Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1924 Vol. 78 N. 1

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
JANUARY 5,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1924
THE POINT OF REVIEW
HIS, the beginning of a new year, has started with a sur-
T prisingly
large fund of optimism in the music industries, all
of which is justified by the facts. Pessimism and pianos seem
no longer to be a pair of alliterative twins, to judge by the gen-
eral opinion in the industry. And it is a good thing that they
have been separated, for more than once a crisis in the music
industries has been more or less "psychological," to use the phrase
to which former President Wilson once upon a time gave cur-
rency. A good many of us can still remember the piano man
who never saw a rift in the clouds, that is for quotation at any
rate, whose gloom was perennial and whose forebodings were
eternal. What joy he took out of constantly seeing the dark
side of things no one could ever fathom—perhaps it was the
satisfaction of having himself proved wrong, as more often than
not he was. At any rate his number are growing fewer and
fewer every year, until this year, even with a presidential cam-
paign staring him in the face, he is a difficult man to find. Which
is as it should be.
*
*
*
HERE is many a piano man who conceals hidden talents and
who, to the surprise of his friends in the industry, at some time
or other in his career, blushingly reveals them. Such a one is
John L. Cotter, of the Hallet & Davis Piano Co. Mr. Cotter
is known to all of us as a good piano man; in fact, one of the
best. But all these years he has been hiding from his many
friends in the industry no mean talent as a poet as well as a re-
markable ability to tell a story. Few suspected these hidden tal-
ents until Mr. Cotter blossomed forth as a full-fledged author
with "Facts and Fancies Along the Way," which gave the writer
a mighty pleasant hour in going through it. With becoming mod-
esty Mr. Cotter attributes the responsibility for his appearance
in print to his wife, Ruth Emily Cotter, and so his friends' thanks
are due to her. Mrs. Cotter is not only to be thanked but to be
congratulated, for poets are not so many among piano men that
the industry's literary ability should be hidden from view and
permitted to molder among old and forgotten accumulations of
papers. Mr. Cotter heads his little volume with an apology. It
only takes a few minutes' reading to discover that the apology
is quite unnecessary, for the facile and graceful pen that he wields
would do credit to a professional writer. Light verse, that is
good light verse, is a difficult thing to write and few succeed
where many are found wanting. But Mr. Cotter is not among
the latter, if the samples he has given us are to be taken as the
real type of his work. Those who have not been so fortunate
as to receive one of these little volumes have missed a rare treat,
all the more so since it contained such an element of surprise.
It is to be hoped that this is not the last of the work of Mr.
Cotter we shall see and, as the newspaper literary critics say:
"We look forward to his next effort with anticipation and
T
pleasure."
•
*
*
the 'seventies the silver cornet band used to be a leading
I N social
feature of every Middle Western town. To play in
the band was one of the greatest ambitions of the average young-
ster of that time, and never was he so happy as when he finally
marched down Main street tooting lustily at a cherished horn
and, in his opinion at least, the admired of all beholders. During
the past few years the same ambition seems once more to have
made its appearance with the result that today the average boy
and girl, too, for that matter, again vizualize themselves as fu-
ture Sousas or other famous bandmasters. All of which is bring-
ing scores of sales to the stores of the music merchants who have
been wise enough to handle these instruments on the proper basis.
Now the proper basis in this case means organizing the bands
themselves and, especially, children's bands. There is not a city or
town in the country where a youngsters' band can not be organ-
ized, provided someone is on the job to give the first impetus.
That is distinctly up to the music merchant himself and a good
many of them are succeeding in doing it and reaping the profits.
The Band Instrument Manufacturers' Association has done its
part in promoting the national contest which attracted so much
attention and which was so successful last year; it is up to the
individual merchant to do his part and create the bands which
are going to take part in the future contests of this type, for
they have been made an annual fixture. And here it might be
the proper thing to point out that Association work of any kind
is rarely of much use to the individual merchant unless he co-
operates to the greatest extent with the national work that is
being carried on.
*
*
*
ACK in the old days New York had a Piano Row in Union
Square, and there are still a good many members of the
trade who remember the hot competitive fights that took place in
the old warerooms that fronted on that open space. But like
most things in New York, the location was temporary and the
trend uptown soon became apparent. Fifth avenue in the Twenties
and then Fifth avenue in the Thirties and the Forties followed, and
now Fifty-seventh street, on the west side, has succeeded it. There is
one thing, however, noticeable in all this trend, and that is that one
house seemed to lead the procession. The piano executives who
had foresight enough to hold this place are those who have directed
the destinies of the House of Sohmer. From Fourteenth street
to Thirtieth street and from Thirtieth street to Fifty-seventh street
is the path this house has followed, and always first. Without plac-
ing too much confidence in speculation on the future, it seems now
that New York's Piano Row has found a permament home, for it
is unlikely that New York's best retail shopping section can go much
further north due to the physical limitations of the city's layout.
