Music Trade Review

Issue: 1903 Vol. 36 N. 16

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE 7VU/SIC TRHDE
REVIEW
yet shown here in the history of the-
has equalled in popularity this Lyric grand.
Through an arrangement with the Gimbel
house, Mr. Miller sells the Cecilian piano..—
[Special to The Review.]
taken a contract for a $2,coo pipe organ for
player. Another new piano player is about
Philadelphia, Pa., April 15, 1903.
the Trinity M. E. Church of Trenton, so you
The trade generally is glad that the dull can see we have been kept extremely busy. to come to Philadelphia; it is the Kohler &
Lenten season is over, and already this week Among some of the organs we have built Campbell, which Mr. Gustav Herzberg has
they have noticed an encouraging revival of quite recently were, in the Trinity M. E. about decided to select for sale at his depart-
the spring business. The unpleasant weather Church, Trenton, N. J.; the First Baptist ment in the Snellenberg store.
Blasius & Sons have been discussing, in
has also retarded somewhat the usual busi- Church of Lewiston, Pa.; the First Presby-
directors' meeting, the advisability of mate-
ness of this period.
terian Church of Holmesburg; the Baptist
The two leading department stores of Phil- Church of Connellsville, Pa.; the First M. E. rially enlarging their plant at Woodbury,
adelphia are this week celebrating their fourth Church of California, Pa.; and the St. Ste- N. J., and say that something must be done •
anniversary. The Gimbel house began on phen's R. C. Church of McKeesport. We shortly, as they are getting so far behind with
Tuesday with a concert by the Chaminade have over tw 7 enty pipe organs promised for their orders that it is becoming a serious mat-
Club, of this city, consisting of four of our delivery for the month of June, ranging in ter to them. This is particularly true of
leading singers, with Miss Selma Katzen- prices from $1,500 to $6,000. They are put- grands, which Oscar Blasius says exceed in
stein, as solo pianist, playing upon the Knabe ting up two new buildings at the factory in demand any former season's orders. Among
recent visitors at the Blasius house were Mr.
piano. Concerts by other local talent were order to handle this growing trade.
Fitzgerald, of the Fitzgerald Music Co., of
given the remaining days of the week.
C. J. Heppe & Son have just received some Los Angeles, and H. L. Ide, of Springfield,
At the Wanamaker store the celebration very handsome Steck grands, which have
:
was exclusively given on Wednesday, but it been pronounced by their tone jury as the 111. Both gentlemen handle the Blasiats prod-
was a gala day at the house. The concert finest instruments they have yet examined uct extensively in their localities and left
was held in the Colonial Hall, which was ar- from that house. They have been placed in large orders with the firm. The firm have
ranged in the form of a beautiful garden. A a room fitted up especially for their home. just gotten out an interesting booklet entitled ,.
concert in two parts was given. The first The Heppes are very much pleased this week "How to Preserve Your Piano," which' con-
consisted of a miscellaneous musical pro- at receiving the following complimentary let- tains much reading matter that will be use-
gram, and a second part was the singing of ter regarding the Pianola, from the celebrated ful to the owners of pianos for their proper
care.
Liza Lehmann's beautiful cycle "The Per- musician and composer, Paolo Giorza :
Mr. Blasius says the firm are doing a fine
sian Garden." The singers were: Mrs. "Messrs. Heppe & Son:
business in the Electric Harmonist, and are
Marie Kunkel-Zimmerman, soprano; Miss
"When first I had the occasion to listen about to take some new space for salesroom
May Walters, contralto; Nicholas Douty,
to your marvelous Pianola, I was indeed as- for that instrument.
tenor, and E. G. Evans, bass. The solo pian-
tonished at the wonderful invention, and I
J. E. Ditson & Co. have been delayed in
ist was Shepherd Kollock, and the accompan-
repeat to you most sincerely the answer I moving from their present quarters to 1632 *
ist was Thomas Stoll. The department gen-
gave to a friend of mine, who asked my opin- Chestnut street, on account of so much bad
erally was handsomely adorned w T ith palms
ion in merit of it: 'While I think that if weather. They expect to get into their new
and flowers.
Wagner, Rossini, Mendelssohn, and all the
Patrick J. Cunningham, the well-known host of great composers deserved high praise home, however, not later than the 1st of May.
Gustave Herzberg has added to his stock
manufacturer, and a party of friends, have from all the world for the production of their
at
the Snellenburg store the Zellman-Socol
gone on a snipe-shooting expedition to the great genius, the Pianola and the inventor
piano.
