Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
JANUARY 22, 1927
Pittsburgh Music Merchants Deeply
Interested in Child Piano Education
Theodore Hoffmann, of the J. M. Hoffmann Co.,-Urges Piano Merchants to Support All
Plans of Juvenile Education on That Instrument—Trade Foresees Good Year
PITTSBURGH, PA., January 17.—Following
*• ihc usual annual stock taking and inventory
recording of the various music houses of the
Steel City, the sales managers are directing
their attention and that of the sales staffs to
promoting sales of pianos, player-pianos, phono-
graphs and other musical instruments.
An outstanding feature of the first half of
the first month of the year 1927 was the fact
that practically every patron and prospect in
the choice of a musical instrument, especially
a piano, chose one of high grade. The ques-
tion of money cost did not appear to enter
in the negotiations, as formerly was the case,
where buyer and seller "wrangled" over a few
dollars in the price of the instrument.
Arthur O. Lechner, of Lechner & Schoen-
berger, and president of the Piano Merchants'
Association of Pittsburgh, stated that the out-
look for business for the current year was very
bright. He said: "With improved industrial
conditions in this section there is bound to be
reflected in all lines of business, the piano and
music trade especially, a gradual trend toward
ihe acquiring of a new instrument by the
average music-lover. Where the prospect is
already the owner of an instrument, there is
the possibility of a change being made for a
better and more costly one. On the whole, as
I interpret the business outlook at this period,
it is my candid opinion that the wise and pro-
gressive music merchant will benefit for every
effort that he puts forth to attract business."
Theodore Hoffmann, the well-known treasurer
of the J. M. Hoffmann Co., emphasized the
fact that in order to sell pianos, the rising
generation must be interested in the art of
learning to play the piano. Mr. Hoffmann is
quite serious on this point and stressed the fact
that with ready-made music, such as is available
by means of the player-piano, reproducing
piano, radio and talking machine (all very good
in' their way, he added), the average boy or
girl in the American home to-day is being
attracted to the art of mastering the keys of
the piano.
Mr. Hoffmann said: "The piano merchant
must get alive to the fact that there is in every
home a real buyer for a piano the moment
the child therein manifests an interest in and
wishes to learn to play the piano. This can
only be brought about by practical education,
and in it the music trade must, of necessity,
have a leading part. Every plan or suggestion
that has for its end the teaching of children
of the country how to play the piano should
meet with the sanction and hearty co-operation
of the piano dealer. He will naturally benefit
in the end, and at the same time the child—
boy or girl—who can play the piano will have
a gift richer than many other so-called talents
and traits that may be acquired by them. It
is, after all, only getting back to first principles.
A careful study of the apparent decline of
sales of pianos to the home-makers of the
country has led me to the conclusion that I
11
The Music Trade Review
have arrived at and herewith present for the
general good of the entire trade."
Mary Lewis, the well-known soprano, who
sang here to a large audience, was accompanied
on a Chickering grand piano, furnished through
the courtesy of the Lechner & Schoenberger
Co., Chickering representatives in Pittsburgh.
David L. Aaron, the well-known piano dealer
of Pittsburgh, and Mrs. Aaron have announced
the engagement of their daughter, Miss Hat-
tielina Aaron, to Harry Ruttenberg.
Melody Way System to
Utilize Reproducing Piano
W. Otto Miessner, of the Miessner Institute,
Milwaukee, Arranges for Ampico Instruction
Rolls for Use of Teachers in Group Work
Simultaneously with the proposed campaign
of the piano manufacturers to promote group
piano instruction in the schools of the coun-
try, W. Otto Miessner, of the Miessner Insti-
tute, Milwaukee, Wis., and originator of the
"Melody Way" system of class piano instruc-
tion, is carrying into effect further plans for
making his ideas and principles available to an
increasing number of teachers.
Several years of experience in securing public
school adoptions of class piano instruction have
demonstrated the fact that the teacher is per-
haps the most vital factor in the scheme. Class
piano instruction requires a special technique of
the teacher, who, however, need not necessarily
be an accomplished pianist in order, to teach
successfully the elementary lessons of the
course. Nevertheless, it is highly important to
the success of this plan that teachers be trained
in this new branch of piano instruction.
In order to meet this need the Miessner In-
stitute has sent lecturers and demonstrators out
into the field. Demonstration classes have been
organized in the stores of representative deal-
ers, which, in many cases, were followed by
public school adoptions. It soon developed that
many teachers were unable to attend these local
institutes of normal training, because of the dis-
tance and difficulty in leaving their teaching ac-
tivities. Consequently, in response to the de-
mand from such teachers, the Institute de-
veloped a correspondence course based on a
teachers' manual of instruction, with written
examination and subsequent affiliation with the
Institute, which has become an important fac-
tor in the placing of teachers and for securing
teachers for normal centers for public schools.
It has long been apparent to Mr. Miessner
that, in addition to the facilities already pro-
vided, a means of local demonstration should be
furnished. In the reproducing piano he has
seen an ideal means for supplying this impor-
tant factor in arousing the interest of teachers
and of public school officials, for with specially
prepared rolls for the reproducing piano it be-
comes possible to show, step by step, precisely
how the teaching material is presented to the
children. Consequently, with the assistance of
the reproducing piano, the teacher is now able
to follow the instructions in the manual and to
hear the reproducing piano actually play the
elementary pieces that constitute the course.
Dealers who are eager to become identified
locally with the promotional plans sponsored
by the National Piano Manufacturers' Associa-
tion and National Association of Music Mer-
chants may provide themselves with the mate-
rials consisting of pupils' sets, teachers' manual,
set of instruction rolls, and the dealers' manual
containing complete instructions for inaugurat-
ing and conducting piano classes. With these
materials they may invite representative teach-
ers to their stores to study and to become
familiar with the materials and methods used
in group piano instruction. In other words, by
extending these services the dealer may be-
come an essential factor in the tiaining of teach-
ers.
Mr. Miessner has chosen the Ampico for his
recordings and the Ampico Corp. will issue his
records within a month.
British Magazine Lauds
O. K. Houck Go. Policies
Anglo-American Review of London Devotes
Two Pages to Telling of the Manner in Which
Memphis Concern Won Success
In the January issue of the Anglo-American
Review published in London, England, appears
a two-page tribute to the O. K. Houck Piano
Co. of Memphis, Tenn., and the manner in
which that company has won success through
sound and logical business methods. The article
was headed: "A Romance In Industry," and
described in some detail the manner in which
the business had been built up in accordance
with the ideals of the founder. The article was
illustrated with portraits of the late J. C. Houck
and O. K. Houck, founders of the business, of
J. F. Houck, now president of the company,
W. T. Sutherland, vice-president and general
manager, J. G. McConnell, treasurer, and J. F.
Houck, Jr., secretary of the company. The
article referred to the lines handled by the com-
pany, which include the Steinway, Weber, Steck,
Aeolian, Vose, Krakauer, Ludwig, Brambach
and other pianos, and attributed the success of
the business in a chief measure to the adoption
by O. K. Houck of the one-price policy as far
back as 1909. The magazine has a world-wide
circulation and will carry the story of the Houck
Co. to the far corners of the earth.
Damaged by Fire
Musical instruments in the warerooms of the
Levy-Page Co., Inc., located in the Neddo Hotel
building at Norfolk, Va., were badly damaged
in a recent fire, the origin of which has not been
determined.
Smith Music Go. Closes
The Smith Music Co., which has been estab-
lished for fifty-nine years in Vallejo, Cal., closed
out its business recently by selling its complete
stock at a public auction.