But it is a mighty good bet that, if at some future time, there is
another move, and there are chances for it since New York has
never been a city of permanencies and would lose much of its char-
acter if it were, that Sohmer & Co. will be found making the first
move once more.
*
*
*
EFIGHTING old battles is a tedious process, but it always has
to be done in the piano trade. Some time ago, after a hard-
fought battle, it was thought that the mania so many retail piano
dealers have to present the purchaser of a piano or player with
everything loose in the warerooms, had been effectually scotched,
but lo and behold! it has raised its head once more and evidently
the whole struggle has to be gone through with again. Why a cer-
tain type of piano dealer loves to pose as a philanthropist, at least
in his advertising, is beyond reason. He at least might leave that
reputation to Rockefeller, who can beat him hands down, and only
indulge in competition where he stands a chance of winning out.
But no; he prefers to dodge the good old competition that is based
on honest values and fair business methods, and confine himself
to competition in so-called "free gifts," which are anything but free
and anything but gifts, if the truth is to be told about them. It
may be confidently expected that some day a budding genius, which
has not yet come to flower, will startle the trade and the public with
an advertisement that if any young couple who have just been mar-
ried will buy a piano, he will willingly and, with great pleasure,
throw in the rest of the furniture for the loving little nest. It's a
wonder some philanthropic dealer has never hit on this idea, so
herewith we give the suggestion, absolutely gratis. In the mean-
time it seems that the trade might well once more begin a campaign
against the pernicious practice of "free gifts" and kill them off.
*
* *
ERHAPS in beginning this department an apology is due to its
elder brother further back in The Review, where happenings in
the Mid-West section of the music industries have been commented
on freely and happily for many years. Two commentators holding
forth weekly is perhaps more than this paper's readers can stand,
and possibly too ambitious a hope for this page ever to expect to
win the standing of its Mid-West brother. However, there is always
plenty of room for comment in the music industries, we say.
B
R
P
THE REVIEWER.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
6
Milwaukee Merchants Find Past Year
Their Largest in Point of Turnover
Year Ends With Local Dealers' Stocks on Wareroom Floors Depleted—Radio Rolls Up Imposing
Volume of Sales—Believe Retailers' Purchases in Next Three Months Will Be Large
TV/IILWAUKEE, WIS., January 2.—Annual
•^'•*- statements prepared by the business offices
of the various music stores- in Milwaukee, veri-
fied by the results of the inventories now being
taken, reveal probably the largest turnover of
stock that any of the merchants in this city
have ever encountered in a single year. While
turnover increased in almost satisfactory way,
overhead, as a rule, shows growth, although
this is more or less of a natural development
in business, despite the strenuous efforts all
retail merchants continue to make against this
big factor in doing business.
One of the striking features of the business
of music houses which maintain radio depart-
ments or handle radio instruments in a small
way is that the volume piled up on this class
of goods is extraordinary, to say the least. So
general was the call for radio instruments as
encountered by music stores that several con-
cerns which have held aloof from the new trade
factor until they believed the primary experi-
mental stage has been passed are contemplating
the establishment of radio departments as
quickly as they aie able to adjust themselves
and obtain suitable stocks of the merchandise.
There are, however, many others who feel that
their place is to sell pianos and talking machines
and the accessories, and to make no sizable
investment in radio goods or selling service at
the present time.
Musicalinstrument stocks as a rule were well
depleted at the end of the year and it is safe
to say that the various manufacturers and job-
bers in the piano and talking machine industries
will experience a very good demand from re-
tail trade in the next few months. There is a
particularly severe shortage in the high-grade
reproducing grands in the top-price class and
local dealers as a rule will not be able to de-
liver all the instruments for which they booked
orders up to December 31, until the end of Janu-
ary or February, judging by the oversold con-
dition of practically every factory making this
class of merchandise.
The outlook for 1924 business grows steadily
brighter, although most music merchants refrain
from becoming over enthusiastic over the pros-
pects, so far as purchases of new stocks are
concerned. It is generally believed that buying
by retailers for the coming three months will
be careful, although by no means unduly cau-
tious. In this respect the average purchase will
be somewhat larger than in the early months
of the year that has just come to an end. This
is attributable both to the better movement of
goods and the improvement in the prospects,
compared with a year ago.
