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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Music Week of 1925 Expected to Be
the Greatest That Has Ever Been Held
Movement Extends as Far as the Virgin Islands, the Latest Appendancy of the United States—
England and Japan Send Inquiries—Celebration to Take Place in Canada
\ / f ORE than usually national will be the Na-
tional Music Week beginning next Sun-
day, in that it will be observed not only
throughout the United States but in our various
territorial dependencies. The latest of these
and the newest to join the movement is the
Virgin Islands, where there will be an observ-
ance centering about St. Thomas and under the
active direction of Alton A. Adams, supervisor
of public school music for the Islands.
Another addition to the list of participating
places is Ketchikan, Alaska, where the active
mover has been Florence E. Tobin, represent-
ing that territory among the state presidents of
the National Federation of Music Clubs. The
local Music Week chairman is Mrs. Van Fisk.
Farther East, the movement has penetrated to
the Philippines, where the Music Week at Ma-
nila has been sponsored by the Manila Monday
Musical Club and with Mrs. Henry B. McCoy
as chairman. Once more will there be an ob-
servance in Hawaii at Hilo, where the Music
Week chairman is Mrs. Jarrett T. Lewis. There
will be a partial observance at Ancon in the
Canal Zone. Porto Rico has but lately joined
the movement through the membership of its
Governor, Horace M. Towner, in the Honorary
Committee of Governors.
Inquiries have also come to the National Mu-
sic Week Committee from England and Japan
and it has been requested to send its informa-
tional literature to American welfare workers
in various parts of the Orient.
There will be a considerable observance of
National Music Week in Canada due to the ini-
tiative of the Canadian Bureau for the Advance-
ment of Music, which has prepared special
plans suitable to the Dominion.
Indications are that the present observance
of National Music Week will far eclipse that of
last May, when there are 452 community-
wide celebrations besides 328 partial observ-
ances that were recorded with the committee.
On April 24 the number of cities which had
notified the committee that they would partici-
pate in National Music Week was 455. Inas-
much as the committee has been in correspond-
ence with at least a fourth more places during
last year, it is expected that the total number
of Music Weeks—whether community-wide or
partial—will pass the 1000 mark this May.
New York City, one of the first of the com-
munities to have a Music Week, is ready to en-
ter upon its sixth observance, on May 3-9, the
dates set for National Music Week throughout
the country. The New York events' of the last
three years have been in charge of the New
York Music Week Association, Isabel Lowden,
director.
The participation of the New York public in
the coming celebration was urged by Mayor
John F. Hylan in a Music Week proclamation.
The proclamation called attention to the de-
velopment of latent talent of young and non-
professional musicians in the coming interbor-
ough contest, for which trials have already been
held in many districts, and to the special fea-
ture of an interracial music festival, which the
mayor praised as a work of Americanization.
In another leading city, Boston, a feature of
the Music Week will be a band and orchestra
conclave inclusive of all the New England
States. This is to be a part of Boston's Civic
Musical Festival under the auspices of the New
England Festival Association, Mrs. William
Arms Fisher, president.
Sponsorship of Chicago's Music Week is in
Highest
Quality
the hands of the Chicago Federation of Wom-
en's Organizations with its music chairman,
Mrs. Ora Lightner Frost, in active charge. An
honorary committee of leaders in the musical
and civic fields gives aid to the project.
Groups everywhere that are observing Na-
tional Music Week are requested to send a
brief report, after the event is over, to the Na-
tional Music Week Committee, 45 West Forty-
fifth street, New York City, or to the local Mu-
sic Week chairman, where there is one.'
New Player-piano
Brought Out by Spencer
Standardized Instrument, Five Feet Two Inches
in Height, Now Available to the Entire Trade
The Spencer Piano Co., New York, of which
M. F. Bauer is president, has just issued a
booklet in which are shown the Spencer foot-
power and electric expression players. The
Spencer player is a standardized instrument,
five feet two inches high, produced in a modern
case design and built around a scale which
has been well known for many years in the
Metropolitan district. It was only a month ago
that it was decided to manufacture this player
for the entire trade.
Regarding the instrument, the company
states:
"We are zealous in protecting Spencer su-
premacy.
Our laboratories test every new
device and material pertaining to our industry.
Naturally we adopt anything which offers im-
provement. All wood and metal work is ex-
amined thoroughly. The metals are tested
chemically to insure a uniformly high standard.
