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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
IN
LONDON.
(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ABROAD.)
THE GREAT RETAIL TRADE OF LONDON—WHERE
DO ALL THE PIANOS AND ORGANS GO ?—OUR
CORRESPONDENT THEORIZES—MUSICAL
AUTOMATA—PAILLARD & CO. IN
LONDON—MR. ARTHUR PAIL-
ARD—BRITISH BANDS—THE
BESSON PROTOTYPE IN-
STRUMENTS— MR.
CARL FISCHER
OF NEW
YORK.
THE LONDON DEPOT OF BESSON & CO.—THEIR
COMING EXHIBIT AT THE WORLD'S FAIR—
THE LORING & BLAKE PALACE ORGAN—
OUR CORRESPONDENT VISITS THEIR
PLACE IN THE BRITISH CAPITAL
—MR. A. W. PINERO—AN
ACTIVE REPRESENTA-
TIVE— " THE MUSIC
TRADE REVIEW ' '
MAN INTER-
VIEWS A
" SOREHEAD."
HE LEARNS SOMETHING NEW—GOVERNOR FUL-
LER—HIS POPULARITY ABROAD—
MR. R. H. ROGERS.
-HERE all the pianos, American organs
and harmoniums sold at retail in Lon-
don go to it is difficult to conceive. The metro-
polis is in itself equal to several European coun-
tries in population, but that, at a first glance,
hardly explains the immense retail trade done
in musical instruments. Great Britain and Ire-
land, with their population of thirty-eight mil-
lions or thereabouts have, we, however, must
remember, an industrial community larger than
the United States. Though the farming class
in the United States consumes a goodly num-
ber of pianos and organs, it is among the
residents of cities and towns the larger propor-
tion of instruments goes. The United Kingdom,
therefore, despite the disparity evident in the
census returns of both countries, has a larger
home market for the sale of pianos and organs
than one would suppose upon the basis of the
population statistics. A comparatively small
proportion of the pianos made in London are
shipped abroad, and taking those produced with
those imported from Germany, it becomes evi-
dent that the British home demand is an ex-
ceedingly large one. Regarding the London
retail trade, nearly every prominent German
maker is represented in the city. Their number
is legion, and counting in the numerous retail
establishments maintained by English houses,
we are furnished with a remarkable proof of the
musical characteristics of the "modern Baby-
lon."
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Mr. Arthur Paillard, manager of the London
branch of Paillard & Co., welcomed your repre-
sentative in a most courteous fashion on Mon-
day during a visit to their showrooms, at 62
Holborn Viaduct. An extensive stock of musi-
cal boxes and specialties are there kept on hand
to meet the current demand.
In addition to a singularly large regular busi-
ness, Paillard & Co. enjoy an exclusive and
aristocratic trade, so to speak. They have sup-
plied many of the leading families of the United
Kingdom with the best—and in some cases
Special—examples of their artistic skill and in-
ventiveness in musical automata, and are in
their sphere distinguished among music trade
houses. Mr. Arthur Paillard has no direct com-
munication with the New York establishment,
all business being done through the manufac-
tory and principal depot at St. Croix, Switzer-
land, an important town of which Paillard & Co.
are the principal mainstay. He, however, is
obviously aware of the prosperous condition of
their American business, which has been built
up through the ability and sticking qualities of
his brother in New York.
Mr. Arthur Paillard is unaffected, pleasant in
manner and very intelligent. He understands
the United States—a rather rare faculty among
members of the trade here, strange as it may
seem—and is not at all disposed to place a low
estimate on the capabilities of Americans in the
manufacture of musical instruments. He re-
marked frankly in the course of conversation
that it seemed impossible to duplicate American
organs successfully on this side, and he spoke
in an equally complimentary vein of our high-
grade pianos. He has met a large number of
American representatives of organ houses—
among the latest Mr. J. N. Merrill, of Boston—
and he speaks of all in the warmest and most
friendly spirit.
A visit to Paillard & Co. 's establishment, at
680 Broadway, New York, would repay some of
the
readers of
THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
They could there behold some curious examples
of ingenuity and artistic and musical skill,
which would afford room for interesting study
in mechanics and art. Paillard & Co. have been
identified with the development of the musical
box and similar automata to a large extent, and
the many novel and pleasing musical effects
which a Paillard musical box of the elaborate
kind is capable of producing are often suggestive
of magic. It is truly " natural magic." As to
the condition of trade in London, Mr. Paillard
spoke with satisfaction. Gauging their actual
and prospective trade by past seasons, he
thought that everything at present augured well
for the coming season, which opens in or about
a week from now.
