Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
CHASE PROS/
INJUNCTION.
5l?ey /ttternpt to Ffestraii) t ^ flu/ards
Judges.
THETR BILT, SPECIFIES NUMEROUS SERIOUS
CHARGES AGAINST THE OFFICIATING JUDI-
CIARY AND JOHN BOYD THACHER.
received a dispatch from Chicago last
Friday informing us that Chase Bros,
had applied for an injunction to restrain the
judiciary on musical instrument awards from
officiating further, but withheld the facts until
fuller particulars could be obtained. The text
of Chase Bros.' bill is now in our possession. It
is a carefully prepared and lengthy document.
After stating the reasons which induced them
to become exhibitors, Chase Bros, proceed to
say that they assumed at the time that an
efficient and competent corps of Judges would
be appointed. The system of judging was not
made public until it was too late for them to
express their dissatisfaction of the Thacher plan,
or withdraw from the Exposition, the rules
making withdrawal at that period an impossi-
bility.
The bill then proceeds to charge that the
Thacher system "has already been the occasion
of great scandal, charges of bribery and corrup-
tion have been made, and in one case, at least,
proved in connection with the same."
Chase Bros, add that they are anxious and
willing to be judged, so far as their goods are
concerned, in competition with the goods of
others in the same line of business, provided
the judges appointed for the purpose of examin-
ing into the respective merits of the goods manu-
factured by each competitor are disinterested
men, who are in no way, either directly or in-
directly, interested in the goods of any of the
competitors.
They, however, charge that "such an exam-
ination could not be had should the judges so
appointed by the said John Boyd Thacher be
permitted to proceed in the premises.'' Then
they proceed to give the reasons. To quote
from their bill :
THE A. B. CHASE co.
"Amongst the competitors for awards among
the manufacturers of pianos is a company known
as "The A. B. Chase Company," and your
orators state that the said Florence Ziegfeld, one
of said judges, conducts a musical college in the
city of Chicago, and through his said position
is able to influence the purchasers of pianos,
and your orators charge the fact to be, that the
said Florence Ziegfeld is under retainer by said
A. B. Chase Company for the purpose of in-
fluencing and recommending to intending pur-
chasers pianos made by said Company, and by
reasun thereof your orator represents that said
Florence Ziegfeld is an unfit and improper
person to act as judge in a competition in which
said A. B. Chase Company are in any way
interested.
" Your orator further states that the scale to,
or by which a piano is constructed must neces-
sarily be taken into consideration in forming
an idea of its merits.
W. W. KIMBAIvL, CO.
" Your orator further represents that amongst
the competitors for awards among the manu-
facturers of pianos is a Company known as the
W. W. Kimball Company, and your orator
states that the scale by or to which the piano
so made by said Company is made, was drawn
by the said George Steck, one of the judges so award recommended by whom would be biased
appointed, and your orator charges that by by their personal interests.
reason thereof, the said George Steck is an unfit
" Your orator further represents that all the
and improper person to act as a judge in any facts herein stated are well known to the said
competition in which W. W. Kimball Company John Boyd Thacher, who has been urged to dis-
are in any way interested, as the said George miss said judges therefore, said John Boyd
Steck would thereby be practically judging his Thacher refuses to do so and said judges are
own hand work.
now proceeding to draw up reports on said
musical goods, and unless restrained by the
CHICKERING & SONS.
order of this Court will present the same to the
" Your orator further represents that amongst said John Boyd Thacher, who under the direc-
other exhibitors at said Exposition in the piano tion of said National Commission to loss and
line is the firm of Chickering & Sons.
detriment of your orator.
Your orator further represents that as an in-
"And may it please your Honors to grant
ducement to get the said firm of Chickering &
unto your orator the people's writ of injunction
Sons to exhibit their said pianos, the said firm
directed to the said Hugh A. Clarke, E. P.
was promised special favors and were practically
Carpenter, Florence Ziegfeld, George Steck,
assured, that, notwithstanding the result of any
V. J. Hlavac and Max Schiedmayer restraining
competition or ruling of any judge thereon, the
them jointly and severally from further proceed-
goods so exhibited by said firm should receive
ing or acting as judges of said musical goods at
the highest award of merit for pianos exhibited
said Exposition, and from making any recom-
at said Exposition, and the said firm have so
mendations or reports, either collectively or
advertised in a large number of the public
severally on said musical goods to the said
prints of the United States.
