Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
NOVEL WANAMAKER RECITALS.
Victrola Furnishes the Voices of Living Char-
acters Who Appear Costumed as in Actual
Life—Attract Large and Appreciative Crowds
—John Wanamaker a Victrola Enthusiast.
The Victrola section of John Wanamaker s New
York store has been presenting the past week at
two performances daily in the store's handsome
auditorium, four acts of living tableaux with
characters in costume who pantomine the acting
and singing of the principle arias from the opera,
"'Aida," assisted by the Victrola. These daily per-
formances have been attracting crowded houses,
and thereby increasing the popularity of the Vic-
trola among the Wanamaker clientele.
The principal characters of the opera all appear
before the audience in actual life, but instead of
rendering their respective selections as they would
on the operatic stage, a Victrola furnishes the
actual voices of Caruso, Gadski, Destinn and the
other famous stars. Accompanied by the pipe-
organ and piano, the entire performance is one of
exceptional realism and beauty.
It is interesting to note, by the way, that John
Wanamaker is personally a Victrola enthusiast,
and owns in his handsome home, a Victrola X, fin-
ished in Japanese lacquer, a product of the Wana-
maker Victrola department. The Victrola is one
of the most artistic instruments ever introduced for
use in a private home.
EDISON DEALERSJN NEW YORK.
Some Strong Announcements Featuring the
Edison Disc Phonograph Line and the Local
Agents, Appeared in the New York Papers
the Past Week—Productive of Sales.
MATZENAUER'S COLUMBIA RECORDS
Will Soon Be on the Market—Famous Operatic
Artist Closes Arrangements to This End—
New Brooklyn Representatives—Excellent
Columbia Publicity—New Records by Maggie
Teyte Exceptionally Successful.
The Columbia Graphophone Co. this week com-
pleted arrangements with Mme. Margarete Mat-
zenauer, the famous operatic contralto, whereby
this popular artist will record for the Columbia
library. Mme. Matzenauer, although she has only
been a member of the Metropolitan Opera Co. for
the past two years, has achieved a noteworthy suc-
cess in this short time. Her records will be an-
nounced in the very near future, and will prove
welcome additions to the comprehensive array of
Columbia operatic talent, which is now in evidence
in the record catalogue of the company.
Among the recent additions to the list of Colum-
bia representatives in near-by territory, are Sam-
uel Weinstein, 54 Morrell street, Brooklyn, N. Y.,
and Seaver Bros., Fifty-second street and Third
avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. The latter concern has
placed an unusually substantial order for Columbia
machines and records, and has already laid the
foundation for an excellent Columbia business.
The publicity given the new Columbia advertis-'
ing record by Columbia dealers throughout the
country continues to be a feature of the trade's
present advertising, and from all parts of the coun-
try, the advertising department of the company is
receiving proofs of these record ads from rep-
resentative dealers. A recent one of particular in-
terest was received from S. Pollack, Gordon street,
Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a successful Columbia dealer,
who is achieving remarkable success with the ad-
vertising record, closing a number of sales of ma-
chines through its influence.
The Columbia Co. will present to the trade in the
very near future the several new records recently
made by Maggie Teyte, the popular soprano. It is
understood that these records are exceptionally suc-
cessful, Miss Teyte's voice being particularly adapt-
able to recording purposes.
BEST YEARJN HISTORY.
So Says R. F_. Bolton of the Wholesale and Re-
tail Columbia Store, at 89 Chambers Street,
New York—Outlook Very Encouraging.
"Our business the past month has only been
limited by the stock the factory has been able to
furnish us," states R. F. Bolton, manager of the
Columbia Graphophone Co.'s wholesale and retail
store at 89 Chambers street, New York. "We have
not yet had a chance to total up our sales figures
for the entire year, but we are absolutely certain
that 1913 has been the best year in our history.
"One of the most gratifying features of our
trade the past year was the cordial welcome ac-
corded all our new machines by our dealers as
soon as they were introduced. The Leader,
Mignonette, Favorite, and in fact, all the machines
in our new product this year won the instant ad-
miration and praise of the dealers, and this en-
thusiasm was reflected in the remarkable demand
for all types of Columbia machines; a demand that
we have been finding it very difficult and well-nigh
impossible to adequately handle.
"January is always an excellent month for record
business, and with the steady and consistent ma-
chine sales that our dealers have been closing the
past few months, there is certain to be a demand
for records that will be unprecedented. We are
preparing to take care of this record business by
having our stock complete in every detail."
STRENGTHENSJIIS EDISON LINE.
W. S. Stewart Adds Disc Machines in His Ex-
tensive Cylinder Line in Franklin, N. H.
(Special to The Review.)
