Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1901 Vol. 32 N. 10

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Slivinski and the Knabe.
Knabe Movements.
The Leipsic Philharmonic Orchestra
under the direction of Hans Winderstein,
which made its United States debut at
Carnegie Hall last week with Von Slivin-
ski as soloist at the piano, is achieving a
tremendous success on the road, and the
critics wherever visited have been most
generous in their estimate of the capabili-
ties of the orchestra and the pianist.
This is in marked contrast to the views
of the majority of the New York critics,
a few of whom were absolutely unkind and
unjust in summing up the capabilities of
orchestra and soloist.
Von Slivinski, who played the Knabe
grand, confirmed the views which preced-
ed him from Europe regarding the broad-
ening of his art. There is a surety, firm-
ness and authority of interpretation, com-
bined with repose and delicacy and beauty
of phrasing that pleases. Tschaikovsky's
first concerto in B flat minor was his num-
ber, and it was given a very satisfactory
reading by pianist and orchestra.
Slivinski's technical equipment is simply
marvelous. As the Herald critic well says:
"He possesses fingers which are mechani-
cal phenomena and wrists which are steel."
Yet there was a delightftil emotional color-
ing to his conception of this great work.
He was recalled half a dozen times, and
gave as an encore the F minor study of
Liszt from the concert set of three, which
he played with rare delicacy and finish.
This artist and the Leipsic Philharmonic
Orchestra should prove one of the great
attractions of the season.
Herr Winderstein, who deserves a lead-
ing place among our great conductors, has
a band of sixty young men who play with
tremendous fire, yet can be excessively re-
. fined as occasion requires. It is apparent
that there are a number of very clever art-
ists in the organization. The only criti-
cism that might be ventured in connection
with the opening concert was the over-pow-
ering of the brass section. Of course, it is
unjust to criticise analytically an organiza-
tion of this kind at first hearing. There
are a number of things that militate against
hearing these men to advantage. For in-
stance, their lack of familiarity with the
acoustics of the hall and the fact that they
had just traveled thousands of miles, many
of them having a serious tussle with the
ever-to-be-feared mal-de-mer.
It is gratifying to learn, meanwhile, that
wherever the orchestra and Slivinski have
played thus far on their tour they have
been received enthusiastically.
William Knabe, of William Knabe &
Co., left town yesterday for Baltimore.
He expects to return Monday.
Ferdinand Mayer, of the firm, returned
on Sunday from a four weeks' sojourn at
Bermuda. He left on Monday for one of
Michigan's famous health resorts. Mr.
Mayer's health has improved, but he has
not yet fully regained his strength.
P. J. Gildemeester, Knabe ambassador,
left last night for Baltimore. He will re-
turn on Monday.
And Who Is Selsarte, Pray ?
Under the caption, ' 'A Rare Old Violin,"
the following special from Fostoria, O., has
been going the rounds of the Western
papers:
Professor C. A. Ward some months ago
purchased an old violin which was sold in
the settlement of the estate of the late A.
G. Franklin, an old shoemaker of bibulous
habits. He sent it to Toledo to have it
repaired, and in this way learned that it is
a genuine Selsarte, and is worth about
$200. It cost him $18.
This is only one of perhaps ten items
which have come under our notice within
Vossler Officers.
the past week relating to the discovery of
The G. A. Vossler & Sons Co. of Pough- "valuable violins" in different parts of the
keepsie, N. Y., whose incorporation was country.
We venture to say that during the past
announced in last week's Review, have or-
year
there have been enough of these
ganized with the following officers: Presi-
"rare"
violins discovered to exceed the
dent, Dana G. Prescott, Concord, N. H. ;
output
of
all the violins known to have
vice-president and manager, Geo. A. Voss
been
made
by the old masters.
ler; secretary and treasurer, Chas. Vossler;
And
yet
these discoveries have been
assistant manager, Wilbur Vossler. Four
going
on
for
the past twenty years, and no
hundred and eighty shares of stock are al-
doubt
they
will
continue to go on for
most equally divided between the Vosslers
twenty
years
to
come.
and Mr. Prescott.
