Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
DECEMBER 6, 1919
MEETING OF BUSH & OERTS CLUB
MUSICAL INTEREST IN MEMPHIS
DEATH OF EDMUND W. TYLER
Progressive Club Hears Speeches by B. W.
Gratigny and H. P. Mayer—W. L. Bush
Tells of Hold-up in Texas in 1885—Story of
Visit to Victor Factory Most Interesting
Address Made by Geo. W. Pound Before High
School Pupils in That City Results in Plan
•for Extending Musical Education
Veteran Piano Man Dies in Boston Hospital in
Eighty-fifth Year—Was for a Long Period
Associated With Wm. Knabe & Co.
December 3.—The regular
monthly meeting of the Progressive Club of the
Bush & Gerts Piano Co. proved a very enjoy-
able affair at which several piano men gave in-
teresting talks on conditions in various manu-
facturing centers throughout the country. Henry
P. Mayer, of Paris, Tex., who has been in New
York and other Eastern cities for some time,
said that the piano strike there has been lost
by the workmen, many of whom are returning to
their jobs. The meeting was presided over by
C. J. Snyder, who was appointed by B. W.
Gratigny, president of the club.
Mr. Gratigny made an interesting address on
the subject of his visit to the Victor factory,
Camden, N. J., entitled "Listening to Your Mas-
ter's Voice." This account of a novel and en-
joyable experience was given in such a vivid
and realistic manner that it would make most
interesting reading for the public, many of
whom do not begin to realize the magnitude
of this vast industry. Mr. Gratigny took his au-
dience through every department in a manner
that had much more of the touch of real life
than many of the industrial films that are ex-
hibited in lieu of conversation and his address
was received with tremendous enthusiasm by
all those present.
Mr. Gratigny was followed by W. L. Bush,
president of Bush & Gerts Piano Co., on a
subject "as wide as the State of Texas, slipping
over into the Gulf and invading Louisiana, Ar-
kansas and Oklahoma," entitled "From the Be-
ginning to Date of the Bush & Gerts Piano Co.
in Texas."
This covered a wide range of information from
the story of the "hold-up" thrftugh which Mr.
Bush passed on his first visit to Texas in 1885,
the hold-up being pulled off in Oklahoma and
the final tragedy enacted at Fort Worth, when
the silk dicer worn at that time by the youthful
piano manufacturer was sniped from his head
upon stepping from the train and shot into
fragments by a crowd of hilarious cowboys, up
to and through all the incidents occurring in
the growth and development of the institution in
its present impressive and extensive commercial
development. This talk contained much infor-
mation to many of the employes, although sev-
eral were present who have been with the com-
pany more than fifteen years. But to the more
recent employes the kaleidoscopic history and
growth contained many incidents of decided
interest and the development of the Bush &
Gerts institution is almost as familiar as th»e
history and growth of Dallas itself to the people
of Texas.
This address was followed by discussion for
the good of the order, covering a wide range of
topics all for the good of the business and in-
teresting to the members of the club. A prize
was proposed for the best attendance record
during the coming six months and arrangements
made for a December meeting which will include
a joint celebration of Christmas and New Year's.
Mr. Bush and Mr. Gratigny both are believers
in co-operation and this progressive club is con-
ducted along the lines of co-operative work and
mutually better understanding. Last year re-
sulted in establishing of a precedent in the form
of a highly appreciated bonus which was given
to all employes.
The gastronomic feature of the meeting was
the serving of a perfectly dressed roast young
pig, served in state from a silver service "all
wool and a j r ard wide."
Brief talks were made on various topics and
everybody present was compelled to respond to
seine sentiment.
DALLAS,
TEX.,
'Offie J>ejtfctiou)fi
mur/c&f name
mtheWbr/d.
MEMPHIS, TENN., December 1.—One of the
most interesting meetings during George W.
Pound's recent visit to Memphis was his force-
ful and instructive address before fifteen hun-
dred high school pupils assembled in the Central
High School auditorium.
The entire high school stood and sang
"America," accompanied by the high school or-
chestra, after which the assemblage of 1,500
young ladies and young gentlemen gave Mr.
Pound every attention throughout his address,
"The Message of Music."
The high school pupils present voiced their
hearty approval of everything Mr. Pound had
said and suggested, all of which was conclu-
sively proven by their continued and lengthy
applause. The enthusiastic meeting closed with
a selection ably rendered by the high school
orchestra.
Prof. Jester was so deeply interested in Mr.
Pound's "Message of Music" that Mr. Pound
was invited into the superintendent's office for
an exchange of ideas.
