Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
An /Eolian Souvenir.
HE services of the renowned musical
critic, Henry T. Finck, have been en-
listed in the iEolian cause with the result
that we are favored with an artistic and
valuable treatise by this erudite writer in
which the artistic merits and musical pos-
sibilities of the ^Eolian receive just and
appreciable recognition.
Mr. Finck's reputation as a writer is much
too valuable to permit his endorsement of
any musical instrument unless that instru-
ment embodies merits of a unique and ar-
tistic order.
It is always a pleasure to write on affairs
pertaining to the ^Eolian Co., their
methods are so admirable, their product
so excellent. The possibilities for the
T
indulging in less refined amusements, and they
will soon learn to play the iEolian themselves, and
thus become familiar with the best classical music,
learning it as easily and unconsciously as their
mother tongue, whereas in the ordinary way of
hearing music but occasionally, a taste for it is
acquired as slowly and painfully as the knowledge
of a foreign language.
This is not the place to prove the value of music
in refining the manners and morals of children;
but if any mother or father has any doubts on that
point, they will find them met by the arguments I
have advanced in the essay on "Music and
Morals' in my "Chopin and other Musical Es-
says;" the principal one being that music weans
people Jrom low and demoralising
pleasures.
No boy who loves music will ever torture animals,
or be a rowdy in school or college.
Philosophers of all times have agreed as to the
moral and educational value of music; from Plato,
who said that music is atonic which does for the
mind what gymnastics do for the body, to Schopen-
hauer, who wrote that music is like a bath for the
mind, washing away all impurity and evil.
The fact that music has always been used as a
companion of religion and an aid to devotion, and
that it has been introduced as a refining influence
in the public schools of most countries, also bears
witness to its moral and educational value. In
Braumuller Co.
O
TTO L. BRAUMULLER, president
of the Braumuller Co. who returned
from an extended Western trip on Satur-
day last, states that the free silver wave is
very perceptibly receding, even in the re-
puted strongholds of the silver party.
"During my recent trip," stated Mr.
Braumuller to the REVIEW on Wednesday
last, " I took particular pains to make
careful enquiries regarding the general
political outlook. I passed through a num-
ber of so-called silver States, and learned
from undoubted authority that the Bry-
an strength was much exaggerated.
"There will be a big land-slide in No-
vember, you mark my words," said Mr.
Braumuller, and the silver party will be
right in it—Nit!"
Piano Workmen for McKinley.
HE piano workers are evidently not
strongly in favor of presidential can-
didate Bryan. The "World" is making a
canvass among the vvorkingmen for the
purpose of learning whom they favor for
President. Secret ballots are used. A bal-
lot of the employees of Haines Bros, this
week revealed twenty-one for McKinley,
two for Bryan and two for Palmer. It was
stated at the Haines factory that seven-
eighths of the men who will vote for
McKinley voted for Cleveland in 1892. A
ballot at the Kroeger Piano Co.'s factory
resulted in twenty-four for McKinley and
four for Bryan. The piano workers evi-
dently realize that idle or partly idle fac-
tories, which has been the rule under the
Democratic regime for the past couple of
years, is not quite to their advantage, hence
their pronounced tendency toward the Re-
publican candidate for President.
T
MUSIC ROOM OF MME. N0RD1CA, HOTEL SAVOY, N. Y. (SHOWING
really up-to-date ^Eolian dealer are un-
doubtedly great, the home office are gener-
ous, almost extravagant advertisers, ex-
pense is hardly considered in this matter—
the Nordica and De Reszke concerts to wit;
therefore, the initial work is done, and ad-
mirably done too, from headquarters.
It should be borne in mind, however, that
special adaptitude is required in the suc-
cessful handling of the y£olian, it is no
cheap business, but, given expert and intel-
ligent handling, the /Eolian agency can
easily be made a big money-maker.
Mr. Finck's treatise is charmingly illus-
trated with a number of admirable half-
tones, illustrating the music rooms and
apartments of noted artists in the various
hotels, and also giving portraits of the
artists themselves. We reproduce one of
the illustrations. Of the charm of Mr.
Finck's diction we will permit the following
extract to exemplify:
SOCIAL
AND EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF THE
/EOLIAN.
The most discouraging thing about music in
general is that it requires years of tiresome prac-
tice and drudgery to learn to play, and that this
practice must be kept up all the time or else your
fingers become " r u s t y " and stiff. The conse-
quence is that most women, when they are married
and assume the care of a household, give up their
music, thus losing one way of fascinating their
husbands and entertaining their children. The
^ o l i a n entails no such practice and sacrifice, and
a woman who has one in the house may find it a
useful ally in preventing the husband from spend-
ing his evenings at the club.
The children will be kept by the music from
churches, where it is desired to stimulate religious
fervor by some grand orchestral effects not attain-
able by a single organist, the iEolian will prove
invaluable; and so also will it in smaller churches
which cannot afford an expensive organ and organ-
ist. As for the public schools, if an yEolian were
placed iii every one of them, and the children
taught to play on it for their mutual gratification,
musical culture would progress with giant strides,
and many children who now dislike school would
then go with pleasure for the sake of the daily free
concert, at which they would become familiar with
all the best music of the past and present.
This is the kind of literature that appeals
to the intelligent buyer. The /Eolian Co.
can be congratulated on their latest "effort. "
Captivating "Capen."
HE Brockport Piano Mfg. Co., Brock-
port, N. Y., manufacturers of the
"Capen" piano, are pushing rapidly to the
front. The company write us that they
will soon have some new styles on the mar-
ket and add "our new styles are going to be
very handsome ones, and we believe that
they will hold their own with anything on
the market. We believe that business is
beginning to pick up a little, and we look
for better things after the election of Mc-
Kinley, which we are confident will take
place."
Mr. R. C. Hull, the general manager of
the concern, is an energetic business man,
and he proposes by live business methods
to place the "Capen" piano before the trade
in an attractive manner. The outlook for
the "Capen" is very promising.
T
"Better Times Are Coming."
HE Needham Piano & Organ Co., of
this city, are sending out some new
and unique advertising cards which should
be an immense aid to Needham agents in
making better known the instruments
which they handle. They are so neatly
designed that they will be preserved, and
then they cost the agents nothing.
In connection with these cards the Need-
ham Co. are sending out a leaflet in which,
under the caption " Better Times Are Com-
ing" they say: "Doubt and uncertainty
as to the result of the coming election is
-rapidly passing away and with the surety
of a sound National financial policy, confi-
dence is being restored, business is al-
ready improving and conservative dealers
are preparing for the season of prosperity
which is sure to follow.
"The beautiful new styles of Needham
pianos and organs are leading the way as
usual."
T
CRESSEY, JONES & ALLEN, of Portland, Me.,
have secured the agency for the Chickering
piano, which they will handle as their leader.