Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1907 Vol. 45 N. 24

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
MEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL
- Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
QBO. B. KBTJJTO,
W. H. DYKES,
P. H. THOMPSON.
J. HATDHJN CLARENDON.
L. D. BOWERS, B. BEITTAIN WILSON, WM. B. WHITB, L. J. CHAMBBBLIN, A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
B. P. VAN HARMNGBN, 195-197 Wabash Ave.
TELEPHONES : Central 414; Automatic 864S
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
EJBNBST L. WAITT, 278A Tremont S t
PHILADELPHIA t
E. W. KAUITHAN.
ADOLF EDSTBN.
SAN FKANCISCO:
CHAS. N. VAN BDBBN.
S. H. GBAY, 2407 Sacramento S t
CINCINNATI, O.: NINA PUGH-SMITH.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
LONDON. ENGLAND:
69 Baslnghall S t , E. C.
W. Lionel Sturdj, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Stand Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage). United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, f 3.50 ; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS. $2.00 per Inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $60.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, In other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman BUI.
D i r e e t w y ol PI—o
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
JL
I
I
found on another page will be of great value, as a reference
MMnuetnreri
f o r dealers and others.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Priao
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal. Charleston Exposition 1902
Diploma.Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal.. .St Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal
Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 4677 and 467S GRAMERCY
Connecting all Department*.
Cable address: "Elblll New York."
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 14, 1907
EDITORIAL
S
REVIEW
elevating or lowering to the piano business? Surely there can be an
honest difference of opinion among musicians regarding the differ-
ent makes of pianos just the same as about works of art. Among
painters one may prefer a Rubens, another a Murillo, Titian or
Rembrandt. Some men prefer the charms of Melba's voice to
Eames. Others name Caruso as their favorite instead of Bonci.
It is simply a difference of opinion and the attempt to discredit all
artists' testimonials is in our opinion a shortsighted, narrow minded
business policy.
Of course the great musicians receive support from piano
manufacturers. As a matter of fact some of the piano manufac-
turers have made the reputations of these great pianists and with-
out their support they would never have created a ripple in the
musical world. In some cases they would have been without both
reputation and dollars. As far as we know there has been no
effort to conceal the fact that piano manufacturers have paid large
sums of money for their professional services. Is there anything
wrong about that? An artist is surely entitled to compensation in
accordance with the talent which he possesses, and the attempt to
discredit the policies of progressive piano manufacturers who have
enabled the American public to listen to the best artists of Europe
constitutes a glaring injustice to these enterprising members of the
music trade industry.
r
HESE men have aided in the largest possible way the cultiva-
tion of musical art in this country and it has cost them vast
sums of money. Of course, they hoped to profit by the investment.
Their actions are not purely philanthropic, but the whole trade has
profited by their work because it has dignified and elevated piano
building and has taken it out of the merely mechanical industries
and placed it in the art class. If we cut out a half dozen of the
great houses which have been identified with concert work in
America for the past thirty or forty years would the piano busi-
ness have won the position which it occupies to-day in the public
estimation? What has been its great support? The answer is
easy. It has been from the makers of artistic instruments who do
not hesitate to dip deeply into their pockets to support the love
which they had for their cherished products. They believed in the
art side of piano making and they have been willing to back their
belief with good coin of the realm. Surely the exploitation of these
great artists has not in many instances in bygone years proven to
be profitable ventures. In fact, many of the tours have been
actually conducted at considerable loss to the firms undertaking
them, but has not the entire industry profited by their work? Has
not their exploitation of the artists given piano selling generally an
impetus ?
OME of our friends have mailed us from time to time marked
copies of local newspapers published in various cities through-
out the country containing advertisements of piano dealers whose
obvious aim has been to discredit the value of artists' endorsements
of particular instruments. It is more than passing strange that
men striving to gain a livelihood in a special industry should en-
deavor in this manner to pull away some of the principal sustaining
props of that industry.
It seems to us that this plan of attacking artists' testimonials is
wholly inconsistent with sound business principles. Does the man
who puts forth in startling headlines a denunciation of "purchased
testimonials" stop to figure for one moment to what point the busi-
ness would fall if all of the artistic following should be withdrawn
and all the publicity given by the great artists to great pianos, be cut
out of public notice?
