Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE M
mercial or selfish—they always have been
The " First Upright Piano."
—when the' results as far as musical en-
LIGHT THROWN BY THE REVIEW ON SOME
lightenment is concerned, are beneficent?
ABSURD STATEMENTS MADE BY THE
PHILADELPHIA PRESS.
Would Joseffy or MacDowell be so phil-
anthropically disposed as to start out on a
Under the caption "Our First Upright
tour or be "starred" by a manager on any Piano" and sublines as follows: "Univer-
other arrangements than those made with sity of Pennsylvania Museum of Science
"foreign" pianists? We think not. We and Art Acquires an Interesting Relic of
Philadelphia's Early Musical Era," the
cordially join in the high opinion expressed Philadelphia Press of recent date says:
of the abilities of these virtuosi, and regret
The Museum of Art and Science of the
that we are not afforded more frequent University of Pennsylvania has just ac-
an exceedingly interesting relic of
opportunities of hearing them. But it is quired
Philadelphia's musical past. It is the first
pertinent to ask who is to blame for this? upright piano ever built here. It was made
Is it the piano manufacturers, the man- in 1780 by Pond Bros., for exhibition in
the Franklin Institute, where it was placed
agers, or Messrs. Joseffy and MacDowell?
on view and visited by admiring throngs.
The piano is in an excellent state of pres-
DEFLECTING upon the course of trade ervation, and, despite the fact that its tone
in 1900, one cannot but be impressed is sadly cracked, it still presents a hand-
some appearance and will be a valuable ad-
with the fact that the year passed with so dition to the museum. A grandson of one
few failures among music'trade interests. of the Pond Bros, is still making pianos in
New York, and when he accidentally heard
Although the year was not without its of the discovery of this instrument in Phil-
commercial wrecks, that their number was adelphia he promptly wrote Mr. Culin and
so very small is a cause for congratulation. offered to buy it from him, but the request
was refused and the venerable instrument
The excellent financial condition of the will remain in Philadelphia.
•
#
*
*•
•
country as a whole during the year was
Thisclipping makes'an interesting story,
doubtless the principal cause of this satis-
but
the facts are far from correct—in fact,
factory showing. Money was abundant,
it would be hard for the writer to get to-
lenders looking for borrowers and those
gether a greater number of inaccuracies.
needing commodities were able to secure There was never a pianomaker in Phila-
them.
delphia by the name of "Pond." The first
Although the January trade has been in experiments in uprights were made in that
a measure disappointing yet there is every city, not by " Pond," but by Hawkins, and
the date was 1799.
reason to believe that the year will be a
The absurdity of this article, which is an
remarkable one in many ways.
example of the usual bungling indulged in
HP HIS is about the time when our local
contemporary makes its appearance
redolent with association suggestions and
plans, all of which should be adopted sim-
ply because they are originated by a publi-
cation which is in a position to know some
things not known by all members of the
association. The peculiar virtues pos-
sessed by this publication are well-known,
but not fully appreciated.
Oh the pity of it.
High Praise for Gabrilowitsch.
The Chicago critics have been placing
laurel wreaths on the head of Gabrilowitsch
who made his debut in that city last week
with the Chicago Orchestra, on which oc-
casion he displayed the noble tone quali-
ties of the Everett concert grand. All the
flattering words said of this artist in con-
nection with his Eastern appearances have
been more than duplicated by our con-
freres in the West.
Schaff's New Quarters.
J. A. Schaff, piano string manufacturer,
has moved from 177 East Eighty-seventh
street to 1805 First avenue, corner of
Ninety-fourth street. Mr. Schaff's busi-
ness has been increasing so much of late
that he found it necessary to secure more
extensive premises, where he could obtain
extra power for his machinery.
by the daily press when treating of trade
matters, is further emphasized by the state-
ment that this piano was "made in 1780
by Pond Bros, for exhibition in the Frank-
lin Institute," when every Philadelphian
should know that the Franklin Institute
exhibitions were not inaugurated until 1823.
