MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1884
Established
1881
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
10 Cents a Copy
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1927
HOLIDAY FLAVOR IN
NEW YORK TRADE
Show Windows of Prominent Music Houses
Filled with Allurements in Period Grands
and Gayly Finished Little Uprights,
Impress Christmas Feature.
IMPORTANT EVENTS
Many Incidents of the Week Show the Lively Char-
acter of the Trade of Optimism
for the Future.
The joyous signs of holiday observance are plainly
evident in the music stores of New York and the
piano departments are particularly impressing the
means for making Christmas of characteristic im-
portance. Fine Period grand pianos in the show
windows show the trend of the piano buyers towards
the artistic models. The Period displays in the show
windows are evidences that the manufacturers re-
sponded to the popular demand and that the dealers
are taking advantage of the opportunity. The beau-
tiful models, in many instances are shown with
suitable backgrounds and associated witli furniture,
fabrics and objects generally that mark the particu-
lar period in history to which the various models are
credited.
But the small upright pianos also are given a prom-
inence they deserve. The windows are made gay
with the artistical colored cases of many of the little
models which present a comparatively new and attrac-
tive phase of the piano business. The New York
music stores have given the little upright models
prominence in the holiday publicity that is resulting
in a vast increase of interest in the instruments.
The clever admen have associated the little pianos
with the children in the suggestive Christmas giving
talks in newspaper ad and in special printed matter
freely distributed.
Wm. R. Steinway in Europe.
Many friends of William R, Steinway, general Eu-
ropean manager of Steinway & Sons, with headquar-
ters in London, England, bade him bon voyage here
last week as he sailed in the steamer Mauretania for
Europe.
Owing to a big storm on the Irish coast, the Mau-
retania was unable to put in at the port of Queens-
town to land its passengers, and this changed the
route of Mr. Steinway, who had intended to disem-
bark at Queenstown and go by rail to Dublin and
cross the Irish sea to London by boat. The Maureta-
nia continued on to Cherbourg, France, and Mr. Stein-
way being compelled to make this detour was delayed
two or three days in his time of reaching his office in
London.
He will remain in London for a short time and
expects to go to Hamburg soon. At the Steinway
& Sons Hamburg factory there is an intereshting
instance of the loyalty of Steinway men down to the
third generation in the presence there in good posi-
tions of two grandsons of the elder Eshelby, who
was for many years the European manager for Stein-
way & Sons. He died some twelve years or more
ago and his son who continued the business died two
or three years ago, and now two of the sons of the
original Steinway manager are doing all in their
power to promote the Steinway & Sons interests.
This is only one instance of Steinway loyalty ex-
tending over long periods, but there are many such
typical cases throughout pianodom, and elsewhere.
Herrburger and Stanley.
Jacques Herrburger, of the Herrburger-Schwander
piano action factory, 16 rue d'Evangile, Paris, France,
atrd Charles Stanley, new superintendent of Ludwig
& Co., had some pleasant chats of old times these
last few days in New York. Their intimacy grew
strong some two or three years ago while Mr. Stan-
ley was superintendent of the export division of the
Gaveau & Co. factory in Paris. Gaveau & Co. are
extensive users of Schwander actions, and it was not
an infrequent occurrence that these two men were
thrown together in the course of business. Anyway,
$2 The Year
the Herrburgers are and always have been first-class
entertainers and bon hommes of the first magnitude
Ludwig in South
Will T. Brinkerhoff, general manager of Ludwig
& Co., New York, has appointed J. T. Norris travel-
ing representative for the company in a wide section
Meeting Considers Final Plans for Second
of the south. From headquarters in Chattanooga,
Piano Playing Contest, and Other
Tenn., Mr. Norris will cover eight states in which
News of City.
he has a big circle of friends in the trade. The new
Ludwig traveler in the southern territory is familiar
Shirley Walker, president of the Music Trades
with piano trade conditions there and has many
Association of northern California last week in a
years of experience in the wholesaling of pianos.
letter to dealers of San Francisco and the bay cities
Brinkerhoff Enthusiastic.
announced a luncheon-meeting of the trade at the
By the way, speaking of Ludwig & Co., W. T. Palace Hotel, December 3. It was called for the
Brinkerhoff, general manager of the company's enter- purpose of discussing the final plans of the proposed
prises, is enthusiastic over his present connection and piano playing contest. Mr. Walker explained that
opportunity in the piano industry. He feels that with- the Call was ready to sponsor San Francisco's Second
out limitations to his promotional programs he now Annual Piano Playing Contest provided the piano
has the chance to put all his energy into the enter- trade contribute about $3,500. In Oakland the con-
prising manufacturing concern of Ludwig & Co. to test, to run concurrently with the San Francisco one,
make it become even more prominent in piano pro- would require a sum of about $2,000.
duction than it has been in the past.
