Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1903 Vol. 37 N. 18

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
REV^DV
flUSIC TI(ADE
V O L . x x x v n . No. 18. pnuMei E»ery Sat. by Edward Lyman BUI at I Madison Ave, NewYort, Oct. 31,1903.
DR. MANNS AND THE CECIL1AN.
An Interesting Volume is the Correspondence
Anent the Cecilian Which Appeared in the
London Daily Mail—Dr. Manns Criticises the
Critics.
Reference was made in The Review last
June to some extended correspondence on
"Music by Machinery" which appeared in
The Daily Mail of London, Eng. It started
with an editorial in that paper based upon
the opening of the International Music
Trades Exhibition at the Crystal Palace on
June 16, when Dr. August Manns made
some very complimentary allusions to the
Cecilian piano player whose musical merits
were demonstrated at the exhibition by
Reginald Reynolds.
Letters commenting favorably and un-
favorably on the editorial were numerous
and continued to appear daily from June
17th to June 26th. The writers included
many of the leading musicians of London.
The correspondence has just been com-
piled by the manager of the Farrand Organ
Co.'s establishment in London, and makes
very valuable reading. It affords an im-
pressive idea of the interest excited by this
controversy.
The. following letter from Dr. Manns,
who, by the way, has been the musical di-
rector of the Crystal Palace since October,
1855, closed the discussion and is the high-
est kind of a tribute to the Cecilian:
"Dear Sir:—Having now read all the
letters which have appeared in the Daily
Mail concerning the remarks on the Ce-
cilian Piano Player, reported to have been
made by myself and the young artist who
guided the mechanical player, on the 16th
of June, at the opening of the Musical In-
strument Exhibition at the Crystal Palace,
I must, in self-defense, point out that, al-
though I did say a good deal more in praise
of your wonderful invention than contained
in that report, I did not say: 'No pianist
could produce a greater effect upon my
feelings than that machine did.' Nor did
I say: 'Amateur playing will be entirely
done away with.
Students of the future
will study through the medium of mechani-
cal instruments, and the result will be a
higher standard of artistic excellence.'
"What I did say was this: 'I. have
never heard a machine produce music like
that. It expressed all the delicate nuances
of the skilled musician, and the quality of
tone was beautiful. Its marvelously per-
fect technique and great rythmical ac-
curacy were astounding.
A dozen Pade-
rewskis in one could not play more perfect
scale—'and bravura—passages. There is
no reason why any amateur or musician
with the heavenly spark of music in his
soul should not be able to produce
thoroughly enjoyable music from it; by the
help of its wonderful mechanism, indeed,
any musician, even if not a pianist, will be
able to produce performances of consider-
able artistic interest, after having learned
to manage the pedaling for tone production,
and acquired the necessary knowledge for
utilizing the simple mechanism for time,
dynamics and expression.'
"With regard to the "Detracting letters"
by 'Musicus,' 'Dr. W. H. Cummings,' and
'Dr. Percy Rideout,' I cannot help thinking
that 'Musicus' would have refrained from
posing as a violent detractor of an inven-
tion which cannot fail to exercise a very
beneficial influence upon musical art, had
he heard 'The Cecilian Player,' as I did, on
the opening of the exhibition ; and I also be-
lieve that Drs. W. H. Cummings and Percy
Rideout would not have denied the artistic
possibilities of the Mechanical Piano
player, had they heard the Cecilian on that
occasion. Their well intentioned argu-
ments seem to be based on their knowl-
edge of the mechanical piano players of
two or three years ago, when the scope for
expression, feeling and skill was very lim-
ited, and provisions for the control over
time, and general dynamics were almost
non-existent.
"However, further argument on these
points would only prompt further dispute.
Moreover, the artistic possibilities of the
mechanical piano players are very fully de-
fined by C. Ashton Jones in his letters to
the Daily Mail of June 22nd and 26th, and
their general utility and benefit to both
musical amateurs and teachers of the piano
are very clearly explained in the letters of
Ernest Newlandsmith, W. A. Morgan,
Arthur Doggett and Edward Herbert, pub-
lished in the same journal on June 23rd,
24th, 25th and 26th.
