Music Trade Review

Issue: 1881 Vol. 4 N. 2

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
February 20th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
37
TRADE CHAT.
Mr. C. C. Converse, of the Burdett Organ Co., was in town the week
before last, and reported an active business.
Irwin Bros., of Natick, Mass., write to correct the statement in our last
issue, that they are just starting in the music business. They have been in
it for the last two years.
That ever-genial and popular salesman of the Pelton, Pomeroy & Cross
music house, Mr. Rollin H. Day, closed a very successful week by disposing
of six pianos last Saturday afternoon. "O, happy day."—The Play,
•Chicago.
A fire on the morning of the 7th inst., at Omro, Wisconsin, destroyed
the building in which was located the store of Bridge & Son, music dealers.
The English and Continental music trades seem to be well represented
at the Melbourne (Australia) exhibition, both as in quantity and quality.
We note among the prominent exhibitors of pianos, Messrs. Brinsmead &
Sons, Messrs, Challen & Sons, of England; Messrs. Erard, Moritz, Son &
Richard Lipp & Son, Grotrian, Helfferich & Schulze, Schiedmayer & Sons
and others of Germany, and the Smith American Organ Company, of
America. The exhibition of miscellaneous musical instruments from all the
leading European houses is very full and complete.
M. Bainbridge Bishop is the inventor ef an instrument now on exhibi-
tion
at No. 11 East Fourteenth street, New York City, which he calls a
<(
color organ." The theory on which this instrument is constructed is that
•every musical note has its complementary color, and the mechanism of the
" color organ " is so devised that when any key on the instrument is played
upon, the supposed complementary color is exhibited on a white ground
by means of the opening of a shutter or valve in the upper front part of the
instrument. We had intended to give a more detailed account of this instru-
ment, but want of space forbids in this issue.
Mr. C. D. Blake, of Boston, whose recent failure we have already noted,
was formerly of the firm of McNeil & Blake, who failed and went out of
business; he paid a portion of the indebtedness of that firm, and cleared
himself of their matters. On January 1, 1880, his inventory showed—due on
leases, $15,000; in stock, rented or on sale, $7,000; liabilities, $7,000.
One of the principal piano manufacturers competing for the growing
Southern trade is the old and well-known house of Charles M. Stieff, No.
9 North Liberty street, Baltimore, Md. Since the death of Mr. Charles M.
Stieff, senior, the business has been carried on by his sons, and the business
has been vigorously pushed by them in all directions, but principally of
course in a southerly one. This house makes a piano the quality of which
is well and favorably known; they handle the New England, one of the best
makes of organs in the country, and in addition to their wholesale manufac-
turing business they have a large renting and retail trade.
AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.—Mr. Jacob Gosche, known to the entire
musical profession of America as the discoverer and successful manager of
Theodore Thomas, is at present in town with his Criterion Comedy Com-
pany. Mr. Gosche, when handling musical affairs, made some unpleasant
•experiences, and everybody will be glad to hear that he is doing well since
he started with his new enterprise. Mr. Gosche always} was a hard worker,
and his final success is well deserved.
GOOD PROSPECTS.—Mr. Mapleson announces that the opening perform-
ance of the Spring Season will be Flotow's " Martha." It is really wonder-
ful how cleverly the English manager acts in bringing the most hackneyed
works to the front. We suppose that the entire Spring Season will not offer
any novelties, except, perhaps, in the prospectus.
THE RIGHT THING IN THE RIGHT PLACE.—Strakosch proposes to per-
THE L A T E S T - N E W CASE F O R F A V O R I T E
STYLES
HIGH TOP,
SHOWY, ATTRACTIVE, RELIABLE AND LOW PRICE.
SEND FOR CATALOGUE AND SPECIAL TEEMS FOR CASH
CLOUGKE & W A R R E N ORGAN CO.,
DETROIT, MICH.
