Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
9 6
the instrument, all efforts to apply schemes of
that nature have failed. With the organ, how-
ever, much has been done in the shape of experi-
ment. Among the most distinguished inventors
in this direction was H. W. Poole, a native of
South Danvers, Mass., whose key-board attract-
ed considerable attention in Europe over a quar-
ter of a century ago. It never led up to any
permanent result however. The Tanaka En-
harmonium, which I had the pleasure of inspect-
ing last summer in the warerooms of Chappell
& Co., London, is the latest instrument in
which the inconsistency of a tempered scale is
sought to be obviated. Personally, I have no
sympathy with such attempts ; they can never
effect anything, and I cannot help looking upon
tho.se who devote themselves to the task as
somewhat on a par with those who are trying
to apply the perpetual motion of the spheres to
the running of railroad locomotives.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
TUBERS' JJS30CIATI0Q.
ITS AIMS AND OBJECTS.
REPLIES TO OBJECTORS.
^TOTWITHSTANDING all that has been
- * ^ written in the trade papers, in spite of
the plainest kind of circulars and personal
statements,—the aims, objects and benefits to
be derived through membership in The Tuners'
Association still seem to be totally misunder-
stood by a large number of tuners. Let us once
more attempt to make it comprehensible. To
begin with, we quote a sentence from the circu-
lar calling tuners together : " Let it be distinct-
ly understood that this is not to be a Labor Or-
ganization, in that the question of wages and
hours of labor are not to be cofisidered by the As-
sociation.'" Can anything be plainer? "'Strikes'
DANIEL SPILLANE.
we have no use for, and we will consider no
proposition that tends that way. Perhaps you
may ask : ' Where, then, does any benefit ac-
crue to me if the Association refuses to help me
A TRIUMPH WHICH MAY LEAD TO GREAT
benefit my condition ? ' "
MUSICAL RESULTS.
Stop, my friend, the Association has not re-
fused anything of the kind, but the reverse, as
i l ' H E skill and ingenuity of the musical in- we shall prove. Proven worth and skill in any
•
endowing the trombone player with new and when that worth and skill are known they carry
somewhat startling powers. The trombone has with them a high commercial value. The Asso-
always seemed an incomprehensibly stapid in- ciation requires, first of all, that the candidate for
strument to the uniniated auditor. He hears a membership shall prove his skill. If admitted
succession of notes dodging about a rather lim- to membership, it becomes the business and
ited scale, and he watches the gentleman who is duty of the Association to make known his
industriously engaged in pumping up the skill. In fact, one of the principal objects of
music ; but on the surface there is something the Association is to divide the two classes—the
essentially inconsistent between the two phen- skillful and reliable, and the unskillful, unrelia-
omena, and he generally abandons the task of ble tuner—in order that private employers and
connecting cause with effect. A totally new the public may know which to choose from.
kind of surprise is in store for him. It has
Will not a man of recognized, known ability
hitherto been impossible to "mute " the trom-
be offered a better salary than one of unknown,
bone—as the neighbors of such as still aspire to
doubtful qualifications ?
proficiency upon it know by bitter experience.
The old motto, " 'Tis not in mortals to com-
Cornets, horns, and trumpets, have all been
mand success. We'll do more—deserve i t , "
muted, either by the intrusion of a wooden plug
fits the Association exactly. It is the only
into the bell, or, in the case of the coach horn,
'' Force Bill '' it has any use for, and this it
by partly closing the bell with one of the hands
proposes to live up to.
of the player. In the trombone the bell is not
The Association also proposes to be educa-
only too far away to be muted in this manner,
tional. The most learned man in the world
but the whole structure of the instrument makes
don't know it all. No more does the best
such an operation impracticable. The problem
tuner. The Association proposes to inaugurate
has, however, been solved by an invention
a course of lectures on different subjects, bear-
known as the " echo attachment."
ing upon tuning and piano construction. The
A piston placed just under the hand used in
Chicago branch has already had one lecture on
holding the trombone can be depressed by a
acoustics. They have also begun the collection
touch of the middle finger, and is returned by a
of models of improvements in pianos, as well as
spring the moment pressure is removed. The
a library of books and papers, scientific and
effect of lowering the piston is to switch off the
otherwise, for the use of members.
air current into a long and tortuous tube, the
It is intended to establish a bureau of employ-
same length as the main body of the trombone.
ment that will be alike beneficial to employers
This terminates, not in a bell, but in a curious,
and the unemployed. It is also proposed to
irregular cone, so that the sound is not " blared
create a beneficiary fund to assist sick and needy
forth," but only " gently tooted." The echo
members, and to bury the dead.
