Presto

PRESTO
Presto
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY.
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT
.- Editors
ing things essential to life and happiness is
too helpful to be interfered with. There may
be some things that pertain to extravagance
which might be considered seriously should it
be necessary for Uncle Sam to save us from
our profligate selves. But pianos are not of
that class of things, and we do not believe that
they ever will be.
FOR HUMANITY'S SAKE
The music business in general was given a
boost at the recent meeting of the American
Civic Music Association in Chicago. A num-
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
ber of distinguished speakers told why life
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
would be a blank without the art of making
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
sweet sound. One prominent business man
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
said that instead of having music in industry,
he would have industry in music.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for
Just what the prominent man of business
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen
meant may not be as clear as it might be. No
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
doubt the thought was that whereas now a
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat- little music is twittered during lunch hour, it
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before would be better if it were made a part of the
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full working day to have a piano or a small orches-
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current tra, or even a brass band, playing constantly,
week, to insure classification, must not be later than as a part of the day's program to inspire the
Wednesday noon.
toilers and keep them fresh and hard at it.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
Anyway, it is always well for the trade and
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
industry when prominent men grow eloquent
on the subject of music. It requires the in-
SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1924.
struments of music to produce music. And
while we do not agree that piano playing dur-
FROM 407 TO 417.
ing working hours is good for the results of
The offices of Presto Publishing Co. have been re- the workers, nor that the instrument is helped
moved just one door south of former location on
South Dearborn street, Chicago. The new number by any vigorous pounding of it in factories
is 417 South Dearborn street, and only change of the or workshops, we do agree that in its proper
0 to 1 is required to have it correct. Presto has been place the instrument of music is as indispens-
within fifty feet of its present location for nearly
thirty-five years. In its new and larger quarters it able as the dining room table or kitchen chairs.
will be better than ever equipped to meet the require-
Also at the meeting of the Civic Music As-
ments of a steadily increasing business. Remember sociation, a plea was made for "music for
to change your records to—
humanity's sake, not for music's sake." That,
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.,
too, seems a bit obscure, but it must mean
417 South Dearborn Street, Chicago.
that music is for the native uplift and to
satisfy the craving for something even greater
ON INSTALLMENTS
than learning or skill. It is that music should
The report that the government of the be accessible to the least accomplished or
United States may in some way interfere with skillful and free to the people of whatever sta-
the custom of selling things on installments tion in life.
is not yet disturbing business. It doesn't
And that must be a plea for the modern in-
seem possible that any regulation by Govern- strument by which even the greatest music
ment could be deemed necessary. But a few may be interpreted by any one possessed of
years ago it didn't seem any more probable the least sense of rhythm. It is an indorse-
that the eighteenth amendment to the Con- ment of the playerpiano. For there we have
stitution would be passed.
music for music's sake, easily attainable and
But, whether probable or not, what would as faithful in its interpretations as was pos-
a law designed to compel the head of the sible only to the highest skill a few years ago.
family from incurring a small debt in the in-
"Music for humanity's sake" is a good slo-
terest of cultural progress mean to the piano gan. It is just what has been employed be-
business ? It makes one shudder to think of fore, but it is phrased differently and the sug-
it! It would cut -down the sale of pianos to gestion of a question as to just what it means
an extent almost ruinous. And of course it makes it all the more forceful, perhaps.
would create a cessation of productiveness in
most of the piano factories everywhere.
SALESMEN AND WINDOWS
And in time would it be necessary to have a
One
of the brightest promoters, by adver-
special service department for the purpose of
tising,
of
a good piano recently displayed this
keeping the piano dealers within the law?
mistake:
"Your
Window Is Your Best Sales-
Would it be the thing to have the sleuths hov-
man."
Of
course,
the writer of that line did
ering about the wareroom doors to watch the
not
give
much
forethought
to what he meant
delivery trucks, and follow to the domiciles
to
say.
He
couldn't
have
meant
to say what
of humble citizens to see whether the price
he
did
say
and
have
it
accepted
literally.
had really been paid or it had been an easy
payment proposition? And would we become
No one will question that a good display
accustomed to reading in the newspapers of window is a great help to the piano store—to
the' "raiding" of piano stores, at which it was any store, of whatever kind. Years ago a
reported that receipts in full were not always New York piano house caused to be published
handed to the purchasers?
a story about Barnum's elephant that paused
But it won't pay to go any further into before the wareroom window, on Fifth Ave-
what might happen if something were to hap- nue, and wept at sight of the shining ivory
pen that won't. The installment plan of buy- keys that gleamed in an open grand piano.
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234.
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
January 19, 1924.
The pachyderm was made to lament that he
had recognized the tusks of his little brother.
That was a window well dressed, without
doubt, and whether the elephant paused and
wept or not, it is certain that "countless thou-
sands" did stop and admire the beautiful in-
strument with the shining keys. But that
any window is the best salesman is a state-
ment to which piano men might be justified
in objecting.
There are three great salesmen the impor-
tance of which may be placed in this order:
First, real salesmen who know what a piano
is and possesses the ability to tell the prospect
enough of what he knows to prove convincing
—the good "closer"; second, the piano itself
—perhaps many would place this first; third,
the well-written and displayed advertisement
—the printer's ink salesman; and, fourth, the
good window display—the simple, but effec-
tive, setting of the piano behind the plate-
glass kept clean.
Salesmanship has been described, analyzed
and discussed without end. And yet it isn't
often that you will find any rules by which
salesmen can be made and their efficiency
guaranteed. That is a matter just as mysteri-
ous as genius—as impossible of creation by
rule as the brain of an Edison, or a Pederew-
ski, or a Verdi. It comes from instinctive
qualifications and experience combined. But
no one will think it out and then say that the
show window is the best salesman.
If it is a good window display, befitting the
instrument and balanced with good taste and
no confusion of ideas, it will be effective either
before or after the introductory work of the
salesman who is alive and alert. It may at
times induce the passerby to enter the store
where the real salesman will do the rest—by
far the biggest rest. Anything and everything
that induces a desire to enjoy music, and to
make it vocal, is a good salesman, but the only
real salesman must be able to say so and make
the customer believe it.
THE WEAVER AND ITS MAKERS.
By W. C. BUSSER, Piano Tuner.
The Weaver, like all other things
That last and that are good
Takes time and thought and work and time.
To make this harp of many strings
Encased in highly polished wood,
And with its tone superb, sublime,
Has taken years of hopes and fears,
Perfecting this, rejecting that,
And trying every sharp and flat
To make it best by every test.
Perfected by the craftman's art,
To those who know, the Weavers go
Into many a home and heart,
To chase the care and gloom away.
And make night brighter than the day;
To all the old it weaves a dream
Of happy days of long ago,
And to the young it makes life seem
All golden days that brighter glow.
And all these men who thus create
This instrument that gives such joy,
'Tis fine to see you congregate
And other useful tools employ;
With art and science, work and thought,
You make the Weaver well,
But not as fine things can be bought
As the fine things that you sell.
TUNING PIANOS IN RACINE.
Herman Rohlfing, son of the former great piano
dealer at Milwaukee, is now an active piano tuner at
Racine. Mr. Rohlfing is with the Salek Bros. Piano
Co., in the Wisconsin city. He is just as happy as
if he had inherited the big piano store at Broadway
and Mason street, Milwaukee, of which his father
was the founder, and he is as good a salesman as
tuner.
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