Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
SPECIAL NUMBER THREE-
>RRANGEMENTS having now been per-
fected, we are able to announce definitely
the date of publication of the third of the special
series inaugurated by THE; MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
last March. Number three will be issued Sep-
tember 15th, and will be designated the CANA-
DIAN NUMBER.
It will be illustrative and
descriptive of the music industries of Canada, a
subject which has never been dealt with in detail
in the history of music trade journalism. As
announced in a previous issue, we shall continue
the series, following the same general plan as
outlined in our previous Specials until each sec-
tion of America shall in turn have been fairly
chronicled. We believe that the trade will en-
dorse our statement that our previous efforts
have resulted in producing SPECIALS never sur-
passed in the annals of class journalism.
Travelers and others have frequently reported at
this office that they have noted that our Special
numbers were preserved as volumes of reference.
When we shall have completed the list we are
positive that the widely separated members of
the music trade of this continent will enjoy with
each other a closer and a better acquaintance.
THE FRESHET IS ON.
a sojourn of more than a month in
some of the prominent business centres
of America, we announce with pleasure that we
have noted a quickening of the commercial
pulse everywhere. Business interests of this
country are assured that for at least six months
there will be no disturbing element in sight, and
the pent up volume of trade will rush exuber-
antly from its reservoirs.
The withdrawal of imports from the custom-
house since the tariff bill has become a law is
without parallel or precedent. These goods will
rush to market with all the vehemence of a
freshet. There is not much danger to be appre-
hended in the sudden fillings of the channels
that have run dry. Prices may be lower on
account of the reduced purchasing power of the
people, but as the healthy current distributes
the life blood of trade throughout the country,
the limp and nerveless members will presently
revive, and we shall once more approach the
condition of normalcy and commercial health.
The music trade in common with other great in-
dustries of America will feel the quickened busi-
ness pulse.
FOX, of the Indicator, says he
" is sincerely sorry for the members of
the music trade whose lot is cast in the swelter-
ing city of New York. Their condition this
year Is worse than it was last year, for then they
had the Columbian Exposition to come to, and
beside the gently murmuring banks of I^ake
Michigan they could get cool and forget all their
earthly troubles in a delicious bath of pure
ozone. New York is undoubtedly a fine city,
but after all Chicago is the place to find un-
alloyed happiness during the dog days.''
We beg to assure our esteemed contemporary
that there is a mistake somewhere. Its con-
dolence is entirely uncalled for as far as New
York weather and the music trade are concerned.
The clerk of the weather has been signally parti-
san and goodnatured for the past month and has
favored us with weather " fit for the Gods," not
to mind members of the music trade. Whether
this is due to the absence of so many music
trade editors from the city or the passage of the
Tariff Bill, or—we'll give it up. The fact re-
mains that the members of the music trade find
'' unalloyed happiness " i n " bathing '' in the
purest of New York ozone—without ice—and re-
ceiving a surprisingly large number of orders
for pianos from all over the country.
THE KEYNOTE.
T is hardly necessary to state that the past
year was not one of the best for build-
ing up and extending the circulation ot a
monthly magazine such as THE KEYNOTE ; yet
we are proud to say that we succeeded in
doing so. The marked favor which this maga-
zine has met with—in an extended circulation
particularly—has been simply phenomenal.
This can be largely attributed to the departure
from its hitherto exclusive field, and being di-
verted into broader channels with which music
is closely allied—art, drama, literature, etc., it
has made its way into the favor of the home-
reading and musical public. Recognizing this
important fact, wide-awake business men are util-
izing its columns by advertising their wares, and
it bids fair to become a popular advertising
medium on account of the varied field which it
covers.
The August number of T H E KEYNOTE, which
had a handsome picture of Edward W. Bok, the
clever editor of The Ladies' Home Journal, on its
cover page, has won scores of complimentary
words in the columns of the various journals
throughout the country. THE KEYNOTE for
September, which makes its appearance to-day,
gives a portrait of Dr. A. Conan Doyle, the
popular novelist and lecturer, a place of honor,
and Its contents are above the average in gene-
ral interest.
SOMETHING WRONG.
HERE is something wrong with the Ameri-
can national air or the patriotism of our
people. At the Sousa Festival at Manhattan
Beach last week, a medley of the national airs
of all nations was sung by a large chorus, and
when it came to the national air of the United
States it was as amusing as painful to notice a
large number of the chorus—who were too con-
scientious to ( ' hum '' the air—pull out of their
pockets what looked like leaves of school prim-
ers and newspaper bric-a-brac, on which un-
doubtedly the words of the national anthem ap-
peared, for they uttered the words distinctly.
These conscientious members of the chorus were
very few, however, and the stock-in-trade enthu-
siasm could not hide the fact—which is only too
observable on public occasions—that the people
of other nations take* a pride in knowing the
words of national songs, while the American
people seem to think it too much of a labor to
commit the words to memory. The strangest
part of this little incident was, that when the
f
chorus sang the German national anthem, the
words seemed to be known by the entire chorus,
and they sang it with an unanimity and enthu-
siasm entirely absent when they were honoring
America. It is not quite a crime to know the
words of national anthems of other countries,
but it is quite natural to suppose that they would
endeavor to know their own.
, ^
on the musical exhibitors at
^5* the Antwerp Exhibition, our esteemed
English contemporary, The Music Trades Re-
view, .says : It will be seen that the English ex-
hibitors are few, and, indeed, they consist of
Messrs. Bishop & Sons, who send pianos, and
the Hillier & Bell Organ Companies. It has, in
fact, more than once been pointed out that these
local exhibitions do little or no good to English
traders, and that the honors to be gained at
them hardly compensate for the trouble and
expense Incurred. The French manufacturers
think otherwise, and their exhibit is a far larger
one, although the French manufacturers have
bitterly complained that they have been placed
in a big hall with the general French exhibits—
that is to say, in a place of such indifferent
acoustical properties, and surrounded with such
noises, that musical instruments can hardly be
properly considered. They are the more annoyed
at this—and let us say fairly so—inasmuch as the
German musical instrument exhibitors have a
room for themselves, where their wares can be
properly appraised. Most of the German exhibits,
by the way, are of the smaller makers, save as to
Herr Julius Bliithner, who has declared himself
hors concours. It would, indeed, hardly pay the
great makers of Germany to exhibit at a small
exhibition of this sort. In this respect they
chare the feelings and opinions of their English
colleagues. The Belgians themselves make
rather a poor show, and, in fact, the Interest of
the exhibition, so far as the musical instruments
are concerned, is shared between the French and
the Germans.
5N observant American has discovered that
performers on wind instruments generally
develop dimples in their cheeks, caused probably
by the frequent strain on the facial muscles
which are brought into play by the act of blow-
ing. The clarionet, the flute, the cornet, the
trombone and the French horn are all said to be
excellent factors in producing this little in-
dentation so often vainly courted by artificial
means. Perhaps this discovery of cause and
effect may lead to its becoming fashionable for
girls to play on wind instruments.
THE facts is regard to the attempt to fraudu-
lently appropriate the name and reputation of
the Hardman Piano, together with the decision
and injunctions of the Supreme Court of the
State of New York, have been compiled in a
neatly printed brochure by Hardman, Peck &
Co. It reached this office just as we were going
to press ; hence too late for extended notice.
LEOMINSTER, MASS.—Mr. Wade H. Jewett,
of Leominster, founder of the Jewett Piano Co.,
died August 25th.