Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
tain calls for men suitable to conduct the affili-
ated stores, and in a single locality adjacent to
a great city there are already something like
The American Music Trade Weekly
twenty of the chain stores already in oper-
ation.
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Jt is not easy to estimate the influence oi
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT - - Editor*
so broad an enterprise, or its effect upon the
retail trade in general. A few years ago such
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
a condition would not have been considered
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
possible. But the principal thought in con-
Entered ag Second-cjass matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act oi March 3, 1879. nection with it is not alone the large ambition
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign, $4.
and astute management of the Wurlitzer
PayabSa In advance. No extra charge In United States
possessions. Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
house. It is that the public has at last ar-
application.
rived at the point where music is so essential
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for a part of every day life that such a system
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen can be made practically profitable. It is a
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
plan suggestive of the Atlantic & Pacific or
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
even the Piggly Wiggly plan of distribution
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the of the essentials adapted to luxury and edu-
editorial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of pro- cational phases of business. And it will be
duction will be charged if of commercial character, watched with interest by thinking members
or other than strictly news interest.
of the music industrv and trade.
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is
requested that their subjects and senders be carefully
indicated.
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat-
ter 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 dfsplay copy should be in hand by Monday noon
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
week, to insure classification, must not be later than
Wednesday noon.
iTHE BLUMENBERG FAMILY
Not so many years ago it would have been
impossible to mention the name of Blumen-
berg in the presence of a piano man without
awakening attention. For the name is one
that filled quite a large place in the musical
life, both artistic and commercial. It was
Address all communicatiuns for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
especially a prominent name in piano factory
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
offices and warerooms, because it was that of
a
brilliant and very shrewd music trade editor
SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1927.
and critic. It flew at the mast-head of both
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press trade and critical journals and it was com-
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring monly understood that it was a name that
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur- sometimes caused a shiver to run down the
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that spinal columns of both "artists" and manu-
is not strictly news of importance can have
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they facturers.
concern the interests of manufacturers or
But all that passed away when Editor Blu-
dealers such items will appear the week follow- menberg died, and since then death has also
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the
current issue must reach the office not later taken nearly all, if not quite all, of his people
who were directly concerned with music. It-
than Wednesday noon of each week.
presents again the familiar record of the un-
certainty of life and in it is contained a family
history of very unusual kind.
For in the Blumenberg family there were,
in addition to Marc, the editor and crusader,
a skilled violoncellist who had appeared in
many concert halls and—which should prob-
Beginning
ably have been said first—included a remark-
ably fine singer whose art had often delighted
FIRST SUNDAY IN MAY
large audiences. The mother, too, was an un-
usual character—good musician and highly in-
tellectual woman. The father had been, we
CHAIN MUSIC STORES
understand, a rabbi of sincere mind and much
Several months back a promotion concern eloquence.
in New York wrote Presto-Times on the sub-
It is, however, because of Marc A. Blumen-
ject of the chain store system in the music berg's part in music journalism and his in-
business. Today the largest general music fluence in the development of the piano and
house in the United States is vigorously ex- its trade that, notwithstanding his many ene-
tending its business by opening branch stores, mies, and often justified in their animosity,
in increasing numbers, throughout the coun- this article, suggested by the death last week
try. It is something new when the wide ex- of Miss Emma Blumenberg, is written.
tent of the enterprise is considered. It is not
the ordinary branch owned solely by the parent
Slacking-up of piano business in April suggests
house, but a lot of small but well equipped "spring fever" and the locust of fatigue. The ques-
establishments, in which each manager is finan • tion is still unsettled whether fatigue resulting from
ordinary neuro-muscular work is primarily central or
cially interested, and therefore directly con- peripheral. The amount of work required to induce
cerned in its development.
complete fatigue varies according to the degrees of
laziness of the salesman and other workers. In fac-
We need scarcely say that the broad-spread- tories
in only very rare occurrences will the individ-
ing enterprise in mind is the one fostered by ual go to that point where serious organic damage
the Wurlitzer Company and the name alone will result. Self-competition and visible performance
the greatest amount of work on the part of
is assurance of the aggressive manner in produce
the worker. Quickness and intelligence act together
which the chain of music stores is being ex- for the rate of work.
