SECTION 6.
Musical Instruments.
1. - JULIUS BAUER & CO., corner of State and Monroe streets (Palmer House), Chicago. Pianos, Organs and Musical INstruments. The pianos exhibited by this firm, in addition to those of their own manufacture, and bearing their name, were the William Knabe & Co., of Baltimore, Md., and known as the "Gold Medal Pianos," for which the exhibitors have the exclusive agency of the northwest. The Knabe instruments exhibited consisted of an elegant full concert grand piano, 7 1/3 octaves, rosewood case, one square parlor grand, and one square piano. These instruments have been before the public for over thirty years, and have attained an eminence upon their many points of excellence. Their tone combines great power and sweetness, as well as purity of intonation and evenness throughout the entire scale. In workmanship they are very fine, and made of the best seasoned material. Every Knabe piano is fully warranted for five years, and to all the instruments exhibited of this make was attached the "patent improved Agraffe treble." The J. Bauer & Co.'s improved Agraffe pianos, exhibited and manufactured by this firm, consisted of several superbly finished square piano, the clear, musical tone of which was much admired. These pianos contain all the essential qualities required in a first-class instrument as regards material, workmanship, durability and richness of tone. An assortment of the popular Needhan organs, together with musical instruments of all kinds, completed the commendable display of these exhibitors.
2. - THEO. J. ELMORE & CO., 78 State street, Chicago. Pianos and Musical Instruments. The pianos exhibited by this firm were of the celebrated Decker Bros. manufacture, and consisted of a grand square, and one of their new upright pianos. The Decker Bros.' instruments have become justly celebrated for their surpassing excellence. They are enriched with a singularly full, far-reaching body of tone of the purest quality, governed by an action so accurately balanced as to materially lessen the fatigue of playing, while at the same time it enforces with unequaled precision and fluency the performer's demand for variety of expression. The music produced from these instruments is massive, bell-like in the bass, rich, warm and full in the tenor, and fresh, bright, clear, almost sparkling and mellow, though penetrating, throughout the treble. The Decker piano seems worthy of the sweeping indorsements that have been accorded it by the press, and is a noble instrument of the first class, with every necessary quality to sustain its claims. The exhibitors may feel justly proud of having made up their display from such praisworthy materual. A fine line of small imported musical instruments completed the exhibition of this firm.
3. - W. W. KIMBALL, State and Adams streets, Chicago. Pianos, Melodians and Organs. The display made by this exhibitor attracted much attention, and won admiration from all sides. The exhibition comprised the world-renowned Hallet, Davis & Co.'s pianos, and the justly fames Smith's American Organs. Better instruments than either are difficult to name. Of the merits of the Hallet, Davis & Co.'s piano but little need be said in addition to the high praise already accorded it by such great musicians and composers as Franz Liszt, Franz Abt, Johann Strauss, and other bright lights of the musical world whose names are immortal and whose professional opinions stand for the highest modern authority on music. The pianos exhibited consisted of five in all, one grand, three square, and one upright, and all of superior finish and workmanship. Seventy-five first premiums have been awarded the Hallet, Davis & Co.'s instruments, and over 20,000 are now in use, their success being won by solid merit. Of the famed American organ, a full line of the various styles completed the display of this exhibitor, conspicuous among them being a superb parlor instrument costing $2,000 to manufacture. The purity and sweetness of tone in all the Smith instruments exhibited was excellent, the quality of same closely resembling the pipe organ.
4. - F. C. LIGHTE & CO., 164 and 166 State Street, Chicago. Pianos and Organs. The pianos exhibited by this firm were of their own manufacture, and bore the name of "F. C. Lighte & Co." They were of splendid exterior and careful interior finish. They combine with a rich and powerful tone, the utmost strength and power, and their tone and touch are very superior. The New England organs, exhibited by this firm, and for which they are general agents, are certainly deserving of much commendation for their evenness and sweetness of tone, purity of quality, and ready response to the touch. The display made by these exhibitors occupied a prominent space in the musical department, and was tastily arranged.
5. - LYON & HEALY, 162 State Street, Chicago. Pianos, Organs, and Musical Merchandise. Besides a large and varied display of organs and musical merchandise, this firm exhibited several grand, upright and square styles of Steinway & Sons' unapproachable pianos. It is unnecessary to refer at length to the world-wide reputation these instruments have attained. Since the year 1853 there has been manufactured the unprecedented number of 26,000 of the "Steinway" pianos, each one of which are reported to have given the most perfect satisfaction to the purchaser. The great superiority of these instruments over all others known is a generally conceded fact. The pianos of Steinway & Sons are endowed with the splendid sonority, and that seizing largeness and volume of tone hitherto unknow, which fills the greatest space. Brilliant in treble, singing in the middle, and formidable in the bass, this sonority acts with irresistable power on the organs of hearing. In regard to expression, delicate shading, variety of accentuation, the Steinway instruments have over those of their competitors an advantage which cannot be contested. The pianist feels under his hands an action pliant and easym which permits him at will to be powerful or light, vehement and graceful. These pianos are at the same time the instruments of the virtuoso, who wishes to astonish by the e'clat of his execution, and of the artist who applies his talent to the music of thought and sentiment bequeathed by the illustrious masters ; in one word, they are at the same time the pianos for the concert rom and the parlor, possessing an exceptional sonority.
