Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-11


tion of Steinways, with the fourth gen.
Grafton as important participants.
"The history of the house of Steinway &
Sons Is a living illustration of the fact
that devotion to art is not incompatible
with the highest commercial success, and
that recognition is not denied to those
who dedicate their lives to an ideal, par
ticularly when that ideal reaches so
noble a fufilment as the Steinway piano
of today.
No Commercial Greed
at is characteristic of the Steinway
methods that neither commercial greed
nor a desire for vast output has ever
influenced them to increase the yearly
capacity of their factories at a sac
rifice of quality. The peculiar glory of
the Steinway house is that from its very
inception it aimed at one quality-the
highest-and what is rarer, the men,
bers of that house have possessed the
genius necessary to reach their high
ideal.
THAT the acceptance of a Steinway
piano has not been confined to the elect
of either the social, financial or artistic
worlds. where considerations of cost do
not enter into the selection of an in
strument, but where the highest pos
sible standard only Is demanded, is
shown by the fact that up to the pres
ent> time they have built nearly 115,0O0
Instruments They are used in practically
every civilized country of the world.
1.-The greatness of the Steinway house
was foreshadowed in the first year of
it's career, when Henry Engelhard Stein
way, its founder, exhibited in the be-
ginning of the last century, three pianos
at the State Fair in Brunswick, Ger
many, where the jury, with the composer,
| A It11.N IAkI n1na afVr1 mi tod
him the first prize medal, and voiced the
highest encomiums upon the tone and
| workmanship of the instruments.
"Since that time the history of the
| Steinway house has been emblaZoned
with one long series of first honors,
which have been invariably granted to it
wherever 1t exhibited, their American
career, in fact, duplicating the history
of their Germany business life, for the
house was transpanted to America by
the emigration to this land of Henry
Engelhard Steinway, the founder; Charles,
Henry William and Albert Steinway, and
in 1854, less than a year after they start
ed the humble little plant in Walker
street New York, from which the pres
ent vast factories have grown, they re-
ceived the first premium at the Metro
politan Fair, In Washington, D. c., for
the best two and three stringed instru-
"a 49,
they secured the first prize, gold
medal, at the American Institute FAN
in the Crystal Palace in New York"
Royal Appointments
No other house in the world has re-
ceived such universal recognition or such
high honors as Steinway e. Sons. BY
royal warrant they have been appointed
piano makers to these sovereigns and
their courts:
His majesty William II, German en-
peror and king of Prussia.
His majesty Edward VII, King of Great
Britain and emperor of India.
Her majesty Alexandra, queen of Great
Britain and empress of India.
Her majesty Victoria, queen of England
and empress of India.
His majesty Nicholas H. czar of Russia.
His majesty Franz Joseph 1, emperor of
Austria and king of Hungary.
His majesty Oscar II, king of Sweden
and Norway.
His majesty Umberto I, king of Italy.
His majesty Albert, king of Saxony.
His majesty Mousaffer- -ed-Din, shah of
Persia,
Her majesty Maria Christina, queen
regent of Spain.
His majesty Abdul Hamid ii, sultan OF
Turkey
Their royal highnesses the Prince and
Princess of Wales.
His royal highness the Duke of Edin-
burgh.
His royal highness Alfonso, king of
Spain.
Besides these formal commissions OF
the house individual members of the firm
have received pre-eminent honors through
the bestowa upon them of these decora-
tions: The order of the Red Eagle by
the German emperor the order of the
Liakat by the sultan of Turkey, and the
cross of the Legion of Honor by the
republic of France.
Steinway Traditions
The Steinway traditions are nobly main
tanned. 1t would be impossible to uphold
the Steinway criterion in its original
purity and force If these traditions were
not religiously observed and preserved.
If ever a true word was spoken 1t is
that the Steinway traditions lie at the
bottom Of Steinway achievement, in the
present as well as in the past.
This is the potency that has sustained
the idealstlc existence of the Steinway
piano in spite of the trend on every side
In the direction of materialistlc gain.
From generation to generation, from
father to son and sons son these tradi-
tions have been transmitted and are
yirile force in the Steinway life of today, |
as clearly defined and as cleanly cut as
the gem that comes from the hands of
the skillful lapidary.
The descendants of the founders have
been imbued with the genius of these
traditions, inspired with pride for the
superb excellence of the Steinway instru
rent put to their tasks at the bench
to learn the full significance of perfection
in detail; so that when the direction of
the Steinway business fell upon their
shoulders they were masters of the art
and fully able to preserve and secure
,,ninnaired the original rtstic intent Of