Music Trade Review

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REVIEW
THE
VOL. LXXXII. No. 17 Polished Every Satwday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y., April 24, 1926
81ng
{S.oo 0 £e C , 8
Why a New Fundamental Market Must
Be Created for the Piano
T
are available, the population of the country was 105,710,620, or
HE matter with the piano industry at the present time is
approximately 23,491,271 families. The total national wealth of
strictly a merchandising matter, the responsibility for which
the country in 1922 was estimated at $320,803,862,000, or a per fam-
must be equally divided between the piano manufacturer and
ily wealth of $13,231. In 1921 the piano industry sold twenty instru-
the retail piano merchant.
In fact, it is a responsibility which cannot be escaped by any ments to each 10,000 population, or one instrument to each 111
families in the country.
section of the industry, if the facts of the situation are confronted
in their integrity. This responsibility has created a situation that,
In other words, from 1900 to 1921 the national wealth of the
without question, is
United States gained
extremely serious,
362.4 per cent; the
yet one not so se-
population showed
rious that it is be-
an increase of 28.1
yond remedy if the
per cent; and the pi-
industry will work
ano industry showed
as a whole to find it
a relative decrease
and apply it.
of 34.8 per cent.
These
figures in-
But before that
clude
sales
of both
remedy can be ap-
straight
pianos
and
plied, it is necessary
player
instruments.
that every piano man
These are the sta-
study the history of
tistics of the case
the industry during
and the situation as
the past quarter of
it actually exists. No
a century, when the
one in the piano in-
relative decline of the
dustry can afford to
industry has been
disregard them. The
most apparent, and
condition they ex-
thus know how great
pose shows a radical
is the opportunity
default in the mer-
which the industry
chandising methods
has missed in failing
of the industry, and
to keep pace in unit
the need for serious
output with the in-
PIAMO
SALESPER
IQOOOPEOPLt
NATIONAL WEALTH
POPULATION
investigation to elim-
crease in both the
1900-29
1900~$88.517.507,000 1900-75,994,575
inate that default. It
p o p u l a t i o n and
1921-20
is a condition that
wealth of the coun-
DECREASE-
3GZA% INCREASE- 1920-105,710,620
has the paramount
try which provides
position in every
its great market.
To put the matter directly, the piano industry during the past
consideration of the entire industry, the basis of that universal ques-
twenty-five years has been fairly stable in unit production; rel-
tion : "What's the matter with the piano industry ?"
atively to the market to which it caters, it has shown a considerable
What happened during these years? The obvious retort of the
decline. Just how far has this situation gone ?
piano man is that new competitive elements entered the general
In 1900 the population of the United States was 75,994,575, or field which prevented the industry from maintaining its relative and
natural advance. It was the period, for instance, during which the
approximately 16,887,683 families. The total national wealth of
automobile developed to its present great popularity. Radio lies
the country in that year was $88,517,307,000, or a per family wealth
outside of its scope, the popularity of that new form of entertain-
of $5,242. In 1901 the piano industry sold twenty-nine instruments
ment having developed in years for which direct and accurate fig-
for each 10,000 of population, or one instrument to each seventy-
ures are not available.
seven families in the country.
In 1920, the last year for which complete Federal census figures
{Continued on page 4)
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