Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
N the last issue (Oct. 26th) of a local con-
temporary, there appeared an article and
illustration under the caption "Helps to
Tuners," which is suspiciously familiar to
the many readers of "The Piano," pub-
lished by this office. A comparison with
chapter V.—page 43, especially—will be
found mightylnteresting.
I
* *
*
The Chicago music trade papers are not
taking kindly to that music trade exhibi-
tion which one of our local contemporaries
has arranged to hold in Chicago, some time
or other. We are not surprised. This is a
"home rule" year, and Chicago should be
the best judge of what it requires in this or
anv other matter.
explained that it would seem impossible
for anyone to misunderstand the situation.
Yet many continue to believe that a major-
ity of the financial ills from which indiv-
iduals suffer could be relieved by an infla-
tion of the currency. It is probable that
the cry for more money is not founded so
much upon a supposed difficulty in trans-
acting business as upon the mistaken idea
that if the volume of currency is increased
somehow those who have little or none now
will come in for a generous share under
inflation. The delusion has been exposed
many times, but it obstinately refuses to
be downed. There are times when a
greater volume of currency could be util-
ized, but they are few and far between.
Credit born of general confidence is the
key to easy commercial exchanges. When
confidence fails, cash is hoarded, and no
amount of currency inflation would bring
improvement. The experiences in the
panic of 1893 are recent proofs of this fact."
the millions of kilometers of e*tudes and
scales that have been performed during
these two hundred and ninety-seven years
from 1598 to 1895, but my bosom swells
with pride when I learn that the United
States alone turn out over twenty-five
thousand pianos every year, turn them out
unflinchingly, no matter whether the times
are hard or soft or the President be a Re-
publican or a Democrat. Piano playing is
the most generally adopted method of
bridging over the short span of life from
birth to death. There are families in
which there is no black sheep, but there is
no family which does not count at least one
accomplished piano player among its mem-
bers—one that knows how to express him-
self or herself in the 'universal language.'
"Far be it from me to speak irreverently
of that large portion of the piano playing
populace—ah! what beautiful alliteration!
The piano is the only means whereby a
musical being can give, unaided, complete
utterance to his thoughts, the only vehicle
for the communication of musical ideas in
their entirety. Everybody, indeed, or very
nearly everybody who has anything to say
musically, plays the piano, and the vast
majority of those that have nothing to say
play it because, like Mrs. Grundy, they
want to have something to say."
*
That interesting weekly, the Illustrated
American, seems to have surpassed itself
pictorially and artistically in the current
issue. The front page is adorned by a
splendid picture of Paderewski, and the
illustrated contributions on the Portrait
Exhibition and on well-known piano virtu-
* *
osi, entitled '' Fame at Their Finger Ends,''
*
Lewis J. Geary, basso of the Fifth are only two of a number of timely and
An interesting little book has been com-
Avenue Presbyterian Church, and well valuable articles.
piled by F. G. Edwards and published by
known through his connection with the
Curwen & Sons, of London, entitled "Mu-
house of Novello, Ewer & Co., 21 East
Bandmaster Sousa said the other day in sical Haunts in London," and, of course,
Seventeenth street, is a member of a male
the distinguished piano manufacturing
quartet composed of soloists of recognized St. Louis that he should not be able to play house of John Broadwood & Sons is in-
ability, which, under their title name, at the Exposition in that city next Septem- cluded among the musical landmarks of
"The Meister Glee Singers," are fast win- ber. The band has _been one of the fea- that city. Their warerooms on Great
ning a reputation for the artistic rendering tures of the Exposition during the past few Pulteney street have been at different
of classical, sacred, secular selections, etc. years, and referring to this Mr. Sousa said: periods a rendezvous for all the great
"The St. Louis Exposition took up my
* *
*
band in its infancy and gave it a trial, and musicians during the past century and a
half. Handel* and Haydn were frequent
The question of currency and credit is of has helped to make it what it is to-day. I
visitors, and the latter is known to have •
vital interest to the business man, and shall go to Europe in September and re-
sometimes composed there. Little, Mozart,
Governor Merriam, of Minnesota, made main abroad until January 1, 1897. I will
Clementi, Hummel, Mendelssohn, Liszt,
some sensible remarks in this connection at visit every country from St. Petersburg to Chopin and other celebrities were also wont
the meeting of the Bankers' Association, Constantinople, and I expect to pick up to frequent the famous rooms.
some excellent musical novelties, which I
held recently in Atlanta, Ga. He said:
"Chopin's first visit to England," writes
The plaintive wail is for more money, shall present to my American friends upon Mr. Edwards, "was paid incognito in 1837.
when what is really meant is more credit. my return."
Accompanied by his friend Camille Pleyel,
It is quite the"prevalent idea, even in the
* * *
he passed under the name of 'M. Fritz.'
minds of thoughtful men, that in some
way more actual money is needed for the
Alex. Neuman is the author of an article One evening they both dined at Mr. Broad-
purposes of trade and that an avalanche of in last week's Illustrated American on fa- wood's, and after dinner 'M. Fritz's' play-
silver will about answer the purpose. mous pianists, entitled "Fame at Their Fin- ing betrayed him, and he was obliged to
Create plenty of cash, they say, and the
millennium will be upon us with all of its ger Ends," and in the introductory to the confess that he was none other than M.
beneficent results. There could be no same he has the following to say: "A man Chopin. No record of Chopin's London
greater error. Provide for the rapid, safe by the name of Pagliarini, a manufacturer lodgings in 1837 seems to remain; but all
and economical interchange of commodi- of Modena, is said to have been the first to the three houses at which he lodged during
ties and you have furnished all the money supply the world with a musical instrument his second and last visit to London are still
required. This danger, however, threat- called 'pian-e-forte.' This was in the year in existence. He arrived on April 24th,
ens us at times—too much credit money.
In other words, too much expansion of of grace, 1598. What strange fatality! 1848, and for the first few days was at 10
credits. To provide any fiscal system that There we are writing 1895, just by a little Bentinck street, Manchester Square.
will avoid commercial crises with certainty shifting of figures, and the pian-e-forte is Thence he removed to 48 Down street,
is, to my mind, unattainable, but to secure still with us. There is no hamlet distant two doors from Piccadilly."
a plan that will mitigate the evil and make enough, no Harlem flat small enough, but
After giving two concerts in London,
its effects less baneful may be attempted that the little hammers, impelled by the
Chopin
visited Edinburgh, Glasgow and
with hope.
keys
under
some
performer's
relentless
Manchester,
and on his return to the me-
I entirely agree with the following com-
fingers,
are
heard
striking
the
strings
and
tropolis
he
occupied
rooms at 4 St. James
ments on the above remarks, which ap-
yielding
louder
or
softer
notes.
Place,
for
which
he
paid
"four and a half
peared recently in the Troy Budget:
guineas
a
week,
inclusive
of
bed, coals, etc.
"A tremolo of apprehension quivers
"The large part which credit plays in
Like
Weber,
Chopin
was
fast approach-
modern business has been so frequently through my soul when I come to think of