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DECEMBER 17, 1927
The Music Trade Review
13
St. Louis, Mo., Man Wins First Prize
in Aeolian Broadcast Letter Contest
"Jerry's Musical Box"
Opened in Cleveland
Practically Every State in the Union Represented in Letters Sent in to Company
During First Five Weeks of Radio Broadcast Upon Duo-Art
Basement Location Cleverly Arranged as At-
tractive Warerooms—Well Assorted Line of
Musical Instruments Is Carried
A LTHOUGH the Aeolian Co. is continuing
**• its radio broadcasting programs on Wednes-
day of each week through Station WEAF
and a group of associated stations making up
Judges
of the
Aeolian Co.
Broadcast
Contest
the network of the National Broadcasting Co.,
the series of prize contests for the best letters
regarding the impression of the listener-in to-
ward music "as brought into his home by to-
night's Duo-Art recitals," were confined to the
first five recitals and wound up with the award-
ing of the principal prizes for the entire con-
test last week.
The first grand prize, a Weber Duo-Art
grand, was awarded to A. W. Mothersill, St.
Louis, Mo. Second prize, a George Steck Grand
to Mrs. A. D. Maddison, Cliftondale, Mass.
Third grand prize, a Stroud Studio Upright to
Mrs. Frederick Doyle, River Forest, 111., and
fourth prize, a $50 check, five of them in fact,
to W. H. Hodges, Ballston, Va., Mme. Milo
Miloradovich, New York, Rafael Polidura, New
York, Mrs. Genevieve Stone, Saranac Lake, N.
Y., and Van Tassel Sutphen, Morristown, N. J.
The judges were Leonard Liebling, Editor of
the Musical Courier, Kurt Schindler, Director
of the Music Forum of New York, Henry Had-
ley, noted American composer, George H.
Gartlan, head of the music department Board
of Education, New York, and Pitts Sanborn,
noted music critic.
These same judges, in addition to deciding on
the grand awards, chose what were considered
the best letters sent in each week for which
weekly prizes in cash ranging from $100 down
were offered. The decisions were based upon
the value of the context of the contestant's let-
ter as an expression of his reaction towards the
Aeolian recitals and the music offered, with
literary form being secondary.
The contest aroused wide interest and the re-
plies which ran into thousands came from prac-
tically every state in the Union except those
on the Pacific Coast. Many replies came from
Canada and some from Porto Rico, although
the most numerous were from the Middle West,
Missouri being in the lead, with Illinois second.
In the region around New York and in New
England there was also much interest shown.
The radio stations making up the red network
u-od by the Aeolian Co. were located in New
York, Boston, Hartford, Philadelphia, Washing-
ton, Schenectady, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleve-
land, Detroit, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis,
Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Davenport and Kansas
City, thus covering a very wide territory.
The letters were very gratifying as an evi-
dence of the seriousness with which the public
CLEVELAND, O., December 13.—Cleveland's new-
est music store, and a most unique one at
that, was opened last Tuesday with an appro-
priate celebration. The proprietor is Jerry
Goldsmith, and the location is 1600 Euclid ave-
nue, right across from Keith's Palace Theatre.
The name of the store is "Jerry's Musical Box."
It is a basement location, but due to the in-
genuity of the planner it does not appear so
from the outside, and the box effect is skil-
fully carried out so that it has an appearance
that catches the eye of every passer-by There
is ample window space, and placed in view of
the street there is a red and gold piano at
which a young lady plays the latest popular
music, and incidentally draws attention to the
store. The interior is decorated in a futuristic
design which, while extremely odd, is never-
theless very attractive and has caused a great
deal of very favorable comment from the many
who have seen it. During the opening week
an orchestra gave concerts daily, and Mr. Gold-
smith and the store received considerable pub-
licity by his appearance at WJAY each evening,
where he broadcasted with a trio. He plans
on a weekly radio appearance from now on.
Before moving into his present quarters Mr.
Goldsmith was located in the Starr Piano Co.
rooms on Huron road. He has added several
lines which include the Jesse French piano and
radio and is also planning on taking on phono-
graphs. He is also now handling Okeh records.
The store is headquarters in Cleveland for the
Holton line of band instruments. Leedy and
also Ludwig drums are carried and a complete
line of small goods and sheet music. In fact,
practically anything in the way of musical mer-
chandise can be had in the store. The opening
was delayed, due to the serious illness of Mrs.
Goldsmith, who is her husband's right-hand
"man," and who spent nearly a month in a local
hospital. She has now recovered and with
Jerry is greeting their many friends there
regarded this particular contest and the whole
question of radio music in general. One fea-
ture that should be of particular interest to the
piano trade was the many expressions regard-
ing pure piano music. The Aeolian recitals
were somewhat of an innovation in that piano
music has been throughout the principal feature
of the programs. The leading artists were
some of the famous pianists from a long list
of Duo-Art recording artists, Rudolph Ganz,
Percy Grainger, Robert Armbruster, Irene
Scharrer, Ernest Hutcheson and others being
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
among the number. Additional features were
the Aeolian residence organ, several times The Review.
played by W. F. G. Steele, retail manager of
The Aeolian Co., a musician of outstanding
ability, also the Philadelphia Simfonietta and
the International Singers.
Dealers representing The Aeolian Co. co-
operated actively and enthusiastically, those lo-
cated in the broadcasting station cities, as well
as others. In a number of instances, direct sales
were reported, definitely traceable to the Aeo-
lian activities over the air. In one instance a
dealer reported that a mother and daughter en-
tered the store, the daughter making the vigor-
ous assertion, "Well, inothei, you simply can't
tell the difference."
Throughout the contest, each contestant re-
ceived a personal acknowledgment of his letter
and for this purpose, The Aeolian Co. main-
tained a night force recruited from its own em-
ployes and a complete card file was prepared
Increase your sales volume and reap
to record geographically the names of all con-
greater profits with the Miessner—the
testants.
original small piano.
These contest letters afford an index of the
The Miessner presents a strong sales
reaction towards music on the part of the pub-
appeal in every one of the seven big
lic. Many human interest stories were reported.
markets. Don't let a single piano sale
The main theme of the writers seemed to be
in your territory slip by, without at
least being able to make a bid for it.
interest in a broader general culture, and the
Write for full information on the
contents of the letters as a whole indicate a
Miessner
franchise.
very wholesome, active and intelligent interest
in good music, which is not confined to any one
MIESSNER PIANO CO.
part of the country, but is quite widespread.
136 Reed St.
Milwaukee, Wis.
1
Tin ktttrs grade very high in quality, far
higher than those experienced in handling con-
lests had anticipated.
THE LITTLE PIANO WITH THE BIG TONE
Although the contest is over, the Aeolian
radio recitals are continuing.
THE MIESSNER
gets volume business in
the Seven Big Markets