•iir M^^^M -^"t^^ \K.L> ■M 1^ PIANOS AND • T H E I R • M A K E R S Weber Pianola Grand PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS By Alfred Dolge A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PIANO FROM THE MONOCHORD TO THE CONCERT GRAND PLAYER PIANO m^lh |Vi Ml 300 Elustrations CO VINA PUBLISHING COMPANY COVINA. CALIFORNIA 1911 ^Jc;^^ Copyright 1911, by ALFRED DOLGE All EighU Reserved THE QUINN i BOOEN CO. PRESS RAMWAY, N. J. '' I hold every man a debtor to his jn-ofes- sion; from the which as men of course do seek to receive countenance and profit, so ought they of duty endeavor themselves by way of amends to be a help and ornament thereto." Francis Bacon. i^^aBega2ffiSgaS refe3 ;^;ga»vy^>M». Sebastiax Erard After Original Oil Painting bj- David Through Courtesy of Mons. A. Blonde! FOREWORD IX describing- tlie origin and development of the pianoforte, notice has been taken only of such efforts and inventions as lent themselves to evolution, or have stood the test of time. Therefore no mention is made of mere freak instruments, ancient or modern, nor of the many fruitless efforts of inventors whose aim seemed to be merely to produce " something different," either for commercial reasons or to satisfy the cravings of their own imagined genius. Great pains have been taken, however, to give full credit to those who successfully developed ideas which in their original crudeness seemed impracticable. It often happens, as in the case of the " overstrung system," that an idea is born, tried, discarded, lies dormant for generations, before the genius appears who can render it adaptable for practical use. It is to be regretted that we are still without guiding laws for the construction of the pianoforte, but the thinking piano maker of the present has the great advantage of past experiments from which to learn uJuit not to do in his efforts to improve the piano. The curiosity hunter, and student who desires more detailed information regarding past experiments in piano construction, will find entertaining and instructive reading in the various publi- cations on the i)ianoforte enumerated elsewhere. Great confusion exists among the various writers on the i)iano- forte regarding the names of the older keyed instruments. Clavicytherium, Clavichord, Spinet, Virginal, and Harpsichord are often confounded with one another, and some writers use " Clavier " for all these instruments. 7 8 FOREWORD In order to secure accuracy, I followed the development chrono- logically, as the most trustworthy authorities record it, aiming always to give a clear description in as few words as possible, because this work is written for those who desire to know, and who do not care merely to be entertained. Being limited in scope to past events, the author regrets espe- cially that no particular mention could be made of the valuable labors of Henry Ziegler, Frank J. Conover, Richard W. Gertz, Paul G. Melilin and otliers, who are earnestly engaged in improv- ing the heritage left us by the masters of the past. In submitting this volume to the reader, the author desires to express his thanks to Messrs. Theodore C. Steinway, William E. Wheelock, Melville Clark, J. H. White, George B. Kelly, Ludwig Bosendorfer, Josef Herrburger, Jr., Siegfried Hansing, Paul de Wit and Morris Steinert, for their kind and valuable assistance, without which the work would lack mueli important data. CoviNA, Califoknia, April, 1911. CONTENTS PART ONE Technical Development of the Pianoforte CHAPTER I The Monochord, Pvtliagoras, Guiclo of Arezzo, the Chinese Ke . . ' The Clavicytherium, Italy and Germany The Clavichord, Daniel Faber, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven The Spinet, Giovanni Spinnetti The Harpsichord and its development .... The Square Piano, Znmpe, Broadwood, Erard, Behrond, Al- brecht, Crehore, Osborn, Babcock, Chickering, Steinway Mathushek The Upright Piano, Schmidt, Hawkins, Loud, Southwell Wornum, Pleyel The Grand Piano, Geronimo, Still, Stodart, Broadwood Erard, Stein, Nannette Stein-Streicher, Loud, Jardine Chickering, Steinway, Bosendorfer, Kaps 9 PAOE 29 32 34 CHAPTER II The Pianoforte, Christofori, Marius, Schroter, Silbermanu, Backers, Stein, German, Austrian and English Schools, Friederici 41 48 53 57 10 CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER III The Full Iron Feame, Hawkins, Allen and Thorn, Babcock, Chickering, Erard, Broadwood, Hoxa, Steinway . . 69 The Keyboaed, Guido of Arezzo, Zarlina, Kirkman, Krause, Chromatic Keyboard, Neuhaus, Cludsam, Paul von Janko, Perziua .77 The Action, Schroter, Christofori, Silbermann, Stein, Streicher, Zunipe, Backers, Erard, Friederici, Wornum, Pleyel, Pape 83 The Hammer, Christofori, Silbermann, Pape, Wilke, Kreter, Mathushek, Collins, Dolge, Ammon, Steinway ... 97 The Soundboard, Chladni, Tyndall, Helmholtz, Hansing, Dr. Paul, Pape, Mathushek 106 CHAPTER IV The Supply Industries, Lumber (old and new methods of seasoning), Felt, Wire, Actions 115 Felt Making, Pape, Whitehead, Naish, Billon, Fortin, Weickert, Dolge 120 Piano Wire, Fuchs, Webster & Horsfall, Miller, Poehlmann, Washburn & Moen, Houghton, Smith, World's Fair Tests 123 Actions, Brooks, Isermann, Gehrling, Herrburger-Schwan- der, Morgenstern & Kotrade, Lexow, Langer & Com- pany, Fritz & Meyer, Keller, Seaverns .... 126 CHAPTER V Development of the Player Piano, Morse, Vaucanson, Seytre, Bain, Pape, Fourneaux, McTammany, Gaily, Bishop & Downe, Kuster, Paine, Parker, White, Brown, Votey, Goolmann, Hobart, Clark, Kelly, Klugh, Welin, Hupfeld, Welte, Young, Crooks, Dickinson, Danquard 131 CONTEXTS 11 PART TWO Commercial Development of the Piano Industry CHAPTER I PAGE Italy, Cliristofori, Fischer, Sievers, Roseler, ]^Iola . . . 166 Germany, Silbermann, Stein, Xannette Stein, Streiclier, Sc'liiedmayer. ibaeh, Ritmiiller, Rosenkrantz, Irmlcr, Bliithner 107 France, Erard, Pleyel, Herz, Gaveau, Bord .... 171 England, Tslmdi, Broadwood, Kirkman, Zumpe, Collard, Brinsmead, Hopkinson 172 America, Cliickoring, MacKay, X'unns & Clark, Gil])ei-t, Stein- way ........... 171 CHAPTER II The Commercl\l Piano, Joseph P. Hale 179 The Stencil, Department Stores, Consolidations . . . 182 CHAPTER III The Art Piano, Trasunti, Hans Ruckers, Shudi, Broadwood. Alma Tadcma, Steinway, Marquandt, Sir Edward Poi/n- ter, Centennial Grand at the White House, Denning, Bosendorfer, Empress Elizabeth, Ibaeh 's Jubilee Grand, Baldwin, Barnhorn, Guest, Bliithner, Erard, Pleyel, Lyon & Co., Chickering Louis XIV, Everett Sheraton Grand, Samuel Ilayuard, Knabe " Xouveau Art " Grand, "Weber Louis XIV Grand 187 The Pedal Piano, Sehcine, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Plevel. Erard, Pfeiffer, Henry F. Miller . . . . ' . PJl The Player Piano .194 CHAPTER IV Export, Steinway, Aeolian 199 Methods of Marketing, The Agencv Svstem . . . 200 12 CONTENTS CHAPTER V PAGE The Trust Movements of 1892, 1897 and 1899. Plan, Scope, Cause of Failure 205 PART THREE Men Who Have Made Piano History CHAPTER I Italy, Gnido of Arezzo, Spinnetti, Geronimo, Cliristofori, Fischer, Sievers, Roseler, Mola 215 Germany, Silbermann, Stein, Nannette Stein, Streiclier, Bosendorfer, Seuffert, Ehrbar, Schweighofer, Heitz- mann, Ibacli, Ritmiiller, Rosenkrantz, Irmler, Scliied- mayer, Kaim & Giintlier, Dorner, Lipp, Wagner, Pfeiffer Roiilfing, Knake, Adam, Heyl, Vogel, Lindner, Meyer Mand, Gebaulir, Thiirmer, Steinweg, Grotrian, Zeitter & Winkelmann, Bnschmann, Rachals, Scheel, Bliithner Roniscb, Fenricli, Isermann, Weickert, Poehlmann . England, Sliudi, Broadwood, Collard, Challen, Hopkinson Brinsmead, Eavestaff, Squire, Grover, Barnett, Poehl- mann, Strohmenger, Witton, Brooks .... 242 217 CHAPTER II France, Erard, Pleyel, Kalkbrenner, Wolff, Lyon, Herz, Pape, Kriegelstein, Gaveau, Bord, Schwander, Herr- burger . 251 Spain, Estela, Guarra, Chassaign, Montana . . . .262 Belgium, Berden, Van Hyfte, Vits, Boone Fils, Gevaert, Giinther, Oor 263 Netherlands, Allgauer, Cuijpers, Rijken and de Lange . . 263 Scandinavia, Hornung & MoUer, Ekstrem, Malmsjoe, Hals . 263 Russia, Diederichs, Schroder, Becker 264 Japan, Torakusu Yamaba, Nishikawa & Son .... 265 CONTENTS 13 CHAPTER III PAGE America, Creliore, Osborn, Babcock, MacKay, Stewart, Chick- ering, Bacon & Raven, James A. Gray, William Bourne, McPhail, Lindeman, Scliomacker, Knabe, Steinway, Hazeltou, Fischer, Stieff, Weber, Steck, Kimball, Cable, Wulsin, Starr, Healy, Wurlitzer, Estey, Wliite, Packard, Votey, Clark . ' 269 PART FOUR Influence of Piano Virtuosos Upon the Industry CHAPTER I Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Liszt, Rubinstein, Biilow, Joseffy, Hofmann, Rosenthal, Carreno, de Pachmann, Busoni, Paderewski . 385 CHAPTER II Testimonials and Their Value 397 PART FIVE CHAPTER I National Associations of Manufacturers and Dealers in Europe and America 405 CHAPTER II The Trade Press — Its Value to the Industry .... 415 CHAPTER III Literature on the Pianoforte 423 CHAPTER IV Conclusions 433 APPENDIX List of Firms Manufacturing Pianos and Supplies at the Present Time •4-43 ILLUSTRATIONS Weber Pianola Grand Frontispiece Sebastian Erard Insert 7 Actions Backers ' Hammer Action, 1776 . Brinsmead Upright Action Broadwood LTpriglit Action Christofori's Hammer Action, 1707 . Christofori's Hammer Action, 1720 . English Sticker Upright Action, 1820 Erard Grand Action, 1821 . Erard-Herz Grand Action, 1850 Erard 's Eepetition Grand Action, 1821 Friederici's Upright Action, 1745 . Herrburger-Schwander Grand Action, Paris Herrburger-Schwander Upright Action Keller's Grand Action, Stuttgart, 1909 Langer Grand Action, Berlin, 1909 . Langer Upright Action Loud's Downward Striking Action for Square Pianos, 1827 Marius' Downward Striking Hammer Action Marius' Upward Striking Hammer Action Modern American Upright Action . Schroter Downward Striking Hammer Action, 1 Schroter Upward Striking Action, 1717 . Seaverns Upright Action .... Siegfried Hansing's Grand Action, 1898 Silbermann's Hammer Action, 1728 Stein-Streicher's (Nannette) Grand Action, Stein's (Johann Andreas) xVction, 1780 . Stein's Hammer Action .... Steinway Grand Action, 1884 . 15 1780 or G 17 rand 46 94 94 44 44 92 88 89 60 92 91 95 90 90 95 84 41 42 94 43 43 96 91 44 59 S6 47 89 16 ILLUSTRATIONS Actions. Continued Steinway's Tubular Metallic Action Frame, 1866 Streicher's (Joliann Baptist) Action, 1824 . Wessell, Nickel k Gross' Grand Action, 1890 AVessell, Nickel & Gross' Upright Action Wornum's Upright Action, 1826 Zumpe's Hammer Action, 1760-65 . PAGE . 85 . 87 . 90 . 96 54, 93 . 46 Baldwin Grand Case with Acoustic Eim Capo Tasto Clavichord, 16th Century Clavichord, 17th Century Clavicytherium, 14th Century De Wit Tuning the Clavichord, Paul . Dulcimer . . . 64 . 61 . 30 . 31 . 29 Insert 427-428 . 43 Halls Chickering Hall, New York Gewandhaus (Old), Leipsic Gewandhaus Saal (Old), Leipsic Gewandhaus (New), Leipsic Gewandhaus Saal (New), Leipsic Saal Bliithner, Berlin . Saal Bosendorfer, Vienna Salle Erard, Paris Salle Pleyel, Paris Steinway Hall, New York Insert 391 Insert 386 Insert 387 Insert 388 Insert 389 Insert 400 Insert 401 Insert 398 Insert 399 Insert 390 Hammers Ammon Hammer Ammon-Dolge Hammer .... Christofori Hammer Hammers Covered with Leather Hammers Covered with Leather and Felt Machine-covered Felt Hammer, 1871 Molding for Ammon-Dolge Hammer Single Coat Felt Hammer for Grand Pianos Single Coat Felt Hammer for Upright Pianos Steinway Saturated Hammer .... 104 105 97 97 98 99 105 102 102 105 ILLUSTRATIONS 17 Hammers. Continued page Dolge-Gardener Compressed Air Hammer-Covering Ma- chine, 1910 103 Dolge Hammer-Covering Machine, 1887 . . . 100, 101 Harp, Lyon & Healy . . . . . . . Insert 352 Harpsichord, 1521 35 Harpsichord, 1531, Alessandro Trasunti's Art . . Insert 190 Harpsichord with Double Keyboard, End of 16th Century . 36 Harpsichord, Middle of 17th Century .37 Iron Frames Allen and Thorn's Grand Bracing System, 1820 . Babcock's Full Iron Frame, 1825 Baldwin Upright Iron Frame, 1910 Broadwood & Sons' Earless Grand Steel Frame, J 910 Broadwood & Sons' Earless Upright Steel Frame, 1910 Chickering's Full Iron Frame, 1837 Chickering Grand Iron Frame, 1843 Conover Eros.' I^pright Iron Frame, 1885 Erard's First Iron Ear Grand Piano, 1823 Grotrian's Grand Iron Frame, 1910 Mason &: Hamlin Grand Iron Frame, 1910 Steinway's Full Iron Frame, with Overstrung Scale, 1855 Steinway's Grand Iron Frame, 1859 .... Steinway &: Sons' Grand Iron Frame, 1875 — Front View Steinway & Sons' Grand Iron Frame, 1875 — Back View 70 50 74 75 75 51 62 55 60 74 76 52 63 72 73 Ke, Chinese, 2650 B. C 28 Keyboards Cludsam's Concave Keyboard, 1910 .... Janko-Perzina Keyboard, 1910 Perzina's x\ction for Practice Clavier for Janko Keyboard Perzina's Key for Janko Keyboard, 1910 Perzina's Practice Clavier for Janko Keyboard . Perzina's Reversible Kev-bottom for two Kevboards 78 79 82 81 82 81 Monochord,- 582 B. C 27 National Association of Piano Dealers of America, Presi- dents of, from 1902 to 1911 Insert 411 18 ILLUSTRATIONS Xatioual Association of Piano Manufacturers of America, Presidents of, from 1897 to 1911 .... Insert 410 Pianos Baldwin Art Grand Chickering c^' Sons' Louis XIV. Art Grand . Christofori's Piano e forte, 1711 Erard Art Grand Everett Piano Company Sheraton Art Grand John Broadwood & Sons' Art Grand Julius Bliithner Art Grand .... Ludwig Bosendorfer Art Grand Pleyel, Lyon & Company Eenaissance Art Grand Eudolf Ibacli Sohn Jubilee Art Grand . Steinway &: Sons' Art Grand, made for Frederick Mar- quandt Insert Steinway & Sons' One-hundred-thousandth Piano, at the Insert Insert Insert Insert 190 Insert 190 . 15 Insert 190 Insert 190 Insert 190 Insert 190 Insert 190 Insert 190 Insert 190 190 White House Insert 190 Weber Louis XIV. Art Grand Insert 190 William Knabe & Co '' Nouveau Art " Grand . Insert 190 Albrecht's Square Piano, 1789 50 Friederici's Square Piano, 1758 49 Zumpe's Square Piano, 1760-65 47 Hawkins' Upright Piano, 1800 53 Pleyel, Lyon & Company Gothic LqDright . . Insert 190 Southwell's Upright Piano, 1807 54 Piano, Mathushek's Table 323 Pfeiffer's (Carl J.) Action for Pedal Upright Pianos . . 192 Pfeitfer's (Carl J.) Attachment for Pedal Grand Piano . 192 Pfeiffer's (Carl J.) Mechanism for Organ Pedal Practice . 193 Pfeiffer's (Carl J.) Upright Piano for Pedal Practice . 193 PiAXo Players and Player Pianos Bishop «S: Downe's Keyboard Attachment, 1883 . Brown's (Theodore P.) Interior Player, 1897 . Clark's (Melville) Stroke Button in front of Fulcrum Clark's (^^lelville) Transposing Device, 1899 Clark's (Melville) Transposing Device, 1902 . Crook's (J. W.) Themodist, 1900 139 150 156 151 152 161 ILLUSTKATIONS 19 PiAXO Players axd Player Pianos, Continued page Dauqliard's (Thomas) Flexible Finger Mechanism, 1904 . 155 Fourneaux's Pianista 134, 135 Oallv's CMerritt) Player Mechanism, 1881 .... 138 Goolman's (F. R.) Harmonist Player, 1898 .... 153 Hobart's (A. J.) Endless Tune Sheet, 1908 . . . .154 Ilupfeld's (Liidwig) Phonohi Player, 1902 . . . 158, 159 Keeley-Danquard Temponome, 1911 162 Kelly's (George B.) Wind Motor with Slide Valves, 1886 . 139 Klugh's (Paul B.) Auxiliary Key, 1906 .... 153 Kuster's (Charles A.) Mechanical Instrument, 1886 . . 140 McTammany's (John) Automatic Playing Organ . . 137 Parker's (AVilliam D.) Automatic Piano, 1892 . . 141, 142 Votey's (Edwin S.) Cabinet Player Pianola .... 14!) Welin's (Peter) Individual Valve System .... 157 White & Parker's Automatic Piano Player in Cabinet Form, 1897 \ 145, 146, 147, 148 Wliite and Parker's Combination Upright Piano and Reed Organ, 1895 143, 144 Young's (F. L.) Metrostyle, 1901 161 Portraits Andre, Carl 408 Bach, Johann Sebastian 385 Bauer, Julius 362 Bechstein, Carl 23(5 Becker, Jacob 264 Behning, Henry 319 Beethoven, Ludwig von 387 Bietepage, A 2()5 Blondel, Alphonse 254 Bliithner, Julius 235 Bond, S. B 373 Bosendorfer, Ludwig 220 Briggs, Charles C . 293 Brinsmead, John 247 Brinsmead, Thomas James 248 Broadwood, John 243 Biilow, Hans von 391 Burns, P^rancis Putnam 287 Bush, William H 356 20 ILLUSTRATIONS Cable, H. D. . Campbell, John C. Carreno, Teresa . Chase, Braton S. . Chickering, C. Frank Chickering, George H. Chickering, Jonas Chickering, Thomas E Chopin, Frederic . Church, John Clark, Melville . Conover, J. Frank Conway, Edwin S. Decker, Myron A. De Pachmann Ehrbar, Friedrich Engelhardt, Frederick Erard, Sebastian . Estey, Jacob . Estey, Julius . Fischer, Charles S. Friederici, C. E. . Fuller, Levi K. Gabler, Ernest Gennett, Henry Gross, Jacob . Haines, Napoleon J. Hale, Joseph P. . Hansing, Siegfried Hazelton, Henry . Healy, P. J. . Heintzmann, Theodore Herrburger, Josef Herz, Henry . Hofmann, Josef . Ibach, Carl Rudolf Ibach, Johannes Adolf Ibach, Rudolf Irmler, J. G. . Irmler, Oswald Isermann, J. C. L. Jacob, Charles A. PAGE 343 335 398 358 274 275 271 273 388 338 377 344 341 317 397 221 379 253 363 366 289 48 365 314 349 291 296 180 426 288 350 313 261 258 400 223 222 224 225 226 238 321 ILLUSTRATIONS Jacob, C. Albert . Janko, Paul von . Joseffy, Rafael Kelly, George B. . Kimball, William Wallace Knabe, Ernest Knabe, William Krakauer, Simon . Krell, Sr., Albert . Kriegelstein, Charles . Kurtzmann, Christian . Lee, Frank A. Lindeman, Henry . Lindeman, William Liszt, Franz , Lufkin, W. . Lyon, Gustave Mason, J. R. . Mathushek, Frederick . ]\rcTanmianv, .folin Miller, Henry F. . Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeu Paderewski, I. J. . Patzschke, C. W. . Perkins, Edward R. Pfriemer, Charles Pleyel, Camille Pleyel, Ignace Poehlmann, Moritz Post, Charles N. . Powers, Patrick H. Rachals, Edward Ferdinand Rachals, Mathias Ferdinand Ronisch, Carl . Rosenthal, Moriz . Rubinstein, Anton Schiedmayer, Sr., Adolf Schiedmayer, Adolf Schiedmayer, Hermann Schiedmayer, Johann David Schiedmayer, Johann Lorenz Schiedmayer, Julius . 21 PAGE 322 80 392 332 340 283 282 327 357 259 292 339 280 279 389 342 406 372 324 136 337 386 399 24a 330 382 256 255 242 352 2i)4 234 233 237 393 390 229 407 230 227 228 231 22 ILLUSTEATIONS Scliiedmayer, Paul Sclunidt, John Frederick Scliomacker, John Henry Schroder, Carl Nicolai Schroder, Johann Friedrich Schroter, Christoph Schulz, Mathias . Sclnilz, Otto . Schwander, Jean . Seaverns, George W. . Shoninger, Bernhard . Sohmer, Hugo Smith, Freeborn G. Starr, Benjamin . Steek, George Steger, John V. Steinway, Albert . Steinway, Charles Steinway, C. F. Theodore Steinway, Henry . Steinway, Henry, Sr. . Steinway, William Sterling, Charles A. Stietf, Frederick P. . Story, Edward H. Story, Hampton L. Tremaine, Harry B. . Tremaine, William B. . Vose, James Whiting . Votey, Edwin S. . Watson, Henry C. . Weber, Albert Weickert, August Moritz Weickert, Otto . Wessell, Otto . Wheelock, William E. . White, Edward H. White, Henry Kirk White, Howard White, James H. . Whitney, Calvin . Wolff, Auguste PAGE 232 381 281 263 262 42 359 360 260 127 316 320 315 348 318 361 311 306 303 307 300 308 371 290 376 375 329 328 295 331 416 297 239 241 380 326 369 367 370 368 374 257 ILLUSTEATIOXS 23 PAGE Will sin, Liicien 345 Wiirlitzer, Kudolj)!! 354 Yamaba, Torakusu 266 Resonator, Richard AV. Gertz's ]10 Resonator, Detail of Richard W. Gertz's Ill Spinet Jack 32 Spinet, Rossi's, 1550 33 Spinet, 1560, Hans Ruckers' Double . . . . Insert 190 Spinet of Spinnetti, 1503 32 Steinert at the Clavichord, Morris . . . Insert 427-428 Virginal, 16th Century 34 PART ONE Technical Development of the Pianoforte CHAPTER I The Monochoed, Pythagoras, Guido of Arezzo, the Chinese '' Ke.'^ The Clavicytherium, Italy and Germany. The Clavichord, Daniel Faber, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven. The Spinet, Giovanni Spinnetti. The Harpsichord and its development. PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS PART ONE Technical Development of the Pianoforte CHAPTER I The Pkototype of the Pianoforte The Monochord THIS instrument was used by Pythagoras (582 B. C.) for experiments regarding the mathematical rehitions of musical sounds. A single string, presumably catgut, was strung over a wooden box. Directly underneath the string a strip of paper was glued to the top of the box, on which the sections and subdivisions corresponding with the intervals of the scale were marked. Pressing the string down upon a given mark, and then plucking it, a tone was produced, high or low, according to the place of the scale where the string was held down with the finger. .Monochord, 582 B.C. 27 28 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS The monochord came into universal use among the Greeks, and also in the Roman churches as an instrument to sound the keynote for chorus singing. To assure a quicker and especially more cor- rect intonation, Guido of Arezzo (about 100 A. D.) invented the movable bridge under the string of the monochord.* Chinese Ke, 2650 B.C. After the invention of the movable bridge for the monochord further improvements came rapidly. The clavis (keys), which came in use on church organs shortly after the year 1000 A. D., were applied to the monochord, which then was built with more than one string. Each clavis, or key, had a tangent, or pricker. As soon as the clavis was pressed down, this tangent would prick the string on the proper division of the scale and thus assure the sounding of the correct tone required for the guidance of the singers. The use of the clavis soon led to an increase in the number of strings and during the 12tli and 13th centuries many experiments * The Chinese as early as 2650 B.C. used an instrument called '" ke," far superior to the monochord. The ke had fifty strings strung over a wooden box approximately five feet long. Each string was spun of eighty-one fine silk threads, and of such length that an experienced player could, by proper manipulation, produce the upper and lower fifth of each tone on the string which he pricked or plucked. Later on the ke was improved by the use of movable bridges, one for each string; the number of strings was reduced to twenty-five, and the bridges were arranged in groups of five, each group distinguished by a dilTerent color; — group 1, blue; 2, red; 3, yellow; 4, white; 5, black. This indicates that the Chinese understood the relation of colors to tone. It can readily be seen that an expert performer could produce a great variety and combination of tones by aid of the movable bridges. Indeed the Chinese considered the ke the acme of musical instruments, and the virtuosos and masters of the ke spoke of it and its use as enthusiastically and admiringly as Bach and Beethoven spoke of the clavichord nearly 4,000 years later. THE CLAVICHORD 29 were made to construct an instrument which would give all the notes of the scale correctly. These experiments led finally to the invention of the " clavicy- therium. ' ' The Clavicytherium This is an instrument in which the strings were arranged in the form of a triangle (harp form). The strings were of catgut, and sounded by the pricking of a quill plectra, fastened to the end of the clavis. Fetis believes that the clavicytherium was invented in Italy about 1300 and afterwards copied and im- proved by the Germans. The efforts to improve the instrument finally developed the '' clavichord." The Clavichord The first clavichords, built during the 15th century, had only 20 or 22 strings of brass, which were made to vibrate, not by pluck- ing or pricking, but by being agitated through the pressure of a tangent (a brass pin flattened on top) fastened to the clavis. The form of the clavichord was similar to the later square piano. 30 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Toward the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century, it was improved so nnich that it became the favorite keyed instru- ment of the period. It maintained its supremacy during the 18th century, long after the appearance of the pianoforte. The accom- panying picture shows a clavichord with 50 keys (there are some in existence with 77 keys) and a soundboard with 5 bridges, simi- lar to the Chinese ke. The sound- board covers only half of the in- strument, the part where the keys are located being open of neces- sity. The clavichord usually has more keys than strings, since the tangent, in striking, gives tone and pitch at the same time. Most clavichords have two keys to each string, some three, while on the earlier clavichords we find two tangents fastened to one key, and the performer had to manipu- late the key so as to make each tangent strike at the proper place. This was rather difficult and made the execution of any but the simplest compositions almost impossible. Still, it was not until 1725 that a clavichord was constructed by Daniel Faber of Germany, which had a separate string and key for each note. To prevent vibration and consequent irri- tating sounding of the shorter part of the string when agitated by .the tangent, a narrow strip of cloth was interlaced with the strings. Clavichord, 16th Century THE CLAVICHORD 31 Thus the clavichord possessed four of the most vital ])oints of the modern pianoforte: The independent soundboiu-d, metid strings, the percussion method of agitating the string, the tangent touching or striking the string, instead of plucking or pricking, and histly the application of the damper. The greatest improve- ment was the new method of tone i)roduction by whicli the clavi- chord became the first keyed instrument enal)ling the performer to express his individuality. While the tone of the clavichord was very weak, it was capable of reflecting the most delicate gradation of touch of the player and l^ermitted the execution of most exquisite crescendo and decre- scendo. The Idangfarlje (tone color) of the clavichord was of a very sympathetic, almost spiritual character. Virtuosos like Johann Sebastian Bach and Emanuel Bach produced charming and captivating effects bj' a trembling pressure of the finger upon the key, holding the notes, thus emphasizing the intention of the player Clavichord. ITtli CVntury 32 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Spinet Jack in interpreting a composition. In short, the clavichord was tlie first keyed instru- ment with a soul. It is not surprising that such masters as Bach, Mozart and even Beethoven preferred the clavichord to the more powerful harpsichord and the early pianoforte. Indeed, Mozart, while traveling about Europe as a piano vir- tuoso, carried a clavichord with him, for daily practice. Mozart composed his " Magic Flute " and other master- pieces on that instrument. However, the small, weak, though sweet and musical tone of the clavi- chord did not satisfy many of the music lovers. They desired an instrument which would speak louder. The Spinet About 1503 Giovanni Spinnetti, of Venice, constructed an in- strument of oblong form, with a compass of four oc- taves. This oblong form en- abled Spinnetti to use very long strings and a larger soundboard, covering nearly the entire space, thus mate- rially increasing the tone volume. These long strings, however, could not be agi- tated effectually by a strik- <• o . ... ,.^„ iiin tangent; it was neces- Spinet of Spinnetti, 1503 * '^ ' THE SPINET 33 sary to set the strings in motion by pricking or twanging. We, therefore, find on the clavis of the spinet, a '' jack " witli cen- tered tongue on its upper end. Into this tongue a quill, fastened to a spring, is inserted, and when the key is pressed down, the point of the quill twangs the string through the upward movement of the jack. A small piece of cloth, fastened to the jack, dampens the string as soon as the jack comes down again to its natural posi- tion. This instrument was called a " spinet," after the inventor. Although this twanging of the string produced a wiry, nasal tone, and the player could not play with any expression, as on the clavichord, the spinet became very popular, because of its greater, louder tone. Spinets were built in sizes from Si/o to 5 feet wide. The smaller instruments could be easily carried about, and were usually played upon a table, which increased the resonance. Spinnetti had placed the keyboard outside of the case, but about 1550 Eossi of Milan built spinets in which the keyboard was within the case. In England the spinet became generally known under the name of " virginal," and many writers have fallen into the error of assuming that the virginal differs materially from the spinet. Rossi's Spinet, 1550 34 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Careful comparisons of spinets and so-called virginals, by competent judges, have established the fact that there is no vital difference to be found. Naturally, the various builders of spinets in Italy, Germany, Flanders, and especially England, experimented in many ways to improve the volume and quality of tone as well as the form of the case. Rimbault repro- duces a pen-and-ink-sketch of a " virginal, made harp fashion," ap- parently built at the end of the 16th century, which might be considered the prototype of the upright piano of the pres- ent day. If this drawing is cor- rect, a rather complicated ac- tion must have been used to get the plectra in motion. From specimens of spinets or virginals now extant, the conclu- sion may be drawn that the European continental makers gave the triangular form the preference, while English makers used the square, oblong and upright forms. The quill or wing form (Ger- man fiugel) identical with the form of the present grand piano and later used entirely for the '• harpsichord," seems to have been first used by Geronimo of Bologna (1521). Virginal, IGtli Century The Harpsichord The adoption of this form was dictated by the desire for a greater volume of tone. Indeed, the early hari)sichord was in THE HARPSICHORD 35 all its features (except the wing form) only an enlarged spinet. Tlie larger case, greater soundboard and greater number of much longer strings of the hari)sichord opened a new field for inventive genius, Wliile the tone produced on the longer string had a greater volume and was louder than that of the spinet, it was at the same time harsher, raw, more nasal and almost offen- sive to the ear. When used with the orchestra this serious fault was' not so noticeable, but for solo performances the harpsichord was very unsatisfactory. To overcome, or at least mollify this harshness, many experiments were made, even to desperate attempts to attach a mechanical orchestra to it, adding devices which were to imitate the lute and flute, operated by stops; also, by means of pedals, a complete Janissary music, including snare and bass drum, cymbals, triangle, bells and other noisy instru- ments. In accordance with the variety of these appendages the number of pedals increased, and harpsichords with as many as 25 pedals are still to be found. Of all those manifold experiments only four have proved of permanent value. The " forte stop," which lifted the dampers; the " soft stop," which pressed the dampers on to the strings to stoi3 the vibration; the " buft" stop," interposing soft cloth or leather between the jacks and the strings, and lastly the " shift- Harpsichord, 1521 36 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS ing stop," which shifted the entire keyboard, a movement later applied to the transposing keyboard. In the effort to produce greater volume of tone the makers con- tinued to increase the size of the harpsichord until it had reached the extreme length of 16 feet. Very thin wire had to be used for the strings, since the frail cases would not stand the increased tension of heavier wires, nor could the flimsy quill plectra make the heavy wires vibrate well. The longer the string of thin wire, the less musical was the tone produced by twanging, and the best makers returned to the length of 8 to 10 feet, seeking to improve tone quality and volume by increasing the number of strings from one to two, three and even four, for each note. Harpsichord with Double Keyboard, End of 16th Centuf'y THE HARPSICHORD 37 About the middle of the 17th century, harpsichords with two keyboards and three strings for each note were built. The third string, usually hitched to the soundboard bridge, was thinner and shorter than the two main strings and tuned an octave higher than the main strings. AVith the two keyboards the player could use the two or three strings of each note separately or together. Because of these improvements, especially the forte piano pedals, and the greater tone, musicians preferred the harpsichord to the spinet, and many compositions were written for it from Scarlatti's time (1670) to Beethoven's " Moonlight Sonata " (1802). Toward the end of the 18th century, when the pianoforte began to take the place of the harpsichords, attempts were made to im- prove the tone quality of the harpsichord by using buff leather at the points of the jack, instead of quills, but evidently without Harpsichord. ^litldle of ITtli Contury 38 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS success. The fact that the harpsichord, like the spinet, gave the player no possible opportunity to exercise any artistry, as on the clavichord or the pianoforte, sealed the doom of the instru- ment, and with the end of the 18th century the end of the harpsi- chord had come, leaving for the pianoforte maker, however, the valuable inventions of the iving-formed case, the use of the tivo and three strings for one note, and lastly the forte piano pedal and shifting keyboard, all of which are embodied in the present-day piano. PART ONE CHAPTER II The Pianoforte, Christofori, Marius, Schroter, Silbermann, Back- ers, Stein, German, Austrian and English Schools, Friederici. The Square Piano, Ziimi^e, Broadwood, Erard, Behrend, Albrecht, Crehore, Osborn, Babcock, Chickering, Steinway, Matlmshek, The Upright Piano, Schmidt, Hawkins, Loud, Southwell, "Wornum, Pleyel. The Grand Piano, Geronimo, Still, Stodart, Broadwood. Erard, Stein, Xannette Stein-Streieher, Loud, Jardiue, Chickering, Steinway, Bosendorfer, Kaps. PART OXE CHAPTER II The Pianoforte THE desire to combine the wonderful tone sustaining capacity of the clavichord with the power of the harpsichord, was shared by musicians as well as builders. No doubt many builders attempted to put a hammer action into the harpsichord. Marius of Paris submitted (1716) three models of harpsichord ham- mer actions to the Academy of Sciences, but apparently no instru- ments have been built containing his action, probably because a hammer action, to be effective, required a different construction of the entire instrument than that of the harpsichord. It seems much more reasonable to assume that the dulcimer (the German Jiack- hrett), which was played upon with hammers held in the hands of the performer, similar to the xylophone, led to the invention of the pianoforte. It is not surprising, that, at a period when all makers of harpsi- chords were struggling for tone improvement, three inventors, ,:;««!£ ^^r^^.l— U .i Marius' Downward Striking ?Iainmer Action 41 42 PIAXOS AND THEIR MAKERS independent of one an- other, should strike the same idea at about the same time — Christofori in 1707, Marius in 1716 and Schroter in 1717. Chris- toph Schroter, a German organist, submitted his models of hammer actions, one with upward and one with downward movement, to the King of Saxony in 1721, claiming that these models had been finished in 1717. Schroter de- clared that the idea of a hammer action came to him after hearing the vir- tuoso, Hebenstreit, perform on his monster hackbrett (dulcimer) called " Pantaleon." Simple and crude as Schroter 's action is, it must be considered the fundamental of what later on became known as the German, more particularly, " Vienna " action. The idea of having the hammer butt swing in a fork, as Schroter 's model shows, Christoph Schroter Marius' Upward Striking Hummer Action THE PIANOFORTE 43 Dulcimer bchruter Upward Striking lianimer Action, 1717 iScliriJtcr Downward Striking Hammer Action, 1717 44 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Silbermann"s Hammer Action, 1728 Christofori's Hammer Action, 1707 Christofori's Hammer Action, 1720 THE PIANOFORTE 45 has been utilized in all later improvements of the so-called German action. Schroter was disappointed in not getting aid from his King to build his instruments, and no pianofortes of his make are known. As early as 1724, however, ])ianofortes containing the Schroter action were made at Dresden. It is also of record that the great organ l)uilder, Gottfried Silbermann, of Freiberg, Saxony, made pianofortes with Schroter actions as early as 1728. He simplified and improved the action somewhat, as illus- tration shows. However, the action was unreliable, the touch heavy and hard as comi)ared to the clavichord, and the great Johann Se- bastian Bach condemned the first pianoforte which Silber- mann had built because it was too hard to play, al- though he praised the tone produced by the hammer. It seems that Silbermann came into possession of a Christofori pianoforte, because the pianofortes built by him for Frederick the Great, about 1747, have hammer action exactly like Christofori 's invention. In Silbermann's workshop originated the two schools of piano construction known as the '' German school " and the " English school." There is no doubt that Silbermann used both the Schroter and the Christofori action for his pianofortes. The invention of the i)ianoforte as an entire and complete in- strument must be credited to Bartolomo Christofori (sometimes Christofori's Piano e forte, 1711 46 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Zurape's Hammer Action, 1700-G5 called Cliristofali) of Padua. A publication dated 1711 contains a drawing of Cliristofori's hammer action, which he had completed in 1707, and used in his first experimental instrument which he called '' piano e forte." This instrument was exhibited in 1711. About 1720, Christofori finished his real pianoforte. He con- structed a much stronger case than had been used for harpsichords, to withstand the increased strain of the heavier strings. The action in this pianoforte shows important improvement over his model Backers' Hammer Action, 1776 THE PIANOFORTE 47 Stein's Hammer Action of 1707. He added the escapement device, a back check, regulating the fall of the hammer, and connected an individual damper for each note direct with the hammer action, thus giving the performer a mechanism with which he could, through his touch, produce a delicate pianissimo and also a strong fortissimo, impossible on either clavichord or harpsichord. Christofori died in 1731. As far as we can learn he left no pupils, unless we so consider Silber- mauu. Silbermann's pupils, Johannes Zumpe and Americus Backers (Becker), went to London and introduced there a modified Chris- tofori action, which later on, further developed by various makers, became known as the '' English " action. Silbermann's most Zumpe Square Piano, 17G0-65 48 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS talented pupil, Joliann Andreas Stein of Augs- burg, however, took the Schroter design as a basis for his improvement, which is known as the " Vienna " or " Ger- man " action. The greatest activity in the development of the pianoforte took place in the periods from 1760 to 1830, and from 1855 to 1880. Modulations as well as radical departures in form were almost number- less, mainly inspired by a desire to produce an in- strument which would take up less room than the long, wing-shaped grand piano. As early as 1745, C. E. Friederici of Gera, Germany, a pupil of Silber- mann, constructed a vertical grand piano and about 1758 he built the first square piano in Germany. About 1760-65, Johannes Zumpe built, at London, the first English square piano. L. E. Friederici The Square Piano This evolved from reconstructed clavichords, retaining the clavi- chord form and general construction, but having a stronger frame, metal strings and the hammer action. Following Zumpe, we next learn of John Broadwood of London bringing out his square piano in 1771, and the records show that Sebastian Erard made such an instrument at Paris in 1776, copying the English model. Johann THE SQUARE PIANO 49 Belirend of Philadelphia exhibited his square piano in 1775. Tims within 10 years after its first appearance, the square piano was made in Germany, England, America and France. But all the square pianos of those days were weak in tone and not to be com- pared to the grand (wing form) i)ianoforte. It seems that the use of the Christofori action in England (as modified by Backers), having the hammer rise at tlio cud of the key (instead of toward the center of the key as in the Stein action), suggested the idea to Broadwood of i)Iacing the wrest i)hink along the back of the case, instead of along the right hand side, as it had always been in the clavichord. Broadwood completed his new piano with this improvement in 1781. This epoch-making invention revolutionized the construction of the square piano, and gave the opportunity of increasing the volume of tone to an unex- pected degree. As a matter of course, this invention was gradually adopted by all the leading makers. Even the German school, which had developed a square piano construction where the wrest plank was placed in the front part of the case, instead of sideways, finally accepted Broadwood's construction, together with the English action. Not considering minor improvements, such as enlarging the scale, etc., no further development of the square piano is of record by European makers and we must look to America, where the Friederici's Square Piano, 175S 50 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Alpheus Babcock's Full Iron Frame, 1825 square piano reigned supreme for nearly one hundred years. After Behrend we find Charles Albrecht making excellent square pianos in Philadelphia about 1789 and Benjamin Crehore founding the Boston school about 1792 at Milton, near Boston, where John Os- born and Alpheus Babcock were his most talented pupils. Indeed, Alpheus Babcock's invention of the full iron frame in 1825 was just as important an innovation and improvement as Broadwood's Charles Albredit's Square Piano, 1789 THE SQUARE PIANO 51 Jonas C'hifkoring's Full Iron Frame, 1S37 change of the location of the wrest i)lank. Tlie never-ceasing demand for larger tone could only be answered by heavier string- ing, which, however, was limited l)y the power of resistance of the wooden frame. Babcock's full iron frame blasted the way for further development, and Jonas Chickering improved Babcock's frame so materially in 1837 that a patent was granted to him in 1840. Most of the Boston makers, all of whom inclined toward the English school, adopted the full iron frame, but New York makers, being more influenced by the German school, objected to the metal- lic tone found especially in the upper notes of pianos with iron frames, caused i)erha])s fully as much by the inferior composition of the castings then available as by too close connection of the strings with the iron })late or frame. All American makers of that period devoted themselves more or less to the development of the square piano, so that it soon became superior to the upright piano as that was then constructed. At the World's Fair, in the Crystal Palace, New York, in 1855, Steinway & Sons created a sensation by exhibiting a square piano having the overstrung scale, and a full iron frame, designed on novel lines to conform with the varied and much increased strain 52 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Steinway's Full Iron Frame and Overstrung Scale, 1855 of the new scale. In this instrument the Steinways had not only- succeeded in producing a much greater, sonorous tone, than known heretofore, but had entirely overcome the harsh, metallic quality of tone, so objectionable in other pianos having the full iron frame. Although at first seriously objected to by many, the overstrung scale and full iron frame were soon adopted by all American makers. With this innovation the piano industry of America had received a new impetus and it developed very rapidly from then on. Im- provements were continually added, among which the linear sound- board bridge, invented by Frederick Mathushek in 1865, may be considered as the most ingenious. After the Paris exposition of 1867, the leading American manu- facturers followed the example which the European makers had set 30 years before, and began to push the upright piano to the front. For the very reason that the American square i^iano had been developed to a real musical instrument with a remarkable volume, sonority and clearness of tone, equal in some instances to the ordinary grand piano of the European makers, the progress of the upright piano in America was very slow, and it was not until 1880 that the making of the square piano came to an end. THE UPKIGHT PIAXO 53 %?';( '/dh /f??f IftWi ^ ?!^1 ■ 'i^'?T n^'"^ .'^'t^'^^^F 1 n^^""iiiiiiiiii|i|i ill!lli lii!i||||||illllllillllE^^^ Hawkins" Upright Piano, 1800 The Uprif/Jit P'kuw Not considering the vertical grands of Fabrici, Stein and others of this class, history records that apparently the first upright piano ^as built about 1780 by Johann Schmidt of Salzburg, Austria, Twenty years later John Isaac Hawkins of Philadeli)hia patented an upright piano witli vertical strings, full iron frame and check action. Notwithstanding its many ingenious devices, this })iano was not accei)ted on account of its unsatisfactory tone. As A. J. Hipkins so properly says, " it was a remarkable bundle of inven- tions," but not a musical instrument. Hawkins was an engineer by profession. In 1802 Thomas Loud of London patented an upright piano described as having the strings running diagonally. It is ques- tionable whether Loud ever had any success in building such instru- 54 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS ments. None are now in existence. Loud emigrated to New York where lie built so- called " piccolo " uprights with " over- strung " scale as early as 1830. In 1807 William Southwell of London came out with his " Cabinet " (upright) piano, having a compass of 6 octaves, F to F. In 1811 Robert Wornum of London made his first upright with diagonally run- ning strings. The popularity of the upright in Europe dates from 1826, when Wornum had devel- oped an action for it which combined pre- cision with durability and permitted of repetition, responding easily to a light touch. Ignace Pleyel of Paris adopted this action for his upright pianos and it be- came known on the Continent as the '' Pleyel " action. With the exception Wormnn's I'pright Action. 182() Southweir.s I'priglit Piano, 1807 of changing the dampers from their j30sition above the hammers to a more proper place below the ham- mers, this Wornum action is practically used in all pres- ent-day ui)right pianos. Pleyel and other Paris firms began now to make a specialty of upright pianos with such success that square pianos hardly obtained a foothold in France. THE UPRIGHT PIAXO 00 Germany began the manufacture of ui)right pianos in prefer- ence to tlie square about 1835, and discarded tiie sc^uare for good about 1860. During this period the Germans, true to their national character, built much stronger, heavier uprights, than either the French or English, using three strings for each note and applying iron plates for hitch-pins, also iron braces between these plates and the wrest i)lank. The tone of the Geniiaii ui)rights of those days had greater volume than the instruments of their contemporaries. The later imjiortant export of German i)ianos had its start at that time because of the sui)erior quality of tone and great dura- bility of the instruments. When the American makers began to pay attention again to the u])right ])iano about 1800 they adopted Cunuvcr Bros." L'piiyhl Iiuu i'laiui', l^^j 56 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS the now perfected system of overstrung scale and full iron frame, and thereby j^roduced an instrument which was acceptable, although in tone and touch inferior to the best square pianos. Germany was quick in adopting the overstrung scale and iron frame for its upright pianos and forced England to do likewise later on by capturing with their superior instruments much foreign trade formerly monopolized by England, while France, Italy and Spain came in last. By the time that the American square piano became extinct (1880) the " American System " was universally adopted for upright pianos. However, even the upright piano of to-day might still be called " a remarkable bundle of inventions." In its entirety it is an open defiance of all the laws of acoustics and of proper mechanical construction. Because of the necessarily heavy, clumsy frame construction the soundboard is almost boxed in between back and front, so that the sound cannot develop freely and fully. Whatever tone the per- former gets from the upright piano, comes straight toward him through the closed-in front, which " short-stops " the sound. The touch in the upright is tough, non-elastic, because of the necessarily short and consequently rigid, stiff keys, but mainly on account of the complicated action, which has of necessity a strip and a spring- to pull and push the hammer back to its natural position after strik- ing. In striking the string from above the hammer virtually throws the tone into the piano with no chance to escape, while in the open square or grand pianoforte it travels unhampered. The upright has always been a makeshift, a child of necessity, and for many years a total failure. In spite of its present, so much improved form and character, the upright will never be the piano for the artist, because of its incapacity to give any satisfaction to artistic temperament, either as to tone or facility in execution. That the upright piano is to-day, and perhaps always will be, the most popular instrument, notwithstanding its many shortcomings, THE GRAND PIANO 57 can be easily explained. The growth of the cities has made land so dear that the study for architects has been how to house as many people as possible on a small piece of ground. Paris started the first so-called apartment houses in the beginning of the 19th century. Hence the Paris piano makers were compelled to develop upright pianos small enough to fit into the small rooms of the apart- ment house, where grand or square pianos could not i)Ossibly be placed. Germany followed French architecture next ; England fol- lowed soon after; and since about 1880 we have had apartment houses in American cities, mainly with such small rooms that neither a grand nor square piano can be placed conveniently. Besides the more convenient form of the upright the lower cost, as compared to the cost of a grand piano, is a strong factor in its popularity. However, the demand for the " perfect " pianoforte is increasing so rapidly and strongly that the foremost makers all over the world have for many years, and with varied success, ex- perimented to produce a small grand piano which in size and price would be accepted by the lover of music. The Grand Piano or Forte Piano As previously stated this " wing " form sooms to have been used first by Geronimo (lo-l) and has ever since been preferred by all artistic makers in their efforts to ])roduce a piano for the concert hall, for the artist. The s(iuare piano was born of English commercialism, the upright i)iano started its career of success under pressure of the apartment house, but the grand piano has ever been the love of the artistic i)iano maker and the musical piano player. The large size, the natural, horizontal position of the strings, the opportunity of using a forceful action, answering at the same time to the most refined pianissimo touch — an action permitting a development upon scientifically and mechanically cor- 58 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS reet lines — has ever been enticing to the inventive genius and to the thinking constructor of pianofortes. AVe therefore find all the early pianofortes of Christofori, Silbermann, Stein and other makers possessing this wing form. The craze of adding all sorts of unharmonic effects to keyed instruments, as on the harpsichord, continued also for a while with the grand piano, and we hear of instruments having bell, drum, cymbal, triangle, etc., attachments. These vagaries, however, were not accepted by the true artist and soon died out. The extent to which this craze was finally carried is illustrated by the descrip- tion of a grand piano built in 1796 by Still Brothers of Prague, Bohemia, for the inventor, a musician by the name of Kunz. This monstrosity had 230 strings, 360 pipes and 105 different tonal effects. It was three feet nine inches high, seven feet six inches long and three feet two inches wide, had two keyboards, one above the other, and 25 pedals. The pedals had the following functions : To lift the dampers, to produce lute effect, flute, flute traverso dul- ciana, salicet, viola di gamba, sifflet, open flute, hollow flute, fagott, French horn, clarinet and many others. The inventor evidently attempted to obtain, besides the ordinary piano tone, also all kinds of organ and orchestral effects, noisy additions which we find to a smaller extent with the nickel-in-the-slot playing machines of to-day. The perfecting of the grand piano, or forte piano {fit gel, as it was called in Germany), depended entirely upon the develop- ment of an action capable of bringing out the greater tone of the longer strings and larger soundboard of the grand, and we find the masters of the English and German schools for many years seriously engaged in solving this problem, to be finally out- classed by Sebastian and Pierre Erard, of Paris. Backers' grand action, completed about 1776, inspired Robert Stod- THE GRAXD PIAXO 59 art of London to build his first concert piano wiiicli he called " Grand Pianoforte," about 1777, and the word grand first applied by Stodart was henceforth used by all Klnglish and American makers for this instrument, John Broadwood built his first grand in 1781. Allen and Thom of London patented a grand piano having a complete metal framing system in 1820, followed by the Erards in 1823, who constructed a grand piano with six resistance iron bars, placed over the sound- board, while James Broadwood patented, in 1827, a combination of an iron string plate (hitch plate) with resistance iron bars, thus coming very near the full iron frame. Meantime, Johann Andreas Stein, and his talented daughter, Xannette Stein-Streicher, who was not only an excellent musician, but also a thoroughly practical and scientific piano maker, had im- proved the Schroter action so materially that the grand pianos made by them from 1780 on, were preferred by Mozart, Beethoven and other masters, perhaps mainly for the reason that this action not only had a more elastic touch than the Christofori English action, but that it produced a more s}Tnpathetic tone, reminding of the clavichord tone, which all the great players of that period admired so much. This sympathetic tone could only be produced with the Vienna action, because the hammer, when striking, would Nannette Stein-Streicher Grand Action, 17S0 60 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Erard's First Iron Bar Grand Piano, 1823 Erard Repetition Grand Action, 1821 THE GRAND PIAXO 61 to some extent graze or draw along the string, while the more force- ful attack of the English " jack " action is a straight and direct percussion. These two elements, the pleasant light elastic touch, and the charming musical quality of tone, assured the Vienna grand pianos (fliigel) supremacy in Germany, Austria and Italy for many years. Since the " Vienna school " never aimed for powerful tone, during that period, the use of metal for resistance was not devel- oped until 1837, when Hoxa of Vienna patented a full iron frame for grand pianos. In 1808, Sebastian Erard took out a patent for a "repetition " action for grand pianos, in which he attempted to combine the elastic touch of the Vienna action with the forcefulness of the English action, but evidently without satisfactory result, because in 1821 Pierre Erard, nephew of Sebastian Erard, obtained for the latter 's invention of a " repetition or double escapement action " a patent in England. It is this action which made J:he fame of the Erard grand pianos worldwide. Among further important inventions aiding the progress of the grand piano must be mentioned Erard 's agraffe, by aid of which a bearing down upon the strings was accomplished, preventing the very objectionable upward motion of the strings when struck by the hammer. These brass agraffes, besides assuring proper counter pres- sure against the stroke of the hammer, also improved the tone, especially in the treble part. The idea of downward pressure of the strings near the wrest i)laiik was followed up by other inventors in various directions and manners and finally led to the pressure bar and capo tasto, the latter i:)atented by Pierre Erard, in 1838, and now used in varied forms in nearly all grand and u^n-ight pianos. Capo Ta^xo 62 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Chickerinff Grand Iron Frame, 1843 Turning to America, we find that Lond Brothers of Philadelphia built a grand piano of 7 >2 -octaves about 1825, while John Jardine of New York exhibited a 7-octave grand piano in 1835. Jonas Chickering patented his full iron frame for flat scale grand pianos in 1843, a great improvement on Broadwood's combination of iron hitch x^late and resisting bars, establishing the fame of the Chicker- ing concert grand. Sixteen years later, Steinway & Sons patented their full iron frame for grand pianos with overstrung scale and disposition of the strings in the form of a fan. After the London exhibition of 1862, the full iron frame came largely into use in Germany and Austria, while England and France retained the plain scale and bracing system for many THE GRAND PIAXO 63 years. At the present time all prominent mak- ers have adopted the overstrung scale and full iron or steel frames for their grand pianos. Noteworthy progress has also been made in the construction of the case for grand i)ianos. Fol- lowing the harpsichord model, the original grand case was '' built up " (frame and braces) by gluing boards of one to two inches in thickness together. To work out the hollow sides and rounded ends from the rough form thus con- structed with ordinary jack plane, was a very laborious task. Eng- land, at that time the land of machinery ])ar excellence, soon employed power machines for case making, and constructed the curved sides and back, by gkiinu' up hardwood veneers in forms identical to the cuivatiuc of the piano case. This new process was not only more economic, but it also strengthened the case materially and was supposed to increase the acoustic properties. It was, therefore, soon generally adopted. The concert grand piano of to-day is a model of mechanical con- struction with i)roi)er regard to the laws of acoustics, as we know them to-day in their relations to tlie pianoforte. Free from all empirical and exi)erimental vagaries, the concert grand piano of to-dav is a most noble instrument, embodying the final evolution bU'iiiuav Liraiid lion FraiiK-, iJ^J'J 64 PIANOS AXD THEIR MAKERS Baldwin Grand Case with Acoustic Rim -of the best thoughts of the greatest masters in the art of piano construction. The length of the modern concert grand is usually nine feet, with a compass of 7^ octaves, Ludwig Bosendorfer of Vienna builds a concert grand of 10 feet in length, and a compass of eight octaves. Going to the other extreme, some makers have of late years constructed a small grand as short as five feet. Ernst Kaps of Dresden was the first to build a very short grand (1865), using a double overstrung scale. Because of its novelty this instru- ment was for many years a com?nercial success. It has, however, been established as a fact that shortening the length to about five feet is the danger-line for the construction of a small grand, which THE GRAND PIAXO 65 is to satisfy the artist or nmsieal amateur, as to volume and quality of tone, and especially of a well-balanced, even scale. The short grand, baptized by Albert Weber the '' baby grand," will be the instrument of the futuie. The clamor for an increased fuh round tone, elastic and easy touch, and never-failing repetition in the action of the piano, is the same to-day as it was 200 years ago, and must be satisfied. The upright i)iano, having evidently reached the apex of its possible development, is unsatisfactory, and hence the small grand at moderate price will find many friends among music lovers who neither require nor desire the bulkj' con- cert grand for their personal enjoyment or professional studies. PART ONE CHAPTER III The Full Ieon Frame, Hawkins, Allen and Thorn, Babcock, Chick- ering, Erard, Broadwood, Hoxa, Steinway. The Keyboard, Guido of Arezzo, Zarlina, Kirkman, Krause, Chromatic Keyboard, Neuhaus, Cludsam, Paul von Janko, Perzina. The Action, Schroter, Christofori, Silbermann, Stein, Streicher, Zumpe, Backers, Erard, Friederici, Wornum, Pleyel, Pape. The Hammer, Christofori, Silbermann, Pape, Wilke, Kreter, Mathushek, Collins, Dolge, Amnion, Steinway. The Soundboard, Chladni, Tyndall, Helmholtz, Hansing, Dr. Paul, Pape, Mathushek. PART ONE CHAPTER III THE IRON FRAME, THE KEYBOARD, ACTION, HAMMER, SOUNDBOARD The Iron Frame IN the year 1808 Waclitl & Bleyer, a Vienna firm of piano makers, stated in a i)nblication that the total tension of the strings in their grand pianos equalled 9,000 pounds. The strings in a modern grand have a total tension of 35,000 to 40,000 pounds. The necessity of a combination of metal with wood in piano construction became apparent as soon as the perfected action per- mitted of the use of heavier strings. The framework had to undergo a change if farther progress in tone volume was to be made. Numberless experiments were made with metal tubes and bars for braces, underneath the soundboard as well as above, with- out lasting result. Even the Hawkins full iron frame of 1800 was a failure, and history records many futile attempts to solve the problem. The first acceptable system of bracing by iron tubes was in- vented by Allen and Thom of London in 1820. They sold their patent rights to Robert Stodart, who immediately constructed a grand pianoforte with this system, which withstood a tension of 13,000 pounds successfully. Alpheus Babcock of Boston followed in 1825 with the first full iron frame for square pianos. 