SCHOMACKER
1
Gold String Pianos,
form " Mefistofele," "Lohengrin," "Aida," and "William Tell" on the
jstage of the Fifth Avenue Theatre. That will be exceedingly funny and
THESE ROYAL INSTRUMENTS
will show opera on the reduced plan. Strakosch is very bold, and should
New Yorkers refuse to patronize his performances, he will be astonished at
Unrivaled
for Tone and Durability,
the lack of support. The Fifth Avenue Theatre is not an opera house, in
E S T A B L I S H E D SMSTOIE 1838,
spite of the united efforts of the trio, Haverly, Hess, and Strakosch.
Combine every practical improvement known to the modern piano, and, with the additional
of our patent Gold Strings, it is the most highly improved and very leading piano of
THE DESPISED COENET.—We received a few days ago a long letter from introduction
the world. Received the highest honors at the Centennial, and wherever in competition. The
Mr. Arbuckle, the excellent band master and cornet virtuoso. This gentle- Electro Gold Wires used IH our instruments produce a decidedly more brilliant, enduring tone,
with a refined musical quality so much desired in the piano, the coating being of pure Gold of the
man expresses his grievances about an insult and injury, done to him by highest
standard and done by Cold process ; will last forever, and is an absolute security against
another member of the musical profession, and wishes us to ventilate the rust
or atmospheric action, and at the same time imparting elegance of appearance found in no
matter coram publico. Mr. Arbuckle's wish shall be complied with. The other make. Too much cannot be said in favor of these Gold String PianoB.
An immense demand has already sprung up for all our styles—Grande, Squares and Uprights.
whole story is: Mr. Arbuckle was engaged and advertised to appear at a We caution
the public against m srepresentation. All other manufacturers are compelled to uae
•concert in Brooklyn in conjunction with other artists, among whom was the ordinary common metal-plated strings, done by ordinary Hot process, which does impair the
quality of the string, and is not a security against rust or the intolerable nuisance of snapping
Rafael Joseffy. This artist, after having seen the programme, declared that tone
indisputable fact. Our priceB moderate. Illustrated Catalogues, giving full descrip-
he would not play at any concert where a cornet virtuoso was among the of tion wires—an
of styles, prices, 4c, mailed free on application.
performers, and it seems that as the committee of the concert was not will-
ing to lose Mr. Joseffy's services, consequently Mr. Arbuckle had to give
way, and the concert took place without the cornet, so offensive to Mr. 11O3 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia,
Joseffy. We are willing to believe that the celebrated Hungarian pianist
3 East Fourteenth Street, New York,
has become a very virtuous man of late, but. even virtue has its limits, and
493 Washington Street, Boston.
we really think that a man of Arbuckle's standing does not injure in any way
the artistic standard of a miscellaneous programme. A man who performs
The Olympic Theatre, London, has produced a new comic opera,
in a piano recital a paraphrase on Gilmore's " Columbia " should not be so "Lola," a pretty trifle of absurdities and sly bits slung together by Mr.
very exacting in regard to the programmes of concerts for which he is Frank Marshall, and wedded to pretty, catching music by Antonio Orsini.
-engaged. But Mr. Joseffy is a young man, and probably acted in a moment There are beauties, conspiracies and intrigues, and the proprietor of a new
of impulsiveness, when lie refused to play. The committee of the concert society journal, entitled Virtue, all mixed up in wild confusion, with a spark-
acted in a cowardly manner. It was their duty to keep Arbuckle and let ling song or two, and pleasant, if not altogether original, music to give it
Joseffy secede. After having engaged the cornet player, they had no right color and expression, and it is fairly good fooling. It wants sharper and
to dismiss him so unceremoniously. Mr. Arbuckle in his letter says: " I quicker acting, however, to make it run.