The piano referred to is, no doubt, one
of the many excellent instruments made
by Loud Bros., who started business in the
"Quaker City" as early as 1816. Loud
Bros., according to Spillane's " History of
the American Pianoforte," were in 1824
"the most extensive makers of pianos in
this country. In this single year they claim
to have made 680 ^instruments, which was
a large output for such a comparatively re-
mote period, particularly when the use
of pianos was limited to very wealthy
classes."
The piano purchased by the University
of Pennsylvania Museum of Science and
Art was doubtless among those exhibited
by Loud Brothers at the second exhibition
of the Franklin Institute in 1824, when
they received a silver, medal. This for
the information of our Philadelphia
friends.
The achievements of the Loud family
are the subject of a very interesting chap-
ter in Spillane's History. According to
this authority "the Louds were famous in
their day, and were very progressive and
revolutionary in their methods." Robt.
L. Loud, the well-known musician and
dealer of Buffalo, N. Y., represents this
distinguished family in the trade to day.
Since writing the foregoing we have re-
ceived the subjoined letter from Stewart
Culin, of the University of Pennsylvania
Museum of Science and Art, in reply to
an inquiry, in which he says:
"The statement in the Philadelphia
Press was an error. The piano, as you
suggest, was made by Loud Bros. The
date is much later than that attributed to
it, and the other statements in the article
are equally incorrect."
A. B. Chase Banquet.
The banquet tendered the employees of
the A. B. Chase Co. by the stockholders at
the St. Charles Hotel, Norwalk, O., on
Wednesday evening was a notable affair.
These re-unions have attained somewhat
of a national 1 character by J reason of the
plan inaugurated by the company of giving
prizes to the workmen for suggestions in
the way of inventions, or improvements in
the saving of expenses, or economy in
shop work. They also emphasize the pleas-
ant relations existing between the em-
ployees and the heads of the business.
The banquet opened with a discussion
of a menu that reflected credit on mine
host of the St. Charles and was fully
worthy of the chef of Delmonico's or
Sherry's. After the cigars had been lighted,
Calvin Whitney, president of the A. B.
Chase Co., who acted as toastmaster in his
usual capable manner, introduced the fol-
lowing speakers: L. L. Doud, whose sub-
ject was, "Review and Preview"; James
G. Gibbs, who discussed, "The Value of
Manufactures"; A. T. Wagener, who
spoke on "The Grand Piano"; Hon. S. A.
Wildman, had "Law" as his subject, while
Mayor A. E. Rowley bore upon the im-
portance of "Greater Norwalk"; John B.
Fairchild selected, "Employer and Em-
ployee," as his topic, the Rev. T. F. Hil-
dreth, D. D., chose as his text, "Syndicate
of Brains," while the closing remarks were
made by the Hon. E. P. Wickham.
Following this came the distribution of
prizes by L. A. West, treasurer of the
company. The affair was, as usual, most
enjoyable.
The banquet occurred so late in the
week that we were unable to get an ex-
tended report of the proceedings before
closing our forms.
Represents Whitney-Warner Co.
Mr. Robert S. Roberts, formerly with
the New York house of Sol. Bloom, will
henceforth be the Eastern representative
of the Whitney-Warner Co., Detroit, Mich.
Mr. Roberts is a most capable man, he
combines splendid musical ability, with a
shrewd business capacity, which places
him as one of the best "hustlers" in the
music publishing business. That the Whit-
ney-Warner Co will benefit by this move is
certain; they have always been a well-
known firm of high standing in the West,
and will doubtless occupy a leading posi-
tion among music publishers, east of
Pittsburg.
The Cable Co. 's vast plant at St. Charles,
is, we understand, to be enlarged. This
speaks eloquently of the condition of busi-
ness with this enterprising Chicago house.