Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
TALL TOWER
It is significant of an awakening among the
business interests of the country that the United
States Government and the Russell Sage Founda-
tion should simultaneously be investigating the
matter of technical education in mechanical trades.
These movements do not arise without pressure
of some sort from without, and it is certain that
such official and private action has not been taken
prematurely. No one who is conversant with the
actual labor conditions in piano factories will deny
that preliminary training of youths for future
positions as skilled mechanics is a crying need.
It may be true that the exigencies of piano manu-
facturing forbid any restoration in terms of the
old apprenticeship system, but it is equally true
that the trade at large suffers greatly from such
a condition. In the circumstances there seems to
be no other possibility than the provision of
technical training outside of the factories them-
selves. To this solution, or to some other more
intimately connected with the shops themselves,
the trade must ultimately come.
K K K
The United States Department of Commerce
and Labor, through a special agent of its Labor
Bureau, is looking into the manner in which
technical training is imparted in the piano trade.
As is well known to all piano men, the only avenue
at present leading to such training is that fur-
nished by the activities of the Union Branch of
the Young Men's Christian Association, where,
since 1907, courses have been offered in the Prin-
ciples of Piano and Piano-Player Construction.
This admirable work has, of course, been much
hampered and narrowly limited by lack of suf-
ficient funds for the purchase of equipment, as
well as by the disadvantage of cramped quarters.
But there has been a still further cause for the
work having been hitherto less' wide in scope and
influence than it deserves to be. And it is not a
reason at all creditable to the piano trade.
to comply with an order requiring him to produce
alleged assets. This legal question is based upon
the failure of a furniture dealer in an Alabama
city, who was ordered by the bankruptcy court to
turn over approximately $20,000 in merchandise
and money for the benefit of his creditors. The
order was made pursuant to an audit of the bank-
rupt's books, indicating that he was "shy" this
amount. The bankrupt answered the citation, stat-
ing that he turned over to the trustee all of his as-
sets and had no more. He offered no explanation
showing where the alleged assets have gone, and
yet it is practically agreed that the assets are not
in hand. The creditors, it appears, have not shown
any concealment of assets. The question arises:
Can the bankrupt be imprisoned unless a criminal
intent is shown?
• t u n
Adolphe Borchard, the distinguished French
pianist, who will make his first appearance in the
United States this season, is expected to reach
these shores the closing week of this month. The
interest attached to the New York debut of this
youngest of all French pianoforte players will have
to wait until Borchard has appeared in Chicago.
His American debut takes place there on Nov. 4
and 5, when he will be soloist with the Theodore
Thomas Orchestra. Borchard, who will be heard
through the medium of the Knabe piano, comes to
us with a splendid record of success in France,
Germany and England. In the latter country he
had the privilege of playing before Queen Alex-
andra.
So popular have the Sunday evening music lec-
tures become that the Board of Education has ar-
ranged to continue them this winter at Public School
No. 83, 216 East 110th street, on alternate Sunday
evenings. Last Sunday night Edward Bromberg
gave a recital on "Russian Folk and Peasant
Songs," describing the origin of the folk song and
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detailing the hypnotic influence each song has on
Piano manufacturers in New York, with a few-
the life of the peasant. The lecture was illustrated,
bright exceptions, such as the Aeolian Co., the with musical accompaniment.
Autopiano Co. and Strauch Brothers, have ignored
K K *.
the whole proposition, and have permitted its suc-
cess or failure to rest in the ambition and desire
for knowledge of individual piano workers. If
the piano trade does not look with favor on the
providing of technical training by an outside in-
stitution it should provide its own means for
carrying out this necessary work. Or, failing this,
it should at least give support to that which after
all is working entirely in its own interests. The
Government department mentioned, as well as the
Russell Sage Foundation, are investigating these
conditions, and it is to be hoped that their re-
ports will have the effect of stimulating interest
in an admirable and in every way excellent work,
which is of so great benefit to the piano trade.
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As usual Mme. Marcella Sembrich is using the
Baldwin piano on her concert tour, which will open
in Chicago on Oct. 20, with her annual New York
recital on Nov. 8. She is quite enthusiastic over
this instrument, a beautiful example of which
adorns her European home, and which always
comes in for flattering words when visitors are
around. In view of the fact that Mme. Sembrich,
apart from her abilities as a singer, is a pianist
and violinist of unusual merit, her appreciation of
the Baldwin scale and its fascinating tone is some-
thing of which the manufacturers can feel proud.
