12
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
professors of all the principal Conservatories of Stuttgart, Leipsic, Munich,
Berlin, Vienna, and Paris ; these, and many more besides, were personally
visited in turn, and all, enthusiastic in their eulogies of Mr. Bohrer's unique in-
STIMPSON.—Mr. C. N. Stimpson, of Pittsfield, Mass., was here.August 9. vention, hastened to express in writing their unqualified admiration for its re-
PUTNAM.—Mr. H. F. Putnam, of Easthampton, Mass., was in town markable qualities. Von Bulow writes : " I consent with pleasure to the
August 9.
request to add my name to those of my colleagues who have welcomed in
FBENCH.—Mr. Jesse French, of Nashville, Tenn., was in the city Aug. this Hand-Guide a highly meritorious, and perhaps in many cases absolutely
•necessary auxiliary to progress in piano technique. * * * Not without
9, on business.
it has been called by some a mute piano-master." Rubinstein testifies
"WEBEK.—The total number of pianos manufactured by this firm passed reason
that the Bohrer Piano Hand-Guide "is very excellent and practical for the first
16,000 some time ago, and is fast approaching 17,000.
years of pianoforte playing." Mme. Schumann " believes that it will be of
TRADE DOWN EAST.—Reports from the New England States, verify our great service in imparting instruction on the pianoforte." Stephen Heller
writes: " This instrument, * * * it seems to me, is destined to render
prediction that the fall boom would commence early this year.
great service both to professors and pupils." Alfred Jaell says . " I do not
HAINES.—Messrs. Haines Bros, sold fifty-one of their upright pianos hesitate to declare that nothing could, be better by which to acquire a correct
during the month of July. Pretty good for the middle of summer.
style in legato playing, a good position of the hands, and a delicate wrist
HUNT BROS.—Messrs. Hunt Bros., of Boston, report the sales of $9,000 movement. I therefore most sincerely recommend it to all young pianists as a
means of promoting and shortening their studies." Chas. Gounod, the emi-
during the month of July, and it isn't a good month for business either.
nent composer, writes: "Your Hand-Guide, therefore, seems to me, from
BEATTY.—Mayor Beatty of Washington, N. J., has ordered that all dogs °,very point of'view, not only an improvement, hut perfection itself, and I do not
found in the streets of that city unmuzzled during the dog days, shall be think it can be surpassed as a means of securing independence and smooth-
shot.
.
ness of execution in playing the piano." Saint-Saens, the distinguished
HOFFMAN.—Mr. Julius Hoffman, of J. M. Hoffman & Co., Pittsburg, Pa., pianist and composer, says : " I have seen, with the greatest pleasure, your
was in town August 10. Mr. Hoffman is doing very well with the " Sohmer " Hand-Guide, * •* * the many resources of which will certainly render
great service in the study of the piano."
piano, for which he has the agency.
We might multiply extracts of this nature until our readers would be
DKEHEE.—M. B. Dreher, of Cleveland, O., was in the city on Friday
last. Mr. Dreher is agent for the Behning Pianos, in Cleveland, and reports tired; but we forbear. The foregoing are given, however, in order to
prospects good for fall trade. Business has been better in Cleveland this show that there is no charlatanism or deception about the subject of so much
praise. The principle upon which it is constructed is so simple, so entirely
summer than for corresponding period last year.
free from anything objectionable on the score of its mechanical qualities, and
WAITE.—-The receiver of the First Nat. Bank of Brattleboro', Vt., which commends itself so irresistibly even to the most prejudiced observer, that the
was ruined by Treasurer Waite's rascalities, has made an assessment of 25c. wonder is how it could have remained so long unemployed. If it be argued
per share upon the stockholders. The full amount of the liabilities is yet that Rubinstein, Von Bulow, Schumann, and other great pianists attained to
unknown, but it is believed that it will reach $110,000 outside of the capital their exalted position as artists without the aid of a hand-guide, we answer :
stock. Waite's whereabouts are still unknown.
