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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
47o
THE HENRY F. MILLER PIANOS.
A STARTLING PROJECT.
THEIR EXALTED STANDING AND WIDE POPULARITY.
IRREPROACHABLE TESTIMONY TO THEIR
BRILLIANT QUALITIES.
INNOVATIONS WHICH HAVE RECENTLY BEEN MADE BY
THE KOEHLER PIANO COMPANY IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF PIANOS—RESTORATION OF THE FLAT SCALE
OR VERTICAL METHOD OF STRINGING—
MR. KOEHLER'S EXPLANATION OF HIS
MODUS OPERANDI —A SAMPLE
OF THE NEW PIANO ON
VIEW.
HE roll of honor of the piano trade would be
singularly defective did not the name of the •
Henry F. Miller & Sons' Piano Company, of
Boston, Mass., appear conspicuously thereon. Few
piano-makers have achieved such distinction as this
eminent and enterprising firm, who with advancing
years give no indication of age excepting that supplied
by their ripe experience.* They are perpetually rejuv-
enescent. The weight of their laurels hinders them
not from successfully attempting new and glorious ex-
ploits.
The tests to which the Miller pianos have been sub-
jected have been of the most public kind. Their makers
possess evidence in black and white proving that iheir
grands, uprights, and squares have been used in con-
certs every day during a period of over ten consecutive
years. They have been selected for public concerts by
more than two hundred distinguished pianists. For
nine consecutive years the Miller grands have borne a
glorious part at the annual conventions of The Music
Teachers' National Association of the United States.
The trade of the Miller Company in their grands is
simply astounding. Hardly a day passes on which
sales of these magnificent instruments are not effected.
And yet this astonishment is somewhat mitigated when
it is remembered with what extraordinary enthusiasm
these pianos are constantly spoken of by our best art-
. ists. At the last convention of the Music Teachers'
Association held in Philadelphia in July, for example,
Miss Neally Stevens, the star pianist Df the West, and
Liszt's favorite and most accomplished pupil, fully
agreed with the opinions of an army of professional
friends that the Miller Grand was not only the best
piano at the convention, but that it surpassed any other
grand she had ever used at any of her previous con-
certs. This grand was immediately sold to parties who
will always highly prize it for its historic and brilliant
record.
At various other important conventions and musical
assemblies, held during the present summer, similarly
enthusiastic indorsements of the Miller Grand were
given by Mr. William H. Sherwood, who publicly stated
that it would have been impossible for him to have
produced such magnificent results in tone coloring on
any other grand piano made in this country, Mr. Calixa
Lavallee, Dr. Louis Maas, Mr. Zoch, Mr. Elliott, and
many other pianists of the first rank. These sponta-
neous expressions of opinion anent this wondrously
toned piano are of the utmost significance.
A further high compliment to the house of Miller
was that paid by the Scripps' League, on the comple-
tion of the American Workingmen's Expedition to Eu-
rope. The chiefs of this League, which represents the
leading journals of the United States, selected a work-
man from the factory of The Henry F. Miller & Sons'
Piano Company to accompany this most important ex-
pedition as representative of the piano industry of this
country. The name of the chosen gentleman is Erving
L. Eastman, and he will well and worthily represent
the fame and dignity of the great Boston piano-manu-
facturing firm at the various industrial centres of Eu-
rope.
The Miller pianos are as renowned at home as they
are abroad. They abound in the city of Boston, both
in public institutions and in private residences. The
cultured and aristocratic Hubite never ventures upon
an adverse criticism of these noble instruments, which
are among the things of which he is (and has abundant
reason to be) most proud.
No reason exists, apparently, why the distribution of
Miller grands should not go on increasing until the
crack of doom; and even after that crucial event they
will probably be found contributing to the delight of
the inhabitants of another sphere.
T
R. THEODORE KOEHLER, of the newly-
formed Koehler Piano Company, 435 Seventh
avenue, New York, has made some startling in-
novations in piano construction. Apparently Mr. Koeh-
ler is the author of a revolution in the piano-making
industry.
