Music Trade Review

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16
The Music Trade Review
DECEMBER 29, 1928
First Industrial Band to
Frank Holton & Co. Enjoy
Bettoney Enthuses Over
Be Featured in Movietone
a Record Year's Business Army and Navy Band Tours
Mohawk Carpet Mills Band Plays Appropriate
Music as Pictures Are Made of Rug for Fox
Theatre, Detroit
Well-Known Band Instrument House Profits
Greatly Through Introduction of New Saxo-
phone and Trumpet
The Mohawk Carpet Mills band of Amster-
dam, N. Y., has the distinction of being the
first industrial band to play for sound pictures.
In September the Mohawk Carpet Mills com-
pleted the largest rug in the world in their
chenille department for the foyer of the Fox
Theatre in Detroit. Fox Movietone pictures,
the first commercial attempt ever made, were
taken of the rug at various steps in the seven
weeks' process and then "shot" the band playing
the march, "Invercragill," on the completed rug
in the finishing room at the factory. In all,
some thirty-five views were made and shown
at the opening of the new theatre, and also in
the Fox Movietone news reel in December,
circulated to over five hundred theatres
equipped with the sound effects.
The Mohawk Carpet Mills band is composed
of employes selected from nearly five thousand
persons, and averages an active membership of
forty pieces with an attendance of 95 per cent
at weekly rehearsals. The band recently headed
the Armistice Day and All Halloween parades
in Amsterdam, and was featured in the Franz
Schubert memorial concert in the State armory
with two hundred and fifty vocalists participat-
ing
Edward 1'. Musolff, a designer in the Mohawk-
factory family, is director of this organization.
Here is Frank Holton, head of Frank Holton
& Co., prominent band instrument manufactur-
ers of Elkhorn, Wis.,
actually shaking hands
with himself and he has
a real excuse for doing
so because 1928 proved
a banner year for his
business. The saxo-
phone which he and
Rudy Wicdoeft intro-
duced some time ago
practically doubled the
saxophone business of
his company over that
of last year, and the
Holton Meets Himself n e w trumpet which Mr.
Holton and Edward Llewellyn perfected has also
proved highly profitably as is evidenced by the
heavy sales. Throughout the line, 1928 set some
high sales record to shoot at.
Cundy-Bettoney Co. Official Attends Many of
the Concerts and Believes That They Are
of Great Value
BOSTON, MASS., December 27.—Harry Bettoney
of the Cundy-Bettoney Co., of this city, has
recently returned from a trip through the Cen-
tral and mid-Western States, and reports
satisfactory business conditions in reference to
the Cundy-Bettoney line of merchandise. One
of the chief purposes of the trip was the ac-
companying of the service bands, the Army
Band and the Navy Band of Washington,
D. C, on tonr. Mr. Bettoney attended con-
certs of the bands all along his route from
Holyoke, Mass., to Minneapolis, Minn. His
impressions of the bands will be interesting
to the music trade.
"There is no doubt that the U. S. service
bands are the most popular of all similar or-
ganizations on tour. This is due in great part
to the fact that they belong to Uncle Sam;
but also to the fact that the performances are
invariably excellent, that the general appear-
ance is striking (they give a good show) and
the personnel is made up of finest musicians
available.
Excellent Demand for
"In nearly every instance, when the band
Hygrade Metal Gases arrived in town, it was welcomed enthusi-
astically by 'city fathers' and school organiza-
The Hygrade Case Co., 345 South Sixth street, tions as well as groups of interested individuals.
Newark, N. J., has been enjoying some excellent Often the town band itself came out to render
business with several combination model cases homage. Such organizations as the Rotary
which were introduced this Fall. These include Clubs, the Lions Clubs, the Kiwanis Clubs and
a combination alto saxophone and clarinet the posts of the American Legion feted the
Band Instrument Display
case, a combination tenor saxophone and clar- leaders and soloists in nearly cv»:ry town.
Still Bringing Results inet case and a larger case for tenor, alto and "As a general rule the afternoon concerts
clarinet.
