Presto

14351HA
LtNgTt AND
Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American Pianos
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Trade Lists
Three Uniform Book-
lets, the Only Complete
Directories of the Music
Industries.
/• c , * « ,*M; • r ~
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, JULY 7, 1923
IS RADIO A MENACE
TO MUSIC INDUSTRY
Interesting "Come-Back" of Former Piano
Man to Recent Utterances by a Prominent
Official of The Aeolian Company,
with Editorial Comment Following.
Chicago, 111., June 25, 1923.
Editor Presto: In view of the music trade's un-
mistakable interest in radio at the present time, the
enclosed reply to Mr. Schaad's statement appearing
in the "Wireless Age" of June might be an accept-
able morsel to the readers of Presto.
I shall be glad indeed if its tenor and import are
such as to justify a place in your publication.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
N. A. FEGEN.
Radio and Music.
Mr. Schaad, of the Aeolian Company, in expressing
his views on broadcasting, and freely granting that
co-operation with broadcasters has proven beneficial
to the talking machine business, makes the statement:
"Should we find that radio had a detrimental effect
upon our business, we would change our policy en-
tirely. Any business man would do that, and I do
not doubt that, if necessary, if the situation became
severe enough, the entire phonograph industry would
unite in fighting any menace that radio might de-
velop. It might even bring the matter to the atten-
tion of the authorities in Washington, because, of
course, no industry can be allowed to put another
industry out of business, and governmental protec-
tion can be obtained for that."
Mr. Schaad evidently forgets that the industry he
is in displaced another.
Mr. Schaad's Viewpoint.
First of all, we who broadcast, or who are in the
radio business, are glad to know that the Aeolian
Company has sufficient reason for not only permit-
ting their artists to broadcast, but really assisting in
placing them "on the air." So far so good. We can-
not, however, sympathize with Mr. Schaad's view on
the proposed treatment or mistreatment of radio in
the event that it became a menace. We are assum-
ing that by "menace" Mr. Schaad refers to the pos-
sible inroads of radio on the talking machine busi-
ness. In this sense radio would be a menace if the
Aeolian Company's Vocalion business fell off because
the public wanted radio in preference to talking
machines.
There is no question but that, if radio did begin to
severely cut into phonograph business, phonograph
manufacturers would not be pleased, but whether any
recourse could be had of either federal or state gov-
ernment is a prospect that does not seem to be
based on either experience, good logic, or sound busi-
ness ethics.
Stage Coach and Bicycle.
There were brainy and influential men in the
stage coach, in the carriage, and in the bicycle busi-
ness, but of what avail were their mental and mone-
tary resources when the steam engine and the auto-
mobile loomed over the horizon? Their business at
first was threatened with destruction and finally
destroyed.
The Regina Music Box makers had wealth and
ability, but they had to see' their business "dwindle,
peak and pine," and finally collapse, because the talk-
ing machine, representing a higher stage of evolution
of the music box, was more acceptable to the public.
Did the Regina Music Box makers seek redress from
the government?
Fall of the Reed Organ.
How about the cottage organ business which at one
time was far-reaching and prosperous? It has been
relegated to the back row with other discards. The
organ builders, if they did fight the menace of the
piano and the playerpiano, fought in vain.
The public was the sole arbiter of the question
whether the carriage or the motor car would prevail,
and it, too, will be the sole judge of whether the talk-
ing machine or the radio will prevail, should that
question really arise. The manufacturers will not be
able to settle the question. Any attempt on their
part to deprive the public of what it wants will be
met wih justifiable resentment. We who manufac-
ture things have the privilege to cry our wares, but
the public will decide on their desirability.
The government encourages discovery and indus-
try by granting patents permitting the exclusive man-
ufacture of inventions.
It could not consistently
penalize or interfere with an industry which because
of its desirable product hoppened to stagnate trade in
something that had become passe.
Mr. Fegen's Opinion.
In my own judgment there is enough difference
between a radio set and the talking machine as to
make both desirable adjuncts to the home. Each fills
a niche of its own. It seems to me that each can
flourish without detriment to the other. In this view
I do not see why one has to look upon the other as
an interloper. This is my personal view. Whether
this will be the majority view as time goes on re-
mains to be seen. Sales of talking machines and
radio sets will be the barometer telling the story.
Both industries have so much in common and there
is enough disparity between their respective products
that there should be little reason for conflict, but in-
deed abundant occasion for giving one another a
helping hand. Broadcasting is already an acknowl-
edged help to the sale of talking machine records.
Talking machine manufacturers can assist radio by
allowing all artists to broadcast according to inclina-
tion. But at all events, spraying the poison, gas of
disapproval on radio or deliberately throwing ob-
stacles in the way of its growth and expansion will
not stem the tide of popular acclaim for radio.
EDITORIAL COMMENT.
What Mr. Fegen says is presented in Presto be-
cause of its general interest, and not because it has
any specific bearing upon the piano or other musical
instrument. And not the least part of the interest
in what Mr. Fegen so fluently says seems to rest in
what many will consider a twisted viewpoint.
As yet there has been little to suggest any special
injury to the musical instrument by reason of radio
broadcasting, or by the popularity of radio as a
home diversion.
