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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
MARCH 21, 1925
IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted By V. D. Walsh
Conditions Among the Sheet
Music Merchants of Washington
Maurice Richmond, of the Richmond Music Supply Corp., New York, Tells of the Conditions
Existing Among the Retail Merchants There—Written Exclusively for The Review
ASHINGTON, D. C, March 16.—Wash-
ington, the Federal city, the capital city
of our country, claims a population of one-
half million. It was President George Wash-
ington who chose the
spot. The President
was quite a real estate
manipulator
and he
agreed with the land
owners to give him an
option, at the rate of
$25 per acre. The city
was named in honor of
the father of our coun-
try and it has been a
good investment.
E. F. Droop & Sons
Maurice Richmond
Co. is one of our fore-
most music houses in the country. An insti-
tution of note and known by the musical pub-
lic in the entire community. Carl A. Droop
is the vice-president.
The feature line of
pianos is the Steinway. A recent advertise-
ment appearing in one of the local papers at-
tracted my attention because it was construc-
tive in thought. The heading was as follows:
"Make You the World a Bit More Beautiful
and Better Because You Have Been in It.
The world cannot live without music from the
cradle to the grave. Music is a vital factor
in the lives of men. We ask you to think this
over a while and then conjure up to the mind's
eye all that music has meant to you since you
were a babe in mother's arms. There is not
an emotion of the soul that cannot be swayed
or influenced, directly or indirectly, by Good
Music." There is much more to this construc-
tive thought; it concludes by saying that every
child should be given the opportunity to study
music—to learn to sing or play the piano.
S. Ernest Philpitt & Son
The sheet music department of this store is
operated by S. Ernest Philpitt & Son and man-
aged by S. Dallas Tucker, who has associated
himself with an efficient staff. Tucker is an
unassuming type of fellow, the kind who is
always absorbing, learning, digesting as he goes
along. Mr. Tucker stated this year of 1925 has
great possibilities in the sheet music field and
put it, as Will Rogers the comedian would say:
"I am glad the world did not come to an end
a 1 ? advertised, because the country has great
possibilities." That is one reason why life is
always interesting, for it has possibilities and
offers us all opportunities. The house of Phil-
pitt uses a short and snappy slogan: "We ful-
fill our promise." A complete stock of all the
library editions is carried, covering all the
standard publishers as well as educational and
all types of teaching material that is in demand.
A great deal of space is devoted to the pop-
ular music department, displaying all the cur-
rent hits, which are demonstrated by compe-
tent musicians. This store takes care of the-
orders for the various branches, six in all, lo-
cated in Florida.
Homer L. Kitt Co.
The Homer L. Kitt Co. has been located at
1330 G street for two and a half years. Mr.
Kitt is its president. The firm handles the
American Piano Co. line, featuring the Knabe,
the Ampico and various other types of pianos.
It is also exclusive agent for the Conn line as
well as the Weymann products. Their busi-
ness, as Mr. Kitt stated, "went way over the
top."
The building is a four-story structure
of terra cotta type, Spanish effect; it owns it.
The size of the floors is 120 feet in length by
25 feet in width and the lighting effects are
very attractive. The slogan used by this firm
is "The home of the Knabe in Washington."
Several studios upstairs are used by teachers
of the voice and various instruments. The en-
tire institution is well laid out. The few mo-
ments I spent with Mr. Kitt well repaid me
for the time. He surely retains a great deal
of knowledge and experience in the line. A
little philosophy that Mr. Kitt confided in me
was in these words: "Those who have suc-
ceeded in business as a rule are those who have
stuck to their task until by and by fortune
smiled upon them. Too many people said
somebody have their wishbone where their
backbone out to be. In other words, they go
through life continually wishing for great
things, but have not the backbone to secure
them. This is true in business; it is well to
have great desires and great ambitions, but un-
less this is balanced by great staying powers
one is apt to be like a rocket up in a flare of
glory and down like a stick." Mr. Kitt is an
impressive type, a keen eye with a wholesome ap-
pearance, the type that is pushing forward with
a good vision ahead. The music department.
MIDNIGHT
WALTZ"
as well as the musical instruments, is looked
after by W. R. Hamill, a thorough music man
who lias had many years' experience, feels very
much at home in his place and is evidently
happy with his lot, and a good man for the
spot.
A recent announcement in the Washington
Post gave notice of a great music festival,
planned by an organization called "World Fel-
lowship Through
Music."
The program
planned for the Capitol City is planned for
Easter Week with two hundred voices and an
orchestra of fifty. Letters are being sent to
the governors of each of the forty-eight States
and foreign possessions asking for representa-
tives to co-operate and carry the spirit back to
their States. The famous Bach Choir and the
Philadelphia Orchestra will participate.
Robinson's Music Store, Inc.
Robinson's Music Store, Inc., is located on
famous G street, being as popular to the musi-
cal people as the G string. The officers are
J. Edgar Robinson, president; Allan J. Bach-
rach, secretary and treasurer, and Sol Minster,
vice-president. "Edgar," as we all know Rob-
inson, has been in the industry so long
many of us would imagine that he had a gray
beard; on the contrary, he is a youthful speci-
man. His early start was with Droop's Music
House in 1902. His own company was formed
in 1914, with a small store; to-day the business
is well established and a well-known musical
center of Washington. A splendid line of mu-
sical instruments is carried and radio as well.
Mr. Bachrach is a sort of a general utility man,
most of the time working with his coat off
and his sleeves turned up, a happy though a
very busy fellow. At high noon the day I was
in the store I wanted company and offered to
buy Allan's lunch, but he wouldn't permit it.
He said that I could return that compliment
when he came to New York. Edgar Robinson
is the music man and also looks after the in-
terests of the Baldwin line of pianos, which
are carried in stock. He reports business has
improved during the last year, considering the
fact the firm had much greater competition.
This firm has a real comprehensive arrange-
ment throughout its store on its music stock;
the system is such that the stock is accessible
to the clerk as well as to the customer. The
selling stock is classified on the counters; any
author that is outstanding is carried separately
in a folio with the name of the author marked
on the outside.
There are many folios of
graded material for the teacher and the pupil;
a great deal of this merchandise is stock that
has been purchased at special prices and through
this channel it gives them a splendid outlet for
their overstock. It is carried in the Manus
"MISS
YOU*
The Waltz In Tfye Air
Efc
at Midnight.,
in
those f v)ho delight
beautiful ballads
Can't Go Wronjf With A n y FEIST Sontf"
// A
Written and featured by
HARRY M. SNODGRASS * King of the
Ted Lewis'New Waltz Hit
WHILE WE DANCED
TILL DAWN*