Music Trade Review

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I HE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
I had a pleasant call last Thursday from
Dana G. Prescott, son of Geo. D. B. Pres-
cott, of the Prescott Piano Co., Concord,
N. H., who is making his debut as a road
representative. Mr. Prescott is thoroughly
accomplished in the practical departments
of piano manufacturing, and is a genial and
capable young man, who is destined to be-
come a favorite with the trade.
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Paderewski, idol of femininity, whose
tawny locks have brought so many sighs
from palpitating bosoms, and whose idyllic
face and meek eyes are worshipped by
TRICH & ZEIDLER have recently thousands, is only human. He plays poker.
invented a new fall-board which will It was only last Saturday night that he sat
create wide-spread interest when placed in a little game. He has improved in his
upon the market. I have seen the designs, technique since last he was here, and when,
and next week will probably produce an alter four hours' hard work, he arose from
illustration from the specifications.
the table $4.50 ahead, he was as delighted
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as a boy with a red wagon. His time, con-
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I notice J. H. Phelps, of Sharon, Wis., sidered at concert pitch, is worth $5,000 an
is still at work perfecting the piano action. hour, yet he didn't seem to think any more
Mr. Phelps has recently secured a new pat- of losing $20,000 than would the average
man who drops a cent through some grat-
ent which is undoubtedly of great value.
ing.
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It seems amusing at times to note the
A statistician says he has observed that
columns of advice the music trade editors
musicians have, as a rule, excellent heads
are laying down with special emphasis to
of hair. In the prime of life the musician's
the New York and Eastern trade. One
hair flourishes most, and in every^hundred
would almost imagine that from the interest
music devotees only one hairless head is
which these men manifest in the affairs of
met with; while in other professions about
Eastern manufacturers that they were pe-
eleven in every hundred are bald. W T here
cuniarily interested. Of coiirse, the West-
do the piano salesmen come in?
ern manufacturers will continue to do bus-
iness in the East, and Eastern manufactu-
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rers in the West. This is a mighty big
The Musical Courier in a very ably
country, and no particular section has the written article condemns the method
absolute control of it in a manufacturing or
adopted by a music trade editor who re-
distributing sense.
quests the payment of his advertising bills
in advance. It says: "An editor who
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It is hard to tell which is the most popu- must demand payment in advance can have
lar, the Steck piano or its go-ahead road no funds, no capital to publish circulating
representative, Geo. N. Grass. The many editions." I most heartily concur with
testimonials published anent the Steck the Courier in this statement. Such an
piano furnish us with proof"positive of the editor requests the capital of others on
high place which this instrument holds in which to conduct his business. The ques-
the affections of the musicians and the trade, tion is, will piano men supply this capital?
and the many good things said about Mr. If so, for how long?
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Grass from a personal standpoint and as a
representative of Geo. Steck & Co., are
I had a pleasant morning with Mr. L. W.
just as numerous, but Mr. Grass is too P. Norris at the Lindeman factory. Mr.
modest to give them publicity. During his Norris is a man who keeps thoroughly in
recent Western trip he was received with touch with what is going on in the indus-
open arms all along the line, and returned trial world, and under his management the
not only with a book full of orders, but a Lindeman piano is fast assuming a merited
host of new friends. Mr. Grass can't help prestige. Henry Lindeman, the superin-
being popular, as the funny man says, "it's tendent, is one of the most expert draughts-
a way he's got."
men in this country. The result is the
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Lindeman piano is up-to-date in a musical
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and architectural way.
THE large framed group of photographs
of thie celebrities using the ^Eolian, which
occupies a prominent place in the Elevated
I learn from the South that Mr. A. B.
Stations throughout the city, is attracting a Campbell, the well-known dealer of Jack-
great deal of attention. It is quite artistic sonville, Fla., is seriously considering the
and attractive, and it is a common thing to matter of opening a branch house at Savan-
see a crowd around this collection of photo-
nah, Ga.
graphs any part of the day or evening. The
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^olian Co. evidently know a thing or two
about advertising.
I found business at the Behning factory
excellent. Henry and Gustave Behning
have been making a great success of the
business since its reorganization. The
Behning piano of to-day is holding its own
among the old agents, and many new ones
are being added to the list. Some promi-
nent dealers attest their belief in the Behn-
ing by ordering them in large quantities.
In the Northwest the Behning is a strong
favorite, and in Kansas City Geo. W.
Strope is enthusiastic over its merits, and
is selling them in large quantities.
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Now that the electric piano attachment
is one of the successes of the day, I am
looking forward to seeing self-playing
pianos in all the public depots, such as the
waiting rooms of railways, ferries, etc.,
operated on the same principle as the mu-
sical box and the phonograph. The tempo
and tone color effects could be easily con-
trolled by suitable machinery. Instead of
a nickel, a dime or a quarter might be the
tariff, and I guarantee quite a few would
be raked in at the end of the week. The
idea, while original, is not copyrighted.
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The advertising columns of the Sunday
papers afford proofs that the cheap piano,
like the poor, "is always with us. " Bloom-
ingdale Bros.' offer of a "Harmony" piano
worth $500, and guaranteed for five years,
for $199, was eclipsed last Sunday by a new
advertisement from a concern on the East
Side offering "a fine assortment of new in-
struments, containing the latest inventions,
for $125 on credit," and, mark you, "war-
ranted to last 50 years." Think of that, 50
long years! It is evident that manufact-
urers of boilers will persist in going into
the piano business. Bloomingdale Bros,
will have to .immediately extend the life of
their pianos if they hope to catch the retail
trade of the East Side. It is amazing how
sane people fail to set through these adver-
tisements—so many are foolish enough to
invest their dollars in these despicable
rattle-boxes.
The Emperor William of Germany is
without doubt the most versatile person in
public life- excepting perhaps one of our
local trade editors. The other day he was
not satisfied with the way a military band
played a certain composition, so he took
the conductor's baton and showed him
how it ought to be played. This talented
ruler dances well, shoots well, plays the
sovereign well, plays the flute, paints pic-
tures, composes music, writes verses, can
command a war ship, order about an army,
makes speeches and always says something.
He often conducts prayers, and is said to
have preached on several occasions. The
only thing he has never done is fight, and
there is reason to believe that he could do
that too, if he had the opportunity. The
admirable Crichton would not be in it with
him.
THE REVIEWER.