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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
"Back to the Glass Room"—(Continued from page 3)
class instruction system in our public schools,
through the National Bureau for the Advance-
ment of Music.
The class lesson form of instruction for piano
is no novelty or innovation in musical progress,
except as emphasized by its neglect by our
public school boards of governors.
Various systems have been available, and
some have been sparsely used for several years
in the primary grades. But now there is a defi-
nite movement, an awakening to the wonderful
possibility of such a broad and proven course
of instruction, and the trade, our entire indus-
try, should get in the band wagon and not only
lead but support this movement by liberal con-
tributions for demonstrating and proving its
great benefit as an educational force for musical
advancement by leaps and bounds instead of by
plodding steps.
Twenty years ago in the Bush Conservatory
normal classes in piano were conducted through
the use of charts, textbooks and silent key-
boards and were successfully maintained for a
period of years. Each year since that time im-
provements and advances have been developed
and created by intelligent work of interested
teachers and individuals until now there remains
the great opportunity to create sentiment to
use every just and legitimate means to incorpo-
rate this work as a regular and important study
to be included in the regular fourth, fifth, sixth
and seventh grade curricula in all public schools
of the country.
The Time Is Ripe
In conclusion I wish to express the convic-
tion that the time is ripe for every dealer in
the country to get busy on this proposition and
begin to work for the local co-operation of the
public school board or school trustees and with
the supervisors of music, superintendents and
teachers to awaken sentiment and interest in
this vital subject of class lessons for children
in the public school lower grades in piano, vocal,
violin and other instruments. Get busy. There
is a strong favorable sentiment among the
parent-teacher organizations already at work
and among the parents of children in the pub-
lic schools.
Every dealer who has room and can install
the required equipment for a classroom will find
it profitable to get in line and establish a dem-
onstrating class at a minimum rate of tuition.
Engage a teacher, get the necessary textbooks,
charts, blackboards and plain economical desks
and chairs and register the children, whose
parents will gladly take advantage of this eco-
nomical plan for developing the musical talent
and love of music that exists in the heart, soul
and spirit of a large majority of these young,
ambitious school boys and girls. Soon the en-
tire community will awaken to the real value
of such an added and eagerly desired and highly
prized form of musical advancement and educa-
tion in music. The public sentiment once
aroused and developed will carry upon a tre-
mendous wave of popular clamor a definite, es-
tablished form of public school class instruction
into every school district within the zone of
our great public school system.
An Example
I walked into the store of Emerson & Hilt-
brunner, in Cedar Rapids, la., a couple of weeks
ago and was asked to inspect a classroom where
over one hundred children were being instruct-
ed through the medium of class piano lessons.
I found a room, twenty-five by thirty feet,
equipped and preparations all completed and in-
vitations issued for a recital to be given that
same evening by children from seven to ten
years of age. After only one brief term of ten
lessons, some of them made remarkable prog-
ress, largely due to the great stimulus of class
competitive work and good-natured rivalry. Ad-
joining this classroom was another large room,
where rehearsals were being regularly conduct-
ed of the Legion Post Band and a Boy Scout
band by John Jenney, head of the small goods
and instrument department and a combined art-
ist, salesman, director and live-wire music man.
The dealer is the one to awaken and realize
that the local opportunity is right in his own
community, knocking at his very door.
Music House Exhibits Prominent in
the Annual Radio Show in Cleveland
Brunswick Panatrope Receives First Cleveland Hearing—Canton Music Co. Opens Branch Store in
Dover, O.—Demand for Pianos in City and Territory Advancing
/CLEVELAND, O., November 16.—Cleve- were fully illustrative of the best the industry
^ land's first radio exposition closed Sunday affords.
evening, November IS, after a most successful
The Wurlitzer Co.'s main Cleveland store in
week's run at the Public Hall. The attendance lower Euclid avenue, near the Hotel Statler, is
was larger than was expected by the manage- making a unique window display of sheet music.
ment. Opened formally by City Manager W. Two large displays which look like Japanese
R. Hopkins, the show was directed by G. B. fans are featured. The sheet music is arranged
Bodenhoff. The musical features of the show in such a way that the multi-colored covers of
reflected credit on those in charge of the organ the sheets resemble highly colored Oriental fans
recitals and orchestral programs for radio several feet in diameter. The store is now con-
owners and the hall visitors. Almost every line ducting a full-fledged sheet music department.
of musical instrument was shown in some form
Henry Dreher, head of the Dreher Piano Co.,
in the display booths, pianos, talking machines is still convalescing from his recent severe ill-
and orchestral instruments being used to set off ness. During his illness Mr. Dreher was the
booths handsomely furnished.
recipient of many compliments from friends
The largest exhibit was that of the Radio here and in other cities in the form of letters
Corp. of America, which occupied the entire and floral offerings.
