Music Trade Review
Issue: 1921 Vol. 73 N. 2 - Page 12
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
12
JULY 9, 1921
Broadwood simply because it is immediately ac- the logical culmination of the mechanism of the
cessible and at the same time accurate, whereas piano.
domestic information is hard to get. In the
Meanwhile, we shall hope soon to have fur-
ence the piano was simply a "hammer-clavier" interests of science, however, Messrs. Steinway ther information of a more definitely technical
and retained the characteristics of its ancestors would, no doubt, be glad to furnish similar in- nature. It might be more than interesting to set
in lightness of touch and manner of playing. formation to inquirers.
a pianist, like Busoni, to work at a piano with
Beethoven it was who first made the musical
Why, exactly, there should -be the heavier the Moor double keyboard and a set of pedals
world realize what the piano might be, and it touch in the region which is covered by the left for the two lowest bass octaves. He would give
was his playing of it that first induced the hand I am not quite able to say. It is evident us some thrills, without a doubt. But, after
early makers like Broadwood to think seriously that the bass hammers are bound to be heavier all, how childish it all is in comparison with the
about strengthening its construction and build- than the hammers in the other parts of the scale, pneumatic mechanism.
ing it up into the orchestral sort of instrument but there is no doubt that this difference could
it has since become. The year 1817 may be be overcome by a rearrangement of the lever-
regarded as marking the culmination of
age. And, of course, that ought to be done for
Beethoven's art as a writer for piano solo, and the sake of the left hand, which is the weaker
Even during the hottest weeks this department
in that year the Broadwoods of London (who of the two.
is always open to the inquiring, criticizing or
had supplied a piano to Beethoven about that
otherwise contributing reader. Send along the
time) were putting forth an instrument for con-
hot stuff, which ought to be torrid, indeed, when
cert purposes in which the touch-weights were:
the temperature is as high as it is. just now. Ad-
Lowest C Middle C Highest C Average
The trade papers during recent weeks have dress William Braid White, care The Music
2.625 oz. 2.375 oz.
1.75 oz.
2.25 oz.
contained some scattering notices concerning a Trade Review, 373 Fourth avenue, New York
City.
This average is virtually that of the present new piano constructed by a Swiss piano maker
day, showing thai the early piano makers had at the suggestion of the composer Emanuel
Lyman K. Harvey, musical instrument dealer of
discovered at least one of the principles of good Moor. This instrument is new, in that it possesses
tone production.
two keyboards, one above the other, both playing St. Johnsbury, Vt., has leased a store on Eastern
Sixty years later a great change had come on the one action. The two boards are placed one avenue which will function as a salesroom tor
pianos, Victrolas, records and music.
over the scene. Under the compelling demands above the other, as close together as possible,
of the school of piano playing, which began and the upper board is just the same as the
with Herz and culminated in Liszt, the piano lower save that it plays an octave higher
had been strengthened until it had become a throughout for corresponding positions. By
vast iron-bound construction, with heavy wires, means of a coupler arrangement the two boards
heavy action and heavy touch. In that year the can be mechanically coupled together, so that
Used Pianos, Players and Grands
Broadwood piano was being constructed in con- octave passages in the bass can be played by
Wholesale—Any Quantity
cert form with touch-weights as follows:
single fingers in the left hand.
.lay it rail c, Style or .Vlalce, .III
Repaired.
Lowest C Middle C Highest C Average
The reader will agree that we have some-
Rebuilt
and
Polished
4oz.
3.125 oz. 2.375 oz. 3.166 oz.
thing very interesting in this new instrument.
Ready for Your Wareroom Floor
This was in the days of the piano-pounders. Its use would greatly increase the technical
I'dt'tory and W'trrrj^ms
Liszit, with his extraordinary fingers and still powers of, the two hands and render possible the
more extraordinary mind, had succeeded in mak- playing of many chords which are now too wide
HILL'S TRIANGLE BUILDING
ing the piano achieve a sonority and orchestral for ten fingers on the keyboard. Still, one won-
1365-75 Myrtle Ave.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
power which had never before been supposed ders how long it will be before the art world
rihuic:
2279 Busln.ick
possible to it. His followers and imitators realizes that the pneumatic player mechanism is
caught at the externals of his art without being
able to penetrate his secrets. In consequence,
there arose the great school of piano thumpers
(or
which flourished for twenty years and more and
th.
received its death-blow only upon the trium-
D«al«r
526-536 Niagara St., Buffalo, N. Y.
phant advent of the young Paderewski, founder
of the modern school of cantabile piano playing.
