Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1927 2135

Page 3 Text:

THE NEW Y0J1K
PUBLIC LIBRARY
MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1881
Established
1884
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
10 Cents a Copy
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1927
$2 The Year
PRACTICAL WAYS TO PROMOTE PIANO SALES
Activities of Trade Associations, Music Houses and Individuals Conducive to
Immediate or Future Business in Pianos Are Briefly Recorded
NEW YORK MERCHANTS ACTIVE.
At a meeting of the National Republican Club, New
York, June 20, plans to utilize a scheme of group
piano instruction were completed by the Melody
Way Committee of the New York Piano Merchants'
Association. The first lesson will appear in the New
York Evening World on Saturday, July 9, and will
be followed on each successive Saturday until the
entire series of twelve lessons are published, each
being given a full page of space. A radio tie-up with
the printed lessons is also provided for. The com-
mittee has mailed the full prospectus of the plan to
400 piano dealers in all parts of the city, inviting
their co-operation with the proposition.
GOOD FOR THE SOUL.
In addition to the wonderful achievements of the
piano playing tournament in Chicago in stimulating
piano playing among the boys and girls of the city,
members of the committee, at a special dinner in honor
of Chas. E. Byrne as the originator of the tournament
idea, testified to the benefits of the contest in promot-
ing a spirit of co-operation among the members of
the local trade in working together to promote music.
A SAN FRANCISCO EFFORT.
A Starr grand piano is the first prize in contest
within the Co-operative Musical Education Club
formed by the Chimes Music Store, 1180 Market
street, San Francisco. The club is an idea of George
Braun, manager of the store, who says it will prove
an effective means of keeping piano pupils interested
during the distractions of the summer vacation period.
The details of the club plan are available to those
who make application either in person or in writing,
and some splendid prospects have come into the piano
department since the contest was launched.
MAKES IT PERMANENT.
The Greater Chicago Children's Piano Playing
Tournament, which was such a stirring closing event
of the recent convention of the music trade at the
Stevens Hotel, Chicago, is to be made an annual
event. That important decision was made at a meet-
ing of the promoters and sponsors last week.
A PROVIDENCE, R. I., CONTEST.
The Outlet Co., Providence, R. I., has promoted a
contest for piano students, the first prize in which is
a Chickering grand piano. The purpose of the con-
test, according to C. Walker Fraleigh, manager of
the piano salon of the company, is to advance the
cause of piano music not only in Rhode Island, but
in border towns in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
All the teachers of the state and many outside of
it already have expressed the keenest interest in the
contest, in which the judges will be Maurice Dumes-
nil, international French pianist; Hans Barth, noted
composer; Mrs. Caesar Misch, Rhode Island presi-
dent of the State Federation of Music Clubs; Marion
C. Weir, music critic; William H. Butterfield, director
of music in the Providence schools, and Mrs. Rosalba
De Anchoriz, prominent musical patron of Provi-
dence.
MUSIC DIRECTOR'S BELIEF.
In an address at a luncheon of the New York
Rotary Club last week, Dr. George H. Gartlan,
director of music in the New York public schools,
said the motive behind such training in the schools
was not to teach children to become expert musicians,
but to prepare them for an appreciation of music not
only while they are children, but after they leave
school and in later life.
PROVIDES OBJECT LESSON.
The Michigan Music Merchants' Association ex-
tends a most cordial invitation, not only to Michigan
piano merchants, but to those of the whole nation to
come and witness the Greater Detroit Piano Tourna-
ment finals during the convention in Detroit, August
IS to 18. It will be the climax of a publicity cam-
The earnestness of the progressive piano
merchants everywhere is an assurance that
, the trade has azuakcned to the necessity of
practical methods for revitalizing the piano
business. In many places piano playing con-
tests directly interest the school children and
their parents, and further help to extend the
favor for piano instruction among the girls
and boys.
paign to popularize and promote the
upon the activity of a piano playing
ducted in the complete school systems
city of the nation and sponsored by the
paper.
piano, based
contest con-
of the fourth
leading news-
GOOD WORK IN BUFFALO.
