Music Trade Review

Issue: 1899 Vol. 28 N. 19

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Mason & Hamlin Affairs.
A
BRIGHT OUTLOOK FOR THIS CON'CERN
PROMINENT BANKERS ELECTED TO THE
DIRECTORATE SPLENDID WORK OF
EDWARD P. MASON HENRY L.
MASON OFF TO EUROPE.
The Mason & Hamlin product is becom-
ing closer and more intimately associated
with the musical life of America as time
rolls on. Mason & Hamlin pianos have
won high rank as embodying true artistic
worth, and the care, skill and painstaking
evidenced in their make-up is beginning to
bear fruit of a satisfactory character.
Musicians and reputable dealers who have
examined the late products of Mason &
L-.._•:
which have had such full swing during
the past few years. Mr. Mason believes in
the future of high-grade goods, and he be-
lieves in the future of the historic Mason &
Hamlin Company.
The recent election of prominent Boston
bankers to the directorate of the Mason &
Hamlin Co., is certainly a notable event in
the history of that concern. The gentle-
men are: Mr. O. H. Lake, president of
the Central National Bank of Boston and
Mr. Chas. F. Smith, vice-president of the
Colonial Bank. Mr. Edward P. Mason for
a term of years has been on the board of
directors of the Central National Bank,
and it was due to his acquaintance with the
president that he is now associated with
the Mason & Hamlin Co.
Henry L. Mason leaves for Europe to-
day on the Steamer "Etruria." He will
not return until probably the middle of
July. He will visit the principal points in
the British Isles, including London, Edin-
burgh, Glasgow; run over to Holland,
where they have importing agents at Leyden
and Amsterdam; thence he will journey to
Berlin, Leipsic, Heidelberg; down to
Vienna and probably will include the
capital of the Great White Czar before he
returns to the land of Uncle Sam. He will
be in The Hague during the Peace Con-
ference, and, by the way, there is a Mason
& Hamlin organ in the castle where the
delegates will meet.
Mason & Hamlin have splendid connec-
tions abroad, and no doubt the foreign
trade wnll receive new impetus from Mr.
Mason's visit. He is well acquainted with
the European trade, having gone over this
trip a number of times.
EDWARD P. MASON.
Hamlin are enthusiastic in their praise.
The result is the big Boston factory is run-
ning full time and will so continue all sum-
mer. More than double the orders were
received during the month of April that
came in in March. A new concert grand
will be ready by early fall.
Edward P. Mason has labored indefatig-
ably for years, closely adhering to the art
idea, and refusing to admit that the trade
had gone mad over the cheap products
Important Copyright Decision.
A curious point in musical copyright has
just been decided in the chancery division
of the English High Court of Justice.
Messrs. Boosey, the well-known music
publishers, sought to restrain the agents
for the /Eolian from issuing rolls of paper
reproducing the airs of copyright songs.
Mr. Justice Sterling decided that the rolls
which play the airs are part, .of the instru-
ment, and their sale was not a breach of
copyright.
In this connection he said that these per-
forated sheets, being unintelligible to any
except those specially trained to read them
were outside the meaning of the copyright
act, which provides that a book is under-
stood to mean and include every sheet of
music separately published, and the word
''copyright" is to be considered to mean
"the sole and exclusive liberty of printing
or otherwise multiplying copies of any
subject." Hence there is no infringement,
as it is impossible to read these rolls of
music when not used in connection with
the ^Eolian for which they were made.
The most curious part of the Judge's
decision, however, was when he held that
the defendants had no right to take from
the sheets of music of the plaintiffs the
words "andante," "moderato," "piano,"
"crescendo," etc., which he held was a
breach of the law, and issued an injunction
to prevent its repetition.
We cannot, however, see the sense or
value of this injunction. If it is right or
permissible to use a composition, vocal or
otherwise, it would be much better for the
publishers were it played as the composer
intended, which is entirely possible with
the aid of the ^Eolian stops. A hearing of
a composition played with proper expres-
sion could have only one result, and that
to interest the hearers, which, no doubt,
would be followed by the purchase of a
sheet of music which to them alone would
be available for practical use.