Do the men who are following out this destructive policy con-
sider for one moment what a tremendous impetus the policy of these
great institutions who have brought over the best European artists
has given to piano selling generally? Suppose the great artists
were swept out of existence, and suppose the advertisements of these
artists, of their concerts and of the pianos which they use, should
disappear from public notice for an extended period, would not
the business of piano making and piano selling steadily descend to
the level of the sewing machine and furniture trade? What after
all has been its main prop? The artistic element surely, and now
some of the men in this industry are endeavoring to saw away
those pillars and precipitate the whole structure into the mire.
/^ONCERTIZING has been the means of focussing public inter-
V_y est on pianos and if it were not for this artistic method of
exploiting the various high grade pianos the business would not have
been maintained on an artistic plane, and would lose to a certain
degree that environment which is quite necessary when we are
appealing to the aesthetic and cultivated tastes of the public.
Suppose some of the great artists have transferred their alle-
giance from one instrument to another and have given testimonials
to various manufacturers, is such a move a remarkable one after
all? Why should not a musician change his mind as frequently
as a ordinary individual? Is the professional degrading his art when
he endorses the excellence of the product of a number of high grade
factories ? Is it not a fact that the publicity given to artists' work
creates widespread comment in musical circles so that in the
end the entire agitation redounds to the benefit of those interested
in piano selling ? We should not overlook the fact that the tours
of these great artists enable the musical public in the principal cities
to listen to and become acquainted with the tonal qualities of vari-
ous instruments. In no other way perhaps would their attention be
drawn to these vital matters.
S
G
OME of the dealers who in their advertisements have attempted
to belittle the value of the endorsements which noted pianists
have given particular instruments should reverse their tactics. If
they cannot express gratitude for the good work done they should
at least eliminate abuse.
Is it right to encourage the sentiment that because an artist
praises a particular piano that he is paid to do so ? Is such a course
REAT pianists interest the public in the science of piano build-
ing. They interest them in the particular pianos which are
on the concert platform. It is certain that unless they were in-
struments of merit they would not be played upon by great artists.
What manufacturer would dare to put on the concert stage a piano
that would not withstand successfully any exacting tests to which
it might be subjected by a professional player? How are people to
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
determine the difference between the tone qualities of pianos un-
less they hear them? Are there any better tests than those which
the concert stage affords? We know of none, and we have fre-
quently heard many people discuss after concerts the particular
tone of the instruments played upon. Some of the tonal beauties
of the newer pianos upon the concert platform have elicited the
warmest praise and many have expressed surprise at the wealth of
tone brought forth from these instruments under the manipulation
;
of expert pianists.
It seems strange indeed that any one engaged in the legitimate
trade should use advertising space in the daily papers in which to
belittle the endorsements which great concerns have received from
renowned artists. It is puerile on the part of tradesmen to try to
rob members of the craft of the value of fairly won laurels. Such
actions are hardly understandable, when it is understood that the
firms exploiting the professionals are performing splendid work for
everyone engaged in piano making and selling. They are elevating
the business above the purely mercantile plane and placing it in the
artistic class.
F course, the professional plays as a business, so does the
painter sell his talent, but is there an artist of really great
repute who would give a testimonial favoring an inferior instru-
ment or one which did not come up to his ideals as to what a piano
should be? The higher plane the industry is on the more helpful
it will be to all. Even the merchants in remote hamlets profit by
the efforts put forth by the great leaders of this industry. We
should all agree on a policy of support rather than one of destruc-
tion, and if we eliminate the sentimental feeling, the value of artis-
tic work, the prestige of great names what have vve left to piano
making ?
Every dealer who is endeavoring to pull down these great
forces and to nullify the work which is being done by them, should
change his policy because on the nullification line he is contributing
to his own defeat and that is not pleasant. If we cannot be gener-
ous let us at least be fair to the men who have done so much for
this industry and indirectly for all whose livelihood is made therein.
O
E cannot understand how newspapers can give up any of
their space to criticism of what they term "subsidized
artists." All»of the papers throughout the country have been
beneficiaries to a very large extent by the concert tours of the
great artists. Not only have the manufacturers used the columns
of the daily papers liberally in many cities, but the local dealers
have been inspired by the action of others and have themselves
made larger appropriations for printers' ink.
All of this is helpful to the piano business generally because it
focuses attention upon it.