Co-operating with the Buffalo Evening News, the
music merchants of Buffalo devote their efforts to
the formation of piano classes during the holidays.
The movement, well begun during the closing school
weeks, is now getting the desirable stimulation. The
merchants are making special preparations for the
Melody Way classes in a tw r elve-week course to be
concluded with a final contest.
The Buffalo Evening News began its editorial ma-
terial on the Miessner Melody Way plan in its issue
of Monday, June 27, and the first lesson will be pub-
lished today (Saturday, July 2).
A PACKARD PROPOSITION.
The Packard Music House, Ft. Wayne, Ind., last
week made a special announcement that it had made
arrangements with the music teachers of Ft. Wayne
by which, for a definite period, private music lessons
would be given to all purchasers of a Packard or a
Bond piano, or any new or used piano in stock.
"These lessons may be arranged for with any
teacher and the Packard Music House will pay for
them as a special contribution to the development of
music in our community. You select the teacher and
we pay for the lessons," was the definite proposition.
KANSAS CITY IN LINE.
Miss Mabelle Glen, director of music in the public
schools of Kansas City, gives her hearty approval of
a scheme to encourage piano lessons during the vaca-
tion period. With the beginning of the holidays, the
Kansas City Star, in co-operation with the local piano
merchants, has begun its Melody Way campaign.
The campaign will be conducted under the title of
the Star's Melody Way Club, the paper publishing a
music lesson on its music page each Sunday for
twelve weeks, linked up with a broadcast radio ex-
planation of the lesson. Local music dealers are
providing classrooms for weekly free lessons to those
enrolled.
INTERESTS ADULTS
The Melody V/ay, free course of music teaching,
conducted by the Milwaukee Journal and participated
in by co-operating music merchants of that city is
producing splendid results, according to Lillian Leub-
tow, an enthusiastic supporter of the movement who,
in telling the fact in a letter to the Schumann Piano
Co., Rockford, 111., says:
"Am very pleased at the interest among both chil-
dren and parents. Surprised to see that the enroll-
ment comprises about fifty per cent adults, many of
them being fine piano prospects. Have several classes
going, teaching one myself and keeping two other
teachers busy."
UNIVERSITY IS PRACTICAL.
The Wisconsin LIniversity School of Music at
Madison, Wis., is offering to Madison children free
music courses in daily classes during the summer
session, from June 25 to August 5. The university
is instituting a demonstration school to be conducted
in conjunction with courses in public school methods
which will permit a selected group of boys and girls
from the fifth and sixth grades daily training in
piano under Professor Leland A. Coon, piano in-
structor.
WAY DOWN IN GEORGIA.
Five prominent music houses of Atlanta, Ga., are
back of a scheme of the Atlanta Journal to increase
interest in piano instruction, and the plans announced
a few weeks ago are now being worked out in a most
enthusiastic manner. In furtherance of the plans of
the Atlanta Melody Way Club, each of the five music
houses has engaged a teacher to instruct its alloted
groups of piano pupils. A prize fund of $1,000 has
been subscribed.
A SIGNIFICANT ACTION.
A special committee on piano study had been au-
thorized by the Music Supervisors' National Confer-
ence. The special committee on the piano will consist
of three persons, and their assignment will be to
study the question of the piano as a part of school
music training and to promote piano classes in the
schools of the country. It marks the formal recogni-
tion of piano study as a legitimate school subject, in
itself a long step forward.
INTERESTS THE YOUNG FOLKS.
In the third annual Fitzgerald Piano Trophy Con-
test held recently by the Fitzgerald Music Company
of Los Angeles, a $1,800 Knabe grand piano was the
first prize. The Fitzgerald Piano Contest, which will
be an annual event until 1935, is another constructive
means of the progressive Fitzgerald Music Company
to stimulate a greater interest in the piano and to
cultivate the study of piano music among the younger
generation.
