Scan 43
Musical Courier 1891-12-16: Vol 23 Iss 617, 1891
75 lines. Read by computer on 19 September 2026. Printed page 730. See the scan on archive.org.
1ASCENDANCY OF THE GRAND.
3REFERENCE to the many letters published in another column will show that the square piano has about disappeared from the trade and the upright been finally established as the instrument of to-day. The contest for supremacy is now narrowed down to the upright and grand, and the grand, having now a greater percentage of output than the square, is rapidly contesting the position for first place with the upright, a fact which may surprise many people who do not follow closely such matters.
5Anyone who will carefully note the percentage of increase in grands as set forth in the letters referred to will see that that instrument is destined to press as closely upon the upright within the next few years as did the upright upon the square but a few years ago. It would seem that ultimately the grand will come to be considered the superior instrument in the commercial sense, as it has always been in the musical sense. The comparatively recent perfection that has been attained in grands of small dimensions and of relatively small cost probably has much to do with this condition, while the general appreciation by the purchasing public of the fact that the grand, even in an abridged form, is the best piano has equally as much to do with the present tendency of the trade. There must also be considered the fact that a grand piano is now taken as the fashionable instrument, a factor which had much to do with the present supremacy of the upright.
7As a result of this movement, viewed in a broad sense, there have been some examples of grands which have fallen under our notice that have been below the standard of their makers as shown in their uprights, just as the uprights of two decades ago were inferior to the old squares. The demand has required them to make grands just as years ago the demand required them to make uprights. As in the upright case, the improvement in grands will follow.
9Had anyone 10, 15 or 20 years ago predicted that by 1891 the square piano would have disappeared and that the upright would be the popular instrument, he would have been laughed at; who, did he say that 15 or 20 years hence the grand would be the reigning style, would be laughed at?
11MORE MILLER MUDDLES.
13Some Additionally Nonsensical Claims of Popularity.
15"Does any one manufacturer sell all the pianos used in Boston, Mass., schools? Wire answer."
17THE above dispatch was received at this office from a large dealer in a Western city last week and was answered to the effect that no one manufacturer supplied the Boston public schools with instruments, and the names of the various makes in use were given, including a few "Miller" pianos. It was learned subsequently that an agent of the Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Company had made the statement that "Miller" pianos were used exclusively in the Boston schools, a statement which was largely advertised by that firm some time ago. It was also subsequently learned that the answer to the above dispatch effectively killed the sale of a Miller piano, the prospective purchaser having his eyes opened to the fact that the claim was untrue.
19There would be but little importance attached to this recital were it not that it is again proved that false, reckless, nonsensical claims are sure in the long run to turn out disastrously. Such claims are those made by the "Millers of Boston," who are not content to maintain their proper position as makers of a medium grade piano, and to push their business for all it is worth on that basis, but must needs attempt to mislead and hoodwink the general public by the promulgation, through the public prints, of false and oftentimes ridiculous claims which have no existence in fact, and which are calculated to create an entirely erroneous impression as to the class of their product.
21It will be remembered that for a long time they paraded the silly statement that their piano had been played 3,650 consecutive times in 3,650 consecutive concerts, and that a Miller grand was to be heard every day in the year in some prominent musical event. It was shown how absurd any such claim was, and now the advertisement has been changed to the following form, which we clip from the Boston "Musical Herald" of December:
23Henry F. Miller.
24PIANO FORTES.
26Their great success in the concerts of more than 200 different professional pianists, their superiority to all others, which is conceded by many of the most distinguished musicians, are sufficiently significant to attract the attention of all lovers of music desiring to purchase for their own use a piano which is pre-eminently the best at present made.
28The first impulse of a trade paper, conducted in the interests of all which is genuine and good in music, would be to challenge the Millers to produce a specified list of the 200 different "professional pianists." But The Musical Courier has so often exposed the absurd proclamations of the Millers that it now merely offers this last one as the latest example of their system and refers to its previous criticisms upon similarly ludicrous claims.
30ÆOLIAN ORGAN AND MUSIC COMPANY.
32THE recent increase of capital stock of the Æolian Organ and Music Company, of Meriden and New York, was necessitated by the tremendous increase of the wholesale and retail trade of the company and the general development of the demand for this class of investment.
34The unique and telling advertisements of the company have—as all effective advertisements are sure to—produced customers, and the retail warerooms are consequently constantly filled with investigators and buyers. The wholesale trade will in time follow.
36As a result of this activity efforts are being made to consolidate the Æolian Company's business with that of M. Gally, the talented inventor of many remarkably valuable patents on mechanical, automatic and pneumatic musical instruments. The Gally patents have a value far above the market price for such concerns as the Æolian Company, whose instruments are to some degree still deficient in certain musically artistic features. With the power and privilege to adapt some of the Gally patents the Æolian Company would add vastly to the musical and artistic value of their productions, and it is probable that we shall soon hear of a combination between these two elements—the Æolian and the Gally—which will, no doubt, be conducive of mutual as well as public benefit.
38THE ASSOCIATION.
