Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
5
TALL TOWER.
rumor will prove true is something for which all
The very admirable work which the eminent
accomplished in the way of trade connections with
house of Chickering & Sons have for so long been
sincere music-lovers will devoutly pray.
South America, There is a big market, and it only
doing in the manufacture of modern harpsichords
needs
soliciting in a sympathetic spirit to win a
it
*
*
and clavichords, under the direction of Arnold
profitable output for our trade products.
Much is being written these days regarding the
Dolmetsch, has been presented to European con-
* at W
noisseurs during the past summer. Mr. Dolmetsch, cultivation of closer trade relations with the Span-
ish-American countries. According to travelers to
Can a trade-mark be licensed like a patent? An
the Chickering expert on ancient-type claviers, has
authority says that the fundamental idea of trade-
just returned to Boston from Europe, and has that part of the world, the manufacturers and
business men of the United States are entirely to
mark rights rests upon the claimant's being entitled
again taken up his duties in the antique instrument
blame for not giving closer attention to the de- to the exclusive right to the mark, and it is very
department of the Chickering factory. While in
velopment of business with our South American
dangerous for any trade-mark owner to permit the
France he lectured on his specialty—antique key-
neighbors,
and various plans have been prepared
use of the mark by another on the same class of
board instrument;—before an audience of music-
and set forth showing wherein the present weak- goods. Tn a well-known English work on the sub-
lovers and musicians at the National Library in
nesses may be eliminated. That there is another
ject it is said: "There is no such thing as licensing
Paris. He also had the opportunity of exhibiting
side to the question is obvious from the follow-
another to use a trade-mark. If the owner of the
examples of the work in harpsichord and clavichord
ing observations of a manufacturer whose prod-
trade-mark permits it to be used in connection with
making done under his direction at the Chickering
ucts are known beyond the confines of this coun-
other people's goods, he loses his claim to it." hi
shop to Parisian piano manufacturers, who were
try, who said: "In the first place our domestic
a case in the United States, where the owner of a
unanimous in confessing that they themselves would
trade is so large, profitable and satisfactory that
trade-mark licensed another to use the mark on
be unable to duplicate such craftsmanship. This
we are naturally careless about gaining additional
machines of his own make, the court held that the
implies the highest sort of compliment to American
agreement was inva'id and fraudulent and that the
skill and adaptiveness. Of course, the mind of a business in South America, for example. The turn-
over is quick, our system of credits admirable, our
plaintiff could not recover under it.
man like Dolmetsch had first to be secured. But
shipping facilities rapid and safe, so why should
the fact that an American piano manufacturing
m. m. «?
we bother with people whom we are called upon to
house had the vision, the courage and the high-
One
of
the
most
notable features of American
study
in
all
their
relations—whose
mercantile
mindedness to establish and maintain a department
life
to-day,
particularly
in the larger cities, is the
methods
are
radically
different
from
ours.
When
for the building of instruments that probably never
increased patronage given the palatial hotels which
we really get ready to go after trade in the Span-
could become commercially profitable constitutes in
ish-American countries in earnest we will get it are being erected in the leading cities of the coun-
iti-elf, and without any reference to personalities,
try. These hostelries compare favorably with the
readily enough, but it will come to us according
a remarkable tribute to American idealism.
palaces of Europe in their artistic furnishings and
to our standards and not theirs. They must learn
appointments. No one feature of these hotels at-
our
ways
and
not
we
theirs.
I
have
no
patience
with
*
*
*
tracts more attention than the beautiful art pianos
inquiries for prices, catalogs, etc., from South
Moreover, it is now announced that Mr. Dol-
which are to be found therein, matching the furni-
America, and nine times out of ten I throw the
metrch will make a concert tour from coast to
ture and general artistic contour of the various
requests in the waste basket. Europeans may have
ccast, taking with him specimens of the Chickering
rooms. One of the most recent establishments
lots of time, and possibly money to loan on long
harpsichords and clavichords, and introducing the
which come under notice in this connection is the
credit—think of a year!—but life is too short with
technic, tone and musical atmosphere peculiar to
Hotel La Salle, of Chicago, which is considered
us whose domestic business is too brisk to bother
these instruments to cultivated
music-lovers
one of the largest hotels of its kind in the world.
about the class of business we would receive from
throughout the country. As a true test of musical
In the parlor of the private suite, one of the most
those countries."
