Music Trade Review

Issue: 1941 Vol. 100 N. 1

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12
(Continued from Page 10)
NOVEMBER
William D. Schultz joins Julius Breck-
woldt & Son, Dolgeville, N. Y.
A. W. Comstock, former president of
the Comstock Cheney & Co. and a director
of Pratt Read & Co., Ivoryton, Conn, passes
away suddenly at the age of 81.
E. A. Kieselhorst, former prominent piano
dealer passes away in St. Louis, Mo.
Piano shipments for the month, 16,163.
DECEMBER
Paul Fink, vice president of Winter &
Co., New York, severely injured in auto
accident on Hutchinson River Parkway,
New York.
Carl Peck, chairman of the Board of
Directors of Hardman Peck & Co., New
York, passes away at the age of 76.
C. Albert Jacob, president of Jacob Bros,
and the Mathushek Piano Manufacturing
Co., New York passes away at the age of
76.
William R. Steinway & Sons, New York
accompanied by Roman de Majewski,
director of wholesale sales, completes
coast to coast trip after calling on Stein-
way dealers.
Mrs. Mary T. Dougherty, wife of William
J. Dougherty, editor. The Music Trades.
Frederick Reidemeister, Hermann Irion
and Albert Sturcke retire from Steinway
& Sons, New York.
Production for the month, 15,347.
Production for 1940, 136,250.
Wide Recognition
in Baldwin sales
Activities by the Baldwin Piano Co.,
Cincinnati, O., during the past three
months disclosed interesting current facts
regarding the Baldwin piano and its use
in various walks of life. Among the artists
who have selected the Baldwin recently
are Gregor Piatagrosky, eminent cellist,
Helen Traube, noted soprano, Ruth Slen-
czynski, the 15 year old pianist whom
critics this year termed a "full fledged
genius," Leo Podilsky, prominent pianist,
Szigeti, famous violinst, Robert Schmitz,
pianist, Igor Strawnisky, celebrated
modern composer and conductor, Daniel
Ericourt, noted French pianist and others.
The Baldwin was also used through the
season by the Chicago Opera Co., and has
been purchased for use in many institu-
tions of learning recent months such as
for the auditorium of the East Central
State College, St. Olaf College, Keesville
Central School, Keevesville, N. Y., Con-
verse County Schools, Wyoming, Board
of National Education, Caracas, Venezuela,
East Central Teachers College, Ada, Okla..
Culver Military Academy, Culver Ind.,
Kenmore Senior High School, Kenmore,
N. Y., Young Academy of Arts, Lawton,
Okla., Oklahoma, A. & M. University, Still-
water, Okla., Union High School Colusa,
Cal., Greensboro College, Greensboro, N.
C, Warren County High School, Front
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 19U
Royal, Va., Duke University, Des Moines,
la.. Stonewall Jackson High School,
Charleston, W. Va., Mississippi, State Col-
lege for Women, Columbus, Miss., Central
High School, Rochester, Minn, and others.
Several sales have also been made to
prominent radio stations. Two Baldwin
grands are now used by the Canton Ah
Capella Choir, the Boston Symphony
Orchestra, and the Baldwin was featured
at the dedication of the new auditorium
at the Indiana State Fair. Eight Baldwins
were recently featured in the annual re-
cital of Zirkle Studios, in Springfield, O.
N.Y. Installment
Bill Revised
A letter has been sent to the piano
dealers in New York State by W. A.
Mennie, secretary of the National Piano
Manufacturers Association advising them
of the recent action taken by the associa-
tion in suggesting certain changes in two
bills which when introduced into the New
York legislature last year were killed due
to their detrimental effect on installment
selling.
Two new bills will be introduced this
next session by Assemblyman Holley and
Senator Williams but with such changes
as have been suggested by several asso-
ciations which have been in conference
with the Legal Aid Society of New York
who sponsored the two previous objec-
tionable bills. Representing the piano in-
dustry as a committee were C. Albert
Jacob, Jr., Mathushek Piano Mfg. Co., and
Hermann Irion of Steinway & Sons, New
York. Mr. Irion attended practically every
one of the lengthy conferences on these
bills and in his letter Mr. Mennie points
out: "This committee asks me to assure
you that the bills are now acceptable by
the piano industry and should be favored
when introduced. This letter is for your
information in the event that you should
hear of the introduction of the bill."
