PRESTO-TIMES
March-April, 1936
The Two-Piano Festival at Indianapolis
Frank Wilhing Is the Manager
Active work is now going on for the Piano En-
semble Festival, in two performances, to take place
Sunday, May 3, at the Butler University field house,
Indianapolis, Ind; This field house has a seating
capacity of about 15.0CO, and as already over 10,000
tickets have been sold the affair looks like it will be
something well nigh stupendous in the line of musical
performances, embracing the two concerts, one in
the afternoon, the other that same evening.
Careful plans have been made for this event. In-
vitations to music teachers throughout the state were
sent asking that they furnish numbers of their pupils
to take part in the performances. For each number
on the program there are 225 performers, 200 of these
being pupils ranging in ages from 10 to 18, these
FRANK
O. WILKING, PRESIDENT WILKING MUSIC
COMPANY, INDIANAPOLIS, DIRECTOR
comprising three groups; the fourth group is made
up of adults, professional and amateur players.
There will be two players at each of 100 pianos
and 20 artists will play as embellishment on 20 other
pianos with each group. Professionals and conductors
will sit at the other five pianos. The artist group will
also render a special program of Arensky waltzes, the
work of the famous composer who has produced sev-
eral compositions written especially for two pianos.
Mr. Frank Wilking of the Wilking Music Company
was chosen director, and here is the estimate given
by the directors of the festival concerning Mr. Wilk-
ing's attainments and abilities:
Mr. Wilking has had many years' experience. He
has made music his life work, is an accomplished
musician and has been associated with music in In-
dianapolis for the past twenty years. He is a director
of the Indiana Symphony Society and is also a com-
poser. His latest contribution is a musical romance
which is soon to be produced in New York by the
Schuberts.
It is planned to have moving pictures made during
the performances and to have the entire program of
the afternoon broadcast over an extensive network.
The directors give out the information that all the
pianos used will be from the Wurlitzer Grand Piano
Company, DeKalb, 111., in fact the statement goes
so far as to state that some of these instruments are
of a special size which the Wurlitzer Company has
been able to supply for this occasion.
The committees having this enterprise in charge
are prominent citizens of the state of Indiana
Pianos Will Not Be Returned
These pianos up to the full requirements in num-
ber required, and even an extra one, are being made
ready at the De Kalb factory where this writer was
shown a group of fifty of them which had just been
harnessed for trucking to the scene of the festival-
tournament. A remarkable clause in the contract
applying to these pianos is that not any of them may
be returned; in other words, they are to be sold; in
fact, they are all practically sold when they leave
the factory and under the rapid-fire piano selling of
Frank Wilking and his associates, now going on in
their Wilking Music Company territory, they will go
to make Hoosier homes happier, and not a one of
them will go back to the factory.
Sales Manager Hugh A. Stewart is giving personal
attention to seeing that this big lot of all grands is
safely dispatched and safely landed.
Piano Output 1935-1936 Probabilities
The reports of Secretary Meiinie of the National
Piano Manufacturers Association of America tell of
the bettering condition of the piano business and the
continual increase in shipments all through last year
and into the present.
The shipments made up from reports of 38 piano
manufacturers for 1935 were nearly 20,000 units or
17% above those of 1934 (8,000 of these were Decem-
ber shipments). In round numbers 5.000 uprights and
3,000 grands, which is really a remarkable showing of
about 2.000 above the same period in 1934. Of the ship-
ments for the entire year of 1935 grands exceeded
uprights up to May, and from June to December up-
right shipments were considerably in advance of
grands, a condition brought about probably by the
spurt of the new console-verticals which would be
credited to the upright field instead of any form of
grand.
Unfilled orders on hand now are nearly 1,500 as
compared with a little over a thousand a year ago.
This condition of piano manufacturing and ship-
ments would seem to indicate that the statement of
Lucien Wulsin, president of the piano manufacturers
association, was well put when he said that this is
the first period for a long time where the producing
units of our industry have been operating on a some-
where near normal basis. I feel we can look forward
to a steady increase in the sale of pianos.
The February shipments based on reports of 32
members show that these increases over a year ago
continue. The increase is 32 per cent ahead of Febru-
ary. 1935, 77 per cent ahead of February, 1934 and,
think of this, 203' per cent ahead of February, 1933.
The shipments of grands are increasing each month
and keeping well ahead of previous years but the
percentage of uprights to the total production lias
increased greatly, owing undoubtedly, to the new
models and new types of the upright class.
Story & Clark Sales Increasing; Busi-
ness Expanding; New Additions
to Traveling Force
Any addition to selling power indicates expanding
trade today and prosperity ahead.
The Story & Clark Piano Co. has just added to its
traveling selling force two road representatives: Roy
Coverdill for the states of Ohio and Penns} r lvania and
Arleigh Dora for the Southwest country.
