Music Trade Review
Issue: 1913 Vol. 56 N. 5 - Page 5
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
MORE ABOUT THE TRADE-INS.
(Continued from page 3.)
He was doing business, but the net results did not show that he was making money—at least not in
most cases.
I submit that if this were so there would be more wealthy piano merchants throughout the country
than there are to-day, and there are precious few in the millionaire class.
If piano selling had been such a profitable business as many people affirm, the financial conditions in
the trade would be entirely different than they are to-day.
The piano business must be made more profitable.
But how?
By cutting out of the business program a lot of the absurd methods and traditions which have ham-
pered the trade in its growth.
I have had some suggestions to make in these columns regarding the establishment of a standard by
which the trade-ins may be measured.
I believe that that is possible, and many of my readers are of the same opinion.
Now the question is to get the trade-in agitation started on a basis broad and comprehensive enough to
interest all the dealers of this country.
T know of no better way than to put the question squarely up to the officials and members of the
National Association of Piano Merchants.
I believe that there is nothing that could be taken up for discussion which would operate more com-
pletely to the advancement of the trade than the question of a standard valuation upon trade-ins.
It will not be very long before the Convention will be called in Cleveland, and if this were made the
central feature of Convention week definite action could be taken which would be a long move towards
putting the entire piano business on a more stable foundation, so that business could be conducted with a
mighty sight more pleasure and much more profit.
I made the suggestion that a table be figured out by which trade-ins should be valued on, say, above a
three-year basis—from three years down to allow only a rental value.
The plan seems feasible and the suggestions seem to have impressed a good many readers as being
very fair. The question is, can we get enough merchants to go at this matter in a manner so that not
merely individual dealers will be benefited, but the entire trade.
It's an absurdity to think that what benefits one does not benefit the other.
There is too much selfishness in this world anyway.
If the piano merchants are not making money—if their enterprises are not conducted along profitable
lines—then how can the manufacturers be piling up profits?
They cannot, for long. The whole principle of manufacturing and selling is interlocking and auto
matic. What aids one must necessarily help the other. And in a vital matter like this everyone is inter-
ested so that anything that can be done to stimulate trade thought along better lines we propose to do.
From time to time it has been my pleasure to make a number of suggestions which have been acted
upon, and it is just along such lines as these that I hold that a trade newspaper should act. Its entire in-
fluence should be constructive—not destructive.
When it fails to be helpful its existence becomes eleemosynary and its influence nil. When there are
business methods so out of date that they hamper the growth of an industry it is the trade journal which
should point the way to better things! Tf it amounts to anything it is widely read—it is respected and its
utterances necessarily receive the consideration of those interests which it represents.
Let us start a good healthy discussion upon the trade-ins. If the theory
advanced by C. M. Tremaine that the convertible case—the case which will
accommodate any kind of player mechanism—is to be the piano case of the
very near future, and he advances some strong arguments in support of his
theory, then the question of the trade-ins and their price relation to new in-
struments becomes one of accentuated interest.
Piano Recitals by Inspiration from the Masters.
T
HE latest fad in the musical field in Paris has as its originator
an American pianist, Thuel Burnham, who is credited with
bringing to bear upon his musical attainments, the newest develop-
ments of spiritism. In other words, it is claimed that spirits of
great departed masters aid him. For instance, when he gives a
Schumann recital it is asserted that the spirit of Schumann comes
to his assistance. Should his piano recital be made up of a Mac-
Dowell programme the spirit of the great American composer is
said to come to his aid.
To supply sympathetic environment the next thing in order
will be a church where the spirits of the great minds may be com-
muned with. Indeed, this is no far-fetched possibility in view of
the fact that a number of society women in Paris, including many
Americans, believing Burnham to be inspired by the old masters,
flock to hear him at his monthly musicales. They have gone
further and founded scholarships to enable American students of
music to profit by what they call the Burnham system, or playing
under the inspiration of the old masters. What next?
