Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
way corporation that many looked upon we shall never replace him, and Mill th
William Steinway as not only the director- affairs of the country move on to higher
general but embodying Steinway & Sons and more colossal attainments, never halt-
in himself. The same trade speculation ing in the upward and onward march.
was indulged in at the time of his death as Presidents, even, die and the machinery of
TWENTY-FIRST YEAR.
to the future of Steinway & Sons. William the government stops only long enough to
.EDWARD LYA1AN BILL*
Steinway had so long dominated the affairs pay a decent tribute and then the ceaseless
Editor and Proprietor
of the corporation which bore his patrony- grind is continued.
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
mic that the abilities of other members
"Forward, forward let us range,
Let the great world spin forever
3 East 14th St., New York
had been completely obscured. Chas. H.
Down the ringing grooves of change."
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States,
Steinway, the present directing force, was
After all, is it not a human weakness to
Mexico and Canada, |ajoo per year; all other countries,
$300.
in
a
national
way
unknown.
To-day
he
is
over-estimate not only our own accom-
ADVERTISEriENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dis-
recognized as a virile, diplomatic, cautious- plishments but those of the great men of
count is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00, opposite read-
ing matter $75.00.
ly aggressive man. He has not held to old the industry and of the nation as well?
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
theories, but has mapped out new lines
We say this in no spirit of disparage-
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Claa Matter.
which have been proven to be successful ment, or any desire to belittle the deeds or
NEW""VORK, NOVEMBER 25, 1899.
beyond argument, for there is not one the life-winnings of the great men, but is
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745-E1GHTEENTH STREET.
man who is posted on musico-indus- it not a fact that certain men in industrial,
THE KEYNOTE.
trial affairs who will fail to admit that social and political life carry on their work
The first week of each month, The Review will
contain a supplement embodying the literary
never in the long history of the Steinway to a point above which it seems as if it
and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
house has the product been so thoroughly were impossible for them to reach a higher
will be effected without in any way trespassing
appreciated as to-day, nor never has the position? They die with the fight still on.
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
firm been more entrenched in trade and Others succeed them and win fights which
trade paper.
public esteem.
they had hoped to win but never suc-
CHANGES WROUGHT BY DEATH.
\ I 7 I T H I N recent times death has re- The removal of the last great figure, ceeded. The advantage gained by their
moved some of the most prominent which we recorded last week—Geo. H. successors in a way is this: That they have
figures of the industry. The late death of Chickering—takes another of the great fig- had an opportunity of studying the life,
Geo. H. Chickering adds still another ures of the trade into history. Mr. Chick - deeds and accomplishments of those with
noted name to the list of those who have ering's connection differs materially from whom they have been intimately asso-
the other two in that he had practically re- ciated. From their own vantage ground
solved the problem of the hereafter.
The time is fitting to propound the ques- tired from business some months before they were enabled to analyze the conditions
tion: What has been the result of the his death occurred, and the result of his and environments of these individuals.
demise of these former trade leaders upon death on the policy of the Chickering insti- There are certain weak spots in their armor,
the industries with which they were con- tution is not open for argument, because and they discover also that they get the
the man who is now the directing force of opinions of honest critics not flatterers whose
nected?
voices would never reach the head of the
Let us take a few important figures in Chickering & Sons has been at the helm for
house,
who is walled in by a feeling of re-
review. There was Ernest Knabe, the a term of years past. Mr. C. H. W. Foster,
spect or veneration, fear or flattery, as
active head of the great Knabe industry now president of the Chickering corpora-
the
case may be. Thus they are enabled
and personally known to his representa- tion, brought to the industry a keen analyti-
to gain a consensus of opinion on a fairer
tives in all sections of the country. Up to cal mentality. That he was endowed with
and more equable basis — to view the
within a comparatively short time before directing power and forceful originality of
scenes entirely free from chronic myopic
his demise he was the head of the Knabe a high order is best demonstrated in the
astigmatism than those who are on the
business, not only in a titular position advances made in the Chickering product
throne of power and have not a free range
but in very truth his buoyant personality during his term of directorship. Never
of
vision.
was in evidence in all of the ramifications before in the annals of the industry has the
The world is progressive and the age is
of his enterprise. After his death there Chickering piano occupied the position
that
it
does
to-day.
Yet
the
point
which
evolutionistic.
Forward and not back-
was considerable speculation as to the
ward runs the progress of man.
future policy of the Knabe house. There we are desirous of making is this:
It is well to think wisely, and it is well
is no question to-day as to that, for his two
That the world has criticised and com-
sons, Ernest and William have given in- mented upon the successors of great men, to surround, or to be environed by men of
disputable evidence of their ability not and yet, after all, the history of this trade intelligence and to rear ones immediate
only to manage but to augment the enter- and others shows that while prominent successors in thorough touch with the in-
prise, the foundations of which were so figures have been removed their successors dustrial problems with which they are
successfully laid by their ancestors. The have invariably carried the affairs of the in- liable to be confronted. Piano manufac-
Knabe interests to-day are more powerful stitution on to higher and gteater accom- turers have not committed great errors in
this particular. Their posterity has been
and potential than ever before and never plishments.
in the long history of this concern has
Can we point to any better illustrations reared to succeed in the fullest sense, and
there been such active interest manifested than the three great men to whom we have how well they have succeeded is history.
both in trade and art circles regarding the referred, and can there be any doubt what-
Business success is achieved by keeping
Knabe product.
soever as to the advance won by the suc- in touch with the tastes and the demands
of the people. A man's real happiness
The next great break in the ranks of the ceeding governing forces?
The same conditions exist in political centers in his life work, and education
noted figures of the trade was the death of
William Steinway, whose personality was life. We are apt to say when a great along the lines where his work is to
statesman dies: He is a loss to the world, be cast is of infinite advantage to him.
so thoroughly interwoven with the Stein