70 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS "With this invention the era of the full iron frame was in- augurated. That great mechan- ical genius, Jonas Chickering, patented in 18-13 a full iron frame for flat scale grand pianos. He demonstrated the practica- bility of this new system, and the so-called Boston school at once followed his example, using full iron frames for grand, square and upright pianos. In Europe, Erard experi- mented with iron bracing bars about 1824, putting as many as nine long bars over the sound- board of his grand pianos. Broadwood, more methodical and scientific, studied to obtain the necessary resistance with as few bars as possible, and finally com- bined an iron hitch-pin plate with his cross bars, which system was patented in 1827. John Broadwood & Sons are now making grand and upright pianos with " barless " steel frame, a notable accomplishment, aiding materially in producing an even scale, and also permitting the soundboard and strings to ^^ibi'ate unhampered and unaffected by iron cross bars. Another im- portant effect is that the weight of the piano is reduced in pro- portion. Hoxa of Vienna is on record with a patent for a full iron frame for grand pianos in 1837. No doubt the European makers of that period objected to the full iron frame because of the too metallic tone, for which reason the New York makers also were slow in following Chickering and the Boston school. The Alk'ii and Tlioin"s Grand Bracing System, 1S20 THE IRON FRAME 71 majority of the New Yorkers leaned toward the German school, seeking quality rather than volume of tone. AVhen, however, Stein- way & Sons demonstrated in 1855 that the overstrung system in combination with a solid iron frame, could yield the desired volume of tone of the desired musical quality, the battle for the iron frame was won. At the London exhibition of 1862 the American pianos with full iron frames were the sensation of the entire piano exhibit. After the Paris Exposition of 1867, where the much-improved American overstrung iron frame pianos carried off the honors, the German makers capitulated and accepted the American system. England and France are following slowly, but the universal adop- tion of this greatest progress in piano construction is inevitable. Constant study and efforts to improve the composition of the metals for casting, together with the progress made in the methods and mechanical appliances for casting iron, have not only tended to overcome the objectionable influence of the iron frame upon the tone quality, but the modern iron frame or plate is also in form and finish pleasing even to the critical eyes of the artist. The casting of iron plates for pianos is one of the most impor- tant auxiliary industries of the piano trade of to-day, keeping pace with the continual improvement of the piano. The average weight of plates in American pianos is as follows : Concert Grand. . . . 400 pounds, Parlor Grand 300 pounds. Baby Grand 250 pounds. Large Upright .... 200 pounds. Small Ui)riglit 120 pounds. The tension these i)lates have to withstand averages as follows: Concert Grand . 60,000 pounds. Parlor Grand . . 55,000 pounds, Baby Grand 50,000 pounds, Large L^pright . 38,000 pounds, Small Upright. . . . 38,000 pounds. , 1.S5U I Steinwav Grand Action, New York. 18S4 90 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS \Mmr!-a,Mnni<. n-TrnTrArt i rt . iM ■ . v ' -^'■i.t;vi.Mi?A n jM,CT-,maii.mm.i\m-mn.mmiwi\Mn.t«an.w.mn'l Wessell, Xiekel & Gross' Grand Action, Jsew York, 1890 n~\ l^\\ — ^^'Sr^ 1 i:';iii!ihii!iii[:i\ y ^' 1 Langer Grand Action, Berlin, 1909 Keller's Grand Action, Stuttgart, 1909 PIAXO ACTIONS 91 Herrburyvi-Schwander Grand Action, Paris Siegfried Ilansing's Grand Action, >se\v York, 1898 Following- the development of the action for the nin-ight piaiU), we observe a simihir evohition fi'oiu the crudest device to the most complicated mechanism. The ni)right action of Friederici (1745) reminds one, as Hipkins so truly says, of an old German clock movement, and it is (piite possible that Friederici copied it from a clock. After Friederici we find nothing of impor- tance until the English ^' sticker " action appeared, a device which 92 PIANOS AXl) THEIR MAKERS had nothing else in its favor than its cheapness. This nnsatisfac- tory action was no doubt, to a large extent, responsible for the unpopularity of the early upright piano. Robert Wornum of London accomplished for the upright piano what Sebastian Erard five years earlier had done for the grand piano. It was in 1826 when AYornum patented his " piccolo " upright action, which has remained the prototype of all upright actions used at the present time. The Wornum action made the- upright piano a practical instrument. Active minds among the Friederici's Upright Action, 1745 T=^ u Engli&h Sticker Ui)right Action, 1820 PIANO ACTIONS \Voniuni".s Upright Action, 1820 piano makers set to work at once to improve this epoch-making invention. Ignace Pleyel and Henri Pape of Paris met with such notable results in their efforts in this direction that the Wornum action is to this day misnamed by most piano makers the " French " action. Perhaps it was called thus also for the reason that Paris was first in having establishments that made a specialty of producing actions for the piano trade. Their product was of such excellent quality that it was soon exported to Germany, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia, etc., and the piano manufacturers advertised that they had " French," that is, Paris made, actions in tlioir pianos. The extent to which the Wornum action has been develoi)ed and improved at the present day can be observed by the following illustrations : 94 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Brinsmead Up-right Action PIANO ACTIONS 95 Langer Upright Action llcrrburger ;5ch\vuiuler Upright Acliou 96 PIANOS AND THEIK MAKERS Seaverns Upright Action Showing Metal Flange Wessell, Nickel & Gross' Upright Action PIAXO HAMMERS 97 Development of the Piano Hammer The hammer used by C'hristot'ori, hjilljermann and other early makers consisted of a small wooden b'ock covered with soft leather. With the increase of tone volume the hammer had to undergo changes and we soon find hainmci's having instead of the block form a longer wedge form, tapering toward the to}). To assure firmness, this wedge-like molding was first covered with a piece of firm sole leather, over which a soft piece of sheepskin was glued. Xext we find larger hammers in which the foundation Christofori Hammer Hammers Covered with Leather over the wooden molding was a piece of very hard sole leather a quarter of an inch thick, followed by a medium firm elkskin covering and topped off with a covering of very soft, specially prepared deer or buckskin. The art in hammer making has ever been to obtain a solid, firm foundation, graduating in softness and elasticity toward the top surface, which latter has to be silky and elastic in order to produce a mild, soft tone for pianissimo playing, but with sufficient resist- ance back of it to permit the hard blow of fortissimo playing. AVhen the iron frame i)ermitted the use of heavier strings, the leather hammer proved insufficient, and we find Alpheus Babcock, 98 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS of Boston, taking out a patent in 1833 on a hammer covered with felt. Two years later, P. F, Fischer of London (a friend of Henri Pape) obtained an English patent for piano hammer felt. It is surmised that this patent is really for an invention of Henri Pape of Paris, who at that time experimented with hair felt for hammer covering, cutting up soft beaver hats for that purpose. Getting very good results therewith, but not being able to slice this hairy hat felt thin enough for the treble hammers, Pape in- duced a hatter to make a hair felt in sheets tapering from a quar- ter of an inch to one-sixteenth of an inch thick. Pape in 1839 ex- hibited pianos having hammers covered with such felt, and it seems that the credit for the invention of tapered hammer felt belongs to Pape. # Hammers Covered with Leather and Felt We now find the following combination in the hand-made ham- mers of those days : Directly over the wooden head, a covering of hard sole leather, then elkskin, and over that a covering of hair or wool felt up to about the last two treble octaves, which were covered with buckskin. The elkskin was soon replaced by a firm felt called underfelt, which was not only more economical, but also firmer than elkskin, possessing the required elasticity. PIANO HAMMERS 99 Gradually the sole leather was replaced by another underfelt, so that we now liave the entire hammer made of three thicknesses of felt, each layer of its required firmness. The use of deerskin as a covering for the last two or three octaves was continued, espe- cially in square pianos which had only two strings, more for pro- tection, however, than for tone results. Felt making had not advanced sufficiently to produce a material so closely interknitted as to withstand the cutting of the wires on the thinly covered treble hammers. The ever-increasing thickness of the strings, to produce greater volume of tone, necessitated a more forceful hammer than could be produced by the hand-made method, and many attempts were made to construct machines for gluing the felt to the wooden head. About 1835 Wilke, piano maker at Breslau, invented a machine in which a full set of hammers could be covered with felt at one time. It seems that hammers made on this machine were not considered as good as the hand-made, because nearly all European makers continued the hand method until about 18(57, when the American pianos, shown at the Paris exposition, made a lasting impression. In America two in- ventors patented hammer-covering ma- ,.-u.'^""''^-- chines in 1850. Kudolf Kreter of New /^' York patented a most ingenious but very complicated machine. Its main fault was that, because of manifold attached springs and levers, it was impossible to use felt over half an inch thick, and the cry was for a larger, heavier hammer. This ma- chine, which had many elements of the present hammer-covering machines, came into possession of Alfred Dolge in 1871, who later on sold it as a curiositv to Brooks ., , . ,, , „ ,, Machine-Covered telt of London. Hammer, 1S71 100 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Frederick Matliiisliek's patent of 1850 was for a hammer-cover- ing machine of much simpler construction tlian Kreter's. It was patterned after the AVilke machine, the frame built of wood, with 10 iron screws, five each for down and side pressure. About 1863 Benjamin Collins, a piano and hammer maker of Boston, came out with an improvement on the Kreter machine. In Kreter's as well as Mathushek's machine, the covered hannner had to stay in the machine until the glue had thoroughly hardened. Collins, taking Kreter's iron frame machine as a pattern, changed it so that the caul or form into which the hammer is pressed could be locked, after the felt was glued on, and the caul with the ham- mers removed from the machine in order to repeat the operation with another set. But even Collins' machine, like others, was too light in construction to make the heavy hammers demanded for Dolge Ilamnier-Covering' ^laehine, 1887 PIAXO IIAMMEKS 101 Dolwe Hammer-Coveriii": ^Licliine. 1SS7 the large concert grand pianos. Most makers increased the strength of the Mathushek machine, which was generally adopted because of its simplicity, but it was very difficult to produce the desired pointed hammer with the thicker felt required. In 1887 Alfred Dolge patented an imi)roved hammer-covering machine, built upon the i)rinci})le of drawing the felt ujtward, l)y the aid of an inclined plane on which the side cauls travel. This princiiDle and the ease with which great pressure can be brought to bear with less physical exertion, as compared to the old style machine, has made this Dolge machine very popular. Undergoing more or less changes this machine is now in use in most of the prominent shops and factories. With the use of the heavier cover- ing machine, the so-called " single coat " hammer made its ap- pearance. The il hist rations show a single coat grand hammer made on the Dolge machine from felt one and one-half inches thick, and an ujjright hammer made of felt one and one-fourth inches thick. 102 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Single Coat Felt Hammer for Grand Pianos Single Coat Felt Hammer for Upright Pianos Opinions differ very much as to tlie value of single coat ham- mers, considering their increased cost, in comparison with the double coat. The latter is universally used at present, single coat being the exception. As far back as 1873 the author made, in his factories at Dolgeville, N. Y., for Steinway & Sons, hammer felt one and three-fourth inches thick in bass and weighing 22 pounds to a sheet, which measured 36 inches wide and 43 inches long. This extraordinary thick felt was used for concert grand piano ham- mers, and although splendid results were achieved, the heavy hammer affected the touch too much. It is now generally agreed that felt weighing 17 to 18 pounds to a sheet is sufficiently heavy for grand hammers, and 13 to 14 pounds is the usual weight of felt used for upright hammers. While the modern hammer-covering machine does turn out a much more uniform hammer all through the scale than could pos- PIANO HAMMERS 103 sibly he produced by the best artisan by tlie liaiuhnade method, further progress and improvements are necessary in order to l)roduce a perfect hanmier which will re<|uire less neethe work on the part of the voicer or tone regulator. AVitli the jn-esent machines, the operator has no control of the ]iressure exercised; he does not know but has to guess whether tlie felt is pressed down sufficiently or not. The rigidness of the covering machine does not permit of any variation in i)ressure to be used, so neces- sary on account of the uneven texture of the felt. The author has given this subject most serious thought for the past forty years, and has made many costly experiments, which finally culminated in the construction of a macliine as shown in the illustration. Dolge-GardiuT (.oniprosisod Air llainmcr-Covoiing ^lacliine. I'.tlO Compressed air is used, and the required pressure can be gauged to a nicety and regulated as the texture of the felt or firmness retjuired by the piano maker may dictate. Having three inde- pendent cylinders, more or less pressure can be ajiplied, as may be desirable, at either section of the set of hannners. Martin 104 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Gardner, for years master mechanic in the Alfred Dolge Felt Company factories, Dolgeville, CaL, built this machine under the author's instruction and supervision, and designed and originated many important detail improvements. Similar to the Collins machine, the cauls are removable after the felt is glued on to the molding, and it is estimated that two expert gluers can cover about two hundred and forty set of hammers in ten hours on one machine, While speed and saving of floor space are desirable in modern manufacturing, the main object sought for in this machine is the production of a hammer having an even gradation in texture. It is entirely within the control of the operator to give the hammer any desired degree of firmness with this machine. Exhaustive experiments wliich the author has made during the past thirty years in the construction of automatic hammer-cover- ing machines, to be operated by steam or hydraulic power, have led to the conclusion that compressed air is preferable in every respect, because the cylinders are instantly and independently controlled by a turn of a valve. Mention must be made of a patent ob- tained in 1893 by John Amnion, a New York piano maker, for a process of gluing a strip of tapered hammer felt together and then inserting the same into a wooden hammer head, having two prongs on top. Amnion's motive was to economize felt. It does require much less felt by Amnion's method than glu- ing the felt around the molding, but the ham- mer designed by Ammon is utterly imprac- ticable for many reasons, principally because it is impossible to get the treble hammers of sufficient firmness to produce a satisfactory tone. Amnion Hammer PIANO HAM:\rERS 105 Alfred l)oI.^e saw in Ammon's invention the embryo of a ham- mer which might, to a considerable extent, solve the vexing prob- lem of preventing the flattening out of the hammer through usage. It is impossible to ])roduce a well pointed hammer with the present method of hammer covering, even if the felt is forced into a sharply pointed mold of the covering machine. The hammer will invari- ably flatten out when it comes under the needle of the voicer or tone regulator and, of course, much more so through striking the strings, because it has no bracing or support of any kind and can give way freely. Conseciuently, after short usage, all felt ham- mers show a flat surface on toj), so inimical to good tone produc- tion. To combat this flattening out of the hammers Steinway & Sons saturate the felt about half-way up with a chemical solu- tion, which finally hardens that part of the felt sufficiently to check the flattening out to some extent. This led the author to the idea of making a hammer molding in which the upper half is s])lit open by a saw-kerf, thus obtaining two prongs which are shaped by the ordinary wood-steaming process into a IS Steinway Saturated Hammer Molding for Aiiinioii-Dolgc Hammer Ammon-Dok'o Hammer 106 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEKS clasp. The clasp-like prongs reach beyond the center of the glued-up felt. As shown in the illustration, the felt is forced into the clasp and then secured by a metal agraffe, passing through both prongs of the clasp, tightening the prongs so firmly on the felt that a flattening out of the felt is impossible, except through its wearing off. It is readily perceivable that the foundation of the hammer so constructed must be of a firmness and solidity not attainable by the old method of covering. Not only that the center part of the felt is glued together very tightly, but the felt itself is pressed between the firm shoulders of the clasp, thus becoming one solid body with the wooden head. The author had a grand piano containing such hammers at his home, and although his five boys used this piano almost daily for their pratice for several years, the hammers showed very little usage and wear. It is, of course, important that only the very best, most densely interknitted felt, should be used for hammers of this type. Instead of reducing the cost, as Amnion intended, the improved hammer of this type costs fully twenty-five per cent, more to produce than the ordinary. The author is of the opinion that this improvement in hammer making will finally prevail, especially since much greater durability is required for the ham- mers in the self-playing piano than the present form of construc- tion admits of. The Soundboard The science of acoustics as developed by Chladny, Tyndall, Helmholtz, and in its direct relation to the piano, especially by Siegfried Hansing, has given us much enlightenment as to the proper and correct laying out of a scale, also the laws controlling the production of sound by percussion and otherwise, but none of these scientists can advise as to the scientifically correct con- struction of the soundboard. The much coddled theory of " tone SOUNDBOARDS 107 waves " found its most obstinate opponent in the soundboard of the pianoforte, disproving forcibly almost every argument brought forward in favor of this theory. Xot finding any assistance from scientists, the piano maker had to rely entirely upon empiric ex- periments, to construct a soundboard best adapted to his scale. All the experiments, and their names are legion, ended in coming back to the plain soundboard as constructed by the clavichord and harpsichord makers of the early days, namely, a board of as large a size as the case of the piano would permit, made of the best quality of well-seasoned fir, strengthened by bars or ribs glued on crossways. The various writers on piano construction differ materially regarding the imi)ortance of the soundboard in relation to tone development in the piano. The careful and learned Dr. Oscar Paul, laboring under the ban of the " wave theory," insists that the soundboard is the very soul of the piano and that tone quality as well as volume depend altogether upon its con- struction. Indeed, he holds that the tone is produced by the sound- board and not by the string. Siegfried Hansing in his book " The Pianoforte and Its Acoustic Properties," shows the fallacy of this contention beyond contradiction. He bases his argument on Pellisow's proven doc- trine that the ear does not perceive sound through so-called tone waves, but because of the shock or jolt by which the sound is created. Conse<|uently, Hansing looks upon the soundboard as a drum, upon which the vibrations of the strings, caused by the striking of the hammer, are delivered as shocks or jolts. Hansing disclaims the existence of the ear harp, assumed by Helmholtz and others, as an impossibility and maintains that the ear is an apparatus to measure the intervals between shocks, dis- tinguishing the higher tones by their shorter, and the lower tones by their longer, intervals. He does not believe that a properly constructed soundboard ever has any transverse vibrations which affect the tone, as demonstrated by the successful experiments of 108 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Matliushek and Moser, whose double soundboards were glued to- gether so that the grain of the one crossed the grain of the other at right angles. This method of construction makes any transverse vibration impossible, and instruments containing such boards are not inferior in volume and quality of tone to any other. Hansing thus proves that the soundboard does not give forth sounds, but that it only augments and transmits the sound origi- nating with the string, through a tremor, which is the effect of the motion producing the sound; namely, the percussion of the string by the hammer. This important discovery will assist mate- rially in the further search for soundboard improvements, but even Hansing admits that for the present the piano constructor has to rely on empiric experiments for final results. To mention a few of the most telling experiments made to im- prove the efficiency of the soundboard, we find Jacob Goll of Vienna using iron and copper with reasonable success in 1823; but, no doubt, the primitive conditions of the metal industries of those days made the use of metal too expensive, as compared to wood. Henri Pape of Paris, that king of piano empirics, experi- mented not only with all kinds of wood and metal, but tried even parchment. All these materials transmitted the sound of the strings, except the parchment, which proved totally unfit for use in the treble sections. During the writer's engagement with the Mathushek factory in 1867-69, exhaustive experiments were made to find the most responsive thickness for a soundboard. With boards from fully one inch in thickness, without ribs, graduated down to boards only three-sixteenths of an inch thick in treble, and with proportionately heavy ribs, numberless tests were made. Cui'ious to relate, all of the pianos had a satisfactory tone, differing, of course, in quality. The thick boards responded with a thick, somewhat stiff, woody quality, the pianos with the thinner boards had a more sympa- thetic, soulful, but weaker tone. The most satisfactory tone quality SOUNDBOARDS 109 was found in the pianos which had the " regidation " soundboard, three-eighths of an incli thick in treble, tapering off to one-fourth of an inch in bass, ribs i)hiced at nearly equal distances apart, except in the last treble octave, where they lay somewhat closer together. These trials and tests proved conclusively that the soundboard does not produce sound by aid of sound waves, but simply transmits and augments the sound i)roduced by the vibra- tion of the string. They further proved that the soundboard is not nearly as much of a factor in tone production as the string, the proper length, thickness and position of which, together with the most advantageous striking point for the hammer, are the all-important factors to be considered in i)iano construction. Attempts to increase the volume of tone by using double sound- boards, connected by wooden posts or otherwise, the imitation of the violin or cello form, carefully worked out corrugated sound- boards, etc., have all been in vain and are discarded for good. Several ingenious devices to sustain the resistance of the sound- board against the downward pressure of the strings are recorded. Among them Mathushek's " equilibre " system, patented in 1879, is perhaps the most scientific, but the result achieved is not in proportion to the increased cost. Mathushek surmised, what Han- sing established as a scientific fact, that the soundboard is not affected by so-called sound waves, and when he discarded his equilibre system because of its high cost, he returned to the thick soundboard without ribs. In 1891 he patented his duplex sound- board, which is a combination of two boards, cross-banded and glued together. The boards are made thickest at the center where the bridge rests, in order to withstand the pressure of the strings. On October 2, 1900, Richard W. Gertz obtained a patent for a Tension Resonator for Pianos, the purport of which is to regulate the pressure in the arch of the soundboard against the strings and to assist the vibratory efficiency of the entire soundboard, 110 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS thereby increasing the inten- sity of tone produced by the striking of the hammer against the string. Another function of this resonator is to restore the original arched form of the soundboard when, through age or atmospheric influ- ences, the same has given away to the pressure of the strings. The tension rods with the conical shaped head, inserted into the rim, draw together the entire rim upon which the soundboard is fastened, and force the latter back to its original arched form, re- instating and enlivening the vibratory action of the entire board. Radiating from the center of the piano to all parts of the rim the tension rods can be screwed up, either simultaneously to bring pressure upon the entire board, or individually if any part of the soundboard should show a pronounced flatness. They are furthermore of great value in maintaining the correct form and shape of the rim. This invention has been applied to all the grand pianos made by Mason & Hamlin since the granting of the patent. Experience so far has shown that the best material for sound- boards is the wood of the fir tree, growing in the mountain regions of Southern Europe and North America. Whether or not the development of the steel industry will furnish the piano maker eventually with rolled sheets for sound- Bottom of Grand Piano showing Richard W, Gertz's Tension Resonator SOUNDBOARDS 111 boards, made of proper vibratory metal, and in ta- pered form, is speculative. It is not improbable, how- ever, that the i)iaiio of the future may have a metal soundboard. We do know that the sound in the piano originates with the steel string, and that it is only transmitted by the sound- board, materially assisted by proper construction of the wooden frame of the piano. AVe also know that the iron frame has no deleterious in- fluence upon the tone quality, and since all piano construct- ors are still seeking for a clear, bell-like, singing quality of tone, may not the solution be found in a soundboard of steel, so con- structed as to successfully withstand the pressure of the strings, and to assist the steel strings in tone production! Evidently the soundboard is the only part of the modern piano which calls upon the inventor for further investigation, on scien- tific lines, until the laws are found upon which to build a piano, not necessarily with a louder, but with a more soulful tone, suck as the old clavichord possessed in limited quantity. Richard W. Gertz's Resonator View of Soundboard Rim and Tension Rods PART ONE CHAPTER IV The Supply Ixdustries, Lumber (old and new methods of season- ing), Felt, Wire, Actioxs. Felt Making, Pape, AVliiteliead, Xaisli, Billon, Fortin, Weiekert, Dolge. PiAxo Wire, Fuelis, Webster & Horsfall, :\[iller, Poehlmann, Washburn & Moen, Houghton, Smith, AVorld's Fair Tests. Actions, Brooks, Isermann, Gehrling, Herrburger-Schwander, Morgenstern & Kotrade, Lexow, Langer & Company, Fritz & Meyer, Keller, Frickinger, Seaverns. PART ONE CHAPTER IV THE DEVELOPMEXT OF THE MANUFACTURE OF PIANO MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES PERHAPS no other class of mannfacturmg depends more largely upon auxiliary industries, each of itself of con- siderable magnitude, than the piano industry. It is fur- thermore true that the piano industry could not have made its marvelous progress, had not the auxiliary industries kept pace with the inventive piano maker, oftentimes anticipating his wants and providing superior material which permitted the improve- ment of the piano. Wire for strings and felt for hammers are two of the materials which have been continually improved by the manufacturers in advance of the piano maker's demands. It is therefore proper that the development of the supply industries should be recorded in these pages. All inhabited jiarts of the globe contribute, more or less, the raw material for a jnano. Asia and Africa supply the ivory and ebony for the keyboard. Sweden, England and America, iron ore for strings, pins and plates. North and South America, Australia and Africa, wool for felts, while Europe, North and South America, the Philippine and West India islands supply the various kinds of wood. 115 IIG PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Wood Used iu Piano Consinictlon It is not so many years ago since the i)iano maker of Germany was obliged to go to the forest and buy at auction such logs as he might select for his purpose. If a sawmill was near by, he had his logs delivered there, giving the sawyer special instruction as to how to saw each log. Oftentimes the logs had to be transported to his factory yard, where they had to be sawed into planks and boards by two men moving a big handsaw up and down, one man standing on top of the log, the other in a pit under the log. The writer saw, at a prominent factory in London, this process still in vogue in 1879. With the introduction of power-driven woodworking machinery, the millmen and lumber dealers began to specialize, and supplied the piano maker with selected boards or planks, sawed to the thick- ness and length required. Receiving the lumber from the mill, it was carefully stacked up for air seasoning. As soon as the sap had hardened, the planks were brought into the shop and there again carefully stacked up about 7 feet from the floor, to get the benefit of the even temperature of the closed room. This awkward and slow process of seasoning lumber after being air-dried was done away with by the introduction of the steam-heated dry-kiln. Endless experiments have been made to force the sap out of the wood, by boiling, or using tremendous pressure upon the lumber as soon as it came from the saw, in order to do away with the costly air drying process, but none has turned out a success for lumber to be used in pianos. Wood dried so forcedly loses all its strength, life and plia])ility, and since every i)art of the piano is supposed to assist in tone production, it follows that wood deadened by forced drying is unfit for use. Hence, a well stocked lumber yard is to this date a positive necessity. SOUNDBOARDS 117 Some of the large piano manulactiirers of America carry as much as three to five million square feet of lumber constantly in their yards. A New York corporation invested $400,000 not long ago, in a stock of hardwood veneers 14 to 28 feet long, to be used for bent rims on grand pianos, merely for fear that such long veneers of the recjuired straight grain, length and width could not often be found in the market. The investment is considered a good one from a financial point, since hardwood is rapidly advancing in value, far in excess of the interest account. For the manufacturing of veneers, inventors have been pro- lific in devising improved sawing appliances as well as rapidly- working automatic machines for cutting with knives. An entire log can be placed in front of the knives, which are up to 16 feet long, and veneers cut off, as thin as one thirty-second of an inch, continuously until the log is used up. Soundboards The manufacture of lumber for soundboards has been fol- lowed up as a specialty for over 100 years. The first specialists in this line were owners of forests in the mountains of Bohemia and Tyrol. Instead of sawing the logs into boards, they were split, like the old-time American fence rail, into boards of about one inch thickness. The clavichord or piano maker of 100 years ago would not have thought of using sawed lumber for his sound- boards. He believed in the theory that sound waves traveled along the grain of the wood, and since the saw would not follow the grain, unless the tree had grown up perfectly straight (which no tree ever does), the |)iano maker imagined that the imperceptible crossing of the grain by the saw would interfere with the sound waves. To-day, with a jiroduction of ap])roximately 650,000 pianos per year, all the lumber for soundboards is sawed, either with gang or circular saws, and the pianos are better than ever. 118 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS The Bohemian and Swiss manufacturers of soundboard lumber prepared their product most carefully. After cutting out all knots, shakes and other imperfections, the rough boards were smoothed off by handplaning, cut into lengths of from 4 to 8 feet and then carefully packed in boxes 2 feet wide, containing 60 layers each. Length and width of board dictated the price of the lumber, boards 8 feet long, 4 boards to the layer, bringing nearly twice as much per square foot as boards 4 feet long and having 5 or 6 to the layer. In America, soundboard lumber was sold as it came from the sawmill, and the piano maker could hardly ever utilize more than forty per cent, of what he bought. The author revolutionized this branch of the supply business by commencing in 1874 to manufacture finished soundboards for the trade at his mills in Dolgeville, N. Y. This innovation was welcomed by the piano makers, who could now carry a full stock of boards on hand, exposing the finished board to a thorough sea- soning in their factories, for as long a time as desired, with less investment than was necessary to carry a sufficient stock of sound- board lumber in their yards. I and my associates invented a num- ber of special devices and machines for gluing up and planing the entire boards, none of which was patented. Among these machines the great cylinder planer with bed and knives five feet wide must be mentioned. Every builder of woodworking machinery then in business refused to accept the order for such a machine, claiming that a width of three feet was the limit of safety for a planing machine cylinder. I constructed a machine planing five feet in width which was such a success that similar machines are now in use in many factories of Europe and America. Two men can plane 300 soundboards to perfection on such a machine, within 10 hours, while it is an easy matter to finish off 400 boards per day on the modern cylinder sandpapering machine. The best work- man could not finish over 10 boards per day with a haudplane. PIAXO CASES 119 Fully ninet}^ per cent, of the soundboards used are now sup- plied to the piano trade by concerns making a specialty of the business. The forests of Bohemia and Tyrol having been exhausted, the European makers have to get their supply of lumber from Galicia and Roumania. In America the forests of the Adiron- dacks and White Mountains have from the beginning been the source of supply. Even these great forests are passing rapidly and new sources of supply must be sought. The author, after thorough personal investigation, found splendid material on the west coast of North America, more particularly in the mountain forests of Oregon and Washington, and consequently started a soundboard factory at Los Angeles, Cal., in 1903, supplying not only the American trade, but exporting largely to Germany also. The best soundboard lumber comes from the mountain districts of the temperate zone, at an altitude of 3,000 to 5,000 feet above sea, where timber growth is thriftiest. Trees not over 100 years of age are the most desirable, the wood being strong and elastic. Trees under 70 years of age are not matured and have too much undeveloped sapwood. Several of the American soundboard manufacturers are also making a specialty of ribs, bridges, wrest planks and complete backs for upright pianos. Piano Cases Case making for the trade has been a specialty in America for over 50 years, and nearly all manufacturers of commercial pianos buy their cases ready made. It is readily understood that a manufacturer making a specialty of cases, producing as many as 10,000 to 30,000 per year, can afford to make a much larger investment for labor-saving machinery and devices than a piano maker who turns out 500 to 2,000 pianos per year. The tendency of the age is for economic specialization in all branches of indus- 120 PIANOS AXD THEIE MAKERS try, and the '' compiler " of the various ready-made parts of a piano does, beyond doubt, produce a better commercial instrument, than if he shoukl attempt to make each part of the piano in his own shop. The tremendous growth of the piano industry has, on the other hand, developed individual concerns, which turn out from 5,000 to 20,000 pianos per year. Such firms, of course, avail themselves of the advantages of labor-saving machinery in all departments. Some of these large concerns own forest lands, have large saw- mills, and, of course, make their own cases, keys and actions, even casting their own iron plates. The London manufacturers were the first to introduce power- driven machinery in their factories. As far back as 1850, some of their leading firms were producing from 2,000 to 3,000 pianos per annum, a quantity which made the use of steam-power machinery an economic proposition. Machinery is only economic when it can be continually employed. The piano maker with a limited production cannot avail himself of that advantage. Con- sequently, as a matter of commercial and industrial evolution, the specialists, such as case makers, key and action makers, have become indispensable to the industry. They made possible the production of a reliable, satisfactory instrument, at a price within the reach of the masses. Development of the Piano Frit Industry Felt is a fabric formed of wool or hair, or wool and hair, by taking advantage of the natural tendency of the fiber to interlace and mat together by aid of the moisture and heat during the con- tinuous process of rolling, beating and pressure. The invention or discovery of the felting process dates back to the age of our cave-dwelling ancestors, whose sole wardrobe w^as a sheepskin coat, which through use became densely matted. Julius Csesar PIANO FELT 121 organized a light brigade, which had felt breastplates as a pro- tection against the enemies' weapons. In the ruins of Pompeii a complete i)hnit for scouring and i)ressing felts has been found. The first attenii)t at using machinery for the jtroduction of felts was made in England. The i)atent granted to P. F. Fischer of London, 1835, describes a piano hammer felt, which is firm on one side and soft on the othei-, and made in sheets, tapering in thickness. As stated elsewhere, this description is identical with Henri Pape's invention, and can undoubtedly be traced to him. Whitehead Brothers of Manchester, England, are said to be the first who made the manufacturing of piano hammer felt a spe- cialty. They were followed by Billon and Fortin of Paris and Weickert (1847) of Leipsic, Germany. Xaish of AVilton, England, started in 1859. These firms controlled the market until the author started his factories in 1871. There are two essential recj[uisites for a good piano hammer felt. First, it must be well felted to insure wearing quality, because the continual pounding of the hammer against the steel strings in the piano is liable to cut the fiber of the felt if the fiber is not closely connected. AVitli this thorough felting, however, a pro- nounced elasticity is indispensable, in order to enable the hammer to rebound quickly from the string. From these two requisites arises the art of making felt for piano hammers, A short description of the process of felt making will interest many readers. Wool of the merino sheep, raised either in Xorth America or Cape Colony in Africa, is best adapted for hammer felt. In the scouring process, the weight of the wool, as it comes from the sheep's back, shrinks about seventy-five per cent.; that is to say, 100 pounds of raw wool will yield only 25 pounds of workable wool after scouring. After the wool is thoroughly dried and opened up by passing through so-called picker machines, it 122 PIAXUS AND THEIR MAKERS is thoroughly carded and then formed into sheets. Since almost every piano maker has his own peculiar notions as to the thickness and tapering of the felt, there were no standards in the beginning and the felt had to be formed by hand, putting one layer of wool over the other as the tapering would dictate. A sheet of felt weighing about 12 pounds when finished, measuring one inch in thickness in bass, and tapering down to one-eighth of an inch in treble, being about 38 inches square, would measure 10 inches in thickness in bass, one inch in treble and be about 54 inches square before the felting began. This unwieldy mass of wool is hardened down and fulled, until the sheet has shrunk to the above-mentioned size and thickness. No chemicals are used by any good felt maker in the fulling process, only soap and hot water being applied.* In 1874 the author invented a jjrocess by which the wool is fed through the cards in accordance with a correct mathematical calculation, so as to form on an apron or belt the correct thickness and taper required. This apron carries the carded wool sufficient for six full sheets of felt, making about 100 sets of hammers. The apron passes through a set of hardening rollers, which continuously unite each thin web as it comes from the carding ma- chine, thus assuring a most positive interknitting of each layer of wool with the other, and furthermore a uniformity of taper not attainable by the hand-laying process. The author received for his hammer felts the highest awards at the World's Fairs of Vienna, 1873; Philadelphia, 1876; Paris, 1878; and Chicago, 1893. The felt made by the above described process was preferred by all the leading makers of America and extensively used by many of the foremost piano makers of Europe. * Many piano makers have the erroneous idea tliat tlie fine white dust, which they observe when sandpapering the hammers, is composed of chalk. Tlie admixture of chalk would almost kill the fulling process. The white dust referred to is pure wool, finely ground by the action of the sandpaper file of the piano maker. PIANO HAMMERS AND WIRE 123 The felt factories founded by Alfred Dolge have been amalga- mated with a number of other felt factories, producing principally commercial felts, and the product has lost its identity. Piano Hammer Making Hammer making as a specialty and rising to the dignity of an industry began in America with the invention of Mathushek's hammer-covering machine, in 1850. In England the handmade hammers were for many years produced as a house industry. American machines (Dolge model) were introduced in the London shops about 1880. Germany started this special industry about 1845, when Merckel of Hamburg supplied the action maker Iser- mann, and many piano makers, with handmade hammers. He intro- duced machines of his own construction in 1860. Hammer-cover- ing machines of the American pattern were generally adopted in Germany about 1870. In America hammer covering, especially for the commercial pianos, is largely controlled by the felt and action makers. Sev- eral firms make a specialty of hammer covering, but all the larger piano manufacturers make their own hammers. The Piano ^Yiye Industry Records tell us that iron wire for musical instruments was drawn at Augsburg as early as 1351, but Fuchs of Nuremberg was perhaps the first who made the manufacturing of piano wire a specialty, supplying the clavichord and harpsichord makers of the 18tli century. About 1820 a Berlin firm succeeded in producing a wire which was soon preferred to Fuchs 's make, to be again driven out of the market by Webster & Horsfall of Birmingham who brought out their piano wire, made of cast steel, in 1831. 124 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS This cast steel wire was so superior to the iron wire that the English firm soon had a monopoly. Bnt in 1840 Martin Miller of Vienna came out with a wire superior to AVebster's and a strong competition began, especially when RoUason & Son, Smith & Houghton and others also took up this industry in England. Miller's wire continued, however, to be in favor with most of the German piano makers, until Moritz Poehlmann of Nurem- berg started to make his world renowned product about 1855. In the first competitive test, Poehlmann 's wire proved to be of greater density than Miller's, but not of equal tensile strength. Miller's wire would, however, stretch much more than Poehlmann 's, con- sequently would not stand in tune as well as Poehlmann 's much denser, better hardened wire. At the Paris Exposition of 1867 the Jury on Piano Wire tested the various makes exhibited, on a machine loaned by Pleyel, Wolff & Company. Poehlmann 's wire proved so far superior to any other make that he received the highest i^rize. As a natural consequence all the leading piano manufacturers of Europe and America adopted the Poehlmann make for their pianos. Moritz Poehlmann deserves particular credit for his never-ceasing efforts to improve his wire, not only as to tensile strength, but also even gradation of sizes and excel- lent polish, so necessary a protection against rust. Poehlmann 's remarkable success not only incited his competitors to greater effort, but caused the starting of a number of new wire factories in Germany. In America Washburn & Moen of Worcester have made very good piano wire since 1860. The American wire always had an exceedingly high polish, hardly ever attained by the European makers, but it often lacked the requisite density and necessary uniformity of tensile strength. PIANO WIRE 125 OFFICIAL TESTS OF TENSILE STRENGTH OF MUSIC WIRE 1. Official Test by the Jnnj of the World's Exhibition, Paris, 1867. Pleyel, AVolff & Company's testing machine used, MoRiTz PoEHLMAXx's wlrc Nos. 13 14 15 16 17 18 broke at a strain of Lbs. 226 264 292 296 312 348 English wires broke at a strain of . . ... 214 274 2. Official Test by the Jury of the World's Exhibition, Vienna, 1873. MoRiTz PoEHLMAxx's wire Nos, 13 14 15 16 17 18 broke at a strain of Lbs, 232 260 290 300 322 336 Martin Miller & Soxs' wire broke at a strain of 168 192 206 232 255 280 3. Official Test by the Jury of the World's Exhibition, Phila- delphia, 1876. Steinway &: Sons' testing machine used. MoRiTz PoEHLMAXx's wire Nos. 13 14 15 16 17 18 broke at a strain of Lbs. 265 287 320 331 342 386 W. D. Houghton's wire broke at a strain of 231 242 253 287 331 374 Smith & Sox's wire broke at a strain of 221 242 242 287 320 331 Washburx & MoEx's wire broke at strain of 176 , . . 198 . . . 242 . . . 126 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS The records of the World's Fair at Chicago, 1893, show the following report of the test of Poehlmann's wire made by Judges Max Schiedmayer of Stuttgart and George Steck of New York : No. 13 Measuring .030 of an inch broke at a strain of 325 lbs. ,, 14 *' .031 " *' " '' " '' '' '' 335 " ,i 15 <^ 034 " " " '' " *' " " 350 " '' 16 '' .035 " " " '' '' '' '' " 400 " (( -j y «< Qoy u «< (4 ii an a a ^^q a How successful Poehlmann has been in improving his product is best illustrated by the following table of tests, which shows the tensile strength at breaking point : Expositions — "Wire No. 13 14 15 16 17 Paris, 1867 226 264 292 312 348 Vienna, 1873 232 261 291 300 336 Philadelphia, 1876 265 287 320 331 342 Chicago, 1893 325 335 350 400 415 Since 1893 no authoritative tests are on record, but considering the severe tension to which the present-day piano maker exposes the wire, and as all the different brands of wire are used more or less, it will be admitted that Poehlmann's efforts lifted the entire piano wire industry to its present high level, to the benefit of the piano trade. Development of the Piano Action Industry The very first auxiliary industry of the piano trade was un- doubtedly piano action making. Among the oldest firms in exist- ence at this date, we find first Brooks of London, who started his business in 1810. L. Isermann of Hamburg, (now merged with Langer k Company, of Berlin), began business in 1842. In the same year came Charles Gehrling of Paris, who was followed by PIANO ACTIONS, PLATES, PINS 127 Schwander, in 1844. Morgenstern & Kotrade of Leipsic started in 184G, Loxow of Berlin in 1854, and Fritz & Meyer, as well as Keller of Stuttgart, commenced business in 1857. In America F. W. Frickinger, a German who had learned the art at Paris, started an action factory at Albany, N. Y., in 1837, mov- ing later on to Nassau, N. Y. His son-in-law, Grubb, succeeded him and the business is now carried on under the firm name of Grubb & Kosegarten Brothers. George W. Seaverns established his action factory at Cam- bridgeport, Mass., in 1851. In no department of piano manufacturing has the use of auto- matic machinery been so largely applied, to improve the product and lessen the cost, as in the making of piano ac- tions. In all well equipped action factories automatic machines are employed to fraise, mold, bore, also bush with cloth, or trim with leather, the various loarts of the piano action. All of these machines work with positive jore- cision. Some machines, as, for instance, the hammer butt milling machines, are marvels of human ingenu- ity. This machine takes the wooden block, molded to the proper form, and by entirely automatic mo- tions turns out a perfectly George W . Seavems 128 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS finished butt. This economic way of producing actions has been made possible because of the fact that nearly all of the American jnano makers use the same model, the only material difference being in the lengths of the pilots or tangents which connect the action with the key. Iron Plates, Pins, Etc. The casting, bronzing and pinning of the iron frames have kept pace in every way with the advancement of the piano. America, in particular, has for years produced the very best of castings, solid in grain, smooth in finish. The example set by Steinway & Sons, in their foundries at Steinway, Long Island, had a beneficial influence on all plate makers, whose customers demanded plates ''as good as Steinway 's." The progress in the science of metallurgy has aided the plate makers in obtaining the best blending of various ores, and breaking or cracking of plates is a trouble of the past. Even in this industry, automatic machinery begins to lessen the cost of production. The other metal parts in the piano, brass and nickel tubes for action rails, brass butts and flange rails, are manu- factured by specialists. The making of wrest or tuning pins is an industry which for over 60 years has been monopolized by a limited number of manufacturers in Westphalia. They have so far managed to retain this monopoly by making excellent pins at a price so low as not to invite competition. Very good tuning pins are now made in a factory near New York. Time will tell whether this enterprise can hold out against the low wages of "Westphalia, because years ago the Westphalian manufacturers adopted the use of automatic machinery, which turns plain wire into a finished tuning pin, similar to the process of making screws. Of other materials, such as glue, varnish, etc., nothing need be said. They are products used long before pianos were made. PART ONE CHAPTER V Development of the Player Piano, Morse, Vaucanson, Seytre, Bain, Pape, Fourneaux, McTammany, Gaily, Bishop & Downe, Kuster, Pain, Parker, AVliite, Brown, Votev, Goolman, Ho- bart, Clark, Kelly, Klugli, Welin, Hupfeld, Welte, Young, Crooks, Dickinson, Danquard. PART ONE CHAPTER V Development of the Player Piano A LL useful inventions are the product of evolution — the result /-% of searching thought and creative ability. An idea may "^be born in one man's mind; the realization and utilization of the idea require, however, the co-operation of several minds, one improving upon the labors of the other. The player piano is still in its development, and many bright minds are devoted to the improvement of the instrument as we know it at present. Destined eventually to displace the piano as the musical instrument of the home, adequate financial reward beckons to the inventive genius who can accomplish the extraor- dinary. Aside from the financial aspect, the player problem has some of that alluring attractiveness which tempts the ambitious inventor to make his bid for fame, or at least to try to satisfy his own desire for the accomplishment of the ideal. The history of the player piano is in the making. While the fundamental idea is perhaps two hundred years old, the real development and practical application dates back only to the early seventies of the past century, and the most important improve- ments, those which made the player piano a commercial possibility, have been developed during the past twenty-five years. Indeed, we can look for ultimate perfection only from now on. It would be presumptuous to pass judgment or dispense honors for what has been achieved so far. Many an ingenious device of practical value to-day may prove to be only a stepping-stone for 131 132 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS greater achievements to-morrow, and thus soon become obsolete. The author has to confine himself, therefore, to a documentary- description of what appear to be the most important inventions of the development of the player piano, in their chronological order, without attempting to discuss their merits or demerits, excepting those upon which final judgment has been passed by that infallible tribunal, the purchasing public. Inquiring into the origin of the player piano mechanism, we find that the idea of applying automatic attachments to keyed instruments engaged many of the harpsichord and pianoforte builders of the 17tli and 18tli centuries, as illustrated by their efforts to augment the scope of their instruments with orchestral effects, set in motion by pedals, swells, etc. Apparently the first successful attempt to play an instrument with a keyboard by a mechanical device was made in 1731 by Justinian Morse of England. He obtained a patent, in which he describes his invention as follows : " A new organ with either diapason or the principal in front with one or more sets of keys, the bellows to go with either the feet or the hands, by which any person, though unskilled in musick, may be taught in an hour's time to play with great exactness and with their proper graces, either single or double, with preludes and interludes, all psalm tunes, fuges, volunteries, and anthems that are usually sung in churches or chappells, or any other musick tho' never so difficult, or what length or compass soever, and that by this invention a fuller, thorough bass may be pla'd than can possibly be performed by the hands or fingers alone on the com- mon keys; and this is performed entirely without vowls or barrels, and in a third part of the room, the musick being prickt on both sides of leaves or half -inch wainscot, eight or ten psalm tunes being contained on a board about the size of a large sheet of paper and may be worked by clockwork, jack or winch, and is made after a new method to play louder or softer by a division on the sound board; and that this organ may be made for a much lower price THE PLAYER PIANO 133 tlian all others heretofore, and therefore will be very proper to be made use of in churches or chappells in small parishes that are unable or unwilling to be at the expense of the constant attendance of an organist, or in gentlemen's houses or in private familys." It is to be regretted that no instrument answering the above description seems to be in existence, but, considering the severity of the patent laws of those days, it can hardly be doubted but that Morse constructed at least a working model according to his specification. About 1740-50 Vaucanson, the celebrated automaton maker of Paris, reversed the construction of the cylinder used in automatic musical instruments of his time. Instead of projecting pegs, Vau- canson constructed a pierced cylinder for weaving flowered silks. This cylinder, according to the holes it presented when revolved, regulated the movement of needles, causing the warp to deviate in such a manner as to produce a given design indicated by the holes in the cylinder. It is said that Vaucanson used this pierced cylinder also in musical instruments. Jacquard, of silk-loom fame, seized upon Vaucanson 's idea, and in 1802 added an endless piece of cardboard to the cylinder, per- forated with holes in accordance with the pattern intended to be woven. The perforated cardboard pattern of the Jacquard loom is in principle identical with the perforated music rolls of the present day. Seytre of France patented, in 1842, a musical instrument to which he applied Jacquard 's perforated cardboard. Bain of Scot- land patented a similar device in 1847, and that great piano maker, Henri Pape of Paris, tried his hand on the same thing in 1851. No instruments of these inventors are in existence, and it seems that neither invention had any practical or commercial value. They are mentioned here only as the next step in advance from the stiff perforated board to the flexible cardboard. In 1863 Fourneaux of Paris patented his pianista, a device 134 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Fourneaux's Pianista whicli through pneumatics pressed " fingers " upon the piano keys as indicated by the perforated cardboards. This mechanism was exhibited at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876, and quite a num- ber of these machines have been sold. The machine, set in motion by a crank movement, could be attached to any piano, the fingers being placed over the piano keyboard, as in the later cabinet player. For unknown reasons this invention was not further developed, and became obsolete because of its limited possibilities and high cost. About 1868 John McTammany constructed a mechanism for automatic playing of organs, substituting for the crank and per- forated cardboard of Fourneaux a foot-pedal action and narrow sheets of perforated flexible paper with winding and rewinding THE PLAYER PIANO 135 Fourneaiix's Pianista rolls. For tins invention McTammany filed on September 7, 1876, a caveat with the following description: " The invention relates to an improved attachment to organs, so that any piece of music may be played in an automatic manner, in any kej^ on the same, and the invention consists of a mechanism worked by a fan from the bellows and by a strip of paper perforated to express musical notes, and it consists also of a transposing mechanism to play music in any desired key," The above language shows that the patent attorneys of those days were in the kindergarten class of player piano patent lingo as we read it to-day. In McTammany 's invention the action was inside the organ case, instead of being attached from the outside, as in Fourneaux's pianista. AVhile broadly speaking the action was pneumatic, yet 13fi PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS it did not have individual pneumatics for each tone. The next important step in the development of the player mechanism was Merritt Gaily 's device, patented in 1881. It cre- ated a sensation at the time, hut has never been commercially exploited. Bishop & Downe of England were granted a patent for a keyboard at- tachment for musical in- struments in 1883. Per- haps for the reason that the mechanism had to be set in motion by turning a crank, precluding any exercise of individuality, this invention did not succeed com- mercially. In 1886 G. B. Kelly invented a wind motor with slide valves opening and closing ports to pneumatic motors. This form of motor was at once adopted, and, upon the expiration of the patent, came into general use in all the factories in the world. On May 14, 1886, Charles A. Kuster filed his application for a patent on a mechanical instrument, which was granted on April 19, 1887. Kuster 's construction differed entirely from Bishop & Downe 's, as well as from Gaily 's. It seems, however, that Kuster did not know how to make his invention popular and to secure for it proper recognition. R. AV. Pain is perhaps the first who constructed a pneumatic self-playing piano. In conjunction with Henry Kuster he built THE PLAYER PIANO 137 VZZIL " • .^ - z:^-^ ^^' John McTaramanv's Automatic Plaviiig Organ, 1868 such an instrument for Xeedham & Sons in 1880, having a compass of 39 notes. In 1882 he constructed for the Mechanical Orguinette Co. (which later on became the Aeolian Co.) an inside player with 46 notes, and in 1888 he produced his 65-note electric player. On October 16, 1891, Wm. D. Parker of Meriden, Conn., in the employ of the Wilcox k White Company, made application for a patent on an automatic piano. The patent was granted March 8, 1892, for a combination piano adapted for either manual 138 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Merritt Gally's Player Mechanism, 1881 or automatic operation, having a system of pneumatic operating meclianism controlled by a perforated music sheet. Suitable wind-inducing apparatus or motor, and such mech- anism, permanently introduced into the structure of the instru- ment, operating upon the rear ends of the manual keys, not interfering or preventing use of the piano for ordinary manual operation. This interior player mechanism was manufactured by the Wilcox & White Company of Meriden, and sold under the name of Angelus Piano Player to piano dealers in Boston, Phila- THE PLAYER PIANO 139 t JfL^Or^r^b^-JEi u.„ Bishop & Do\\Tie's Keyboard Attachment, 1883 George B. Kelly's Wind Motor with Slide \alves, 1886 140 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS ; '^wwyw^ ^^\»>kkUkkkK>tUkUUUtiT L^ o THE PLAYER PIANO 141 PL4 142 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Ph THE PLAYER PIANO 143 tf 144 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS White and Parker's Combination Upright Piano and Reed Organ, 1895. (Fig. 3) delphia, etc., and the patent was assigned to and controlled by the Wilcox & White Company. On November 29, 1895, Edward H. White and Wm. D. Parker filed application for a patent, which was granted December 15, 1896, for a combination of the automatic upright piano and reed organ. This ingenious invention did not prove a commercial suc- cess, mainly for the reason that the steel strings of the piano would not remain in tune with the reeds (which would remain in tune for years), and naturally on that account would not always blend with the tone produced in combination with each other. On July 27, 1897, Wm. D. Parker obtained patents for similar attachments for grand and square pianos. THE PLAYER PIANO 145 White and Parker's Automatic Piano Player in Cabinet Form, 1S97. (Fig. 1) Not meeting with the success anticipated in introducing this interior mechanism, White and Parker on April 5, 1897, filed an application for a patent for an automatic piano player in cabinet form, and which contained reeds and could be operated either as an automatic reed organ or as a keyboard instrument player. The patent w^as granted October 26, 1897. This cabinet could be moved 146 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEES ft ft f1 ft fl 'ifti' ft fl P ft fl ft llftollnllnnlliftiijllfilliifllliillfifil^ yyyyyyyyyyyyyyiiyiyyWyyyyyyWyyHTr Fig. 2 ^^ t L,^ r i 1 1 rii I H"p Fig. 3 White and Parker's Cabinet Piano Player THE PLAYER PLIXO 147 up and on to any kind of a piano, whereby tlie fingers of the mechanism, would stand upon the tops of the keys of the i^iano, similar to the fingers of the human hand. The general con- struction being practical and durable, the instru- ment found immediate favor with the public. After completing a number of pianos with P. J. Bailey's electric self- playing device, which did not prove a success, Theo- dore P. Brown of Worces- ter was granted patents for an interior player mechanism under dates of April 7, June 15, Decem- ber 7 and 14, 1897. The pianos containing this mechanism were marketed under the name of " Aeriol Pianos," and proved a commercial suc- cess. In 1898 Brown sold his patents to the Aeolian Company, and followed the example of the AVilcox & White Company in con- structing a cabinet player, Fig. 4 ^niiiiV, Fig. 5 Fig. 6 White ami Parker's Cabinet Piano Plaver 148 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Fig. 7 r ^"^""""."" •""•' ^^i^^ x'l .