Edward F. Story continues to look after the general
Eastern trade and sales manager Gordon Laughead
will have to be away much of the time to care for
the increasing number of dealers and increasing trade
that continues to be the good fortune of Story &
Clark.
This condition of activity, this growing and expand-
ing trade, has made it necessary for L. P. Bull, vice
president, to look after a good deal of trade and
President F. F. Story is called into requisition from
time to time and Mr. Story has a certain clientele,
a group of dealers whom he has known for a long
time, that he always gives personal attention to.
The development of Story & Clark trade all over
the country continues in a rather amazing manner
and is certain to expand. This is a condition that
requires proper care and personal contact. The men
now carrying on sales and agency work in behalf of
the Story & Clark organization are well equipped to
properly keep the Story & Clark line well before the
trade and to cover the field properly to bring to the
attention of merchants the magnificent line of pianos
catalogued today by Story & Clark and the new
creations that are to follow.
A GREAT STEINWAY
RECORD IN PIANO
OUTPUT
Information sent out from Steinway Hall, New
York, and referred to in various newspapers of the
country, says that during the February just past
business was better than for any February in the last
six years, and wholesale shipments to dealers through-
out the country were heavier during that month than
in any February since 1929, according to Mr. Theo-
dore E. Steinway, president. Mr. Steinway added
that reports from dealers indicated that their retail
sales also were in line with the increased business
being done at Steinway Hall.
"Introduction of the new Model S piano in Febru-
ary of this year,' said Mr. Steinway, "gave impetus
to increased sales. But the additional fact that sales
for cash have shown an uptrend may well be taken
as a sign of better general economic conditions. We
regard it as significant that a larger proportion of
the sales made at Steinway Hall have been for cash
money instead of on-time payment.
"At a recent dealer's meeting, those in attendance
placed very large orders for immediate delivery. That
was an initial indication of what was to develop and
has been developing in the piano business since the
beginning of the current year. Most important of all,
we see the public again buying pianos of all sizes in
increasing numbers, which means there is a definite
revival of interest in piano music.
"Music dealers are enthusiastic about our new
Model S, which is smaller than the older models, but
a Steinway in every detail. It was designed specifically
for the modern room. These models have definitely
been accepted by music lovers throughout the coun-
try. We regard it as particularly notable that Josef
Hofmann, Director, has ordered six of the new mod-
els for the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia."
Introduction of the new Steinway model was through
an advertising campaign running in both daily news-
papers and national magazines.
LATE PICK-UPS
The closing of the Wurlitzer branch store at St.
Louis will not materially affect the music school and
set vice facilities which have been in connection with
the Wurlitzer house in that city as arrangements have
been made by F. L. Augustine, who was the Wurlitzer
manager, to carry on this branch of service.
The Starck Piano Company has leased the five-
story building at 11th and Olive streets, St. Louis, ad-
joining a building which it has been a«cupying at
1103 Olive. The Starck Company will occupy the en-
tire building which has been entirely remodelled.
The Fargo Music Company. Fargo, N. D., has
moved to 318 Broadway from its former location, 510
Broadway. O. E. Fossum proprietor of the Fargo
Music Company was formerly associated with the
Stone Music Company at Fargo.
The A. Hospe Music House leased the four-story
building at 1512 Douglas street, Omaha. The for-
mer location of the Hospe Company was at 15th and
Farnam streets. The Hospe business was established
in 1874 by the late A. Hospe.
Washington, Iowa, now has a regular music store
which was recently opened by Milburn McKay.
The Dover Music House, Houghton, Michigan is
giving wide publicity tothe new line of vertical pianos
recently received.
The new music store opened at 110 Strongs avenue,
Stevens Point. Wis., by Miss Dorothy Hawley, carries
the Gulbransen and the Schiller pianos. Miss Hawley
deals exclusively in pianos and the outlook for busi-
ness in her new departure is "quite encouraging," she
savs.
CONGRATULATIONS LATE
BUT SINCERE
The new store of the J. E. Frank Music Co.. Min-
neapolis, Minn., has a frontage of 25 feet, widening
E. G. Tonk, son of the late William Tonk, and who
out to 55 feet in the rear, with a depth of 155 feet.
An imposing and attractive layout. The premises carries on the business of the Tonk & Brother piano,
were remodelled in accordance with plans of the most was married a while ago to Christine Chadwick Wil-
modern and up-to-date retail piano houses. There are liams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Williams. The
five separate piano salons, particularly for the display marriage took place at the famous "Little Church
of the Baldwin pianos of which the J. E. Frank Com- Around the Corner." Though late, congratulations
are extended by Presto-Times to Mr. and Mrs. Tonk.
pany is the Minneapolis representative.
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