THE

SEVENTH EXHIBITION

OF THE

MASSACHUSETTS

Charitable Mechanic Association

AT FANEUIL AND QUINCY HALLS,

In the City of Boston,

SEPTEMBER 1853

...
198. JONAS CHICKERING, Boston. One Grand, two Semi-grand, and one Square Piano-forte Cases. All Rosewood. The designs, especially of the Grand, the stock, the making, carving, and polishing, are all of first rate quality.
...
422. GEORGE HEWS, Boston. Four Piano-forte Cases. All Rosewood. Choice stock, well put out of hand.

440. WOODWARD & BROWN, Boston. Three Piano-forte Cases. One quite elaborate ; two plain ; no discredit to Boston.

454. DANIEL M. SMITH. Boston. Improved Piano Pedal. Rich Pattern.

461. BROWN & ALLEN, Boston. Three Piano-forte Cases. Style and entire finish excellent.

495. LEMUEL GILBERT, Boston. Two Boudoir Piano-forte Cases. Plain and very god.

514. HALLETT, DAVIS & CO., Boston. Two grand and two Square Piano-forte Cases. Designs very good. Making and polishing faithfully finished.

521. LOUIS H. BROWNE, Boston. One Piano-forte Case. Work that merits encouragement.

529. L. GOUJON & SON, Philadelphia, Pa., by M. M. Snow, Sample Card of Piano-forte Screws. A first rate article.
...
555. D. B. NEWHALL, Boston. Piano-forte Case. Plain case, good in quality.
...
617. T. GILBERT & CO., Boston. Piano-forte Case. Rich case, stock and work.

LIKE their predecessors at all previous exhibitions, the Committee were under the necessity of using the quiet hours of the night, in the prosecution of the business confided to their charge. Entire freedom from all extraneous sounds, and interior disturbing noises, must be enjoyed by a Committee to whom is entrusted so exact a matter as a decision upon the results of the machinery of music. Delicate shades of sound, and nice distinctions of tone, can be detected only when the ear is wholly undisturbed. No other sound than that upon which judgment is to be passed, must have access to the auditory nerve. Some persons, in consequence of the delicacy of their organ of hearing, are so easily disturbed by other sounds than those upon which they desire to pass judgment, that they always prefer to spend some time in stillness and seclusion, before listening to any musical instrument upon which an opinion is to be formed. Nor are they willing to go at once, from hearing a loud and full instrument, like an Organ, directly to a softer one, like a Piano-forte, unless some considerable lapse of time shall have intervened.

The neighborhood of Faneuil and Quincy Halls, in which the late Fair was held, is probably the noisiest part of Boston, and to the common hubbub, were added the noise and confusion created by the thousands of visitors who thronged the Halls until ten o'clock at night. It was not till this hour, that the Committee could operate, and it required long and careful attention to reach a result that their judgment approved.

There were presented for their examination thirty-nine instruments, mostly Piano-fortes, and in examining them, the Committee spent a great amount of time.

The Committee desire to state, that, on the first night of their examination, one of their number was absent, and that the remaining four members made their examination without him, and recorded the results which they reached. On the second night, the Committee was full, and a new investigation was carefully and elaborately made. The doings of the former meeting were reexamined, and tested with the greatest care, and the most rigid impartiality, and they feel the utmost confidence in declaring to the Association, which confided to them the discharge of so delicate a duty, and the the parties whose instruments were in competition, that they know that their conclusions are the results of an impartial and conscientious sense of fidelity to their trust.

The result of the second examination, was, in the main, confirmatory of the first, yet some change in the verdict, in particular cases, was made.

The Committee desire further to state, that before entering that part of the Exhibition Rooms, in which the Piano-fortes were placed, they sent a messenger to remove from all the instruments, the front boards containing the names of the makers, as well as the Exhibition ticket attached to each, which likewise contained those names and an Exhibition number ; so that, with but two exceptions, arising out of a peculiarity of shape, of which there was but one of each kind on exhibition, they were, all and each of the members, wholly ignorant of the factory from which the several instruments had emanated.