40A COMMITTEE has been appointed by the Piano Manufacturers' Association of New York and Vicinity to arrange the details, date, place, invitations, &c., for the annual dinner of the association, which will probably occur in the early spring. Aside from the advantages of closer intercourse which the members of the association have enjoyed in their monthly meetings, these annual dinners offer an opportunity to meet upon social grounds the several manufacturers who are not now listed on the membership roll of the association, and they open a chance for the interchange of opinions on current matters with piano men from other cities, which should tend toward the formation of a larger and more comprehensive body embracing the chief portion of the manufacturers in all parts of the country.
42The last dinner was exceedingly enjoyable, profitable and instructive, and it is possible to make the coming dinner a memorable event. It would be gratifying to see invitations extended to all makers of pianos in the United States and to have them convened in New York as the guests of our local organization, to the end that each might become personally acquainted with all others, and that for an evening at least there might be an abandonment or abeyance of all petty jealousies and a general exchange of good fellowship and friendly feeling, which would redound to the good of all concerned.
44With all respect for the association in New York, it may be fairly stated, that, despite the results that it has already accomplished, it is in its nature limited in scope and possibilities. There are some large concerns in New York who are not in its number, and there are other concerns in different cities who are affected by its actions in but an indefinite, not to say negative, sense. But a year's concerted work has shown that beneficial results come from a concentration of power, and it is to be hoped that with the present experience as a basis the whole scheme of co-operation may be broadened to take in outside interests that must of necessity be affected, from the sheer fact that they are not now in it, and that at the next dinner a foundation may be laid for the formation of an association that shall include all who are identified with the piano interests of America.
46MR. SISSON'S CORRECTION.
48THE columns of this paper are at all times open for the publication of any corrections that may be sent in. The following has just been received:
50FARRAND & VOTRY ORGAN COMPANY, Detroit.
51C. T. SISSON, P. O. Box 581, Philadelphia,
52General Manager for the Eastern States,
53the Virginias, Ohio and Indiana,
54PHILADELPHIA, December 11, 1891.
56Musical Courier, New York:
57My attention has been called to an article in your issue of the 9th inst., wherein I have been quoted as saying that "Farrand & Votry proposed to give up the manufacture of reed organs, entirely devoting their time, attention and capital to building church organs only." This is not correct, and no remarks of that character were ever made by me to the trade or anyone. Will you kindly correct, and oblige.
59Yours truly,
60C. T. SISSON.
62We cannot find any such quotation in THE MUSICAL COURIER as Mr. Sisson asks us to publish in his letter. We said:
64Many of the friends of the Farrand & Votry Organ Company, of Detroit, have expressed their regrets at the severe financial losses sustained by that company in recent failures. No doubt in the coming year the company will recuperate from these blows, to which all commercial institutions are subject at times, and continue in a prosperous career. The company is devoting considerable attention to the manufacture of church organs, and it is believed that the house will gradually get out of the reed organ trade entirely and devote all its energy to church organs. Mr. Sisson, the traveling man, indicates as much to the trade he visits. They are making an excellent church organ.
66Mr. Sisson, it will be observed, is said to have "indicated" such a thing, but no absolute language such as he quotes was attributed to him. Mr. Sisson has admitted that it is difficult to meet Western reed organ competition, and that church organ manufacturing would prove more profitable, particularly for a man situated as he is, who can use the piano and organ dealers in the various localities to aid him in receiving church organ contracts—the aid being secured by the offer of commissions.
68It appeared to us, and to others also, that this was an excellent scheme and was the first movement to incorporate church organ manufacturing in the commercial industries as distinguished from the peculiar methods usually adopted in endeavoring to secure contracts for church organs. In fact we consider Mr. Sisson's plan most excellent, and we are under the impression that he has been too busy with it to devote much time to the reed organ department. If we have been laboring under an error, then, of course, it resolves itself to the conclusion that the Farrand & Votry church organ department is not active and from that point of view our editorial would be erroneous.
70THE swindling transactions in violins are not limited to New York, with occasional offshoots in Cincinnati, Chicago, Boston and other sections. Glasgow, Scotland, is the latest locality that enjoys a similar distinction for a violin dealer—F, being the initial letter of his name, who had a genuine Stradivarius violin (and it is rather odd that a dealer should be the possessor of a genuine old instrument), took it carefully apart. To the genuine belly and sides he attached a false back and to the genuine back he attached a false belly and sides, and he consequently had two Stradivarius violins. The latter he sold to an amateur for £400 (these violin swindlers do hover around the same figures), and after the discovery of the swindle and the exposé of the manipulation the verdict of the jury before whom the trial had been held was naturally against the swindling violin dealer.
72He was compelled to return the £400, and the costs of the trial amounted to £50 in addition. This does not include the lawyers' fees and other expenses incurred by the violin dealer, who imitated the plan usually adopted in this country of attempting to bribe and suborn witnesses.
74After all, the law finally gets its clutches on these thieves, and if they are not captured and punished, or if they by devious means manage to avoid the law, they are driven out of business by the force of public opinion.
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