Music Trade Review
Issue: 1924 Vol. 78 N. 20 - Page 9
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MAY
17, 1924
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Walter C. Hepperla Finds Dealers Are
Generally Optimistic Over Prospects
States, in Interview With San Francisco Correspondent, That Most Dealers He Had Visited
Showed Increased Sales During April—Local Trade Co-operating in Music Week
C A N FRANCISCO, CAL., May 9.—Walter
C. Hepperla, president of the Premier Grand
Piano Corp., has been passing several days here
and devoting as much time as possible to the
Sherman, Clay & Co. store and some of its
nearby branches. Mr. Hepperla is accompanied
by Mrs. Hepperla and both are enjoying the
Western trip. When seen at the Palace Hotel,
prior to their departure this afternoon for Port-
land, Ore., Mr. Hepperla said that the object
of the journey from coast to coast was "to get
close to the selling forces and co-operate with
them in seeking and working out the most
effective way to present the Premier grand piano
to the public."
Throughout his entire trip Mr. Hepperla has
spent two-thirds of his waking hours in actual
contact with salesmen. In Chicago he break-
fasted with the entire selling force of the Cable
Piano Co. and similar meetings, early and late,
have been taking place all along the line of
travel, which included St. Louis, Kansas City,
Los Angeles and San Diego, and this is just
hitting a few of the high spots in the list of
places visited. C. R. Boothe, Pacific Coast rep-
resentative for the Premier Grand Piano Corp.,
accompanied Mr. Hepperla throughout the Cali-
fornia section of the trip and only leaves for
the South this evening.
Mr. Hepperla was asked to express an opinion
regarding business conditions, as he has found
them, throughout the Middle and Far West. He
replied that he had found the dealers decidedly
optimistic all along his line of travel. Every-
where he had found that, in April, sales showed
a considerable increase. There seemed to be
very little real unemployment. He expressed
admiration for the energy and vitality of West-
ern merchants and for the effective way in which
they display their pianos and declared that, in
his opinion, even if the early Spring business
in pianos lagged a little behind that of last year,
he believes that the close of 1924 will show the
entire twelve months to have made as good
a showing as did the year 1923.
After his departure for the West Mr. Hep-
perla was elected president of the New York
Piano Manufacturers' Association. Business of
various kinds makes it essential for him to reach
New York a week, at least, before the coming
convention of music merchants in that city.
This is a matter for regret, as it means not
seeing Seattle and other Northwest points on
the present trip.
Naturally, Mr. Hepperla is an enthusiastic be-
liever in small grand pianos. He likes the way
in which Premier dealers display the small
grands in the West and he declares that, in his
opinion, small grands have been one of the
greatest elements in elevating the taste of the
public for piano music and for increasing the
love of the public for music itself.
Yeoman's Service for Music Week
Leading music houses of this city have been
anxious to assist, in every way, to promote
Music Week. A representative of The Review
was told to-day at headquarters of Community
Service, Inc., how much a few of the leaders
have accomplished. It was a story of lending
pianos with almost unlimited generosity, of
moving and installing and tuning them, of loan-
ing Victrolas and records for the music memory
contest and for other events and of generally
aiding Music Week along in a manner that
must be costly and that is not even expected
to bring in immediate returns. In many ways
this liberal support of Music Week is a case of
"Casting Bread on the Waters."
Everything Ready for Music Week
Public interest is greater than ever before in
Music Week. This statement has been made
several times lately by leaders in the movement.
A luncheon was held yesterday at the St. Fran-
cis Hotel by officers and chairmen of commit-
tees of Music Week and all the reports gave
promise of success. Comprehensive as is the
published program, it does not cover all the
week's activities. At least 150 concerts will be
given by pupils of the public schools. Among
t'lc special committee chairmen are advertis-
ing, James .T. Black; finance, George R. Hughes,
both of the Wiley B. Allen Co.; program, Shir-
ley Walker, of Sherman, Clay & Co.
Baldwin Dealer in Department Store
H. Jessen, music dealer of Oakland, has just
opened a real music store within Oakland's
biggest department store. Mr. Jessen is carry-
ing phonographs, sheet music and pianos. He is
a Baldwin dealer and says that, as a rule, music
departments in department stores carry one or
two lines but his is a real music store. He is
installed in Kahn's, the largest department store
of the East Bay city.
Hold Closing-out Sale
The Western Phonograph Co. and Omar
Kruske bear notices stating that they are hold-
ing a closing-out sale. The former concern has
been selling Pathe records and the latter Pathe
Actuelle phonographs.