The Committee feel that they have a right to ask of the various contributors, as well as of the Association, to believe them when they declare, that they used every means which honest and honorable men could adopt, to enable them to act with unswerving impartiality.

It is a matter of great satisfaction that so many and so excellent instruments are furnished by the several manufacturers of Boston, and that successive Exhibitions have shown instruments decidedly in advance of their respective predecessors.

The talent now engaged in this important branch of mechanical industry, cannot fail to bring out results at one flattering to the pride of Boston, so justly proud of her artistic skill in the department of musical instruments, gratifying to the taste of musicians, both professional and amateur, and sure to advance the cause of the important and delightful art of music.

[]. The first instrument to which attention was directed, was and Organ, built in Boston by Messrs. E, and G. G. HOOK, for the Congregational Society in Pittsfield, Mass., under the pastoral charge of the Rev. Dr. Todd... The Organ having been examined, the Committee proceeded to the lower end of the Hall, where were grouped the Piano-fortes, the Melodeons, and the Seraphines.

The Piano-fortes were twenty-four in number. One instrument in Faneuil Hall, made by J. Chickering, not having been sent for competition, but merely for the accommodation of visitors, in that part of the Exhibition Room, was not included by the Committee in their comparative estimate ; it, however, stood very high in their judgment, and is an instrument every way deserving of great commendation. The other Piano-fortes were as follows":

Three Grands,
One Semi-Grand,
One Parlor Grand,
Two Boudoirs,
Sixteen Squares.

As has been before observed, all marks indicative of the makers of the Piano-fortes having been removed, the Committee entered upon this portion of their duties in ignorance, with two exceptions, of the manufacturers by whom the instruments were presented.

For their own guidance, they numbered them from No. 1 to No. 24, consecutively, and upon these numbers made their report and their award.

It is proper for the Committee here to state, that after deliberating upon the point, as to wherein they should attempt judgment, whether upon the interior mechanism of the instrument, or upon the result of that mechanism, in the production of the right quality of touch, tone, and power ; a majority of the members decided, that the latter was their peculiar province, and that as no one of them was a musical mechanician, although they were all musical men, either professional or amateur, it would be a presumptive overstepping of their power, to attempt to judge of the fitness or unfitness of the mechanical appliances, which the several makers had introduced into their respective instruments. They therefore have made up their award upon the instruments, as they presented their capabilities to the musical ear.

If they have erred in their judgment, it should be borne in mind, that the acoustic properties of the Exhibition Hall are not good, brilliant instruments being evidently softened down, and tender and refined ones not coming up to their true merit. The air in the room, also, having been used and reused, issued and reissued from thousands of lungs, was in a very unfit condition for just musical effect, its power of resonance and its general elasticity being greatly reduced.

The judgment of the Committee, with these preliminary remarks, is now appended.

No. 1. A Semi-Grand Piano-Forte, very fine indeed, in touch and quality of tone, the former being elastic and prompt, and the latter round and full, yet mellow.

No. 2. A Grand Piano-Forte, of good touch, and light, for the power of the instrument. In tone powerful, round, full, and well balanced, a capital instrument, and the best of its class on exhibition.

No. 3. A 6 Octave, uneven and too muffled in tone. Both very undesirable qualities. Its touch was even and good.

No. 6. A 6 1/2 Octave. An improvement on No. 3, though, as a whole, not fully up in quality to high class instruments. It appeared better at the second trial, yet its tone is too muffled. It will, however, undoubtedly improve with use. Its touch is very fair.

No. 7. A 7 Octave. A very beautiful instrument, rich, mellow, and of good body, and will grow much better with use. Touch excellent.

No. 8. A 7 Octave of pleasant and lovely tone, but lacking in body. Touch very fair.

