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THE M U S I C
TRADE
REVIEW,
37
May, 1931
the most favorable factors, Mr. Niemiec
pointed out. Window displays promoting
certain instruments, and offering new con-
tacts with passers-by have brought more peo-
ple into the store and there has been a good
response to advertising promotion.
SPECIALISTS IN MUSIC
FOR PIANO ACCORDION
With the piano accordion enjoying a wave
of popularity just now exceeding that of any
other musical instruments apparently, the
question of music especially arranged for
that instrument assumes added importance,
for although piano scores may be adapted
without great difficulty by the finished artist,
even he as well as the amateur appreciates
an arrangement particularly designed for the
instrument.
Various publishers include some piano ac-
cordion numbers in their catalog, but O.
Pagani & Bro., New York, have the distinc-
tion of being the largest publishers of this
class of music and are, it is said, the only
publishers of a complete edition of piano
accordion arrangements, comprising some
270 compositions, which is being augmented
steadily. These piano accordion arrange-
ments are by Pietro Deiro, a recognized vir-
tuoso and authority on piano accordion music,
and whose method for that instrument is
generally regarded as standard.
0. Pagani & Bro. started in business in
1905 and have met with a full measure of
success. They were among the first to enter
the field of piano accordion music, publishing
their first selections for that instrument in
1917. In addition to single compositions they
publish three albums each containing twelve
easy compositions arranged by Deiro, to-
gether with a volume of jazz breaks and a
volume on velocity by the same author. All
together, as the record of this company
shows, the piano accordion has not been
neglected so far as supplies of special music
for it are concerned.
O. P. BASSETT WRITES ON
INSTRUMENT PRICES
BAND INSTRUMENT DEMAND
IMPROVING IN MILWAUKEE
Consistent improvement in the band in-
strument business during the first quarter
of 1931 has been reported by the Flanner
Hafsoos Music House, Inc., Milwaukee,
Wis. Each month of the year to date
has shown an upward tendency in the
business, according to A. J. Niemiec, man-
ager of the band instrument department.
There has been good response to promotion
efforts in various lines of musical instru-
ments, and the fact that consistent effort has
been made to promote interest in band in-
struments and accordions has probably been
back of some of the improved business, it
was observed.
However, "drop-in" business has increased
considerably during 1931, and this is one of
O. P. Bassett, president of the Martin
Band Instrument Co., Elkhart, Ind., recently
sent a strong letter to dealers regarding the
matter of cheapness in musical instruments,
in the course of which he said:
"It is high time that music dealers stop
and consider a bit what is happening in
the industry, and those manufacturers who
seem to believe that 'pride of ownership,'
and other motives, which have always
helped sell quality over cheapness, have dis-
appeared entirely off the face of the earth.
They are most terrifically mistaken in their
belief that price and price only will sell
instruments. Price and price only will sell
them if manufacturers and dealers keep on
harping on just this one subject, cutting
down, and eventually eliminating entirely,
all their profits in order to get business just
on price.
"People have heard enough about price,
and it's high time for dealers and manu-
facturers to put a check to the 'buy the
cheapest instrument' tendency which their
competitive activities have aroused. If it's
not checked, and if united effort is not made
right soon to more than ever convince the
public that good instruments are the more
economical in the long run, and the best
to buy, even now, the business will rapidly
deteriorate to such an extent that it will not
be worth while to anyone. A good instru-
ment cannot be built to sell cheap.
"Why encourage this sort of thing any
longer? Tell the fellow who offers a cheaper
instrument that this cutthroat business has
gone far enough and you're willing, if neces-
sary, to work a bit harder to sell 'good'
instruments, whereby giving your customers
instruments on which they can really play
and which will be a help to them and a
credit to you."
nolas have also made their appearance. The
house plans an extensive exhibit at the
Palmer House during the Music Industries
Convention, June 8-9-10.
Two new members of the Slingerland or-
ganization are Sam C. Rowland, who be-
comes sales and advertising manager, and
O. F. Krappell as factory superintendent.
Both men are trade veterans, Mr. Rowland
having been promotion manager for the
Leedy house, and Mr. Krappell a mechanical
executive for Ludwig & Ludwig.
THEY MAKE THEIR O W N
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
(Continued from page 5)
ing questioned he admitted that a picture in
a popular magazine several weeks previous
had portrayed such an instrument. His work,
however, was probably the most outstanding
of any of the stringed instruments until a
fall on the sidewalk broke the base.
A harp made by a young lad in the fifth
grade from parts of wood glued together was
outstanding. Strings for the instrument
were purchased from a local musical dealer
and on tuning it was discovered the sound-
ing board faithfully reproduced various tone
pitches. He is now able to play simple se-
lections on his home-made harp.
In explaining the tone qualities of the
xylophone, Mr. Littau gave an example of
the way the children could vary the notes
by filling bottles to different depths with
water. The next afternoon following the
second concert a girl in the eighth grade in-
formed her music teacher that she had spent
the large part of the previous afternoon
making an instrument after Mr. Littau's
suggestion and had found she could play
simple tunes on it. She is now taking
lessons on a "store-made" instrument pur-
chased by her parents.
Several months have passed since the first
of the Council Bluffs manufactured instru-
ments started to put in their appearance, and
while they do not show up as frequently
as at first, many of the pupils are now work-
ing on new and more complete models. To
say the least, it has done much to educate
the school children to the fondness for good
music.
NEW FRETTED INSTRUMENTS
IN SLINGERLAND LINE
The Slingerland Drum & Banjo Co., Chi-
cago, is now offering a new line of fretted
instruments which are to be called Slinger-
land Handcraft. There will be four new
guitars of this type. Three new Cathedra-
ACORN ACCORDION CASES CANNOT TIP OVER
This case can-
not tip over.
It carries your
accordion,
s h o e s , toilet
articles, c o l -
lars, also your
s h e e t music,
flat, without
folding.
Patent applied for
ACORN SAMPLE CASE CO.
S e n d
f Or
P Hce
This
Cali-
fornia
style
case
cannot
This Is one of our 27 regular models. We
build speeiaj styles to order.
ITALO-AMERICAN
PIANO ACCORDIONS
tip
over
UstI
WE AT-SO MAKE THE GMJRIA PIANO ACCORDIONS,
FINE INSTRUMENTS AT LOW PRICES.
We offer reliable dealers exclusive territory to make
fine profits. Send for catalogue.
Patent applied for
208 West Kinzie St., Chicago, 111.
ITALO-AMERICAN ACCORDION MFG. CO.
3137 West 5lit Street. CHICAGO