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Mason & Hamlin Piano Co. Introduces Two
Unique Models in its Centennial Year
An entirely new departure in piano
styling, reflecting the current trend in
furniture design and color, the first
console piano of Italian Palladian de-
sign was introduced this year as a Cen-
tennial offering by the Mason & Ham-
lin Co. and displayed first at the 1954
Music Industry Trade Show and later
featured in Trend House at Marshall
Field & Co., Chicago, 111.
The encasement was designed and
built by Baker Furniture Co. of im-
ported French cherry wood. The hand-
rubbed, warm, patina finish, accented
by decorative detail in brass, has the
ageless glow of beauty found only in
the most expensive furniture. The clas-
sical Renaissance lines will blend su-
perbly with modern decor or the pres
ently popular classical adaptations in
home furnishings.
New Furniture Vogue
According to designers, furniture of
Italian PaTladian inspiration is setting
a new vogue in better furniture salons,
wanting only a piano such as this to
complete a home setting of refined and
enduring elegance. The design is an
adaptation of the work of Andrea Pal-
ladio who, in the 16th century, founded
the Italian Renaissance school of archi-
tecture based on Greek and Roman
principles of order, proportion and pur-
ity of line.
Like all Mason & Hamlin pianos of
vertical design, this Italian Palladian
console is forty inches in height with
direct-blow action, a full 88-note scale
and genuine ivory keys. Its makers
have sacrificed none of the character-
istic Mason & Hamlin tone and per-
formance in adapting it to this distinc-
tive encasement.
French Provincial
Another model introduced also at the
Convention and proving popular is the
French Provincial Centennial Console.
No family has contributed more to
the progress of music in America than
the Masons of Massachusetts and New
York, founders of the Mason & Hamlin
Piano in 1854.
During the first half of the 19th cen-
tury, Professor Lowell Mason of The
Boston Academy of Music was recog-
nized as the outstanding musical fig-
ure of his day.
This genius for music flamed anew
in his two sons who were to give it
expression in vastly different ways.
Both acquired what musical training
this country then afforded. Then, both
continued their studies in Europe.
Dr. William Mason was a pupil of
were to make the name famous, but
they soon branched out to include the
building of pianofortes of equal repu-
tation. Mr. Mason was a musician of
rare discrimination, an idealist whose
goal was perfection. Mr. Hamlin was
a painstaking craftsman of the old
ITALIAN PALLADIAN AND FRENCH PROVINCIAL CENTENNIAL MODELS OF THE MASON & HAMLIN PIANO.
no less a teacher than the immortal
Franz Liszt and returned to impart his
knowledge as dean of piano teachers
in New York City for many years.
Henry Mason sought further instruc-
tion at a German university from which
he was graduated with an imbued de-
votion to music that embraced the per-
fectionism of German thought and
teaching. He returned, with all enthusi-
asm of a pioneer, to spend his life at
the task of providing the best possible
musical instruments for the release of
talent in America. In the year 1854,
he found the right partner for his cru-
sade in the person of Emmons Ham-
lin, an instrument maker of considerable
renown.
Mr. Hamlin had been associated with
George A. Prince & Co. of Buffalo,
makers of melodeons. There he had
perfected the first satisfactory method
for producing the sounds of other in-
struments, such as the clarinet and vio-
lin, through the voicing of organ reeds.
These discoveries he had already incor-
porated in a new instrument of his
invention known as the Organ Harmon-
ium.
Family Tradition
The two sons of Henry Mason fol-
lowed in the family tradition. Daniel
Gregory Mason turned his talent to the
field of composition and authored a
galaxy of works that were interpreted
by the foremost symphony orchestras.
Henry L. Mason followed in his father's
footsteps and was associated with the
Mason & Hamlin Co. for forty years
until his retirement.
The firm of Mason & Hamlin first
engaged in the manufacture of the Or-
gan Harmonium, forerunner of the pipe
organs and home-sized reed organs that
school whose inventive genius provided
the means for attaining that goal, and
whose example inspired others to work
with him. Success came quickly and
the renown of their instruments was
lasting because they were built always
with that goal in mind.
To achieve individual perfection in
each Mason & Hamlin grand piano-
forte and console piano, they have al-
ways been manufactured in a factory
devoted exclusively to their building.
It was natural from the beginning that
such pianos, were built so they might
deserve being called "the finest" as
well as "the costliest."
The Mason & Hamlin today is manu-
factured in East Rochester, N. Y. The
official slate includes Robert A. Hill,
President; W. Lee White, Vice-Presi-
dent and Treasurer; 0 . Fred Rydeen,.
Vice-President and Sales Manager.
Hammond Chord Organs
Shown in Three Finishes
The Hammond Chord organ is now
available in two new finishes, blond and
ebony, it was announced recently by
Harold C. Lembke, sales manager, Ham-
mond Organ Co., Chicago, 111. The cur-
rent walnut finish will be kept, making
this instrument available in a choice of
three finishes.
The blond and ebony finishes will
be standard at a slightly higher cost
than the walnut finish. These finishes
were available formerly at a much
higher, special-finishing cost.
The new finishes are Hammond's re-
sponse to the growing enthusiasm for
innovations in furniture finishes. Mr.
Lembke pointed out that the additional
finishes will keep Hammond abreast
of the trend in modern decor.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, NOVEMBER, 195*