Yes, they did ; but with the Bohrer Hand-Guide they would have reached
BEATTY.—It is related of the Hon. D. F. Beatty that one day he arrived the same position in a much shorter time, and have been spared long months
at a little hotel in a French provincial town, and being tired and dusty with of severe and irksome labor. Speaking on this point, George Mathias, one
travel, he demanded a room and plenty of water to wash with. "Water ! of the most prominent piano professors at the Paris Conservatory, says : " I
We have not a drop," said the landlord. Muttering expressions of dissatis- think that, as a result of its use, the time heretofore required in studying the
faction Beatty reached his room and immediately called, '' Fire ! Fire ! ! piano will be very materially lessened." Mme. Arabella Goddard writes : " I
Fire ! ! !" A dozen servants rushed up stairs and into his room, bearing in am convinced that it will greatly promote the execution, and assist in the
their hands vessels of all sorts, filled with water with which to extinguish rapid progress of any pupil using it." The Faculty of the Conservatory of
the flames. "Ah," said Beatty, turning composedly upon them, " you may Music, Vienna, also say : ' ' The undersigned testify to the particular useful-
leave me the water. Thank you ; that is all." He then sat down and wrote ness of this auxiliary in accustoming beginners in a shorter time than yet
to all the New York papers stating that he had sold more pianos and organs known, to a correct position of the hands, and also in furthering legato play-
ing."
during the past month than ever before.
Again, we might weary our readers with quotations from the most emi-
nent musicians in Europe, all going to show that the Bohrer Hand-Guide is
CINCINNATI TRADE NOTES.
regarded by them as a boon and a blessing, destined to relieve the present
BECKER & LANGE.—Becker & Lange are doing a " bang, u p " drum and generation of piano : students from years of drudgery and fatigue, which
horn trade. They have Garfield horns, Hancock horns, English horns, without its use are utterly unavoidable. We have examined these testimo-
nials carefully and critically, as also Mr. Bohrer's own remarks concerning
Boosey horns, and Straight horns.
his invention published in his pamphlet, and if we give prominence to the
CHURCH & Co.—Messrs. Church & Co. are undoubtedly the Ditsons of subject of them, it is because we, like Sir Julius Benedict, "anticipate its
the west ; their book and music business is enormous. In fact it may be said introduction, not only in the music schools of this country, but in every pri-
to be their s2Jecialty. Mr. Church is now east.
vate family where the pianoforte is taught." An instrument affecting so ma-
and so generally the larger proportion of the great musical public,
SWAN.—W. R. Swan & Co. are busy publishing books and music, and terially
and welcomed in such glowing terms by the most distinguished masters of
writing with success. Their Musical People is a new departure in shape and the
piano of the present time, both in Europe and America, must possess rare
style from the other monthlies, and is certainly a very spicy and well con- excellences,
and merit the impartial attention of all interested in the study of
ducted paper.
the most popular of all musical instruments. We offer no apology, there-
G. D. NEWELL & Co.—G. D. Newell & Co. are doing a handsome city fore, for the space we have to-day devoted to this ingenious and useful in-
trade, and the excellent quality and style of their catalogue is both increas- vention, but, on the contrary, feel that we are doing a public service by thus
ing its popularity, and creditable to "George," who is popular behind the directing attention to it.
counter, or in concert.
A BANJO STORE.—We can boast a " one idea" music store ; and the man
PAYING UNPREFERRED CREDITORS,
who persistently follows one thing will generally succeed. Levi Brown, the
following
appeared
in the N. Y. Watch Tower, June 3d.
T
" Champion Banjoist," keeps nothing but banjos and banjo music, and you
ought to hear him " pick " and see how pupils are guaranteed one new tune
A REMARKABLE RECORD—A RARE TRANSACTION IN MERCANTILE HONESTY.
at every lesson.
