July-August, 1933
PRESTO-TIMES
tion banquet several years ago will recall the talk
given by Dr. Albert on that occasion, or, to be more
accurate, at the annual meeting of the association
in 1927. Those days were about the beginning of
preparation for this Chicago World's Fair. It was
the period of inception of the exposition and Dr.
Albert related some things at that gathering which
then seemed to be a good deal like fancy sketches,
even if not visionary. He pictured the crowd at the
exposition-to-be then six years off, passing through
the grounds, listening, as they passed along, to mili-
tary bands, orchestras, choruses and choral societies
from Boston, Philadelphia, New York and even
Pacific Coast points. "Aye, yes," he said in a
prophetic tone of voice, "you will hear kings and
potentates of the old world speaking as you pass
along the corridors of the great exposition." And,
now behold how this has all come to pass; and more.
Multitudes of people have heard the voice of the king
of England, the speeches of the premier of Great
Britain, and other distinguished personages in and
VIKW OK THK MAIN* BUILDING BALDWIN
these buildings are a veritable mechanic's fair of
varied processes and operations. Special machinery
and equipment are found in each of the many depart-
ments. As one of the items of interest the great
variety of knives used is worth special mention;
knives or cutters of wood, knives for leather, knives
for felt. Intricate automatic machines and skillful
men and girls are seen working on the amazing unit
parts that go to the making of the piano, the universal
musical instrument, the cultural background of every
home.
Concerning the capacity of the Baldwin factory at
Cincinnati, the plant covers a floor space of over 11
acres in eight interconnected buildings. In the main
building, facing Gilbert Avenue, are 20,592 separate
panes of window glass. If all this glass were in a
single piece it would measure about 537 feet each way,
enough to cover more than 6 J /> acres.
Tiie page advertisement of the Baldwin Piano Com-
pany in this issue of Presto-Times which bears the
caption: "And now in 1933 Baldwin is appointed the
PIANO FACTOR IKS. CINCINNATI.
out of royalty. Dr. Albert then went on to tell of
the developments that had been started in sound
amplification and which have since materialized to
such a wonderful degree.
Incidentally the system of radio loud speakers
at the exposition is one of the largest ever put into
operation. There are about 125 loud speakers dis-
tributed over the 424 acres of exposition grounds.
The music and Fair announcements can be hooked
directly to the loud speaker system to pick up en-
tertainments everywhere. Five different programs
may be given simultaneously in different parts of
the exposition. The three control rooms of the broad-
casting station employ seven announcers and twenty-
live operators, said to be the largest staff of any single
radio station in the world. The main purpose of the
system is to furnish entertainment and news service
in the grounds and the entertainment furnished is
music exclusively. The Baldwin piano, as already
mentioned, is the instrument used at the exposition
broadcasting station.
OHIO.
up by the National Lumber Manufacturers Associa-
tion, have attracted a great deal of attention, not only
from the general public visiting these interesting
building exhibits, but several dealers have gone there
especially to see the instruments and the unique finish
and design of their construction. In fact the place
lias been something of a rendezvous for mu.^icales.
The Bechstein electrically equipped piano shown
in the Hall of Science building has brought crowds
of listeners and these quite large assemblages give
evidence of the interest taken in pianos and piano
playing.
The I'. A. Starck Company have added their con-
tribution to "pianos at the exposition" by placing a
grand in the Rostone house of the Home Develop-
ment section.
The organ recitals given on the M. P. Moeller or-
gan which is installed in the chapel of the Hall of
Religion have attracted much attention and proved
THE PIANO AT THE EXPOSITION IS A MUCH USED INSTRUMENT AND
USED AT ALL KINDS OF ENTERTAINMENT GATHERINGS
Official Piano of the Century of Progress Exposition"
is an interesting announcement. It states notable
episodes in the progress of a great piano manufactur-
ing concern. Please refer to that page on back out-
side cover.
As this form of Presto-Times goes to press the
exposition has been going on two full months. The
Baldwin exhibit has been an intensely interesting
spot in the General Exhibits building. Many pianos
have been ordered for immediate delivery, others for
some weeks in advance and thousands of "prospects"
secured. From the opening day which started out
auspiciously with an order for Iowa delivery, and fol-
lowed the next day by a good Chicago sale, as already
noted in these columns, many interesting and suc-
cessful days have followed. The Baldwin exposition
book, well worth glancing through, contains quite
a remarkable list of names of persons interested in
music, and scattered through its pages after the
signatures may be seen in the "Remarks" column
such salutations as, "Hello," "Bon Jour," "Guten
Tag," "Buenos Dias,'' "Buenos Tardes," etc.. etc. One
of the Balbo flyers simply said, "Adios."
