, 1876-10-25

-str fVrk 7HHe4, Oct, II.
WEpgn P1AKa HnoNs, FIFTH AyEScE, CORNER
StxrEEkNTa STREET, Oct 70, l87u.--7o he Edt-
tor " the tHttp FORK 9aEnes: The nnards Of tue
judges upon musical instruments at the Centennial
Exhibition are believed by the press md public
10 be made without determination either Of
Judgment or language. and in consequence arc
receiving the usual share Of ridieu!c.
Permit nc to sly land to proyc) that this ia m
error. In 10 fur us the paao manufacturers are
concerned, the Distinctions are wisely aud nicely
made, and both the Msssra. Stcuway i Sous
and myse hare every reason to applaud the Justice
and exscttltss OF tau yerdiets.
In order to make this pa!u, II Ia necessary to
untsrstand what has been aimed a. by tho piano.
Elakers Of the world for the pas. afty years, and
more particularly by tie Messss. SteInway + Soma
mud Albert WsteF durlug the laat twenty ycass.
The development Of tie instrument from the
original yirstnal carichosl, ~ youE readess proL-
ally WILL know haa been In the direction Of power
And expression.
Thu elarlchosd which was not leyoI OF errres.
HoH, WIS aln.ost destitute uf potter, and powcr
WIS for long ti1le tbs great des;dt FuuH In manu
fncture,
Unfortunately for the ultimate pianofortc, which
was 10 grow out Of this psodikious human effort It
found, after mauy years Ut experiment, that II
was much eaaer to gain power than to command
exp.essIon.
Tue use VI Iron and etecl aud the adaptation Of
machinery only soryed u accelcrntc progress In
thu direction os power. We ubta!ned lnrger vibr4-
slun, but our materials una appliances wcss ill.,
capable In themselves Of helshtensng the stnH1isiv
o! the instrument.
Ons ia not Hasptsscd, therefore, 10 Gnl In the
history ol the American ptanoforts that the In.
vrnuon Ut tic isun frame {rlalmcd by two rival
makers, but used by ull) doubled ut Que step the
power Of tho instrument and betrayed tho charac-
ter Df the improvements which were being ulRdu
here. ....... ...
Tlsv complaint Of every great musician up to our
cra was, that the plano faicd TO respond with the
same aacrty and drlicacy to the individuality and
the emotion ot tic performer that asc found In tho
violin.
Thero can be no doubt that the force Of ths oh.
icc.!on wns enhanced by the prod!gous elorta Ut
the mAkcss to galn strength md soa9rty Ut tone, ut
MY cost With the great struggle Of 'Ua in tho
1asls Exp0sIon tho enormous strides that had
been made, In the direction Of powerful tones,
first apparcnt
Thu American Instruments commanded and re-
cnived Tn Ill sides the n,0st extraordinary CON-
mcndatlon ios their volume and carrying qualities.
Hut 1t was perceived by experts that the mutcral
advantages weru not secured without sacrifice.
Thu ociaI report Of the International Jury of that
year, specifically mentions THU fact tpids official
report republlslaed by Steinway). ''lt cannot 10
yaid, - remarks II. Fcts, ''taat this foEnidab!o
sUHS {cEc4fEA AOlHll!k HAt 4H1 AAAuRtAA
manufacturers Of pianos Tepsoachcl the Americans
With having sacrificed ail Other eceusties Of art,
namely: sutetAtss, d<ifeuts aaaness, and cttar-
Htst."
Willie tue American pianos werc thua 1caplng al
the h1nuts duo tho Prodigiou4 strength, and tho
wurld OF art lanensng tho aacslacc of tho No.
bier qualities Ut seAsltlty and <cprfsalon, there
eams Into the tslil the IisdfF piano. Tbs Ayowed
purp0so of thu uakar Of &hls instrument VIA from
tho start correct tho Ut hls ussrous pre-.
dectss0ss aud, II pusx!blc, comb!ac In thu nstTu-
mcut tho tEo Requisites VI tho tdtat p!anu, naney
seasi1sltY or tympahetie qu4atlv toafa s 0rsatsst
pousF .-.
Mark the distinction. Tho responsive leleacy
aud reliability Of ntteraucu are afttr all the att-
Iuatc objects In Ai manufactured Musttat mech1n-
lsM. A pIanU to be perfect must, as Lsfxh Hunt
expresses 1t, be piecu Ut furniture with soul IN
u.
While the Ncssrs. etclnway were travelling QUO
road, I'll honorable Que, admit, was travelling
another aud ne9<r onu. Tiny had clutchsd all the
lHu.els that werv accessible to uuchan!cal !nysnui
". Their Instruments were everywhere Justly
pfu!sed Tor thetr latgeuexs Of toua, volume, aud
duration Of sound.
il now remained tor somebody to add tho sgmpa-
fAstte quality. which thu iucessaat struggle for
power had left out OF eight aud " secure Tbs prxa
n<rsr yet awarded for tho combination OF tie two
opposite exctllcnces.
THIS Weber spt htuaelf to do.
II you turn 10 tho awards Of Ihs Jurors u ghla.