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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
will now be everything east of the Mississippi,
and will leave the factory at New Castle, Ind., this
Political Campaign Has Very Little Effect on week on a four weeks' trip, during which time
he will make some of the largest Eastern cities.
Piano Sales—Business Good—Annual Meet-
ing of Wm. Knabe & Co. Held May 1 ; Had J. A. Greenstreet, sales manager for the Krell-
Prosperous Year—The Stieff Pianos at the French Piano Co., will accompany Mr. Brainerd
on this trip with a view of becoming personally
Jamestown Exposition—Other Houses Re-
acquainted with the trade.
port Satisfactory Trade.
TRADE IN BALTIMORE.
11
PIANO ART CRITICISED.
W. Dale in London Lecture Claims Modern
Piano Is Not an Artistic Object—18th Cen-
tury Squares of Better Design—Matter of
Evolution—Prefers Dull Finish and Advo-
cates Painted Panels—George Rose of Broad-
wood's Replies.
In a recent lecture before the London Society
NEW DECKER CATALOG
of Arts, W. Dale ventured some caustic criticism
Baltimore, Md., May 6, 1907.
upon the modern piano as an art product when
Contrary to expectations the windup of the Will Soon be Ready for the Trade -Will Show
called upon to speak on the artistic treatment of
municipal campaign in this city has had very
All Their New Styles.
the exterior of the pianoforte.
little effect on the piano business during the past
"I am fully aware of the difficulties which beset
week, and from all appearances the trade will
Decker & Son, manufacturers of pianos at
the
path of the pianoforte maker who may be
continue active right along, notwithstanding the 971-973 East 135th street, are compiling a new
fact that the to-morrow will, to some extent, be catalogue and expect to have it ready for dis- artistically inclined. The public will have iron-
a holiday in consequence of the election of a tribution early in July. The volume will have framed and powerful sounding instruments, and
Mayor and other city officials. Good orders are twenty-four pages, fully illustrating in half-tone such require cases of a certain amount of mass-
coming in at the various factories, and the work- cuts all the. new creations that are to be added to iveness. Herein largely lies the difficulty of
men have their hands full to get them out on the regular line, and what is most important treating them artistically," said Mr. Dale. "The
time. This is very pleasing to the dealers and the descriptive text which appears opposite each modern piano is not an artistic object. The in-
manufacturers who for a while were led to be- illustration will enable a dealer to study each in- exorable law of evolution is responsible for this.
lieve that the business during the spring season strument at a glance. The text referred to will The square pianos of the eighteenth century were
would not be up to the standard of that in past also denote the size and finish of each case, and well proportioned, and admitted of some deco-
years. The retail business has taken a boom the point will be fully appreciated by every rative treatment, which, though simple, was
since the first of the month, and the salesmen buyer. The catalog will be printed in two colors, often most happy. But as the construction of the
are a busy lot in their efforts to show each and and the front cover will have a new and original square piano improved, to meet the musical re-
every customer the style of piano they desire.
design that will be most pleasing to the eye; in quirements of succeeding generations, its size
and unwieldiness increased, until it was finally
William Knabe & Co. report business to be fact, the catalog will be one of the most ornate improved off the face of the earth. The grand
excellent. Charles H. Keidel, Jr., a member of ever issued by this enterprising concern.
pianos of the eighteenth century were built so
the firm, has just returned from a trip to Cleve-
nearly upon the lines of the old harpsichords
land, O., where he went to look after some im-
J. R. PENN'S UNIQUE CONTEST.
that you could not tell the difference until you
portant business for the house. The annual
opened them.
meeting of the firm was held May 1, and the re-
J. R. Penn, the piano dealer of Sandusky, O.,
"Early in the nineteenth century their form be-
ports of the secretary showed that the firm had a who handles among other makes the Mehlin,
most prosperous year in every respect during Bush & Gerts, Bush & Lane, and Schaeffer pianos, gan to deteriorate as their interior construction
altered. The frame, or stand, with its familiar
1906.
has started a unique contest, offering a prize of
The Charles M. Stieff house is jubilant over $10 to the person bringing in the number of his stretcher, was abandoned for legs, and the pedals,
the fact that the Auditorium they occupy at the square piano which is nearest to the number instead of being attached to the front legs, were
Jamestown Exposition is among the few build- of pianos sold in the United States during 1906. disposed of in a lyre-shaped construction depend-
ings at the fair that have been completed. From Just how Mr. Penn expects to discover the actual ing from the body of the instrument. As iron
the opening day the firm have been giving two re- number of pianos sold in 1906 and how he will bars and iron framing came in, and the tension
citals daily.* On Wednesday, May 1, a special re- prove his figures should any dispute arise be- of the strings largely increased, the case of the
cital was given for 250 school teachers, and the tween claimants for the prize, is not stated in piano had to be made increasingly strong. Its
elegant proportions vanished, and the legs soon
representatives of the Railways of America. On connection with the offer.
became elephantine in size. A tendency has lately
Friday, April 29, President Roosevelt was enter-
sprung up to revert to the smaller-sized grands.
tained by a delightful concert given under the
M0NTENEGR0-RIEHM PUBLICITY.