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The immense number of volunteer and amateur
bands throughout the United Kingdom, aside
from the regular military and naval bands, fur-
nishes a very broad and rich field for the manu-
facturers of band instruments. Again, every
institution maintains a band, and there are also
constabulary and firemen's bands in almost
every city, hence the large trade and industry
which the sale and manufacture of wood and
brass wind instruments foster. The extensive
business done by Besson & Co. is in itself indi-
cative of the extent of that branch of the music
trades. Among the leading bands the '' Besson ''
instruments are regarded with marked favor,
and soloists are especially partial to them. F.
Besson & Co. have made a scientific study of
band instruments. The quality of the brass,
the bore and its gradations, and the attainment
of correct proportions are cardinal considerations
in that sphere of activity, and Besson & Co., in
the prototype system and the general tone re-
sults possible with their instruments, have
demonstrated a most thorough and convincing
comprehension of the scientific and artistic
principles of band instrument making.
I visited the London depot, at 198 Euston
Road, a few days ago, to see some of their new
specialties—in particular the pedal clarinet—
and had a few minutes' pleasant chat with the
manager. From him I ascertained that Mr.
Carl Fischer, of 6 Fourth avenue, New York,
their principal American representative, had
been '' doing Europe '' recently. By the time
this is published he will, no doubt, be back
home. I also learned that Besson & Co., in
conjunction with Mr. Fischer, will make a fine
showing at the World's Fair. I was invited to
call again to talk with the heads of the firm,
who happened to be out at the time, when I
hope to learn particulars. An exhibition of
their pedal clarinets and other recent improve-
ments will also be given.
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The London depot of the '' Palace '' organs
has been under the management of Mr. A. W.
Pinero for several years. It is opposite the
British Museum, on Great Russell street, and
very close to the Montague Mansions, much
patronized by Americans visiting London.
Mr. Pinero has done effective work in the inter-
ests of Loring & Blake in Great Britain, but he
has been materially assisted in his efforts by the
sterling musical qualities of the " Palace " or-
gans. Their standing in popular estimation in
the United States and Europe alone may be
judged by the output of Loring & Blake's facto-
ries at Worcester, Mass., and their large exports.
In the absence of Mr. Pinero, who was travel-
ing in the north of England and Scotland, I
saw Mr. Gibson last Tuesday at the showrooms,
and was informed that things were looking very
brisk. The most popular selling organ is
" Style 29," which seems very well adapted to
the general British taste. I inquired if any
member of the firm visited Europe this year,
and was answered in the negative. They—the
London representatives—find correspondence
suits all necessary purposes, and are kept in-
formed upon all new improvements, changes in
style, etc. Finding that Mr. Gibson's time was
in demand, I withdrew. I hope when next I
visit the establishment to find Mr. Pinero back
from his business trip with a pleasant tale of
success.
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I struck an extraordinary individual in a cer-
tain important piano showroom on Oxford
street one afternoon recently, during my peram-
bulations. He occupies the position of man-
ager, and is well known in London trade circles.
On presenting my card, he was most friendly,
but when I asked if his house would exhibit at
the World's Fair, he let himself loose on poor
Major McKinley, and almost turned himself in-
side out in his righteous indignation over the
tariff. He always heard that '' the Irish had too
much of their own way in America," but he
'' was astonished at the disgraceful way Ameri-
cans allowed McKinley to rule them." I tried
to pour oil on the waters. McKinley was an
American, and not a native of Ireland, I assured
the irate piano man, but he would have no such
explanation. I also attempted to assure him
that the unfortunate man was not the father of
American tariff, only a sort of adjuster. 'Twas
no go ; he couldn 't be induced—even by facts—
to think more kindly of the man from Ohio, and
I made a strategetic break for a fresh topic. Music
trade journalism he thought a "confounded
bore," and journalists of that order " a nuis-
ance, '' present company included. Having got
hold of a rare specimen of the genus '' sore-
head, '' I determined to study it carefully, at the
risk of getting my personal dignity and pride
ruffled up a bit. So, having led off to the sub-
ject of American organs, I learned that " Moody
and Sankey were the first to introduce these in-
struments into England." Furthermore, that
'' American organs had no longer any place
worth speaking of in the British market, and
would be out of fashion in a few years." I
foolishly attempted to combat these assertions,
but was pooh-poohed into silence. He told me
that '' Weber, of New York, tried to get a foot-
ing in London about ten years ago. He rented
a big place on New Bond street, in conjunction
with the Estey Organ Company at the time, but
was unable to make any footing." I looked