Presto

October 3, 1925.
PRESTO
The ^Hardman Jzine
is a complete line
It comprises a range of artisti-
cally worthy instruments to
please practically every purse:
The Hardman, official piano of
the Metropolitan Opera House;
the Harrington and the Hensel
Pianos in which is found that in-
builtdurabilitythatcharacterizes
all Hardman-made instruments;
the wonderful Hardman Repro-
ducing Piano; the Hardman
Autotone (the perfect player-
piano); and the popular Playo-
tone.
NEW YORK.
The LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
Qrandu, Upright* and Plmyn
Finest and most artistic
piano in design, tone and
construction that can be
made.
YORK PIANOS
Upright* and Player Piano*
A high grade piano of great
value and with charming tone quality.
Livingston Pianos— Uprights and Plmyt Piano*
A popular piano at a popular price.
Over 70,000 instrument* made by this company are alng-
Ing their own praues in all part* of the civiliied world.
Write lor catalogue* and atate on what term* you would
like to deal, and we will make you a proposition if yea are
located in open territory.
WEAVER PIANO CO., Inc.
Factory: TORK, PA.
Established 1S70
W. P. Haines & Co.
Manufacturers of
BRADBURY, WEBSTER
and
W. P. HAINES & CO.
Grand, Upright and Reproducing
Pianos
138th Street and Walton Avenue
NEW YORK
A QUALITY PROOUCT
FOR OVER
QUARTER. OFA CENTURY
basis. The classes should consist of seven grades,
each class corresponding to the grade of difficulty of
the music performed.
SCHOOLS MUST MEET THE DEMAND.
School officials realize their obligations to the com-
munities which they are trying to serve. They are
as greatly concerned in solving the modern leisure
time problem as they are in fitting children for useful
occupations. They feel the implied indictment rest-
ing upon the schools by reason of the tremendous in-
crease in juvenile crime. They are open to sugges-
tion, now as never before. It is the responsibility of
those who know the social power of music to bring
the facts to the attention of educators.
Must Begin at the Top.
Some superintendents and principals suggest that
music in their schools has been a failure. They fail
to recognize the fact that music is an art demanding
special talent and training. They ask untrained grade
teachers to give the instruction in music and unsatis-
factory results are the natural consequence. When
teachers have learned how to teach music the children
will learn to love music.
When instrumental music is taught in every school,
practically every child will learn and like to play some
musical instrument. Every home will have a piano
because it has the universal appeal. It produces
rhythm, melody and harmony, all at once and with
but a single performer. It is the all-satisfying instru-
ment for individual expression. All the other instru-
ments need the piano accompaniment to make them
effective. The sale of any small instrument in a
home, therefore, should lead to the sale of a piano
there. Some families could afford several pianos if
the desire were there. They have several cars—why
not several pianos?
More music needs to be written for children.
Juvenile music should be as plentiful and cheap as
juvenile books. Every public library should supply
music as liberally as they now supply books. A start
in this direction has been made by the Milwaukee
Public Library. The supply always comes where the
demand is raised. The amateur makes the market!
Work of Miessner Institute.
To meet the need for suitable material and for
modernized teaching methods, including the special
training of music teachers in class methods, the Miess-
ner Institute was formed a year ago. In this short
period, it has trained nearly a thousand teachers, and
started some fifty thousand children on the joyous
road to music by "The Melody Way." This has al-
ready been accomplished at an expense of less than
$25,000. Demonstrations were first made in the stores
of leading music merchants, who deserve great credit
for their vision and co-operation. The success of this
work was so sensational that, prompted by the de-
mand from parents, the schools have started piano
classes, extending a chance in music to every child.
About thirty per cent of the children beginning have
had :io piano at home to start with. Many of their
parents bought pianos later when they found that the
children had learned to play attractive pieces and liked
their music. For them, the risk had been removed
from their investment in music. How often do you
find this objection to the purchase of a piano?
HOW MUSIC INDUSTRIES CAN HELP.
Now, then, if one little agency can attain such re-
sults within one year, how much more could be ac-
complished, if every music merchant were doing his
bit to make his own community musical! Suppose
that each one of the eight thousand music dealers in
America should ask himself tomorrow, "Is my town
musical?" "Does every child in my city and in my
county have a chance to learn music in his school?"
If the answer should be "No!" then let him ask him-
self, "What am I going to do about it?" Then he
will get busy and start agitating the cosmic dust! He
will talk to every local professional and social or-
ganization in his neck of the woods and ask for
action! He will find all needed data in this address.
Problem Facing Industries.
The opening statement of this address says that the
music industries are facing a crisis. It has already
been shown that the only reason for an increased
dollar volume in pianos is the decreased buying power
of the American dollar. The true factor to be
reckoned with is the decreased consumption of pianos.
