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THE
MUSIC TRADE! REVIEW
WITH THE MUSIC TRADE IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
December Business Generally Not Up to the Mark—No Real Reason for Depression—Great
Progress of the Local Music Trade During 1907—Many New Buildings—Wm. Knabe &
Co. Find Business Excellent—Recent Purchases of Knabe Pianos—Sanders & Stayman Re-
port Good Holiday Trade—What Other Dealers Say Regarding Conditions.
(Special to The Review. 1
Speaking of the standard of trade, A. V.
Grimes remarked that he has noticed a greater
demand for higher-priced pianos in the renting
department, which seems to indicate a better
appreciation of music.
Another establishment which had observed this
same demand for better rented pianos is the
Frederick Music Co., who report a good trade
all through the month of December. Especially
has there been a great call for Chickering, Hard-
man, and Fischer pianos at this house. In
speaking of the closing receipts for the present
year, Manager Pfeiffer said: "Though the Fred-
erick Music Co. have been established here but
nine months, we have done a very prosperous
business, though I was an old-timer in the music
trade here. Our sales and rentals have been high
and we have done a good business in players,
especially the Hardman Autotone with the accent
device."
The Kimball Agency has passed a year about
even with 1906. Work will be begun this month
on the large Kimball organ in the Synagogue,
which was burned some months ago. The parts
have been made at the Chicago factory and are
ready for replacement in the instrument. Sev-
eral experts will come to Washington for this
work.
Hugo Worch says 1907 is the best year he
has ever had, which seems to be due to his new
location and more commodious quarters. "We have
had a steady, good trade throughout December,"
said Mr. Worch, "and the new year opens with
a prosperous outlook." This house has on dis-
play several instruments of colonial days, which
have greatly interested visitors.
"We had a fine December," said Helbig Bros.
"Not no much in pianos as in small merchan-
dise. We have closed excellent receipts for 1907,
At Win. Knabe & Co., Manager Paynter feels though the present firm have only been in exist-
quite well pleased with business up to the pres- ence for nine months."
ent time. "Our fiscal year does not close until
Young & McHugh report a good December
the end of March," he said, "but our nine months' trade, and they did not feel the quiet experi-
trade has carried us away ahead of our year's enced in the fore part of the month by some of
receipts for 1906. Even if we do no business the other dealers.
for the next three months the Knabe people will
"We had a very busy December," said Carl
have no cause for complaint from a financial Droop, of E. F. Droop & Sons Co., "and at Christ-
standpoint. We have had a particularly good mas time we were positively rushed in all de-
sale of grands, more than usual; and the Knabe partments. The closing year has been one of
Angelus has been placed in many of the homes our best on record, and 1908 opens with excellent
of Washington. This last instrument has found prospects." E. F. Droop, who suffers a great deal
particular favor among the wealthy, who wish with rheumatism, has not been able to get to
to hear good music and do not know how to his desk recently. He is a very active man for
play, and are too old to care to learn. Among one of nearly three-score years, but he likes to
the new placements of the Knabe piano is at attend personally to the affairs of the music
the Ogden-Crane School of Opera, under the di- house.
rection of Mrs. Henry H. McKee, and the Robert
December was a rather quiet month for the
Hickman Dramatic School."
John F. Ellis Co., but the Christmas trade bright-
December for Sanders & Stayman was excel- ened matters somewhat.
lent, far ahead of December a year ago; but the
The F. G. Smith Piano Co. had a quiet De-
year as a whole has fluctuated, and the final re- cember, and the closing year is reported to be
ceipts are not mut;h above those of 1906. "Fri- an average one, though not up to the receipts
day and thirteen are usually considered un- of 1906. W. P. Van Wickle. the local manager,
lucky," said Manager Foster, "but this did not has been spending the past week in New York
prove so with us on Friday, Dec. 13, when we State, but will visit the metropolis before re-
did a |2,065 business in pianos and organs alone turning to Washington.
for the day, not to count the trade in sheet music
L. J. De Moll & Co. report an excellent year,
and small merchandise. Friday and thirteen are with receipts higher than was anticipated. This
mascots for us now." This establishment had house recently furnished a Vose grand for the
a busy trade at Christmas. The Weber piano, Varnum Hotel.
for which Sanders & Stayman are the local
Charles Turner says that the closing receipts
agency, is being used at the Wilson-Greene morn- for 1907 were about the average. Henry Eber-
ing recitals in the New Willard Hotel ballroom. bach and George Lawrence make similar re-
A large Estey philharmonic organ was furnished ports.
by this house for use at the presentation of the
Recent visitors were W. D. Dutton, of Hard-
"Messiah" on Dec. 17 by the Washington Choral man, Peck & Co.; Manager Walker of Baltimore,
Society. This was given under the direction of
and Mr. Fabyan, of the Poole Piano Co., of
Percy S. Foster, local manager of Sanders & Boston.
