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V O L . XXIX. N o . 2 7 . Publisbed Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, December 30,1899.
The Outlook in Chicago.
'
[Special to The Review.l
Chicago, 111., Dec. 27, 1899.
It will not be a very happy new year for
thousands of the former employees of the
piano factories who have pinned their faith
to Dold and his promises. The strike and
lockout which was inaugurated practically
two months ago seems as far away from
settlement as ever. Although the men
are making overtures to the manufactur-
turers nothing yet has been reached in
the way of a definite accomplishment
whereby the end of the troubles can be
determined.
If the manufacturers would not accede
to the demands of the men when the fall
rush was at its height, the probability is
they will not during the dull days of Janu-
ary. The men have the cold of winter to
face and their only resources are the
weekly payments made by the labor organi-
zation. This is hardly enough to make
them comfortable. They are learning the
lesson in the most expensive way, but the
manufacturers of this city rightly propose
to conduct their business establishments
on lines which they themselves, who are
responsible, recognize as just.
The Russell : Lane Piano Co. seem to be
doing very well at Chesterton, and there is
no abatement of the talk of moving out of
town.
I understand the Smith & Barnes ne-
gotiations for a factory at Springfield, O.,
are still pending. There is, I learn, a strike
in the Straube piano factory at Downers
Grove.
A Year of Signal Prosperity.
Boardman & Gray, the celebrated piano
manufacturers of Albany, N. Y., are clos-
ing a year which has been for them one of
signal prosperity, during which the fame
of their products has been augmented in
all sections of the country. The Board-
man & Gray piano has long held an honored
place in the esteem of the music trade and
it is a pleasure to know that its acknowl-
edged merits are winning a new measure
of appreciation.
The latest creations of this house deserve
all the good things said of them. They
are attractive in casing, satisfying in tone,
carefully built, in fact possess every re-
quisite to build up trade for live dealers
and add to their reputation. Great and
satisfactory as this year has been, the close
of 1900 should mark a new era of fame
and popularity for these old-time favorites.
The New Treaty With France.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS.
The Pianola in Concert.
The following extracts are from promi-
nent
Boston newspapers, concerning the
Washington, D. C, Dec. 28, 1889.
recent
Pianola recital in conjunction with
The reciprocity treaty with France must
the
Kaltenborn
Quartette at Steinert Hall
be ratified,if at all,by the two Governments
in
that
city.
The
Globe, in the course of
prior to March 24 next. As the treaty must,
under the law authorizing it, go to the a lengthy review, says: "The Pianola
House of Representatives for approval, gave half a dozen solos, and earned un-
after ratification by the Senate, speedy stinted applause for itself. It is certainly
a most remarkable invention, giving sur-
action will be required by Congress.
Chairman Payne of the Ways and Means prising effects and fraught with possibili-
Committee is ready for the treaty when- ties for the future of musical advancement.
ever it comes from the Senate. He has ap- A majority of pianoforte players work half
pointed a sub-committee, consisting of their lives to achieve what the Pianola will
Messrs. Hopkins, Dolliver, Tawney, Long, do with a week's practice."
The Boston Journal has this to say con-
Dalzell, Swanson and Cooper, to consider
cerning the latest ^Eolian product:
this and other reciprocity treaties.
"The pianola seems to have gone with
Congressmen are beginning to take in-
terest in the French treaty and are exam- one bound into an entirely new field, for it
ining the provisions and their probable gives results which the most critical musi-
effect upon American industries. The cian cannot but admire.
"And first is the joy of flawless technical
treaty is peculiar in one respect, in that it
stipulates by name and in figures the con- accomplishment under the instantaneous
cessions which we give to the French, but control of the player. Considering the
provides that our goods shall be admitted fact that this is the chief aim of a large
into France and Algeria at the "minimum percentage of virtuosi, these results are
rates of duty imposed on the like articles the more remarkable. In the pure singing
touch quality the instrument is weak, but
of any other origin."
Under this treaty musical instruments not weaker than the average player, while
made in France, which now pay a duty of it offsets this by musical feats impossible
forty-five per cent., will be admitted at to any player; bewildering runs and trills
thirty—a reduction of fifteen per cent. and staccati, in combination with lightness
Various business bodies throughout the and delicacy alternating with climaxes of
country are agitating against the passage astonishing power.
"With the performances of the solo num-
of the treaty.
bers the audience was fairly delighted, the
illusion of virtuoso playing being at times
Mason & Hamlin Changes.
complete, notably in the Rosenthal waltz
There are always important changes oc- study and Henselt's 'Si Oiseau j'etais.'
curring near the first of the year. That
"The affair was wholly successful and
veteran music trade traveler, Major C. F. amply proved the statement of Emil Sauer
Howes will not be connected with the quoted in the program, viz., that 'the
Mason & Hamlin Co. after February 1st of pianola does not at all represent an illicit
next year. In this connection President expedient, but on the contrary opens up
Edward P. Mason.says:
a new perspective to the virtuoso and
" Permit us to say that v circumstances musician.'"
are responsible for this change rather than
A Gabler Greeting.
any dissatisfaction on our part with Major
Howes or the work he has done for us.
That is a very clever and unique card
" T h e simple truth is that Mr. Henry that the famous Gabler firm have in an-
L. Mason, who recently came over from other part of The Review. "A happy and
our New York house in order to take prosperous new year to the members of the
active part in our wholesale business, will trade," say this eminent concern. There
hereafter himself attend to our wholesale is a cordial and liberal sentiment there dis-
piano trade."
played, and the way the Gabler firm have
illustrated it makes it doubly taking. May
The Decker & Son piano will be handled the years to come be always happy and
in Boston by B. E. Wood when he opens prosperous for the present and future gen-
up on Boylston street, Boston, with Harry eration of Gablers who contribute so much
Bowers in charge.
to the industry.
[Special to The Review.]