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NOVEMBER 25,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1922
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Wherein the Editor of This Player Section Indulges in His Monthly Out-
burst of More or Less Wise and Witty Observations on Things and Events
Which Have Come Within His Purview During the Weeks Just Passed
Some Interesting New Books!
We have had the felicity of examining during
the last few days three most effective presenta-
tions of the technical side of the player-piano,
conceived and developed for the benefit of
tuners and repairmen. Each consists, of course,
of a manual or instruction book, got up for
convenient carriage in the pocket or tool bag
and provided with illustrations and text in-
tended to provide the anxious technician with
good and practically useful instructions for all,
or almost all, the problems of installation and
after-behavior he is likely to encounter among
the instruments of these makes. Now, technical
instruction books are always necessary, but they
are not always good. Every such book should
be convenient in size, capable of being slipped
into the pocket, strongly bound and well illus-
trated. It should be simply and clearly written.
It should always contain a brief, but accurate,
description of the principles of pneumatics. The
illustrations should be clear and simple, de-
signed purely to .show the pertinent facts, and
free from any disturbing or unessential features.
All the three books we have in mind conform
in general to these rules. All technical player
men should possess them. The first is pub-
lished by the Standard Pneumatic Action Co.
under the title 'Trineiples of Player Action
Operation." The next is from the Peerless
Pneumatic Action Co., called "The Peerless
Player Action, How to Install and Regulate It."
And the third is from the M. Schulz Co. and is
entitled "Tuner's and Repairman's Manual for
M. Schulz Co. Player-pianos." The last named
is a repairman's book pure and simple. Tech-
nicians should add these to their collections
with all speed.
Mrs. and Mr. Warren Whitney
When that resourceful young gentleman,
Warren Whitney, of the United Piano Corp.,
went and took unto himself a wife—when was
it?—two or three years ago, he may have been
very tarsighted. For it appears that Mrs. Whit-
ney, otherwise Blanche T)a Costa, is thoroughly
at home, in every sense of that term, with the
Celco Reproducing Medium, which is the latest
and one of the most interesting of the products
of the U. P. C. The mid-West concerts of the
Celco Reproducing Medium, of which some ac-
count is contained in the present issue of The
Review, are deriving a great deal of their in-
terest and importance from the co-operation of
the distinguished singer, who in private life is
Mrs. Warren Whitney. She has entered thor-
oughly into the spirit of the Celco and co-
operates admirably with it. Not every piano
manufacturer, faced with the problem of pre-
paring an exact schedule of musical publicity
programs, can call upon the better half of his
domestic establishment to come forward and
complete the ensemble. We do not know, of
course, whether our excellent friend of Norwalk
and New York ever thought on these things
before there was any Mrs. Whitney; but
whether he did or not, he is a fortunate man.
Which very true statement gives us a frame-
work in which to insert another observation
equally true, namely, that the Celco Reproducing
Medium is demonstrating itself to be a remark-
able musical and technical achievement and one
quite worthy of the house which controls the
names and destinies of A. B. Chase, Emerson
and Lindeman pianos. More power to U. P. C.!
Music in the Air
Music is in the air. No one can read the
daily accounts of musical activity in the cities
of this country, east, west, south and north
alike, without recognizing that a slow, silent
;ind yet absolutely sure aesthetic revolution is
being worked in North America. Superficially,
noise, nonsense and nuisance may seem to rule
the roost, but a more piercing glance soon
perceives the truth. The fact is that bit by bit
the American people are developing a musical
conscience, a musical outlook, a musical atmos-
phere. Let the music industries, then, avoid
the incidence of the common sneer that they
as business men arc always timorous, always
afraid of movements, always scared lest they
be a moment ahead of the times. We are all
prone to point to the doings and sayings of
the old-time trade -worthies, of some among
whom President Chickering has lately been
chatting in his characteristically delightful man-
ner. Hut if these men were facing the prob-
lems of to-day they would react towards them
as courageously as they did towards those ques-
tions which the conservatives of their own day
were dodging so successfully. They would not
fail to perceive—these wise men now passed
away from our sphere of existence—the signs
which plainly tell that America is waking up
musically; and even if they did not know much
about the aesthetic side of the movement, they
would take care to get the advice of those who
had the necessary technical knowledge. May
the men of to-day be no less wise. The tide
is turning and soon will be definitely flowing
outwards to finer things. It is time to set our
house in order. We are selling Music. Are
none of us but the reproducing piano men ever
to recognize that fact?
We Laugh and Sing
We insist upon being cheerful. Not that there
is ever any particular reason for being the
reverse, but rather that there is every reason,
every positive reason, for believing in the music
industries, and especially in those branches
thereof with which we have particularly to do.
Music is a commodity of worldwide interest
and attractiveness. The modern world could,
perhaps, do without a good many of its appur-
tenances; but it could not do without music.
Few of us realize the significant fact that music
is the characteristic art of the modern period.
Painting, sculpture, decoration, literature, are
alike obliged to look to other times and other
manners with something of admiration and
something of regret. The present time is not
the time of perfect flowering for any of these.
But music is the characteristic vehicle for con-
temporary artistic expression. Only in music,
among the arts, is there to-day genuine stir
and vitality. The disturbances of which we hear
so much are to be regarded mainly as growing
pains, inconvenient but salutary. There is
to-day more real excitement in music than in
atl the other arts put together. Moreover,
music is the people's art. It is the one art of
which all, to-day, can and do partake with equal
joy. That, then, is why we music industry men
and women ought to be happy. We are on
top of the heap; and if we do not Jspow it,
whose fault is that? We sell the'dne indis-
pensable material for mo.dern aesthetic expres-
sion, and whether we know it or not, no modern
people can get along without our goods. Of
course, we should be happy! At Thanksgiving
time, too! We have much for which to be
thankful.
Garrett Bros, is the name of a music concern
which recently opened a store in the Biggar
Co. Building, Corning, la.
"BOMBO."
Sung by AL JOLSON in
You can't &o wron&
With any FEIST song,"
TOOT. TOOTSIE
(GOO' BYE )
A Fox Trot With aTootsieWootsie Rhijthm
"Toot,toot, Toot-sie, Goo*
Bye!
Toot, toot. Toot-si e,dorit cry.