December 8, 1928
INFLUENCE OF RADIO
ON PIANO LESSONS
Fiano Music Broadcasted Over Radio Is Ex-
ercising Unmistakable Influence Over Lis-
teners with Cheerful Results Reported by
Many Interested People.
That radio is helping the cause of piano music and
incidentally the sale of pianos is the belief voiced by
many observant men in the music business. In Eng-
land manufacturers and retailers of pianos agreed in
a convention statement that a steady increase in piano
sales may be attributed to the effect of radio on the
listeners. In this country, too, it is conceded that
listening to the piano over the radio is gradually de-
veloping a desire to play in boys and girls who here-
tofore have not responded to the urge. It is said
that the desire to learn to play the piano is shared
by large numbers of farm boys, once considered im-
mune from the piano playing desire.
A piano man who has been noting the increase in
piano pupils in group classes in schools and stores
and with private teachers as well as the enrollment
of radio piano lesson pupils with radio stations giving
a radio course in piano playing, stated his views as
follows:
Notes the Effect.
"Through l : stening in on my radio I noticed that
every time I tuned in I would hear a piano. If some
one sang, the piano accompanied the voice. If I
heard a violin or other instrumental solo, there was
almost invariably a piano accompaniment. Ensembles
and small orchestras nearly all have pianos. Every
dance orchestra has one. Piano solos come out of the
air with great frequency, often rendered by some
noted artist. I began to realize the enormous usage
to which the piano was put. Inquiry disclosed the
interesting fact that nearly all music is first composed
on the piano, and then transposed for other instru-
ments or for orchestras.
"The conviction was driven home that the piano is
assuredly the most serviceable of all musical instru-
ments. And it was the radio that first brought to my
attention the various uses of the piano. It led me to
find out something about the place of the piano in
music, and what I learned was truly surprising. The
radio is assuredly the friend of the piano dealer, for
every day it is bringing to the attention of millions of
people all over the land, the value of the piano as a
means of producing music.
Other Evidence.
"All teachers of voice teach singing with the aid of
the piano. Concert singers use it in their recitals, and
operatic singers use it in rehearsing. Lecturers on
music use it to illustrate the construction of large
orchestral compositions. The piano is recognized by
authorities on music as a standard instrument. But
above all these various uses of the piano is its strong-
est claim to the place of head of the family of musi-
cal instruments, and that is the use to which it has
been put for generations in developing appreciation
of music in children.
Piano Part of Home.
"You could not dispense with the piano if you tried.
Imagine, if you can, something happening that would
leave the world without a single piano. Immediately
a keen loss would be felt in every civilized commu-
nity the world over. The piano is ingrained in the
life of civilized people. It is an inseparable and in-
timate part of the home, the starting point of most
careers in music. It may be supplemented by other
instruments, but it cannot be substituted by any."
DECREASED EXPORT OF
GERMAN PIANOS REPORTED
Figures of German Manufacturers Do Not Agree
with Those Printed by English Contemporary.
According to latest German reports, sales of Ger-
man pianos in Germany are at pre-war level, with
the difference that about 80 per cent of the business
is conducted by hire purchase. The Music Trades
Review of London, says that the German export
business reveals, however, a very differnt story.
These figures are given by the London Journal:
In 1913 she exported 76.400 pianos, 22,000 of them to
Great Britain. The tctal export to all countries was
55,5CO in 1925, but this dropped to 40,600 in 1926, and
in the first half of 1928 was 17,300. The figures of
the exports to Great Britain are significant, as the
following will show: 1922. 15,012; 1923. 11,691; 1924.
10.261; 1925. 15.606; 1926, 3,005; 1927. 2,774. It might
be added that the total imports of pianos to this
country, from all sources, dropped from 16,688 in
I 1 \< KS TO-T 1 M E S
1925 to 3,027 in 1927, the figures for the first nine
months of 1928 being 1,580. The sales of British
pianos in Great Britain were 85,000, 90,000, and 100,-
000 in 1925, 1926 and 1927 respectively, and of Ger-
man pianos 15,606, 3,005, and 2.663, in the same years.
NEW INCORPORATIONS
IN MUSIC fiOOOS TRADb
New and Old Concerns Securs Charters in Various
Places.
The capital stock of M. Goldsmith's Music Co.,
Brooklyn, N. Y., has been increased from $1,000 to
$25,OC0"
Lloyd & Co., Inc., 7 Main street, Champaign, 111.,
with capital stock of $72,000, to engage in the selling
of musical instruments, books, etc.
Platt Music Co., Los Angeles, announces increase
of $1,000,000 in its capital stock.
