Scan 25
Musical Courier 1893-04-12: Vol 26 Iss 684, 1893
92 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 26. See the scan on archive.org.
1WORLD'S FAIR.
3CHICAGO, April 8, 1893.
5THE gist of the communication submitted to Secretary of the Treasury Carlisle by the Chairman of the Committee on Legislation of World's Fair—Mr. Edwin Walker—yesterday is contained in these questions:
7In the event that the World's Columbian Exposition decides not to furnish security for the return and repayment of the $570,880 referred to in Section I, can the Secretary of the Treasury pay out said $570,880, or any part thereof, for the purposes named in said section?
9If you are of the opinion that upon the failure or refusal of the World's Columbian Exposition to furnish adequate security for the return and repayment of said $570,880 it is the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to withhold payment of the whole of said appropriation, shall the Secretary of the Treasury also withhold the payment or delivery of the souvenir coins known as the Columbian half-dollar to the amount and value of $570,880?
11If the World's Columbian Exposition would furnish the security and receive the amount of the appropriation withheld by the Secretary of the Treasury by direction of the last Congress, could the World's Columbian Exposition assume the payment of the entire cost of the bureau of awards and thereby relieve itself of the indemnity which it is required to file?
13If the World's Columbian Exposition decline to file the security required by the act of Congress which you are asked to construe, can the Secretary of the Treasury pay the cost and expenses of the Bureau of Awards out of the $2,500,000 appropriation reserved by the Department under the last act of Congress.
15This sum—$570,880—is the amount required as the expense of the Bureau of Awards, and there seems no possibility to arrange the open question until these legal disturbances shall have been disposed of. Some of the exhibitors in the musical instrument department are bent upon getting awards (no reflection upon Geo. P. Bent's bent), and never would have entered without having felt that awards would be given. Others again are totally indifferent as to the question of awards, and one or two are sphynx-like in their attitude.
17Improvements.
19A curious point has been raised here on what constitutes improvements in pianos and organs. Suppose a piano has in its construction an innovation, would it in consequence constitute an improvement simply because the maker was claiming it as such? Suppose the "improvement" did not improve the tone? Suppose it could be shown that the tone of the piano was not as good, as round, as clear, as sustained as the tone of piano without the "improvement?" Suppose what is called an "improvement" is in reality a "detriment?" From this we conclude that because a maker denominates an innovation, a change, any kind of patent or attachment an "improvement," it by no means follows that the Exposition in its Official Report will so call it, or will give it any special precedence over the regulation construction.
21Then comes the question of "advancement." What constitutes "advancement" in a piano or organ? Something that has never been in a piano or organ before, or something that advances its method or line of construction, or something that advances its sale, or something that advances its musical merits? How is this to be settled?
23For instance, we know of a piano that has a pasteboard or celluloid keyboard attachment to indicate to people ignorant of the piano keyboard the names and enharmonic designations of the keyboard. Is that an "improvement" and "advancement?" From some points of view, yes; from others, positively no. Some persons would approve of it; others would view it as an interference with the proper study of the piano and organ. How is that to be settled? A piano tuner as a judge is not supposed to be able to settle it. A violin authority cannot do it. A judge of mouth harmonicas is not in it, and a musical critic who has been spending a lifetime correcting proof for a music publisher cannot decide it.
25Here is a piano with gold strings or composition strings asking for judgment. The manufacturer's arguments will be of no avail; in fact he will not even know when or how the question is to be decided. Who can do it? A piano tuner who never handled such pianos knows nothing about it. A violin authority knows nothing of piano wire. A judge of mouth harmonicas is disbarred, and a critic, who has been spending a lifetime correcting proofs for a rich Union Square music publisher at $1 a week, probably never heard of or saw a gold string in a piano—or even in an organ.
27How many are there even in this country to-day, outside of those directly engaged in the manufacture of them, that know anything at all about the practical results in the line of electrical appliances in pipe organs, or the Tubular System as a substitute of the Tracker plan? How many?
29How many men are there in this country to-day, outside of those directly engaged in the manufacture or sale of them, who know the difference between the various grades of brass band instruments imported into this country and the true inwardness of the brass band instrument industry in this land?
31How many men are there in this land of milk and honey and banjo cocktails who know the story of the frauds in the line of old violins, violas and cellos, and also in the prosperous line of new violins, constituting a constant fraud upon the community?
33How many men or women are there in this country who can tell when the casework on instruments is solid, is veneered, is imitation, is genuine, is nature's figure or is painted? How many?
35Actions.
37There are seven and a half piano manufacturers in this country who make their own actions; the others all have actions supplied to them by Action Manufacturers. Of these seven and a half only two and a half will exhibit at the World's Fair, the other five remaining out—that is at least outside of the exhibitors' space.
39Now there is considerable difference in the quality of actions, and some very poor pianos—poor in construction, with poor tone results—have very good actions, while some pianos with excellent foundation qualities and effective scale are seriously impeded by poor actions. Suppose, however, a piano with a poor action and a good tone should secure an A1 diploma, how would that affect the Action Maker? We should say that it would by no means affect him seriously or make him feel badly, for he would at once utilize that piano diploma unless he had no advertising and no business instinct, in which case he would amount to nothing anyhow.
41Suppose he is among the diploma seeking exhibitors himself and his actions received no diploma, while the pianos in which they were used did get an effective diploma? He would be all right anyhow.
43Suppose again there were two pianos of different makes, one receiving a powerful commendatory diploma and the other a dish rag of a diploma, and both contained actions of the same make? What would the other action makers do in this case? They certainly would never refer to the dish rag diploma. Oh, no!
