Music Trade Review
Issue: 1912 Vol. 55 N. 4 - Page 12
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
12
THE
A SIDE LIGHT ON THE PLAYER.
Experienced Salesman and Demonstrator Says
Manufacturer Must Do Missionary Work to
Overcome Prejudice Against Player.
(Special to The Review.)
Chicago, 111., July 23, 1912..
Some interesting views on the player situation
were given a representative of The Review by a
well-known wholesale player salesman and demon-
strator the other day.
According to this man the demand for player-
pianos to-day is mainly from two classes—the
wealthy people who buy the higher grade player
mainly because it costs a good deal of money, and
the very popular class, whose musical inclination
is bounded on the north by the "Skeleton Rag,"
or. the south by "Dixie," on the west by "San
Francisco Bay," and on the east by "Down at
Luna, Lena"; on the upper zone by something like
"Do Little Boy Angels Have Wings?" and on the
tower by "She Wore Asbestos Roses in Her Hair."
"The very class of people who would get the
most out of the player piano are those who are at
present the least interested in it," said The Re-
view's informer. "I mean by this what w.e call
the great middle class (using the term by way of
accommodation, as I am a rip-roaring Democrat).
I mean the people of refinement but of moderate
means; the professional classes, doctors, teachers
and the like—people who like music, suppose we
say the better class of music, but most of whom
have not had the time to master it in a creative
way themselves. What a great pleasure it would
be for these people to go to the opera or to go
to hear a great pianist, and upon coming home
be able to reproduce the music on the player piano,
even following the interpretations of the master
whom they had heard. But these people have not
recovered from the prejudices against the player-
piano which were only too well founded in early
instruments. They do not realize what advances
have been made. They do not know how much
better instruments are being turned out, how much
more responsive than they were formerly, any
more than they know of the wonderful improve-
ment in the last year or so on music rolls—how
clean-cut the new rolls on the market are and how
superior the arrangement.
"Now, these people prove the best class of
player-piano purchasers when they are once brought
into the fold and their prejudices overcome. I
think that a special campaign is necessary. Some-
thing more than mere newspaper and magazine
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
publicity, the value of which, however, I fully ap-
preciate. But there must be some auxiliary work
done.
"I am going to present a plan which I know The
Review would be hardly willing to recommend
editorially, and which because of my business con-
nection furnishes the reason why I have asked
you not to quote me in this article. It is simply
this:
"I believe that the enterprising manufacturer of
player-pianos should make up his mind to put one
of his instruments at the disposal of his dealer in
every important town for exploitive purposes.
The dealer should be required to furnish this in-
strument to some well-known musician who would
arrange to make a study of it and use it in his
classes at regular intervals, illustrating lectures
and in teaching musical interpretation. I know
that the manufacturer will say that this is expen-
sive publicity, but it is the kind of work that will
count. I think that this is the only way to get
the people interested, and the point is that the
teacher using it before his pupils will create a
number of prospects on which no commissions
should be paid, as the teacher gets his pay in the
use of the instrument. Various methods may be
devised for the utilization of this instrument and
to secure the hearty co-operation of the person
in whose hands it is put by the dealer.
"Someone has aptly said that to know music is
not to read about it, not to hear others talk about
it, but to hear it, and keep on hearing it. Very
few of our best teachers are thoroughly familiar
with all of the great masterpieces, because of the
technical labor with which such study is hampered,
and their pupils are seldom permitted to hear great.
works even moderately well interpreted. What a
world of pleasure the player-piano opens up to
these half-starved music lovers, and they are de-
prived of this boon because the vast" majority of
teachers are unfamiliar with the modern player-
piano, and are prejudiced because they look upon
the player-piano as the invention of Beelzebub,
whose only intention is to rob them of their source
of revenue, whereas, if they only realized it, the
player-piano is bound to prove the greatest pos-
sible stimulus to their business.
"Musical appreciation ! Musical education ! Mu-
sical intelligence! These are the solution of the
commercial value of the player-piano, and vice
versa, the player-piano is the solution of the gen-
eral acquirement of these three virtues, and once
they become general no stimulant will be necessary
to create a demand for the player-piano.