Stayman, with the accompaniment of the Phila-
Among the pianos that have been exploited
delphia Orchestra.
during the past month may be mentioned the
The year as a whole has been one of pros- Knabe, under the masterful hand of Mark Ham-
perity for the Stieff house. Manager Conliff is bourg; the Weber, which was used by the great
contemplating giving a series of concerts in his artist, Paderewski; and the Steinway, played by
Josef Hofmann and by the advanced piano
new quarters during January.
Washington, D. C, Jan. 7, 1908.
The past month of December has not been one
of great prosperity generally in the music trade
in the National Capital, though some of the
houses report excellent business. It has not
been up to the standard as a whole. It appears
that "Washington has felt a real or imaginary
effect of the New York financial crisis. This
should not be, because there are no large commer-
cial or stock enterprises here; while on the
other hand the government departments and pri-
vate houses are paying their employes the same
salaries as regularly as before, and after all it
is these people who make up the bulk of trade
in this city. The trade lays this dulness to two
reasons—either a fear to put out money on ac-
count of the financial conditions elsewhere, or
the using of the depression in other cities as an
excuse for not buying or paying debts. As a
year, however, 1907 was one of prosperity in the
music trade, as is shown by receipts and im-
provements and new buildings that have been
erected. A survey of the past year will tell you
that Hugo Worch had built and occupied a large
four-story house; the Stieff agency has but re-
cently moved into handsome new quarters;
Droop & Sons Co. made extensive enlargements in
their building on Pennsylvania avenue; Charles
Turner moved from crowded apartments on F
street to a more commodious house on G street;
the Kimball agency and Young & McHugh have
made improvements in their stores; Helbig Bros,
have been inaugurated from the firm of Fred
Helbig, with larger quarters; the Frederick
Music Co. have come to Washington; and several
of the firms have introduced new departments
into their establishments.
Certainly all this
means success in the music trade.
pupils of the University of Music and Dramatic
Art. During this month Teresa Carreno will
be heard upon the Everett piano; Fritz Kreisler,
violinist, with the accompaniment of the Stein-
way; and the Knabe, by Felix Garziglia, the
French pianist.
PIPE ORGAN ASSOCIATION LOSES.
In the Three Years of Its Existence the Topeka
Association Have Fallen Nearly $200 Be-
hind in Their Accounts—Debt Has Increased
from $8,000 to $9,030 in That Time.
(Special to The Review.)
Topeka, Kan., Jan. 6, 1908.
During the three and one-half years of its ex-
istence, from July, 1904, to December, 1907, the
Auditorium Pipe Organ Association has lost
$182.54 by reason of the entertainments given at
the Auditorium to raise money to pay for the
organ. Frank H. Foster, secretary of the asso-
ciation, filed with the city clerk a report of the
association's condition, which was recently called
for by the council.
The report shows that, including insurance, re-
pairs, rent, power, compensation of employes
and all other expenses, the association has paid
out $15,177.50 for the three years, while the
credit side of the report totals only $14,994.96.
At the same time, the debt still owing on the
organ has increased from $8,000 to $9,030, for
the reason that the interest on the note executed
to the Kimball company by the association has
not been paid for some time. This note was
given immediately after the instalment of the
organ. Since that time only $300, or a small
portion of the interest, has been paid on it, ac-
cording to the report of the organization. Aside
from the note, the Kimball company was paid
$4,300 in cash at the start.
For his services as secretary of the associa-
tion, Mr. Foster was usually paid the sum of $25
for each entertainment given. The association
has at present the sum of $300 in its treasury
and faces a debt of over $9,000. It has paid the
city a total of $430 for use of the Auditorium.
The Jones Music Co., of •Cambridge, O., have
recently moved into more favorable quarters in
that city.
Hugo Traeger has opened a new music store
on Mosel avenue, Concord, Staten Island, N. Y.
"DISTINCTIVELY HIGH GRADE
G6e CHRISTMAN
STUDIO GRAND
is the greatest success of the day.
It possesses a scale of rare ever,
ness, atone of remarkable sonority
and richness, with a quality that
is highly orchestral. Our latest
styles of Grands and Uprights
mark a decided advance in the art
of piano-making. We court inves-
tigation. Some territory still open.
CHRISTMAN SONS, M» n «f»ct«r.r.
FACTORY AND OFF:CK:
WAREROOMS-
•69-S73 East I37ili St.
35 Weu« 14th St.
KEW
YORK