Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 19 Ul
9
Genuine
Public Interest
is reflected in progress of Piano
Industry in 1940
HAT the piano is now back as an
essential in the estimation of the
public has been manifested by the
steadily increasing demand during the
entire year of 1940. That the console
piano is still the favorite is also disclosed
by production figures but it is interesting
to note that grand piano production has
remained approximately the same for the
past three years. Average retail price
T
sound and profitable footing. Many stores where other lines have been handled now come more noticeable.
devote their entire interests to pianos and
All in all the industry has made such
musical instruments.
progress in bringing home to the public
Many new styles have been introduced the importance of the piano as a
throughout the year and although there cultural instrument as well as one of en-
has been a tendency to manufacture more tertainment and necessity in the home that
consoles 40" or over in height there still it should look forward with the greatest
seems to be a spirited demand for the 36" confidence to the years to come.
type piano.
Production of grands and consoles is
levels have, however, been raised a little
and there has been a better demand for
the higher priced consoles. Furthermore
higher priced grand pianos have consti-
tuted a larger percentage of the total
sale of grands than any previous year for
a decade.
During the past year also there were
more new retail outlets established than
in any year since the piano really started
to show life again and there was also
more renovating and remodeling of old
stores. These two factors are a very vivid
reflection that the industry is again on a
Association work has shown much
progress and the National Piano Manufac-
turers Association, the National Piano
Travelers Association and the National
Association of Music Merchants are work-
ing in closer harmony than they ever have.
The Retail Piano Salesmen's Clinics which
were held throughout the country last
year proved so successful that they will be
held again this year, publicity on pianos
in newspapers and magazines as well as
use of piano illustrations in the advertise-
ments of large national advertisers out-
now back where it was in 1925. The in-
dustry perhaps can have only one regret.
That is, that the production of grands
which was 50,000 in 1925 was but 19,000
in 1940.
Following are some of the more im-
portant highlights in the industry during
1940:
JANUARY
Piano shipments for 1939 announced as
114,043.
Over two hundred dealers attend Re-
tail Sales Clinic held at the Hotel New
Yorker, New York.
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