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THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
dently, we have to face it nevertheless. We
cannot afford to allow the technology of
the industry to collapse. If we do permit
this, then certainly we shall have by that
action spelled the doom of the pianoforte
and of the commercial prospects of all who
have any connection with it. That much is
as plain as a pikestaff.
N o v e m b e r , 1931
dents at Boston; but he could not by him-
self supply the whole national need, unless
indeed he were subsidized. In fact, I be-
lieve that it would pay the industry to sub-
sidize him heavily, so that he might expand
his fine school. Failing this, the puzzle re-
mains unsolved, or at least to be solved.
Nor can any one individual do much about
it. It is a case for the action of the trade
as a whole. Am I not right?
29
Particularly interesting is that portion of
the book which tells of the activities of the
Arab before the Belgian and the British
started to bring order out of chaos, and end
the enslaving and robbing of the Africans.
In discussing the uses made of various
types and qualities of tusks, Mr. Moore says:
"Nothing else in the world has quite the
same 'touch' as that Ivory. It is for this
WANTED: A PIANOFORTE POLYTECHNIC
quality as much as for its beauty that ivoTy
I should like then to suggest to the Music
is used for the keyboards of fine pianos.
TO SUM UP
Industries Chamber of Commerce or, failing
Ivory is yielding, yet firm; cool, yet never
it, to the surviving associations in the indus-
In sum, then, we have this problem: the cold or warm, whatever the temperature;
try, that they give attention to the pressing tuner, the skilled and artistic tuner, is an smooth to the point of slipperiness, so the
need for a revival of the study of piano- absolute and pressing necessity.
fingers may glide from key to key instantly,
forte design, pianoforte construction and
The supply of skilled artists is drying up. yet presenting just enough friction for the
pianoforte tuning.
1 should like to see New men, even if they desired to enter the slightest touch of the finger to catch and
established in one of the great manufactur- field, cannot obtain adequate instruction. depress the key, and to keep the hardest blow
ing centers an institute for elementary and The economic position of the tuner will have from sliding and losing its power; in short
for higher studies in these branches of tech- to furnish the text for a later article, but it is the perfect material for the use."
nology.
The British pianoforte trade is it may be said now that there is work for
carrying on a parallel work through the all the good men we are likely to have
NEW JERSEY PIANO TUNERS
Northern Polytechnic School of London, available during the next ten years. But
where classes during day and evening are they must be good men. Meanwhile, the
carried on throughout the year, for the bet- numbers actually engaged in the craft are ASSOCIATION HAS MEETING
The first fall meeting of the New Jersey
ter instruction of young men in all these steadily diminishing, through retirement and
branches. It is generally believed in Great death. No effort is being made to recruit Piano Tuners' Association was held in New-
Britain that this enterprise has been respon- the dwindling forces. I say that for tuners ark on October 13, with practically 100 per
sible to a considerable extent for maintain- especially, and for piano technicians, too, cent of the membership present. Among the
matters considered was an advertising
ing public interest in the pianoforte and
(although not to so decisive an extent) or- campaign in one of the Newark news-
for the consequent survival of the trade ganized technical education is a matter of
papers, for the purpose of impressing piano
in difficult circumstances.
immediate importance to the future of the owners with the necessity of regular tuning.
1 do not suggest that any such enterprise pianoforte industry.
A strong drive will also be made for new
in itself contains a remedy for our present
I invite comment on these observations.
members in an effort to round up all the
ills. I do say that it is a present and press-
best men in the territory.
ing need. 1 do say that there is an im-
Wilber Gould, of the New York Piano
mediate need for better tuners and field E. D. MOORE'S THRILLING
Technicians, was a guest and delivered an
technicians at least. Unless the present dying
BOOK ON AFRICA AND IVORY interesting address on the possibility of de-
supply can be fertilized, tuners as a group
"Ivory—the Scourge of Africa," by E. D. veloping and maintaining a profitable tun-
will die out and the pianoforte will then be
obviously and fatally wounded, in its com- Moore, just published by Harper & Bros., ing and Tepair business. He outlined meth-
mercial quite as much as in its artistic as- New York, should be of particular interest ods for developing new business and urged
to members of the piano trade for two ex- the importance of doing the job well in
pects.
1 want to see this matter considered. cellent reasons. First, because Mr. Moore order to keep customers satisfied.
With the coming of fall, the tuning
Whether the National Association of Piano himself, a member of the piano supply house
Tuners can do anything about it 1 do not of the Moore & Fisher Mfg. Co., has been business in Newark and vicinity has shown
know. The probabilities, 1 imagine, are associated with the trade for many years, considerable improvement, and it is be-
lieved that the advertising planned by the
against its having the strength or the in- and secondly because ivory has played such
a prominent part in piano construction. Mr. association will create even more business.
clination just now to attempt any task of
Moore, who has written in a most readable
such magnitude. Yet this is a live matter of
which 1 am speaking. The Tuners' Asso- style, has pictured the ivory trade in Africa SO. CALIFORNIA MUSIC CO.
ciation remains the one body recognized by for some decades past in all its harrowing
all other bodies in the music industries as details, including the exploitation of "Black" ISSUES "THE STAFF" FOR 1931
ivoTy, as the slaves were called who were
the official representative of a majority of
The Southern California Music Co., Los
the tuners and field technicians. It might pressed into service to bring the tusks from Angeles, Calif., has just issued the 1931
the interior to the coast and who died by edition of its impressive publication The
at least then investigate the question of
technical education which 1 have raised thousands on the journey, with the survivors Staff, which each September is sent to 17,-
here, if only foT the purpose of presenting being sold for further exploitation. His 000 of the company's customers and pros-
ideas upon its solution to the representatives picture of Tippoo Tib, the Arab, who won pects in the territory west of the Missis-
of the manufacturers and of the dealers. the title of the "Napoleon of Africa," be- sippi River including Alaska and the
cause of his conquest in the interior, makes
Hawaiian Islands.
Then, possibly, action could be taken.
thrilling reading, and throughout the book
The volume of over 160 pages not only
Mr. Moore offers evidence of wide research lists the complete range of musical instru-
ESPECIALLY TUNERS
and a thorough knowledge of the subject
Even if the pianoforte industry as such ga-ined, to no small degree, from his own ments and styles handled by the company,
but contains a series of interesting articles
should, from the manufacturing end, entirely experiences in Zanzibar, and the interior.
of an educational nature.
collapse, there would still remain the prob-
lem, the very large problem, of caring for
the millions of pianofortes still in use. As
a matter of fact the manufacturing end of
the industry is not going to collapse. Yet
what I say is true as regards tuning and
repairing. The supply of good tuners is
Complete actions* stacks* pumps* motors* pneumatics*
rapidly becoming exhausted. New men, so
or whatever you require.
far as I can find out, are not coming in
to take the vacant places. The sources from
which technical knowledge can be obtained
are drying up. Mr. Faust no doubt con-
Deep River, Conn.
tinues his admirable courses for tuner stu-
PLAYER ACTIONS
The Moore