45Suppose the judges would give special recognition to a piano not at all exhibited? And the band played "Annie Laurie." Lots of things happen to occur as world's fairs lasting six months proceed along.
47Newspaper Items.
49The Chicago "Herald" of this date has the following on the Music and Musical Instrument subjects:
51Music and Musical Instruments.
53Another important group of exhibits in the Department of Liberal Arts comprises music and musical instruments. The design of the musical exhibit is to illustrate the history and theory of music, showing crude and curious instruments which have led up to the present development. There will be portraits of great musicians, and priceless musical scores of the past. In musical instruments there will be specimens of those used in the earliest times. Self-vibrating instruments will include tamborines, cymbals, castanets, bells, chimes, xylophones and music boxes. In stringed instruments there will be lutes, guitars, banjos, mandolins, harps, zithers, dulcimers and a most interesting collection of the violin family, running the gamut from viol and violoncello to the bass viol. In keyboard instruments there will be a very large exhibit of modern pianos, square, upright and grand. Side by side with this exhibit will be shown the predecessors of the piano, including the clavichord and harpsichord. Then there will be every variety of wind instrument, from the flute and flageolet, through the range of bugles, cornets and horns, up to the organ family, including the largest pipe organs, which are placed as exhibits in Music Hall and Choral Hall.
55Music Hall, which is designed for the higher grade of orchestral and solo music, has been equipped with a splendid pipe organ, specially adapted to that quality of music. Choral Hall on the other hand, which is to be equipped for large musical festivals and choruses, will contain a large pipe organ specially devised for sustaining such masses of tone.
57A Chime of Bells.
59Other special exhibits in the Musical Department of Liberal Arts include a chime of bells in one of the towers of Machinery Hall, which are put in as an exhibit by a Cincinnati firm. These chimes will play at given hours. Then there is another set of chimes in the central tower of Manufacturers' and Liberal Arts Building, which is put in as an exhibit by an Albany firm. The latter chimes will ring in connection with a self-winding electric clock, which is itself an exhibit in another department.
61The exhibit of ancient musical instruments is mainly from collections loaned to the Exposition. One of the most unique collections is that of M. Steinert, of New Haven, who values it at $60,000. This collection includes some very old members of the violin family, and also photographs of celebrated musical scores. Most of the celebrated makers from the fourteenth century down are represented in the Steinert collection. Mr. Partello, a United States consul in Germany, also sends some valuable instruments, which he has collected after many years of labor.
63In modern pianos and organs there will be exhibits from about seventy of the leading manufacturers. In smaller instruments there will be exhibits from about fifty manufacturers. Many of the piano firms will build handsome pavilions. As this is a commercial exhibit there is considerable rivalry as to the ornateness of the pavilions and their furnishings. The piano men promise to furnish the finest specimens of the piano making art ever shown, and the machinery and methods of manufacture will also be an interesting feature.
65There is no truth in the report current that Morris Spinett Steinert will include in his collection of old pianos a "few" of a make of instruments his firm is now selling in its various houses. The man who sent that story out here among the nervous exhibitors should be compelled to play on one of Steinert's old virginals 27 hours a day during the exhibition. The Chicago "Herald" is also wrong in estimating the Steinert collection at $60,000. Mr. Steinert has insured it in the Live Stock Company for $100,000, besides doubling the insurance on his own life for the six months of the exposition. Special editions of John S. Bach's four finger etudes will be issued for parties who want to practice on dulcimers.
67Notes.
69Frank Gibson, son of Mr. Joseph Gibson, who is at the head of the Miller factory, will have charge of the Miller exhibit; and the Vose & Son Piano Company have made a wise selection in giving charge of their exhibit to their Mr. Dowling, who for many years has been with them at their Boston establishment, beginning as a tuner, and now occupying the position of salesman. He is thoroughly posted on the piano question and will be of great service to the house.
71* * *
73The A. H. Andrews Desk and Office Furniture Company, of Chicago, is erecting the booths for the following firms: Chickering & Sons, Conover Piano Company, Estey Organ Company and Estey Piano Company, A. B. Chase Company, Vose & Sons Piano Company, and Ivers & Pond Piano Company.
75* * *
77Any piano or organ manufacturers who will guarantee to erect handsome booths may yet have opportunities to enter the Exposition if they make application now. It is not too late.
79The Goggans in San Antonio.
81THOS. GOGGAN & BROTHERS, the only music house in Texas that covers the whole State and a large portion of Mexico, has moved into more commodious and elegant quarters at the corner of Houston and Navarro streets, the Stumberg Building, where they are better prepared than ever before to expeditiously handle their large and ever increasing trade. Everybody knows that the Goggans deal in everything that is best in pianos, organs, musical merchandise and sheet music. They also know that the Goggans are liberal, enterprising and progressive, and that their immense trade gives them an advantage in prices that cannot be had elsewhere.
83The "Express" is glad to note the continued prosperity of this old and popular firm, and takes this opportunity to wish them long life and abundant success.—San Antonio "Express."
85Behning.
87MESSRS. BEHNING & SONS are congratulating themselves upon an arrangement just completed by them with the firm of Foster & Waldo, of Minneapolis, by which that concern will hereafter take five Behning pianos per week.
89The Behning has long been known as a prime favorite in that section of the Northwest, but the placing of an order for 200 pianos of the grade of the Behning is sufficiently unusual to deserve special mention.
91The month of March was another record breaking period with Behning & Sons, they having sold during that time more pianos than ever before in the same month since they began business. Mr. Albert Behning left last week to make his periodical trip among their agents in New York and Pennsylvania.
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