Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Chas. H. Steinway Talks of His European Trip.
EXPECTS THE STEINWAY BUSINESS IN LONDON TO EQUAL IN TIME THAT OF NEW YORK
REASONS WHY THE STEINWAY GROWS IN POPULARITY
SOME
IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES —
THE CALL FOR SPECIAL DESIGNS—DOMESTIC TRADE NOT AFFECTED I?Y POLITI-
CAL CONDITIONS—LIKE
M,KINLEY
MANY OTHER " DEMOCRATS,
AN INTERESTING
DOES NOT COMPARE
WILL VOTE
FOR WM.
ANALYSIS OF THE PARIS EXPOSITION
WITH CHICAGO
"The day is not very far distant—
judging from results already achieved and
the promising nature of the outlook—
when the Steinway business in London
will equal in volume that of New York."
These weighty and deep-meaning words
were spoken to The Review on Tuesday
by Charles H. Steinway, head of the firm
of Steinway & Sons, during an interview
on tradeconditions in Europe and in this
country.
The Review had inquired as to the pres-
ent status of the Steinway products in
England and on the European continent.
Mr. Steinway was asked for a statement
concerning the growth of the firm's trade
and influence in England and Germany,
where Steinway factories are in operation,
also in other countries where considerable
business is transacted in pianos of acknowl-
edged excellence and high standing.
During Mr. Steinway's most recent trip
to Europe, which ended only a few days
ago, opportunity was taken to visit sev-
eral important capitals. The result can best
be told in Mr. Steinway's own words: "I
found, as on previous occasions, a very
satisfactory condition of affairs at both
centers. There was and is great activity in
each, the demand for our grands and up-
rights being fully equal to the supply at
the British metropolis and far beyond it at
the Hamburg establishment.
" Every one of our agents—and we are
represented in every European city of the
first class—is making steady headway. The
number of instruments actually sold in-
creases each year. It is found that the
wealthy people of cities like London, Paris,
Berlin, Vienna and St. Petersburg prefer
the Steinway products to even the best of
the local or other European makers. There
are several reasons for this preference.
"First and foremost, they have learned,
through inquiry from our agents and from
other sources, that our facilities enable us
to manufacture the very best completed
products. They have come to know that
the component parts of the Steinway pi-
anos, sent from the United States, are in
many respects superior to those used by
native manufacturers. It has been brought
to their attention that the workmen in our
several departments are past-masters of
the art of modern piano-making.
"Their friends, too, who possess Stein-
way grands or uprights, and the famous
professional pianists who have used the
grands in concert and recital, have not
been slow to make known the result of
their actual experiences. Still better, the
influence exerted by Court patronage has
added largely to the prestige of our instru-
ments. Fashionable Europe follows the
Court. It is enough for many noble and
OTHER
TOPICS.
aristocratic prospective piano purchasers
to know that the monarch of the nation to
which they belong prefers the Steinway in
his or her palaces to grands or uprights of
any other make."
The Review asked Mr Steinway if the
tendency among wealthy European piano
purchasers is toward special case designs,
or if they are usually content to select
from standard catalogue styles. He re-
plied that, in England and France, special
CHAS. H. STEIiNWAY.
design orders were frequent. In Ger-
many, the current styles suffice, as a rule.
The reason, he explained, is found in the
well-known fact that Germans of rank and
culture are ofttimes less wealthy than cor-
responding classes in England and France.
Mr. Steinway, in answer to a query as to
existing wholesale and retail trade condi-
tions in the United States, declared them
to be entirely satisfactory. " Our whole-
sale output is very large at present," said
he, "with every prospect of continuance
for an indefinite period. The retail depart-
ment is active. As our patronage practi-
cally comes from the wealthy alone, we
have experienced no falling off whatever
on account of unsettled political condi-
tions."
This latter assertion suggested a ques-
tion regarding Mr. Steinway's views on
the presidential outlook. "Do you care to
express an opinion, Mr. Steinway, on the
possibilities of a change in the administra-
tion?" asked the Review. *
"I am not in politics," was the response,
"and do not care to go into details on that
subject, but if you wish to know my opin-
ion, I am free to say that I think President
McKinley will be continued in his office for
another term, not because the business men
and other responsible citizens believe, as a
unit, in his past and present policy, or the
policy of the party he represents, but be-
cause a change during a period of unexam-
pled prosperity would be, in the opinion of
many, a dangerous expeiiment."
Speaking in a general way of his obser-
vations when last in Europe, Mr. Stein-
way, questioned as to the Paris Exposition,
its merits and successes, said: "The Ex-
position in many respects impressed me
favorably. It is undoubtedly a great en-
terprise. A vast quantity of material has
been gathered from all parts of the earth.
In its different departments there is much
of interest to see and much valuable infor-
mation to be acquired. But the grouping
of the buildings and the general plan is, in
my opinion, inferior to the grouping and
plan of the World's Fair.
"There is nothing at the Paris Exposi-
tion, for example, to compare, architectur-
ally or otherwise, with the Court of Honor
at Chicago That was a superb creation—
a masterpiece. It is in this matter of gen-
eral exterior effect that the Paris Exposi-
tion appears to be most lacking to the
casual visitor." Referring to the rumors
recently in circulation as to the failure of
the Exposition from a financial point of
view, Mr. Steinway remarked that he
thought the uneasiness in Paris on that
score corresponded with the anxiety of the
World's Fair directors at one time during
the course of the Chicago Exposition.
"You remember," he added, "how the
daily attendance grew toward the last and
saved it. So in Paris. The attendance
has, of late, frequently reached far up into
the hundreds of thousands. "
From Paris the conversation turned to
the attitude of Europe on great interna-
tional topics, as noted during the visit of
Mr. Steinway. Adverting to the Chinese
question, he said: "I was in Berlin when
news arrived of President McKinley's non-
acceptance of the German Emperor's first
note to the powers concerning the best
way to punish China. The official attitude
of the United States on that occasion did
not please the people of Germany at all.
But there came a change. I was still at
Berlin when the Emperor's modified prop-
osition was accepted by America. Then
President McKinley's course was hailed
with unqualified approval. So far as I
could hear and observe, the people of
Europe approve of the dignified, conserva-
tive course of the United States on the
Chinese question."
Another live topic—the opinion of Eng-
land and other countries regarding the
Philippine problem—was touched upon.
Mr. Steinway, in reply to a question, said
that as the British had their South African
experiences still in mind, and as nearly
every other country of consequence was
busy with troubles of its own, the general
impression seemed to be that, under the
circumstances, adverse criticism would be
out of place. Still, all were watching the
course of events closely to see if Uncle Sam
would prove equal to the emergency.
Before leaving Mr. Steinway was asked
if he cared to give his opinions—in view of
the close commercial relations now existing
between Great Britain and the United
States—on the chief points of difference,