Presto

PRESTO
January 17, 1925.
NEW INTEREST IN
FOOT=POWER PLAYER
Satisfactory Phase of Piano Business in Gen-
eral Is Desire of Dealer to Exploit Foot-
Played Instruments and Effect Return
of Old-Time Prestige.
cate any hand-played effect, easily and simply. Now
that we have it, it handicaps us, our dealers and
(ltilbransen owners to have to use music rolls of
inferior arrangement and recording, and retards
progress to just that extent.
SIXTEENTH STORY & CLARK
INVITATION MUSICALE
Another Number of the Artistic Series Attracts
Appreciative Audience in New York.
The Story & Clark Piano Co., 33 W. 57th street,
New York, gave the Sixteenth Invitation Musicale
on the evening of January 15, in the recital hall of the
company. The usual warm response to the invita-
Necessity for the Right Kind of Music Obvious in
tions characterized the event, which was under the
This Day of Improved Instruments.
direction of Frank C. Barber.
The artists were Alice B. Crane, pianist; Oliver
By A. G. GULBRANSEN,
Stewart,
tenor, and Ellmer Zoller, accompanist. The
President Gulbransen Company, Chicago.
high class character of the numbers was in accord-
It is very gratifying to see so much agitation for a
ance with the rule to appeal to people of musical
general revival of musical exploitation of the foot-
and appreciation for fine artistry. Miss Crane
played instrument. If we have it, and I hope we do, taste
played:
Sorrento, Bertkiewicz; The Lark, Glinka-
it will add a great deal more to the prestige of the
Balakireff; Impromptu—G Flat, Chopin; Legende—
instrument than was the case twenty or twenty-five
On the Maine Coast, Crane; Romance—Castle in the
years ago when "playerpiano" concerts were much in
from the Danish Suite, Crane; and Magic Fire
vogue. For this reason a good proportion of the in- Sun,
Scene,
Wagner.
struments of the foot-played type sold today have
Mr. Stewart's choice for tenor solos was: Stor-
been tremendously improved in recent years. Ii
nello, Cimara; Triste ritorno, Barthelemy; Amor ti
must be admitted that the earlier instruments had
vieta (Fedora), Giordano; Auvade—Vainement ma
their limitations; they were not perfected. It was
bien aimee (Le Roi d'ys), Lalo; Bergere Legere,
impossible to duplicate hand-playing of piano music,
Wecherlin; Blue Are Her Eyes, W. Watts; I'll Sing
and they were hard to play.
Thee Songs of Araby, Clay, and The Secret, J. P.
Recalls First Rolls.
Scott.
The first music rolls were recorded with something
approaching fidelity to hand-playing. They were, for
the greater part, the sort of recordings to help the
serious advancement of the instrument itself. But the
instrument was lacking, and so music rolls were cut
to cover up those defects. Rolls were orchestrated,
Successful Woman Manager Directs Music Section
liberally perforated and distorted, so that the short-
comings of the instrument would be overcome.
of Adam, Meldrum & Anderson.
Credits Roll Manufacturers.
Mrs. Loretta G. Springer, formerly manager of the
music department of the J. N. Adams Co.'s Music
Now that many of the instruments have been so
Store, Buffalo, N. Y., has been made manager of the
greatly improved, the rolls still retain too much of
new music department of Adam, Meldrum & Ander-
the over-perforating and mechanical arrangements
son, one of Buffalo's big department stores. The
that came into vogue at that time. When the rolls
department, which has a frontage of fifty feet on
were somewhere near right, the instrument was
Main street, was formally opened recently.
wrong. Now that the instrument is right, the rolls
The company at one time operated a talking ma-
are wrong, with exceptions, of course. Credit must
chine department which was discontinued a few
be given the music roll manufacturers for improve-
years ago but the new music section may be said to
ment in the paper stock used, for cleaner perforating,
be the first serious entry into the music field. Full
etc. Also there is not as much marimba in rolls now
lines of pianos, players, reproducing pianos, talking
as a year or two ago. Credit must likewise be given
for the constructive advertising that has been and is machines, radios, music rolls and phonograph rec-
ords are carried in specially fitted warerooms.
being done.
Mrs. Springer has recruited a force of salesmen
Sees Chance to Improve.
and saleswomen and her ability is so well recognized
But, generally speaking, the recording of present-
that some of the most successful men and women
day rolls is mediocre. Many of the pianists who do in the selling field have expressed a desire to join
the playing have not real pianistic ability, it would
her staff.
seem from their work. We have a great deal to say,
in print and privately, about the character of music
THOUGHT FOR DEALERS;
rolls. It is about as important a factor as we have
to contend with. With our present-day instrument
In a recent letter to dealers by the Weaver Piano
music roll manufacturers do not have to "cover up"
Co., York, Pa., this said: "In the selling of fine
any '"defects" of the instrument, through rolls. The
pianos, it is well to bear in mind two things: 1.
very best of recording that they can buy is none too That we are selling, not alone an article of commerce,
good for the capabilities of the instrument itself. but an instrument with art, romance and sentiment
They are dealing now with a perfected product.
that is capable of many forms of presentation. 2.
Our prospects must be shown these various phases
We have spent years of time and thousands of
dollars to make our instrument one that will dupli- and the advantages of them to the family."
IMPORTANCE OF ROLL
W. R McCLELLAN LEAVES
ON LONG EASTERN TOUR
Secretary of the National Association of Piano
Tuners Will Examine Applicants for Mem-
bership in the Association.
W. F. McClellan, secretary of the National Asso-
ciation of Piano Tuners, with headquarters at 22
Quincy street, Chicago, left that city early this week
on an extensive tour, the itinerary to include the
majority of the eastern states.
Prior to his departure Mr. McClellan made ar-
rangements to examine the many applicants for mem-
bership in the association in that section of the coun-
try. Before being admitted into the association the
MRS. SPRINGER HEADS NEW
BUFFALO MUSIC DEPARTMENT
W. P. McCLELLAN.
tuners will be requested to furnish data on their past
connections and experiences and will also tune a
piano, which will be inspected by Mr. McClellan.
Mr. McClellan informed a Presto representative
that the trip would take a month or more and that
he had included on his itinerary the states of Penn-
sylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New Jersey, returning via Washington,
D. C , and the states of West Virginia, Ohio, Michi-
gan and Indiana.
While in Massachusetts, Mr. McClellan will visit
the headquarters of the Connecticut Valley Associa-
tion of Tuners, at Springfield. Plans have been
made by that association to have Mr. McClellau
broadcast on the "Care of the Piano," over the local
station. It is announced that members of the Con-
necticut Valley Association of Tuners are anxious to
become affiliated with the national organization.
The announcement was made last week that an
official of the N. A. P. T. will tour the Southwest to
make examination of applicants there. Beginning in
the states of Oklahoma and Texas, a complete swing
will be made eastward through the South.
THE BOWEN LOADER
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It will greatly assist any energetic Salesman, City or Country, but is indispensable for successful country work.
It's the best outfit for making collections and repossessions.
Our latest model is fool-proof and indestructible, and the price has been reduced to $95.00 including an extra good water-proof
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BOWEN PIANO LOADER CO.,
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