Mr. Herzberg has a fine line of pia-
lowlands of South Carolina. From reports of it deserves quite the same praise in suc-
nos
in
his
department, having just received
received from the shooting grounds they have ceeding to spread more widely their compo-
shipments
of
the Kranich & Bach and • the
every reason to expect great sport, and they sitions in such artistic and perfect manner,
Mehlin.
The
Straube, made by his son in
may go as far south as Florida.
that surprises my imagination.' Please ac-
Chicago,
are
also
excellent sellers, and Mr.
The Estey & Bruce firm are particularly cept my warmest and sincerest congratula-
Herzberg
is
eloquent
in praise of the family
busy at this time. While their trade on pia- tions."
product.
A
new
style
Straube, the K special,
nos is good, most of their business is in pipe
Jacob Bros, are arranging for extensive has just been received at the house, and al-
organs. D. E. Wooley said to me: "We alterations in their store, and are having an
are just head over heels in work trying to alteration sale this week. The business of though severely plain, it is one of the hand-
get out our pipe organ contracts as fast as this house is very satisfactory this spring, somest pianos in stock.
possible. One of the last contracts that we and this opinion is expressed by Charles
W. P. Van Wickle, manager of the Brad-
made was with the Bellevue United Presby- Jacob, who makes two visits a week here to bury branch in Washington, accompanied by
terian Church, Bellevue, Pa., for a $4,000 look after the interests of the house. B. B. Mrs. Van Wickle, passed Easter Sunday in
organ. D. E. Kern was to Ambler several Todd is temporarily in charge, since Mr. New York.
days ago to assist in the opening of the or- Riggins has gone with the Estey & Bruce
Our enterprising contemporary, The Pres-
gan in the Methodist Episcopal Church. We house.
to, is running an interesting series of arti-
are setting up an organ in the Methodist
James C. Miller, representing the Henry cles showing how distinguished members of
Church at Williamstown. N. J., and have just F. Miller piano here, is delighted with the the music trade earned their first dollar.
firm's latest grand, which they have named Nearly all of our prominent manufacturers
the Lyric. The instrument has received are self-made men, and the story of their rise
much praise from artists who have exam-
ined and played upon it, and no Miller grand makes interesting reading.
FROM PENNSYLVANIA'S MUSICAL CENTRE.
Cbc Klomkr Sander
Shipped on Trial.
Guaranteed to do the work of 6 men
and to excel hand sanding. Overcome
circular marks made by revolving
face-plate and wavy marks made by
a drum or roller.
Does not waste
sand-paper, nor require a. s k i l l e d
operator.
Send to-day for descriptive catalog.
Address:
C. H . DRIVER, 1 4 0 2 1 6 t h St.
Racine, W I B .
BEHR BROS. & CO.
PIANOS,
29th Street and 11th Ave., NEW YORK.
HIGHEST STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.
BOTHNER-SCHMIDT ACTION CO.
I94I-I945 PARK AVE., COR. I3I S T ST.
NEW YORK
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
12
THE 7VTUSIO TRKDE
REVIEW
Four Score Years of Chickering.
He became associated later scale by giving the hammer a lateral increase
with James Stewart, who was of space, permitting the greatest possible
reputed at that time fo be the freedom to the working of the hammers, and
best expert piano maker in rendering overstnnging an easy matter.
America.
Most interesting are Mr. Chickering's re-
It was in 1829 when he be- marks in his official specifications and claims
came associated with Captain in regard to his plate for grands, which led
John Mackay, who had pre- directly to the overstrung grands of the pres-
viously carried on the business ent day. He says: "Patent No. 3,238 hav-
of piano making with Alpheus ing thus set forth my improvement, I wish
Babcock, a noted piano mak- it understood that I am aware that the strings
er of those days. An illustra- of a pianoforte, in their passage from the
tion showing the old factory hitch-pins to the straining screws, have been
of Chickering & Mackay ap- passed through holes made through a pin
pears in connection with this screwed in a block, and from said pin bent
article.
or inclined upward to the straining screw-,
The reputation of the Chick- and therefore I do not claim such an arrange-
ering product grew rapidly ment as mine. But, what I do claim consists
apace, and in 1830 the factory in this improvement, viz., that of supporting
produced over seven hundred the strings by passing them through a solid
pianos, an astonishing output ledge cast directly upon the lower part of the
inclined front plate, through apertures of
for those early days.
