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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
rights is most conveniently arranged; but the pianos are
covered (almost of necessity in the present state of the
Exposition), and there are no catalogues of this exhibit
to be obtained at the moment. A courteous represen-
THE PROGRESS AND ACTUAL CONDITION tative affords full information, and shows the merits of
these really splendidly-toned pianos to all who desire
OF THE MUSICAL ARTS OF THE WORLD,
to view them. The. " baby" grand is a fine instrument
AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE EX-
with one of those sounding-boards that the firm spec-
HIBITS OF ALL NATIONS AT THE
ially pride themselves on; it is a plainly made but well
finished article. The three uprights are also beautifully
EXPOSITION UNIYERSELLE-
finished, and have such simplicity of construction that
INTERNATIONAL, PARIS.
it is quite easy to take them apart and to see all their
interior works. One of the uprights deserves special
THE IHLATORINESS THAT CHARACTERISES THE EXPO-
mention. It has a natural walnut case, and a remark-
SITION ARRANGEMENTS. — MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
ably rapid action which would render it most suitable
MAKERS OF THE UNITED STATES POORLY REP-
for the execution of music with many runs and much
RESENTED.—EXHIBITS OF ALBERT WEBER,
repetition. Another upright is in a handsome ebony
NEW YORK, AND J. BOHMANN, CHI-
CAGO.—ENGLISH EXHIBITS.
case, which, like all this manufacturer's work, is superbly
finished, and possesses a durability which only thor-
^Exclusively contributed to THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.] ougly well seasoned wood and the best materials can
give. These pianos are all of full compass, with check
HERE may be many disappointments in store for action and iron strung.
J. Bohmann of Chicago, shows in a case, without a
the visitor to this the greatest exposition that
the civilized world has yet seen, but few will be representative (at present), some handsome instruments
keener—at least, to the musically inclined—than the of his manufacture, viz.: guitars, zithers, mandolins and
disappointment that awaits them in that part of the violins, also a couple of cases of tuning instruments.
music section devoted to our country, or the Etats The quality of these could not be very definitely ascer-
tained, as there was no means of hearing their tone, but
Unis, as it is officially styled.
While France can display almost every description of their workmanship in each case was good.
The other stand of violins was not arranged. This
musical instrument, and also show some of the interior
works of them (which is so essential, if the component was regrettable, as from the glimpses caught, and also
pans of an instrument are to be thoroughly understood), from words spoken by the exhibitor, who seemed thor-
the United States of America show in the space devoted oughly to undersLand every part of the violin, it ap-
to music one stand of pianos and two cases of violins, peared that when the stand is in order there will be
zithers, guitars and mandolins—and this from the coun- something new in the way of violin bridges to be seen.
try whose commercial capital has perhaps more musical Occasion will be taken at a later date to give fuller
particulars of this stand.
instruments and manufactories than any other city.
Before leaving the United States music section, a
Until the present moment, it has been impossible to
obtain even the barest facts or more than an occasional visit should be paid to a stand close to a window look-
glimpse of the various exhibits; even yet, it is exceed- ing out upon the Avenue de la Suffreu, upon which will
ingly difficult to give more than the merest outline of be found the only music paper in the Anglo-Saxon
the various stands and cases, from the fact that they are tongue that, in the whole of this vast Exposition, has a
mostly in a state of disorder, though the French section special stand. This stand is of neat construction, made of
is now rapidly approaching completion, notwithstand- stained white pine and containing four shelves, upon
which rest copies of THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW. This is
ing the fact that they have much the larger amonnt of
work to get through; but as yet there is generally only a great advantage to the public generally, but more es-
the bare exhibit without attendant or catalogue to guide pecially so to all who are in any way connected with the
the enquirer. But in the course of a few weeks, it is to music trade not only of America, but of the whole Eng-
be hoped, all will have fully awakened to the fact that lish-speaking community. Doubtless many will take ad-
the Exposition has already been open officially for more vantage of the convenience this affords of obtaining all
the latest and most valuable information with regard to
than a month.
A notice now appears at the earliest possible mo- the music world. It should also be mentioned that
ment, and with the fullest details obtainable, although many copies have been freely presented to the different
it had been hoped that a short account would have been representatives of exhibitors now in Paris.
in print before this, but that could not be, on account of
Turning to the English musical section, there are
the backward condition of everything.
two stands of pianos, the principal one being surrounded
There may be many reasons why the United States by packing cases. Polishers are at work on what ex-
do not contribute more largely in the way of music to hibits have as yet been removed from their cases, and
this Exposition. One reason is probably the great dis- doubtless in the course of a few days this stand will be
tance that separates the two countries; then the long complete; there are also five cases of stringed and wind
ocean passage does not improve pianos, nor does the instruments and one case of sections of pipes, but there
rough usage that they undergo while remaining in the are no catalogues of these, nor circulars, nor attendants,
building they will occupy for several months. Certainly though some are said to be represented by some one
the premier pianoforte manufacturers' reason for not whom the writer found it quite impossible to locate.
showing can be well understood and respected, but why One or two have representatives in a distant part of this
so many others who could well have competed without capital.
