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JANUARY 3,
THE MUSIC TRADE
1925
REVIEW
Max de Rochemont Given Farewell Dinner
Previous to Starting on World Tour
Representatives of the New York Piano Industry Fete Guest of Honor at Gathering at the New
York Piano Club on Monday Evening, December 29
A VERY striking manifestation of friendship
•^^ was shown to Max J. de Rochemont, vice-
president and treasurer of the Laffargue Co.,
New York, on Monday evening of this week
when sixty of his friends gathered at the Piano
Club of New York and tendered him a dinner
as a farewell tribute before he leaves on his
trip around the world, which starts on Sunday
next with his departure for the Pacific Coast.
The dinner was held in the main dining room
of the club, which was profusely decorated.
Max J. de Rochemont
Albert Behning acted as toastmaster. In his
opening remarks he spoke of the friendship
which everyone present had for the guest of the
evening and then introduced as the first speaker
Richard W. Lawrence, president of the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Law-
rence, in his usual easy and forceful manner,
drew a mental picture of Mr. de Rochemont as
he saw him enjoying the trip, which brought
forth a great deal of merriment as well as ap-
plause. He was followed by George W. Allen,
who recited "Tosca," while B. H. Janssen ac-
companied him on the piano with soft music.
The next speaker introduced was John Haf-
fen, president of the Bronx Board of Trade and
a very close friend of Mr. de Rochemont, with
whom lie has worked as a member of this or-
ganization. In a few well-chosen words he
wished Mr. de Rochemont a most pleasant and
successful trip. He was followed by John J.
Duffy, president of the Bronx Rotary Club, who
paid a very high compliment to Mr. de Roche-
mont, who will represent the Bronx Rotarians
while in London. B. H. Janssen then read a
poem entitled "A Thousand Miles Away," which
he had especially written for the occasion and
which made a distinct impression on all those
present.
When Theodore Cassebeer was introduced he
produced a poetic masterpiece, which, he said,
would clearly show why we would see Mr. de
Rochemont back home again and not become a
settler of California. This created an outburst
of laughter. Then came a masterly oratorical
effusion by W. G. Schaff, who held the guests
spellbound for some twenty minutes by going
into the early history of Mr. de Rochemont
and following through his life's work, inter-
polating humor which kept the guests in a
round of laughter, and winding up his remarks
by presenting Mr. de Rochemont a pair of
binoculars on behalf of the guests present.
R. B. Aldcroftt, former president of the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce, also spoke
and gave Mr. de Rochemont some very good
advice regarding his traveling in foreign coun-
Highest
Quality
tries. At the speaker's table also sat Joseph
Oktavec, president of the Laffargue Co.
After the addresses the guests joined hands
and sang "Auld Lang Syne," and individually
wished Mr. de Rochemont a most pleasant and
happy bon voyage.
Leaving New York on Sunday Mr. de Roche-
mont will journey to the Pacific Coast and
thence to Vancouver, B. C, where he sails on
the S. S. "Niagara" for Honolulu. After a visit
there he will touch at Sura and reach Sydney,
Australia, on February 7, where he will remain
until March 15. He will then travel to Cairo
and Luxor, Egypt; thence to Naples, where it
is expected that Mrs. de Rochemont will join
him. Together they will then visit Rome, Flor-
ence, Venice and Vienna, Austria; then go to
Prague, Berlin, Paris and London. He expects
to return to New York about the middle of June.
Those present at the farewell dinner included
Albert Staib, Joseph McGoveran, George W.
Allen, Herbert Simpson, L. D. Perry, Charles
H. Howard, F. H. Abendschein, W. C. Heller,
W. C. Hepperla, Gus Behning, W. C. Heaton,
A. Dalrymple, Alexander Lane, I. E. Bretzfelder,
E. B. Bogart, C. P. Bogart, E. J. Schmitt, E.
Ruelbach, G. H. Vaughan, George Chevalier,
Adolph Doll, A. Baumann, C. P. Smith, E.
Thompson, A. W. Weiner, Gus Kinderwater,
Dr. M. S. Barskay, F. G. Coryell, W. L. Bjur,
P. P. Anderson, A. L. Smith, George W. Gittins,
Joseph Oktavec, Charles Jacob, P. B. Klugh,
Theodore Cassebeer, B. H. Janssen, M. P.
Campbell, Al. Behning, R. W. Lawrence, R. B.
Aldcroftt, J. M. Haffen, J. J. Duffy, Anthony
Doll, Jr., W. G. Schaff, G. J. Boylan, Charles
E. Reed, L. B. Bach, Theodore Trimmer, C. E.
Merrifield, Harry Van Cook, R. H. Schroeder,
J. Selig, A. Constantine, F. A. Steel and Carle-
ton Chac©} of The Review.
Mr. Behning read telegrams from Harry Soh-
mer, Lester I. Miller, Allen B. Lane and W. B.
Armstrong, each regretting that he could not
be present and wishing Mr. de Rochemont a
very successful trip.
Pittsburgh Trade Regards
Coming Year With Optimism
Improved Industrial Conditions in That District
Lead to Belief That Business Will Be Satis-
factory Throughout 1925
PITTSBURGH, PA., December 30.—With only an-
other day remaining in the old year, Pittsburgh
music merchants are looking with more than
ordinary interest to the coming of 1925. While
trade conditions during 1924 were not as satis-
factory as the trade here would liked to have
seen, the fact remains that the pianos and play-
ers that were sold during the past twelve
months were of high grade. This emphasized
the statement made at the outset of the year by
A. O. Lechner, president of the Piano Mer-
chants' Association of Pittsburgh and a member
of the firm of Lechner & Schoenberger, that the
"outlook for 1924 is good and it appears to me
that there will be a decided change in the
method of buying pianos, inasmuch as the buy-
ers will demand and insist on high-grade instru-
ments being sold to them." This is what has
practically happened in the Steel City during
1924!
Such large and influential piano firms as the
C. C. Mellor Co., the S. Hamilton Co., the J. M.
Hoffmann Co., the W. F. Frederick Piano Co.,
the Chas. M. Stieff,' Inc., the E. G. Hays Piano
'ONKRENCH
Co., Hoggs & Dawson Bros. Piano Co. and Buhl
& Schroeder Piano Co. are on record as stating
that their sales the past twelve months, when
taken as a whole, showed that the bulk of the
demand was for high-grade instruments, prin-
cipally players and grands.
The outlook for 1925 is very roseate, according
to the piano merchant. Mr. Lechner, in review-
ing the general industrial outlook, said: "It ap-
pears to me that 1925, if anything, will be a
much better year for the music dealers than the
year that is now history. The industries in the
Pittsburgh district are reporting many new
orders on their books, the steel business is es-
pecially hopeful and the coal mines are operat-
ing on an improved schedule. This means that
there will be plenty of cash on hand for wages
and salaries, which, in part, will find its way
through the ordinary channels to the money
drawers of the various merchants, in which the
piano merchants naturally must share. I feel
very optimistic concerning the next twelve
months and believe that the up-to-date music
merchant will reap according to the efforts he
puts forth to obtain business."
Opens Branch in Amsterdam
AMSTERDAM, N. Y., December 29.—A new two-
story brick building on Reid street has been
taken by the piano and furniture house of M.
Feldman & Son, of Johnstown, making the sec-
ond local store for this firm. The Feldman
house has been established for thirtv-three
Pratt Read
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