Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE VALUE OF RECITALS
(Continued from page 5)
at the homes of people who would like to invite
their set, at clubs looking for free entertain-
ments, at hotels catering to the best class of
the public, at churches where the problem of
profitable entertainment is always pressing.
Let each local situation be studied and then
gradually work in the manner described, first
at the select homes, then in the churches, then
in the clubs and so on.
Third. In the selection of programs, intelli-
gence and musical good sense are the prime
requisites. Soloists are always desirable; in-
deed more than just this, if they can be ob-
tained, because they draw a crowd from mere
curiosity. A program that is stilted and too
formal is impossible; so also is the merely
trivial and vulgar. People like to be entertained
to the extent of getting something with just a
soupcon of the intellectual. Yet they will not
endure being "educated." Contrariwise they
don't want to hear on a player what they can
hear much better in a movie theatre. They
will always listen to singing and violin play-
ing with player accompaniment; provided ex-
planations are duly made showing that no mys-
tery attaches to the operation and that no
enormous personal skill is needed.
Fourth. Select the audience. Let a recital
always be a matter of invitation. Only Aeolian
Hall and. Wanamaker's can attract each day a
new audience of music lovers without special
invitation. Remember this.
Lastly, do not hesitate to either show the
all-automatic-expression player on the platform
at the recital, or to put numbers thus played
on the program. Let due explanation be made
by the recitalist of the facts, and let the work
of the two kinds of player be compared. The
fact that one costs so much more than the
other can be brought out diplomatically too.
A thought in summary and conclusion: At
this time, when the thoughts of all are occupied
with devising ways and means for bringing
about a re-birth of the player-piano into public
favor, would it not be well to consider the pos-
sibility of utilizing again the most efficient sin-
The Player with "Demonstrable"
Talking Points
There is one player-piano that, above all others, excells in having
talking-points that are obvious to the prospect.
Nothing need be taken for granted, nor need the prospect draw on
his imagination to see the real exclusive features of the wonderful
M. Schulz Company
Player-Piano
You need not explain the
There is nothing vague about the
Roll Centering Device
Schulz Sure-Seat Valve
It speaks for itself, eliminating
all roll troubles at their source.
A child can see its advantages
in keeping the action air-tight.
T h e Patent Walk-Step Pedal appeals
The Minute-Long Vacuum can be
shotvn, not merely claimed.
at first trial.
Just ask a lady to try it; she will
want no other player.
And the critical prospect can be
invited to try the same test on
competing players ; safely.
These are just a few of them; there are many more, all provable
under test—all immediately apparent.
The SCHULZ PLAYER BOOK tells the story complete:
Ask us to send it to you—with other things—to-day.
glc advertising weapon yet forged? Advertis-
ing of this sort is done this season for the bene-
fit of the next and every great advertiser not
only realizes but is glad of this great truth.
Advertising does not jerk; it pulls slowly and
steadily. So it is with the organized recital.
DOES NOT FAVOR STANDARDIZATION
Herbert Willett Declares That a Standard for
Player-Pianos Would Serve to Curb Inventive
Genius in the Field
Following the publication in a recent issue of
The Review of an article written by a practical
player-piano man, who advocated a bureau for
standardization, conies an expression from Her-
bert Willett, who does not agree with the idea
of such a bureau. His letter follows:
"FARIBAUI.T, MINN., August 16, 1916.
"Editor, The Music Trade Review:
"Dear Sir—1 would hardly agree with the
writer of 'For a Bureau of Standards' in his par-
ticular opinion about standards for player in-
ventors to be guided by, because I believe that
a standard would have a tendency to thwart in-
ventive initiativeness, and would tend to pro-
duce players too much of the two-and-two-
make-four variety.
"Thomas A. Edison once remarked, in reply
to an inquirer who asked him why he could in-
vent such wonderful things without more
schooling than he had had, 'that if he had
studied about "it" in books he would have
learned that "it" could not have been done,'
and this, T believe, is about the drift of my ar-
gument about standards; yet the inventor must
confine his invention to those natural laws that
are at least 'grammatically correct'—so to speak..
The old and homely expression, 'There are
more ways to kill a cat than one,' well applies
to invention. I believe that many a renowned
invention has been the outgrowth of guesswork,
and that many a fool has stumbled on to the
right way by his constant desire or hobby.
There is, of course, much time and material
wasted on invention, but 'it were better to have
tried and lost than never to have tried at all,'
for no earthly heights were ever attained by
man without a loss of something. There sure-
ly cannot be a great loss of materials in the
experimental department of player manufactur-
ers, but whatever loss there is is fully justified
in view of the fact that the perfection of any
special features covers a multitude of errors.
"And while nothing phenomenal in player
mechanisms has come to light right recently
there is that little step-by-step progressiveness
in the player field that is quite worthy of our
compliments. Rome wasn't built in a day, nor
lias the automatic piano player reached its
present development in a day. There are those
silent workers, whom we have to thank for
what has already been done, working day and
night on those very line features which means
the polishing up the stone, and which, some day,
will turn out a thoroughly satisfying player.
"Taking the player as it is to-day, with a
sense of appreciation of what has been offered
to the music loving public, we are bound to
concede that it is well worth the price, and
furthermore a boon to civilization. There is
little doubt in my mind as to the lack of funda-
mental knowledge in the experimental depart-
ments of our various player manufacturers,
which the proposed bureau would furnish, and
with a little more patience, and hard work, we
are sure to see the player reach the pinnacle of
mechanical perfection.
(Signed) "MKRKKKT WIU.ETT."
GOOD BUSINESS^ AT WERLEIN'S
M. SCHULZ COMPANY
General Offices
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
Southern Wholesale Branch
730 Candler Bldg.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
NEW ORLEANS, LA., August 21.—The music firm
of Philip Werlein, Ltd., which recently took on
the Autopiano line, reports that the first of
several deliveries made since the instrument
has been handled by the concern was to the
St. Alphonsus College, a large Catholic school
here. Good business is also reported in the
Mathushek and J. & C. Fisher lines, which have
recently been added to those formerly carried.