During his career as a journeyman piano-maker, and
as foreman and superintendent of several large piano
factories, Mr. Koehler has constantly held that it is pos-
sible to construct a first-class piano at a figure that
would enable the dealer to place it within the reach of
everybody.
One of the most important changes effected is a re-
turn to the flat scale, which, it is contended, involves
musical results superior to those attainable by the ob-
lique stringing and overstringing now generally in
vogue. It is argued in favor of this theory that in al-
most all modern pianos the bass or overstrung section
is altogether too powerful,
Connected with Mr. Koehler in this venture are Mr,
John T. Morse, the well-known string maker, and cer-
tain other gentlemen whose interests are of a purely
financial kind. Ample capital is at the disposal of the
concern.
The leading features of Mr. Koehler's project have
been indicated in a statement made by that gentleman.
After contending, as above intimated, that the only
advantage gained from the oblique or overstrung
scale is the additional power of the bass section, he pro-
ceeds to express the opinion that the fact of the bass
bridge being placed directly behind the long bridge, and
in some cases on the same section of the sounding-
board, has resulted in the placing of so much pressure
or bearing on the centre of the board as very seriously
to affect the middle section in its tone quality, by add-
ing to the bass strings a power altogether dispropor-
tionate to that of the rest of the instrument. The re-
mainder of Mr. Koehler's ideas will probably be best
understood from a perusal of his own statement con
cerning them, which is here given :—
" In the novel construction of our plate we have anoth-
er feature which will be appreciated at once. Upon ex-
amination it will be found that the bars crossing our
plate are carried back of the sounding-board, where we
have unlimited room at our disposal, thus allowing us
to insert bars or braces of four times the weight and
strength of those in other pianos.
" By this means we take almost all strain from the back
or skeleton, and put it- from wood, which is more sub-
ject to atmospheric influences, upon iron, which has
very little or no susceptibility to changes from outside
influences. To illustrate the strength of these bars,
it is only necessary to state that the long brace (three
feet four inches), twenty-three pounds, as against those
of other construction, about nine and six pounds. In
addition to this we have improved the strength of our
back frame a hundred per cent, by the most simple al-
teration. Our posts are made of clear pine, four and a
half inches thick, from upper to lower blocking, and
where the blocks join we have reduced the posts to
three and a half inches, thereby forming a shoulder a
half-inch deep, into which both the upper and lower
blocking is received. It will at once be apparent that
after the wrest plank and binders are in place it forms
a solid structure which overcomes all danger of col-
lapse.
" On the upper part of the plate we have a newly in-
vented agraffe attachment, which is equal to, and in
some respects superior to the brass agraffe used by al-
most all our first-class makers. In substance, it is as
follows: Cast to the plate are fifty-two lugs or hooks,
projecting beyond the bearing-wire, and which on their
under side receive a steel rod specially made for that
purpose. The string passes over the bearing bridge,
and from there under the steel rod, thus forming a com-
plete agrafte, snd one which all tuners will regard with
*oy. Beyond all question, we have debarked from the
present method of to-day in every particular, construct-
ing our instruments on an original new basis, with the
JACK HAYNES, 24 Union Square, N. Y., general agent most
gratifying results which convinces us that in this
for the James M. Starr & Co., (Richmond, Ind.) pianos, radical change, combined with the original ideas, /. c,
received a very pleasant call a day or two ago from Mr. that the piano originally is but a reproduction of the
J. M. Starr of that house, who warmly congratulated harp. That radically departing fiom the original
of construction, or in other words, adoptirg
him upon his successful pushing of these fine instru- methods
the principle of oblique and over-hanging stringing,
ments. Mr. Benjamin Starr will give himself the pleas- and by this method being obliged to construct and
dampen the principles of the sounding-board as intend-
ure of a visit to Mr. Haynes on or about the 1st prox.
ed as transmitter of tone which, by the present method
L. M. PIERCE, music dealer, Springfield, Mass., is hav- of double bridges, has proven itself to be a detriment,
ing a new giass front put into his store. This will be shown by breaks of frogs, dead notes and almost every
conceivable quality of tone, but the one desired effect
the largest plate glass window in the city.