attachment is so arranged that the whole of it
It is intended to make our aims and objects
is hidden by the bell of the trombone when the
known to the world by every legitimate means.
player faces the audience. By its aid, seeming-
Instead of being in any way antagonistic to
ly, distant music can be produced in the fiont
manufacturers or the trade, it is our express
of the orchestra without the device of hiding
purpose to work in harmony and establish the
the trombone behind the scenery, or in an an-
most friendly relations with them, and the As-
gel's gallery; but best of all, the trombone
sociation is willing to receive visits and sugges-
player's pupil can spend the evenings in fight-
tions from any manufacturer or wareroom man-
ing with his octaves.—Pall Mall Budget.
ager. Instead of having a single aim or object
THE works of Mr. J. A. Lang, piano case to conceal, we desire them to be known by all.
Now, let us consider some of the objections
manufacturer, of Manchester, N. H., will be
some
tuners give when asked to join. " Oh, I
kept running to their fullest capacity in order
don't
see any good in it." Well, if, after you
to fill a large contract for the manufacture of
have read this article, you still say you see no
piano cases which Mr. Lang has just received.
good in it, you are ineligible to membership on
THE LYON & HEALY factories, Chicago, pro- account of idiocy.
duce over 100,000 musical instruments annually.
Another says : '' Let the botch fake and
tramp tuners go ahead ; they only make more
work for good tuners."
Any tuner who advocates such ideas is worse
than the botch. He simply encourages a raid
on his neighbor's property in order that he may
extort more money for repairing the damage.
You are ineligible by a unanimous vote.
Another says: " O h ! it's no use. Tuners
won't stick to each other." You are one of that
sneaking class who try to build up their own
reputation by pulling others down to your level.
You are indifferent to principle and careless
alike of your own reputation and that of your
brother tuner. Besides, it gives you a premedi-
tated loophole through which to sneak out of
paying your paltry dues, should you, by mis-
take, ever chance to become a member. Don't
worry yourself; not many application blanks
will be handed to you.
Another says : " Bah ! I am a tuner of estab-
lished reputation. I can command the largest
salary paid. There is not a piano house in the
country that would not be glad to employ me."
We are awe-stricken—absolutely dumb. We
instinctively remove our hat and retire, wonder-
ing why Gabriel don't invite you at once to take
your proper place as tuner-in chief for the
angelic orchestra. You are too good for things
earthly.
There is one more class of objectors who say :
"Why, I am secure in my position. I have
been with this house ten, fifteen or twenty years.
My reputation is secure as long as I am with
this house. The association may be a good
thing, but it can't help me any." At first
thought, this argument might seem reasonable
and difficult to combat, yet its weakness is easily
seen. Every man is subject to possibilities.
The house you are with ?night fail, or change
hands, and throw you out. Inasmuch as you
admit that your reputation rests with the house,
what does it rest on in case either the above
possibilities lakes place ? In any case, you are
resting on the reputation of the house and not
on your proved ability outside that house.
Would a certificate of ability from that house
carry as much weight as a certificate from a
board of examiners of known ability ?
The Association is rapidly nullifying, the
'' from Steinway," " from Chickering," " from
Weber " racket, and the time will soon come
when people will say, " I don't care where you
come from. Let me see your certificate of mem-
bership in the National Association of Piano
Tuners." But even if it were possible for yotf
to know that your present position was secure
for life, even if you have laid away enough to
keep you comfortable in case of disaster, is it
not a little selfish for you, who are so fortunate,
to refuse to lend your aid and influence to.a
cause that will benefit others ? And you canupt
benefit others without being benefited yourself.
If you have any pride you would rather walk
the streets with men wearing the badge of
proven ability and character than sneak up a
side alley with a man known to be a disgrace to
the profession. It is cowardly to get your living
by any trade and not do all you can to elevate
its standard.
The disrepute that hangs like a pall over all
tuners has been created by the disreputable, un-
skilled and unscrupulous element in our ranks.
Any tuner who has any pride of character should
be glad to join any movement that holds out
the slightest hope for reformation. We owe it
not only to ourselves, but to. the public who
support us, to give them good, clean service.
With every object a worthy one, with every aim
a noble one, the Association cannot be a failure.
" Sin is a reproach to any man, but righteous-
ness exalteth a nation," is as true in this case
as it ever was in any other. J3o also are Christ's
words, '' He that is not for me is against me.''
ONE OF THE MEMBERS.