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REVIEW
THE
VOL. LXXXII. No. 26
Published Every SaUrday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y., Jane 26, 1926
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The Reproducer and Player in the
New Piano Promotion Plan
Whatever Is Accomplished to Create Interest on the Part of the Public in the Piano Itself Reacts Favorably
Upon Public Interest in Both the Reproducing Piano and the Player-Piano—The Problems
Confronting Both Manufacturers and Dealers in These Instruments
T
HE piano manufacturers have decided to
spend some of their hard-earned coin in
promoting a revival of piano sales. It is to
be assumed that under the word "piano" they
include also the player-piano and the reproduc-
ing piano. How are these likely to fare in such
a case?
It seems that this question ought not to be
faced courageously, because without a doubt it
will sooner or later force its way into the dis-
cussion. This indeed is only proper, for the
pneumatic end of the piano industry can no
longer be left out of consideration in a ques-
tion of this sort. In fact, so important is the
pneumatic end of the piano industry that it is
likely to have almost a determining weight in
any policy which is undertaken by the trade
as a whole.
And so it is as well from the outset to realize
that the whole case for the reproducing piano
rests upon the fact that it is a pianoforte first
and foremost; but a pianoforte plus the pianist
who plays upon it, in fact plus almost any num-
ber of artists capable of playing upon it. Given
the reproducing piano and the right music, one
has not only the musical instrument par ex-
cellence, but the means of enjoying at all times
the best of music played by the best of musi-
cians.
Parallel Cases
This is only another way of saying that what-
ever is done to revive interest in the piano
does to that extent work to the advantage of the
reproducing piano also. This is true even as
concerns the promotion of piano playing. For
the reproducing piano can only interfere with
the love for piano playing among its owners
when the library of music that goes with it is
entirely a library of dance records and general
jazz. The very moment we get anything better,
the moment that the owner of a reproducing
piano begins to take an interest in the inter-
pretation of piano music by this or that pianist,
that moment he becomes, to that extent, a
music-lover, and indirectly interested in piano
playing. In the family of that .owner the task of
learning to play the piano will be considered as
something to be taken up definitely by the
children, or revived by the elders who have
lost it through disuse.
For since evidently the whole case for the
be, but it is necessary now to realize that we
have, in future, to keep up the level of public
interest in the reproducing piano much higher
than the mass of the retail trade has been ac-
customed to hold it. The manufacturers, in
fact, have simply got to insist that the mer-
chants and the salesmen fall in line with the
HE fact that the piano manufacturers general trend of the times. After all, that should
are to devote their energies to a coun- not be so very difficult. One foresees greater
try-wide propaganda for the piano during prosperity than ever for the reproducing piano,
the next three years, as was decided at the a prosperity dearly bought and thoroughly de-
served. But the basic facts must be kept in
recent national convention, has brought up mind and the basic principles constantly put
the interesting question of the effect this into practice.
work will have upon both the reproduc-
Where the Player-Piano Comes In
When we turn to the player-piano, properly
ing piano and the player-piano.
Herewith
is an analysis of this problem, showing that co-called, that is to the pedal-played instru-
the interest of the industry is unified regard- ment, we find not an identical but a parallel
case. The player-piano is worth buying just
ing all instruments which are the products precisely in so far as it is playable. That is to
of the piano factories of the American in- say, just precisely in so far as the buyer can
play it with personal satisfaction is it worth
dustry.
his time and money to possess a player-piano.
Just precisely, on the contrary, in so far as the
buyer cannot get personal satisfaction out of
magazine that the piano is the greatest of musi- the personal playing of the instrument, he is
cal instruments -and one which all the children
not justified in buying it and not to be blamed
should learn to play, and on another page that if he does not buy it. Which is simply to say
the piano is the greatest of musical instruments that the salesmen who have, for so long, rung
and one which one need not learn to play. The the changes on the silly childish talk about "a
two ideas cannot be separated in this way with- child can do it," "no intelligence or knowledge
out mutual disaster. On the other hand, they needed," must hereafter do what every manu-
can be kept wholly apart if the true sphere of
facturer has for the last ten years been in-
the reproducing piano is kept in mind. That is sisting on having done; namely, they must here-
to say, in so far as the trade realizes that the after sell the player-piano as one sells a set of
reproducing piano must be worked in as an clubs to a novice golfer or a set of lessons to a
aid in the promotion of the general prosperity
novice automobilist. In a word, the player-
of the industry, as now planned to be rebuilt,
piano must either profit by the forthcoming
the trade will also realize that it must put its
campaign for piano revival, or it must be de-
efforts into selling as much as possible of the stroyed by that campaign.
better types of reproducing piano music. Once
The player-piano, in fact, is a piano first and
this simple point has been grasped the way foremost. It is also a piano which anyone can
will be clear.
learn to play with personal satisfaction after a
One may say with confidence that the manu- very short spell of practice, providing the facts
facturers of reproducing pianos have understood of its operation and control are properly demon-
It is an instrument which one can
from the first the position in which they stand. strated.
They have built up their business upon fine learn to play with an amount of satisfaction
music played by fine musicians. One may say which devotees tell us is only surpassed by the
that the recording musicians and not the re- satisfaction obtained by the pianist whose
producing mechanism have sold the reproducing technic, laboriously acquired through years of
(Continued on page 4)
piano. This, of course, is exactly as it should
revival of the piano must be based ultimately
upon piano playing, it likewise follows that the
case for the reproducing piano must be similarly
founded. It is absurd to say on one page of a
r