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Musical Courier 1896-07-15: Vol 33 Iss 854, 1896
113 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 26. See the scan on archive.org.
1Musical Merchandise at Berlin's Exposition.
3Editors The Musical Courier:
5In order not to repeat the experience I had last week getting "first impressions," I approached the musical department of the Berliner Gewerbe Ausstellung to-day with a little more circumspection, and by a route which offered the prospect of a fiful entrance into the sanctum where Orpheus dwells.
7Just as expected, I had barely caught sight of the gilded lettering "Gruppe XII," when A. Lenk's mammoth carousel orchestration intonated with thundering accents. See the Conquering Hero Comes! Naturally I was quite overwhelmed by this spontaneous outburst of recognition, and almost had to brush away a "mental tear" before I passed beneath the aforesaid lettering. The effort to regain a businesslike composure was considerably lightened by Fratis' largest creation, which at that juncture "let loose" the intermezzo, so called, from Cavalleria Rusticana. By the way, Macagni's peculiarly original compositions seem to be in high favor with the Berliners at present, if one may judge from the programs of the various military and other bands concerting in the Ausstellungs Park.
9But you wanted me to say a few words about the small musical merchandise exhibits, and here I am writing the veriest sentimental "bosh," my time being limited at that. I will be brief and to the point, and as there is not much to be said anyway, neither you nor my American friends will find fault on that account.
11I am not satisfied with the showing of the musical merchandise industry at the Berliner Gewerbe Ausstellung, because it can in no sense be called representative. There are in the neighborhood of 150 manufacturers of small goods in this beautiful metropolis, and only fourteen of them could be induced to save the honor of their trade.
13"Why is this thus?" I asked a violin maker from Saxony, whom I came across during my round of the department.
15"There are, in my opinion, two reasons," he said.
17First, the business in high-class instruments, such as artists use, is, as everyone knows, not very extensive nor lucrative, and a good many of the people who engage in it can either not afford the expense of an exhibit here or do not care to incur it, because the material benefit to them would be insignificant at best. And as to cheaper goods, the manufacturers, much in the same position as to profits, are not out for glory, which they know they cannot get with their 'Schulmeister' fiddles and other articles of that grade. Besides, they, like the artistic makers, look for little or no increase of trade through the Ausstellung, and prefer to spend their energies and cash in different directions."
19In justice to both branches of the business it must be noted, however, that there are some very creditable representations in "Gruppe XII."
21Take, for instance, Oswald Möckel, with his fine collection of violins and 'celli, made after old models; it is a pleasure to examine workmanship and finish. The quartet of string instruments shown by him (model Antonius Stradivarius) is a particularly excellent creation. Praise for accurate lines and careful workmanship is also due Ludwig Neuner's exhibit of violins and 'celli.
23Carl Schulze's assortment of fiddles and 'celli, constructed according to physical laws, fails to impress connoisseurs, at least those I found around his showcase, with the correctness of his science. At any rate, I think he might have been a trifle more successful with the specimens of his genius exhibited, as far as workmanship is concerned.
25Otto Heinrichs seems to find more admirers with his "newly" invented "Schoosviolin" (lap violin), a combination of fiddle and zither. It is played with a bow, the body of the instrument resting on the lap of the performer, the neck on a table or stand in front of him. The idea of construction is not exactly "brand new," but the shape of the instrument, its stringing, arrangement of the keys, and other details, also the musical result, show a considerable improvement over previous productions of a similar character.
27That E. Rittershausen's flute exhibit is deserving of laudable mention I need hardly state; it is a matter of course. All his flutes, piccolos included, are, as is well known to artist and dealer, made after the Bohm system, and the 1000th flute, a beautiful specimen in silver, is among the collection displayed.
