Music Trade Review

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MAY 5, 1928
Erskine to Speak at
Convention Luncheon
Address of President of Juilliard School and
Widely Known Author to Be Broadcast
From Meeting's Opening Event
The opening event of the coming Music In-
dustries National Convention in New York will
be the luncheon on June 4, at which the prin-
cipal speaker will be John Erskine, recently
The Music Trade Review
undertake world-wide movements of this char-
acter are vindicating the place of big business
in art, and the Columbia Phonograph Co. is
especially to be congratulated because it did not
rest content with the celebration of the Bee-
thoven Centennial last year, but has built an
even more imposing structure for the Schubert
Centennial this year."
Thus spoke Walter Damrosch, a conductor of
the newly merged Philharmonic Symphony So-
ciety, at a luncheon tendered him at the Hotel
Ambassador, New York, recently, by Louis
Sterling, chairman of the board, Columbia
Phonograph Co., which sponsors the Schubert
Centennial. Mr. Damrosch has sailed for Eu-
rope, where at Vienna in June he will be
American delegate in an International Jury to
pick the prize winners in Columbia's $20,000
contest for original orchestral works written
in the spirit of Schubert. Two hundred and
fifty manuscripts have already been entered,
of which forty-four are American works.
Those present at the luncheon included Louis
Sterling, Walter Damrosch, Sir George Croy-
don Marks, Frank Damrosch, Henry W. Taft,
Augustus Thomas, Henry Hadley, William T.
Dewart, Daniel Frohman, John H. Finley, Louis
Wiley, Julian S. Mason, Rudolph Ganz, Ernest
Hutcheson, Albert M. Stoessel, Samuel Chotzi-
noff, C. P. Sawyer, Frank Patterson, R. E. Si-
mon and Professor Samuel A. Baldwin.
F. H. B. Byrne Trans-
ferred to Ampico Corp.
Succeeded as Advertising Manager of American
Piano Co. by Robert Warner
John Erskine
elected president of the Juilliard School of Mu-
F. H. B. Byrne, head of the advertising de-
sic in New York, and widely known as the
author of "The Private Life of Helen of Troy," partment of the American Piano Co., New York,
"Galahad, Enough of His Life to Explain His has been assigned to the Ampico Corp., to take
Reputation," and a modern version of "Adam over certain of the duties relinquished by J.
and Eve." Besides being an author and a Milton Delcamp, on his appointment as vice-
teacher Mr. Erskine is an accomplished mu- president of the Mason & Hamlin Co., as an-
nounced elsewhere this week. Mr. Byrne has
sician.
It will be remembered that Professor Erskine been identified with the various divisions of
gave an interview which was used recently in the American Piano Co. for more than twenty
various musical and music trade publications, in years, and has spent his entire business life
which he spoke of the plans of the Juilliard with the organization. He will make his head-
School of Music which contemplates particu- quarters temporarily at the Ampico Corp., 29
larly the training of teachers capable of teach- West Fifty-seventh street, New York, but will
ing all branches of music in the high schools move back to the Ampico Tower Building
of the country. He endorsed most heartily the shortly, when all offices of the various divi-
work which is being done by the Committee sions of the company are gathered under one
on Instrumental Affairs of the Music Super- roof. Mr. Byrne is succeeded as advertising
visors' National Conference, and took occasion manager by Robert Warner, who has had a
to say that the piano is the basis of all musical wide experience in agency and publication
work. He has been engaged recently in sales
knowledge.
promotion work for the advertising departments
Professor Erskine also said in that interview of both the Cosmopolitan and Red Book maga-
that he believed that the best possible manner zines.
of furthering the teaching of the piano gener-
ally in the public schools throughout this coun-
try is through the medium of the music super-
visors, and he expressed the belief that the
Committee of the Music Supervisors' National
PORTLAND, ORE., April 29.—One week away from
Conference, of which J. E. Maddy is chairman, the music business was enough for Walter
is doing one of the most important educational White, who after fifteen years' service left the
works from the musical standpoint in this coun- music trade fold to join the Portland branch
try to-day.
of the Frigidaire Co. Mr. White, who at the
Those who attend the coming convention may time of his retirement was in charge of the
be assured of hearing at the opening luncheon piano department of the Hyatt Music Co., was
an inspiring message. Arrangements have been back at his post at the Hyatt store after one
made whereby Professor Erskine's address will week's absence. He says: "I just couldn't stand
be broadcast over either the red or blue net- it. For the past fifteen years I have worked
work of the National Broadcasting Co. using with pianos, talked them, and became so bound
either WEAK or WTZ in New York.
up in them that I was actually unhappy away
from them. So here I am back again, and hope
to stay put this time."