P. H. Lasher will succeed A. L. Quinn as manager
Contest Ends.
of the Pacific Coast interests of the Q R S Music
December 10 was named for awarding prices to Company centered in the factory and offices in San
118 winners in the Melody Way course of piano Francisco. Mr. Quinn's resignation, tendered last
lessons conducted by the Evening World during the week, will become effective January 1. Mr. Quinn,
summer and fall. The prizes were announced by who has occupied the position for the past 14 years,
Calvin T. Purdy, chairman of the committee of the is one of the best known roll men in the country.
New York Piano Merchants' Association, which He has not yet announced his plans for the future.
sponsored the courses.
Mr. Lasher, who succeeds him, has been traveling
The National Federation of Music Clubs opened its out of the Chicago offices of the company for the
annual meeting at the Waldorf-Astoria on Tuesday past few years, but is familiar with the Pacific Coast
of this week and made plans for the biennial meet- trade, having at one time traveled for the San Fran-
ing in Boston in 1929, at which 1,500 singing dele- cisco division.
gates from all parts of the country are expected.
M. Annear has succeeded J. E. Dolau as Bruns-
No official action has been taken by the federat'.on wick manager of the territory east of San Francisco
with regard to jazz, but Mrs. Edgar Stillman Kelley Bay and which includes all the bay cities. The San
of Cincinnati, the president, said the music clubs Francisco territory has been placed in charge of
were sympathetic toward the new expression in music, A. J. Perry.
although they were fighting the "jazzing of the noble
The ceremonies connected with the dedication of
compositions of the great composers."
. the Aeolian Duo-Art pipe organ in the store of S. H.
1 Kress & Co., San Francisco, recently were extended
Central Offices.
over a week in order to provide special days devoted
The official opening of the new wholesale ware- to the communities comprising Greater San Fran-
rooms and offices of the Premier Grand Piano Cor- cisco. In addition to a San Francisco Day, there
poration, Jacob Doll & .Sons, Inc., Hallet & Davis were days for Marin County, Oakland, Berkeley,
Piano Co., and associated companies at 6 East Thir- Alameda and Richmond.
ty-ninth street, New York, provided an opportunity
Californians, Inc., the name of an organization
for an impressive showing of the various lines. They organized to advertise northern California, has a
show the completeness for which the offerings of
music trades committee, of which James J. Black
the companies are famed and the var:'ety of the of the Wiley B. Allen Co. has been elected chairman.
woods and finishes of the grands, uprights, player- Mr. Allen has appealed to all music dealers in the
pianos and reproducing pianos added to the alluring northern section of the state to contribute to the
quality of the display. A notable feature of the dis- joint advertising fund.
play was the full range of Period models.
Tlie Kimball line of pianos, made by the W. W.
A principal advantage in the grouping in the new
Kimball Piano Company, Chicago, has again been
location is to have the wholesale offices centrally lo- taken on by the H. C. Hansen Music House, San
cated, a convenience to the large number of dealers
Francisco. The line has been represented in the
who visit the city at all times of the year.
c.ty in recent years by the Union Music Co.
Biddle Payments Deferred.
The creditors of the Biddle Piano Company have
been hoping for a completion of the adjustment of
the indebtedness of the company so that they would
get a final settlement. But instead they receive
word from the creditors' committee that they will
not be. able to meet the December 1 notes.
Good Krakauer Bros. Orders.
! Pleased with His Reception in East and
Generous orders and many of them made more ;
Central West, He Hopes to Come
pleasant the recent trip as far as the Pacific Coast of " ' I
from Europe Annually.
Arthur. Hahn of Krakauer Bros., New York. Mr.
Hahn, ; who returned last week, tells of the warm i Jacques Herrburger, scion of Joseph Herrburger,
reception of himself by the dealers, who freely ex- head of the manufacturing concern which produces
pressed keen satisfaction with the Krakauer line.
! the Herrburger-Schwander piano actions, Paris, is at
The : Western trade Mr. Hahn found particularly present in the United States, having arrived on the
interested in period models which he was in a steamship Isle de Franc, November 15.
desirable position to satisfy with the splendid Kra-
Mr. Herrburger has visited quite a number ot the
kauer period models. The satisfactory results of Mr.
Hahn's first trip to the Pacific Coast for the company piano manufacturing concerns in New York, Boston,
are conducive to the cheerful activity noted in the Toronto, Cincinnati and Baltimore since his arrival,
and hoped to make calls upon several of the Western
factorv at this time.
manufacturers before setting out on the ocean for
the return trip, which is set for December 16 on the
steamer City of Paris.
TUNERS' DINNER POSTPONED.
He was in this country about a year ago and met
The dinner-meeting and lecture scheduled by the
Chicago Division, National Association of Piano with a cordial reception everywhere. He remarked
Tuners, Inc.. to take place at the Stevens Hotel, to your correspondent this week that he is liking
December 15, has been postponed until further America more and more and hopes to come across
notice. Colonel Paul Taylor, who w T as to give the the big pond at least once a year for a great many
lecture on this occasion, will be unable to attend at years to come. Mr. Herrburger is living at the Hotel
this time.
Pennsylvania in New York City.
HAPPENINGS IN THE
SAN FRANCISCO FIELD
JACQUES HERRBURGER
VISITS PIANO PLANTS
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