THE BALDWIN HEADQUARTERS AT THE
EXPOSITION
The center of these Baldwin activities at the ex-
OTHER INSTRUMENTS
position, all under the management of Mr. L. C. Wag-
ner of the Chicago branch of the Baldwin Piano
AT THE EXPOSITION
Company, is in the General Exhibits Building, booth
Pianos of several prominent manufacturers which
9, building number 3, where is also the offices and
headquarters of Mr. Wagner. Immediately in charge are not shown in any special exhibit may be seen on
of the exhibit is Howard A. Brown of the Artists' the grounds of the exposition. Among these are:
A special model Steinway grand in the Electrical
Department of the Chicago Baldwin store, 323-27
Building described as a STEINWAY MODERNE;
South Wabash Avenue, who has an able corps of
assistants and attendants at t!ie booth in General an instrument built of macassar ebony. This instru-
ment is illustrated on another page of this issue in
Exhibits Building No. 3'.
an article bearing the caption "Steinway Historical
The Baldwin exhibit at this location is more than
Exhibit," which constitutes an interesting Steinway
a mere showing of piano styles and models. It is display at the Lyon & Healy store, Wabash avenue
an educational exhibit as well, an exhibit showing and Jackson boulevard, Chicago.
the progressive work of piano building and where is
This ultra modern designed instrument is in keep-
demonstrated active construction and the vital work-
ing parts of the piano; an exceedingly interesting and ing with the rest of the furniture and was built
especially for the linn that furnished the furniture
educational exhibit.
for the display and according to their design. The
Accompanying the visual exhibit the Baldwin Com- instrument is, in fact, a part of the exhibit of the
pany gives out much literature and information in furniture house exhibiting their line of manufactured
general about pianos and piano construction; piano goods.
construction in general and the Baldwin piano in
I* or the performances of the Marionette stage ex-
particular. One of these pieces of literature entitled hibition and the orchestra performing at the A. & P.
"Baldwin Factory Facts" is a story about the house attractions four Steinway grands are in use supplied
of Baldwin from the time it was founded over seventy by Lyon & Healy, Tnc. Chicago Steinway representa-
years ago on to the present day. The introduction tives.
to this folder reads as follows:
The Baldwin factory buildings at Cincinnati are
The two pianos displayed by the Wurlitzer Com-
situated in an inspiring location with convenient ac- pany, an Apollo grand and a Wurlitzer grand; one at
cess for employees from all the many suburbs and the Masonite House, the other in the model house put
very interesting. The recitals have been given by
various organists invited by the M. P. Moeller Com-
pany to furnish the program.
MR. STEIN AND HIS OUTBOARD
MOTORBOAT
Charles Frederick Stein, eminent piano manufac-
turer and lover of piscatorial sports, finds the little
outboard motorboat made at one of the supplemental
shops of the Wurlitzer factories at North Tonawanda
just right for his use. He hitches the little craft on
the rear of his automobile and headed for some good
fishing or hunting spot up North, he is in his glory.
He says that "the combined row'boat and outboard
angle of the Wurlitzer industries at North Tonawan-
da is just all right."
MR. UHL'S CROSS COUNTRY TRIP TO
THE COAST
When Mr. E. H. Uhl, president of the Southern
California Music Company, visited the East he had
an exceedingly interesting trip back to Los Angeles,
for after visiting his home-town, Chicago, and taking
in the things that interested him at the Century of
Progress Exposition, a trip to the Baldwin factories
at Cincinnati, where he went after the Chicago Piano
and Radio Convention, Mr. Uhl proceeded on to
Detroit where he purchased an automobile that per-
fectly met his requirements of a satisfactory car. He
at once started back across the sands and over the
hills and mountains to California.
WILLIAM SCHMOLLER OPTIMISTIC
At a meeting and gathering of the officers and em-
ployees of the Sioux City, Iowa, branch of the
Schmoller & Mueller Music Company, William
Schmoller. the president who came up from head-
quarters at Omaha to attend this gathering said to
his boys that the next few months would witness
one of the largest revivals of retail sales that he has
seen in his 50 years of merchandising. Concerning
piano prices and piano values Mr. Schmoller re-
marked that good pianos were lower today than he
had ever seen them, and that he believed some in-
creases in manufacturers' prices were bound to follow
shortly.
The Arnold Jewelry and Music House, Ottumwa,
Iowa, which was established by C. L. Arnold in 1900,
has been under the management and personal direc-
tion of Carl Dalin since 1909. The business has con-
tinued to grow and today is one of the best known
establishments of Southern Iowa.
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