Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
360
THE
DINNER
Harmonious Meeting of Prominent Piano
Makers at Fifth Avenue Hotel.
Music Men air their Eloquence
amid great enthusiasm.
A HAPPY AUGURY OF UNITY.
T
HE banqueting hall of the Fifth Avenue Hotel the
6th inst. presented a scene of which the like was
never before witnessed in the history of the mu-
sic trade of America. Over a hundred and twenty-five
gentlemen connected with the piano trade of New York
and the country generally sat down to a sumptuousdin-
ner, held in connection with the Washington Centennial
celebration and also to commemorate the completion of
the hundred years that have elapsed since the importa-
tion of the piano into the United States. The greatest
harmony and enthusiasm prevailed, the only competi-
tion observable being one in which every diner and
every orator endeavored to outvie his neighbors in ex-
hibitions of genuine friendliness. The dining-room was
handsomely draped with American flags, and an orches-
tra furnished music during the evening.
Mr. William Steinway presided with that dignity and
courtesy for which his name is a synonym, and at the
conclusion of the material feast responded eloquently to
the tonst of "Welcome," remarking that fiom the very
bottom of his heart he welcomed his co-workers to that
festive board on an occasion that filled him with emo-
tions of joy and true brotherhood. In reviewing the rise
and growth of the piano industry, he gave many inter-
esting reminiscences of the difficulties and tribulations
encountered by the pioneers and eminent men of the
craft since the time when old John Jacob Astor set the
great piano industry of America going. Astor had im-
ported the first piano that came to America, but Amer-
ica had long ago ceased to import pianos; she was now
exporting them, and European makers had to follow her
models. Comparing the piano trade of a century ago
with its present condition the speaker said that the im-
provement effected was only another mark of the growth
and development in America of all branches of com-
merce and art.
The chairman read letters from General W. T. Sher-
man, Mayor Grant, Governor Hill, and President Har-
rison, expressing the regret of the writers at their ina-
bility to be present at the banquet. General Sherman
had been invited to reply for the Army and Navy.
"The Piano: its relation to the development of mu-
sic." constituted the theme of a brilliant speech by Mr.
H. E. Krehbiel, who for over an hour held his large au-
dience spellbound by the magic of his eloquence. The
piano, said Mr. Krehbiel, was the greatest of all the mu-
sical instruments that had been handed down by the
great masters of the past. And it was a strange fact that
these masters had written and produced compositions of
which the piano is now the interpreter, many years be-
fore the perfection of that instrument had been obtain-
ed. He spoke of the piano as an exponent of all kinds
of music, religious and secular, and said that it combin-
ed ihe melody and harmony of many instruments in one.
Music had moved the world from the earliest ages, when
the lyres ol the gods had wakened the stones to listen,
and honor and praise were due to the men who had
aided in the expression of musical feeling. In thecourse
of his aLliij0aMtoi*> speaker referred to the tradition that
lington was a player upon the flute.
Colonel John A. Cockerill, president of the New York
Pr JSS Club, in responding for "ThePress," descanted up-
on the close lies of affection whereby art and literature
iv.re r-Lited, and upon the lasting benefits which the one
conf rred upon the other.
Hon. Morgan J. O'Brien replied with judicial dignity
to the toaPt "Our Judiciary," and remarked that though
he could not claim to be one of the old judiciary of New
York, he was proud to be one of its " young blood."
Col. the Hon. Levi K. Fuller, of Vermont, in speak-
ing for "Our Kindred Trades," said that he had ac-
cepted the President's invitation with peculiar pleasure,
leaving home and kindred among the green hills of Ver-
mont in order that he might meet face to face, and see
for himself, what manner of men the Esteys had cast
their lot among in connecting themselves in clanship
with kindred tradesmen in this island city by the sea.
The speaker concluded with the following peroration:—
"In the name of all that is grand and enobling in our
calling, in the name of the highest emotions of our be-
ings, called out by the greatest masters that play upon
the works of our production, let us be strong and ac
quit ourselves as men, as befits our profession, produc-
ing those instruments from which shall come the music
that shall roll down the centuries until it shall connect
the earth with the heavens, and then shall be fulfilled
the sentiment of my toast, 'One touch of nature makes
the whole world kin.' "
Col. Fuller's address was listened to with close atten-
tion throughout. It was delivered with dignified mien,
and fully vindicated the reputation as an orator which
the gallant Colonel has acquired throughout the United
States.
