Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1896 Vol. 22 N. 24

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIFW
Conn's Enterprise.
With the Travelers
A NEW CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
FACULTY
JULES
CONSTRUCTION
LEVY
IN FACTORY
PORTANT ENGAGEMENT
AN EMINENT
TO SUPERINTEND
AN
IM-
SIG. LIBERATI
TO HAVE CHARGE OF NEW YORK
DEPOT.
A
£
M
TELL, well, Tommy; it is ages since
yY
we met," said THK RF.VIKW man,
as he ran across Tommy Atkins the other
day.
"Yes, a few moons: will we siphono-
branchiate?''
"Will we what?" gasped THE RKVIF.W
man. "Where did you get it, Tommy?
Surely that is not of the Gibbs coinage,
is it?"
"Not exactly, but I struck a gang of
actors on this trip, and we exchanged
stories; come on and I'll give you one
where we siphon
"
"Hold on, Tommy; I'm with you."
Shortly after that Tommy and THE RE-
VIEW man were discussing the coinage of
sixteen to one, when, after a momentary
lull, Tommy began:
" Did I ever tell you the story of the man
in straitened circumstances who, as he put
it, 'preferred to be helped to make his own
way i'i the world by commendable industry
rather than be an object of charity?'
"No, go on."
"Well, it was in the winter of '91, and a
bitterly cold night, A lot of actors and
other Bohemians were gathered around the
big stove of a rather rough-and-tumble
saloon in Chicago. It was just after the
theatre, and we had gathered there with
the view of going on a 'slumming' expedi-
tion. A lean and hungry-looking fellow,
thinly and shabbily clad, walked into the
place and looked hard at us, as though de-
sirous of making our acquaintance. Some
one in our party, divining his purpose, took
time by the forelock, and turning upon the
stranger, said :
NEW conservatory of military band
music will be dedicated and formally
opened at Elkhart, Ind., on Sept. 15th, by
C. G. Conn, the enterprising band instru-
ment manufacturer. A number of promi-
nent professors have already been secured
as part of the faculty. As chief of cornet
class, Jules Levy will naturally attract a
great many advanced students. He will
be aided in his conservatory work by a
corps of competent instructors whose
names will be announced in due time. E.
A. Lefebre will be chief of the saxophone
and clarinet class, and Hobert Davis will
have charge of the flute class. The tutors
for the other instruments will be the best
that can be procured. The terms of tuition
will be reasonable when the advantages to
be derived by studying under the greatest
masters of the age are considered. These
will all be announced in the prospectus
which is now in course of preparation.
Mr. Levy will not only give his services
to the conservatory, but arrangements have
been completed whereby he will become an
attache of the Conn factory, where he
will superintend the construction of each
instrument and thoroughly test it in each
stage of its progress, to see that the natural
intervals are acoustically correct, and that
the tubing connected by the valves are of
the correct length and proportion to insure
perfect time of the valve notes with the
natural intervals. Experiments for the ex-
tension of the volume and register of the
valve instruments will be immediately in-
augurated, and with the entire facilities of
the Conn factory at his disposal it will be
surprising if such experiments do not de-
velop improvements that will be of great
benefit to the band fraternity of America.
either amateur or professional musicians
than any other, American or foreign.
These enterprises represent an invest-
ment of many thousands of dollars each
year, and are an evidence of Mr. Conn's
desire to spare no expense or efforts to
supply the musicians of America with the
best and most perfect instruments to be
produced. In his factory he now has a
staff which is of such eminence that they
insure the production of the very highest
grade of band instruments. " T h e best"
has always been Mr. Conn's motto, and on
these lines he is deservedly winning suc-
cess.
Stevens Seven-Octave Organs.
T
HE Stevens Organ Co., Marietta, O.,
are manufacturing one of the best
seven-octave piano-cased organs on the
market. They are not only distinguished
for the beauty of case, but the tone is of
that pipe organ quality which delights the
lover of the "king of instruments." They
are finished in solid oak, cherry, mahogany
and walnut and are in every respect abso-
lutely high grade.
The Stevens Organ Co. have a well es-
tablished reputation, and they have made
it a point to keep in touch with the march
of improvements, both in case and tone.
