Presto

PRESTO
December 9, 1922.
and the sale of popular "hits" has been greater than ever. Go to any
great general music house and stay for a while in the player-roll de-
partment ; then go to the sheet music counters, and then to the record
department. You will find the first quite dull and the other two very
busy, with perhaps the record room crowded with customers. Why?
One reason why is that the piano dealers are giving away a fine
selection of music rolls and the new owners of the instruments do not
feel the need of more for a long time to come. They are interested
in mastering the free music rolls and getting their best interpreta-
tion. Their sense of novelty is satisfied until the newness wears off.
Then they may buy another roll or two.
The custom of throwing in a dozen or two music rolls is a doubt-
ful one. It is not necessary. Unlike the stool and scarf, the roll does
not suggest itself as an essential material concomitant to the instru-
ment. A single roll may be, and probably is, essential. It should go
with the playerpiano. But the single roll, that helped to sell the in-
strument, should be enough.
Tomorrow, or next week, the new player owner will come back
for more rolls. They will be necessary—as necessary as ammunition
for the hunter's gun, or as fuel for the kitchen stove. And the dealer
will have his legitimate profit in the sale of the music rolls. But by
giving away a lot of rolls the business is checked for a long time and
often forever, except for an occasional call for some special single
selection.
Try it; get out of the habit of "throwing in" a lot of music rolls.
You will thereby help yourself and also help the music roll manufac-
turers. Don't deliberately slaughter a good source of your profits.
PADEREWSKI'S RETURN
The return of Paderewski, after an absence of five years, is an
event in the world of the piano. The great artist appeared last week
Tuesday in Carnegie Hall, New York. More than thirty years have
passed since he first dawned upon the musical horizon of America.
His equal in some respects has never been known. His personality
at once won him a large following and his pianism was of a kind
almost all his own.
Many of the great contemporary pianists attended last week's
concert. And it was the opinion of experts that Paderewski has lost
little of his former wonderful accomplishment in technique or power.
His return has a direct bearing upon the piano trade and industry.
BOWEN PIANO COMPANY
OCCUPIES NEW BUILDING
Progressive Winston-Salem Piano Firm Provided
with the Means for Further Growth.
The Bowen Piano Co. is the biggest user of Bowen
piano loaders in Winston-Salem, N. C, and it looks
as if R. J. Bowen, proprietor of the Bowen Piano Co.,
means to increase the uses of the excellent dealer
device for saving time and labor. The company has
moved to the new home of the company on Trade
street, where the facilities for a further growth in
piano sales are great and admirable.
The new building occupied last week is the prop-
erty of the company, and the structure was planned
to house a modern music business of the progressive,
growing kind. Fine show windows give the com-
pany an excellent chance to display its fine piano line,
which includes the Vose and Lafargue pianos and
players and the Gulbransen line of players.
The
main display is made on the first floor with a suite
of demonstration rooms on the second floor. The
design of the architecture and fittings of the store is
Colonial and the decorations consistently follow the
style. An elevator system has been installed and the
methods of lighting are up-to-the-minute.
BIG PURCHASE OF PIANOS
BY STONE PIANO COMPANY
Progressive Fargo, N. Dak., Music House Announces
Special Sale at Alluring Prices.
The Stone Piano Company, Fargo, N. Dak., has
purchased the entire stock of the Fargo Music Com-
pany and placed it on sale in the Stone Building. In
announcing the sale the following statement was
made about the $31,000.00 purchase:
"We have purchased the entire stock of the Fsrgo
Music Company at a fraction of the original cost, and
have this beautiful array of musical merchandise on
display in specially arranged departments in our
store for sale at such prices as will Astonish the
He has been an inspiration to music lovers, and in this he has en-
larged and quickened the desire for fine instruments.
The magic of Paderewski's art is contagious. The ambitious
piano lovers ask what instruments he plays upon. The piano dealers
are stimulated by his example. The sale of fine pianos is increased
by his performances—the demand for all fine pianos, for it is the
pianism that wins, and the make of the. piano he uses is not always the
deciding consideration, though it must be a great force in the sale of
the particular instrument he uses, be it the Steinway, as of old, or
some other great one.
In whatever phase of the question, the return of Paderewski
will stimulate the demand for fine pianos. That's the great point in
the thought of the trade paper.
The piano trade is to lose its only representative of royalty.
Count Du Barry is going out of the business at Seattle, and will em-
bark in the millinery trade in that city. No doubt the Count sees an
opportunity to apply the installment plan to selling ladies' hats. The
profits permit of long-time terms without interest. Besides there's
no great expense for deliveries, and no risk in placing the goods into
top story flats.
