Music Trade Review

Issue: 1930 Vol. 89 N. 12

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
New Board of Control
Guiding National Bureau
hr ^ Advancement of Music
Committee of Nine, Representing the Music Industry,
Educators and Philanthropic Institutions, Now in Con-
trol of the Bureau With C. M. Tremaine as Director.
members of the Board of Control by the Pres-
ident of the Chamber the Board was organized
at a meeting- held Thursday, October 23, 1930,
at which C. M. Tremaine, whose resignation
from the National Bureau for the Advancement
of Music was formally accepted, was elected as
director of the reorganized National Bureau.
Miss Gertrude Borchard was made secretary
while Harry Meixell, general manager of Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce, was appointed
treasurer of the reorganized body.
At the same lime a sub-committee on wavs
Hermann Irion, Chairman
S announced exclusively in The Review
last month, the reorganization of the
National Bureau for the Advancement
of Music on a basis that provides for
the carrying on of the- work under the direction
of a board of control with equal representation
from the music industry, educators and philan-
thropic organizations has now been completed
and the Bureau is functioning on the new basis.
For the balance of the current fiscal year
of the Natiotial Bureau ending May 31, 1931,
I'resident C. Alfred Wagner, of the Chamber,
has made the following appointments to the
National Bureau's Board of Control:
Representatives of Music Industries—Her-
mann Irion, Chairman, Stein way & Sons; Luc-
ien Wulsin, Baldwin Co., and Alfred 1.. Smith,
C. G. Conn, Ltd.
Representatives of Musical Educators—Dr.
Joseph E. Maddy, General chairman of the
Committee on Instrumental Affairs of the Mu-
sic Supervisors National Conference; I'rofes-
sor in Department of Fine Arts in the L'niver-
sity of Michigan; I'resident and organizer of
the National High Sdmol Orchestra and Band
camp at Interlochen, Mich; Professor 1'eUr \\ .
Dykema, Professor oi public school music ed-
ucation. Teachers College, Columbia University.
He is ex-president of the Music Supervisors
National Conference, and has been one of
the dominant figures in that organiation for
the past ten or fifteen years, and Dr. Hollis
Danu, Professor of public school musical ed-
ucation at New York University, ex-president
or Music Supervisors National Conference. He.
is the author oi many school music books.
Representatives of Philanthropic Organiza-
tions—Dr. Howard Hanson, Director of the
Kastman School of Music, and one of the prom-
inent American composers; Dr. John Erskine,
I'resident of the Juilliard Musical Foundation,
Prof, of English Literature, Columbia Univer-
sity, well-known author and concert pianist, and
Dr. William F. Learned, Member of the Board
of the Carnegie Foundation.
A
Board of Control Effects Reorganization
Immediately upon the appointment of these
Lucien Wulsin
and means and budget consisting of Hermann
Irion, Chairman; Dr. John Erskine and Pro-
fessor Peter W. Dykema was created. A Sub-
Committee on By-Laws consisting of Dr. Jo-
seph E. Maddy, Chairman; Dr. Hollis Dann and
Harry Meixell was requested to formulate a
code of by-laws to govern the operation of the
reorganized National Bureau.
At this meeting" the work of the National
Bureau for the past fifteen years was reviewed
by the Chairman, who stated:
"For almost fifteen years, the National Bu-
reau for the Advancement of Music has been
an adjunct of Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce, and, during this period, has had
from the Chamber approximately $600,000 for
financing- its general music promotional activi-
ties, and many thousands of dollars additional
for coring for specialized promotional activities
which have grown out of the general work.
These sums do not include the special expen-
ditures made by such affiliations of the Cham-
ber as the National Piano Manufacturers' As-
sociation of America which, if added, would
bring the total of the industry's outlays for
music promotional work, both general and spe-
cial, to almost $1,000,000' during the time indi-
cated.
"This sum of money—relatively vast for an
industry as small as that devoted to the pro-
duction of musical instruments—has been spent
almost entirely in the pursuit of the idea of
the advancement of music in general and with-
out reference to the benefits which the success-
ful prosecution of the work might have directly
upon the fortunes of manufacturers of musical
instruments in general; manufacturers of any
particular types of musical instruments or the
fortunes of any one particular company. In-
deed, with few and slight exceptions which are
insignificant those musical instrument manufac-
turers giving these large sums of money to the
National Bureau for the Advancement of Music
have had no direct part in formulating the work
programs to be financed with their money and
no .prerogatives in formulating the policies
governing the carrying out of these work pro-
grams.
"Notwithstanding this fact there has been a
growing tendency on the part of some con-
tributors toward the work of the National
Bureau to demand direct specialized benefits
for their outlays of money. Especially does
this tendency manifest itself in times of busi-
ness stress and strain.
"With the National Bureau an adjunct of, in-
deed what might be termed a subsidiary of,
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, and
Alfred L. Smith
under the Chamber's direct control, it is very
difficult to repel these demands for direct serv-
ice for financial backers, despite the fact that
from the very nature of the Bureau's work the
rendering of direct services is not alone un-
desirable but impossible. On the other hand,
it is extremely difficult if not almost impossible
to bring home this fact to would-be benefici-