No. 10. A 7 Octave of 3 strings. This instrument failed on the first trial to make a favorable impression. Yet it came up materially in the second, having been re-tuned. The touch was very good, and many of the strings gave good resonance, but the uneven balance of the tone was a great defect. It is, however, a powerful instrument, and with a correction of this defect, must prove a valuable one, in accompanying the singing of masses, or glees, in the social music room.

No. 11. A 6 3/4 Octave. A very excellent instrument indeed, and entitled to much praise, having good tone, body and substance, perfectly even throughout, and responsive to the touch.

No. 12. A 7 Octave. A very fair Piano-forte in many respects, yet not of prime quality.

No. 13. A 7 Octave, neither a Grand nor a Semi-Grand, nor a Square, an instruments of novel shape, and scale, combining all the best qualities of all other shapes, in power, brilliancy, and body, and in full and rich resonance. A most desirable and welcome addition to the list of Piano-fortes, of elastic and quickly responsive touch. In shape mostly like the Grands, yet occupying much less room.

No. 17. A Grand Piano-forte. A good instrument, yet, though standing high in general qualities, not considered so good as either of its fellow Grands.

No. 18. A 7 Octave, with pearl keys, and with the Eolian attachment, of the stringed part of which, the legitimate Piano-forte itself, the Committee think very favorably. It is, as a Piano, brilliant and even, of good body and elastic touch.

21. A Grand Piano-forte, of excellent quality, yet not quite up to No. 2. This instrument has a fine body of tone, and good touch, but in mellowness and soundness is surpassed by No. 2.

22. A 6 1/[] Octave, powerful and brilliant, but not so smooth and mellow as some others in the Exhibition. Its touch is ready and responsive, and the instrument may be called a good one. Having thus completed the examination of these instruments, the Committee proceeded to recommend the award of premiums, and then to ascertain who were the makers of those to which premiums were recommended, not giving the names of the makers of unsuccessful ones. They recommend that there be awarded as follows, viz.:

To No. 13, a Gold Medal.

This instrument, on examining its Exhibition card, proved to be No. 198 of the Exhibition Catalogue, and made by JONAS CHICKERING, Boston.*

To No. 2, Best Grand, the First Silver Medal, for Grands.

This instrument proved to be No. 514 of the Catalogue, and made by HALLETT, DAVIS & CO.,

To No. 21, Second Best Grand, the Second Silver Medal for Grands.

This instrument proved to be No. 198 of the Catalogue, and made by JONAS CHICKERING, Boston.*

To No. 1. Best and only Semi-Grand, a Silver Medal. This instrument proved to be No. 198 of the Catalogue, and made by JONAS CHICKERING, Boston.*

To No. 11, Best Square Piano-forte. The First This instrument proved to be No. 440 of the Catalogue, and made by WOODWARD & BROWN,

To No. 7, Second Best Square Piano-forte, the Second Silver Medal. This instrument proved to be No. 198 of the Catalogue, and made by JONAS CHICKERING, Boston.*

No. 18, Third Best Square Piano-forte, for the stringed part of the instrument only, and exclusive of the Eolian attachment, the First Bronze Medal.

This instrument proved to be No. 617 of the Catalogue, and made by T. GILBERT & CO., Boston.

To No. 6, Fourth Best Square Piano-forte, the Second Bronze Medal. This instrument proved to be No. 551 of the Catalogue, and made by D. B. NEWHALL, Boston.

To No. 12, Fifth Best Square Piano-forte, the First Diploma. This instrument proved to be No. 514 of the Catalogue, and made by HALLETT, DAVIS & CO., Boston.

To. No. 8, Sixth Best Square Piano-forte, the Second Diploma. This instrument proved to be No. 461 of the Catalogue, and made by BROWN & ALLEN, Boston.

To No. 22, Seventh Best Square Piano-forte, the Third Diploma. This instrument proved to be No. 442 of the Catalogue, and made by GEO. HEWS, Boston.

*These recommendations of the Judges could not be confirmed, Mr. Chickering being a member of the Executive Committee, who reviewed the Reports of the Judges, and made the Awards, - the Committee having voted that no awards should be made to any of its members.

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