Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
DEATH OF WILLIAM WANDER.
The Veteran Hartford Dealer Passes Away—
An Interesting Career—The Oldest Steinway
Agent—The Funeral Services.
(Special to The Review.)
Hartford, Conn., March 7, 1905.
William Wander, founder of the old estab-
lished firm of Wm. Wander & Sons, died at his
home in this city last Saturday. At the time of
his death Mr. Wander was eighty-one years old.
He was born in Munich, Germany, and came to
this country while a very young man. He was
employed in ,the factories of some of the early
piano makers in New York, and later came to
Hartford, establishing his firm in 1851.
Mr. Wander had always taken a great inter-
est in music, and was himself a singer of note,
having sung in operas and concerts with Car-
lotta Patti and for a while he was first tenor of
THE LATH WILLIAM
WANDER.
St. John's Church, Brooklyn, N. Y. He was one
of the founders of the German Liederkranz Soci-
ety of New York, which was established in 1847.
He was a member of the old celebrated Wilson
Quartet, and everywhere enjoyed a wide reputa-
tion among musicians. His acquaintance with
William Steinway began before he assumed the
agency for the Steinway instruments. They
were warm friends during the third national
Saengerfest, which took place in New York in
1852, under the directorship of Argiol Pauer.
Mr. Steinway was then a member of the Teutonia
Mannerchor. The concerts were given at that
time in Tripler Hall, known later as Winter
Garden.
Mr. Wander possessed an excellent memory,
and he took great pleasure in reviewing his asso-
ciations with distinguished men, as well as
events of his musical life.
Wm. Wander was the oldest Steinway agent in
America, having' secured the representation the
first year when Steinway & Sons began to build
instruments.
Wm. Wander & Sons control an excellent trade
in Hartford and vicinity. In later years his two
sons, Emil C. and Eugene A. Wander practically
carried on the business, and it is probable that
the firm will continue to be known by the same
name.
The funeral services were held yesterday at
Christ's Church and were conducted by the Rev.
James Goodwin, the rector, and the Rev. James
P. Faunce, assistant rector. Prayers were held
previously at the house. The music at the
church was of a special character, and was un-
der the personal direction of John Spencer
Camp, the organist and choir director of the
Park Church. The floral offerings were many
and elaborate; Steinway & Sons sent a magnifi-
cent tribute in the form of a superb wreath. The
casket was borne by colored porters, and the
following were the honorary pallbearers: Dud-
ley Buck, the composer; L. T. Downes, of Provi-
dence, formerly organist of Christ Church; Jus-
tin A. Trant, of New Britain; A. C. Sternberg,
of West Hartford; George B. Hoadley, Herman
REVIEW
Maercklein, Nathan H. Allen and Charles J. Hel-
fricht, of this city.
The interment was in Spring Grove Cemetery.
All of the principal music stores in Hartford, in-
cluding the establishments of Ludlow Barker &
Co., John M. Gallup & Co., Woods, McKann Co.,
Sedgewick & Casey, and H. A. Fairfield were
closed during the time set for the funeral serv-
ices of Mr. Wander.
A number of prominent trade representatives
attended the funeral, including Adolpho H.
Fischer, of J. & C. Fischer, J. H. Hempstead and
John G. W. Kuhl, of Steinway & Sons, and Chas.
H. Mehlin, of Paul C. Mehlin & Sons, and others.
CALHOUN HAD CONFEDERATE.
Who Has Been Indicted by the Federal Grand
Jury.
(Special to The Review.)
Akron, 0., March 7, 1905.
L. B. Calhoun, formerly of this city, who was
indicted by the Federal grand jury charged with
having used the mails to defraud, seems to have
had a confederate in his operations.
A special dispatch to the Beacon Journal from
Cleveland, Wednesday, states that James Fred-
ericks was arrested by Postoffice Inspector
Owens at Evansville Tuesday, and was arraigned
Wednesday on the same charge as that against
Calhoun, using the mails to defraud.
Fredericks was indicted jointly with Calhoun,
and it is charged that Fredericks made his head-
quarters with Calhoun at Alliance, where they
had their headquarters. They were acting or
pretending to act as agents for A. B. Smith, a
piano dealer of this city. Their plan of opera-
tion is alleged to have been as follows:
They reported to Smith sales of instruments to
fictitious persons and gave notes signed by im-
aginary purchasers and confiscated the instru-
ments. These pianos would then be disposed of
and the money apropriated by Fredericks and
Calhoun, according to the Federal officials.
W. C. ALPETER AT AEOLIAN HALL.
W. C. Altpeter, of Rochester, is a visitor in
New York, where he came to get acquainted with
the powers that be at Aeolian Hall, since Mr.
Altpeter is ono of the most energetic of the Steck
agents. Mr. Altpeter states that business in that
section of the country is exceptionally good, and
that the Spring promises to fulfil the greatest
expectations that those in the piano business
have looker 1 , forward to.