* * *
tended. Every link in the chain is strength-
The Milwaukee Journal's Melody Way Club is
ened by the parent house, the name of which
alone lends security to the public. The adver- under the direction of W. Otto Miessner, teacher,
composer and piano manufacturer, who wrote the
tising columns of the large city papers con- lessons. Melody Way Club rooms, throughout Wis-
National MusicWeek
April 16, 1927.
consin, are open to club members only. In these
club rooms are pianos for free use of club members.
Already more than 1,000 members have been enrolled
to take the free lessons. Members range in age from
5yi to 60 years.
The spread of the band and orchestra movement is
phenomenal.
Literally hundreds of the smaller
cities and towns are resounding with brass band
music where heretofore the occasional circus and
other wandering minstrels furnished all the outdoor
music that was heard.
* * *
This issue of Presto-Times may be called some-
thing of an "illustrated weekly." And we believe that
the old Musical Times—now a part of Presto-Times—
was the first publication to make a regular feature of
full pages of pictures. It certainly was the first music
paper to do it.
* * *
Music Week is a prominent theme in the trade
papers and in music stores. The subject is a very
important one, for every harmonious sound stimulates
the desire for musical instruments. It is the music
dealer's duty to himself to do all the Music Week
boosting within his power.
* * *
It is now proposed by some Chicago piano men
that the old-time instruments, too far gone to justify
any exchange value, be donated to the interest of the
June convention and sunk in Lake Michigan, with
suitable ceremonies.
WHAT WE WERE DOING
And Saying When the Trade
Was Young
35 YEARS AGO IN THE TRAD|
(From Presto, April 14, 1892.)
'"'\
The business of the Everett Piano Company cqn-
tinues to forge along rapidly. The regular output is
from seventy to eighty pianos a week and yet they
are unable to fill their orders.
It is now reported that a movement is on 'foot to
form a National Association of Piano Manufacturers
next year. The local Associations in the different
cities, it is proposed, shall elect delegates to visit
Chicago during the World's Fair and here form the
National Association.
There seems a lack of interest amongst the older
tuners of this city, in the new association of piano
tuners recently formed. Why this should be we can-
not understand. Surely organization helps individuals,
and the younger man in the profession can help many
of the older ones.
Within Our Gates: H. D. Pease, J. U. Pejise
(Pease Piano Co.), Reinhard Kochmann (Hardman,
Peck & Co.), H. P. Fischer (J. & C. Fischer), H. B.
Tremaine (Aeolian Organ & Piano Co.), New
York—Mr. Baker (Troll & Baker), Geneva, Swit-
zerland.—Jas. Medbury, Escanaba, Mich.—J. M.
Alcott (Alcott & Maynor), Dallas, Tex.—J. E. Gil-
bert, Churubusco, Ind.
25 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(From Presto, April 17, 1902.)
Air. E. N. Kimball, president of the Hallet & Davis
Company, of Boston, Mass., is in the city this week.
Messrs. Christman & Son expect to be in their new
piano factory now being built by them at Nos. 869
and S73 East One Hundred and Thirty-seventh street,
New York, on June 15, and they will be glad to re-
move into larger quarters, as they are crowded with
orders.
It is said that a certain nobleman in Madrid com-
bined music with his cooking- apparatus. He has a
musical spit in his kitchen; it will take several roasts
at a time and play twenty-four tunes. The time re-
quired for cooking any particular joint or fowl is
calculated according to the number of tunes played.
During the present week one or more cases have
come under our notice whereby certain well known
and reputable piano makers are not only selling their
products at "all sorts of prices" to the dealer, but they
are also selling these self-same products at retail to
local buyers and at prices that defy description.
Sincere regret will be felt throughout the entire
music trade over the death of Mr. O. A. Kimball,
of the Emerson Piano Co., which occurred at Phoe-
nix, Ariz., yesterday (Wednesday) morning. Messrs.
O. A. Kimball, P. H. Powers, Joseph Gramer and
Geo. W. Carter were the original purchasers of the
business of Wm. P. Emerson, the founder of the
Emerson piano, who established the business in 1848.
A youth went forth 'to serenade
The lady he loved best,
And by her house at evening,
When the sun had gone to rest,
He warbled until daylight,
And would have warbled more,
But morning light disclosed the sign
"To Let" upon the door.
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