Biglow & Main Co.

The Biglow & Main Co. succeeded in 1868 William B. Bradbury, the pioneer publisher of church and Sunday-school music. Since that date, the general sales have reached the grand total of between 50,000,000 and 60,000,000 copies of their publications. A glance through the catalogue shows how thoroughly these publishers cater to the needs of every branch of religious worship and exercise. They do not, however, confine themselves entirely to church and Sunday-school music, for they also bring out teachers' instruction books, method aids for beginners, and secular pieces and glees, and are sole agents in the United States for the Tonic Sol-Fa publications of John Curwen & Sons, of London.

Hallet & Davis.

The Hallet & Davis Piano Manufacturing Co., of Boston, began business in 1835, and was incorporated in 1881. It makes both uprights and grands and its factory capacity is 3,000 pianos annually. It has branch houses in New York, Chicago, and Cleveland, and became known among the standard makes early in the fifties. The piano contains all modern improvements, besides the special improvements invented by the firm, chief among the latter being a suspension agraffe bridge for insuring a better quality of resonance and of toneproduction in the extreme treble.

Hazelton Bros

In 1849, Frederick and Henry Hazelton presented their first piano as a claimant for public favor. Since then they have manufactured 26,000 pianos, and now turn out an average of 1,000 annually. The firm is one of the oldest in New York and prides itself upon the fact that its instruments are always what they claim to be, and are of standard excellence.

Mr. Samuel Hazelton, a nephew of the founders of the firm-both of whom died recently is the present proprietor and manager. He thinks the piano as now made is about perfect in tone and finish, and regards New York as the musical centre of this hemisphere. Certainly, he avers, no other city can surpass New York in the piano industry, for the standard manufacturers here are skilled men, familiar with every branch of the business they have learned from grandfather and father, one generation following another in what may be termed a hereditary profession.

The Aeolian.

The Eolian is so radically different from any other musical instrument that it may be regarded as a new type. It resembles an upright piano, and has a keyboard which can be used in the same manner as that of an organ. This part of the instrument is separate from and entirely independent of the Eolian. The keyboard or manual, as it is called, can be used by itself or to accompany the playing of the Æolian proper.

The Symphony.

The Wilcox & White Co. was the first and only standard organ-makers to produce a first-class instrument with a simplified automatic attachment; and, because of the perfected action, the full compass and power of the organ may be brought into play, upon either the manual or the attachment. At the warerooms may be seen instruments that look like any ordinary organ, with the addition of two large foot-rests; but when the player opens a small door under the music-rack, places a paper-roll into the aperture, and then produces fine music by merely working the rests that support his feet, one quickly sees how the Symphony and Angelus organs differ from the old-style organ. There is a keyboard, and the usual small pedals, just as in all pianos and organs; and the instrument may be played with the keys, if desired. Fingering is entirely optional, however, as pedal action is intended to perform the work hitherto done by hands. Even pedal action may be dispensed with by using an electric or water motor for operating the bellows. The music for these organs is arranged upon the plan of that used in the organette of a few years ago. This automatic attachment can be added to any piano without in any way changing its exterior beyond the presence of the two large pedals and the time gauges.

The Wilcox & White Co. was incorporated in 1876, by Horace Wilcox and James H. White, the latter being president of the company at the present time. The factories are at Meriden, Conn., and since starting in business, the firm has sold 60,000 organs.

Mr. William J. Keeley, manager for the company, is of the opinion that while pianos and organs have now reached a high state of perfection, there is always room for improvement, even in the finest makes. Prog. ress does not halt in that line any more than it does in others. He regards New York as one of the greatest music centres of the world, and thinks the facilities for obtaining a thorough musical education are fully as good here as abroad. He thinks students who go to Europe to get a finish are obliged, because of their environments, to devote more time and attention to their studies; but whatever the sins of omission or commission, here, they may be traced to the pupil rather than to any lack of instruction or of method.

WHAT

DYNAMIC BREATHING AND HARMONIC GYMNASTICS. By GENEVIEVE STEBBINS. With portrait of Author. Edgar S. Werner, Publisher, N. Y. Price, $1.50. HAT a dreary, monotonous world this would be if we were all alike or thought alike. or even if we all had the same philosophy of life! If the writer of this book was like the critic of it she would never have written the book. For, from the standpoint of the critic, the philosophy contained in it is entirely of the Eastern occult school, while that of the critic is that of modern science. Miss Stebbins, to be sure, appeals to science, but simply to pave the way for her philosophy, and appeals to other philosophies simply to establish her own. The book is well written, the periods being well rounded, the ideas admirably expressed. The logical connections between the different parts of the work are admirable.

It is difficult at a single reading to summarize such a work or to criticize it with perfect fairness, in that it differs from the nonsense that is so often advanced under the head of psycho-physical culture." The subject matter has evidently been carefully thought out and the whole is a logical, consistent working out of her fundamental philosophy. This philosophy may be briefly stated to be that, as we receive from the sun all physical and vital force, so in some similar way is it the source of mental activity and of spiritual life. It is not that she regards the spiritual life as the outgrowth of the physical, but that we receive from the sun spiritual rays which are transformed in us in much the same way as are the chemical rays, which we receive from the sun. We receive this force by breathing under certain conditions; these conditions being a proper mental attitude, imagination and will both being actively engaged with the body in the exercise. She holds that while it is true that we take oxygen from the air, that this is really not the most vital element, but that there is another non-material element, the ether, which we take at the same time, and it is this which really furnishes us life-force. Thus, breathing-gymnastics are basal to the system, and psycho-physical culture really consists in the absorbing into the system, under proper magnetic brain and body conditions, of this ether which is the basis for spiritual life, and oxygen, which is the basis for the physical.