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
MORE ABOUT THE TRADE-INS.
(Continued from page 3.)
He was doing business, but the net results did not show that he was making money—at least not in
most cases.
I submit that if this were so there would be more wealthy piano merchants throughout the country
than there are to-day, and there are precious few in the millionaire class.
If piano selling had been such a profitable business as many people affirm, the financial conditions in
the trade would be entirely different than they are to-day.
The piano business must be made more profitable.
But how?
By cutting out of the business program a lot of the absurd methods and traditions which have ham-
pered the trade in its growth.
I have had some suggestions to make in these columns regarding the establishment of a standard by
which the trade-ins may be measured.
I believe that that is possible, and many of my readers are of the same opinion.
Now the question is to get the trade-in agitation started on a basis broad and comprehensive enough to
interest all the dealers of this country.
T know of no better way than to put the question squarely up to the officials and members of the
National Association of Piano Merchants.
I believe that there is nothing that could be taken up for discussion which would operate more com-
pletely to the advancement of the trade than the question of a standard valuation upon trade-ins.
It will not be very long before the Convention will be called in Cleveland, and if this were made the
central feature of Convention week definite action could be taken which would be a long move towards
putting the entire piano business on a more stable foundation, so that business could be conducted with a
mighty sight more pleasure and much more profit.
I made the suggestion that a table be figured out by which trade-ins should be valued on, say, above a
three-year basis—from three years down to allow only a rental value.
The plan seems feasible and the suggestions seem to have impressed a good many readers as being
very fair. The question is, can we get enough merchants to go at this matter in a manner so that not
merely individual dealers will be benefited, but the entire trade.
It's an absurdity to think that what benefits one does not benefit the other.
There is too much selfishness in this world anyway.
If the piano merchants are not making money—if their enterprises are not conducted along profitable
lines—then how can the manufacturers be piling up profits?
They cannot, for long. The whole principle of manufacturing and selling is interlocking and auto
matic. What aids one must necessarily help the other. And in a vital matter like this everyone is inter-
ested so that anything that can be done to stimulate trade thought along better lines we propose to do.
From time to time it has been my pleasure to make a number of suggestions which have been acted
upon, and it is just along such lines as these that I hold that a trade newspaper should act. Its entire in-
fluence should be constructive—not destructive.
When it fails to be helpful its existence becomes eleemosynary and its influence nil. When there are
business methods so out of date that they hamper the growth of an industry it is the trade journal which
should point the way to better things! Tf it amounts to anything it is widely read—it is respected and its
utterances necessarily receive the consideration of those interests which it represents.
Let us start a good healthy discussion upon the trade-ins. If the theory
advanced by C. M. Tremaine that the convertible case—the case which will
accommodate any kind of player mechanism—is to be the piano case of the
very near future, and he advances some strong arguments in support of his
theory, then the question of the trade-ins and their price relation to new in-
struments becomes one of accentuated interest.
Piano Recitals by Inspiration from the Masters.
T
HE latest fad in the musical field in Paris has as its originator
an American pianist, Thuel Burnham, who is credited with
bringing to bear upon his musical attainments, the newest develop-
ments of spiritism. In other words, it is claimed that spirits of
great departed masters aid him. For instance, when he gives a
Schumann recital it is asserted that the spirit of Schumann comes
to his assistance. Should his piano recital be made up of a Mac-
Dowell programme the spirit of the great American composer is
said to come to his aid.
To supply sympathetic environment the next thing in order
will be a church where the spirits of the great minds may be com-
muned with. Indeed, this is no far-fetched possibility in view of
the fact that a number of society women in Paris, including many
Americans, believing Burnham to be inspired by the old masters,
flock to hear him at his monthly musicales. They have gone
further and founded scholarships to enable American students of
music to profit by what they call the Burnham system, or playing
under the inspiration of the old masters. What next?
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).