We do not wish to cast a reflection on
the learned Judge of the English Court of
Chancery, but we are afraid he is lacking
in practical knowledge of music, for should
the decision be allowed to stand, it would
not be difficult for the defendants, should
they so desire, to find equivalents for these
words. Meanwhile we consider that the
use of a composition on the ^olian, pian-
ola or similar instruments has a distinct
tendency to make that composition better
known and better appreciated, thereby
helping to augment the sale of the
music, and thus benefit directly the pub-
lisher.
W»*"la»'U*>'lilM,<**l a <'*tl"
Is all that can be desired in Tone,
Construction and Finish
The Highest Grade*
Ah COLE Uprights are constructed on the principle of the
Grand and are •virtually Grands in upright form.
Cole Pianos are good sellers and have no equal.
The sterling and lasting qualities have been conceded by
prominent artists.
Special inducements to dealers. Jt J* J*
jt jt jt jt jl Write us for catalogue
Upright Style C.
COLE & CO.,
282 NINTH AVE.,
NEW YORK CITY, U. S. A
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
An Estey Souvenir.
A HANDSOME CATALOGUE WHICH IS NOTABLE
FOR ITS CLEVER TEXT AND TYPOGRAPHI-
CAL COMPLETENESS.
An unusually complete and interesting 1
publication is the new catalogue just is-
sued by the Estey Organ Co., Brattleboro,
Vt. as a souvenir of the completion of
their three hundred thousandth organ.
From typographical and literary stand-
points it is of especial merit. The print-
ing and "make-up" is admirable, while the
several "points" bearing upon the distinct
attributes of the Estey organs are brought
out in a forceful and colloquial style that
is really telling. In this way ordinarily
dry facts are presented in a new and in-
teresting light so effectively that the read-
er's attention is held until he possesses
such knowledge of these wares as would
escape him were the matter "dished up" in
the stereotyped style.
Here is an excerpt on the ' 'three hundred
thousandth organ" which is good reading:
The day when a man is fifty, he is a
young man or an old man, just as he feels.
The fact that we have just put "No.
300,000 " on an organ after fifty odd years
of manufacture, might, as we recall the
work it has required to reach this vast
mimber, make us feel old ; but, when we
set for ourselves the task of making three
hundred thousand more in one quarter the
time of the first lot, the blood mounts and
we are as young as ever.
Three generations of Esteys have made,
are making and we hope will continue to
make, Estey Organs. Having begun in
the middle of the nineteenth century, we
are now come to the threshold of the
twentieth with bright prospects of greatly
extending the business so well begun by
its founder whose memory will always be
honored.
Still another on " t o n e " is character-
istically Esteyian:
A tuneful tone makes a toneful tune.
If the tone is pleasing the tune will be.
The Estey tone has always been famous
for a certain indefinable sweetness, smooth-
ness and purity,
Fifty years of tone study begins to ac-
count for it.
Mathematical accuracy continues to ac-
count for it.
Skilled workmen whose deft fingers have
done the same thing for more than a quar-
ter century adds to the account.
And honest materials fill the sum of the
accounting.
The testimony of tone masters, such as
Wagner, Liszt, and Rubinstein, will con-
firm the opinion of others who are pleased
with the tone quality of an Estey.
Wagner said: " T h e tone of the Estey
Organ is very beautiful and noble,"and the
others gave like enthusiastic praises.
So right through the book we find es-
says on construction and casings, on indi-
viduality and numerous other topics anent
Estey organs, which are interspersed with
cuts, showing the evolution of the great
Estey factory from the modest abode where
the first organ was made in 1846 right
through the more pretentious workshops,
POOLE
M
up to the immense establishments now oc- in New York. The prosecutor is an old
cupied by an army of workmen at Brattle- Italian, who had succeeded in having
$1,000 to his name in a bank, after a life
boro, Vt.
