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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Many Piano Men Giving Too Much Time to War Talk—Should Stop
Solving Campaign Problems for European Generals in Order to Give
Heed to Problems that Confront Them in Their Own Trade at Home.
It is the custom for this player section to con-
tain each month a feature known as "The Point
of View," the object of which is to afford a forum
for the expression of personal trade opinion. The
present month, however, sees here no formal state-
ments by gentlemen of the trade appearing in this
department and for a special reason. That reason
is this: Everybody who has anything to say is
talking about the war.
Now it is all very well to talk about war if one
feels so inclined. It is all very well to form one
of an amateur board of strategy and spend one's
time deciding for General Joffre, Field Marshal
French and the officers of the Grosser Generalstab
their duties. But there comes a time when that
sort of thing becomes a nuisance. And the present
moment is an opportune one for remarking here
—as our own personal point of view—that there
is altogether too much war talk and too little busi-
ness talk.
Such a condition of affairs is ridiculous. It re-
flects no credit upon the intellect or the common
sense of anybody. And it ought to stop. For
there are great questions to be settled; questions
that must be settled soon and rightly.
Three Great Questions.
Hefe are some of the questions on which we
feel that there ought to be trade opinion; opinion
founded on deep thought and mature conclusion;
opinion, fearlessly and weightily expressed. Upon
these questions following, in fact, we should have
wished to obtain some personal expressions of
opinion. And here they are:
1. The hand-played music roll! Will it displace
the other; how should it be sold; and what is to
be its influence upon the general course of the
player business?
2. The player grand, its present and its future,
and the possibility of using it as means for pene-
trating into that part of the public mind which
has heretofore been antagonistic to the whole
player idea; namely, to the musically intelligent
part.
3. The limit of price downward. How far
should the low-priced player-piano be encouraged?
Here are three questions of great importance,
each pressing for solution, and all of them un-
answered. They need answers, they cry for
answers for upon the answers to them rests much
of the future career of the player in this country.
Foreign Trade Sense and Nonsense.
A great deal is being said about foreign trade as
a result of the war. Some of it is sense; some is
nonsense. But so far as concerns the player trade
the truth is that we are quite unprepared to enter
the foreign field just now. The reasons are
numerous, ranging from financial conditions in
South America to the state of maufacturing at
home. What is important is that the player busi-
ness during the next year has to be developed
right here.
Let Us Solve Our Own Problems.
Consider the three great questions we have
spoken of. Much may be said on both sides of
them. For instance, the hand-played roll is a
blessing, or a curse, according to how you view it.
Much may be said on both sides. For ourselves
we believe in the hand-played roll. But that is not
important. What is important is that the music
roll selling business ought to be reorganized to care
for and exploit the hand-played roll in something
like a systematic manner, thus putting the music
roll retailing proposition back where it has not
been for some time, namely, on a paying basis.
Then there is the great development in the player
for grand pianos. The day is coming when this
whole field will be open to us. The day is coming
when we shall have to ask ourselves whether we
will take advantage of the enormous opportunity
presented to promote the exclusive grand piano in
combination with a perfected player. This grand
piano trade has hitherto been largely beyond our
reach because grand piano owners are usually
people who play the piano, or else who are rich
enough (and snobbish enough) to look down upon
anything that is the possession of (as we once
heard a Mrs. Parvenu say) "them awful hoi
polloi."
Moreover, the musically intelligent class is wait-
ing to see the development of a perfected grand
player-piano. This musically intelligent class must
be approached by means different from and more
thoughtful than will suffice for the capture of the
many. It is up to us to prepare for this new and
valuable extension of our field. We have many
problems to solve; problems of price, of methods,
and so on. Are we getting ready for them?
Then, again, there is the old question of the low-
priced player-piano. How far is it good for the
trade that there should be very low-priced instru-
ments produced? There is much to be said on both
sides of the question. It is not a matter to be
decided by any one man's personal prejudice. There
is the question of extending the field of sale so
that the masses can own and enjoy the player-
piano. But also there is the question of whether
one can afford to allow those who must buy on
time to pay for instruments at rates which prolong
the life of the transaction for years; especially
since players are of such a nature that a certain
amount of trouble is to be expected from them.
Such sales are of the "when the piano stops play-
ing they stop paying" order. It is, in fact, a nice
question whether the wage-earning classes should
be encouraged to buy player-pianos at all. More-
over, the question of whether the very low-priced
player-piano is, in itself and apart from other
considerations, a blessing or a curse to the trade,
is susceptible of more than one answer. And it
might as well be remembered that upon the nature
of the answer depends tremendously the future
of the player business on its retail side.
Getting Answers to the Big Problems.
These are all matters that we believe ought to be
settled. If they can be settled now—as they should
be—is it not better than that we should sit around
WRIGHT
Sales Offices at
437 5th Ave., New York
George H. Beverly, Manager of Sales
talking about the war? Suppose some of us are
of German birth or descent; are we not settled
in America, and by deliberate choice American?
Suppose some of us are French, British or Belgian
by birth or descent! Are we not by deliberate
choice domiciled in the United States and bound
up with the future of our adopted country? Is it
not time to forget trans-Atlantic nationalism, and
hyphenated Americanism? Is it not time to forget
alike the German armies and the troops of those
whose names some worthy citizens rhyme with
valleys? Is it not time, in short, to begin minding
for a season that business which so many of us
seem willing to let alone?
Is it not time to stop talking war and begin talk-
ing business?
The True Point of View.
Calamity howling to-day is based on just one
notion; on fear that the European situation can—
and necessarily will—hurt us.
All fear is paralyzing, dulling to the senses and
hypnotizing to the faculties of those who come
under its influence.
When we realize that fear is the real basis of
our war talk and of our business neglect, we shall
be more willing to dismiss it for what it is; more
willing to stop talking war and begin talking busi-
ness ! This is our—and the true—point of view.
PUBLICITY FORJHE DEALER.
Attractive Folder Issued by Kranich & Bach
and Devoted to the New Player-Piano.
Kranich & Bach, 237 East Twenty-third street,
New York, have just issued an attractive four-
page folder devoted to their new player-piano, style
7, with the new "Jubilee" scale. This folder pre-
sents succinctly the selling arguments the dealer
may use on behalf of this player, which in the
short while it has been on the market has scored
a pleasing success.
The last page of this folder calls attention to the
fact that Kranich & Bach were stimulated in pro-
ducing this instrument by the occurrence of their
fiftieth anniversary, which took place this year.
To illustrate the firm's rapid progress in the past
half century, a photograph of its present large
factory is shown, with a reproduction of the in-
significant quarters occupied in 1864. A compari-
son of the two plants tells the story of Kranich
& Bach advancement. Among other things, this
folder presents a clear photograph of the new
"Jubilee" player, with its important features.
In discussing the business outlook this week
Chas. A. Wason, head of the Wason Piano Co.,
Matawan, N. J., said: "Business still keeps up a
steady increase each month, and seems to be
natural, healthy business from good houses, which
I think is a good sign." The Wason Co. is prac-
tically specializing upon the Wason player-piano,
and it is evident from the remarks of Mr. Wason
that the player business is one of strong force.
METAL PLAYER ACTION
About 100% in advance of any action ever offered. Investi-
gate the Wright. You will be astounded at its many exclusive
features, its simplicity of construction, its wonderful respon-
siveness, its absolute durability and its beauty. Can easily
be installed in seven hours.
M. S. W r i g h t C o m p a n y
Worcester, Mass.