Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
OCTOBER 19,
1918
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Increasing Recognition of Music's Value in the War
This Subject Di cussed by Leading Members of the Music Industry in Interviews
Secured By a New York Newspaper—Value of Music Now Generally Recognized
As the war progresses, as more men are
called to the colors, and the problem of keeping
them not only healthy in body but healthy in
mind demands continually more attention from
Government officials and others interested in
their welfare, the question of music continues
to gain in importance.
Although in the handling of industrial prob-
lems brought about by the war the Govern-
ment has found it necessary to order the cur-
tailment of musical instrument production, that
fact does not in any measure reduce the appre-
ciation among those familiar with the situation
of music's value both in military and civilian cir-
cles during these times of stress. This atti-
tude is strongly reflected in the attention given
to music just now in the newspapers through-
out the country. In the New York Evening
Telegram of last Sunday, for instance, Beatrice
Washburn had some interesting comments to
make regarding the demand for pianos during
the war, and took occasion to publish a com-
prehensive interview with Mark P. Campbell,
president of the Brambach Piano Co., and chair-
man of the Allied Music Committee of the
Fourth Liberty Loan. Miss Washburn's story
is well worth reprinting and reads as follows:
What are the pianos doing to help win the
war? I asked a friend of mine the other day and
he said he was sick of having people play "Over
There" and "Keep the Home Fires Burning,"
and that, personally, he would be mighty glad
when the war was over and he could go back
to Beethoven and Schubert. He said he knew
nothing about pianos except that the word had
gone forth among his friends that pianos were
giving way to aeroplanes.
The sensible way seemed to be to ask the
piano people themselves, ami a representative
of Steinway & Sons said that it was quite true
that piano manufacture was cut to a marked
degree.
"We are making only 60 per cent, of our an-
nual output," he explained, "as the Government
has asked us to limit the manufacture of pianos.
The demand is just as great as ever on this
side, as all the piano teachers and students who
formerly studied in Berlin or Vienna are now
in Boston and New York. But pianos are
looked upon as non-essential, particularly at this
time when copper and steel for their strings are.
so much needed for aeroplanes. Mahogany
and cedar, too, which go to make piano cases,
are in great demand for aeroplanes. Moreover,
the same workmen we employ in our factories
are especially fitted for aeroplane manufacturers.
The demand for pianos is particularly great in
the camps and among the soldiers. We have
even pictures of pianos being transported across
the desert by camels."
Do you know that there is $500,000,000 in-
vested in music in this country? They keep tell-
ing us that we are an unmusical nation, but ac-
cording to Mark P. Campbell, chairman of the
Allied Music Committee of the Fourth Liberty
Loan, music has never been so popular here
as it is now. There never has been so great an
opportunity for American composers, with the.
supply of European composers practically cut
off. Just what effect the war will have on music
even the musicians are unprepared to say. It
has unquestionably revived it, and for once
negro music, which some say is our only na-
tional music, has come into vogue as marches
for the troops.
"hi England the army recognized four mili-
"In London they are organizing music classes
tary necessities," said Mr. Campbell. "Food,
clothing, shelter and music. The first Cana- among the very little children to keep their
dian contingent went off without music and minds off the raids and to train them for the
the effect on the morale of the troops was so rebirth of opera and chamber music, which they
marked that since then every regiment has been feel will be assured after the war. For the
supplied with its band. While they do not, of first time a great democracy of music is being
course, go into the trenches as an organization, founded. The musicians are all united in one
pinilllllllllllUIIIIIIIIIIINIIIINIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN^
cause, and with the growing demand for good
they are filled with enthusiasm and vigor."
I MUSIC BRINGS PEP TO TROOPS I music
] asked Mr. Campbell if the musicians were
I
GOING TO BATTLE OR CAMP 1 suffering from hard times, as were all the other
1
Something else besides bullets, bombs | professions, and to my surprise he answered:
"There are no hard times." Yes, that is what
| and guns has been helping the Americans j he said. I couldn't believe it, but those were
1 push on to Berlin.
j his exact words.
|
The spirit to win has been with the j
"The only hard times," he continued, "are due
1 troops since they started training here, |
to the railway rates. The actors and musicians
1 but added "pep" has been brought by 1 are unable to travel; hence they are obliged to
| music.
| stay in New York, where the cost of living is
1
Pianos and phonographs have been do- § so high. If they could get out around the coun-
I ing their bit to win the war, too.
| try they would have no difficulty in getting posi-
|
Only 60 per cent, of the pre-war output | tions."
| of pianos are being made to-day, yet, like |
Next to the piano the talking machine is the
| the soldiers, the folks at home are craving | most sought after thing in this war. Every
| for music more than ever, to stimulate I camp and practically every trench has its talk-
| in these critical times.