The Elmhurst Majestic Co., 101 South York street,
Hlmhurst. 111., with capital stock of $20,000. to deal in
talking machines, radio receiving sets, etc. E. E.
Williams, E. W. Kessler and M. E. Williams.
The Hillgrove Parts & Service, Inc., LeGrande,
111., by George F. Rezek and Harry LeBahn, the
manufacture and sale of radios, phonographs, etc.
The Easy Payment Music Co., Neon, Ky., with
capital stock of $10,000 by H. M. Hoskins, G. W.
Hoskins and Enoch Smallwood.
A hove is shown
the Queen Anne
Period Grand
5 feet, 2 inches.
At the right is
shown the Lyric
Grand, 5ft,, 7 in.
PIANO INDUSTRY IN DENMARK.
Official statistics show that in 1927 there were in
Denmark 21 active piano factories, employing 315
workers, of whom only five were women. In 1924
there were 485 hands, including 14 women. The de-
cline has been steady from year to year. Production
in 1924 was valued 7,308.654 kr.. in" 1927 at 2,667,800
kr. The number of uprights produced in 1927 was
1,184 against 3,098 in 1924. The respective numbers
of grands was 316 and 385. Decline in output of up-
rghts has been very rapid. For grands there was a
better demand in 1927 than in 1926. Harmoniums
declined from 1.057 in 1924 to 612 in 1927. Organs
stood at 36 in 1924, 1925 and 1927, with a spurt to
43 1 in 1926. Iron and steel wire used in 1927 weighed
3,900 kilogrammes, against 17,254 kilogrammes in
1924.
Copper and brass wire figured at 4,100 kilo-
grammes and 8,283 kilogrammes respectively.
GERMAN PIANOS MORE COSTLY.
On August 20 there was a committee meeting of
the German Piano Manufacturers' Association, when
the question of wages and their effect was considered.
It was agreed that this year's increase in wages, and
the consequent increased cost of important material,
made a 5 to 6 per cent difference in cost of produc-
tion. This the industry had not hitherto taken into
account, but now must do so.
ADDS MUSIC DEPARTMENT.
The Bowman Company, Philadelphia, a prominent
department store with headquarters in Harrisburg,
Pa., has added a music department to its establish-
ment. Pianos and talking machines with radios, in-
cluding the Brunswick Panatrope and combination
and records and the Atwater Kent and RCA radios
will be featured. The new section is under the man-
agement of H. C. Chubb.
M. SCHULZ TRADE IN IOWA.
James and William Duven, piano dealers of Osage
City, Iowa, were callers at the M. Schulz Company's
headquarters, 711 Milwaukee avenue, Chicago, on
Monday of this week. Osage City is the county seat
of Mitchell county in the western part of the state,
and these enterprising piano men are finding a good
trade in the M. Schulz Co.'s line of instruments.
The Henry F. Miller
Sells Itself
J
UST get your customer seated at
a Henry F. Miller piano and it
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by the beauty of its tones and will
marvel at the easy responsiveness
of its action. To play a Henry F.
Miller piano is to realize that here
is an instrument with the ability to
give a musician the full power of
expression.
One glance at the Henry F.
Miller and one fleeting moment at
its keyboard make it apparent that
no expense has been spared, and
nothing has been left undone, to
make it the best possible piano that
experience, knowledge and skilled
craftsmanship can produce.
You can sell Henry F. Miller
pianos, for they have a wealth of
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ing selling points. And the piano
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get your customer at the keyboard.
Wise dealers are quickly closing up
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formation today if you want a real
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MOVES IN OTTAWA, ILL.
Morey Roberts. Ottawa, 111., has moved his music
shop from 229 West Madison street to the Duncan
Building, 231 West Madison street. This will be the
fifth store room Roberts has occupied within the past
twenty years, all on Madison street. He plans to
occupy the building which was formerly the Smallen-
berger store, by the last of the month.
A. GOLDSMITH'S TRIPS.
A. Goldsmith, president of the Goldsmith Piano
Company, 1223 Miller street, Chicago, has recently
done a good deal of traveling in the interests of his
house. Week before last he was at Minneapolis and
St. Paul. Minn. Mr. Goldsmith found the outlook
promising at both those northern cities.
Pintner's Music Store is now open for business at
4339 W. 35th street. Cleveland. O. Mrs. Pintner will
sell pianos, musical instruments and accessories. She
will give special attention to repairing and tuning.
Mrs. E. J. Pintner, owner, formerly conducted a music
store at 4209 Pearl road.
lianos
Choice of American Homes Since 1865^
Henry F. Miller Piano Co., Boston, Mass.
P 5
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