culture, perhaps nothing is better than to ask a
select apartments in the hotel, is a beautiful Stein-
music-lover to listen discriminatingly to formal
*
*
*
way Louis XIV miniature grand in dull, dark
music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,
Now this is the point of view—the insular, nar-
walnut. This instrument is decorated with paint-
as played on instruments which are absolute replicas
row conception of trade development—which is
ings by an eminent artist in keeping with the
of the claviers which Bach, Scarlatti, Purcell, Gib-
keeping the piano trade in a measure from obtain-
period represented, and, of course, its environ-
bons, Haydn and Mozart themselves used, and for
ing a larger market in South America. It is all ment is entirely in sympathy with such a magnifi-
which they wrote. The harpsichord is neither
very fine to state ''When we are ready to go after
cent creation. In the State suite, which is used
noisy nor colorful, but it is in the highest degree
trade we will get it readily enough." As a matter
by men of eminence in the nation and State, a
quaint and charming, and presents to the ear, in
of fact it takes quite a long period to develop con-
Steinway Louis XVI upright in white enamel, with
appropriate dress, that early music which sounds
fidence in one's product and build trade in any
gold trimmings, has been placed, while in the Louis
so clumsy and inept on the modern piano with
country, but more particularly in South America.
XVI parlor there is a Steinway upright of the
its sonority and complex clang-tint. The clavi-
It will not "come to us according to our stand-
same period in white and gold. In the ladies' par-
chord is even more subtle. With its whispering
ards" ; people must be supplied with what they want,
lor, and in the gold ballroom there are also hand-
tone, a mere breath of music, it makes no appeal to
and just in the styles they desire. The Europeans
some Steinway pianos. In addition to the Stein-
the ear which demands noise. But its charming
have obtained such a strong foothold in the South
way creations ten Lyon & Healy pianos are to be
voice, small and timid as it is, and the perfect con-
American market because they "have the time" and
found in the various parlors throughout the hotel.
trol which its simple action gives, within its limits,
the courtesy to answer inquiries regarding catalogs
In New York, as in Chicago, a visit to the leading
over every possibility of string vibration, combine
and prices. And as far as credits are concerned,
hotels, of which we boast five hundred, will give
to produce a musical instrument of entrancing fas-
why talk about "a year" when many of our dealers
an idea of the number of art pianos in use in
cination to the cultivated intelligence.
here take sometimes two years before final pay-
these establishments. They are splendid examples
ments are made on instruments which they pur-
of the progress made by American manufacturers
chase. The spirit of indifference to the foreign
in the domain of the polite arts.
It is not at all likely that Chickering & Sons,
market manifested in these remarks exemplifies the
even with the aid of the magnetic personality of
attitude of a great number of our manufacturers
so exquisite a musician as Dolmetsch, will ever
for years past. There must be a broader vision if
succeed in "popularizing" the ancient claviers, even
A prominent business man had occasion to tele-
we are to conquer foreign trade marts in future
in their own inimitable reproductions. But every
phone a large manufacturer some time ago. The
years,
and
it
is
well
to
bear
in
mind
that
with
our
person who hears and feels the charm of these
business man had large interests, and in the course
tremendous industrial plants we are rapidly pro-
lovely instruments is to that extent a better music-
of his career had won for himself an unenviable
ducing
more
than
we
can
consume
and
markets
will
lover and more discriminating judge of tone. And
reputation for testiness. The result of that con-
be a necessity. The time will come when the tariff
Chickering & Sons have found, from practical ex-
versation was repeated to a friend. This is what
will
be
lowered
and
American
manufacturers
may
perience, that there are always enough music-lovers
the friend heard: "No sermon I ever heard
have to compete with Europeans, not merely in
of cultivated and critical mind to take an earnest
brought me more clearly face to face with myself
foreign countries, but at home. They will then find
delight in the fascinating music of harpsichord and
than that man's voice. I knew how busy he was—my
it compulsory to cultivate the business, which the
clavichord, even to the extent of adding such in-
responsibilities are nothing to his—yet he answered
gentleman above now looks upon with such in-
struments to their collections of music-means. In
me with such quietness, such courtesy, such a feel-
difference, if not disdain. The piano manufactur-
this connection, too, it is interesting to note that
ing of leisure, as if he had nothing in the world
ers who are at present selling South American
Ferruccio Busoni, whose work with the Chickering
to do but give his time to my affairs, that—well,
merchants have little complaint to make regarding
piano has created such a sensation during the last
when I hung up the receiver I found I wasn't
credits. They find that where pianos are supplied
year, has himself taken up with the harpsichord
thinking about business at all. I was thinking:
according to the styles demanded and properly
and has used a Chickering instrument of this type
'If he can take time for kindness and courtesy, so
cased to meet climatic changes, that they have no
in his home during the past summer, for the pur-
can' I.'" A beautiful sermon was found in the
pose of becoming practically acquainted with its complaints to make whatsoever. The opening of
'phone call, and, what was better, an unconscious
the Panama Canal in the near future should set
possibilities. It is even rumored that he will intro-
one—a sermon worth remembering by many of us
American manufacturers thinking as to what can be
duce it in his future concert tournees. That the
who allow our nerves to get the best of our reason.