PRESTO
Presto
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY.
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT -
- Editors
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234-
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
merclal Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 25), 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
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of general interest to the music trade will be paid for
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat-
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the
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Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn
Street,
Chicago,
III.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1925.
TRADE NAMES
An -interesting", even valuable, series of ar-
ticles which has been appearing in Presto,
tells in brief paragraphs of the names which
have been applied to the various playerpianos,
and other special forms of the instruments to
be found in the music stores everywhere. To
many in the trade it will be in the nature of
a revelation that so many trade mark names
have been employed by the manufacturers.
Some of the names are now of world-wide
familiarity. They have been printed in the
•magazines, daily newspapers and trade jour-
nals, millions of times. And, since they ap-
ply to instruments of unquestioned merits,
those names have come to mean much to the
music loving public.
In a few instances the trade mark names
of player devices, as distinct from the com-
pleted instruments "have attained to influence
and fame rivaling those of the greatest pianos
the world over. It is fair to mention the
Ampico and the Welte Mignon by way of
illustration. And there are also names o;
completed playerpianos which have become so
thoroughly familiar in the trade, and conse-
quently to the public, that they can never fail
of recognition as just what they are—not as
pianos, but as playerpianos, capable of perfect
interpretation of whatever class of music the
operator may choose to select from the end-
less catalogues put forth by the music roll in-
dustries. But most of the marvels of player
mechanism are known by the names of the
pianos of which they form so vital a part.
It is natural, that in a few instances, the
trade names have seemed to clash, or inter-
fere. But it is almost wonderful that there
has been comparatively little conflict in this
respect. For' in the patent-right field of in-
dustrial arid trade "protection," the line is of-
ten so slender that it often happens that the
creators of inventions find that what they
have considered their inviolable "rights"
turn out to be doubtful. And the latest phase
of this subject, seems to imply that a patent-
October 31, 1925.
right may rest upon a very slender support. a means of education and training, and dis-
cipline in the home, half of its usefulness
Here is the conclusion:
"If you've got a good invention, a patent is would be lost. But no one will doubt that
a protection—until somebody else proves that the better development of the players, and
he invented it before you did. \ patent has especially the splendid specimens of the Re-
been described as 'a license to i,u,
* *o be producing pianos, will continue to play a large
sued.' If your invention is good, somebody part in the trade.
And, because of the perfection of the
else is going to claim that h^ ^ . . it first.
And if he can make that claim good, you're playerpiano, and the equal perfection of some
of the music rolls now produced, the advan-
sunk."
And further it appears that the mere fact of tages afforded by them in the study of the
its having been described in print is sufficient piano, and the consequent return of the piano,
to invalidate an article for which patent may in its original form and function, are empha-
be applied. If that is true, as it seems to be, sized. There is, in other words, a distinct
the importance of keeping out of print until and invaluable place for each of the instru-
after entering for patent is easily seen. And ments—playerpiano and piano. The only mis-
even then it is for the inventor to protect take in advancing" the playerpiano is in any at-
himself with "documentary evidence of the tempt to employ it in the trade to supplant
date of the original conception of his inven- the piano, without which the more modern
instrument would itself be impossible.
tion and of each stage of its development."
No doubt the same rule applies to trade
The music trade associations are multiply-
mark names. But a patent and a trade mark
are not the same. Recently a piano manufac- ing 'rapidly. October has been active with
turer wanted to use a famous name upon his them, and November will see more of them
instruments. He couldn't get a patent and well started. The latest, to be born next week
used the name as he found it without se- in Grand Rapids, will bring Michigan into line
curing protection of any kind. Later another and, as a state in which a large proportion of
manufacturer chose the same name, had a the Mid-West pianos are produced, the or-
special design made and secured a copyright ganization is sure to be an important one.
* * *
for the combination of name and design.
The most artistic page advertisement in
last week's "Literary Digest" was one of the
THE PLAYER'S FUTURE
Whatever may happen to the "straight" Q R S Music Co. It was in colors and was
piano, there can be no question about the the same that recently appeared as an insert
perpetuity of the playerpiano in its best de- in Presto. The trade should profit largely
by it.
velopment. It is certain that the musical
* * *
world, after becoming accustomed to the easy
It
is
very
seldom
that a musical event, even
method of creating piano music and, more,
in
"New
York
City,
has attracted more wide-
knowing that the great, even almost impossi-
spread
interest
then
the dedication of the new
bly intricate works of the master composers
Steinway
Hall,
on
57th street. The press
may be perfectly interpreted by mechanical
r
throughout
the
world
has presented descrip-
means, w ill not give up the modern marvels.
tive
stories
of
the
event
as one of the highest
Nor does this fact at all change the fact
artistic
interest.
that a return to piano playing in the old way
is essential to the future prosperity of the
industry and trade. It is more a question of
'something higher even than perfect musical
expression and the enjoyment of great com-
positions. For music, like most other things
of the intellect is, in its higher phases, a mat-
ter of training. It isn't possible for a child to
appreciate Beethoven, or Bach, or Haendel.
Even Liszt is beyond the understanding of the
beginner in piano music. And the psycholo-
gists, and other mentors of morals, tell us that
to feed the youthful ear with jazz is dan-
gerous.
Consequently, the young people must be
brought to an understanding of good music
—w r e now mean good piano music—by slow
steps. Later, when the child knows how to
interpret the simpler pieces, the desire for
larger things will come. And then the need
of some example, as how best to interpret
the. important compositions, must be appreci-
ated. The playerpiano is then almost indis-
pensable.
All who studied the piano in childhood,
know how essential it was for the teacher
to play the pieces over and over again, in
order that we. might know just how it should
sound—the tempo and the expression. It was
that important part in the educational pro-
gram that was emphasized when the player-
piano first appeared. It was not that the in-
strument could rattle out rag-time or jangle
the jazz with no expense or trouble in "learn-
ing to play."
If the piano were to fall from its place as
30 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
From the Files of Presto
(October 31, 1895.)
At Mr. Kenneth's musicale, to be given at the
Hyde Park hotel tonight, a Conover Concert Grand
will be used. Mr. Kenneth is the accompanist of
the Apollo Club.
The Steinway piano which.was placed in the Audi-
torium on the grounds of the Atlanta exposition for
Mr. Victor Herbert's use in his concerts was removed
from the grounds upon the departure of Mr. Her-
bert's band, a week ago last Sunday.
At the fourteenth annual meeting of the Chicago
Music Trades Association, Oct. 26, resolutions on the
death of Dr. Geo. F. Root were adopted, and Chair-
man A. H. Reed appointed the following committee
of five in response thereto: P. J. Healy, E. S. Con-
way, I. N. Camp, O. L. Fox, Geo. P. Bent.
Who can think of Mr. C. Frank Chickering other
than at his long bench, and with the silver "square"
in his hand, drawing a "new" scale. Mr. Myron
Decker passes his time in the same pleasant pursuit.
How many of the "young ones" ever drew a scale?
20 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(From Presto, November 2, 1905.)
A Chicago piano manufacturer, of Teutonic origin,
in referring to the visit of a certain New York trade
paper representative informed us that "Mr. Veal is in
the city already searching for the fleshpots of fatted
calf."
At the public auction of pianos held by Hamilton S.
Jordan at his warerooms, 137 Fifth avenue, last week,
a Steinway upright manufactured in 1889—nearly sev-
enteen years ago—was sold for $375. Another Stein-
way upright, made in 1879—was sold for $275.
Should Mr. Charles F. Tretbar, whose fame is asso-
ciated with the Steinway house, never again set foot
on American shores, there are thousands of people
on this side who wish him long life and prosperity.
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