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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
A crowded house and abundant and well-
merited applause for Richard Hoffman and
the Seidl Orchestra demonstrated unequi-
vocally that the first of the Chickering or-
chestral concerts given last Tuesday after-
noon at Chickering Hall was an unqualified
success.
The program as printed in last week's
Review embraced three purely orchestral
numbers, Beethoven's "Egmont" over-
ture, a Norwegian suite for strings by Ole
OlsenandMendelssohn'sScotch Symphony;
the latter's concerto in G Minor for piano
and orchestra and three transcriptions of
Schubert's songs for the piano solus.
Richard Hoffman, the pianist of the oc-
casion, was received with much cordiality,
and his reading of the different numbers
which he was programed to play was ad-
mirable. It may be claimed that Mr.
Hoffman is of the old school, but it can-
not be denied that his playing was delight-
fully finished and clean, although at
times perhaps it lacked breadth and color.
His playing brought clearly to mind the
ever-changing ideals as to what constitutes
good piano playing and good piano music
since the two score years ago when he
played the same Mendelssohnian numbers.
The Chickering grand, as a great con-
cert instrument, fulfilleditsmission nobly.
The varied phases of its fine tonal quality
were splendidly displayed and evoked the
most favorable comments from thecultured
audience. The orchestral numbers,as might
be expected from the Seidl orchestra, were
thoroughly pleasing, the Olsen suite for
strings in particular being especially well
rendered. The Scotch Symphony was given
a careful reading by Mr. Seidl, and he held
his audience until the closing bars of the
last movement were played.
The Chickering orchestral concerts have
started off a great financial and artistic
success, and J. Burns Brown, of Chicker-
ing Hall, who has labored indefatigably
toward securing these results, is entitled to
no little credit.
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A local contemporary which has lately
become famous for its inaccurate state-
ments persists in its insinuations that New
York manufacturers are not able to fill
orders. It has now added a rider, just as
insulting and as untruthful, to the effect
that the lack of stock in the warerooms has
become so embarrassing that manufacturers
will have to take its advice "and send to
Chicago for a new stock."
Not a bad place to go for good stock, if
it were necessary, it is true, but there is no
occasion. The statement is a pure concoc-
tion and " cut out of the whole cloth.'*
The Review has visited every important
wareroom in the city and can say that there
is no foundation for these remarks. That
they are written for a purpose and for
profit will hardly be disputed. It is not a
coincidence that the editor-in-chief is now
in Chicago. It is part of the scheme.
There was a time when the manufac-
turers were as a lot of Trilbys in the hands
of this Svengali, but the hypnotic power
has "faded and fled," and tyranny and
bulldozing is no longer possible. This is
something the trade can be devoutly
thankful for.
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Geo. J. Dowling, the Everett road am-
bassador, arrived in town this week from
an extended road trip. " An unceasing
betterment in trade conditions is evident
wherever I travel," said Mr. Dowling in
The Review sanctum on Wednesday, "and
the outlook is most encouraging. Factories
are busy, men are employed everywhere,
and there must be a surplus of earnings for
the piano men in due course. While the full
force of the improving times will not be
felt until next year, yet I look for an excel-
lent holiday trade. It is inevitable."
It was unnecessary to ask Mr. Dowling
how the new Everett styles are being ap-
preciated. A big order book and a busy
factory best tell the story.
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It was the pleasure of The Review, in
company with some fifteen others es-
pecially invited by Messrs. Phipps & Cam-
piglio, the well-known managers, to enjoy
the rare treat last Saturday afternoon of
hearing the distinguished soprano, Miss
Helen Buckley, sing in Chicago. It is well
to state at once that the audience did not
travel a thousand miles from here by rail,
but wended its way to the long distance
department of the American Telephone
Co., 15 Dey street, where the experiment
of hearing the singing voice through the
'phone was to be tried for the first time.
All preliminaries had been carefully ar-
ranged both in Chicago and here, and
there was no delay. When all was ready
those present were handed receivers and
there was a silence for a moment, and then
a piano was heard. After a few bars a
woman's voice rose, clear, sweet and
strong, in Mendelssohn's "Hear ye, Israel,"
from the oratorio of "Elijah." It was
difficult to distinguish the words, but each
note of the melody could be heard distinct-
ly, with the piano accompaniment swelling
or dying away.
In her high notes Miss Buckley was
heard to the best advantage. These fairly
rang out, and it seemed as if she were
singing in a room near by. The song
ended with a full, clear note and crashing
peal from the piano, and the listeners
dropped the receivers to applaud. Mr.
Phipps called up Miss Buckley and she
was delighted to learn that her audience
was pleased.
Her next number was a difficult aria
from Massenet's " Heriodade." In this as
inVthe Mendelssohn aria it was noticed that
when singing pianissimo the piano owing
to its distance from the telephone flat-
tened the voice. This disadvantage was
brought to the notice of Mr. Phipps by J.
Burns Brown of Chickering Hall, who was
present, and Miss Buckley sang a French
song without accompaniment. This was
almost perfect. Hardly a break marred
the beauty of the voice, and even the soft-
er passages were pure and distinct. After
compliments were sent to the singer the
"concert" closed.
Miss Buckley, whose singing charmed
all present, is engaged to sing with Theo.
Thomas, in Chicago, the end of the present
month, and will later appear in this city
under the management of Messrs. Phipps
& Campiglio. She sang in London with
the most pronounced success, and her
managers predict an enthusiastic reception
by the music-loving public of New York.
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In reprinting a recent Review editorial
anent "the business revival," the Dolge-
ville Herald prefaces the article with the
following complimentary words which we
appreciate as coming from a paper that oc-
cupies a deservedly high place in the es-
teem of the people of the Empire State.
It says:
"Among the class publications there are
few to whose columns we may turn, at all
times, and expect to find good editorial
work which is not solely directed to "shop"
purposes—something of a more or less
general character and at the same time of
good quality—and among them is The Mu-
sic Trade Review. As an illustration of
this assertion we reproduce The Review's
latest leader."
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Wholesale and retail business is reported
as good this week at the Sohmer ware-
rooms.
NEW BRAUMULLER STYLES = =
Are Pre-eminent in Tonal Quality and Volume; Artistic Designs of Cases, Thoroughness of
Workmanship and High Grade of flaterlals used.
No Better Instruments for the Money on the Market.
Every Claim Made can be Substantiated.
DEALERS AriPLY PROTECTED IN TERRITORY AND PRICE.
BRAUMULLER CO., Factory and Wareroom: 402-410 West Fourteenth Street, New York.