The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-15
THE OVERSTRUNG PIANO SYSTEM.
ITS TrIumph at the Paris ExpositIon.

Its Triumph at the Paris Exposition.
For several months past the two insignificant
Paris musical journals, La France Musicale and
Gazette Musicale, both in the interest OF the
principal piano manu- facturers of Paris ana Jnat
of Messrs, Chickering. of Boston-all adherehVs
of the old system Of parallel strings-haVe per
sistently attacked the overstrung system III
pianos which, in its new appncatlon' was hrst
employed by Messrs. Steinway " son. Oh Chis
city, and has since been adopted by NUMBER
Of prominent makers in Berlin, Leipsic,
Vienna. and other cities of Germany, Holland
and Switzerland.
q The articles in these papers have invariably
been translated and produced here by the
equally disnterested WGtSOn's Art Journal 1--WE
believe that is its present name), the we'll
known local mouthpiece of Messrs Chickering
and have been by the latter disseminated
broadcast over the country
In its issue OF July the Art Journal has
an article filling nearly three pages, in rela-
tion to the late award of plano prizes at the
Paris Exposition, glorifying as usual the house
of ofChickering and attacking Messrs. Steinway
in the most malicious manner. But while
passing over its tissues of glaring falsehood
without comment, we quote the following edi-
torial opinion from this shining light of musi-
cal Journalism
~ hile all the sterling and acknowledged authori
ties OF the Partisan press gave their welconsidered
Ing The overstrupg principle in l6e steH%ay Grsnds
G n PpS Sas 5 Ss Ss
had been tested by the best European makers, and
abandoned as worthless still the admitted excellence
OF each instrument, the superior qualities conceded
and elT6oTSte & in the articles published M
American nrm, and OF the German firm halllng from
nanuIscture. We i,el profound contentment at the
bn S ins eompesoR because we
ing's pianos should receive the superior award to
both were to be submitted the critical examination
and test OF refined and competent judges"
There is but one little drawback to the "pro.
found oontentment" OF the Dirt journal, and
that is, there is not grain of truth in it.
The International Jury, whom it admits to be
"refned and competent judges" have distinctly
classified the Steinway piano first and before the
Chickering, and thereby awarded to Messrs.
Steinway the first gold medal of merit, and the
second to Chickering, Notwithstanding the most
strenuous exertions by nearly all the adherents
of the old system in Paris to have the names
arranged alphabetically, which the Supreme
Jury as well as the Imperial Commission re-
fused 10 do; and the names remained in order
show.
lowest grade of the Legion of Honor-by Mr..
ChickeriDg. through influential friends, from
the French Government is an entirely per-
sonal and outside matter without the slightest
connection with the awards at the Exposition,
not being recommended by or known to the
jury; and however IL may be used an lad
vertising dodge" to make people believe the
second medal in order of merit equal to The
Stelnway fTst-so distinctly classified by the
he Tegarded as the irne stanSsTd OF eKceIencs
The twaddle OF me Arr Journal respecting the
system 10 Is SIMPLY and
who exclusively use that system.
Besides the Messrs. Steinway, all our eminent
theirs, Steck Kranich. Bach & Co., Hazleton,
Knabe. Raven & Bacon, and many others, have,
for a number of years, applied the oyerstrung
system in their grand and square pianos, each
OF these skilful makers, in his own way and
peculiarity. bringing his instruments to great
perfection, and establishing high reputation
Instead of being abandoned as worthless"
IL is simply patent fact that the Messrs. Chick
ering, of Boston, are to-day the only makers
left IN the United States who still adhere to the
old European system of parallel strings in
grand pianos, just as they were the very last
clinging to the old system OF stringing-to the
old detached name,board, and the English
sfn6Ie , ercepttoS, had been making cverstrung
square pianos for several years.
AT the Paris Exposition, the most persistent
efforts were made by the adherents OF the old
system of construction to defeat the success OF
the overstrung pianos; and now that the latter
has become triumphant, they will endeavor TO
aUYite the new system to death. We predict an
1nundation of reckless newspaper attacks in
the small French musical journals, letters from
European manufacturers Interested artists and
writers. skilfuly prepared for the purpose. ana
published to throw discredit upon the vtcte-
rious overstrung pianos and their successful
makers All these, as matter OF course, VIII
be reproduced IN the organ mere,
and disseminated over the country by their
agents.
opposition of the powerful combination of all
the adherents of the old system, the triumph
of the pianos with overstrung construction, at
the Paris Exposition, has been grand IN the ex-
treme, far greater than could have been antlci-
pated by its most ardent friends.
A cable telegram to this office brings the
gratifying intelligence that, of eleven exhibitors
with overstrung pianos, two received gold
medals (the first and third prizes, and eight
received silver medals, while OF about four hum
dred with the old plan of sTinging, only three
received gold medals, and twenty-two silver
medals or a proportion in favor OF the over
strung system Of about twenty TO one. = o.
This stubborn and lncontrovertible fact enec.
tually refutes all past and future ISLANDERS ana
attacks made upon the overstrung system, by
Interested European or American makers and
their partisans. It must certainly be matter
of the greatest qualification to our New York
piano makers, that the new oYerstrung system
OF construction, which all of them use In their
grand and square pianos, has, by the skill OF
our various eminent manufacturers, given the
unuuestioned supremacy in piano making 70
New York, and has met with such unqualified
endorsement at the great piano tournament In
Paris.-EFOna The NJ y Weekly ReUiel0, JttIy lS
1867