Pulling Strings: The Legacy of Melville A. Clark

by Linda Pembroke Kaiser

In Pulling Strings, Kaiser explores the extraordinary career of Melville A. Clark (1883-1953), a musician, inventor, entrepreneur, community leader, and collector whose colorful story is largely unknown.

Beginning with an account of Clark’s musical family, Kaiser chronicles the founding in 1859 of the Clark Music Company, of which Melville Clark became president in 1919. Originally just a tinkers shed, the business ultimately moved into a six-story building in the center of Syracuse. The music company celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2010. Clark also combined his talents as a gifted musician and astute entrepreneur to start the first Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.

Kaiser recounts the development of the Clark Irish harp, the first portable harp manufactured in the United States, that could easily play accidentals. There were other Clark inventions, such as the first nylon strings for instruments. In addition, Clark designed balloons that the British used in 1918 to drop more than 1,250,000 pamphlets over Germany. Clark’s story unfolds in fascinating detail: a musical encounter with President Wilson, entertaining President F. D. Roosevelt, a visit to Buckingham Palace to present Princess Elizabeth with a music box, and the journey of a Clark Irish harp to Antarctica with Admiral Byrd.

Lavishly illustrated, Pulling Strings not only uncovers the life of a musical genius but also sheds light on a forgotten chapter in Syracuse history.

186 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2010

Reviews

[Ramona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look into an instrument, the harp, and one of its famous players, that isn't often spoken about. I am from NY and was not aware of the Clark music store and its history. There were a lot of facts and dates, and I would have enjoyed listening to this, rather than reading.

[Rosanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an inspiring biography of an early twentieth century musical instrument builder who was also involved in many other projects of local and national importance. Clark lived a rich life of White House performances and other high profile gigs, but his most lasting contribution to the world was probably his development of an affordable harp and making the arts accessible to the general public through the Syracuse Symphony and the Clark Music Store. I wish Clark's musical instrument and music box collection were still on display somewhere, but they seem to have been broken up shortly after his death. This book includes many photographs of Clark's meetings with famous individuals and politicians as well as his instruments and the city of Syracuse in the early 20th century. There is a photograph of a few of Clark's antique harps, including an eighteenth century "Marie Antoinette Harp" that Clark gave to Henry Ford in the 1920s. Whether this harp really belonged to Marie Antoinette is up for debate, but Clark had an extensive collection of antique harps in excellent condition and it was a joy to read about them and see some photos.