It was an American house of piano makers, the
eminent house of Steinway & Sons, which was
responsible mainly for giving Paderewski the
opportunity to display his extraordinary powers
and thus to create a new era in the development
of the art of piano playing. It may be added
that the same house was able to furnish him
with a piano which embodied his ideals to an
incredibly close degree.
OUR TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
(Continued from page 11)
IN SPITE OF THE HEAT
THE DOUBLE KEYBOARD
HILL & SONS
KURTZMANN
PIANOS
C. KURTZMANN & CO.
THE CELEBRATED
Thus, by the year 1904 the tendency in touch-
weight was again downward. Broadwood's rec-
ords show that in the last-named year their
concert grands were being constructed with
touch-weights as follows:
Lowest C Middle C Highest C Average
3oz.
2.5 oz.
2oz.
2.5 oz.
The average for the best American pianos, as
nearly as I can ascertain, is now very close to
the 1817 weights as shown above.
I have used the data furnished by Messrs.
F&C
(FELTEN & CUILLEAUME)
i\\ 6^
' ^ * 2
y \ \
"\\
Aus VORZUSLTCHSTEM PATENT
GUSSSTAHLDRAHT
/ / I4J LLJ * * " V
/ / U ; QC V'.
CARLSWERK
IMPORTED
MUSIC WIRE
IN BLACK, RED and GREEN
LABEL BRANDS.
IS UNEXCELLED
THE LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
Grands, Uprights
and Players
YORK PIANOS
Uprights and Players
The " F & G " Blue Label Brand is again being
used by Rudolph C. Koch in the manufacture
of the Reinwarth Covered Bass Strings
For TUNERS and REPAIRERS we have the
convenient one quarter pound clamps
LIVINGSTON PIANOS
Uprights and Player-Pianos
If your competitor does not already have this
line, go after it at once.
Weaver Piano Co., Inc.
FACTORY
YORK, PA.
RstabHshmd 1870
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER&CO.
PIANO AND PLAYER HARDWARE, FELTS AND TOOLS
NEW YORK SINCE 1848
4th Ave. and 13th St.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
12
JULY 9, 1921
Broadwood simply because it is immediately ac- the logical culmination of the mechanism of the
cessible and at the same time accurate, whereas piano.
domestic information is hard to get. In the
Meanwhile, we shall hope soon to have fur-
ence the piano was simply a "hammer-clavier" interests of science, however, Messrs. Steinway ther information of a more definitely technical
and retained the characteristics of its ancestors would, no doubt, be glad to furnish similar in- nature. It might be more than interesting to set
in lightness of touch and manner of playing. formation to inquirers.
a pianist, like Busoni, to work at a piano with
Beethoven it was who first made the musical
Why, exactly, there should -be the heavier the Moor double keyboard and a set of pedals
world realize what the piano might be, and it touch in the region which is covered by the left for the two lowest bass octaves. He would give
was his playing of it that first induced the hand I am not quite able to say. It is evident us some thrills, without a doubt. But, after
early makers like Broadwood to think seriously that the bass hammers are bound to be heavier all, how childish it all is in comparison with the
about strengthening its construction and build- than the hammers in the other parts of the scale, pneumatic mechanism.
ing it up into the orchestral sort of instrument but there is no doubt that this difference could
it has since become. The year 1817 may be be overcome by a rearrangement of the lever-
regarded as marking the culmination of
age. And, of course, that ought to be done for
Beethoven's art as a writer for piano solo, and the sake of the left hand, which is the weaker
Even during the hottest weeks this department
in that year the Broadwoods of London (who of the two.
is always open to the inquiring, criticizing or
had supplied a piano to Beethoven about that
otherwise contributing reader. Send along the
time) were putting forth an instrument for con-
hot stuff, which ought to be torrid, indeed, when
cert purposes in which the touch-weights were:
the temperature is as high as it is. just now. Ad-
Lowest C Middle C Highest C Average
The trade papers during recent weeks have dress William Braid White, care The Music
2.625 oz. 2.375 oz.
1.75 oz.
2.25 oz.
contained some scattering notices concerning a Trade Review, 373 Fourth avenue, New York
City.