"Finally, I will only add that, should my
still unsatisfactory state of health prevent
me lastingly from resuming my former
musical activity as a conductor, I (not be-
ing a pianist) shall purchase a Cecilian
Piano Player, and by its help provide my-
self with the musical treat of hearing the
various classical compositions for the
pianoforte performed under my personal
guidance, in my own house, and thus
supply a musical want which I have ser-
iously felt during my long musical life."
"August Manns."
SINGLE ContiS
tiM
i* CUNT*.
PILA YEAR.
AFrER APPRENTICES AND TUNERS
The Canadian Association Make Several Important
Suggestions Relating to the Above.
The Canadian Piano & Organ Manufac-
turers' Association at its recent meeting
appointed a committee to draw up a form
of contract whereby apprentices will be re-
quired to serve their full term before being
^entitled to employment as journeymen
when they will receive a certificate from the
Manufacturers' Association. This action is
due to the fact that apprentices are in the
habit of working for a year at the piano
business, and then, leaving and going to
other factories and demanding employment
as experienced men.
From the viewpoint of the United States
this action seems peculiar, inasmuch as on
this side of the border, apprenticeship is
usually regulated by the unions and the
manufacturers or their superintendents
have the privilege of discharging a man
if he is incompetent. It does not require
much supervision to discern whether a man
is experienced or "fit."
Another matter taken up by the meet-
ing was that of incompetent tuners who
make a practice of going around the
country, spoiling pianos and generally dam-
aging the reputation of those fitted by
ability and experience to take charge of re-
pairing and tuning.
It was proposed that the association
should conduct examinations and issue
certificates to tuners. Dealers, moreover,
would be recommended to advise their
customers that no one should be allowed
to tune their piano unless a man holding a
certificate, and thereby qualified for this
purpose.
This move is an admirable one, and
might with advantage be copied by the Na-
tional Piano Manufacturers* Association of
America.
PIANO PROSPECTS IN KANSAS.
The best indication of prosperous con-
ditions in the piano field in the West is to
be found in the fact that piano dealers
THE HARDMAN PIANO PLAYER.
throughout Kansas and adjoining states re-
The Allen & Gilbert-Ramaker Co., of
port a scarcity of stock.
Many dealers
Portland, Ore., have secured the agency for
placed orders early, but factories were un-
the new Hardman piano player made by
able to supply demands as quickly as de-
Hardman, Peck & Co., of New York.
sired owing to the shortage of freight cars.
The Carl Hoffman Music Co., of Kansas Other dealers have delayed in placing their
City, Mo., are having a big call for Chick- orders with the result that now when the
ering quarter grands. Last week they sold call comes they cannot get their instru-
four, and they have been compelled to ments as quickly as they desire. General
business throughout the West is good.
telegraph to Boston for additional stock.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
8
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL,
Editor and Proprietor.
J. D. SP1LLANE, Managing Editor.
EXECUTIVE STAFF:
THOS. CAMPBELL-COPELAND,
A. E >MUND HANSON,
GEO. B. KBXLBR,
A. J. .NlCKLIN,
EMU IK FRANCES BAUER
GEO. W. QUERIPEL.
BOSTON OFFICE :
CHICAGO OFFICE:
W. MURDOCH LIND, (94 Tremont St.
E. P. VAN HAKLINGKN, 36 La Salle St,
PHILAD'LPHIV OFFICP: R". W. KAIFFMAN.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York.
Entered at the Nezv York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION including postage), United States, Mexico and Canada, $2.00 per
year; all other countries, $4.(JO.
ADVERTISEMENTS. $2.no per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00; opposite reading
matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
I.y-rnn Hill.
On the first Saturday of each month The Review contains in its
"Artists' Department" all the current musical news. This is effected
without in any way trespassing on the size or service of the trade
DEPARTMENT section of the paper. It hns a special circulation, and therefore aug-
rnents materially the value of The Review to advertisers.
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
found on
W * wil1 b e o f g r e a t v a l u e a S a r e f e r e n c e £ o r
MANUFACTIRERS
dolors and P others.