Will Observe Thrift Week
Milwaukee will observe National Thrift Week,
January 17 to 23, in an organized way. The
local work is under the personal direction of
John H. Puelicher, who last year served as
president of the American Bankers' Association.
The National Thrift Week slogan, "For Suc-
cess and Happiness," is being given a meaning
by the music merchants of this city, who are
participating in the observance on the theory
that any movement for success and happiness of
the people necessarily embodies music in the
home. Naturally the music men also find in
"Pay Your Bills Day" of the Thrift Week an
interest that elicits their hearty support.
A new music store has been opened recently
at 119 North Second street, in Watertown, Wis.,
by John H. Klemann, an enterprising young
business man who was born and reared in that
city and has a wide acquaintance. Mr. Klemann
has succeeded in obtaining the exclusive right
to sell the Edmund Gram pianos, made by the
Edmund Gram Co., Milwaukee, and will also
deal in talking machines, records, music rolls,
sheet music and small goods.
E. Blout Opens New Store
FLUSHING, N. Y., December 31.—A new branch
music store has been opened here at 38 Main
street by E. Blout, of New York City, who
operates a chain of phonograph and piano
shops throughout Greater New York. The stock
carried in the new store includes the Stieff,
Braumuller, Davenport-Treacy and Gulbransen
pianos and also reproducing pianos with the
Welte-Mignon (Licensee) action and the Victor
talking machine line.
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NEW YORK
JANUARY 5, 1924
Upholds Music Stores as
Logical Radio Dealers
T. M. Pletcher, President of the Q R S Music
Co., Explains Why Music Dealer I s Logical
Radio Distributor for the Public
CHICAGO, III., December 29.—A comprehensive
article by T. M. Pletcher, president of the
Q R S Music Co., arguing that the music mer-
chant is the logical dispenser of complete radio
sets to the public, has just been published by
Radio Broadcast. In view of the popularity
which radio has attained, this subject has be-
come more important to the music industry and
we advise all music merchants to study Mr.
Pletcher's presentation of the subject.
The point that Mr. Pletcher emphasizes is
that, so far as complete radio sets are concerned,
the electrical dealer does not compare with the
music merchant when it comes to selling, adver-
tising, displaying, financing on the instalment
plan or giving service. The fundamental ele-
ments of successful retail merchandising are
show,n to be lacking in the general run of retail
electrical establishments.
Mr. Pletcher points out that by the music
merchant radio will be much more forcefully
and intelligently presented to the public than
by the electrical retailer. It has been proved
that a knowledge of piano technicalities is not
necessary to the most successful piano sales-
manship, and the same thing undoubtedly is
true with radio.
Mr. Pletcher also makes the statement that
the up-to-date merchant is one who knows how
to borrow money from the bank, but that the
banker will not loan money on instalment paper
unless he feels that the merchant knows the
instalment business and is running his estab-
lishment in a businesslike way. Another in-
teresting point is the comparative supply of
technical men available in the radio and the
music fields. Whereas there are approximately
150,000 amateur radio operators in the country,
there is nothing like even 15,000 piano tuners
or 15,000 talking machine repair men. There-
fore, according to Mr. Pletcher, the proprietor
of the retail establishment who is at the present
time satisfactorily taking care of his piano and
talking machine installation and repairs would
not have very much trouble in hiring men to
take care of the technical end of his radio de-
partment.
On behalf of the electrical retailer as the
proper person to sell radio sets, it had been
argued that the music merchant is required to
go to considerable expense in order to establish
a separate radio department, while electrical
men have no such necessity. Mr. Pletcher an-
swers this by saying that a business cannot be
run without salesmen, without stock and with-
out a certain amount of expense.
"Who can conceive," he says, "of a flourishing
radio business when the interest in it is no
more than casual. If I turned over a live and
intelligent young salesman to the sales manager
of a large concern dealing in radio equipment
and after, say two weeks of instruction, that
young man goes to work and sells from three
to five radio sets per week on a commission
basis of 15 per cent, would the concern make
any money? Supposing, then, I found another
such fellow and then a third! Of course, the
sales manager would be increasing his person-
nel, but would he mind? Couldn't he, in addi-
tion to these three men, add a professional re-
pair man and installer?"
Bennett Go. Essay Prize
WILKES-BARRE, PA., January 2.—The Bennett
Piano Co., of this city, has just offered a prize
of $400 for the best essay on the life of Pad-
erewski. The contest is open to all young
people interested in the advancement of the
best music. As secondary prizes large photos
of Paderewski are offered to contestants. The
contest is having many entries.

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