Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
borly or unreasonable toward the other? Or that the acquaintance
would bring to both better results than could be realized if they
were unfriendly or engaged in better and destructive competition?
If they are in frequent discussion on questions in which they
arc interested, freely interchanging opinions and frankly disclosing
conditions concerning their business, will not individual conclusions
reached by each naturally be of a higher order and more satisfac-
tory in every particular?
Argument, if sound, applies with greater force whenever a
large number of persons are in the habit of meeting one another
with the same spirit of friendship which exists with reference to a
smaller number.
UMerTTTE
The possibilities lurking in a plain brick stable
were discovered by a bright woman, a well-known
musician, who wanted a studio in a certain locality
in town, says the Brooklyn Eagle, where she might
give lessons and musicales, the latter in the form
of quite impressive debuts for her advanced pupils.
In fact, she wanted a little concert hall and studio
combined. While searching through the section
she desired to find her musical habitation in, she
came across this stable with a "For Sale" sign.
It was a little less than a twenty-ioot wide stable,
built in a block of houses, and the owner was go-
ing to move far uptown in a newer and ultra-
fashionable locality, giving up horses for an auto,
which he would keep in a garage; so the stable
was to be had at a moderate sum. The first thing
that the woman did after getting the stalls and bins
out, and the interior of the stable of brick thor-
oughly cleaned, was to have it painted a beautiful
shade of reddish brown, and to have the beams
and rafters of the ceiling well oiled, which gave
them a fine, mellow tone. An oriental lamp hung
from the ceiling, with a big red silk circular shade,
which made the keynote of the room. It gave the
effect of a splendid flower. The plain outside of
the building had some cement ornaments applied to
it, odd reliefs and quaint Flemish heads. The
stable entrance was partly bricked up, leaving a
smaller one, and a quaint wooden hood was put
over this entrance. The windows were leaded, and
Oriental silk curtains were hung in them. One of
the artistic looking trees in tubs which florists
supply was placed on the square platform in front
of the door. Inside the studio a big brick fireplace
was constructed at the front«of the room, with a
portrait of Wagner hung over it. Placques of odd
pottery were affixed on the wall over the mantel,
and bits of armor were in evidence. A gallery
was built on each side of the room, and a Japa-
nese type of railing of dark wood finished it. At
the end of the room stood the baby grand piano,
with a jar full of roses on it. Filling up the re-
maining end of the room was built the platform,
upon which the singers stood, and a door opened
on it from a little "greenroom" back of the stable.
The platform had a light rail on one side, simply
for ornament, but it made a pretty effect. The
floor was newly laid with hardwood boards, and
shellacked, and handsome rugs here and there
showed, but not too many to deaden the singer's
tone. Busts of composers and reliefs were ar-
ranged here and there. The room made an ideal
place in which to listen to music, and when used
as a studio, simply, it was equally complimentary
to the woman who had designed it.
REVIEW
TALL TOWEL
standard works, that factory cost should include,
besides material and labor, a percentage (varying
according to circumstances) representing general
expenses. It is maintained that what is fair in
the case of a manufacturer, is equally so in the
case of a wholesale or retail dealer, who should be
authorized to include in his cost, rent, salaries,
taxes, advertising, social expenses', etc. As it is
remarked, while it may not be possible in all cases
to get an advance on this cost price, it behooves
every dealer to know just what it is—this principle
being of general application to all countries. Three
kinds of dealer's "so-called cost prices" are de-
fined ; actual cost price, purchase price and fac-
tory price. The first, it is argued, permits of the
allowance for general expenses, which would be
excluded by the more specific form of the second
term; the third one being often misused. Its legit-
imate meaning is said to be the price charged
in the regular way by the manufacturer to the
wholesale dealer; not the much higher rate at
which the maker may be in the habit of selling to
private parties. "Sale by retail at wholesale
prices," it is held, implies the prices at which
wholesale dealers sell retailers without any ad-
vance. Though competition is not regulated here
by law, as it is in Germany, this analysis of the
real meaning of "cost price" touches upon a sub-
ject of vital interest.
•t
* «
The question ul "a standard quality in p'ano
tuning is one that has long been discussed by many
dealers throughout the country ; but a solution on
their part seems to be as far away as ever. The
tuners themselves through the American Guild of
Piano Tuners are doing good work in setting the
standard on a higher level than that generally ac-
cepted, by which the work of an individual tuner
ma}' be gauged. It seems peculiar that this really
scientific branch of piano manufacture, upon the
correct performance of which the ultimate tonal
merits of the piano rests, should not receive greater
consideration from manufacturers and dealers.
