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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
New Weber Catalogue.
A SPLENDID PRODUCTION WHICH REFLECTS
CREDIT ON THE WEB ER-WHEELOCK CO.
representing the aims and methods of the present
management of the concern.
Nevertheless, " T r u t h is mighty and will pre-
vail," and the truth is that the Weber piano in the
closing years of the century is no whit inferior
artistically or mechanically to the Weber piano of
twenty years ago. But it may be asked, have not
other manufacturers improved their instruments
in the last two decades, and are they not therefore
superior to the Weber of an earlier day? The can-
did answer to this query is : Considerable advance
and improvement, especially in respect of durabil-
ity and external appearance, have no doubt been
made, particularly to the ranks of the medium
grade manufacturers, but the achievements of
Albert Weber, senior, in the realm of tone produc-
tion, like the violin masterpieces of Cremona, still
stand unrivaled, the hope and despair of other and
lesser lights in the musical world! Art takes no
account of time. There have been great sculptors
and painters since Phidias, Angelo and Raphael,
but has any yet surpassed their work ?
The Weber-Wheelock Company is a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of New York;
it has a paid-up capital of $600,000. The unquali-
fied assurance of its officers and directors is hefe
given that, availing themselves of every plan and
process which have come down to them from the
days of the founder of the Weber house, they will
continue to spare no effort and no outlay of money,
care and watchfulness to keep the Weber piano as
perfect mechanically as may be possible, and of
supreme excellence in respect of (in the words of
the Centennial commission) "sympathetic,pure and
rich tone, combined with greatest power."
strongest selling features of the "Crite-
rion." As an expert in instruments of this
class, his expressions have full weight,
and the reputation of the firm is equivalent
to a guarantee of good faith. "These instru-
ments," said Mr. Paillard, referring to
a number of the Criterions of various
styles and sizes, "are made in the United
States. ' The Criterion' has been fully
The new Weber catalogue—superbly
printed and admirably compiled and edited
—made its appearance this week. It is a
dignified and impressive medium to make
better known to the public the especial or
individual merits of the celebrated Weber
pianos.
From the beautifully embossed cover, on
which appears the legend ''The Weber
Piano," right through the thirty-two pages,
which contain illustrations of several styles
of Weber grands—small, parlor and or-
chestral concert—and uprights, styles A,
B, g, 18, 22 and D, the reader will find
much to interest him both as to the sym-
metry and beauty of the designs shown as
well as the quotations which appear from
opinions expressed by thirty-two of the
most eminent musicians and authorities
anent the special musical attributes of the
The Celebrated "Criterion"
Weber pianos.
Music Box.
The pages devoted to the great triumph
of the Weber piano at the Centennial Ex-
A GREAT POPULAR FAVORITE MADE BY M. J.
position in 1876 are not the least interest-
PAILLARD & CO. POINTS OF INTEREST
ing. They bring to light some facts which
EXPLAINED.
tested by musical and mechanical experts,
many in our time may have forgotten, par-
During a brief visit on Tuesday to the who pronounce it to be ' The World's Best
ticularly that four eminent judges on that
Music Box.' It furnishes, at a trifling cost,
occasion awarded the Weber piano 95 Paillard warerooms at 680 Broadway, it
an
unlimited supply of the choicest music,
marks out of a possible 96 in the matter of was noted that one of the specialties for
secular
and sacred.
the season 1897-8, in the matter of music
tone, equality, quality and touch.
"
We
do not hesitate to say that it com-
The catalogue closes with cuts of medals boxes, is the " Criterion," an automatic or
bines
all
the desirable improvements of
awarded the Weber piano at the Paris Ex- self-operating and self-playing instru-
instruments
of this kind. It possesses,
position in 1889, and some selected names ment, of American make, with a highly
too,
many
original
and valuable features.
from the illustrious roll of celebrated art- tempered steel comb, the teeth of which
Mechanically,
it
is
faultless. Musically,
ists who have recorded their preference never get out of tune and are sounded by
the
'Criterion'
is
the
highest achievement
revolving spur-wheels, which in their turn
for the Weber piano.
of
its
kind.
In
appearance
it is an orna-
The Weber-Wheelock Co. will be pleased are driven by projections stamped on re- ment anywhere. We consider the 'Cri-
to send out this catalogue for the asking, volving circular sheets.
terion ' so far in advance of other competi-
and dealers not receiving one should at
tors that comparisons along that line would
once look it up.
be useless."
The following introductory to the cata-
Although musical novelties of every
logue, which is entitled "A Bit of History,"
kind abound at the Paillard warerooms,
conveys much regarding the past that is
special attention is given to the music box
interesting and elucidates the future policy
department, which contains many speci-
of the manufacturers of the celebrated
mens of Swiss and American art work,
Weber:
from the simplest in form to the most
The history of the Weber piano vividly illus-
elaborate, from the lowest priced to the
trates the value of persistence and fidelity to an
most costly. All are alike complete, sub-
idea. As a musician Albert Weber, senior, recog-
nized early in his career that the development of
stantial and reliable. The cuts represent
the piano had hitherto been almost wholly in the
a "Criterion " of box foim, style V., with
direction of mechanism. To improve the tone and
give to it that sympathetic quality found in the
and without discs inserted.
violin became the central motive of his life. The
The ' ' Criterion " is also on exhibition in
result more than justified his conception, and the
Weber pianoforte to-day stands as the embodiment
upright form. It is termed the "Criterion
of the musician's idea of tone. Maintaining all the
Grand," and is made with 92 teeth in
advantages of the highest excellence in construc-
tion, the most unyielding durability, and that
single comb, also in "duplex" form, con-
capacity for retaining its freshness of tone which
taining 184 teeth. The sheets or discs are
is so often found wanting, the chief glory of the
Weber piano is yet that pure, rich and sympa-
2o)4 inches in diameter, and each tune oc-
thetic quality of tone, in the possession of which it
The mechanism is driven by a spring cupies one and a half minutes.
stands alone. The elder Weber, the greatest piano
maker America has yet seen, has passed away but motor which is simplicity itself, and con-
his work remains, and his successors, the Weber- sequently not apt to be troublesome. The
Wheelock Company, enjoy the full benefit of all
The Wissner in Concert.
that he discovered and accomplished in the chosen special features of construction are many
field of his labors, the musical perfection of the and important. For example, it is inter-
pianoforte. Certain mechanical improvements
The Wissner grand piano will be iised
have from time to time been added since his death, changeable in all its working parts. The
but the Weber piano of 1897 is substantially iden- note projection is indestructible. Uniform by Mme. Julie Rive-King in connection
tical with that of 1876 (the year of its Centennial
triumph), and through varying fortunes in the speed is secured by the use of a self-regu- with a tour of the West to be undertaken
years that have intervened the house has consist- lating fly-wheel. Tempo can be changed by the Seidl Orchestra this fall. Except-
ently stood for the highest ideals of the piano
ing New York, Boston and Chicago some
maker's art. The enduring fame won by its at will by using speed regulators.
founder has led certain rivals and competitors to
Mr. Paillard, at the suggestion of The twenty-eight concerts will be given in the
belittle his genius, and in later years to attack the
integrity and good faith of his successors by mis- Review, pointed out what he considered the principal cities as far west as St. Louis.