MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1881
Established
1884
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
10 Cents a Copy
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 1927
TESTIMONIAL CONCERT TO
POPULAR WM. L. BUSH
Institution Founded by Universally-Known
Piano Man Plans Brilliant Event for
April 30 at Kimball Hall, Chicago.
As a token of appreciation of his many years of
labor in the cause of music, in all of its phases,
William L. Bush, popular member of the piano in-
dustry and trade, is to be tendered a concert by the
Bush Conservatory. The event is arranged to take
place on April 30, at Kimball Hall, Chicago, and
without doubt it will prove one of the star features
of the closing musical season.
Musical Chicago, and especially members of the
piano trade, the profession, and all others concerned
in the practical promotion of music, will be eager
to participate in such manner as to make the Bush
testimonial the success that the work of the benefi-
ciary suggests. Some of 'the foremost members of
the profession will participate in the program and,
of course, the faculty of the Bush Conservatory will
take a prominent part.
Plans for the concert are being made on a broad
scale, and it is certain that the testimonial to Mr.
Bush will be an event in which members of the trade
will be glad of the opportunity to demonstrate their
appreciation of the loyal and liberal spirit which Mr.
Bush has displayed during so many years past.
LATEST TRADE ITEMS
FROM SALT LAKE CITY
Music House Announces Piano Contest;
French Pianist Plays on the Famous
Chopin-Chickering Instrument.
Announcement has been made by the Glen
Brothers Roberts Piano Company, of Salt Lake City,
that they are making preparations for their second
annual Piano Student Contest, which will be con-
cluded some time during November.
Teachers
throughout this territory will now commence prepa-
rations for this contest which offers as a prize a
Checkering Style 1 Grand Piano, valued at $1,750,
which is the second piano of the same make and
value offered by this firm. A third will be offered
in 1928.
The great French pianist, Maurice Dumesnil, is to
personally present the original Chopin piano in this
city this spring through the cooperation of Professor
Thomas Giles of *-he University of Utah and the
Ogden Tabernacle Choir. This celebrated instrument
is to figure in two concerts in Utah. One in Salt
Lake City, at the Tabernacle, under the auspices of
the University of Utah, and the other at the Ogden
Tabernacle, under the auspices of the Ogden Taber-
nacle Choir.
The O'Laughlin Music Company of Salt Lake City
is being remodeled this week and two new demon-
stration booths being added. The small instrument
department is being eliminated from this store.
TRADE NEWS FROM THE
INDIANA STATE CAPITAL
Travelers from Piano Factories Arrive in
Numbers and Business Shows Signs
of Improving Rapidly.
William G. Frederick, of the Wm. Knabe & Co.,
spent a day in Indianapolis this week. Mr. Frederick
finds that business conditions in the cities he has vis-
ited show a marked improvement, with the demand
for high grade instruments better than ever before.
Last Sunday the Knabe grand was used in con-
cert at the hall of the Knights of Columbus by Mrs.
J. W. Stark, a local artist.
Mrs. J. M. Herrington, formerly with the Chris-
i tena-Teague Company, has joined the sales force of
Rapp & Lennox.
The Pearson Piano Company report activity in the
Steinway department, and the results have been
very gratifying. J. Dunlap,, representing the H. C.
Bay Company, of Chicago, will join the sales force of
the Pearson Piano Company.
Ted Perkins, of the Gulbransen Company, was in
the city and reported business conditions in the terri-
tory covered recently very much improved.
Ben Traub, one of the well-known piano salesmen
in the city and for some years employed at the Chris-
tena-Teague Piano Company, has resigned and will
enter a new field. Mr. Traub has for the past thirty
years been engaged in the piano and music business
in Indianapolis.
The Starr Piano Company has just received one
of the new Starr phonographs with the improved
acoustical horn, an invention by Dr. Foley of the
Indiana University. The instrument is one of the
first completed, and declared a success by Mr. Hook,
manager of the local house.
A FEW TRADE ITEMS
FROM CLEVELAND, OHIO
One More Wurlitzer Store; Steinway Piano for
Tuners' Display; Other Local Matters.
The Wurlitzer Co. opened another store in Cleve-
land last week at 14900 St. Clair avenue and have
placed A. Anetzberger in charge.
The Dreher Piano Co. has loaned one of their big
show windows to the Cleveland piano tuners' organ-
ization to make an exhibit of player actions. The
Dreher Co. furnished a Steinway piano for the dis-
play.
Music store windows are nearly all trimmed up to
boost sales of Beethoven records and music rolls this
week. Business is reported very good on this com-
poser's works.
GULBRANSEN PROSPERITY.
The Gulbransen Company, Chicago, declared a
dividend of 2 per cent on outstanding common stock,
payable March 31. A marked upturn in .the busi-
ness of the company and its dealer-organization dur-
ing the past three weeks is reported by A. G. Gul-
bransen, president. Indications are for good demand
during the next quarter, particularly as the company
swings into full production of the new models of
grand pianos, which have been sixty to ninety days
behind orders.