^_^^^^^ .N^ ^ ^ s \ \ S ^^■ ■ ^ ^ N\ ^ ! 1 r ^ nnn ryi □ p p □ nn nn n ngnn nn n n nnn n^aaa □ H -j^ | j|/ Figs. 8-12 White and Parker's Cabinet Piano Player THE PLAYER PIANO 149 to p^ S to -ggig? 150 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Theodore P. Brown's Interior Player, 1897 known to the trade as the " Simplex." These cabinet players, now almost obsolete, curiously enough seemed to be preferred by the public to the player piano. The fear of the piano manufac- turers to add the player action to the complicated upright i^iano action, may, to a large extent, have been responsible for the tempo- rary popularity of the unsightly and unhandy cabinet player. This popularity was largely increased when Edwin S. Votey's pneu- matic piano attachment was put upon the market under the name of *' Pianola," and pushed by a most aggressive advertising cam- paign on the part of the manufacturers, the Aeolian Company of New York. Votey filed his application on January 25, 1897, and a patent was issued to him on May 22, 1900. THE PLAYEE PIAXO 151 Figs. 1 and 2 ^^^^^/^^^//^^^^M^ Z^^^^/A'm^^^/y/^/yA^ Figs. 3-5 Melville Clark's Transposing Device, 1S99 152 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Figs. 1-4 Melville Clark's Transposing Device, 1902 Comparing the drawings of the White-Parker and Votey patents, it is obvious at first glance that the three inventors worked, although at the same time, on entirely different lines to accomplish their object. From 1898 to 1906 many patents, too numerous to mention, were granted for improvements in player mechanism. Among them are Melville Clark's transposing device, patented on May 30, 1899, and September 30, 1902, which has been adopted by many manufacturers of player pianos. In 1898 F. Engelhardt & Sons commenced to make their " Harmonist " player, having acquired the patents granted to F. R. Goolman, on February 1 and April 26, 1898. Their " Peer- less Piano Player," a coin-operated electric pneumatic instrument, was also placed on the market in the same year. This firm controls THE PLAYER PIANO 153 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 M 1 I I I II I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I n F. R. Goolioair.s liarmouist i'lavL-r, 1898 Paul B. Kluiiirs Auxiliarv Kev. 1906 154 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEES A. J. Hobart's Endless Tune Sheet, 1908 the patent granted to A. J. Hobart, on July 7, 1908, for an endless perforated tune sheet, each sheet containing five or more selections. All player actions prior to 1898 were so constructed that they played only 65 notes of the 88 of the piano scale. This necessi- tated the rearrangement (often mutilation) of modern composi- tions written for 88 notes. Melville Clark introduced in 1901 his " Apollo " player with an 88-note tracker board, an innovation which has been adopted by most player manufacturers for the good of the instrument. Thomas Danquard obtained a patent, on August 2, 1901, for a device called the flexible finger, by means of which the wippen of the piano action is attacked direct, eliminating thereby the THE PLAYER PIANO ]r)5 harshness of contact and hnparting elasticity without interfering with the function of the piano action. To overcome the objectionable stiffness of the interior player action, Melville Clark patented on August 1, 1905, and in March, 1907, a construc- tion by which the stroke button is placed in front of the fulcrum of the piano key. Paul B. Klugh obtained on October 9, 190G, a patent for an aux- iliary key, with the same object in view. Peter Welin was granted a number of patents on applications beginning May 1, 1902, for interior player mechanism, in which every pneumatic can be independently removed or ad- justed. This mechanism is used by the Auto Grand Piano Com- pany, which acquired the Welin patents ; also by Broadwood & Sons of London, under protection of English patents granted to Welin. In Germany, about the year 1887, Paul Ehrlich patented his '' Ariston " mechanism, which played 36 notes. This was soon improved by Ludwig Hupfeld by a device controlling 61 notes. The mechanism could be inserted into an upright piano and set in motion by a crank movement or electric motor. In 1889 Hup- feld created a new type of player with 76 notes. None of these mechanisms had pneumatics. The " Phonola," placed on the market in 1902, containing pneumatics, had originally a compass of 72 notes, but it has now been changed to 88 notes. For the better control of piano or forte playing independently in bass or treble, the power-producing bellows of the Phonola is divided into two sections, as shown in illustration. Tliomas Danquard's Flexible Finger Mechanism, 1904 156 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS LiL' ./v, .„!/ / ; ' . ^:.w/M O so 5 THE PLAYER PIANO 157 Peter Welin's Iiulividual Valve System. 1002 Through an ingenious connection of a special pneumatic with the hammer rail, the Phonola mechanism gives the performer an opportunity for most delicate shading in pianissimo playing, by simply exercising more or less pressure upon the i)edals. The latest product of the Hupfeld factories is called the " Dea," a self-playing device which reproduces the playing of virtuosos through an arrangement of the music rolls. The Dea and the " Welte Mignon " may justly be called the ne plus ultra of player development for purely mechanical expression, because they reproduce the individual interpretations of the most renowned pianists with all the accentuation and expression in its finest, most subtle nuances. These artistic players will ever be a most valuable assistant to the piano teacher, aiding him in instruct- ing his pupils as to how great artists interpret the compositions of the masters. They are furthermore of inestimable value in record- 158 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Fig. 1 Ludwig Hupf eld's Phonola Player, 1902 ing for posterity the wonderful playing of a Joseffy, Rosenthal, De Pachman, Busoni and other virtuosos. However, the music-loving amateur requires the pleasure of his own interpretation, the only real pleasure anyone can get out of a piano. We have at present the '^ Metrostyle," invented by F. L. Young in 1901, enabling the amateur to follow the intention of the composer as to the proper metronomic rendering of his com- position; the " Themodist," invented by J. W. Crooks in 1900; the " Phrasing Lever," patented in 1903 by Haywood; the " Tem- ponome," invented by Danquard and Keeley in 1911; the " Arti- style " markings for the music rolls, indicating both tempo and THE PLAYER PIANO 159 Hupfeld's Pliouola I'laycr. Fig. li n l-"igs. 3 and 4 Hupfeld's Phonola Plaj-er, Showing Divided Bellows for Bass and Treble Section 160 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS volume of tone, invented by P. K. Van Yorx ; besides the many in- genious improvements of Kelly, Dickinson and other inventors., whose fertile brains are continually engaged in making player- piano history by improving and simplifying the mechanism of to- day. As time passes on, the beauty and scope of the player piano will be appreciated in the same ratio as people learn to perform upon it properly. Teachers must be trained to give instructions on the player piano just as manual piano playing is taught at present. It not only requires practice, but earnest and intelligent study to learn the use of the expression and accentuating devices, and more especially to master the pedaling, because, after all, the secret of proper shading and phrasing in rendering a composition depends mainly upon the artistic use of the pedals. The " touch," this all-controlling factor in producing the various shades of tone on the piano, is controlled by the pedals almost entirely. The player piano is the musical instrument for the home of the future, barring all others, and the growth of the player in- dustry depends entirely upon the activity and enterprise of the player manufacturers. The instrument is as yet in its infancy. Eventually a player piano will be evolved with an action which will be capable of producing the long-sought-for effects of tone sustaining, losing its mechanical character entirely, and thus be- coming the superior of the present-day piano, as that instrument has superseded the clavichord. Why should not the player piano finally be so constructed as to produce the powerful piano tone blended with the soulful tone of the clavichord? The possibilities of improving the player action together with the piano action can hardly be estimated. Sufficient has been done to show that the player piano of the future will be a musical instrument par excellence. THE PLAYER PIANO 161 162 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS ^vv\\\\v\\\v\\\vv\\\\v\\\x^^^^ Keeley-Danquard Tempononie, 1911 PART TWO Commercial Developynent of the Piano Industry CHAPTER I Italy, Christofori, Fischer, Sievers, Roseler, Mola. Germany, Silbermann, Stein, Xannette Stein, Streieher, Seliied- mayer, Ibaeh, Ritmiiller, Eosenkrantz, Irmler, Breitkoj^f & Hartel, Bliitlmer. France, Erard, Pleyel, Herz, Gaveau, Bord. England, Tschiidi, Broadwood, Kirkman, Zumpe, Collard, Brins- mead, Hopkinson. America, Cliickering, MacKay, Xunns & Clark, Gilbert, Steinway. PART TWO CHAPTER I History of the Commercial Development of the Piano Industry IT is difficult to make a piano, but much more difficult to sell it. The craft of piano making did not evolve into an industry until the commercial genius joined hands with the craftsman. It requires the lofty genius of an artist and the methodical genius of the mechanician to design and build a piano, but mercantile genius of the highest order is necessary to market this art product in such a manner as to assure for it its proper position in the marts of the world. To achieve lasting success in the piano industry of to-day, a combination of artistic and commercial ability of the highest order has become a positive necessity. The piano, not a necessity, but a vehicle for expression of one of the high arts, appeals only to people of culture and refinement. Consequently the piano in- dustry can thrive only in countries where wealth is accumulating. It will prosper in proportion as a country's wealth increases, and decline when a country's resources are declining. In its early struggles for existence, the piano had to depend upon the protection of kings and princes. Schroter could not build his piano because he did not command sufficient influence to obtain financial aid from his king. 165 166 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS ITALY It is not to be wondered that Italy and the Netherlands pro- duced those beautiful, artistic spinets, clavichords and harpsi- chords, enshrined in most artistic cases, embellished with rich carvings, or like the clavichords of Hans Ruckers, with paintings of the great Flemish masters of those days. Both the Netherlands and Italy were then at the zenith of their commercial supremacy, their ships bringing riches from all parts of the globe. This great accumulation of wealth brought about the age of Renaissance in Italy. The enormously rich nobility and the wealthy burghers generously supported Michael Angelo, Raphael, DaVinci and their contemporaries, encouraging the creation of their master works by most liberal contributions and the bestowal of honors. Together with architecture, sculpture, painting and literature, the culture of music was revived, and we find at the end of the 17th century Bartolomo Christofori comfortably placed as musical- instrument maker to the Duke of Tuscany. The ever-open purse of the Duke permitted Christofori to pursue his studies and experiments in developing the pianoforte, while engaged in making spinets, harpsichords, lutes, etc., for the courtiers of the Duke. It was a proud moment for Christofori and the Duke when the latter could show to his court the great invention of Christofori. However, as the proud Italian noblemen of that period eschewed the idea of commercializing the creations of their artists, not many pianofortes were built by Christofori. Nor were the condi- tions favorable for an immediate exploitation of the invention. Italy's trade was chiefly with the Orient, where pianofortes could not be sold. The larger cities of Europe nearly all had clavichord makers of their own, and the overland transportation of so large an instrument was very costly and slow. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT 167 There is no doubt, however, that the King of Saxony came into the possession of a Christofori pianoforte at an early date, which Silbermann copied, thus making any further sales of Christofori or other Italian pianofortes impossible north of the Alps. We, therefore, hear very little of piano making in Italy at that time, except for home consumption. About the middle of the 19th century the piano industry of Italy took a new start. Fischer of Vienna had started a factory at Naples, followed by the renowned Sievers of St. Petersburg, and later on by Koseler of Berlin, who established himself at Turin. Roseler was so successful that he soon found many followers, so that Turin boasts to-day of having 15 well-equipped piano fac- tories, of which the establishment of Mola is the largest, producing about 4,000 pianos, harmoniums and church organs per annum. No doubt Italy produces more barrel and pneumatic street pianos than any other country, but these noisy instruments are only intended to amuse children on the public highways and cannot be classed with pianos. GEEMAlSrY Accepting Gottfried Silbermann of Freiberg as the father of the piano industry of Germany, we have to admit that, besides being a good organ builder and piano maker, he also was a very shrewd business man. Not only had he the good sense to copy the Christofori piano in toto, after Johann Sebastian Bach had condemned Silbermann 's own creation in unmeasured terms, but he finally induced old Bach to indorse his Christofori copy and cleverly managed to sell to Frederick the Great seven of those instruments at the extravagant price of 700 thalers (about $500) for each instrument. Considering the purchasing power of money 168 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS at that time, it is reasonable to assume that Silbermann received at least five times the amount of the actual cost of the instruments. Saxony remained for a long time the center of piano making in Germany, and from the shops of Silbermann came nearly all the pioneers who spread the industry over the continent of Europe and Great Britain. The so-called 12 apostles (12 German piano makers), who landed in London about 1760, were nearly all Sil- bermann pupils, and became the pioneers of the English piano industry. Among them were Zumpe, Backers (Becker), Geib and others, whose names later on appeared in the London city directory as pianoforte makers. Johann Andreas Stein, undoubtedly the most talented of Sil- bermann 's pupils, went to Augsburg and made his first piano in 1768. His daughter Nannette, with her husband, Johann Andreas. Streicher, later on moved to Vienna, founding the " Vienna school " of piano makers. Balthasar Schiedmayer made his first piano at Erlangen in 1735. Johann David Schiedmayer continued the business at Nuremberg, and his son Lorenz moved to Stuttgart in 1809, where he became the founder of the " Stuttgart school." Next we hear of Johannes Adolf Ibach, who started near Barmen in 1791. Andreas Georg Ritmiiller commenced business at Gottingen in 1795, and Ernst Rosenkrantz at Dresden in 1797. From that period on piano making increased rapidly in Ger- many, makers locating chiefly in the residence cities of the many principalities of those days, because the courts of the potentates were about the only customers a piano maker could then look for. Commercial methods were entirely unknown. A piano maker would build his i)iano and then quietly await a customer. To advertise a piano for sale would have been considered an unpar- donable sin against the ethics of the craft. It required the revo- lutionary nerve of the pathfinders after the middle of the 19th century to brush away that prejudice. Just as soon as the COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT 169 industry began to develop in the commercial atmosphere of Leipsic, Berlin and Stuttgart, the piano makers of Germany commenced to make efforts to sell their products outside of their own bailiwicks. Vienna looked askance at this new movement, and consequently has hardly held its own in the onward marcli of the industry. Julius Bliithner of Leipsic made good use of the opportunity which that great school, the Conservatory of Music, offered. Young people from all parts of the globe came to that school to be instructed by Moscheles, Plaidy, Wenzel, Eeinecke and others, to go out into the world as teachers or virtuosos. They studied on Bliithner pianos during their sojourn at Leipsic, and sang the praise of the Bliithner piano wherever they went. Nor did Bliithner ever spare printer's ink in order to tell the world what fine pianos he was building, to the great horror of the old-school piano makers. He sent his pianos to the world's expositions and carried off prize medals for showing something new or better than the conventional. The old renowned firms of Irmler, Breitkopf & Hartel of Leipsic and the Dresden and Stuttgart makers looked on for quite a while, satisfied with the steady home trade and their profitable export trade (mainly to North America), but, when their export business was absorbed by the American makers and their active German competitors invaded their home territories, they quickly adopted the same aggressive policy, keeping pace with the most advanced ideas and business tactics. This persistent propaganda by all the leading firms made the piano very popular, and the demand increased in proportion. The use of labor-saving machinery was introduced by all leading firms. Establishments for the manufacture of supplies sprang up at all piano-manufacturing centers, and soon the piano *' com- joiler " appeared, at first in Berlin, later on to be found every- where. 170 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Export merchants saw the possibilities of using the German piano for successful competition against the English make in foreign countries, and a lively export trade was soon estab- lished. Piano dealers became active in every city, town and hamlet. At the present time almost every schoolteacher in the villages of Germany is the agent for one or more piano makers. The practice of " peddling " pianos — that is, to load a piano on to a wagon, going out to the country with it, looking for a pos- sible customer — was first resorted to by Berlin makers of low- priced pianos about 1866. It is now generally practiced in America. After 1873 Germany started upon a wonderful career of in- dustrial revival. That far-seeing statesman, Bismarck, not only inaugurated the beneficial policy of protection for the home market, by putting duties on foreign-made goods, but he also organized a splendid consular service, making each consul a servant of German commerce and industry. Furthermore, he subsidized the merchant marine and cheapened transportation on land, all in order to enable the German manufacturer to gain a foreign trade. How effectually the German piano trade has made use of these advan- tages is illustrated by the fact that over 20,000 pianos were shipped from Germany to England alone during 1909. Considering that up to 1860 England was leading the world in the production of pianos, this fact speaks volumes for the enteri^rise of the German piano manufacturers and the quality of their product. German pianos to-day dominate all foreign markets, excepting, of course, North America, not on account of low prices, but mainly because of the advanced commercial methods followed by the German manufacturer and merchant, who is ever willing to accom- modate himself to the demands of his customers, meeting the buyer's peculiar taste for style and tone of the piano and also his methods of transacting business. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT 171 Germany has to-day about 300 piano factories, some of them pro- ducing from 3,000 to 7,000 pianos per year. The total output of all factories is estimated at about 170,000 pianos annually. Spain has about 20 piano factories. The firm of Ortiz & Cusso of Barcelona turn out 1,000 pianos annually. The total production of Spain is estimated at 2,500 pianos per year, of which a considerable number are exported to South America. Scandinavia, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland are no factors in the world's piano mar- kets. Good pianos are made at Copenhagen, Stockholm and Chris- tiania, as well as at Brussels and The Hague, at Zurich and Bern, mostly for home consumption, however. Belgium has 16 piano factories; Switzerland, 12; Holland, 6; Scandinavia, 40; mostly small shops with a production of from 50 to 100 pianos per year. The total annual production of these countries probably does not exceed from 6,000 to 8,000 pianos. FRANCE Although Paris (which means France) was, up to 1851, far in the lead of Germany, it appears to be retrogressing, because of its overproud conservatism. It seems difficult for the leading Paris makers to realize that Germany and America are producing pianos far better adapted to the modern school of piano playing and com- position than the sweet-toned instruments which dominated the concert halls in Chopin's days. The home of the Erard, Pleyel, Herz and Gaveau piano can show only 35 establishments where pianos are manufactured, all together scarcely reaching an output of 25,000 per annum. Antoine Bord in his best days turned out as many as 4,000 pianos (mostly small uprights) per year, but even this formerly enterprising concern seems now to be content to rest on its laurels. The firm of Plej^el, Lyon & Company turns out about 3,500 pianos per year, one-seventh of the total production of France. 172 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEES ENGLAND When Johannes Zumpe went from Silbermann's shop to Lon- don in 1760, it seems that he was at once infected with the com- mercial bacteria, rampant in that greatest commercial and financial center of the world. Xo one holds the title to the name " father of the commercial piano " so indisputably as that industrious Ger- man. He found the aristocratic Tschudi, Broadwood, Kirkman and others making high-priced harpsichords, and later on equally costly grand pianos, and quickly decided to build a piano at a price within reach of the well-to-do middle class. To reduce cost, he simplified the Christofori action, adopted the square form of the clavichord and thus was first in putting upon the market a square piano at a moderate price. This piano, although without merit, either as to workmanship or tone, filled a long-felt want, and Zumpe amassed a fortune within a comparatively short time, upon which he retired at an early age. Kirkman, landing in London in 1740 as Jacob Kirchmann, a German harp- sichord maker, was even more successful than Zumpe. He left an estate valued at about $1,000,000 when he died in 1778. The financial successes of Kirkman, Zumpe, Broadwood and others attracted capital to the industry, and London became the birthplace of the modern piano factory, where steam-driven ma- chines were employed. London piano manufacturers utilized cir- cular saws, planing machines, etc., as early as 1815. In the days before the steam railroads, London was an ideal place for piano manufacturers. Not only did they control a fine home market,, among the great landowners, rich merchants and manufacturers^ but they also had absolute control of the export business to foreign countries by reason of England's supremacy of the seas. It is COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT 173 reported that in 1851 London had 180 firms, which produced 25,000 pianos a year, at a vahie of $4,000,000. In about 1860 London had reached its zenith as the leading piano manufacturing center. Edgar Brinsmead, in liis book published in 1870, claims an onti)nt of about 35,000 pianos per annum for England. Since that time Germany has not only captured most of England's export trade, but is sending to England direct not less than 20,000 pianos every year, while the total production of Great Britain hardly exceeds 75,000 i)ianos a year. The main cause of this state of affairs is undoubtedly the conservatism with which the English manufacturers, like the French, have clung to their old models and methods. Up to 1860 the piano makers of Germany looked to London and Paris for new ideas and improve- ments in construction and making. With modifications of their own, they adopted the English and French models and used Eng- lish and French felt, wires and actions in their pianos. After the Paris exposition of 1867, Germany adopted the American system of piano construction, made its own wires, felts and actions, and, as a result, soon dominated over England and France in the world's markets. London is now credited with 126 piano factories, still led by the revered names of Broadwood, Collard, Brinsmead, Hopkinson and others, who for so many years gave luster to the English piano's reputation. Broadwood & Sons have lately adopted a progressive policy as of old, using in their new factory all known modern improve- ments, and with characteristic foresight are again in the lead as the only London firm who manufacture every part of their player pianos in their own factories. It is possible that the English piano industry under Broadwood 's lead may retrieve its lost prestige by an energetic development of the player piano, which is destined to be the controlling factor in the piano industry of the future. 174 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Yet the prevailing economic policy of the British Government is a great handicap for the English manufacturer, making it impos- sible for him to even control his own home market, as is done by the manufacturers of all other countries. AMERICA North America, the new world, presented entirely different conditions to the piano industry than the old world. Although without nobility or aristocracy, its natural resources produced wealth at such a rapid pace that even in its early days the piano industry of America was very lucrative. In 1860 we find mam- moth piano factories in Boston, New York, Baltimore and Phila- delphia rivaling in every respect the old renowned establishments of London. That excellent piano maker and inventor, Jonas Chickering, had the good sense to associate himself, in 1830, with John Mac- Kay, an enterprising commercial genius, who spread the fame of the Chickering piano over the entire United States as it was then known. At the World's Fair, London, in 1851, Chickering ex- hibited the first American pianos shown in Europe, and carried off the highest honors. Meyer of Philadelphia, Nunns & Clark of New York and Gilbert & Company of Boston were also represented at that exposition, all of tliem making creditable exhibits. After the death of his partner, MacKay, Chickering, being far in the lead of all other American piano manufacturers, did not continue the aggressive business policy inaugurated by MacKay, and lack- ing an inspiring leader, the industry progressed very slowly from 1840 to 1855, when Steinway & Sons appeared. Their methods of persistent publicity were as revolutionary as those later on adopted by Bliithner in Germany. They never relaxed in letting the public COMMEKCIAL DEVELOPMENT 175 know that tliey manufactured a fine i)iaiio. William Steinway, with far-seeing judgment, was not satisfied only to use printer's ink with telling effect, but he also began to educate the public to appreciate good music. Steinway Hall was erected, the Theo- dore Thomas orchestra generously supported and the greatest piano virtuosos from Rubinstein to Joseffy engaged for con- certs, not only in New York but in all large cities of the United States and Canada. Chickering & Sons followed Steinway 's example and erected Chickering Hall in New York, also one in Boston. Knabe, Weber and Steck also engaged great soloists for concert work in all lead- ing cities, creating a popularity for the piano in proportion to the growth of wealth in the United States, Official statistics show that during 18G9 the United States produced about 25,000 pianos at a value of $7,000,000,— $3,000,- 000 more than London received for the same number of pianos in 1851. The output for 1910 is estimated at 350,000 pianos, valued at about $100,000,000. PART TWO CHAPTER II The Commercial Piano, Joseph P. Hale. The Stencil, Department Stores, Consolidations. PART TWO CHAPTER II The Commercial Piano UP to this time nearly all the pianos were manufactured by men who were expert piano makers. Excepting Willi am Steinway and Albert Weber, all the piano makers of those days were more superior as craftsmen than as business man, valu- ing glory as piano constructors higher than financial success. About 1870 Joseph P. Hale, one of America's typical self-made men, came to New York from Worcester, Mass., where he had accumulated a fortune of $35,000 in the crockery trade. Looking about for an opportunity to invest his money in an active busi- ness, he bought an interest in the Grovesteen piano factory. After a short period he severed this connection and started a piano factory on his own account. With the eminently practical trading instinct of the Yankee, Hale looked upon the piano as a strictly commercial proposition. AVithout the remotest knowledge of music, tone or theory of piano construction, utterly without patience for scientific experiments, he dissected the piano, figuring the cost of case, plate, action, labor, varnish and other material, with one point in view — how he could reduce the cost of the piano. He inaugurated a system of manu- facturing and merchandising heretofore unknown to the American piano trade. Hale is, beyond question, the father of the ^' com- mercial " piano of America, and has done splendid pioneer work in his sphere, to the benefit of the entire trade. Unhampered by 179 180 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS tradition or prejudice of any kind, he manufactured pianos as he would have manufactured bedsteads. A genius as an organizer, lie carried the division of labor to the last point, so that he could reduce his labor cost to less than half of what his competitors paid. Buying his cases, keys, actions, etc., from specialists at bottom prices, for cash on delivery, he was not obliged to carry a big stock of lumber or other material. Even when his outinit had reached the at that time imposing number of 100 pianos per week, he would not carry more than one week's supply of stock on hand. It will be readily understood that Hale could sell his pianos far below the cost price of a high-grade piano and still make a good profit. These revolutionary methods caused bitter antagonism on the part of his competitors of the old school. Hale went on with his business complacently, and argued that the makers of high- class pianos were all wrong in antagonizing him, because, by his low price, he was bringing the piano within the reach of the work- ing classes. Once introduced there, out of each 10 buyers of his cheap pianos, at least one would develop within 10 years into a good piano player, who would then not be satisfied until he pos- sessed a high-class instrument. Joseph P. Hale THE COMMERCIAL PIANO 181 Hale's i)ro])liecy has come true. The number of firms making commercial pianos increased steadily, but so did the output of the makers of high-class pianos, and to their list names like Bald- win, Mason & Hamlin, Everett, Conover and many other makers of fine concert grands have since been added. Hale and his fol- lowers made it possible for the dealer, especially in the rapidly- growing western States, to market large numbers of pianos among the farmers, artisans, etc. — tenfold more than would have been possible if they had been restricted to the sale of high-class makes only. Hale was the first American piano manufacturer who discarded the agency system. His goods were for sale to anybody, anywhere, as long as the buyer was able to pay for the same. To avoid clash- ing among his own dealers, he started the stencil system. He would stencil his pianos with any name desired by the buyer, which the law permitted. Thus the dealer, especially the big jobber of the west, commenced to sell some pianos with his own name on the fallboard, or even cast into or screwed on to the iron plate. In time the western jobber began to see that he might save that great item of freight from New York or Boston to Chicago by manu- facturing his own goods at home, and about the year 1880 the first factories were started in Chicago. Cincinnati soon followed, and to-day the western factories produce nearly half of the pianos made in the United States. The tremendous increase of output, from 25,000 pianos in 1869 to 350,000 in 1910, was only made possible through the educational, artistic and advertising i)ropaganda by the makers of high-grade pianos on the one hand, and the aggressive selling methods of the makers of commercial pianos on the other. Many of the large western houses own and successfully run factories in which pianos of the highest grade are made, as well as factories turning out commercial pianos by the thousands. 182 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Stencil The much- abused and scandalized stencil has been legitima- tized, inasmuch as many manufacturing concerns trade-mark one or more names other than their firm name, and use such trade- mark names for specific pianos made in factories built especially for this purpose. Again, dealers often obtain a trade-mark for a certain name, which they use on pianos built especially for them, all of which is now considered quite proper and accepted by uni- versal usage. Department Stores While the manufacturing of a large number of pianos has become a comparatively easy matter, being merely a matter of factory space, machinery, system and proper organization, the distribution of the manufactured goods is becoming a more and more vexing problem. The general demand has of late years impelled some of the leading department stores in the large cities to add pianos to their list of commodities. In these stores the one-price system has been introduced with more or less success. The so-called mail-order houses are also distributing pianos, and it appears as if the small dealer will eventually have to quit the field, unless he is strongly supported by the manufacturer. The keen competition has induced some of the larger manufacturing concerns to become their own distributors, having salesrooms in most of the leading cities. Consolidation Several large manufacturers of high-grade pianos have found it to their interest to combine with large concerns having a supe- rior selling organization, like Weber and Steck, who joined the Aeolian Company, or with large manufacturers of commercial THE COMMERCIAL PIANO 183 j)ianos, as in the case of the American Piano Company, a combi- nation of Chickering & Sons, Knabe & Company and Foster, Armstrong & Company, whose combined output per year is over 15,000 pianos of all grades. There are a number of concerns in the middle west whose annual individual output exceeds 10,000 pianos, while a production of from 3,000 to 5,000 pianos per year is at present rather the minimum for up-to-date firms. It is, perhaps, safe to saj' that each of the three largest western manufacturing firms turns out nearly 20,000 pianos per year, or together more than twice as much as the production of the entire United States in 18G9. How profitable large production coupled with independent dis- tribution can be made is best illustrated by the fact that a Chicago house managed to sell 60,000 pianos of one style or pattern. "What economy in manufacturing may be practiced in making such an immense number of pianos of one kind ! PART TWO CHAPTER III The Art Piano, Geronimo, Trasuuti, Hans Ruckers, Shudi, Broad- wood, Sir Alma Tadema, Steinway, Marqiiandt, Norman, Sir Edward Poynter, Theodore Eoosevelt, Denning, Bosendorfer, Empress Elizabeth, Ibach's Jubilee Grand, Baldwin, Barnhorn, Guest, Blilthner, Erard, Pleyel, Lyon & Co., Chickering's Louis XIV Grand, Everett's Sheraton Grand, Samuel Hay- ward, Knahe's " Nouveau Art " Grand, Weber's Louis XIV Grand. The Pedal Piano, Schone, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Pleyel, Erard, Pfeiffer, Henry F. Miller. PART TWO CHAPTER III Art Pianos A ET is described as the " harmonious beautiful," An Z-^ artist must therefore not only have a highly developed •^ '^' sense of truth, the grand, noble and beautiful, but also the ability to give form to his ideals in an absolutely pleasing manner. Piano making has not as yet been developed to a positive science with fundamental laws, but it has ever been an art, calling for a familiarity on the part of the piano constructor with all of the liberal arts, more particularly music, architecture, sculpture and painting. An inborn talent for music is the first requisite of an artistic piano maker. His sense of harmony must be acute, so that he may distinguish the finest shadings in tone color. He must he capable of mentally hearing the klangfarhe which he desires to impart to his piano, or create in it. He draws his scale irre- spective of form or size, because so far he only seeks to produce tone. After succeeding in getting the tone quality and quantity he desires, he begins to construct the frame and casing of his piano, for which a knowledge of architecture and talent for de- signing are imperative. He next calls on the sculptor for plastic decoration, and on the painter for higher embellishment by appropriate pictures to finally achieve the harmonious beautiful. 187 188 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Art is a passionate expression of ideal conception and develops only after a nation has accumulated sufficient wealth to enable some of its higher intellects to devote themselves to art and science without regard to financial reward. The true artist dreams, thinks and works for art's sake only. He is altogether too sensitive for barter and trade, and needs the freedom of financial independence, the enjoyment of luxuries and the inspiration of the beautiful as a necessary stimulant and requisite. The first art pianos were constructed by the early Italian makers. After Geronimo had invented his wing-formed harpsi- chord, he embellished the outer case of the same with artistic carv- ings, as shown on the instrument of his make at the South Ken- sington Museum in London. Alessandro Trasunti and other Italian makers improved greatly on Geronimo 's efforts and built special cases detachable from the body of the instrument. These cases were decorated with exquisite carvings, embellished with inlaid ivory designs and often with pictures painted by masters. That celebrated maker, Hans Euckers of Antwerp, called on his friends among the great Flemish painters to enhance the beauty and value of his harpsichords by painting pictures upon them. Indeed, his connection with the artists was so intimate that he, as well as his son and his nephew, were elected members of the " Painters Guild, of St. Luke." Many specimens of the old Italian and Flemish school are to be found in the collection of old instruments of Paul De Wit of Leipsic, Wilhelm Heyer of Co- logne, Morris Steinert of New Haven, the Kensington Museum of London and the Germanic Museum at Nuremberg. The paintings upon many of these instruments oftentimes represent a value much greater than that of the piano alone. Cost is never considered in the building of an art piano. The designer and executing artists are given full liberty to work out their ideas in accordance with the desired style. Burkat Shudi THE ART PIAXO 189 built for Frederick the Great a highly decorated harpsichord, for which he received one thousand dollars, an enormous amount, con- sidering the money value of those days; his successors, John Broadwood & Sons, not long ago built for Sir Alma Tadema an art grand costing many thousand dollars. In richness of design and brilliancy of execution this instrument is unique. The art grand of Erard is an exquisite specimen of that artistry so pecu- liar to French genius and handicraft when unlimited freedom is given to fantasy, regardless of cost. Mr. Marquandt of New York is said to have paid forty thousand dollars for an art grand piano built by Steinway & Sous, after special design of Sir Alma Tadema. Johnston Norman of London executed the embellishments under Sir Alma's personal direction and Sir Edward Poyuter painted his picture, " The Wandering Minstrels," upon the lid. It took fully five years to finish this marvel of combined arts. At the White House in Washington, D. C, is the one-hundred- thousandth piano built in the factories of Steinway & Sons. It was presented by that firm to President Roosevelt, for the Ameri- can people. The designs, models and decorations for this piano are the combined work of the most noted sculptors and architects of America. The painting is by Thomas W. Denning. The total cost of the piano was about $20,000. Ludwig Bosendorfer furnished the Empress Elizabeth of Austria with an art grand, in the decoration of which the sculp- tor's art predominates to an overwhelming degree, showing a most masterly treatment of wood in its highest capacity for the display of artistic genius. In contrast to the above we have Rudolf Ibach Sohn's Jubilee grand, being the fifty-thousandth production of his factories. Its graceful lines and chaste decorations are eminently pleasing and restful. The house of Ibach has been in the front rank in the propa- ganda for artistry in piano case designing, and their " Memorial," 190 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS published in 1894, the one-hundredth anniversary of the founding of their firm, ought to be in the hands of every studious piano maker. It contains a most excellent collection of designs, many of which would have a place in this work, if space permitted. That there are no limitations to the artist's desires or inclina- tions in designing and embellishing piano cases is shown in the Baldwin art grand. The realistic tendency of the modern school is depicted in a masterly manner in the sculpturing of Mr. C. T. Barnhorn, also in the general design of the case by Mr. I. H. Guest, both of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bliithner art grand is impressive because of the severity of the design, an example of the dominat- ing boldness of the " new school." The Weber Piano Company has made the building of art pianos a specialty for many years. The accompanying picture represents one of their Louis XIV style grand pianos, designed by W. P. Stymus, Jr. The art grand piano of Pleyel, Lyon & Company is a beautiful specimen of Renaissance design, while the upright shows a most effective application of the Gothic style. The Chickering grand in Louis XIV style is a typical produc- tion of Chickering & Sons' art department. The Sheraton grand of the Everett Company, designed by John Anderson, with paint- ings by Samuel Hay ward, is a specimen of the Everett Company's art work. The " Nouveau Art " grand of Knabe & Company is from their catalogue of art pianos, in which all dominant styles are represented. Nearly all the leading firms of piano makers during the past twenty years have added special departments to their establish- ments for the creation of art pianos, employing their own de- signers and executing artists. The architects of modern mansions insist that the design of the piano as well as of the furniture must be in harmony with the architecture of the room in which it is /^■?^*«» Alessaiuho Tnisiinti's Art Harpsicliord, 1531 Hans Ruckeis' Double Spinet, witli Paintings. Antwerp, 1500 Jolin Broadwood & Sons' Art Grand, Built for Sir Alma Tadema Ludwig BOsendorfer Art Grand. Built for Empress Elizabeth of Austria Rudolf Ibach Sohn Jubilee Art Grand Julius Bliithner Art GrauJ Erard Art Grand Designed by Coupri I'leyel, Lyon & Couijjany Renaissance Art Grand Pleyel, Lyou & Company Gothic Upright Steinwtiy &. bous Art Gnmd Piuiio miulc for Frederick Marquaudt of 2vew York City. Cost $40,000 Steinway & Sons One-liundred-thousandth Piano, at the White House, Washington, D. C. Paintings bv Thomas W. Denning. Cost $20,000 Baldwin Art Grand Weber Louis XIV Art Grand Chickering & Sous Louis XIV Art Grand ^ Everett Piano Company tSheraton Art Grand Williaiu Kuabe & Compauy '•^souvxau Art" Graud TIIIil PEDAL PIANO 191 to be placed. This extended use of correct styles in art pianos has favorably influenced the general design of the commercial piano of the present day, the form and exterior of which are of a much more agreeable and pleasing character than the cold conventional designs of former years. Thus we find the ennobling influence of art penetrating the industry, and quietly fulfilling its mission of elevating character and taste. The Pedal Piano Since the church organ had been developed to perfection long before the piano was invented, and the first piano makers were recruited almost entirely from the organ maker's guild, it is reasonable to suppose that " pedal pianos " were constructed in the early days of the piano industry, although we have no record of any up to the year 1843, when the author's uncle, Louis Schone, constructed pedal pianos for Robert Schumann and Felix Mendels- sohn at Leipsic. Schone constructed, for Mendelssohn, a pedal mechanism to be used with a grand piano, but Robert Schumann preferred his pedal action connected with the regular upright piano. The keyboard for pedaling was placed under the keyboard for manual plaj'ing, had 29 notes and was connected with an action placed at the back of the piano where a special soundboard, covered with 29 strings, was built into the case. As is well known, Schumann wrote some of his best music for this novel instrument. Erard and Pleyel also built pedal pianos in Paris, and it can hardly be doubted that Henri Pape also tried his hand at it, because there has ever been a demand for such instruments, by organists, for practice purposes. In America the Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Company has for years made a specialty of building pedal pianos for organists. Carl J. Pfeiffer of Stuttgart has devoted himself of late years to the improvement of this instrument, with very satisfactory re- 192 PIAXOS AXD THEIR MAKERS Carl J. Pfeiffer's Action for Pedal Upright Pianos Carl J. Pfeiffer's Attachment for Pedal Grand Piano THE PEDAL PIANO 193 Carl J. Pfeiffer's Upright Piano for Pedal Practice Carl J. Pfoifl'er's ^Mechanism for Organ Pedal Practice 194 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS suits. Using the iron frame and overstrung system, liis pedal tones are sonorous and powerful and the pedal action almost the same in touch as the organ pedal. His independent pedal can be easily attached to a grand piano, as shown in the illustration, while for upright pianos the pedal is placed under the framework of the piano. A very ingenious and valuable invention is Pfeiffer's mechanism for organ pedal practice, which can be built into any upright piano and used without affecting the touch for hand play- ing. As the illustration shows, the pedal mechanism is so con- structed as to relieve the piano action instantly when the foot is removed from the pedal. These two practical inventions of Pfeif- fer's have been thoroughly tried out by prominent organists and are highly recommended, not only for practice purposes, but also for the music lover who enjoys the study of Bach's immortal pre- ludes and fugues or Schumann's beautiful sketches for pedal pianos, not to speak of Liszt's Orpheus and transcriptions of Gott- schalk's repertoire, and others. Pfeiffer's inventions have two cardinal virtues. They are emi- nently practical and at the same time inexpensive, which ought to aid in a more general introduction of the pedal i)iano in the future. The Player Piano Originally condemned, laughed at as a useless plaything, or at best a brother to the barrel organ, the player piano has forged rapidly to the front during the past four or five years. The unsightly cabinet player had to blast the way for the player piano. Its low cost made an aggressive advertising campaign possible. Thousands were sold and the public became acquainted with the possibilities of player mechanism. The cabinet player became obsolete as soon as properly constructed player pianos at moderate prices appeared on the market, and became such favorites THE PLAYER PIANO 195 that the most obstinate opponents of the player piano among the piano manufacturers, were forced to recognize its commercial im- portance. With the introduction of the 88-note compass, the artistic possibilities are almost without limitations, and the time is not far distant when music will be specially written for the player piano, of such technical complexion as to preclude its per- formance by hand. The player piano is opening up an entirely new and much larger field than the piano proper ever had. Considering the in- crease from 50 factories producing 25,000 pianos in 1869, to 200 factories turning out 350,000 pianos in 1910, it seems difficult to form any estimate of the magnitude which the industry may as- sume in the future, when the j)layer piano has reached its ultimate development. PART TWO CHAPTER IV Export^ Steinway, Aeolian. Methods of Marketing, The Agency System. PART TWO CHAPTER IV Export A MOVEMENT of a most peculiar character must be men- tioned in this connection, namely, the transplanting of American manufacturing methods, by American manu- facturers, to Europe. When Sebastian Erard closed his shops in Paris and went to London to start a factory in the British metropolis, he was driven there by the terrors of the French revolution. He returned to Paris as soon as peace was restored, maintaining his London establishment, however, in charge of his nephew, Pierre. This is the only instance on record where a piano manufacturer removed his business from his own country to another. Now the American manufacturers are going over to Germany and England, establishing branch factories for their products, to better supply their European and export trade. Steinway & Sons started their Hamburg factories about 1880. The Aeolian Company a few years ago established a factory at Gotha, Germany, for making the Steck pianos and is now erecting a large factory near London for the Weber piano. Owing to high i^rice of labor and to undeveloped shipping and banking facilities, the American piano manufacturer cannot look for any extended export business. As a matter of fact, there is nowhere on the globe such a good market as the United States at the jDresent time. Because of the prevailing high standard of 199 200 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS living, an American city with a population of 100,000 can and does buy more pianos than any South American republic with 2,000,000 inhabitants, of which only a small fraction are able to wear shoes. Australia, with its 5,000,000 people, does not take over 3,000 pianos per year. Japan is beginning to make its own pianos, while China, with a population of over 400,000,000, buys hardly any pianos. The same can be said of almost all other Asiatic nations. It is, therefore, the home market to which the American manu- facturer will have to look for any expansion of his business, al- though a limited business offers almost everywhere for American player pianos of competitive value or superior quality. Methods of Marketing To increase sales, the product must be brought nearer and nearer to the masses, by lowering the cost of production and mar- keting. The system of marketing through agents, who control a restricted territory, practiced by the leading makers of America for so many years, has served its purpose and is not in harmony with progressive merchandising. Joseph P. Hale discovered that truth 40 years ago. By breaking away from it he made more money in his time than any other piano manufacturer. Makers of high grade as well as commercial pianos who still adhere to the agency system will eventually be compelled to sell their pianos as any other product is sold, namely, to whomsoever is able to pay for it. The much desired one-price system is utterly impossible as long as regularly appointed agents control the sale, and although leading houses publish their retail prices to the public, competition forces deviation in many instances. In 1881 the author found at Milan, Italy, a piano dealer who carried in stock grand and upright pianos of all the leading makers of the world. It was a most interesting study to play and compare the Erard with the Steinway, the Chickering with METHODS OF MARKETING 201 the Pleyel, the Broadwood or CoUard with Bosendorfer or Bliith- ner, and Schroter with Schiedmayer, so interesting that I gave up a whole afternoon to that pleasure, until night overtook me. Questioning the dealer as to whether it was not at times embarrass- ing for him to extol the merits of the different makes, he replied that he, as a dealer, never attempted to influence his customers in their selection of a piano. The prices were all marked in plain figures. He knew that all of the pianos were of the highest grade, and since tastes as to tone, case, etc., differ, he preferred to have his customers select whatever appealed to them as best. When- ever a piano was sold he would order another one of the same make to keep his assortment complete. This man carried about 400 pianos permanently in stock and did the largest retail business in Italy. I left his warerooms thoroughly convinced that this was the projoer way to handle the piano selling business. He was a merchant, high-toned, enterprising, carrying on his business in a most honest, respectable manner. In the large cities of the continent of Europe, and more espe- cially in London, one can find pianos of celebrated makers in several warerooms, although the maker may have his own city showroom. The time will come when piano manufacturers will fix the wholesale and retail price for their product, and then sell to any or all dealers in any city or territory without any other restrictions than the maintenance of retail prices, as established by themselves. Unless this system is adopted the manufacturers will, because of the practices of the dealer (born of the agency system), be more and more driven into combinations, by the strength of which they will be able to control the dealer or do their own distributing. This again will, as a matter of logical evolution, lead to the formation of greater combinations, ending in the so-called trust, as illustrated in the steel, woolen and other dominant industries. PART TWO CHAPTER V The Trust Movements of 1892, 1897 and 1899 PART TWO CHAPTER V The Trust Movements of 1892, 1897 and 1899 IN the spring of 1892 I was invited to take an active part in the formation of a piano trust. My studies in economics had convinced me long ago that the trust was not only the logical development of our factory system, according to the law of evolu- tion, but in some instances the only salvation for an industry, which, because of too many rivaling establishments, suffered on the one hand from an unreasonable expense account, and on the other from over-competition, both of which reduced profits to a minimum. The piano industry was not in dire straits, still the expense of carrying on the business was out of all proportion to the intrinsic value of the product, and the selling methods were anything but ethical. The greatest evil, however, was that the industry as a whole was suffering from lack of sufficient working capital. I agreed to investigate the proposition and then give my opin- ion as to the feasibility of carrying it to a successful conclusion. My first step was to collect statistics as a basis for calculation. The status of the piano industry in the United States presented itself as follows: On January 1, 1892, 132 firms and corporations were engaged in the manufacturing of pianos and organs in the United States, 205 206 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS turning out about 91,500 pianos and 92,750 organs per year, of a total selling value of $22,235,000 Cost of labor and material amounted to 13,362,500 Leaving a margin for profit and expenses of $ 8,872,500 If all or at least a majority of the manufacturing concerns could be merged into one great corporation, it would be possible to carry on a business of manufacturing pianos and organs, mak- ing only four kinds of instruments : namely, First, artists' jnanos and organs, which should be of the high- est grade and command the highest prices paid now for such instru- ments. Second, a first-class instrument. Third, a medium-grade instrument. Fourth, a low-grade instrument. It was proposed to capitalize this corporation at fifty million ($50,000,000) dollars. Fair and just value was to be allowed to each concern for its property. The atfairs of the corporation were to be managed by a Board of Directors, elected by the share- holders and chosen from the ranks of the most experienced men engaged in the manufacture and sale of pianos and organs. The General Purchasing and Contract Company was organized under the laws of West Virginia, with a capital of $1,000,000. This contract company was to conduct the purchase of the various piano and organ concerns, and, as soon as a sufficient number of options were secured, the American Piano and Organ Company was to be started. On May 12, 1892, the contract company entered into an agree- ment with a syndicate, composed of a number of leading New York bankers who obligated themselves to provide capital to the amount of $5,000,000, to facilitate the purchasing of such manufacturing concerns as either needed money to cancel their liabilities or pre- ferred to sell for cash instead of taking the securities of the Ameri- can Piano and Organ Company for their plants and chattels. THE TRUST MOVEMENT 207 One of the main reasons why the leading bankers were invited to assist in the enterprise was to insure their active support of the securities of the American Piano and Organ Company as soon as they were listed on the Stock P]xchange. Being interested by prospective loans up to five million ($5,000,000) doUars, for which they woukl hold the securities of the American Piano and Organ Company, these bankers would, for their own interests, give the strength of their influence and manifold connections to the enter- prise and to the marketing of these securities. The financial basis of the undertaking being arranged in a proper and satisfactory manner, the emissary of the contract com- pany took the field, submitting to the piano and organ manufac- turers the proposition. It will be observed that the scheme was a bankers' proposition. Its aim was to i)rocure the necessary outside capital to put the industry on a proper footing and upon a safe financial basis for legitimate expansion. Neither the scope nor aim of the proposi- tion were, however, properly understood and comprehended by the majority of the manufacturers, and the negotiations leveled down in most cases to a bargaining; the seller asking an unrea- sonable price and the buyer trying to obtain options at workable values. The amusing fact developed that almost every seller objected to " water " and found fault with what he considered an over-capitalization; at the same time he would ask such an enor- mous price for his own property that, if a corresponding amount was allowed to all sellers, it would have been necessary to increase the capital stock of the American Piano and Organ Company threefold, thereby making it, of course, of proportionately less value. In spite of the bitter opposition of the trade press, the "supply trades and other interests that erroneously feared to suffer if the trust should become a fact, a sufficient number of strong firms 208 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS and corporations saw the great advantage to be obtained, to as- sure the success of the undertaking, when the great panic, starting in April, 1893, put a sudden stop to all further negotiations and the scheme was abandoned. 