Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President, J. B. Spillane,
373 Fourth Are., New York: Second Vice-President, J. Raymond Bill, 373 Fourth Ave.,
New York; Secretary and Treasurer, August J. Timpe, 373 Fourth Ave., New York.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
AUGUST J. TIMPE
Business Manager
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
B. BIITTAIM WILSON, CAKLXTON CRACK, L. M. ROBINSON, WILSON D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH,
W H , BIAIO WHITC (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICXLIN, L. E. BOWMI
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St. E. P. VAN HAKLINGEN, Republic Building,
Telephone, Main 6950.
209 So. State St. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., D. C.
NEWS SERVICE IS SUPPLIED WEEKLY BY OUB CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN THE LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
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ADVERTISEMENTS, $4.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $130.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
ri«yer*r lauU allll
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
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n « i > a « ( m < i i t U regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
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Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma.. .Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal..Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 8982—S083 MADISON 8Q.
Connecting all Department*
Cable address: "Elblll, New York."
NEW Y O R K , A U G U S T 1 7 , 1 9 1 8
EDITORIAL
and significant developments in
O NE the of field the of most the interesting
player-piano to those who have in years
past had visions of the future scope of that instrument has been
in the matter of the music roll. In the early days of the player,
and in fact for a considerable period, the main argument offered
in support of any particular player or roll was that it made pos-
sible "humanlike" playing, in other words, that the reproduction
simulated, or could be made to simulate, the manual performance.
Then came the hand-played roll. Regarding its humanlike possi-
bilities there was much claimed and, be it said, much offered.
Finally came what was termed the "jazz" effects, or as some
called them, saxophone effects, which, even though crude in the
beginning, opened up an entirely new field for player roll develop-
ment.
In the original jazz rolls, and the improved types that fol-
lowed them, the original arrangement was offered in contrast to
the humanlike playing. In other words, the player-piano began
to be recognized in a sense as something of an orchestral instru-
ment, with possibilities far beyond those of the ordinary piano.
Now we have the combination of melody, counter-melodies, and
various new and original musical effects that are distinctly of,
and for, the player-piano. In short, there has been developed a
distinct type of player-piano music—music that cannot be pro-
duced, manually or mechanically, on any other instrument. Per-
haps to the musically intellectual what is offered may seem crude,
but it appeals to the masses who make up the bulk of the roll
buying public, and presents an ideal opportunity for development
along higher and more ambitious lines.
D
ESPITE the unfavorable weather conditions the Govern-
ment reports bumper crops of almost every foodstuff grown
on the farm. Since the last report there has been a decided fall-
ing off in the prospective production, due to the adverse condi-
tions, principally heat and dry weather, but the total yield of
AUGUST 17, 1918
wheat will be almost 900,000,000 bushels, while corn, oats and
other produce will assume figures that are considerably above
the average.
The farmers are going to be the "king-pins" this year, and
are getting big prices for their crops. This means the dissemina-
tion of large sums of money, a part of which should wend its way
into the warerooms of piano and talking machine merchants.
With the farmers prosperous, and labor employed at larger wages
than have ever been known in history, there is some reason
for optimism over the trade outlook for fall.
There can be no question as to the demand; the whole thing
centers on the supply. Manufacturers are now, and will be, har-
assed somewhat by the need of supplies, but every effort is being
made to set forth before the authorities in Washington the exact
needs of the music trade industry, and so far a sympathetic atti-
tude has been manifested toward the representatives of the trade
who presented data and arguments that commanded considera-
tion.
SIX and a half hour business day, from 10 a. m. to 4:30
A
p. m., has just been announced by the John Wanamaker
store, and it is reported that other department stores and mer-
cantile establishments in New York and other parts of the
country are about to follow the same example. The idea, as
published, is to conserve man power, effect a saving in fuel by
making it unnecessary to use artificial lighting to any great
extent, and so arrange the hours of shoppers going to and leaving
the store as to relieve in some measure the congestion on the
transit lines which, owing to the shortage of labor and the cut-
ting down of a number of cars, is becoming increasingly ap-
parent.
The Wanamaker piano department will, of course, be
affected by the general ruling in the store, and although no
exclusive piano stores in New York have yet announced a change
of hours, it is more than probable that if this movement becomes
fairly general they will take some action along that line. Those
who have given the matter study declare that the shortening
of the business day will not affect to any material degree the
volume of sales, inasmuch as the greatest volume of buying is
done between the hours of 10 and 4:30.
Piano men particularly should have no cause for worry, inas-
much as arrangements can generally be made to have prospects
visit the warerooms within the hours specified, and the final
details of closing the sale can be and, for that matter, frequently
are conducted in the prospect's own home, during the evening
hours when all members of the family are present. The average
working man or woman who cannot manage to visit a store
between the hours of 10 and 4:30 is hardly likely to be in a
position to pay a visit in the present hours from 9 to 5, or even
6 p. m. Therefore, it will not complicate the problem in this con-
nection whatever, and may serve a definite purpose in saving
sufficient fuel for heating and lighting, and limit the number of
heatless days that may come to us next winter.
Surely, the war is establishing new standards of business
practice that would have caused consternation some few years
ago, and yet the new standards are found to be practical and at
the same time economical.
HE correspondent of The Review in a Western city has
T
quoted a prominent piano merchant as declaring that there
is too much profiteering by piano manufacturers, and that cer-
tain men are taking advantage of the upward turn in the prices
of labor and materials to shove up their own prices beyond a
legitimate mark. The piano merchant in question declared that
several instances of apparent overcharging had come to his
attention, but declined to name the offenders.
It may be true that war profiteering prevails in certain in-
dustries, but it cannot be said that piano manufacturers have
been stricken with the mania for getting all they can while the
getting is good. On the contrary, the great majority of piano
manufacturers have shown a distinct reluctance to boost prices
until they bad absorbed increasing costs to a point where the
safety of their own business was threatened.
The piano merchant who made the charge of profiteering is
located in a grain raising section and perhaps is not at all familiar