This average is virtually that of the present new piano constructed by a Swiss piano maker
day, showing thai the early piano makers had at the suggestion of the composer Emanuel
Lyman K. Harvey, musical instrument dealer of
discovered at least one of the principles of good Moor. This instrument is new, in that it possesses
tone production.
two keyboards, one above the other, both playing St. Johnsbury, Vt., has leased a store on Eastern
Sixty years later a great change had come on the one action. The two boards are placed one avenue which will function as a salesroom tor
pianos, Victrolas, records and music.
over the scene. Under the compelling demands above the other, as close together as possible,
of the school of piano playing, which began and the upper board is just the same as the
with Herz and culminated in Liszt, the piano lower save that it plays an octave higher
had been strengthened until it had become a throughout for corresponding positions. By
vast iron-bound construction, with heavy wires, means of a coupler arrangement the two boards
heavy action and heavy touch. In that year the can be mechanically coupled together, so that
Used Pianos, Players and Grands
Broadwood piano was being constructed in con- octave passages in the bass can be played by
Wholesale—Any Quantity
cert form with touch-weights as follows:
single fingers in the left hand.
.lay it rail c, Style or .Vlalce, .III
Repaired.
Lowest C Middle C Highest C Average
The reader will agree that we have some-
Rebuilt
and
Polished
4oz.
3.125 oz. 2.375 oz. 3.166 oz.
thing very interesting in this new instrument.
Ready for Your Wareroom Floor
This was in the days of the piano-pounders. Its use would greatly increase the technical
I'dt'tory and W'trrrj^ms
Liszit, with his extraordinary fingers and still powers of, the two hands and render possible the
more extraordinary mind, had succeeded in mak- playing of many chords which are now too wide
HILL'S TRIANGLE BUILDING
ing the piano achieve a sonority and orchestral for ten fingers on the keyboard. Still, one won-
1365-75 Myrtle Ave.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
power which had never before been supposed ders how long it will be before the art world
rihuic:
2279 Busln.ick
possible to it. His followers and imitators realizes that the pneumatic player mechanism is
caught at the externals of his art without being
able to penetrate his secrets. In consequence,
there arose the great school of piano thumpers
(or
which flourished for twenty years and more and
th.
received its death-blow only upon the trium-
D«al«r
526-536 Niagara St., Buffalo, N. Y.
phant advent of the young Paderewski, founder
of the modern school of cantabile piano playing.
It was an American house of piano makers, the
eminent house of Steinway & Sons, which was
responsible mainly for giving Paderewski the
opportunity to display his extraordinary powers
and thus to create a new era in the development
of the art of piano playing. It may be added
that the same house was able to furnish him
with a piano which embodied his ideals to an
incredibly close degree.
OUR TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
(Continued from page 11)
IN SPITE OF THE HEAT
THE DOUBLE KEYBOARD
HILL & SONS
KURTZMANN
PIANOS
C. KURTZMANN & CO.
THE CELEBRATED
Thus, by the year 1904 the tendency in touch-
weight was again downward. Broadwood's rec-
ords show that in the last-named year their
concert grands were being constructed with
touch-weights as follows:
Lowest C Middle C Highest C Average
3oz.
2.5 oz.
2oz.
2.5 oz.
The average for the best American pianos, as
nearly as I can ascertain, is now very close to
the 1817 weights as shown above.
I have used the data furnished by Messrs.
F&C
(FELTEN & CUILLEAUME)
i\\ 6^
' ^ * 2
y \ \
"\\
Aus VORZUSLTCHSTEM PATENT
GUSSSTAHLDRAHT
/ / I4J LLJ * * " V
/ / U ; QC V'.
CARLSWERK
IMPORTED
MUSIC WIRE
IN BLACK, RED and GREEN
LABEL BRANDS.
IS UNEXCELLED
THE LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
Grands, Uprights
and Players
YORK PIANOS
Uprights and Players
The " F & G " Blue Label Brand is again being
used by Rudolph C. Koch in the manufacture
of the Reinwarth Covered Bass Strings
For TUNERS and REPAIRERS we have the
convenient one quarter pound clamps
LIVINGSTON PIANOS
Uprights and Player-Pianos
If your competitor does not already have this
line, go after it at once.
Weaver Piano Co., Inc.
FACTORY
YORK, PA.
RstabHshmd 1870
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER&CO.
PIANO AND PLAYER HARDWARE, FELTS AND TOOLS
NEW YORK SINCE 1848
4th Ave. and 13th St.
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