Music Trade Review

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The Music Trade Review
REVIEW
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
Published Every Saturday by
Federated Business Publications, Inc.
at 420 Lexington Avenue, New York
President, Raymond Bill; Vice-Presidents, J. B. Spillane, Randolph Brown: Secre-
tary »nd Treasurer, Edward Lyman Bill; Assistant Secretary, L. B. McDonald:
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
W. H. MCCLEARY, Managing Editor
RAY BILL, Associate Editor
F. L. AVERY, Circulation Manager
E. B. MUNCH, Eastern Representative
WESTERN DIVISION:
BOSTON OFFICE:
FRANK W. KIRK, Manager
E. J. NKALY
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Republic Bldg., 209 S. State St., Chicago
Telephone: Wabash 5242-5243
A
moting it, and the relatively small means at the command of the
Bureau for the Advancement of Music, the progress which has
been made is astonishing and a tribute to the intelligent direction
which has been placed behind it.
Music Week, perhaps, will not sell musical instruments
directly, but it does focus attention upon music and create an
atmosphere which the musical instrument dealer, no matter what
type of instrument he handles, can turn to account. Does he do
it? That is a question which too often must be answered in the
negative. Too generally the co-operation given by the merchants
is either nil or else superficial and lacking in proper promotional
activity. The outstanding exceptions to this are in the work which
is done by many leading houses in the trade, which must find it
profitable since they continue it year after year.
The question all simmers down to the inevitable one in every
promotional activity in the music trades. Unless the merchant
himself works hard and intelligently in co-operation, promotional
activity is a waste of time and energy, l i e must turn the receptive
mood of the buying public into actual sales. All those familiar
with the music trades to-day are generally imbued with the belief
that here is the point where an immense improvement is needed
and where thought and energy must be concentrated.
Telephone: Main 6950
Cable: Elbill New York
Telephone: Lexington 1760-71
Vol. 86
MAY 5, 1928
May 5, 1928
No. 18
The Fifth Annual Music Week
CCORDING to all reports available, the fifth annual
Music Week celebration will be a record-breaker, with
the expectation that the number of cities and towns
participating will approxiate 2,000, or some 400 more than
was the case last year. The governors of Arkansas, Arizona.
Kentucky, Wyoming, South Carolina and Texas have issued
official proclamations upon the week, and those of Rhode Island
and Kansas have released public statements to the press endors-
ing it.
When it is considered that this movement is but five years
old in a national sense, the vast number of civic and other types
of organizations which participate directly or indirectly in pro-
Properly Approached, the Public Will
Buy Musical Instruments
i
The State Association s Duty
HE second annual convention of the New York State
Music Merchants' Association passed resolutions
urging every member to attend the annual Music
Industries National Convention in New York next month. Every
State Association should take a leaf from the page of New York's
book and within the next week or so take similar action. If noth-
ing else can be done, the president at least should write each
individual member urging him to attend and pointing out the value
of attendance. More this year than ever is the value of associa-
tion work apparent and the national body must depend on the
local bodies to drive home this idea—to some extent, at least.
The national gathering opens on June 4 and there remains but
little time to persuade those who arc wavering in their determina-
tion to attend.
Victor Wholesalers Will
R. E. Weeks Heads
Meet May 31 and June 1
New York Dealers
(Continued from page 5)
modification of the group plan, lie stated, em-
bodying individual instruction in artistic play-
ing and group instruction in the mechanistic
and mental factors can be, and is being, made
a success. What is now necessary, he concluded,
is the education of the teacher and the parent
in the favorable points, both financial and musi-
cal, which the group plan of instruction has to
offer.
Corley Gibson, president of the Autopiano
Co., New York, discussed the present condition
of the player-piano in the industry. The speaker
stated that the player-piano was still the ideal
means for musical self-expression for those not
possessed of the ability to play the piano, and
as it had proven in the past a most effective
means for developing demand for the piano to
the highest point in the industry's history, it
still possesses tremendous elements in the mat-
ter of sales for the dealer who has a full ap-
preciation of its selling possibilities. Mr. Gib-
son made a strong appeal for this instrument,
pointing out that it had given the piano in-
dustry the position of one of the large and
essential lines of manufacturing in the coun-
try. He declared that the reproducing piano
did not in any way supplant the foot-power
player, as it is designed for those to interpret
their favorite music in their own particular way.
At the close of Mr. Gibson's address the con-
vention adjourned and the convention came to
a close,
President Shumaker Reports April Record
Sales 25 Per cent Ahead of Those for Last
April
The annual trade conference of Victor whole-
salers will be held May 31 and June 1, it was
announced this week by E. E. Shumaker, presi-
dent of the Victor Talking Machine Co., who
pointed out in his report to the board of direc-
tors that the early date will give the distrib-
utors an opportunity to get a good start on
the new line of instruments and insure a splen-
did Summer and Fall business. He also re-
ported that record sales are unusually good for
this time of year, orders for April running 25
per cent ahead of last April.
"Record sales resulting from our connection
with the motion picture industry are on the in-
crease," he said, "and from these connections
we will not only increase our record business
in this field but w T e also expect to write the
scores and do the recording. Sales of Audi-
torium Victrolas are increasing in the hotel and
park field.
"Despite the depression in some lines of in-
dustry and the presidential year bugbear, in-
dications point to our having one of the best
years in our history, if not the best.
"Foreign conditions are encouraging. Our
Buenos Aires factory is nearing completion and
we recently appropriated funds to provide rec-
ord manufacturing facilities in Chile and Brazil,
both undeveloped fields. Our new plant in Ja-
pan began record production in January and
we hope soon to consider China. The Canadian
company is doing a satisfactory business. At
present we own 80 per cent of the stock and
will acquire the balance during 192K."
Urquhart and Gorman
on Promotion Committee
George Urquhart, president of the American
Piano Co., lias been appointed a member of the
Sales Promotion Committee of the National
Piano Manufacturers' Association, succeeding
C. Alfred Wagner. John S. Gorman has also
been appointed to this committee succeeding
A. G. Gulbranscn.
George G. Jell in Europe
George C. Jell, of the Columbia Phonograph
Co., sailed recently for a brief trip to Europe,
where he will visit Rome, Paris and London,
returning to America May 21.
Fischer With Mickel
A. W. Fischer who has been identified with
various piano firms in the Middle West, has been
appointed manager of the piano department of
the Will E. Mickel Music Co., Omaha, Neb.
Weeks & Dickinson, of Binghamton, N. Y.,
have closed the firm's branch in Endicott, N. Y.,
which was established there a considerable
time ago,