Scan 31
Musical Courier 1896-07-01: Vol 33 Iss 852, 1896
115 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026. Printed page 32. See the scan on archive.org.
1and finally become comparatively worthless, so far as tone is concerned."
3"And how, in making an instrument, are you so confident what its tone will be, Mr. Oakes?"
5"By this little machine here," he replied, pointing to a machine that had the appearance of a little turning lathe.
7"If you take one of my violins and mark it into small squares, you will find the thickness corresponds in each corresponding square. This machine will show the difference, if it is only the thickness of a piece of gold leaf. I spent twenty years studying the defects of violins, and how to remedy them, before I made one. Then I got down to mathematical nicety, and I made this machine to insure it.
9"Why, here is a shop violin, costing $1.50, that I have worked on for experiment. Because of its correction of tone it is now worth from $50 to $100."
11"How many violins could you make in a year?"
13"I could make about one first-class one a month; say ten in the course of a year, and if I disposed of that number in Seattle I should be contented and happy."
15"If they should all prove to be good?" was hazarded.
17"There is no if. They would be mathematically perfect, and the tone would speak for itself, straight to the heart of those who know music."—Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
19Music's Tribute to "Crown" Pianos and Organs.
21WHEN music sang her first sweet lays,
22In our fair planet's early days,
23She searched the world the whole year long
24For instrument to voice her song.
25Vain was her quest, naught could she find
26In touch with her celestial mind,
27Until at last she hovered o'er
28A "Crown," she ne'er had spied before.
29She lightly touched the answering keys,
30As fay-bells, kissed by summer breeze:
31Then louder swelled the sweet refrain
32Like some triumphant siren's strain:
33Then paused, enraptured at the sound
34That after centuries she had found.
35"Now," sighed she, "is my soul at rest,
36Since I have found myself expressed.
37To 'Crown' pianos, organs, too,
38I pay this tribute, 'tis their due.
39Their staunch and beauteous cases hold
40The soul of Music, erst untold."
42—Mr. Thos. S. Knight, employed as outside man for the Tway Piano Company, will sail for Europe on July 4, to be absent until September 1.
44The M. Steinert & Sons Co., the great New England firm of piano dealers, has recently taken the BRAUMULLER PIANO for its extensive territory.
46The Jesse French Piano and Organ Co., the great Southwestern piano house, has sold the BRAUMULLER PIANO for years and recommends them. What is satisfactory to such leading concerns should be to any dealer. Call on us and examine the
48BRAUMULLER,
49402-410 West 14th Street,
50New York City.
52BOSTON OFFICE THE MUSICAL COURIER,
5317 Beacon Street, June 27, 1896.
55BUSINESS has dropped from dull to duller this week. One or two retail warerooms report that they are doing better than last year at this time, but the majority of the dealers preserve a discreet silence when the word business is mentioned.
57The demand has been, whenever there has been any demand at all, for pianos at reduced rates; that is, the customer expected to get a high priced piano at a smaller sum than the regular price on account of the dull times.
59At one wareroom they have sold all their square pianos excepting two, and they had a big room full of them.
61The new Style 96 of the Emerson Piano Company is proving to be a fine selling instrument. Orders for it have come in from all quarters, and one day this week the company received an order for 48 to be sent to one firm.
63This piano is made in mahogany, oak and walnut, is small in size and only one style of case.
65The style of the case is Colonial, which seems to be the newest and latest idea.
67Mr. Henry L. Mason reached home from Europe on Saturday after just four weeks' absence, having sailed on the St. Paul May 20 and arrived back on the St. Louis June 20.
69Upon reaching England he went immediately to London for a week, then to Amsterdam and Leyden, being three days in the two places, Paris three days, then back to London until the time of sailing.
71Mr. Mason found business in a most flourishing condition on that side of the water. Everything is favorable for a further extension of the business of Mason & Hamlin in Europe, the agents are delighted with both the piano and organ, and the outlook for the future is a bright one.
