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Musical Merchandise Section oi The Music Trade Review
Fretted Instruments
(Continued from page 91)
their tone at all after the lips or air stream
have ceased to vibrate the tone-producing air
column. Consequently, the more sustained
tone of a mandolin or guitar means a weaker
tone than the shorter banjo tone.
The tone of fretted instruments, musically
considered, is decidedly pleasing.
It has a
piquancy and color that appeals to both trained
and untrained ears when it is presented w T ith
adequate technical and emotional equipment.
And, furthermore, the particular tone colors
and effects they can contribute to the world
of music are unique in themselves and can be
supplied by no other instrument or family of
instruments. This is so true that many great
composers, men whose whole souls were de-
voted to the adequate recreation of their
genius-inspired visions in tone, used fretted
instruments in many of their great composi-
tions.
Paganini at one time considered drop-
ping the violin for the guitar and he wrote
several quartets in which the guitar was in-
cluded; Berlioz, known as the father of the
modern orchestra, was able to play only the
guitar; Verdi included mandolins in his in-
strumentation for the "Othello" music; Wolf-
Ferrari did likewise in "Jewels of the Madon-
na"; Beethoven, Gluck, Rossini, Mozart,
Thomas and others of like eminence wrote for
these instruments; and Harling in his success-
ful modern opera, "The Light of St. Agnes,"
gives the tenor banjo an important part. In
commenting on a recent concert of Andres
Segovia, one of the great modern guitarists,
Deems Taylor says in McCall's Magazine:
"The guitar can be an instrument of ex-
traordinary variety and beauty, capable of
commanding the respect of the most uncom-
promising of musicians." The significance of
this is that the greatest connoisseurs of tone
values have found in fretted instruments tone
effects and colors that they liked; and, after
all, a musical instrument must ultimately sur-
vive and flourish, if it does, on the musical
value of the tone and the effects peculiar to
it. If it has this value it will persist through
every imaginable vicissitude. Changes in its
construction will be inspired that will augment
its particular tonal values and musical effec-
tiveness, and it will eventually secure and hold
such a large share of popular favor that its
high standing becomes permanent.
It is only a matter of time until the fretted
instruments have an important part in every
symphonic and operatic orchestra and are con-
sidered a necessity in any musical instrument
activity. Their distinctive and valuable tone
color, their wide range of effects peculiar to
themselves, and the unique advantages they
offer to all factors in the world of music
activity make this conclusion inevitable.
These possibilities will be covered in detail
later on; the point to be emphasized here is
!he extraordinary vitality displayed by fretted
instrument tone—a vitality that has kept it
alive over thousands of years; and the value
this sort of tone has had for writers of music
whose sense of such values was and is very
keen. The trend of modern music and the
Americanized improved editions of these in-
struments introduced in the last score or so
of years can only reinforce our conclusion as
to their ultimate recognized importance.
Geib & Schaefer Plant
Running Overtime
The factory of Geib & Schaefer, Chicago, has
been running overtime during the month of No-
vember on account of the unusually large num-
ber of orders for musical instrument cases. As
Sales Manager Mater told The Review, "Our
orders for violin and guitar -cases are heavier
now than last year at the same time. I am
very happy to say that the new piano key
accordion case which we just introduced has
made a decided hit, and the orders we have
gotten so far have greatly exceeded our expecta-
tions, although we were certain we had some-
thing which would be a big seller. We have
turned out a lot of portable talking machine
cases, and the portable electric pick-up for
radio combinations is going great."
Ralph E. Kenny, formerly buyer for the Platt
Musk Co., Los Angeles, and prior to that con-
nected with the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., has
been appointed Pacific Coast representative for
the Harptone Mfg. Co. of Newark, N. J. He
will make his headquarters at 927 W. 7th street,
Los Angeles.
Conn Instruments for
New Prison Band
PHILADELPHIA, PA.—.The newly organized hand
of 50 pieces which has been assembled from the
inmates of the Philadelphia County Prison at
Holmesburg, Pa., is equipped with Conn band
instruments. The band was established upon
the suggestion of E. T. Stotesbury, noted finan-
cier of Philadelphia, and head of Drexel & Co.,
who supplied the funds for the purchase of the
instruments. This organization is being directed
by John W. Halton, one of the guards at the
prison. The Philadelphia County Prison Band
is the second to be equipped with Conn instru-
ments, the gift of the noted banker, the other
being the Eastern penitentiary, which has a
forty-piece band whose equipment he also sup-
plied two years ago.
Two Important New
Martin Dealers Named
Two significant new dealer connections have
been announced by the Martin Band Instru-
ment Co., of Elkhart, Ind.
In Fort Wayne, Ind., Martin "Handcraft" in-
struments are now sold through the Packard
Music House, distributors for the Packard
Piano Co. It is considered fitting by the Mar-
tin Co., in view of the fact that a majority of
the professional players of Fort Wayne use
Martins, they should have distribution through
Fort Wayne's leading music store. Robert Fry
is manager of the band instrument department
of the Packard Music House.
Another new Martin connection of sig-
nificance is with the Vogel Music Co., of Pitts-
burgh, Pa. W. R. Vogel, of the Vogel Co., has
been in business in Pittsburgh for many years
and is very well known among Pittsburgh
musicians.
These are but two of a number of similar
switches to Martins by dealers of importance
in their respective territories.
C. McLallen, for the past three years in
charge of the Anniston, Ala., store of the E. E.
Forbes Piano Co., has joined the staff of the
Denman Music Co., that city.
3 Beautiful New Models
Are You Sharing in the Profits Being Made Through
the Sale of These New Modernistic Models
Music Dealers who handle the Buescher True-Tone line are reaping a
harvest with these new modernistic, fast selling models. If you are not
handling band instruments, you are missing a lot of most desirable and
profitable business—you are helping to build up your competitor's busi-
ness. If you are handling band instruments, doubtless you could do
better—much better—with these up-to-date models. Read what these
dealers have to say about them.
October 29, 1929
Gentlemen: Please rush two more Aristocrat Trombones. Sold those you sent last week to two
of the best orchestras in Minneapolis. Took other makes in trade.
Hausner Music Company, Minneapolis, Minn.
November 8, 1929
Gentlemen: The new model Aristocrat Trumpets were received today and I must say they are
truly wonderful. Everybody just raved about them, especially Mr. Hyman, our Trumpet Expert.
(Signed) Philip Werlein, Ltd., New Orleans, La.
If you want to handle the line that leads in popularity—that moves the fastest, with the
least resistance, it will pay you to investigate the Buescher proposition. Write today
for complete information. A postal card will do. But do it today. NOW!
BUESCHER BAND INSTRUMENT CO.
5046 Buescher Block
Elkhart, Indiana