H
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In view of certain recent occurrences in the piano
trade, many members of the music trade indus-
try will be interested in a test case soon to come
before the United States Supreme Court whether
or not the Federal Bankruptcy Court can impose
an imprisonment penalty upon a bankrupt who fails
Charles T. Kaffenberger, of Kaffenberger &
Cantor, the "big scarf and cover house," New
York, is something of a factor in the local politics
of his home town, Yonkers, N. Y. He is a prom-
inent figure in secret society work, and this year is
standing right alongside "the boys in the trenches,'"
and next year, it is whispered, he may be a candi-
date for the mayoralty. Mr. Kaffenberger has de-
clined several times to accept the nomination for
alderman, and also refused the offer of comniis-
sionerships at the hands of the present and preced-
ing mayors.
•I *t H
note that piano manufacturers, taken as a whole,
are no longer contributing to this catalog fire,
and that they have improved in the matter of
packing and shipping, which hitherto has been de-
nounced abroad as slovenly, with complaints of
injury to goods due to this fact all but universal.
American manufacturers in all industries are con-
stantly improving in the matter of packing and
shipping, yet there is still room for betterment.
One thing our manufacturers must realize—it is
not what they want, but what their customers in
foreign countries want that counts.
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Isaac I. Manning, United States consul at La
Guayra, Venezuela, was a caller at Aeolian Hall
last week. While here on a leave of absence, he
delivered an address before the National Asso-
ciation of Manufacturers on commercial condi-
tions in South America, dwelling particularly upon
the importance of proper packing and shipment of
goods, though, he said, Americans had improved
greatly in this respect. The absence of American
banking facilities, the consul observed, was sorely
felt. Mr. Manning sailed Saturday last for his
post of duty on the "Maracaibo" of the R. D. line.
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One of the most striking differences between re-
tail piano methods in the East and West is the
different views held by dealers regarding the mat-
ter of publicity.
On the Pacific Coast and
throughout the West generally, dealers set aside
a goodly sum for advertising, and it is a common
thing to find page advertisements in the daily
papers, thus supplementing the national campaigns
of the manufacturers in a most effective manner,
at the same time emphasizing their own position
and the instruments which they represent. Many
of the Eastern dealers, however, are content with
comparatively few inches of advertising daily or
weekly, and they wonder why the pianos are
"going West" these days. The secret is not hard
to fathom. It is another illustration of the fact
that the up-to-date dealer must keep himself and
his line of instruments before the public if he
desires to win success. And it must not be spor-
adic publicity, but a studied campaign. Just watch
those dealers who are "alive" to the situation in
the Eastern cities and you will find that they are
"winning out."
•6 H H
There can be no question as to the impetus
given the music trade industry since the produc-
tion of devices for the playing of musical instru-
ments. To-day the player-piano is a tremendous
force in piano selling, and moreover has become
a great educational factor because thousands of
people are now able to use idle pianos and in
many instances use them intelligently. Through
the use of playing mechanism the pipe organ has
also become an essential part of the furnishing of
The development of American export trade con-
the music rooms of our wealthy people, as it can
tinues to be a topic of interest in almost every
be played manually or by perforated music rolls,
publication these days. And with good reason.
just as desired. Pipe organ manufacturers are
It is most extraordinary that while Americans ex-
now producing some remarkable creations in the
cel in salesmanship, advertising and business
line of chamber organs—instruments possessing
methods generally, many of them refuse to com-
wonderful orchestral effects through the combina-
prehend the requirements of foreign countries in
tion of self-playing mechanism and electricity.
the matter of manufacturing and shipping goods
The wonder is that the once popular reed organ
to fill their exact requirements. In this respect
has been overlooked in this remarkable develop-
they are the antithesis of the German, English
ment. The application of playing mechanism to
and other European manufacturers. There is a
the reed organ is not a difficult problem and it is
story told of a South American merchant who,
not at all improbable, should this be brought about,
upon being asked what fuel he used, answered,
that the reed organ may have a new birth in pop-
"American catalogs in English." Of course, the
ular favor.
point is obvious. American manufacturers will
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persist in sending catalogs and other literature
Eduardo Celli, the Italian pianist who is a mem-
to South American countries, printed in English,
ber of the teaching staff at the Institute of Mu-
when they should be in Spanish with every detail
sical Art, New York, will be one of the many
regarding their goods so stated as to make it easy
noted artists to play the Mason & Hamhn piano
for merchants to place orders either direct or
this season.
through commission houses. It is satisfactory to