Mr. Shayne, in responding to "Our Merchants," pro-
ceeded, in an able and humorous speech, to discuss, ap-
provingly, the great advertising media which had borne
so important a part in the development of trade.
'• The younger generation " formed the subject of a
bright speech by Mr. Albert Weber, who clearly de-
monstrated that he was in hearty sympathy and
accord with the worthy young men of the present
generation. He spoke with eloquent force of what had
been accomplished by the young men of America within
the last hundred years, and predicted that they would
shed lustre and glory upon their country for a thousand
years to come.
Mr. Francis Bacon responded to " The Piano Trade,
its honorable record for the century which is psst, its
glorious outlook for the century to come." Mr. Bacon
illustrated his points very forcibly, recounting the hon-
orable record of the piano trade for the past hundred
years, and facetiously observing that whereas piano
men had in former times acted mostly on the square,
they were now almost entirely upright.
Mr. Haring, with the Weber firm, distinguished him-
self by delivering a very excellent speech in response to
the toast of " The Silent Workers," in the course of
which he paid a glowing tribute to the genius and
spirit of progress ever displayed by piano-makers, illus-
trating the point by a dramatic quotation of the time-
honored lines :
" The boys will roll the ten piHs,
And the boys will set 'em up."
Mr. Haring referred in feeling and kindly terms to the
merits of Mr. Albert Weber, deceased. Continuing,
he expressed his belief that the piano trade of America
was at present merely on the threshold of greater and
more glorious triumphs. Coming to the toast with
which his name had been associated, Mr. Haring de-
clared that he considered the compliment of his selec-
tion to speak thereto in no sense a personal one, but an
honor to the firm of Albert Weber. " I belong," said
the speaker, " to the silent workers. We toil in the bat-
tle of life like the soldier in war, and fall ' unwept, un-
honored, and unsung.' Look at the great army of
toilers in the world of industry of whom one never
hears, and without whose labor, and particularly with-
out whose reliability and honesty, no enterprise would
be possible. Look at the great houses in our own trade,
and observe that while one is striving for medals and
honors, while another is disporting himself in the gay
capitals of Europe, and yet others are constantly in-
creasing their bank accounts, the same plodding, steady,
loyal, silent worker is ever at the post of duty. How
many houses to-day largely owe their success to this
great body of silent workers? Let us look a little fur-
ther, and view for a moment our kindred trades. What
force permitted a thriving city to be built in a wilder-
ness in the central part of this State? To the gentle-
man whose views on ' profit-sharing' and the great
problem of the equalization of labor and capital have
made his name famous in both hemispheres, I offer my
congratulations in having as fine a body of faithful
silent workers as can be found in any establishment in
the world. Our trade may feel proud of the exalted
position it holds in the musical, as well as in the social
and political world. I see in this banquet-room to-
night gentlemen who have been especial favorites in
the White House, as the President's guests. I see, too,
one who was the chosen representative of this glorious
nation to Great Britain, and who bore with him a
trophy from America to that immortal Englishman,
William E. Gladstone. Yet another, a young man,
whom it was seriously contemplated to make Mayor of
this great city, and whej should his life and health be
spared, may yet grace the gubernatorial chair. But I
will not detain you with making allusion to the celebri-
ties whom we have with us. To the silent workers,
however, I would say, le,t us emulate the example of
those who have attained that prominence to which they
are so justly entitled and in which they shine so con-
spicuously, appreciating more than ever before the
possibilities and opportunities for the humblest of us in
this land of generous and unbounded freedom."
The proceedings were closed by Mr. Steinway in a
few well chosen sentences. The worthy president con-
fidently hoped that, great as were the harmony and
good feeling that characterized the gathering, the occa.
sion was but the beginning of a long period of unity
among the members of the trade. It was his fervent
desire that a similar meeting should be held annually
in future, with the view of welding into one happy and
united mass the whole of the representatives of their
great industry.
The highest praise is due to Mr. Steinway for the
most able, dignified and thorough manner in which he
discharged his important functions.
The following is a copy of the prepared list of toasts,
with the accompanying epigraphs:—
WELCOME. " Small cheer and great welcome makes
merry feast."—Comedy of Errors.
THE ARMY AND NAVY. "War's glorious art gives
immortal fame."—Young.
THE PIANO. Its relation to the development of
music.
BEHR BROTHERS PHILADELPHIA WAREROOMS