FRANKLIN, N. H., Deember 20.—W. S. Stewart,
of this city, for years an enthusiastic Edison
The first announcement to the public by the vari-
specialist, has recently closed a contract by which
ous dealers that are handling the Edison disc line
his Edison stock was brought thoroughly up to
in local territory was made last week through the
date.
medium of a number of strong and impressive ad-
By the addition of the new Edison disc line and
vertisements in all of the leading daily newspapers.
a complete stock of the new Edison Amberolas
These advertisements were well conceived, and
and Blue Amberol records, Mr. Stewart now takes
gave the public an adequate idea of the popularity
the lead as one of the best equipped Edison dealers
VICTOR P U B L I C I T Y ^ JANUARY.
that the Edison disc line has achieved in the short
in this section of the State. Mr. Stewart states
time that it has been formally presented to the
The Victor Talking Machine Co. sent out to its that on the first Saturday he had the new instru-
trade and public.
dealers this week its usual monthly batch of val- ments on display, his store was crowded and he
Under the heading "Where demonstrations of
uable literature to assist them in developing Janu- heard nothing but the most favorable comments.
the Edison disc phonograph may be heard," the ary business. Proofs of the advertisements to be He anticipates an usually good holiday trade as a
result of his latest progressive move. An active
following representative houses were featured by
used by the company in the newspapers throughout
campaign of advertising and other publicity is
individual and diversified cards: Hardman, Peck
the country, record hangers, and the customary
promised.
& Co., Tower Manufacturing and Novelty Co., proofs of magazine advertisements for January
Fred Kraft, Inc., Krakauer Bros., M. Goldsmith, were included in the batch. The proof of the com-
George Bergmaier, J. J. Rooney, Paul Heifer, Cort
pany double page spread in the Saturday Evening
DISCONTINUE JOBBING BUSINESS.
Sales Co., and Sol. Lazarus, all of New York;
Post of January 17, shows an advertisement of ex-
(Special to The Review.)
Hardman, Peck & Co., B. Guy Warner, Alphonzo ceptional merit and beauty.
GRAND
RAPIDS,
MICH., December 20.—The Fried-
Smith, Charles G. Rosewall, Louis Chevalier,
The maintenance in popularity of the tango and
George S. Uniss, Guarantee Phonograph Co., T. H. the ability of the Victrola to adequately cater to rich Music House, of this city, oi\e of the best
Clancy and A. Eckel, all of Brooklyn, N. Y.
the demand for this type of record, is referred to known and successful music houses in this section
This co-operative advertising by the Edison disc particularly in the letters accompaning the new of the country, has discontinued its jobbing ot
phonograph dealers resulted in the closing of a
Victor publicity, together with the suggestion that Victor products in order to concentrate its energies
splendid business in both Edison disc records and
the vast amount of new machines sold during the on the retail end of its business exclusively, which
phonographs, which gives every sign of continuing
Christmas season opens a new market for the sale has grown to large proportions.
for some time to come. The many distinctive fea-
of additional Victor records.
RECOMMENDED_RECORD LIST.
tures of the Edison disc line are being consistently
placed before the attention of the public, and there
The
Victor Talking Machine Co. has sent out a
SPECIAL OFFER ATTRACTS.
is no doubt that within the next few months,
letter to its trade throughout the country calling its
An unusual holiday combination was offered this attention to the specially recommended list of rec-
Thomas A. Edison, Inc., will add many new names
week by the O'Neill-Adams Co., the prominent de-
to the present list of Edison disc representatives.
ords featured in its new catalog, which will shortly
partment store, in the nature of a piano, Victrola
be off the press. This special list is always chosen
and Victor records as forming "the ideal musical
with extreme care and consideration, and Victor
ENLARGE VICTROLA DEPARTMENT.
combination." This advertisement was one of the dealers who have ordered this list from previous
few announcements ever presented to the public annual catalogs are enthusiastic regarding its popu-
The Foster Piano Co., Troy, N. Y., which re-
which
included a piano and Victrola in one ad- larity with their clientele.
cently put in a large Victrola department under the
vertisement. The Victrola featured in this adver-
management of Leslie C. Hathaway, has remod-
tisement was the popular Style XI, retailing at
eled the ground floor of its building to permit of
OPEN "TALKER^ DEPARTMENT.
the installation of several sound-proof talking $100, records were priced at $25, while the piano
The Gus Blass Co., Little Rock, Ark., has
at $250 made the entire offer only $375. This
machine demonstrating booths. In the piano line
opened a, talking machine department, with S. M.
musical combination attracted general attention and
the company handles the Knabe, Haines Bros.,
Field as manager. The Columbia line is handled.
Foster and other lines of pianos and player-pianos. resulted in the closing of a large number of sales.