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Music Trade Review

Issue: 1928 Vol. 87 N. 13

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News Number
THE
REVIEW
VOL. 87. No. 13 Published Weekly.
Federated Business Publications, Inc., 420 Lexington AYC, New York, N. Y. Sept. 29,1928
Blag
£.S?f£&?" te
National Executives Meet With
No. Carolina Association
President C. J. Roberts and Executive Secretary Delbert L. Loomis,
Together With Other Prominent Members of Trade Attend
Special Meeting of State Body in Raleigh
ALEIGH, N. C, September 24.—An unusually interesting special meeting of the North
Carolina Music Merchants' Association was held in this city on Friday of this week, the
outstanding feature being the presence of a number of prominent guests from other sec-
tions of the country and particularly the President and Executive Secretary of the National Asso-
ciation of Music Merchants, who made a special trip to Raleigh to address the local dealers.
The meeting was confined to one day with morning and afternoon sessions, and was presided
over by Charles S. Andrews, of the Andrews
Music Store, Inc., Charlotte, president of the
association. Various b u s i n e s s discussions
marked the opening of the session at which
there were also a number of speakers.
Loomis Discusses Association
Delbert L. Loomis, executive secretary of the
National Association, had for his subject: "The
Value of the Association," and at the outset
made the point that the accomplishments of any
trade organization and tHe benefits to the mem-
bers thereof were to be measured largely by
what the individual members themselves put
into the Association, not alone in financial sup-
port, but in personal interest and effort. Those
who work for the organization benefit both
the trade as a whole and themselves.
Mr. Loomis paid high tribute to the manner
in which C. J. Roberts has handled his duties
as president, which resulted in his re-election '
last June, and called attention to the great
amount of promotional work that has been
launched by the National body. He stressed
particularly the work done in co-operation with
the National Bureau for the Advancement of
C. J. Roberts
Music and the Music Supervisors' National
In
the
matter
of general publicity, Mr.
Conference, looking towards the introduction of
group piano instruction in the public schools Loomis called attention to the great amount
of the country. He told of the meeting of the of newspaper comment following the broadcast-
Committee on Instrumental Affairs, of the ing of the speeches of John Erskine and Gov-
Supervisors' Conference in New York in Janu- ernor Ritchie of Maryland during the last con-
ary, and the adoption of the committee's report vention in New York, and to newspaper space
in favor of group instruction at the national given to other matters broached by the Asso-
conference in Chicago in April. That the in- ciation.
terest of the supervisors is real was indicated
The speaker referred to his visit to the con-
by the fact that in response to 16,000 letters vention of the Music Merchants' Association
sent out in July, 2,275 supervisors professed of Ohio the previous week, where he presented
their direct interest in group instruction and the compliments of the National president, and
requested copies of "The Guide For Conduct- listened "to the address of Frank J. Bayley of
ing Piano Classes in the Schools," which has Detroit on the need of radical changes in piano
been published by the Bureau.
construction to improve the tone and re-create
R
public interest. He also referred to the address
of John S. Gorman of the Gulbransen Co. at
the Ohio meeting, citing the need for many
more retail salesmen in the industry, which re-
sulted in the Ohio body passing a resolution
asking each member to hire and train at least
one new retail salesman during the coming year.
Mr. Loomis closed his address with a refer-
ence to the success of the Chicago Piano-Play-
ing Tournament, and a movement for the hold-
ing of a national tournament. This contest
work, he declared, was the province of the
National Bureau for the Advancement of Music,
but would be accorded full support by the Na-
tional Association of Music Merchants.
Mr. Loomis was followed by Mack E. Gillis,
of the Commercial Investment Trust, Inc., New
York, who talked to the dealers on the carrying
charge.
President Roberts Talks
After a special luncheon, at which a local ar-
tist entertained, the afternoon session opened
with an address by C. J. Roberts, president of
the National Association of Music Merchants,
who said in part:
The Future of the Music Business
"The future of the music business is assured
for the reason that it is based upon necessity.
Civilization is constantly advancing by ever-in-
creasing strides. There can be no true civiliza-
tion without art, and music is the greatest of
the arts. Music requires for its expression vari-
ous instruments which must in turn be con-
ceived by scientific minds and fashioned by ex-
pert technicians and artisans. An industry is
therefore necessary before art can find expres-
sion, and this includes the commercial branch
of industry—distribution. That is where the
music merchant comes in.
"In times past the merchandising of musical
instruments was specialized or divided to a
greater extent than now seems best for the .,
present and the future. The modern music *
store is a musical department store, and the '
merchant who now depends upon the sale of .
one class of musical instruments and ignores j
others is doomed to failure. There are excep- '
tions to all rules, of course, and there may \
and will be to this one, but it is safe to say !
that the progressive merchant who expects a
measure of real success must keep abreast of
the times and, in our case, this means that he
must be prepared to serve the musical tastes of
his customers, whether this be pianos—the basic
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Music Trade Review
musical instrument—phonographs, radios, har-
monicas or whatnot.
"Already our country is producing composers,