Philip Gordon and Ampico
With Noted Boston Ensemble
Popular Pianist Appears at Symphony Hall,
Boston, and With the Ampico Takes Part in a
Very Interesting Program
BOSTON, MASS., May 9.—Philip Gordon, popular
pianist, appeared before a notable audience at
Symphony Hall here recently, when he, assisted
by the Ampico, was soloist with the Boston
Symphony Ensemble, made up of members of
the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the
baton of Augusto Vannini.
Mr. Gordon plays the G Minor concerto of
Saint-Saens with the orchestra, and with a string
quintet, Arthur Foote's quintent, Op. 38. Mr. Gor-
don then played a group of piano solos, including
Liszt's Transcendental Study in F Minor. In
the Etude Transcendental Mr. Gordon alternated
his own playing with that of the Ampico to the
complete satisfaction of the audience.
The critics of the Boston newspapers all
praised Mr. Gordon highly and mentioned the
Ampico's part on the program. L. V. Powell, of
the Transcript, wrote as follows:
"The Liszt study was made to be an exhibi-
tion of modern science in the mechanical instru-
ment field, for the piece was played alternately
by Mr. Gordon in the flesh and by the Ampico
recording of the study, made by Mr. Gordon,
all without break; that is a section by hand fol-
lowed by a section by machinery and so on.
One could perceive no change in the playing, the
interpretation ever as of dne man, and, of course,
was so in reality, so faithful is the Ampico to
its recorder. It is possible now for small or-
chestras of small means to give concertos with-
out an expensive artist, for the concerto can be
played as recorded by a Rachmaninoff, or a
Dohnanyi at small expense. This has actually
been done with great success."
LAUTER
62nd Year
The
LAUTER
HUMANA
Player Piano
In selling cheap p l a y e r
pianos, some dealers believe
that they are following the
lines of least resistance.
Actually, the reverse is true.
Less sales effort is required
to sell the Lauter-Humana
than any other player piano.
As a matter of fact, the su-
periority of the Lauter-
Humana is so obvious that
in most i n s t a n c e s it sells
itself!
Wouldn't the a d d i t i o n of
"the world's finest p l a y e r
piano" put new life into
your entire business?
Write for details!
LAUTER CO,
591 Broad St., Newark, N. J,
Woolworth Piano at Sale
An interesting instrument to find its way to
the sales floor of Aeolian Hall during the re-
cent May sale held by that company, was a
special Steinway grand formerly owned by the
late F. W. Woolworth, founder of the great ten
cent store business. The instrument was cased
in Circassian walnut and finished in Empire
style with gold-plated brass trimmings.
Manufacturers of
Fine Pianos
MAY
17, 1924
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Walter C. Hepperla Finds Dealers Are
Generally Optimistic Over Prospects
States, in Interview With San Francisco Correspondent, That Most Dealers He Had Visited
Showed Increased Sales During April—Local Trade Co-operating in Music Week
C A N FRANCISCO, CAL., May 9.—Walter
C. Hepperla, president of the Premier Grand
Piano Corp., has been passing several days here
and devoting as much time as possible to the
Sherman, Clay & Co. store and some of its
nearby branches. Mr. Hepperla is accompanied
by Mrs. Hepperla and both are enjoying the
Western trip. When seen at the Palace Hotel,
prior to their departure this afternoon for Port-
land, Ore., Mr. Hepperla said that the object
of the journey from coast to coast was "to get
close to the selling forces and co-operate with
them in seeking and working out the most
effective way to present the Premier grand piano
to the public."
Throughout his entire trip Mr. Hepperla has
spent two-thirds of his waking hours in actual
contact with salesmen. In Chicago he break-
fasted with the entire selling force of the Cable
Piano Co. and similar meetings, early and late,
have been taking place all along the line of
travel, which included St. Louis, Kansas City,
Los Angeles and San Diego, and this is just
hitting a few of the high spots in the list of
places visited. C. R. Boothe, Pacific Coast rep-
resentative for the Premier Grand Piano Corp.,
accompanied Mr. Hepperla throughout the Cali-
fornia section of the trip and only leaves for
the South this evening.
Mr. Hepperla was asked to express an opinion
regarding business conditions, as he has found
them, throughout the Middle and Far West. He
replied that he had found the dealers decidedly
optimistic all along his line of travel. Every-
where he had found that, in April, sales showed
a considerable increase. There seemed to be
very little real unemployment. He expressed
admiration for the energy and vitality of West-
ern merchants and for the effective way in which
they display their pianos and declared that, in
his opinion, even if the early Spring business
in pianos lagged a little behind that of last year,
he believes that the close of 1924 will show the
entire twelve months to have made as good
a showing as did the year 1923.
After his departure for the West Mr. Hep-
perla was elected president of the New York
Piano Manufacturers' Association. Business of
various kinds makes it essential for him to reach
New York a week, at least, before the coming
convention of music merchants in that city.
This is a matter for regret, as it means not
seeing Seattle and other Northwest points on
the present trip.
