Music Trade Review
Issue: 1930 Vol. 89 N. 9 - Page 23
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SEPTEMBER, 1930
Here's a Daily Newspaper That
Praises Instead of Condemns the Piano
TN the past several issues of The Review ex-
tended reference has been made to the ap-
pearance of articles criticizing or demeaning
the piano in the daily press and of what has
been done by trade members to counteract this
harmful propaganda. Although there may have
been some question as to just what effect the
derogatory articles had on sales, there is no
question but that they brought into the lime-
light many earnest defenders of the basic in-
strument.
On several occasions during the past few
weeks daily newspapers have seen fit to com-
ment editorially upon the importance of the
piano, notable among.these editorials being that
which appeared recently in the Cincinnati En-
quirer under the caption "A Living Instrument."
The editorial, which is well worthy of reprint-
ing in every city of the country, read:
"The piano, we are told by those who preen
themselves in gloomy prophecies, has seen its
best days in America. They pretend to hear
the last melancholy notes of a fugue struck
hastily before the keyboard is closed and the
piano trundled away into dust to make room for
the radio. They see in the mechanics of air-
caught music a time, at hand, when the instru-
ment of Bach and Beethoven and Tschaikowsky
will retire to the concert stage and the broad-
casting studios, leaving to the home music that
is heard but not created there.
"And they see obliquely. It is true that the
piano has gone out of fashion as a piece of
purely decorative furniture. The baby grand
that stood in the corner until its keys were
yellowed by no touch other than that of time
has given way to instruments that can be played
with a dial or a crank—and good instruments
they are. But more pianos are being used
to-day than ever before. Pianos bought now
are not wasted in ornamental silence.
"It is significant for "the future of the noblest
of instruments and the industry of making them,
that every year a greater number of children
are being trained to express artistry and emo-
tion on the piano. Last year in Cincinnati 2,500
school children elected study in piano courses;
five years ago only 430 were enrolled. In
Cleveland five years ago the schools taught
piano to forty students; last year the same
courses were given to 2,800. Ohio is not unique
in this widening of piano instruction.
"Obviously the swan song of the piano is
being sung badly off key."
Owen Thinks Pianos
and Sells Them
of my own pocket. Faith must be kept.' The
man paid the commission, but the teacher knew
that I had to force matters for her. What
happened when I went into business for my-
self nine years ago? Just this: she immediately
came over to my store and from that time on
turned as many of her prospects my way as
she could.
I do not think she ever again
darkened the door of the place where she had
to fight to get that which was promised to her.
Loyalty to the teachers is conducive of loyalty
from them in most cases. However, there must
be caution used and a whole lot of firmness.
"I shall say just one word on the matter of
keeping appointments. In nine years I have
failed but once to keep an appointment, and
what happened? The lady felt I was disinter-
ested and bought a piano from a competitor!
Every appointment is scrupulously kept!
"Those are the facts.
Our piano busi-
ness is not decreasing but is increasing. Our
A
(Continued from page 4)
"On the other hand the dealer must be ab-
solutely fair with the teacher. I once worked
for a firm where there was a tendency to in-
vent excuses for not paying commissions of-
fered to teachers. One teacher, for instance,
gave a lead that led to a piano sale. An ex-
cuse was made that I did not think fair. I
laid the law down to the proprietor. 'Look
here,' I said, 'that person has been promised a
commission, and if the firm will not pay it I
shall pay it myself from my own salary. Even
if I am merely an employe here I feel that
my honor is at stake as much as anyone's.
That teacher must have her commission to-day
or I resign my job and pay her the money out
Offers you. more value in appearance, workman-
ship and performance than any other receiver on
the market.
We want you to inspect CLARION Radio and sub-
mit it to your own tests. Compare CLARION with
any other radio regardless of price.
Until you hear and see CLARION for yourself you
cannot realize what a sensational new develop-
ment it is. If any radio receiver will sell itself—
CLARION is that radio.
Live dealers everywhere are investigating NOW.
There are forty CLARION distributors throughout
the United States and Canada. There is one near you.
Telephone, wire or write for further information
Model AC-51
$109
21
The Music Trade Review
Licensed under R.C.A. and associated company patents.
Member of the R.M.A.
TRANSFORMER CORPORATION OF AMERICA
KEELER and OGDEN AVENUES
-
-
-
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
THE GREATEST RADIO VALUE AT ANY PRICE
new home is equipped for service and volume
business forced us to move into it January 1.
In recent months we have noticed more of a
swing back to the piano than away from it.
We have no fear for the future. The piano
will never be replaced or relegated to the scrap
heap. The correct appeal following correct
leads still means volume sales."