They guarantee protection to legitimate
dealers, and their products should be inves-
tigated by all who desire to handle one of
the most modern and satisfactor)' organs to
be found on the market.
The Singer Catalogue.
T
HE Singer catalogue, which has just
come to hand, is tastily compiled, and
makes a good showing for the Singer in-
struments. The cut representing the up-
right cabinet grand scale, showing the con-
struction of the metal frame, method of
stringing, also the action, keys, etc., in
position, as well as cuts of the exterior of
the cabinet grands which are made up in
all the standard woods, are sufficient to
give the reader a convincing idea of the
commendable production which is engi-
neered by J V. Steger.
It no doubt involved an enormous ex-
penditure to induce Mr. Levy to abandon
his career as a soloist, but it is in line with
Mr. Conn's enterprise. He will commence
The catalogue contains a well-written in-
his duties in Elkhart as soon as possible; troduction describing the plant and con-
he is filled with enthusiasm at the prospect struction, as well as the special features
of the task in store for him, and intends which have made the Singer such a popular
to devote the remainder of his life to the favorite. A limited number of testimonials
" 'We have no money to give you to buy
improvement of the tonal properties of wind from the leading trade papers also appear.
a cup of coffee and a night's lodging, for
instruments.
The designs of the Singer instruments are
we're all flat broke.'
It
is
Mr.
Conn's
intention
to
establish
very handsome, and this catalogue should
"The stranger looked up with a pleasant
immediately
a
depot
in
this
city
for
the
do
much to "spread the light."
smile, as if to correct a misapprehension,
sale
of
the
Conn
instruments,
so
that
me-
and quickly responded:
" ' I was not going to ask for money, tropolitan musicians may have an oppor-
tunity without expense or inconvenience
Wasle & Co. Incorporated.
gentlemen; but I wanted to know if one of
of
fully
examining
and
comparing
the
Conn
you would lend me a sandbag, so that I
instruments with others that lay claim to
HE firm of Wasle & Co., of this city,
might go out and make a little.'
merit.
has been incorporated, to manufacture
"Yes, thanks, another."
Signor Liberati's services have already piano actions and keys; capital stock, $40,-
been secured for the New York salesroom 000. The incorporators are Simon Wasle,
and he will readily and cheerfully demon- Henry Wasle, Emil Herbert, of New York,
PETER D. STRAUCH and Mrs. Stranch are
summering at Sharon Springs, N. Y. strate to those interested that the Conn in- and Anton Doll and William Doll, of West
Hoboken, N. J.
Later in the season they will visit Saratoga. struments are better adapted for the use of
T
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE Ktv.. L
L
OOKING back over the evolution of
the piano for the past quarter of a
century, one must be impressed with the
important part which the specialized in-
dustries known as the' "Supply Trade"
have played in its greater perfection. It
has not only helped to a higher develop-
ment— both in quality of tone and archi-
tectural beauty—of the piano, but it has
resulted in an excellence of mechanism
which has left the best accomplishments of
European makers in the background. In
felts, actions, hammers, plates, strings,
sounding boards and all kinds of hardware,
we can only measure our progress in* these
special lines by comparing them with
foreign products, and a comparison will be
entirely in our favor.
sixth streets and Tenth avenue, are impos-
ing in size and splendidly equipped, the
latest and most ingenious machinery being
utilized. The different departments are
under the superintendence of competent
men, and every care is taken to turn out
wares which will be absolutely perfect and
satisfying.
*
*
*
*
*
elaborate case architecture, there should be
a "big run" on I. I. Cole & Son for the
varied stock of veneers which he has on
exhibition at his display room.
