Music Trade Review

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OCTOBER 8,
1921
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
PRAISES MUSIC MEMORY WORK
SELLING CONTESTS HELP BUSINESS
CONCENTRATIONJN TAX FIGHT
Director of Music of University of Indiana in
Special Article in School Music Pays High
Tribute to National Bureau for Advancement
'. of Music for What Has Been Done
Piano Department of the L. Bamberger Store
Shows Increase in Business Over Last Year
—Due to Contests Between Salesmen
Chamber of Commerce Urges Members of Indus-
try in Indiana to Present Arguments for
Proper Tax Legislation to Senator Watson
NEWARK, N. J., October 3.—Sales at the piano
Edward B. Birge, director of music in the department of the L. Bamberger store, in this
University of Indiana, in a long article in the city, are exceeding those of last year. This is,
current issue of School Music, stresses the im- iti a great measure, due to the fact that the mem-
portance of the music memory contest in the bers of the sales force are constantly stimulated
life of a community and pays his respects to by clever sales contests. A large outside sales
the National Bureau for the Advancement of force is also covering territory in the city, rural
Music of the Music Industries Chamber of Com- districts and villages, and during the Summer
merce for the part it has played, in the promul- months two branch stores were operated at
Plainfield and Summit, N. J., to afford persons
gation of this form of music growth.
"A project which enlists and secures the sus- in those communities the opportunity of select-
tained interest during many successive months ing instruments without going to the trouble and
of both children and parents and which quickens expense of coming all the way to the headquar-
visibly the musical life of a community is worthy ters in Newark. These auxiliary stores have
of our serious consideration," writes Professor been discontinued, but it is probable that they
Birge. "These qualities are inherent in the will be reopened next year.
music memory contest. It is a game, and one
One of the clever stunts put into effect by the
which requires no special skill except that of re- Bamberger salesmen consists of a horse-race. A
niembering tunes; yet next to the spontaneous large track, blocked in squares, has been placed
community sing, where everybody takes part on the wall of the office in the piano depart-
and which, it may be said, is more or less de- ment. Each salesman has his own cardboard
pendent upon just the right mood, this game in- horse, with his photograph pasted over the face
terests a greater number of people than any of the jockey. On the first of each month the
musical project yet. suggested. It is superior sales force starts on an equal footing. Each
to the community sing in that it is not depend- square represents a certain amount of money,
ent at all upon mood or being able to use the and a salesman may jump ahead several squares,
voice. As a game it has every advantage of according to the value of the instrument sold.
individual effort, coupled with that of group At the close of the race the winner is awarded a
interest.
gold button and a substantial bonus, based on the
"The National Bureau for the Advancement total value of his sales. He retains the button
of Music has done much for musical growth, and until he loses a future race. This race has
I am personally grateful to the executive, C. M. aroused the sporting instinct of the sales staff
Tremaine, for his lucid and persuasive explana- and keen rivalry exists between them. Last
tion of the educational benefits which the music month W. F. Brockhaus, floor manager, was the
memory contest will bring to the schools and winner.
the home.
Each month, too, parties are held, wliich are
"My own experience will be confirmed by attended by all the members of the staff. Each
many who have used this project that it is worth salesman contributes a stipulated amount and
doing, not only once, but every year."
the entire force attends the theatre or a dinner
In the same issue of School Music appears the and dance. These parties have been of value in
increasing co-operation between members of the
•following editorial:
*'The National Bureau for the Advancement staff.
.of Music has just issued a newly issued, revised
Among the high-grade instruments handled
aftd enlarged edition of the music memory con- here are the Behning, Hardman, Peck & Co. and
gest' descriptive folder. The new booklet in- Estey pianos. W. J. Connelly is buyer for the
cludes some of the latest developments in the department, his brother, M. J. Connelly, is sales
idea and the increased prize offers now being manager.
made by this Bureau in initial contests. Besides
giving helpful suggestions and detailed informa-
GRIFFITH BUSINESS BOOMING
tion about the management of a contest the
National Bureau donates a prize to cities under- Fifty Per Cent Increase in Sales During Last
taking a memory contest for the first time.
Two Months Over Similar Period in 1920—
Cities may choose either medals, banner, money
Extensive Redecorations Under Way
prizes or pins.
NEWARK, N. J., October 3.—Business during
. "There is also a list of the Bureau's other
publications on this subject. Mr. Tremaine writes August and September at the Griffith Piano
that the Bureau will be glad to send all the Co.'s store was 50 per cent greater than the same
readers of School Music any of the literature in months last year, according to Harry Griffith,
which they may be interested. The address is manager of retail sales. The company has suc-
ceeded in keeping ahead of last year's sched-
105 West Fortieth street.
'"Over 200 towns and cities have already con- ule during the greater part of the year and ex-
ducted music memory contests and most of them pects, when the term is ended, to be able to
show a greater sales volume than in 1920.
are making it an annual event."