Frigidaire Not So Hot
Damrosch Praises Columbia
i
on Schubert Centennial
States Columbia Celebration Vindicates the
Place of Modern Big Business in Art
•j "It is not myself being congratulated at this
!:luncheon, but all the forces which have united
to make possible the Schubert Centennial that
are to be congratulated. Corporations which
Frederick Opens Branch
The W. F. Frederick Piano Co., of Greens-
burg, Pa., has opened a branch store at 613
Clay avenue, Jeanette, Pa., which is under the
management of O. F. Phillips and Miss Martha
Roihan. A general line of musical instruments
is carried.
Yahrling-Rayner Holds
Opening of New Store
Youngstown, O., Music Merchant Celebrates
Twenty-ninth Year of Business With Instal-
lation in New Warerooms
YOUNGSTOWN, O., April 30.—Formal opening
Saturday of the new three-story home of the
Yahrling-Rayner Music Co., at 306 West Fed-
eral street, marked the twenty-ninth year of
contribution to the musical merchandising his-
tory on the part of Charles H. Yahrling, one
of the best-known retail music merchants in
Ohio.
Located in the heart of the downtown retail
district the new store is the latest word in gen-
eral music stores. Duplex indirect lighting units
are used throughout the store and unusual
types of artistic wall decorations have been
executed.
To the right on the main floor are the offices
of Miss Edythe Morris, cashier, adjacent the
office of C. E. Guild, manager of the piano de-
partment. Mrs. H. T. Rayner, head of the
educational department, and Mrs. G. B. Hell-
man, manager of the Victrola department, also
have offices on the main floor.
To the left is a long row of sound-proof
demonstration booths, each with a distinctive
suite of wicker furniture. In the rear of the
main floor are 10,000 records catalogued, and
thousands of player rolls. Victrolas also are
stocked to the rear of this floor.
On the mezzanine floor the radio depart-
ment is installed. A full line of several well-
known makes including Kellogg, Sparton, At-
water Kent and Zenith sets are carried, together
with all accessories. The general offices of the
firm are located on the mezzanine.
On the second floor is the grand piano salon,
where various models of leading makes of
pianos are displayed.
The shops for repair of radio and talking ma-
chines are to the rear of the third floor, with
the recital hall occupying the main section of
it. Upright and grand pianos are on display
in the recital hall, with the front of the room
devoted exclusively to the Melody Way classes
of music.
On the occasion of the opening of the store
the firm engaged the Venetian Trio, broadcast-
ing and recording artists, to entertain the visi-
tors.
The firm had its beginning in 1899 and is
known as the oldest piano house in the city.
C. T. Yahrling is head of the company and S.
V. Haviland is secretary and assistant general
manager.
The company is distributor in this section for
Victor Orthophonic and Brunswick phono-
graphs. In the musical merchandise section is
found the complete Conn line of band instru-
ments. This stock alone is said to represent
an outlay of $10,000. The Leedy line of drums
is also featured.
New Store in Florence, Colo.
W. L. Melis and R. M. Booth have formed
a new partnership and have opened a new music
and jewelry store in the old City Hall Build-
ing, Florence, Colo. The latter was formerly
associated with the Florence Music Shoppe
there.
Miami Co. Chartered
The Miami Music Co., Dayton, O., has been
incorporated with a capital stock of 100 shares
at par, $100. Nancy E. Weaver, Davis Lorbach
and Leonard Garver, Jr., are the proprietors.
The music and radio store of J C. Holtby,
in Lansdowne, Pa., has moved to new quarters
at 24 South Lansdowne avenue, and the stock
of music goods handled has been increased.