Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
{Continuedfrom page 26.)
numbers brought 5,566 marks. An autograph
letter of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, dated
Vienna, July 5, 1791, beginning with the words,
" Liebsters, bestes Weibchen, sei nicht mehr
melancholisch, ich bitte Dich ! Ich hoffe dich
Samstag umarmen zu Konnen * * * vielleicht
noch eher, " sold for 325 marks, while a letter of
Mozart's father, with a postscript by the son to
his " dearest sister," dated " Milano, 27 d'Otto.
pre, 1770," went for 150 marks. A letter of
Beethoven, from Vienna, March 29, 1818, to
"Mrs. Johanna van Beethoven," brought 148
marks, while ten autograph letters of Zelter to
Felix Mendelssohn went for 70 marks.
*
To illustrate the special quality of the emi-
nent European pianist and composer, Dr. Wald-
tern Pegg, we may state at once that he has
superb gifts of execution, a technique which
could not well be surpassed. Dr. Waldtern Pegg
is a distinguished pupil and representative of
what is known as the orchestral school of play-
ing, founded by Abbe Franz Liszt. His com-
mand and grasp of resource is such as to
compel the most unwilling wonder and sub-
mission. Yet, for those who love music for its
own sake, his rendering of Beethoven's "Sonata
Appassionata " and the " MSS. Fantasia " and
"Rhapsodie," both exquisite tone-poems, has
probably furnished as much, if not more, deep
and delicious enjoyment than the stormy
splendor of execution which he dashes through
the measures of the great Hungarian master,
and the weird MS. " Reverie." Waldtern Pegg
is the possessor of a fiery and intense individ-
uality, which colors the whole of his perform-
ances to a very remarkable extent; and those
artists and students who have heard him for the
first time, as they have followed him in various
works, with or without orchestra, the admira-
tion produced by his intellectual and poetic con-
ception of the composers whose works he has
interpreted, has steadily increased.
We may add a few brief particulars of Dr.
Pegg's career which will be of interest. He was
born in April, 1866, in Paris, his father being an
English nobleman and his mother one of the
most distinguished ladies of the period, revered
for her many virtues. She studied music under
the celebrated Wieck, and was a most successful
and famous pupil, Wieck, the father of Clara
Schuman, did much to inaugurate the revolu-
tion of pianoforte playing. At about 17 years
of age he entered Oxford University, and at the
close of his university studies was again placed
under Abbe Liszt to resume his musical study.
Waldtern Pegg is a most expressive and poetic
composer. He handles orchestration with a subtle
touch that is both certain and powerful, and there
are rare limpidity, grace and delicacy in his oper-
atic works, "The Maid of Perth," and " T h e
Fairy Circle." Dr. Pegg's elevation of style in
his sacred and other works results from the deep
and serious studies made in the beginning of
his career. He has composed a number of minor
works, just published by Messrs. Gordon & Son,
which are full of originality, and minor only
quantitatively, not by any means in quality.
They are as follows : " My Somebody, " " Re-
quited Love," "Sweet Story Olden," "My
Guiding Star. " " The Heart's Appeal, " "Kath-
leen Allana," "Only Love's Whisper," "The
Witch."
T H E REVIEWER.
KIMBAUU
COMPLIMENTED.
"THE HIGHEST TYPE."
STKCK
HANDS
MANUFACTURED BY
171 AND 173 SO. CANAL STREET,
CHICAGO.
THE
Sterling Company,
JjjjJ SUPPOSE there are some musical folks
^
among my readers who may regard it as a
kind of profanation should I sound a few notes
of admiration over the casing of an instrument.
But I am a bit of an enthusiast myself in certain
realms of the divine art, and I saw something
yesterday so exquisite in the shape of a piano
that I feel impelled to impart some of the pleas-
ure I derived from the sight, judging that others,
equally susceptible, may like to go and behold
this thing of beauty. It was in the salesrooms
of the W. W. Kimball Company, where I found
quite a little gathering of musical people in-
specting two instruments that seemed to have
been recently placed on view there. They are
finished in white and gold—to be exact, they
are a delicate cream color—and done in the style
of the first French empire. The carving is all
done by hand, as you may perceive at a glance,
and the designs are strikingly appropriate and
beautiful. A singularly fine effect, at once rich
and delicate, is produced in the finishing of the
salmon panels, which are covered with shirred
cream-colored silk, harmonizing most effectively
with the woodwork, and completing what a lady
who was an admiring spectator called " a per-
fect vision of loveliness." There is just enough,
and not too much, ornamentation in the carved
work to preserve a feeling of simplicity and
grace. I am sure anyone who may go to view
these two specimens of Kimball manufacture
will not say I exaggerate in pronouncing them
pre-eminent in workmanship and design among
all the products of piano manufacture. One
thing occurred to me in connection with these
instruments, and this was, why did not the
Kimball Company, in view of the triumphs they
scored in the matter of awards at the Colum-
bian Exposition, still furthur cover their name
with glory in exhibiting these ? Some of their
competitors in that memorable contest, as it was,
I am told, went so far as to insinuate that their
prize products were not part of the regular stock.
What would such people have suggested had
these beauties been sprung upon them ? The
explanation of their absence from the Kimball
exhibit at the World's Fair is simply that they
were not then in their regular run of stock, and
were accordingly withheld. Well, if not " prize "
beauties, they are just as delightful to contem-
plate or, better still, possess.—From Francis
Holland in the Chicago Herald, Nov. 26, 1893.
l/os? 9 S09S ^uvard.
MANUFACTURERS OF
Pianos and Organs,
DERBY, CONN.
It is admitted by all that no piano ever put upon the
market has met with such success as THE STERLING
and thousands will testify to their superiority of work-
manship and durability. Why ? Because they are made
just as perfect as a piano can be made.
THE STERLING ORGAN has always taken the lead, and
the improvements made this year puts it far ahead of
all otheis. HJfT Send for Catalogue.
Hallet & Davis Pianos
Card No. 14,672, Group 158. Book A. Ex-
hibitors, Vose & Sons' Piano Company, Boston,
Mass. Exhibit, pianos. Deserves an award.
The tone is sweet, musical and powerful and
sustains well.
The scale is thoroughly even and well bal-
anced.
The action is of the best, well regulated, and
has good repeating qualities.
The touch is firm and elastic.
In construction the best material is used and
great care is shown in workmanship and finish.
The artistic designs of the cases deserve
special commendation.
(Signed)
F. ZiEGFELD, Judge.
K. BUENZ, President.
J. H. GORE, Secretary.
CRAND, SQUARE AND UPRIGHT.
Indorsed by Liszt, Gottschalk, Wehli, Bendel, Straus, Soro, Abt,
Paulus, Titiens, Heilbron and Germany's Greatest Masters.
Established over Half a Century.
BOSTON, MASS.