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Musical Courier 1893-04-12: Vol 26 Iss 684, 1893
79 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 27. See the scan on archive.org.
1THEODOR THOMAS.
3AMONG the most important news just at hand from the World's Fair is the announcement that Theodore Thomas is making a strong effort to have the musical branch, of which he is director (not chief), erected into a Department, which would necessarily raise him to the position of a Chief, co-equal with Dr. Peabody, Mr. Allison, Mr. Ives, &c. &c. The Bureau of Music is now a section or part of the Department of Liberal Arts. Commissioners Saunders and Platt, of the Board of Control, have charge of this new scheme and may report on it at almost any time.
5All kinds of conjectures have arisen from the announcement of this important and far reaching project, which, if carried out, would place Mr. Thomas directly under Director General Davis without the necessity of an intermediate officer, and it would furthermore simplify his action in reference to the question of pianos that are to be played in the music halls, or prohibited from use therein.
7In conjunction with this there appears a very curiously worded advertisement of the "last" Paderewski recital in Chicago, announced for Tuesday, April 11. It is in fact such an unusually worded advertisement that its reproduction is a strictly legitimate journalistic effort. This is it:
9THE AUDITORIUM.
11PADEREWSKI'S
12FAREWELL
13—TO CHICAGO
14AND POSITIVELY
15LAST RECITAL
16AT Auditorium,
17Tuesday Afternoon, April 11,
18AT 2 O'CLOCK.
20Notice the word "At," and it at once discloses a possibility. The musical people of Chicago are in pretty close contact with the Bureau of Music at the World's Fair grounds, and the news has trickled down into the city that Paderewski will in truth and reality play his "positively last recital at Auditorium" on Tuesday, April 11, but that he will be heard again after that date at the Music Hall on the World's Fair grounds, and that he will of course play his usual piano—a piano made by a firm that has withdrawn from the Exposition, and which consequently will not be permitted, according to Director-General Davis' order, to go into any of the Exposition music halls with any of its pianos.
22The name of the firm at this moment escapes our memory, for the memories of editors are just as treacherous as those of piano men.
24Dr. Peabody may be anxious to have Mr. Thomas' section elevated into a Department, to escape once and for all from this piano dilemma, and it may be one of the retroactive steps on the part of the authorities which in the estimation of the adepts of the school of Macchiavelli is called diplomacy.
26If Paderewski plays in the World's Fair Music Hall the engagement will be an official World's Columbian Exposition engagement, and there will be no escape from that. Nothing will prevent the loyal piano exhibitors from viewing it in any other manner, no matter who the parties to the contract may be.
28Paderewski is booked to leave this country about May 15, and if he is to play at the Exposition it must be between the opening day and the above date—that is, during the first two weeks.
30The course that will be taken by the piano manufacturers who were led to believe that the pianos of those who withdrew would not be permitted on the grounds under any guise whatever is unknown to us.
32If this step arouses antagonism and aggressive opposition on the part of the loyal exhibitors or a closing and locking up of a greater part of the piano exhibits, together with a withdrawal of the forces at the exhibit, and a practical non-participation, it will call general public attention to the subject and create a decidedly bitter sentiment among the people, who always can be depended upon as supporters of fair play, if not World's Fair Play.
34Will the stake be worth the game? is the question for those who are working to have their pianos passed into the music halls over the heads of the exhibitors. No one will ever consider them passive onlookers of events carrying with them such untold discussion. But after all will it pay to tempt public disapproval, and a general feeling of disappointment finding its most restive exponents among those manufacturers of Concert Grand Pianos who were induced to withdraw and who were known not to have any Paderewskis to offer to the World's Columbian authorities as tempting cards for Music Hall performances?
36No excuse or apology will be accepted, and the agents and representative dealers handling the other instruments will certainly feel exceedingly sore at such a turn of events. They may be a more disappointed lot than even those whose pianos are classed among the loyal ones, and who were not brought into line to withdraw. No excuses or apologies will be accepted, we repeat, by those who were led to believe that withdrawing signified withdrawing, and after all would now signify participation in a form far more favorable than under former conditions. This form of participation has no competitors. It is under such brilliant auspices that every other make does not for the time being exist.
38And yet in view of the storm of protest and indignation which might be aroused because of the exceptional position gained would it pay to force the issue?
40We candidly believe it would not. There is nothing to be gained artistically or financially, as compared with the possible danger surrounding the situation and the peculiar characteristics of our people, whereas a position of dignity in line with the original position taken and an absolute refusal to take advantage of any technical problem to enter the grounds, would be of such tremendous import as to attract the unbounded admiration of the whole musical and industrial world and make the use of any rival piano on the grounds an insignificant event.
42It takes wonderful moral courage to follow this plan, but some firms possess that rare quality of heroism.
44Something About Sterling.
46NOW that the weather has become sufficiently open for outside work, the Sterling Organ Company is making preparations to begin the erection of the new addition which is to be used for private offices. The site is between the two southern wings of the factory, and as to dimensions and arrangements has already been described in the "Sentinel."