CHEERING FOR TEACHERS.
A new solution to the vocational problem of aspir-
ing pianists is presented by the remarkable growth
of group piano classes in the public schools. It is
estimated that several hundred cities are now offer-
ing such piano teaching in their schools. Definite
figures are being obtained in the course of an investi-
gation by the National Bureau for the Advancement
of Music, as a follow-up of its pamphlet, "Piano
Classes in the Schools." Copies of that pamphlet are
obtainable without charge from the office of the
bureau, 45 West 45th street, New York City.
In pointing out the new opportunity for pianists,
the advocates of this plan call attention to the fact
that in the past the profession of the pianist has been
an overcrowded one. There has not been enough de-
mand for solo pianists and enough private pupils to
keep all the teachers busy. It is pointed out that the
school piano classes not only give employment to
more teachers, but provide new raw material for ad-
vanced work with the private teachers. One city,
Fayetteville, Ark., reports that 75 per cent of the
children in the group piano classes have gone on to
private study after two terms of class work.
PUPILS ENCOURAGED.
Presentation of gold, silver and bronze medals to
1,300 young musicians in the interborough contest
that was in progress for weeks under the auspices of
the New York Music Week Association took place
last week in Carnegie Hall, New York City. The
big auditorium was nearly filled with relatives and
friends of the contestants. C. Stanley Mitchell,
president of the Central Mercantile Bank of New
York, made the presentations, assisted by Joseph P.
Donnelly and Miss Isabel Lowden, director of the
association.
Before the presentations there was a musical pro-
gram by the massed chorus of the choral contestants,
who sang Gaines's "Salutation," Rasbach's "Trees"
and Beethoven's "The Heavens Are Declaring."
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/

Page 4 Text:

PRESTO-TIMES
NEW BRINKERHOFF GRAND MODEL
All the requirements for
success in sales were provided
by the manufacturers of the
new Mayfair grand model of
the Brinkerhoff Piano Co.,
Chicago. It has the desirable
small dimensions, tonal merits
and extraordinary beauty of
design that assures its suc-
cess as a purchase by people
of taste and musical culture.
The Mayfair, though only
five feet in length, has a
scale permitting unusual tonal
power and quality. In design
its case is unusually attractive
and its construction through-
out bears evidence of the
careful workmanship and at-
tention to detail accorded it
by the makers.
Materials
used in its building are of the
exceptional high q u a l i t y
known to Brinkerhoff prod-
ucts.
"To the gentlefolk of the
world of fashion, who know
the smartness of London's
West End, the Brinkerhoff
organization p r e s e n t s the
Mayfair, a small grand piano-
forte of new design and
extraordinary beauty," says a special folder issued
by the Brinkerhoff Piano Co. and devoted to describ-
ing the merits of the Mayfair model.
"For three decades Brinkerhoff pianos have been
recognized for their exacting workmanship, their
splendid musical qualities, and their great length of
life. Now, in the Mayfair, has been added exquisite
symmetry of line and daintiness to please the most
fastidious. The accoustical qualities have been clev-
erly developed within five feet of length to afford
full tone volume. Careful regulation permits the
most gentle variations in pianissimo and superb tonal
coloring. A finely made action ensures touch of
NEWS OF THE TRADE
FROM PORTLAND, ORE.
Anticipations for the Big Meeting of the West-
ern Dealers in San Francisco Largely
Fill Thought of Trade.
THE NEW MAYFAIR MODEL.
great delicacy, responsive to any whim of the per-
former.
"The Brinkerhoff Mayfair is finished in the latest
shaded high-light effects. Successive coats of clear
lacquer are applied on the veneers, and are 'then
rubbed by hand until a transparent sheen brings out
the full beauty of the wood. The result is a mellow
beauty of rich contrast to the ivory keys. No other
woods but mahogany and walnut, solid or in highly
figured veneers, are employed in the manufacture of
Mayfair cases. The hardware fittings are of special
design and solid brass."
went back to the jeweler's and purchased duplicates.
