Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
the old world, having been founded by he was also a member of the German Society
Palestrina, the celebrated composer, in for Emigrants. Thoroughly cosmopolitan
1594. The diploma of membership is in his ideas, the Fatherland always occupied
a high place in his affections. His labors in
in itself a work of art.
connection with the World's Fair of 1892,
What the flusical Profession Owes Him.
and his financial aid in that great undertak-
The musical profession is especially in- ing, will ever be held in grateful remem-
debted to Mr. Steinway for his generosity brance by his fellow citizens.
in advancing, in a thousand ways, the cause
of musical education. In the days of Stein-
way Hall that beautiful concert auditorium
was always at the disposal of choral socie-
ties, orchestras, or budding vocalists. To
the personal influence and aid of Mr. Stein-
way the Leiderkranz Society of New York
city owes much of its prestige and prosper-
ity.
He had been many times president of
the Leiderkranz, and at the time of his
death still held this great honor.
It was last March when his sixtieth anni-
versary was celebrated by a special recep-
tion at the Leiderkranz. It was at that
time when the following tribute was paid
him:
"Of William Steinway it has been justly
said that, although it may be possible to
find his equal as a prominent American, or
as a prominent German, there is none can
equal him as a cosmopolitan, as the citizen
of the world.
"In Italy, Spain, France, German)' 1 ,
Russia and America he is known as one
who has contributed to the advancement of
the great cause of art. He makes no dis-
tinction in this line, but claims to belong
to the world. He does so, indeed, if only
by the generous acts that he has done,
which bind him by the closest ties to hu-
manitarians the world over.
"The piano industry throughout the
world regard him as its most eminent and
distinguished member.
The American
piano trade owes its unsurpassed record
and prominence to the Steinway house, of
which he is the head. In every movement
for the welfare of this trade and for the
maintenance of its position he has always
been in evidence as the head and front.
"Of him it may be justly said that he
loves humanity for humanity's sake. His
deeds of benevolence, although seldom
spoken of by himself, are known through
the mouths of his beneficiaries in all sec-
tions of the globe. In his business career
and in his private history, in his life, both
public and private, William Steinway ranks
as the greatest of that great race of Ger-
man-Americans which has become identi-
fied with the history and progress of the
United States."
His private purse had been constantly
drawn upon in his generous desire to assist,
unknown to the world, musicians whose
gifts, but for such timely aid, might for-
ever have remained buried in obscurity.
Abundant indeed have been his contribu-
tions to the advance of musical art. To
him the German Hospital in New York is
indebted for liberal endowments. He was a
member of the "Rechtsschutzverein, " a so-
ciety for the protection of poor Germans
who are unable to retain legal advice in
the matter of recovering claims for labor;
Election Work.
Notwithstanding the fact that he had
been a semi-invalid, Mr. Steinway gave
much of his strength and energy to the
cause of sound money during the last
Presidential election. Although a stanch
Democrat all his life, he worked day and
night unceasingly for the election of Mc-
Kinley. He made many speeches and used
his influence in innumerable ways for the
furtherance of the cause of sound money.
A notable incident in the last campaign:
when the Governor of Texas received a
communication from Bismarck relative to
his advocacy of free silver, it was given
out all over the country and used with pro-
digious effect in German-American circles
as being an absolute endorsement by the
great German statesman of the silver doc-
trine. Mr. Steinway cabled to Bismarck
and obtained from him a correct and re-
vised opinion showing that the translation
of the cablegram to the Texas politician
was inaccurate, and it was through Mr.
Steinway's influence that the Bismarck
letter was turned into a boomerang.
Mr. Steinway was twice married. The
children resulting from his first marriage
are Mr. Geo. A. Steinway, who arrived from
Europe last Thursday, and one daughter,
who is married to Mr. Louis Von Bernuth.
From his second marriage there are two
young sons, twelve and fourteen years, who
survive him, William E. and Theodore F.
Funeral Services.
The funeral of Mr. Steinway occurred
last Wednesday. There were first private
services conducted at his late residence, 26
Gramercy Park, which were followed by
a public funeral at the Liederkranz. At
the Liederkranz, men famous in political
life, in art and in society were present to
pay their last respect to New York's great
citizen.
Seldom, except at the funerals of great
military chieftains, has there been such a
demonstration of public esteem as was
paid the memory of William Steinway last
Wednesday. The great hall of the Lieder-
kranz Society was a place of mourning.
Funeral drapings were everywhere. Across
the gallery, along the sides of the audi-
torium, they extended until they rose into
a canopy at the southern end, where beneath
them were massed the flowers, which had
been sent from all parts of the country.
These, piled in a bank, extended half way
to the ceiling of the room. Violets and
white roses predominated.
Within a central space was placed the
catafalque and upon it were other flowers
—at the head a large lyre of violets from
the Liederkranz Society, of which Mr.
Steinway was the president, and at its foot
a wreath of violets from the Bachelors'
Society of the Liederkranz, thirty members
of which acted as ushers. About the cata-
falque were arranged the pallbearers, each
wearing a scarf of white and black.
All of the prominent commercial and
social bodies of which Mr. Steinway was a
member were represented.
The New York Press Club sent a delega-
tion. So also did the Board of Directors of
Abbey, Schoeffel & Grau.the Advisory Com-
mittee of the German-American Reform
Union and the Executive Committee of the
German-American Sound Money League.
These organizations adopted resolutions of
regret at Mr. Steinway's death.
The floral tributes sent by the many
friends of Mr. Steinway were of such an ex-
tent in numbers and variety that it is almost
impossible to enter into a description of
them. A silver laurel wreath was placed
upon Mr. Steinway's coffin by order of
Paderewski. The American Piano Manu-
facturers' Association sent a handsome
lyre. There was a magnificent floral grand
piano standing several feet high sent by
the Boston Music Trade Association and the
M. Steinert & Sons Co., a magnificent wreath
of violets and lilies of the valley from Lyon,
Potter & Co., a huge pillow of flowers from
N. Stetson Co., Philadelphia, a wreath
from Moritz Rosenthal, a bank of flowers
from Steinway & Sons, Hamburg, Ger.,
and a huge bank of flowers from the em-
ployees of Steinway & Sons, a tribute from
H. Conried, a magnificent lyre of roses
and lilies of the valley in form of the trade-
mark of vSteinway & Sons on which was the
following inscription, " With sincere and
heartfelt sympathy of the members of the
office and warerooms of Steinway & Sons."
Morris Steinert sent also a magnificent trib-
ute. There were floral emblems sent by
Mr. Steinway's friends and admirers in all
parts of the world. Load after load of
flowers was taken to the Liederkranz by the
noted florists of New York.
Thousands of telegrams have been re-
ceived from all parts of the world.
One of the first messages received was
the following from Ignace J. Paderewski,
coming by cable from Paris :
" I can hardly believe that my noble and
beloved friend is no more. The loss is
irreparable I join in your sorrow from the
depths of my heart."
Among others who sent messages were
Rafael Joseffy, Theodore Thomas, Moritz
Rosenthal, who is ill in Chicago; Arthur
Friedheim and John Philip Sousa. Jean
and Edouard de Reszke wrote a letter of
condolence.
Before the actual ceremonies began the
employees of the house of which Mr. Stein-
way was the head filed by the catafalque and
took their last farewell of their employer.
Quite two thousand paid this tribute, and
then returned to the factory in Fourth ave-
nue to await the conclusion of the cere-
monies.
The services began soon after one
o'clock. The band and the Liederkranz
Orchestra, under the direction of Herr