THE ARTISTS'
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE-NUMBER 1745-EIGHTEENTH STREET.
NEW YOUK, OCTOB1R 31, 19O3.
EDITORIAL
1
HP HE volume of business done in October has been in some re-
*
spects disappointing. Collections have been coming in slowly.
Of course this slowing up in business is the natural result of the
decline in Wall street, following upon the sensational revelations
with regard to the methods employed in promoting trusts.
<• Some of the music trade men have been investors, though not
many have been caught badly. It may, however, be a good thing
after all, for many a merchant must have seen a great light in re-
gard to the unwisdom—to put it mildly—of investing his profits
in quarters as to whose integrity and stability he is -profoundly
ignorant. A growing piano business forms a mighty sight better
place to invest spare cash than some of these inflated trusts.
T might well be asked what better investment can a man have than
in his own business ? In the case of the piano retailer it is espe-
cially plain. For in no branch is the expenditure of money so con-
stantly required or so generally remunerative. Instead of entrust-
ing one's spare cash to a lot of people at a distance with whom he
has no acquaintance, the piano merchant had much better invest the
same in his own business—to be applied to the purchase of stock,
store betterments, or in up-to-date methods of advertising, all of
which would be helpful to his business enterprise. If the business
doesn't require the money, then put it in real estate.
I
Profit by the example of Samuel Hamilton, the well known
piano merchant of Pittsburg, who has made a fortune by shrewd
and intelligent real estate investments. The ownership of real
estate will increase your standing in a community, and besides such
a form of investment is not only safe but in nearly every instance
remunerative. Throw the get rich quick idea overboard, and you
will not only make more money but will build your business on a
broader and firmer basis and make more profit in the end, in selling
pianos than if the funds were divided and some placed in the hands
of these big conscienceless promoters of the Morgan type who are
working serious injury to the country's interests.
' I "" IME was, not so many years ago, when some piano merchants
believed that the public desire was largely for cheap pianos,
and for a while the very cheap piano occupied an important position
in the center of the piano stage.
It was price—price was rampant in piano arguments everywhere,
and the instruments which were thrown together in the cheapest
possible manner were sold in large quantities. Unhappily they
were not always sold at their true worth, for in thousands of cases
dealers received for the cheap pianos enough money to have en
titled the purchasers to have become owners of good, reliable and
reputable instruments.
The dealers learned in many cases by experience that that kind
of business did not pay, and was in the end a losing investment, so
for the past few years there has been a complete reversal of action
in this particular. Dealers have gotten tired of listening to the
complaints of deluded purchasers and they have been talking quality
rather than price. The very cheap piano has been in its decadence
for some time. Through steady advance in piano making and the
utilization of labor saving machinery it has been possible lately to
produce instruments of surprising value at low figures. These are
being sold more nearly in their class than ever before.
'TP HIS is precisely as it should be, for to sell in the proper grade
*
is commendable, it is business honesty.
There has been in all sections an unmistakable trend upwards
to the quality standard rather than a lowering to the price standard.
Perhaps this is best emphasized in the unusual activity which has
prevailed in the factories producing high grade instruments.
Some of the newcomers in the field have built instruments of
a medium grade. They have wisely steered clear of exploiting the
very cheap instruments and have not been desirous of joining the
upper ranks of pianodom or of associating with the piano four
hundred. They have chosen a healthy intermediate position and
have in most instances met with deserved success.
The piano business has kept steadily changing, but while it
has been undergoing prodigious changes it has kept on expanding
at a rate which has surprised many who figured formerly that the
whole country would be supplied with instruments by the dawn of
the new century.
ONTINUAL factory enlargements emphasize the constant
pressure made upon the manufacturing facilities in this
country. It is activity of the ceaseless kind, and no matter in what
line we may engage, it at once becomes a hard, unceasing fight
to the finish. Industrial warfare is unrelenting and the moment the
new-comer enters the field of piano making he is at once challenged
by a host of competitors who are well entrenched behind walls of
patronage.
It is but natural that every man should fight for every foot of
commercial ground which he has fairly won, and those who are in
possession of the field are not willing to retire in favor of a new-
comer. Therefore he must produce something distinctive to win,

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