1S97 During the trying years of free-trade experiment, from 1893 to 1897, the piano industry stood up well as compared with other industries. Comparatively few failures were recorded, and at the end of that long period of business depression the industry could even boast of an increase in production. This remarkable showing had not been overlooked by the banking fraternity, but it was also known that the piano manufacturers were very heavy borrowers through all those years. However, the fact that the industry did enjoy this credit proved its inherent strength and soundness, and the trust idea was again taken up in earnest. Many of the manufacturers who in 1892 had stood aloof, or had directly opposed the trust idea, now looked rather favorably upon the proposition and it appeared as if the project might be carried through. Nearly all those who had supported the move- ment of 1892 again took an active part in the new effort. On September 21, 1897, the " Columbia Investment Company " was organized and incorporated under the laws of New Jersey with a capital of one million ($1,000,000) dollars. This company entered upon an agreement with a syndicate of bankers who obligated themselves to advance up to five million ($5,000,000) dollars for the purpose of acquiring the various piano factories. All the contracts and agreements were similar to those of the 1892 attempt. Several of the largest manufacturers declared their willing- ness to join the consolidation, but the difficulty arose how to deal THE TRUST MOVEMENT 209 justly and fairly with all the desirable concerns. While appar- ently the manufacturer sold his business to a new company, he was still largely interested as a shareholder in this concern. To assure lasting success, all deals had to be made on a sound business basis and real value had to be shown for the shares issued to the vendors. Notwithstanding the fact that a number of the largest manu- facturers had either executed agreements or had reached the point of willingness to sell to the Columbia Investment Company, the enterprise had to be abandoned because of the state of the money market, which made the sale of new securities impossible for a long time to come. 1899 In the early part of 1899 the trust scheme was again revived, but upon an entirely different basis and plan than that applied in 1892 and 1897. To eliminate the large expense connected with the obligations to an underwriters' syndicate, it was proposed to invite only such concerns into the combination as could take care of their own liabilities. The allotment of shares of stock was to be based on a proper ratio to the net profits shown for the previous five years, with due consideration of the value of all tangible assets. Although this new plan appealed strongly to a number of the leading manufacturers, petty jealousy, the fear that one or the other might be treated more liberally and the reluctance of being among the first to sign, even after an agreement had been reached, made the negotiations so wearisome and tedious that the proposi- tion was dropped for good after one month's work in the field. The piano trade was not ready to make the proper start on its predestinated career of greater development. Only a few of the manufacturers had the broad vision for such a perspective as this 210 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEES combination scheme offered. Besides, an unexi^ected wave of pros- perity such as the piano industry had never before experienced began to make itself felt and almost everybody was perfectly sat- isfied with existing conditions. In the light of the marvelous development of the piano trade since 1892, the above related efforts are of historical value. Like all other large industries, the piano industry, by force of conditions, will eventually be driven to the economic necessity of combination in order to stay in the procession for industrial de- velopment and to perform its duty to the people, providing musical instruments of quality at lowest cost and, furthermore, to take proper care of its wage workers by providing adequate pensions for them when their economic efficiency comes to an end. The great railroad combinations, the Standard Oil Company, the United States Steel Corporation, the International Harvester Com- pany, the packers and many other large combinations are pursuing this policy as a part of the duties which they owe to the people at large. Despite all the opposition by sensational writers and unthinking people against the so-called trusts, the fact is patent that all of these combinations do serve the public better than it was ever served before. The most noticeable illustration is found in the great department stores, which have adopted the one-price system in their piano departments. Their example will eventu- ally force every piano dealer to do likewise. PART THREE Men Who Have Made Piano History CHAPTER I Italy, Giiido of Arezzo, Spinnetti, Geronimo, Cliristofori, Fischer, Sievers, Roseler, Mola. Germany, Silbermann, Stein, Nannette Stein, Streiclier, Bosen- dorfer, Seutfert, Elirbar, Schweighofer, Heitzmann, The Ibachs, Ritmiiller, Rosenkrantz, Irmler, The Sehiedmayers, Kaim & Giinther, Dorner, Lipp, Wagner, Pfeiffer, Rohlfing, Knake, Adam, Heyl, Vogel, Lindner, Meyer, Mand, Gebauhr, Thiirmer, Steinweg, Grotrian, Zeitter & "Winkehnann, Busch- mann, Rachals, Scheel, Bliithner, Ronisch, Feurich, Isermann, AVeickert, Poehlmann. England, Shudi, Broadwood, Collard, Challen, Hopkinson, Brins- mead, Chappell, Eavestaff, Sqnire, Grover, Barnett, Poehl- mann, Strohmenger, AVitton, Allison, Monuington &: Weston. PART THREE CHAPTER I Men Who Have Made Piano History Introduction ONE of the remarkable peculiarities of the piano industry is the great value of an established name. His name is the piano maker's trade-mark, and that concern is fortu- nate that controls a name which is impressive, euphonious, easy to spell, easy to pronounce, easy to remember — in short, of such a character that it cannot be easily confounded and always will make a lasting* impression. Shakespeare's often quoted phrase, " What's in a name ? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet," does not hold true in the piano business. The maker's name on a piano carries everlasting responsibility with it. But this is not the only significance of the maker's name on a piano. Every piano maker who loves his art for the art's sake, is, as a matter of course, a man of pronounced individuality, and he impresses his individuality upon his creation. Thus it comes that we hear virtuosos and connoisseurs speak of the Erard, the Broadwood, the Bliithner, Steinway or Chickering " tone," signifying that each maker's pianos have an individuality of their own in tone and Mangfarhe. This individuality is so carefully guarded that we find older firms always reluctant to adopt new methods 213 214 PIANOS AND THEIE MAKERS of construction or other innovations. They fear that any change may rob their instruments of their most cherished individuality, their characteristic tone and klangfarhe. Not only the tone quality and volume reflect the maker's indi- viduality, the workmanship of the entire piano is guaranteed by the maker's name, and his name will live or die as his instru- ments are built to last or not. The reputation of the instrument which a piano maker produces follows him beyond his grave, often for generations. In due appreciation of the overshadowing importance of a proper name and its commercial value, many of the leading mem- bers of the craft did not hesitate to give up their family name, no matter how honorable it was made by their ancestors. When- ever necessary or advisable, they changed the same, so as to give it the desired distinction. We find Burckhardt Tschudi changing his name to Burkat Shudi, Ehrhardt to Erard, Schu- macher to Schomacker, Steinweg to Steinway, etc., and quite properly so! Would not an unpronounceable name on the fall board kill the best piano as a commercial proposition? Not to think of its impossibility on a concert program! Names once identified with a good piano are never changed, even if in course of time no scion of the founder is connected with the firm or corporation making the piano. Neither genius nor talent can be transferred from father to son, or grandson, by mere teaching or example. Artists are born, and very seldom do following generations show any trace of their progenitors' in- born ability. If that were not so, we would have more Rafaels, Eubens, Shakespeares, Goethes, Wagners or Darwins. On the contrary the real genius usually exhausts his talents during his lifetime, and new blood has to be injected to maintain the standing of firms founded by men who ranked far alcove their contempo- raries. Notable exceptions simply i^rove this rule. To maintain MEX WHO MAKE PIANO HISTORY 215 the exalted position of a leading firm, proper respect must always be paid to the honor of its illustrious founder or founders, by unceasing efforts to better the product and, with due rever- ence to its artistic re})utation, to imijrove volume and quality of tone in harmony with its fundamental individuality. This requires genius, and wherever artistic, mechanical and commercial genius are combined, success is inevitable. Each by itself may make a mark, an impression, but only the combination of the three under guidance of a strong mind can achieve lasting success in the piano business. The history of the piano industry from its beginning to the present day proves that. Italy In the town of Arezzo a boy was born toward the end of the 10th century who was christened Guido. Intended to wear the cloth, Guido was sent to a monastery to study the Holy Book and lead a life of abstinence and devotion, but Guido had a soul, and that soul was full of music. Books did not interest him unless they spoke of music. He invented a new system of music, so revo- lutionary in its character that the staid old monks drove Guido out of the monastery. The name of Guido of Arezzo is indelibly marked in history, for establishing the principle and system of notation of music. By his new system a scholar could acquire within five months as much knowledge of music as would otherwise require ten years of study. After his fame spread through the civilized world Guido was called back into the fold and instructed even the Pope in his new method. He died as ]n'ior of Avellano, ]\ray 17, 1050. Correctly, or not, Guido is also credited with the invention of the movable bridge on the monochord, and of the keyboard. He 216 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS was so great a genius, so strong a character, that historians of later days did not hesitate in crediting to him all the progressive events and inventions in the realm of music happening in Guide's time, some going so far as to ascribe to him even the invention of the clavichord. No records are available, telling us anything regarding the Venetian Giovanni Spinnetti, who invented the spinet about 1503 ; nor of Geronimo of Bologna, who gave us the harpsichord in 1521, but the instruments of these two makers which are still in existence are speaking examjjles of their genius and talents. Padua claims the honor of being the birthplace of Bartolomo Christofori, but in 1710, when 27 years of age, we find Christofori enjoying an easy life at the court of the Duke of Tuscany at Florence, engaged in building clavichords, spinets and other musi- cal instruments for the prince and his courtiers. Whether Chris- tofori allowed his genius to drive him to over-exertion, or whether the sybaritic life at the court of the wealthy and luxurious prince shortened his life is not known; he died in 1731 when only 48 years old, leaving to the world his great invention, the piano e forte. Italy has not produced another great piano maker since Chris- tofori. Mola of Turin has built up a very large business and is to-day the mainstay of the industry in his country, but he has not gone on record as an independent constructor. Roseler, who also founded a large establishment at Turin about 1850, and was appointed by the King of Italy a cavalliero, came from Berlin. The genial Sievers, who wrote a valuable treatise on piano con- struction and established a factory at Naples about 1865, came from St. Petersburg, and Carl Fischer, preceding Sievers at Na- ples, came from Vienna.* * Fischer's sons came to New York about 1840, foundiiiK the firm of J. & C. Fischer. MEN WHO MAKE PIANO HISTORY 217 Germany Gottfried Silbermann, born near Frauenstein, Saxony, January 14, 1683, served his apprenticeship as cabinetmaker and then studied organ building-, following the example of his talented elder brother Andreas. We find Gottfried, about 1712, at Freiberg, Saxony, erecting fine church organs. His Bohemian escapades compelled him to leave the staid old Saxon city rather hastily, to seek shelter and work at his brother Andreas' atelier at Stras- burg. His weakness for the gentler sex involved him, however, here also in serious affairs, culminating in the futile effort to escape with a nun from the convent, and he had to tramp back to far-away Freiberg after a stay of several years at Strasburg. A fine mechanic, as illustrated by the many great church organs of his creation, his commercial talents were no doubt even stronger. Although a man of the world, a great entertainer and liberal spender, he accumulated a respectable fortune. In his art he was quick to adopt the inventions of others and thoroughly understood the value of clever advertising. Both Gottfried and his nephews at Strasburg, who succeeded their father in business, were the first in the piano industry who effectually resorted to reclame to let the world know what they were doing, and managed to get their name into print much oftener than any of their contempo- raries, which has led many a historian to the error of calling Gott- fried the inventor of the piano, or the hammer action. Gottfried Silbermann died in 175G, having erected 30 large church organs and made quite a number of pianos. His nephew, Johann Daniel Silbermann, continued the business, devoting him- self to the making of grand pianos exclusively. He died on May 6, 1766, at Leipsic, having no successor. The Strasburg branch of the Silbermann family continued, however, to make pianos until the death of Johann Friedrich Silbermann on March 8, 1817. 218 PIAXOS AND THEIR MAKERS Johann Andreas Stein had a creative mind. An organ builder by profession, lie learned piano making in Gottfried Silbermann's shop. About 1754 he established himself at Augsburg, making pianos, and while there he built the great organ in the Church of St. Francis. In 1758, seeking a larger field, he went to Paris, tak- ing some of his pianos along, but the gay metropolis was appar- ently not ready for pianos. Disappointed and almost penniless Stein returned to Augsburg, where he again began to build pianos. He invented the " hopper action " and many other improvements. Mozart, in a letter to his mother, pronounced Stein's pianos superior to any others that he had plaj'ed upon. Stein's pianos were copied everywhere, especially by the Vienna makers, so that Stein may rightfully be called the father of the Vienna school. He built about 700 pianos and several church organs. He was born at Hildesheim in 1728, and died at Augsburg, February 29, 1792, in his 64th year. His talented daughter, Xannette, had learned the art of piano making under her father's tutelage, besides being an accomplished pianist. She played in concerts and had also played for Mozart and Beethoven. Soon after her father's death she moved to Vienna, where she continued the business with her brothers, Andreas and Friedrich. In 1794 she married Johann Andreas Streicher, and although her husband soon took an active part, the piano business was carried on under the name of Nannette Streicher, geb. Stein, until 1822, when her son Johann Baptist Streicher was admitted to partnership and the firm name was changed to Nannette Streicher & Sohn. Johann Andreas Streicher, born at Stuttgart, on December 13, 1761, attended the renowned Karl Schule at Mannheim, to- gether with Friedrich Schiller, whose friendship he retained ever after. Leaving the school Streicher devoted himself entirely to the study of music, especially the piano, and gained MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 219 renown as a virtuoso, composer and teacher. It was but natural that Beethoven, while living at Vienna, should become a warm friend of such congenial people, who always kept open house, and assembled the celebrities of the day, such as Hummel, Cramer. Moscheles, Henselt and KuUak, around their table. This friend- ship never lessened to the last days of the great composer. In- deed Nannette exercised a motherly care over that " great child," Beethoven, superintending his much neglected household and look- ing after his daily wants. In 1816 Nannette built for Beethoven's special use and by his request, a grand piano witli a compass of 6y2 octaves, which was considered quite an accomplishment in those days. Nearly all of Beethoven's compositions were created on pianos built by Nannette Streicher. She closed her eventful career by passing away at Vienna, in January, 1833, her husband follow- ing her in May of the same year. Their son, Joliann Baptist Streicher, born at Vienna in 1796, continued the business with great success, and added valuable improvements, so that the Streicher pianos achieved world-wide reputation. He changed the firm name to J. B. Streicher & Sohn in 1857, when his son Emil was admitted to partnership. The latter retired from busi- ness soon after his father's death in 1871, without a successor. Among the many illustrious names which gave Vienna its pres- tige as the home of the grand piano, that of Ignatz Bosendorfer stands foremost. Born at Vienna in 1795, a i)ui)il of Brodmann, he established his business at Vienna in 1828. After 30 years of active life, during which time he added many valuable improve- ments to the development of the piano, he retired and his talented son Ludwig took the reins. Having had the benefit of a most thorough education and extended travels, young Bosendorfer soon became a factor in the piano world, andmade his pianos known far beyond the boundaries of his home. He improved on the piano made by his father, ac- 220 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS cepting modern ideas as far as his inborn admiration for the " Vienna tone " would permit, and j^roduced pianos which to this date hold their own successfully in competi- tion with other celebrated makes. Appreciating the valu- able assistance of the virtu- osos, Bosendorfer erected a concert hall in 1872, Hans von Billow gave a recital at the opening. Bosendorfer 's grand pianos are to this day the favorite instruments of many of the leading virtuo- osos, and his factory ranks foremost in the production of artistic pianos. In recognition of his services to the industry, the Emperor of Austria ai> pointed Bosendorfer purveyor to the court, conveyed the title of Imperial Commercial Counselor, and bestowed the decora- tion of the " Golden Cross of Merit with the Crown," upon him. Friedrich Ehrbar, born on April 26, 1827, in Hanover, was an- other of those remarkable men who carved their fortunes out of the rock of privation and adversity. When two years of age a cholera epidemic took from him, within one week, his father, mother and sister. His childhood was spent in a home for orphans. Showing a decided talent for music as well as mechanical ability, when still a schoolboy, by making guitars for himself and com- rades, the organ builder, Frederici of Hanover, consented Ludwig Bosendorfer MEX WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 221 to take liiiii as an ap- prentice. He liad to serve fully seven years. Al- though after that his mas- ter was anxious to retain his services at good wages, Ehrbar was intent on go- ing to Vienna, the high school of piano making. In 1848 he started on his journey. He went from Hanover along the Ehine to Frankfort, Nu- remberg and via Eegens- burg to Vienna. At Han- over he met Henry Stein- weg, who had also start- ed out on his " Wander- schaft," and the two young piano makers formed a lasting intimate friendship. Reaching Vienna, Ehrbar was so captivated with the beautiful '* Kaiserstadt," that he immediately resolved to make his home there. He was fortunate in finding emplo^Tuent with that celebrated master, Seuffert. Although the original understanding was that he should serve for three years as a student at a nominal wage, he proved himself such an adept that his master relieved him from this obligation after the first nine months. His further prog- ress was so rapid that Seuffert intrusted him in 1854 with the pro- duction of six pianos for the Munich exposition of 1855. Ehrbar had the satisfaction not only of receiving a prize medal, but further- more of seeing all six pianos sold at the exhibition. Seuffert died in 1855 and Ehrbar managed the business until 1857, when he acquired ownership. At the World's Fairs of Lon- Friedrich Ehrbar 222 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Johannes Adolf Ibach don in 1862 and Paris in 1867, Ehrbar's pianos were awarded first prizes. The Emperor of Austria honored him with decorations and the title of purveyor to tlie court, and at the Vienna Exposition of 1873 he served as juror for the musical instrument exhibits. Progressive by nature, Ehrbar was among the first of the Vienna makers who adopted the full iron frame for all of his pianos. In 1877 he erected the Saal Ehrbar, a notable addition to the concert halls of Vienna. He retired from active business on January 1, 1898, and died at his country home near Vienna on February 25, 1905, in his seventy-eighth year. The business is continued under the able direction of his son, Friedrich Ehrbar. I. M. Schweighofer's Sohne is Vienna's oldest firm. J. Fritz & Sohn, established in 1801, Karl Dorr in 1817, Otto Heitzmann and Josef Schneider's Neffe in 1839, are all builders of good pianos, sustaining the time-honored reputation of the Vienna piano industry. Following the good old German custom to go " wandern," that is, to travel for a number of years on foot from country to country, stopping for a while at a city wherever an acknowledged *' master of the craft " had his domicile, to learn and to earn, young Johannes Adolf Ibach left the monastery of Beyenburg, MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 223 just as soon as his education was completod. He studied ori>"an and piano making with several of the best mas- ters of Germany, and re- turned to his home a master of the art. He was in- trusted with the remodeling of the great organ at Beyen- burg and did such excellent work that his standing as a master was at once estab- lished. Like most organ builders of those days, he longed, however, to build pianos, that instrument which had taken such a a strong hold and promised a much greater field for invention and business expansion than the church organ. We find him, therefore, soon giving his entire attention to pianos. He knew how to build them, and in spite of the great depression in business, caused by the Napoleonic wars, Ibach's business grew steadily, unfortunately, however, undermining the health of the indefati- gable worker, so that at the age of 59, he had to give his business into the hands of his eldest son, Carl Rudolf Ibach, who was then only 21 years of age. The young man filled his place well, and from 1825 dates the rise of the house of Ibach. To find a greater market for his product and to enrich his knowledge of the world and business, young Ibach took to travel whenever he could. He visited France and Spain, and never lost an opportunity to attend the then just inaugurated expositions and fairs, oftentimes putting Carl Uiululf Ibach 224 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS his pianos in competition with others and always re- warded with the customary- honors. Like his father, he sacri- ficed his health for his am- bition, and died at Barmen, April 25, 1863, leaving the care of his business upon the shoulders of his son, Rudolf Ibach, who changed the firm name to Rudolf Ibach Sohn. Although only 20 years of age when his father died, young Rudolf inaugurated a most aggres- sive campaign, just as soon as he had found his bearings. He was an exceptionally strong character, a genius in many ways, artistic in his inclinations and desires. He soon developed a commercial keenness and foresight, which, coupled with the daring born of faith in his own strength and ability, brought astounding results, and in a few years under Rudolf's leadership the factory had to be en- larged to meet the growing demand for Ibach pianos. In his extended travels he came in contact with the leading musicians and composers of his day. Himself a very magnetic and interest- ing man, he drew others to him. Richard Wagner honored him by dedicating a life-size photograph with the inscription * ' Seinem freundlichen Tongehilfen Rudolf Ibach dankbarlichs Richard Wag- ner, 1882." What a strong indorsement of the piano maker, Rudolf Ibach! Rudolf Ibach MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 225 Liszt, Sauer, and many other virtuosos have played the Ibaeh grands. Rudolf Ibaeh was not satisfied to serve art only as " Ton Gehilfe." With his resist- less energy he started a campaign to give his pianos an artistic exterior and called on the masters of decorative art for assist- ance. In 1883, and again in 1891, he invited competitive designs for artistic piano cases, awarding adequate cash prizes to the winners, so that the leading archi- tects of Germany found it worth their while to participate. It was not only the benefit of obtaining exquisite designs for the Ibaeh pianos which resulted from this enterprising movement; it reached farther and impelled other piano makers to follow Ibaeh 's example. Foresightedness was one of Ibaeh 's characteristics. While he was occupied in expanding his business in all directions, he sent his younger brother, Walter Ibaeh, into the world to study the methods of other piano makers. Walter went to Brussels, then spent considerable time at Gaveau's atelier in Paris and prepared himself at London for his American visit, where he was for several years active in George Steck's factory. He also studied felt and liammer making in the author's factories at Dolgeville. N. Y. After an absence of nearly 10 years, Walter Ibaeh returned to Barmen in 1883, a master of his art, to assist his brother Rudolf, J. G. Inuler 226 PIANOS AXl) THEIR MAKERS whose duties and cares had grown ahnost beyond one man's endurance. Like his father and grandfather, Ru- dolf Ibach had gone beyond his strength, and passed away at the early age of 49 years, on July 31, 1892. The great business which he Iniilt lip is carried on by his sons, under the guidance of their uncle, Walter Ibach. In 1795 Andreas Georg Ritmiiller began making- pianos at the old university town of Gottingen. It is not known where he learned his trade, but his pianos were well built and the business founded by him has continued with marked success to the present day. Ernst Philip Rosenkrantz, born July 10, 1773, served his ap- prenticeship with Heinrich Ludolf Mack of Dresden, and started on his own account in 1797. His son Friedrich Wilhelm succeeded him after his death in 1828. He gained a worldwide reputation for his instruments, doing especially a large export business to North America. The firm has maintained its reputation for high grade instruments and enjoys an enviable position among the Dresden makers of to-day. Born at Obergrumbach near Dresden, Johann Christian Gott- lieb Irmler studied piano making with the masters at Vienna and came to Leipsic in 1818, where he founded the house of J. G. Irmler. He built very good grand, square and upright i^ianos, Oswald Irmler MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 227 and some of his earliest pro- ductions can be found at the Germanic Museum in Nu- remberg. Enterprising to an unusual degree, Irmler saw his small shop grow into a large industrial establish- ment, and his pianos sold in all parts of the globe. He died December 10, 1857, His sons. Otto and Oswald Irm- ler, had gone through the school of piano making in the leading shops of Vienna, Paris and London, and as- sumed the management after their father's death. The young men introduced steam- driven machinery in their works in 1861, probably as the first in the piano industry of Germany. Otto Irmler died October 30, 1861, at the age of 41, and the management fell to the younger brother, Oswald, then only 26 years of age. For 44 years Oswald Irmler directed the destiny of the time- honored firm with marked ability and success, taking his sons, Emil and Otto, in partnership in 1903. He died October 30, 1905, leaving an establishment to his sons, which ranks among the best in Germany. The firm of J. G. Irmler has been honored by the appointment as purveyors to the courts of the Emperor of Austria, the Kings of Wurtemburg, Sweden, Eoumania, and other potentates, and re- ceived distinguished awards for its products wherever exhibited. Johann David Schiedmaver 228 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Leading virtuosos such as Billow, Friedlieim, Henselt, Felix Mendelssohn, Sofie Menter, Carl Reinecke and others, have used the Irmler grand pianos in their con- certs. It is not known of whom Balthasar Schiedmayer, born in 1711, learned his art, but he built his first grand piano at Erlangen in 1735. He died in 1781 and was succeeded by his son, Johann David Schiedmayer, who was hon- ored by the appointment of piano maker to the Elector of Brandenburg. He removed to Nuremberg, continuing there with great success until his death in 1806. His son, Johann Lorenz Schiedmayer, sought a larger field for his activities and we find him in 1809 located at Stutt- gart, laying the foundation for one of the most renowned firms of Germany. In 1845 he admitted his sons, Adolf and Hermann, to partnership, changing the firm name to Schiedmayer & Sohne. Always progressive, this firm produced upright pianos as early as 1842. At the World's Fair in London in 1851, their product carried off the gold medal, and in 1881 Adolf Schiedmayer re- ceived the title of " Counselor of Commerce " from the King of Wurtemburg. Adolf Schiedmayer died in 1890, and his brother Hermann in 1891. Adolf, Jr., born in 1847, is the present head of the house, maintaining the honored traditions with great success. Johann Lorenz Schiedmayer MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 229 He wears the title of " Privy Counselor of Com- merce " and is also presi- dent of the Piano Manufac- turers' Association of Ger- many. The firm is, by ap- pointment, purveyor to the courts of Wurtemburg and Poumania. The young-er sons of Johann Lorenz Schiedmaj-er, Julius and Paul Schied- mayer, devoted themselves exclusively to the building of harmoniums. They spent several years at London and more especially at Paris with Debain and Alexander, and established themselves in Stuttgart in 1853 under the firm name of J. & P. Schiedmayer. They produced most excellent instruments, improving upon the products of the French masters, but since the upright piano began to crowd the harmoniums from the markets, J. & P. Schiedmayer were forced to begin the manufacture of pianos in 1860, and finally changed their name to the " Schiedmayer Piano- fabrik." They soon achieved great prominence, being among the first makers of Germany to adopt the overstrung system and full iron frame. In course of time the firm was appointed purveyor to the courts of the Emperors of Germany, Russia and Austria, the Queen of England and the Kings of Wurtemburg, Bavaria, Italy, Spain, Roumania, etc. Distinguished by the award of 45 diplomas of honor and i)rize medals, at the fairs where their Adolf SfhiiMliuaviT 230 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Hermann Schiedniaver pianos were exhibited, the firm was awarded the grand prize at the World's Fairs of Paris in 1900 and St. Louis in 1904. Julius Schiedmayer was appointed Counselor of Commerce by the King of "Wurtemburg, and chosen as juror of the piano exhibits at the World's Fairs of London, 1862; Stettin, 1864; Paris, 1867; Vienna, 1873; and Philadelphia, 1876. He also received decorations - from the Emperor of Aus- tria and the Kings of Wur- temburg and Italy, in recog- He died at Stuttgart, January, nition of his valuable services 1878, his brother Paul following him in 1891. Under the energetic guidance of Paul's son. Max Schied- mayer, the renowned tirm is constantly adding to its pres- tige and honor. Like his illustrious uncle and father, Max Schiedmayer has served as juror at exhibitions, notably at the great World's Fair of Chicago in 1893, and at Brussels in 1910. In 1819 Kaim & Giinther began to make pianos at Kirchheim near Stuttgart, building up a large business. The firm was even- tually dissolved, the grandson of Kaim doing business under the firm name of '' Kaim & Sohn." Giinther 's sons adopted the firm name of " Giinther & Sohne." The latter have the appoint- ment as the purveyors to the court of Wurtemburg. MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 231 Among the noteworthy firms of Stuttgart must be mentioned F. Dorner & Sohn, established in 1830, Eichard Lipp & Sohn, in 1831 and Hermann Wag- ner in 1844. The firm of A. J. Pfoiifer was founded in 1862. The present head of the house, Carl J. Pfeif- fer, has devoted much atten- tion to the construction of pedal pianos for pedal prac- tice of organ players. He has also been very indus- trious in collecting models of piano actions for tlie Eoyal Museum at Stutt- gart, and has assembled there the most complete collection of piano actions in existence. In recognition of his services Pfeiffer has been appointed purveyor to the court of Wurtemburg, and also Eoyal Counselor of Commerce. Germany can boast of a long list of old established houses in all parts of its domain. The house of Gebriider Eohlfiug of Osna- briick dates back to 1790. H. Pfister started at Wiirzburg in 1800 ; Gebriider Knake of Miinster in 1808. Tn the year 1828 Gerhard Adam of Wesel, G. L. Xagel of Heilbronn, Ritter of Halle, G. Heyl of Borna, and I. G. Vogel & Sohn of Plauen, commenced business. I. P. Lindner of Stralsund made his first piano in 1825, and Meyer & Company of Munich in 1826. In 1832 Carl Mand began his career at Coblenz, and in 1834 C. J. Gebauhr had the courage to establish himself at Konigsberg, on the far Julius Schiedmayer 232 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS eastern border of Ger- many. In the same year Ferdinand Tliiirmer opened liis shop in Meis- sen, to be followed a year later by Heinrich Engel- hardt Steinweg at Seesen. His son Theodor Steinweg removed his business to Brunswick, after the elder Steinweg left with his family for America in 1850. Joining in 1865 the meantime established firm of Steinway & Sons in New York, Theodor Stein- weg sold his business to three of his workingmen, Grotrian, Helfferich and Schulz, who adopted the firm name of Theodor Steinweg Nachfolger. This firm ranks to-day among the foremost of Germany under the able man- agement of AVilhelm Grotrian and his sons. Traugott Berndt started in Breslau in 1836, and the highly respected firm, Zeitter & Winkelmann of Brunswick in 1837. In Hamburg, Gustav Adolph Buschmann commenced making pi- anos as early as 1805. Mathias Ferdinand Rachals followed in 1832. Rachals, born at Mitau, June 3, 1801, had studied with Brix of St. Petersburg and Sachsossky of Cassel. His pianos were of the highest order, and he was especially successful in constructing a detachable piano for tropical countries. Rachals died September 6, 1866, and was succeeded by his son, Eduard Ferdinand, who continued to spread the fame of the firm. Born at Hamburg, May Paul Schiedmaver MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 233 Mathias Ferdinand Rachals 4, 1837, he learned piano making in his father's shop, and afterward studied in the leading factories of Paris, London and Ziirich. Eachals possessed a most artistic temperament, jjlayed the l^iano to perfection and en- joyed practicing on brass in- struments, playing classic quartets with friends for his own amusement. The busi- ness prospered under his able management until death ended his usefulness. He passed away April 24, 1902. His son Adolf Ferdinand went to the United States in 1892, where he worked in several of the i)rominent piano factories, including a long stay at Dolgeville, X. Y., for the study of hammer making. At the World's Fair of Chicago in 1893, M. F. Kachals & Company received a special diploma for their excellent instruments. Adolf Ferdinand Eachals succeeded his father in 1902. Carl Scheel of Cassel worked for Erard from 1837 to 1846, during the later years as superintendent. He had learned so much in Paris that his business, founded in 184G, was a success from the start. An acknowledged master of his art, he attracted many young men, desirous of studying under him, among whom Georg Steck later made a name for himself in Xew York. A most remarkable success, achieved in a comparatively short time, assures Julius Bliithner a prominent place in history. Born March 11, 1824, at Falkenhain, he learned his trade with Holling 23-4 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEES & Spangenberg of Zeitz, and studied under Alexander Bretsclmeider, the renowned builder of grand pianos, at Leipsic, until 1853, when he started in business on his own account. Handicapped by lack of a broader educa- tion, Bliithner had to dig his way to prominence. He was fortunate in the pos- session of a highly de- * 5 veloped sense of hearing, and it is said that in later years no one in his exten- ' sive establishment could " voice " a piano so accu- rately as he. Ambitious to contribute something more to his art than mere industrial activity, Bliithner made many experiments to improve the piano. In order to enhance the volume and singing quality of tone in the upper octaves, he revived Hans Euckers' fourth string system, calling his device the " Aliquot System." He also invented a grand action. Calling to his aid able young men of literary ability, Bliithner used printer's ink to great advantage and his fine instruments soon found a market in all quarters of the globe, so that his production in 1882 had risen to an annual output of 1200 grand and 1800 upright pianos. Bliithner pub- lished, in conjunction with Gretschel, a treatise on piano making, of which several editions have been sold. The King of Saxony honored him with the appointment of Privy Counselor of Com- merce, and he also received decorations from his King, the Duke Edward Ferdinand Rachals MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 235 of Saxe-Coburg aud the Grand Duke of Mecklen- burg- Sch we rin. He died at Leipsic in 1910 in his eighty-seventh year. None of the modern makers of Germany has done as much to procure for the German piano tlie prominence which it en- joys at the present time as Carl Bechstein. Born at Gotha on June 1, 1826, Bechstein was imbued with all the poetic and musical instinct so typical of the Thuriugians. It was natural that he should choose piano making for a profession, and so proficient had he become that at the age of 22 he was given the responsible position of managing the business of G. Perau, one of Berlin's best known makers of that time. After four years' faithful service wanderlust got the better of Bechstein, and we next find him at London, later at Paris, studying under that genial empiric, Pape, and getting an insight into modern business methods with Kriegelstein. Equipped with new experiences in piano making, a thorough knowledge of Parisian commercial tactics, enriched with broader views, world-wise, Bechstein returned to Berlin and built his first grand piano in 1856. A man of the world, amiable, even magnetic to a certain degree, he easily attracted artists and litterateurs to himself, gaining thereby a publicity which redounded largely to the ever-increasing prosperity of his business. Carl Bechstein 236 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS received numerous decora- tions, both from his King and Emperor, as well as other rulers, and was ap- pointed jDurveyor to the courts of nearly all the reign- ing emperors and kings of Europe. He died at Berlin in 1908 at the age of 82. Among the many firms that, during the past 50 years, have been more or less active in expanding the piano industry of Germany, C. "VVeidig of Jena, founded in 1843; Carl Ronisch of Dres- den, founded in 18-1:5; and Julius Feurich of Leipsic, established in 1851, deserves special mention. Carl Ronisch, born at Goldberg, Silesia, in 1814, experienced all the privations of poverty in his youth, but his inborn talent and determination finally got the better of adverse conditions. With- out capital, but having unlimited faith in his ability, he began to make j^ianos at Dresden and in time had the satisfaction of shipping the product of his factory to all parts of the globe. In- deed, Ronisch was one of the pioneers in exporting German pianos. His grands and uprights became so popular in Russia, that he found himself compelled to erect a factory in St. Petersburg. Re- warded with highest awards at all expositions, wherever his pianos have been exhibited, Ronisch was also personally honored with decorations of distinction, and appointed purveyor to the Court of Saxony. He died July 21, 1893, at the age of 80. The great Carl Bechstein MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTOEY 2.37 business is successfully car- ried on by his sons, who have been his associates for many years. There are a large num- ber of aggressive young firms in Grermany, making- history, inspired by the glorious records of the older houses, but it is not the province of this work to dwell upon present and future. In the supply industries Germany has produced three self-made men who assumed the leadership in their re- spective branches from the day they entered the arena. The piano industry is indebted to L. Isermann, Moritz Poehlmann and August Moritz Weickert for furnishing actions, wires and felt of such quality as to make the perfect piano of the present day a possibility. I. C. L. Isermann, born on July 1, 1813, near Hanover, served his apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker, and shortly thereafter traveled on foot through Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Bel- gium, working at his trade in most of the larger cities. About 1835 he landed in Paris, the mecca of all young German artisans of that time. He found emplojTnent in one of the piano action factories. Just as soon as he had mastered that art he made fur- ther studies in other factories to become familiar with the various models of actions then in use and the different methods of manu- facturing. Thoroughlv grounded, he returned to the Fatherland Carl KOniscli 238 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS and in 1842 started the first piano action factory in Ger- many at Hamburg. It was an innovation and seemed a bold undertaking, because up to that time all piano makers in Ger- many made tlieir actions, fol- lowing their own notions re- garding construction. Iser- mann demonstrated at once, that he could produce a better action for less money than the piano maker, and his busi- ness prospered far beyond his expectations. His success was so remarkable that it invited competition. Very soon all l^iano makers quit producing their own actions, and the piano action industry, founded by Isermann, spread to all the leading manufacturing centers of Germany. Because of the reliability and excellent workmanship of his goods, the honesty and integrity of his dealings, Isermann always had more business offered to him than he could take care of, although his establishment had been constantly enlarged, eventually employing about 550 persons. In 1870 his son, C. W. Isermann, assumed manage- ment, and in 1901 young Ludolf Isermann, the grandson, joined the firm. I. C. L. Isermann died on November 5, 1898, in his eighty-fifth year, having made his strong mark as a captain of industry in a field created by himself. C. W. Isermann died on December 29, 1900, in his sixty-first vear. J. C. L. Isermann MEN WHO HAVE :\[ADE PTAXO HISTORY 239 -^^^ (f^ ^ot/o-r^J::^:'^ '^pQ^io^' Harassing labor condi- tions impelled Ludolf Iser- mann to leave Hamburg and join the firm of F. Langer & Company of Berlin, perpetu- ating the work of his il- lustrious grandfather and father, under most favor- able and promising auspices. Although established only since 1882 the firm of Langer & Company enjoys a most enviable reputation for the high quality of its products and controls one of the largest establishments of its kind. I. D. "Weickert, born Au- gust 23, 1751, the fourth son of a family of 14 children, learned the profession of an optician and established himself at Leipsic in 1783. Thrift and indus- try soon brought i^rosperity, with greater promises for the future. "When the Napoleonic wars devastated Germany, paralyzing busi- ness for many years, Weickert 's hard-earned savings gradually disappeared and he and his family often had to suifer indescrib- able hardships. These sufferings, worry and anxiety finally caused the untimely death of this energetic man in 1816. He left his family almost in poverty, but the era of peace was dawning in Europe, and although only 15 years of age, the son, August IMoritz, together with his most remarkable mother, hung on to what little there was left of his father's business. 240 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS After the optical busi- ness was re-established, so to speak, the young man added the sale of hardware and gradually built up a repu- tation for his firm. When he became personally ac- ({uainted with the renowned English tool maker, Stubbs, during the latter 's visit to Leipsic, he imjDroved his op- portunity to open up direct business connection with this English firm and thus laid the foundation for the great hardware business, which under his personal manage- extending over 60 C. W. Patzschke ment, years, grew to magnificent proportions. In 1847 F. W. Patzschke, a hatter by trade, had made some experiments in producing tapered felt for piano hammers. Lack- ing capital, he appealed to the merchant, Weickert, who agreed to make the necessary advances. For several years the results were so disappointing that Patzschke became discouraged and forced Weickert to assume control and management. Weickert se- cured the services of his old partner's son, C. W. Patzschke, as manager of the factory and pushed the business energetically. With keen foresight he anticipated the great future in store for this new industry and re-invested all the profit for years in new machinery and improved buildings, aiming always to produce the best felts that could be made. For many years Weickert enjoyed a monopoly for his product. Other factories were started in Ger- MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 241 many, following in Weick- ert's footsteps as much as possible, but bis business continued to grow, in spite of competition, and enjoys to-day a position as undis- puted leader in the industry. Carl Moritz Weickert died on May 22, 1878, highly respected by all who knew him as a man of indomi- table energy, business abil- ity, sagacity and one whose noblesse of character, hon- esty and integrity compelled admiration. His son, Otto Weickert, extended the felt manufacturing business to enormous proportions, establishing distributing depots in all the larger markets. After fifty years of active participation in the management, he turned the business over to the care of his son jMax and his nephew Fritz Weickert, who maintained the con- servative policy of the house with due regard for progressive advancement. The technical management of the factories has remained in the hands of the Patzschke family. Eudolf Patzschke, a grandson of F. W. Patzschke, has succeeded his father as superintendent of the extensive works at Wurzen, near Leipsic. The fact that three generations of Weickerts have continu- ously worked with three generations of Patzschkes, for the benefit of their business, may be looked upon as the key to the remarkable success of the time-honored firm of I. D. Weickert. otto Wcifkort 242 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Moritz Poelilmann, born at Ober Redwitz, January 27, 1823, began the manufacture of cast steel wire for piano strings about 1855. Al- though he demonstrated, from the very beginning, that his wire was superior to any other on the market, he met with great difificulties in obtaining sufficient outlet to make his business profitable. It required all of that inborn determination, which says, " I will," to believe in final victory, during the years of disai^pointments and severe trials. Poelilmann studied to improve the tensile strength, polish and uniform thickness of his wire, and has succeeded in outclassing all his competitors since the Paris exposition of 1867. Like Iser- mann and Weickert, he became the father of an industry, which, multiplied, especially in Germany, mainly for the reason that through Poelilmann 's efforts German music wire achieved an international reputation. Moritz Poelilmann died March 26, 1902, in his eightieth year. The business is carried on by his son, Rich- ard Poelilmann. Moritz Poehlmann ENGLAND Turning to England with its rich history of glorious achieve- ments, we find the grand old house of John Broadwood & Sons, after a career of 178 years, in renewed glory at the head of the MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 243 English piano industry. The founder, Burckhardt Tschudi, born at Sclnvanden, Switzerland, on ^Mareli 13, 1702, came to London in 1718, to follow his trade of cabinet making. He soon found employment with Ta- bel, a Flemish harpsichord maker. In 1732, Tschudi es- tablished himself as harpsi- chord maker in that historic house, 33 Great Poulteney Street, which the later firm of Broadwood & Sons occupied for their showrooms and city offices until 1903. It was in this house where the " AVonder-child," Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, practiced on the harpsichord which Tschudi had built for Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. Tschudi seems to have been the first to change his name for expedience' sake, for he traded under the name of Burkat Shudi. Besides being an excellent mechanic, Shudi was also a very shrewd business man, who knew the value of advertising. He courted the friendship of all leading musicians who came to London, and formed an intimate friendship with the great Handel, who intro- duced Shudi 's harpsichords to the English nobility, and no doubt assisted materially in securing Shudi 's appointment as maker to the court of the Prince of Wales. The composer Haydn was also one of Shudi 's intimate friends and was so nmch at home in Shudi 's house that he wrote many of his compositions there. John Broad\vu(j(l 244 PIAXOS AND THEIR MAKERS "With creditable shrewdness Shudi presented to Frederick tlie Great, as the defender of the Protestant faith, one of his harpsi- chords, after Frederick had won the battle of Prague, for which he received in return a ring bearing a portrait of Frederick. In 1776 he was commanded to build two harpsichords for the " New Palais " at Potsdam, and later on Frederick ordered a harpsi- chord of Shudi at a cost of $1,000. Besides profiting by the pres- tige, Shudi certainly made a good cash profit on these instru- ments. John Broadwood, born at Coekburns, Scotland, in 1732, came to London about 1752. A joiner by trade, he eventually found his way to Shudi 's shop and ingratiated himself so strongly in his master's favor that he not only was accepted in partnership, and the firm name changed to Shudi & Broadwood, but he also married Shudi 's daughter in 1769, whereupon Shudi retired from business entirely. Shudi died on August 19, 1773. Broadwood now took Shudi 's son in partnership, but assumed sole control again in 1783, John Broadwood was a man of exceptional ability in many ways. He kept in close touch with all the leaders in his art, asso- ciating intimately with Americus Backers, Stodart and other in- ventors of his day, always keeping open house for his friends among the musicians and other artists, so that 33 Great Poulteney Street became a meeting place for all the brilliant people of London of that time. His receptive mind enabled him to profit by this intercourse with intellectual people, and he never hesitated to ask the aid and judgment of his artistic or scientific friends, when working on his great innovations in piano construction. When Broadwood reconstructed the square piano, he was not satisfied to experiment merely as an empiric. He called upon his friends, the great scientists. Dr. Gray and Cavalla, of the British Museum, to benefit by their knowledge of acoustics. He would ever search MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 245 for scientific laws to leain cause and effect, hence his inventions were all of permanent value. In 1795, he admitted his son James Shudi Broadwood to partnership, changing the firm name to John Broadwood & Sou, and in 1808 his son Thomas joined the firm, the name being again changed to John Broadwood & Sons. After the death of John Broadwood, in 1812, James became the head of the house. Brought u}) in the intellectual and artistic atmosphere of that house in Great Poulteney Street, where his grandfather had built harpsichords for kings and nobility, where Mozart, Handel and Haydn had practiced, and where his father had built his pianos under the advice and according to the demands of Muzio Clementi and other masters of the piano, James S. Broadwood was eminently qualified to add to the glory of the house, as a piano maker and a business man. Thoroughly in sym- pathy with the liberal views of life current in the world of artists, James inaugurated those celebrated Saturday dinners at 33 Great Poulteney Street, where he assembled around his sumptuous table all of the great musicians, or whoever, in London, could lay claim to superior achievement in art and literature. Xo wonder that the praise of the Broadwood piano was sung in all modern lang-uages. Even Beethoven, with all his loyalty to Xannette Streicher, joined the chorus of Broadwood admirers. Henry Fowler Broadwood succeeded James in 1834 as head of the house, his valuable inventions adding largely to the luster of the great firm. It was during this time that Chopin gave his last recital in England at the concert hall of the Broadwood house in Great Poulteney Street. Henry Fowler Broadwood passed away in 1893 at the age of 82, having guided the affairs of the house for over 50 years. Walter Stewart Broadwood and Thomas Broadwood became partners in 1843, George Thomas Eose and Frederick Eose in 1857. George Daniel Eose joined in 1883, and James Henry Shudi 246 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Broadwood, the inventor of the barless steel frame, in 1894. W. C. Dobbs, a grandson of Henry Fowler Broadwood, was admitted to partnership in the same year. Thus six generations, counting from Slmdi in direct descent, have guided the destiny of this great house. James H. S. Broadwood died February 8, 1911. Conforming to the changed conditions in manufacturing and business methods, the Broadwoods have lately erected new works, equipped with up-to-date machinery and appliances of the most apjjroved character. In 1903 the historic showrooms on Great Poulteney Street had to be taken down, and one of London's most celebrated landmarks passed into oblivion. "With traditional progressiveness the house of Broadwood has taken the lead in England by producing entire player pianos as a specialty in their factories and have established modern show- rooms near fashionable Bond Street. It should be mentioned here that the Broadwoods have uninterruptedly been purveyors to the Court of St. James since the reign of George I. The firm of Collard & Collard traces its origin to Longmann & Broderip, who established a publishing house in 1767, and also built some pianos. Muzio Clementi, who had become wealthy, and whose compositions were published by Longmann & Broderip, invested part of his money in their piano factory, finally associat- ing himself with F. W. & W. P. Collard, under the firm name of Clementi & Company, dementi's great reputation as a virtuoso and composer was a distinct advantage to the young firm, but its lasting reputation was established through the mechanical and inventive genius of F. W. Collard, who obtained several patents for improvements as early as 1811. Upon the retirement of Clementi, the firm was changed to Collard & Collard. Under the aggressive management of Charles Lukey Collard, who became sole owner in 1859, the firm forged rapidly to the front, and achieved worldwide fame. MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 247 In 1804 Thomas Butcher started a i)iano shop and took William Cliallen as a partner in 1816. Upon Butcher's retirement in 1830, Challen became sole owner. He succeeded in turning out excellent up- right pianos and amassed a fortune. Eetiring in 1862, he left the business to his son, C. Challen, who ad- mitted his son, C. H. Chal- len, to partnership in 1873, from which time the firm has been known as Challen & Son. The firm of J. & J. Hop- kinson was founded in 1835 by John Hopkinson at Leeds. In 1846 he took his brother, James, as partner and moved the business to London, John Hopkinson was a thorough piano builder and in- vented many improvements, which gave his firm great prominence. He retired from business in 1869 and died on April 4, 1886. John Brinsmead started in business in 1837. In 1862 he patented a repetition action, for the further improvement of which seven patents were granted, the latest in 1885. His sons, Edgar and Thomas James, took active part in the management of the ever-growing business, which soon was counted among the leaders of its kind in England. The firm was appointed piano makers to the Prince of Wales, and, in 1911, to King George V. Forty prize medals and diplomas were awarded to them at various expositions for meritorious exhibits. John Brinsmead 248 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS In 1870 John Brinsmead was elected honorary mem- ber of L 'Academic Xationale of France, and in 1878 was decorated with the cross of the Legion of Honor. Many of the leading- artists have nsed the Brinsmead pianos in their concerts and have indorsed their fine qualities. Thomas James Brins- mead died November 9, 1906. Edgar William Brinsmead died November 18, 1907. John Brinsmead died March 17, 1908, at the age of 92. The business is continued at the present day by H. Bil- linghurst, a grandson of John Brinsmead. During the palmy days of England's supremacy in the piano industry of Europe, many firms sprang up who have held their own successfully to the present day. Chappell & Co., who began business in 1811; Eavestaff & Son, established in 1823; B. Squire & Son, in 1829; Grover & Grover, in 1830; Samuel Barnett & Son, and Poehlmann & Son (Halifax), in 1832; Strohmenger & Son, in 1835; Witton, Witton & Company, in 1838; Arthur Allison & Com- pany, in 1810 ; and Monnington & Weston, v^dio started in 1858, are counted among the progressive and successful houses of to- day, that readily adopted modern methods of manufacturing, and whose product upholds the fame of the piano industry in England. Thomas James Brinsmead PART THREE CHAPTER II France, Erard, Pleyel, Kalkbrenner, Wolff, Lyon, Herz, Pape^ Kriegel stein, Gaveau, Bord, Scliwander, Herrburger. Spain, E stela, Guarra, Cliassaign, Montana. Belgium, Berden, Van Hyfte, Vits, Boone fils, Gevaert, Giinther,. Oor. Netherlands, Allgauer, Cnijpers, Eijken and de Lange. Scandinavia, Hornung & Moller, Ekstrem, Malmsjo, Hals. Russia, Diederichs, Scliroder, Becker. Japan, Yamaba, Nisliikawa & Son. PART THREE CHAPTER II FRANCE BORN in the old historic city of Strasburg on April 5, 1752, Sebastian Erard manifested, as a child, exceptional me- chanical talent. When only eight years of age we find him taking a school course in architecture and practical geometry. His mind, even then fertile in inventions, would suggest new problems and he would find his own way of solving them. He had the desire to learn the use of tools, and at an early age entered his father's shop to learn cabinet making. When Sebastian was 16 years of age his father died, and from then on it fell to Sebastian's lot to care for his mother with her three small children. Not wavering long, he started on foot for the journey to Paris. Arriving there in 1768, he found employ- ment with a harpsichord maker, and earned such good wages that he could well take care of those he had left behind at Strasburg. The study of the harpsichord became a passion witli liim, and he soon was the peer of his employer, who, evidently an empiric, could never answer Erard 's searching questions as to the scientific reasons or causes in harpsichord construction. Indeed, it was but a short time after his connection with the harpsichord maker that Erard could teach his master. He began to construct instruments according to his own ideas, and they found so much favor that Erard 's fame spread rapidly, so much so that the Duchess of 251 252 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Villeroy, a great patroness of art, sought liim out and engaged him to build an instrument for her use, placing a well-equipped workshop in her own palace at his disposal, with perfect liberty to follow his own inclinations and desires, just as Christofori had done at the palace of the Duke of Tuscany. It was here that Erard constructed his first piano in 1777. It is said that it was superior to any other piano of that time. Al- though he enjoyed the respect and mo>^t liberal protection of the duchess, Erard when 25 years of age had greater aspirations. He left the palace and started his own shop in the Rue de Bourbon. Because of his connection with the aristocracy, fostered by his influential protector, the Duchess of Villeroy, Erard 's success was immediate. With his brother, Jean Baptiste, he founded in 1785 the firm which for many years thereafter reigned supreme in all the concert halls of the civilized world. Xo other firm, before or after Erard, occupied so exalted a position in the musical world as the house of Erard, from 1796 to 1855. That Erard had become a man of culture and refinement is illustrated by the fact that he managed to keep in close touch with the French aristocracy, and that he had sufficient influential friends at the king's court, so that at a time when the luthiers of Paris, who suffered in business because of Erard 's competition, demanded the closing of his shop because he was not a chartered member of the guild, the king issued a special charter for Erard as privileged piano and harp maker, independent of the guild. What splendid advertising ! Erard had downed the guild that had set out to ruin him, and he stood now above it by special edict of the king! The French Revolution drove Erard to London, where he im- mediately started a piano and harp factory. As in Paris, so in London, Erard managed to obtain the entree to the inner circles of the English aristocracy, and, because of his interesting and magnetic personality, made warm friends among the peers of MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 253 England. At the proper time lie understood how to make good use of his influential friends. When he made the most unusual request for a renewal of the English IDatent on his repetition ac- tion, he depended ui)on his personal friends in the House of Lords to carry his l^oint. By their support suc- cess was his ! His forced stay in Eng- land was not only advan- tageous to him in a financial way — and Erard surely was a good financier — he profited largely by getting more closely acquainted with English systems of piano construction and manufacturing methods, which knowledge he put to excellent use in his Paris factory upon his return there in 179G. In fact, Erard 's prominence as a manufacturer dates from that time, and for many years the pianos built by him in Paris followed the English models very closely. However, Erard was too great a genius to follow a beaten path long, and he soon developed many useful inventions, which assured him immortality in the piano world and made his pianos the fa- vorites of all the great artists (excepting Chopin) for almost two generations, an unparalleled record ! It is needless to say that Erard was a princely entertainer. For many years the Salon Erard was the center of the intellectual life of Paris, and the Salle Erard the place where Liszt and all