A new trombone case available in were devoted to the youngsters. This arrange-
TOLEDO, ()., December 24.—The results arc still
alligator finish has also been meeting with a ment offered a splendid chance for them to
coming in from the Conn band instrument dis- big demand. All of the other cases above are develop their musical taste and at the same
play held at the Commodore Perry Hotel during obtainable in either keratol or alligator finish. time to stimulate their enthusiasm for the serv-
the convention of the Ohio Music Merchants With respect to the latter, Joseph Kaiser, head ice. After the concerts the children were
Association in September, Sam Santelli, man- of the firm, states that he has received many allowed to go behind stage and ask questions
ager of the small goods department of the J. letters from the trade in all parts of the country of the performers or discuss their own weighty
W. Greene Co., stated.
complimenting him on the shade of the alligator problems.
"Seats for the evening concerts were usually
At that time a letter was sent to all local finish, which is darker than most products of
completely sold out, the audiences being made up
musicians known to the store inviting them this sort.
of a class of people who could scarcely be expected
to see the exhibition of instruments.
to go many miles to see and hear a civilian or-
Union musicians were solicited also in per-
Features Vega Abroad
ganization. The genuine patriotism shown on
son and over the telephone with the result that
such occasions ca'n hardly be exaggerated. More-
many have since purchased saxophones, trum-
BOSTON, MASS., December 27.—Hawkes & Son, over, there seemed to mo to be a feeling of pride
pets, clarinets and a variety of other instru-
ments. A direct result was the outfitting of Ltd., of London, England, who are the foreign that such a hand could be induced to visit their
the Vern Kalt, Green Mill dance orchestra with agents for the Vega products, has put out a particular town.
circular describing the Vegavox, printed in
"It seems to me that a visit of either of these
$2,500 worth of instruments.
The store has added the Slingerland line of blue and black, and going into considerable de- bands to a town is a great benefit to the music
drums and is pushing the line energetically. tail regarding the constructional features, and trade and to professional musicians as well. From
LaMar Dean has joined forces with the store the circular goes on to say that "for solo re- all indications, I gathered that these visits are
cording the Vegavox is absolutely unequaled. very profitable to sponsors, local organizations,
as outside man.
Its voice blends evenly with the other instru- and, in fact, to all concerned, and that interest
ments, yet it is heard clearly and distinctly from in music in general, to bands and orchestras in
To Feature Holtons
the ensemble."
particular is greatly stimulated by such visits.
Then there are descriptions of Styles 2, 3 and I advise music dealers and public-spirited citi-
OAKLAND, CAL., December 22.—A beautiful new
4. One of several testimonials incorporated in zens, in whose town these bands have not yet
music store has been opened in East 14th the circular is from J. S. Barron, banjoist of visited, to get in touch with the band masters or
street, Oakland, by the Henry Welch Music Watson's band, Piccadilly Hotel, who says: the commanding officers in Washington."
Co., which is selling band and orchestra in- "After testing the Vegavox it has passed the
struments, radios and phonographs. Henry severest of trials—those imposed by recording.
Banjo Club for Canton
Welch was until recently a salesman witli Its tone comes through as clear as a bell and
one of the large music houses in its Oak- on the radio, too, I am informed it is superb in
CANTON, O., December 27.—Canton music
land branch. He has arranged with Waters & tone."
dealers merchandising orchestra and band in-
Ross, northern California distributors of Holton
struments are co-operating in the formation
band instruments, to sell that line in Oakland,
here of a tenor banjo club, an innovation in
Takes on Gibson Line
but not exclusively, however.
local music circles. Rehearsals are being held
SPRINGFIELD, O., December 24.—The Zirklc every week and the club soon will make its
Gibson Salesmen Gather
Studios, Mitchell Building, announce the store bow to the public. Several efforts in recent
KALAMAZOO, MICH., December 24.—The several has taken on the local representation for the years have been made to organize such a club
members of the sales force o( Gibson, Inc., re- Gibson line of banjos, guitars, cases and acces- and not until recently did plans materialize.
turned to the- factory here this week for the sories. The company for some time has mer- Dealer interest is maintained by a repre-
sentative of the store's musical merchandise
annual sales conference, called by Frank Camp- chandised other lines of small goods.
section being oti hand at rehearsals and giving
bell, sales and advertising manager. Sales and
promotional plans for the 1929 campaign were
The G. W. P. Jones Music Co., of Washing- such information as is desired.
discussed, also the advertising program adopted ton, Pa., is celebrating the 27th anniversary of
by the company for the coming year. A good the founding of this business by G. W. P. Jones.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
business in fretted instruments is anticipated.
This store handles everything in music.
The Review.