The fact is thus demonstrated that the winners value
their rings and wear them.
Grand Finals August 15.
The grand finals will be held on Belle Island, in
Great Aviator's Possible Appearance There the Symphony Bowl, Monday evening, August 15,
the first night of the Michigan Music Merchants'
Made Feature of Strong and Continuous
Convention, and will be broadcasted by the powerful
WJR. The following two nights, a big Detroit
Publicity for Piano Playing Tournament.
Music Carnival will take place downtown on the four
Four hundred and thirty young musicians of De- blocks of Washington boulevard to pay honor to the
troit—every one a champion—gathered last week at little girl champion, as Queen of the Carnival, with
the jewelry store of Square Deal Miller. They came the 429 school champions as her court. Mr. Bayley
to lie measured for rings they won in competition and Mr. Maypole are hard at work on these arrange-
with nearly 16,000 youthful pianists in the Greater ments; they promise that it will be big and good.
Detroit Piano Playing Contest.
Two subscriptions of $1,000 each were offered as
Two hundred and ninety-five school champions re- a start; several more are in the immediate prospect.
ceived silver rings. Sixty-three district champions It is felt by the Detroit Music Trades Association
received gold rings. Twelve finalists received dia- that if it finances the contest that it is the duty of the
mond set gold rings. Others who won rings in the city to pay all the expenses of honoring the winner,
contest last year were awarded diamond and ruby since the promotion of the playing of the piano is of
civic benefit.
settings for their rings in this year's competition.
The music industry is invited to attend the Michi-
The twelve finalists will compete for the three
grand pianos, which will go to -the winners in the gan Music Merchants' Association Convention,
elementary, intermediate and high school divisions. August 15, 16, 17, 18, at Detroit and observe for
The grand finals will be flayed at the Belle Isle Shell themselves. There is now some talk of having Col.
Lindbergh as guest of honor on this occasion, with
the evening of August 15.
Two numbers will be played by each finalist, one at least a good prospect of success, since he is com-
selection of their own choice and one compulsory ing to Detroit anyway this summer and the civic
number. The compulsory selections are: Elementary authorities think the idea appropriate.
group, First Movement from Sonatina Opus 20
No. 2, by Kuhlau; intermediate group, First Move-
GENEVA MUSIC EXHIBITION.
ment from Sonata Opus 49 No. 1, by Beethoven;
According to a German journal, the Geneva Music
high school group, Etude Opus 10 No. 12 (Revolu- Exhibition hardly deserves the name "international,"
tionary), by Chopin.
because under the protection of the Bund it is rather a
home affair, and foreigners have taken less interest in
Good Publicity Event.
it than was expected. It is said to have been conceived
The event at the jewelry store was used in the in too political a spirit. Yet it is an outside country,
publicity, which is such an interesting feature of the Germany, says the journal quoted, that has saved the
tournament. Movie films were taken and will be
used throughout the state. The Sunday Times car- enterprise from being a complete fiasco. The next
ried several pictures and a story. The twelve cham- most prominent outside exhibitors are France and
pions are booked to play over the radio two nights Italy, both important enough, but in no sense to be
weekly until the finals, August 15. Negotiations for compared with Germany.
stage appearances are now being conducted by Roy
MELODY WAY ADOPTED.
A. Maypole, contest director. The Times have sched-
At a "Melody Way" recital given for 200 children
uled a story for each Wednesday and Sunday also
until the finals.
recently in the auditorium of the Philipps High
It may be of interest to know that eighteen rings School, Birmingham, Ala., ten pianos were on the
had to be cut from the fingers of children who had stage. Miss Leta Kitts, music supervisor of the Bir-
won last year who were now entitled to have a jewel mingham schools, said that after a satisfactory trial
inserted in the ring for winning two years; also that during the past year the Melody Way has been
during the past year, twelve, having lost their rings, adopted for use in all the city schools.
INVITES LINDBERGH TO
DETROIT CONTEST FINALS
July 2, 1927.