The large warerooms of the company, which
are
located in the heart of the business district,
•i ASK HY EILERS TO DELIVER FUNDS
are undergoing extensive redecorating. The
/"
color scheme of the interior will be old ivory
Petition Requests Delivery of $58,647.37 to Estate and gold. The addition to the main floor has
been completed and the new demonstration and
*.;.
of Bankrupt Eilers Music House
PORTLAND, OFE , October 1.—A petition asking that display rooms have been opened to the public.
Hy J, Eilers deliver $58,647.37 to the estate of Separate demonstration rooms are devoted to re-
the bankrupt Eilers Music House was filed by producing grands and electric players, and there
H. W. Sitton, acting trustee of the firm, in the is a handsomely furnished room where deals are
bankruptcy court. The petition states that Eilers closed.
previously had been directed by United States
A complete line of high-grade instruments, in-
Commissioner Cannon to account for this sum cluding Steinway, Sohmer, Krakauer and
and-to turn it into the bankrupt company, but Kranich & Bach is handled by the firm.
that he has not done so. The petit'on states also
that $40,000.70 is held by Eilers and Used in the
Frank A. Martin, of the Milton Piano Co., and
Oregon Eilers Music House and that, $18,644.67- J, A. Coffin, of E. Gabler & Bro., New York,
•is held under the trame of Ann Eilers.
were recent visitors to Philadelphia.
Continuing its policy of concentrating its ac-
tivities in the campaign for tax revision in dis-
tricts where they will be most effective the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce wrote
on September 29 to all members of the industry
in. Indiana urging them to write or wire Sena-
tor James E. Watson, of that State, one of the
strong men of the Senate Finance Committee,
that his constituents want no delay in the pas-
sage of constructive tax legislation.
In a recent issue of the New York American,
which, with the other Hearst publications, has
consistently and vigorously supported the sales
tax principle, Senator Watson made the" fol-
lowing statement:
"I am for the sales tax plan. For the' last
twenty years I have believed that the sales tax
is the only fair system of taxation, and I firmly
believe that the sales tax is more urgently needed
to-day than ever before.
"I am for the sales tax plan, and always will
be, simply because it offers substantial and fair
aid to productivity and at the same time it is
equitable.
- j
"I believe in taxing consumption and not pro-
duction. When you place a burden upon pro-
duction, as our present system of taxation does,
you automatically decrease consumption. Take
care of production and consumption will take
care of itself. That is fundamental.
"We will have to come to the sales ta# very
soon. Modifying our present system of taxation
may help, temporarily, but for permanent relief
we have only one way to turn and that is to-
ward a simplified system of taxation such as the
sales tax plan would bring about."
STIEFF BRANCH IN PHILADELPHIA
New Store on Chestnut Street, Under Manage-
ment of H. H. Conner, Meeting With Success
PHILADELPHIA, PA., October 3.—The handsome
new branch store of Chas. M. Stieff, Inc., Balti-
more, which was opened recently at 1717 Chest-
nut street, this city, is already finding a definite
place for itself among local piano establishments.
The new showrooms are supplied with a com-
plete line of grand, upright and player-pianos,
as well as reproducing grands. The window dis-
plays particularly have served to attract public
attention, especially the exhibition of a Petit
grand piano in Adam design of solid mahogany
and handsomely carved.
The new store is under the management of
H. H. Conner, piano man of wide experience, who
was formerly identified with the Cable Piano Co.
at Chicago, and more recently with the Percy S.
Foster Co. and the Arthur Jordan Piano Co.,
Washington, D. C.
A VISITOR FROM NEW ZEALAND
E. J. Hyams, of Wellington, Visiting the Trade
in New York and Other Cities
E. J. Hyams, of E. J. Hyams, Ltd., Welling-
ton, N. Z., with branches in Auckland and
Christchurch, has been sojourning within our
gates for the past week, getting in clo.9e touch
with trading conditions in New York. Mr.
Hyams is the sole distributor in New Zealand
for the Gramophone Co., Ltd., manufacturer of
"His Master's Voice" records and machines,
London, England. In American musical instru-
ments he handles the Gulbransen players and
C R S rolls. Late last week he left for a trip to
Canada and the West, stopping off at Chicago
and other cities. On his return to New York,
which will be in about a couple of weeks,, he
will leave for Europe.