"I think the principle is a sound one and will
ANGELUS
PIANO-PL A YER
PIANO
Introduced in 1895 and constantly im-
proved and developed to its present point
of superiority.
An excellent upright piano with an
Angelu* incorporated in it, making one
complete and compact instrument.
THE MELODANT and THE PHRASING LEVER
are patented expression devices found only on the Angasns. The Angelu* in-
struments are the results of years of experience and
The Wilcox & White Company
MmtmbUrnkmtt 1B1B
MERIDEN, CONN.
pay good dividends. I do not think that the player-
piano can be popularized in this great middle class
by any other means. Any educational work costs
money, but purely educational work is the most
remunerative class of advertising in the long run.
Most any advertising man will tell you this; every
talking machine man knows this. The player-piano
man is just coming to a realization of it.
"I really believe I have given suggestions here
which are worthy of consideration of every player
manufacturer in the country."
PEERLESS PLAYER FOR OWLS.
A beautiful Peerless automatic piano has been
installed in the Middleboro, Ky., lodge of the
Order of Owls, having been sold to this organiza-
tion by the Rosenblatt Piano Co. of Bristol, Tenn.
The instrument has been installed in handsome
quarters in the Aerie and is proving an entertainer
of tremendous value. In fact, the members are
most enthusiastic about the instrument.
A stock of player-pianos from the Automatic
Music Co., bankrupt, is being sold at a special
sale by the Will A. Watkin Co., Dallas. Tex.
Worcester Wind Motor Co.
WORCESTER, MASS.
Makors of Absolutely Satisfactory
Wind Motors for Player-Pianos
TEL-ELECTRIC PIANO PLAYER
299 Fifth Avenue, NEW YORK
Attachable to any piano
No pumping
METAL MUSIC ROLLS
^POIIO
Player Piano
Established Retail Price
Consistent with Quality
$700 to $2400
Melville Clark Piano Company
FINE ARTS BUILDING
CHICAGO
12
THE
A SIDE LIGHT ON THE PLAYER.
Experienced Salesman and Demonstrator Says
Manufacturer Must Do Missionary Work to
Overcome Prejudice Against Player.
(Special to The Review.)
Chicago, 111., July 23, 1912..
Some interesting views on the player situation
were given a representative of The Review by a
well-known wholesale player salesman and demon-
strator the other day.
According to this man the demand for player-
pianos to-day is mainly from two classes—the
wealthy people who buy the higher grade player
mainly because it costs a good deal of money, and
the very popular class, whose musical inclination
is bounded on the north by the "Skeleton Rag,"
or. the south by "Dixie," on the west by "San
Francisco Bay," and on the east by "Down at
Luna, Lena"; on the upper zone by something like
"Do Little Boy Angels Have Wings?" and on the
tower by "She Wore Asbestos Roses in Her Hair."
"The very class of people who would get the
most out of the player piano are those who are at
present the least interested in it," said The Re-
view's informer. "I mean by this what w.e call
the great middle class (using the term by way of
accommodation, as I am a rip-roaring Democrat).
I mean the people of refinement but of moderate
means; the professional classes, doctors, teachers
and the like—people who like music, suppose we
say the better class of music, but most of whom
have not had the time to master it in a creative
way themselves. What a great pleasure it would
be for these people to go to the opera or to go
to hear a great pianist, and upon coming home
be able to reproduce the music on the player piano,
even following the interpretations of the master
whom they had heard. But these people have not
recovered from the prejudices against the player-
piano which were only too well founded in early
instruments. They do not realize what advances
have been made. They do not know how much
better instruments are being turned out, how much
more responsive than they were formerly, any
more than they know of the wonderful improve-
ment in the last year or so on music rolls—how
clean-cut the new rolls on the market are and how
superior the arrangement.
"Now, these people prove the best class of
player-piano purchasers when they are once brought
into the fold and their prejudices overcome. I
think that a special campaign is necessary. Some-
thing more than mere newspaper and magazine
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
publicity, the value of which, however, I fully ap-
preciate. But there must be some auxiliary work
done.