Tn this connection it is well to consider the Eng-
lish method of handling the tuning situation.
There the Music Trades Association, of which all
the representative manufacturers and dealers are
members, have a regular board of capable men
whose business it is to pass upon the qualifications
of tuners and to issue certificates in the name
of the association to those deemed competent after
a set examination. This examination, while in no
sense unreasonable, nevertheless presents difficul-
ties which none but a really competent tuner can
overcome. Under this system the dealer who
•6 * *
employs a tuner bearing an association certificate
Although intended to refer specially to the can rest assured that he is getting a man who
provisions of the new German law for restrain-
knows his business, and that assurance is well
ing unfair competition, a recent discussion of
worth the expense and trouble of any examina-
"What is Actual Cost Price" in the columns of
tion. The association at the last annual meeting
the Sprechsaal, deals with various points of gen-
also considered seriously the advisability of in-
eral interest. Premising that the law covers cases
sisting upon applicants for tuners' certificates hav-
where incorrect representation is made that goods
ing at least a working knowledge of the leading
arc being sold at their actual cost, Dr. K. W., asks :
player-pianos now mi the market, in urder that
what is actual cost? Is it with manufacturers the
they might prove competent to make the ordinary
absolute cost of production and with dealers tin-
repairs that might be necessary without sending
absolute purchase price, without any increase of
the instruments back to the factory. With due
same? Commentators on the new German law
appreciation of the efforts which the tuners of
have expressed the opinion that "actual cost" this country—at least the progressive wing—are
means the price paid, without any addition for
making to set a higher standard for their craft,
business expenses, loss of interest, or anything would not the aid of the National Association of
else. The writer, on the other hand, dissents from
Piano Manufacturers or Piano Merchants' be help-
thjg opinion, quoting the principle laid down in
ful? And should not these associations consider
seriously the methods of the British trade and if
possible adopt them. The expense of such an
undertaking is comparatively slight when the bene-
fits of tlie system are considered. A few dollars
spent by members of the association for the pur-
pose of maintaining the examining board for
tuners might prove the means in the course of a
year of saving hundreds of dollars in damaged
pianos—the victims of incompetent tuners. There
are very few tuners in this country, even among
those ranking as independent, who are not directly
or indirectly connected with some retail piano
house and who handle the work of that house.
Competent tuners would certainly not object to the
payment of a dollar or two for a certificate which
when displayed to a dealer would secure his un-
bounded confidence in the tuner's ability. With
the piano merchants or piano manufacturers back
of such a movement it would not be long before
the public, or at least that portion owning pianos,
wuul.l learn of the certificate plan and would de-
mand such credentials from any one doing their
tuning.
Trade in every part of the country is spoken
of as decidedly quiet. To be sure this condition
ir no more than could be expected at this time of
the year, and tlierefoie no one is especially disap-
pointed. The manufacturers, however, are very
busy, preparing for what they believe will be a
brisk fall business. A few things will come to the
front in the approaching season, so that even the
most indifferent dealer—if such a personage is pos-
sible in the line and still survives—will be busy
watching developments.
Nowadays the great majority of people trifle
with the wonderful art of music, not recognizing
its extraordinary power for good and evil, its
effect on the nervous system, its strange ascendancy
not only over the emotions but over the brain. It
is the youngest of all the fine arts, and its develop-
ment during the last hundred years has been
nothing short of stupendous, yet there is no cen-
sorship over music, which has a more potent influ-
ence over the mind and the body than any other
product of man's brain. Men of genius, the
prophet and the writer, have often been afraid of
music and have denounced its influence. As a rule,
the man of letters—apart from the poet—is singu-
larly unmoved by musical sounds, which are even,
in some cases, obnoxious to him. Tolstoy, how-
ever, the chief enemy of music, even in its most
exalted and highest form, was profoundly moved
by Beethoven, Bach and all the great heirarchy of
composers. It was their overpowering influence
which he set himself to combat in the "Kreutzer
Sonata," and in his essay, "What Is Art?" In his
youth this most original and candid of human
beings was passionately fond of music, as, indeed,
he was of all things alluring and appealing. But
even then the dashing soldier who was to develop
into Russia's greatest writer and teacher had the
fear of music in his soul. His brother-in-law has
described how he noticed that "the sensations
which music called forth in him were accompanied
by a slight pallor of the face and an imperceptible
grimace, which seemed to express fright." Tolstoy
was one of the first of moderns to perceive the
profound significance of music in human life. To-
day there are few who have not felt its potent
power and recognized its tremendous influence.