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11
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
YM
T
HOSE who are now discussing- various plans for stimulating
the love for music among the American people might do
worse than consider the very sound suggestions put forth on
this subject by Otto Schulz, at a recent meeting of the Chicago
Piano and Organ Association. The idea of co-operating with the
various agencies of what might be called the "community move-
ment," is both sane and practical,, and opens up many possibilities
hitherto overlooked. It is significant also that executive officers
of the great Kohler Industries are reported as taking a live
interest in these matters, for no far-sighted man can doubt that
the education of public taste is a task for the immediate future
and one which, while it may indeed be complex and novel, yet
must not be shirked. In the present issue of this Player Section
we have devoted an article to some consideration of the whole
matter, and especially to the interest which the player trade
naturally has in anything of this sort. The subject is not only
important, but vital, and the time has come when we must cease
theorizing about it and begin to handle it practically. For this
much is sure: the piano trade has not been presenting real argu-
ments to the public in favor of the piano. It has been assumed
that a piano should be bought as furniture is bought; because
one has to have it. It has even been assumed that player-pianos
are in the same category. Those assumptions are dying; slowly
perhaps, but surely. We have to stimulate in the public mind
that real love for music which is actually so natural and simple
a state among normal people of all classes, and which requires
but little urging to bring into activity.
T is perhaps quite an overlooked fact, amidst tile, preset^
I pianos,
prosperity of the movement towards power-driven player-
that several large producers of players are remaining
content with the foot-driven instrument and apparently are doing
a record business with it. We have no quarrel = t *^ja the power-
drive idea, and indeed welcome it, as a development which is
bound to exert vast influence. Such movements as are indicated
in the Welte-Mignon Auto-de-Luxe alliance were not initiated by
chance. They are the result of the natural development of the
player-idea. But the great fault of the unthinking is to mistake
every signpost for an order to change direction. The superficial
man always mistakes incidents for tendencies. That is why it
is so important to keep on insisting that if the Standard Pneu-
matic Action Co., the Gulbransen-Dickinson Co., the M. Schulz
Co. and the new American Player Action Co., hot to mention
others equally distinguished, find themselves unaffected and in
no sense inclined to change their views, so far; the rest of us
might save ourselves the trouble of losing our heads. The back-
bone of the player business is the straight player-piano. And this
is said without the slightest prejudice against any other develop-
ment, but merely to emphasise the fact that the coming of a
USING THREE PLAYER ACTJONS
Bjur Bros. Co. Adds Metalnola for Equipping
Bjur Bros. Player-Pianos—Also Install Auto
De Luxe and Bjur Special Actions
Bjur Bros. Co., Southern boulevard, near 156th
street, New York City, is now producing a
very complete line of player-pianos, having an-
nounced that they are now installing the Higel
Metalnola player action, as well as the Bjur
Bros. Special and the Auto De Luxe player ac-
tions. This gives the dealer the opportunity of
handling the Bjur Bros, player-piano equipped
with any of these actions, and also gives him
the further assurance of the maintenance of a
high standard of quality in the Bjur Bros, player-
piano, as well as in the piano which has always
been recognized as an instrument of superior
quality.
Business at the factory of the company has
been extremely good during the last two months.
new* idea does not involve necessarily the abandonment of all
that went before.
there are going to be quite a number of
A PPARENTLY,
exhibitors at the forthcoming Music Show in Chicago, and
some important player-pianos will be on view in full bloom, as it
were. One is tempted to wonder whether something could not
be done to accentuate the importance of the player-piano and
to introduce to the public who will visit the show something of
the real facts about the whole proposition. It is hard to make
constructive suggestions in a case like this, for there are so many
interests to be considered; but if for once the thing could be
looked at broadly, many most interesting ideas could be worked
up. For instance, suppose we had a competition between player-
pianists ! Or even two, one for amateurs and one for profes-
sionals! Each man to choose his own instrument, a competent
board of judges to be appointed, and competitive playing of
certain selected pieces, announced in advance, to be undertaken
for a prize! Of course, instruments would have to be classified
as automatic-accentors and non-automatics. But this would be
not so difficult. If the promoters would hang up a good purse
and have a competition open to all, the entries would be sur-
prisingly numerous. Of course, we know that the idea is new
and that there are certain difficulties in the way. But none of
these is insuperable, while, on the other hand, a competition of
this kind would attract attention throughout the nation and
redound to the fame of the player-piano everywhere. Surely the
trade would not oppose anything so obviously advantageous as
this. # Surely also the Music Show will find it none too easy to
excite and ffraintain sufficient public interest. A competition is
always most valuable for this purpose, as people are invariably
interested in anything that resembles a fight. There are plenty
of amateur player-pianists in the country, if only they could be
stirred up. In fact, we believe there would have to be elimination
contests, so that only the cream of the competitors should
finally appear before the public. Anyhow, the suggestion is
offered for what it is worth.
HATEVER else happens, we do hope that there will be
W
some adequate demonstrating done in the player way. The
show of 1910 was fairly good and that of 1911 not so bad in this
resp«£^ b*ut so much that is important will be exhibited next May
that w*e hope due attention will be given to the matter of public
demonstration. It is a great mistake to suppose that because we
know something to be good, the public will grasp the truth
instantly also. If the public knew as much about the player-
piano as we do, then we should all be professionals and there
would be no business. Let us not neglect the exploitation of the
player-piano at the Music Show!
The dealers handling the Bjur Bros, instruments
have found them extremely popular, the Bjur
Bros, player-piano being especially in demand.
The many individual features embodied in all
of these instruments have made an appeal to
the trade which since their establishment in 1887
has kept them well in the foreground. The
selecting of three player actions of national
reputation and recognized worth to be used in
connection with the Bjur Bros, pianos is just
one evidence of the careful forethought which
is reflected in the construction of these instru-
ments throughout.
W. L. Bjur, head of the company, stated to a
representative of The Review this week: "We
now have three styles of player-pianos which
will please a variety of tastes. The Bjur Bros,
player-piano is equipped with the Bjur Bros.
Special player actions, the Auto De Luxe or
the'HWetalnola. All three are high grade actions
and can be found installed only .in instruments
of the highest quality, so that we are absolutely
maintaining the quality of our instruments which
has been recognized as the highest by repre-
sentative dealers throughout the country, since
the inception of the Bjur Rros. product."
SYNCHRONIZED PLAYER ROLLS
Imperial Music Roll Co. Issues Music Roll to
Be Used With Victor Records
A new departure in player rolls is the syn-
chronized roll to accompany the talking machine.
The Imperial Music Roll Co., of Chicago, are
now issuing very attractive synchronized hand-
played music rolls to accompany the Victor rec-
ords. These rolls can be played on any make
of player. That this is a great forward step in
bringing good music into the home is easily to
be seen. These new rolls are meeting with
great demand in the music roll department of
the John Wanamaker store, New York. Her-
man Kornbau, manager of this department, is
very enthusiastic about this new form of roll.