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REVIEW
THE
fflMC TIRADE
V O L . x x x v i i . No. 4. pnffliM Eyery Sat, liy Eiwari Lyman Bill at 1 Maflison Aye., Hew Tort Jnly 25,1913,
STEINERT'S COLLECTION OPEN.
The Magnificent Collection of Rare Instruments
Which Morris Steinert Presented Yale Univer-
sity is Exciting the Admiration of Visitors.
upon a volume of that sort. A stand of
autograph letters, autograph music manu-
scripts, photographs, programmes of no-
table concerts and musicales is placed at
one side of the collection.
In a circle around the rooms along the
walls are ranged the "piano family." Note-
worthy in the collection, each instrument
being fully described upon the placards,
are the following instruments:—An Italian
spinet of the middle of the fifteenth cen-
tury. This is a keyed instrument with
plectra or jacks—a favorite instrument
with Queen Elizabeth. It has one string
to each note, which is plucked by a crow's
quill. Near this spinet is a vertical concert
grand of six octaves, with a tapestry
screen at the back and above the sound-
ing board. It was built by Andre Stein
d'Augsburg, son of the great Joh. Andreas
Stein.
A skilfully decorated English square
piano of five and a half octaves, about one-
third the size and one-tenth the weight of
a modern pianoforte, is a treasured instru-
ment. A concert grand piano, with hand-
carved legs and with six pedals, one of
which shifts the keyboard for itna corda,
another shifting the pedal for tua corda,
the third for bassoon, the fourth for forte,
the fifth for celeste and the sixth for the
drum, triangle and cymbals, has been call-
ed a "small brass band combination" by a
musician who timidly played upon this in-
strument for a moment.
The lover of violin, guitar and mandolin
music can find food for study and instruc-
tion in inspecting the viola da Spalla of an
Italian maker, several Spanish guitars, one
of them with double metal strings, a prod-
uct of the sixteenth century; a discant
viola da Gamba, with five strings, an ivory
inlaid finger-board and tail piece and ex-
quisitely carved head; a viola da Bracchio,
viola d'Amore, viola Pomposa and other in-
struments of less evident interest.
Reference may be made to a pianoforte
which Mr. Steinert has not included in his
gift to Yale, an harpsichord of the fifteenth
century, of the finest tonal quality, primi-
tive to a degree, but playable as restored
by Mr. Steinert, the whole incased in a box
of some durable wood painted by a mas-
ter artist in allegorical figures. This mas-
terpiece of the musician and artist is a
treasure of Mr. Steinert's drawing room.
SINGLE COPIES. 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
LANGE & MINTON'S FAILURE.
[Special to The Review.]
Burlington, la., July 20, 1903.
While not entirely unexpected, the fail-
ure of Lange & Minton, recorded in last
week's paper, has occasioned much per-
sonal regret and sympathy for the mem-
bers of the house. The firm had been car-
ding a heavy load for years; this was
largely increased some three years ago
through the failure of the Shaw Piano
Company.
The members of the firm
worked hard day and night. Mr. Lange's
health gave way and Mr. Minton was on
the verge of a breakdown. Attempts to
reorganize were unsuccessful and they
were compelled to go into voluntary bank-
ruptcy.
It is a hard blow for both members of
the firm. Mr. Lange is the oldest music
dealer in Iowa. He sold the first piano that
was brought into the State. He has al-
ways been active and energetic, until ill-
health compelled him to desist from his
labors. John C. Minton is the personifica-
tion of push and restless energy, and is
naturally disappointed over the meager re-
sults of twenty years of hard work. But
he says: "A few days' rest, and then I
am going to be up and at it again. I shall
hustle during the next ten years, as I never
hustled before. I have many friends in
Burlington, who want me to remain here.
I have a number of flattering propositions
and shall soon be at work." Mr. Lange is
undecided as to his future steps. His
health requires care and he may go to New
Mexico, where one of his sons is a pros-
perous business man. The friends of both
members of the old firm will hope that
there may be better days in store for them.
Yale University authorities have render-
ed a much appreciated service to the pub-
lic in opening the collection of musical in-
struments which was made by Morris
Steinert and presented to the university.
Perhaps in no other university in this
country is there a collection of such histor-
ical interest, scientific value and range of
interest to the musician of whatever de-
gree of skill and education.
The collection numbers about thirty
stringed instruments of the pianoforte and
harpsichord type, and a number of the vio-
lin family. Each instrument is in perfect
playing condition, due to the masterly in-
terest of the collector, who was not only
discriminating in his selection after long
searches here and abroad, but himself
worked upon them until he had restored
them to their original tones and structure.
For many years Mr. Steinert, who is
himself a pianoforte builder and inventor,
has traveled much abroad. Upon each vis-
it to Europe he has visited musicians'
shops and the storerooms of old cities, and
from this or that corner has dragged to
light instruments of a type never made
nowadays, nor for many years, shipped
them to the United States and for recrea-
tion has restored them. None but a stu-
dent of the history of the musical instru-
ment, and a mechanic at that, could do
such work.
Several years ago Mr. Steinert donated
the collection to Yale upon condition that
a building be erected or room in a new
building be made for the collection. When
MRS. E. W. BARKER SELLS OUT.
the Memorial Vestibule was completed Mr.
Steinert's instruments were installed in the
Mrs. E. W. Barker, who for several
large circular room on the third story,
years has conducted a musical instrument
above the president's reception parlors.
store in the Hotel Richmond block, Bata-
[n company of the university guide hun-
via, N. Y., has sold the business to C.
dreds of visitors to the university every
Kurtzmann & Co., the Buffalo piano manu-
week see the collection, and much interest
facturers, who will close it out as soon as
is manifested.
possible. Mrs. Barker retires on account
In two large glass cases in the center of
of ill health. A. J. Cooke, a representative
the room are placed a number of guitars,
of Kurtzmann & Co., has taken charge of
Viola da Gambas, and other stringed in-
the store.
struments of that general type, some of
Schmoller & Mueller, of Omaha, Neb.,
them excellent specimens of the wood car-
opened their new branch store in Lin-
ver's skill as well as of the expert music
coln, Neb., last week. They are displaying
instrument builder's. In one case is a
a very fine line of pianos, with the Stein-
priceless collection of bound musical man-
E. D. Allington, of the Allington Music way as their leader, at 135 South n t h St.,
uscripts, illuminated in colored inks by the House, of Freeport, 111.* has opened a which is under the management of C. A.
Woods.
monks and musicians, who spent y
branch store at Warren,