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THE 7Vf\JSIC TRKDE
was also a skilled machinist. He came to
Boston in 1822 and entered the employ of
Osborne, where for a year he aided in the
construction of pianos. In 1823, he started
in business for himself in an humble little
shop on Orange street and in that little shop
the great firm of Chickering & Sons, as it
stands to-day, was born. Then and there he
achieved a reputation that has always stood
in the high place he put it.
The doctor then told several interesting
little anecdotes of Chickering that served to
show the homely character of the man. He
told how, to-day, the making of pianos has
become one of America's largest enterprises
and stated that the present annual output
of American piano houses is 200,000, or one
piano for every thirty-five homes in America.
"What brings this to pass?" the doctor
asked. "It is the majesty of 'Each for all
COMMEMORATION CEREMONIES.
and all for each.' And when we look for-
An event of more than passing interest to
ward for the coming of the kingdom of God
the musical world in general took place in
on earth, it is because we are looking for-
Boston on Tuesday evening last when the
ward for such community of interest as one
widely known pianoforte manufacturers,
is glad to believe exists in the happy family
Chickering & Sons, celebrated the eightieth
I speak to this evening."
anniversary of the founding of the house by
In comparing the gathering to the per-
Jonas Chickering in 1823.
sonnel of a man-of-war he said : "The dif-
Very properly the "birthday" of this fa-
ference is that each one of you is an artist
mous house occupies a prominent niche in
to a certain extent. You have been actuated
the musical history of the country, and, from
by a love of beauty, by a love of music."
CHICKERING FACTORY OF EARLY DAYS.
far and near, the managers have been in re-
He recalled the fact that the year 1822 was
ceipt, for weeks, of numerous congratulatory to than the co-operation of a great corpor- the year of the birth of Grant, of Henry Kid-
epistles from people well-known in musical ation where everybody is proud of the work der, the philanthropist and financier and of
he does, proud because he works where he his own birth, and-he counted as more im-
circles.
The celebration proper was, however, does? Really, I should think there isn't a portant than any of these, the achievement
more in the nature of a family gathering, boy who carries newspapers upstairs to pack of Jonas Chickering in beginning the work
the bonds of relationship encompassing all round pianos to be sent to King Mumbo of carrying through the world the motto,
the employees in the offices and factories of Jumbo in Darkest Africa who isn't proud of "Each for all and all for each."
the firm. And by reason of its lack of for- his position. The boy's feeling is, T belong
B. J. Lang, the eminent pianist and con-
mality and of the community of interest in to Chickering's and I send these pianos to ductor, then played on the early product of
which each of the Chickering employees is Mumbo Jumbo.'
Jonas Chickering's energy and skill, stating
an active participant, the affair was all the "I remember when I was a boy nine years that while it has been preserved as nearly as
old, when I was promoted from a little pri-
more a delightful success.
possible in its original form and the quality
vate
school and found myself sitting on a
The entertainment took place in Chicker-
of the tone is substantially the same as it
ing Hall on Huntington avenue, one of the little green bench of a Boston public school, was when it was made, it is impossible to at-
newest and most adequately equipped halls how proud I felt that I was counted in. I tune the instrument to a pitch nearer the ori-
in the city. On the stage rested an instru- was one of the concern, one of 'us,' one of ginal pitch than six semi-tones. He selected
ment which is, at the present day, an object 'we.' And from that moment to this I have measures from the different movements of
of the greatest interest to all musicians. It been proud that I was one of the concern "The Battle of Prague," a popular compo-
is the first pianoforte ever made by Jonas and not for myself alone. Nor could we sition in 1823.
Chickering and the bill of sale, a fac-simile have a better lesson on the growth of this
Then, turning to the new concert grand,
of which appeared in the souvenir program, great America than the life of Jonas Chick- the musician rendered one of Liszt's rhap-
sodies in a very impressive manner, which
was dated June 23, 1823. The instrument is ering."
Dr.
Hale
then
told
most
interestingly
of
the
brought
forth storms of applause. Mr. Lang
designated on the bill as "a square pianoforte,
early
life
of
Chickering.
He
was
born
in
the
concluded
the evening with an encore that
warranted, for Miss Thankful C. Hutchin-
delighted
the
audience, which was very ap-
smallest
of
New
Hampshire
country
towns
son" and the price paid was $275.
preciative.
and learned the trade of a cabinet-maker and
It is a small instrument, as pianofortes go
now, with legs so spare that they look as if
a full chord on one of Chickering's modern
creations would shatter them. Opposite on
the stage, in striking contrast, stood a mag-
nificent modern concert grand, the tonal of-
ferings of which were quite in keeping with
the imposing beauty of the case. In the rear,
the stage was tastefully decorated with potted
plants.
The program opened with a group of songs
by Miss Mary Ogilvie, one of Boston's tal-
ented sopranos. Miss Ogilvie selected her
songs from the works of Faure, Hahn, M.
R. Lang, Puccini, and also gave the old Irish
favorite, "The Little Red Lark." The com-
positions were varied enough in theme to
CHICKERING FACTORY OF TO-DAY.
suit the most diversified tastes and afforded
Chickering has thrived and prospered under
varying conditions until it has developed into
the majestic Chickering piano of to-day, whose
influence has been felt not only in every sec-
tion of this broad land of ours, but in art
circles of Europe as well.
All honor to the memory of Jonas Chick-
ering, whose achievements in the inventive
realm have been fittingly recognized by placing
his bust with other distinguished American in-
ventors in the colonnade of the Industries
Building at the St. Louis Exposition.
The fame of the product first made by
Jonas Chickering has been augmented with
the passing of years, and the Chickering piano
of 1903 stands as true a representation of
industrial art of our times as did the instru-
ment created by Jonas Chickering four score
years'ago.
,
13
full opportunity for the exhibition of Miss
Ogilvie's versatility. They were given in a
most hearty manner, and evoked hearty ap-
plause.
Following Miss Ogilvie, the Rev. Dr. Ed-
ward Everett Hale made a short address on
Boston as it was when Jonas Chickering made
his first piano, and incidentally told of the
traits of Chickering's character that resulted
in the famous house of Chickering & Sons as
it stands to-day. Dr. Hale, always one of the
most interesting speakers, has not for years
been in a happier mood and his quaint de-
scription of the "pretty country town" was
most enjoyable. He said in part:
" 'Each for all and all for each.'
"There is a prime Christian motto for the
newborn century. And is there anywhere a
better illustration for this great century mot-