Sebastian Erard 254 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS A^/ V' the great virtuosos of the day played before most dis- tinguished audiences. Erard divided his time between Paris and London. His brother Jean Baptiste had charge of the Paris es- tablishment and his nephew Pierre managed the London works. Jean Baptiste Erard died in 1826, and Sebastian Erard on August 5, 1831. He made his nephew, Pierre Erard, sole heir of his busi- ness and of his great estate. Pierre made Paris his domicile in 1834, going to London off and on to look after the business affairs there. He died at Paris in 1855. The Paris factory, under the management and ownership of Mons. A. Blondel, is still producing excellent instruments, which are preferred by leading virtuosos, maintaining the exalted position created by the great genius and wonderful personality of Sebastian Erard. At the village of Ruppersthal, near Vienna, lived a school- master by name of Pleyel. He was twice married and became the father of 38 children, living to be 99 years of age. His twenty- fourth child, born in 1757, was baptized '' Ignace." The boy seemed to be talented, and his father therefore soon began to teach him the Latin language, and also obtained a good music teacher for him. Ignace was a prodigy, and made such astounding prog- MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 255 ress in his music studies that the wealthy, music-loving Count Erdoedy agreed to pay the great composer, Haydn, the large sum of $500 per year, for five years, for teaching and boarding young Ignace, who was then 15 years of age. After finish- ing his studies with Haydn, Ignace went to Italy, where he spent some time at the court of Naples, and by re- quest of the king composed an opera, also a number of orchestral works. From 1783 to 1793 Pleyel occupied the chair as chapel-master of the cathedral of Strasburg. During that period he composed most of his works, which had an unusually large sale all over Europe. In 1793 he resigned as chapel-master and accepted a lucrative engagement at London, where he appeared in concerts in direct competition with his old master Haydn. It seems that London did not appeal to him, and he soon returned to Strasburg. During the French Revolution, Pleyel was suspected of royal tendencies and was repeatedly condemned to death. Stoutly main- taining his loyalty to the republic, he was, as a test, compelled to compose music to a revolutionary drama. Constantly watched by two gendarmes, Pleyel finished the work in seven days. It was received with so much approval by the populace that his loyalty to the republic was never again questioned. The harassing expe- Ignace Pleyel 256 PIANOS AND THEIE MAKEES rience was, however, too much for sensitive Pleyel and he soon after removed to Paris, In 1805 he went into the music publishing business and also started a piano factory in 1807. In 1824 he transferred his busi- ness to his oldest son Camille and retired to a country seat near Paris, where he died on November 11, 1831. Camille Pleyel, born at Strasburg in 1792, studied music with his father, and later on studied piano with Dussek. He demonstrated that he also had consider- able talent as a composer, and one of his biographers says that, if he had not been a music seller and piano maker, he would prob- ably have become a great composer. He associated himself with Kalkbrenner, the renowned musician and piano virtuoso. To- gether they spent several years at London, studying piano making with Broadwood, Collard and Clementi. They adopted for their pianos the upright action of Wornum, and the Broadwood for their grand pianos, and organized their factory according to the modern methods originated in London, all of which were great factors in the remarkable success of the firm. Both principals being accomplished pianists of high order, it was but natural that they were in close touch with the brilliant men of the profession. Camille Pleyel formed a very intimate friendship with Frederic Chopin, who became an enthusiastic ad- Camille Pleyel MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY vocate of the Pleyel piano, which he played in all his concerts, with a few excei> tions. Salle Pleyel, erected about 1829, was the place where Kalkbrenner, Hum- mel, Hiller, Moscheles, Mme. Pleyel and many others scored their triumphs, and where Frederic Chopin made his bow to Paris in 1832. Anton Rubinstein, at the age of 10, played there in 181:1, followed by Saint- Saens, who made his debut at the age of 10, in 1846. Camille Pleyel died at Paris, May 1, 1855, succeeded ])y his partner, Auguste Wolff, the firm having been changed to Pleyel, Wolff & Company. Under Wolff's intelligent management the business expanded so that the production rose in 1889 to 2,500 pianos per year. Wolff died in February, 1887, since which time the concern has been guided by Gustave Lyon. The firm has been incorporated under the name of Pleyel, Lyon & Company. As far as I know, this company is the only establishment in the i)iano industry that has installed a practical pension system for aged employees. Like Clementi, Cramer, Kalkbrenner and Pleyel, the great piano virtuoso, Henri Herz, entered upon piano making after his reputation as a musician was established. Born on January 6, 1806, at Vienna, he phiyed in concert at Cobleuz when only eight Auffuste Wolff 258 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEES years of age. AVlien 10 years old he was admitted as pupil at the Paris Conserva- tory, where he obtained the first prize in 1818. He then made extended concert tours through France, Germany and England, meeting with great success. His composi- tions were also very popular, and when he met the piano maker, Klepfar, about the year 1825, he established a piano factory at Paris. The enterprise was not a success in the beginning, and, in order to replenish his ex- chequer, Herz undertook a great concert journey through the United States, California, Mex- ico and the West Indies during 1849 and 1850. Upon his return to Paris he devoted himself largely to the improvement of his i^ianos, and established his fame among piano makers by the practical simplifying of the Erard grand action. His model has been almost universally adopted and is known as the Erard-Herz action. When he erected his new factory he provided a large concert hall, which, under the name of " Salle Herz," became famous because of the concerts given there by many of the masters of the piano world. Herz's grand pianos were distinguished by their rich and re- fined tone, evenness of register and excellence of touch. Wher- ever exhibited these instruments were awarded high prizes, and always ranked among the best. Herz was appointed professor of Henri Herz MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO ITTSTOrvY 259 music at tlie Paris Conserva- tory in 1S42, and held that position nntii 187-1-. Deco- rated by the King of Bel- i>inin, he was also appointed purveyor to the Empress of France. He died in Paris on January 5, 1888. One of the most interest- ing leaders of the French piano industry of that period was Johann Heinrich Pape, born at Sarstedt, Germany, on July 1, 1789, He arrived at Paris in 1809; but shortly after went to London, study- ing there for over a year, returning to Paris in 1811. He took charge of the Pleyel factory and began to build pianos after English models. In 1815 he started in business on his own account, and commenced a carnival of experiments, the record of which is almost amazing. It seems as if Pape's mind just bubbled over with ideas, some so bizarre and queer as to border on the ridiculous. He took out over 120 patents for piano im- provements and published a booklet describing his inven- tions. Had Pape, only to a small degree, possessed the orderly mind of a John Broadwood, or a Sebastian Erard, he would, beyond doubt, have become a great benefactor to the industry. As it was his experiments and vagaries are only interesting, but without value, excepting his experimenting with hat-felt for hammer- covering, which led the way to a permanent improvement. Charles Kriegelstein 260 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS It is safe to say that Pape's restless mind did not permit him to turn out a number of perfect pianos in succession. He made many very good pianos in his big factory, but, before one of his often brilliant ideas was thoroughly worked out to practical usefulness, he would come out with an- other idea of improvement, which necessitated yet an- other change in the piano then under construction. His reputation as an inven- tor spread all over Europe, and while in his prime, from 1835 to 1855, Pape had in his factory young men from all parts of the Continent studying under him. Many of them became well known later on, among his most talented pupils being Frederick Mathushek and Carl Bechstein. Toward the end of his career Pape was beset with a mania for "building pianos in all kinds of impossible forms — cycloid, hexagon, ■etc. — to which the buying public did not take, and, although he at one time owned one of the largest piano factories of Paris, employing over 300 men, he died a poor man on February 2, 1875. Jean Georges Kriegelstein, born at Riquewihr in 1801, founded the firm of Kriegelstein & Company at Paris in 1831. He in- vented many improvements and was especially successful with a small upright piano, which he constructed in 1812. Although only Jean Schwander MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 261 423^ inches in lieiglit, it had a rich tone and was espe- cially even in its registers. He retired from business in 1858, and died at Paris on November 20, 1865. His son, Charles Kriegelstein, born at Paris, December 16, 1839, followed in the footsteps of his father, with marked suc- cess, obtaining high honors for his pianos, wherever ex- hibited. The business is now under the management of Georges Kriegelstein, son of Charles, who maintains the high reputation which his predecessors acquired. J. G. Gaveau started to make pianos at Paris about 1847, and in course of time built up a large business, turning out about 2,000 high-class pianos per year. Jean Denis Antoine Bord, born at Paris in 1814, was the first in Paris to make a commercial upright piano of good quality. He started his business in 1840, and brought his production to over 4,000 pianos per year in 1878. He died on March 4, 1888. Action making, as a specialty, had its cradle in Paris, and for many years Paris supplied nearly all the piano makers on the continent of Europe. Jean Schwander, born at Lauterbach, Alsace, in 1812, came to Paris in 1830, and learned action making at Kriegelstein 's factory. He started his own shop in 1844, and Kriegelstein became his first customer. Schwander turned out Josef Herrburger 262 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS such excellent work that his business expanded very rap- idly. After taking Josef Herrburger in partnership in 1865 and accepting him as son-in-law, the concern as- sumed commanding propor- tions. Josef Herrburger, born at Dauendorf, Alsace, in 1832, went to Paris in 1853 and began to work for Scliwan- der in 1854. He demon- strated not only great ability as an organizer, but also as a mechanician with inventive talent. He designed many valuable machines and appli- ances for action making and invented several valuable improve- ments for piano actions. The Schwander action factory became known as the best equipped establishment of its kind, its products were shipped to all parts of the civilized world and young piano makers from all over the Continent came to the Schwander factory to study modern methods of action making. Jean Schwander died in 1882 and Josef Herrburger retired from business in 1900, succeeded by his son, Josef Herrburger, Jr., who established a branch factory in New York, maintaining the exalted standing of the old firm in both hemispheres. SPAIX Barcelona is the center of piano manufacturing in Spain. We find that Pindo de Pedro Estela established his shop in 1830, Johann Frifdricli beliruder MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 263 Hermanos Guarra and Louis Izalx'l in ISGO, Cliassaign Freres in 1864. At Madrid, Montana connnonced bnsinoss in 1864. BELGIUM AND HOLLAND Belgium can boast of older firms. FranQois Ber- den &: Company commenced business at Brussels in 1815. In the city of Ghent four firms started within a few years, about the middle of the 19th century. B. Van Hyfte was established in 1835, Emile Vits in 1839, Boone Fils in 1839 and V. Gevaert in 1846. J. Giin- ther of Kirchheim started in Brussels in 1845, and J. Oor in 1850. The Netherlands has three firms of excellent standing- — Allgauer & Zoon of Amsterdam, established in 1830 ; J. F. Cuijpers of Hague, started in 1832, and Eijken &: de Lange of Rotterdam, in 1852. SCANDINAVL4. The respected firm of Hornung (S: Moller of Copenhagen, founded in 1827, has always been in the lead. G. Ekstrem c^' Com- pany started at Malmo in 1836. I. G. Malmsjo of Goteborg established in 1843 and Brodrene Hals, who started at Christiania in 1847, are all known beyond their own country as makers of high- class pianos, and from their shops the ])iano manufacturers of America have drawn many of their best workmen. Carl Xicolai SchWidor 264 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS RUSSIA The firm of Gebr. Diede- riclis was established in St. Petersburg in 1810. No record of this old firm is available ; it is, however, safe to assume that they came to Russia from Germany. Johann Friedrich Schro- der, born at Stralsund in 1785, started to make pianos in St. Petersburg in 1818 and built up a respectable business. After his death in 1852, his son, Karl Michael Schroder, born in St. Peters- burg in 1828, having studied with Erard and Herz at Paris, made good use of what he had learned and began to build excellent grand pianos, which found great favor with the artists, bringing his firm into the front rank of European piano makers. His pianos were awarded the high- est honors wherever exhibited, and Schroder was honored with deco- rations by the Emperors of Russia and Austria, and the King of Belgium, and was elected a member of the Legion of Honor in recog- nition of his services. He died at Frankfort-on-Main, May 5, 1889. His son, Carl Nicolai Schroder, continued the progressive policy of his father, following closely all modern movements in piano construction, as well as factory organization and equipment. The firm has been appointed purveyor to the Emperors of Russia, Austria, Germany, and the Kings of Denmark and Bavaria. After MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 265 Carl Nicolai Schroder's death tlie management of the establishment passed into the hands of his sons, John and Oskar Schroder. Jacob Becker went from Neustadt-an-der-Hardt, Ger- many, to St. Petersburg and established his business in 1841. Becker was an inde- pendent thinker and experi- mented with many innova- tions. His pianos, especially his concert grands, were ex- cellent instruments, often used by leading virtuosos. Becker retired from business in 1871, to be succeeded by Michael A. Bietepage, under whose energetic management the business took on commanding propor- tions. The firm received appointments as purveyor to the Em- perors of Russia and Austria, the King of Denmark and the Grand Dukes Constantin and Xicolai of Russia. M. A. Bietepage was honored by election as hereditary honorable citizen of St. Peters- burg and commander of the St. Stanislaus Order. In 1904 Biete- page retired and the firm is now controlled by Carl Schroder. A. Bietepage JAPAN Although Japan was represented at the Paris Exposition of 1878 with a square piano, the piano industry is developing only slowly there. Torakusu Yamaha established his business of mak- ing musical instruments in 1880. In 1885 he produced the first 2G6 PIAXOS AND THEIR MAKERS organ made in Japan and organized The Nippon Gak- ki Siezo Kabushiki Kwaislia (Jaj^anese Musical Instru- ment Manufacturing Com- pany) in 1889 with a capi- tal of 30,000 yen. In 1907 the capital was increased to 600,000 yen, of which nearly 500,000 yen is paid up. Yamaha is president of the company, which owns extensive factories at Ham- mamatsu. This company produces now about 600 l^ianos, 8,000 organs and 13,000 violins per year, mainly patterned after American and German models. Nishikawa & Son of Yokohama, established in 1885, manufac- ture about 200 pianos and 1,300 organs per year. The senior member of this firm was a maker of Japanese lutes and other musical instruments, and is still making violins. His son learned piano making at the Estey factory in New York. Torukusu Yamaba PART THREE CHAPTER III America, Creliore, Osborn, Babcock, MacKay, Stewart, The Cliick- erings, Bacon & Kaven, James A. Gray, William Bourne, Mc- Phail, The Lindemans, Schomacker, The Knabes, Steinways, Hazeltons, Fischers, Stieff, Weber, Steck, etc., Kimball, Cables, Wulsin, Starr, Healy, Wurlitzer, etc., Estey, The Whites, Packard, Votey, Clark, etc. PART THREE CHAPTER III AMERICA THE history of prominent piano men and firms of the United States portrays not only the restlessness of the American people, differing from the conservatism of the old world, but also demonstrates in a large degree that America is the land of unlimited opportunities and possibilities. Nowhere else have firms founded on meritorious production and sane business methods gone so quickly into oblivion, and nowhere else have such stunning successes been achieved as in the United States. The progress in technical as well as commercial development has been rapid because America could draw from the old world its best minds, or benefit by their products, assimilate and improve them. It had the whole civilized world to draw from, and was never slow in producing original ideas. The seemingly endless natural resources of a whole continent were at the command of the industry, and its only drawback in the early days was the lack of a sufficiently large clientele of cultured jieople who would buy the instruments, as compared with Europe. Hence we find that, although square pianos were made in America at about the same time as in England and Germany, it took about fifty years longer to develop the industry to anything like the magnitude which it had approached in Europe. 2G9 270 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Benjamin Creliore, wlio had establislied a reputation as an expert maker of violins, cellos and other musical instruments, exhibited a harpsichord in 1791, and soon thereafter built pianos at Milton, near Boston. In his shop he had John Osborn, Alpheus and Lewis Babcock as pupils. In 1810 the Babcock brothers began to make pianos in Boston. The great panic of 1819 ruined their business, but we hear of Alpheus Babcock again in 1821, in partnership with John MacKay, that commercial genius who later assisted so strongly in building up the fame of the Chickering firm. John Osborn, the most talented of Crehore's pupils, started in business in 1815. It was in Osborn 's shop that Jonas Chicker- ing learned the art of piano making. Born in New Ipswich, N. H., on Ai3ril 5, 1798, Chickering came to Boston about 1817, after he had served his apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker and joiner. AVell educated and possessing decided mechanical talents of a high order, Chickering was attracted to the art of piano making and was fortunate in finding a master like Osborn as teacher. He studied with Osborn until 1823, when James Stewart, who had come from Baltimore to go in partnership with Osborn, but soon quarreled with him, proposed partnership to Chickering, which the latter accepted, and the firm of Stewart & Chickering opened their shop on Tremont Street in that year. Stewart was one of those restless, unsettled inventors, who needed the methodical and painstaking young Chickering to give to his inventions the practical form. It soon developed, however, that Chickering was not only the better workman of the two, but also the far more scientific piano maker. The firm was dissolved in 182G. Stewart went to London to take a prominent position with Collard & Collard. Jonas Chickering continued the business, making excellent pianos, but his talents were more in the line of inventing and constructing than merchandising. He also suffered MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTOEY 271 from lack of capital, so that liis progress was rather slow until John MacKay, who had left Babcock, joined him as a partner. This closed tlie chain of ( flickering 's con- nection with Crehore, the founder of the Boston school, consisting of Osborn and Lewis Babcock, pupils of Crehore; and Alpheus Bab- cock, partner of MacKav, the latter joining Chickering. MacKay had had con- siderable experience as a merchant, having traveled much to England and other foreign countries, and was unquestionably a commer- cial genius. AVith sufficient capital at his command, and faith in Chickering 's excellent pianos, MacKay started an aggressive sell- ing campaign, making the Chickering piano known in all the cities of the United States. Chickering, freed from all financial and business cares, devoted his whole time and attention to the develop- ment and improvement of his piano, and many of his best inven- tions were perfected during the period of his partnership with MacKay, which came to an untimely end in 1841. MacKay, hav- ing gone in a ship of his own to South America to procure fancy woods for the Chickering factory, never returned from that voy- age, nor was his ship ever heard from. Once more Jonas Chickering had to assume entire charge of the business. He continued MacKay 's aggressive policy with great 272 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS energy, maintaining the highest possible prices for his pianos, and spending money liberally for the necessary publicity. He exhibited his pianos at every important exposition, going to the World's Fair of London in 1851 with a number of instruments; engaged prominent virtuosos to play his grand pianos in concert; and took active part in the musical life of his home city, acting as vice-president of the great Handel and Haydn Society as early as 1834, and later on as its president for seven years. "While paying proper attention to the commercial and artistic necessities of his great establishment, Jonas Chickering was ever true to his love for scientific research and experiments, to improve his pianos. He was not an empiric, who would experiment hap- hazard with an idea. Whenever he had discovered a possible improvement, he would work out the problem in its entirety on his drawing board, until he had proven to his own satisfaction its practicability, and not before would he turn it over to his mechanics for execution. It was this painstaking care down to the smallest detail which assured the Chickering piano the place of honor in the first ranks. When at the height of his prosperity Jonas Chickering met with a great calamity. On December 1, 1852, his factory was totally destroyed by fire, involving a loss of $250,000. Undaunted, Chickering at once designed plans for a new and larger factory, which was soon erected, and stands to this day on Tremont Street, Boston, as a monument to the exceptional ability, talent and cour- age of Jonas Chickering. Even now, nearly 60 years after its erection, this factory is considered one of the best for its purpose. Jonas Chickering died on December 8, 1853, in his fifty-sixth year. The extraordinary nervous strain of the short period from the destruction of his old factory to the completion of the new works had, no doubt, affected his constitution. He had educated all of his three sons as practical piano makers and admitted them MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 273 to partnership in 1852, when the firm was changed to Chickering & Sons. The three brothers made a rare and most fortunate combina- tion. Thomas E. Chickering, the eldest son, soon ex- hibited pronounced commer- cial talents and, as a man of the world, represented the firm with excellent results in social circles, making friends among artists, literary and scientific men. His promis- ing career was prematurely cut short by his death on February 14, 1871. This sad event made C. Frank Chickering, born at Boston on January 20, 1827, the head of the firm. Having inherited his father's talents as a designer and inventor, he had been in charge of the construction department since his father's death in 1853. While studying, as a young man, he had impaired his health and, upon the advice of his i^hysician, in 1844 he went on a voyage to India in a sailing vessel. He took with him a number of pianos, which he sold in India at good prices, and thus the firm of Chickering became the first exporters of American made pianos. In 1851 Frank accompanied his father to London to take care of their exhibit at the World's Fair. The prolonged stay in what was then the home of the most advanced piano construction was of great and lasting advantage to young Frank. It gave him the Thomas E. Chickering 274 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS C. Frank Chickering opportunity to study and compare the work of the best brains of the industry as it then existed in Europe, and furthermore he became ac- quainted with the advanced manufacturing methods of the celebrated London estab- lishments. Returning from abroad, Frank utilized his ex- periences with eifect, greatly improving the Chickering pianos. Appreciating the impor- tance of New York as an art center, Chickering & Sons opened extensive warerooms there under the direct management of C. Frank Chickering, and in 1875 erected Chickering Hall, on Fifth Avenue. In this hall, virtuosos like Biilow, Josetfy, de Pachmanu, Henry Ketten and many others gave their never-to-be-forgotten concerts on the Chickering grand pianos, designed and constructed by C. Frank Chickering. Chickering Hall was chosen as a permanent home by leading glee clubs, such as the Mendelssohn, the English Glee Club, the New York Vocal Society and by those eminent ajpostles of classic chamber music, the New York Quartette, composed of C. Mollen- hauer, M. Schwarz, George Matzka and F. Berg-ner, and the Phil- harmonic Club under the able leadership of Richard Arnold. Remenyi and Wilhelmi a})peared as soloists with Gotthold Carl- berg's Orchestra, and Frank Van der Stucken conducted symphony concerts for several seasons in Chickering Hall, to be followed by MEN AVHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTOKY 275 Anton Soidl and tlie Bos- ton Symphony Orcliostra with Franz Rnnnnel, Xavor Scharwenka and Richard Hoffmann as soloists. The great huikling- contained, besides the concert liall with a seating cai)acity of 2,000, the showrooms for the flickering pianos, offices, rei)air shoi)s and also the drafting rooms, where C P^rank ("hickering designed and worked out his in- ventions. It was but natural that in Xew York, as in Boston, Frank should be in close touch with artistic and literary circles. Among his personal friends was one J. H. Paine, a composer and critic of con- siderable ability. He was generally known as '' Miser " Paine, and would gladly accept C'hickering's hospitality and aid at all times. He was considered a i)oor man by all who knew him. One day he brought to Frank Chickering a bundle wrapped up in a bandanna handkerchief, asking Chickering to kindly ])lace the jjackage in his safe. Chickering assumed that the bundle con- tained manuscripts of Paine 's compositions and accepted the charge. About 17 years thereafter Paine died, without leaving a will or any disposition of the aforesaid bundle, Chickering sent for Paine 's legal representative, the bundle was ojiened in his joresence and found to contain over $400,000 worth of bonds and currency. Chickering delivered the valua1)le package to the George H. Chickeriiif 276 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS lawyer, who was obliged to hunt up distant relatives of Paine to distribute the heritage. C. Frank Chickering was in all respects one of nature's noble- men. In appearance he reminded one forcibly of the Grand Seigneurs of Louis XIV 's time. He died in New York, March 25, 1891. George H. Chickering, the youngest of the brothers, was born at Boston on April 18, 1830. After acquiring an excellent educa- tion, he turned to the bench and worked under his father's tutelage. For many years George made every set of hammers used in their concert grands. He was an exceedingly neat and artistic me- chanic. After 1853 he took charge of the factory management and performed his arduous duties most faithfully until his death, on November 17, 1896. All three of the brothers, like their father, took an active part in the artistic life of their home city and each of them served in turn with honor as president of the Handel and Haydn Society. The Chickering pianos were always awarded the highest hon- ors wherever exhibited, and, at the World's Fair at Paris, 1867, C. Frank Chickering was decorated by the Emperor of the French with the Cross of the Legion of Honor. The business of this renowned firm is successfully carried on by a corporation which has joined the American Piano Company, maintaining the high character of its products. True to the tradi- tions of the honored name, Chickering & Sons have of late years been instrumental in reviving interest in the beauties of the old clavichord, and are building such instruments for those who enjoy the study of the compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach, Scar- latti and others who wrote for the clavichord. The factory on Tremont Street, Boston, has become a landmark of that historic city, but Chickering Hall, New York, had to give way to a modern building for business purposes. MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 277 Next to Cliickering & Sons, the Bacon Piano Com- pany of New York is most closely connected to the founders of the industry in America. Robert Stodart of London started in New York in 1820. In 1821 Dubois joined him and the firm was Dubois & Stodart until 1836, when Stodart retired and George Bacon and Chambers joined. Five years later Du- bois and Chambers withdrew and Raven joined, the lEirm being changed to Bacon & Raven, which was again changed to Raven & Bacon, when George Bacon died in 1856 and his son, Francis Bacon, entered as partner. In 1904 the firm was incorporated under the title of the Bacon Piano Company, with Chas. M, Tremaine as president and W. H. P. Bacon, son of Fran- cis, as vice-president. James A. Gray, born at New York in 1815, learned his trade with Firth & Pond of New York from 1831 to 1835, when he was called to Binghamton, N. Y., to superintend Pratt's piano factory. In 1836 AVilliam Boardman of Albany induced him to take charge of his establishment, and two years later the finn became Board- man & Gray. Possessing decided talents as an inventor. Gray made many very interesting experiments, among which his isolated iron rim and frame and the corrugated soundboard are the most noteworthy. For a time he had great faith in the value of those James A. Gray 278 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS f ^^ A. M. McPhail inventions. He even took a number of i^ianos containing the same to London for ex- hibition in 1850, but after a comparatively short time he discarded all of them, prefer- ring to build a tine piano along conventional lines. He educated his sons, James S. and William James, as thor- ough piano makers, and the time-honored firm maintains its reputation for high-class l)roduction to this date. Wil- liam Boardman, who re- tired at an early date from the firm, died January 5, 1881, at the age of 81 years. James A. Gray took a more or less active part in the business until his death on December 11, 1889. His sons, William James Gray, born June 13, 1853, and James Stuart Gray, born September 7, 1857, are continuing the business with success. One of the pioneers who attempted to force civilization in its higher development upon the '' Far West " was William Bourne. He started a piano factory at Dayton, Ohio, in 1837, at a time when the savage Indian was still a '' near neighbor." Evidently Bourne did not find the expected encouragement at Dayton, and removed in 1840 to Cincinnati. Even here his art was not appre- ciated, and he therefore accepted in 1842 a position in the Chick- ering factory, where he remained until 1846, when he organized the firm of William Bourne & Company. A piano maker of the MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 279 old school, Bourne could turn out nothing but thoroughly first-class pianos. Since his death, in 1885, the business has been continued by his son, Charles H. Bourne. A. M. McPhail started his business in Boston in 1837. Born at St. Andrews, New Brunswick, he came to Boston as a boy, and was apprenticed to the renowned piano maker, Gilbert. He learned to make pianos so well that he soon established a high reputation for his own product. He was a piano maker of the old school, who took pride in his work and considered the artistic success more than the commercial, although in his long career, from 1837 to 1891, he met all of his obligations with never failing promptness. As a citizen he took a great interest in educational, artistic and musical affairs, and also served as representative in the Massa- chusetts Legislature. He retired in 1891, and died at Omaha, October 6, 1902. The business is carried on by the A. ^[. McPhail Company, a corporation. Among the many illustrious Germans who have done so much for the uplifting of the piano industry in New York, "William Lindeman deserves particular credit for being the first who had the courage to combat successfully the unworthy prejudice and attitude of the people of his day toward the German element. William Lindeman 280 PIANOS AXD THEIR MAKERS Born at Dresden, Germany, in 1795, where lie also learned his art of piano mak- ing, Lindeman came to New York in 1834 and established his business in 1836. Al- though his pianos were of the highest order, success came slowly, but when his son Henry brought out his '^ Cycloid " piano, a rather happy compromise between a grand and square piano, in 1860, the firm secured a strong hold ujDon the j^iano- buying public. The Civil War interfered seriously with a more raj^id develop- ment, and it was left to Henry to push the firm into the front rank. Henry Lindeman, born in New York on August 3, 1838, was admitted to partnership in 1857, and after the death of William Lindeman on December 21, 1875, assumed the management and continued the work of his father. Henry's son, Samuel G., was admitted in 1901, and the firm name of Henry and S. G, Lindeman was adopted. In 1838, shortly after Lindeman 's appearance in the arena^ Johann Heinrich Schumacher, who changed his name to John Henry Schomacker for expedience' sake, established himself in partnership with William Bossert in Philadelphia. Schomacker,. born in Schleswig-Holstein on January 1, 1800, learned piano mak- ing in the master schools of Vienna. About 1830 he established Henry Lindeman MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 281 liimself at Lalir, Bavaria, and came to America in 1837. For one year he worked with E. X. Scherr, one of Philadelphia's best- known makers of those days. Schomacker was not only an excellent and thorough })iano maker, but also a very force- ful man with almost bound- less ambition. His partner was conservative and per- fectly satisfied with a mod- erate income. Schomacker finally decided to go his own way, and the partnershij) was dissolved in 1842. With restless energy Schomacker first improved his pianos, and in 1845 he was awarded the silver medal of the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia for the " best " piano exhibited. At the American Institute Exhibition in Xew York in 1848, he received the first prize, a silver medal, in com- petition with a number of American pianos, and at the great World's Fair at the Crystal Palace in Xew York, in 1853, he carried off the gold medal. To meet the demands of his ever-growing busi- ness, he erected in 1855 the great factory which stands to-day at Catherine and Eleventh streets, Philadelphia. In 1856 he organ- ized his business into a close corporation under the title of Schomacker Piano Company. With his ambition satisfied, he quit the field of activity in 1872, and died on January 16, 1875. John Henrv Schomacker 282 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS His son, Henry C. Scho- macker, born in Philadelphia in May, 1840, served his ap- prenticeship under his father and spent several years in Germany, studying under the leading masters. The company, under the able management of I. B, AVood- ford as president, and Henry C. Schomacker as secretary, is maintaining the glory of the old firm, producing most excellent pianos of the high- est order. While Lindeman in New York and Schomacker in Philadelphia earned laurels for the German school of piano making, William Knabe was busy preparing himself for his great career in Baltimore. Born at Kreutzberg, Germany, in 1803, he received a superior education, intending to follow a learned pro- fession. When the time for ultimate decision came, William pre- ferred, however, to learn the art of piano making. He served the customary apprenticeship and acquired further experience while working for various masters in Germany. Coming to Baltimore in 1833, he found an engagement with Henry Hartje, who had won quite a reputation as an inventor. Conservative and careful, Knabe waited until he had mastered the English language and had be- come thoroughly familiar with the business conditions of the new country. It was, therefore, not until 1839, that he ventured in MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 283 business, associating liini- self with another German piano maker, Henry Gaehle, under the firm name of Knabe & Gaehk\ The en- terprise was moderately successful and the associa- tion continued until isr)4, when Gaehle withdrew. From that time on Knabe was able to demonstrate his exceptional ability as a piano maker and business man without hindrance. His pianos were second to none in the market, and he han- dled the commercial end of his business so cleverly that by 1860 his firm almost controlled the entire market of the southern States. The Civil War temporarily destroyed that market, and the firm of William Ivnabe & Company went through a trying period for over five years. Wearied from over- anxiety, care and worry, Knabe passed away in 1864, leaving the care of the great business, which he had founded and built up to magnificent proportions, to his sons, William and Ernest. Both had enjoyed a most liberal education and had been thoroughly trained by their father in the art of piano making. William, being by nature of a quiet, retiring disposition, took upon himself the management of the factories, while Ernest assumed without any wavering the grave responsibilities as head of the house. When Ernest Knabe took the reins the outlook was very gloomy. Xot only was their main market, the rich southern States, entirely Ernest Knabe 284 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS destroyed by the Civil War then raging, but their customers for the same reason could not meet their obligations. The work in the big factory, with its hundreds of employees, dragged along in an uncertain way and the day seemed to be near when the fac- tories would have to be temporarily closed. Ernest found a solution. He concluded to make a prolonged trip through the northern and western States which were not so seriously affected by the war, determined to establish agencies for the sale of his pianos in this new territory. Money had to be provided to meet the weekly payroll during his absence. He boldly went to his bank and asked for a credit of $20,000 for the term of six months. Considering the critical times, such a demand upon a bank in the city of Baltimore was almost preposterous, and when finally the banker asked Ernest what security he had to offer and the reply came, "Nothing but the name of Knabe," the banker shook his head and told the young man that he would sub- mit the x^roposition to his board of directors. They decided that under existing conditions the loan could not be made. When delivering this ultimatum to young Ernest, the banker questioned him as to what he could or would do. Knabe answered promptly, '' I shall go down to my factory and tell my employees that I am compelled to discharge them all because your bank refused a loan to which I am entitled," then took his hat and left the banker to his own contemplations. Before he reached his factory office a messenger from the bank had arrived there with a letter from the president, stating that the account of Knabe &> Company had been credited with $20,000, to be drawn against as wanted. Ernest did not go back to the bank, but packed his trunk and went on his journey. Within two months he had sold enough I)ianos and opened up sufficient connections to keep his factories busy to their limit, and when he returned home he called on his banker to thank him for the loan, of which his firm had not been MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 285 obliged to use a single dollar. Ernest Knabe knew that just at that time the banks of Baltimore could not atTord to have the doors of the city's greatest industrial establishment closed and hundreds of men thrown out of employment, for lack of funds, and he won out against the timid and shortsighted banker. An era of great activity now commenced for the firm of Knabe & Company. A branch house was opened in New York, and later one in Washington. Ernest Knabe designed new scales for con- cert grands and upright pianos. Additional factories were built and equipped with the best of modern machinery, in order to pro- duce pianos in keeping with the reputation of the firm as leaders in the industry. Wherever the Knabe pianos have been exhibited they were invariably awarded high prizes for superior construc- tion and workmanship, notably so at the great Centennial Expo- sition in Philadelphia in 1876, where their large concert-grand piano was greatly admired. Leading virtuosos like D 'Albert, Saint- Saens and many others used the Knabe grand pianos in their con- certs and were enthusiastic in their praise of the Knabe tone quality. A princely entertainer, Ernest Knabe was an enthusiastic lover of music. He would often take the noon train from Baltimore to New York, consult with his New York manager while eating din- ner, go to the opera to hear Sembrich, Lehmann or Niemann sing, or attend a Rosenthal or Joseffy concert, return by midnight train to Baltimore and appear the following morning bright and early at the factory or city warerooms to take up the every-day routine of work. He was an indefatigable worker and seemed never to tire. Of a most genial disposition, warm-hearted, helpful, he was adored by his workmen and beloved by all who knew him. In the midst of the greatest developments misfortune came upon the house. William Knabe died suddenly in January, 1889, at the early age of -18. This sad event doubled the burdens of 286 PIANOS AXD THEIR MAKERS Ernest and lie succumbed to the inevitable result of over-exertion on April 16, 1894. Ernest Knabe bad ever been one of the strong pillars of the piano industry, on intimate terms with his competi- tors, enjoying the close friendship of William Steinway, Albert Weber and other leaders. He left a gap which could not easily be filled. The great business was turned into a corporation which finally joined the American Piano Company, under whose care the traditions of the house are reverently safeguarded. Among the historic Boston firms, the Hallet & Davis Piano Company can trace its origin to the year 1835, when Brown & Hallet started in business. Brown was a graduate of the Chick- ering factory and obtained several patents for improvements. He retired from the firm in 18-1:3, and his place was taken by George H. Davis, the firm changing to Hallet, Davis & Company, under which title it continued with more or less success. After the death of George H. Davis on December 1, 1879, the business was incor- porated. Under the management of E. N. Kimball as president^ C. C. Conway, treasurer, and E. E. Conway as secretary, the con- cern has recovered its old-time prestige and is counted among the most progressive of the present day. During the decade from 1830 to 1840 a coterie of piano makers lived at Albany, whose influence upon the piano industry of America has been of a lasting character. John Osborn came from Boston in 1829 and made pianos for Meacham & Company, dealers in musical instruments. F. P. Burns studied under Osborn in Meacham 's shop, which probably was the first piano factory west of New York City. Henry Hazelton came from New York to work for Boardman & Gray. James H. Grovesteen, founder of Grove- steen. Fuller & Company of New York, came to Albany in 1839 and started to make ])ianos in 1840. A. C. James, later of James & Holmstrom, New York, learned piano making in Grovesteen 's shop and, after working for Boardman & Gray, became a member MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIxVXO HISTORY 287 of the firm of Marshall, James & Traver, later known as Marshall & AVendell. ]\Iyron A. Decker was also one of the Albany i)ioneers with George Gomph, P. Keed and others. F. Frick- inger made pianos in 1837, hnt soon after started action making as a specialty. His business is continued by Grubb & Kosegarten Broth- ers at Nassau, N. Y. Francis Putnam Burns, born at Galway, Xew York, on February 6, 1807, learned cabinetmaking and studied piano making under the genial John Osborn, In 1835 he commenced business on his own account. Of an artistic temperament and an excellent me- chanic, he would never permit piecework in his shop, impressing his workmen with the idea that a piano is a work of art, re(iuiring the most painstaking efiforts, without regard to time consumed in its construction. AVhile producing most elegant and durable l»ianos, Burns did not aecumnlate wealth, and when the Civil War prostrated business he could not stand tlie strain. His son Edward M. Burns, who was serving as a commissioned officer in the army, coming home disabled for further activity in the field, had to as- sume the management of the business. Although the United States Government retained him in military service for 18 months after peace was declared and desired his further service Francis Putnam Burns 288 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Henrv Hazelton in the army, young Burns felt that filial duty de- manded his devotion to his father's business. He picked up the remnants of the once flourishing business, injected new life and not only suc- ceeded in maintaining the high reputation of the pi- anos, but had the great satis- faction of squaring all the old obligations in a most honorable manner. It was a loss to the piano industry of Albany when Edward M. Burns retired in 1869 to seek more remunerative activity in another field. A man who for over 60 years can enjoy the respect and friend- ship of his competitors in business must be a strong character, with a lovable disposition. Such was Henry Hazelton, born in New York City in 1816. He served a seven years' apprenticeship with Dubois & Stodart, being released in 1831. Soon thereafter he joined the Albany colony, and in 18-1:0 started the firm of Hazelton, Talbot & Lyon. Not fulfilling his exx)ectations at Albany, Hazelton returned to New York and joined his brother Frederick, under the firm name of F. & H. Hazelton, in 1850. Later on a younger brother, John, was admitted to partnership and the firm name changed to Hazelton Brothers. All three brothers were artisans of high order, who eschewed commercial tactics, depending for ultimate success entirely upon the high quality of their product, MEN AVHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 289 and to this date tlic finu lias a strong lio!d upon Xew York's Knickerbocker aris- tocracy as a clientele, in whose circles grandmother's piano bears the name of Hazelton. After the death of the founders, the business came under sole control of Samuel Hazelton, who had enjoyed a thorough training with his uncles and was made a member of the firm in 1881, He is ably assisted by his son Halsey in maintaining the traditions of the re- spected firm. Toward the close of the 18th century a Vienna piano maker in his wandering arrived at Naples, Italy. Somehow attracted by the place, he made it his home and began to make pianos, which found favor with the court, and young Fischer was appointed " Piano maker to King Ferdinand I, of Naples." He taught his art to his son. who afterward studied for a number of years with Vienna mas- ters, and upon his return to Xaples continued the father's business. His two sous, John U. and Charles S. Fischer, fol- lowed in the footsteps of father and grandfather, becoming expert piano makers. The inl)orn " wanderlust " of the Fischers landed these two young men in Xew York City in 1839. Taking at once employment witli William Xunns, they became his partners soon thereafter under the firm name of X^'unns & Fischer. X^unns Charles S. Fischer 290 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS retired in 1840, and the firm was changed to J. & C. Fischer. Building a reliable })iauo, they soon accumulated great wealth, and in 1873 John U. Fischer retired with a competency, to spend the rest of his days in his home- land, Italy. Charles S. then admitted his four sons, who had been thoroughl}- trained in all branches of the busi- ness, to partnership. The vigorous activity of the young men, under the wise guidance of their father, brought them rapidly to the front as great producers, in- creasing their yearly output to 5,000 pianos, at the same time studiously imi)roving the ({uality. In 1907 the firm was changed to a corporation. Hugh Hardman, who was born at Liverpool, England, in 1815, came to the United States and began to make pianos in New York City in 1840. His son John was admitted to part- nership about 1874. This firm was among the first to manufacture good commercial upright pianos, and met with distinctive success. In 1880 Leopold Peck bought an interest in the firm, the name being changed to Hardman, Peck & Company. Under Peck's able management the firm has risen to a recognized position among the makers of high-grade pianos, their instruments ranking among the best in the market. Frederick P. Stieff MEN AVHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 291 ^•-5i-V*i To change from teaching g, music and languages to deal- ing in pianos, and finally to become the founder of one of the largest and most re- spected piano manufacturing firms, was the career of Charles M. Stieff. Born in "Wurtemburg on July 19, 1805, StietT was educated at Stuttgart. In 1831 he emi- grated to America and set- tled at Baltimore, where he took the chair in Haspert's school as professor of lan- guages and also acted as leader of a church choir. In 1842 he imported his first pianos from Germany, and opened regular i)iauo warerooms on Liberty Street in 1813. Observing the success of the various i)iano manufacturers in Baltimore, Stieff undertook an extensive trip to Europe in 1852, studying the methods of the best piano manufac- turers there. Ui^on his return he admitted his sons into partner- ship and started the manufacture of the " Stieff " piano, intrust- ing the management of the factory to Jacob Gross, an expert piano maker of the old school. Born in AVurtemburg on July 26, 1819, Gross learned his trade in Stuttgart and afterward worked in some of the leading fac- tories of Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Paris. Coming to America in 1848, he familiarized himself with the methods pre- vailing here and joined his brother-in-law, Stieff, in 1856. It was an excellent combination, the professional musician and business- Jacob Gross 292 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Christian Kurtzmanii man, Stieff, supported by tlie artistic piano maker and fac- tory exj^ert, Gross. The product of the firm was at once accepted as of superior merit and received distin- guished awards wherever ex- hibited. The founder of the firm having passed to the un- known beyond, the business is carried on most success- fully by his sous, Charles and Frederick P. Stietf, the technical management of the factories being in the hands of Charles J. Gross, who was educated by his father, the late Jacob Gross. It was re- markable that the great fire which destroyed nearly the entire busi- ness portion of the city of Baltimore in 190-1- should stop short in its northward flight on the wall of the Stieff building, on North Lib- erty Street, just as if it had had respect for this landmark where the Stieffs had sold pianos for 63 years. The firm of Charles M. Stietf distributes its products almost entirely through its own stores, which are to be found in every prominent city of the southern States, as well as at Boston and elsewhere. Following the chronological order, we find that Christian Kurtzmann established a piano factory in Butfalo in 1848. After his death in 1886, the business was taken over by a corpo- ration. William P. Emerson, who started in Boston in 1849, had perhaps more business acumen than mechanical talent and artistic inclina- MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 293 tions. He started to make a low-priced instrument and built up a very large and profitable business within a few years. In 1854 he en- gaged C. C. Briggs, an ex- l)ert piano maker of stand- ing, to improve the piano, which was accomplished with such success that a rei)utation for sui)erior (pial- ity was soon established and the name of Emerson became a valuable trade- mark. Emerson died in 1871, and the business came into possession of AVilliam Moore, who sold his interest in 1879 to P. H. Powers, 0. A. Kimball and J. Gramer. They organized the Emerson Piano Company, with Patrick H. Powers as president. Under his able management the business grew to commanding proportions. The product was continually im- l)roved to maintain its position as a high-class instrument, and the company enjoyed an enviable reputation foi- integrity and reliability. P. H. Powers retired from active management in 1910, at the age of 8-1-, after a most distinguished career as a business man, covering a period of 60 years. He is succee^led in the presidency by Edward S. Payson, who assisted Powers for many years as acting secretary of the company. In the old town of Milton, where Crehore built his first piano, James Whiting Vose was born, on October 21, 1818. Learning the 294 PIAXOS AXD THEIR MAKERS cabinetmaker's trade, he soon became a piano maker, getting his experience in various Boston factories. In 1851 he made his first piano, and laid the founda- tion for a business which is counted among the leaders of the American piano indus- try. Educating his three sons in all branches of the business, he admitted them to partnership and changed tlie name to A^ose & Sons. In 1889 the concern was in- /l^^/;^./^^. corporated, the stock being owned by the Vose family. James AV. Vose served as first president of the Vose & Sons' Piano Company for a number of years. After his retirement his eldest son, Willard A. Vose, suc- ceeded him as president and manager, with marked ability, main- taining and improving the distinguished standing of the Vose piano. One of the most interesting characters in the history of Ameri- can piano makers is Napoleon J. Haines. Born in London in 1824, he came to New York when eight years of age. He made the trip across the Atlantic alone with his younger brother Francis. His father, who had preceded the boys to New York, had paid the ship's steward thirty dollars to assure good meals for the young- sters. Napoleon, aware of that fact, objected to the poor coffee and " hard tack " with which the steward regaled the boys, throw- ing the stuff overboard aii:l demjinding " something fit to eat." MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 295 He caused such a disturb- ance that the captain was called, who promptly sided with the rebellious boy and admonished the steward to do his duty henceforth. It is said that young Haines after his arrival in Xew York, not from necessity, but from his desire to make headway, earned money as a bootblack after school hours. "Whether that is true or not, young Napoleon certainly always demonstrated a rest- less disposition and a desire to advance. At the age of fifteen he apprenticed himself and brother to the New York Piano Manufacturing Company, learning all branches of the art. In 1851 he started in business with his brother under the firm name of Haines Brothers. Beginning with an output of two pianos per month, their business soon assumed large proportions, so that the erection of a factory, with a capacity of 20 ])ianos ])er week, became necessary in 1856. Napoleon J. Haines was a thorough ])iano maker, whose name is also on record as an inventor in the United States Patent Office, but, besides that, he was a born financier and shrewd business man. One of the founders of the Union Dime Savings Bank of New York, he served as vice-president and i^resident of that great institution for 21 years. Napoleon J. Haines died April 19, 1900. The business has been merged with that of the American Piano James Wliitiiit; Vose 296 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Company, under whose aus- pices the Haines Brothers piano is produced in larger quantities than ever. Real genius always leaves an indelible mark in its sphere of activity, and its influence is as lasting as it is permeating at the time of its birth. To observe a man rising from the lowest rung of the ladder to the height of a most promi- nent manufacturer, educat- ing himself meanwhile to become a musician of ac- knowledged talent and ver- satility, handling comi)lex financial problems with masterly daring and withal acquiring a position of social influ- ence, requires a combination of talents, an exercise of will- power and self-denial seldom found. Albert AVeber, born in Bavaria July 8, 1828, landed in Xew York when 16 years of age. Endowed with a liberal education, he had a good knowledge of music, playing the organ efficiently. Attracted to the art of piano making, he went through a regular apprenticeship with Master Ilolden of Xew York, and later worked in the celebrated shop of Van Winkle. To pay his board, young Weber gave music lessons evenings, and played the organ at church on Sundays. When 23 years of age he started in business with a very small capital. Fire destroyed his shop during the third year of his existence as a piano manufacturer. Xothing daunted, he rented much larger Napoleon J. Haines MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 29; Albert \Veber quarters and within a short time acquired a leading posi- tion among the piano firms of Xew York City. His en- ergy and ambition knew no bounds. In 1869 he oj^ened extensive warerooms at Fifth Avenue and Sixteenth Street, a move which aston- ished his competitors by its very boldness. Weber had invaded the abode of New York swelldom, with charac- teristic foresight, judging the future importance of this thoroughfare as a cen- ter of fashionable establishments. With this move his aggressive campaign for supremacy in the piano world commenced. Although not given to inventing or creating anything new in piano construction, Weber was such a thorough piano maker, and perfect performer on the piano, that he knew how to utilize the best-proven methods of construction. He would engage at any cost the best workmen, the best talent to be found among i)iano makers, neither would he spare any expense or reckon the cost of any real improvement in the tone or general quality of his pianos. He inspired his men to take pride in their work. The result was that he produced pianos which were acknowledged second to none, and preferred by many leading virtuosos, especially by oj^era singers, for their sympathetic musical tone. Because of his acute and musically trained hearing he succeeded in producing in his pianos, through his expert workmen, what he 298 PIANOS AXD THEIR MAKERS proudly called the " Weber tone." To listen to his playing for a prospective customer was a treat indeed, and seldom would an intending buyer leave his warerooms without having secured a piano. The man's enthusiasm, the real love for his piano was so intense, so genuine that he impressed the same on every person who would listen to his i)laying. Well read, a keen observer of men and things, Weber was a most interesting entertainer. His ready wit became lu'overbial and oftentimes served to clear unpleasant situations. For example, when during the strike of the journey- men for higher wages, shorter hours, etc., a committee of the work- men met with the assembled manufacturers, submitting their most unreasonable demands, the hitler were dumbfounded by the bold- ness of the men. Weber broke the silence, complimented the men, arguing that it was their })rivilege to ask for all that they might want, but in his opinion they had not asked enough — tliey had for- gotten to ask for free Saturday afternoons with full pay, so that they could play tenpins, the bosses to pay for the beer and set up the pins for the men. With this remark he took his hat and left the conference. The strike was called off. With his timelj" sar- casm AVeber had shown the men the ridiculousness of their de- mands and had turned the embarrassing conference into a merry laughter. Many pertinent anecdotes could be cited to illustrate the quick- working mind of this remarkable man. He had one serious short- coming, however, which finally caused his untimely end. Cease- lessly planning to extend his business and enlarge his personal influence, Weber did not surround himself with sufficient competent assistants who could relieve him from dreary detail work, and con- sequently the management of his great factory, of the wholesale and retail departments, all of the financial affairs — in short, every detail of his great business— rested u]3on his shoulders. Working MEX WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 299 from morning until evening at his business, he would attend opera, theaters and clubs at night. Being of a decidedly Bohemian tem- perament, he enjoyed the gay life of New York among brilliant men and women, but the everlasting strain was too much, even for this nervy man, and lie succumbed, at the age of 50, on June 25, 1879, to the overtaxing of his brain and body. The great business wliidi lie has founded, the great name which he made for his piano, are l)ecomingly perpetuated by the Weber Piano Company, a corporation affiliated with the Aeolian Company of New York. The fame of the Weber piano has extended to all the art centers of the globe to such an extent that the erection of a mammoth factory in London has become a necessity, in order to supply the ever-growing foreign trade. The name of Albert Weber will live, as long as pianos are built in America, as one of the great leaders who believed in the artistic mission of