Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Steinway & Sons have won a world wide repu-
tation for their originality and skill in creating
artistic pianos. They have a special art depart-
ment wherein are made superb specimens of
their art which adorn the homes of many mil-
lionaires throughout our land. One of their
latest creations, specially designed for the New
York State building at the Louisiana Purchase
Exposition is particularly striking and unique
sides, here and there forming panels. The water
then flows along the lower edge in charming
wave-like movements, running on down into the
three supports. These are composed of female
figures sculptured in wood. One supported by a
dolphin suggests the mythical origin of the harp.
She holds her wet hair at arm's length, and plays
upon the strings thus formed. The drops falling
into some pool in a mystical cave make sweet
sounds. Another is also poised upon a dolphin's
back, making sea music as she blows her coach
trumpet and with dulcet sounds awakens the
Titans and mermaids in the watery depths.
The third figure, which forms the rear support,
is a water nymph nestling among the rocks and
9
bor as seen from the deck of a steamer as the
traveler enters the port, glorious sight to those
who see it for the first time, one to bring moist-
ure to the eye, and a delightful thrill to those
COHOES FALLS.
VIEW OP NEW YORK HARBOR.
and follows in line with the theme used for the
sculptured decoration at the Fair, that is, the
waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and
Mississippi River connected across the conti-
nent by the Louisiana Purchase.
This grand piano is appropriately named "The
Wave," illustrating as it does the wonderful
waterways of New York State, which are so full
of scenic and commercial interest.
VIEW OF THE PALISADES.
spray. To her ear she holds a shell and listens
to the music therein.
The music desk suggests a grotto with water
falling over its rocks and down onto the desk
frame on either side.
A picture of sunrise on Lake Erie is on the
music desk. The water from the lake flows out
toward the spectator and down over the fall-
board in caressing waves which are carved and
painted in the color of water. Here and there
they meet with a slight obstruction over which
they flow in gentle ripples down to the lyre
below.
They travel on until lost among the shells and
rocks which form the base of the lyre. A sort
who have been from home for many days. On
the left is the Statue of Liberty, with Ellis Island
and $he Jersey shore; in the distance, faintly
seen, the Hudson; on the right the docks and
river craft, with tall buildings and the Aquarium
at Battery Park. As we come in we pass another
monster of the deep, a modern ocean liner, one
of the greyhounds of the sea.
The next panel to the right shows the entrance
to the East River, spanned by that fairy-like
structure, the Brooklyn bridge, nestled beneath
MOHAWK VALLEY.
which are the masts and rigging of vessels from
every land and clime.
Brooklyn, with its many spires, and docks
filled with shipping, is on the right. On the left
the high buildings of Manhattan, rising one
above the other, striving for commercial supre-
macy, form a sky-line seen in no other port in
the world. These and the river below filled with
craft of all kinds, with tooting tugs and scream-
ing steamers, stamp it as plainly the throbbinf
EAST RIVER AND BROOKLYN BRIDGE.
The whole case is made of white, hard maple,
admirably adapted to fine artistic carving. Some
distance in from the edge of the top the smooth
surface commences to take the undulations and
movement of the surface of water.
These waves gradually increase in volume
until they reach the edge of the top, where they
seem to flow over in an irregular line down the
CAPITOL AT ALBANY.
SHOWING PORTION OF CAKVINO.
of grotto arrangement curves from under the
piano to the supports on either side of the lyre
and the rear support. These also are overflow-
ing with water forms carved, and colored a
greenish blue, suggesting caves and moisture.
All the carving is colored with translucent
greens and blues, enhancing the graceful undula-
tions and wave movements of the carving. The
figures are left in the natural wood, very slightly
stained a warm nut color, with the hair darker.
The shells and dolphins are painted in their
natural colors by means of transparent stains,
allowing the wood to show through'.
The panels around the case are painted in oil
and so skilfully blended into the colors on the
carving as to form one scheme of color through-
out, and designed to illustrate some of the most
important views of the waterways of New York
State.
The first panel on the side is New York har-
HARBOR OF BUFFALO.