Union Music Co. Opens
Popular Piano School
SAN FRANCISCO, CAI..—The Union Music Co. has
had the top floor of its reconstructed building,
11 Mason street, transformed into a piano
school for popula,r music. The school is oper-
ated by Nell Callahan and Helen Bin gharri, both
solo pianists for three of the local radio broad-
casting stations, and they are putting their
pupils on the air and broadcasting news of their
school which they call Piano-Arte School. Most
of the classrooms have Lester pianos, a leading
line of the Union Music Company.
They say that students who come to the
school for lessons often have no pianos and
they rent and, as they progress, they often want
to buy instruments. The school is a source of
prospects for the music house.
New Brunswick Radio Line
Greeted With Enthusiasm
According to A. A. Trosler, sales manager of
the Brunswick Radio Corp., the No. 22 High-
boy Radio of the new line is being received
with much enthusiasm by the dealer organiza-
tion. Although production is increasing daily
and every dealer will be soon supplied with his
requested merchandise, the company is, through
unexpected orders, considerably behind in de-
liveries.
The forty field men who are contacting deal-
ers in all parts of the country, according to Mr.
Trostler, report that distributors are assigning
dealers daily and the consensus of opinion is
that it will be a big Brunswick year.
We're Selling Reproducers
in Oakland, Says Lome
(Continued from page 3)
of our plans. Personally I have found a great
many things in the trade magazines that have
been of use to me.
From time to time we hear different men
talking about going into different lines of busi
ness. As my secretary said to me the other
day, "It is like a bunch of bananas—every time
one of them leaves the bunch he is sure to get
skinned." So I have decided that I am not
going to be skinned. I will stick with the
bunch. I honestly feel that the men that stick
with the piano business are in a wonderful busi-
ness and the possibilities for its future are
unlimited.
New Post for Walter Kiehn
Walter Kiehn, formerly a director and adver-
tising manager of the Gulbransen Co., is now
director of advertising and sales promotion of
the Rogers-Majestic Corp., Ltd., Toronto, Ont.,
who handle the Majestic radio and the Rogers
batteryless radio. He makes his headquarters
at the Toronto office.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.—Everett
and
Cable-Nelson
pianos are now being retailed in this city from
the branch store opened recently by the Everett
Piano Co. of South Haven, Mich., on the fifth
floor of 1520 Chestnut street, with Frank M.
Connelly as manager.
SEPTEMBER, 1930
Here's a Daily Newspaper That
Praises Instead of Condemns the Piano
TN the past several issues of The Review ex-
tended reference has been made to the ap-
pearance of articles criticizing or demeaning
the piano in the daily press and of what has
been done by trade members to counteract this
harmful propaganda. Although there may have
been some question as to just what effect the
derogatory articles had on sales, there is no
question but that they brought into the lime-
light many earnest defenders of the basic in-
strument.
On several occasions during the past few
weeks daily newspapers have seen fit to com-
ment editorially upon the importance of the
piano, notable among.these editorials being that
which appeared recently in the Cincinnati En-
quirer under the caption "A Living Instrument."
The editorial, which is well worthy of reprint-
ing in every city of the country, read:
"The piano, we are told by those who preen
themselves in gloomy prophecies, has seen its
best days in America. They pretend to hear
the last melancholy notes of a fugue struck
hastily before the keyboard is closed and the
piano trundled away into dust to make room for
the radio. They see in the mechanics of air-
caught music a time, at hand, when the instru-
ment of Bach and Beethoven and Tschaikowsky
will retire to the concert stage and the broad-
casting studios, leaving to the home music that
is heard but not created there.
"And they see obliquely. It is true that the
piano has gone out of fashion as a piece of
purely decorative furniture. The baby grand
that stood in the corner until its keys were
yellowed by no touch other than that of time
has given way to instruments that can be played
with a dial or a crank—and good instruments
they are. But more pianos are being used
to-day than ever before. Pianos bought now
are not wasted in ornamental silence.
"It is significant for "the future of the noblest
of instruments and the industry of making them,
that every year a greater number of children
are being trained to express artistry and emo-
tion on the piano. Last year in Cincinnati 2,500
school children elected study in piano courses;
five years ago only 430 were enrolled. In
Cleveland five years ago the schools taught
piano to forty students; last year the same
courses were given to 2,800. Ohio is not unique
in this widening of piano instruction.
"Obviously the swan song of the piano is
being sung badly off key."
Owen Thinks Pianos
and Sells Them
of my own pocket. Faith must be kept.' The
man paid the commission, but the teacher knew
that I had to force matters for her. What
happened when I went into business for my-
self nine years ago? Just this: she immediately
came over to my store and from that time on
turned as many of her prospects my way as
she could.
