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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Conducted and Edited by Win. B. White.
My readers will doubtless recollect that some circumstances. This happened seven weeks ago,
time ago I published certain animadversions on and to-day on trying the piano I found that not
the remarkable piano invented by Mr. Galloway, even an unison was out to any noticeable de-
of Linton, Ind. They will also, perhaps, recall gree. Considering that a piano-player is always
that the main features of this invention are the attached to this piano, and that the instrument
absence of the customary iron plate, and the pe- is continually in use, it seems to me that you
culiar circular form of the soundboard, the lat- ought to consider this a remarkable example of
ter being compressed within a similarly shaped stability. If you do not, I am open to convic-
wooden framing. Another and equally note- tion, but I have never seen anything like this
worthy feature is found in the belly-bridge, which before.
is in one piece for both bass and treble, and is
As for tone, I would like to say that I have
continuous, being built in a roughly elliptical never in all my experience in factory and out-
form.
side heard any piano that would equal it. I
At the time when the invention was first have never known even the best of either grands
brought to my notice, I took occasion to com- or uprights to produce a tone so large in volume
ment on it somewhat unfavorably, although with or so melodious in quality. You can then ask
due recognition of the really admirable character yourself what this piano will accomplish when it
of some of the new ideas contained in it, as, for is being made perfect in every particular. Speak-
example, the continuous one-piece belly-bridge. ing from such experience as I have had in the
Now comes a letter from a correspondent who piano business, I feel assured that the Galloway
hails from the same town, and who has evidently piano is the piano of the future, and I am satis-
had opportunities of examining and testing the fied that every good tuner will delight in work-
Galloway piano in a practical manner. Inasmuch ing on it. I would also like to say that I shall
as we are dealing here with a new and revolu- be glad at any time to answer to the best of my
tionary invention, the views expressed by this ability d.ny inquiries in regard to this piano.
gentleman cannot fail to possess considerable in- Such details as measurements of soundboard, size
terest, I, therefore, take this opportunity of pub- of bridge, and so on, may be interesting. I
might add also that I am making some observa-
lishing the following letter:
tions on the influence of temperature on this
Editor Technical Department:
Dear Sir—For the last year or so I have read piano. If you wish, I can later on give you some
The Music Trade Review, and especially the of the results of these experiments. It would not
"Technical Department," with great interest, and be just to close this letter without paying a com-
in reading it I have often intended to state my pliment to the Editor of the most interesting de-
opinions on different subjects, but have never partment of The Review. I assure you that I
done so on account of my "backwardness." To- shall always read your articles with the greatest
day I picked up an old copy of The Review, in interest, and I am sure that every good piano
which you have described the new Galloway man appreciates your efforts. Wishing you the
piano according to the description furnished you success that you so greatly deserve, and expecting
in a printed circular. Now, as it happens, in to hear from you. I am, respectfully yours,
Linton, Ind.
JOHN H. FIKDLKK.
your last issue you have made a statement to
* * * *
which I think I am entitled to take very serious
objections. You say: "This (the relatively great
I certainly hope that this interesting communi-
thickness, stiffness and tension of the strings) cation will be the means of drawing more atten-
necessitates the employment of a massive metal tion to the very remarkable piano of which it
frame for the support of these strings," etc. Now, tells. There is no doubt that Mr. Galloway is a
it has been demonstrated by the Galloway piano bold and original thinker, and whatever be the
that no metal frame is necessary. I believe that practical value of his new ideas, the piano world
it would be interesting to a good many tuners is the better for them. On the face of it the
and practical piano men to know more about this statement in regard to stability and standing in
piano, as it is certainly a revolution in piano- tune seems to be astonishing in the extreme. If
building, and I believe that I am more able and Mr. Fiedler says that he finds the instrument
entitled to give my opinion on this piano than standing well seven weeks after its first and only
any other man. I am, in fact, the only man who tuning, we are obliged to accept his statement,
has ever tuned and voiced the model made by incredible as it may seem. This alone is enough
Mr. Galloway himself. The latter gentleman, by to make one feel that the Galloway piano must
the way, is a practical pianomaker. Now, in one possess great virtues, and I sincerely hope that
of • vour recent issues you stated that you were in we shall be able to hear more about it in the
favor of a single hitch-pin for each string. Mr. near future.
Galloway uses this system, and I think it is Mr. Fiedler says that he would be willing to
the only correct method for stringing a piano. I give us the results of certain experiments that
am sure that with the single hitch-pin the ten- he has been making with a view to ascertaining
sion of the string will be equalized much more the exact effects of temperature conditions upon
quickly than with other systems, no matter how the instrument. He is hereby assured that I
much "dead wire" there may be. But Mr. Gallo- shall be only too happy to publish whatever he
way goes still further. He has every string in
each group made of equal length. I think this has to say.