It would appear as if the finding of
Convalescing.
"rare old violins" had taken the place of
The many friends of W. B. Williams, the Ethiopian who nursed Washington, as
the Sterling road ambassador, will be glad a standard item in the daily press.
to learn that he is making steady progress
'Tis to laugh !
toward a permanent recovery, from his al-
The Steck Headquarters.
most fatal attack of typhoid fever. The
The warerooms at 136 Fifth avenue, to
p-ocess of convalescence in such cases is
sluvv, but it is pleasing to know, that be- be occupied by Geo. Steck & Co., are now
fore long, we will have the pleasure of undergoing extensive operations. When
greeting this genial and popular member occupied about April 1st, they promise to
be among the attractive piano display
of the trade.
rooms of "Piano Row."
Burns Conditions Healthy.
Reviewings.
Frank B. Burns, chatting with The Re-
In the Merchant and Manufacturer, a
view yesterday, reported trade conditions
as healthy. "I would be glad to have the paper published in Nashville, Tenn., and
trade know," said he, "that I have added devoted to the up-building of the manu-
some very attractive novelties to my stock factures of the South, there appear in
of scarfs. For one week only, I shall of- the latest issue some very excellent adver-
fer a big bargain in fine damask at $1.75, tisements of the Jesse French Piano & Or-
usual price, $2.75. Those who are inter- gan Co., and the P. D. Carr Co., both of
ested in scarfs will do well not to miss this whom have headquarters in that city.
opportunity."
Adolf Dohn, who for a number of years
was
cashier for the late firm of Lyon,
Everett Generosity.
Potter & Co., Chicago, died in that city
The four hundred dollars expenses in- Feb. 26th in his sixty-fifth year. Mr.
curred in connection with the concert for Dohn was long prominent in musical cir-
the benefit of the Liszt Monument Fund, cles in the City by the Lake.
held in Mendelssohn Hall last week, and
Nahum Stetson, who has been sojourn-
which was participated in by Richard ing for some time at the Hotel Ormond,
Brumeister and Mme. Schumann-Heink, Ormond, Fla., is expected to return to
were generously donated by the Everett town late next week.
Piano Co. Mr. A. M. Wright was an
The piano strings made by the New York
enthusiastic supporter of this movement.
Co-operative Piano String Co., 312-316 East
Clarence Qennett.
Ninety-fifth street, are steadily growing in
In Town.
favor
with manufacturers who are looking
Clarence Gennett, the retail manager of
Among the members of the trade in the Starr Piano Co.'s branch at Indian- for satisfying values. Have you tested
town this week were: H. P. Ecker, Pitts- apolis, Ind., was in town this week. Mr. them ?
burg, Pa. ; W. C. Taylor, Springfield, Gennett is one of the promising members
That energetic member of the trade
Mass. ; J. R. Mason, Derby, Conn. ; Silas of the younger element of piano men, and
James
F. Broderick, president of the
Maxson, Rochester, N. Y. ; C. D. Martin, has already demonstrated his business en-
Straube Piano Co., Chicago, reached town
Rochester, N. Y. ; W. B. Armstrong, Roch-
ester, N. Y. ; Messrs. Lincoln and Vander ergy in the retail department of the busi- Thursday.
Pyl, Boston, Mass. ; T. F. Scanlon, Boston, ness. In the early fall he will be estab-
Mass. ; James F. Broderick, .Chicago, 111. lished in the new quarters which have • A. M. Wright, of the Everett Piano Co.,
has been visiting several points in New
J. Henry Estey, Brattleboro, Vt. ; Mr. already been noted in The Review.
Mclntire, of Piper & Mclntire, Manches-
The Lester Piano Co. are contemplating England this week on business.
ter, N. H. ; Mr. Barrett, of Barrett Bros., the erection of a two-story brick addition
Silas Maxson, secretary of the Marshall
Binghamton, N. Y. ; P. J. Healy, Chicago, to their factory, 63 x 141 feet, at Lester, & Wendell Piano Co , Albany, was in town
Wm. Rohlfing, Milwaukee.