The merits of the felts manufactured by
Alfred Dolge & Son are really too familiar
to manufacturers to need an} 7 words of
G. W. Ingalls & Co., of Worcester, commendation. Years ago the great lead-
Mass., are manufacturers of organ reed ing houses of the country, such as Steinway,
boards, octave couplers and other special- Chickering, Knabe, in the East, as well as
ties which enjoy a very high reputation more recently the leading houses in the
among manufacturers everywhere. These West, recognized that the special claims
goods have undergone the test of time— made for the Alfred Dolge felts were well
having been before the trade for the past founded, and their names appear at the
thirty years—and the best tribute to their head of a formidable list of customers, each
excellence and reliability is the large of whom are a unit as to the superiority
A quarter of a century ago we imported measure of support vouchsafed them by the and excellence of this American product.
mostly all of these important specialties trade. The Ingalls firm are highly re- And yet it is only a few years compara-
from abroad; to-day the exports of Dolge spected, and their future cannot fail to be tively since the greater portion of the
money spent by manufacturers for felts
piano felts alone exceed the imports of even still more successful than their past.
was
placed abroad. That is before Alfred
foreign felts, while the imports in piano
*
*
*
*
*
Dolge
set to work and gave the trade a pro-
actions, felts, hammers, etc., are practically
Speaking
to
a
piano
manufacturer
re-
duct
which,
like the piano action, has dis-
nil—at least insignificant.
cently,
he
said,
"
I
have
used
the
Bothner
tinct
merits
and qualities superior to any-
The American piano action in particular
action
for
the
past
ten
years,
and
I
must
thing
made
abroad.
The Dolge felt is row
is entitled to a leading place in the piano
confess
that
it
pleases
me
and
my
cus-
used
extensively
by
European manufac-
industry. Next to the application of iron
tomers
to-day
as
well
as
it
did
when
we
turers,
and
large
shipments
are constantly
it has helped to individualize the American
first
commenced
to
use
it.
It
is
well
made,
m
de—a
significant
tribute
truly to the
piano. Quality, strength and refinement of
the
material
is
reliable,
and
it
is
nicely
American
manufactures.
tone could never have been so splendidly
interpreted by artists had not the efforts of finished in all its parts; in fact, dealers tell
our inventors and manufacturers resulted me that their customers are delighted with
in the production of an action which leads the elasticity and responsiveness of the
There is one point to emphasize in con-
the world and enables the American piano touch. Another point is its failure to easily nection with the supply branches of the
to maintain a distinct place as an art get out of order. " This is a well deserved music trade industry, and it seems to us
tribute, and judging from the trade trans-
creation.
that it is often overlooked. It is that the
acted by Geo. Bothner during the last
*
*
*
*
*
high standard of excellence deservedly con-
twelve months the views expressed above
This brings to mind that among the first are held by quite a number of manufac- ceded to pianos and organs of domestic
manufacture is due not alone to the enter-
to recognize the need of an action that turers.
prise
and persistent efforts of the manufac-
would be fit for our climate and meet the
*
*
*
*
*
turers
to improve them, but to the earnest
requirements of musicians, in fact, that
labors
of those specialists in the trade who
Isaac I. Cole, of I. I. Cole & Son, 427
would reflect the American characteristics
are
perpetually
striving to better perfect
for invention and ingenuity, was the enter- East Eighth street, is one of the represen-
their
products
and
thereby contribute to
prising firm of Wessell, Nickel & Gross, a tative members of the supply trade. Al-
the
completeness
of
American
instruments.
triumvirate of practical men. With them though he will soon be ranked among the
For
instance,
the
continued
improve-
octogenarians,
yet
he
is
one
of
those
young
"to think was to act," and the record of
ments
in
felts,
actions,
plates
and
other
old
men
who
take
a
lively
interest
in
trade
the house for over a score of years has been
concomitants
of
the
piano
have
been
of
affairs.
a persistent effort toward the perfection
such
value
that
embodied
in
the
modern
of the piano action. Improvements have
Mr. Cole is the inventor of many
been patented, innovations inaugurated, machines which have helped to cheapen piano they have helped to make it the ad-
and to-day dealers and manufacturers the production of veneers. The Cole pro- mirable instrument it is to-day. Manufac-
realize that a genuine feature of the good cess of preparing veneers is at present turers have done their share, it is true, but
piano is the use of the Wessell, Nickel & largely in adoption, yet the products of the the supply branches, as a general thing,
do not get the credit they should in this
Gross action.
Cole house have never been equaled.
Now that there is such a demand for connection.
Their factories at Forty-fifth and Forty-

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