29F. A. Schmidt, Jr., and C. F. Zetscha Söhne represent the brass instrument line very well, and can boast of elegance in finish and exactness in workmanship. I would have liked to have met some one with "blowing" proclivities so that I might have tested the correctness of the horns in their respective keys. Alas, there was no blower about, except—
31Emil Heise's ocarina display receives his constant personal attention, and it was well worth the five minutes I chatted with that gentleman to learn something about the several novel and practical improvements he has under way on ocarinas large and small. One of them purports the extension of the compass from one key to four, and consists of a cylinder with a slide at the thick end of the instrument. Another gentleman who always may be found near his stand is Mr. W. Roder. His firm is comparatively new to the trade, but, if I am not seriously mistaken in my judgment, it will some of these days become a factor in it.
33The accordions and divers small instruments exhibited demonstrate two things, namely, that Roder is a thorough mechanic in his line, and at the same time a man of practical ideas and tastes. A mouth organ and a harmonica flute, with music holder, are the latest innovations of Roder. For both instruments he publishes a new and very simple method of self-teaching, which every American farmer's boy will hail with joy.
35The pavilion of the Berliner Musik Instrumenten Fabrikvorm, Ch. F. Pietschmann & Söhne, contains a sample collection of their numerous specialties, such as accordions, herophons, manopans, celestas, &c. I can safely omit comment on the merits of the goods since the American market disposes of a vast quantity of them every year. W. Helbig & Co. show their invention, the Mignon Harmonieux, the tone power and mechanism of which impressed me most favorably.
37The exhibits of Franz Günther (violins and 'cellos), of Robert Effner (sundry instruments for circus, band and parlor use), I will pass without criticism, because I cannot say anything of moment about them. About the drum display of Heinrich Meisner I can only state that it is characteristic, on account of the several types of drums in use hundreds of years ago, and, furthermore, on account of the "Prinzantrommel," of which style the four oldest sons of the Kaiser have each one. Jos. Hornstainer's fiddles show accurate woodwork; the finish is horrible. Time is up.
39Gustav Baumann, the director of the Philharmonisch Blas Orchester, has promised me to play the Washington Post March at 12 o'clock sharp, and as it lacks just five minutes of that time I must make a bee-line for his pavilion, if I do not want to miss the "treat." On the way I will tarry one minute to take ——
41Well, good-bye.
43Yours sincerely, REINHARD KOCHMANN.
45"Crown" Pianos and Organs.
47A "CROWN" to the organ that hails from the West.
48And battles its way, till at last it's confessed
49By competent judges, to stand out alone
50In volume and sweetness and compass of tone,
51As well as in beauty and finish and taste,
52In which—in its various styles—it's encased,
53Above all competitors—grand compliment
54To the push and the skill of its maker, Geo. Bent.
56And who that heard his pianos but owns
57That they rival the brightest and best in their tones,
58And stand as the peer, if not wholly the best,
59Where merit's acknowledged and judgment expressed.
60No matter what others are placed by their side,
61Or who is the artist whose votes must decide,
62It's a question of merit and hence the first place
63Is cheerfully given the "Crown" in the race;
64And money is always judiciously spent
65Which goes for pianos and organs to Bent.
67Compliments to Kranich & Bach.
69MR. FELIX KRAEMER, the well-known general traveling representative of the house of Kranich & Bach, returned on Saturday from a most extensive trip embracing the whole United States, British Columbia and Mexico.
71Taking into consideration the times and the general condition of trade, he has had a most extraordinary commercial trips. The very facts that Mr. Kraemer was continued on the road during all these months, and that his house felt that his labors were proving remunerative, are the best evidences of his success during the time when success is rare.
73Mr. Kraemer returns rejuvenated and in splendid form, and will no doubt take a well earned vacation.
75During his absence in Denver he invited the well-known pianist and virtuoso, Carlos Sobrino, to the warerooms of the W. W. Knight Music Company, to examine the Kranich & Bach pianos. As a result the following impartial testimonial was given by Mr. Sobrino—a testimonial which is of double value from the fact that he is not only a thorough artist, as a performer, but a rare judge of a fine instrument:
77DENVER, Colo., July 3, 1896.