Pa.
the early part of the week.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
13
¥HE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Louis P. Bach Reviews Results
OF HIS RECENT JOURNEYINGS THROUGH THE
TRADE SOME REASONS WHY KRANICH &
BACH PIANOS ARE APPRECIATED.
Louis P. Bach, of Kranich & Bach, who
has returned from a lengthy business tour
of the West and Northwest, chatted briefly
with The Review on Friday last concerning
his trip. Mr. Bach reported Western trade
conditions as favorable. In the East, from
his observation, there seemed to be a tem-
porary lull.
In reply to a query as to the Kranich &
Bach agents, Mr. Bach said: " I found the
Kranich & Bach representatives, without
exception, doing well. They are all pleased
with our current styles and ask for noth-
ing better."
"Then you will let your catalogues re-
main practically intact for the present,
Mr. Bach?" asked The Review.
"Yes," was the reply. "We shall be
content to move along for a time without
any notable changes of style or general de-
sign. If our customers are pleased with
our efforts as shown in the styles now cur-
rent, why alter them? This does not mean,
of course, that we intend to stand still.
Our policy is to progress. In our factories
we are always at work on improvements,
but in such matters it is best to go slow.
"You see, in a factory such as ours,
where every part of a piano except the
metal-work is made by our own men and
under our own supervision, each change
in plan or design means much more than
it does in instances where instruments are
merely put together. For example, we
perfect a new style or design and place it
on the market. If it is a success, we work
ahead on the various parts until a supply
is ready to meet all emergencies for some
time to come. Under such conditions,
changes involving alterations of several
parts take at least five or six months to de-
velop."
"Presumably, Mr. Bach, you find that the
extra trouble and responsibility entailed in
manufacturing all parts of a piano has its
compensations?"
"It certainly has. The difference is
about equivalent to the difference between
a child of one's own and one that has been
adopted. When one of our uprights or
grands stands in the warerooms or in some
part of our factory ready for shipment we
regard it with a feeling akin to affection.
It has grown up with us. When, at last,
it goes out into the world we feel that if it
does not make a way for itself the fault has
not been with us at any rate."
"In your opinion, do dealers, as a rule, ap-
preciate the difference between a piano
completely constructed in one factory and
one that is not so made?"
"Without doubt they do. It is a strong
talking-point, as it ought to be, with our
agents. They are able to say unhesitat-
ingly, concerning one of our grands or up-
rights: 'This is a Kranich & Bach piano.
They made it in all its parts and are re-
sponsible for it.' They say this with a
full knowledge of our methods, which in-
cludes a perfect system of supervision."
"And how about retail purchasers,
Mr. Bach? Do they appreciate the differ-
Bell Co. Changes Imminent.
ence? " asked The Review.
[Special to The Review.]
"Much more than is generally supposed.
Toronto, Can., March 4, 1901.
The success of our business is a good proof
"I have just returned from New York,
of this. We have gone on steadily from where I saw Mr. Clark, one of our direc-
the beginning, and each year's growth tors, off for London. We are going to
shows conclusively that the Kranich & build new factories, or remodel the old,
Bach products are highly esteemed. An- and if we build new factories it will be
other good proof of appreciation is the un- either in Guelph, Toronto, or Hamilton."
disputed fact that although our standard of
Such was the information given by Mr.
material and workmanship is high, with E. P. Hawkins, general manager of the
correspondingly fair prices, our dealers Bell Organ & Piano Co. of Guelph, who
have no difficulty in selling our pianos at stopped off on his flying trip to the Metrop-
the standard rates."
olis, and took lunch at the Queen's.
"We have," continued Mr. Hawkins,
Fire in Shenandoah, la.
" found our present plant much too small,
(Special to The Review.)
and will in all probability rebuild. We do
Shenandoah, la., March 4, 1901.
not want to leave Guelph if we can help it,
Fire-started in the store of W. H. Pavey but consider Toronto favorably. We have
last week, entirely destroyed the building approached Commissioner Hall of Hamil-
and damaged severely Stanton's piano and ton and have also seen Commissioner Flem-
organ store which adjoined the bank build- ing on the matter. If we come to Toronto
ing, which was badly burned. The losses it will mean that we will bring 400 men
have not yet been ascertained, but are here with their families."
heavy. Ail the losers were pretty well in-
The pay-roll of the Bell Company is a
sured, it is said, except Stanton's store.
big one, and the company is capitalized at
over $1,000,000. Mr. Hawkins is prepar-
Weaver Prospects Bright.
