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THE
REVIEW
fflJJIC TIRADE
VOL. XLVI. No. 5. Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, February U 1908.
CHURCH ORGAN DEVELOPMENT
The Subject of a Very Interesting Paper by
Robert Hope-Jones—America Making Rapid
Progress in Pipe Organ Perfection.
"The Future of the Church Organ" is being
discussed in the New Music Review, in a series
of articles by Robert Hope-Jones. In his latest
contribution he remarks:
"Generally some 75 per cent, of the energy
converted into tone is expended upon the pro-
duction of harmonics and a bare 25 per cent, upon
foundation tone. This serious defect is chiefly
due to the fact that the pipes are made of zinc,
and partly to the use of wide mouths and to
inferior voicing. The best European diapasons
are very superior to the American in this re-
spect. They produce in the neighborhood of 45
per cent, of foundation tone, and have very few
dissonant harmonics. The special diapasons and
diapason phonons of great weight, of generous
scale, with narrow mouths and leathered lips,
often voiced on heavy wind, now being intro-
duced here, surpass the old English diapasons in
that they yield full 60 per cent, of foundation
tone and reveal no trace of dissonant harmonics.
Such diapasons are rich, round, and full, and
without suggesting heavy wind pressure they fill
large buildings with churchly and dignified tone.
Zinc is cheap. It is feared therefore that the
large pipes of organ diapasons may continue to
be made of it by most firms till the musical
public realizes its utter unfitness for the purpose,
and agrees to pay for legitimate organ metal.
Four years' work has done much to alter Ameri-
can practice, and though zinc still holds its own,
all leading builders, and even the trade pipe
makers, are increasing the weight of their dia-
pasons and chorus reeds.
"When M. Alex. Guilmant was last in this coun-
try he complained, as most European organists
do, of the empty lightness of tone of American
instruments. Let him return in a few years'
time, and he will admit that a great change has
taken place. America is rapidly progressing
toward equality with other nations in the dignity
of tone produced by its organs, and it is hoped
it may in a few years set a standard for all
the world to imitate."
GEINNELL BUY WOLCOTT INTERESTS.
(Special to The Review.)
Hillsdale, Mich., Jan. 27, 1908.
C. S. Wolcott, who has been in the piano busi-
ness in Hillsdale for the past fifteen years, has
sold his music stores and piano business in
Michigan to Grinnell Bros., of Detroit, who have
taken possession. The sale includes the piano
business at Hillsdale, Adrian, Albion and Cold-
water, Mr. Wolcott retaining the automatic and
electric instrument business only.
FRIX CO. REMOVE TO CHARLOTTE, S. C
(Special to The Review.)
Charlotte, N. C, Jan. 27, 1908.
The Frix Co., dealers in pianos and organs,
who have had offices in Statesville since t h i r
organization nearly two years ago, are removing
their bead offices to this city. The concern does
a large piano and organ business in North and
South Carolina, and the removal was brought
about by the necessity to become more centrally
located. For a time it was thought that the head
offices would be removed to Columbia, but Char-
lotte was finally considered the more convenient
of the two cities. J. B. Frix is president of the
company, and Henry Boghamer is assistant sec-
retary. Both are now in the city preparing to
open for business.
LIQON WITH BROCKPORT PIANO CO.
Will Represent the Capen Piano in the South-
ern States.
Daniel J. Ligon, of Atlanta, Ga., who traveled
for Ricca & Son last year, has again entered the
employ of the Brockport Piano Mfg. Co. and will
represent the Capen pianos in the southern
states. He will also sell Witney & Co.'s line in
the same territory.
Although Mr. Ligon is comparatively new in
the wholesale business, he has met with good
success since he started on the road; he is com-
petent, honest and conscientious, and cannot fail
to win the confidence of his many patrons in the
South.
MORE FREIGHT MOVING.
Traffic Conditions Recovering from the Much
Discussed Financial Depression.
(Special to The Review.)
. Chicago, 111., Jan. 27, 1908.
