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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
T
HE marvelous qualities of the Steinway
grand piano were unequivocally dem-
onstrated last Tuesday night when Moriz
Rosenthal, the great virtuoso, made his in-
itial appearance in this country at Carnegie
Hall. He achieved a great triumph, in
fact took the house by storm. As a critic
correctly said, " i t was not a triumph of
personality but due to his tremendous
virtuosity, his mastery of technique."
Rosenthal is undoubtedly the greatest of
all technicists, and in the " S t e i n w a y " he
had a piano which enabled him to display
an absolute perfection of digital dexterity
that was simply amazing. The running
passages, whether legato or glissandi, the
ROSKNTHAL.
trills, which weie as even and smooth as a
bird's, the chromatic scales or octaves- in
every instance the "Steinway" was equal
to the test. The tone was either clear and
brilliant or rich, sensuous, overpowering.
• This concert established Rosenthal's pre-
eminence as an instrumentalist, but more
than all, it was a manifestation of the
wonderful perfection and excellence of the
Steinway product.
Rosenthal's program was a concerto by
the Danish composer, Schytte, two Chopin
numbers, two Liszt compositions, and as
encores a fantasia on a waltz by Strauss
and a dainty Henselt work.
The musical critic of the " W o r l d " com-
menting on the concert said: " I t was not
a case of stimulated enthusiasm, of excited
imaginations. The man's personality did
not dominate the artist's genius. Author-
ity of style, mastery of technique, absolute
command of an instrument which seemed to
have become a mere plaything in his hands,
and a marvelous exhibition of artistic
achievement, touching the limits of human
possibility - t h e s e were the factors which
roused an audience of musicians and music-
lovers to the sincerest bursts of applause a
public performer has ever received in this
city."
Great is Rosenthal and great is the Stein-
way Grand!
*
O. L. Fox, the genial editor of our es-
teemed contemporary, the "Indicator,"
has been tarrying so long in our midst that
we are afraid the great metropolis has re-
placed his home city in his affections. Mr.
Fox has a host of warm friends in the East
who are making his tarry pleasant. He
was one of Rufus W. Blake's guests on his
yacht " D r e a m " on a cruise down the Sound
last week. The weather was delightful, the
host, as usual, entertaining and charming,
the fishing immense and—well, is it sur-
prising that Mr. Fox finds New York and
its environs such a pleasant abiding place?
Brother Fox adds complacently that the
trip on the " D r e a m " repaid him for the
loss of his vote, which, happily, Chicago did
not need.
*
When I met Billy Boothe this last week
he looked lonesome. I knew there was
good reason for it, because Billy is always
as chippy as a lark on a rose-colored morn.
I soon ascertained the cause. A. B Cam-
eron, his business confrere, is out West on
a business trip, and perhaps will journey as
far as San Francisco. "Cam," as he is fa-
miliarly known, and "Billy" Boothe are in-
separable, hence the latter's disconsolate
appearance during his absence.
But when I mentioned business Mr.
Boothe's face lighted. "Just a regular
avalanche of orders up to the factory, the
biggest week on record," said he.
*
Francis Ramacciotti, 162 West Twenty-
seventh street, New York, makes a specialty
of piano carvings and engraved panels. I
saw some specimens of Mr. Ramacciotti's
work the other day and admired them
greatly. He is having a splendid trade
among the higher grade manufacturers for
these panels. Some of his designs in the
Rococo and Renaissance styles are decided
ly artistic.
* *
*
Julius Breckwoldt, manufacturer of
piano cases, Dolgeville, N. Y., was in town
this week. Mr. Breckwoldt is developing
a magnificent trade among the manufactur-
ers. "Breck," as he is known among his
intimate friends, is a clever all-around good
fellow and a first-class business man as
well. A new electric plant will be placed
in his factory this week. They are work-
ing full time with plenty of orders.
" B r e c k " is up-to-date.
*
If any further evidence were needed that
confidence is restored and that capital is
eagerly rushing from its ante-election hid-
ing-places, it can be found in the fact that
sixteen millions of New York'Citv's bonds
was subscribed ten times over last Monday.
When offered some time previous to elec-
tion a purchaser could not be found. The
country is already reaping the reward of its
wise decision so emphatically declared last
week.
* *
A new method of preserving timber has
recently been tried. It consists in dissolv-
ing in naphtha the heavy oils and waxes left
after the distillation of petroleum and forc-
ing the solution into the seasoned timber
in the same manner as in creosoting. The
timber is then heated, when the naphtha
evaporates and is recovered in a cooling
chamber, while the waxes, etc., remain be-
hind in the wood, water-proofing it.
* *
Wm. Dalliba Dutton, of Hardman, Peck
& Co., had a narrow escape from serious in-
jury on election day. While wheeling near
Kingsbridge, he was thrown from his bi-
cycle into an excavation nearly twenty feet
deep. Fortunately some trestle-work was
in place, which saved Mr. Dutton from
being precipitated to the bottom. He fell
on his shoulder and was laid up for several
days, but I am pleased to say he is up and
around again, little the worse for his un-
pleasant experience.
*
The political campaign just closed has
been in the truest sense of the word an
educational one. The amount of literature
sent broadcast throughout the country was
formidable. In this connection the book
written by A. M. Warner entitled " F r e e
Silver Analyzed " did its share in bringing
about the grand finale proclaimed to the
world last Tuesday night.
It contains
facts, figures, records and arguments which
appealed to the intelligence of the reader
and successfully exploded the silver falla-
cies. Mr. Warner is the senior partner of
the Warner Manufacturing Co.. importers
and manufacturers of piano covers, this
city, and his handling of this subject proves
him to lie a clever writer and no ordinary
student of economics.
* *
A writer who has been journeying
through Africa states that an instrument
something like our piano is used by a native
tribe.
It possesses a sort of keyboard,
and the keys when pressed down and then
released cause thin pieces of wood to
vibrate and give forth sounds. The writer,
however, fails to state whether these
pianos or " r a t t l e boxes" are imported
from those $75 piano factories in this city
which an esteemed contemporary is contin-
ually raving about.
*
The latest addition to "Gordon's collec-
tion of four-part songs" is the "Shadows
on the Hearth, " by Walter A. Phillips.
The arrangement is admirable and is dis-
tinct evidence of Mr. Phillips'ability. The
quartet is scored for first and second
tenors, and first and second basses. We
venture to predict that it will become very
popular with lovers of part songs.