The purposes of the Council are stated
as follows:
1. To provide the member organizations
with a forum for the free discussion of
problems affecting the national musical
life of this country.
2. To speak with one voice for music
whenever an authoritative expression of
opinion is desirable.
3. To provide for the interchange of in-
formation between the various member
organizations.
4. To encourage the coordination of
efforts of the member organizations, there-
by avoiding duplication or conflict.
5. To organize exploratory surveys or
fact-finding commissions whenever the
Council shall deem them necesary for the
solution of important problems.
6. To encourage the development and
appreciation of the art of music and to
foster the highest ethical standards in the
musical professions and industries.
Membership in the Council is limited
to organizations whose musical activities
are national in scope. The list of present
members includes the following:
American Academy of Teachers of Sing-
ing, American Composers Alliance, Amer-
ican Society of Composers, Authors and
Publishers, Columbia Broadcasting Sys-
tem, Intercollegiate Musical Council,
League of Composers, Music Publishers
Protective Association, Music Teachers
National Association, National Association
American Composers and Conductors,
National Association of Broadcasters, Na-
tional Broadcasting Company, National
Federation of Music Clubs, National Guild
of Piano Teachers, National Piano Manu-
facturers Association of America, Sigma
Alpha Iota, Song Writers Protective Asso-
ciation, Standard Music Publishers Asso-
ciation, American Guild of Musical Artists,
Associated Glee Clubs of America, Music
Library Association, National Music Camp,
National Music Printers, and Allied Trades
Association, National Association of Musi-
cal Merchandise Wholesalers.
Paul Fink Recovers
Piano Mfrs- Ass'n front Accident
inNat.MusicCouncil Paul Fink, vice president of Winter &
The National Piano Manufacturers As-
sociation has become a member of The
National Music Council which has been
formed for the purpose of providing a
clearing house for the nationally active
musical interests of this country.
On April 29, 1940, the National Music
Council was incorporated under the laws
of the State of New York, and the follow-
ing officers were elected: President, Ed-
win Hughes; First Vice-President, Mrs.
Vincent H. Ober; Second Vice-President,
Davidson Taylor; Secretary, Franklin Dun-
ham; Treasurer, Walter G. Douglas; Archi-
vist Harold Spivacke. The Library of Con-
gress, was made the official depository for
the archives of the Council. Sidney Wil-
liam Wattenberg of Wattenberg and Wat-
tenberg was appointed legal counsel for
the organization.
Co., New York is now recovering from a
serious accident which occurred on the
evening of Friday the 13th of December,
while returning to his home from the
factory. Driving on Hutchinson River
Parkway his car was in collision with
an unlighted girder which protruded
from the rear of a truck which backed out
of a safety island between the lanes of
traffic. The impact threw his car off the
parkway into a tree.
Mr. Fink was immediately rushed to
the Fordham Hospital where it was found
that a possible fracture of the skull for-
tunately was an ugly cut in the scalp
which necessitated nine stitches and
what appeared at first to have been
a broken hip was a dislocation. It was a
miraculous escape as the car was com-
pletely demolished.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 19U1
William R. Steinway Spreads
Goodwill for the Piano
Genial Member of Steinway Family and Roman de
Majewski Return From Transcontinental Tour
QPREADING good-will in the interests of
O the entire piano industry as well as
in the interests of the illustrious house of
which he is a factor William R. Steinway,
general manager of the European interests
of Steinway & Sons, New York, who was
accompanied by Roman de Majewski, re-
cently returned to New York after a trans-
continental tour which took him into 24
different cities. Sixty-one days of steady
traveling, newspaper interviewing, radio
broadcasting, acting as guest speaker at
"I often tell my friends that the piano
is the standard instrument of polygamous
musical expression. You know what mo-
nogamy is—one wife and a lot of trouble;
polygamy is several wives and a hell of
a lot of trouble. Well, the piano can do a
lot of things; one can play an entire
orchestra on it; that's something you can't
do with a violin or a saxophone or a sou-
saphone."
The tour extended as far as Vancouver,
B. C. The first reception was held in Cin-
13
public is again appreciating the value of
the piano in the home and as a cultural
instrument and in every radio broadcast
I took particular pains to point out the
tremendous increase in the interest in
the piano as manifested in the steadily in-
creasing production."