* * *
The electric piano industry has grown greatly since the advent of
Mr. Volstad's thirst-inducing amendment. There are more industries
thriving in the manufacture of organ-like and combination instru-
ments of orchestral effects than ever before. Chicago has a good half-
dozen of them, of which the Nelson-Wiggen Piano Company is a late
and very enterprising one.
* * *
A Lyon & Healy advertisement says: "Christmas Shopping is
much more pleasant when done early." And this especially applies to
piano buying. Why not a "Buy Your Piano Early" campaign?
* * *
More real literature in a piano adv.: "Admirers of the Steinway
tone will find ever new delight in its rich sonorities and amazing depth
and resonance." From a Lyon & Healy newspaper "full page."
* * *
New York has started a plan for licensing music teachers. There
are hopeful citizens who see in it the death of our old friend Jazz and
perhaps a few of the stunt song publishers.
people of this community. We were crowded for
space even before purchasing this fine stock, and it is
our intention to move it rapidly. With this in mind,
we are pricing it very low. Your dollar never had
such a purchasing value in this line of goods. The
stock is so large it will be impossible to price each
item in our advertising."
The Stone Piano Company is an old, established
music house, that has had a long and successful
career, and whose name is known all over the North-
west. In 1919, C. R. Stone, president of the com-
pany, opened a very fine store in Minneapolis to
which he gives his personal attention, and the Fargo
store is under the management of A. G. Stanton.
BYRON MAUZY'S ADDRESS.
Byron Mauzy, former music dealer in San Fran-
cisco, who some time ago sold his business to the
R. Wurlitzer Co., is again identified with the music
business. Mr. Mauzy has carried out his intention
expressed prior to setting out on his trip to the
Orient, and opened an office in which he represents
pianos in a wholesale way.
His address is 418
Phelan building, corner of Market and O'Farrell
streets.
THE WHITE HOUSE MUSICALES.
The White House musicales will be resumed next
spring if the health of Mrs. Harding permits of par-
ticipation in the interesting social functions, at which
a Steinway piano is used. When Henry Junge, of
Steinway & Sons, New York, called on President
Harding recently to formulate plans for a renewal of
the musicales, no definite date for the first event was
set. But early next year the president hoped, the
musicales would again become a delightful feature of
Washington life,
TRADE IN TEXAS SHOWS
PHENOMENAL ACTIVITIES
Changes in the Bush & Gerts Piano Co. at Houston,
Where Outlook Is Good.
The Bush & Gerts Piano Co. of Texas, with stores
at Houston, Galveston, and Dallas, have been re-
organized, and Mr. Bush is preparing for a vigorous
campaign on the Steinway piano, for which he has
just acquired the agency and has installed a beauti-
ful line of instruments. Among the changes is the
release of Manager Horton, who has been with the
house for twelve years, at Houston, and is now or-
ganizing the Horton-Smith Company, formerly the
Smith-Woodard Company. Mr. Bush assisted Mr.
Horton materially in getting into his new business
Dallas, Texas., has enjoyed an extremely gratify-
ing musical season. Last week Madame Louise
Homer was in both Dallas and Houston, and Mon-
day night the famous soprano, Rosa Ponselle, and
the Symphony Orchestra gave concerts.
Every
Tuesday night Mr. Bush has been arranging a series
of programs, which have been sent broad-casted from
the Morning News Radio Station, one of the most
powerful in the country.
The Houston house is having wonderful success
with the little Bush & Gerts Midgette Grand, and has
sold so far each one upon arrival. They have also
sold out on Hardman Grands and will receive no
more this year. They have a magnificent stock of
Steinway Grands, and good prospects of immediate
sales, and are having a steady demand for reproduc-
ing instruments and every indication of the most
gratifying holiday season ever had in Texas.
DIED OF HEART TROUBLE.
BEEFSTEAK DINNER POSTPONED.
The annual beefsteak dinner and entertainment of
the Piano Club of New York, which was scheduled
to take place on Saturday of this week, has been
postponed until January 6. The change in dates was
made owing to the death of George Holz, vice-presi-
dent of the club and a member of the committee of
arrangements.
George Reichmann, whose death was told in last
week's Presto, died of heart trouble after an illness
of one week. He was born in New York City and
had lived in Brooklyn for forty-five years. He was
a graduate of the Hoboken Academy and had been
connected with the piano industry all his life, having
been associated with Sohmer & Co. for more than
forty years. He was 68.
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