Music Trade Review

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were afraid of it; and bluntly came out and said that
such a method would hurt their business. By the time
the five years of Dr. Burrows' effort terminated, so
many educators and private teachers were asking for
information about his method that it became neces-
sary to publish a book sponsored by the Music Edu-
cators National Conference, explaining how the meth-
od could be inaugurated and carried on in school
as well as private studios. No man had a greater
career ahead of him than Dr. Burrows. He was a
concert pianist, he had written music, he had writ-
ten books about music, and he was an indefatigable
worker, as well as one of the most genial personalities
which had ever stood before an audience. We have
admired him immensly. He was an ardent supporter
of everything the music industry stands for. He never
missed a year-end luncheon of the New York Piano
Trade, and always had a bright message for those who
attended. He was a champion of "Play for fun"
method of teaching, and he should be remembered by
every member of the piano industry as the man who
inaugurated a system to keep children playing from
generation to generation, cheerfuly giving his time
and energy to the purpose of bringing out sincere
happiness through music. In his honor a musical
scholarship in his name has been created at Teachers
College. Any member of the industry wishing to con-
tribute can send a donation to Dr. James L. Mursell,
Music Dept., Teachers College, Columbia University,
New York.
What's the Matter With the Piano Business
ITTING in on an impromptu conversation the
other day, at which a manufacturer, a traveling
man and ourselves were discussing various
phases of the piano business, the remark was made
"I can't understand why the organ business should
be so good and the piano business so dull". Then
the three of us commenced to analyze the situation.
The traveling man mentioned the fact that wherever
he had been the dealer who had a studio and was
teaching musical instruments was doing a good busi-
ness. He found, however, that dealers who did not
have such a promotion were complaining. So far
as the organ business was concerned, the fact that the
organ business is good can more or less be attributed
to the same thing. The medium-priced organs which
are now being sold have a tremendous effect on the
minds of people whether they plan the organ or not.
Those who are selling organs see to it that these
people are taught to play. After all, the electronic
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JUNE, 1952
organ is young compared to the piano business. For a
generation that likes organ music and finds they can
be taught to play without much ado, is it any wonder
that many of them turn to the organ? No doubt organ
sales probably amount to approximately 20% of the
total of piano sales, so that we feel that the piano
business has nothing to fear from the organ. In fact,
we believe it is a help because people play it with
their hands, and if they enjoy it they will play the
piano as well as the organ. But the traveling man had
another idea. He told about a certain dealer who
goes out and gets business and brings it in. He finds
that this dealer is doing a, good business. He is an old
dealer, too. So when he wants business he puts pianos
in the truck and goes out and gets it. He doesn't
come back until the pianos are sold. This may be "old
hat" but it brings in the business. How many places
are there today where you can find a salesman who
will go out and plug for business. It's the age we're
living in. Most of them want to sit in on the floor
and wait for business to come in the door, through
the advertising or otherwise. We don't know whether
W. L. Stensgaard speaking at the Sales Executive
Association Convention has the right idea or not, but
he pointed out that perhaps salesmen are getting
too lazy, that they'll have to perk up in the future in
order to keep up with competition. However, there
is one unfortunate aspect when business becomes hard
to get. It's something the piano trade has been very
free from for a great many years, and that is, dis-
counts and rebates. Those who religiously operate
along these lines to the detriment of the legitimate
competition as a rule do not last long. So, it is regret-
table that when business becomes difficult there is
always that bugaboo to content with. Years and years
ago we used to have pretty sad sales efforts in the
piano industry, like beans in the jar, certificates,
things of that kind, which forutnately have been en-
tirely eliminated. Secondly, the credit situation in
the piano industry became so well regulated by the
industry itself that when Regulation W was reinstated
pianos and musical instruments were eliminated. So,
let's hope it can be kept that way. After all, it's doing
business in a sound, business-like manner and not
becoming a chiseler which builds the right kind of
reputation for a merchant, irrespective of what busi-
ness with which he may be identified. At least, piano
merchants haven't gotten to the point where they
give a person a two weeks vacation trip free if they
buy a piano like we have been told television dealers
are doing in the Mid-west.