Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
the Starr Piano Co. and vice-president of the
Jesse French Piano & Organ Co., became an en-
thusiastic co-worker with Mr. Field and a large
Well Known Member of the Music Trade Passes
stockholder.
Away at His Home in St. Louis—Close of a
In 1898 Mr. Field left the company and organ-
Busy Life—His Career a Successful One—
Worked His Way from Farmer Lad to the ized the O. A. Field Piano Co., although he re-
tained his stock in the Jesse French Piano &
Head of a Great Business Enterprise—
Organ Co., as the company was now known.
Sketch of His Career.
In October, 1901, Mr. Field was called to the
Oscar A. Field, president of the Jesse French presidency and treasurership of the Jesse French
Piano & Organ Co., died at his residence in Piano & Organ Co., which duties he faithfully
filled until his death. Through his efforts the
St. Louis, Mo., early last Sunday morning.
For almost two months Mr. Field had been company has grown to be one of the largest in
confined to his bed. His case was pronounced the country, maintaining warerooms at the pres-
hopeless by the best medical experts, and while ent time in St. Louis, Mo.; Birmingham and
the news of his demise will come as a shock to Montgomery, Ala.; Dallas, San Antonio, Austin
his many friends in the various parts of the and Houston, Tex.; Nashville and Chattanooga,
Tenn.
country, it will not be unexpected.
With the Starr Piano Co., with which It Is
The life of Mr. Field furnishes a splendid
illustration of how a young boy, through splen- closely associated, it is one of the largest manu-
did natural ability and a desire to accomplish facturing and retailing organizations for the dis-
things, may win a high business position in this tribution of pianos in the world.
O. A. Field was a man of generous instincts,
country.
Oscar Addison Field was born at Lake Canan- and when he formed a friendship for a man the
sentiment remained with him through life. He
possessed remarkable business ability, as is evi-
denced by the splendid trade which has been
developed by the music trade institution which
expanded so rapidly under his guidance.
He is survived by his widow, Maria L. Field,
and two children, Oscar A. Field, Jr., and Mrs.
W. A. Lippman, all of St. Louis, Mo. His son,
O. A. Field, Jr., and son-in-law, W. A. Lippman,
have been actively associated with him in busi-
ness for several years, young Mr. Field having
been carefully trained by his father, with the
object in view of his ultimately succeeding his
parent in the management of the great music
trade interests which he directed so successfully.
The funeral of Mr. Field occurred on Tuesday
and was largely attended by a large number of
sorrowing friends, many of whom had come from
far-away points to pay their tribute of respect
to his memory.
DEATH OF OSCAR A. FIELD.
PIANOFORTEJ)EVELOPMENT
The
TIIE I-ATE O. A. FIELD.
Subject of an Interesting Lecture by
Thomas Machell, of Glasgow.
Before the Royal Philosophical Society of
Glasgow, Thomas Machell delivered an interest-
ing lecture recently on "Keyboard Percussion
Instruments," in which he referred to the mod-
ern pianoforte with its perfect mechanism, enor-
mous range of eighty-eight notes, and 224 strings,
and pointed out that it had now culminated in
fullest development. During the past fifty years
very little genuine improvement had been ef-
fected; the compass had been increased slightly
and the volume of tone largely, but the natural
defects of the instrument remain untouched,
although manufacturers, composers, and pianists
had striven, and rightly so, to minimize and con-
ceal them. These defects are the quick dying
away of the tone in the middle register imme-
diately after the blow has been struck, the ex-
treme shortness of tone in the upper register,
and the almost complete absence of root or fun-
damental tone in the lower register. Recogniz-
ing the limitations of an instrument whose vibra-
tions depend upon tensions, with all its attendant
troubles, inventors have sought a solution in the
endeavor to produce musical sounds from sub-
stances whose vibrations depend on their own
inherent elasticity. The lecturer explained a
number of these inventions, and after explaining
the difficulties experimentalists have had to en-
counter in their efforts to utilize the principle
of the tuning-fork—the ideal tone-producer—he
gave a full description of the "dulcitone," the
essential principle of the patent being that a
fork without a shank is used, and this is con :
nected by a semi-circular band of thin spring
steel to a simple form of sounding-board. The
lecture was illustrated by lantern slides, and a
short programme of music was given.
daigua, N. Y., June 29, 1847, and when he was
about eight years of age the family moved to
the wilds of Michigan and there, with a few
others, settled the town of Vermontville. There
he remained until he was 24 years of age, being
successfully engaged in the hotel business. From
that time until he was 30 he was engaged in
various occupations, working on a farm, was In
the grocery business, and worked for several
years in the oil fields of Pennsylvania.
In 1876 he first entered the music business
with C. J. Whitney at Detroit, and was in his
employ about 18 months. The first instrument
he disposed of was an organ, which was sold on
commission. He left Mr. Whitney and went with
Mrs. Smith, at Erie, Pa., where he remained sev-
eral years. He left her employ and traveled for
Jesse French, who at that time was conducting a
music house at Nashville, Tenn. Shortly after
going south he traveled with the late P. J.
Gildemeester, and formed with him a friendship
which continued until Mr. Gildemeester's death.
Aug. 29, 1882, Mr. Field was married to Maria
Lumsden, second daughter ot the late John
Lumsden, of Nashville, Tenn., who was one of
the founders and was the moneyed man of the
Jesse French Piano & Organ Co., of which Mr.
Field was the president at his death.
In January, 1883, he went to St. Louis, after
considering all of the large cities of the United
States as a possible opening, and bought out the
business of C. W. Hanley, and organized a com-
The Booth Music Co., Rich Hill, Mo., have pur-
pany known as Field-French & Co., which In
1885 was changed to the Field-French Piano Co., chased the business of the R. J. Wheeler Music
at which time Henry Gennett, now president of Co., that city, the latter firm having dissolved.
[This letter was received last Tuesday.]
HARDMAN, PECK & Co.,
New York, N. Y.:
GENTLEMEN—I have a Hardman
Piano, have had it for years. I have
never seen its equal in an upright
piano. Now I have a large number of
prospects. Why cannot I sell them
Hardmans? Will you kindly write me
what can be done in the matter. I can
recommend this instrument from my
own experience, have one of them to
show and know I can place them here.
Awaiting your favor, I am,
Very truly yours,
HARDMAN
A name to conjure with.
It is easy to sell a piano whose
name is familiar to every one; whose
reputation for excellence is national.
The sale is half made when your pros-
pect says, "Oh, yes; I know the
Hardman Piano, .of course."
The name HARDMAN is almost as
familiar to the public as the word
PIANO. This has been accomplished,
in a measure, by advertising during the
past sixty-six years. But, in far greater
measure, this familiarity is due to the
presence of Hardman Pianos in thou-
sands of homes, where millions of
people have enjoyed them and become
acquainted with their superior musical
qualities.
Is it not obviously to your
advantage to handle a piano
whose sales are already half
made?
Information as to open
territory on request.
HARDMAN, PECK & CO.
Kifth Ave., New York
Established 1842