In the first place, the piano is not altogether, or
even principally, a matter of mere amusement. Nor
altogether a question of recreation. It is recognized
as the means to a deeper end. It is educational, dis-
ciplinarian and character-building. Radio, as yet, has
attained to little of all that. It is still a novelty. It
has shown that, in commerce and in the serious af-
fairs of life it is useful. It is not as yet a musical
entertainer in the sense of satisfying the artistic
cravings as the pianist satisfies, the singer delights,
and the symphony orchestra educates and uplifts.
It may come to that in time. Today it is a means
of as much political blah-blah as of light entertain-
ment. It is in the popular sense mainly a source
of novelty and a means of prompt news transfer. It
will be vastly more than that after awhile. But it
will never so far conflict with the instruments of
music as to seriously interfere with the sale of pianos.
What Was Displaced?
We do not see how any industry in which Mr.
Schaad is concerned has "displaced another." Cer-
tainly the Vocalian phonograph has not displaced the
"Weber" piano nor any of the other instruments of
the Aeolian Company. It seems to have helped the
Aeolian business, and has drawn world attention by
reason of the Aeolian Hall broadcasting.
Nor do we see what the stage-coach has to do with
musical instrument progress.
The piano itself is
essentially the same today as when the 49ers crossed
the Rocky Mountains in their "covered wagons" to
the far west. It has improved, but it has always been
the piano. The talking machine has never been an
instrument- of music in the same sense. It is a won-
derful achievement, just as the parrot is a wonderful
bird though most people do not care to hear him
sing.
The phonograph, in a very large majority, is a
nuisance. In an industrial sense the talking machine
displays a greater percentage of wreckage than al-
most any other thing that ever came into the music
stores. The piano remains, as it has always been,
the leading item in the stores and in the people's
parlors. Radio-can never hope to become a real rival
of the musical instrument. It has quite a different
mission.
Pianos and Radio.
What does Mr. Fegen suppose drove out the "cot-
tage organ"? Nothing but the piano. It was "out"
EXPORT BUSINESS OF
PREMIER GRANDS GROWS
Among Latest Representatives Abroad Is Biggest
Music House in Havana, Cuba.
The export business of the Premier Grand Piano
Corporation, New York, manufacturers of baby
grand pianos exclusively, is constantly increasing.
This is again demonstrated by the fact that Cen. de.
Effecto Musicales Giralt, Havana, Cuba, has secured
the agency for Premier Grand pianos for Havana
and the Island of Cuba. This piano music house has
been famous for more than forty years as the leading
distributor of Cuba.
When this big Cuban dealer decided to capitalize
on the constantly growing demand for the popular
priced small grand, he chose the Premier Baby Grand
as the ideal instrument of this type of piano. Large
sales of Premier Baby Grands in Havana and other
parts of Cuba will be the direct result of this new
business alliance.
The leading piano merchant of New Zealand, oper-
ating eight branches throughout that island, in the
leading cities, has just taken on the Premier Baby
Grand line. The initial order was a large one and
called for Premier Baby Grands to be delivered to
the various branches of this important dealer.
TO DEVELOP STUDENT TRADE.
Pianos, talking machines, musical merchandise, roll
records and sheet music are handled by the Uni-
versity Music Co., Ann Arbor, Mich., which was
recently purchased by W. W. Hinshaw, a New York
musician. H. G. Pulfrey, well known in the music
trade of Toledo, O., has been appointed manager of
the store. The University Music Co. has a big busi-
ness with the students and faculty of the Michigan
state university and certain lines will be further de-
veloped by Mr. Pulfrey.
F. REIDEMEISTER SAILS.
Frederick Reidemeister, treasurer of Steinway &
Sons, New York, was a passenger on the S.S. Re-
liance, which sailed from New York last week for
Hamburg. Mr. Reidemeister will return in about
six weeks. Not many men in the New York indus-
try or trade are as popular as the Steinway treasurer,
and as a hard worker he has won all the pleasure he
can get out of his trip.
SOLD TWELVE
HUNDRED
PIANOS.
J. D. Conley, now located at Munday, Texas, has
been selling pianos. He was formerly at Thockmor-
ton, and from that point he announces this: "Over
twelve hundred pianos personally sold in West Texas
and no one ever sued or piano taken up." Isn't that
pretty good? Think of selling twelve hundred pianos
and never a repossession! That's "going some," even
in mighty Texas. Can any other salesman beat it?
LIVELY INDIANA FIRM.
Two important actions recently showed the lively
spirit of Hudson & Son, piano dealers, Boonville,
Ind. One was the removal of its business to new
and larger quarters in the St. Charles Hotel building,
and the other was the opening of a branch store at
Princeton, Ind. In both stores an active summer
campaign for piano and player sales is being waged.
before the talking machine began to shriek. It was
killed by the piano demand, and the manner in which
the piano makers responded to the demand for
pianos that cost little more than the best reed organs.
The better organs are more in demand today than
ever before, and the call grows rapidly, as Mr. Fegen
must know.
Radio has its place, but we do not think that it
will get into the music stores^the small music stores
—in the same sense that the talking machine did, and
we do not think that Mr. Fegen would care to see it
get there, and then get out again as the talking ma-
chine has. And certainly the music dealers will not
take the substantial interest in selling radio supplies
unless the makers of the cabinets, and other things of
radio, let them understand why they should take it
in. Setting up fanciful lights against the things of
music that it can not "fight" at all will not make
radio progress any more rapid.
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