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THE
APRIL 17, 1920
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
GOOD TRADE IN TWIN CITIES
COMMUNITY SINGING AT COLUMBIA
Better Demand Reported by Retail Piano Men
—Dyer Returns From Florida—Featuring the
Kurtzmann Welte-Mignon—Other News
Special Course of Training for Community Song
Leaders Now Being Conducted at Columbia
University, New York—Is Well Attended
MINNEAPOLIS and
ST. PAUL, MINN., April
12.—
April business among the piano men of St. Paul
and Minneapolis started materially better than
in March. The slump following the announce-
ment of price raising appears to have been
overcome to some extent. Some of the dealers
believe that they are enjoying normal prosper-
ity, when the season of the year is taken into
consideration, but the majority feel that there
should be decidedly more activity in order to
break even for March. The general outlook
seems to be satisfactory. At any rate piano
men in this vicinity are not disposed to borrow
trouble in getting a line- on the future.
W. J. Dyer reached St. Paul from Florida
right in the midst of a zero blizzard, but said
that he was glad to be back. Life in Florida
was not at all enviable, he declared, because of
the abnormal weather conditions. The affairs
of Dyer & Bro. were found to be in excellent
condition, all the departments showing a healthy
constitution, except the piano department,
which was lagging somewhat behind. Mr. Dyer,
however, is confident that it will be in step
again before long. A long-awaited shipment of
electric endless roll pianos, called for short the
Link jazz pianos, arrived last week, to the prin-
cipal satisfaction of A. L. Brown. Three of the
instruments went out at once on old orders and
the others probably are not booked for a long
stay.
A display of Kurtzmann Welte-Mignon pianos
is attracting much attention to the piano depart-
ment of the' Golden Rule department store. A
noticeable interest in reproducing pianos has
been manifested in the Twin Cities for some
months past and it is likely to be sustained for
some time. R. W. Bonyea, manager, confesses
to only one sale of this fine piano, but feels
certain that there will be many more soon.
Normal conditions prevail in the Cable Piano
Co.'s Twin City stores. There is more activity
than there was a month ago and while it is
frankly conceded that a few more sales could
be handled nicely there is no tendency to. find
fault.
The Ampico reproducing piano had a fast
week in Minneapolis last week under the per-
sonal supervision of Fred Colber. A week at
the New Garrick Theatre with Levitzki as solo-
ist and the theatre's symphony orchestra supply-
ing the accompaniment and numerous special
concerts, under the patronage of various civic
organizations, distinctly compelled attention to
the excellencies of the Ampico. Foster &
Waldo are quite enthusiastic over the prestige
that their favorite musical instrument has at-
tained in Minneapolis and in addition report
that sales have been eminently satisfactory.
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
Owing?'to the fact that the demand for pro-
fessional community song leaders is far ahead
of the supply, a course of instruction in such
work is now under way at Columbia University,
New York, the course beginning April 7 and
running until May 3. The work is under the
direction of Frederick Gunther and Kenneth
Clark, of New York Community Service, as-
sisted by Dr. O. F. Lewis, director of com-
munity singing, War Camp Community Serv-
ice; Prof. Charles H. Farnsworth, associate pro-
fessor of music, Teachers' College; W. C. Brad-
ford, field director, department of community
singing. Community Service, Inc., and Robert
Lawrence, founder of neighborhood service and
member of the associate staff of the National
Bureau for the Advancement of Music.
There have already been three short courses
for the training of community song leaders
given during the last twelve months under Frank
Hayek, the first two in War Camp Community
Service Unit No. 5 and the third in the audi-
torium at the Russell Sage Foundation. But
the new work in the college is looked upon
by every one interested as a big development.
The hope is entertained that in every music col-
lege the training cf community singing leaders
will eventually be included in the curriculum.
Successful community song leaders say there
isn't anything mysterious about it. They aim
to teach the technique of song leading, instruct-
ing pupils, for instance, in how to beat time
properly, and they try to develop the student's
sense of rhythm.
"Almost any one," it was said, "with a toler-
ably good voice, a strong sense of rhythm
and a real smile can develop into a successful
community leader. A grin means nothing and
imitation enthusiasm cannot fool any one. But
the real smile that comes from within will do
more than anything else."
SPAIN INCREASES PIANO IMPORTS
Prosperity Brought About by. War Enables Peo-
ple to Buy American Pianos
Before 1917 the American piano was almost
unknown in Spain, according to figures just
compiled by the Bureau of Foreign and Domes-
tic Commerce. In that year, however, a num-
ber of lines of merchandise appeared and were
imported from the LTnited States in consider-
able quantities. In 1913 only sixty-five Ameri-
can pianos were imported. In 1917, out of a
total of 1,096 instruments, 948 came from
America. This importation from America was
30 per cent greater than the entire import of
pianos into Spain in 1913 and evidently reflected
the increased prosperity brought into Spain by
the war. Talking machines met a similar in-
crease in demand, the total rising from eleven
to nineteen tons.
FOTOPLAYER
THE STANDARD OPERA GLASS ISSUED
for the finest
There has just been published by Brentano's,
New York, a new and revised edition of "The
Standard Opera Glass." by Charles Annesley,
a comprehensive volume of distinct interest and
value to every operagoer and to music lovers
at large. The new edition gives detailed plots
of 235 celebrated operas, together with much
critical and biographical information. It is pro-
vided with a prelude by James Huneker, the
prominent music critic, and presents the facts
in a concise and thoroughly understandable
manner, popular in tone. The volume, of nearly
800 pages, is plainly printed on light weight
paper, is 'substantially bound in cloth and should
find a very cordial welcome in practically every
library.
Motion Picture
Theatres
AMERICAN PHOTO
PLAYER CO.
San Francisco
New York
Chicago
New Edition of Valuable Book of Information
on the Opera Just Published by Brentano's
What is your
good will
worth ?
To the reputable dealer
it is worth more than
all other assets com-
bined. It's more valu-
able than his store, his
fixtures, his stock—
everything, for with-
out good will the busi-
ness would be worth-
less. Only by selling
the best grade of com-
modities and by giving
the customer not only
full value, but lasting
satisfaction, can the
greatest results be
gained. The
LESTER LINE
Grand, Upright and
Player-Pianos
Will enable you to sell
an instrument second
to none for tone, action,
appearance and dura-
bility. It is well within
the average man's
reach, yet there is a
good profit in each sale.
Completely made in
our own great factories
and designed by our
experts, the Lester has
many points of me-
chanical superiority
and refinements not
found in any other in-
strument. The Lester
stays sold. Such a line
will develop the good
will of your business.
Write, to-day, for full
details.
LESTER PIANO CO.
Philadelphia