Presto

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
Ail American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Fheir Makers.
PRESTO
e.tabiuhmd i8S4. THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
to c^t.; 92.00 « i w
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1925
BRILLIANT OPENING
OF STEINWAY HALL
Throngs of Notables in Music and Society and
Members of the Piano Trade Gather
at Tuesday's Dedicatory
Event.
CELEBRATED IN POEM
Four Grandsons of the Founder of Steinway & Sons
Industry Present, with Complete Staff
of Executives.
The first of the series of five dedicatory concerts
marking the opening of the new Steinway Hall, 109
West Fifty-seventh street, New York, was given
October 27 and broadcasted by an arrangement of
Steinway & Sons and the Radio Corporation of
America. It was another phase in the ceremonies
which were begun October 17, when events of an in-
ternational character took place.
The ceremonies following the dinner at the Lotus
Club not only formally dedicated the new Steinway
building but drew an attendance that showed the
influences of the Steinway piano in art and its tower-
ing place in the music business all over the world.
The official presentations made October 17 were of
an international character and showed that the inter-
ests of Steinway & Sons not only covered the United
States but every country in the civilized world.
William Mengelburg made the address on behalf of
the Steinway merchants in Europe and musicians
using the Steinway there when presenting the bronze
tablet dedicated to the House of Steinway.
Rubin Goldmark made the presentation of the
bronze tablet dedicated by the Steinway piano mer-
chants and musicians of the United States.
On behalf of the Steinway representative of the
United 'States, Canada, Mexico and Cuba, C. A.
Grinnell, of Grinnell Bros., Detroit, made the
formal presentation to Mr. and Mrs. Steinway of a
marble statuette designed and executed by Emile
Fuchs, H. D. Schaad in behalf of the Aeolian Co,
presented to Steinway & Sons a bronze statuette of
"Pan" executed by Frederick MacMonnies. On the
same occasion an address was presented by Theodore
Erlich and sixty-three others of the Hamburg and
Berlin houses, the presentation of the illuminated
address being made by Mr. Erlich.
A Brilliant Event.
Veteran music lovers, reviewers and critics, who
have attended every similar event of importance dur-
ing the last decade, declare that the formal opening
of the new Steinway Hall was the most notable occa-
sion of the kind within their recollection. A larger
throng of leaders in society and music than has
gathered for a similar event in a single day filled the
salon and hallways of the Steinway building on Tues-
day evening, and the dedicatory concert was one of
the most notable of the many similar performances
which have dotted the musical records of the city
throughout the year.
The new building, at 109 West Fifty-seventh
street, was a blaze of beauty, and the expressions of
admiration for the new music center were everywhere
of an enthusiastic kind. William Mengelberg and
thirty-five Philharmonic players occupied the small
platform, assisted by Frazer Gauge, baritone, and fol-
lowed by Joseph Hofmann, the pianist, in a program
that was broadcast by radio.
New Generation Represented.
Four grandsons of the original Steinway and as
many great-grandsons were present with some 300
invited guests, as Ernest Urchs read a poem to the
new hall, written by S. W. Gerhart. Mr. Gange sang
an old English "Mummer's Carol," whose stanzas
quaintly invoked a blessing upon "master and mis
iress of this house . . . your house, your goods
and all your store."
Invitations had been sent to President and Mrs.
Coolidge, as well as the Governor and Mrs. Smith, t-ie
Mayor and Mrs. Hylan, Cardinal Hayes and other
dignitaries; to musicians, writers and artists, and to
representatives of families prominent since the days
of the "old" Steinway Hall, now abandoned, in Four-
teenth street.
Recalled Old Hall.
One man at least who had attended the old hall's
dedication on October 31, 1866, was Charles Pike
Sawyer, who recalled the participation then of Brig-
noli and Mme. Parepa, a prima donna at 30, with a
promising conductor but one year her senior, Theo-
dore Thomas.
The new hall's program opened with Beethoven's
familiar "Dedication of the House," bv Mr. Mensel-
INDIANA DEALERS SHOW
LACK OF INTEREST
Consequently the Proposed Meeting at Indian-
apolis Has Been Postponed, But Trade
in Hoosier Capital Wakes Up.
By H. M. RUDEAUX.
The proposed meeting of the Indiana Music Deal-
ers' Association, which had been announced for Oc-
tober 28-29, was postponed until some later date owing
to the lack of interest. This lamentable lack was
proven by the fact that only three answers were re-
ceived from 260 letters sent out by W. J. Baker, pres-
ident of the Tndianapolis Music Dealers' Association.
