Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1925 Vol. 81 N. 21

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
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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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
NOVEMBER 21, 1925
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Player Must Once More Be Sold on
Its Musical Capabilities
A Return to Fundamentals in Merchandising This Instrument Will Once More Place the Future in the
Hands of the Industry Just as Happened Twenty Years Ago When the Instrument Was a Novelty
— It Is Still a Novelty So Far as Its Real Capabilities Are Concerned
L
ET'S get once for all into our minds the
basic idea that we have to sel] the pneu-
matic action once more (and this time
forever) upon its musical abilities.
Tlie talking machine people are giving us a
lead. What they have been doing during re-
cent months and what they arc planning to do
during months to come oiler us player men
some very instructive suggestions, which we
may well apply to our own case. As every-
body knows, there came a sudden and unlooked
for slump in the talking machine business about
two years ago. To a considerable extent, this
slump was brought about by the development
of radio apparatus into practical shape, and
with the parallel development of facilities for
its use. When the man in the street learned
that he could string together a few wires, a bit
of what looked like coal and a needle, clap on
a pair of head-phones and hear sounds from
the other end of Beyond, he naturally went
rapidly insane on the subject, and spent his
time (millions of him did it) figuring out how
to spend all the money he could spare upon
radio apparatus, and all the time he could spare
sitting up trying to get distant stations to come
in. It was all very exciting while it lasted and
until it began to simmer down to the point
where radio had to stand on its own merits and
to accept a position in the world of entertain-
ment more in accord therewith. As things arc,
of course, radio has come down to the point of
acceptance and development as a great public
utility, which in due course will doubtless be as
common and as much taken for granted as is
the telephone.
What Did They Do?
Unfortunately for the phonograph, however,
radio came at a time when business was more
or less disturbed anyhow, and the first reactions
of the public to it damaged the disk and the
sound-box still more • in general estimation.
The new thing was mysterious and wonderful;
the old thing was well known and for some
years had produced nothing thrilling.
What did the phonograph people do? They
began seriously to think, and they saw that
here was a formidable competition which could
not be laughed away. They did not, however,
fall into fright, but when the first excitement
was over, and there was opportunity to look at
facts sanely and quietly, they perceived that the
two systems, radio and phonograph, must grow
together. Radio, they saw, is simply a mar-
velous extension of the human ear. The talk-
ing machine, on the other hand, is the preserv-
er of musical performance. One is evanescent,
the other permanent. On the other hand, it
was clear that radio had given to millions new
ideas of music, especially of concerted music,
and that the talking machine simply must meas-
ure up in future to the standard set by radio
as to the quantity of sound delivered, and as to
the variety of music. Once this great truth had
been grasped, the talking machine people set to
work to produce that which would put their
product on a level with radio in these points,
knowing that any radical improvement made
would once more set them in a place of se-
curity, since the talking machine's power of
preservation and of reproduction at any time
and at all times puts it in a place of its own,
from which it can only be ousted by something
of its own kind, but enormously better.
And they have produced the something. They
have produced now two types of talking ma-
chine, one electrical and one mechanical, each
enormously superior to the old machines. They
have further announced a program of develop-
ment which evidently is going to bring forth
records of a quality and type hitherto not with-
in the purview of the manufacturers concerned.
It is evident that we are to have a campaign of
music, of selling the American people not per-
sonalities, not the name of this or that singer,
but music itself, the finest performances of the
finest music by the finest artists; and not snip-
pets of music, not bits of this and of that, but
fully recorded pieces, done under the best con-
ditions, and representing, as must always be the
case with talking machine records, a much high-
er level of result than can be expected from the
casual performance casually caught by "listen-
ing-in."
A Policy of Courage
It is meanwhile certain that this new policy
will demand a concentration of effort and a
whole-hearted conviction of its rightness, such
as has not yet been expended in any other
branch of music merchandising. Yet the fact
that this policy has become crystallized and that,
so far as can be judged, those who have inau-
gurated it are thoroughly committed to carry-
ing it out, simply furnishes the highest possible
presumption of its soundness. It must be right,
one might say, or those who have so much at
stake would not so radically change their older
views in order to take it up.
