Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1899 Vol. 28 N. 16

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
The Pianola.
WIDENING ITS CONSTITUENCY OF ADMIRERS
EVERY DAY COMMANDS THE PRAISE OF
PROFESSIONALS AND AMATEURS ALIKE.
That wonderful new piano-player, the
Pianola, has apparently become a recog-
nized necessity in every musical household.
Indeed it is in truth a valued addition any-
where good music is highly appreciated,
but impossible jai rendition through lack
of special technical ability. Here is
where the P*ianola steps in. Convenient
in size, easy to adjust and simple to mani-
pulate, it has been welcomed not only by
the lover of good music but even by
professional piano players who acknowl-
edge its advent to be a great relief when
THE PIANOLA
the physical and mental strain of constant
practise becomes, as sometimes happens,
well nigh unbearable.
As a means of augmenting appreciation
of the Pianola the ^Eolian Quarterly is
proving an effective missionary. The cur-
rent issue contains an able editorial, en-
titled "Evolution in Music Making"
which should be read by everybody in-
terested in the achievements and possi-
bilities of the ^olian and Pianola. A
little-thought-of point is treated of very
skilfully in the following excerpt from this
editorial:
We talk continually of touch or individu-
ality in piano-playing as something neces-
sary to intelligent reading of the com-
poser's thought. It is surely a great add-
ed charm, and lights up dark corners.
But is it necessary? And if necessary,
where does the limitation of the personal
equation fall? Whose touch is necessary?
Fifty individuals may have a hundred or a
thousand varying idiosyncrasies. Now, are
all these necessary, or only some? And
if some which?
In a strictly musical sense there is proper-
ly no such thing as touch. There is only
musical expression, depending upon accent,
shadings of time and force, and phrasing
—the whole emanating from the heart and
brain. Some possess the power in one
degree and some in another, some hardly
at all.
\\
What has become of individual idiosyn-
The liardman Piano.
crasy in the orchestra? We talk about
IN SCHOOL, CHURCHES, [LODGES, CLUBS AND
a virtuoso orchestra. The term is rela-
OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
tive. Orchestras make music largely
through mechanical means, and the human
Hardman, Peck & Co. have issued an
interest beside the musical is nowhere.
interesting
and valuable statement showing
If you hear an organ solo, whither has
to
what
extent
the Hardman Piano is being
personality fled?
The ascendancy of personality is a used in schools, churches, lodges, clubs
modern bane.
and other institutions. The introductory
Shall we say that the really vital part of remarks are well worthy of careful perusal.
musical expression is brain ?—not finger
As the distinguishing characteristic of
peculiarities, but musical intelligence which
the
Hardman Pianos is durability say the
knows the dramatic significance of accent,
shadings of force, and above all, time- firm, "we have for years made a specialty
modification? Now, practically all the of supplying them to schools and other in-
necessary personal qualifications of musical stitutions where instruments are subjected
works when played on the piano or organ,
the combining together of notes into to unusually hard use. The testimony of
phrases, accent, outline dynamics, etc., are hundreds of buyers for such purposes is
measurably within the control of the player unanimous in according to the 'Hardman'
of improved JEolians and Pianolas.
an exceptional position in this respect, as
well as the highest musical and artistic ex-
cellence. Consequently, we, to-day, feel
justified in claiming that the Hardman
Piano has no equal for the school. A care-
ful estimate develops the fact that the use
given a piano in a boarding-school is about
ten times the amount it has to undergo in
a private house, on the average. It will
be seen therefore, what an important mat-
ter it is that only durable instruments
should be purchased for such service.
" Although, as a rule, the use given to a
piano in a church or Sunday-school is not
very severe, the fact that the edifice is gen-
erally closed during the week permits sud-
den and frequent changes of temperature
to occur, especially during the winter, to
such an extent as almost certainly to vitiate
the action or tone of any piano not of the
very best construction. This kind of use
is, as a rule, even more severe upon an in-
strument than the hardest of service in a
building maintained at a regular tempera-
ture. The same fact holds good in many
other
cases, such as those of lodges, armor-
IN OPERATION.
ies, etc., etc.