If we condemn daily papers for their attitude in this particular
what stronger words should we use in referring to the music trade
papers which have printed articles antagonistic to the splendid work
which has been put forth by leading piano manufacturers. Hap-
pily this would be destructive work has been confined only to trade
papers of the fourth class, and the only reasonable explanation of
the attitude of the editors can be on the ground that their mental
equipment does not permit them to advance very far in the realm
of sober, sensible thought. Simply because they cannot get what
they demand in the way of patronage the "system" is at once all
wrong and they growl and snarl like angry curs and turn and bite
the hands that fed them. It is easy to explain why such papers
have always remained at the foot of the class of trade journalism
and there is no good reason why they should ever work out of this
lowly position. They are just where they belong and where nature
has specially fitted them to stand. They have never given evidence
of the possession of sufficient ability to climb higher.
W
HE strength of the music trade industry has never been illus-
trated in a better manner than during the past two months.
Notwithstanding the severe strain there has been hardly a break in
either the manufacturing or retail line and those which have oc-
cured do not cut any special figure in the trade. This has been a
test time and the music trade men have stood up nobly under the
strain to which they have been subjected. Ample evidence, truly,
that the music trade industry is all right.
T
Just keep plugging and all will come out right.
Ten to one the man who is always whining never wins success.
There is nothing that is worth winning that is not worth planning
for.
There is nothing that will help out Christmas trade so much as good
hard work.
When you find a man who knows it all he isn't a very pleasant com-
panion.
There is a close relationship between the appearance of success and
its reality.
Inattention to details has prevented the rise of many a good, but
careless fellow.
Every man in business should be optimistic.
that quality to succeed.
I t is necessary to have
When you are once on the trail of a prospect never abandon it until
the game is run to earth.
There are plenty of good men in the music trade who haven't lost
their heads—not a bit of it.
No man can put ginger in his piano talk unless he believes in the
instruments he is advocating.
No man ever succeeded permanently who tried to pull himself up by
pulling the other fellow down.
Everybody respects a hustler and the very atmosphere he carries
about with him helps to win sales.
•
•
A good salesman never acknowledges anything but victory until he
receives the final turndown, and then he says that it is simply an order
deferred.
Did you ever notice the effect of one pessimistic talker upon a group
of men who listened to his predictions? They went away depressed, did
they not? Why not cut out the pessimist and let in only the sunshine?
Some salesmen complain about men being busy when they call to
discuss sales. Of course, men worth seeing are usually very busy. They
do not build up a successful establishment through a policy of idleness.
A REQUISITE.—"Do you think your boy Josh will make a successful
farmer?"
"No," answered Farmer Corntossel. "He doesn't appear to know
much more about keepin' summer boarders than me an' Mandy does."
THE DIZZY WHIRL.—"We are attempting altogether toa rapid a
pace," said the conservative citizen.
"That's quite true," answered Mr. Sirious Barker. "Instead of being
content to have the earth go around once in twenty-four hours, we'd like
to have it go around twenty-four times in one hour!"
BARRED OUT BY THE RULES.—Vaudeville Manager—I can't book
your act—no profanity is permitted in this house."
Vaudeville Artist—There's not a profane word in our entire sketch.
Vaudeville Manager—I know; but we don't like our audiences to
swear, either.
SHE MIGHT.—"So," she said, "you have made up your mind never
to marry?"
"Yes, after thinking it over for a long time I have decided never to
ask any girl to be my wife."
"Pshaw! Don't feel that way about it. You never can judge by ap-
pearances how foolish some girls are. The very first one you asked
might be willing to have you."
THE SMITH FAMILY.—A diffident-looking man from one of the
suburbs stepped up to the ticket office in one of the railway stations in
Cincinnati and asked the man inside, in a hesitating way, if he sold
round-trip tickets to the Jamestown Exposition.
"Yes, sir," answered the ticket seller.
"Give reduced rates?"
"Yes, sir."
"I suppose there will be special days now and then?"
"Undoubtedly."
"Going to be a Pocahontas day?"
"I guess so."
"Well, what I want to know is this?" said the stranger, clearing his
throat. "Will there be a John Smith Day?"
"I don't know as to that," gravely rejoined the ticket seller, "but I am
inclined to think not. Hotel accommodations in the neighborhood of the
Exposition are limited."

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