Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, SEPTEMBER. W
17
Chicago and the Mid- West
ITH retail sales of the Hammond elec-
W
tric organ up 15% over 1939, and
sales of the Novachord 5% ahead of last
year, C. E. Penny, Sales Manager of the
Hammond Instrument Co., looks forward
to the biggest year in the company's
history.
"The introduction of the Solovox at the
Music Merchants Convention was a suc-
cess," said Mr. Penny," and dealers from
all over the country were enthusiastic
about its musical qualities and the impetus
it will give to piano sales. The Solovox is
a new addition to the Hammond line and
we have great hopes for it because it
means additional business not only for
the factory but for Hammond dealers as
well.
"The markets for the three instruments
do not overlap," said Mr. Penny," and the
Solovox itself will be sold in the piano de-
partments of music stores.
Thus far, Mr. Penny, said, the organ
market has been divided as follows: 40%
to churches, 35 % to homes, and the other
25% to mortuary chapels, schools, col-
leges, radio stations and professional
users.
* * *
country, taking graduate summer courses
at the University, were intrigued by the
long-sustained chords, the tremolos, the
crescendos produced by Miss Sherman's
clever handling of the Storytone's key-
board and three pedals.
In conclusion. Miss Sherman's concerto-
a Wurlitzer Spinette Style 400-3—Walnut
finished with White Kordevon.
* * *
EN M. STRUB who conducts a retail
piano business in Oak Park, 111. is
at present on the west coast where he
motored immediately after the convention
accompanied by Mrs. Strub and daughter
Majorie. He expects to return early in
September.
* * *
ASTERN dealers who attended the
convention in Chicago were sur-
prised to learn that Chicago retail piano
establishments keep their warerooms
open on Sundays. Sunday business has
steadily grown since this plan has been
in operation so that the dealer find it
very much -worth -while.
* * *
ORD has been received by the Gul-
bransen Co. that a Gulbransen piano
was featured at the recent French Fete
-which was held at the estate of Mrs.
Alfred I. Du Pont in Jacksonville, Fla. The
piano was furnished by the Lyric Piano
Co., of that city.
B
E
W
Miss Martha Sherman, Gordon Laughead and
Dean Beattie of Northwestern University at the
Storytone
"OROFESSOR lohn Beattie, Dean of
•L Northwestern University's School of like rendition of a Strauss waltz brought
Music, recently introduced Miss Martha enthusiastic applause. The orchestral ac-
Sherman, Storytone piano artist, to nearly companiment, played from a record on
300 music students packed into a univer- the RCA phonograph in the piano bench
sity hall, for the first college instruction on which she sat, blended through the
ever given concerning electronic piano speaker in the piano.
technique.
Then, at Miss Sherman's invitation to
Presenting Miss Sherman, Dean Beattie try the instrument, great interest was man-
ifested. An excited group gathered and
said:
"It is not ordinarily our policy to dis- dispersed reluctantly an hour and a half
cuss commercial products in our class- later when the piano was removed.
rooms, but I am convinced that the inter>
Gordon Laughead, sales manager foi
pretive and tonal qualities of the Story- Story <& Clark, received scores of white
tone piano are a substantial contribution slips giving the home and teaching ad-
to the field of music."
dresses of the students, who requested
Miss Sherman then explained the sys- more information about the Storytone and
tem of magnetic pick-ups behind the the text booklet, "Storytone Technique."
strings and the high-fidelity amplification
of the Storytone, manufactured by the
Story & Clark Piano Co. and voiced by
ORD has been received by the
RCA-Victor.
Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., De Kalb, 111.,
Although she demonstrated effects re- from M. L. McGinnis, owner of the old,
sembling an organ, harpsichord, celeste, reliable McGinnis Piano Co., Minneapolis,
music-box, and chimes, the attractive that the Theatre Guild of the University of
young lecturer emphasized that the Story- Minnesota chose a Wurlitzer Piano for its
tone is not to be considered anything but stage setting in this year's initial per-
formance of "Susan and God." The piano
a true piano.
Music teachers from many parts of the selected by this famous dramatic club was
W
Selz Moves
to Larger Offices
The Lawrence H. Selz Organization,
publicity counsel for the National Piano
Manufacturers Association, moved on Sep-
tember 16 to new offices at 2.21 North
LaSalle Street, Chicago.
The Selz Organization is taking over
the entire two top floors of this building,
which is known as the LaSalle-Wacker
Building. On the 40th floor -will be the re-
ception room, copy writers' offices, the
stenographic section, and a large, modern
production and mailing room.
Story & Clark
For the Blind
Charles Stephenson of the C. H.
Stephenson Music Company, Raleigh,
N. C, recently sold a style D Story & Clark
dynamic spinet to the North Carolina
School for the Blind. One reason for this
sale is that it is equipped with the Thayer
drop action which was of great interest to
the technical department of this fine
school.