Mechanical ingenuity having got to the
" The list of schools, churches, clubs and
point of providing the player with a sub-
other
institutions using the Hardman Piano
stitute for the work of his fingers, so that
the technical execution of the most difficult will give some idea of the popularity of
pieces is as easy as that of the simplest, an this famous instrument in places where the
entire revolution in teaching methods may utmost durability, combined with fine tone
be looked for. The time heretofore devoted and quality, is a necessity. This list com-
to learning to play on the piano and organ
will in the future be devoted to learning to prises only a few, comparatively, of the
know. Through repeated hearings of schools and other institutions to which
masterpieces, musical natures will broaden Hardman Pianos have been furnished. The
and deepen, and every good result follow assurances that we have received from the
apace.
principals of those schools which have
Meanwhile the best means of becoming bought our pianos are of such a nattering
thoroughly posted regarding the high de- character that we take the liberty of sug-
gree of perfection to which the ^Eolian Co. gesting correspondence with any of the in-
have developed that excellent instrument, stitutions named in this list, for the pur-
the ^Eolian, and their piano-player the pose of ascertaining whether the instru-
Pianola, is to visit the warerooms in this ments have been satisfactory. We have
city or the headquarters of any of their never known a case where the purchase of
representatives in other cities where every a Hardman Piano was made by a school
inquiry will be satisfactorily answered.
that the testimony of the principal was not
The recitals given every Saturday at the that it far exceeded in durability any in-
warerooms in this city are being largely strument before tried in the establishment."
attended—in fact there was such an assem-
Then follows a detailed list of names
blage last Saturday that it was necessary and addresses of societies, associations,
to give a special recital on Monday to sat- clubs, lodges, churches, etc., now using the
isfy the many who were disappointed on Hardman piano. Nearly every State in the
that dav.
union is well represented in numbers and
influence. The New York list is large and
A. B. Cameron, of the A. B. Cameron contains the names of many well-known
Co., left town on Monday for an extended organizations, including over twenty city
schools,
trip in the firm interests.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Edmund Cluett, of Troy, N. Y., was
among the callers this week at the Weber
warerooms. He left a good order. Mr.
Cluett is on his way from a brief Florida
vacation.
At the Lindeman factory this week, Mr.
L. W. P. Morris reports business as active.
M. G. H. Beverley, who is now travelling
in the firm interests, has sent in a number
of good orders, and is proving himself to
be "the right man in the right place."
Stultz & Bauer have been so busy with
actual orders during the past two or three
weeks that they have been compelled to
ship every instruments from the ware-
room floors and are unable as yet to replace
the exhibit.
E. Heuer & Co., the well-known dealers
of Mexico City, Mex., are having a big
trade in Estey organs. Mr. Heuer's father,
who resides in Hamburg, Ger., is soon ex-
pected in Mexico on a visit. He is at
present sojourning with his daughter in
San Jose, Cal.
Damage to the amount of $800 was
caused in the music store of Mrs. L. M.
Hurd at North Adams, Mass., last Satur-
day. The fire was confined to the front of
the store. The loss was covered by insur-
ance.
n '
Judge Brown of the United States Dis-
trict Court, Thursday granted discharges
to thirty-one bankrupts, among^whom were
Henry Lindeman, formerly a piano manu-
facturer, liabilities, $104,345.
Prof. J. S. Eckford, of Portsmouth, Va.,
a well-known musician and piano tuner
attempted suicide by shooting while on a
visit at the Laing House, Cumberland, Md.,
this week. He will recover.
In connection with the recent marriage
of Geo. F. Blake, president of the McPhail
Piano Co. the office force and staff of
salesmen in the McPhail employ presented
the bride and bridegroom with three very
expensive pieces of silverware for table use.
At the Mehlin warerooms there are now on
exhibition several perfect examples of the
newest styles in Mehlin concert and parlor
grands. Wholesale and retail trade are re-
ported as excellent.
The new Kohler & Campbell factory in
West Fourteenth street is being rapidly
completed. When finished, it will be a splen-
didly appointed establishment. Proper ad-
vantage is being taken of all available space
for manufacturing purposes.
Henry B. Fischer, of J. & C. Fischer,
started for an extended trip West, North-
west and South, on Saturday. He will be
be away for several weeks.
William R. Gratz, of William R. Gratz
& Co., returned this week from a very suc-
cessful trip.
Geo. N. Grass left on Thursday on a
short trip in the Steck interests, He will
journey as far as S£. Louis,
The latest accession to the Bradbury
piano forces is Mr. Guernsey, formerly with
the Mathushek Co., who is now doing duty
at the Jersey City warerooms of the Brad-
bury piano.
F. W. Lohr, traveling representative of
Hardman, Peck & Co., returned to town on
Monday from a very successful trip. Mr.
Lohr was away nearly two months.
Business is active at the ^Eolian ware-
rooms and factory. Mr. Perkins left town
yesterday for Baltimore. He will return
to-day.