The styles of organs illustrated in the spent in peddling.
new Estey organ catalogue embrace five
for parlor and five for church and public
Want to Trade With Us.
hall purposes. There is a pleasing variety
in design case, all being up to the usual
high Estey standard. The larger instru- HOW LATIN-AMERICAN MERCHANTS REGARD
UNITED STATES PRODUCTS.
ments are not only unique in design, but
possess a surprising tonal capacity and
Possibilities for the future business re-
possibilities—being furnished with the lations with South and Central America,
Estey patented philharmonic reed—and Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines are
appeal to musical people who thorough- little understood by manufacturers who
ly understand stops, manuals and ped- have not given the matter careful study.
als. The different organs are made with A traveler who has recently gone over
five, six and seven octaves, and in quar- the ground in South America states that
tered oak, solid black walnut and other the success of the American arms in our
woods to order. Descriptions accompany recent war with Spain has advertised this
each style.
country far and wide.
This volume should unquestionably prove
South American merchants now feel that
most effective as a missionary in the Estey they would like to do more business with
interests and augment the fame of the America. They have expressed a prefer-
justly celebrated organs that bear this well- ence for American goods, but have hitherto
known name.
found it more convenient to purchase
largely through English firms.
Brittings' Buried Treasure.
South American merchants who annual-
ly visit Europe are now making the trip
NEGRO DIGS UP ELEVEN $I,OOO BONDS IN A
CELLAR THE BURIED TREASURE HAD
via New York, and are taking the time to
CAUSED YEARS OF LITIGATION
look over New York houses. This is but
OVER AN ESTATE.
one of several indications that the volume
of business with. South and Central Amer-
Cincinnati, May 8, 1899.
Buried treasure in the shape of eleven ica, with the West Indies and with the new
$1,000 bonds bearing undipped coupons, dependencies of the United States can be
which add several thousand dollars to their increased.
value, was found to-day by Thomas Law-
son, a negro laborer, while digging in the
HcPhail Advance.
cellar of a downtown department store in
Ground has been broken for the addition
Sixth street.
The ground was formerly the property to the large factory plant of the McPhail
of Britting Bros., piano mamifacturers. In Piano Co. in Boston. It will be six stories
the tin box was found a paper on which in height, 50x100 feet in floor area, and
was written: "These bonds belong to will afford room for a much needed and
Julius and Martin Britting and are the substantial increase in output.
The growth in popularity of the McPhail
result of years of industry and saving."
This discovery solves a mystery which pianos is a credit to the good sense of the
had been a source of angry contention dealers and the purchasing public. It in-
among the heirs of Julius Britting. The dicates substantially the rising tide of
negro, Lawson, claims the bonds as treasure appreciation for the well made and artistic
piano.
trove.
All the good fortune which is coming
Hand Organ Privileges.
the way of the McPhail Piano Co. is
thoroughly well deserved. They have
[Special to 'I he Review.]
Pittsburg, Pa., May 8, 1899.
always made it their policy to give the
The Grand Jury met yesterday after an best of values, to work along progressive
adjournment since March 17. Instructions lines, to make no promises they could not
were given to act upon jail cases first. A keep; hence they are adding to their out-
true bill was returned against Guispela put and their fame every day.
Sega, Felcono Sega and August Cook for
conspiracy, on information of Nicola
Lawyer Wessell.
Romandi, of 900 Webster avenue. It is
Arthur L. Wessell, son of Otto Wessell,
alleged that the defendants conspired and
sold to the prosecutor for $900 the pur- of Wessell, Nickel & Gross, was admitted
ported exclusive right to play hand organs a member of the bar of the State of New
all over the United States. Cook was York last week. Mr. Wessell is a young
arrested in this city and Mrs. Sega was man of ability who has displayed much
arrested in New York, as she was about to proficiency in the pursuance of his studies
sail with her husband for Italy. Sega was and we trust his career in the legal profes-
not apprehended, but he is supposed to be sion will be one of great honor.
PIANOS
Precious, Perfect, Peerless
As to Tone, Touch, Design,
Durability and Value. . . .
5 and 7 AFFLETON STREET. BOSTON. MASS-

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