I do not think she ever again
darkened the door of the place where she had
to fight to get that which was promised to her.
Loyalty to the teachers is conducive of loyalty
from them in most cases. However, there must
be caution used and a whole lot of firmness.
"I shall say just one word on the matter of
keeping appointments. In nine years I have
failed but once to keep an appointment, and
what happened? The lady felt I was disinter-
ested and bought a piano from a competitor!
Every appointment is scrupulously kept!
"Those are the facts.
Our piano busi-
ness is not decreasing but is increasing. Our
A
(Continued from page 4)
"On the other hand the dealer must be ab-
solutely fair with the teacher. I once worked
for a firm where there was a tendency to in-
vent excuses for not paying commissions of-
fered to teachers. One teacher, for instance,
gave a lead that led to a piano sale. An ex-
cuse was made that I did not think fair. I
laid the law down to the proprietor. 'Look
here,' I said, 'that person has been promised a
commission, and if the firm will not pay it I
shall pay it myself from my own salary. Even
if I am merely an employe here I feel that
my honor is at stake as much as anyone's.
That teacher must have her commission to-day
or I resign my job and pay her the money out
Offers you. more value in appearance, workman-
ship and performance than any other receiver on
the market.
We want you to inspect CLARION Radio and sub-
mit it to your own tests. Compare CLARION with
any other radio regardless of price.
Until you hear and see CLARION for yourself you
cannot realize what a sensational new develop-
ment it is. If any radio receiver will sell itself—
CLARION is that radio.
Live dealers everywhere are investigating NOW.
There are forty CLARION distributors throughout
the United States and Canada. There is one near you.
Telephone, wire or write for further information
Model AC-51
$109
21
The Music Trade Review
Licensed under R.C.A. and associated company patents.
Member of the R.M.A.
TRANSFORMER CORPORATION OF AMERICA
KEELER and OGDEN AVENUES
-
-
-
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
THE GREATEST RADIO VALUE AT ANY PRICE
new home is equipped for service and volume
business forced us to move into it January 1.
In recent months we have noticed more of a
swing back to the piano than away from it.
We have no fear for the future. The piano
will never be replaced or relegated to the scrap
heap. The correct appeal following correct
leads still means volume sales."
Union Music Co. Opens
Popular Piano School
SAN FRANCISCO, CAI..—The Union Music Co. has
had the top floor of its reconstructed building,
11 Mason street, transformed into a piano
school for popula,r music. The school is oper-
ated by Nell Callahan and Helen Bin gharri, both
solo pianists for three of the local radio broad-
casting stations, and they are putting their
pupils on the air and broadcasting news of their
school which they call Piano-Arte School. Most
of the classrooms have Lester pianos, a leading
line of the Union Music Company.
They say that students who come to the
school for lessons often have no pianos and
they rent and, as they progress, they often want
to buy instruments. The school is a source of
prospects for the music house.
New Brunswick Radio Line
Greeted With Enthusiasm
According to A. A. Trosler, sales manager of
the Brunswick Radio Corp., the No. 22 High-
boy Radio of the new line is being received
with much enthusiasm by the dealer organiza-
tion. Although production is increasing daily
and every dealer will be soon supplied with his
requested merchandise, the company is, through
unexpected orders, considerably behind in de-
liveries.
The forty field men who are contacting deal-
ers in all parts of the country, according to Mr.
Trostler, report that distributors are assigning
dealers daily and the consensus of opinion is
that it will be a big Brunswick year.
We're Selling Reproducers
in Oakland, Says Lome
(Continued from page 3)
of our plans. Personally I have found a great
many things in the trade magazines that have
been of use to me.
From time to time we hear different men
talking about going into different lines of busi
ness. As my secretary said to me the other
day, "It is like a bunch of bananas—every time
one of them leaves the bunch he is sure to get
skinned." So I have decided that I am not
going to be skinned. I will stick with the
bunch. I honestly feel that the men that stick
with the piano business are in a wonderful busi-
ness and the possibilities for its future are
unlimited.
New Post for Walter Kiehn
Walter Kiehn, formerly a director and adver-
tising manager of the Gulbransen Co., is now
director of advertising and sales promotion of
the Rogers-Majestic Corp., Ltd., Toronto, Ont.,
who handle the Majestic radio and the Rogers
batteryless radio. He makes his headquarters
at the Toronto office.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.—Everett
and
Cable-Nelson
pianos are now being retailed in this city from
the branch store opened recently by the Everett
Piano Co. of South Haven, Mich., on the fifth
floor of 1520 Chestnut street, with Frank M.
Connelly as manager.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).