Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
J. B. SpiLane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Secretary, Edward Lyman Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BLSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorial Stall
EDWARD VAN HARLINGEN, V. D. WALSH, E. B. MUNCH, C. A. LEONARD, LEE ROBINSON,
EDWARD LVMAN BILL, SCOTT KINGWILL, THOS. W. BRESNAHAN, A. J. NICKLIN.
WESTERN DIVISION:
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NEWS SERVICE IS SUPPLIED WEEKLY BV OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered as second-class matter September 10, 1892, at the post office at New York, N. >'.,
under tne Act of March 3, 11*79.
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REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
are dealt with, will be found in another section of
this pa^cr. We a.sv puolish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Player-Piano and
Tecnnical Departments
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand trix
Diploma
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal
Charleston Exposition, 1902
Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal—Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE
Vol. LXX1I
TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—5983 MADISON SO..
Connecting all Departments
Cable Address: ' E l b i i l , New York"
NEW YORK, JUNE 18, 1921
No. 25
JUNE 18, 1921
last week received wide publicity through Associated Press reports
published in newspapers throughout the country, which same cannot
be said of the proceedings of some of the other trade conventions.
It reflects the belief of the daily paper editors that the general public
is interested in music as such and in the development and improve-
ment of the art.
RETAIL TRADE REVIVING
R
EPORTS from retail music merchants and from travelers who
have been covering various sections of the country indicate that
there is a distinct and noticeable revival in retail trade under way,
nothing rapid but a slow, steady improvement that promises to be
permanent in character. There is a well-founded feeling in most
sections that the early Fall will see a substantial increase in business
volume and that the trade during the Fall and Winter months will
come close to being normal.
The more experienced business men are of the opinion that this
gradual revival of trade is more to be appreciated than would any
sudden return to the seller's market that existed a year or so ago. It
is felt that any sudden revival, even were it within the realm of
possibility, would simply be the forerunner of another period of
depression a year or so hence, whereas a gradual strengthening of
business activities means building on a solid foundation, and prom-
ises a permanent volume of business that will enable both manu-
facturers and retailers to make future calculations with safety.
There is much said regarding the "softening of the selling
muscles" and the fact that they must be redeveloped before merchants
can expect to come into their own again. This view may be correct
in some cases, but it is quite evident upon investigation that a great
many retailers are using those same "soft" selling muscles to the
limit of their endurance, are finding them standing up well under the
strain, and are getting results commensurate with their efforts.
The orders that are coming in to the manufacturers indicate a
healthy, though it must be confessed far from normal, situation
in most sections of the country, and although the volume of orders
as a whole may not meet with the expectations of ambitious factory
men, these same men can rest safely in the assurance that the orders
they are receiving are bona fide, and call for final delivery rather
than possible cancellation.
THE SHEET MUSIC TRADE
T might be well for members of the music industry generally to
study the proceedings of the convention of the National Associa-
tion of Sheet Music Dealers, the only complete report of which
appeared in The Review last week: It might be that the piano
and talking machine men may consider the doings of the music
dealers as of little interest to them, but it is not exaggerating in the
least to maintain that the sheet music business is really the foundation
of the entire industry.
Without the new popular music and the standard works there
would be nothing from which the other branches of the trade could
get material to maintain general interest in their product. A piano
without sheet music is of little value. Player-pianos and talking
machines without rolls and records are simply pieces of furniture.
and it is the sheet music publishers and the dealers who exhibit their
wares who make possible the production of new music that keeps
the public interested.
There has been a notable tendency during the past few years
for the various divisions of the industry to co-operate more closely.
Talking machine and music roll dealers to a large degree feature
the sheet music in their displays, while music publishers and dealers
in most of their advertising call attention to the fact that the new
songs or instrumental numbers are obainable in record or roll form.
Upon the prosperity of the sheet music trade and the develop-
ment thereof depends in no small measure the prosperity of those
divisions of the industry engaged in the reproduction of music by
mechanical means, for if the sheet music men find it expedient to
provide a plentiful supply of good and popular music to meet the
direct demands upon them there is likewise provided for the record
and roll men a larger list of selections from which to choose for
recording purposes.
The sheet music trade is a mighty important division of the
industry, representing a heavy investment of capital and made up of
men who regard their business and its problems seriously. It is
interesting to note that the proceedings of the Chicago conventions
I
TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND THE GOVERNMENT
T
H E announcement made by Secretary Hoover of the U. S.
Department of Commerce at his meeting with the various trade
association secretaries in Washington last week, to the effect that he
planned to use the organized trade associations as points of contact
between the Government and industry, will be welcomed by business
men generally for the opportunities it would seem to present for
getting the proper consideration from the Government agencies in
various trade matters.
Just before election time last year there were many promises
made regarding the establishment of a business administration, and
while there have been some attempts made to keep such promises,
there is still a noticeable lack of co-operation between the. Govern-
ment forces and business interests. It is charitable to assume that
some of this lack of co-operation is due to a misunderstanding of
business needs by Government officials, and if, through Secretary
Hoover, these needs can be impressed upon Congress and on bureau
chiefs in general something can be accomplished in the development
of Government economies, and particularly of legislation that will
tend to assist, rather than to harass, business.
There is no question but that Secretary Hoover is sincere in
his desire to work with the business interests of the country, but it
must be remembered that he represents only one department with
limited power. He having set a precedent, it is to be hoped that
other cabinet officers can be induced to show a like spirit of co-
operation.
A CURE FOR PESSIMISM
I
N the report of the meeting of the Michigan Bankers' Association,
held last week in Detroit, the following statement appears: "Each
day is seeing better conditions in this country; sanity in all activities
is reappearing; problems that will take years to work out are being
met in an encouraging fashion." Let the pessimist read that state-
ment over again—it may be good for what ails him!