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THE
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V O L . XLIII. N o . 2 2 . PubHshcd Every Saturday by Edward Lyman BUI at 1 Madison Ave., New York, December U 1906.
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REVIVAL OF HARP PLAYING.
MR. GEORGE'S REMARKABLE "FIND."
CAPEN PIANOS IN NEW YORK.
American Made Instruments Lead the World
—More Harps Sold Now Than Ever Before
—The Revival Due in Part to the Improve-
ments in Harps—The Instruments Expensive
Whether New or Second Hand.
Says Japanese Pianos Are Shipped to Berlin
and With a German Patronymic Shipped
Here—Some Surprising Information.
The Fine Line Shown at the Wm. A. Pond &
Co's Warerooms on Fifth Avenue Admired.
According to Henry George, Jr., who has been
reviewing business conditions in Japan, numbers
The advertisement said "new and second-hand of pianos are made in that country and shipped
harps," and if you could now buy harps second to Berlin, where they are marked with German
hand, that would seem to indicate that there must names and then sent to the United States as
be more harps in use and that more people must German instruments. Just who buys them in
be buying new harps, and the musical instru- our country and how an instrument going
ment man said that deduction was quite correct, through all that travel and being subjected to
that there had been a revival of the harp, and tariff charges can compete with American goods
that now there are more harps sold than ever.
profitably is not explained in the letter. Henry
This greater demand for harps, he said to The George may be all right as an expounder of Sin-
Sun, began some twelve or fifteen years ago, and gle Tax, but he is not acquainted with piano con-
has continued increasing ever since, with its ditions in the United States. Japanese pianos
greatest increase within the last three years. The with German names sold here? 'Tis to laugh!
new favor into which the harp has now come is
due in some measure to the general prosperity,
BUSINESS MEN ORGANIZE
but more, perhaps, to the great improvements
that in recent years have been brought about in To Protect Their Interests at Albany Against
its construction.
Injurious Legislation.
While the harp is associated in the mind with
(Special to The Review.)
ancient times and with Eastern and European
Syracuse, N. Y., Nov. 26, 1906.
countries and with history and romance gen-
The New York State Council of Business Men's
erally, it seems that the best harps made in the
present day are those produced in new and prac- Associations was organized here on Saturday for
the purpose of establishing a "people's lobby" at
tical America.
The modern harp is in every way superior to Albany. It is intended to examine legislation af-
the old-time instrument; but in its later develop- fecting the business interests of the State, to
ment the greatest improvements in the harp, con- promote beneficial legislation and to oppose that
tributing to its musical effectiveness and to its which is undesirable. One hundred representa-
utility and endurance as an instrument, have tives of business interests, from all over the
been made in this country; with the result that State, were present, including several piano
The following officers were
American harps are now sold not only here but manufacturers.
in Europe and wherever lovers of the harp are to elected:
be found.
President, Giles H. Stilwell, of Syracuse; first
The harp is now heard in every orchestra of vice-president, R. J. MacParland, of Brooklyn;
note; it is more and more used in churches, and second vice-president, O. S. Foster, of Utica; sec-
its music is to be heard at weddings, and now it retary, William B. Jones, of Albany; treasurer,
Judson G. Wall, of Brooklyn. Mr. MacFarland is
is coming to be used in more and more homes.
It is itself a beautiful object for the eye to rest president of the Manufacturers' Association of
upon—many of the harps now made are very New York, which promoted the organization. The
beautiful—and it is highly decorative in its ef- plan is to establish a bureau a t Albany for the
fect; and the music of the harp appeals to many, purposes of publicity, and each branch of busi-
and more people than ever before are learning to ness will be kept fully informed of bills intro-
duced and the status of pending legislation affect-
play upon it.
With the increase in the use of harps there are ing them. The piano people being particularly
now more harp teachers. One musical concern in concerned in measures defining the status of
New York has upon its books the names of fifty- conditional sales and the exempting of their re-
four harp teachers, men and women, in New cording, believe this so-called "lobby" will prove
York and Brooklyn, and there are thirty-seven a beneficial institution.
teachers of the harp in the musical union. All
told, there are now in New York a hundred or
CABLE COMPANY'S EXHIBIT AT TAMPA.
more teachers whose pupils include children as
well as adults, some of these teachers supple-
The Cable Company had an extensive piano ex-
menting their teaching with playing in orches- hibit at the State Fair, recently held in Tampa,
tras or at weddings.
Fla., which was most favorably commented upon
Harps are rather expensive. There are low by the press and visitors. Their pianos were also
priced American harps suitable for beginners, but used in a number of other exhibits in the vari-
the best American instruments cost from $650 to ous buildings. At the company's Tampa sales-
$2,000, and first-class harps in perfect condition rooms, 506 Franklin street, was seen an instru-
cost at second hand from $350 up to $500 or $600. ment that attracted more attention than any
But despite these prices harps go not into the other musical instrument ever seen in Tampa. It
homes of the wealthy alone, but as well into the would have been at the Fair, but the railroad
homes of people of more moderate means. And company succeeded in losing the beautifully
harps are sold on instalments and rented, like carved legs of this magnificent Symphony Con-
other musical instruments.
over grand piano.
The Brockport Piano Co., of Brockport, N. Y.,
have now on exhibition in the warerooms 4t
Wm. A. Pond & Co., the music publishers at 148
Fifth avenue, a complete line of Capen piano^,
made by this well-known concern. Since their
introduction in this city, they have been tested
by many musicians, who have expressed appre-
ciation of their tone, construction and finish.
The placing of their pianos in such a prominent
place enables the visiting dealers to study and
become acquainted with their many good points,
and in the event of taking or holding an agency,
to make a selection of designs. The Capen
pianos have become a very popular instrument
wherever introduced, and dealers agree that they
form a valuable adjunct to any stock, and an
instrument that stands up to the strong guaran-
tee of its makers.
NEW PIANO FACTORY IN TOLEDO, 0.
(Special to The Review.)
"_
Toledo, O., Nov. 26, 1906.
It is said that Toledo is to have a new piano
factory. The Hollerbach Piano Co., which is lo-
cated at 713 Jefferson avenue, will be the nucleus
of the new plant and the men who are interested
in the Hollerbach plant will be interested in the
new concern. However, the new company will be
composed largely of Chicago men. The company
is to be incorporated with $150,000 capitaliza-
tion, and the plant will have a capacity of 18
pianos a week. Up to the present time the site
for the factory has not been definitely decided
upon, although two locations have been con-
sidered.
ELABORATE INTERIOR DECORATIONS.
An unusual and elaborate style of interior
decoration has been completed in the store of
Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco, the walls
being hung with fine silk brocade such as is
used in homes of the rich. The striking effect
obtained, however, is fully worth the heavy cost.
JANSSEN'S SOUVENIR POSTALS.
Ben H. Janssen, always to the front with new
ideas, has made a decided hit with the series of
souvenir postal cards he has been sending out to
the trade recently. The designs on the postals
were drawn especially for Mr. Janssen, and deal-
ers all over the country who handle the Jans-
sen piano have requested permission to repro-
duce the cards for distribution to their retail
trade. Mr. Janssen will shortly issue a new
catalogue of his pianos, which will be rather
elaborate in character and illustrated in colors.
P. E. Ceruti has joined the ranks of piano
manufacturers making the Ceruti piano at a fac-
tory in Evans City, Pa.
A new piano store has been opened in Middle-
burgb, Pa., by C. C. Seebold & Son.
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