That freight traffic conditions are recovering
from financial stringency was the statement of
several traffic managers and other important rail-
way officials yesterday. The improvement is said
to be particularly noticeable in the traffic of the
railroads of the Middle West, where heavy grain
shipments, almost suspended while the strin-
gency in the money market was at its height,
now are being made.
While the statistics of all roads throughout the
country for the last week showed that 320,000, or
14 per cent., of the 2,200,000 freight cars in serv-
ice throughout the country were standing idle,
and in consequence thousands of men had been
thrown out of work, railroad officials expressed
the belief that the crisis had passed and that no
further reductions of the number of workmen
will be necessary.
F. G. SMITH CO. CHANGE IN ST. LOUIS.
(Special to The Review.)
St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 27, 1908.
The F. G. Smith Piano Co., for 20 years at
1012 Olive street, will remove March 1 to 1115
Olive street, where they will occupy the entire
six-story building. The company were impelled
to this change by the need of larger quarters to
satisfactorily transact their continually growing
business. At present, while their salesroom is at
1012 Olive street, the warehouse and repair de-
partment are at 1015 and 1124 Vine street. When
they remove to 1115 Olive street March 1 all de
partments will be In one building. The F. G.
Smith Piano Co., whose factories and main offices
are in Brooklyn, N, Y., have been actively in the
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS
$*.00 PER YEAR.
St. Louis field for 20 years, during all of which
time their St. Louis manager, A. E. Whittaker,
has been connected continuously with them.
GUTH CO. SUCCEED HUGHES CO.
The Former Manager and Treasurer Now Head
of This Bangor Concern.
(Special to The Review.)
Bangor, Me., Jan. 27, 1908.
An important business change has just been
consummated in this city by which Arthur E.
Guth has acquired the capital stock of the Hughes
& Son Co., and will hereafter be at the head of
the splendid establishment in this city, the firm
name being changed to the Arthur Guth Piano
Co. While an important change, in that the con-
trol of the business is actually in new hands, in
reality the control is vested where it has been
for many years, as Mr. Guth has long been the
manager and treasurer, and, as his business
acumen was thoroughly understood by the con-
trolling stockholders, he has never been inter-
fered with.
The store is finely situated in the business
section of the city and is most conveniently
arranged for the transaction of business. Three
floors are occupied, with a united floor space of
8,100 square feet, and there are spacious ware-
rooms, convenient offices, a work room for
the minor repairs, several rooms of the
size of ordinary music rooms where the pianos
will sound and appear as at home, and a very
large salesroom for sheet music, in which a most
complete stock is carried.
The company carry a large line of pianos,
among them the Kohler & Campbell, and also
have a complete stock of small goods and sheet
music.
FLOYD-DAWSON CO. IN GADSDEN, ALA.
(Special to The Iteview. >
Gadsden, Ala., Jan. 27, 1908.
The Floyd-Dawson Piano Co. is the latest con-
cern to make a bid for trade in this city, and
they have recently opened with a complete stock
of pianos, organs and sheet music. The new
firm held a most auspicious "opening" with an
elaborate concert at which a Chickering piano
was used. The many musicians present were
most enthusiastic over the instrument and its
success in this locality seems assured.
Mr. Dawson, head of the firm, was formerly
an auditor for the E. E. Forbes Piano Co. and
his sales staff comprises men of experience and
with recognized reputations in the trade, includ-
ing T. G. Smith, E. R. Parker and W. G. Emmett.
HOMER PIANO CO. THE LATEST.
Among the incorporations filed with the Secre-
tary of the State at Albany, on Monday last, was
that of the Homer Piano Co., of New York City,
with a capital of $5,000. Directors: Wm. Strich,
Bertha V. Strich, and Paul M. Z«idler.
Elbel Bros., South Bend, Ind., have incorpor-
ated with a capital of $20,000, for the purpose of
manufacturing, buying and selling pianos. Di-
rectors: Herman Elbe', Richard Elbel, and
Robert Elbel,