Music Trade Review

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FEBRUARY 11, 1922
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Music Trade Conditions in Italy
H. T. Scott Huntington, Now on European Tour, Describes Existing Conditions in the Italian Music Industry in an Informa-
tive Article Written Expressly for The Review—Financial and Shipping Difficulties Which Confront
Manufacturers and Dealers—Brass Band Instruments in Great Demand
H. T, Scott Huntington, a well-known American piano
expert and tuner and a member of the National Association
of Piano Tuners, who is at present on a tour of Europe,
has written for The Review some of his impressions regard-
ing conditions in the piano field abroad. Mr. Huntington
lias recently completed a trip through Italy, and the first
of his impressions covering the situation in that country
arc presented herewith.—Editor.
Turin, the city with a glorious past, and a
recognized position as the center of art, has re-
tained its position among the Italian cities
through many vicissitudes and its Royal Con-
servatory of Music still continues to exercise a
great influence over the others with the excep-
tion of the Royal Conservatory of St. Cecilia of
Rome. It is but natural that, as the seat of the
greatest culture of Italy for centuries, any in-
dustries that smacked of music should be insti-
tuted here. And so it was that the first real
piano factory in Italy was founded in Turin by
Giuseppe Mola in 1862. His product always
carried his own name and soon became widely
known both nationally and abroad. True, it did
not have the reputation of the Erard of Paris,
nor did it have the quality, but was on the way
toward improvement. The inborn distaste of
the Italian to vaunt his wares and advertise his
genius resulted in the decline of the Mola in-
strument to the second rank, although the
founder of the business still lives, being eighty-
four years old. About two years ago he took
into partnership another bright Italian engineer
and pianoforte technician named Anchini, who
had already several years' experience in various
of our American factories and was the holder
of several of our patents on good improvements
both on the piano and the player-piano. Signor
Anchini has done much to bring about a marked
change for the better in this quaint old factory,
and the product is now good indeed.
The Coming of the "Ists"
About that time, however the Communists,
Syndicalists, extreme Socialists and other "ists"
took advantage of the existence of the vacil-
lating attitude, not to say favorable attitude, of
the then ministry and invaded the manufac-
turing establishments of such world-renowned
names as the F. I. A. T. automobile factory.
The Mola piano factory also had to either give
in to their ridiculous demands or lose its prop-
erty. But the doughty old piano maker was
more than a match for them, not permitting his
years to distort his sense of justice. The results
were not very favorable for "ists" and were de-
ferred temporarily.
In a few morons it was soon realized by the
"ists" that rauci more than brute force or "per-
sonal rights" we;? necessary for the proper con-
duct of the affairs uf either a large or small in-
dustry, so at last all the industries soon refound
their original owners and a more settled state of
affairs returned.
In 1917 some of the more enterprising indus-
trialists here conceived the idea of establishing
a factory that would be capable of making every
part of a piano, organ and player-piano. The
head of another very large auto factory, Signor
Diatto, soon advanced enough to interest other
industrials and over twenty millions of liras
were soon subscribed. A nice plot of ground
was purchased and the plans laid for a modern
factory. That building is practically completed
and is five stories high and some 50 feet wide by
300 feet long. It is of concrete and brick. The
head of this new enterprise was the Signor Fran- receives of the arrival of the shipment is a bill
cesco Romani, another Italian pianoforte pioneer for demurrage charges, and the only way for
oi some twenty years ago, when he began with him to beat the game is to be at the depot or
a small plant at a town near here called have a representative there to examine every
Alpignano. Romani was a good and energetic car that arrives. If a package of hammers or
man. During those disturbances of the "ists" tuning piu^ is sent by post the insurance is
who were halting autos and wagons on the limited to such a small amount that it barely
streets Romani happened to be riding with his covers the cost of the stamps, much less the
auto truck driver, carrying to the railway station value of the goods. Is it any wonder that under
a load of goods, when he was accidentally shot these conditions it is found difficult to interest
by one of the Royal Italian Carabineers, having outside capital?
been mistaken for an "ist," because an order had
The Italian Player-piano
been sent out prohibiting the use of trucks on
The pneumatic or player-piano of Italy, rather
the streets under pain of death. Poor Romani! than of this new factory, leaves much to be de-
He knew nothing of the order, which had been sired in the nature of mechanical efficiency and
sent out that same morning, and, as a result, general uniformity of construction and operation.
died.