* * * *
is a revolution in piano building, for I have never
I also wish to present to my readers the fol-
found a similar system in any American or Ger-
man pianos, at least not in uprights. I am sure lowing letter from another friend in Grand Rap-
that any one can see how this method will aid ids, who has been heard from, I think, once before:
Editor Technical Department, The Review:
in bettering the tone.
Dear Sir—I have been a constant reader of
Again, I do not think that any one will dis- your valuable department. I do not want to be
pute the advantages of a round soundboard and a mere sponge, but will try to give some touches
continuous bridge. The spherical shape here of my own long experience as a piano tuner. I
employed is in strict accordance with the laws of must confess that in my busy life I have not
acoustics, and undoubtedly correct. My observa- delved nearly so deeply into the mysteries of
tions have, of course, only been made on a piano construction as has Brother Payson. I
model manufactured almost entirely by hand, have been satisfied to let the manufacturers lie
which \till naturally produce a somewhat crude awake nights over these problems. We plain,
result. Yet I can say that when I first saw the every-day tuners have troubles of our own, how-
piano it had only been "chipped" twice, and was ever, and a large book could be written on "The
one tone and one-half below the international Troubles of a Piano Tuner." I was called lately
piich. 1 tuned it to international pitch in two to tune a piano that had gone five years without
hours and twenty minutes—certainly a short being tuned. Everything had to be put in order,
time in which to do good work, at least in such from the castors up. The established price in
this city, I am sorry to say, is only two dollars.
The owner of the piano refused to pay for extras,
and it was up to me to decide whether to simply
tune the piano and take out the rattles—giving
two dollars' worth of service—or give the piano
the amount of time and trouble necessary to put it
in a condition satisfactory to myself. My expe-
rience has been that if a tuner wants to get a
good night's sleep and possess a sound stomach
for breakfast in the morning he must never leave
a job until it is entirely satisfactory to himself,
or his troubles will come thick and fast. Get all
the extra pay you can, but it is far better for
you to give five dollars' worth of work for two
dollars than to leave the piano in a condition un-
satisfactory to yourself.
I have been called back on trifles that would
drive a Prohibitionist to drink, but I put on my
trade smile and cheerfully go through the mo-
tions, the effect of which is chiefly to remove the
trouble from the customer's mind. To pursue
this policy is like casting bread upon the waters,
for I have found that after many days it has re-
turned to me in as lucrative a practice as I cau
find time to take care of. The country is rapidly
filling up with pianos. We are on the eve of the
reign of the inside player. A great future is
opening up for the skilled mechanics among the
tuners. The man who does his work well, con-
scientiously and satisfactorily to himself will win
out.
Respectfully,
D. A. CIIII'MAN.
This letter was printed here largely because ot
the importance of the ethical point raised in it. Is.
it or is it not right for a tuner to neglect worn
on an instrument because the owner thereof i»
so ignorant as to expect a rebuilding for th*
price of a tuning? This is a question that comes*
to every tuner constantly. The larger his prac-
tice the more frequently will he be called on tu
decide it. A great deal of nice casuistry can be
brought out by such a discussion, and it is quitw
a pretty problem in many ways. But looked ai
from the pure ethical standpoint, and considered
merely as a matter of personal honesty, there cau
be no other answer than that which Mr. Chipmaii
has so aptly given. We cannot afford to play our-
selves false, for from every point of view we cau
see that such a policy does not pay. And wheu
I say, "does not pay," I mean from other thau
mere pecuniary standpoints. I mean, in fact,
that the man himself cannot afford to do other
than the best that is in him, at all times and lu
all circumstances. If he does not do the best
always, then the time will come when he can
no longer do his best at will. Nothing finer
can a man find to do than that which brings ail
his powers into play, whether the pecuniary re-
ward be large or small. It is simply a question
of the relative importance of the man and the
dollar. To be a man of character, a man of self-
respect is infinitely finer than merely to have
so many dollars here and so many dollars there.
The public may be, and usually is, perfectly in-
different to conscientious work in realms to
which they are strangers, and the piano tuner
must console himself with the reflection that if
he has chosen to make his living in the practice
of an obscure and difficult art, he must take the
inevitable consequences. And if these conse-
quences brirvg to him the consciousness of being
exquisitely alive and quintessentially a man,
what more can he need?
* * * *
Communications for the department, should be
addressed to the Editor, Technical Department,
The Music Trade Review.
LLOYD-BAXTER CO. INCORPORATED.
The Lloyd-Baxter Music Co., of Parkersburg,
has been chartered with the Secretary of the
State, of West Virginia, for the purpose of manu-
facturing and dealing in musical instruments.
Capital, $25,000. Incorporators: A. C. Lloyd, J.
W. Baxter, E. L. Baxter, Lawrence Freeman and
W. H. Wolfe, Jr., of Parkersburg.
J. W. Weil has succeeded J. W. Irwin as man-
ager of the advertising department of C. J. Heppe
& Son, Philadelphia, Pa.