think that my reputation as a musician and artist stands equally as high
The expenses of the Paris Opera for the year 1880 were $800,000. The
as Mr. Joseffy's." This point may remain undecided, for whatever our own
opinion may be, we are sure to meet with opposition ; and in this particular troupe $250,000; copyright and poor-taxes, $100,000; gas, $50,000-sweep-
•case this question is neither here nor there. Mr. Joseffy is an excellent ing, $7,500; raise en scene of " Aida," $50,000; " Comte Ory," $60,000; a new
pianist, and Mr. Arbuckle's reputation as a cornetist is beyond dispute. To ballet "La Korrigane," $16,000. Summing up the receipts, including the
define the exact standing of the two artists, and their relative position in the subvention, did not cover the expenses.
profession is useless. We hope that Mr. Arbuckle will get over his grief in
According to the Frank/iller Zeitung Verdi is at present busy compos-
a short time, and will have an early opportunity of showing to New York ing his
" Oteilo." It is to be given first at Vienna, Frau Materna taking the
that his artistic standard has remained unshaken and untouched.
part of Desdemona.
SCHOMACKER PIANO-FORTE M'F'G CO.,
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
38
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
MORE ABOUT D. F. BEATTY'S DISREPUTABLE METHODS.
QUINCE the publication of our article, in the laat issue of this paper,
O exposing the disreputable methods employed by D. F. Beatty, of
Washington, N. J., in his endeavors to force his goods upon the public, we
have received a number of contributions to the stock of information which
we possess concerning D. F. Beatty, and his manner of transacting business.
It is well known that this man Beatty makes a strong point of what he
maliciously and falsely calls the extortion practised by the agents of leading
piano and organ manufactures. It is a common thing for him to advertise
" Beware of agents," claiming that he never employs agents under any cir-
cumstances.
We give below a copy of one of his "special circulars," which he sends out
to parties through the country, whom he thinks may be able to influence sales
for him. If this circular does not give the lie to his boast that he does not
employ agents to practice extortion upon the public, then we must confess
that we have lost our ability to read the English language correctly. The
circular is as follows:
February 20th, 1881.
TRADE CHAT.
Mr. Wm. Heinekamp, Jr., of Baltimore, was married on Tuesday, Feb.
15th, to Miss Laura V. Riddlemoser, of the same city. The happy pair left
for the north on the afternoon train from Baltimore.
Mrs. A. Scherzer, of 523 Arch street, Philadelphia, who has been the
agent for the Sohmer piano since the death of her husband about a year ago,
feels much encouraged with her success with .the Sohmer piano in Phila-
delphia.
Blasuis, of Philadelphia, is not only holding his own but increasing his
business with the Steinway piano, in spite of the great influx of pianos of
other makers which Philadelphia has experienced during the past few years.
It is reported on excellent authority that over 300 Emerson pianos were
sold in Philadelphia during the past year.
$7.
SPECIAL OFFER.
$15.
There is much talk among the dealers in Philadelphia about the excel-
Bear Sir:—If you can make and forward me a list of the names of relia- lence of the organ which the Burdett Organ Co., of Erie, Penn., are now
ble persons of your acqaintance who may wish to procure an instru- putting on the market.
ment, either piano or organ, I will correspond with them, using my best
A. Hume, of Pittsburgh, Pa., has taken the agency of the Albrecht
endeavors to sell them, and for every piano I succeed in selling to persons piano Mr.
for his locality.
on your list, I will, immediately on completion of sale, forward you $15 in
cash; and for every organ $7 in cash; this commission will, 0/ course, be given Pomplitz, of Baltimore, will furnish the organ to be used by the new
on circular prices only. Please send me a list of reliable persons at once, oratorio society lately organized in Baltimore.
and oblige
DANIEL F. BEATTY,
The report published that Gen. Grant would soon resign his position as
Washington, N. J. President
of the World's Fair Commission, is denied by Col. Fred Grant,
and by Messrs. Algernon S. Sullivan and Thomas McElrath of the directors.
WHAT A NEW JERSEY PAPER THINKS OF THE D. F. BEATTY.
rr^HE Anbury Park Journal has the following in its issue of February 12th.