And surely the lesson for the player industry
is plain enough. If there is one thing in our
present conditions more certain than another, it
is that we have been getting soft, flabbily soft,
in our dealings with the buying public. We
began in the first days by talking personal per-
formance of music and we gave recitals and
trained our salesmen to demonstrate and con-
ducted our campaigns right on that principle.
And we put the player on the map. One says
"we," meaning, doubtless, the whole trade; but
in fact it was just the pioneer houses which did
all this. They did it all, while the mass of the
manufacturers and merchants looked on sneer-
ing and wondering how soon the fad would die
-out and go flat. Isn't that true?
Well, it did not go flat. The player was put
on the mercantile map by these methods, and it
might as well be remembered that in those
early days it was a pretty terrible thing to play,
and about as crude as it could well be. But it
was put on the map. It did win out. It did
create a demand for itself. In spite of its sim-
ply terrible crudeness and clumsiness it re-
sponded to a real need in human nature; and it
won out.
Why Did It?
It won out simply because it was demon-
strated. The salesmen were trained to show the
customer that he or she could learn in a few
minutes the rudiments of a very wonderful
game, the game of music making. Lots of peo-
ple bought on the strength of the demonstration
who never learned to play half so well as the
demonstrator; but the fact remains that until
the whole thing was deliberately cheapened in
an effort to get it down to a more popular level
the average owner did his or her best to play
well, and got from the exertion an exquisite
sort of pleasure of just precisely the same kind
as the pleasure one gets from playing golf, mah
jongg and bridge, from dancing or from manip-
ulating the dials of a radio set with cunning and
skill.
Twenty Years Ago
Twenty years ago the player business had its
future in its own hands. The piano men could
have done with it anything they might have
wished. Actually they threw away the sound
policy of selling its musical performance, on the
ground that this was too "high-brow" and that
the people "did not want to be educated." They
threw away all that experience had taught them
as to correct merchandising policy; and they
went out after prices, terms, throw-ins and bar-
gains, letting the player-piano go into the hands
of persons not even instructed in the handling
of the levers and buttons, not even knowing
that foot-work can be varied to vary tone and
volume.
The result everyone knows. Will the trade
persist in a policy which, at the very least, has
not brought it prosperity and will they persist
in it in face of the fact that the reproducing
piano people are basing and have always based
their whole policy upon nothing but music,
upon what the instrument will do?
Shall W e Not Be Wise?
Will those supply houses and those instru-
ment manufacturers who are committed to the
pneumatic action and the player-piano stand by
;md permit the whole structure they have built
up to fall into ruins? It cannot be believed.
We have to sell the pneumatic action and
the player-piano which contains it all over
again. We can only do it by going back and
taking our old original line of policy, that is to
say, by teaching the people to play. That way
prosperity lies. The player-piano is essential
to the music industries. It ought not to be
allowed to languish just on account of stupid-
ity and apathy. Does not experience count for
anything?
Interesting Program for
New York Merchants' Meet
Several Worth-while Addresses Scheduled for
Meeting of New York Piano Merchants' Asso-
ciation on. December 1
The date for the second Fall session of the
New York Piano Merchants' Association has
been set for Tuesday evening, December 1, to
be held in the banquet rooms of the National
Republican Club, 54 West Fortieth street, at
6.30 p. m., according to John J. Glynn, associa-
tion president. William Walker Orr, secretary
and treasurer of the New York Credit Men's
Association and assistant treasurer of the Na-
tional Association of Credit Men, has accepted
an invitation to speak on credit risks, and will
deliver a prepared talk.
Other talks will be given by association mem-
bers and will include the following: E. Paul
Hamilton, "Better Salesmen"; L. Schoenewald,
"Better Salesmen" from a different angle;
Harold Bersin, "The Commission Evil," and
Mr. Glynn will mention some striking local ex-
amples of bait advertising for the purpose of
stimulating the interest of the association in
eliminating this sort of misrepresentation. An
interesting meeting and large attendance are
anticipated by Mr. Glynn and other members of
the executive committee in view of the splendid
turnout of members at the October meeting.

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