"May
21, 1879, Horace Waters & Sons (pianos and organs), on account of high
BALDWIN & Co.—Baldwin & Co. are having a good summer trade, but
and bad debts, went into liquidation. Their assignee has paid the preferred credi-
are not so busy but that the junior partner, Mr. Lucien Wulsin, can take rents
87! per cent., and has enough, when collected, to pay them one hundred cents on
time to "paddle his own canoe" in Lake George. Last year he paddled tors
the dollar. This is a good showing for the late firm to their preferred creditors ; but the
and pushed in the head waters of the Mississippi, but the size of the mos- most wonderful transaction is yet to be related. The day after the assignment Mr. Waters
quitoes,—"a great many of them weigh a pound up there," was sufficient obtained $1,000 of a friend, and commenced business as agent, and June 12th obtained
inducement to stay away this summer. There is no man in the music busi- power of attorney. October 6th, by the aid of the same friend, the store rent was paid
ness, in this country who possesses better executive and business ability than in full and the lease cancelled. Mr. Waters then rented a store at 826 Broadway, and
Mr. Wulsin, and though a young man, to his broad ideas and push much of received such cordial and friendly assistance from the trade, the press, and the public
generally, that he soon found the road to prosperity again. Having been released by his
the success of this house may be attributed.
TRADE NOTES,
BOHRER'S AUTOMATIC PIANO HAND-GUIDE.
I
creditors, he started business in his own name, December 13th, and seven days after-
ward began paying the unpreferred creditors, who had little prospects of receiving any-
thing from the assignee, and May 15th, less than one year from date of assignment, they
were all paid in full. For a man to pay his unpreferred creditors after they had signed
a release, and that, too, before the preferred creditors had been paid in full, is a singular
example of personal integrity, and a transaction rarely heard of in mercantile circles.
The firm is now Horace Waters & Co., and will be highly prosperous if Mr. Waters
meets with the share of success his great practical abilities and honesty of purpose entitle
him to."
T is now four years since the inventor of the above instrument, having, so
to speak, concentrated the results of eighteen years of thought and ex-
perience as a teacher of the piano into his invention, sailed for Europe in
order that the most competent as well as the most noted piano-players and
teachers in the world might have the opportunity of expressing their opinion
NEW YORK, July 12, 1880.
respecting it. The general and quite justifiable distrust of all mechanical ap-
pliances in connection with piano-playing naturally awakens, at first thought, a EDITOR MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
DEAR SIR: I hereby certify that Horace Waters has paid all the known unpreferred
doubt as to the usefulness of this or any hand-guide. Fully aware of the wide-
spread existence of such a doubt, Mr. Bohrer, although thoroughly convinced claims against Horace Waters & Sons, amounting to $4,304.96, and has all the bills for
said
claims receipted in full, with orders on me to pay such percentage as may be coming
of the correctness of the principles upon which his invention is founded, was,
to each of them to him. This is exclusive of the claim for store rent, of which Mr. Waters
as we have already intimated, unwilling to submit his Hand-Guide to the has
paid $600, having an order on me from Mrs. Waters who cancelled the lease, for this
public until his own convictions had been conlirmed by opinions from which amount,
there could be no possible appeal. He therefore visited Europe for the ex-
(Signed)
CHAS. S. FISCHER,
press purpose of obtainkig such opinions, and sought them from the very
Assignee of Horace Waters & Sons,
highest authorities. Rubinstein, Von Bulow, Clara Schumann, EssipofT,
Per F, G. FISCHER.
Agnes Zimmerman, Anna Mehlig, Charles Halle, Stephen Heller, Arabella
The
certificate
from
the
assignee
supports
and
verifies
the statements
Goddard, Wilhelmiua Szarvady, Saint-Saens, Gounod, Alfred Jaell, Kullak,
Marmontel, George Mathias, Le Couppey, Chas. Delioux, Pauer, Arthur made in the above article copied from the _/V". Y. Watch Tower,
Sullivan, Sir Julius Benedict, together with scores of other illustrious
[We reprint the above because the assignee's certificate.was omitted
pianists and teachers whose names we haye not space to mention; all the from our last issue by a mistake of the printer.—ED.]