John Boyd Thacher, or any other person or per-
" Your orator further represents that in many
sons whomsoever, and directed to the said John
of the buildings erected by the various states of
Boyd Thacher, restraining him from delivering
the Union upon the grounds of said Exposition,
or receiving from the said National Commission
pianos have been placed which are manufactured
of said Exposition, or any other person, body
by firms, who are not exhibitors at said Exposi-
or corporation any reports or recommendations
tion, and your orator further charges that the
(if any) which he may have already received
said defendants, other than the said John Boyd
from his co-defendants, and restraining the said
Thacher, in fraud of their powers and duties in
John Boyd Thacher from in any way or manner
that behalf have attempted to judge and pass
receiving any further reports or recommenda-
upon the merits of said pianos as if the same
tions from his co defendants or from any other
were exhibits for competition at said Exposition
person, body or corporation on said musical
to the detriment of your orators.
goods or any part thereof, until the further
'' Your orator further represents and charges order of this Court.
the fact to be, that the said E. P. Carpenter,
" And your orator will ever pray, &c.
one of the judges, is represented as being a res-
" Chase Brothers' Piano Company,
ident of the State of Massachusetts and ap-
By M. J. Chase, Pres't."
pointed as such, when on the contrary the said
E. P. Carpenter is not now, and has not for at
least a period of ten years last past, resided in
said State, but the said E. P. Carpenter is a
fugitive from justice therefrom, and your orator
further charges that since his appointment the
Dr. U/aldt said E. P. Carpenter has used every inducement
to compel exhibitors and competitors in musical
O illustrate the many rare qaulities of Dr.
goods at said Exposition, to ' see him ' in refer-
Waldtern Pegg, the well-known European
ence to said awards, and the said E. P. Carpen-
pianist,
would require much space. It is admit-
ter is now largely in debt for money borrowed,
to many of said exhibitors and competitors, and ted by the leading critics that he has great gifts
your orator states that from the record and of execution and a technique which could not
actions of said E. P. Carpenter, as above set out, well be surpassed. At the close of his univer-
he is manifestly an unfit and improper person sity career Dr. Pegg was not satisfied ; he again
to act as judge, and one in whom and in whose resumed his musical studies under Liszt. He
pursued his art with rare assiduity, under the
decision no confidence can be placed.
instruction of the distinguished master, adopt-
" Your orator further represents that the said
ing Liszt's theories of the functions of the
V. J. Hlavac, one of said judges, is also an ex-
piano-forte, and obtaining from the master his
hibitor of musical goods and attachments for
large and liberal views of music.
pianos thereat and as such will be called upon
Waldtern Pegg learned to treat the instrument
to pass judgment on his own goods in competi-
as
an orchestra, to make it the expression—so
tion with those of your orator and others, and
far
as its possibilities would permit—of his tem-
therefore is an unjust and improper person to
perament
and genius. As Dr. Pegg himself
act in such capacity.
says: "No compositions are regarded by
" Your orator further represents that the other
Liszt's disciples beyond the reach of an aggres-
two judges of musical goods, to-wit: Hugh A.
ive technique.''
Clarke and Max Schiedmayer, are not generally
Dr. Waldtern Pegg is probably most admir-
known as musical experts and are therefore un-
able as a performer of Liszt music—that which
fit for the position of judge of such goods which
aims to reproduce the wealth of the orchestra
require intelligence and experience of the very
on Liszt's favorite instrument. His powers in
highest order.
this direction are such as to compel wonder and
'' Your orator further represents that it has
submission from the most unwilling. Such a
spent a great deal of time and many thousands
rendition as that of his Liszt's " Rhapsodie
of dollars to enable it to arrive at and maintain
Hongroise," and "Fantasia, in M. S. S.", has
its present superior position in the piano trade,
rarely, if ever, been equaled for finish, brilliancy
that an award of merit of said Exposition made
and boldness of effect.
on the judgment of honest, fair, competent and
Passant, the Parisians are eagerly look-
conscientious men appointed for such purpose ing En forward
to the production of Waldtern
could be of great value, but your orators state Pegg's new opera, " The Maid of Perth, " which
that the judges hereinbefore mentioned are in is just finished and promised very shortly at the
every way unfitted for such position and any Opera House, Paris.
A DISTINGUISHED
PIANIST.
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