick myself up off the floor AGAIN,, LOL,,,,,...!
"WATCH it about that 50 number IM closer to it than you"
by the way JON;; when you were here on the 26th,,that was my B-day,,LOL
15/11/2008 4:27 am
Dave,
The statute of limitations is up...but I am saving the kicking thing for the book!
~Travis~