Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1954 Vol. 113 N. 10

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
the increase in the population of the country, but
in the last six years it has shown a small steady gain
fluctuating somewhat year by year until last year
it reached approximately 148,000 instruments. For
several years, the aim of the piano manufacturers
has been to boost the production up to 300,000 in-
struments. It must be taken into consideration, how-
ever, that when the production was 364,000 there
were some 200 piano manufacturers, whereas at the
present time there are only 23. In the meantime,
the electronic organ has come into being and al-
though it has not interfered with a large percentage
of piano sales, undoubtedly there are instances where
an organ has been purchased instead of a piano.
The Jiusic 'Juade
REVIEW
Established 1879
CARLETON CHACE, Editor
Alex H. Kolbe, Publisher
Some Dealers Say "Yes"; Others Say "No".
A. C. Osborne
Alexander Hart
Associate Editor
Technical Editor
V. T. Costello
Terry Ruffolo
Production Manager
Circulation Manager
Published monthly at 510 Americas Building, Radio
City, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York 20, N. Y.
Telephone: Circle 7-5842-5843-5844
Vol. 113
OCTOBER, 1954
No. 10
Business-As We See It
E
VIDENTLY from all reports, the piano industry
is endeavoring to find something that will give
the piano business a 'shot in the arm'. Evident-
ly, also, there are many who are not satisfied with
the slow growth of the increase in the number of
people who play the piano manu-
ally, as the outcome of the vari-
ous promotions which have been
put in effect on which during the
last six years approximately half
a million dollars have been spent.
So now there has been some agi-
tation to revive the player piano,
which in its heyday boosted piano
sales in its peak year to 364,000
instruments, and there is stated
CARLETON C H A C E in a very enlightening article
which was published last month
in the "Nation's Business" that in 1923 the pro-
duction was 343,050. This article states that these
were uprights and grands, but it does not point out
that 70% of these instruments or 240,135 were play-
er pianos, leaving therefore 102,915 straight pianos.
To be sure, the increase in piano production over
the last decade may not have been in keeping with
10
I
N order to get the consensus of dealers through-
out the country regarding the revival of the
player piano, the REVIEW this month addressed
a letter to a large number of the music merchants,
both large and small, who handle pianos and many
of the answers which have been received are pub-
lished in this issue. It seems that there is an approx-
imate 50-50 opinion on this subject, but where dealers
do say that the player piano would be an asset, they
point out very forcibly the fact that it must be pro-
duced at a moderate price, that it must be a small
unit which can be contained within spinet pianos,
and in most instances they say that undoubtedly
some could be sold but that the contemplated demand
would be considerably smaller than some people an-
ticipate. On the other hand, many dealers feel that
the introduction of a player piano will be highly
detrimental and that it will nullify all the fine work
which is being done by the American Music Confer-
ence and the Music Educators National Conference
toward establishing group piano lessons in the
schools, colleges and other institutions. Also that it
will so enthuse the teen-age generation of today that
they will lose entire interest in learning how to play
the piano manually, and we will be back some day
right where we were at the time that piano produc-
tion went down to 27,000 instruments in 1932.
Let's Have Mature Thought on this Question
TTNDOUBTEDLY the question of introducing a
\^J player piano again is a very moot one. It needs
considerable mature thought. We personally,
have very definite ideas regarding this and feel that
should the player be introduced again it will create
a great interest among a generation which has never
seen a player piano. There will be a natural craze
for it which probably will last for a certain period,
but we believe it is questionable whether it is a per-
manent craze which will benefit the piano industry
for many years enough so as to not endanger the
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, OCTOBER, 1954
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
production of manual pianos in the future. We have
no doubt but that a featherweight player action can
be produced to be contained within a spinet piano.
In fact, such a player action has already been per-
fected for that purpose. But, we sincerely hope, as
we have stated above, that much mature thought will
be given to its production, and that if it is placed
on the market it will be done with the distinct pur-
pose of endeavoring to further promote the playing
of the piano manually by the younger generation of
today and the future generations to come. If this
can be done, the prosperity of the piano business
may be safeguarded to the extent that we will not
have a situation again similar to that which happened
in 1932.
tion of the organ business, there is always an oppor-
tunity that those people who have purchased organs,
if they do not have a piano, may purchase one if
properly approached. As one dealer has expressed
himself regarding this situation in respect to the
player piano, he admits that a few years ago he was
favorably inclined toward the idea of the player
piano, but, and we quote, he said "I have cooled off
principally because of the progress that has been
made by the electric organ manufacturers. The organ
is the most attractive instrument known and played
by the amateur, and I don't think a player piano
would have as much musicality as the present-day
chord organ and spinet organ." That is just one other
angle which enters into this discussion. Another one
which is most enlightening at the present time is the
Piano Workshops Come to the East
fact that according to the American Music Confer-
ence estimates there are 18,750,000 people who play
significant development of keyboard experience
the piano manually. And, for the best interests of
in New York State took place the last week in
the piano business, we believe this number should
September in Ossining, N. Y. It was there at
the Park School that 32 elementary school teachers be steadily increased and nothing should be done
attended the first keyboard workshop to be held in to interfere with the normal progress which everyone
Westehester County. The sessions lasted from Mon- in the music industry hopes to see during the next
day through Friday and were enthusiastically at- decade.
tended by these teachers every afternoon from 3:30
to 6:30 p.m. So important were these sessions that
they were attended also by Dr. Joseph Saetviet, New
York State School Supervisor of Music, and were
publicized not only throughout Westehester County
and all of Westehester County's 14 newspapers with
a circulation of approximately 145,000 with illus-
EDITOR.
trated stories, but in other sections of the state. With
the beginning under such auspicious conditions and
through the fact that Dr. Saetviet is highly in accord
with the piano instruction in the schools throughout
the state, undoubtedly these workshops will be held
NOTE
in other communities and the keyboard instruction
in the schools will greatly spread throughout the
Many comments on the player piano revival
state within the near future. After all, for the future
reached us after press time and will be pub-
of the piano business and the urgency of increasing
production year by year, teaching children from gen-
lished in the November issue.
eration to generation to play manually is, in our
oinion, a prime factor. Let us hope it grows contin-
uously and that the dealers throughout the country
will stir themselves to do their part in helping it
become established.
A
How the Organ Business Has Been Promoted
S we have commented before, the piano indus-
try has shown some evidence of fear regarding
the competition of the electronic organ. There
is, however, a very redeeming factor in the promotion
of the organ business and that is that the organ
manufacturers and those dealers who handle them
have been teaching people to play manually, and
as long as personal expression enters into the promo-
A
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW. OCTOBER, 1954
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