"I am going to present a plan which I know The
Review would be hardly willing to recommend
editorially, and which because of my business con-
nection furnishes the reason why I have asked
you not to quote me in this article. It is simply
this:
"I believe that the enterprising manufacturer of
player-pianos should make up his mind to put one
of his instruments at the disposal of his dealer in
every important town for exploitive purposes.
The dealer should be required to furnish this in-
strument to some well-known musician who would
arrange to make a study of it and use it in his
classes at regular intervals, illustrating lectures
and in teaching musical interpretation. I know
that the manufacturer will say that this is expen-
sive publicity, but it is the kind of work that will
count. I think that this is the only way to get
the people interested, and the point is that the
teacher using it before his pupils will create a
number of prospects on which no commissions
should be paid, as the teacher gets his pay in the
use of the instrument. Various methods may be
devised for the utilization of this instrument and
to secure the hearty co-operation of the person
in whose hands it is put by the dealer.
"Someone has aptly said that to know music is
not to read about it, not to hear others talk about
it, but to hear it, and keep on hearing it. Very
few of our best teachers are thoroughly familiar
with all of the great masterpieces, because of the
technical labor with which such study is hampered,
and their pupils are seldom permitted to hear great.
works even moderately well interpreted. What a
world of pleasure the player-piano opens up to
these half-starved music lovers, and they are de-
prived of this boon because the vast" majority of
teachers are unfamiliar with the modern player-
piano, and are prejudiced because they look upon
the player-piano as the invention of Beelzebub,
whose only intention is to rob them of their source
of revenue, whereas, if they only realized it, the
player-piano is bound to prove the greatest pos-
sible stimulus to their business.
"Musical appreciation ! Musical education ! Mu-
sical intelligence! These are the solution of the
commercial value of the player-piano, and vice
versa, the player-piano is the solution of the gen-
eral acquirement of these three virtues, and once
they become general no stimulant will be necessary
to create a demand for the player-piano.
"I think the principle is a sound one and will
ANGELUS
PIANO-PL A YER
PIANO
Introduced in 1895 and constantly im-
proved and developed to its present point
of superiority.
An excellent upright piano with an
Angelu* incorporated in it, making one
complete and compact instrument.
THE MELODANT and THE PHRASING LEVER
are patented expression devices found only on the Angasns. The Angelu* in-
struments are the results of years of experience and
The Wilcox & White Company
MmtmbUrnkmtt 1B1B
MERIDEN, CONN.
pay good dividends. I do not think that the player-
piano can be popularized in this great middle class
by any other means. Any educational work costs
money, but purely educational work is the most
remunerative class of advertising in the long run.
Most any advertising man will tell you this; every
talking machine man knows this. The player-piano
man is just coming to a realization of it.
"I really believe I have given suggestions here
which are worthy of consideration of every player
manufacturer in the country."
PEERLESS PLAYER FOR OWLS.
A beautiful Peerless automatic piano has been
installed in the Middleboro, Ky., lodge of the
Order of Owls, having been sold to this organiza-
tion by the Rosenblatt Piano Co. of Bristol, Tenn.
The instrument has been installed in handsome
quarters in the Aerie and is proving an entertainer
of tremendous value. In fact, the members are
most enthusiastic about the instrument.
A stock of player-pianos from the Automatic
Music Co., bankrupt, is being sold at a special
sale by the Will A. Watkin Co., Dallas. Tex.
Worcester Wind Motor Co.
WORCESTER, MASS.
Makors of Absolutely Satisfactory
Wind Motors for Player-Pianos
TEL-ELECTRIC PIANO PLAYER
299 Fifth Avenue, NEW YORK
Attachable to any piano
No pumping
METAL MUSIC ROLLS
^POIIO
Player Piano
Established Retail Price
Consistent with Quality
$700 to $2400
Melville Clark Piano Company
FINE ARTS BUILDING
CHICAGO
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