teachers and virtuosi of distinct genius. While
we are awakening to the definite desire to be-
come makers of music and not to remain merely
the world's most exacting and discriminating
listeners, we must not in our inspired struggle
upward, musically forget that our present and
ever increasing appreciation of music has been,
is and will be greatly aided by mechanical in-
struments that transmit and reproduce music
sounds accurately.
"While everyone should receive instruction in
music and, if possible, acquire the ability to
play some musical instrument, for nothing else'
connected with music can ever quite afford the
joy that actually creating or making one's own
music can, it cannot be denied that a perfectly
transmitted or reproduced rendition by an art-
ist, besides being immensely enjoyable, is musi-
cally cultural and of very definite value in inter-
pretation.
"Music merchants everywhere are adapting
themselves—some slowly it is true—to changed
conditions. The various organizations within
the industry are playing, and will continue to
play an important part in sustaining and in-
creasing the general interest in music and musi-
cal instrument merchandising. Others who are
here will discuss with you the best methods to
be employed. The piano being the basic in-
strument and the foundation of all music, in
a way, should receive our first consideration. I
am not one of those who urge the entire con-
struction of the piano being changed, for if
this is done we will have an entirely new instru-
ment—the piano, so far as character of tone is
concerned, has probably reached its final de-
velopment, though the quality of tone produced
by various pianos varies according to the manu-
facturer and grade, the actual character of piano
tone has become standardized.
"The principal part that the manufacturers
can play in creating a fresh desire on the part
of the public to purchase pianos is in beautify-
ing their products. Not nearly enough money
has been spent in the manufacturing branch on
Reproducing Grand (Welte
Mtgnon-Licensee)
The POOLE is now as always a leading example of
New England integrity. C[A product of two
generations of expert piano building.
Poole Piano Company
Cambridge A
BOSTON, MASS.
SEPTEMBER 29, 1928
designing. We should take a lesson from the
manufacturers of automobiles who in recent
years have realized the importance of making
automobiles beautiful as well as serviceable.
"The various national organizations in the
industry are doing splendid work and spending
large sums of money in increasing the popular-
ity of musical instruments—particularly the
piano. Piano manufacturers are doing some
wonderful work in this regard. The National
Association of Music Merchants and other con-
stituent bodies of the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce are doing splendid promotional
work in the merchandising field. State, regional,
district or city organizations have splendid
opportunities for real service to themselves and
to the trade in general. The National Associa-
tion expects to do everything possible to co-
operate with the other organizations. In the
new By-Laws which have been authorized and
which are now being prepared, there will un-
doubtedly be a section providing for the auto-
matic affiliation of all state, regional and dis-
trict associations heretofore chartered, and for
all such organizations not heretofore chartered,
to become affiliated upon application. As a
complete evidence of the intention of the Na-
tional Association t© give such bodies actual
representation, provision will be made for each
of such bodies to have representation on the
Hoard of Control of the National Association."
Stieff Discusses Instalments
Frederick P. Stieff, of Charles M. Stieff, Inc.,
Baltimore, and president of the Maryland Music
Merchants' Association, talked to the dealers on
"Selling Pianos on Instalments," and offered
them much valuable information on the various
phases of this rather broad subject, drawing
liberally on the extended experiences of his
company in the retailing of pianos. Another
speaker was John S. Gorman, sales manager of
the Gulbransen Co., Chicago, who talked on
"Piano Problems of To-day," and reiterated his
oft-repeated statement that the retail piano in-
dustry is sadly undermanned and that what is
needed is more salesmen to keep contact with
prospects.
Following the speakers there was consider-
able discussion relative to legislative matters.
There was much dissatisfaction with the exist-
ing method of recording instalment contracts,
and the effort to have the present law changed
in a manner that will make it less burdensome
will be continued. The association will also do
its part in the fight against the license fees
charged business men by various counties of
the State. Such a fee is also charged by the
State itself, and it is held that the levying of
another tax, as it were, by the county is un-
necessary and unduly burdensome.
There was a very satisfactory turnout at the
meeting, the first session held by the associa-
tion since the annual meeting in May. In addi-
tion to President Andrews the other officers are
C. H. Stephenson, Sr., of the C. H. Stephen-
son Music Co., Raleigh, first vice-president; W.
R. Murray, of W. R. Murray & Co., Durham,
second vice-president; S. W. Gardner, S. W.
Gardner Music Co., Gastcmia, secretary; and H.
A. Dunham, Dunham's Music House, Ashe-
ville, treasurer.
Daynes-Beebe Go. Head
on Visit to the East
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, September 22.—Col.
Joseph J. Daynes, president and general mana-
ger of the Daynes-Beebe Music Co., and Mrs.
Daynes are in the East, where they have gone
to meet their son, Sharp Daynes, credit mana-
ger of the Daynes-Beebe Co., who has been
acting as recreational director on the S. S.
Leviathan during the Summer months. On the
way home the party, traveling by motor, will
visit New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit,
Washington, D. C, and other points.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review.

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