Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
who is an expert of national repute, says: " 'Theory and Practice
of Pianoforte P>uilding' is a most valuable book for those interested
in piano construction."
Charles Stanley, one of the eminent scale draftsmen of the
country, says: "I can sincerely say that no work that has reached
my hand has ever given me such genuine pleasure. I consider it
one of the best (if not the only one) of its kind that I have ever
read, and should be in the hands of every student, mechanic and
piano builder in the country. As a scale draughtsman I find it of
the greatest value from a practical as well as a working chart in
the laying out of the scale; and in many other ways the work is of
great value to any one who has the interest of their work at heart."
Henry Keeler, Grafton, W. Va., writes: "I most heartily con-
gratulate you upon launching such a worthy book. I consider it
the best work ever written upon the subject it covers, and I hope its
ready sale will cause a reprint of many editions."
This is the second technical work which has been put forth by
this institution directly relating to the practical affairs of the trade,
and in this connection we may say that The Review conducts weekly
a technical department edited by an expert, who will cheerfully
answer any question of a technical nature relating to pianoforte
building. A trade newspaper institution should not alone present
news, but it should be an educator as well in the broadest sense.
is the best, but what price it can be purchased for, also decide which
is the best proposition made for the innocent purchaser. The name
of W. G. Heinekamp is signed to these communications as presi-
dent of this association, which guarantees to teach by mail how to
buy a piano with the knowledge of^an expert judge.
Just on what ground, or by what right Mr. Heinekamp elects
himself to pose as a high judge of piano values is unknown to the
average individual, but attempts of this kind to discredit the values
offered by the piano dealers are becoming more and more frequent.
W
E may expect these sort of love-pats from those outside of
the trade, but it is rather of an unexpected attack to be
called a lot of sandbaggers and thieves by trade papers which are
supposedly published in the interests of the industry. Of course,
all instruments are not sold in their class, but because that evil exists,
no good reason can be advanced why the entire trade should be
maligned. The quickest and only way to adjust all piano values
properly in every section of the Union is for the manufacturers
themselves to establish the prices at which their instruments shall
be offered to the retail purchaser. By one stroke that will do away
with all misrepresentation and will help the interests of the legiti-
mate dealer in any section of the country. It is far better to carry
on a campaign of argument rather than a campaign of abuse.
N almost every trade there is a shrinkage of stock values by
HE automobile is coming to be quite an important factor in the
I shrewd
reason of certain goods going out of style. No buyer is so
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retail piano trade. It has been found to be one of the most
but that his stock will develop some slow selling goods—
practical methods of bringing the rural folk to town. Some of the
they may sell so slowly that large stocks will remain on hand, which
will have to be forced out at cost, or even less than cost, owing to
the fact that the styles have changed.
In the piano trade there is little or no depreciation in retail
stocks by reason of change of styles, therefore there is no actual
sacrifice required in disposing of out-of-season goods, and there is
no reason why, in such times as the present, pianos should be sold
at prices which do not afford the dealers fair margins of profit. It
is far better to take liberal space in local papers to stir up the public
to a desire to purchase stocks that are lagging, than to have the cut
price knife brought into action.
T
HE article which is quoted below is not from any of Hearst's
publications, but is from the editorial page of The Musical
Age of recent date:
"The piano trade of this country bas builded for itself a monument of muck,
the very nature of which must appal the analytical mind of the investigator who
has the courage to use the rake. And we have only begun to remove the outer-
most layer of the pile. This is the layer that has been near the sun, the layer
that has been exposed to the air and that in some part has been cleansed. The
inner core of rottenness, of dishonesty, of misrepresentation, of deliberate and cal-
culated trickery and deceit, the hazy financial structure upon which rests the
very lives of women and children, and of the people all over the country, is cov-
ered as yet.
"Before the honest men In the trade can look each other in the face, be-
fore the man of upright business principles can go home to the bosom of his
family with a clear conscience, and feeling that he is not allied with or engaged
in a business that is beginning to be the synonym for dishonesty in the business
world, this mountain of muck must be cleared away.
"It is a tremendous task, but we do not fear it, nor do we fear the vul-
tures, the birds of prey who have been fed for so many years from the evil pile."
It only needs a few "liars," "thieves," "stink-pots," thrown in
at intervals, to remind one of one of the pronunciamentos of Dowie.
Well! Well! To think of it! And we have lived all these years
in this trade, and never had the slightest idea that so much "rotten-
ness" existed. We were of the opinion that the music trade as a
whole contained a pretty clever lot of men, and who measured fully
up to the average of honor, honesty and intelligence to be found in
any industry, and if the removal of this "mountain of muck" is
going to be such a "hideous task," why not leave it alone and permit
us to retain the excellent impression which we have always had of
the good old music trade.
T TNDER the title of "Piano Buyers' Protective Association"
vJ
communications are being sent forth from Wilmington, Del.,
to possible piano purchasers in every section of the Union. The
aim of the author of these communications is to discredit the regular
piano business in the estimation of the public, and this "association"
makes offers that for from one to five dollars they will supply
the names of different pianos of standard makes and those which
are "cheap, deceptive and unworthy" special brands. For three
dollars, always sent with order, they will tell "which piano is the
best," and for a five dollar note, they will not pnly tell which piano
piano dealers who have used the automobile as a means of conveying
"prospects" to town have found it extremely valuable. One dealer
recently stated to The Review that he was more than pleased with
the results obtained from an automobile investment which he made
last year. Certainly if a car appears alongside of a farm house, a
dozen or fifteen miles from town, and a clever salesman offers to
send the farmer's wife or daughter spinning over the good roads
to the city with him to examine a piano, it is quite likely that the
invitation will be accepted; and a bracing run over the country roads
certainly is exhilarating, and puts one in an amiable frame of mind
when the town is reached. Moreover, kindly feelings are aroused
in the minds of all participants in the ride towards the piano, the
salesman and the house which he represents. When these pleasur-
able impressions conveyed are cleverly handled, they may be turned
to excellent business advantage, and certainly the people who are
brought into town in such a manner do not usually shop around at
the vajious other piano stores before concluding a purchase. The
automobile is developing suburban towns at a surprising rate, and
it is also a business stimulator in more trades than one.
T
HE musical season, which virtually opens this week in New
York, is destined to be one of the greatest in our history. A
formidable list of eminent pianists will be heard this season through
the medium of noted American pianos, and who can question that
the concerts and recitals at which these artists will appear will not
add a dignity and importance to the piano which it so richly de-
serves? In addition to pianists, we will have two great operatic
companies embracing the greatest artists of the world; concerts
by great symphony orchestras; distinguished singers in concert and
recital; eminent violinists—in fact, the musical menu made up for
New Yorkers this season is one that contains rare delicacies which
cannot fail to be keenly enjoyed by our musical epicures.
HE removal at an early date of Charles H. Ditson & Co. to
magnificent new quarters on 34th street and Fifth avenue,
again brings to mind the continual changing of retail centers in
New York. The old-time piano section of this city which runs
south of 23d street is proving unpopular, owing to the encroach-
ment of cloak and suit manufacturers in that territory. The Aeolian
Co. evidently saw the drift at an early date and were the pioneers
of the northern movement. Recently Wm. Knabe & Co. took pos-
session of their magnificent building on Fifth avenue and 39th street,
and we understand a number of other retail piano houses are con-
templating moving further north as soon as their leases expire.
This week the Welte Player-Piano Co. secured handsome quarters
on Fifth avenue opposite Tiffany's. Within a few years it is clearly
evident that the new retail piano center will be located, between 23d,
and 43d, sheets,
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