It is a new industry for the Italians and appears
Getting Away From "Coffin" Cases
to be taken quite seriously by the majority of
His brother Giuseppe, who had been a maker the more intelligent people. The people, as a
of bass strings for a number of years, was placed whole, are very exacting critics of music, de-
in the vacant position which he still holds. The manding not only the best that is musical but
factory began quite energetically with the mak- also a very good rendition of it. The pneumatic
ing of pianos, pneumatics and grands. The one piano turned out by the Mola people is a new
pleasant feature of the factory is that they elimi- one and certainly was a pleasant surprise to me
nated, almost completely, the making of that as to its general efficiency and mechanical good-
black-colored funeral box which was the craze ness. The Zarri Bros, several years ago also
of the German, Austrian and French makers, began the utilization of their vast wood plant,
with their brass protruding candle holders on dedicated to the manufacture of fancy wooden
the side of the music swinging stand. In its parquet floors, to the making of pianos, but the
place they copied our system of the mahogany, purchase of locally made actions here did not
walnut, oak, Circassian and other kinds of cases, prcve a success against the more experienced
which soon found favor; especially the elimina- action makers of the older piano-making coun-
tion of the candlesticks and the adoption of the tries and they soon had to close that branch of
Boston fall board and the full-length music their plant. These bright Milanese, though, are
desk. Still the old taste is too deep to be eradi- still in hopes of resuming as soon as this acute
cated in a few years, but it is hoped that the industrial situation removes the danger of enter-
coming generation will demand its general ing into new enterprises. The Mola people had
elimination.
to reduce their working force from 150 to 32;
the F. I. P. from nearly 400 to some 50. The
Low Value of Mark Causes Trouble
The other factories are finding themselves con- demands of the workers, spoiled by the exorbi-
fronted with the low state of the German mark, tant wages paid during the war, is the real reason
permitting that country to send out pianos as for the majority of the present unemployment
before the war at a price with which the Italians situation. All are expecting that the situation
cannot compete. The exasperating railroad sit- will improve by the late Spring.
uation of the country, which has caused even
Milan and Its Band Instruments
the phlegmatic peasants to rebel and demand
This is the city of the ancient Lombards, once
reforms, to say nothing of the abominable postal their capital, and it still occupies that position.
service, go far to hinder business. Letters take The Milanese or, as they prefer to be called,
from five to ten days to go from one city to the Lombards, are a very sturdy, taciturn, la-
another only a few hours away by rail.
borious stock; probably the most phlegmatic of
Some Shipping Difficulties
the entire country and the nearest approach to
The difficulties that must be overcome in ship- the Anglo-Saxons. The city is certainly a very
ping pianos would tax the patience of a saint. enterprising and bustling industrious center; the
A piano is to be shipped from Turin from large manufacturers here are numerous, and as
Naples, for instance. You first go to one win- to their capital stock, fully paid for, their pro-
dow for a permit for shipping; then to another portionate amount to ours is certainly greater.
window to make out a shipping form; then to With the new census from 450,000 it has jumped
another for a permit to bring the merchandise to to third place, reaching toward the million mark
the depot; then a fellow meets you at the en- in not many months more. The Lombards are
trance and puts you through a certain examina- essentially an industrial people, not a musical
tion. After all this you are given a receipt. If one, like the Piedmontese, notwithstanding they
the piano weighs more than 425 pounds you boast of possessing the most renowned theatre
cannot send it by express or fast freight, but in the world for the lyric opera, Alia Scala.
only by slow freight, which means that the in- But with all its industry of making anything on
strument will not reach a destination 300 miles the calendar, they are represented with but one
or so from the shipping point for a period of firm, which is the largest in the country, for the
manufacture of the best brass band and orches-
from six to sixteen weeks.
When the piano is shipped the factory notifies tral instruments. Their product is very good,
the customer, but there is no notice given of its their prices are also very close to the competing
arrival. The only man who knows is the par- German price, and, so far, they have succeeded
ticular freight man on duty at the time the car in retaining their hold on their part of the
(Continued on page 10)
is opened. The only information the consignee
PREMIER BABY GRAND PIANOS
Stimulate Sales—Promote Prestige and Profits
PREMIER GRAND PIANO CORPORATION
-
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510-532 West 23rd Street, New York