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DOING
SMALL
A
MUS
Interesting the child with the harmonica, or other small
instrument, and then working up is more profitable than ap-
pealing to the sophisticated adult and then working down,
is the successful experience of A. I. Reeves, of Montana.
A. 1. REEVES
F
OR over a quarter of a century A. I. Reeves, head of the Within two years his senior group had appeared in the-
A. I. Reeves Music House, Helena, Mont., was instru- atres, before clubs and other groups and before the State
mental in bringing to that city many of the leading artists Legislature. His Baker Boys' Banjo Quintet has made
and musical organizations of the day for the musical edu- enough money through theatrical appearances to purchase
cation and enjoyment of the adult members of the community a motorcycle for each youth.
and, in a considerable measure, he profited from his efforts
Mr. Reeves began his first research work with harmonica
and the appreciation they aroused. The artists included, groups and tried out the psychology of musical intelligence
among others: Remenyi, Nordica, Maud Powell, Godowsky, to his satisfaction in the Montana Deaconess School, a noted
Rosenthal, Ysaye, Gabrilowitsch, Schumann-Heink, Pade- institution located in Prickly Pear Valley, five miles north
rewski, the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Sousa and His of Last Chance Gulch and in plain sight of Helena. Here
Band, etc.
he successfully introduced the theory that harmonica playing
Some three years ago, however, Mr. Reeves came to the is a great health exercise for children and demonstrated how,
conclusion that it would be more profitable to start at the in a most interesting way, it lays the foundation for a musical
bottom with the training of children in music than to start education.
at the top with the older generation, as he had been doing,
In describing his experiences Mr. Reeves says:
and working down. The result has been the development of
"From youth I have been interested in the harmonica and
groups of harmonica players, or bands, in the local schools, played it. In recent years I have been impressed with the
later leading to classes in the ukulele, guitar and other small possibilities of it as a real musical instrument and, putting
instruments, with results that have brought forth enthusiastic aside the inferior complex and without fear of unfavorable
comments from Governor Erickson, of Montana, the Chan- criticism, I have dared to play it in public as a solo instrument.
cellor of the University of Montana, the State Superintend-
"It can be played as a mouth organ or as a harmonica.
ents of Public Instruction and of Music as well as from a When played as a harmonica in the latest approved scientific
score or more of county superintendents of schools; enough, and artistic manner the beautiful tones produced cannot be
in fact, to make up a sixteen-page booklet, entitled, "What found on the violin, flute or any other musical instrument,
the Governor of Montana and Educators Say About Har- and as a means of expression it is rapidly becoming important.
monica Bands."
"In the system used, children are organized into groups
Mr. Reeves first launched his harmonica bands in 1928 and taught to read music from a blackboard or chart and at
when his place of business was destroyed by lightning, the same time they are shown how to find these notes on
wiping out the results of some thirty-
four years of effort in the music busi-
ness, including what was declared to
be one of the largest stocks of sheet
music in any city of the size of Helena
in United States—over 75,000 copies.
He did not have enough cash left
to resume at once the handling of the
larger and more expensive musical instru-
ments and therefore turned to the sale
and instruction in the playing of har-
monicas and other musical instruments.
THE BAKER BOYS W H O MAKE PROFITABLE VAUDEVILLE TOURS
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
January,
1933