The skeptic may point to the increased sale of phono-
graphs and radio sets as compensating for the de-
creased sale of pianos.
The real issue is that even the phonograph has de-
clined in popularity, the playerpiano stands silent, and
that the future of radio is uncertain. The sale of re-
producing pianos has been on the increase, but the
future of the reproducer depends upon the pleasure
people get from it. Today the owner of a $4,000
music maker is satisfied with a library of forty rolls!
How long will he stay sold? The revival of the
phonograph and the future of radio will depend upon
the desire of the American people for music. Last-
ing love conies from active participation. If the pro-
fessional does not make the market, neither does the
POOLE
17
spectator, nor the listener. The amateur makes the
market!
Manufacturers' Problem.
The number of piano manufacturing establishments
has decreased since 1909 by nearly one-half—from 294
establishments in 1909 to 157 in 1923. Combinations
and absorptions of the smaller plants may account for
a part of the decrease. The real answer is that piano
manufacturers can no longer realize a legitimate
profit. An analysis of a number of financial and
operating statements tell the tale.
The Merchant's Problem.
What about the music merchant? Is he making a
fair profit? Admittedly there is a crisis. We know
the economic facts. We think we know the socio-
logical causes responsible for the facts as they now
are. We believe that the answer is for every music
merchant to try to help "Make America Musical
Through Education."
The music industry needs a musical Moses—the
Judge Landis of baseball and the Will Hays of the
movies all rolled up in one compelling personality
that will sell the American people on good music. It
is respectfully suggested to the National Bureau for
the Advancement of Music that a department of edu-
cation be added to its activities.
A NATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
The department of music education might consist
of a national committee or of a paid staff of experts.
Their function would be to make publicity; to com-
pile statistics, data and arguments; to prepare articles,
pamphlets and booklets for general distribution; to
broadcast the message of music for the masses; to
work through the various social and professional or-
ganizations previously mentioned; to prepare an ad-
vertising service for dealers; to eliminate bait adver-
tising and to substitute constructive messages on the
uses and blessings of music.
You, as music merchants, should co-operate in the
distribution of this publicity and in the use of local
space devoted to ads that tell the message of music.
If you now spend five per cent to advertise your own
store and your own particular lines, it will pay you to
take one per cent and add it to the one per cent of
your competitors and all pull together to sell music
first. Based on estimated annual retail sales in musi-
cal merchandise of $400,000,000 this one per cent
appropriation would yield $4,000,000 annually for co-
operative local advertising. The "Better Homes"
campaigns and numerous other campaigns familiar to
you prove the wisdom of co-operation in advertising
and in merchandising.
How Music Merchant Can Help.
Here are a few things that every music merchant
can do to better music conditions in his town: Be-
come musical yourself. Show an active personal in-
terest in all things musical. Cultivate the friendship
of the public school music supervisors and teachers,
city and county school superintendents. See that
music is taught in every schoolroom. Urge parents
and clubs to demand public instruction in instru-
mental music. Organize solo music contests by chil-
dren. Sponsor a series of concerts by children for
children. Co-operate with the schools by loaning in-
struments, printing programs, selling tickets, etc.
Give free class piano lessons in your store or in some
conservatory. Make interesting window displays of
public school music activities. Use co-operative ad-
vertising to sell music first. Use the radio to broad-
cast the message of "Music for the Masses."
And now, in conclusion, what will you do about it?
The problem is yours. The solution is yours. Get
together. Unite. Co-operate. The spiritual returns
will be a land of happier children, of better homes
and finer communities. The commercial returns will
certainly follow in decreased resistance to sales, in-
creased volume, better business, bigger profits. As
surely as effect follows cause, these must be your re-
ward for doing your part to "Make America
Musical!"
In Table III of his "Exhibits" Mr. Miessner says
the expenditures for music 1919 compared with 1914
based on price indexes and census for manufacturers
(1920) report were as follows (the figures for 1919
printed last): Church music, brass bands, theater
music, concerts, opera, $158,000,000, $316,000,000;
pianos, retail value, $135,000,000, $200,000,000; organs,
retail, $10,000,000, $10,000,000; other instruments, re-
tail, $7,000,000, $25,000,000; phonographs, retail, $65,-
000,000, $300,000,000; sheet music and books, $10,-
500,000, $20,000,000; music instruction (estimated),
$220,000,000, $300,000,000; total for music, $605,500,-
000, $1,171,000,000.
In his Exhibit B—Music in Public Schools—the
computed percentage of pupils receiving music in-
struction in rural schools is given at 3'5. In rural
high schools the percentage is 48. In city elementary
schools the percentage is 97 and in high schools 48.
In 1920 American state universities granted a total
of 131 degrees in music.
GRAND AND UPRIGHT PIANOS
AND
PLAYER PIANOS
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