the instrument and impressed this belief upon the mind of the public. History teaches that hardships, adverse conditions and trying circumstances are the making of great men. Henry Engelhardt Steinweg's career is a confirmation of this doctrine. Boi-n at Wolfshagen, Germany, as the twelfth child of a strong mother and a respectable father on February 5, 1797, he had to pass during his youth through all the miseries and privations brought upon a people by protracted warfare. Napoleon's hordes devastated Ger- many, burned up the Steinweg home and killed several of his ' brothers in battle. To fill his cup of misery he finally lost his father and remaining brothers in an accident, from which he alone escaped as by a miracle, and found himself an orphan at the age of 15, without home or shelter. At 18 years of age he was drafted for the army and took ]iart in the battle of Waterloo. Returning from the field of battle, he found the soldier's life in the barracks verv drearv, to coun- 300 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS teract which he managed to build a zither, upon which he would play the patriotic songs of the time accom- panied by the voices of his soldier comrades. Having never handled tools nor re- ceived even elementary in- struction in music, his ac- complishment in making and playing the zither clearly pointed to the road which he was to travel to achieve fame and wealth. Having served his time in the army, he sought em- ployment with a cabinet- maker, but being then 21 years of age, and engaged to a lovely girl, he did not cherish the idea of serving a five-year apprenticeship as the guild of cabinetmakers demanded. He wanted to learn the use of tools to build musical instruments, and we find him, there- fore, soon in the shop of an organ builder at Seesen, where he also filled the place of organist in the village church. In 1825 he married the woman of his heart, and his wedding present was the first piano built by Steinweg's own hands. It was a fine instrument, which soon found a purchaser. Constructing pianos, earning his daily bread by repairing organs and all kinds of musical instruments, Steinweg prospered, and in 1839 exhibited at the fair of Brunswick one grand and two square pianos of his own make. The great composer, Albert Methfessel, played on these instruments and, as chairman of the jury, recommended that MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 301 the liigliest prize, a gold medal, .should be awarded to Steinweg for his superior instruments. It is said that the Duke of Brunswick bought the grand piano, paying therefor the large i^rice of 3,000 marks. Steinweg 's reputation as a master i)iano builder was now estab- lished and he had to employ workmen to fill the orders which he received. His sons, Theodore, Charles and Henry, joined him in business as they grew to maturity and the i)rospects for the future looked very bright, when suddenly adversity came again through the ])olitical ui)heaval and revolution of 1848 and 1849, which paralyzed business all over Germany. The second son, Charles, had been during this excitement rather active in the ranks of the progressives, or revolutionists, and found himself compelled to flee as soon as the jDeople's cause was lost. He escaped to Switzerland and went by way of Paris and London to New York, where he landed in May, 1849. Charles sent such glowing reports regarding the possibilities for the family in the new world as compared with their homeland, and urged their coming to America so strongly and persistently that the entire Steinweg family, except Theodore, engaged passage on the steamer Helene Slomaii from Hamburg, which landed them at New York on June 9, 1851. Instead of venturing into business at once, Henry E. Steinweg wisely chose first to gain practical knowledge of the language and ))usiness methods of the new world. He and his sons accepted employment in different piano factories. For two years the three men gathered experience, and on March 5, 1853, the firm of Steinway & Sons started on its brilliant career. The very first step in that direction, the changing of the name from Steinweg to Steinway, showed not only the business sagacity of Henry E. Steinway, but also the strong faith which he had in his ability to build a better piano than known at that time. Hence 302 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS he wanted a distinct trade-mark, which could not be imitated, even if his pianos should be. From the beginning the firm of Steinway & Sons was a happy- combination of various talents, making success imjDerative. Henry E, Steinway was an experienced piano maker and careful busi- ness man. His son Charles managed the factory, for which he was eminently fitted. A fine mechanic, he possessed a highly devel- oped sense for exactness and systematic organization, while the younger son Henry was a genius as an inventor, a good musician and a splendid mixer with artists, professionals and literary men. At the Metropolitan Fair, held at Washington, D. C, March, 1854, Steinway & Sons exhibited a square piano and received a prize medal, but their great triumph came at the great fair of the American Institute in New York in 1855, where their over- strung square piano with full iron frame created a sensalion in the i)iano world. As a result their business expanded so rapidly that in 1859 the erection of that mammoth factory on Fifty-third Street and Fourth Avenue, New York, became a necessity. Henry E. Steinway planned the factory and superintended its building. It is said that he would not permit a beam or rafter in the entire structure which contained a single knot or showed the least im- perfection. The precision of the master builder dominated in what- ever he did ! Gradually he permitted his sons to assume the responsibilities of managing the affairs of the great business. Successful beyond his fondest dreams in his enterprise, Henry E. Steinway had to bear the deep sorrow of losing his faithful co-workers and beloved sons, Charles and Henry, in the prime of their manhood. This great bereavement, together with the advancing years, began to bear upon that strong character, who had fought the battle of life so valiantly, and, after ]ilanning and superintending the erection of Steinway Hall in 1866, he retired more and more from active MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 303 participation, going to his rest on February 7, 1871, at the age of 74. Beloved by all who knew him, respected l)y the coinmunity and fa- mous as an inventor and manufacturer in the entire civilized world, a self-made man who had to wring suc- cess from fate's unwilling hand under most trying con- ditions, Henry Engelhardt Steinway's name will ever be revered. His eldest son, C.F.Theo- dore Steinway, was one of those who show great bril- liancy in their youth, but whose genius then lies dormant for a number of years, to break out with irresistible force after middle life, astonishing the world with their accomplishments. At the age of 1-1- Theodore was an accom- plished pianist, so much so that he was given the task of showing off his father's pianos at the Brunswick Fair in 1839. Enjoying the advantages offered by the Jacobsohn College at Seesen, a celebrated institute of learning, he studied acoustics under Dr. Ginsberg, who took great interest in the brilliant boy, in return for which Theodore built the models needed by Dr. Ginsberg for demonstration in his lectures on acoustics. This intimate relation to the scientist in his youth ])revented Theodore from ever becoming a mere em])iric. It was the cause of the restless search he later so forcibly demon- strated for the scientific laws underlying the construction of the pianoforte. After going through college, he went to work at the 304 PIANOS AXD THEIE MAKERS bench in his father's shop, and, when the family sailed for Xew York in 1851, he was charged with winding up the affairs of busi- ness and following the family. Fate decreed otherwise. He met the only maid whom he would marry, stayed at Seesen and con- tinued the business founded by his father. Success crowned his efforts, and seeking a larger field he removed his piano factory to Brunswick in 1859, where he built up a substantial business. However, when his brothers, Charles and Henry, died, filial duty demanded that he should assist his father in Xew York. He sold his business to three of his most able workmen and became a part- ner in the firm of Steinway & Sons, Xew York. Theodore took charge of the construction department, and commenced those revo- lutionary improvements which have made the Steinway a synonym of perfection in piano building. Theodore's inventive and constructive genius had for all these years been tethered by the every-day care of managing all de- partments of his Brunswick factory. Freed now, with unlimited capital, an excellent factory organization and the most expert workmen at his command, Theodore Steinway had opportunity sel- dom offered. He made the best use of it. Step by step he invaded the fields of modern science, investigating and testing different kinds of wood in order to ascertain why one kind or another was best adapted for piano construction, then taking up the study of metallurgy, to find a proper alloy for casting iron plates which would stand the tremendous strain of 75,000 pounds of the new concert-grand piano that was already born in his mind, calling chemistry to his aid to establish the scientific basis for felts, glue, varnish, oils, — in short, nothing in the realm of science having any bearing on piano construction was overlooked. Having thus laid his foundation, he returned to Germany to be near Helmholtz and benefit by that great savant's epoch-making discoveries. It was but natural that in time he became an intimate friend of MEX WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 305 Helmlioltz, and the world was benefited by that friendship. Theodore made Brunswick liis home again, goin.n' to Xew York at regular intervals to superintend the execution of his inventions. At his Tusculum in Brunswick he had one of the most complete collections of musical instruments of every character, ancient and modern, and he knew the characteristics of each so well that it was a treat to listen to him whenever he was in the mood to show and talk about his gems. To widen his horizon of knowledge, he trav- eled extensively, meeting the shining lights of science, art and literature wherever he went. Germany was just then in its great- est period of scientific, artistic and industrial Renaissance. Theo- dore profited greatly, being a keen observer, and he set to work to bring to life in his piano the discoveries of Helmholtz, Tyndall and others. The crowning result was his Centennial concert-grand piano, with the duplex scale, bent-rim case, cupola iron ])late and improved action which would lift that heavy hammer made of 23- pound felt by the slightest touch of the key, setting the strings, which were of a length and thickness heretofore unknown, in vibration. Theodore was an intense and enthusiastic worker. Once en- gaged upon a problem, he knew no limit of time. The author has often discussed problems of i)iano building with him, the experi- mental piano before us, until the early morning hours. Physically and mentally very forceful, imbued with quiet Teutonic strength, he aimed to create a \nnno which would respond to the demands of the modern dynamic comi)ositions of a Liszt, Wagner or Rubin- stein, and would, orchestra-like, fill the large modern concert hall to its remotest corners. He accomi)lislied this object without sacrificing that desired nobility of singing tone (luality. "While Theodore Steinway has not created anything positively new in piano construction, he revolutionized piano making and all auxiliary industries by forcing the acceptance of scientific 306 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS methods upon all who desired to stay in the progressive march. He demonstrated to what extent science can aid in the development of the pi- ano by his own productions, and thus broke the path for the enormous development of the industry during the past 30 years. This is more than all the empirics have ever done. Theodore Steinway died at Brunswick, March 26, 1889. Compensation is one of the inexorable laws of na- ture. Great results can only be achieved by great efforts and corresponding sacrifice. Steinway & Sons had to pay their tribute to the law of compen- sation ! Charles Steinway, born on January 1, 1829, was one of those silent workers who fill most important places in the world of activity. Of a modest and retiring disposition, wrapped up in his arduous duties of organizing and managing the ever-growing factories, Charles knew no bounds for his labors. He simply ex- hausted himself and died at the early age of 36 on March 31, 1865, leaving ])eliind him as his monument the piano factory par excel- lence, a foundation for Theodore and William to build u])on, with- out which neither one of these two great men could have achieved their triumphs. Charles Steinway MEN WHO HAVE ^VfADE PIANO HISTORY 3o: Henry Stein way, Jr., born on Marcli 27, 18:U, also ])aid the penalty I'or too in- tense application to the fur- therance of ambitious plans. Naturally of a highly artis- tic, nervous temperament, Henry devoted himself to the nerve-racking activity of inventing imi)rovements, and the patent records speak loudly for his great achieve- ments. Seeking food for his; restless brain — enlighten- ment as to the demands of the artist — Henry was at night-time a studious citizen "''"> ^temway of Bohemia, and during the day nervously at work un his drawing- board. Burning the candle of life thus brightly at both ends, it could not last long, and the talented young man died on March 11, 1865, aged only lU years. This great calamity of losing the two brothers within tliree weeks' time threw the entire burden of managing the great Imsi- ness u))on young William, the aged father having gradually with- drawn from active assistance. "William Stcinway was born at Seesen on ]\Iarch ."), 1835, at a time when the Steinway family was enjoying prosjierity and fatlicr and mother were in theii' prime. He was a strong, healthy boy, i)hysi('ally and mentally. T.ikc his brother Theodore he attended the Jacobsolm College, but unlike Theodore devoted himself to the study of languages and music proper, rather than listening to dreary lectures on acoustics. 308 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS At the age of 14 he had a good command of English and French, played the piano acceptably and had such a musical ear that he could tune a three-stringed grand l)iano to perfection. When the family arrived in New York, William was offered the choice of studying music, for which he had shown pro- nounced talent, or learning piano making. He chose the latter and was at once ap- prenticed to William Nunns & Company, one of the best- known New York piano firms of that time. As soon as his father started in business William joined him, and worked for sev- eral years at the bench, until the commercial end of the business demanded closest attention. William was by unanimous agreement chosen as the head of the financial and commercial departments of the firm. It was his proper sphere and furnished another illustra- tion of the keen judgment of Henry E. Steinway, Sr. He placed each of his sons where his particu'ar talents might produce the best results. Being only 29 years of age when called upon to manage an establishment of enormous proportions, William did not waver. With the grit and determination inherited from his father, he began to plan greater extensions. Theodore was building pianos, William had to sell them. His pet scheme, a great concert hall. MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 309 was soon carried out — Steinway Hall was opened in 1867 by Theo- dore Thomas' orchestra, with S, B. Mills as soloist at the piauo. The opening- of this hall was the inauguration of a new era in the musical life of America. Anton Rubinstein, Annette Essipoff, Teresa Carreno, Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler, Rafael Joseffy, Eu- gene D 'Albert, Leopold Damroseh and Anton Seidl made their bows to select audiences from the itlatform of Steinway Hall. William Steinway knew that the American people needed musical education. He provided it, and no one man has done as nmch for musical culture, or has inspired the love for art among the Ameri- can people, as William Steinway. Supporting Theodore Thomas' great orchestra, so that it might make its celebrated journeys through the entire country (and without the aid of Steinway this would have been impossible), William by most liberal offers induced leading European virtuosos to come on concert tours to America. He was the ever-heli)ing friend to young students and teachers. His inborn liberality would often let the heart be master of better judgment, but he never I'egretted his acts of benevolence, even if sometimes repaid with base ingratitude. To the astonishment and chagrin of the older and more con- servative houses in the piano trade, William started an aggressive and heretofore unheard-of advertising campaign. As a competent judge he knew that his factories turned out the best pianos that could possibly be made, and he was bent not only on letting the world know it, but on making the woi'ld believe it, as he did. This was revolutionary, even shocking, but AVilliam persisted until he carried his point. Having established the fame of his ])iano in America beyond dispute, William looked for other worlds to conquer, and opened a branch house in the city of London about the year 1875. vStein- way Hall in London was formally opened in 1870. In 1880 the 310 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Hamburg factories were started, to sui^ply the ever-growing Euro- pean trade. While thus engaged in building up this great market for the products of the factories, William fostered ambitions in other directions. He wanted to see the name of Steinway on the map of New York; and with that end in view he bought 400 acres of laud on the Long Island Sound in 1880, and there created the town of Steinway. Starting with the erection of a sawmill and iron foundry, in course of time the case and action factories were erected, and since 1910 the entire piano works of Steinway & Sons have been located at Steinway, L. I., New York. W^illiam Steinway was a strong man in every sense of the word. As a young man he was counted among the invincible athletes of the German Turn Verein, and even in his later years it was one of his pleasantries to compare muscular strength with friends. To say that mentally he was a giant is no exaggeration. Who- ever can contemplate the multitude of details, aside from the larger schemes, to which William Steinway paid closest attention, the complex financial problems which confronted him in times of business depression, the demands made upon his time by artists, members of the press, etc., must wonder how he could pay any attention to society or public affairs. Yet we find that he was often called upon to lead a movement in politics or municipal affairs, to which he would respond with unwonted energy and ability. For 11 years he acted as president of the Liederkranz, the leading German singing society of New York. He was director in several banks and an active member of leading clubs. Broad- minded and liberal to a degree, William Steinway could always look far beyond Steinway Hall when danger threatened the piano industry or a helping hand could be extended for uplifting. It is unfortunate that history never will record his manly and heroic actions in the interest of the entire piano industry of MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 311 Anierica duriiii;' tlit' dai'k days of the great panics of 1893 and 1896. He stood like tlu' KNick of Gil)raltar against tlio waves of de- struction rampant in those days, and ))y liis great in- flnence in financial circles, his sound judgment and counsel, protected the credit and fair name of the indus- try, often by timely action preventing inii)ending disas- ter to worthy firms. He a})- plied himself with such in- tensity and abandon to his duties that even his won- -^"''"•t sti-inway derfully robust constitution had to give way under tlie protracted strain and exertion. He died i)remature]y on November 30, 1896, a martyr of conscientious devotion to duty as he saw it. Carl Sclnirz delivered the funeral oration and New York was in mourning. The youngest son of Henry Engelhardt, All)ert Steinway, l)oni on June 10, 1840, like his brothers had chosen piano making as his life work, and after the death of Charles assumed the manage- ment of the factories. He made the ai)i)lication of machinery for manufacturing, modern heating and lighting systems his s])ecial study and thus ke])t the Steinway factories in the front rank of progressive industrial establishments. The development of the village of Steinway was mainly his work, and the i)lanning and erection of the sawmills, iron foundry, metal shops and case fac- torv were entirelv in his hands. With that restless zeal so char- 312 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS acteristic of the Steinway family, urging liim to accomplish in a given time more than his bodily strength would permit, he nnder- mined his none too strong constitution and died at the age of 37 on May 14, 1877. It is almost needless to say that in course of time honors were showered upon the house of Steinway, in recognition of its many valuable contributions to science, art and ^:: lustry. Theodore and William were elected Members of the Societies of Art of Berlin, Paris and Stockholm, and William was decorated with the Cross of the Red Eagle by Emperor William of Germany. The highest prizes for meritorious products have invariably been awarded to the firm wherever their pianos have been exhibited, and the leading courts of Europe and Asia bestowed the honor of appointment as " special purveyors " to Steinway & Sons. Charles H. Steinway, the president of the corporation, has been honored by the Sultan of Turkey with the Order of the Liakat ; by the Republic of France with the Cross of the Legion of Honor; by the Shah of Persia with the Order of the Lion and Sun, and by the Emperor of Germany with the Order of the Red Eagle. All of the founders of the great house having passed to the unknown beyond, their work is continued in most effectual man- ner by their scions, who, true to tradition, divide the mani- fold duties among themselves, according to their talents and training. Charles H. Steinway, son of the late Charles, directs the com- mercial and financial policy of the corporation. His brother, Frederick T., is in charge of the factories, assisted by Theodore Cassebeer, grandson of Doretta Steinway-Ziegier. Henry Ziegler, son of Doretta, and pupil of the late Theodore Steinway, is in charge of the construction dei)artment, assisted by the late William Steinway 's son, Theodore F., whose elder brother, William R., is in charge of the European business. MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTOT^Y 313 Following tluMi' chosen leader clieerfnily, just as Henry Engelliardt's sons ac- knowledged their father's authority under all condi- tions, the active members of the House of Steinway not only nphold the foremost position to which the found- ers had attained, but are adding new hiurels to the illustrious name l)y con- stantly imjn-oving the qual- ity of their instruments and extending their influence, as leaders of the industry, to all parts of the civilized world. Theodore A. Heintzmann is perhaps entitled to the name of father of the piano industry in Canada. Born at Berlin, Germany, on May 19, 1817, he started as a cabinetmaker, learned keymaking with Buchholtz and perfected himself as a ])iano maker under Grimow. After traveling extensively on tiie Continent of Europe, he landed in New York in 1850, where he found work in Lighte & Newton's factory. Charles Steinway had his woi-k-l)ench in the same room with Heintzmann. In 185.') he went to Buffalo and started the Western Piano Company, which enter] )rise had to be abandoned during the ])anic of 1857. ^Moving to Toronto in 1860 he started a piano shop without any capital, but his instruments were of such a high order that he found ]nirchasers for them quite easily. The business grew steadily under his energetic manage- ment and ranks to-day among the leading industrial establishments Tlu'Oikuu A. llciiitziiiaiin 314 PIAXOS AND THEIR MAKERS of the Dominion. Heintz- niann died on July 25, 1899. The business lias been taken over by a cor- poration, in the manage- ment of which four sons of the late Heintzmann take active part. Among the many Ger- mans who left their fa- therland after the failure of the Revolution of 1818, was Ernest Grabler. Born in Glogau, Silesia, he landed at Xew York in 1851, and started in busi- ness in 1854. Building a substantial piano at a moderate price, he met with considerable financial success. He died February 27, 1883. A peculiar character, with many strong traits, we tind in Free- born Garrettson Smith. Learning his trade in Baltimore, he worked for some time in Chickering's factory. In 1861 he became super- intendent for William B. Bradbury. Bradbury was a musician by profession, who had bought an interest in the firm of Lighte & Newton (established in 1848), and when he dissolved partnership with Lighte, he found in Smith a good manager for his factory. After Bradbury's death in 1867 Smith bought the business, con- tinuing the name of Bradbury. Immediately the commercial in- stincts of Smith came to the surface, and he developed greater Ernest Gabler MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTOKY 115 F. G. Sinitli talents as a distributor of pianos than as a maker. Original in his methods, he l)uhlished for a k)ng time a testimonial of tlie well- known prejicher, T. DeWitt Talmage, in which the latter declared that if the angels are using musical instru- ments in heaven, the Brad- bury })iano would surely be there, because of its sweet tone. Smith was among the first who opened warerooms in leading cities, selling his product direct to the ])ublic rather than through dealers. He is counted among the wealthiest of those men in the piano trade who have accumulated their fortunes by thrift, energy and exceptional business ability. While working at the melodeon factory of George A. Prince & Company of ButTalo, Emmons Hamlin made the iin])ortant dis- covery of " voicing " organ reeds, so that a given reed could be made to imitate a clarinet, violin or other instrument. He devel- oped this discovery to perfection and in 1854 formed a partner- ship with Henry Mason under the tirm name of ^fason «S: Hamlin, for the purpose of manufacturing a new musical instrument called *' organ harmonium." Hamlin was a painstaking, exact working mechpnic, with considerable genius as an inventor. Henry Mason, reared under the best nmsical traditions of Boston, and graduated from a German university, was imbued with 316 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS that artistic devotion to music, which we find to this date expressed in the ahnost flawless instruments pro- duced b}^ the Mason & Ham- lin Company. Starting with a small capita], but determined to produce the very best instru- ments only, the firm met with almost instant success. Not content with the manufac- ture of their humble instru- ment, they soon developed what has become known as the American Cabinet Organ. This instrument won for the firm a world-wide reputa- tion and the highest possible honors and awards were be- stowed uiDon their products at all World's Expositions, wherever exhibited. In 1881 the manufacture of pianos was added to their indus- tries. The Mason & Hamlin piano advanced rapidly in popular favor and is accepted by the most eminent virtuosos and musicians of the day, as an artistic instrument of the highest order. Among the pioneers of the melodeon and organ industry was Bernhard Shoninger, a native of Germany, who landed in America in 1847, and started his factory at New Haven, Conn., in 1850. Branching out to the making of pianos, he secured for his instru- ments the same enviable reputation which had been accorded to his organs, Bernhard Shoninger died on June 3, 1910, The Bernhard Shoniiiircv MEN AYHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 117 business is contiiuK'd under the able direction of his son, S. B. Shoninger. Myron A. Decker, born at Manchester, N. Y., on January 2, 1823, served a four-year apprenticeship with A^an AVinklc at the time when Al])ert We])er was tak- ing his post-graduate course in the same shop. He then went to work for Boardman & Gray at Albany, and started a factory in that city in 1856. At the State Fair held at Syracuse in 1858 Decker received a diploma for the best piano exhibited. In 1859 he removed to New Y^ork, occupying for many years the his- toric building on Third Avenue and Fourteenth Street, in which Osborn, and later Worcester, had made i)ianos many years before. In 1877 his son, Frank C. Decker, was admitted to ijartnershiji and the firm changed to Decker «S: Son. Myron A. Decker died in 1901. He was one of the old school , of master mechanics, more concerned in designing and building a thoroughly artistic piano than in accumulating wealth. The tirm was changed to a corporation in 1909, with Frank C. Decker as president and manager. Frank C. Decker, Jr., grandson of the founder, is preparing himself, under the tutelage of his father, to perpetuate the well-earned fame of the name of Decker in the piano world. ^Ivroii A. Docker 318 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Among the few who de- voted their lives to the one object, the improvement of the piano, especially its to- nal qualities, George Steck's name will ever be mentioned as one of the first. Born near Cassel, Germany, on July 19, 1829, Steck studied with that celebrated master, Carl Scheel of Cassel. Coming to America in 1853, he started his factory in 1857 and met with such ex- ceptional success that he was able to open Steck Hall on Clinton Place, New York City, in 1865, where his con- cert grand pianos were played by the leading artists of the day. Later on a larger hall was opened on Fourteenth Street to meet the demands of a steadily growing business, Steck was one of those restless natures who are never satisfied with the best of their work. As a scale drawer he had no superior. His scales for both grand and upright pianos have been indus- triously copied by makers of commercial pianos, because of their exceptional merit for clear and large tone. His concert grands have been highly endorsed by Richard Wagner, Sophie Menter, Annette Essipoff, Sir Julius Benedict and many others. Because of the exceptional solidity of the Steck piano, it lias been chosen for years by many schools and colleges all through the United States, and has become known as the " school piano." George Steck MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY Personally, George Steck 310 vras a most lovable cliarac- ter, who liad no enemies, finding i)!oasnre in the pur- snit of his art, with no par- ticuhir regard for the com- mercial end of the business. To assure for his co-workers l)roi)er com})ensation for faithful service, Steck in- corporated his business in 1884, allotting shares of stock to his employees. Gradually shifting the re- sponsibilities and cares upon younger shoulders, he retired from active participation in 1887. The last 10 years of his life were devoted entirely to his pet scheme of constructing a piano which would stand permanently in tune. His experiments in that direction were very interesting, but he could not see the fulfill- ment of his dream. He died on March 31, 1897. In 190-1- the busi- ness was consolidated with the Aeolian C'ompany of New York, under whose direction the manufacture of the Steck pianos is con- tinueiano factory. At stated before, Kimball was a born organizer. AVitli unerring eye he always understood how to ])ick the right man for the right ])lace.and to keep him there. AVhon his manu- facturing department assumed greater proportions he sent for Edwin S. Conway 542 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEES his nephew, AV. Liifkin, and charged him with the man- agement thereof, although Lnfkin had, np to that time, never been inside of a piano or organ factory. Kimball was original in all that he did. He reasoned that, for the management of sncli big factories as he contemplated, a man bronght np at the work-bench or at an office desk wonld have too narrow a vision. He wanted a man who wonld jnst as readily plan to make 30,000 instru- w. ].ufkiii ments a year as 5,000. Lnf- kin was that man. He made the first 5,000 pianos, and is turning out 30,000 instruments per year now, including most imposing church organs. Without a doubt, the Kimball factories stand without a parallel. Not only are they producing all parts of the piano, from the case up, including iron plates, actions and keys, but since 1904 the entire mechanism of the player piano has been also made there, including the music rolls. To the small parlor organ, the building of church organs was added in 1890. Kimball reversed the order of things. Two hundred years ago the church-organ builders made pianos as a side issue, Kim- ball, evolving from a small retail dealer to the largest piano manufacturer iu the world, became a church-organ builder as well. Kimball, not so bold as Conway, listened carefully to the lat- ter 's aggressive plans, worked them down to the line of safe pos- MEX WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 343 sibility and then cliarged Lufkin with making the goods which Conway had to sell. A splendid trio, with a most able leader, and hence the unparalleled success. Kimball saw his business grow to an institution witli a turnover of over $4,000,000 per annum. He died on De- cember 15, 1904. The corpo- ration is continued with C. N. Kimball as president, E. S. Conway, vice-president, and AV. Lufkin, treasurer. H. D. Cable, born at Wal- ton, X. Y., in 1849, spent his early days on a farm. After attending the Walton Academy, he turned to teaching, with such success that at the age of 17 he was elected principal of the schools at Easton, Pa., and a year later appointed superintendent of schools at Williamsport, Pa. In 1869 the pub- lishing house of Barnes &: Company sent him to Chicago as man- ager of their western department, and for 11 years Cable filled that responsible position with great success and fidelity. In 1880 he formed a partnershi}) with the organ builder, F. P. Wolfinger, organizing the Wolfinger Organ Company, which was changed to the Western Cottage Organ Company, and later on to the Chicago Cottage Organ Company. Cable applied the methods used in selling books, as far as pos- sible, to the organ and piano business, with amazing success. Like ]U PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Kimball, lie was a born or- ganizer and an excellent judge of men and their abili- ties. The training which he had enjoyed in the book- selling business impelled him to introduce system in his manufacturing and selling organization, with all that this word implies in modern business management, and [perhaps he was the first in the piano industry to profit by the application of scien- tific accounting. At all events, his success was so rapid, and his business as- sumed such immense propor- tions, that it became the wonder of his contemporaries. Of an exceedingly nervous temperament, Cable was not only a rapid thinker, but also a worker of extraordinary capacity. Him- self the soul of honor and integrity, he treated everybody on that basis, and his keen judgment assisted his intuition in making bold moves on the chessboard of trade with advantageous results. Starting out in his enterprises b}" catering to the demands of the masses, he aimed for the highest in his piano production, and in 1890 he consolidated the business of Conover Brothers, of New York, with his own, securing at the same time the valuable assist- ance of that eminent piano constructor, J. Frank Conover, for the manufacture of the Conover ])iaiio. As his business assumed larger proportions, he called his brothers, Hobart M. and Fayette MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY S. Cable, to his aid, and, al- though he had surrounded himself with a number of able men, his close personal application to the complex- ities of his large business finally undermined his con- stitution and he died pre- maturely on March 2, 1899, at the age of 50. The business, having been incorporated, has been continued, but the name of the company was changed to the Cable Company, in honor of the founder. F. S. Cable served as president until 1903, when he started in business on his own account. He was succeeded by F. S. Shaw, under whose able management the company largely ex- tended its activities, adding a department for player pianos, and paying careful attention to the development of the artistic Conover piano, preparing for the introduction of the same on the concert platform. In the short space of 20 years the Cable Com- pany has attained a position as one of the great leaders of the western continent, and the genius of II. D. Cable has shown to contemporaries the great possibilities of the piano business in its legitimate channels. Lucien Wulsin, born in Louisiana in 1845, came with his fa- ther's family to Cincinnati in his early childhood. He went through the Cincinnati public school and i)art of the high school. At the age of 19 he enlisted with the Union army, at first serving 346 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS in a Kentucky infantry battalion, and from January, 1864, until the end of the war, in the Fourth Ohio Cavalry. In March, 1866, he entered the employ of D. H. Baldwin, a music teacher, who was selling the Decker Brothers ' pianos in Cincinnati. Wulsin started in as a clerk, bookkeeper and general factotum, and made himself so useful that he was admitted to partnership in 1873, the firm name becoming D. H. Baldwin & Company. An era of expansion and larger activity was inaugurated. As the first move, a branch store was opened at Indianapolis. In 1878 the Louisville branch was started under the management of E. A. Johnston, who was made a partner in 1880. After John- ston's death in 1882, George ^Y. Armstrong, Jr., Clarence Wulsin and A. A. Van Buren, who had been employed by the firm for a number of years, became partners. With the growth of the busi- ness the necessity of manufacturing became more and more ap- parent, and in 1889 the Hamilton Organ Company was organized as a subsidiary concern for the making of organs— the Baldwin Piano Company, Valley Gem Piano Company and Ellington Piano Company soon following. Later on the Hamilton Piano Com- 23any was formed, and the firm of D. H. Baldwin & Company changed into a corporation under the title of The Baldwin Company, the latter controlling all the above subsidiary com- panies. D. H. Baldwin died in 1899, leaving the bulk of his estate for missionary purposes. Ordinarily this would have meant the wind- ing up of the business, in order to pay out the large amount which represented Baldwin's interest, but AVulsin did not propose to have the work of his life destroyed through an act of the man whom he had made wealthy by his 33 years of faithful devotion. Together with Armstrong he arranged to buy all the stock of the Baldwin estate and of the only remaining partner, A. A. Van Buren. MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 347 Freed from all interference, the two partners set to work to develop the business to its fullest possibilities. They were an excellent team. AVulsin, the man of ideas and business foresight, enthusiastically believing in the progress of the American people and the perpetual growth of the nation, planned the ultimate ex- pansion. Armstrong, the mathematician and man of figures, worked out the details of the plans to never-failing exactness. As a matter of good business policy, stress was laid in the beginning upon the commercial — the money-making — part of the business, with proper regard for the building up of a rejmtation for reliable goods, but just as soon as an efficient number of artisans had been trained, under the guidance of Superintendent Macy, the develop- ment of the artistic Baldwin })iano was taken in hand with avidity and with corresponding success. Lucien Wulsin's inborn love for the noble and beautiful is stamped upon every part of the great institution. The factories, located opposite beautiful Eden Park, at Cincinnati, are models of decorative architecture. Instead of imprisoning his men between four plain brick walls, Wulsin engaged an architect to design his factories, with orders to combine the beautiful with the practical, paying attention to hygienic improvements. Always kept scrupu- lously clean, the workrooms in the Baldwin factory impress the visitor much more as artists' ateliers than as piano makers' work- shops. The walls of the spacious offices are decorated with pictures of Greek and Roman structures of architectural beauty, to train the eyes of the workman for pro|)er and correct forms ; flower-l)eds surround the factories and living flowers are to be found at the factory windows. An air of refinement permeates the entire estab- lishment and gentlemanly behavior is a characteristic of the Bald- win employees. The sound policy underlying the management of this great business is best described in AVulsin's own words, which he used 348 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS in a letter to the author: " I realize that the welfare of our company and the success of its people will come from a fair treatment of all our men and the awakening in them of the ideals and en- thusiasm which, after all, do exist in the average human being. ' ' It is not to be won- dered at that the Baldwin pianos carried off the high- est prizes, wherever ex- hibited, gaining even that much-coveted distinction, the Grand Prix at the Paris Exposition of 1900. Nor does it require an explanation why Pugno exclaims, ' ' The Baldwin tone is bound- less; you can't get to the bottom of it — can't pound it out," and when, on the other hand, aesthetic de Pachmann whispers his en- chanting Chopin pianissimo passages on that same piano. The Baldwin piano is an art product, made by artists who are living and working in an artistic atmosphere, because the man who created the Baldwin institution is an idealist. Lucien Wulsin was deco- rated with the Cross of the Legion of Honor at the Paris Exposi- tion of 1900. As far back as 1849 an Alsatian by the name of Trayser made pianos and melodeons in Indianapolis. Drifting about the country, he came to Ripley, Ohio, in 1869, where he started a piano factory, which was removed to Richmond, Ind., in 1872, when James S. and Benjamin Starr acquired an interest in the concern. In 1878 iiciijainin Starr MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 340 Trayser retired, and Milo J. diase entered the firm, the name of wliich was changed to the Chase Piano Com- l)any. In 1884 the Starr Brothers obtained control of the business and changed the name to the Starr Piano C'ompany, with Benjamin Starr as manager. Upon tlie retirement of James Starr, Henry Gennett and associates obtained control of the com])any and began a campaign of exi)ansion which has made the concern one of the leaders of the middle west. Gennett assumed the business management and opened distributing warerooms in many leading cities of the western and southern States. Benjamin Starr superintended the factories, ably assisted by Harry Gennett. The business assumed immense proportions under the guidance of Henry Gennett, while his son Harry developed into a good i)iano constructor, who has done excellent work in improving the Starr piano and |)romises more as a piano maker for the future. Benjamin Starr died in 1903, having had the satisfaction of seeing the small factory with which he started grow to an establishment producing annually about 18,000 pianos of a quality above the ordinary market instrument. It is the laudable ambition of Harry Gennett to see in the near future the Starr concert grand, designed and constructed by him, used by artists of note in their public concerts. Henrv Gennett 350 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS In tlio romantic vales of Bnnifort, Connty of Cork, Ireland, a boy was born on March 17, 1840, to farmer Healy, the thirteenth child of a poor but happy family. The boy was christened Patrick Joseph. When the good " onld sod " would not yield enough to support the growing family, Healy sen- ior packed up his worldly goods and took his family to the land of promise and possibilities. Patrick Joseph was 10 years of age when he landed in Boston. At- tending the public schools, he had an eye for earning money, and we find him working the bel- lows of a great church organ for the organist, Bancroft. This man became interested in the Irish lad, and when Healy had finished his school course Bancroft secured for him a position as errand boy with the music dealer, George P. Reed. The errand boy soon advanced to be a clerk, and we next find him in a responsible posi- tion in the great music publishing house of Oliver Ditson & Company. Ditson had a keen perception of the possibilities in the rapidly developing cities of the west and i)lanned the establishment of branch houses at Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago and San Fran- cisco. He gave Healy the choice of either of the three last named. After visiting St. Louis and Chicago, Healy wisely decided for the latter, and in 1864 the firm of Lyon & Healy was established MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 351 under the protection of the parent house of Oliver Ditson & Com- pany. To encourage the young men, Ditson predicted that they would do a business of $100,000 per year within 10 years. Healy reported sales of over that amount before the first 12 months had passed ! The piano trade of xVmerica has produced a large number of " great workers," but it is the ojjinion of all who knew him that Healy outworked them all. The great results achieved by him are, however, due not only to the amount of work which he performed, but largely to the systematic methods he applied. The author will ever remember Healy 's first visit to his New York office. After the usual greeting, and every-day question, " How is business with you? " Healy pulled out of his pocket a small black note-book and read off statistics as to how many letters had been received daily by his firm during the past month as com- pared to the same month of one, two and three years before. The methodical statistician, the mind which from the small detail could construct a prognostication of the future, was thus displayed. It was the key to Healy 's great achievements. Nervously working at the store during the daytime, he would take memoranda of the day's doings to his home and there work out statistics to guide him in his bold undertakings. Those who wondered at Healy 's positive, unfaltering aggressiveness did not know how well he had fortified himself with unfailing figures and facts, gathered from his comparative statistics, proving the correctness of liis conclusions. Thus Healy was able to accomplish more in one lifetime than would ordinarily be ^jossible for the combined efforts of several business men. However, searching for the main cause of the success of the man who built the greatest nuisic house in the world, we find it in the character of P. J. Healy. Although exacting to a degree, his sympathetic character enabled him to draw from his employees the best that was within them in a manner which made all of his 352 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS young men enthusiastic workers for the success of the firm. Just and fair un- der all conditions, he dis- played a sincere solicitude for all who worked with him. Like all leaders, he had the faculty of picking the right man and putting him into the right place. ' As Kimball found his Conway, so Healy discovered in another Wis- consin farmer's boy the qual- ities which only need oppor- tunity for developing into the making of a strong man. Charles N. Post entered the employ of Lyon & Healy as a bookkeei)er in 1864, when 16 years of age. He grew up to be Healy 's right-hand man, and when the business had outgrown the sphere of merely dealing in musical merchandise, and the manufacturing of instruments became a necessity, young Post was charged with the responsibility of managing that depart- ment. After success was secured in the making of guitars, mandolins, etc., Healy 's ambition was to build an instrument of the higher order. Although the Erard harp was at that time considered to be perfection, Healy knew from experience that even that renowned make was not satisfactory, and he charged Post with the work of l)roduciug a harp which would be acceptable to the artists as supe- rior to the Erard. Post engaged the services of George B. Durkee, an inventor of note, and the two men set to work to construct a Lyon & Healy Harp MEX WHO HAVE ^lAUF. PIAXO HISTORY 353 harp wliieli made the name of Lyon & Healy famous wherever orchestra music is played. Diirkee went at liis ])roblem with a well-trained scientific mind and succeeded in constructing a mechanism which did away with the irritating " buzzing " so common to the ordinary liar}). He further develoi)ed a scale so perfect as to make the i)laying- of the instrument much easier. By enlarging the soundboard he furthermore increased the volume of tone perceptibly. The first harp was turned out in 188<), and Healy had the satisfaction of seeing his instruments accepted by the Gewandhaus orchestra of Leipsic, and by nearly all the leading orchestras of Berlin, Vienna, Stuttgart, St. Petersburg, New York, Boston, Chicago, etc. The building of church organs was the next addition to the manufacturing department, which had grown to such magnitude that in the year 1890 over 100,000 instruments were turned out. The business, started in 1864 in a modest manner, had steadily grown until it was known all over the globe as the greatest estab- lishment of its kind. When Lyon retired from the firm in 1890, the cori)orate form was adopted, with P. J. Healy as president, Charles X. Post, vice-president, and Robert B. Gregory, treasurer. The concern continued in its onward march under Healy 's inspir- ing leadership, extending its influence in all directions, but Healy had to pay the penalty for drawing to excess on nature's limita- tions. He died on April 5, 1905, at the age of 65, mourned by all who knew him, honored by the members of the trade with the sobriquet, '' The grand old man of the music trade," leaving his footprints behind as an example to coming generations that hon- esty of imrpose, application to duty and fairness in all dealings with fellow-men make life worth living to a much greater degree than the mere accumulation of wealth. Charles X. Post succeeded Healy in the presidency until 1908, when he retired to the pleasant life of a gentleman farmer, on his PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS ranch in Southern Califor- nia. Healy's fourth son, Paul, has since been the ac- tive head of the great corpo- ration, and upon his instiga- tion the manufacture of pianos has been added. The factories are in charge of his I'l brother, Mark Healy, who is studiously preparing himself for the career of a master builder of the Lyon & Healy piano. Coming from a family of musical-instrument makers who pursued that art for generations in the little town of Schoneek, Saxony, Rudolph Wurlitzer landed in New York about 1854. His career was such as usually falls to the lot of young Ger- man emigrants who land here without means, but endowed with a thorough education and expert knowledge of their profession. Struggling for the first few years to earn a living, he finally found his bearings in Cincinnati, where he established himself as an im- porter of musical instruments in 1856. With the enthusiasm and optimism of youth, he overcame the many obstacles and difficulties facing a young business man who has to earn his capital, and gradually climbed up the ladder until he was recognized as a power by his contemporaries. In 1890 his eldest son Howard was admitted to partnership. By studying the musical-instrument business in all its phases for several years in Europe, young Howard was well prepared for his work and soon made his pres- Rudolpli Wurlitzer MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 355 ence felt, and the rise of the house of Wurlitzer to its pre-eminent position dates from that time. Incorporating in 1890 witli a capital of $200,000, as the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, it has now increased its capital to $1,000,000, and owns the Rudolph Wurlitzer Manufacturing Company, also with a capital of $1,000,000. In the course of time two other sons, Rudolph H. and Farney Wur- litzer, joined the concern, each taking charge of a department, so that at the fiftieth anniversai-y, in 1906, Rudolph Wurlitzer, Sr., was able to retire from active particii)ation and enjoy the well- merited rest of i)rivate life. The AVurlitzer Company at i)resent is perhaps the largest manufacturer of mechanical instruments, including player pianos, its business connections covering all i)arts of the globe. Among the many remarkable men who have made their mark in the development of the piano industry of the west, William H. Bush stands out as one of those sturdy characters whom mis- fortune only spurs on to greater efforts. Coming from good old Holland stock, William Henry Bush was born in 1829 on a farm near Baltimore, Md. One of the first rail- roads built in the United States ran through the Bush farm to the City of Baltimore, and we find AVilliam as a lad of 14, with remarkable enterprise, contracting for the use of the steam engine and the one freight car of which the railroad could boast to carry his vegetables to Baltimore, so as to be the first in the marketplace. In 1854 he landed at Chicago and soon engaged in the lumber busi- ness, accumulating a fortune. The great fire of 1871 burned up his lumber yard and reduced him again to the ])oint where he had started 17 years before. Success was his, and in 1886 he started in partnership with his son, AVilliam Lincoln Bush, and John Gerts, under the firm name of W. H. Bush & Company, for the manufacturing of pianos. 356 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS William L. Bush, born in 1861, had served his ap- prenticeship with Geo. H. Woods & Company as an or- gan and piano maker, and from 1881 to 1883 as sales- man for the W. W, Kimball Company. John Gerts had learned piano making in Ger- many, thoroughly mastering all branches of the art. With W. II. Bush at the head as financier, the concern prospered from the very start, and was changed to a corporation in 1891 with a paid-up capital of $400,000. Phi lanthropically inclined, the elder Bush planned to create for Chicago an institution which should serve music and the arts, but before his well-conceived plans materialized he passed away in 1901 at the age of 74-. The Bush Temple of Music was started in 1902 and comj^leted in 1903, and stands as a monument to the enterprise, energy and liber- ality of the Maryland farmer boy, as one of Chicago 's landmarks. The Conservatory of Music connected with the Bush Temple was founded by William Lincoln Bush in 1901, with Kenneth M. Bradley as Director and Mme. Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler at the head of the piano department, the position now being occupied by Mme. Julie Rive King. Among the teachers of note who have given luster to this school, the great violinist, Ovide Musin, may be men- tioned. William H. Bush MEX WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 357 William L. Biisli, a tal- ented musician himself, is very solicitous for the last- ing success of this music school, which has achieved a far-reaching reputation. He also established similar in- stitutions at Dallas, Tex., and Memphis, Tenn., thus as- sisting in the propaganda for musical development not only as a manufacturer of ex- cellent pianos, but also as a lover of the art for art's sake. The Bush & Gerts Piano Company is known for its zeal in upholding and defend- ing the ethics of the piano trade. William L, Bush is using his forceful pen with telling results in the warfare against the illegitimate stencil and dishonestmetliods of selling, insisting that the maker's name should be on every i)iano and a fixed selling price established by the maker. Albert Krell, born at Gelbra, Germany, on September 10, 1833, came to America in 1848 and settled at Cincinnati in 1849. Coming from a family of musical-instrument makers, he was an expert violin builder, and started in business at the age of 16, renting a small shop in the rear of a drug store. He established a reputa- tion as a rei)airer of old violins, and built altogether about 300 new instruments, which he sold at prices ranging from $150 to $300 apiece. In 1889 he, in conjunction with his sons, Albert and Alexander, who had studied piano making with George Steck, Albert Krell, Sr. 358 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS started a piano factory un- der the name of the Krell Piano Company. Alexander died in 1895, and Albert Krell, Sr., in 1900. After his brother's death, Albert, Jr., retired from the company and organized the Krell-French Piano Com- pany of Springfield, Ohio. This concern, after a disas- trous fire, moved to New Castle. Albert Krell re- signed from this company in 1905 and started the Auto Grand Piano Company of America in Connersville, Ind., making the manufacture of i)layer pianos a specialty. Among the successful }uoneer ])iano makers of the west Braton S. Chase has made his mark. Tracing his connection with the trade back to 1869 when his father started the Chase Piano Com- pany at Richmond, Ind., Braton acquired a thorough and practical knowledge of the art under his father's tutelage. In 1889 he formed a connection with C. H. Hackley, the philan- thropic lumber king of Muskegon, Mich., and started the Chase- Hackley Piano Company, for which enterprise he soon secured recognition as one of the leading piano producers of the west, fully realizing Hackley 's desire to bring fame to the City of Muskegon as the home of the Chase Brothers and Chase-Hackley pianos. Among the many sturdy and thrifty German emigrants who have done so much in the development of the great middle west, MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 359 Mathias Scliulz was one of those typical characters whose will-power could not be downed by adversity or obstacles. Born at War- bui-g, Germany, in 1842, his mother being left a widow at the time of his birth, the child had of necessity to be l)laced with relatives until he reached the age of 11, when he became entitled to the privileges of the military orphan asylum ai Potsdam because of his late father's services as a soldier. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to a cabinetmaker. Just as soon as he had served his time he took to " wandern " and started to visit his dear mother. Arriving at his home town, he learned that his mother had been buried two weeks previous. Broken-hearted, he started on his journey again, leaving it to fate where he might land. Sentimentally inclined, young Schulz felt his lonesomeness in- tensely and resolved to enlist as a soldier, just to get comrades and companionship, to find someone who would take an interest in him and for whom he could care. But, fortunately for him, fate intervened. The day before his ]^hysical examination by the mili- tary authorities he broke his shoulder-blade and was not accepted. With no prospect for a military career, he longed to go to America, and started for London, where he expected to earn enough money to pay his passage to New York. He found work in a piano factory Mathias Schulz 360 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEES and learned the art as it had then been developed. After a two years' stay in London he sailed for New York in 1868 and made his home in Chicago. The piano indus- try being then in its infancy in America, Selmlz returned to cabinetmaking and, in partnership with two col- leagues, started a shop at diicngo in 1869. In 1876 Selmlz bought out his part- ners. With remarkable en- ergy he overcame all the diffi- culties which beset a young manufacturer who lacks ex- perience as well as capital, and his superior craftsmanship, ex- traordinary capacity for work, together with his inborn honesty and integrity, soon brought prosperity and his business grew steadily. In 1889 it had assumed such large proportions that it was incorporated under the name of M. Schulz Company, with his son. Otto Selmlz, as vice-president. The manufacturing of organs and pianos was now made a specialty. Like many pioneers, Schulz had overtaxed himself in the at- tempt to satisfy ambition and passed away in 1899 at the age of 57. His son, Otto Schulz, succeeded him as president. Under his aggressive leadership the company has forced its way to the front rank of large producers in the piano industry. The business started by the German orphan boy has grown to imposing propor- tions, with splendid prospects for future development. otto Schulz MEN WHO HAVE MAT)E PIANO HISTORY 3G1 Born in Suav^ia. about GO years a^o, John V. Stogor inherited all the characteris- tics peculiar to the scions of the Bajuvarian tribe. Ener- getic, shrewd and tenacious, they are known to make their way, irrespective of sur- roundings or conditions. At the age of 17 Steger landed at Chicago and found employment in a brass foun- dry. Having accumulated a small ca|)ital, he formed a partnershi]) with a piano tuner and opened a piano store. It was but a short time after, when Steger be- came sole owner of the business, in which he prospered beyond his fondest dreams. Observing how other piano dealers had drifted into piano manu- facturing with great success, Steger bought out a small concern which owned a factory near Chicago, and following the example set by J. P. Hale, commenced to manufacture a commercial piano for the wholesale trade. Satisfied with a comparatively small margin he soon created a large demand for his product. Around the permanently increasing factory buildings in the prairie, the town of Steger grew up. Ambitious to be counted among the lead- ers of the industry, he made use of every opportunity to enlarge his business. A shrewd financier and one of the boldest manip- ulators in the piano trade, Steger accumulated great wealth in a comparatively short period and is at present counted among the 362 PIAXOS AND THEIR MAKERS largest producers of pianos in the west. Among the pioneers of the western piano trade, Julius Bauer & Company have always maintained a reputation for producing a high-grade piano of merit. Founded in 1857 by Julius Bauer, the business, since the death of the founder in 1884, has been under the able management of his son, Wil- liam M. Bauer. History is made for the west by such names as Chick- ering Brothers, Bush & Lane, George P. Bent, Newman Brothers, the Melville Clark Piano Company, Schumann Piano Company, Gram-Richtsteig, Grinnell Brothers, the Far- rand Company — famous for the manufacture of high-grade instruments. The fact that Chicago has, during the past decade, become the greatest piano market in the world is largely due to the energy and enterprise of firms like Smith, Barnes & Strohber Company, Price & Teeple, Hobart ^l. Cable Company, Schaeffer Piano Mfg. Company, Cable-Nelson Piano Company, Adam Schaaf, Schiller Piano Company, the Haddorff Piano Company, the Straube Piano Company, P. A. Starck Company, Arthur P. King, H. P. Nelson Company, and others, who manufacture pianos in quantities of from 3,000 to 15,000 per year in their modern establishments. It Julius Bauer MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 36^ is claimed that the large western factories are at present able to give the greatest value in the market, which accounts to some ex- tent for the unprecedented growth. Although scarcely 25 years old, the western fac- tories supply to-day fully half the pianos sold in the United States. All the pioneers in the organ trade of the United States have eventually turned to piano making, in most in- stances discarding the organ altogether. Farming in Xew Hamp- shire has ever been a most precarious occupation, the rocky soil and long winters seldom enabling even a hard-working and intelligent farmer to support his family. Jacob Estey was born on such a farm near Hinsdale, X. H., on September 30, 1814. When only four years of age he had to leave his parents' home to be supported by a neighboring farmer. The boy had to work very hard for his meals and scant clothing, but, being made of the right stuff, he ran away when 13 years of age and escaped to Worcester, Mass., where he was apprenticed to a plumber. After serving his apprenticeship he took to traveling, following his profession, and landed in 1831: at Brattleboro, Vt., the town which was to become famous all over the world because of the organs which Estey, later on, made there and sent to all parts of the globe. 