C. T. McKelvey, of the Chicago executive
stage of the hall, and the largest local exhibit
was that of the Cleveland Talking Machine offices of the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co.,
Co., arranged by Howard J. Shartle, president, on November 13 conducted a private recital in
and his assistants, and the exhibit included the Carnegie Hall, Huron road, this city, demon-
latest models of the Orthophonic Victrola, strating the powers of the new Panatrope. This
Zenith and Federal radio sets. The Euclid was the first Cleveland showing of the Pana-
Music Co.'s exhibit, those of the Dreher Piano trope. Mr. McKelvey played both electrically
Co., the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., the made and old-fashioned records on both the
Bailey Co. and other Cleveland music houses old-fashioned Brunswick talking machine and
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PIANO
SCARFS
NOVEMBER 21, 1925
the new Panatrope made by this concern. He
illustrated the five different stages of the new
machine's audibility for private home, church,
theatre and auditorium uses. Practically all the
dealers handling the Brunswick talking ma-
chines attended the recital.
Frank Harkness, a piano salesman of Pitts-
burgh, was a Cleveland visitor during the past
week.
Rexford C. Hyre, secretary of the Music Mer-
chants' Association of Ohio, was a Columbus
visitor during the past week.
The Robert L. White Music Co., the Old
Arcade, staged a special sale of violins last
week, calling it "Violin Week."
The Euclid Music Co.'s daily noonday con-
certs broadcast are proving good drawing cards
for the sheet music department of the com-
pany's Cleveland stores. Well-known local
soloists and others feature the latest song hits.
Almost invariably after a new song hit has been
broadcast the sales jump forward at the firm's
stores.
Cleveland piano sales are looking up with the
near approach of the holiday season. Nearly all
the leading dealers report increased sales of the
better grade of Steinway, Chickering and other
higher priced models.
T. B. Johnson, representing the grand section
of the A. B. Smith Piano Co., Akron, O., was a
Cleveland visitor this week. He reported good
sales in the Rubber City.
Dover, O., now has a new retail music store
at 118 West Third street. The store is a branch
of the Canton Music Co. and Fred Brunner is
the Dover manager.
L. L. Fox, manager of the H. N. White Co.,
Cleveland manufacturer of band instruments,
announced that the annex to the Superior fac-
tory to be erected by the H. K. Ferguson Co.
will be rushed to completion during the coming
late Fall and Winter, as additional manufactur-
ing space is badly needed to meet increasing
sale demands from dealers throughout the
country.
Cleveland music merchants are drawing on
mail devices for attracting Christmas cus-
tomers. Attractive leaflets, folders, circulars
and other forms of literature are being mailed
to thousands of Clevelanders. Newspaper ad-
vertising featuring musical instruments is also
taking up considerable space in Cleveland
papers. Several concerns like the Wurlitzer
stores, the Starr Piano Co., the piano section of
the May Co., Muehlhauser's, the Knabe Ware-
rooms, George M. Ott Piano Co. and others
are offering special inducements to pre-Christ-
mas shoppers in musical merchandise.
Wagner's "Ring" Recorded
for the Duo-Art Piano
Ten Rolls Required to Carry the Excerpts From
Wagner's Famous Musical Work as Played
by Ralph Leopold, American Pianist
A feature of the Duo-Art roll bulletin for
December is a series of ten rolls representing the
complete recording of Wagner's "Ring of the
Nibelungen," an ambitious move that has been
accomplished with a full measure of success by
the Aeolian Co. Recordings consist of excerpts
from "The Rhine-Gold," "The Valkure," "Sieg-
fried," "Die Gotterdammerung," as well as two
special rolls on which the musical theme of the
Ring are recorded separately.
The recording of the rolls was done by Ralph
Leopold, the prominent American pianist, who
has made a life study of the music of Wagner.
His excerpts have been selected with rare judg-
ment, and the playing of them is most impres-
sive. The new rolls as a whole represent a
distinctly forward step in recording.
PIANO
COVERS and BENCH-CUSHIONS
0. SIMMS MFG. CO.. 103-5 We«t 14th St.
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