GEO. GRASS ON ROAD.
George Grass left New York on Thursday
morning on a trip through New York and Penn-
sylvania in the interest of Mason & Hamlin. Mr.
Grass is out for business, and there is every rea-
son to believe that he will get what he is after.
FRED KANN RETURNS HOME.
Fred Kann, manager of the Apollo warerooms
in New York, has just returned from a visit to
the factories of the Melville Clarke Piano Co.,
and the A. B. Chase Piano Co., where he found
things active to the fullest possible extent. Up
to the present time it has been impossible to fill
the orders for the Apollo piano, which sells at
sight.
BENNETT-BRETZ AFFAIRS.
(Special to The Review.)
Harrisburg, Pa., March 8, 1905.
R. Sherman Care presented to Judges Weiss
and Kunkel in motion court this morning his re-
port as auditor in the affairs of the Bennett-
Bretz Piano Co., of which the Commonwealth
Trust Co. was receiver. The report was con-
firmed absolutely.
The schedule of distribution, to which no ex-
ceptions were filed, gives a fraction of sixty-
three and one-third per cent, to each of the com-
mon creditors. The balance for distribution was
$3,322.39, being left after paying the mortgage
and preferred claims. The receiver was named
on February 19, 1904, H. M. Bretz having been
temporary receiver for a short time.
11
PURCHASE PLAYANO PLAYER.
The Story & Clark Co. Now Sole Owners of the
Exterior and Interior Player Manufactured
by the Playano Co., of Boston—The Story &
Clark Playano Piano Will Soon be Placed
On the Market-^What E. H. Story Says.
(Special to The Review.)
Review Office, 36 La Salle St.,
Chicago, 111., March 8, 1905.
E. H. Story, president of the Story & Clark
Piano Co., returned to-day from Boston after
completing the purchase of the entire interests
of the Playano Co. in their interior and exterior
player.
"We long have seen the handwriting on the
wall," said Mr. Story, "and have realized that in
order to keep fully up with the procession we
must have a piano player, especially an interior
player. Just how to do it is what has puzzled
us. We were not enamored with the idea of the
great expenditure of time and the enormous ex-
pense of developing a player ourselves, and we
did not want to combine somebody else's player
with our own piano. We thought the Story &
Clark piano was justified in having its own play-
er. I confess that I went down to Boston some-
what skeptical, but I came back full of enthusi-
asm. We've got a player that is going to en-
hance the prestige of the Story & Clark name.
The Playano Company have spent years experi-
menting, and somewhere in the neighborhood
of $75,000 and $100,000 in developing both an ex-
terior and an interior player that are just about,
as perfect devices as can be produced, in my
opinion. They have sold several hundred of
them, and they are giving excellent satisfaction.
We have bought the whole business, both players,
patents, patterns, stock on hand, machinery, fix-
tures, and all, and it's now being boxed to be
moved to our factory at Grand Haven, Mich.
The player department at the factory will be in
charge of Mr. Hall and his son, who have been
the factory men for the Playano Co., and whom
we have engaged. We are going to market the
other player as well, but the interior proposition
will receive our particular attention. Of course
it's impossible for me to state now when we will
have the Story & Clark piano with the interior
player ready for the market, but it will be done
just aa quickly as possible.
TENTH CHICKERING SUNDAY CONCERT.
(Special to The Review.)
Boston, Mass., March 8, 1903.
A great audience filled Chickering Hall on Sun-
day last for the 10th Sunday Chamber Concert in
the series under the auspices of Chickering
Sons. The concert was by the Ondricek quintet
(Messrs. Ondricek and Finward, violins; Zach,
viola; Keller, 'cello, and Kunze, double bass)
and Mr. Emilio de Gogorza, baritone. The pro-
gramme consisted of quintets by Dvorak and Am-
broise Thomas, the andante from Haydn's
"Kaiser Quartet" and songs by Augusta Holmes,
Palhadilhe, Godard, Dubois, Lockruf, Rubinstein
and Hildoch.
The excerpts from the quintet by Ambroise
Thomas were performed here for the first time—
an andante and a finale in waltz tempo, which
were the most interesting of the instrumental
numbers. The andante contains beautiful and
unusual effects, and the waltz is charming.
Dvorak's work also gave pleasure. Everything
was in gentle vein. Everything was loudly ap-
plauded, even the variations. The performance
of the quintet was smooth and effective.
Mr. de Gogorza sang admirably. He has a
virile and beautiful voice; his enunciation is es-
pecially excellent. His choice of songs was ju-
dicious. Godard's "Embarquez Vous" aroused
the most enthusiasm. He was recalled repeated-
ly, and added to his second group the familiar
"Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes."
At the next concert the Strube Orchestral Club,
Mr. Gustav Strube, conductor, and Mrs. Jessie
Downer Eaton, pianist, will be heard.
The Krell-French Piano Co., Newcastle, have
opened a retail store in Bluffton, Ind.