The Weaver Organ and Piano Co., York, ing plans and will come to Toronto soon to
Pa., made large shipments to Europe, as confer with the authorities relative to mov-
well as the leading States throughout the ing here.
Union, this week. The demand for the
Weaver instruments for the first two
months of this year is excellent, and the
prospects are for one of the best years in
the history of this enterprising institution.
Peculiar Suit Over Piano.
[Special to The Review.]
Nashville, Tenn., Mach 4, 1901.
James C. Bradford, solicitor for the
Times Printing Company, of Hamilton
County, filed a bill in Chancery to-day
An English Incorporation.
Pianotist Company, Limited, was regis- against the Jesse French Piano and Organ
tered recently by J. A. Bartrutn, 9, Old Company, in which it is stated that the
Jewry Chambers, E.C., with a capital of Times did $400 worth of advertising for
50,000/., in 1/. shares.* Object, to acquire the defendant, and received in pay a piano.
the undertaking of the Pianotist (Foreign) This piano was placed in the hands of the
Company, Limited, so far as the same re- defendant's Chattanooga representative,
lates to the United Kingdom and Isle of who sold it to a J. C. Hood, of Dayton, who
Man, to adopt a certain agreement, and to executed his notes for the same. After
carry on business as piano manufacturers, paying $38, which, it is alleged the de-
organ builders, makers of scientific or other fendant appropriated as its commission,
apparatus, wind, reed, or string musical Mr. Hood declined to pay any of the other
instruments; as theater and music-hall pro- notes, but returned the piano and pur-
prietors, printers and publishers, cabinet chased another. The Times claims that it
makers, &c, as furniture dealers, brass has not received a cent for the piano, nor
founders, smiths, general merchants, &c. does it know what became of the piano
The signatories ( one share each) are:—F. after it was returned by Hood. The bill
T. Macdonnell, 2 New Court, Lincoln's seeks to recover the amount claimed to be
Inn, barrister; E. B. Koopman, 18 Great due for the sale of the piano.
Windmill street, W., managing director; , The Wegman in New Orleans.
E. Klaber, 56 Regent street, W., manu-
During the recent visit to New Orleans
facturer; W. T. Smedley, Woburn Green,
of
R. O. Burgess, of the Wegman Piano
Bucks, chartered accountant; J. George, 35
Co.,
Auburn, N. Y , arrangements were
Hatton Wall, E.G., manufacturer; W. K.
consummated
whereby Philip Werlein as-
L. Dickson, 7 Hillmarton Road, N., en-
sumes
the
agency
for the Wegman piano
gineer; A. P. M. Rivolta, 94 Camberwell
for
the
States
of
Mississippi
and Louisiana.
New Road, accountant. The first direct-
The
initial
order
was
a
big
one.
Mr. Wer-
ors (to be not less than three nor more than
lein
expects
to
sell
more
than
one
hundred
five) are to be elected by the signatories.
Wegmans
the
coming
year.
Qualification, 200 shares Remuneration,
300/. per annum, divisible, to be increased
To Manufacture Piano Stools.
according to profits.—Music Trades Re-
The Peartree Piano Stool Co. has been
view, London, Eng.
organized in Lansing, Mich., for the pur-
Chas. C. and J. H. Pitzer, head of the pose of manufacturing an automatic piano
Pitzer Music Co., Whittier, Cal., whose stool of which J. R. Peartree is the inven-
arrest on a charge of firing their piano tor. The officers of the company are:
J. R. Peartree, president; W. T. Britten,
store was announced in last week's Review, vice-president and manager; C. A. Zim-
failed to secure bail and were taken to the mer, secretary and treasurer, and B. H.
county jail at Los Angeles.
Belson, superintendent.

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