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Old 01-16-2011, 10:40 AM
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Default Music Trade Review 1903-1925 / quotes & images



from a 1903 edition of the Music Trade Review.

In the event some future reader of this thread discovers a "Salvadore De Durro" label, here is a long list of direct quotes from the trade publication Music Trade Review that I discovered recently. Samuel Buegeleisen was a regular contributor/subject of this publication, which contains a great deal of information about the marketing hype surrounding "Salvadore de Durro, the famous manufacturer of Liepzig, Germany." I'm no expert, but it's my guess that much of this is marketing hyperbole if not outright fiction. It is interesting, though, and gives a little window to the music marketing practices of the time. Early on, B&J had a contest for crafting a marketing message; another passage outlines how a real person in NYC named his son in honor of the "violin maker," who is also called the "Stradivarius of the twentieth century." Below the quotes are some interesting images, including one of the NYC building that housed B&J for many years (still standing and now the home of Amalgamated Lithographers of America). Enjoy if you're interested and ignore if you ain't.

Note: the MTR scans are available from The International Arcade Museum, and were scanned/digitized with support from NAMM.

Quotes that mention "Salvadore de Durro" from the Music Trade Review 1903-1925

Quote:
“See that the label bearing the fac-similie signature of Salvadore de Durro, etc., is on each violin; otherwise it is not the genuine article.” 1903

“Signor Savadore de Durro, through his representatives Buegeleisen & Jacobson, 16 East Seventeenth Street, New York, has adopted a novel way of securing an advertizing phrase to exploit his violins and strings--offering a $100 violin, the particulars of which appear on another page of The Review... Salvadore de Durro is spoken of by European artists as the Stradivarius of the twentieth century. His instruments are used in the leading conservatories throughout Europe, where the finest artists of the world receive their finishing studies. Artists of the type of Bakelik and other celebrities have graduated from these institutions.” 1903

“The accompanying portrait is that of Benhahan Durro Strasburger, two-year-old son of a very fine amateur violinist of New York, and who highly endorses the artistic excellence and musical possibilities of the Durro violin. The son here pictured was name in honor of Salvadore de Durro, the famous manufacturer, of Liepzig, Germany... As a matter of fact, many of the Durro violins are now in the possession of artists in the leading orchestras of the country, such as Victor Herbert's New York Orchestra, the orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House, Theodore Thomas' Chicago Orchestra and others all of whom speak in the highest terms of the violins which seems destined to cut an influential figure in the musical merchandise business of America.” 1904

“The high art violins made by Salvadore de Durro need no introduction. These instruments are now and have been for a long time used in the leading conservatories throughout Europe and have wond high favor among the leading artists of this country.” 1905

“Buegeleisen & Jacobsen, New York, are just advised by Salvadore de Durro, so they state to The Review, that he has an order for a Durro from the violin instructor to the Archduke Antoine and Archduchess Assurta, children of the Archduke Leopold Salvator of Austria. The royal children are taking violin lessons, and their instructor, a notable Austrian virtuoso, said he was so much pleased with the pure tone of his own Durro violin that he wished to give the royal students the correct idea of tone at the outset. Royal families are quite partial to the Durro violins, they added, probably taking the cue from the eminent soloists who play before them.” 1907

“He writes his customer was explicit in demanding a Durro, as he had known the maker in the old country and felt sure anything turned out by Salvadore De Durro is the equal of any respectable old violin and far better than many... This gentleman claims he would rather have his Durro violin than most old violins parading around these days.” 1908

“Arrangements have been made to extend the Durro campaign to every nook and corner of the country, so that violinists, present and future, may know of what the firm describe as ‘the distinctive superiority of the master violins produced by Europe's leading violin craftsman, Salvadore de Durro.’” 1908

“Indeed, the demand for Durro violins, our leading violin line, has increased to an extent that has permitted the addition to the staff of Salvadore de Durro a number of violin craftsmen than whoe there are few equals among those pre-eminent in the art. The result of this acquisition is that Durro violins, while their superiority was always conceded, were never so good in tonal qualities, workmanship and finish as right now.” 1908

“Salvadore Durro for the last three years has given his personal attention to a study of the old masters, owning Strads, Klotz's and other famous makes. With these as models he has reproduced the superb tonal qualities of the original so that even expert musicians cannot tell the difference. In appearance, too, the difference is difficult to distinguish.” 1910

“Buegeleisen & Jacobson, of 5-7-9 Union square, New York, jobbers in the musical merchandise, have received a large shipment of the justly celebrated Durro master violins. These instruments are made and finished by that master craftsman, Salvadore de Durro, personally. The models are copied from genuine old instruments, following their originals to the minutest detail in every particular.” 1920

“There is much romancing, both in fiction and in science, about the soul of the violin. Sentimentalists are sure that some violins have a soul. Scientists test the wood, the varnish, the construction and the age, but artists throughout the world recognize that the great craftsman, Salvadore de Durro, has succeeded for years in capturing that mellow soul-stirring quality of the old Italian masters in the just celebrated Durro Violins.” 1921

“Artists throught the world recognize that the great craftsman, Salvadore de Durro, has succeeded for years in capturing that mellow, soul-stirring quality of the old Italian Masters--in the justly celebrated Durro Violins.” 1921

“DURRO VIOLINS made under the personal supervision of the Master Craftsman Salvadore de Durro, from the finest rare old woods, are exact copies of the instruments made by the old masters and artists throughout the world agree that they have the mellow soul-stirring quality found in the famous old violins.” 1925
Advertisements & Notable Images Concerning "Durro" Violins, Music Trade Review 1903-1925.









This is the portrait of Benhahan Durro Strasburger, mentioned in the 1904 quote above.


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