6. - MASON & HAMLIN ORGAN CO., 80 and 82 Adams street, Chicago. Boston and New York. Cabinet Organs. These old and standard instruments require no description to illustrate their powers. By the uniform awards to them of highest premiums at Industrial Exhibitions, including a medal at the Paris Exposition, and the emphatic testimony of musicians generally, the manufacturers are justified in warranting their organs "the best instrument which it is practicable in the present state of the art to construct."
7. - A. REED & SONS, Temple of Music, Dearborn and VanBuren streets, Chicago. Pianos. The display made by thsi firm was decidedly worthy of note. Upon the space assigned them they erected a littel Temple of Music, a pretty specimen of minor architecturein the gothic style, for the exhibition of the renowned Chickering pianos. Two specimens of these pianos - the concert grand and cabinet grand - are entitled to elaborate description, being claimed by the exhibitors to be the finest instruments ever made.
The case of the concert grand was made of many different kinds of the finest woods, three or four of which are imported. The background, artistically speaking, was of amboyne and rosewood. The former, light and variegated in color, making a most pleasing contrast with the darker rosewood ; while the panels and trimmings of French walnut - tulip and amaranth - exhibited a degree of light and shade highly pleasing to the most fastidious. There was an abundant supply of gold-leaf and solid rosewood carvings, in addition to which were heavy gold bronze mouldings, running around both the top and base of the piano. Upon each side there was a fine bronze medallion, representing a band of cherubs. The top, or cover, of the instrument, has two ands of inlaid work, which the edge was trimmed with the much-admired amboyne. The name Chickering was engraved and inlaid with gold-leaf upon the name-board. The case was supported by three legs, most artistically designed and finely carved, while upon each was a bronze medallion of a lion's head. The cost of this instrument to manufacture was $3,500.
The companion of the concert grand, the cabinet grand, was of an entirely different shape. It was, perhaps, more elegant in appearance, though not as grand ; its form rendering it more susceptible of adornment. The same kinds of woods were used as in the other piano. Upon each end of the piano was a five-fluted pilaster, supported by the base of the instrument, which covered a space of twenty-five square feet, was fitted up in the most gorgeous style. Upon the front board was a beautiful bronze medallion, with six infant musicians. The leader could be observed with his little baton, while his band seemed to be entirely absorbed with their instruments. Upon each of the two pedestals was a bronze bust, encircled with a carved wreath, inlaid with gold-leaf. The case was trimmed with gold bronze moulding and solid rosewood carvings. The price of this beautiful instrument being $2,500. Upon the excellent qualities of the "Chickering" no comments are required, as the whole world bears testimony to their excellence and durability. The entire exhibition made by Reed & Sons was extremely notable, and for which they are deserving of great credit.
8. - ST. LOUIS PIANO MANUFACTURING CO., 307 and 309 Chouteau avenue, St. Louis, Mo. Bell Treble Pianos. The two pianos exhibited (square and grand) are remarkably fine instruments. THese pianos possess in an eminent degree all those superlative qualities, the presence of which have given the instruments of some few well known makers a world-wide reputation. Their most noticeable features are, the peculiar purity and sweetness of tone, the clear, bell-like singing quality of its music, and particularly an exquisite evenness adn softness of touch, so dearly prized by all pianists. This Company's pianos have been awarded thirty-two first premiums in six years, for superiority of tone and workmanship, by the most competent and impartial judges.
9. - STORY & CAMP, 211 State Street, Chicago. Pianos and Organs, This firm exhibited an elegant Arion grand piano, and a variety of the popular Estey cottage organs. While the Arion piano is not as renowned as some others claiming public favor, yet it fully challenges competition for style, workmanship, durability and harmonious music-giving qualities, and the opportunity given to contrast the merits of these instrumentss with almost every favorably known grade of pianos, fully established the fact beyond question that no more has been claimed for the Arion than it is justly deserving of. The Estey organ, also exhibited by this firm, is too well and favorably known in thousands of western homes to need especial comment, and the reputation which it has attained , has been deservedly won.
The Estey organs are remarkable alike for the sweetness and power of their tone, while in point of clearness of wound they have no superior. But their great especial feature is their new patented improvement known as the Vox Humana Tremolo. This is a simple fan-like arrangement, which, when put in motion, imparts to the music a tremolo admitting of all graduations of swell and tone, having in fact almost the expression of the human voice, and closely imitating it - being in short the best tremolo ever attached to a musical instrument.
Twenty years ago, reed music met with comparatively little favor ; but under the watchful care of Jacob Estey it has attained a wonderful state of perfection.
The display made by these exhibitors was creditable alike to themselves and those they represented.