364 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS In 1835 he established his own phnnbiug shop. Thrift and economy brought him wealth, so that in 1848 he could erect a large building on Main Street. The upper part of this building he rented to a melodeon maker by the name of Greene. Having surplus money to invest, Estey bought an interest in the melodeon business, continuing, however, his i)rofitable plumbing establish- ment. Fire destroyed the building in 1857, and Estey found him- self almost a poor man once more, as all his money had finally been invested in the melodeon factory. AVith the grit of the Yankee, Estey did not give up. He had observed the possi- bilities of the organ business, and witliin a year he started again to build parlor organs. In 1860 he engaged Levi K. Fuller as engineer. Fuller was then only 19 years of age, but had studied mechanics so thor- oughly that he became most valuable to Estey. The business grew by leaps and bounds. Superior quality was the watchword all through the factory. Fuller was admitted to partnershi}) to- gether with Estey 's son Julius in 1866, when the Estey Organ Company was organized with Jacob Estey as president, Levi K. Fuller, vice-president, and Julius Estey, secretary and treas- urer. From its small beginning the production of the Estey factories rose to an output of 1,800 organs per month. The Estey factory became the alma mater of a number of young- students who later on made names for themselves in the organ world. Joseph Warren, of Clough & Warren; the four Whites, father and sons, of Wilcox & White fame ; Stevens, of the Stevens Organ Company; Putnam, of the Putnam Organ Company, Wright, of Mason & Hamlin, and last, but not least, Yotey, of the Aeolian Company, are all graduates of the Estey school of organ building. In 1885 the Estey Piano Company was organized, estab- lishing a large factory in New York City. Branch stores had been MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 365 established in New York, St. Louis, P]iiln(le]])liia, Boston, Cliieago, London (England), and elsewhere. Wherever exhibited, the Estey pianos and organs carried otT high- est awards for su})erior con- struction and workman- ship. Jacob Estey was a man of firm character, molded in the school of adversity from his earliest childhood, but, perhaps because of his own sufferings, he became a very sympathetic employer and enjoyed the respect and love of his employees. He died on April 15, 1890. Levi K. Fuller was a born scientist and did valuable service in the improvement of the Estey organ. A great reader and student, he was well versed in acoustics, and his collection of tuning-forks and acoustic apparatus exhibited at the World's Fair, Chicago, in 1893, was honored with a special award by the judges. Fuller served as Governor of the State of Vermont, and received numer- ous other public honors in recognition of his ability. Ambitious and conscientious to an exalted degree. Fuller would often over- work himself in a manner which finally caused his untimely demise on October 10, 189(5, at the age of 55. Julius Estey, like his father, was an enterprising Init careful business man. After the death of his two senior partners, the m PIAXOS AND THEIR MAKERS management of the business rested ujjon him, and with the inborn Estey spirit he sought for new fields in which to expand tlie business and spread the fame of the name of Estey. He com- menced the building of large church organs in 1901, erect- "g ing a special factory with the most modern equipment for that purpose. It was not for him to see the full develop- ment of this new enterprise. He died on March 7, 1902, aged 57. His sons, Jacob Gray Estey and J. Harry Es- tey, succeeded him as man- agers, enjoying the services of their trusted office manager, L. AV. Hawley, who has been in the continued service of the Estey Company for over 50 years. John Boulton Simj^son acquired control of the Arion Piano in 1869, and manufactured high grade pianos until 1885, when he formed a combination with the Esteys, by which the name was changed from Arion Piano Company to Estey Piano Company. A large factory with modern appliances was erected in New York, and the Estey grand and upright pianos soon became a dominant factor in the piano trade. John Boulton Simpson is still president of the company, assisted by Jacob Gray Estey and J. Harry Estey as active business managers, main- taining the prestige of the Estey reputation for high-class products. Jiiliii.-5 Ebtev MEX WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 367 Every now and then we hear of a genius, born on the rocky soil of New England, wlio has music in his soul. Being the exception, this trait, when existing, is usu- ally so forceful that such a man's life will he entirely wrapped up in it, in contra- distinction to his fellow- Yankee, who as a rule is shrewd and practical, but cannot whistle a simple tune correctly, Henry Kirk White was born and raised on a farm near Hartford, Conn, His family dates back to the good old English stock of the early settlers who landed at Xantasket, Mass., in 1630. Supposed to spend his life on the " home place," Henry thought more of music than of farming. With no opportunity for musical education, his natural ability made him a teacher of singing and leader of choruses at the age of twenty. He learned the art of tuning pianos and organs, and traveled from place to place following that profession, acquiring valuable knowl- edge as to the various constructions of these instruments. In 1845 he began to make musical instruments and two years later manu- factured melodeons at X^ew London, In 1853 he removed his fac- tory to Washington, X. J. The Civil War compelled him to abandon his enterprise and take up his abode at Philadelphia, where he found a rich field as a tuner and repairer of i^ianos and organs. Henry Kirk \\ bite 368 PIANOS AND THEIR ^fAKERS He established a reputation as an expert tuner, and in 1865 the great Estey Organ Company called him to Brattleboro, Vt., as super- intendent of their tun- ing department. He worked witli the Estey Company twelve years, and during that time taught his three sons the art of organ making. When in 1877 that great captain of industry, H. C. Wilcox of Meriden, made White and his sons a tempt- ing offer to start an organ factory, the family packed up their belongings and moved to Meriden, Conn. The Wilcox & White Organ Company, capitalized at $100,000, was organized, and the White family be- gan to make their imprint on the history of organ and piano building in the United States. The oldest son, James H. White, born on September 26, 1847, had served for a number of years in the Wanamaker house at Phila- delphia, studying commercial usages and merchandising, before he learned organ building at Estey 's. It was but natural, therefore, that he should be intrusted with the business management of the new concern. Like his father, born with considerable talent and love for music, we find him as a young man playing the organ in his church at Brattleboro, Vt. Having acquired a thorough knowledge of the works of the great composers, and being an expert judge of tone and tone quality. James H. White MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 369 James H. White would ever search for the highest in tone product ion, and, to- getlier with liis In'others, supplemented tlie inventions of his father. The records of the United States Patent Office speak volumes of the valuable contributions which the White family has made to the industry, but his greatest service to the com- pany was the courage and energy which he displayed in times of stress and dan- ger, steering the ship clear of breakers and advancing the prosperity of the con- cern in the face of apparent adversity. Strong as his father and brothers were as inventors and technicians, without the artistic and commercial genius of James Henry, the company would hardly have reached that doniinant ])Osition which it occupies to-day. Edward H. White, born April 5, 1855, inherited the inventive genius of his father and made his mark, especially by inventing the Angelus piano player, which at once brought that company to the front in the industry of i)iano-playing mechanism. He died Sep- tember 1(), ISDD. at the age of forty-four years. Howard White, the youngest of the three talented brothers, was born on September 9, 1856. After he had mastered all branches of the art he was intrusted with the minagement of the large fac- tories, which in the course of time had grown to a huge establish- Edward IT. Wlnte 170 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS ment. He applied himself so zealously to his manifold duties that he passed away on December 9, 1897, aged only forty-one years. The founder, Henry Kirk White, (lied January 13, 1907. James H. AVhite, the only surviving member of the founders, still guides the destiny of the great corpo- ration, which now employs a capital of $150,000. After the decease of Ed- ward and Howard White, Frank C. White, son of James Henry, was placed in charge of the mechanical de- partment of the factory. He was always of a very decidedly inventive turn of mind, and to him are due many valuable improvements and devices that have made the Angelus world renowned. As a commercial enterprise the Sterling Company of Derby, Conn., is one of the earliest successes in history. Taking over the assets of what was known as the Birmingham Organ Company in 1871, Charles A. Sterling organized in 1873 the Sterling Organ Company with a capital of $30,000. The manufacturing of pianos was commenced in 1885. Shortly after, J. R. Mason joined the com- pany, acting as secretary and treasurer until 1901, when he was elected to the presidency. A thorough piano-man, with many years of experience in the west, where he was born in 1847, Mason Howard \\ liiti MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 371 developed the business of the company to its present magnitude, improving the (piality of the instruments in every respect, being particu- larly successful in producing a satisfactory player piano. The company is now counted among the largest producers of pianos, and the capital stock has been increased from $30,000, in 1873, to $1,000,000. A number of working- men skilled in the art of organ building, started the Detroit Organ Company on a co-operative plan in 1881. Like all such Utopian undertakings, the enterprise did not suc- ceed, and in 1883 C. J. Whitney, a prominent music dealer, and E. S. Votey, a practical organ maker, bought the business and in- corporated the Whitney Organ Company. In the same year W. R. Farrand joined the corporation, assuming the financial manage- ment, the manufacturing being in charge of Votey. In 1887 Whit- ney retired and the name was changed to the Farrand & Votey Company. Ambitious to extend its business, the company com- menced to manufacture church organs in 1888. Consummating an advantageous deal for all the patents of the renowned organ builder, Frank Roosevelt of New York, the company was in a position to build most excellent instruments, and scored a decided success at the Chicago Exposition of 1893, where Guilmant and 372 PIAXOS AND THEIR MAKEES Clarence Eddy gave memo- rable concerts ujDon the im- mense pipe organ erected by the Farrand & Votey Com- pany. E. S. Yotey displayed liis ingenuity as an inventor by devising many improve- ments in churcli-organ mech- anism, and more especially in his work on piano players. He had snch implicit faith in the future of the piano player that he joined the Aeolian Company in 1897, buying the pipe-organ and player-piano departments of the Farrand & Votey Company, and building his first thousand of Pianolas in the Detroit shops. The company's name was now changed to '' The Farrand Com})any," and special attention was given to its own creation, the Cecilian player piano, an instrument of merit and high quality. The company has also put upon the market a metallic piano-player action. An expert reed-organ builder, Isaac T. Packard interested a number of capitalists to start an organ factory at Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1871. Packard was a fine mechanic and inventor, produc- ing an instrument of superior quality. Imder the conservative guidance of S. B. Bond, as president of the company, stead}^ progress was made, the concern depending more upon the superior quality of its product than upon the ordinary business propaganda. J. R. Mason MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIANO HISTORY 373 S. B. Bond, born at Lock- port, N. Y., October 17, 1833, came with his father's family as pioneers to Fort Wayne in 1842. At the age of 13 young Bond went to work as porter and assistant clerk for the State Bank of In- diana, which at that time was under the management of Hugh McCulloch, who later on acquired fame as Lin- coln's Secretary of the Treasury. In 1874 Bond was elected president of the Fort Wayne National Bank. He remained in the presiden- tial chair until December, 1904, when he resigned in order to devote his whole time to the growing business of the Packard Company. Although identified with banking from boyhood, Bond was in love with the inspiring atmosphere of the organ and ])iano fac- tory, which he always ]ireferred to the cold walls of the bank- ing house, though he made his mark in both. He died July 20, 1907. His son, Albert S. Bond, entered the service of the Packard Company as an apprentice at the age of 16, in 1879. After five years' experience on the bench, young Albert spent two years traveling as salesman for the Company and was elected general manager in 1886. Under the guidance of his father he soon ex- panded the business. Well educated, with distinct artistic inclina- tions and full of progressive enthusiasm, he added the manufacture grm^a^ m PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS of pianos in 1893. Main- taining the high standard of the Packard name, the pi- anos were readily accepted by the trade as high-class in- struments, and since the suc- cessful introduction of the Packard Player Piano the business of the corporation has assumed commanding proportions. The Packard }U'oducts are valued for musical quality of tone and most exquisite workmanship in all details. Another concern which has strongly assisted in establishing the reputation for the highest quality of western-made pianos is the A. B. Chase Company of Norwalk, Ohio. Starting in 1875 to manufacture organs, it began the making of pianos in 1885. A. B. Chase died in 1877, when Calvin Whitney assumed the man- agement. Whitney was a strong character, who impressed his personality indelibly upon the enterprise. Born at Townsend, Ohio, on September 25, 1846, he started in business at the age of 19 with a capital of $400, which he had saved from his earnings as a store clerk. A man of lofty ideals, he aimed in whatever he under- took for the highest and purest. With unfaltering faith he con- quered all the difficulties which the western pioneer manufacturers had to encounter and had the satisfaction of seeing his company rank in the lead of high-class piano manufacturers. He was among Calvin Whitney MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 375 the first to take up the player piano earnestly, and in 1905 produced the Aristano grand player piano. Whitney died on June 6, 1909, having lived a strenuous but very useful life. L. L. Doud has served the company as secretary since its start in 1875, and still fills his position with zeal and ability. W. C. Whitney, son of Calvin, edu- cated in the factor}^ and office of the Chase Company, is preparing himself for great- er work in the future, acting at present as vice-president of the company. Among the pioneers of the music trade in the west, Hampton L. Story's name stands foremost. Born at Cambridge, Vt., June 17, 1835, he showed an inborn talent for music, and his first em- plojTQent was in a music store at Burlington, Vt., at the princely salary of $50 per month and board. Having saved a small capital from his wages as schoolteacher, he bought out his principal in 1859. Not satisfied to be merely a dealer, he joined a piano maker by name of Powers, manufacturing the Story & Powers piano in 1862. This was perhaps the first piano factory in the State of Vermont. The business prospered, but the field was too limited for enter- prising Story, and when in 1867 Jacob Estey offered him the agency for the Estey organs, in the western states. Story closed out !76 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS his business at Burlington and established himself at Chicago. In 1868 he ad- mitted Isaac X. Camp as l)artner. The firm of Story cV: Cam}) soon became one of ■y. the leaders in the piano and organ trade of the west, hav- ing stores at Chicago and St. Louis, controlling a large wholesale and retail trade through the entire west. With his characteristic keenness and foresight, Story observed that the west would eventually manufacture its own musical instruments, and he therefore retired from the firm of Story &: Camp and in 1884, with Melville Clark and his son, Edward H. Story, founded the firm of Story & Clark, for the manufacture of reed organs. Melville Clark was known as an expert reed-organ builder, who had patented many improvements. The business was successful from the start, and in 1888 the Story & Clark Organ Company was incorporated, witliE. H. Story, son of the founder, as president, and Melville Clark, vice-president. The foreign trade grew so rapidly that a factory was erected at London, England, in 1892, under the management of Charles H. Wagener, and another in 1893 at Berlin, Germany. The organs designed and made under the supervision of Mel- ville Clark were of the highest order in quality and tone, and, when E. H. story MEX WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 377 in 1895 the making of pianos was commenced, the same high standard was main- tained. Melville ("hirk sev- ered his connection with tlie company in 1900, to start the ]\Ielvil!e Clark Company, and the management has since been in the hands of Edward H. Story. The de- mand for pianos increased at such a rate that the erec- tion of larger factories be- came necessary, and in 1901 the company erected its model plants at Grand Haven, Mich. Counted among the largest producers of high-grade pianos, the company is its own distributor, con- trolling a chain of warerooms in the })rincii)al cities of the United States. Melville Clark's name will forever be printed upon the pages of the organ and piano industry as one of the most prolific in- ventors. Born in Oneida County, Xew York, he inherited a love for music and became an enthusiastic student. Desirous to learn all about the construction of pianos and organs, he served an apprenticeship as a tuner and took to traveling. Landing finally in California, he started a factory for the production of high-grade organs. The enterprise was a success, but the market for the product was limited, and in 1877 he sold out his interest. After a short stay in Quincy, 111., we find him in 1880 at Chicago making organs under the firm name of Clark & Rich. Melville C lark o/i PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS In 1884 he joined H. L. Story under the firm name of Story & Clark. Desirous of devoting himself entirely to the development of the piano-player mechanism, Clark severed his connection with the Story & Clark Piano and Organ Company in 1900, after 16 years of zealous activity, and started the Melville Clark Piano Company with a capital of $500,000, erecting modern factory buildings at De Kalb, 111. The patent records tell the story of Clark's activity and success in his efforts in that direction. Clark produced his first 88-note cabinet player in January, 1901, and his 88-note interior player piano in 1902, while his first grand player piano was completed in 1904. He had the satisfaction of seeing his self-playing grand piano used in a public concert at New Orleans in December, 1906, under the auspices of L. Grunewald & Company. Among the many improvements in player mechanism for which Clark obtained patents may be mentioned the appli- cation of the downward touch of the key and his transposing device, the latter having been adopted by other player-piano makers under Clark's patent. The career of Frederick Engelhardt, senior partner of Engel- hardt & Sons, is interesting. Born in Germany, he came with his parents to New York at the age of 10. Having gone through the public school, he was apprenticed to a cabinetmaker. After serv- ing his apprenticeship, desirous of seeing something of the life of the *' Wild West," he enlisted as a cavalryman in the United States Army, and took part in many of the early battles with Indians on the far-western plains, narrowly escaping the massacre of Custer's force by Sitting Bull. After his discharge from the army he entered the employ of the author, and was soon advanced to the position of superintendent of the soundboard department at the Dolgeville, N. Y., factories. He designed and executed the exhibit of that department for the Paris exhibition of 1879, for which the highest award was granted by the jury. MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HISTORY 379 Ambitious to be more tlian a mere soundboard maker, Eugelliardt sought a position in a piano-action factory. He finally found employment with Steinway & Sons, where for seven years he had charge of the action dei)artment as fore- man. In January, 1889, he formed a partnership with A. P. Roth, who had acquired a thorough business training in the author's store and general offices in New York, and the firm of Roth & En- gelhardt began business as makers of piano actions. In 1898 the firm placed their first player piano on the market. It was known as the " Peerless " self-playing piano. This was soon followed by the " Harmonist " player piano, and later on by the coin-operated automatic player piano with endless tune sheet. A. P. Roth retired from the firm on January 1, 1908, and Engel- hardt admitted his sons, Alfred D. and AYalter L., to partnership under the firm name of F. Engelhardt & Sons. Still in the prime of life, Engelhardt has seen his enterprise grow from the smallest beginning to one of the largest establishments of its kind, with the i)rospect that its future is guaranteed by the activity of his sons. Another firm which graduated from the Steinway school is Wessell, Nickel & Gross, action makers. Otto Wessell, born in 380 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Hoi stein, Germany, in 1845, came to America with his parents in 1847. Graduat- ing from the New York pub- lic school, he was appren- ticed to a cabinetmaker, and improved upon that by learning the piano trade afterward. While in the employment of Steinway & Sons he advanced to a posi- tion of trust and responsi- bility. In 1875 he started in business, forming a partner- ship with his colleagues, Nickel and Gross, who were also employed as action makers by Steinway & Sons. Because of their practical experience in producing the high- est class of work, the business was a success from the start and. the firm has ever since maintained the leading position for quality. Otto Wessell was a self-made man. With few opportunities in his youth, he achieved his prominent position in the business world by force of character, unimpeachable integrity and that peculiar noblesse and lil)erality which is usually acquired only by those who have to commence at the bottom rung of the ladder. The writer often met Otto Wessell, in his early days, at piano fac- tories loaded with two upright actions, which he had carried from his shop, partly to save the expense of hiring an expressman, but also to see whether his customer was satisfied, and a broad smile otto Wessell MEN WHO HAVE MADE PIAXO HIS'l'OKV 381 would run ovor liis genial face when the actions were accepted without criticism. From those small begin- nings Wessell saw his firm rise to ])romiuence second to none in America, employ- ing over 500 hands and counting among his custom- ers the foremost makers of high-class pianos. An inde- fatigable worker, Wessell, like others of his kind, drew too rapidly on nature's bounty and passed away on - May 25, 1899, at the age of 54. The business is con- tinued by his partner, Adam Nickel, with Henry Nickel, Jr., and Arthur and Fernando Wessell, sons of the founder, as junior partners. Among the old-time hammer coverers, John Frederick Schmidt stood in the front rank during the period of his activity. Born at Marburg, Germany, in 1823, he learned the trade of cabinet- making. He went in partnership with Peter De Witt Lydecker in 1864, succeeding Ole Syverson, who had founded the business in 1856. In 1877 Lydecker retired, and Schmidt continued until 1886, when ill health compelled him to seek tlie (piietude of i)rivate life. His firm has ever enjoyed an envial)le reputation for ex- cellent workmanshi]) in hammer making. He died on September 26, 1906. His son, David H. Schmidt, is carrying on the business as a corporation with marked ability and success. John Frederick (Scliniidt PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Charles Pfriemer is an- other Steinway graduate who made his mark. Born in 1842, under the shadow of the romantic old castle Holienzollern, where the f oref athers :of the Em- peror of Germany dwelt, Pfriemer performed his duty as a soldier during the Aus- tro-Prussian War and came to America in the latter part of 1866. - A cabinetmaker by trade, he learned hammer making - - ' in Steinway 's shojD, and later Charles Pfriemer on assumed charge of the hammer department in Albert Weber's factory. In 1874 he started in business on his own account, and was among the' first to use iron hammer-covering machines. Achieving an enviable reputation for making a peculiarly pear-shaped hammer, Pfriemer built up a large and lucrative business. He died in 1908. The business is carried on bv his two sons. PART FOUR Influence of Piano Virtuosos upon the Industry CHAPTER I Bach, Mozart, Cliopin, Liszt, Rubinstein, Biilow, Joseffy, Rosen- thal, Carreno, de Pachmann, Busoni, Paderewski, Hofmann. PART FOUR CHAPTER I INFLUENCE OF PIANO VIRTUOSOS UPON THE INDUSTRY THE great virtuosos WS^. and teachers of the piano have ever been valuable helpmates of the pi- ano maker. He receives his inspirations from their play- ing on the one hand, and is continually spurred to great- er efforts by their never- ceasing demands for a j^er- fect action, greater and purer tone. In contrast to the violin, which was almost perfect from its first appearance, the piano required more than 200 years for develop- Joliami Sebastian Bach ment, and the last word has not yet been said. Handel, Haydn, and even Mozart, with their sweet, heavenly music, could 385 386 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKEES be satisfied witli tlie clavi- chord and harpsichord. In their days music was the en- tertainment of the privileged higher classes, who assem- bled in salons to play cham- ber music of a pleasing and enchanting, but not soul- stirring, character. Joliann Sebastian Bach, that titan of the organ, felt the need of something stronger, more positive and powerful than the clavichord, and it was he who aroused Silbermann to greater efforts in piano building, when he con- demned his first pianos in unmeasured terms. Bach must have had a divine inspiration as to the ultimate development of the piano when he wrote his immortal composi- tions for that instrument, which was then in its infancy. It is questionable whether Silbermann, the organ builder, would have striven to improve his piano but for Bach's criticism, which hurt the feelings of the proud and sensitive artisan and made him re- solve to construct a piano which would compel Bach's favorable comment and approval. And it was the great cantor of the Thomas School of Leipsic who gave the first testimonial to a piano maker, when he played upon and praised the improved Silbermann pianos at the New Palace at Potsdam in the presence of Frederick the Great. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 3 '3 h-5 INFLUENCE OF VIRTUOSO?; :^87 Bach's son, Joliann Christian Bach, did not hesitate to serve as demon- strator of tlie i)iano, with the avowed purpose of mak- ing propaganda for tlie pi- ano as a musical instrument. He went to London, tak- ing several German pianos along, and there gave a num- her of piano recitals. His first concert in June, 1763, was a revelation to the music lovers of London. Never be- fore had they listened to such brilliant p hiving, nor had they heard such tones, so much more forceful than the clavichord and equally more musical than the harpsichord tone. Bach aroused the London harpsichord makers to the study of the new instrument. Then came young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who discarded the clavichord and was most happy to discover at Augsburg the Stein piano with an action which '' did not block." He wrote to his mother an enthusiastic testimonial for the Stein piano, praising Stein as an artisan who did not build pianos to make money, but for the love of his art. Stein always tried to meet :Nrozart's de- mands, and finally presented to Beethoven a grand piano of six octaves and for years it served the master for his composing. But Beethoven wanted still more. Six octaves were too small a compass for the symphonic tone pictures which raved in his soul, Ludwiur von Beethoven 388 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Frederic Chopin and liis admiring friend Nannctte Stein-Streiclier, had to l)uild for him a six and one-half octave grand })iano. We of the present day^ used to iron-frame construc- tion, the aid of machinery, etc., can scarcely conceive what difficulties that ingen- ious woman piano builder en- countered when she attempt- ed to meet Beethoven's de- sire for extended compass and greater tone, but she suc- ceeded, and Beethoven wrote many letters to her, every one of them a grand testi- monial for the Nannette Stein-Streicher piano. Like Bach, Beethoven was powerful, titanic. He admired the strong, the mighty, the forceful, and when John Broadwood sent him one of his improved grand pianos from far-away London, Beethoven, in spite of his sincere friendship for Nannette, wrote to London regarding the piano, " I shall regard it as an altar upon which I shall place the most beautiful offerings of my spirit to the divine Apollo." Chopin, that most i)oetic of all composers, and, in his day, boldest of all i)erformors, allowed his admiration for the Pleyel piano and his personal friendship for the maker to control him to such an extent that he would not play on any other piano if he could obtain a Plevel. Ya o INFLUENCE OF VIRTUOSOS 389 Franz Liszt in liis early days was a " holy terror " for piano manufacturers. His colossal technique and powerful stroke demanded an action of superlative con- struction and workmanshii). It is said that at his first con- cert at the Leipsic Gewand- haus in 1840, being in an ugly mood because he could not have his favorite French pi- ano to play ui)on, he smashed a number of hammers off the action with his very first chords, so that another piano had to be provided. Perhaps no other virtu- oso has forced the piano makers so persistently to never- ceasing efforts to improve the strength and plial)ility of the action as Liszt, who almost invariably required two grand pianos for an evening concert. His forceful touch and rapid execution, after one hour's playing, would ])ut most of the pianos made in that early period out of tune, hence we can under- stand later on, when the iron-frame construction and the mod- ern action came into universal use, why Liszt did not spare his api)roving testimonials for the creations of Steinway, Bosendorfer, Ibach and others. All of the master l)uilders aimed to con- struct grand pianos which would meet the taxing demands of Liszt so that they could obtain his testimonial, the highest possible indorsement of piano quality. Franz Liszt 390 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Xext to Liszt, Anton Ru- binstein will perhaps be recorded as the greatest pi- ano virtuoso — Rubinstein's art developed with the i)iano. In 1810, as a boy of 10, he })layed on the delicate pianos then made in Paris, but later on Becker as well as Schroder, of St. Petersburg, built for him modern grand pianos, playing which he could allow his genius free rein, fearless of conse- quences to the piano. Whoever has heard Ru- binstein, while he was in his prime, knows that he sur- passed even Liszt in forceful attacks on the piano, and, next to Liszt, Rubinstein has made greater jiropaganda for the piano than any other virtuoso. His testimonials were sought for, and he gave them freely and willingly to the many makers of meritorious grand pianos. That scholarly genius, Hans von Biilow, was hard to please in his choice of pianos. Not of that storming temperament of a Liszt or Rubinstein, Biilow rather discouraged great volume of tone, demanding a sensuous mellowness, which he could at will, if necessary, raise to thundering chords by that wonderful control which he had over his technique. How adverse Biilow was to being considered a demonstrator of piano quality is illustrated by an incident which happened on his American journey in 1875 and Antou liubinsteia Steinway Hall, New York ;^ ''^;!:i'|:i];'i«.i-iiiiii';':!iui''''''i*^^^^^ ii^i INFLUENCE OF VIRTUOSOS 391 1876. As is the custom in all American concerts, a large sign, bearing the name of the maker of the piano, was placed on the side of the piano toward the audience. When Billow came out on the platform he noticed the sign, and, in a rage, tore it from the piano, threw it onto the floor and, tram})- ing upon it, cried loudly to the audience, " I am not an advertising agent," after which he sat down and played as inspiringly as ever, and finally gave the ^'"^s von Buiow piano maker a strong testimonial, praising the superior qualities of the piano. Who has not listened to Rafael Joseffy's wonderful pianissimo passages and wondered how the same piano upon which Liszt and Rubinstein had thundered could sing like music from heavenly spheres under Joseffy's wonderful touch. To satisfy Joseffy's demands for elasticity of touch and pure tone quality is a master's task, yet we find that a great many piano builders proudly point to .Joseffy's indorsement. Josef Hofmann, who astonished the world as a " wonder child " and now, in his manhood, is considered the reincarnation of Liszt and Rubinstein combined, is not only a great pianist and musician but also a genius as a mechanician, capable of appreciating the dif- ficulties confronting the piano maker in his efforts to satisfy the virtuoso's demands, and therefore docs not hesitate to express his :]92 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS satisfaction with the piano lie plays u})on. Moriz Rosenthal is an- other of the virtuosos who demands nnich of the piano maker. Sensitive to an ex- traordinary degree, Rosen- thal insists upon an evenness _ of scale, singing quality, but also powerful tone, in order to exhibit his masterly con- trol of phrasing, which makes his rendering of Liszt's Don Juan para- - phrase so captivating. And what of the dream- ing Paderewski, the lyric de Pachmann, the versatile Busoni, or captivating Carreno ? Do they not call for ex- traordinary display of genius on the part of the jDiano makers, and are our j^resent-day master builders not equal to their demands! The many testimonials, clothed in phraseology which does not permit of doubt or misinterpretation, prove that they do satisfy all the demands made upon them, and thus the influence of these exacting virtuosos becomes of immeas- urable benefit to the industry of the day, as it has been from the beginning. Many virtuosos, like Clementi, Cramer, Kalkbrenner, Pleyel, Herz and others, took such intense interest in the development of the piano that they invested their money earned on the concert platform in piano factories and took an active part, trying to construct such instruments as they desired for their art. Many Rafael Joseffy INFLUENCE OF VIRTUOSOS 39^ an improvement can be traced to these virtuoso- piano makers, notably the Herz-Erard grand piano action. The erection of concert halls by i)iano manufactur- ers is entirely due to the in- fluence of the virtuosos. Very few cities had concert halls possessing the neces- sary acoustic qualifications for piano recitals, conse- quently Broadwood built his recital hall in London; at Paris the Salles Erard, Pleyel and Herz appeared; in New York, Steinway, Chickering and Steck halls were erected; Vienna has its Saal Bosendorfer and the Saal Ehrbar, and in Berlin we find the Saal Bliithner — all of them built for the inirpose of permitting the player's virtuosity and the piano's tonal qualities to be heard under most favorable conditions. Moriz Rosenthal PART FOUR CHAPTER II Value of Testimonials PART FOUR CHAPTER II VALUE OF TESTIMONIALS THE impression pre- vails, more or less, that testimonials of artists are bought by the pi- ano manufacturers, a misap- l^rehension equally unjust to the artist and the piano maker. No virtuoso who is accepted by the music-loving- public as an artist will give a testimonial praising the Wi quality of any piano un- less he has thoroughly satisfied himself by a se- vere test that it meets his most exacting require- ments. When Franz Liszt, who admired the Erard, wrote to Bosendorfer, '' The perfection of your grand piano surpasses my most idealistic expectations," 397 De Paehniann 398 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS ?;^^ A--*^^&-!S^'^e®*^V^^^g!^':5'i^I^SS^S^^gS^^?^ and then wrote to Steinway, '^ Your grand piano is a glorious masterpiece in power, sonority, singing quality and perfect har- monic effects," he used for- cible language to express his conviction, Rubinstein is on record for unstinted praise of the Ehrbar, Pleyel, Bliithner and many other pianos. After using the Stein way in 215 consecutive concerts '' with eminent satisfaction and ef- fect," he so stated. Rafael Joseffy used the Bosendor- fer, Bliithner, Erard and Chickering pianos and expressed his ad- miration for all of them because they merited such, and now plays the Steinway. De Pachmann dreams his Chopin interpretations upon all celebrated pianos and goes into ecstasies over the Bald- win. Exacting Biilow, averse to anything smacking of advertising, gave tone and character to the opening of the Saal Bosendorfer at Vienna and of Chickering Hall in New York, but did not overlook the merits of the Irmler nor the Broadwood and many others. Teresa Carreno finds great pleasure in playing the Bliithner, Schiedmayer, Weber and Steinway, and indorses the Everett as ^' a distinct achievement in piano construction." Ossip Gabrilo- witsch admires Becker, lauds the power and brilliancy of the Ever- ett and praises " the phenomenal carrying and singing quality " of the Mason & Hamlin. Moriz Rosenthal is '' enchanted " with Teresa Carreno Oh PL, VALUE OF TESTIMONIALS 399 Bosendorfer, uses the Stein- way with great satisfaction and considers the AVeber '' sublime." Sofie Menter plays the Erard, describes the volume of tone in the Steinway as '' tremendous," and tells Bosendorfer that '^ nothing gives her greater pleasure than to play on his pianos." Paderewski made his reputation with the Stein- way, and has words of praise for the Erard and Weber. Josef Hofmann, who played the Weber on his first Amer- ican tour and the Schroder while studying with Eubinstein, says, " I use the Steinway because I know it is the best. ' ' And so forth ad infinitum! All of which goes to prove that the leaders in the piano industry keep abreast of the times and know how to build pianos to satisfy the great exponents of the art of piano playing. Why should a piano virtuoso confine himself to one make of piano ? The violin virtuoso plays on a Stradivarius, Amati, Guarnerius, a Yuillaume, Bausch or Gemiinder — all of them master builders. It is true that in some instances, and especially in America, the piano maker has to assume the role of financial backer of a piano virtuoso's concert journey, because the artist must have a guar- antee, but that does not involve dishonest public expression of opinion regarding the value of the piano used by the virtuoso. If I. J. Paderewski 400 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS ^ the piano is not of the high- est order, the artist cannot afford to use it, no matter what financial consideration might be offered, because, if he should use a poor piano in his concerts, his own reputation as a performer might be ruined. Since the piano manufac- turer craves the indorse- ment of leading performers, he naturally is exceedingly liberal in his treatment of artists. He willingly as- sumes all the risks of a con- cert journey, sends his pi- anos for the use of the artist wherever he may require them and is solicitous for the artist's personal comfort, just as Nannette Stein-Streicher cared for Beethoven 170 years ago. Modern piano makers go beyond that. They assume all the risk, willingly granting to the artist all possible benefits. It is of record that not many years ago a piano house made a con- tract with a pianist, guaranteeing him $30,000 for a season's concert journey, no matter what the proceeds might be. It was a gamble, because the artist was entirely unknown in America. The guaranteed sum was more than the artist had earned in his entire career, and he was, of course, elated over his good fortune. Then, how surprised was he when, at the end of his journey, the piano maker handed him his check for an additional $15,000, be- cause the concerts had drawn full houses, for which fact the in- Josef Hofraann VALUE OF TESTIMONIALS 401 telligent and bold advertising of the piano house, to a large extent, deserved the credit. The artist's name, fame and fortune were made in his first American season. The virtuoso who plays the piano is the expert, capable of rendering judgment as to quality and volume of tone, touch, etc. His favorable testimonial is desirable and becomes valuable through its influence upon the piano-buying public. The fact that every virtuoso willingly gives his indorsement to many pianos, all of which he has tested in his concert work, does not detract from the value of the testimonial. On the contrary, it enhances the same, to the interest of the industry. The value of artists' testimonials has ever been an incentive to progressive piano makers to improve their instruments so that the greatest virtuoso cannot well refuse to play upon them. PART FIVE CHAPTER I National Associations of Manufacturers and Dealers in Europe and America. PART FIVE CHAPTER I NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF MANUFACTURERS AND DEALERS WHEN, through the advance of the factory system, the guilds of the various trades disappeared, no otlier or- ganization took their place for a long time, and, instead of the old-time harmony of the members of an industry, the rivalry became so intense that competitors in business looked upon each other as enemies. Once in a while a strike on the part of the workingmen would bring the bosses together for a consultation, but even those meetings usually lacked harmony. However, the evident solidarity of interests finally forced a closer connection and we learn of the organization of the '' Chambre Syndicate of Manufacturers of Pianos " and the *' Chambre Syn- dicate of Manufacturers of Musical Instruments," of Paris in 1853. Both chambers were merged into one organization in 1889 under the name of " Chambre Syndicate of Manufacturers of Musical Instruments." This organization was presided over by Mons. Thibouville-Lamy until 1896, since which time Mons. Gustave Lyon of Pleyel, Lyon & Company has been acting as i)resident. The object and purpose of this association is defined in its constitution as follows: 405 406 PIAXOS AND THEIR MAKERS Gustave Lvon (1) To strengthen the re- lations between all the mem- bers of the industry. (2) To facilitate the de- velopment of their pros- perity. (3) To support all claims and requests regarding du- ties, taxes, railroad and in- surance rates, etc. (4) To furnish members information regarding the fi- nancial standing of clients, and finally to maintain loyalty and dignity in their commercial relations. The annual dues are 20 francs for each member. Xo for- eign manufacturer can belong to the chamber until he has been established in France 10 years and the majority of his products are manufactured in France. The officers are : a president, two vice-presidents, a secretary-general, a keeper of records, a treasurer and an assistant secretary. The election of officers is held annually. The organization is divided into five groups, as follows: (1) Piano Industry (pianos and organs). (2) Wind Instruments (wood and brass). (3) String Instruments (violins, etc.). (4) Supplies. (5) Automatic Instruments. Each group has its own organization, with a president and secretary. NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 407 In case of differences among- members, with each other or with outsiders in connection with tlie industry, the president a})points a committee of arbitration, whose members shall act as friendly advisers to the dis- puting parties. All decisions of the chamber are subject to the vote of the majority. Every member must pay special dues of 12 francs an- nually to meet extraordinary expenses and strengthen the treasury. Austria has no national organization of the music trades, but a number of local associations, of which the " Association of Musical Instrument Makers of Grasslitz " is the oldest. It was founded in 1883, has over 300 members and supports a school in which young men are taught the technical and practical making of instruments. The Vienna piano and organ makers formed an association in 1905. Its aims and purposes are similar to those of the '' Paris Chambre Syndicale." Franz Schmidt is acting president and Friedrich Ehrbar, one of the directors. Ludwig Bosendorfer is the only honorary member of the body. Germany has a large number of associations for the various branches of the music industries. The '' Association of Piano Manufacturers " was organized at Leipsic in 1893 with Adolf Adolf Sehiedmayer 408 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Scliiedmayer as president. The " Clmrch Organ Build- ers " followed in 1895, '' Musical Instrument Mak- ers " in 1897 and the " Pi- ano Dealers " in 1899. The " National Association of Piano Manufacturers " pur- sues the same objects as its Paris contemporary, but in addition thereto has entered upon an effective policy of practical aid to its mem- bers. It is, for instance, compulsory for each manu- facturer to educate a num- ber of apprentices propor- tionate to the number of men employed in his factory. The ener- getic president of the association, Priyy Commercial Counselor Adolf Schiedmayer of Stuttgart, is organizing a trade school for piano makers in that city, to assure the education of young men in the scientific theories and practice of piano building. This is the first institution of its kind, and when fully established will be of great service to the industry at large. The school is mainly sup- ported by contributions from members of the associations and enjoys the protection and aid of the royal government of Wurtemburg. The '' National Association of Piano Dealers," with head- quarters at Leipsic, has, from its inception, imder the able leader- ship of President Carl Andre of Frankfort, a./M., inaugurated and carried on a most energetic campaign against fraudulent ad- Carl Andre NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 409 vertising, sham sales and all dishonest or disreputable methods l)revalent in the i)iano trade, with excellent results. The associa- tion has o44 active members and maintains a bureau of informa- tion, publishing periodically confidential circulars containing rec- ords of objectionable people dealing in ])ianos and other trade notices. In October, 1908, the various organizations formed the " Na- tional Association of Musical Instrument Industries," without, however, disturbing the existing organizations. This national association has its headquarters at Leipsic and is subdivided ter- ritorially into three sections, with bureaus at Leipsic, Berlin and Stuttgart. The management is in the hands of a president, Adolf Schiedmayer of Stuttgart; a vice-president and treasurer, Her- mann Feurich of Leipsic, and a vice-president and secretary. Max Bliithner of Leipsic. The main purpose of this association is to represent the entire industries as a body in matters of tariff laws, transportation, factory regulations, etc., seeking to harmonize the needs and wants of the various special organizations of the Ger- man Empire. The " Music Trade Association of Great Britain " was or- ganized in March, 1886, with Sir Herbert Marshall as president. The principal object of this association is " to extend a watchful regard over all matters affecting the retail trade and to give timely information to the members," and, further, " to hold con- ferences for the interchange of views on questions of general trade interest, and generally to co-operate and take such combined action in defense of the just interests of the retail trade as may be found needful." The " Pianoforte Manufacturers' Association " of Loudon, founded in 1887 — George D. Rose, president — has as its object: " To promote and protect the various interests of the music trade generally, to i^romote and supj^ort or oppose legislative or other 410 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS measures affecting the aforesaid interests ; to secure the more eco- nomical and effectual winding up of the estates of bankrupts or insolvent debtors; to endeavor to secure prosecution of fraudulent debtors, and to undertake, if requested by both parties, settlement by arbitration." In the United States the piano manufacturers of New York organized the first association in the fall of 1890. William E. Wheelock was elected first president and served until 1893. Later on a number of local associations of piano manufacturers and dealers were organized who combined in August, 1897, to form the " National Piano Manufacturers' Association of America." Its object is the furtherance of: (1) A better acquaintance among the members of the trade, good-fellowship and interchange of views on topics of mutual concern. (2) The ethics of the piano trade. (3) Territorial rights of manufacturers and dealers in regard to selling pianos. (4) A uniform warranty. (5) The products of supply houses : i.e., the question of stamp- ing the manufacturer's name upon piano parts furnished by the supply houses to the trade. (6) The relation of the manufacturers to the music-trade press. (7 and 8) To obtain reductions in insurance and transportation rates. (9) The establishment of a bureau of credits. (10) Legislation by united action; that more uniform laws shall be enacted in several States regarding conditional sales, and such other matters of importance to the piano trade as may come up from time to time. Presidents of the National Association of Piano Manufacturers of America from 1897 to 1911 Presidents of the National Association of Piano Dealers of America from 1902 to 1911 NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 411 The association is goverued by a president, two vice-presidents, a treasurer, secretary and assistant secretary. Contrary to the European system, where officers, once elected, are reguhirly re- elected as long as they are able to attend to their duties with effi- ciency, this association changes its governing board (with the exception of the assistant secretary) annually. The " National Association of Piano Dealers of America " was organized in ^fay, 1902. Its object is tersely stated in its consti- tution, as follows : " The object of this association shall be the mutual elevation of trade interests." Its by-laws provide for the following board: a president, four vice-presidents, a commissioner for each State and Territory (to be known as state commissioners), a secretary, a treasurer, and an executive board consisting of the president, secretary, treasurer and four members of the association. The officers are elected at the annual meeting and usually a new set is chosen each year. The membership is divided into active and associate members. The latter class takes in any one engaged in any branch of the musical industry not otherwise eligible. The annual dues are $10 for active and $5 for associate members. The association has a membership of over 1,000, and has done very effective work in guarding the ethics of the i)iano trade, and is making strenuous efforts for the general introduction of the one- price system. National piano exhibitions have lately been held in connection with the annual dealers' conventions, apparently to the benefit of both dealers and manufacturers. PART FIVE CHAPTER II The Trade Press — Its Value to the Industry. PART FIVE CHAPTER II THE TRADE PRESS— ITS VALUE TO THE INDUSTRY * IX America the piano-trade press evolved slowly and, after many interruptions from so-called musical journals, the first of which, the " American Musical Journal," was founded in 1835. It carried some advertisements of piano manufacturers and would publish, off and on, items which at that time were con- sidered trade news. In 1843 Henry C. Watson established his " Musical Chronicle " in Xew York. "Watson was a most remarkable man, equally gifted and learned as a musician as he was as a writer, and withal a man of business. He saw the necessity of enlisting the active support of the piano manufacturers for his journal and endeavored hon- estly to render value for such support. Thus Watson became the founder of piano-trade journalism. It is to be regretted that space does not permit a complete record of the brilliant career of this interesting character. Born in Loudon on November 4, 1818, he appeared at Covent Garden in " Oberon " at the age of nine, singing the part of a " fairy." In 1841 he came to New York, welcomed by such men as William Cullen Bryant, Horace Greeley and others of like stand- ing. He was immediately engaged as a musical critic for the " New World," then edited by Greeley. Besides his duties as a critic and also writing lyrics and composing songs, Watson man- 415 416 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS aged to publish the ' ' Broad- way Journal," enlisting Ed- gar Allan Poe as editor. He found, however, his real field of usefulness in his " Mu- sical Chronicle, ' ' in which he interested Jonas Chickering as well as the leaders among the New York piano manu- facturers. He had discovered that the interests of musical art and the interests of the piano industry were interde- pendent and that the one must support the other for mutual benefit. He, there- fore, devoted considerable energy to the propaganda of the piano. In course of time he changed the title of his publication to '' Musical Times," •' Philharmonic Journal " and finally to *' The American Art Journal." He was one of the founders of the Philharmonic Society and also organized the Mendelssohn Union of New York. As musical critic of the " New York Tribune " and editor-in- chief of " Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper," AVatson was for many years one of the pillars of musical life in America. He died on December 4, 1875, at the age of 57. " The American Art Jour- nal " was continued by Watson's pupil, William M. Thoms, until his retirement in 1906. The " Music Trade Review," founded in November, 1875, by John C. Freund, appeared for about two years; it was followed in 1878 by the " Musical Times," which soon changed to '' Musical Henry C. Watson THE TKADE PRESS 417 and Dramatic Times." In 1881 Freund started a journal called " Music," which title was changed to " Music and Drama." " Freund 's Weekly " appeared in 1881:. Soon changed to '' Music and Drama." In 1887 Freund joined J. Travis Quigg in publish- ing the '' American Musician," and in 1893 he started, with Milton "Weil, '' Music Trades." Charles Avery Wells established the '' ^fusic Trade Journal " in 1876, which he changed to the " Musical Critic and Trade Re- view " in 1879. In January, 1888, Edward Lyman Bill bought an interest in the journal and soon became sole owner. He changed it from a fortnightly to a weekly, under the title of " Music Trades Review," making it the first trade paper published in America devoted exclusively to the music industries. He has also published several valuable treatises on piano construction, in book form, which are enumerated elsewhere. In 1880 Harry E. Freund began to conduct a journal called '^ Music and Drama," which title he later changed to " Musical Age." William E. Nickerson started the " ^lusical and Dramatic News " in 1877. It went into the hands of the Lockwood Press, who sold the same to Marc A. Blumenberg in 1881, and the name was changed to " Musical Courier." In 1897 Blumen- berg separated the musical and industrial departments, publishing the " Musical Courier Extra " strictly as a trade edition. " The Indicator," established by Orrin L. Fox at Chicago in 1880, devoted to the liberal arts and art industries, was changed into an organ for musical industries exclusively, being the first in the field to make effective propaganda for the piano industry of the west. '' The Presto " was founded at Chicago by Frank A. Abbott in 418 PIANOS AND THP^IK MAKERS 1883. The '' Presto Year Book " is a very valuable, historical compendiuni of trade events. Abbott associated himself in 1894 with C. A. Daniel], who liolds the responsible position as editor-in- chief of the various Presto publications. The " Chicago Musical Times " was started by William E. Nickerson in 1885, and has been developed to its present com- manding position by C. B. Harger, who acquired control in 1895. George B. Armstrong established his dignified monthly jour- nal, '' The Piano Trade," at Chicago in 1903. In 1910 C. A. Daniell assumed the management of the '' Piano Magazine," an illustrated monthly published in New York City. This publication treats mainly of the historical, musical and tech- nical aspects of the piano and allied musical industries in an enter- taining manner, thus differing from the trade journals which deal mainly with the news of the day. The " Zeitschrift fiir Instrumentenbau " was established by Paul de Wit at Leipsic in 1880 and has a wide circulation all over Europe. The '' Welt-Adressbuch " of musical industries, compiled and published by Paul de Wit, is a most valuable reference book. It contains the names of all the firms connected in any way with musical industries in all parts of the world. The " Musik Instrumenten-Zeitung," published in Berlin, was started in 1890. In England the " London and Provincial Music Trades Ee- view " was established in London in 1877; '' Musical Opinion and Music Trade Eeview," also a monthly publication, often contains valuable contributions of interest to the piano trade. " The Piano Journal " is a monthly devoted entirely to the interests of piano makers and dealers. The monthly journal, " Music," also makes reference to trade topics. THE TRADE PKESS 419 The Importance and Value of the Trade Press to the Piano Industry As the government of a nation is only the reflex of tlie indi- viduals composing the nation, so is the trade press the reflex of the individuals composing an industry. The character of a trade press is stamped upon it by its patrons. The earlier i)iano-trade papers, after Watson's time, allowed themselves to be used by a group of firms, from which they received liberal financial support. This tended to demoralization, and the cry of blackmail was heard. The papers depending on this one-sided support had a precarious existence, and had to go to the wall whenever the extra subsidy was withheld. Questionable methods were resorted to, off and on, to compel more liberal financial support from the j^iano makers. The conditions existing in the piano trade some 30 years ago were such as really to infect part of the trade press with the bacillus of coercion. But, after all, the papers which did pursue a policy of coercion became unconsciously " ein theil von jener kraft, die boses will und gutes schafft." Repeated failures of the most aggressive papers of that character proved the error of playing champion for one or more firms, and the various later publications started out with the pronounced policy of aiding the entire industry and injuring none. Success followed this policy, and the piano trade of to-day has in its trade press a great help- mate which is worthy of the support it enjoys. It is altogether wrong to consider the support of a clean trade paper as a tax. Every laborer is worthy of his hire, and the more liberally the trade press is supported the better service it can render, a service needed by the trade and obtainable only through a well-organized press. That music-trade journalism is an honorable