But the exigencies of modern compass require
Stieff auspices. The artists engaged by the firm
the keyboard to be wide, and the result is a
are nearly all New Yorkers, .and they include Ed-
Tile Montenegro-Riehm Music Co., Louisville, horizontal instrument almost square. These
win M. Shonert, pianist; Joseph Maers, pianist; Ky., are meeting with much success in their
Earl J. Pfouts, violinist, and Mrs. Cecilia Niles, original and unique advertising in the news- pianofortes, although called by endearing titles,
are ugly in inverse proportion to the sweetness
soprano.
papers of giving a $350 Haines Bros, piano away of the names they bear."
Sanders & Stayman Co. have done a good busi- to the person having the oldest piano in actual
On the subject of decorations, the lecturer main-
ness during the week just ended.
use in Louisville, New Albany or Jeffersonville, tained that the dazzling surface of French polish,
H. R. Eisenbrandt & Sons have had an un- Ind. Several hundred names are now on «the
usually heavy amount of spring business in the list, showing the great interest the public is like carriage varnish, was not beautiful, but to
dull wax polish there can be no objection. If
sheet music and talking machine trade. The taking in the offer.
hand-carving be employed, the carvings should
piano business in so far as this particular firm
be
left from the chisel. Quiet inlays of wood had
are concerned has not been so good because of the
PURCHASE BIG ESTEY PIPE ORGAN.
a beautiful effect, likewise ormolu, if not over-
closeness of the summer holidays.
done. Plaques and medallions of the eighteenth
Unlike the other dealers the Kranz-Smith
The Methodist Church, of Rocky Ford, Col., century might be reverted to with advantage.
Piano Co., according to members of the firm, has contracted for the installing of a mammoth
Some makers had already copied the beautiful
have had a rather poor work week. They are pipe organ. The instrument is to cost $2,100
strap
hinges of brasswork; but much more might
hopeful of better results within a week or two.
and will be built by the Estey Co., of Brattle- be done in this direction. But he felt that the art
boro, Vt. It will be of the two-manual and
of painting was most neglected in the piano. The
pedal variety and will contain 567 pipes of full panels of the cottage piano and the surface of
BRAINERD WITH KRELL=FRENCH
compass through the various registers. A water the grand piano lent themselves to such deco-
Will Cover the Territory East of the Mississippi
motor is to furnish power. The instrument, rative treatment.
— H e Leaves This Week on an Extended
which will be 125 feet in height and 17 feet in
George Rose, of John Broadwood & Sons, re-
Trip Accompanied on His Tour by J. A. width, will be placed in the choir loft.
plied
to the lecturer's question—why is the piano
Greenstreet.
the thing we see it? The answer to that was
TO HANDLE PIANOS.
that the piano was what the makers found they
Charles W. Brainerd, who formerly represent-
were able to sell. If the piano maker were to
ed the Krell-French Piano Co., covering the terri-
Having moved into new quarters at 740 Broad
work upon the lines Mr. Dale had suggested, he
tory. we?t of the Mississippi to the Pacific Coast, street, where they have a very large store, with
would be utterly unable to pay his way. If their
has returned to their employ after a year's ab- room to spare, the Manhattan Phonograph Co., of
clients could only be educated, the manufacturers
sence, during which time he was selling the same Newark, N. J., announce that they will in future
would be only too glad to make what they knew
line as manager of the St. Louis house of the 0. carry a large line of pianos, though the make
to be things of beauty. Though constantly talk-
K. Houck Piano Co. Mr. Brainerd's territory has not been stated.
ing about education in art, as in other things,
the public were not yet able to appreciate always
what was really beautiful. It was no use asking
why the piano was always made of rosewood and
polished like a boot. It was simply because the
Saves Time and Money to Every Business Man
public wanted it, and would not buy it if it
LEX ME TELL YOU HOW IX DOES IX
were made of anything else. With regard to the
questions as to the shape of the grand piano, and
the suggestion that it might be made vertical, the
idea might, doubtless, be carried out, for the
COMMERCIAL TALKING MACHINES
clavicitherium, or upright spinet, a very rare
320 BROADWAY
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.
.
-
_
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NEW YORK
instrument, was of this form.
(Special to The Review.)
The Commercial Talking Machine
HENRY P. ROBERTS