aries of the National Bureau's work.
"Consequently, to forestall any further growth
of this attitude on the part of any branches,
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER, 1930
ut the industry and on the part of any individ-
ual members of the industry, it has seemed de-
sirable to those who have given thought to the
subject to advocate a change in the set-up of
the National Bureau in its relation to the cham-
ber so as to do away with any criticism along
this line.
"Tt was very gratifying at the meeting to have
those present not identified with Music Indus-
tries'speak in the highest terms not alone about
the exceptional success which the Bureau has
had in its efforts in the past but also with ref-
erence to the high plane upon which the activi-
Dr. Hollis Dann
tics ol the Bureau have at all times been con-
ducted," said Chairman Irion.
With such a past as a background, therefore,
it was felt that one of the all-important first
sleps for the reorganized National Bureau to
take was to adopt a code of fundamental prin-
ciples which at all times should control what-
ever work programs National Bureau might
formulate for itself and the efforts made to
carry out such work programs. In this con-
nection the following code of guiding principles
suggested by the Chairman received very cor-
dial reception:
"1. That love of music is a vital part of
the individual and social life of each
and every one of us. Establish this
premise by investigation and analy-
sis.
"2. That this gospel must be brought
home to everyone so as to promote
a widespread and deep love for
music among individuals and groups
of individuals.
"3. That along with the promotion of
a love for music must be instilled a
desire to give expression to this
love by singing or playing.
John Erskine
The Music Trade Review
'
"4. As the desire to give expression to
the love of music by singing or
playing is developed and turned
into this channel or that, the Na-
tional Bureau be prepared to give
sound guidance as to choral sing-
ing, orchestras, bands, group piano
instructions, etc., etc.
Far-Sighted Work Program
Another important matter which has received
the careful consideration not alone of the Board
of Control but also of the Sub-Committee on
Ways and Means has been the formulation of
a carefully thought out, clearly defined and far-
sighted work program to govern the activities
of the National Bureau. It was felt that piece-
meal efforts or those developed with reference
to too short a period of time were bound to be
very ineffective, and, indeed, very costly, in
Peter W. Dykema
the long run, since, under such circumstances,
it is so easy to be drawn aside from the main
pathway into lanes which lead nowhere or are
unproductive of results.
The Board of Control, therefore, requested
the Special Committee on Ways and Means and
Budget to forrrmlate a course of e'ndeavor con-
templating a little more than three and one-
half years of effort—that is from November 1,
1930, through May 31, 1934. This far-sighted work
program contemplating the promotion of music
in general and the necessary steps to meet the
requirements for r demands for specialized pro-
motions is now being prepared with the assist-
ance of the Director, Mr. Tremaine.
The Budget
The Committee on Ways and Means and
Budget were also charged with the responsi-
bility to prepare a written schedule of antici-
pated revenue and expense, incident to the car-
rying out of the work program for four sep-
arate and distinct periods of time,—the first,
approximately seven months from November 1,
1930, through May 31, 1931; the second, the
fiscal year June 1, 1931, through May 31, 1932;
the third the fiscal year 1932 to 1933, and thv
fourth the fiscal year 1933 to 1934.
A very careful analysis of the expenditures
necessary in the way of personal service, rent,
communication, printing, stationary and sup-
plies, etc., etc., for the activities of the Na-
tional Bureau in connection with the seven
mouths ending May 31, 1931, established the
fact that approximately $45,000 is needed to take
care of the financing of the program.
On the other side of this picture the antici-
pated revenue required to meet the $45,000 out-
lay necessary has virtually been already under-
written by the industry so that there is every
indication that without any interruption what-
5
ever the Bureau can move ahead effectively for
the accomplishment of its work program for
the balance of the current fiscal year.
The $45,000 in question will be met by under-
writing of approximately $25,000 from piano
manufacturers and the remaining $20,000 from
the band and orchestra instrument and fretted
instrument manufacturers' section of the Cham-
ber.
Over and above the sum of $45,000, which has
virtually been underwritten at the present time,
lor the balance of the current fiscal year there
has already been a contribution of $5,000 from
one of the philanthropic organizations for the
National Bureau's work through May 31, 1931,
and there is every indication that there will be
additional contributions of this character to help
finance the Bureau's wink program.
Constant Supervision by Executive Committee
With the work programs of the National Bu-
reau very carefully defined and set forth in writ-
ing to cover the various periods in question,
with the guiding principles also very clearly
defined along the lines indicated in this state-
ment, and with the entire proposition tied up
m detail with the executive budget of antici-
Jos. E. Maddy
pated revenue and expense set up for financing
the work, it only remains that a mechanism
of some kind be established to exercise constant
supervision at all time over the working out
of the plan as contemplated by the three ele-
(Plcosr
luni
In pit<)C 1 3 )
Dr. Howard Hanson

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