Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
N talking last month abo'ut public libraries and music rolls we
omitted, quite inadvertently, to award a merited palm to the
Starr Piano Co. for the very admirable pioneer work they have
already done in this direction. We are reminded of our dereliction
by a letter from Mr. Henry Gennett, president of the Starr Piano
Co. Mr. Gennett reminds us that the Starr Piano Co. presented
the Public Library at Kansas City, Mo., with their first stock of
music rolls and also that other institutions have been his company"s
beneficiaries in the same way. Some 'of these libraries even have
the use of a Starr player-piano. The correction is timely, and we
thank Mr. Gennett for making it. One may also express a wish
that more piano manufacturers would look at this important topic
in as broad a way and follow the fine example set them.
I
OWEVER, while especially anxious to give the Starr Piano
Co. all possible credit for its position as the pioneer, we are
more concerned here with another aspect of the situation to which
another portion of Mr. Gennett's letter directs our attention, and
which comes at this time.with special force. Says he: "Many trus-
tees of libraries feel the lack of patronage from the general public,
and it is giving them no little concern to understand why the
library, supported by taxes and belonging to the public, does not
reach the people intended to be benefited. Music is the solution
and the player-piano the means which will draw. The library
needs not only to furnish the mental food to advance culture and
refinement, but also should supply the temperamental, for the human
side of life must be considered."
H
H
ERE is a point involved which ought to be considered very
thoughtfully by librarians and library trustees. It is a fact,
only too familiar to officials of libraries, that the general public does
not make use of these institutions as much as is right and proper.
We do not sympathize with any notion that the aim and business
of every public educational organization should be to cater to the
public taste on the grounds that it is proper to give the public only
what the public want. Per contra, we regard this as a thoroughly
vicious doctrine. But we do believe that it is not enough to set
down a library in a city and then say, ''now take advantage of what
we have given you." What is more, we firmly believe that the
time to get people into the habit of using a good thing is to begin
with them when young. And what is a greater attraction to the
young people than music; music free as air ?
ND there is another point of equal importance. If it be the
duty of the library to give these benefits to its young patrons,
how much more is it a duty to turn their thoughts aright, to show
them the good rather than the Bad, to start them .on the road to a
love of the good and the pure! So, such work as the Gary Public
Library is now doing is worthy of all praise. So is the public spirit
of the Gulbransen-Dickinson Co., who have made the work pos-
sible. We all ought to be only too glad to take example from these.
But it is equally necessary to say here that such work as the Gary
recitals can easily be turned into a farce. The thing must be done
rightly, or it had better not be done at all. In this respect the
manufacturer or dealer who contemplates entering into an investi-
gation of this important, profitable and almost virgin field, should
take care to set about the task in a serious, not a perfunctory man-
ner. Already we have directed attention to some tried methods,
in an article in the Eebruary issue of the Player Section.
A
HE exceedingly important topic of the traded-in piano and its
effects on the player trade can scarcely receive any too large
an amount of attention, and readers will undoubtedly appreciate the
treatment given to it in this issue of the Player Section.
T
(Special to The Review.)
consisting of a business here and om in Cordele, to
a Chicago concern, the largest manufacturers of
the kind in the world.
COLUMBUS, GA., March 23.—R. J. Arthur, for a
number of years one of the best known dealers in
pianos and organs and proprietor of the R. J.
Arthur Piano and Organ Co., in this city, an-
nounces that he has sold his interests in Georgia,
A. M. Carl, formerly well known as a piano
dealer in the Middle West, has re-entered the
retail trade in Newton, la., with the Vose piano
as his leader.
SELLS OUT_H1S BUSINESS.
AIM
OFFER
That Cannot
Be Equalled
is the very liberal "Ap-
proval" offer that we are
making to responsible
dealers all over the
United States. If we
were not Absolutely
Sure that the "Coinola"
is "troubleproof" and
capable of "making
good" in every way we
should not do this.
Our Style "C" is double ve-
neered, has heavily nickeled metal
parts, high-grade ivory keys and
ebony sharps. Has new and origi-
nal scale of IY3 octaves, an im-
proved mandolin attachment and
our novel and popular steel or-
chestra bell attachment.
STYLE "C."
TROUBLE-PROOF "COINOLA."
OPERATORS PIANO COMPANY
9
Send for "Approval" Offer
and Catalog.
1911 CLYBOURN
AVENUE
CHICAGO
THE A. B. CHASEJJNE IN RECITAL.
Grand and Artistano Used with Excellent Ef-
fect in Recital Before Selected Audience at
the Flanner-Hafsoos Piano House.
(Special to The Review.)
MILWAUKEE, WIS., March 24.—The first of an
interesting series of recitals in which the A. B.
Chase line is being featured was given by Mr.
and Mrs. Eric S. Hafsoos last week in the attrac-
tive A. B. Chase parlors of the Flanner-Hafsoos
Piano House. The A. B. Chase grand and the A.
B. Chase Artistano. brought forth much favorable
comment from the prominent musical people of
Milwaukee who were present. Mrs. Leslie Kil-
lam and Anton Bumibalek, two well-known Mil-
waukee pianists, presented numbers, while Stanley
J. Schlosser, manager of the player department
at the Flanner-Hafsoos store, demonstrated the
Artistano. Mrs. Florence Bodenhof, a soloist, ap-
pearing at the Hotel Pfister, and Mrs. Albert
Shong, wife of the principal of the West Division
High School, gave vocal numbers, and Will Simp-
son played the harp.
The full program follows:
1. Piano Solo on the Artistano—"William Tell Over-
ture" by Rossini
Stanley J. Schlosser
2. Vocal Solo—"Carissima," by Arthur 1'enn
Mrs. Albert Shong
3. Piano Solo—"Sonata in E Minor," by Grieg (first
and third movements)
Mrs. Leslie Killam
4. Harp Solo—"Fantasie" by Edmund Schuecker
William Simpson
5. Vocal Solo—(a) Berceuse by Godard; (b) Hvis du
har varme Tanker by Haakon Borressen
Mine. Florence Bodenhoff
C. Piano Solo—Polonaise by McDowell. . . .Anton Bumbalek
Refreshments were served after the recital at
the Scandinavian 'Club rooms. Both Mr. Hafsoos
and Mr. Planner are enthusiastic over the success
of the musicale and are planning on holding the
affairs at regular intervals.
Proctor's Fifth Avenue Theater, New York,
which has recently been completely redecorated, has
installed a $30,000 Wurlitzer organ for use with
motion picture plays.