THE

TENTH EXHIBITION

OF THE

MASSACHUSETTS

Charitable Mechanic Association

AT

FANEUIL AND QUINCY HALLS,

IN THE CITY OF BOSTON,

SEPTEMBER, 1865

The Committee on Piano-Fortes and other Musical Instruments would respectfully report that the following articles have been examined by them, viz.:
...
1265. HAZELTON BROTHERS, Boston. One Piano.
...
1378. C. C. RYDER, Boston. Piano-Forte Action.

1382. PAUL, HUMPHREY & CO., Boston. Carved Piano-Forte.
...
1540. CHICKERING & SONS, Boston. Twelve Pianos.

1547. GEORGE M. GUILD & CO., Boston. Three Pianos.

1563. PARKINSONS & SONS. Two Piano-Fortes.

[] HALLETT, DAVIS & CO., Boston. Nine Piano-Fortes.

1590. G. A. MILLER & CO., . Two Piano-Fortes.

1604. MCPHAIL & CO., Boston. Piano-Fortes.

1614. J. W. BRACKETT, Boston. Pedal Piano.

1661. WILLIAM B. BRADBURY, New York. Piano-Forte.

1675. J. W. BRACKETT, Boston. Pianino.
...

Your Committee feel deeply sensible of the delicate nature of the duty they have undertaken to perform. If it were the ordinary case of the inspection of ingenious mechanism or rare workmanship, it would be comparatively easy to decide upon competing claims ; but the construction of musical instruments requires not only mechanical skill, but knowledge of acoustics, appreciation of musical quality of tone, and the adaptation of all the parts to the production of artistic effects.

Without disparaging any purely mechanical labor, or setting up any undue claims for this branch of art, your Committee think it would be difficult to name any department of industry for which is requisite so much pains in selection of material, such experience and judgment in construction, such delicate perception of musical tone, in fine, such thorough union of mechanical skill and aesthetic taste as is employed in the manufacture of musical instruments.

Your Committee are satisfied that there has been in no branch of mechanical industry a more steady and rapid progress, The power and scope of the piano-forte, its resonance, the ease and rapidity of its action, and delicacy of touch, have constantly improved, until it may safely be assumed that the most indifferent maker surpasses in many respects the efforts of the most celebrated names of a quarter of a century ago. One change in the scale of those of recent date, however, is, in one respect, of questionable benefit. We refer to the mode of adjusting the strings at different angles of tension, popularly known as the "over-strung" scales. Increased power is undoubtedly gained in this way, but at the cost of all evenness of tone ; in passing from one group of strings to the next, the points of intersection are readily detected by the most ordinary ear, and the transition is as unpleasant as the breaks between the registers of an uncultivated voice.

Your Committee being fully aware that it has been common among interested people to depreciate the value of honorary awards by alleging that they are obtained by favoritism, or that committees commence their examinations under the influence of invincible prejudice, determined to anticipate such criticism by giving an unquestionable guarantee of fairness. Before making any examination of the competing piano-fortes, they requested the management to cover the names on the front, to arrange the instruments without method, and to leave only a dim light in the examination room. This order was strictly carried out, and your Committee made their examination in a darkened room, without the possibility of knowing the makers of the instruments they were deciding upon. Whatever may be the worth of the judgment which they now give to the management, it is certain that it was made without any prompting of interest, prejudice or bias.

The Committee recommended the following awards:

The instruments made by Messrs. Chickering & Sons your Committee consider as being very remarkable for their excellence, even when compared with the Exhibitions of former years.

Their Grand Piano-Fortes are eminently satisfactory ; so perfect, indeed, it may be difficult for a long time to make any decided improvement either in evenness of scale, brilliancy, fulness and fluency of tone, elasticity of touch, ease and promptness of action, or in the special singing quality which so many modern compositions require.

Your Committee especially designate No. 28065 as having, in their judgment, the sweetest tone, and as being the most desirable instrument for the drawing-room ; they also mention No. 28050 as a piano-forte of extraordinary power, with a richness and pungency of tone, and decision of action, that it would be very effective in the concert room.

The upright Piano-Fortes of Messrs. Chickering & Sons, when the inherent difficulties are considered, are even more praiseworthy. The improvement in these instruments is marked. The "jangle" as well as the metallic jar, which haunt them of old, has disappeared, and they "damp" almost as promptly as their great rivals. In quality of tone they are delightful, and they will undoubtedly come more into favor, especially with those who have not the room for the larger instruments. The one especially commended by the Committee is No. 28321.

Two Square Piano-Fortes of Messrs. Chickering & Sons at first about equally divided the judgment of your Committee ; viz.: Nos. 28293 and 28340. The preference was finally given to the first named for superior richness of tone, while the latter was allowed to be more fluent and more brilliant.

The Grand Piano-Fortes of Messrs. Hallett, Davis & Co. have many admirable features ; they have a great body of tone, and are specially commended for their fine touch and their beautiful singing quality.

The Square Piano of the same makers, No. 12790, was very much admired. It has great fulness, depth and mellowness of tone, and in certain grave styles of music would probably be unexcelled by any similar instrument on exhibition.
...

APPENDIX.

The Committee, after having made the foregoing award, guided by a construction of the rules which, in the opinion of many of their number allowed no proper recognition of the merits of the instruments, and no adequate award for improvements, desire to express to the government of the Association their opinion, that the highest honor is much more appropriate for such a magnificent Grand Piano-Forte as has been named for the first prize. They venture to suggest, that at future Exhibitions, the rules may be modified so as to allow greater freedom to Committees on Musical Instruments ; and that the results of so many years of experience, the products of so much skill and taste, be not put on the same plane with purely mechanical works, such as every household contains. And as the principles of justice as to awards are of no day or time, they respectfully urge that the Executive Committee will consider the matter at the present Exhibition ; and they would request the government to grant a Gold Medal for the Best Grand Piano-Forte to Messrs. Chickering & Sons, instead of the first Silver Medal awarded ; a Gold Medal to Messrs. Mason & Hamlin for their Cabinet Organs, in place of the Silver Medal ; and a Gold Medal to Messrs. Hallett, Davis & Co., for the marked improvement in all the Piano-Fortes exhibited by them - this last to take the place of the Silver Medal awarded for their Grand Piano-Fortes.

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