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THE
MUSIC TRADE
Undert
T
HE saleswoman, and, in fact, the independent woman
dealer, has ceased to be a novelty in the piano trade and
both have proven that they can win success in that field, but
within the last few years certain managers have attempted to
make a place for the woman in the sales organization and in
some cases have succeeded. It has been proven that in certain
positions, for instance, straight canvassing or some of the other
methods of securing prospects, the woman stands a much better
chance of securing a hearing than does the average man, espe-
cially when the woman of the house is to be approached and at
a time when she is not prepared to receive formal calls. A
woman book agent, for instance, will receive a hearing and make
a sale where the male ©f the same species will be fortunate if
he clears the premises two jumps ahead of the dog. The man-
ager of the piano department of a Brooklyn, N. Y., store has
used women canvassers for the past two years and has found
the experiment to be a success. After the canvassers have
covered a certain district the higher priced salesmen have at
their command an excellent list of really live prospects and a
number of sales simply awaiting the closing. The canvassers,
as a matter of fact, actually sell enough to more than pay their
expenses. Other managers have followed the same plan and
with equal success. It simply means that the high-grade salesman.
th« "closer/' has an advance agent and the opportunity for securing
greater results with less waste of time in digging up material to
work upon.
*. K K
N speaking of the influence of the early composers on the de-
velopment of the piano, Alfred Dolge makes some interesting
comments in his book, "Pianos and Their Makers." Referring to
Franz Liszt particularly, the author remarks delightfully: "Franz
Liszt in his early days was a 'holy terror' for piano manufacturers.
His colossal technique and powerful stroke demanded an action of
superlative construction and workmanship. It is said that at his
first concert at the Leipsic Gewandhaus in 1840, being in an ugly
mood because he could not have his favorite French piano to play
upon, he smashed a number of hammers off the action with his very
first chords, so that another piano had to be provided. He almost
invariably required two grand pianos for an evening concert/'
',
at at at
I
REVIEW
TOWER.
can be considered a prosaic science, instead of an attribute of
genius, this stigma will be at once removed, and there will be
the accompanying advantage of a firm foundation upon which
to build up yet greater achievements for industry and human
comfort. From the dreams and deceptions of alchemy came out
the modern science of chemistry. As a writer in the American
aptly puts it: Cannot a science of inventing come out of the
present chaotic conditions, with their inefficiency and wasted
effort? We would not expect anyone to solve a problem in
higher mathematics without a previous knowledge of mathe-
matical science. We require a chemist to be a man with a
knowledge of the fundamentals of the science that he uses.
at
at
at
I
NVENTION, successful invention, is thought. Goethe gives
us this sentence: "What is invention? It is the end of
seeking." Yet, by our actions and sayings, we imply that any-
one at any time can take up this creative work and carry it on
successfully. Thousands of worthless inventions, hundreds of
wasted lives and millions of misspent money show the fallacy
of our assumption. Must this continue? Cannot we conserve
our inventive resources, as well as our physical resources? Can
we not have a science of inventing based upon fundamental axio-
matic principles of mechanism? Can we not lay down a syn-
thetic method of procedure whereby a designer can easily and
surely build up a mechanism to meet the conditions of his prob-
lem? We believe all this is possible. It is not an easy science
to investigate and put into words, for a painstaking analysis
must be made of the thought process by which an invention is
evolved. The advantages from the use of such a science do not
need to be detailed. But instead of lessening the interest of the
inventor in his work it will increase it, for he will be sure of all
of the steps of his reasoning and of his final result. He will
make fewer mistakes and fewer false moves. His superior
method of attack will permit the solving of problems now con-
sidered impossible.
at
at
at
HE growing appreciation of the benefits to be derived from
adherence to the one-price system in selling pianos and
the general effect of honest selling methods upon the mind of
the public serve to bring into strong relief the various evils
associated with the practice of disposing of pianos at any old
F the results of the demands of that idyllic genius, Hans von
price and on any terms. In this connection the experience is
Riilow, Mr. Dolge says: "Xot of that storming- tempera-
worth relating of a certain salesman of recognized ability who
ment of a Liszt or Rubinstein. Riilow rather discouraged great
only
recently changed his position for the following very good
volume of tone, demanding a sensuous mellowness, which he could
reason:
The dealer by whom he was employed believed in
at will, if necessary, raise to thundering chords by that wonderful
selling
pianos
for what he could get. The sale, not the price
control which he had over his technique. I kit he was strenuously
or
profit,
was
the
chief consideration. It so happened that the
averse to being made a demonstrator for some manufacturer, as is
salesman
was
somewhat
conscientious regarding his business
amusingly illustrated by an incident of his American tour in 1875,
methods
and
endeavored
to
maintain a certain standard in his
as follows: 'As the custom in all American concerts, a large sign,
own
particular
transactions.
The fact that he was getting re-
bearing the name of the maker of the piano, was toward the audi-
sults,
however,
did
not
prevent
the dealer from cutting in upon
ence. When Riilow ca've out on the platform he noticed the sign,
frequent
occasions
and
"smashing"
the salesman's standard into
and, in a rage, tore it from the piano, threw it upon the floor and,
small pieces by shaving the price to a point that would have
trampling upon it, cried loudly to the audience: "I am not an ad-
cost
the employe his job and offering terms that would have
vertising agent," after which he sat down and played as inspiringly
encouraged
a day laborer to purchase a player grand. The total
as ever, and finally gave the piano maker a strong testimonial,
result
was
that
the salesman was discredited and his position
pfaising the superior qualities of the piano.' "
made
practically
worthless except in CTSCS where he quietly dug
\
•
•
.
at at at
up
his
own
prospects
among strangers and closed the deals
r
r H E name inventor appeals to different persons in various
before the dealer could get in his licks. The usual procedure
JL ways. Some venerate and envy the inventor; others
for those who were friends of former purchasers was to permit
dream of some day having the inventor's fame, and not a few. the salesman to do the preliminary work, get his lowest price
men with splendid creative designing ability abhor the word
and best terms and then hold quiet converse with the dealer
and all it implies. Is this contempt, on the one hand, and admi-
himself. What credit the salesman got for the sale never
ration, on the other, explained by the old saying, "Familiarity
necessitated the purchase of a larger hat. A couple of years of
breeds contempt," or is there some other reason? In answer,
such tactics taught the salesman a lesson that he'll never forget,
may not this mistaken idea be the reason—that inventing is
and now he can't see anything but the one-price system, with
supposed to be the work of a genius, instead of a job that a man
prices and terms that are set and final for both the head of the
can- do successfully if he is properly trained for it? If inventing
house and his employes. The moral of the story is obvious.
O
T