73In London Mr. Mason spent the greater part of the time with Metzler & Co. talking business. He found it rather amusing to have tea served in the office at 4 o'clock in the afternoon during a serious business interview.
75Unlike the majority of European travelers Mr. Mason says that he returned with more money than he took away with him.
77The following is an interview with Mr. Mason in regard to Mr. Sieveking. He said:
79Q. "Did you see Mr. Sieveking while abroad?"
80A. "Yes, I spent three days in Paris with him. Or rather not in Paris, but at Le Raincy, a small town just outside of Paris, where he has a cottage which he rents from a Parisian, who cannot occupy it on account of ill health. The cottage is beautifully situated, with fine views, large grounds many acres in extent, and is surrounded with a high wall, so that access to the place is had only through a gate that is kept locked against intruders.
82"There Mr. Sieveking has a piano, a bed and a table; that is about all the furniture. In a smaller cottage on the place live a man and his wife, who take care of the house and garden. Luncheon and dinner are taken at a village restaurant.
84"Sieveking practices all the time, does nothing but play and study, with Tad for a companion."
85Q. "What did he say about leaving America so suddenly?"
86A. "There was not one word said about it. I went to see him and to talk about the future, not the past. But I am convinced he had some good and excellent reason for the course he took."
87Q. "Did he play for you?"
88A. "Yes; he played the greater part of the time, delightful things that he had been practicing—concertos, sonatas, all sorts of things. One, a concerto by Moszkowski, he says is the most difficult thing he ever played, but he played it finely. You know he has such strength in his hands and can stretch eleven notes. He is an athlete, has superb health, and now that he realizes the enormousness of the future before him has settled down to hard work."
89Q. "He is a very young man, is he not?"
90A. "Only 28. He speaks six languages—French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and English—and is a clever, well informed man."
91Q. "Is he to play the Mason & Hamlin piano next season?"
92A. "Yes; he will come over in the fall and play our piano next winter, and I predict that he will make an immense success in this country. He has magnetism, is a big, strong fellow, and with his fine playing will rouse great enthusiasm in his audiences."
94The following letter to the New England Piano Company is one of their late testimonials:
96"BOSTON, Mass., February 1, 1896.
97"The New England grand piano used for the St. James' Church concert was very satisfactory, both in quality and volume of tone, with sufficient power to accompany a body of 250 voices.
98AUGUSTO ROTOLI,
99"Vocal Professor at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Mass."
100Mr. Booker Washington, the principal of the Tuskegee
102THE Merrill Piano HAS COME TO STAY. 118 Boylston Street, BOSTON.
104The Capen Pianos. MANUFACTURED BY THE BROCKPORT PIANO MFG. CO. BROCKPORT, N. Y.
106The most perfect mechanically playable musical instrument, with exchangeable long note, is the "KALOPHON," manufactured by the firm of ERNST ERICH LIEBMAN, in Gera-Reuss, Germany. Full, round tone, well arranged music, and greatest durability of the instruments warranted. The "KALOPHON" has eight steel tongues, metal music disk and a very strong mechanism. Illustrated catalogue on demand.
108Before You Buy a BOEHM FLUTE Ask for the price list of G. ULLMANN, in ADORF (Germany). Own manufacture. Full guarantee for pure pitch, easy speaking, neat finish.
110THE MUSICAL COURIER Has the Largest Circulation of any Musical Paper in the World.
112A SENSATIONAL NOVELTY IN THE ACCORDEON Branch is the invention of GUENTHER KOERNER, in Germany. The belly needs no longer brass tippings or other metal parts made out of ONE piece of leather, in 10 seconds, with Guenther's patented process. The reeders are no longer sharp, but are rounder, and have a pleasing and elegant appearance, as well as an almost indestructible body to the instrument, which was therefore named THE INDESTRUCTIBLE HERCULES. The Guenther Koerner Accordions are most favorably known.
114STUART PIANOS. MANUFACTURED BY A. H. STUART & CO., 107 W. Canton St., Boston, Mass.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.