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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President, J. B. Spillane,
373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, J. Raymond Bill, 373 Fourth Ave.,
New York; Secretary and Treasurer, August J. Timpe, 373 Fourth Ave., New York.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
AUGUST J. TIMPE
Business Manager
Executive and Reportorial Staff :
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, CARLETON CHACF, I*. M. ROBINSON, WILSON D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH,
WM. BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
BOSTON OFFICE:
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Lyman Bill, Inc,.
Anil
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
auu
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
n<*n9Plitlonk
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
I a i
l i e | ) d l I l l l t U l d . d e a ] t w i t h W1 *i| b e found in another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma ...Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
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LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 6982—6983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting a" Departments
Cable address: "Elblll, New York."
NEW YORK* FEBRUARY 17, 1917
EDITORIAL
HIS week there was started a country-wide campaign among
T
piano merchants to secure financial support for the National
Bureau for the Advancement of Music. Up to the present time
the work of the Bureau has been carried on through the gener-
osity of piano manufacturers alone. At the Chicago meeting a
number of leading piano merchants endorsed the work the Bureau
has been doing and incidentally over one hundred representative
piano retailers in various sections of the country have agreed to
act as local representatives for the Bureau in carrying out the
"Music in the Home" propaganda through the medium of their
local newspapers and by other means.
The fact remains that the many good results accomplished
by the Bureau must of necessity revert to the piano retailer, for
he must supply any demand for musical instruments brought
about through an increased appreciation and demand for music
itself. It is but fair, therefore, that the piano merchant should
do his share in supporting the Bureau, for with financial interest
in the movement he will be inclined to take more active part in
the campaign.
The Bureau is not in any sense self supporting. It has no
means for creating a revenue except through voluntary contri-
butions. Its work necessitates constant expense without corre-
sponding income. Piano merchants, therefore, should view the
proposition from the right angle and lend such assistance as is
commensurate with their standing and their interest in the work.
view of the grave possibility that still exists that the United
I in N the States
may find itself engaged to a more or less serious extent
great European conflict, although the hope of every earnest
American is that the nation will not be called upon to bear arms
in defense of what the Government believes are the rights of its
citizens, it is interesting to note the effect of war conditions on
the music trade of the belligerent nations. In England, for
instance, despite the drain of men and money, it is reported that
REVIEW
one prominent piano house was able to declare a dividend for
1916 representing a 10 per cent, increase over the dividend for
preceding years. Other concerns have also found prosperity
during war times.
Of course, there has been the difficulty of getting supplies
of material and labor, and of getting official sanction to use sup-
plies already on hand, but from the standpoint of supply and
demand the British piano and music houses have really accom-
plished good results.
War brings with it a certain stimulation of industry. The
demand for supplies of all sorts created a tremendous demand for
labor, and in the natural order of things brought with it much
larger wages. To the average mortal a bigger income means the
purchase of luxuries, and the business done where munition
works are located in the ^United States thoroughly illustrates this
fact. When insurance adjusters visited the towns of New Jersey
which suffered damaged recently from munition explosions, it
was found that a very large percentage of homes, even the most
humble, were equipped with some sort of musical instrument.
We don't want war, but if war does come, the manufacturers
of musical instruments will probably find themselves about as
well off as those engaged in other industries, even though they
be confined to the production of what may be termed the neces-
sities of life.
T
HE importance of the trade paper and its value as an edu-
cator and business developer are not always correctly esti-
mated.
The late Elbert Hubbard, that brilliant mind which was
snuffed out in the Lusitania disaster, had become in his later
years a great admirer of the trade paper, and in a number of
his contributions paid tribute to its worth in his usually brilliant
style.
The special articles he wrote for The Review a couple of
years ago cannot be forgotten, because their logic and sparkle
invite second reading. As he pointed out, the trade paper re-
flects the trend of the age—that imagination, fancy, gift of vision-
ing, spell success—that the dreamers are the workers.
He pointed out that the printing press, the talking machine,
the movies, the player-piano are the modern developments—the
outcome of the eternal query "Why?"—the result of imagina-
tion, interrogation, investigation and work. They are the edu-
cators.
"The trade paper is probably more alive to the exigencies
of education, and the gratification of the mental needs of its
readers, than any other press production," remarked Mr. Hub-
bard. "It asks, absorbs, gives.
"Take up a trade paper; note the quality and texture of the
paper, the clearness of the type, the beauty of its arrangement,
the logic of its arguments, the well-expressed opinions of its
contributors.
"Then tell me if it isn't an education—beautiful, inspiring, *
strengthening.
"Thousands of trade paper subscribers are receiving mental
uplift and renewing their courage by its means.
"The trade paper is the leader of the literary world.
"It applies chiropractic methods to managerial meningitis,
the numerical neuritis of the cashier, or the comatose business
man.
"As a spinal adjuster the trade paper is a necessity. With-
out it there is great danger that the Glooms will get you.
"It manipulates the dislocated vertebrae of declining busi-
ness, until the spinal irritation walks its chalks, trundles its hoop,
and you climb into your buzz-wagon again, and let 'er zip Gal-
lagher !
"The trade paper keeps the red corpuscles turkey-trotting
and prevents pseudo-anginalitis or imitation heart disease.
"It helps you push your business, thereby obviating nerv.
pros. For nervous prostration is never occasioned by you push-
ing your business; it only happens when your business pushes
you. The trade paper is the Pathe Weekly of the subscriber.
"It gives vivid character sketches of the passing great. It
takes extensive tours over the fields of science, business and in-
vention. It teaches by living, moving word-pictures the reasons
for the failures and the causes of success.
"Sarcasm and caricature turn many a trick.