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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
8
MONG recent changes in the represen-
tation of the "Knabe," as arranged
by Mr. Win. Knabe in his recent trip, may
be mentioned Robert L. Loud, of Buffalo,
and Messrs. Lent & Moore, Ithaca, N. Y.,
who will in the future handle these well-
known instruments.
* *
A
Time was when an old established busi-
ness of a quarter of a century or more was
looked upon as a secure one. The older
and the longer established, the stronger the
foundation, it was thought. And this ought
to be true. But it is not. A long experi-
ence, and a good name for good goods and
fair dealing, ought to be worth something
in the market. And so it is to a certain
extent, but there are evils, or diseases, so
to speak, which attack old firms, just as
they do the human frame when it is ad-
vanced in years. Old blood moves too
slowly for the aged, the younger firms are
more energetic and move more rapidly.
New blood, new life needs to be taken in.
It is a wise old firm that understands this
need in time to save themselves from being
shelved. Another evil which besets an old
firm is old credits, says "Art Trade." It
is n® easy task to cut off old customers
who have been buying for years, and who
have been good pay in the past, but are not
so any more. It is hard to refuse them
credit, but such a refusal must in some
cases be made or the books will soon show
too much money out and nothing to pay
bills due. It is just this danger of being
too lenient with old customers that has
brought disaster to many an old established
firm.
*
When we consider the amazing advances
made in the inventive and mechanical
fields during the past three hundred years,
it is a somewhat curious, as well as a won-
derful fact, that the violin as to form and all
essential details, continues to remain un-
changed and unaffected by the progress of
the age. The foregoing fact stands out in
a remarkably strong light and speaks elo-
quently of the wisdom and knowledge of
the inventors and makers of this magnifi-
cent instrument, particularly when the
wonderful improvements and developments
in the majority.of musical instruments are
considered.
* *
In his correspondence from Canton, O., to
the "World" of this city, James Creelman
relates the following pleasant story of
Major McKinley: "A few evenings ago,
ous, more so, in fact, than any produced
on organ, piano or harp, and would often
be repeated once a minute or so for an
hour or more. Their origin was, of
course, attributed to some abnormal cere-
bral condition, but what that condition
was I am unable to even conjecture, and
leave it, hoping an autopsy may shed some
light that may benefit the profession, and
thereby humanity at large."
Parties who have visited Dr. Foote
claim that he is not, as one would expect, a
typical crank with lots of spare "wheels,"
but an intelligent and venerable philoso-
pher. Truly the world is moving when
nature equips human beings with musical
Clement B. Shaw, A. M., of the Athe- attachments.
mtum Building, Chicago, is the author and
publisher of a very concise treatise on
THE grand upright scale used in the
General Theory in question form, for vocal pianos made by Paul G. Mehlin & Sons,
and instrumental teachers, whether in class which is on exhibition in the window of
or private study. The Socratic method is their wareroom on Union Square, is an in-
employed, and the book is really a valuable teresting as well as unique and effective
assistant in practicalizing and simplifying means of drawing public attention to their
the teacher's work. It also combines a dic- new quarters, and to the handsome line of
tionary of eight hundred forms of direc- new styles which are to be found therein.
tion. It is neatly printed. In cloth, 250 It is not unusual any day to notice an ad-
pages, by mail, post paid, $1.00.
miring crowd in front of the window.
* *
supposing that the coast was clear and
knowing that the day's speech-making was
over, Mr. McKinley walked into the draw-
ing-room. He was feeling in fine spirits
and sat down to the piano, upon which he
thrummed the few chords at his command.
He had overlooked the fact that the shades
were not drawn, and as he finished with a
flourish he was greeted with hand-clapping
and cheers from every window, where
hundreds of faces were peering in. The
dignified nominee for the Presidency was
for once embarrassed, and, jumping from
his seat, ran to cover."
The employees, as well as the members
A new system of organ blowing which
will be found useful where a constant water of the firms of the piano and supply trade
supply cannot be had has been devised by in this city and locality, are practically
an Englishman, F. W. Durham. It consists unanimous for McKinley and sound money.
* *
of an ordinary hydraulic engine set in mo-
*
tion by means of oil or water and glycerine,
The fall season is with us and is being
which is drawn from a tank and driven
through a force pump by a small gas (or felt just now at the warerooms in this city.
oil) engine, the latter being placed at a Retail business is picking up all around and
convenient distance from the organ. The in some warerooms quite an active trade is
exhaust from the hydraulic engine is car- being transacted. Rentals have been es-
ried back again to the tank, thus prevent- pecially brisk for the past week—much more
ing any waste of the liquid used. No so than in previous years, and in fact it
has been either sales or rentals; sales
water service or main is required.
on installments not being as active as
usual. There is something in this. It
The popular lines of the poet who sings means that the people with spare money
about "the man who hath not music in his prefer to buy for cash, and those who
soul," etc., can now be placed "on the haven't got the money consider it wiser to
shelf," as it were, for we read of a Kansas rent than to purchase on the installment
physician who is destitute of "music in plan.
his soul" but has apparently considerable
Carreno's Triumphs.
quantities of it in his stomach.
Dr. I. N. Foote is- the individual thus
ERMANN WOLFF, of Berlin, the
endowed. He is a graduate of a New
widely known European impresario,
York medical college and is well known in
Argentine, Kan. The phenomena is so in- wrote Mr. Ferdinand Mayer, of Knabe &
explicable that he has already made his Co., in a letter dated Oct. 12, as follows:
" Before Madame Carreno commences
will bequeathing his body after death to
science for the purpose of investigation. her American Tournce it will be absolutely
In his last document which he has pub- necessary to cancel a number of concert
engagements, both in Germany and Rus-
lished he says:
"For a period of eight years a noise re- sia.
" Madame Carreno could easily fill the
sembling the interrupted escape of steam
from a locomotive was heard with every entire winter in Germany alone, applica-
pulsation of my heart, which led me to tions are so numerous.
"As evidence of her great success in
suspect thrombosis cerebri and greatly an-
noyed me, but during this time I was fre- Russia, she has been re-engaged by the
quently entertained after retiring by hear- Kais. Musikgesellschaft to appear in both
ing two soft and musical notes of about St. Petersburg and Moscow. "
one second's duration each, commencing
Madame Carreno opens her tour on Jan.
on G of the middle scale and ending on D 8 and 9, in this city, when she will appear
below.
with the New York Philharmonic Society.
"These sounds were peculiarly melodi- She will use the Knabe grand exclusively.
H