Oliver Peck, founder of the music store
of Frank Schilling, Oswego, N. Y., died at
his home in Brooklyn Saturday last. He
retired two years ago.
There is great activity at the Gabler
factory. Emil Ernest Gabler and Mr.
Bareuther will start on Monday for a brief
business trip in the South.
Press Osborn, formerly with Lyon, Pot-
ter & Co. is now connected with the re-
tail forces of Grosvenor, Lapham & Co.
The J. T. Wamelink Piano Co., have
been organized to succeed J. M. Wame-
link in Cleveland, O.
Over the title "Three Generations of
Esteys" there appears in the last issue of
the Indicator handsome half tones of the
founder and present members of the Estey
Organ Co. On the opposite page a very
neat tribute is paid this noted institution.
J. M. Hawxhurst, the Bradbury re-
presentative in Chicago, has been visiting
the trade in Southern Indiana and St.
Louis.
Clarence Eddy, the distinguished organist
has been officially appointed organist for
the United States to the Paris Exposition.
The Sohmer, Mehlin and Kroeger pianos
are the subject of many compliments in a
neatly printed and well designed pamphlet
issued by S. P. Hart & Son, the well-
known dealers of Cleveland, O.
Frank H. Morgan, music dealer of
Nashua, N. Y., whose disappearance from
home has been the subject of much com-
ment in the local papers, is proving a
regular will-o'-the-wisp. It is said on the
authority of a number of people that he
arrived in Nashua, last Saturday evening,
but his family and friends have not seen
him. The search is still on.
S. W. Tyler, music dealer of Worcester,
Mass., intends giving up his sheet music
business and devote himself in future to
the sale of pianos and small musical in-
struments.
Elliot & Austin is the name of a new
firm of pipe organ manufacturers who have
made their appearance in Boston, Mass.
A fake piano tuner is reported to be op-
erating in the vicinity of Panama, N. Y.
Vacate Old Quarters.
The old Knabe warerooms on Fifth Ave-
nue will, it is expected, be closed on Tues-
day or Wednesday, all stocks remaining
from the sale being transferred to the new
quarters.
Frank Sohmer Returns.
Frank Sohmer, who returned on Wednes-
day from an extended trip, informed The
Review yesterday, in answer to a question
as to trade conditions as he found them,
that in the middle West and South, all
appearances indicate lasting prosperity.
As a Sohmer representative, he met with
a good reception at all points and trans-
acted a satisfactory amount of business in
the firm's behalf. There are many evi-
dences, he declares, that the tendency of
purchasers is toward good instruments,
irrespective of price. Sohmer prospects
everywhere are most encouraging.
Leaves for Europe.
Henry B. Tremaine of the ^Eolian Co.,
left for Europe on Thursday on the North
German Lloyd steamer Konigin Luise. He
will make a business tour and will not re-
turn, probably, until the middle of July.
fir. Dutton, Chairman.
The Executive Committee of the Na-
tional Piano Manufacturers' Association
have chosen William Dalliba Dutton as
chairman and Chas. H. Parsons as secre-
tary.
In order to relieve the secretary of the
association of much detail work, Albert
Sturke r has been appointed assistant sec-
retary with salary.
Chickering fladrigal Concert.
The third concert of the Madrigal Singers,
under the auspices of Chickering & Sons,
takes place at Chickering Hall on next
Tuesday at three o'clock. The singers will
be assisted by Carl Schuetze, harpist and
Messrs. La Croix and Dutschke, horn
players. Richard Hoffman will be the piano
soloist, playing three numbers by Schu-
bert and two by himself.
Decorated in fir. Schmidt's
Honor.
It must have warmed the heart of Mr.
Oscar Schmidt upon his recent return from
Germany to find that such a glorious recep-
tion awaited him. The entire Menzen-
hauer-Schmidt office in Jersey City Heights
was decorated in our national colors while
German coat of arms were also artistically
interspersed amid the red, white and blue
stripes. Mr. Schmidt has made a surpris-
ing success of the manufacture of guitar
zithers in Germany and the concern has re-
cently opened up a branch in Paris and in
Switzerland. After remaining here awhile
and consulting his partner, Mr. W. F.
Menzenhauer, he will return to Germany
where the firm's extensive business requires
his supervision.
Holmes Opens JUp.
Walter Z. Holmes, until recently the
manager of the Bradbury Piano warerooms
in this city and in Jersey City, has opened
piano warerooms under his own name in
Montgomery Street, Jersey City.

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