During this cordial discussion Prof. Jester
advanced a new and very democratic musical
idea in suggesting that he was highly interest-
ed in seeing established on the campus of the
high school a building which would contain
eight or ten musical studios, these studios to be
operated and controlled by the high school. Due
to the fact that there would be no overhead ex-
pense whatever for the music teacher, all vocal
teachers and teachers of other musical instru-
ments would be encouraged to give lessons in
these studios to members of the Central High
School at reduced rates, the pupils' musical
grades to have recognition as a part of their
regular courses.
December 1.—Edmund
W.
WANT AUDITORIUM FOR DALLAS
Big Municipal Auditorium Urged as Memorial
to City's Dead in the World War
Dallas, Tex., November 29.—A strong move-
ment is on foot in this city for the erection of
a large auditorium to include an art gallery, as
well as a music hall, as a memorial to soldiers
and sailors from Dallas who gave their lives in
the world war.
Robert N. Watkin, secretary of the Will A.
Watkin Co., is one of the prime movers for
the erection of the auditorium, and says in that
connection: "If Dallas is to maintain its posi-
tion as the center of music and art in the South-
MUSIC AS AJttEDICINAL AID
west she must have a large auditorium that
Important Discussion of That Subject Sched- will combine the features of a music hall, with
provisions for a big pipe organ, and for a large
uled for Sunday, December 21
orchestra. This is one of the greatest needs of
Dr. Siegfried Block, the noted neurologist, our city to-day, and for Dallas to assure her
will be chairman of a conference on "Music as future she must look to it that this big facility
a Medicinal Aid," to be held at the DeWitt Clin- is provided.
"The new auditorium could be arranged with
ton Auditorium, Fifty-ninth street and Tenth
avenue, New York, on Sunday afternoon, De- smaller halls in the same building and possibly
cember 21, under the auspices of the New York with an art gallery in the foyer; it could be
Globe and the Physical Culture Magazine. made a civic center of the greatest importance
Charles D. Isaacson, of the Globe, will read a to Dallas. It must come in time—the city's
paper setting forth the results of his experimen- lead in music, in art, in conventions and in
tation. The attendance will be confined to doc- civic lines is too great to be lost for the lack
tors, nurses and musicians, and a large audience of such a building."
is expected to be present.
VISITORS AT A. B. CHASE OFFICE
Clarence Campbell, of the Knight-Campbell
Co., Denver, Col., was in New York this week
and took the opportunity of calling at the offices
of the A. B. Chase Piano Co., 9 East Forty-
fifth street, where he discussed the prospects
of getting more pianos out to the Coast. W. F.
Allen, of Chicago, who has been dubbed "Big
Bill'' by O. K. Houck, of Memphis and other
places, also spent the week in the metropolis.
He was very hopeful of the holiday prospects
for the A. B. Chase pianos and said that many
instruments were already on the way to the
dealers.
INTEREST IN CHRISTMAS CAROLING
Booklet Issued by National Bureau for the Ad-
vancement of Music in Great Demand
C0LUMBIA_C0. DIVIDEND
The idea of Christmas caroling has met with
great favor among the music circles in all parts
of the country and the booklet which the Na-
tional Bureau for the Advancement of Music
recently issued is in great demand. C. M. Tre-
maine, director of the Bureau, has received
many requests for additional copies of the book-
let and further information as to how dealers
can conduct a campaign in their territories. As
this idea was not given out to the newspapers in
general the number of inquiries from people
outside trade circles shows that what is going
on in the music trade is being watched with
interest by all classes.
A quarterly dividend of l-)4 per cent, has been
declared upon the preferred capital stock of
the Columbia Graphophone Mfg. Co., payable
January 2, 1920, to stockholders of record at
the close of business December 10, 1919.
Capt. George Ade Davis, well known in Chi-
cago trade circles, has returned from service
ir. the army and has taken a position with the
Bissell-Weisert Piano Co.
PIANOS 1 — ^ f c |
^
BOSTON, MASS.,
Tyler, a veteran piano man, and very prominent
in the trade in the East some few years ago,
died at the Newton Hospital on November 27
at the age of eighty-five years. Mr. Tyler was
a native of Boston and served through the
Civil War as assistant surgeon. After the war
he became an apothecary, but gave up that line
of work to enter the piano business in this city,
with warerooms on Tremont street.
Mr. Tyler was for many years representa-
tive for William Knabe & Co. in Boston with
considerable success, and when the agency for
the Knabe piano was taken over by the Oliver
Ditson Co. he went with that company in charge
of its piano department. He afterward went to
New York, where he was associated with the
Knabe retail warerooms in that city for a num-
ber of years. He was fond of music and was a
prominent member of "The Clef" and other
musical clubs. Mr. Tyler retired from active
business about twelve years ago and since that
time made his home in Auburndale.
• — ^ T ORGANS
ESTEY PIANO COMPANY NEW YOnK CITY-