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; Secretary
and Treasurer, Edward Lyman Bill; Assistant Secretary, L. B. McDonald; Assistant
Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, Editor
(JAHLETON CHACE, Business Manager
WM. J. DOUGHERTY, Managing Editor
RAY BILL, Associate Editor
F. L. AVERY, Circulation Manager
E. B. MUNCH, Eastern Representative
WESTERN DIVISION:
FRANK W. KIRK, Manager
E. J. NEALY
333 No. Michigan Ave., Chicago
Telephone: State 1266
Telephone:
Vol. 88
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BOSTON OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone: Main 6950
Lexington 1760-71
Cable:
Elbill New York
April 20, 1929
No. 16
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APRIL 20, 1929
Ohio Joins the National
HE decision of the Music Merchants' Association of
Ohio to have that organization affiliate with the Na-
tional Association of Music Merchants is a commend-
able move of great importance in that it makes the Ohio body
part and parcel of the National organization and gives the latter
the much appreciated and full support of the Ohio Music Mer-
chants.
In a broad sense the decision of the Ohio dealers is a tribute
to the manner in which the present administration of the National
Association has handled the problem that for a time looked more
or less serious. The National body has adopted rules and regula-
tions governing the affiliation of local organizations which, al-
though honest of purpose, did not entirely appeal to officials of
local associations. In the case of Ohio, for instance, it was felt
that the importance and size of the State organization entitled it
to a larger say in national affairs than was provided for by the
Constitution and By-Laws drawn up ostensibly for its benefit. The
stand-pat policy did not get the National Association anywhere,
and it is to the credit of President Roberts and his associates that
they had the courage to revise the Constitution and By-Laws so
that they could be subscribed to by these local bodies.
The Ohio association is without question a most successful
State organization in the country. It has a highly representative
membership, a strong executive staff and does things. The Na-
tional Association too has made substantial gains during the past
few years. Certainly both organizations should profit materially
through their closer affiliation.
The 1929 Conventions
HIS music industry of ours, and particularly the piano
trade, is not going to be brought back to its old-time
prosperity solely through propaganda of one sort or
another emanating from central committees or bureaus. The
manufacturer or dealer who donates his few dollars or few hun-
dred dollars to this movement or that designed to improve trade
conditions and then sits back and waits for things to brighten to
a marked degree is simply fooling himself and actually throwing
money away unless he adopts means for tying up with the pro-
motion work and capitalizing so far as his own business is con-
cerned through personal effort.
President Irion, of the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce, in his pre-convention message in The Review this week,
declares that the problem of the music merchant, of the .whole-
saler and of the manufacturer to-day is how can he most effec-
tively tie up with the promotional opportunities offered by the
several elements of the music industry. It is the plan of those
arranging the convention program for June to have this problem
answered by those most competent to do so.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been and are being
spent by the music industry for the primary purpose of interesting
the public in owning and playing instruments of various sorts.
Much of that money is being wasted because the individual mem-
ber of the trade has not seen fit to cultivate the ground where the
seed has fallen. If the Chicago conventions do nothing else be-
sides stimulate music merchants and others to assist in and profit
by propaganda work and show them the way clearly then they
will have been well worth the expenditure of time and money.
Otto Grau Piano Go.
Installs Duo-Art Organ
CINCINNATI, O., April 15.—The Otto Grau Piano
Co. has just added the Duo-Art pipe organ to
its line and is installing a Marie Antoinette
automatic model for display, placing the fine
instrument in its Duo-Art parlors, on the third
floor. As an attraction to the public, concerts
will be given and in addition to this the music
may later be broadcast from a local station. In
speaking of the piano line, J. Fred Van Court,
secretary of the company, stated that the recent
exhibition of the "Parsifal" grand brought good
results, especially in the case of the Steck
piano. In the talking machine line the demand
Baldwin Broadcasts Continued
HE announcement by the Baldwin Piano Co. that it
will continue its weekly broadcast program over the
network of the National Broadcasting Co. beyond the
thirteen weeks originally arranged for is a matter of general inter-
est in the trade inasmuch as it indicates that the piano benefits
directly through demonstration whether in a close-up presentation
or through the radio. The Baldwin Co. has not made formal an-
nouncement of the exact results realized, but it has had inter-
esting reports to make from time to time regarding outstanding
indications of interest on the part of the radio listeners in the
Baldwin piano and its makers.
The Baldwin programs each Sunday evening have been de-
signed, primarily of course, to arouse wider interest in Baldwin
instruments, and there is no question but that the results have
been such as to warrant the sponsors continuing the effort. The
programs have been of benefit also to all makers of and dealers in
pianos, inasmuch as they have been arranged to emphasize the
piano as an outstanding instrument for providing entertainment in
the home. Any propaganda directed to that end, regardless of who
sponsors it, is beneficial to the trade as a whole.
for the higher-priced combinations is holdin;
up very well, it was stated.
Victor Wholesalers Move
The Ohio Talking Machine Co., Victor whole-
saler, which for many years has been located
at 427 West Fourth stret, Cincinnati, O., will,
about May 1, move to the Dittman Building, at
Sycamore street and Central Parkway, where it
will have much better facilities for handling
business.
The Stroudsburg Music Co., Inc., Strouds-
burg, Pa., has been incorporated with capital
stock of $40,000.
Piano Contest in Frisco
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., April 12.—The prelimi-
nary recitals in the piano-playing contest, being
conducted here by the San Francisco Civic
Association, will be held to-morrow on the
fourth floor of the Civic Auditorium. Finals
will be held during Music Week in the main
hall of the Auditorium. As in other years, the
Auditorium Committee of the Board of Super-
visors and the San Francisco Civic Association,
Chester W. Rosekrans, director, will conduct
the activities of San Francisco's ninth annual
celebration of National Music Week. The
music trades stand solidly back of these activi-
ties, especially of the piano and school band
contests.