The prominent dealers of Portland, Ore., are look-
ing forward with a great deal of interest to the West-
ern Music Trades Convention to be held in San
Francisco from July 12 to 15. Among those who
have announced that they will attend are G. F. John-
son, of the G. F. Johnson Piano Co., and president of
the Oregon Music Trades Association; A. R. McKin-
ley, Pacific-Northwest manager of Brunswick-Balke-
Collender Co.; Sidney Johnson, manager of Sherman,
Clay & Co.'s retail; L. D. Heater, jobber, of the L. D.
Heater Company; B. R. Brassfield, former manager
of the Wiley B. Allen Portland branch; and one
member of the firm of Collins & Erwin. Several
others are contemplating attending, but have not
definitely announced their going.
G. F. Johnson, president of the Oregon Music
Trades Association, has announced that a meeting of
the association will be held in the near future, when
plans for the San Francisco convention will be dis-
cussed. Nothing has been done in Portland along
association lines for several months and the election
of officers should have been held this month. It is
stated that they will return from the convention with
renewed enthusiasm. This is to be hoped for by
several of the dealers.
Allen McLean, for the past five years associated
with the music trade of Portland, Ore , and for ten
years previously in business for himself in Great
Falls, Mont., has left the industry and affiliated him-
self with the real estate firm of S. E. Henderson,
Builders, Inc., of Portland.
Alan Ramsey has been transferred from the Los
Angeles branch of Sherman, Clay & Co. to the
wholesale department of the firm in Portland, Ore.,
under the management of Elmer Hunt.
Herb Wiedoeft and His Cinderella Roof Orchestra,
exclusive Brunswick recorders, were featured recently
for a week at the Cole McElroy Spanish ballroom,
and, while in Portland, Ore., were broadcast daily
over the Oregonian station, KGW.
Cora Ritchie has joined the force in the record de-
partment of the Sherman. Clay & Co. Portland
branch. Miss Ritchie was formerly in the record de-
partment of the Liberty Music House of Seattle.
The Sherman, Clay & Co. number "Doll Dance"
is being featured by Chuck Whitehead and His Ri-
volians at the Rivoli Theater in Portland, Ore., and
it promises to rival in popularity the "Parade of the
Wooden Soldiers."
SOME ACTIVITIES OF THE
MILWAUKEE MUSIC TRADE
Contest, With Piano as First Prize, Promoted by
Wm. A. Kaun Co.
The Wm. A. Kaun Music Company, Milwaukee,
Wis., which handles the Baldwin piano, is sponsoring
a contest which is open to all boys and which will
award the winner an upright piano. The contest
consists in writing an essay of not over 100 words
telling why they should have a piano in the house.
The writer should also tell what kind of music they
do have in their house at the present time.
The Wurlitzer Company has opened three new
music stores in Milwaukee, which now gives the
company a total of four stores in the city. These
stores are distributed about the city so that people
will not have to go far to buy at a Wurlitzer store.
Besides the downtown store at 421 Broadway, in
charge of Harry Reinwald, the company has also
opened stores at 391 11th avenue, 768 Third street
and 3712 North avenue.
DE KALB INVITES LINDBERGH.
De Kalb, 111., the home of the Wurlitzer grand
pianos, made an attractive bid to get Col. Lindbergh
to visit that city on the occasion of the convention of
the American Legion, and a committee was appointed
to go to St. Louis by airplane and convey a personal
invitation of the De Kalb Chamber of Commerce, to
the famous aviator. On this committee of three of
De Kalb's citizens was Cyril Farny, vice-president of
the Wurlitzer Grand Piano Co.
NEW INDIANA BRANCH.
The Stonaker Music Co., of Bedford, Ind., has
opened a branch store in Oolitic in a building on the
south side of Main street, with Walter Smith, a local
man, in charge as manager. The stock includes
pianos, Brunswick and Victor phonographs, Atwater
Kent radios, musical instruments, sheet music, records
and rolls.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/

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