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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Bringing Opera and Drama to the Masses.
r
P H E exhibition recently by Thomas A. Edison of the Kineto-
JL phone, a combined moving picture and talking machine
synchronously operated, has caused a veritable sensation, and
the daily papers and their editorial writers have been devoting
considerable space to the tremendous educational possibilities
that will ensue with the introduction of this remarkable inven-
tion.
Apart from bringing the drama and opera to the masses of
the people, it possesses such a great educational value in all lines
of effort that one can not help becoming most enthusiastic over
the great influence which the Kinetophone will exercise, particularly
in revolutionizing conditions in the villages and smaller towns
throughout the country.
With this machine all city pleasures can be transported to
the farms or the smaller living centers. And who can deny but
that it may be the means of staying the trooping of the sons and
daughters of our farmers to the cities, which is to-day one of
our great problems!
It may keep the people "on the land," and may get more
"back to the land." Thus the cost of living may be lessened.
For some of our great writers maintain that farm production is
not keeping step with the great increase of population, and any-
thing that will tend to keep the people on the farm and make
them more content—that will give them all the delights and
pleasures of city life—will confer a boon on humanity that can
hardly be estimated at present writing.
By means of the Kinetophone the best performances of
opera, comedy, serious drama, oratory and lecture courses will
be possible. The parties connected with these productions will
be veritably "in the flesh," and the performances can be enjoyed
at a price so reasonable as to enable every one to see and hear
the best.
Next to the talking machine itself, no other improvement in
years opens up such a field of possibilities for good, and the formal
introduction to the public of the Kinetophone will be awaited
with exceeding interest.
'Convertible "Case to Accommodate Player Action.
/CONSIDERABLE interest has been displayed throughout the
bring stock on the market from all sources. Suppose something
K^> trade in the views of C. M. Tremaine, president of the Bacon
should occur to bring a very large part of these old-time cases on
Piano Co., as expressed in The Review recently, on the adoption of
the market. How would it affect their value or the piano industry ?
a "convertible" piano case designed to accommodate a self-playing
"Something has occurred. The introduction of the player-
mechanism whenever desired.
piano is a medium which is having this result. Because it is doing
Mr. Tremaine makes a strong presentation for his contention
it slowly should not affect anyone's appreciation of the fact that
when he says: "Everyone will admit that the upright case would
the change is taking place steadily. What is to be the result when
the change becomes more rapid, as it surely will? When we reach
have been made larger if the player-piano had been thought of
a certain stage must there not be a sudden drop in values and de-
when this style of case was first designed. While the lack of this
mand for straight pianos? Player-pianos are to be cheaper in the
foresight was unfortunate, this is no excuse for continuing to
future and more accessible.
ignore the rightful demands of the player-piano.
"As the consciousness is gradually dawning on the public that
"In view of our accepted recognition of these facts, why
the player-piano presents the possibilities of being played either . should we continue to make and urge upon the public a case that
is to become obsolete and which will be thrown back on our hands?
by the hands or by the music roll, the people are comprehending
The only excuse for this is that we have been thinking in the
that the question is whether one will buy a piano to be played one
wrong groove. We have been expecting the development of the
way or both ways, and the general acceptance of the player-piano
action so it would fit the present case and have worked all kinds
is only retarded by the incomplete realization of this fact and by
of schemes for the placing of the music roll box. There is only
the element of the greater cost.
one
place for it, namely, in front of the hammer-rail, and we are
"Is there any reason, technical or otherwise, why these people
gradually
getting through with experiments.
should be forced to delay their purchase of a piano or else be forced
to buy an instrument which must be sacrificed in order to buy the
"When the automobile first came out the inventors took the
carriage which had been designed for the horse and attached a
complete player-piano later?" asks Mr. Tremaine. "I know there are
motor to it. Now the touring car, the runabout and the racing car
various adverse answers which have been and which will be made
are constructed for efficiency and to house their engines, and they
to this question by both manufacturers and by salesmen, but do
bear little resemblance to the vehicle constructed for a different
these objectors really believe their own arguments? An easy argu-
purpose.
ment is that the action will be developed so that it will go into an
ordinary case, but I do not think that I would care to buy a piano
"The player-piano must develop along the line of results and
on the strength of this expectation and risk the cutting of my case
must not be hampered by unnecessary limitations—that is, limita-
in whatever way might be necessary. It seems to me that I would
tions fixed by custom governing a former product. I am perhaps
speaking at too great length and arguing the obvious, but I wish to
prefer to have my case arranged so that I would know the right
answer any doubt which may be raised by those who look at the
kind of action could be put in whenever I desired to have it in-
subject superficially and to demonstrate that the question raised by
stalled. I would like to have the case built to fit the action rather
the convertible piano is not whether it will come into universal use,
than to have the action adjusted to fit the case.''
but how rapidly it will be adopted, and who will be among the first
He says further: "Figures are interesting as well as illumi-
to recognize its importance and to avail themselves of its oppor-
nating. Let us take the retrospective and prospective view of the
tunities."
situation. It is estimated that between 60,000 and 65,000 player-
pianos are being made this year in the United States out of a grand
Mr. Tremaine has given considerable attention to this subject,
total of between-300,000 and 350,000 pianos. It is therefore prob-
and his ideas are not conceived in any narrow or selfish spirit, for
able that close* to 250,000 straight upright pianos in the narrow
he makes it very plain that he has no intention of restricting the
benefits to his own companies, but presents them to the trade at
case have been manufactured in the year 1912. Figuring conserva-
large for each manufacturer to work out the scheme for himself.
tively, during the next ten years between 1,500,000 and 2,000,000
He says further: "The convertible piano is not simply a wider
more straight pianos will be added to the number of the millions
case; it is a piano planned by its maker both to meet the needs and
of these instruments in active use at the present time.
satisfy every requirement of the purchaser at the time it is bought,
"The question has been asked, 'What becomes of all the old
and the requirements which are liable to arise later, should it be
pianos?' It is hard to say. We only know that they go some-
desired to transform this instrument into a player-piano."
where and that there is a demand for more. They do not evapo-
rate. The question we must face is, 'What is to be the disposition
This is an age of advancement in every line of industry, and
of them in the future?'
all suggestions leading to the development of the piano trade or any
"We know how a panic or a drive at a certain security will . branch of it, are entitled to respectful consideration.