Holmes Co. has
Christinas Display
On page three of this issue there is
reproduced a night scene of the Christ-
mas decorations of the unique retail piano
establishment of the Holmes Co., Hemp-
stead, L. I., the head of which is Harry
S. Holmes. Mr. Holmes, recently took
over one of the large homes in that city
Three incidents during the transcontinental tour of William R. Steinway and Roman de Majewski; LEFT—In Chicago as guests of Lyon & Healy. Inc.—
Mr. Stein-way. L. I- LeMair, Mr. Majewski and Carlfrederick Kob inspect piano made of ice cake. CENTER—In Denver, Col., Mr. Steinway being inter-
viewed for broadcast over Station KOA, by Jacquelene Smith. RIGHT—In Indianapolis, Mr. Steinway is serenaded by Miss Burroughs singing class.
receptions, were consumed in making
this tour.
No one who knows the genial dynamic
William R. can doubt that he radiated
enthusiasm and confidence where ever he
appeared but the impression he made
is best reflected in one of the 46 news-
paper items regarding his visit which
appeared in the "News" at Lebanon, Ind.
as follows:
"We had the opportunity yesterday of
seeing one of the Steinway (piano)
brothers in person. Somehow we had ex-
pected a crotchety old gentleman with a
frosty, British accent. Instead he turned
out to be cheerful, not all impressed with
his own importance and apparently con-
vinced that even the great musicians with
whom he deals are human beings, even
as you and I. Rotund and rosy-cheeked,
he's affable and, wonder of all wonders,
makes an extremely brief after-luncheon
speech."
And so it went with 18 nights on
sleepers, 25 radio broadcasts, 6 receptions
and teas and numerous dinners at all of
which this genial ambassador of good
will impressed millions of listeners that
"The Piano is the Standard Instrument of
Polyphonic Musical Expression," his
slogan which, in explaining to one re-
porter the meaning of the word "poly-
phonic" (capable of giving more than one
tone) he drew up a parallel to the word
"Polygamy" the result of which was that
he was quoted as follows:
cinnati at the opening of the Steinway
department in the local wareroom of the
Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. Other receptions
were held in San Francisco, Portland, O.,
and Seattle, Wash., where in all three
cities Sherman Clay & Co. were the hosts,
in Chicago under the auspices of Lyon &
Healy, Inc., and in Indianapolis, Ind.
where Frank O. Wilking did the honors as
host. It was in the latter city that he was
serenaded by a girls chorus and in other
cities he addressed groups of children,
members of musical clubs, sales, and
many other organizations.
"What impressed me was the magnetic
influence of the name' Steinway. It hap-
pened that in various newspapers in the
cities which I visited there were 52 items
aggregating 256 inches of advance pub-
licity. In practically every city someone
or in many cities several persons called
me on the phone stating that they owned
a Steinway or someone in their family had
one and they wanted to talk with a mem-
ber of the Steinway family. In one in-
stance a minister whom I had met but
once called me and asked me if I remem-
bered a wedding at which he officiated
at which I was best man. That was about
30 years ago. There was little time for
recreation on this trip but in one or two
instances we did have an opportunity to
see some of the sights of the west thanks
to our good friends, which was highly
appreciative.
"There is no doubt in my mind that the
located on a prominent thoroughfare and
besides having an opportunity to display
pianos in home surroundings it provides
a place for recitals which he is conduct-
ing periodically.
As Christmas decorations he displayed
a wreath 10 feet in diameter weighing 472
lbs., used 3'/ 2 bales of evergreen. The
Santa Claus and Reindeers seen in the
photo are 24 feet long and 11 feet high
while the Christmas tree was 20 feet high
and lighted with 250 by lbs. The property
surrounding his unique display rooms is
210' x 210' and when summer comes Mr.
Holmes intends to hold garden concerts.
The company features the Kimball line.
Hammond Organ
at Airport
Airplane travelers leaving or arriving at
LaGuardia Airport during the Holiday sea-
son found music as well as airplanes in the
air. A Hammond organ "was installed in
the lobby of the administration building
and Frank White, well known organist,
played three daily sessions of appropriate
Yuletide music.
This marks the first organ installation
in an airport anywhere in the country, ac-
cording to officials at the Hammond Organ
Studios, New York, who made the installa-
tion. (Picture on Page 2)

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