"On last Wednesday evening we called a special
meeting of committees to determine what to do,"
said Mr. Baker, "but when it was learned that only
three responses were received we decided to let the
issue drop until some future date.
The first Christmas sale was reported by Mr. Rapp.
of Rapp & Lennox, who sold a Knabe Ampico for
delivery on Christmas eve.
"We have some very good Christmas prospects in
view, and if they all materialize the trade will be up
to expectations," said Mr. Rapp. "However, it looks
as though it will be impossible to meet the demand
unless we can get in some pianos very soon to re-
plenish our stock. We were obliged to have some
J. & C. Fisher pianos come in by express, and are
promised more by freight very soon."
A special Steinway & Sons' Florentine period model
was one of the recent sales at the Pearson Piano
Company's warerooms. Business is taking on a more
concrete appearance and conditions are beginning to
look as though the coming season might prove more
than was anticipated.
Mr. Mansfield, of the Kurtzman Piano Company,
was one of the recent visitors at the Pearson Piano
Company's warerooms. John Pearson and wife re-
turned from New York after a pleasant visit at the
new Steinway & Sons building.
1890, was applauded as he recited from manuscript
the poet's appeal to the muse to find a home in the
march of New York northward:
What heart too proudly temperate and eokl
Peels not the warmth and splendor of this hour'.'
What memory would not this moment hold
A precious gift from out sweet Fortune's dower?
For here the voice of music shall he heard,
And never will the strings be ever mute.
And never will the notes be ever blurred,
And never will the sounding of the lute
Fall upon ears untuned to harmonies . . .;
O Gentle Goddess, make thy dwelling here!
O Dulcet Maid, forever here abide!
And may thy lovely presence, year by year.
Make us sweet Fortune's minion and her pride.
Musical folk among the early arrivals at the hall
were Sergei Rachmaninoff and Mrs. Rachmaninoff.
Mrs. Mengelberg, Mrs. Gauge, Mme. Elena Gerhardt.
Miss Yolanda Mero. John Powell, H. H. Huss, H. F.
Gilbert and Edward Ziegler. Others invited were
Leopold Auer, Frank Damrosch, George Barrere.
Mrs. James Huneker, Chalmers Clifton, Alexander
Russell, Mr. and Mrs. Mischa Elman, Walter S.
Fischer, Alexander Lambert and W. J. Guard.
Society in the Audience.
Those accepting cards also included Dr. Hugh
Auchincloss. Mrs. Robert L. Bacon, George F. Baker,
XEW STKIXWAY HALL.
Sr., Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Baylies, Mrs. August Bel-
berg's men, who added later Percy Grainger's "Irish mont, Jr., Mrs. Thomas Blagden, Edward Bok, Mr.
Tune" and gay "Mock Morris." Schubert's song "An and Mrs. J. A. Burden, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H.
Choate. Jr., Airs. Andrew Carnegie, James B. Clews,
Die Musik" was one of Mr. Gauge's selections.
Bainbridge Colby, R. L. Cottenet, Frederic Coudert,
Mr. Hofmann played his own "Sanctuary," com- Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Daly, Jr., Frederick P.
posed under the pseudonym of Dvorsky, together
Delafield, Waller Douglas, John R. Drexel. General
with Chopin's A-flat ballade and F major nocturne Coleman du Pont, George Eastman, Mrs. X. L.
and Beethoven's march from "The Ruins of Athens" Edgar, Senator Davis Elkms, Dr. Cyrus \ \ . Field,
arranged by Rubinstein. It was Anton Rubinstein
Mrs. Marshall Field, Hamilton Fish, C. D. Gibson.
whose visit in 1872 had begun, at the Fourteenth
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Gould. S. R. Guggenheim. Mrs.
street hall, a famous series of foreign artists, yet com- C. S. Guggenheimer and John Hays Hammond. Jr
memorated in paintings seen in the new building last
Others were Mrs. E. H. Harriman, Mrs. H. O.
night.
Havemeyer, W. W. Hinshaw, Archer Huntington,
Poet's Appeal to the Muse.
Frederic A. Juilliard, Mrs. Otto H. Kahn, Alvin W.
Mr. Urchs, who has been spokesman for Mr. Stein- Krech, Clarence H. Mackay, Miss Ellin Mackay, Mr.
way since the period of Carnegie Hall's opening and and Mrs. Charles E Mitchell.. Miss Anne Morgan. Dr.
Eugene A. Noble, Professor H. Fairfield Osboru. Mr,
the discontinuance ,of Fourteenth street concerts after
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