Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, DECEMBER, 1U0
6
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, TRAD_.
A strong National Music Merchants Association, particularly in these times, is a dealers best protection
back across some 30
odd years of personal ex-
perience in the piano industry
can't
remember the closing of
we
any year which has held more
promise for the piano business than
the present one. Since 1926 the
piano industry has been working
and striving to bring the piano back
to its proper status in the home. It
has been a long pull but a steady
one in the right direction—and it
has been the concerted action on the
part of the manufacturers and
Lhace
dealers through their trade associa-
tions which has accomplished it. To-day as the result of
these efforts people are again buying pianos as they did
years ago and are again conscious of the fact that no home
is complete without one. Furthermore this feeling is
being handed down again from generation to generation
which is the most important factor for the posterity of the
piano industry.
*
* *
Association Work
That Paid Dividends
A1 Smith would say "Let's look at the record." When
the player piano went out like a light in 1926 and
piano sales commenced to skid a meeting was called
which we attended, at which the topic of conversation was
how to bring the piano back. At the termination of that
meeting it had been decided to interest the superintendents
and supervisors of music of the public schools throughout
the country in having piano lessons taught in the schools.
Although it became impossible to put this over in all cities
it became acceptable in many of the metropolitan as well
as smaller cities so that it was not long before there were
thousands of children taking lessons. Most of these
children were just youngsters then and it naturally took
almost a decade before they became old enough to demand
the purchase of a piano. However, through the continuance
of these activities over a period of years many thousands of
other children each year were added to those who had
started in 1926. While this was going on the piano industry
was starving. Production got down to 32,000 in 1932 but
since 193 5 there has been that steady increase in the de-
mand which has brought production up to approximately
140,000 this year. The seed that was sewn in 1926 has
taken firm root, a new generation has been brought up to
be piano conscious and will teach the younger generations
to be the same. Piano sales should steadily increase. Much
of this success has been attributed to the introduction of
the present console piano in 193 5. To a large extent this
may be true. More important, however, is the fact that
through the ideas promoted and the work done by the
trade associations during those trying days, a new genera-
tion was educated to the importance of the piano in the
home by being taught how to play the piano in the course
of their regular school activities during which they dis-
covered, in a perfect natural way the tremendous pleasure
which may be derived therefrom. May we ask how many
piano sales would have been made if there were few people
who play?
A
Large Membership
Means Greater Progress
T that time, as we remember, it wasn't such a large
group but a persistent one that interested the
schools. But its success proves beyond doubt what
can be done by unity. A chain is only as strong as its
weakest link and so it is with an organization. When im-
portant problems arise which affect dealers as a whole no
one dealer can fight for the whole, and in many cases when
a problem affects him personally it is impossible for him
to correct it by himself. But, when he is a member of
a strong dynamic association with a large membership,
with facilities with which to investigate and correct many
evils as well as be always on the alert watching legislation
and other matters which may affect his well being, he has
surrounded himself with invaluable protection.
#
* *
1,000 New Members
By June 1941
IAUL S. FELDER, president of the National Associa-
tion of Music Merchants and as head of Philip
Werlein Ltd., New Orleans, one who has learned over
a period of years how beneficial the association can be, has
just launched a campaign for 1,000 new members to the
association by June next year. We believe that there has
been no time more important than at present for a strong
organization. Aside from the campaign which is being
waged to eliminate chiseling and price cutting—which is
an admirable cause—no one knows what national problems
the industry may be faced with during the coming year.
These are unusual times. Such may be our defense prob-
lems that the piano and musical instrument business may
be faced with non-essential, priority, on tax problems the
same as in the last world war. To cope with such problems
calls for the utmost unity and strength that can be mus-
tered. Irrespective of all the benefits which have been in
force or will be put in force in the future, should the above
problems arise the small membership fee would be nothing
in comparison to what may be done to forstall curtailment
of production which is the .lifeblood of a dealers business.
*
* *
S
O, we say, think well, heed Mr. Felder's call and if
you are not a member of the National Association of
Music Merchants—JOIN NOW. Remember you live
in a country where you can say whether in stormy or fair
weather: "It's a fine day in America." Let's keep it a
"fine day" every day in every way by unity and strength—
and with this as our parting thought may we extend our
deep appreciation to those who have made it possible for
us to carry on and to the entire industry
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