PRESTO
January 27, 1923
But when a Vose statement appeared it was all the stronger because
of its straightforwardness and modest, plain-speaking. It was, there-
fore, productive of results, and no class of piano dealers make better
use of the trade paper advertising pages than the Vose representa-
tives.
And so we say that the announcement of a new Vose factory, as
told this week, is trade news of a peculiarly welcome character. It
The American Music Trade Weekly
is trade paper news of the best kind. And the illustration which
accompanies the news shows that the new home of the Vose will be
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT 407 SOUTH DEAR-
BORN STREET, OLD COLONY BUILDING, CHICAGO, ILL. one of the finest in this country. It will bear the characteristics of
the fine old Boston industry. It will have a much larger capacity than
Editors
C. A. DAN I ELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT
any preceding Vose factory. It will be a monument to the American
Telephone*, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234. Private Phones to all De-
partments. Cable Address (Commercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
piano industry, and a credit to the proud city of Boston.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the Post Office, Chicago. Illinois,
The record of the Vose piano is without a blemish. It runs back
under Act of March 3, 1879.
through
seventy-two years, and its founder was born in Milton, Mass.,
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign, $4. Payable In advance. No extra
charge in United States possessions, Cuba and Mexico.
the town in which Daniel Crehore fashioned his first piano—the first
Address all communications for the editorial or business departments to PRESTO
in this country, according to some historians.
PUBLISHING CO., 407 So. Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
Mr. James W. Vose was born in 1818 and he made the first Vose
Advertising Rates:—Five dollars per Inch (13 ems pica) for single insertions.
piano
in 1851. His three sons followed in his footsteps, and the Vose
Complete schedule of rates for standing cards and special displays will be furnished
on request. The Presto does not sell Its editorial space. Payment Is net accepted for
piano
industry has been owned by the Vose family from that time to
articles of descriptive character or other matter appearing In the news columns. Busi-
ness notices will be Indicated by the word "advertisement" In accordance with the
this.
His
eldest son, Mr. Willard A. Vose, is the company's president
Act of August 24, 1912.
Photographs of general trade interest are always welcome, and when used, If of
at
the
present
time, and there are in its active control representatives
•pedal concern, a charge will be made to cover cost of the engravings.
of
the
second
and
third generation of one of the most distinguished
Rate* for advertising in Presto Year Book Issue and Export Supplements of
Presto will be made known upon application. Presto Year Book and Export issues
families
in
American
piano manufacture. We are sure that the Vose
have the most extensive circulation of any periodicals devoted to the musical In-
strument trades ana Industries in all parts of the world, and reach completely and
news
of
this
week
will
interest every member of the trade and espe-
effectually
e
f f e c t u y all the houses handling musical instruments of both the Eastern and west-
ern h
hemispheres.
i h
cially,
of
course,
the
large
following of Vose representatives.
Presto Foyers' Guide is the only reliable index to the American Pianoi and
Player-Pianos, It analyzes all instruments, classifies them, gives accurate estimates
•f fhelr value and contains a directory of their manufacturers.
IteiQS of news and other matter of general Interest to the music trades are in-
vited and when accepted will be paid for. All communications should be addressed to
Presto Publishing Co., 407 So. Dearborn Street. Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 1923.
PRESTO CORRESPONDENCE
IT IS NOT CUSTOMARY WITH THIS PAPER TO PUBLISH REGU-
LAR CORRESPONDENCE FROM ANY POINTS. WE, HOWEVER,
HAVE RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVES IN NEW YORK, BOSTON,
SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, CINCINNATI, INDIANAPOLIS, MIL-
WAUKEE AND OTHER LEADING MUSIC TRADE CENTERS, WHO
KEEP THIS PAPER INFORMED OF TRADE EVENTS AS THEY HAP-
PEN. AND PRESTO IS ALWAYS GLAD TO RECEIVE REAL NEWS
OF THE TRADE FROM WHATEVER SOURCES ANYWHERE AND
MATTER FROM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS, IF USED, WILL BE
PAID FOR AT SPACE RATES. USUALLY PJANO MERCHANTS OR
SALESMEN IN THE SMALLER CITIES, ARE THE BEST OCCA-
SIONAL CORRESPONDENTS, AND THEIR ASSISTANCE IS INVITED.