Following an elaborate statement of this philosophy are exercises based upon it. This really may be called a system, inasmuch as it consists of the logical working out of certain principles which are stated.

The exercises on the whole are most excellent, but the critic would say this for reasons different from those which the author gives. This is just the kind of book to interest fashionable people who are attracted by the Buddhistic philosophy and the like, but is not the kind to appeal to those of scientific turn of mind and training. Some of the claims made are stupendous and fill one with awe and admiration at the confidence of the writer. For instance, the following quotation: "At present, mammon holds the helm of state as king, but erelong intellect and heart will surely assume their rightful place. Our social problems will be answered, not with unjust laws, but with that brotherly love which recognizes in all one common bond of human kinship. Before, however, this can be accomplished, heart, brain and soul must be quickened in their sluggish action; be regalvanized with a new life, a new hope and a higher concept of the divine oneness of life. To this end, a strict course of psycho physical culture will surely and quickly pave the way."

The characterizations of other schemes of training indicate either a profound ignorance of them or a most wilful perversion, for instance, when the Swedish educational gymnastics are summed up and pigeonholed as aiming at physical strength of muscle. She says that Ling taught nothing but what was worked out in a rougher way by a Chinaman, and that Delsarte was rehashing what the Greeks knew.

It is useless to attempt to answer a philosophy, but we would simply call attention to one point. The statement is made (which is consistent with the general philosophy) thatThe more perfect the organism, the more perfect do we find the organs and functions of respiration." There are many animals that have a more perfect respiratory apparatus than has man. Beetles, for instance, breathe all through their bodies by means of little tubes. Birds have capacity for rapid and complete respiration which far excels man's. The same is also true of nearly all the running animals, still they do not equal man in either mental or spiritual life.

Miss Stebbins is evidently an enthusiast, believes heartily what she says, has worked out a very interesting philosophy and advocates exercises which are calculated to do good. An excellent half-tone plate gives the likeness and signature of Miss Stebbins. If the beautiful portrait shown in the cut is the result of the systematic following out, by the author, of her own philosophy, it would immediately be adopted by ninetynine one-hundreths of all the women in the land, and of the men, too, for that matter.Dr. E. M. Hartwell in "Physical Education."

Miss Jeannette van Buren is a native of Northern New York. Having a good voice and great love of music, her early dream was that she might come to New York to get a musical education. With an indomitable will there was soon the way. All her spare time and money was spent in her favorite study; but the result was far from satisfactory; for, instead of improving that with which nature had endowed her, she was gradually but surely losing it. She then went to Europe, but even there her ambition was not satisfied; and, returning to New York, she put herself under the severe and thorough training of Mme. Rudersdorff; and, at once realizing the cause of all her trouble, set to work with determination in so far as possible to make amends for loss of time, money wasted and voice impaired.

After spending the following summer at her teacher's country home, she went with her to Boston, and on her advice began to teach the method that had become to her so dear; and, when Mme. Rudersdorff died, found herself the inheritor of her method. Since that time she has broadened and developed until she has built up a healthful, natural, and sympathetic school of instruction in voice-culture. Her aim is to improve not only the singing-voice, but also the speaking-voice, and she has scores of letters

testifying to her success in this line. Where other methods break down, hers builds up. There is no overexertion, no weakening, no destruction of musical tones or vocal cords. Her method improves natural gifts, and secures remarkable results. With a conscientious, painstaking pupil she never fails.

A practical musician of long experience and high standing writes of one pupil whom he sent to Miss van Buren: "I confess my amazement at what you have accomplished. She is a practical, demonstrable proof of your work. I consider you the best vocal teacher I have ever known." Miss van Buren has strengthened voices that were naturally weak or had been injured by improper or imperfect methods of teaching.

Chest development; erect carriage; the strengthening of delicate throats; the lasting quality which is acquired by a correct tone-production; a scientific and artistic basis of instruction; a voice which becomes a delight rather than an infliction; natural and not artificial facial expression; in short, easy, acceptable, graceful and real singing -these are the results attained by Miss van Buren's pupils. Her success is the result of a genius for teaching and a knowledge of the requirements of each voice.

Desiring a larger field of labor, as well as its greater advantages, Miss van Buren ultimately returned to New York and is reaping the reward of her devotion to her profession and faithfulness to the fundamental principles of the Old Italian Method of Singing as interpreted by Mme. Erminie M. Rudersdorff, to whose memory she is most loyal.

Mme. Rudersdorff, seeing Miss van Buren's aptitude for the work, placed in her care the early training of young ladies who were afterward to become her own pupils. That her confidence in Miss van Buren's ability as a most superior and effective teacher was positive and firm is shown by the following letter:

My Dear Jeannette:

These lines will fully authorize you to teach the fundamental principles of my Italian method of singing. I am glad to be able to add, that, besides acknowledging your aptness for this task, I consider you to be exceptionally conscientious, persevering and painstaking.

What you have learnt is right, and what you will teach, you will teach right well. Wishing you the success you deserve, I remain, dear Jeannette,

Yours faithfully, ERMINIE M. RUDERSDORFF.