79Messrs. Kranich & Bach, New York City:
80GENTLEMEN—I take pleasure in congratulating you on the beautiful grand piano which you have recently sent to this city, and which I had opportunity of examining in the warerooms of the W. W. Knight Music Company. I was really quite surprised at the fine tone and touch of this excellent instrument.
81Yours very truly,
82(Signed) CARLOS SOBRINO.
84Virgil Practice Clavier Move.
86THE Virgil Practice Clavier Company is removing its plant to Steinway, L. I. Work was begun about July 1, and is being continued as rapidly as possible.
88The machinery, which is the heaviest part of the movable plant, has been transported to the new factory, and the material and work in process will follow immediately. Everything will be in running order by August 1.
90Shoninger.
92THE B. Shoninger Company is preparing for a bright autumn campaign in the sale of its pianos. New printed matter, introducing new styles, will be circulated, and unusual energy will be displayed in promoting the interests of not only the wholesale business but as well the New York branch, which is under the management of Mr. Rosenberg.
94The Shoninger pianos are staple goods in the market, are well known to dealers, and command attention and consideration from the purchasing public.
96Note Registering Machines.
98VISITED several times the department of the exposition which is devoted to keyed instruments. By my reckoning there are 294 pianos, of which only 29 are grands, the others being in pianino form. The square piano seems to have perished, as there is no specimen of it. To speak plainly, I am sorry for this fact. Anyone who as thinker or poet in tones expects a visit from the muse ought to sit down neither to the grand nor to the pianino. One demands too much room, the other is too much like a piece of furniture to create inspiration. Where can you place your note book when you wish to fix or correct your thoughts? The pictures of all the creative masters, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, &c., represent those immortals at a square piano.
100There is one thing I am very glad to miss. The Berliner Signale lately contained an advertisement under the heading of "Patents" that leads us to believe that once again a "device for the automatic notation of music played on keyed instruments" has been invented. A more useless work cannot be imagined. How much time, trouble, patience and money has been wasted for the last 150 years! Not a single "improvising machine" is to be found there at Treptow. We know the names of "composing machine," "pianograph," "melograph," &c.; the system is always the same whatever the instrument may be called, and however glowing the advertisements. A few notes on the subject may interest our readers.
102In the year 1747 the English clergyman Creed, of the London Philosophical Society published a work entitled "A demonstration of the possibility of making a machine that shall write extempore voluntaries or other pieces of music, &c." About the same time Joh. Fried. Unger, of Einbeck (1745), hit on the same idea, and sent an account of his invention, with eight drawings, to the Berlin Academy in 1752. As nobody would undertake the expense of printing it, the account passed into oblivion. Hohlfeld, however, a very clever mechanic from Silesia, heard of the idea, and constructed several machines, and thus was regarded as the inventor. On the other hand, Unger issued a pamphlet, "Project of a machine whereby anything played on a piano is set automatically in notes" (Brunswick, 1774). In the Revue Musicale of 1828 Fétis mentions two such machines, one in August invented by Careyre, another in September by Baudouin. In 1868 a teacher named Schmeil, of Magdeburg, produced his note machine at Berlin. In 1881 we read of a "composing machine" by a telegraph operator at Stuttgart, and in 1889 the Belgian Elewyk was mentioned as having spent thirty years on his invention. The "pianograph" of Captain Purse appeared in London in 1889, and not long ago an instrument for registering music was announced in Paris. I know only Schmeil's invention. It worked quite accurately. It was exhibited in the Lodge in the Dorotheenstrasse, and there I met Tausig. He played a chromatic scale from below upward, with his own, remarkable impeccable accuracy; the machine noted down the scale at once. Schmeil afterward gave me the interesting sheet, which I still possess.
104WILH. TAPPERT.
106The M. Steinert & Sons Co., the great New England firm of piano dealers, has recently taken the BRAUMULLER PIANO for its extensive territory.
108The Jesse French Piano and Organ Co., the great Southwestern piano house has sold the BRAUMULLER PIANO and endorses them. What is satisfactory to such leading concerns should be to any dealer. Call on us and examine the
110BRAUMULLER,
111402-410 West 14th Street,
112New York City.
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