ADVERTISING INFORMATION
Forms close promptly at noon every Thursday. News matter for
publication should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the same
day. Advertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, five p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Full page display copy should be in
hand by Monday noon preceding publication day. Want advs. for cur-
rent week, to insure classification, must be at office of publication not
later than Wednesday noon.
A VOSE NEWS ITEM
This paper has often tried to give its views of trade news as dis-
tinguished from newspaper news. In this issue there is a fine illus-
tration of the former—as real trade paper news. It relates to the
latest, and very substantial, evidence of the progress of one of Amer-
ica's piano industries. It tells of the new factory of the Vose & Sons
Piano Co., in Boston.
It has been a long time since we have had so good a piece of news.
And the lesson to be drawn from it is of the kind that lends honor
to a great business and presents new proof of the fact that real merit
wins and well-sustained ambition must prove successful. And, in a
sense possible to but few American industries, the material progress
of the Vose & Sons Piano Co. seems to show that industrial advance-
ment of the finest kind is not dependent upon the loud trumpetings
and boastful bustle which so often mark the industrial life.
Among the larger piano industries there is none that suggests the
quiet dignity of traditional Boston to a greater degree than the Vose
& Sons Piano Co. The long career of the distinguished piano has
been noted for the total absence of boasting and "loud talk." The
trade papers have carried the clear-cut announcements of the old
Boston instrument with a consistency not surpassed by any other
piano industry.
Once every month Presto's title-page has, for years, presented the
brief but forceful claims of the Vose. And not a line or word of the
Vose advertisement has suggested even a slight exaggeration. On
the contrary, the Vose announcements have been peculiarly modest.
RE=ENACTING RECITALS
Community singing is stimulating and helpful in a public way.
It refreshes the people and it affords an inspiring change from the
sordid influences of the cabarets and other sources of excitement and
folly. The youth of the big towns and cities like to get together. The
crowd has a fascination, and to take part in a great chorus is stimu-
lating, aside from the ear-training and opportunities of musical edu-
cation. We believe in community singing. But we do not believe
that community singing has very much to do with adding to the sales
of musical instruments. It cannot help in the selling of pianos. Cities
in which the "Music Weeks" have been featured have reported activi-
ties in the sale of sheet music and, in some degree, of small music
supplies. But no special piano trade activities have been recorded in
connection with the intellectual attainments of Music Week.
On the other hand, we believe that the Reproducing piano recitals
have a distinct tendency to promote interest, and to bring about
piano sales, and especially playerpiano sales. Such entertainments
as the Ampico concerts, in which the "re-enacting" of the perform-
ances of great pianists is the feature, must familiarize the public with
the marvelous results of the reproducing mechanism. And the dem-
onstrations of absolute reproduction of the Duo Art effects must
equally stimulate the desire to own the instruments by which such
results may be attained. It is common knowledge, as has been at-
tested many times in Presto, that whenever the Ampico concerts
have been given there has been established a demand for the instru-
ments of the American Piano Co. in which the mechanism that "re-
enacts" is installed. No real music-lover can listen to Dohnanyi, Levit-
zki, Strauss, Rachmaninoff, Paderewski, or any great pianists, play the
piano, and then hear the same performances "re-enacted" with fidel-
ity, without longing to possess the means by which the same music
may be realized at home. And the same thing applies equally to
other fine reproducing pianos and their practical introduction by
means of public recitals.
It is said that a series of concerts by one of the prominent re-
producing pianos, at which some foremost artist appears for the pur-
pose of comparison, is sure to prove profitable to the local represen-
tatives of the instrument demonstrated. The sales which immedi-
ately follow the recital are, in themselves, remunerative, and the
local prestige which follows the concerts is of incalculable value.
We do not believe that the average concert is at all comparable,
as a business proposition, to the reproducing piano recital. In the
latter there is still a good degree of novelty. Even well-informed
people do not, usually, understand the remarkable effects of a good
reproducing piano. Only by hearing a fine piano, well played, fol-
lowed by a demonstration of the same performance upon the modern
miracle of musical expression, can the power of the reproducing in-
strument be realized. And only that realization is required to insure
a larger sale of the highest pricecj instruments.
All music is good for the people. But not all music is necessarily
good for the piano dealer. Not all music stimulates piano sales, or
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/