Scan 37
Musical Courier 1895-12-11: Vol 31 Iss 823, 1895
77 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 38. See the scan on archive.org.
1New Wheelock Styles.
2MR. C. B. LAWSON, of Wm. E. Wheelock & Co., expresses himself as greatly delighted with the favor the new Wheelock styles have met from the trade and public. There is not a Wheelock representative that has not expressed himself as delighted with them, and each is confident that they will prove the most popular put out by this house.
4Business at the Wheelock factory has been fairly good all along, and a number of the dealers are hopeful for marked improvement.
6The Aeolian Up North.
7MESSRS. CLUETT & SONS will hereafter push the Aeolian in their Albany and Troy stores, arrangements to that end being concluded last week. The first order was for 20 Aeolians, which included all the styles of grands. The Cluettts have long been admirers of the qualities of this instrument, and have taken the agency with the intention of giving it the most vigorous representation. Special Aeolian rooms are being prepared, recitals will be given, and, as in New York, the best people will have every chance to become acquainted with the Aeolian.
9Hardman, Peck & Co.
10A LIVELY demand for Hardman baby grands, both in the local retail business and from their dealers, has given Hardman, Peck & Co. some little difficulty, as they were not prepared for such a business in these styles. The local trade in grands has been exceptionally brisk, the sales being made to that class of people that know the qualities of the various pianos and appreciate those of the Hardman. The liberal advertising of Hardman, Peck & Co. is bearing good fruit, and the reports from Hardman agents are in every way encouraging. Three Hardman pianos, a grand and two cabinet grands, are prominent features of the great fair now being held in aid of the Educational Alliance and the Hebrew Technical Institute. A strong Hardman advertisement is to be found in the book of the fair, of which there is an edition de luxe as well.
12Schubert—C. C. O. C.
13MR. PETER DUFFY, president of the Schubert Piano Company, returned on Thursday last from his visit to Chicago, where he went to consult with the Chicago Cottage Organ Company about the renewal of his contract with them for another year. Mr. Duffy, when interviewed on the subject, said:
14"Nothing is as yet definitely settled, but it appears probable that the contract will not be renewed.
15"I went over the business conditions very carefully with the Messrs. Cable, and they made me a proposition toward renewal of the contract which I have considered thoroughly. I did not accept their proposition, and I have not accepted it yet. As I said before, it is very improbable that the contract will be renewed.
16"As to definite plans for operating in the territory at present covered by the Chicago Cottage Organ Company, there is nothing to say at present. I shall, of course, work it for all it is worth.
17"I am sorry that we could not come to an agreement, as the Chicago Cottage people and I have done business together for a long time, and they have sold many thousand Schubert pianos."
19A Pedal Violin.
20THE pedal violin of Mueller-Brannau has been lately exhibited by the inventor at Berlin. Externally the instrument resembles the bowed zither; like it, it has a fingerboard divided by frets, and rests on a square support as high as an ordinary table. The strings are as in the violin, with the addition of a lower C string below the G string, thus giving it the compass of the viola and violin. Between the strings, without touching them, is an endless strip of parchment covered with resin, which is set in motion by a treadle. Five keys serve to bring the parchment strip in touch with one of the strings, and to produce a note which can be increased, according to the pressure applied, from a soft piano to a strong forte. The player's right hand holds the fingerboard, the left manages the five keys, and the feet set the band of parchment in motion. The tone is almost that of the true violin, but perhaps rather sharper.
22The effect of the powerful crescendo, especially in double stopping and chords, which is played at once, without arpeggio, is marvelous, and are always, in consequence of the fret, pure in tone, which, as is known, presents many difficulties in the violin. In expression the instrument is just as effective as the arm violin. Herr Mueller-Brannau played Raff's Cavatina with such life and nuance that a listener in the adjoining room would never have suspected a mechanical violin. The vibrato, which gives such charm to the tone of the bow, is easily rendered, and was employed by the performer with great effect.
24Of course there is a difference whether the hand wields the bow or the parchment strip touches the strings, and such delicate and refined nuancing as the hand of the artist evokes from the violin can hardly be attained on the pedal violin. It was not, however, the design of the inventor to render the violinist superfluous; his instrument is intended mainly for house use, and will enable the musical amateur to learn how to play violin music in much less time than heretofore. He reckons that two months will enable anyone to play easy pieces—a very favorable result.
26Unprecedented.
27YESTERDAY, December 10, a Bostonian celebrated his 85th birthday in that city, and of the eighty-five years of his life seventy-one—71—years have been spent with Chickering & Sons as one of the employees of that distinguished house.
