MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1884
Established
1881
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE JOURNAL
10 Cents a Copy
1 Year
$1.25
10 Months. . .$1.00
6 Months.. 75 rents
CHICAGO, ILL., NOVEMBER, 1931
.Monthly—
Fifteenth of Kadi Month
N. A. M. M.
LATEST FROM
HEADQUARTERS
UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF COMMITTEE
"YOUR LITTLE DAUGHTER—Now is the time
Alfring Heads New York Division
to start her musical education too!" was the heading
Names on Committee
used for the first in a series of advertisements sent
to members of the National Association of Music
Merchants from the executive office with one of the
Merchandising Idea Bulletins, and the replies which
were received from members, in a large number of
cases with tear sheets from thir local daily papers
showing the use of the advertisement, showed con-
In the drive which has been launched in New York mer & Co.; Albert Behning, New Vork Piano and
clusively that this new item of dealer service, a part City by the Emergency Unemployment Relief Com- Organ Association; Deibert L. l.oomis, National As-
of the work plan for the coming fiscal year outlined mittee to raise twelve million dollars ($12,000,()C0.()0)
sociation of Music Merchants; W. G. Heller, Winter
by the executive secretary at the last convention, has to relieve distress among the unemployed during the & Co.; Eugene Schmitt, Hardman, Peck & Co.: Theo-
received the enthusiastic approval of a very consider- coming year, VV. H. AHring, presidem of the Aeolian
dore Steinway, Steinway & Sons.
able number of members.
Co., is leading the forces soliciting subscriptions to
Musical Merchandise (iron])—Henry C. Lomb,
Letters commenting upon the advertisement were the fund from musical instrument and publishing in-
Waverly Musical Products Co.: Sam Bnegeleiseu,
received from members located in the following twenty terests of Manhattan borough.
Buegeleisen & Jacobson.
states together with the District of Columbia and
Music Publishers' Group—John G. Paine, Music
In
undertaking
this
responsibility,
Mr.
Alfring
has
Canada: Pennsylvania, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska,
Texas, Massachusetts, California, Illinois, Ohio, created live w r ork groups as follows:
Publishers' Protective Association: Harold Flammer,
Minnesota, New York, West Virginia, Wisconsin,
Piano Group—C. Alfred Wagner, Aeolian Co.; Gor- G. Schirmer, Inc.
Alabama, Virginia, Indiana, Maryland, Colorado, Con-
Organ Group—George L. Catlin, Skinner Organ
don
Campbell. Kohler-Brambach Piano Co.; David
necticut and Arkansas.
Co.;
VV. E. Pilcher, Henry Pilcher Sons; Frank Taft,
The advertisement was in mat form, 11 by 6% A. Smith. Standard Felt Corp.; Harry Sohmer, Soh-
Aeolian
Co.; H. Waters, Estey Organ Co.
inches in size. It carried an attractive illustration of
General and Miscellaneous—VV. H. Alfring, Aeolian
a young girl seated before a piano keyboard. Pro-
vision was made for the incorporation of the dealer's
Co.: Harry Meixell, Music Industries Chamber of
name.
Commerce.
In one instance, that of Pittsburgh, Pa., the dealers
With their appointments these men immediately
joined together in using the advertisement as strictly
began
an active and enthusiastic canvass of the pros-
institutional "copy," affixing in place of the dealer's
pects placed in their hands, in most cases making
name a cut showing a piano keyboard with the line
personal calls upon those assigned to them for solici-
"The Piano—The Basic Musical Instrument."
tation.
The value of the illustration was commented on
particularly by a number of members, among them
Despite the serious business conditions through
VV. J. Storey, a well-known advertising authority, ad-
which
we are passing, conditions which have fallen
vertising manager of C. \V. Lindsay & Co., Ltd.,
with
particular
severity upon the musical instrument
Montreal, who wrote: "The illustration which you
(A Sequel to " M y Piano")
supplied us is so remarkable that it can be repeatedly
and publishing business, it is believed that those
used with new copy: we have already used it three
engaged in the music business in Manhattan borough
times."
will produce for the Emergency Unemployment Re-
While in many cases in answer to the inquiry made
lief Fund $5 ()()().()() or more.
in the bulletin, members indicated that the size of
Let your piano be " M y Piano",
the advertisement was entirely satisfactory, a num-
A steadfast companion you'll
ber of others said that double column "copy" would
BUT IT WAS A GREAT GAME
always know.
perhaps be more useful. Inquiry was made by the
A damp, chilly Saturday afternoon in November, a
executive office as to the attitude of members regard-
Let it +hen take you to ecstasy's
stadiun packed to overflowing, a hurried parking in
ing the advantages of mats in contrast to advertise-
one of two lots, both of which were already jammed,
height
ments being supplied in proof form only. The con-
a late entrance; bat it was a wonderful football game.
sensus seemed to favor mats and the suggestion was
Or let it lose you in fantasy's
Three men of the piano manufacturing industries
made that the illustration only might be provided in
flight,
journeying down from Michigan met a fourth from
mat forni, the balance of the copy being in proof,
Chicago and drove on to the new stad!u:n at South
thus giving flexibility as to size of space to be used.
Let it give you the joy of deep-
Bend to see Notre Dame win another gridiron con-
One o" the members of the association, VV. VV.
est devotion,
test.
Bradford, treasurer of the Knight-Campbell Music
Nothing unusual about that; but twilight shad-
Let it express your ev'ry
Co., Denver, thought so highly of the illustration used
ows were lengthening into darkness, a light drizzle
with the'September advertisement that he made use
emotion;
fell upon the close of a gloomy autumnal day, t'.ie
of it on the lirst page of the Knight-Campbell Teacher
Would you know real peace,
game had long ended, the crowd had departed its
Bulletin in a half-page announcement, the bulletin be-
many ways—and a machine stood waiting, and alone.
ing broadcast to teachers and music lovers in the
unburden your soul,
It was the machine that our four friends had so hur-
Colorado district covered by the Knight-Campbell Co.
You'll find your piano there
riedly arrived in!
With the October bulletin, an entirely different
type of advertisement was supplied to members of the
People will spend an entire afternoon to see a
to console.
association, the advertisement being in proof form
game, but it seems that they have an •obsession for
Don't let it sit idle, it's ready
only.
trying to leave the stadium within thirty seconds after
In the layout which appears in connection with this
the final gun. It was in this mad scramble that oar
to lend
article there is used a clipping showing the October
good friends became separated and twisted in their
Just what you'd expect of
advertisement as used in a French language paper by
directions. W'.ien the lirst two finally did meet at
the well-known Canadian house of Willis & Co., Ltd.,
the machine, of course neither of them would have a
this constant friend—
with headquarters in Montreal. Reports indicated that
key, which made it necessary for them to enjoy the
YOUR PIANO
the October advertisement was extensively used by
doubtful pleasure of standing on the outside looking
members.
in—and it was raining. When the happy reunion was
finally consummated, undoubtedly this was one reunion
The November advertisement captioncd "The Home
of piano tradesmen at which neither business condi-
with Music Is the Happy Home," contains an illustra-
tions nor the "olden days" were discussed. The sun
tion, mats being used, showing a father and mother,
had long been set and t'le darkness was very dark,
the latter seated at a grand piano with their two
but time, which always obliterates space, found the
children, a boy and a girl, presenting an attractive
stag party of four back at their home in the Mic'.ii-
home scene, around which the text of the advertise-
gan hamlet on the lake
ment is effectivelv written.
YOUR PIANO
IS
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