MILWAUKEE PLAYER SALES.
"The merchant who sells the idea of the advan-
tages to be gained by the whole family by owning
a playerpiano makes sales," said Elmer G. Netzow, of
the Milwaukee Piano Co, "whereas the merchant who
is going out to sell steel and wood, price and terms,
in the playerpiano game, will drop by the wayside."
Mr. Netzow stated that the sales of the Waltham
player have been steadily increasing in Milwaukee,
and that the manufacturers have no cause for com-
plaint.
MANAGER BECOMES OWNER
Olen H. Dawson, formerly manager of the Davis,
Burkham & Tyler store, East Fifth street. East Liver-
pool, Ohio,, for about ten years, last week opened a
music store in the Brookes building, West Fifth
street. The Davis, Burkham & Tyler Company re-
cently closed its East Liverpood store. The interior
of the Dawson store room has been remodeled and
redecorated.
BALDWIN IN NORTHWEST.
The Northwest territory, comprising the states of
North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin,
has shown a decided increase in business for the
Baldwin line, is the report of the Baldwin Chicago
headquarters, 323 South Wabash avenue. Roads
which a mouth ago w r ere impassable are now in fair
shape and dealers are after their share of spring
business is the report of Baldwin travelers.
The Williams-Breedlove Music Store, Macon, Ga.,
is featuring grand pianos of which he has a fine line.
For the coming year, Robert Williams, the manager,
predicts a large sale of grand pianos in and about
Macon.
$2 The Year
FRITZ REINER DIRECTS
ARTISTIC RECORDINGS
Noted Conductor Became Interested Through
Friendly Visit and Took Charge of Welte-
Mignon Licensee Recordings.
Last fall W. C. Heaton, president of the Auto
Pneumatic Action Co., received a call from Fritz
Reiner, conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Or-
chestra. Mr. Heaton automatically launched into an
enthusiastic description of some new recordings
which had been made for the Welte-Mignon Licensee
record library. Mr. Reiner did not at once show the
warmth which Mr. Heaton thought due the sub-
ject who rose abruptly and said, "Come into the
studio and hear some of these new things."
Mr. Reiner was much interested in the manner in
which the recording was done. After the artists had
left he heard several of the selections Mr. Heaton
had spoken about played on the Welte-Mignon
Licensee and when he heard the Andante with Five
Variations, recorded by Maier and Pattison, he was
so impressed with the fidelity of the record to the
playing of 'the artists, that he suggested the recording
of a number of symphonies.
After a discussion of the educational benefits of
properly executed classics, and the expounding of
Mr. Reiner's ideas upon the subject, Mr. Heaton asked
the conductor if he would personally take charge of
and direct the recordings of a number of symphonies.
The result is that Welte-Mignon Licensee owners
may now hear 'the Beethoven Symphony No. 1,
Hayden Symphony No. 6, Mozart's Symphony No. 5
executed by the noted concert pianists, Richard Singer
and Samuel Reichmann, under the personal direction of
this famous musical director.
The above mentioned symphonies form the first
group of a series of twelve which will be issued in
the Welte-Mignon Licensee catalog of artist recorded
records.
THE NECESSITY OF
CREATING NEW BUSINESS
Head of House of Harger & Blish Tells How
to Employ Missionary Work in
Selling the Goods.
The old house of Harger & Blish, of Des Moines,
Iowa, has a house organ of specially attractive appear-
ance. It is devoted to the radio branch of the busi-
ness and in the latest number is the following useful
article by H. H. Blish, Sr., on a subject of importance
also to the piano business.
In a recent issue of "Forbes" I was much inter-
ested in an article concerning an Oakland, Cal., bank
on methods they employ in creating new business.
It was not especially original, but it worked. It
not only helped the bank but developed the commu-
nity. Possibly not many radio dealers could employ
the same methods, but the essential thing was the
necessity of doing something to create new business.
During the past season we were repeatedly impor-
tuned by a few dealers for an additional agency in the
next town, saying that they had their own town fully
covered. How did they know? They had no data.
The probabilities are that the demand for Atwater
Kent could be doubled, maybe tripled, when a careful
survey of the field is made. Every home in town and
every farm house in the county is a potential prospect
if it has not already installed in it an efficient and
satisfactory set.
It is evidently very clear that we, each of vis, must
do a certain amount of missionary work for a time
that may not produce the fullest measure of success,
but not a day should close without new prospects
being added to our list for further development. The
accessory business can and should equal in dollars
and cents, your set business—and every owner of a
radio set, no matter what the make, is a potential
buyer.
If you haven't them for a customer "there's a rea-
son." It goes without saying that every firm, in time,
loses customers. It therefore follows that new cus-
tomers in at least equal amount must be found to
make up for those we lose. The dealer that loses
twenty old customers and adds ten new ones is
headed for the "he used to heres" in short order.
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