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THE MUSIC TRADE
RMEW
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
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J. B. Spillane, 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, Win. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
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CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
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E.
B.
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MUNCH, ARTHUR NEALY, V. D. WALSH, EHWARH VAN HAHLINGEN, LEE ROBINSON,
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Vol. LXXVI
NEW YORK, JANUARY 20, 1923
No. 3
THE CENTENNIAL OF CHICKERING & SONS
P
LANS are now under way for the celebration this year of the
centennial of the founding of the house of Chickering & Sons,
an anniversary of genuine importance not only to Chickering &
Sons, but to the trade at large, for it marks the passing of a century
of notable development in the American piano industry.
Jonas Chickering, founder of the House of Chickering & Sons,
began in 1822 the manufacture of his first piano, completing and sell-
ing the instrument the following year. Thus for a full century
Chickering pianos have been produced continuously and have played
a prominent part in musical affairs of this and preceding genera-
tions.
It was a Chickering piano that accompanied Jenny Lind on
her famous tour of the United States, and it was the placing of
Chickering pianos into the educational institutions in New England
by Lowell Mason that marked the introduction of music as a definite
factor in the public schools of the country. When American clipper
ships sailed the seas, they carried Chickering pianos to ports in
Europe, South America and elsewhere, with the result that the
Chickering name won renown both at home and abroad.
From the old square of 1823 to the reproducing grand piano
of today is a long step, and that the gap has been bridged so effec-
tively is a credit not only to the founder of Chickering & Sons and
those who succeeded him, but to the piano industry as a whole. It
has been a century of notable progress.
BETTER HOMES MOVEMENT AND THE PIANO
due to the effects of the advancement of music
W HETHER
campaign that has been carried on for a number of years
or to some other influence, the fact remains that the designers of
newspaper and magazine advertising when they seek to make an
appeal for their products through the medium of a better home,
almost invariably work some form of musical instrument into the
illustration. This is not only as it should be, but serves to empha-
size the fact that the broadening of general musical appreciation
is no myth-.
In The Review this week is shown a reproduction of an ad-
vertisement run by the L. & N. railroad, designed to impress the
REVIEW
JANUARY 20, 1923
public with the fact that the company's employes are of the satis-
fied, home-loving type, and showing a picture of an employe seated
at his player-piano surrounded by his children, as proof of this
fact. At first glance it seems as though it was the advertisement
of a piano house.
There have been other instances where advertising equally
suggestive from the standpoint of the music merchant has been
published in the interest of other products and other movements.
When the public at large is finally convinced of the fact that
home life is not complete without some sort of musical instrument
the music merchants will be the gainers. Any campaign, there-
fore, that is calculated to arouse public interest in better homes
and better home equipment is worthy of the serious consideration
of the trade from the angle of participation and tieup.
MODERN METHODS VS. OLD-TIME PUSH
ways and means for developing and increasing the
I N retail discussing
piano business, too many members of the trade are inclined
to advise that dealers go after sales with the "old-time push." Fol-
lowing out this idea is probably the reason why so many retailers
have apparently failed to appreciate'the fact that changed business
conditions demand changed methods. Too much precedent is bad
for any business, and precedent seems to be more or less of a god
in a substantial number of retail piano establishments.
It is not "old-time push" but modern methods applied with
proper energy that are getting the results in this field today, as is
shown by the success being met with by those concerns that have
taken occasion to develop their selling systems in accordance with
the modern business trend. There is more than one way of selling
pianos. If there were not the industry would be in pretty bad
shape. It would be well for trade advisers to suggest the adoption
of new methods as a means to stimulating business rather than to
harp so much on the "bare-hand" selling of the "good old days."
In other lines of industry selling methods have in many cases
been completely revolutionized during the last decade and it might
be well for some of the stagnant piano men, even though they are
few, to try a little revolutionizing in their own field.
MUSIC SUPERVISOR—A NEW DEPARTURE
a well-known musician as music supervisor for
I N its appointing
store, the R. S. Williams & Sons Co., of Toronto, has intro-
duced what is regarded as an innovation in music store service
and one that should prove a definite factor in satisfying customers
at the outset and keeping them satisfied.
The new staff member has been engaged to advise prospective
customers in the selection of pianos and other types of musical
instruments best suited to their particular requirements, and in
this instance, at least, the adviser has a reputation in musical circles
calculated to give decided weight to his opinion.
The introduction of an adviser into the store organization may
be expected, if the plan works out well, to offset the effects of the
biased advice so often offered by teachers who are influenced by
visions of commissions or by other motives. The prospect naturally
realizes that the salesman is working primarily to close the sale
and that his suggestions are likely to show the influence of that
desire. When the opinion of a man of recognized standing in
musical affairs supplements that of the salesman, however, the
effect is calculated to be thoroughly satisfying.
GOVERNMENT AND THE BUSINESS MAN
EW activities of any business to-day can be carried out without
F obtaining
a profound legal opinion as to whether they conflict,
not only with the numerous statutes governing business enacted in
the country's last three decades of legislation, but also with the
regulations of the various commissions which hold permanent ses-
sions in different parts of Washington. If the present trend toward
bureaucratic control continues every business man will require a
legal education as a necessary part of his equipment or else spend
a good part of his income on retainers for counsel. The only indi-
viduals who seem to benefit from this condition of affairs are the
lawyers, which, perhaps, is perfectly natural, as a casual glance at
the Congressional Directory shows that legal talent shines there by
reason of its number, if nothing else. But, meanwhile, why should
the man in business be made to pay the freight—he has enough to
do now with paying his taxes.