August 8, 1925.
Such procedure would be entirely unnecessary if the
room were properly heated and constantly supplied
with fresh, tempered atmosphere.
Often the piano owner when told of the evil effects
of exposure to draft, dampness, etc , thinks this can
be avoided by keeping the music room closed. With
no ventilation the atmosphere soon becomes stagnant
and damp during the summer months. The piano
shows signs of rust, the action becomes heavy and
sluggish, the pitch goes up and the piano becomes
very much out of tune and unbalanced. Then when
winter comes and the dampness is expelled by arti-
ficial heat, reaction takes place, resulting in shrunken
joints that rattle, loose bridges and cracked sound
boards, lowered pitch and impaired tone.
Tuner's Ability Questioned.
No wonder the ability of the tuner is questioned
when he is forced to service a piano which has been
under such unfavorable environment. Has he not a
right to place the blame where it belongs, or at least
to make a defensive explanation of why sometimes he
fails to satisfy a customer?
Again, the architect should have all the scientific
knowledge available regarding acoustics. He may
wonder what acoustics has to do with the work of the
tuner. All of us who have attempted to tune a piano
in a room where a single tone would reverberate for
several seconds know how difficult and almost im-
possible it is to do a satisfactory job.
In a great many ways the architect holds the situa-
tion in his hand. Without his co-operation we arc
powerless to overcome and correct the environment
of the piano, and to service it as it should be. In
conclusion, we earnestly solicit the co-operation of
the architects in advancing the cause of better music
and better homes; and we sincerely hope that the
suggestions we have made may become a part of the
educational program of their next national conven-
tion.
way to fascinate the youthful readers. Accompany-
ing a picture of a Krakauer Bros, square piano this
is said:
"The period of greatest development in piano con-
struction lay between the years of 1760 and 1830
and then between 1855 and 1880. It was during this
Instructive Story of Instrument's Transition latter period that Simon Krakauer founded Krakauer
Bros, and built a piano which is one of the foremost
Through Various Forms to Admirable
American makes today."
Model of Today.
"The square piano was inspired by the desire to
"The Story of the Piano," is the title of a new produce a piano taking up less space than those in-
booklet just issued by Krakauer Bros,, Cypress ave- struments then in use."
This brings the little student in piano history down
nue, 136th to 137th street, New York, published under
circumstances told in a foreword. One of the largest to the first upright piano, "built in 1780 by Johann
representatives of the house requested a booklet cov- Schmidt of Salzburg, Austria, and the first upright
piano in America was finished in 1800 by John Isaac
ering the history and development of the piano.
"The request was originated by the large numbers Hawkins of Philadelphia." The booklet continues:
"All of the beforementioned styles of musical in-
of school children who, in their study of the subject,
needed such a short, concise summary of facts to aid struments finally culminated in the production of the
them in their work," says Krakauer Bros., adding: Krakauer Bros, upright in 1869 and ever since that
"We trust and believe this booklet will fill a much time, this piano has been considered by all who know,
desired need and we hope it will be of advantage and as one of the really great quality instruments that has
ever been produced.
help to those who read it."
"Wonderfully well constructed to withstand all cli-
In its evolution the piano can be traced back to
the Chinese "ke" used as early as 2650 B. C, and matic changes, with a tone that has always chal-
there the little Krakauer history makes its interest- lenged comparison, the Krakauer was the only piano
ing start. The Chinese ancestor of the piano had a chosen by the U. S. government from which to train
set of fifty strings strung over a box and was much the blinded officers and soldiers of the Great War
superior to anything known in the western world in the art of piano tuning and repairing, for the rea-
son that the Krakauer was considered by the govern-
even 4000 years later. The booklet says:
ment the most scientifically constructed piano obtain-
"It had five or six movable bridges which deter- able."
mined the pitch of each group of strings. The strings
About the Krakauer grand this is said: "In De-
were of silk, each one being made up of eighty-one cember, 1924, the New York City School Board,
finely woven strands, and each group was colored, against the most strenuous competition, chose thirty-
blue, red, yellow, white and black, showing that even eight Krakauer grands for use in the public schools
in that remote day, the Chinese understood some- of that city, the largest single school order ever given
thing of the relation of tone to color."
to a piano manufacturer for grands. This was the
The transitions of the piano through the mono- result of the entire satisfaction given by the use of
chord, the clavicytherium, spinet, clavichord, and the eighty-nine Krakauer uprights purchased during
harpsichord are admirably described and in a simple the years 1923 and 1924 in the public schools of New
York."
The closing pages tell about the Krakauer player-
pianos, Krakauer reproducing piano and the splendid
line of Krakauer art piano models. The interest of
the reader is maintained to the last page which shows
the great factory of Krakauer Bros., with figures
Manufacturers of
about its production capacity.
HISTORY OF PIANO
BY KRAKAUER BROS.
W. P. Haines & Co*
BRADBURY, WEBSTER
and
W. P. HAINES & CO.
Grand, Upright and Reproducing
Pianos
138th Street and Walton Avenue
NEW YORK
Jesse French & Sons Style BB
13
PRESTO
NEW ILLINOIS BRANCH.
The Cable Piano Company, Bloomington, 111., has
placed its line of pianos in the furniture store of A.
Reynolds, Clinton, 111. The full line of pianos, play-
ers and reproducing pianos made by The Cable Com-
pany, Chicago, is shown. An addition to the musical
merchandise stock is the line of Handcraft band
instruments.
Grand and
Reproducing
Grand Pianos
are the last word in
musical perfection.
Lester Piano Co.
1806 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia
For a
Bigger and Better
Business
There is nothing to compare
with the complete line of
M. SCHULZ CO.
The Players are RIGHT in
everything t h a t means
money to the dealers and
satisfaction to the public
You will never do anything better
than when you get in touch with
M. SCHULZ CO.
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
OUTHERN BRANCH: 7
The True Test
Newman Bros.
Compare the new Jesse French & Sons Piano
Grands and Uprights
with any other strictly high grade piano in tone,
touch and general construction, and you will be
convinced at once that t h e y offer the most
exceptional v a l u e s to be found anywhere.
Write today fai catalog and prices
Guarantee
Quality, Profit and
Satisfaction
"They are ttie one best buy on the market"
JESSE FRENCH & SONS PIANO CO.
NEW CASTIE,
INDIANA
Newman Bros. Co.
816 Dix St.
Eat. 1879
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