. | ing machine. They are using them in France
to teach the children English and the soldiers
the men carry isolated instruments with them French. Some of the bands, instead of having
full man power, compromise by letting one man
to make melodies before going over the top.
"The last six months has seen a marked attach a talking machine to his shoulder and
change in the attitude of our own War Depart- hence have the benefit of the whole thing.
ment toward music and things musical. Band
In looking over the present war music it is
masters are more in demand now than they ever hard, as the musicians say, to tell just what we
were, and good music has become a necessity in are coming to. The negro melodies are still
every camp. It is interesting to see in the rest popular, but they have nothing on George Cohan
centers how much quicker the men foregather or Sousa. As for France, we still have noth-
when there is some one to sing or play. The ing that can compare with the "Marseillaise" or
Highlanders go into the very thick of things even with the new ones, "Sambre et Meuse"
with their bagpipes before them and the African and the unforgettable song that all the poilus
troops have their own brand of instruments.
are singing, "Madelon."
OLD MEN GOOD PIANO WORKMEN
MOST ATTRACTIVE ADVERTISEMENT
Men Seventy and Eighty Years Old Still Prove
Very Useful in San Francisco Shop
J. W. Carter Music Co., Houston, Tex., Gives
Much Space to Musical Interests of the City
in Recent Full-Page Announcement
*
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., October 11.—There ap-
peared in the San Francisco Daily News recent-
ly a four-column article dealing with the Byron
Mauzy factory. It was illustrated by a large
cut showing two workmen working on a piano,
under which it was stated that old age had no
terror for these men. These two men are Ru-
dolph Hornung, eighty years of age, and Pat
Early, seventy. Both are still in good health
and able to work daily at their trade without
undue fatigue. Mr. Hornung learned his trade
in Denmark, or rather inherited it, for both his
father and grandfather were piano makers. His.
uncle was the Hornung in the celebrated Euro-
pean piano firm of Moar & Hornung. Pat Early
learned his trade in the Chickering factory in
Boston. It is fitting that he should still be
working for a representative of the Chickering
piano. Mr. Mauzy says he prefers old me-
chanics in his factory as they are slower and
more careful in the work. They make for
quality, which is more valuable in piano manu-
facturing than speed. Both Hornung and Early
are able to make a complete piano from the
ground up, which is unusual in these days of
specialization.
The O. K. Houck Piano Co. had a most at-
tractive exhibit of pianos and Victrolas at the
annual Tri-State Fair held at Memphis, Tenn.,
recently.
The J. W. Carter Music Co., Houston, Tex.,
who represent the Steinway and other prominent
makes of pianos and players, as well as talking
machines and records in that city, recently ran
a most attractive full-page advertisement in
one of the local newspapers. The advertise-
ment was in three sections, the left-hand column
setting forth the program of attractions for
Houston's musical season, running from the ap-
pearance of the Chicago Opera Co. on October
23, to the scheduled appearance of Galli-Curci
on April 23. The right-hand column contained
a list of over 125 of Houston's vocal and instru-
mental teachers, together with their addresses.
A large center panel referred to the fact that the
Carter Music Co. was established forty years
ago, ajid is the musical headquarters of Houston
and the home of the Steinway in that city. In
the panel was a portrait of Galli-Curci, the noted
soprano, seated at a Steinway piano. The ad-
vertisement was laid out and arranged in a most
artistic manner and created much interest.
William Jacob, son of C. Albert Jacob, of
Jacob Bros. Co., has enrolled with the Students'
Army Corps at Columbia University. Mr. Jacob
has a second son, C. Albert Jacob, Jr., serving
as lieutenant at Camp Upton, and a third son,
Charles Jacob, Jr., serving with the American
Ambulance Corps in France.
WINTER & CO.
RUDOLF
PIANOS AND PLAYER-PIANOS
PIANOS AND PLAYER-PIANOS
22O SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK