Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
opened a store in Boston, Mass, in 1S83. There
the love he felt for the piano he represented, and
the desire to introduce it and to gain for it a
firm foothold in the modern Athens, were duly
appreciated by the cultivated people of Boston,
and his success was phenomenal. He was soon
compelled to enlarge his quarters, and to occupy
the magnificent Gothic building on the corner of
Tremont and Boylston streets, embracing four
stories and a beautiful concert hall—" Steinert
Hall." The Boston business is managed by
Mr. Alexander Steinert, who is ably assisted by
Mr. William Steinert. The Providence branch,
which on account of increasing business, was
some time ago removed to its large and beauti-
ful quarters in Westminster street, is under the
management of Mr. Edward Steinert.
Mr. Morris Steinert, the head and prime
mover of all these establishments, still resides
jn his favorite city of New Haven, managing the
business there, assisted by his two youngest
F. A. LELAND.
sons, Albert and Rudolph. He may have grown
old in years, but his admiration and zeal for
music has remained young. His string quar-
F. A. LELAND,
tettes, in which he plays the 'cello, are heard
Worcester.
every week. The instructions of the old cantor
Probably
the
first
Chickering agent in New
in the little town in Germany still remain fresh
England
was
S.
R.
Leland,
the father of the sub-
in his mind, and find vent in the extemporizing
ject
of
this
sketch.
The
firm
of S. R. Leland &
of Mr. Steinert on the clavichord in the moods
Son
is
the
lead
ing
music
house
of
Worcester, Mass.
of Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.
It is easily the first of its kind in importance and
Mr. M. Steinert has devoted a great patt of prestige as well as age. The business was orig-
his leisure time to the study of musical history, inally established in 1839, aQ d during all the
the art of composition, and the history ot musi- intervening years has exercised by the steady
cal instruments, and has become quite an author- diffusion of musical wares a strong impetus upon
ity on these subjects. He has given the benefit the musical culture of Worcester and vicinity.
of his researches to the world in many articles Their present quarters are at 446 Main street,
and essays contributed by his pen to newspapers where they own and occupy the entire five-story
and magazines, and consisting chiefly of musi- building. The founder of the business died in
cal criticisms and essays on the aestheticin musi- 1885. His son, F. A. Leland, has been carefully
cal art. He is a noted collector of old musical reared in the business, and it has gradually in-
instruments, both keyed and stringed. In his creased under his management as the city of
various visits to his old fatherland he has had Worcester has developed in importance and
full opportunity to satisfy this craving, and the magnitude.
collection of instruments which he has gathered
F. A. Leland, the sole proprietor, is a native
together includes specimens of almost every style of Worcester, having been born in that city in
of instrument known in bygone days. His rep- 1846. He was educated at the Highland Mili-
utation in this line has become national, and, at tary Academy, after which he entered his father's
the request of the authorities of the Smithsonian music store and became a member of the firm in
Institute, Washington, D. C , he has kindly 1868. Mr. Leland is a good type of the cour-
loaned "The M. Steinert Collection of Keyed teous business man of New England. He is a
and Stringed Instruments," to that Institute for member of the Knights Templar, and honorary
exhibition to the public.
member of the Worcester Continentals, Wor-
The Steinert family, taken altogether, are per- cester Light Infantry and City Guards, having
haps the most remarkable in many ways of any been an officer in all these organizations.
in the trade, and Morris Steinert has reason to
The building which is occupied by the Leland
take great pride in his own and family accom- firm is large and imposing, the entire edifice
plishments. His seven sons, every one of whom being devoted to the music business. In pianos
are business men, besides possessing musical they handle the Chickering, Hallet & Davis,
talent of a high order. Henry L.,. the eldest son,
was born in October, 1867, and for many years
he assisted in the development of the Steinert
trade. Last Spring he severed his business con-
nection with the firm. Alexander, the second
son, was born in 1861 ; received an excellent
musical education. His management of the
Boston establishment has been a success, and is
considered by the Steinerts their most important
establishment. William Steinert was born in
1862, and now assists his brother Alexander as
manager of the Boston branch. Edward Steinert,
the fourth son, has given exhibition of the
possession of excellent business qualities as
manager of the Providence branch. The fifth
son, Frederick, opened a branch store in Bridge-
port, Conn., when he was scarcely seventeen
years old. Lately he has been connected with
the Boston establishment. The sixth son has
lately assumed the management of the branch at
Springfield, Mass. Rudolph, the youngest son,
assists his father at the New Haven establish-
ment.
B.
F. ALDRICH.
Fischer, Emerson, Sterling and New England.
In organs, the Estey and Story & Clark. Aside
from the piano and organ business Mr. Leland
manufactures the "Eclipse" band instruments
and violins. He has worked up a large sale for
these instruments in different sections of the
country.
B. F. ALDRICH & CO.,
Woonsocket.
Another well known Rhode Island concern is
that of B. F. Aldrich & Co., whose headquarters
are at Woonsocket, R. I. The firm consists of
B. F. and W. A Aldrich. They have been en-
gaged in the piano and organ business for the
past twenty-five years, having had stores in Mil-
ford and South Framingham, Mass., previous
to moving to their present location. They
have the reputation of being an enterpris-
ing and progressive firm. They handle the
Decker Bros and Estey pianos, also the Ludwig.
In organs they make a strong point of the Estey,
with which make they have been very successful.
The Aldrich firm are known in " Little Rhody "
as a pair of hustlers, and are patronizers of
" printers' ink. " They say " It pays to adver-
W. A. ALDRICH.
tise. " We should judge that they believed this
from the fact that all over Rhode Island, on
rocks, boards and fences are to be found adver-
tisements of the Aldrich concern.
C. S. GREENE,
Fall River.
C. S. Greene, of Fall River, Mass., dealer in
pianos and organs, was born in Ireland in 1844,
and came to America when two years of age.
While still a mere boy he found employment in
the cotton mills. In 1862 he worked In the
Grover & Baker Sewing Machine Works in Bos-
ton, Mass. In 1863 he enlisted in the United
States Navy. After completing his term in that
branch of the service he enlisted in the army,
was mustered out at the close of the war, and
returned to his occupation of machinist. Sub-
sequently he went into the grocery line, but
ultimately sold out in order to take charge of
the Singer Sewing Machine Company's repair
shop in Lynn, Mass. In 1872 he settled in Fall
River, where he has since carried on, with signal
success, the business of a dealer in pianos, organs
and sewing machines.
Mr. Greene has always acted upon the sound
principle of representing his wares according to
their merits. Consequently, instruments in-
dorsed by him as being good generally fetch a
good price, while for the poorer grades the prices
demanded by him are sufficiently and satisfac-