The woods are selected for beauty and thor-
ough seasoning. Our cases are made by the
best cabinet makers who subtly bring out the
beauty of form and finish you have observed.
The player action is efficient, simple, modern
and lasts a lifetime. Hammers are reinforced
and of the finest felt procurable. Bass strings
are full copper and the balance are of the
finest steel. All the hardware is brass. As
well as the testing of separate parts and re-
jection of anything faulty, every completed in-
strument is carefully inspected and tested be-
fore shipment. The best selected ivory is used
for the keys. It passes through a great many
operations from cutting to final polishing. It
is imported from Africa, conveyed by native
carrier and mule team to the seaport and
shipped to us. Thus it reaches you after a
journey of about 15,000 miles, or more than
half way around the world."
MAY
2, 1925
bust of Busoni in the Liceo Musicale in Bolo-
gna, Italy. The Duo-Art reproducing piano, for
which Busoni recorded exclusively during his
lifetime, assisted at the concert by playing
Busoni's own recording of his famous transcrip-
tion of Bach's "Chaconne."
The program was opened by Gabrilowitsch,
who played another noted Busoni-Bach tran-
scription, the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue.
He was followed by Messrs. Hutcheson and
Schelling, performing the Saint-Saens' Vari-
ations and Fugue on a Beethoven theme, on
two pianos.
"Busoni is dead," said the account of the
concert in the New York Herald-Tribune, "but
lie was the next to take part, through a record
of the Bach Chaconne, played by the Duo-Art."
The performance of the roll was one of the
most impressive moments of the afternoon. It
is a work rich in contrasts of color and rhythm,
reaching climaxes of tremendous power and
dignity. These effects, of which Busoni was
an undisputed master, were preserved in the re-
cording. Many of those present who were in-
timately familiar with the great Italian's play-
ing declared that only the empty piano stool
bespoke the absence of the man himself.
Maria Carreras, a devoted friend of Busoni,
paid tribute to the memory of her compatriot
with a performance of Chopin's B-Flat Minor
Sonata, with the funeral march. Mr. Bachaus
closed the program with more Chopin, the G-
Minor Ballade, Berceuse, and C-Sharp Minor
Scherzo.
The concert had been initiated by Mine. Car-
reras, who has been active in securing funds
for the memorial to Busoni in the Bologna in-
stitution. The Liceo Musicale is the oldest
school of music in the world and has been a
cradle of the art for centuries.
Q R S Music Go. of Canada
Moves to Larger Quarters
Takes Over Premises at 509 King Street, West,
Toronto, Where Greatly Increased Facilities
Are Available for Business
TORONTO, ONT., April 25.—Owing to the expan-
sion in their business and the necessity for
securing larger quarters the Q R S Music Co.
(of Canada), Ltd., has removed to 590 King
street, west. In the new premises there are in-
creased facilities for the production of the dif-
ferent styles of Q R S player-piano rolls, and
the handling of stocks of radiophones, for which
they are exclusive distributors for Ontario, and
other radio accessories. It is also announced
that this firm has recently undertaken the
manufacture of another player roll to retail at
a popular price, and which the manufacturers
believe will take well with the trade.
B. A. Trestrail, treasurer of the Q R S Music
Co., was a recent visitor to Chicago, to lay out
some new plans for distribution of another
music roll made by the Q R S Music Co.
Memorial Concert to Late
Kohler & Campbell Piano
Supplies Music to Church
Artist, Ferruccio Busoni
Five Famous Pianists Collaborate With Duo-
Art in Concert at Aeolian Hall to Provide
Funds for Bust of Dead Musician
Instrument Used With Excellent Effect by
Cooper Memorial M. E. Church in Randolph,
Vt.—Wins Praise of the Minister
Five famous pianists and the Duo-Art re-
producing piano collaborated in an impressive
memorial concert to the late Italian master,
P'erruccio Busoni, on Monday afternoon, April
13, in Aeolian Hall. William Bachaus, Maria
Carreras, Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Ernest Hutch-
eson and Ernest Schelling offered their services
at the concert, the proceeds of which were ap-
plied to a fund for the placing of a bronze
The Cooper Memorial Methodist Episcopal
Church of Randolph, Vt., has recently acquired
a Kohler & Campbell piano. The instrument
has on several occasions been used in place of
the church organ. Despite the size of the
church, the volume of the piano is more than
sufficient and the pastor, Rutherford H. Moore,
declares that he is highly pleased with the per-
formance of the Kohler & Campbell.
Highest
Quality