48Not only are comfortable quarters for the officers of the company and the office employees to be given in the new structure, but it is also to contain convenient and commodious parlors for the exhibition of the finished instruments. For many years the patterns and drawings for use in the factory have been constantly exposed to the disastrous effects of a conflagration, an event which would seriously cripple the concern for a considerable time until new patterns, made according to new drawings, could be got out. The books of the company have also been less protected than they deemed wise, and to cover the whole necessity a new vault has just been completed. It is situated under the present office rooms and is inclosed top, sides and bottom by a 16 inch wall, which is entirely fire proof.
50Starting in 1866 the company made organs exclusively until 1884, when pianos were brought into their line of work. As there is a greater market for organs in the South and West, the concerns making those instruments have gradually left the East to a great extent, and but few makers are located in New England. The Sterling Company is still doing a big business in organs, turning out about 15 every working day. They do not make pipe organs, although a large reed instrument is made for church use. The piano department is the most important, however, and the capacity of the works is taxed severely, every day seeing the shipment of an average of 16 instruments. It was thought that last year was a star session of their business, but orders have started in this year to eclipse all records. From January 1, 1893, to the present date, 105 more pianos have been sold than during the same period last year. The instrument is, unlike many other instances of like nature, very popular in its own section of the country, and there have been many local purchasers, the latest being Postmaster Charles N. Downs, to whom a very fine instrument has just been sold.—Ansonia, Conn., "Sentinel."
52—The Lawrence Organ Company, of Easton, Pa., propose making an exhibit at the world's fair, consisting of eight of their seven octave piano cased organs.
54ALL kinds of rumors are afloat on the ultimate object of F. E. McArthur's retirement from Knoxville, where he is handling the Smith & Nixon line of goods, and his proposed opening of a retail house in this city; the latest rumor says that he will handle the Kimball line in New York, but nothing official exists in all these statements.
56HOWARD, FARWELL & CO., of St. Paul, will have a very extensive wareroom when they get their new establishment in shape. The front is 75 feet, depth nearly 175. It will not be ready for occupancy before July 1. The location is opposite the new building of W. J. Dyer & Brother. This leaves Whitney and Munger the only two music establishments on Fourth street, formerly the leading street in the St. Paul music trade.
58MR. STEGER, the Chicago piano man, was recently flattered with a big offer for his lease, his stock and his manufacturing plant, but for reasons he is not prepared to state, he refused to sell, although the sum represented a large gain. Mr. Steger kept the negotiations and offer from the ken of the newspaper man, but it leaked—absolutely leaked out. Mr. Steger refuses to discuss the subject, nor will he even hint at the name of the bidder, but we are prepared to state that it was a large jobbing house whose name is known throughout the whole trade.
60MR. HEMMINGWAY, known for years past as the traveling representative of the Wilcox & White Organ Company, of Meriden, Conn., and a strong advocate of the profitable character of the "Symphony" when handled properly by the dealer, is now in the Northwest, after having visited Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Mr. Hemmingway is a thoroughly posted, conservative and intelligent member of the music trade fraternity, and his observations are worthy of mental digestion. He is of the conviction that the excellent trade of January, February and March (as he has experienced it) is no criterion of the immediate future, and he believes that a safe policy should be adopted that imposes upon the trade caution in its pending and coming transactions. "Move slowly and carefully" seems to be his motto.
62IT is but due to the postmaster of the City of New York that we publicly extend to him our thanks and congratulations upon the prompt delivery of THE MUSICAL COURIER during the past few weeks. It has been so frequently and so forcibly stated that the facilities of the present post office building and the adequacy of the force employed therein were not such as to make a quick handling possible, that we are much pleased as the conductors of a business enterprise to receive such efficient service. The paper, which for months gone by was delivered even in this city as late as Thursday or Friday, though deposited in the post office on Tuesday, is now in the hands of our local subscribers on Wednesday morning, as it should be. We hear also from out of town places that the same expediency applies to them, and we therefore again offer to Postmaster Van Cott our thanks and congratulations.
64Sohmer at the Fair.
66MR. DE VOLNEY EVERETT, of Sohmer & Co., will make his headquarters in Chicago during the continuance of the world's fair and personally attend to the Sohmer exhibit, assisted by a competent man.
68This will be cheerful news to the many friends of Mr. Everett, who will no doubt anticipate much pleasure in meeting him under circumstances so conducive to enjoyment.
70Mr. Everett is now in Chicago, and Sohmer & Co. are expecting a notification from him almost any day that their booth is complete and ready for the pianos, which will then be shipped without further delay.
72The First Camden Piano.
74THE casting for the first piano to be built at R. C. Mason's piano factory arrived from New York this morning.
76Henry Most is to superintend the manufacture of the pianos for Mr. Mason, and the pianos to be turned out will be of the best manufacture.
78A Morse elevator is now being put up in the factory and everything will be in readiness next week for operations.—Camden, N. J., "Post," April 5.
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