Trade generally in Philadelphia and Baltimore in musical instruments
_L It will be seen from this that the D. F. Beatty is properly appreciated is dull, and, of course, many theories are rife among manufacturers and
in the neighborhood of his house:
dealers to account for it. The late severe weather has its share of the blame,
the nearness of the late holiday season, during which people are supposed to
THAT MAN OF " CHEEK."
" Last week we published a decidedly " cheeky " letter from one Daniel have spent all they had to spend for at least two months, and the unsatis-
F. Beatty, of Washington, N. J. On Wednesday we received from him a factory financial condition of some parts of the South are all brought forward
as excuses. These, no doubt, all have their weight, but the Philadelphia
catalogue and the following postal:
and Baltimore men have had so much prosperity that they, think if trade
WASHINGTON, N. J., Feb. 7, 1881.
Dear Sir:—Paper with notice at hand, thanks. Come and see me and does not double in volume every year that business is bad.
you will find that I am a live man, come my boy, come.
One of our representatives was in the store of Albrecht & Co., in Phila-
Very Truly Yours,
delphia, a few days since, and asked the firm, in the course of conversation,
DANIEL F. BEATTY.
if they had heard from their advertisement which appeared lately in two
We said that we believed Beatty to be a humbug ; but after examining numbers of this paper. " Why," he said, taking a pile of letters out of a
his catalogue and reading therein what he says of himself, we take it back, pigeon-hole in his desk, " look at these ! I have been exhausting my whole
and say that in our opinion he is a fraud. We would not invest in his al- stock of catalogues in answering these letters that came to me as a result of
leged musical instruments, and advise our readers to pursue the same course." my advertisement in the MUSICAL CEITIC AND TBADE REVIEW. YOU charge
a good price for advertising in your paper, but we have always had the best
PROGRESS OF THE STRIKES.
results from it. The best articles always command the highest prices."
E employes of Behr Bros., piano case manufacturers, had a meeting
What is McCammon using in his upright piano actions which makes the
recently to discuss the situation. Wednesday, February 9th, the firm
of Behr Bros, announced a reduction in the pay for top cleaning from 75 to rats so fond of them? In a Philadelphia store the rats attack the McCam-
40 cents. The top makers then left work. Behr Bros, after waiting about mon upright and don't touch the others. This is a very interesting scien-
a week offered to pay the men $15 a week instead of paying by the piece. tific question, to which we should like a solution; we confess that we are
This proposition was put to vote at the meeting of the men and was unable to solve it, although we have devoted much rat-iocination to the
matter. We have had many theories upon the subject, but, as yet, have
accepted.
The strike at Albert Weber's factory, which was caused about a month been unable to rat-ify them.
ago by an attempt on the part of Mr. Weber to reduce wages ten per cent.,
Rumor has it that a piano manufacturer in Philadelphia has laid off half
is approaching its termination, having probably lasted as long as Mr. Weber his workmen on account of dull business.
intended it should, for we do not suppose that Mr. Weber seriously thought
The junior partner of the firm of Dutton & Son, of Philadelphia, spends
of fighting the trade union alone, and the proper time having arrived to com-
mence work again, Mr. Weber has notified a committee of his workmen that his winter this year in Florida.
he is willing to rescind his order for a ten per cent, reduction, and pay them
Bellak's men were very busy bringing McCammon pianos into the store
at former rates.
in Philadelphia on Monday last; these instruments were in excellent order
The only thing now standing in the way of a resumption of work on the and are giving great satisfaction.
part of the men, is the employment of non-union men or "scabs" by Mr.
What is the matter at J. P. Hale's piano factory; don't the new set of
Weber, and the workmen have had a meeting at which it was decided by vote
not to resume work until the non-union men were discharged. This point men work as well as the old ones, or what other negro is there on the fence
will probably be conceded by Mr. Weber for it would be foolish after swallow- that prevents Mr. Hale's agents from having their orders filled promptly?