Naturally, Mr. Hepperla is an enthusiastic be-
liever in small grand pianos. He likes the way
in which Premier dealers display the small
grands in the West and he declares that, in his
opinion, small grands have been one of the
greatest elements in elevating the taste of the
public for piano music and for increasing the
love of the public for music itself.
Yeoman's Service for Music Week
Leading music houses of this city have been
anxious to assist, in every way, to promote
Music Week. A representative of The Review
was told to-day at headquarters of Community
Service, Inc., how much a few of the leaders
have accomplished. It was a story of lending
pianos with almost unlimited generosity, of
moving and installing and tuning them, of loan-
ing Victrolas and records for the music memory
contest and for other events and of generally
aiding Music Week along in a manner that
must be costly and that is not even expected
to bring in immediate returns. In many ways
this liberal support of Music Week is a case of
"Casting Bread on the Waters."
Everything Ready for Music Week
Public interest is greater than ever before in
Music Week. This statement has been made
several times lately by leaders in the movement.
A luncheon was held yesterday at the St. Fran-
cis Hotel by officers and chairmen of commit-
tees of Music Week and all the reports gave
promise of success. Comprehensive as is the
published program, it does not cover all the
week's activities. At least 150 concerts will be
given by pupils of the public schools. Among
t'lc special committee chairmen are advertis-
ing, James .T. Black; finance, George R. Hughes,
both of the Wiley B. Allen Co.; program, Shir-
ley Walker, of Sherman, Clay & Co.
Baldwin Dealer in Department Store
H. Jessen, music dealer of Oakland, has just
opened a real music store within Oakland's
biggest department store. Mr. Jessen is carry-
ing phonographs, sheet music and pianos. He is
a Baldwin dealer and says that, as a rule, music
departments in department stores carry one or
two lines but his is a real music store. He is
installed in Kahn's, the largest department store
of the East Bay city.
Hold Closing-out Sale
The Western Phonograph Co. and Omar
Kruske bear notices stating that they are hold-
ing a closing-out sale. The former concern has
been selling Pathe records and the latter Pathe
Actuelle phonographs.
Philip Gordon and Ampico
With Noted Boston Ensemble
Popular Pianist Appears at Symphony Hall,
Boston, and With the Ampico Takes Part in a
Very Interesting Program
BOSTON, MASS., May 9.—Philip Gordon, popular
pianist, appeared before a notable audience at
Symphony Hall here recently, when he, assisted
by the Ampico, was soloist with the Boston
Symphony Ensemble, made up of members of
the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the
baton of Augusto Vannini.
Mr. Gordon plays the G Minor concerto of
Saint-Saens with the orchestra, and with a string
quintet, Arthur Foote's quintent, Op. 38. Mr. Gor-
don then played a group of piano solos, including
Liszt's Transcendental Study in F Minor. In
the Etude Transcendental Mr. Gordon alternated
his own playing with that of the Ampico to the
complete satisfaction of the audience.
The critics of the Boston newspapers all
praised Mr. Gordon highly and mentioned the
Ampico's part on the program. L. V. Powell, of
the Transcript, wrote as follows:
"The Liszt study was made to be an exhibi-
tion of modern science in the mechanical instru-
ment field, for the piece was played alternately
by Mr. Gordon in the flesh and by the Ampico
recording of the study, made by Mr. Gordon,
all without break; that is a section by hand fol-
lowed by a section by machinery and so on.
One could perceive no change in the playing, the
interpretation ever as of dne man, and, of course,
was so in reality, so faithful is the Ampico to
its recorder. It is possible now for small or-
chestras of small means to give concertos with-
out an expensive artist, for the concerto can be
played as recorded by a Rachmaninoff, or a
Dohnanyi at small expense. This has actually
been done with great success."
LAUTER
62nd Year
The
LAUTER
HUMANA
Player Piano
In selling cheap p l a y e r
pianos, some dealers believe
that they are following the
lines of least resistance.
Actually, the reverse is true.
Less sales effort is required
to sell the Lauter-Humana
than any other player piano.
As a matter of fact, the su-
periority of the Lauter-
Humana is so obvious that
in most i n s t a n c e s it sells
itself!
Wouldn't the a d d i t i o n of
"the world's finest p l a y e r
piano" put new life into
your entire business?
Write for details!
LAUTER CO,
591 Broad St., Newark, N. J,
Woolworth Piano at Sale
An interesting instrument to find its way to
the sales floor of Aeolian Hall during the re-
cent May sale held by that company, was a
special Steinway grand formerly owned by the
late F. W. Woolworth, founder of the great ten
cent store business. The instrument was cased
in Circassian walnut and finished in Empire
style with gold-plated brass trimmings.
Manufacturers of
Fine Pianos
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