THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION 



281 



The ArcAdiA Piano. 



A little more than a year ago, 

 through the courtesy of several lady 

 friends of ArcAdiA, funds were pro- 

 vided for the purchasing of a piano 

 to be used in the Welcome Reception 

 Room. The plan for entertaining visi- 

 tors, especially at gatherings in the 

 evening, has been to have three peri- 

 ods of music of fifteen minutes each, 

 followed by an illustrated lecture with 

 lantern slides after the first period, and 

 a lecture with the projection micro- 

 scope after the second. This seemed 

 an ideal arrangement ; to accomplish 

 it, the attention of several good lady 

 friends of the Institution was called 

 to it. We supposed that our troubles 

 would be over when the money had 

 been obtained, but we soon ascertained 

 that they were just beginning. Did 

 you ever try to buy a piano? The dif- 

 ferent descriptions, and commenda- 

 tions and statements of desirable qual- 

 ities would have been entertaining- if 

 they had not been so puzzling. After 

 visiting almost every piano store in 

 Stamford, and Greenwich, together 

 with several in New York, the diffi- 

 culty, instead of becoming clearer, be- 

 came more puzzling. 



At last a good idea suggested itself. 

 Instead of visiting the stores, a visit 

 was made directly to the Kroeger Pi- 

 ano Company's factory in Stamford, 

 Connecticut. It was at once evident, 

 even to one totally inexperienced in 

 pianos, that theirs seemed to be just 

 the piano needed for the large Wel- 

 come Reception Room. Its tone was 

 sweet and brilliant, yet we decided 

 not to trust to our inexperience, but 

 to consult experts. When the Kroeger 

 was mentioned every one was enthus- 

 iastic and said something like this, 

 "Yes, that is a sweet-toned, well-made, 

 piano ; you will make no mistake in 

 selecting it for the Welcome Recep- 

 tion Room." Well-informed musicians 

 agreed that the Kroeger is as good as 

 any piano at the same price, and some 

 enthusiastically maintained that it is 

 better. After another visit to the fac- 

 tory to learn what the manager had 

 to say and a return visit, taking an ex- 

 pert to make it ring beneath her nimble 

 fingers, we aAvaited the decision. This 

 expert said, "There is a piano that 

 would not worry me if I were going to 

 give a musical. I feel that that piano 



would meet the situation, let me be 

 as difficult to please as I would. I can- 

 not explain this to you," she said, "but 

 there is something about a piano that I 

 call 'response.' Some pianos although 

 well-made do not meet me in my ex- 

 pression. There are some that, while 

 I have no positive objection to them, 

 give me a feeling that they are not 

 quite so desirous as I am to please the 

 audience." She tried several at the 

 factory and was puzzled. "They all 

 are good, but I feel that that particular 

 one has just the brilliancy and expres- 

 siveness that you want." 



That piano was placed in the Wel- 

 come Reception Room. Various ac- 

 complished musicians volunteered to 

 assist in these evening entertainments. 

 More than a year has gone by, but we 

 have not said in print one word about 

 that piano and we are not now saying 

 a word in any sense as an advertise- 

 ment. The Kroeger people will know 

 nothing about this notice until they 

 read it in print. The manager of Arc- 

 AdiA, who is writing, has a limited 

 knowledge of pianos. He could look 

 upon all as a strictly impartial judge 

 and would feel in honor bound very 

 carefully to investigate the situation at 

 various stores and manufactories, so 

 that the funds entrusted to him should 

 be expended at the best possible ad- 

 vantage, to please the contributors and 

 make our friendly musicians glad to 

 have an instrument on which they can 

 express themselves. This piano has 

 met the situation. Some of the best 

 pianists of Stamford and Greenwich 

 have used it, and well-informed critics 

 have been in the audience. The instru- 

 ment is always ready to respond to the 

 musician's mood, and many an expert 

 has said, "I like to play on that piano. 

 You may call on me at any time that 

 you need my services." The piano has 

 been so satisfactory, after more than 

 a year's thorough test, that we want 

 to say with all possible emphasis that 

 Ave believe there is not another piano 

 in the market that can be purchased 

 for the same amount of money that 

 will equal it. The tuner has frequently 

 praised the clear brilliancy of the high 

 notes and many an expert has said, 

 "How delightfully that piano responds 

 to the situation." 



The piano is wholly paid for and 

 thanks to our musical friends we feel 