29David T. Haraden was born December 10, 1810. When fourteen years old he entered the employ of the late Jonas Chickering, who had then just entered the piano ranks. He had three or four rooms in a building that occupied the spot now covered by the Registry of Deeds building on Tremont street, next to the King's Chapel burying ground.
31Young Haraden began by sweeping out the rooms, and as years passed on he worked in the various departments, and now, enjoying the best of health, Mr. Haraden is the librarian at the factory of Chickering & Sons. The events of the past seventy-one years, during which Mr. Haraden has been figuring on the pay roll of his house, have all been observed by him with the greatest interest. When he started in with Jonas Chickering Andrew Jackson had not yet reached the Presidency; Clay was speaker of the House; Webster and Calhoun were in their prime. The issues that brought about the war had not yet been definitely formulated. Victoria became Queen thirteen years later. Pope Pius IX. was then a cardinal. None of the present kings or emperors, except the Austrian, were born. Cleveland was not born. Grant was two years old then. Gladstone is five years older than Mr. Haraden; Bismarck only a few years older.
33Mr. Haraden expects to participate in considerable fun for years to come, and he is up with the lark and "knows it all."
35A Bad Son.
36EDWARD B. BOWERS, who claimed to be a son of J. F. Bowers, the San Francisco piano dealer, was arrested in that city a few days ago in the act of robbing the residence of Mrs. Preston, 1424 Leavenworth street. Mrs. Preston lives in a flat, and the policeman on the beat was notified that suspicious noises had been heard there. The officer stationed another at the front door and went himself to the rear of the building, where he found a window opening in the bathroom broken open. He entered and found Bowers ransacking Mrs. Preston's bedroom. He submitted to arrest without resistance, and when searched was found to have only a pocket knife and a jimmy in his possession.
38Music House Robbed.
39FOR some time Knoxville, Tenn., has had an experience with sneak thieves and some music house was getting the worst of it. It was an everyday occurrence for some fine musical instrument to be offered for sale at a very low price and by fellows of rather shady character. Officers took the case in hand and got hold of a banjo which had been left with a party to try. They took it around to all the music houses and finally Steen, Love & Co. recognized it. Three men were finally run down as the thieves, and were held for trial.
41Steen, Love & Co. do not know how the thieves got into the store, nor how many instruments were stolen.
43Better Than Ever.
44THE dealer, or musician for that matter, who has not carefully examined the new Behr Brothers pianos has a surprise awaiting him, for the latest products of the company offer points for consideration that cannot but win the genuine admiration of anyone capable of judging tone quality, workmanship and appearance. Their artistic qualities have been strengthened by a careful and scientific overlooking, and improvement here and there, the use of high grade materials, and the employment of the most skilled labor.
46Good as the Behr Brothers pianos have always been, highly as they have been esteemed by the dealers, it can be said that the Behr Brothers pianos of to-day are better in musical qualities, better in workmanship and handsomer in appearance than ever before. Behr Brothers & Co. is one of the houses in the trade that is making efforts to improve the quality of their product and push their business, and with success.
48The new Behr Brothers piano should be seen and examined by every dealer that has a class of trade that demands the best in piano making. The dealers who are pushing this instrument as a leader are doing so with a full appreciation of its remarkable qualities. The Behr Brothers piano is destined to be one of the most marked successes in the music trade.
50Another Automatic Automaton Attachment.
51JOHN A. SMITH, of York, Pa., the patentee of an automatic attachment for pianos, is casting about for a metropolitan prestige, and will probably manufacture from this point in the near future.
53Heavy Damages?
54A FEW months ago the Needham Piano and Organ Company, of New York, placed an attachment on the stock of Hollingsworth, Bullington & Co., Dallas, Tex., and succeeded in bringing that firm to an understanding with its creditors. Now Hollingsworth, Bullington & Co. bring suit against the Needham Piano and Organ Company for $40,000 damages and also extend their compliments to House & Davis, of Chicago, in the sum of $100,000 damages. The trials come off in January.
56Mason & Hamlin
57PIANOS AND ORGANS.
58PIANOS.
59W. H. SHERWOOD—Beautiful instruments, capable of the finest grades of expression and shading.
60MARTINUS SIEKING—Have never played upon a piano which responded so promptly to my wishes.
61GEO. W. CHADWICK—The tone is very musical, and I have never had a piano which stood so well in tune.
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64ORGANS.
65FRANZ LISZT—Matchless, unrivaled; so highly prized by
66THEODORE THOMAS—Much the best; musicians generally so
67regard them.
68X. SCHARWENKA—No other instrument so enraptures the player
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71STANDARD INSTRUMENTS.
72ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES AND FULL PARTICULARS MAILED ON APPLICATION.
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75Mason & Hamlin Co.
76BOSTON, NEW YORK, CHICAGO.
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