Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
RE™
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer. C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
T. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Secretary, Edward Lyman Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorial Stall
EDWARD VAH HAKLINGEN, V. D. WALSH, E. B. MUNCH, LEE ROBINSON, C. R. TIGHE,
EDWAKD LYMAN BILL, SCOTT KING WILL, THOS. W. BRESNAHAN, A. J. NICKLIN
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NEWS SERVICE IS SUPPLIED WEEKLY BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN THE LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
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Sntered as second-class matter September 10, 1892, at the post office at New York, N. Y.,
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
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REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
and
allll
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
1W>narim<>nf« regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
U c j l d l llUClllO are dealt with, will be found in another section of
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Vol. LXXIV
NEW YORK, MARCH 4, 1922
No. 9
PENNSYLVANIA'S MUSIC WEEK
F
OLLOWING the lead of Michigan, Pennsylvania is now pre-
paring for a State-wide Music Week celebration from April 30 to
May 7 inclusive, the program being prepared by the State Depart-
ment of Public Instruction and the entire affair being accorded the
support of Gov. William C. Sproul. With the Michigan Week as
a guide, those Pennsylvanians who are interested in the Music Week
campaign should be able to make plans for the celebration that will
set a new high mark for the guidance of such other States as may
contemplate some such tribute to music in the future.
The members of the various branches of the music industry in
Pennsylvania are sufficiently well organized in most sections of the
State to be in a position to co-operate strongly and effectively in the
Music Week campaign, and it would seem that, in view of the forth-
coming celebration, an excellent opportunity presents itself for put-
ting over the proposed State Association of Music Industries.
That a Music W'eek celebration is to be held in Pennsylvania is
particularly interesting and proper, inasmuch as it is in the little
town of Sharon, in the Western section of that State, that M. V.
DeForeest, president of the National Association of Music Mer-
chants, has staged several annual Music Weeks on a scale that has
won the admiration of those both in and out of the industry in all
sections of the country. If the entire State does as well in propor-
tion as Mr. DeForeest does in Sharon then Music Week in Pennsyl-
vania will indeed be a memorable occasion.
RADIO MUSIC AND ITS PROBLEMS
T
H E development of the radio broadcasting idea, and particularly
the featuring of music of all kinds in connection with these regu-
lar broadcasting concerts, has aroused some question among many
members of the trade regarding the possible effect this free music
service will have upon the sale of musical instruments and of rolls
and records.
It is felt that the question is a pertinent one inasmuch as there
are several hundred thousand amateur radio enthusiasts throughout
the country, and the number is increasing steadily. While it is to be
1922
admitted that the music broadcasted from (he central stations and
caught out of the air by amateur operators does not compare with
that of the living artist, or even the first-hand reproduction of the
talking machine record, yet there are expensive receiving sets that
accomplish surprising results and there is a strong probability that
the development of the radio service will be subject to distinct
improvements.
So far as the danger to the music industry exists, it is not to be
forgotten that the combined music industries, and for that matter one
or two divisions, have it practically within their power to control the
radio situation by perfectly legal means. The music publishers, for
instance, are giving the matter serious consideration, and, regarding
the broadcasting service rightly as the public performance of copy-
righted works, will very probably in the near future demand a fixed
royalty from broadcasting stations just as royalty is now collected
from theatres. Another thing is that up to this time the radio people
have been getting away with the argument that their service offers
a medium of publicity for music and artists, and have been getting
the services of well-known artists and musical organizations free.
Should the practice be considered dangerous it is quite certain
that artists and organizations under exclusive contract with music
concerns will not be permitted to violate those contracts in favor of
the wireless, and there is already an instance on record where one
well-known musical organization has been discouraged from entering
into that field and giving to the radio the results of the popularity
developed for it through the talking machine field.
It is to be admitted that every movement calculated to increase
interest in music generally and to bring it closer to the people is
worthy of the support of the music industry, provided that movement
is not calculated to cut into the sale of music or musical instruments.
When that time comes the music industry will be justified in work-
ing for its own protection.
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 5982—6983 MADISON 8Q.
Connecting all Departments
Cable Address: "Elbill, New York"
MARCH 4,
THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE FARMER
I
T has been a favorite practice among business men generally to
gauge the prosperity of the farming element in terms of farm
products, rather than dollars. In other words, as the value of the
bushel of wheat or of corn decreases so does the prosperity and buy-
ing ability of the farmer decrease in the same proportion, for he
must produce just so much more to buy manufactured goods.
The business that depends upon the buying ability or inclination
of the agricultural element is interested not alone in the size of the
crops, but also in the prices realized for farm products and how
much those products will buy.
In an interesting report made by the National Bureau of Eco-
nomic Research a table is presented showing the average income of
farmers in 1913 dollars. The figures increase from $593 in 1911
to $1,011 in 1918, dropping to $947 in 1919 and finally to the low
level of $543 in 1920, in which year the farmers received only 10.9
per cent of the total national income as compared to 17.4 per cent
in 1917 and 1918.
The table is calculated to show that during 1920, according to
the figures presented and since that time, the farmers have suffered a
more serious decrease in income than the rest of those gainfully
employed in other lines. Perhaps these figures may serve to encour-
age the piano retailer to study the existing situation as it affects
the farming element in his locality.
A SITUATION THAT BEARS WATCHING
LTHOUGH at last reports the sales tax as a means for raising
revenue to meet the requirements of the proposed soldier bonus
bill has practically been rejected by the leaders in Congress after a
vote had shown it to be strongly opposed and an inclination has been
shown to pass the bonus bill without making any provision foi the
revenue to meet it, the matter is still of vital importance to business
interests, for, with the bill once a law, strong pressure will be brought
to bear to enact legislation to raise the money.
The music industry may well be alive to any developments in
connection with the bonus, for there has been too much talk of
special excise and sales taxes on a limited number of industries. It
is not well, of course, to be an alarmist, but facts are facts, and where
a tendency is shown to go back to old methods of revenue-collecting
the members of this industry may well be on their guard. Battles
against previous discriminatory taxation have been too strenuous
and too expensive to permit the lessons learned to be soon forgotten.
A