Mr. Hale seems to be feeding his agents in homoeopathic doses; yet we read
ing the camel to strain at the gnat.
in one of the so-called "music and trade papers " that " J. P. Hale is making
100,000 more pianos for the trade." It would seem to be necessary to
ADVICE TO A BRASS BAND.
rewrite this announcement and leave off a few of the ciphers.
BRASS band was formed at Groton, to be called the Fort Griswold
A testimonial concert to Mr. F. T. Lilliendahl, organist of the German
band, and Oscar W. Hewett, known as the Pawtucket historian of the
Evangelical Church of Hoboken, N. J., was given on Tuesday evening, Feb.
Providence Journal, addressed to it the following advice:
Gentlemen: You have now entered upon the most serious undertaking 8th. The principal soloists were Mr. F. T. Lilliendahl, Mr. Geo. W. Mor-
of your lives. It is a solemn thing to put the brazen serpent to your lips. gan, and Miss Hegetschweiler. The organ used was one of Messrs. Jardine
It is no idle act to blast a brass viper or to set a pair of cymbals to butting. & Son's celebrated make.
True, there is no harm in gnawing upon a trombone, even after one has his
Lowell (Mass.) Mail says of a Henry F. Miller grand, used in that
cornet, but we repeat that it is a solemn thing to startle the world with sud- city The
recently, that " it was equal to every exaction." We are a little doubt-
den "brass music." Therefore, brethren, we would enjoin care and pains- ful about
this. Does the Mail mean exaction in regard to the price charged
taking. Be ye not puffed up, as are wind instruments of winding brass. for a Miller
piano ; or what ? Please explain.
Temptations bestrew your path. There is always a snare set for the drum-
mer, and no drummer knows when he may become base. To the cymbal
An unworthy knave ! A piano manufacturer engages a newspaper tout
player we would say, "Strike, but hear." Yours is a higher calling than to do his dirty work, and the tout pretends to be enthusiastic in his master's
that of the punster. He plays upon words. You play upon symbols. To services; yet, at the same time, he is divulging to his master's competitors
him who plays upon the brass boa constrictor with a grass-hopper leg the fact that the secret of a strike in his master's factory is due to a reduc-
attachment, you are peculiarly subject to temptation. The temptation is to tion of expenses, made necessary by a notification that a mortgage on the
keep the piston rod ever in motion. It strengthens with years. It becomes factory must be paid on a certain day or it would be foreclosed.
grim habit with practice, so that men operate it by muscular action, merely,
after they are dead. An admonitory word to the young man who has chosen
Jardine & Son are busy with two large organs, one for Cleveland and the
the yellow clarinet. Yellow clarinets tend to melancholy—sometimes other for Manayunk, they are also getting up an "orchestral organ" for
suicide. Either he who plays the yellow clarinet, or his nearest neighbor, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall. Ever since the fine one that was there for a
must commit suicide, otherwise the clarinet is not a yellow one, or it is out year was removed the regular audience have expressed their regrets, so the
of order. Yellow clarinets are not compatible with long life. A man with proprietors have given the order to Jardine & Son to build them a much
an iron constitution may possibly live to 50 years on the flute, but a yellow finer and larger instrument. Mr. F. W. Jardine being now in Paris, has
clarinet is as dangerous as the deadly and anaconda-like accordeon. To him purchased some of the new orchestral stops, in which the' French excel, and
that handles the stupendous and sententious tuba—we mean the brass this coupled with the experience Mr. Jardine has gained from his first organ
monster that gapeth and grinneth like a hippopotamus in the river brakes— for Koster & Bial, will enable him to make the new one a great success. It
think what a wakeful capacity this instrument has! The bellowings of will also form a grand ornament, towering up to the ceiling with its groups
famished thunder are in its brazen bowels, and its expansive mouth uttereth of artistically arranged and decorated pipes and trumpets. It will take
earthquakes. Whisper in her lightly, my boy, and the whole world will be four months to build this superb instrument, and the opening will be cele-
obliged to listen to you! Fair fame and success to the Fort Griswold band! brated by a grand concert.
A

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