fear of being surpassed in the workmanship, style or
On the stand of Brinsmead, the largest represen-
tcne of their exhibits, do not show their latest produc- tative of English piano manufacture at the present Expo-
tions at a place where all the world will gaze, is one of sition,are one full sized grand, one "baby" grand and
the mysteries that a business-minded person cannot three uprights, one of which is a grand upright. These
grasp. Of course there are many difficulties in the way, have just been removed from their packing cases and
all of which are not surmounted even when the exhib- placed in position. This firm also display a handsome
itor has the goods he wishes to show safely lodged case of medals awarded at exhibitions in the various
upon his stand, with all apparently arranged to his sat- parts of the world where their pianos have been shown.
isfaction; for instance, he was made aware that the Each piano is fitted with the patented perfect check re-
Exposition is not nearly completed by the rain falliug peater action, the working of which is shown by a model
upon his exhibits during wet weather. This defect is which the obliging attendant gives anyone the oppor-
now remedied, and not at all likely to recur; but for tunity of examining. The action consists of a spring
long, and perhaps forever, the exhibitor will have to and loop, the spring at one end being fastened into the
contend with those enemies of all highly-varnished, hollow of the hopper; the hook end is held by the silk
polished and finished articles, dust and dirt, which at loop which passes through the top of the hopper, then
present are particularly rampant on account of the back- it is fastened to the under part of the hammer butt.
ward state of all the sections, which still require the This, with the aid of the bevelled top of the hopper,
constant work of many carpenters. It is not, perhaps, gives a very pure and sustained tone and at the same
to be wondered at that at present most of the musical time a repetition of the note can be obtained with great
instruments are carefully covered up; sometimes they rapidity.
are in charge of attendants, but more often not. This
The full grand is a specially sweet-voiced instrument.
remark applies to nearly every musical exhibit in the Its case is of mahogany, covered with a coating of
whole of this vast show.
bronze before being painted and varnished.
One exception to this rule is the piano stand of Albert
One upright is made for India. It has an iron verti
Weber, whose show of one " baby " grand and three up- cal frame and as little wood as possible is used in its
T
construction. This piano appears to be likely to suc-
cessfully resist the terrible heat of the climate for which
it is destined. At the same time, the iron frame gives
it a much more powerful, sound than is generally heard
from an upright piano.
All this exhibitor's pianos have a very light, firm touch.
Bishop & Son show three upright pianos on a stand
too small to enable them to be viewed to very much
advantage, or give an opportunity of thoroughly ex-
amining them. All three have slightly different actions,
though all have the front set off. One with a bevel
plank, which gives a greater length of wire and thereby
a greater vibration, attracted considerable attention.
All have the patent sounding board of this firm, and the
braces are let into the plank instead of being blocked
up afterwards-, as must be done if braces are put flush
on the plank. One has a very showy case of ebony and
gold with marqueterie panel. These are over-strung
and have under-damper and check action. This com-
prises England's show of pianos.
The other exhibits are under locked glass cases,
and there are at present no means.of obtaining infor-
mation concerning them.
Attkinson, of North London, has a show of sixteen
violins arranged sc closely together that their merits
could not be judged. They appear to be of the usual
make; the two dark wood ones appearing to more ad-
vantage than any of the fourteen light colored ones.
Messrs. Mil! & Son, New Bond street, London, show
some handsome violins and their equally handsome
cases. One is a copy of that constructed by Antoine
Stradivarius for the Court of Spain in 1687. This ex-
hibit is very unique.
J. Broad, of Bristol, an amateur, shows five well made
and well finished violins.
Lachenal & Co., London, exhibit a number of greatly
improved English concertinas, some of which, with a
new blowing valve, must give great facilities for over-
coming the usual difficulty in playing music written for
violins, altos, etc. The compass of these concertinas
can be extended from the usual forty-eight keys (ordin-
ary compass) to that of sixty-eight keys.
Ward & Son, Liverpool, show the only banjos in this
section; there are six of the usual size and one miniature,
which appears a perfect copy of the usual ones. They
also display some silver-plated wind instruments—clar-
ionetts, etc.—which do not seem to have anything new
about them.
Messrs. Silvain, Smith & Co., London, have a fine
case of instruments of martial music, all silver-plated
and some with just enough gilding to show to advan-
tage the beauty of the finish this firm put on their goods
So far, little that is fresh has been seen, and nothing
that is strikingly novel. In musical matters the world
does not move so rapidly as in many others, and it does
not do to expect novelties at all the shows or exposi-
tions that musical instruments are to be found in. And
certainly musical instruments have now besn brought
to a high pitch of perfection, both in construction and
tone; so much so, that it seems difficult to see how some
of the beautifully made instruments could be improved.
ANITA LILIAN KING.
ROTH & ENGELHARDT.
THEIR NEW PIANO ACTION FACTORY AT ST. JOHNSVILLE,
N. Y., IS BEING SPLENDIDLY EQUIPPED, AND WILL
SOON BE IN FULL BLAST.
T
HE energetic young firm of Roth & Englehard^
are rapidly getting into order their new action
factory at St. Johnsville, N. Y.
They have ordered from Oswego one of Kingsford's
latest high speed engines, which will be delivered about
the middle of the present month.
Collins of Amsterdam will about the same time de-
liver an eighty horse-power boiler.
The firm have, moreover, purchased the boiler and
engine that escaped damage at the time of the burning
of the Schuyler Bros, cheese box factory at St. Johns-
ville some two months ago.
Another consignment of action machinery has been
put into the new building, and within the briefest possi-
ble period Roth & Engelhardt will have recovered all
their lost ground and be striding lustily along the high
road to success and renown.
THE Bradbury-Behning combination in Kansas City,
Mo., is working to the ample satisfaction of its pro-
moters.