Jonas Chickering has been which ledge the strings are to be passed in
called "the father of the piano the manner set forth ; the tone being, there-
industry," and he was uncon- fore, in the treble, greatly augmented and
trovertibly the first to cut aloof improved. I also clairn my particular method
from the old traditions in not of constructing the metallic frame of the
only methods of case building, grand pianoforte." Mr. Chickering here re-
but in the association of metal ferred to the agraffes, which were introduced
JONAS CHICKERING.
with piano building, which by the French piano-maker Erard about the
was the means of securing a year 1808. The original principle was im-
TP H E eightieth anniversary of the found-
greater volume of tone without the loss of proved upon by Mr. Chickering, who cast
ing of the distinguished house of Chick-
quality.
the agraffes in the plate.
ering & Sons was celebrated in a dignified
Jonas Chickering's fame as an inventor
Notwithstanding the vast scope and ex-
way last Tuesday evening in Chickering rests upon his inventions of the square metal
tent
of his labors, Mr. Chickering found time
Hall in Boston.
plate, with improved damper attachment, pat- to interest himself in the progress of mu-
Eighty years of Chickering!
ented 1840; the plate for grands, made in
What a world of meaning in that sentence, one solid casting, patented 1843; the up- sical art in Boston. In 1834 he was elected
and what wondrous changes have occurred right piano with full iron frame and over- vice-president of the Handel & Haydn Soci-
in the industry since Jonas Chickering flung strung bass, made in 1850, and the circular ety of that city, and afterwards occupied the
his business banner to the breezes in April, scale, produced in 1853. Previously, in 1837, presidential chair of that organization, and
was in many ways especially identified with
1823!
he had produced the first iron frame of a
Like many other men who have won prom- square piano. This first iron frame, as all its success.
What this house has done for music can
inence in the world, Jonas Chickering came the musical world is aware, marked, with the
not
be lightly estimated. Jonas Chickering
from the country, from a little New Hamp- introduction of the circular scale, the com-
and
his three sons were all in turn closely
shire village, and was apprenticed in his sev- mencement of the most important epoch in
identified
with the best musical interests of
enteenth year to a cabinet maker. The fol- the history of piano manufacture. All the
that
city.
lowing story will show how one episode had marvelous developments which have taken
For a house to have endured for four score
its effect upon his entire career:
place in the construction of pianos during
years
makes it certainly worthy of admir-
During the war of 1812 a gentleman named the past forty or fifty years were made possi-
ation
on
account of its longevity, but in the
Barrett had temporarily quit Boston for fear ble by these inventions.
case
of
the
Chickering house it dates back-
of a bombardment by the British.
The evolution of the iron frame merits
to
tl\e
founding
of the great industry, and
He had with him a piano manufactured by special mention. It appears that previous to
has
stood
during
all the intervening years
Christifor (ianer, an instrument which, it is 1825, a kind of iron compensating frame had
not
only
for
mechanical
advance, but for art
said, at that time had been in the possession been invented by a Russian, whose name
advance,
for
the
name
of
Chickering is in-
of Princess Amelia, daughter of George III. does not transpire. Alpheus Babcock, then in
delibly
associated
with
all
that
is highest and
The piano needed repair, and the young business in Philadelphia, got hold of the idea
best
in
musico-industrial
affairs.
cabinet maker, Chickering, was called in, and and patented, in 1825, the cast iron metal
The early industrial germ planted by Jonas
ring.
completed its restoration.
This invention however, served no more
He remarked at the time: "I think I could
make a piano," and when he went back to his useful purpose than to set Jonas Chickering
work of cabinet making it was with his mind thinking and experimenting, with the result
that, as we have said, in 1837 he made the
filled as to possibilities in piano making.
It seems a trivial point, but it was that one first successful application of an entire iron
point and the compliments that he received frame to a square piano. Subsequently he
for his work that undoubtedly caused Jonas improved and added to the invention, in 1849
Chickering to concentrate his energies upon patenting the addition of a cast-iron bridge,
and damper socket-rail—all cast in one piece
piano making.
Young Chickering absorbed knowledge with the frame.
rapidly and in 1822 began experimenting on
Jonas Chickering's invention of the circu-
his own account, offering his first piano for lar scale, i.e., a scale drawn on the arc of a
I'llIST UUCKERJNC J'JANO.
circle or ellipse, superseded the old straight
sale in 1823.

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