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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
HAT this nation is to be the leading
land of the world eventually in art
as well as in finance, is conceded by all
who have watched the steady trend towards
art development in this country.
Our people are taking a greater interest
than ever before in art, and growing com-
mercial institutions which blend the beau-
tiful with the practical in their works are
doing much toward the cultivation of this
sentiment.
It was not many years ago when pianos
of special design were rare indeed in this
St'einway^, fbr generations have been
leaders, and in this particular art field the
same spirit of originality is manifest which
has characterized their earlier works in the
realm of tone.
The piano which is presented in our sup-
plement is one which was ordered by
Thomas F. Walsh, of Washington,
D. C. To show the labor and care neces-
sary to plan and develop this special
product we may say that the head of the
Steinway art department, J. Burr Tiffany,
has himself visited Paris in order to super-
PAINTIXG UNDER TOP OF COVER.
country, but the great house of Steinway intend some of the special castings which
& Sons has placed particular stress upon were executed in that city. It will be seen
the production of special styles of instru- from the illustration that the shape of the
ments to conform with the character and rim is entirely different from the regular
treatment of parlors, music rooms and stock rim, as the end of the piano is built
studios, so that they have given a direct out square so as to avoid the graduating
emphasis to this line of work.
curve. After the rim had been made an
This firm have produced instruments application of solid Circassian walnut was
which have commanded the admiration of made, and this walnut was shaped and
connoisseurs, both in this land, and in curved to produce a bombe and intaglio
Europe—instruments which have been surface which produced a running effect.
placed upon exhibition in art galleries, thus
The piano has a series of six legs grow-
showing the piano as an art product.
ing out from the rim of the case, a set of
Specially designed Steinway creations four legs in the front and two in the rear.
have found their way into the homes of The extra middle leg is so arranged as to
American millionaires, who have been de- take away the length generally presented
lighted with the superb creations which to the eye in the regular stock form, and
possess the most attractive exteriors and gives the piano more the. effect of an old
steadfastly maintain that marvelous Stein- French cabinet. Upon all these carved sur-
way quality of tone which has won world- faces models were specially made in plaster
wide admiration from the most eminent of Paris, and from these models castings
critics.
were made in bronze which were specially
It is one of the secrets, to build pianos chased, mercury gilded and insulated to
with superb casings, such as the special preserve the acoustic value, and applied to
instrument which we present in this is- the surface.
sue, and yet to have all of those magnifi-
The front panel represents a cartouche
cent tonal qualities unimpaired. The with modeled cupids playing upon musical
instruments; the rear large panel has a
figure of the Goddess of Music playing
upon a harp surmounted by companion
figures playing lute and lyre, both figures
surrounded with foliage. The rear panel
represents a grouping of musical instru-
ments. All this metal work is done in the
old Louis XV. ornamentation, which is
only found in the old royal furniture. Ex-
amples of it are in the Louvre, Versailles
and at Fontainebleau, etc., and specimens
are in the Wallace collection, London.
The top cover of the case is shaped to
conform to the rim of the piano, and is
bordered by a two-inch metal moulding
conforming to the lines of the top and
hinged so that the top is easily opened.
A most attractive conception in the mak-
ing of the piano is to give it the necessary
strength and at the same time reduce the
enormity of surface to the eye, which is
demonstrated in the arm where the metal
is cut out, and the wood is allowed to pro-
trude, diversifying the field of surface. The
fall-board is exquisitely outlined and orna-
mented in the old Louis XV. style.
When the eye rests upon this piano it
is constantly kept moving by the curving
and winding metal ornamentation so that
the piano is full of interest not only at the
first vision, but as a series of study and de-
light.
An extremely new feature has been
added to this piano in the way of electric
lighting. Growing out from the arms are
bulbs in the form of metal leaves and tulips
with the candles projecting, and these, fix-
tures are so wired that the electric lights
are produced through globes with delicate
French shades adjustable to the necessary
requirements by protecting the eye of the
player yet throwing the proper light de-
sired upon the music desk, also lighting
the painting under the top of the cover,
"La Danse des Galants."
This painting is by Blackmore and shows
a garden scene in the time of Louis XV.
On the center is a dance with the gentle-
men crossing their swords over the heads
of the ladies as they pass through, figures
on the right coming down a flight of car-
peted stone steps to take part in the dance.
On the extreme right is a gentleman and
lady seated on the grass making love, a
cascade, two stone dolphins and two swans
in the water near them. On the left a
group of children with flowers, and a group
of two male and female musicians seated
near a large tree with high branches from
which drapery is hung. In the foreground
a group of musical instruments, music
books and flowers. In the distance a statue
of Pan, cupids and water lions and from a
shell in the statuary water falls into the
stream which flows from under a bridge
in the distance, and off to the left of the
picture. The entire coloring is toned,
blending softly into the natural wood
colors.