profession has 420 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS been demonstrated by its founder, Henry C. Watson, who enjoyed the respect and warm friendship of his supporters as well as that of the community at large. The value of an honest and able trade press is almost unmeasurable in the coin of the realm. From year to year the piano-trade press has grown in dignity and usefulness, and, just as soon as the industry itself gets entirely upon the plane of legitimate business methods, whatever may be objection- able in the trade press of to-day will then of necessity die its nat- ural death. PART FIVE CHAPTER III Literature on the Pianoforte PART FIVE CHAPTER III LITERATURE ON THE PIANOFORTE THE first attempt to write a history of the pianoforte was made in 1830 by M. Fetis, " Sketch of the History of tlie Pianoforte and the Pianists," a laborious effort by a bril- liant writer, but of little value to the piano maker. Kusting's " Practisches Handbuch der Pianoforte Baukunst," Berne, 18-4-1, is a more practical treatise than Fetis' attempt, but antiquated and only of interest to the historian. The same may be said of the interesting work of Professor Fischhof, '' Versuch einer Geschichte des Clavierbaues," Vienna, 1853. AVelcker von Gontershausen published in 1860 ' ' Der Clavierban in seiner Theorie, Technik und Geschichte," a fourth edition of which was printed in 1870 by Christian Winter, Frankfurt a. M. As a practical piano maker, fairly well posted on the laws of acoustics and thoroughly acquainted with the characteristics of all known musical instruments, Welcker has given a work of interest and value. It is to be regretted that his extreme patriotism and rather biased opinion do not permit him to do full justice to pianos made in other countries than Germany. Aside from this fault, his book is to be recommended to the studious piano maker as well as the student of musical-instrument lore. Dr. Ed. F. Rimbault published in 1860, in London, his ambitious work, " The Pianoforte." Written at the time when the English 423 424 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS piano industry was at its height, it is pardonable that the author laid his emphasis on English efforts and achievements rather at the expense of the French, German and Austrian schools. It must be assumed that the achievements of the latter were not known to him in their entirety and importance. Especial credit is, how- ever, due to Rimbault for having produced documentary evidence of Christofori's priority as inventor of the pianoforte. G. F. Sievers of Naples, an able piano maker, published in 1868 his " II Pianoforte Guida Practica," with a special atlas showing piano actions in natural size and therefore of great value to the piano student. Dr. Oscar Paul, a professor at the Conservatory of Music in Leipsic, wrote in 1868, " Geschichte des Claviers." The learned professor of music failed to do justice to the title of his book. Entirely unacquainted with the practical art of piano making, he assumes an authority which is amusing to the knowing reader. Like Welckers, Dr. Paul suffers too much from German egotism. All through the book the effort of ascribing all progress in piano construction to his countrymen is painfully palpable, he even go- ing so far as to imply that Christofori had copied Schroter's in- vention, an effort which demonstrates Paul's ignorance of action construction. However, the book contains sufficient good matter to repay reading it. Published by A. H. Payne, Leipsic. For the practical piano maker who reads German, the '' Lehr- buch des Pianofortebaues," by Julius Bliithner and Heinrich Gretschel, published in 1872 and revised by Robert Hannemann in 1909, Leipsic, Bernh. Friedr. Voigt, offers much valuable infor- mation, treating with great care the construction of the piano and the materials, tools and machinery used in the manufacturing of the instrument. It also has a short essay on acoustics written by Dr. Walter Niemann, who furthermore contributes a history of the piano up to the time of the general introduction of the iron frame. LITERATURE ON THE PIANOFORTE 425 Edgar Brinsmead's " History of the Pianoforte," London, 1889, dwells too much upon the achievements of the firm of Brinsmead & Sons and loses all importance when compared to A. J. Hipkins' ** Description and History of the Pianoforte," published by No- vello & Conii)any, London, 1890. An earnest schohir and careful writer, Hipkins successfully avoids the many pitfalls of the lexicog- raphers and gives a clear and succinct description of the develop- ment of the i)iano from its earliest stages to the modern concert grand. The book is well worth careful perusal by anyone inter- ested in the piano industry. Daniel Spillane's " History of the American Pianoforte," New York, 1890, is an interesting compendium showing the development of the piano industry in the new world, with sidelights upon the men who have been most jn'ominent in that sphere. Edward Quincy Norton, a piano maker of long and manifold experience, wrote his " Construction and Care of the Pianoforte " in 1892. This book, published by Oliver Ditson & Company of Boston, contains valuable suggestions for tuners and repairers, and is still meeting with a ready sale. The more modern books, " Piano Saving and How to Accom- plish It," by Edward Lyman Bill, and " The Piano, or Tuner's Guide," by Spillane, also William B. White's books, '' Theory and Practice of Pianoforte Building," " A Technical Treatise on Piano Player IMechanism," " Regulation and Repair of Piano and Player Mechanism, Together with Tuning as Science and Art " and " The Player Pianist," all published by Edward Lyman Bill, New York, have found wide circulation among practical piano makers because of their poi)ular treatment of intricate subjects. All of these books are almost indispensable for a conscientious tuner and repairer. Among the strictly scientific works, John Tyndall's treatise on "" Sound " and Helmholtz' '' Sensation of Tone " offer much food 426 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS tU^fjI'-u^ed^ oka. i^y^'^'i^^no for thought to the student of acoustics, although Helm- holtz's originally much- lauded " Tone Wave The- ory," as well as his so- called discovery of the " Ear Harp," have been vigorously attacked by Henry A. Mott in his book, '' The Fallacy of the Present Theory of Sound " (New York, John AViley & Sons), and by Siegfried Hansing in " Das Pianoforte in seinen akus- tischen Anlagen," New York, 1888, revised edition, Schwerin i./M., 1909. Hansing 's work is be- yond question the most important, so far written, on the construc- tion of the pianoforte. His studies in the realm of acoustics disclose a most penetrating mind capable of exact logical rea- soning. He bases his conclusions on exhaustive studies, without regard to the accepted theories of earlier scientists. As a thor- oughly practical piano maker and master of his art, Hansing studied cause and effect in its application to the piano, and his book is a rich mine of information for the prospective piano designer and constructor. Free from any business affiliations, he treats his subject with an impartial and unbiased keenness of perception which is at once impressive and convincing. Dr. Walter Niemann's ''Das Klavierbuch," C. F. Kahnt Nachfolger, Leipsic, is an entertaining little book on the piano, its LITERATUliE OX THE riAXOFORTE 427 music, composers and virtuosos, containing many illustrations of rare and valuable pictures of noted artists playing the piano. Henry Edward Krebbiel's more pretentious and serious work, " The Pianoforte and Its Music," Scribner, New York, 1911, is a valuable work of interest to the student of the piano, the musician and music lover. Of special interest to the studious piano maker are the cata- logues of old instruments collected by Morris Steinert of Xew Haven and Paul de Wit of Leipsic. " M. Steinert 's Collection of Keyed and Stringed Instruments " is the title of a book published by Charles F. Tretbar, Steinway Hall, Xew York. It contains ex- cellent illustrations of the clavichords, spinets, harpsichords and claviers which Steinert has discovered in his searches covering a period of 40 years. The illustrations are supplemented by a mi- nute description of each instrument. A concise history of the development of the piano and illustrations with explanatory text of Steinert 's collection of violins, etc., complete the volume. In " Reminiscences of Morris Steinert," compiled by Jane Martin, G. P. Putnam's Sons, Xew York, 1900, Steinert gives in- teresting and amusing accounts of his experiences hunting old instruments in America and foreign countries. Steinert, a gifted and many-sided musician by profession, became a dealer in musical instruments, especially pianos, and founded the great house of M. Steinert & Sons, with headquarters at Boston and branch stores in leading cities of Xew England. The firm also controls the Hume and the Jewett piano factories. The " Katalog des Musikhistorischen Museums von Paul de "Wit, Leipsic," published by Paul de Wit, 1904, is the most com- plete compendium in existence, describing old instruments of all kinds, their origin and makers. Although this catalogue is profusely illustrated, De "Wit published in addition a most artistic album, " Perlen aus der Instrumenten Sammlung," von Paul de "Wit, Morris Steinert at the Clavichord f^- c 428 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS Leipsic, 1892. This album contain 16 illustrations printed in col- ors, each plate a master work of the color-printer's art. For the connoisseur, this album is a desirable and valuable addition to the library. Paul de AVit has devoted his life to advance the interests of the piano industry. A sketch of his career is, therefore, only an acknowledgment of his valuable services. Born at Maastricht, Holland, on January 4, 1852, de Wit studied the cello under Massart at the conservatory of Luettich and showed decided talent. His parents objected to an artistic career and forced the young man to conduct a wholesale wine business at Aachen. Since the cello had a much more magnetic attraction for him than wine, he did not make a success of the wine business, and sold his inter- est in 1878. He went to Leipsic and became connected with the music publisher, C. F. Kahnt, where he made the acquaintance of Liszt, von Billow, Carl Riedel, etc., and also the versatile Oscar Latfert. In partnership with the latter, he started in 1880 " Die Zeitschrift fiir Instrumentenbau," a dignified journal, devoted to the interests of the music trades of Germany. Laffert retired in 1886, and de Wit became sole proprietor of the publication, which to-day ranks among the most influential of trade journals in Ger- many and circulates in all civilized countries. An artist, enthusiast and born collector, de Wit was not satis- fied with his success as an editor and publisher, but set to work collecting ancient instruments of all kinds. He started a work- shop with Hermann Seytfarth, the well-known repairer of violins and other musical instruments, in charge. Seyffarth rejuvenated the battered relics which de Wit had discovered during his travels, in storehouses, barns, garrets and cellars, De Wit virtually searched the Continent for old instruments, and many valuable discoveries stand to his credit. Whenever he heard that an old spinet, violin, bass drum or flute had been unearthed somewhere. LITERATURE ON THE PIANOFORTE 429 de Wit would take the next train, no matter how great the dis- tance or expense, to satisfy himself whether the relic was worthy of a place in his collection. As a result he assembled three col- lections, which are unrivaled. His first, containing 450 instru- ments, was bought in 1889 by the Government of Prussia for the Academy at Berlin. It was supplemented in 1891 by an addition of the grand i)iano used by Johann Sebastian Bach. His second collection of nearly 1,200 instruments was bought by Wilhelm Heyer of Cologne, who erected a special building to house his gems. The industry owes tjo de Wit and Steinert a debt of gratitude for their unselfish labors in bringing to light the works of the old masters. Their efforts to again create a taste for the enchant- ing tone quality of the clavichord will bear fruit, by inducing the piano constructor of the future to search for a more pronounced combination of the liquid with the powerful tone than we find in the piano of the present. . Notable collections of ancient instruments are also to be found at the South Kensington Museum at London, in the Germanische Museum at Nuremberg, and in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, which latter has a genuine Christofori piano e forte. The most complete of all, however, is the unexcelled collection of Wilhelm Heyer at Cologne. PART FIVE CHAPTER IV CoDclusions. PART FIVE CHAPTER IV CONCLUSIONS ORIGINATING in Italy during the inspiring period of the Renaissance as a strictly art product, a musical instru- ment whose outer form was designed by architects, deco- rated and embellished by painters and sculptors, the piano received its first development in strength and fullness of tone under the hands of the Teutonic master builders of Austria and Germanj^ The latter brought it to England, where the Anglo-Saxon imprint was impressed by the first efforts of manufacturing pianos, call- ing factory organization and machinery to its aid. This Angliciz- ing was furthermore marked by the invention of a more forceful action. After this the piano was taken in hand by Paris builders, who, in harmony with the French taste, took off the rough edges of the English construction and went back to the more dainty Italian design of case, and invented actions which permitted of a more delicate execution. However, the French builders did not quite follow the d\Tiamical assault of the new school of music, which demanded more tone power to fill large concert halls, and America took the field with its full iron frame, enlarged scales and heavy hammers. Germany was first to adopt this innovation from Amer- ica and again took the lead in Europe. 433 434 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS These various schools can be traced most distinctly from their beginning to the time when they reached the point of highest de- velopment and were superseded by another school. Italy reached its height with Christofori in 1720, and has never since been a factor. Germany took hold of Italy's heritage, and the German school prospered from 1720 to about 1800, when England stepped in, wrested the laurels from Germany and developed its mammoth factories from 1800 to about 1860. France in the meantime (1803- 1855) became the successful rival of England because of more artistic designs and refined tone qualities. After 1855, however, both England and France were out-classed by America, which has been able to maintain its supremacy ever since. Germany, hav- ing more or less rested upon its laurels up to 1855, took the cue from America and after 1860 out-rivaled England and France in the production of pianos. While no accurate statistics are obtainable, a reasonable esti- mate of the number of pianos produced in the various countries, based on careful computations made by manufacturers of piano supplies, indicates the following annual production at the present time: America 350,000 Germany 170,000 England 75,000 France 25,000 Austria and Switzerland 12,000 Russia 10,000 Netherlands and Scandinavia 4,000 Spain 2,500 Italy 1,500 Grand Total 650,000 CONCLUSIONS 435 The piano born in Italy rcMinirod Teiitonio force for develop- ment, French taste for retinenient, English matter-of-fact indus- trialism and commercialism for better introduction and finally American enterprise and wealth for general adoj^tion as an indis- pensable part of home furnishing. The history of the piano shows thai in its ])resent-day finality it represents the activity of many minds in the constructive, ai'tistic, industrial and connnercial fields. The industry has now reached a })oint where the genius of the born organizer on modern lines will be next heard from ill any further ])rogress. (N)nihinations of large firms are in- evitable. Competition forces greater economies in ])]'0(lnction as well as distribution. America is leading in the new movement, and will adoi)t it more generally than any of the other nations, because nowhere is a general standardization so crying a necessity as in the United States. The product has to be standardized to bring the business of distribution out of its slough of disreimtable tactics and ])ractices. This standardization was the aim of the American trust movements of 1892-91). AVhile these attempts were premature, the correctness of the underlying philosophy has been proven l)y the subse(iuent successful amalgamation of large concerns into harmonious entities. When we search for the cause or reason why the piano industry has been so slow in developing along connnercial and industrial lines, in comparison with other leading industries, we find it in the fact that nearly all the founders of successful firms were gradu- ates of the cabinetmaker's work-bench. They were primarily mechanics with a strong inclination to the artistic, both of which qualities are the antithesis of industrialism and commercialism. Their very occupation of designing i)ianos, inventing improve- ments, dreaming of tone (|uality, etc., totally unfitted them for the cold, exact calculation of the economic factory organizer and the liberal distributor of the finished product, not to mention the rea- 436 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS soiling of tlie financier, who never has an eye for anything else but cold figures and algebraic reductions. We find, therefore, that England, where commercial tactics dominated when the piano appeared there, was the first of the nations to manufacture them in large numbers. The English knew how to sell and how to distribute them after they were made. The astonishing growth in America came when the kings of mer- chandising in the piano business became manufacturers and sup- plemented the factory methods, started in England, with the science of wholesale distribution. It must not be overlooked here that the piano industry in all countries, with exception of England, has always suffered as a whole from lack of sufficient working capital. In Germany, France and America capital was never attracted to the piano industry, simply because it lacked a solid foundation and apparently had no stability. In many instances a business of magnitude would die w4tli the death of its founder, because its main asset was the name and the individuality of its owner. When we analyze the characters of all the leaders in this in- dustry, from its beginning to the present day, — barring a few notable exceptions of latter days, — we find that all were excep- tionally strong men who had to fight their way from poverty and misery by sheer will-power, supported by decided talent or genius. Nearly all of them were without early education. They had to pick up whatever they acquired in knowledge in their spare hours, and we must admire these men for their great accomplishments, considering the conditions under which they worked. Even their petty jealousies must be pardoned. If we look back to the days in which they lived, we need not wonder that Pleyel and Broad- wood were intimate friends and made front against Erard, nor that Chickering opposed the overstrung system for years because Steinway advocated it. All of these men thought more of their COXCLUSIOXS 437 instruments, the children of their brain, than of making profits on broad lines of industrial and commercial development. Modern organization, to be successful in the piano industry, requires a division of labor and duties, which will enable the con- structor to follow his thoughts irresj^ective of factory, selling, or financial conditions and requirements. Indeed, the managers of each of these departments must be adepts and experts in their particular calling, and must be so situated that they can work out their plans on the basis which their coadjutors furnish from their respective departments, ^Xe have now establishments wliicli turn out 30,000 instruments per year under one management. The time is not far otf when we shall see organizations whose output will surpass 100,000 pianos per year, and those large organizations will set the pace, will create the standard, wliicli every competitor must follow. The piano factory of the future has not even been sketched out as yet, but it will come, just as the town of Gary has been built for the steel industry. The laws of evolution are at work in the piano industry as strongly as elsewhere, and the avoidable eco- nomic waste, the trifling away of fortunes in the present cumber- some, unscientific way of making pianos and much more so in the kindergarten methods of distributing the products, — methods which often make the cost of selling larger than the cost of pro- duction, — must come to an end for the good of everybody con- nected with the industry. Some of the money saved by such mod- ern methods should be expended for the support of high-grade trade schools, where the art of piano making would be taught, and part of the increased profits coming from the economic savings should go to a labor pension fund, in order to attract to the indus- try the best class of wage-workers obtainable. Even when, by proper factory organization, the piano shall come to the level of an every-day commodity, it will, after all. 438 PIANOS AND THEIR MAKERS remain an art product; and, since we can form no conception as to its further development, talented young men must be brought into the field to continually inject that vigor and enterprise wliich is indispensable to progress. Adequate compensation and assur- ance of a competency for old age are the only means of attracting ability and energy. The piano industry should be as attractive as any to the young man of to-day. All we lack is proper training schools, which may easily be supplied by donations from the leading manufacturers of each nation. Germany is making an effort in that direction, and England, France and America ought not to delay the founda- tion of such schools. The day of the apprentice has passed for- ever. AVe know how to impart to a properly schooled young man more knowledge of a craft in one year than he could acquire, under the apprentice system, in five years. The university for the physician and lawyer, the college for the farmer, must be sup- plemented by the college for the craftsman, so that he may per- fect himself in his chosen profession after he leaves the manual training school. AYhile for the past 100 years all the efforts of inventors and piano constructors had but one aim — to augment the tone of the jDiano — the labors of de Wit, Steinert and Dolmetsch in creating an interest in the clavichords, furthermore the tenacity of the Vienna and French schools in clinging to the more limpid though smaller tone, are arousing the interest of piano constructors to seek for more soulful, expressive tone quality, without, however, curtailing the carrying capacity — a problem, no doubt, very difficult to solve, but, therefore, so much more inviting to the thinking piano maker. The factory manager, the sales manager and the financial di- rector will have problems continually looming up before them, to CONCLUSIONS 439 solve wliicli a clear understanding of the past history, the present conditions and the trend of events in the near future becomes im- perative. If this book shall serve as a guide and inspiration to the younger element in the various branches of our art and craft, it will have fulfilled its intended mission. APPENDIX List of Firms Manufacturing Pianos and Supplies at tlie Present Time APPENDIX List of Firms Mauufacturiiig Pianos aud Supplies at the Present Time ITALY PIAXO jMANUFACTURERS Griffini & Co., R Established Coppi, Federico " Rick, Giuseppe '' Lachin, >» ieolo Berzioli, Fratelli " Agmonino, Giacinto '■ Berra, Ing. Cesare " Colombo, Federico " Fea, Fratelli '• Fea, Giovanni " Forneris, Fratelli " Laccliio & Co " IVIigliano & Borello " Mola, Cav. Giuseppe " Olivotto, B Perotti, Cav. Carlo " Quartero, Vittorio Felice " Roeseler Cav. Carlo " Savi & Co., Rod GERMANY PIAXO MANUFACTURERS Hilger. Eduard Established Haegele, Heinrich " Gebauer, Jr., Gg. Dietr " IMaass. W " :\r;iller, Ernst Dittnier. A Neupert. J. C " Ibach Sohn, Rud Lehmaiui. Artluir " Steingriiber & S<)hne " Andril & Co.. Robert " Anghiifer's I'ianofabrik " Bartel & Co., Ernst " Barthol. R « Bechstein. C Beer & Co Becker. Aloys " Biese. W. . . '. " Blasendorff. Carl " Boger & Solui. Wilh 443 Aachen 184G Aalen 1819 Alsfeld 1891 Altona 1819 " Anklam 1868 Bamberg 1794 1898 1852 1871 1853 1851 1898 1860 .Barmen yreuth Berlin 444 APPENDIX Bogs & Voigt EstablislM^d 1905 Berlin Bonecke, Hermann " 1906 Borkenhagen. M "^ 1892 ^'^ Brandes, Erich " — Compagnie Concordia " 1809 Dassel, Ang " 1859 " Donadoni & Pohl " 1880 " Drever & Co., Max " 1890 Duysen, I. L " 1800 " Ecke, Carl \] 18' 3 '' Enimer. Wilheiin " — ^ Engelmann & Gtintliermann " 18S8 Euphoiiie " 1900 Excelsior Pianofabrik " Fehn & Co.. A " 190.3 " Felschow, A " 1875 '' Frohlich & Kemniler " Gawenda. Franz " 1888 Geil & Co., Friederich " 1904 Giese, Reineke & Co " 1888 Gors &. Kallmann " 1877 " Goetze & Co " 1866 " Grabau. M " 1880 ; '• Grand Nacbf., A " 1869 " Gude. Moritz " 1886 " Giinther. Otto " " Giinther, Robert " 1880 " Hahmann. Gustav " 1884 Hancke. Carl " 1890 " Hanne. Paul " 1861 " Hansen, H " 1871 |'^ Harmonie " Hartmann, \Y " 1839 ^ Hauschulz, Jul " Heidrich. Hermann " 1881 Heilbrunn Sohne, K " 1875 " Heinke, Carl " " Hedke. Willi " 1890 " Heindorff. A " 1892 " Hepperle. Otto " 1872 " Hevse. E. H " 1872 " Hiilgiirtner, Heinrich " 1901 " Hilse, C " " Hilse Nachf .. W " 1876 " Hinke, Alfred " 1901 " Hintze, Carl H " " Hohne & Sell " 1885 " Hoffmann Pianos "' Hooff & Co " 1873 " Plorn, Alfred " 1905 '■' Janowskv, ^I " — — - ' Ja.schinsky, A " 1880 " Kewitsch, Johannes " 1878 " Klimes, Schwitalla & Co " 1905 " Klingmann & Co., G " 1869 " Knochel, Ad " 1876 Koch & Co., Ernst " 1896 " Krause, Conrad " 1808 " Krause, Hermann " 1800 " Krause & Dress " " Krengel & Co., H " 1900 " APPENDIX 445 Krif'bol. II Establi^ Kulihi, Fritz Kuhl & Klatt " Laniinerliirt, Kinil Langf ritz, L Leliiiiann & Co., Adolf " Laurinat & Co Lenz, A Lieck'ke, W Linke. Godenschwegcr & Co " List, Ernst '. Lubitz, H Liidecke. ]M " Maclialet, T Maiitliov, Ferd " :\Iarqiiardt & Co., Otto Matz & Co., II Menzel, Willieim " Clever, Richard " Mo'bes & Co Mors & Co.. L Miiller, Max Nesener & Segert " Neufeind, R Xeiiniever, Ernst '* Xeufeld, L Xeugebauer Xachf., C " Xeumeyer, ^lax " Xeunieyer, Gebr " Xieber & Co., A " Xoeske & Co " Opperniann, Albert " Otto. Carol Paul & Co., Ernst Paul & Co Pechniann & Co Pfatie, Julius Pfeiffer, J Pianofabrik A. Liiddeniann " Pianofortefabrik '■ Euterpe " " Ottomar Fiedler " " Opera " '' W. IIotTmann Plosch & Co Pr.schel, A Quandt, C. J Rocsener, F Seliieniann & Madsen Schiller, J Sehleip, Benedictus Schmeckel & Co Schmidt, L Schmidt. Rudolf Schmidt & John " Schonlein, Ernst " Schotz & Co., Heinrich " Schiibbe & Co Schulz, W Schiitze, Heinrich '• Schutze & Schmidt U6 APPENDIX Schwecliten. G Establi Seidel Xachf., Rob Siewert, C Skibbe, Max Sommer. ^lathias " Steuer, Wilhelni 8teinl)erg & Co Stoessel. Gertler & Co Tempe. Reinhold Tietze. E Ulbrich. R Vierling. Rudolph Vieritz & Werner Wahren. Carl Weber. F Werner, Ed Westerniayer, Ed Westphal, Robert " Wittenbiirg & Hermann " Wittig. Ernst Wrdiler Xachf.. Adolf Zahn. F. H :\[ann & Co.. Th Grotrian, Steinweg Xachf •' Wechsung. G Zeitter & Winkelmann Palven, Jr., P Berndt, Trangott " Hiittner, Alfred " Welzel. P. F Hauck, J. B Lipczinski, Max " Arnold, Karl " Werner. F. W " Bever-Rahnefeld, Otto Ceroid, F Goetze. Franz Hagspiel & Comp Hoffmann & Kiihne Kuhse, Johann " Kulb. Jos *' Mannsfeldt & Xotni Miiller, Clemens H " Ronisch, Carl " Rosenkranz, Ernst " Ullrich, H Urbas, Johann " Urbas & Reisshauer " Vogel, F. E Wolfframm. H Werner. Paul Zimmermann, Gebr Erbe, J " Finger. Alb " Geyer Xachf.. Adolph " Kluge & Treydel Vogel, Robert " Weber & Fuchs '"' Weissbrod, R " Winkelmann & Co '"' Tetsch &i Mav ihed 1853 Berlin 190.5 " 1894 " 1908 " 1880 " 1868 " 1890 " 1888 « 1879 " (C 1002 " 1860 " 1881 " 1863 " 1894 " 1900 " 1863 " 188.5 " 1885 Bernburg 1836 Bielefeld 183.5 Braunschweig 1857 1837 1901 Bremen 1837 Breslau 1896 1835 1865 Bruehsal 1890 Danzig 1830 Darmstadt 1845 Dobeln 1852 Dresden 1875 1874 1851 " 1899 " 1874 " 1873 1867 " 1877 " 1845 " 1797 " 1876 " 1894 1894 " 1845 1872 " 1810 1904 Leipzig IMolkau 1881 Eiseiiacli 1887 Eisenberg 1877 le 1905 1884 1908 1867 Emmerich a. Rhein APPENDIX U] Hansen, Juliuf? E^tabli- I'liilipp, G An(ii&, C. A Baldur Pianofortefabrik " Philipps & Scihno. J. D Welte & Suline, M Gliick, Carl " Spaethe, Willi Maetzke. Eduard Steck Piano Co Ritmiillcr & Solin, W " Ritter, C. Rich Belinken. Gebr. X. & E. H Buschmann. Gustav Adolf " Kohl, II Xeumann. F. L Rachals & Co., M. F Schnell, H Steinwav & Sons '" Stapel, G Gertz, Wilh Haake. Karl Helmholz, Fr Rissmann, C. C " Glass & Co.. C. F Xagel, G. L '' Uebel &: Lcchleiter " Sprnnck. Fr Glaser. F Weidig. C " Xeuhaus Siihne. W " Beckmann. W ~ '" Scheel, Carl " Giinther & Siihne " Kaini & Sohn " Arnold. Heinrich " Rowold & Siihne, Ernst " :\Iand. C Prein. Friedr '' Gebauhr, C. J " Schnst<»rius, C. A '' Stockfisch. H Adam. F " Ilain, Stephan Bliithner, Julius Feurich, Julius "' Fiedler, Gustav " Filrster & Co '■ Francke & Co., A. H " Irmler. I. G Kreutzbarh. Julius " Schimniel & Co., Wilh • Schumann. Carl " Stichel. F Zierold. Gustav '■ Freytag. Andreas '■ Geister & Schwabe " Gerstenberger, J " Liohr. Franz " Xeuinann. Carl '• PLitzold, Gottl d 1838 Flensburg 1872 Forst 1828 Frankfurt a. :M. 1872 1877 1833 Freiburg i. Br. 1843 Friedberg 1859 Gera 18 Webster & ITorsfall Wire Birniingliani Brooks. Liniilcd Keys and Actions ISIO London Cassini. W. II llanimers 1878 (lark. 11. W Keys 1871 (lark, dohn 11., & Co Iron Frames 1784 " Deijihton, A Keys 1881 " Fiiiniinore Bros '• 1880 '" Gibbs, B. A " 1895 " Goddard, J. & J Felts and Hardware .... 1842 Honian & Sons Strings LSo.'^ " Kilvert. J. Smith Hammers 1800 " Marshall, William, & Son Materials 1841 " Nott & Co Actions 1 802 " Paine & Sons, Thos Keys 18(55 '•' Sebright, T "' 1852 Shenstone & Co " 1 870 " Vestey, R. F., & Son " 1800 " Wallis & Son ^[aterials 1848 " Whitehead, R. R., & Bros Felts Honghton, W. A W ire Warrington Naish Felts ] 850 Wilton FRAXCE PIANO MANUFACTURERS Anrand & Bohl Fstabli.-^iied I S;!0 Lyon Barutli, Francois Claude " '■• Bondon, B " '• ^Manufacture ^larseillaise de Pianos. " 1827 Marseilles Klein, (iaston " Montreuil sous Bois Klein, Henri " 1879 " " " ^Manufacture des Pianos (Jrillot. . . . " " " " Staub, J " 1 848 Nancy Vuilleinin-Didion " 1S40 Nantes Rodolphe Fils & Debain reunies. ... " Nogent sur Seine Benard. Champ & Cie " 1 S49 Paris Blondel. Alphonse " 18:59 " Bord. A " 1 840 " Biieher (Gauss Fr^res & Cie. Succrs.) " 1848 " Burgasser & Cie " 1840 " Carpentier. J " " Coc(iuet Fils. Leon " 18t)5 " Erard (Blondel & Cie. Succrs.) " 1779 " Focke Fr&res " 1800 " 454 APPENDIX Frantz, J. B. (Mussard & Cie. Gaveau, I. G Gouttiere, Ed Guillot, A Herz, Henri Herz, Neveu & Cie Kriegelstein & Cie I^eguerinais Freres Leveque & Thersen Mustel & Cie Oury, Alphonse Pleyel, Lyon & Cie Pruvost, Henri Pruvost Fils, E. Victor Ruch, J Schmitt, Francois. Schotte Freres Laplanche-Deforge, C Sneers. ) Established 1852 Paris " 1847 " 184G 18.50 " 1790 Reims 1855 1807 1850 PIAXO SUPPLY MANUFACTURERS Soeiete Anonyme \Yire Gilbert " Actions Sommer Felt Voos, J. J " Brees & Cie Actions Bron, Edouard Felt Delorme, F Keys Deloye, Maurice " De Rohden, C Actions Fortin, Eugene Felt Gehrling & Cie Actions 1842 Grillet, Pere & Fils Keys Herrburger, J., Maison Sell wander. . Actions and Keys 1844 Kneip, Louis Hammers 1850 Lange, .Julien Keys Levet, A Hammers 1869 Martin. L Actions and Hammers . . 1895 Muller. E Keys 1835 Soeiete Anonyme de Feutres frangais. Felts Truchot Hammers 1848 Union Actions and Keys Rolle, Xeveu & Succrs., E Felts " SPAIN PIANO MANUFACTURERS Canto. J Establi Charrier y Cia " Chassaigne Freres " Estela, Vinda de Pedro " Estela y Compa., B " Guarro Hermanos " Izabal, Louis " Izabal, Paul " Prin, Mallard y Cia " died .Barcelona APPENDIX 455 Ribalta, Salvador lvstal)lisliod Barcelona Sociedad Franco-iiispano-Amcricaiia . " 1898 " Vidal, J " 1879 Montano, lii jos de " 1838 Madrid Piazza, Maurioio " Si-villa Ten y Cia., Rodrigo " 1902 Valencia riAXO SUPPLY MAX L- FACT LRERS Rayiiard, L Actions and Keys .... 1897 Barcelona BELGIUM PIANO .MANUFACTURERS Hainan^. Fr&res Established Berden & Cie., FrancoLs Bernard & Cie., A "' Giintlior, J " Hanlet, A INIahillon & Cie " Oor, J Oor, Lucien " Pley & Dahout Boone Fils " Gevaert, V Van Hyfte, B Van Hvf te Freres " Vits, Emile Renson Freres " Derdeyn Frferes " 1815 1898 Briissell 1845 18G6 (C 1850 1907 (( 1839 Oont 1846 1835 ,c 1839 1838 1857 Liittich 1846 Roulers NETHERLANDS PIANO MANUFACTURERS Allgjiuer & Zoon, J. J Established 1830 Amsterdam Cuijpers, J. F " 1832 Uravenhage Rijken & Co., Cli. F " Mes, Antoine A. A. Az " 1874 Middelbiirg Rijken & de Lange, Gebrs " 1852 Rotterdam Bocage, Ch " Schiedam Leijser & Zoon, N. S " 1854 Zutfen SWITZERLAND PIANO MANUFACTURERS Schmidt. A Established 1830 Burger & Jaeobi Pianofabrik Svm])honia " Bieger & Co.", J Ganter & Sohn. J Hiini & Co Rordorf & Co Suter, H " 1830 Bern 1872 Bipl 1S42 Rorschach Ziiricli 1860 " 1847 « 1875 " 456 APPENDIX SCANDINAVIA PIANO MANUFACTURERS Dexisiark Ehlert, J. H Established 1SG7 Kopenhagen Felumb. Emil Geisler, A. H Heideraann. H. P Hindsberg. H. T. P Horn ling & iMoUer Jensen, Soren Kofod & Co Landsehultz, C Larsen & Son, J Lendorf, Oscar Mentzler, W Petersen & Son, Herm. N. Schon, T. C Wedell & Aberg, C 1872 1876 1853 1827 1893 1865 1855 1854 1881 S\A'EDEN A. G. Ralins Piano Fabrik. Pianofabriken Standard Ostlind & Almquist Billbergs Piano-Fabrik Lof mark, J Mahnsjc"). J. G Hagdaiil. J Nystroms, J. P Hansson, D Ekstrom & Compis Lofmark & Hagland Gustafson & Ljunquist Bergquist & Nilsson Engstrom & Johanesson . . . . Franckel & Co., F Hofimann. Ang Lofberg & Co Norbergs Pianofabrik Pettersson, John Rapp, E Svahnqiiist, jun., C Winkrantz, Fr 1885 Amal 1904 Arvika 1888 " 1868 Goteborg 1903 1843 ■ — ■ — • Karlskrona 1865 Karlstad 1854 Lund 1836 Malmo 1899 " Norrkoping Stockholm 1889 1899 Norway Knudsen, Jacob. Hals, Brijdrene . 1896 Bergen 1847 Christiania RUSSIA PIANO MANUFACTURERS Hellas, Osakeytio Established Apollo Betting, Theodor " Fibiger, Arnold " Strobl, August 1901 Helsingfors 1899 Kalisch 1887 1878 . Kicw APPENDIX 45' Koretzkj', F. J Uslall & Co., A Rauscli, M Sc'hoen, Ad .Tohannsohii. Th Tresselt. -I Weinberg. J Becker. •! Diederiehs. OeUr. . . . Hergeiis & Trunioft' . Leppeiil)eig. G Mavr, Hermann Mu'hlhach, F Offenbaclier Rathke, R Reinliard, W Ronisch, Carl Schlesinger, S. L. . . Schmidt, P Schroeder, C. M. . . . Smidt & Wegener. Stein, J. J Erikson, M Kelirer, Hermann. . Kopp. Anton Angerhofer. F Diitz. Anton Kerntopf & Sohn. . :Malieki, Julian.... Nowicki, F. J . . Established 18S7 Moskau 1878 ]850 Odessa _ . " 1843 " 1855 Riga 1841 St. Petersburg 1810 " 1888 1870 1900 1868 1874 1898 18S0 1818 1880 Saratow 1872 Tiflis 1887 " Warsehau 1873 AUSTRIA PIANO :\L\XUFACTUREE Albert & Co., Rosier, G Protze & Co. Petrof. Anton Warbinek, Rudolf A.. . Baroitius. Karl J Kopecky & Co Novak.' V Schnabel. Ludwig Koch & Korselt Proksch, A Spira's Wwe.. Carl... Bremitz. Enrico [Magrini e Figlio, L. . . Audreys. Anton Baumann. ^Nlax Beleliradek. Joliann. . Banmbacli. Josef Berger. Ignaz Bosendorfer. Eudwig . Czapka's Sohn. Jacob D.'lrr. Karl Dchsam. Wilhelm. . . . Ehrbar, Friedrich.. . . ■£ A Established Josef 18GS Aussig 1878 B. Leipa 1905 Georgswalde 18G4 Koniggriitz 190C Laibach 1898 Prag 1901 ISni Reichenberg 18G4 1892 1S74 Triest 1870 '• Wien 1828 1842 1817 1801 458 APPENDIX Fritz, Sohn, J Fuchs, jun., Franz Gossl, Josef & Adolf Hahder, Joh Hamburger, Carl Heitzmaiin, Otto Hnatay, Josef Hofbauer, Gustav Hofmann, Friedrich Hofmann, Karl Hulze & Heitzmaiin Horr, Moritz Jirasek, Ferdinand Karbacb, Friedrich Klubal, Gottlieb Kraiis, Adolf Kubik. Josef Lauberger & Gloss l^ittmann, Johann *' Lyra " Maliwanck. Heinricb Mayer, Eduard Mayer, Wilhelm Mayr, Franz Nemetsehke, Johann Neuburger, Adolf Neumayer, Carl Oeser, Franz Oeser & Sohn, Vincent Pallik & Stiasny Parttart's Eidam, Alois Pawleck, jun., Josef Pokorny, A Reinhold, Robert F Richter, Franz Schaube. \Yilh Schmid, Heinricb Schmid & Kunz, F Schneider & Xeffe, Josef Sehweighofer's Sohne Skop, Josef "Stary, Johann Stelzhammer. Anton Stenzel & Schlemmer Stingl, Gebriider Wasniczek, Ignaz ^Yindhofer Wwe. Rudolf Wirth, Franz \Yolck, Franz Zebrakowsky, Johann Chmel & Son Dehmal, Karoly Eder, Anton Julius Havlicsek, Carl Heckenast, Gustav PIAXO SUPPLY :\L\XCFACTURERS ■Gaiser, Emil Hammers 1871 Wien Karl, Jos Kevs 1894 " APPENDIX 459 Kufla, Eberhard Hammers 1891 Wien IJttmann. jun., Paul Keys 1887 Miller's Sohn, Martin Wire 1782 '• Mraz, Franz Keys 1881 " Olbert, Franz " •' Opletat, Alois " ' ' " Pichler, Johann " " Prohaska, Franz " " Schmidtmavr, Ravmund " " JAPAN PIANO MAXUFACTURERS Nippon Gakki Siezo Kabushiki Kwaisha Hammamatsu Nishikawa & Son Yokohama UNITED STATES PIANO :\L\NUFACTURERS California Pacific Piano ^Mfg. Co Established Pasadena Salyer-Baumeister Co " 1907 Los Angeles Behre, J., & Co " San Francisco Deitemeier Piano Co " 1892 - " Fav, Robert " 1880 " Hornung, C. C " 1880 •• " Mauzy, Byron " 1884 •• CONKECTICUT Sterling Co., The Established 1866 Derbv Huntington Piano Co " 1894 Shelton Wilcox & White Co.. The " 1877 Meriden ^lathushek Piano Co " 1866 Xew Haven Shoninger, B., Co " 1850 •• Illinois Johnson, Wm. A., Piano Co Established 1907 Champaifni Bauer, Julius, & Co " 1857 Chicafo Bent, Geo. P., & Co " 1870 •■ ° Bush & Gerts Piano Co '• 1886 " Cable Co., The " 1880 " Cable-Nelson Piano Co " 1903 " Chickering Bros " 1892 " Clark, Melville. Piano Co " 1900 ' . . " Conover Piano Co " 1890 " Concord Co.. The " 1907 Decker Bros. Co " 1907 Detmer. Henrv " 1885 " Foley & Williams :Mfg. Co " 1870 Fuehr & Stcmmer Piano Co " 1903 Kaiser. Adolph " 1891 Kimball, W. W., Co " 1854 460 APPENDIX King Piano Co Lyon & Healy Marquette Piano Co Maynard, R. K., Piano Co Meyer, Franz Nelson, H. P., Co Newmann Bros. Co Price & Teeple Piano Co Reed & Sons Piano Co Reichardt Piano Co Rothschild & Co Scliaaf, Adam Schaefi'er Piano Co Scherpe, B.. & Co Schiilz, M., Co Seeburg, J. P., Piano Co Singer Piano Co Smith, Barnes & Strohber Piano Co Starek, P. A., Piano Co Steger & Sons Piano Mfg. Co Story & Clark Piano Co Stranbe Piano Co Weber & Sons Werner Piano Co Hamilton Piano Co Seybold Piano & Organ Co Swan, S. N., Co Pizarro Piano Co Schiller Piano Co National Player Piano Co Standard Piano Player Co Johnson, E. P., Piano Co Western Cottage Piano & Organ Co Haddorff Piano Co Nysewander Piano Co Schumann Piano Co Established 1903 Chicago 1864 1870 18G9 1878 '^ 1902 " 1889 Chicago Heights Elgin 1007 Freeport 1908 Joliet 1893 Oregon 1007 Ottawa 1805 " 1002 Rockford IxniANA Kniffht-Brinkerhoff Piano Co Established 1907 Brazil Auto Grand Piano Co. Packard Co.. The Schaff Bros. Piano Co.. Cable. Hobart M., Co.. Krell-French Piano Co.. Chute & Butler Starr Piano Co Tryber Piano Co Iowa Bellevue Piano Mfg. Co. " 190.5 Connersville " 1871 Fort Wayne " 1866 Huntington " 1900 Laporte " 1898 New Castle 1901 Peru " 1872 Richmond 1881 South Bend .Established 1906 Bellevue Kextucky Harvard Piano Co Established 1885 ]\1aixe Hughes & Son Piano Mfg. Co.. .Davton Maryland Wm. Knabe & Co. Chas. M. Stieff . . . .Established 1866 Foxcroft .Established 1839 Baltimore 1842 ^Massachusetts Bourne. Wm., & Son . Chickering & Sons . . . Established 184G Boston 1823 " APPENDIX 461 < lioralcelo Mfg. Co Established Boston Emerson Piano Co " 1849 Everett Piano Co " 1883 " Hallet & Davis Piano Co " 1835 " Hume Piano Co " 1902 " Ivers & Pond Piano Co '• 1880 " Jowett Piano Co " 1899 " Kraft. Theo. J., & Co " 1903 " Mason & Hamlin Co •' 18.54 " McPliail, A. M., Piano Co " 1837 " ]\Iilier, Henry F., & Sons Piano Co. . . " 1863 " National Piano Co " 1911 " Poole Piano Co " 1893 " Vose & Sons Piano Co " 18.51 " Ackotist Plaver Piano Co " 1906 Fall River Cote Piano Mfg. Co " 1890 " Gilbert Piano Co " 1907 " ]\Iorrisette, Honore, Co " Trowbridge Piano Co " Webster Piano Co " ^llCHIGAN ■Crinnell Bros Established 1882 Dftroit Farrand Co.. The " 1 884 Brockmeier Piano Co " 1908 Grand Rapids Manville & Sons " " Bush & Lane Piano Co " 1901 Holland <"haseHackley Piano Co ■ 1863 Muskegon Oermain Piano Co " 1895 Sasiiiaw Melin-Winkle Co « 1909 South Haven Minnesota .Schimmel & Co Established 1892 Faribault Raudenbush, S. W., Co " 1883 St. Paul Segerstrom Piano Mfg. Co " 1900 Minneapolis Wick, P. S., Co " 1886 North St. Paul New Hampshire Prescott Piano Co Established 1869 Concord New Jersey Delabar, Edw Established Newark Lauter Co.. The " 1862 Winkler Piano Co " 1875 Trenton Alleger. H. W " 1869 Washington Cornish Piano Co " 1876 Florey Bros " 1909 New York Boardman & Gray Established 1837 Albany Wegmann Piano Co " 1882 Auburn Brockport Piano Co " 1893 Brockport Smith. Freeborn G " 1848 Brooklyn Wissner. O " 1878 Chase & Baker Co '' 1900 Buffalo Kurtzmann. C, & Co " 1848 " Ahlstrom Piano Co " 1875 Jamesto^^•n Aeolian Co., The " 1887 New York Aeolian-Weber Piano & Pianola Co.. " 1903 American Piano Co " 1909 Amphion Co " 1901 " Archer Piano Co " 1906 " Autopiano Co., The " 1903 " ^62 APPENDIX Bacon Piano Co Establislied 1780 New York Bailey Piano Mfg. Co " looi " " Baumeister. H " 1894 u u Bayer Piano Co " igoG ••■.•■.. ^^ ^^ Becker Bros " 1902 " " Beiining Piano Co " 1861 " " Behr Bros. & Co ... " 1S81 ! ! '< <' Berry- Wood Piano Player Co " . . . . . . '. . . . \ . \ . . . .' .' ." .' " Biddle Piano Co '• 18G1 " " Bjur Bros " " igs? ...................'. " Bopdicker"s Sons. J. D " an Bogart, Edwin B., & Co '. '.'."' " 1899 " Bogart. W. F " " ' ' ' <. Bollerman & Son ' " isSO " " Bramhacli. Carl, & Son '.\ " 1010 " " Braumuller Piano Co ' " 1887 " Brunner & Co., C. A .'.'.' •■ « Byrne, C. E., Piano Co " 1862 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " Cable &. Sons " 1852 " <• Chilton Piano Co " ^ « Christman Sons " <. u Collins & Kindler " iqiq " « Connor, F " 1877 " " Davenport & Treacy Piano Co . " 1896 ................ " Decker & Sons " i856 " " De Piivas & Harris " 1905 « « Dobson, E. S., & Co ' " « « Doll. Jacob, & Sons " 1871 " " Dnsinberre & Co " i884 " " Estey Piano Co " 1885 " « Fischer, J. & C " 1845 ................. " « Frederick Piano Co " u ^ Furlong, A. B., Piano Co . . " 1910 " Gabler, Ernest, & Bro " 1854 . . . " « Greve, G. B " i896 .... . . .' ...'.'.'.'.'. [ [ '. ] ' " Hardman. Peek & Co " 1842 " '« Haines, W. P., & Co '• 1898 . . '. . . . " " Harrington, E. G., & Co " 1886 " " Hasbrouck Piano Co " 1886 " " Hazelton Bros " 1840 " " Homer Piano Co " 1907 « « Howard, R. S., Co " 1902 " « Jacob Bros " 1878 " « James & Holmstrom " 1874 '< « Janssen, B. H " 1901 « a Keller, Henry. & Sons " 1892 . » u Kelso, S. R. .* " " Kelso & Co " 1891 " " Kindler & Collins " 1910 " " Kirchhoff, Lawrence " 1901 " « Kohler & Campbell " 1894 " " Krakauer Bros " 1869 " " Kranich & Bach " 1864 '■ " Kroeger Piano Co " 1852 " " Laffargne Co.. The " 1896 " " Lawson & Co " 1906 " " Leckerling Piano Co " 1886 " « Leins, E., Piano Co " 1889 " " Lindeman. Henry & S. G " 1S36 " " Lindeman k Sons Piano Co " 1887 " " Lockhardt Piano Co " 1892 " « APPENDIX 463 1871 1889 1892 1846 1882 190() 1844 1889 1902 1898 Lock-wood Piano Co Estiihlislicd Lud\vi() Richardson Piano Case Co •' 1891 Smith, F. C " [[[ .....'..'. Wellington Piano Case Co " 1895 " Tuner's Supply Co.. The Tools 188.) Somcrville Simplex Player Action Co Player Actions 1883 Worcester . Cambridge Leominster New IIa.mpsiiihe Parker & Young Co. Soundijoards 1857 Lis! New Jersey Abbott Piano Action Co Actions 1858 Fort Lee American Musical Supply Co Supplies 1897 National Music String Co Strings Celluloid Piano Key Co Keys 1S76 Looschen Piano Case Co Cases 1885 . . . .Jersey City New Brunswick New York Paterson New York Phelps, :\I. S.. Mfg. Co " 1891 Brockport Brown & Patterson Iron Frames 1861 Bnxiklyii Y'oung. F. W. & Co Actions 18G8 Wood & Brooks Co Actions and Keys 1901 BulTalo Cheney, A. C, Piano Action Co Actions l!-'92 Castleton Davis, I. E., Mfg. Co Cases 1903 Cortland Breckwoldt. Julius, & Co Soundboards 1890 Dolgeville Ramsey, Chas., Co Hardware 1897 Kingston New York Pianoforte Key Co Keys 1890 Middle'town Crnbb & Kosegarten Bros Actions 1837 American L'nion String Co Strings Auto-Pneuniatic Action Co Player Actions Connorized Music Co Music Rolls Courtide. Jos. N Cases 1872 Erlandsen, J Tools 18(il G(.ei>cl, C. F., & Co Hardware 1892 Haas, Henry, & Son '• 18(i0 House. C. W.. & Sons Felts 1002 Ka])p. Kdbt. L.. Co Hammers 1910 Koch. Hud. C Strings 1H58 Mapes, Stephen S " N. Y. Co-operative Piano String Co.. " 1^92 Npw York Piano Hardware Co Hardware 1907 Pfriemer. Charles Hammers 1870 Tingue, Brown & Co Fidts 1901 Ramacciotti. F Strings 1-SG7 Schirmer, Charles Hardware lS<)ti Schmidt. David IL. & Co Hammers Schwander Action Co Actions Staib-Abendscliein Co " Standard Pneumatic Action Co Player Actions. Strauch Bros Actions Wasle & Co " Wessell, Nickel & Gross " 1856 1845 1890 18(i7 1876 1875 ... Nassau New York 466 APPENDIX Engelhardt, F., & Sons Actions 1889 Ohio Fairbanks Co., The Iron Frames 1890 Kelley, 0. S., Co " " 1890 Wickham Piano Plate Co " " 1890 Wisconsin Billings Spring Brass Flange Co. . . . Hardware St. Johnsville . . ..Springfield . . .Milwaukee CANADA PIANO MANUFACTURERS Nova Scotia Willis Piano & Organ Co Established . . . .Stellarton Ontakio Snyder & Co., Wm Established • Dominion Piano & Organ Co Doherty & Co., W Barclay. Glass & Co Bell Piano & Organ Co Morris Piano Co Wormwith & Co William Sons, R. S Williams Piano Co Martin Orme Piano Co Blundall Piano Co Consolidated Crossin Piano Co Gonrlay, Winter & Learning Heintzmann & Co Heintzmann Co., Gerhard Mason & Risch Piano Co Mendelssohn Piano Co Newcombe Piano Co Nordheimer Piano & ^Nlusie Co Owen & Son. R. S Stanley, Frank Palmer Piano Co Uxbridge Piano & Organ Co Karn Co., D. W Thomas Organ & Piano Co., The .... .Berlin 1870 Bowmanville 1875 Clinton Dundas 1S04 Guelph 1892 Listowel Kingston 1849 London Oshawa Ottawa Toronto 1908 1850 1871 1885 . Uxbridge 1832 .Woodstock Quebec Craig Piano Co Established ■ Lafi argue Piano Co., The Pratte, A Shaw & Co., J. W Willis & Co Lesage & Fils Senecal & Quidoz . Montreal St. Therese de Blainsville PIANO SUPPLY :\IANUFACTURERS Ontario Barthelmes & Co., A. A Actions — Best & Co., D. M Hammers — Bohne & Co " — Canada Piano Action & Key Co Actions and Keys — Coates, A. E '. Strings " — Higel Co., Otto Actions and Keys - Kerr, A Actions - Loose, Jos. M Keys — Toronto Piano String Mfg. Co Strings . . .— .Toronto INDEX GENERAL INDEX Action. Practico, Clavier. 82. 83 Actions. (Jraiul. 58. 5t). 60. 61, 84, So, 88, 89. 90. 91. 258 Actions, Ilammor, .31. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46, 47. 48, 83, 84-96, 126-128. 261, 262 Action, " Hopper." 218 Actions. riayor-Piano. 162 Action. Ucpctition. 247 Actions. Tpriglit, 53, 54, 91-96 Agra He. 61 Bri(lj,'c. Soundboard, 52, 109 BiidiTc. Linear. 323 P>nsli Tcniplc of .Music, Chicago, 35G Capo Tasto. 61 Cases, Grand. 38. 57, 58. 63. 64 Cases, Piano. 116-117. 119. 120 Clavichord. 29, 30. 31 Clavicvtheriuni, 29 Clavier. 82. 83 Collections of Musical Instruments. 429 Collections of Old Instruments. 188, 428, 429 Conclusions. 433-439 Conservatory of ^Music. Bush Temple. Chi- cago, 356 Consolidation of Large Firms in Piano Trade. 182 Haixs Coiitiitved Krard. 253, 393. 398 (iewandliaus (Xew), Leipsic, 388 <;e\vandliaus (Old), Leipsic, 380 Herz, 258, 393 Pleyel, 257, 393. 399 Steck, 318, 393 Steinway, London. 309 Steinway, Xew York. 175. 302. 309, 390, 393 Hammers, Piano, 97-106. 123 Handel and Haydn Societv, 276 Harp. Erard. 352. 353 Harpsichord, 34-38. 188. 189 Alessandro Trasunti's Art (Insert 191) Janko Keyboard, 78-83 Ke. Chinese. 28 Keyboard, 37, 38, 77-83 Literature on the Pianoforte, 423-429 .Alarketing of Pianos. 200. 201 Monochord. 27 Name. \'alue of. in the Piano Industry, 213. 214 Damper, 31, 47, 54 Department Stores, a Factor in tlie Pi;i Industry. 182 Dulcimer. 41. 42, 43 Export. 199, 200 Felt, Piano. 120-123, 240. 241. 2.59 Fliigel. 57-65 Frames, Iron, Grand, 59. 61-63. 69-76 Frames, Iron, Piano. 128 Frames, Iron, Square. 50-52. 69. 302 Frames, Iron, Upright, 53, 55, 56, 69- 74. 75 Hackbrett, 41. 42, 43 Halls : Aeolian. 331 Bliithner. 393. 400 Biisendorfer. 220. 393. 401 Chickering. 175. 274, 391, 393 Ehrbar, 222, 393 Organ. 77 Organ. American Cabinet, 316 Pedal, 38 Piano. The Art. 187-191 Pianos. Art Grand Baldwin Comjjany (Insert p. 190) Chickering & Sons " " Erard " " Everett Piano Company " " .Fohn Broadwood & Sons " " dulius Bliithner " " Ludwig Brisendorfer " "' Pleyel. Lyon & Co. •' " Rudolf I bach Sohn Steinway & Sons " " ^\t'ller Piano Coin]>any " '' William Knabe & Company " '' Piano. The Commercial, 165. 175. 179-181, 261 Pianoforte. 41-48 Piano. Grand. 57-65. 69. 70-71. 77. 304 Pianos, in Department Stores. 182 469 470 IXDEX Piano Industry, Leading Firms in. 213 Piano Manufacturers. Consolidation of, 182, 183 Pianos, Number produced per year, 175, 206. 434 ^'aluc of vearlv output, 175 Pianos, Pedal. 191-194 Pianos, Square. 47. 52, 57, 269. 302 Pianos, Stenciling. 182 Piano. Upright, 53-57, 65, 70, 71, Insert 190. 260 Pianos. Value of Xame on. in the Piano Industry. 213-215 Piano. Vertical Grand. 48 Pins. Hitch and Tuning. 128 PiAxo Players axd Pi.wer Pianos: " Aeolian " Organ, 327 "Aeriol" Pianos, 147. 150. 328 " Angelus " Piano Phiyer, 138 " Apollo " Piano Player, 154 " Aristano " Grand Player Piano. 375 •• Artistyle." 158 " Ariston " Piano Phiyer. 155 Bishop & Downe's Keyboard Attach- ment, 1883. 136, 139 ' Brown's Interior Player, 1897, 150 Bain's Automatic Piano. 133 Cecilian Player Piano, 372 " Celestina " Orguinette, 327 Clark's Stroke Button, 1905, 155, 156 Clark's Stroke Button. 1907, 155. 156 Clark's Transposing Deyice. 1899. 151. 152 Clark's Transposing Deyice. 1902, 152 Crook's '• Themodist." 1900, 158. 161 Danquard's Flexible Finger Mechanism, 1904, 154, 155 " Dea " Piano Player, 157 Fourneaux's " Pianista," 133, 134, 135 Gally's Player Mechanism, 1881, 136, 138 Goolman's "Harmonist" Player. 1S98, 152, 153. 379 Hobart's Endless Tune Sheet, 1908, 154 Hupfeld's '■ Phonola " Player, 1902. 155. 157. 158, 159 Jacquard's Perforated Endless Card- board, 133 Kelly's Wind ]Motor with Slide Valyes. 1886. 136, 139 Keeley-Danquard '" Temponome." 1911, 158. 162 Klugh"s Auxiliary Key, 1906. 153, 155 Kuster's Mechanical Instrument. 1886, 130, 140 ilcTammany's Automatic Playing Or- gan, 186S. 134. 135, 136, 137 " Metrostyle " Player Piano, 158, 161 Morse's Automatic Organ, 132 Pain and Kuster's Self-playing Piano, 136. 137 Pape's Automatic Piano, 133 Parker's Automatic Piano, 1892, 137, 141. 142 " Peerless " Piano Player, 152. 379 '• Phonola " Piano Player, 155, 157, 158, 159 " Phrasing Lever," 158 '• Pianista " Piano Player, 133, 134. 135 " Pianola " Piano Player, 150. 372 Player Pianos, 131-162, 194, 195 Seytre's Automatic Piano, 133 " Simplex ' Piano Players, 150 "Temponome." 158, 162 "Themodist" Player Piano. 158. 161 Vaucanson's Pierced Cj'linder for Auto- mr.tic ^lusical Instruments, 133 Votey's Cabinet Player, 149, 150 Welin's Individual Valve System. 1902, 155. 157 " Welte ^lignon " Piano Player. 157 White and Parker's Combination Up- right Piano and Reed Organ, 1895, 143, 144 White and Parker's Automatic Piano Player, 1897, 145-148 Yovmg's "Metrostyle." 1901, 158, 101 Pvesonator. 110. Ill Scale. Diatonic and Chromatic. 77 Scale. Equalizing. 323 Scale, Flat, 49, 62, 70 Scale, Overstrung. 51. 52. 54. 5'o. 62. 63, 64, 71. 302 Soundboard. 31, 106-111. 117-119 Spinet. 32. 33 Hans Ruckers Double (Insert p. 191) Stencil, Legitimate Use of. .182 Strings, 31, 38, 53, 54. 55. 69 Trade Associations Among Manuf:u-turer3 and Dealers. 405-411 Trade Press. The. 415-420 Trust Movement of 1892. 1897, and 1899, 205 Virginal, 33, 34 Wire. Piano. 123-120, 242 Wrest Plank, 49 INDEX OF NAMES Abbott. Frank A.. 417. 418 Abbott Piano Action Co.. 321 Adam. C.-ilianl. 231 Ai'oliuii ((.inpanv. 147. 150, 152. 182, 190. 2!)!t. 31!». 32G. 329, 330. 332, 334. 372 Aeolian Coinpanv. Ltd.. 332 A('t)lian Organ & Music Company. 327 Aeolian. Weber Piano & Pianola Company, 332 Albrcciit. Cliaiies. 50 Allen and Tlioni. 50. 00. 70 Allffiiier & Zoon. 263 Allison. Arthur & Co.. 248 American Piano Company. 183, 276. 286. 296. 335 Ammoii. .John. 104. 105 .\mpliion Company. 334 Andre. Cn-l. 408* Ancit I'lO. 337 Fal)er. Daniel. 30 Farrand Co., Tlie, 3G2, 372 Farrand, W. K., 371 Farrand & Votev Co., 371, 372 Fetis. :\r., 29. 423 Feiirieli. Hermann. 409 Feurieh, Julius. 230 Fischer. A. H.. Insert 410 Fischer. Carl. 107. 210. 289 Fischer, Cliarles 8.. 280. 290 Fischer, John IT.. 289. 290 Fischer, J. &. C. 210. 290 Fisclier. P. F.. 98. 121 Fortin. 121 Foster, Armstronp; & Co., 183 Foster. C. H. W., 330 Foster & Company, 335 Fournea n\. 1 33-1 35 Fox. Orrin L., 417 Freund. Harry E., 417 Freund. John C 410, 417 FricI Lyon. Gustave. 257. 40G Lyon & Healy, 350-354 MacKay, Jolin. 174. 270. 271 Malmsj.i. I. <;., 2(J3 .Mand. Carl, 231 Marius. 41. 42 ]\Iarsh:ill, James & Traver. 287 Marshall. Sir Ht-rbcrt. 409 Marshall & Mittaiicr. 320 Marshall & Wendell. 287, 335 ilartin, Jane, 427 Mason. Henry, 315 Mason. John' W.. 326 !Mason, Lowell. 315 :\Ias()n & Hamlin. 70. 110. 181. 315. 310 Mason. -J. R.. 370-372 [Mathews. Mason .1.. 327 Matluishek. Frederiek. 84. 85. 100. 108. 109. 123. 321-325 Matluishek Piano Co.. 323 [Matluishek & S(m. 325 Mathushek & Sons Piano Co., 321 [Matzka. George, 274 :\kPhail. A. M.. 278. 279 MePhail Co., A. M., 279 [MeTanunany. John. 134-137 :Mehlin. II. Paul. Insert 410 :\I.'hlin & Sons. 330 [Mendelssohn. Felix. 191. 228 -Menter. Sophie. 228. 318, 399 [Merekel. 123 [Merrill Piano Co.. 338 [Methfessel. Albert. 300 [Merer & Co.. 174. 231 [Miller. Henry F., 330 [Miller. .Tames C, Insert 410 [Miller. Jr.. Henry F.. 337. Insert 410 [Miller. [Martin. 124. 125 [Miller & Sons Piano Co.. Henrv F.. 194. .336. 337 [Mills. S. B.. .309 [Mola. 167. 216 [Mollenhauer. C. 274 [Monninjrton & Weston. 248 [Monroe Organ Reed Company, 328 [Montana. 262 [Moore. William, 293 [Morgenstern «S: Kotrade. 127 [Morse. Justinian. 132. 133 [Moseheles. 169. 257 [Mo.ser. 108 [Mott. Henry A.. 426 [Mozart. Wolfgang Ainadeus. 32. 59. 87, 218. 243. 385-387 [Musin. Ovid, 350 Xagel. G. L.. 231 Xaish. 121 Xeitzel. Dr.. 338 Nelson Co.. The H. P., 362 Xeuhaus, 78 Newman Brothers. 302 Nickel, Adam. 380, 381 Nickel. .Jr.. Henry, 381 Nickerson. William K.. 417. 418 Nieniaiui. Dr. Walter. 285. 424. 426 Nishikawa & Son. 266 Norton, Edward Quiney, 425 Nunns, William, 289 Nunns & Clark, 174 Nunns & Company, William, 308 Nunn.s & Fischer, 289 Oor, J.. 263 Orchestrelle Co.. 332 Ortiz & Cusso. 171 Osborn. John. 50. 270, 286 Packard. Isaac T., 372 Packard Co.. 373, 374 Paderewski, I. J.. 392. 399 Pain, R. W., 136, 137. 331 Paine, J. H., 275, 276 Pape. Henri, 84, 93. 98, 108. 121. 133. 191. 259, 260 Parker, William D., 137, 1.38, 141, 142 Parsons. Charles H., Insert 410 Patzschke. C. W., 240 Patzschke. F. W.. 240. 241 Patzschk«". Rudolf. 241 Paul. Dr. Oscar, 424 Payson. Edward S., 293, Insert 410 Pease Piano Co.. 336 Peck. Leopold. 290 Perkins. Edward R.. 330 Perzina. Paul, 79-83 Pfeirter. .\. J.. 231 Pfeiffer. Carl J.. 101-1!)4. 231 Ptister. IL. 231 Pfriemer. Charles. 382 Pianola Ctniipany, 332 Pianola Company Proprietiiry, Ltd.. The. 332 Plaidy. 169 Pleyel. Camille. 256. 257 Pleyel. Ignace. 54. 93. 254. 257. 392 PleVei. Lvon & Co.. 124, 171, 190. Insert ' 190. 191. 257 Pleyel, [Madame. 257 Pleyel. \\olff & Co.. 125 Poe'hlmann. [Moritz. 124. 125, 237, 242 Poehlmaini. Richard. 242 Poehlmaiui & Son, 248 Pond. Handel, Insert 410 Poole Piano Co.. 338 Post. Charles X., 352-354 Powers. Patrick II.. 293. 294 Price & Teeple. 3»)2 Pugno. 348 Putnam. Charles R.. Pj'thagoras, 27 Quigg. J. Travis, 417 Insert 410 476 INDEX Rachals, Adolf Ferdinancl. 233 Kachals, Edward Ferdinand. 232-234 Rachals, Mathias Ferdinand, 232, 233 Raven. 277 Reed, P., 287 Reinecke, 169 Reisenauer, 338 Remenvi. Ed., 274 Rijken & de Lange, 263 Rimbaiilt. Dr. Ed. F., 34, 423, 424 Ritmiiller. Andreas Georg, 168, 226 Ritter. 231 Rohlling. Gebrlider. 231 Rollason & Son. 124 RCnisch. Carl. 236, 237 Roosevelt. Frank. 371 Roseler, 167, 216 Rose, Frederick, 245 Rose, George D., 245, 409 Rose. George Thomas. 243 Rosenkrantz, Ernst, 168 Rosenkrantz, Ernst Philip. 226 Rosenkrantz. Friedrich Wilhehn. 226 Rosenthal. Moriz, 158, 285, 392, 393, 398 Rossi. 33 Roth. A. P.. 379 Roth & Engelhardt, 379 Rubinstein. Anton. 175, 305, 309. 390, 338 Puckers, Hans. 166, 188, Insert 190 Pummel, Franz, 275 Sackmeister, 84 Saint-Saens, 257. 285 Sauer, 225 Scarlatti, 37, 276 Schaaf. Adam, 362 Schaeffer Piano Mfg. Co., 362 Scharwenka, Xaver, 275 Scheel, Carl. 233 Schiedmaver, Adolf, 228, 229 SchiedmaVer, Adolf, Jr., 228, 407-409 Schiedmaver, Balthasar, 168, 228 Schiedmaver, Hermann. 228, 230 Schiedmaver, Johann David. 168, 227. 228 Schiedmaver, Johann Lorcnz, 22S, 229 Schiedmaver, J. & P., 229 Schiedmayer, Julius, 229-231 Schiedmayer, Lorenz, 168 Schiedmaver, Max, 230 Schiedmayer, Paul, 229, 232 Schiedmaver & Sohne, 228 Schiller Piano Co., 362 Schmidt, David H., 381 Schmidt, Franz, 407 Schmidt, Johann, 53 Schmidt, John Frederick. 381 Schneider's Neffe, Josef, 222 Schomacker, Henry C, 282, 336 Schomacker, John 'Henry, 214, 280, 281 Schomacker Piano Co., 281 Sch()ne, Louis P., 191 Schroder, Carl, 265 Schnlder, Carl Xicolai. 263-265 Schrikler, Johann Friedrich, 262, 264 Schroder, John, 265 Schrckler, Karl Michael, 264 Schroder, Oskar. 265 Schroter, Christoph, 42, 43, 45, 86, 88, 165 Schulz Co.. M., 360 Schulz, Mathias, 359, 360 Schulz. Otto, 360 Schumacher. Johann Heinrich. 214. 280 Schumann Piano Co., 362 Schumann, Robert. 191, 194 Schwander. Jean, 91, 95, 127, 260-262 Schwarz, M., 274 Schweighofer Sohne. I. M., 222 Seaverns, George W., 96, 127 Seidl, Anton, 275, 309 Sembrich, 285 SeuflTert, 221 Seyffarth, Hermann, 428 Sevtre, 133 Sliaw, F. S., 345 Shoninger, Bernhard, 316 Shoninger, S. B., 317 Shudi, Burkat, 188, 214, 243, 244 Sievers, G. F., 167, 216, 424 Silbermann. Andreas, 217 Silbermann, Gottfried. 44, 45, 58, 86, 167, 217, 386 Silbermann, Johann Daniel. 217 Silbermann. Johann Friedrich. 217 Simplex Piano Player Co.. 334 Simpson, John Boulton, 366 Smith, Barnes & Strohber Co.. 362 Smith, Chandler W., Insert 410 Smith, Freeborn G.. 314. 315 Smith & Houghton, 124 Smith & Sons, 125 Sohmer, Hugo, 320 Sohmer & Co., 320 Southwell, William. 54 Spillane, Diniel, 425 Spinnetti, Giovanni, 33, 33, 216 Squire & Son. B.. 248 Standard Pneumatic Action Co., 334 Starck Co., P. A.. 362 Starr, Benjamin. 348. 349 Starr, James S., 348, 349 Starr Piano Co., 349 Steck, George, 175, 182, 233, 318. 319 Steck & Co., George, 332 Steger, John V., 361, 362 Stein, Friedrich, 218 Stein, Johann Andreas, 47, 48, 58, 59. 84. 87, 168, 218. 387 Stein-Streicher, Nannette, 59, 168. 218. 219,. 388, 400 Steinert, Morris, 188, Insert 426, 427. 429, 438 Steinert & Sons, M., 427 Steinwav, Albert, 311, 312 Steinwav, Charles, 301-304, 306, 313 INDEX 477 SU'inwav. riiarlos IT., 312 Sti'iinva'v. C. F. Theoilore. 301, 303 30S* 31-2. 313 Stcinway. Frederick T., 312 Stciiiway, Henry, 300 Steinway. Henry Kngelhardt, 214, 301, 308", 313, 3!)S Stcinway. Henry, Jr., 301, 304, 307, 31 Steinway, Theodore ("assel)eer, 312 Steinway, 'I'iieodore V., 312 Steinway. William, 174, 170, 280, 300 Steinwav & Sons. 51, 02, 03. 71-73. S.) 102-lO.J. 174. ISO. Insert 100. 190. 313 Steinwej;-. Henry Knj;vlliardt, 214, 221, 200. 30(» Sterling. ( iiarles A.. 370, 371 Sterling Co.. 'llie, 370 Stewart, .lames, 270 Stewart & Chiekering, 270 Stieff. Charles .M.. 201, 202 Stietr. Frederick P., 200, 291 Still Brothers, 58 Str.cker. S5 Stodart. Robert. 58, 59, 69. 277 Story. Kdward H., 370, 377 Story, lianiplon L.. 375, 370, 378 Story & Canij), 370 Story & Clark. 37(>. 378 Story & Clark Organ Co., 370, 378 Story & Powers. 375 Straidx" Piano Co., 302 Streicher. Kniil, 210 Streieher. .lohann Baptist, 80, 87, 108. 219 Streicher, Johann Andreas. 64, 218 Streicher & Solin, J. B.. 219 Streicher it Solin. Nannelte, 218 Strieli & Zeidler. 336 Strohmenger & Son, 248 Stiiltz & Bailor, 336 Stuyvftsant Piano Co., 332 Syverson, Ole, 381 Toelnioli Piano Co., 332 Thil)0)i\ille-Lamy. 405 'ihoiiias. 'Iheodorc. 175. 309 'Ihonis. William M.. 410 Tliiinner. I'erdinand. Trasiinti. Alessandro Trayser. 34S, 349 Tremaine, Charles M.. 277 Tremaine. Ilarrv B.. 328-333 Tremaine. William B.. 327. 328. 3.33 Tsclmdi. i?iirekhar(lt. 173. 214. 243 Tvndall. .lohn, 305, 425 300, 302, -313 , 89. 301- 232, 218, 232 188. In.sort 190 Van Yor.x, 100 ^'aucanson, 133 Vits, Kmile, 2ti3 Voealian Organ Com])anv, 332 Vogel & Sohn, 1. G., 231 ' A'ose, James Whiting, 293-295 \'ose, Willard A., 294 \'ose & Sons, 294, Vose & Sons Piano Co., 294 Votev, Edwin S., 149, 150, 152, 371. 372 \'otey Oigm Company, 332 330, 331, Universal .Music Co.. 332 Valley (Jem Piano Co., 340 VanderstuckeJi. Frank, 274 \mi Ihfte. B.. 203 Wachtl & Bleyer, 00 \\'agener, Charles 11., 370 Wagner, Richard, 224. 305, 318 Washburn & Moen, 124, 125 Watson, Henry C, 415, 416, 420 W'eber, Albert, 65, 175, 179, 182, 286, 296- 299 Weber Piano Co., 100. Insert 100, 299. 320- 331, 332 Webster & Ilorsfall, 12:;. 124 Weickert. August .Moritz. 237. 239. 240 \\'eiekert, Carl .Morit/. 121. 241 Weickert, Fritz, 241 Weickert, 1. D., 239, 241 Weickert, Ma.x, 241 Weickert, Otto, 241 Weidig. C, 236 Weil, .Milton, 417 ^\'ek•ker von Gonter-liauscu, 423 A\"elin, Peter. 155, 157 Wellington Piano Case Co.. 321 Wells, Charles .\very. 417 Wonzel, 100 Werlein, Philip, Insert 410 Wessell, Arthur. 381 We-ssell, Fernando, 381 Wessell, Nickel & Gross, 90, 96, 370 Wessell, Otto, 379-381 Western Cottage Orgui Co.. 343 Wheeloek Piano Co.. 332 Wheeloek. William E.. 325. 326. 331. 410 Wheeloek & Co.. William E.. 325 White and I'arker, 143-148, 152 White, Edward 11., 308. 309 White. Frank C.. 368. 370 Wiiite. Henry Kirk. 307. 368. 370 White, Howard, 308-37(t White, James II., 30S-;;70 White, William B.. 425 Whitehead Brothers. 121 Whitnev. Calvin. 374. 375 Whitn«-y, C. J., 371 Whitnev Organ Co.. .571 WhitneV, W. C., 375 Wilcox.' H. C.. 308 Wilox & White Organ Co., 138, 144. 147. 15lt. 334. 368 Wilhelmi. 274 \\ ilke. 99 478 INDEX Wing, Frank L., 336 Wing, Luman B., 336 Wing, R. Delano, 336 Wing & Son, 336 Winter & Co., 336 Wissner, 336 Witton, Witton & Co., 248 \\'olff. Auguste, 257 Wolfinger, F. R., 343 Wolfinger Organ Co.. 343 Woodford, I. B.. 282 Wornum, Robert, 54. 92, 93 Wulsin, Clarence, 340 Wulsin, Liicien. 345-348 Wurlitzer Co., Rudolph, 355 Wurlitzer, Farney, 355 Wurlitzer, Howard, 354 Wurlitzer Mfg. Co.. Rudolph, 355 Wurlitzer, Rudolph. 354 Wurlitzer, Rudolph H., 355 Yamaba, Torakusu, 265, 266 Young, F. L., 158, 161 Zarlino. Giuseppe, 77 Zeitter & Winkelmann. 232 Ziegler, Doretta Steinway-, 312 Ziegler, Henry, 312 Zumpe, Johannes, 46-48, 87, 168, 172 University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-i'«« Return this nfwf*"-' *' ' QL. DTT JUL Ob 1998 iubject to Redall RECEIVEf APR 8 199( SEL/EtviS UBR.A1RY Series 9482 c 3 1205 00179 0581 rKrr'"E'*'-VM.B....,, ^^^ 297 041