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NOVEMBER 20, 1926
The Music Trade Review
Mark P. Campbell Finds Piano Industry
Unusually Optimistic Over Conditions
In Interview With San Francisco Correspondent of The Review, Predicts Output of 100,000 Grands
Annually Within Three Years—Shirley Walker Back From Association Trip
C A N FRANCISCO, CAL., November 12.—A
^ most encouraging view of the future of the
piano industry was expressed this morning by
Mark P. Campbell, president of the Brambach
Piano Co., who arrived yesterday from Los An-
geles, accompanied by Beeman P. Sibley, presi-
dent of the Western Piano Corp. Established in
his usual suite at the St. Francis Hotel, Mr.
Campbell consented to give for publication his
impressions of his Western trip, which was half
completed when he reached San Francisco.
"I have found that the usual note of optimism
runs through our trade," Mr. Campbell stated.
"Everyone in the piano business is usually
optimistic during the last quarter of the year,
but there is added activity this year."
Bigger, Better and Busier Piano Industry
Speaking of Association activities, Mr. Camp-
bell said: "The National Piano Manufacturers'
Committee on piano promotion is going ahead
with its work and never before in our industry
was there so much Association activity. Every-
thing points to a bigger, better and busier piano
industry. I doubt if I ever made a trip to the
Coast where I found more enthusiasm in the
trade or more business as a whole. This time,
it has been a great delight to receive the words
of commendation, expressed by the dealers in
the cities visited on my journey, regarding the
quality and nature of
" Mr. Campbell paused
and added—"You thought I was going to say
'Brambach baby grands'—but I was not—the
words of commendation were for the piano in-
dustry as a whole, and yet I will add, it is also
true of Brambach baby grands.
"The grand piano business has shown a
marked increase this year. Our production, as
a whole, will be well over 60,000—an increase
of over 50,000 over the output of 1912. That is,
the entire output of all the piano manufacturers.
I do not hesitate to say that within three
years 100,000 grands will be the output. It
behooves manufacturers to shape their policies
and direct their energies in accordance with the
coming increased demand."
Dealers' Associations Hear Shirley Walker
Just back from meeting dealers in Fresno
and Sacramento, Shirley Walker, president of
the Music Trades Association of Northern Cali-
fornia, said it was too soon at present to tell
of the results of the meetings. Mr. Walker
visited the branches of Sherman, Clay & Co.
in Fresno and Sacramento. In Fresno, on Mon-
day evening there was a meeting of the Music
Trades Association of Fresno at which twenty-
one members of the trade were present. Mrs.
S. S. Hockett, president of the Hockett-Cowan
Music Co., presided. Mr. Walker made an ad-
dress on associations, urging that they be con-
structive and aid in creating a public demand
for musical merchandise. The speaker empha-
sized the value of piano contests, band contests,
music memory contests and music instruction in
the public schools as means toward creating this
demand.
In Sacramento eighty-five members of the
Sacramento Music and Radio Trade Association
were present. Ellis Marx, president of the Ellis-
Marx Music Co., presided and Mr. Walker ad-
dressed the meeting regarding the need for con-
structive association work.
Ground Breaking for War Memorial
Following the Armistice Day parade to-day,
ground was broken for San Francisco's five-
million War Memorial to the city's sons and
daughters who perished in the World War. The
plans for the memorial include the erection of a
splendid opera house, which will be used for
great musical events.
Radio Merger Announced by Federal
A ten-million-dollar radio merger was an-
nounced last Saturday by the Federal Telegraph
Co. of California and the Brandes Products
Corp., combining under the name Federal-
Brandes, Inc.
San Francisco will be headquarters of the
Federal-Brandes, Inc., with offices in the
Federal Telegraph Building. Rudolph Spreckels
heads the combine and Lieutenant Commander
Ellery W. Stone, U. S. N. R., is the Federal-
Brandes president. The corporation will own
and operate the 50,000-watt radio broadcasting
station to be established at Palo Alto, Cal., if
present plans are carried out. The company
controls several big plants for wireless opera-
tion and the manufacture of radio equipment
also at Newark, N. J.; Toronto, Canada, and
Slough, England.
Ed. Little Describes Piano Interest
Ed. Little, manager of the sheet music and
publishing departments of Sherman, Clay & Co.,
expressed much satisfaction to-day at the suc-
cess of the piano classes of Mrs. Zay Rector
Bevitt at the firm's branches in the Northwest.
To-day Mrs. Bevitt was in San Francisco ad-
dressing the "See San Francisco First Club."
Mr. Little said that the ground has barely been
scratched in this city by the instruction classes
given by Mrs. Bevitt under the auspices of
Sherman, Clay & Co.
Speaking of the newest Sherman, Clay &
Co.'s publication, Idolizing, which has gone
on Victor and Brunswick records this week and
was released to-day by the Q R S Music Co.,
Mr. Little said that few people realize that San
Francisco has long been a music-publishing
center, many song hits having been published
first here.
One of Mr. Little's visitors to-day was Frank
Sheridan, proprietor of the John Franklin Music
Co., New York, who is now living at Carmel-
by-the-Sea, the artists' colony near Monterey.
Moissaye Boguslawski
Giving Broadcast Concerts
Prominent Welte-Mignon (Licensee) Artist
Presented in Series of Special Concerts
Through KYW,. Chicago
Boguslawski's playing on the following day,
and letters from appreciative radio fans were
turned over to him by the basketful. Mr. Bogus-
lawski first took up this phase of his musical
endeavors last season, and his pronounced suc-
cess over the air induced the Chicago Evening
American to engage him for the entire musical
season.
Mr. Boguslawski is a member of the faculty
of the Chicago Musical College, an institution
sponsored by the leading citizens of that city.
Aside from his duties in connection with this
institution, he also finds time to devote to con-
cert work. Among his recent appearances were
recitals given in Pueblo, Col., on November 15,
and at Boulder, Col., on November 17.
To Supervise Duo-Art
Italian Music Records
Robert De Socio, well-known Italian com-
poser and musical authority, has been placed in
charge of the Italian recordings for the Duo-Art
by the Aeolian Co. Mr. DeSocio has composed
a number of selections, among them the Musso-
lini March, dedicated to the Italian Dictator,
and a Duo-Art roll of which has been sent t<>
him.
Death of Harry Brooks
DUNKIRK, N. Y., November 1.3.—Harry Brooks,
retired music merchant, who at one time con-
ducted music stores in Dunkirk, Bradford, Pa.,
and Lima, O., died here recently at his resi-
dence, 36 West Fifth street, at the age of
eighty-five years. He is survived by his widow,
three sons and one daughter.
Pratt Read
Products
have stood for years
as an asset of
incalculable value
to the piano industry.
Moissaye Boguslawski, concert pianist and
Welte-Mignon (Licensee) recording artist, was
Know Our
PIANO KEYS
PIANO ACTIONS
PLAYER ACTIONS
and Our Service
Write us at the
first opportunity
PRATT, READ & CO.
i?
Moissaye Boguslawski
- L
featured recently in the first of a series of radio
concerts broadcast over station KYW, Chicago,
under the auspices of the Chicago Evening
American. Musical reviews in the Chicago
newspapers printed glowing accounts of Mr.
Established in 1806
The PRATT READ PLAYER ACTION CO.
Deep River, Conn.