M
aimed at—a pure, rich, round and free tone. In our first
effort, which we submit for inspection and criticism,
and more as an experiment to satisfy ourselves, we have
made discoveries which will enable us to more than
double the present superior qualities which we now
have developed beyond all question."
Mr. Koehler further demonstrates that the simplifica-
tion of his piano extends even to the smaller details.
He flatters himself that for strength and capacity of
remaining in tune his instrument stands alone.
Dealers will lose nothing by inspecting the sample
piano, which may be seen in room 20 of the Broadway
Theatre building, near 48th street, N. Y. It certainly
would seem that Mr. Koehler is a man of original ideas
and he will probably succeed in creating a sensation
among the trade.
NEW ENGLAND PIANO COMPANY.
A POPULAR PIANO, AN ABLE MANAGER, AND A TREMEN-
DOUS TRADE.
T
HE tone, style, and general features of the New
England pianos have by this time been made
familiar to American dealers and music lovers,
near and remote. Especially are these very saleable
instruments known among the musical communities of
the East. The states of New York and New Jersey
teem with them.
Scarcely less thickly covered with these famous in-
struments are the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Mary-
land, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina,
and South Carolina. Further, the fine tone of these
pianos has proved acceptable in the leading circles of
art and fashion, and has also come to be regarded as a
sine qua non in many of our best colleges, academies,
and in the halls of not a few public organizations
of divers kinds. The New England piano has also in-
vaded the great West with marked success, and from
present indications we are justified in asserting that
there will be no abatement in the demand for it.
This success is of course due in a very great measure
to the constant improvements made in the piano now
under consideration. Some share of its popularity,
however, must be credited to the business ability, enter-
prise and tact of the gentlemen forming the active staff
of the New England Company. Foremost among these
is Mr. W. A. Kimberly, manager of the extensive
New York house, under whose administration the con-
cern has acquired a most enviable name. Mr. Kimber-
ly's faculty for the rapid and orderly transaction of
business is as well known as are his many personal vir-
tues. Among the membeis ol his large staff, which
has been selected with rare judgment and discrimina-
tion, are the able and popular J, Burns Brown, of Lang-
try renown; Mr. W. A. White, a gentleman possessing
all the qualifications of a superior salesman; Mr, G. E.
Kimberly, whose management of the receiving and
shipping department is without fault; and a host of
minor worthies who find in their manager the beau
ideal of a guide, philosopher and friend.
The ordering of the great Fifth avenue warerooms,
which contain one hundred and fiity pianos, and of the
adjoining offices, gives further proof of the fine general-
ship of Mr. Kimberly.
On the whole, the prospects of the New England
Piano Company should be full of good cheer to all who
are interested in the welfare of that eminent concern.
GAZETTE.
L. S. COGSWELL, Wellington, Kan., real estate mort-
gage, $1,000.
THOMAS A. TRABERT, Baltimore, Md., has given a
chattel mortgage covering stock, store fixtures, house-
hold effects, &c, $100.
R. PADMAN, Ionia, Mich., sold out to Harrigan &
Rathbun.
BAUME & DRURY, Fresno, Cal., dissolved.
WILLIAM RADE (manufacturer of pianos), Ripley,
Ohio, burnt out.
J. F. SCHILLIO, Birmingham, Ala., attached.
Miss A. C. SHAW, Flint, Mich., succeeded by Shaw &
Graves.
WM. BAKER, Charlotte, N. C, dead.
NEIHART & ROBINSON, Elmwood, Neb., dissolved.
MORITZ BEERHATTER, Philadelphia, Pa., deceased.
J. E. & T. W. MITCHELL, Buffalo, N. Y., assigned.