Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
April 9, 1927.
CHRISTMAN
"The First Touch Tells
9 f
The CHRISTMAN
Studio Grand
is the "best seller" in the trade. It
easily outsells its nearest competitor.
Dealers who handle the Christman line
are equipped to do business and never
disappoint either their customers or
themselves.
The CHRISTMAN
Reproducing
Grand
Equipped With the
Is the highest attainment in the ins tru-
ment that reproduces, with absolute
accuracy, the performances of the
World's Master Pianists. It is the
finest creation of Christman artistry,
in which is installed the most famous
of all piano-playing mechanisms.
Write for full particulars and illus-
trated catalogues.
(<
The First Touch Tells > '
Re*.
U. 8. Pat. Off.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
PIANO PROMOTION
WITH MUSIC ROLLS
Foot-Power Player and Reproducing Piano
Both Serve as Piano Teachers in the Great
National Scheme to Intensify Interest
of Public in the Piano.
CREATING PIANO DESIRE
Nothing Helps That Purpose so Effectively as Making
Public Familiar With Music Art of Pianists
Through Reproducing Instruments.
The national movement for the increase of inter-
est in the piano includes the foot-power player-piano
and the reproducing piano in its scheme of endeavor.
And among those vitally interested in the work are
the music teachers. Anybody or anything possible
of contributing to the furtherance of the great
object is welcome among the active forces. To
arouse enthusiasm for piano study the public must
realize the effectiveness of the piano for making
music, and at the same time the ability of the foot-
power player and the reproducing piano for inter-
preting the work of and giving characteristic rendi-
tions of the expert pianists.
A view of the piano promoting situation makes it
clear that the foot-power player and the reproducing
piano are in the same category as the teacher of the
piano. The teachers long ago discarded the idea that
the player pianos, instead of being designed to sup-
plant them, are their most valuable allies. Of course
their service to the composers of music is a fact that
needs no explanation. In a recent newspaper article
an English authority on music said:
Player Piano as Teacher.
"I have no hesitation in saying, from my own ex-
perience, that the average of knowledge of fine music
is higher among the possessors of player pianos than
among the people who follow music as a profession.
I have frequently been surprised to find that a man
who cannot play the piano at all by hand is familiar
with a number of new works about which the aver-
age pianoforte teacher and pianoforte student know
nothing."
Now in this emphasizing of the foot-power player
and the reproducing piano as aids akin to the music
teachers in encouraging the study of piano playing
by hand, two duties of the piano dealer are suggested.
One is the furtherance of the sale of the new 7 rolls
and the other is the giving of proper instruction in
the operation and care of the player to the customer.
The Dealers' Duty.
The bulk of player buyers need some guidance in
the selection of rolls not only at the purchase of the
first supply but after. The average buyer cannot be
expected to have an intimate knowledge of the shades
of value in music and the degrees of merit in the
music composers. In an unmistakable way the music
dealers selling player rolls are music teachers. In the
hands of a vigilant employe of the roll department
the customer with the bare instincts of musical taste
is developed into a person of comprehension. It is
easy to comprehend what a wonderful force in
the reawakening of the piano playing desire is the
music roll; and what an important thing it is for
dealers to keep in constant touch with the player
owner, who never ceases to be a roll prospect.
Rolls Are Factors.
The mere mailing to the player owner the monthly
bulletin of rolls is not enough. Sometimes the names
of the composers are new and unfamiliar and it is
up to the roll department people to enlighten him;
tell him why the new names represent merit. The
ability to know who counts in the music world and
who does not, becomes a matter of pride in the player
owner and is indeed a mark of his discrimination and
the spirit that makes for his permanency in the list
of roll prospects.
The more progressive of the roll manufacturers
realize the value of the instruction feature in their
bulletins and include enlightening reviews in the
monthly booklets. But that should be supplemented
by the dealer's close attention to the roll prospects.
Developed Ability of Owner.
"The concert pianists perform splendid service for
p!ano music and continually have kept up the en-
thusiasm for the piano among certain classes but
they really do not serve the public," said the English
newspaper writer alluded to towards the beginning of
this article. "They mostly seem to go through life
with the conviction that nothing has been written for
the piano since Chopin and Liszt and Schumann.
Sometimes they may pick a few little things by
Rachmaninoff, MacDowell Cyril Scott, Debussy and
one or two other. In fact the habitual playerpiano
user cannot be induced to go to a piano recital for he
knows he will not hear a note of the music he wants
to hear. I believe his knowledge of modern music is
greater than that of some of the pianists."
The Suggestion in Statement.
Of course the writer quoted exaggerates in that re-
spect but he points to phases in the conditions. The
player owner usually is appreciative of good piano
music and any owner may be developed to a similar
condition by the watchful attention of the roll de-
partment.
It is clear that the promoters of the piano playing
revival must rely largely for a stimulation of enthu-
siasm for piano music upon the player and the repro-
ducing- piano. With these instruments the gulf that
has become so wide between the composer and the
public will be happily bridged.
NEW STYLE STORE IN
CLEVELAND MUSIC TRADE
Something After the Manner of the Self-
Service Idea Is Latest in Ohio
City's Piano Row.
The Broadway Music House, 6103 Broadway,
opened for business on Saturday morning, April 4.
M. H. Grantkowski, the owner, says he has four
carloads of pianos in stock. He is an old-time piano
man and also has another store at 6508 Forman
avenue.
Basta's new music store is now open, at 6032
Broadway, and a complete line of everything musical
is being carried, including Jesse French & Sons
pianos, and Sonora and Columbia phonographs. The
new store is fitted up in the most modern manner.
The store at the old location, 5727 Broadway, is to
be kept open until the lease expires.
The Euclid Music Co.'s latest addition to its chain
of stores has been opened on Euclid Heights boule-
vard and Coventry road. It is the only type of store
of its kind in Cleveland and differs in that it has no
outside show windows and no counters to sell over,
as 'the average music store has. Goods are shown
from cases in alcoves in the walls and customers
remain seated while salespeople bring out small goods
and sheet music for their inspection. Pianos, phono-
graphs and radio are in special display rooms.
NEW KANSAS CITY STORE
IN RESIDENTIAL SECTION
Bissell Music Co., Owned by C. V. Bissell, at 3969
Main Street, Serves Local Trade.
The Bissell Music Co., at 3969 Main street, Kansas
City, Mo., is showing a complete line of the pianos,
players, reproducing pianos, phonographs and records
of the Starr Piano Co. The store, which was opened
recently, is a branch of the retail store of the com-
pany established last summer at 1006 Oak street in
connection with the Starr Piano Co.'s wholesale head-
quarters, of which C. V. Bissell is manager.
The new Main street store is in a choice residen-
tial district, with fine display rooms and show win-
dow advantages. It was chosen by Mr. Bissell be-
cause of his keen knowledge of music retailing con-
ditions in that city. Small goods and musical acces-
sories also are carried.
RESULTS FROM BRITISH FAIR.
Piano manufacturers at the British Industries Fair,
held recently in London, report that although visit-
ing dealers did not always buy, their inquiries were
brisk and, moreover, many new accounts were opened.
Inquiries from outside countries were mostly those
of Australian and New Zealand interests, with which
markets it is believed that considerable new business
will follow, according to the Music Trades Review
of London. In general, "well worth while" expresses
the opinion of piano exhibitors, while supply houses
are well satisfied with the inquiries made of them,
some of which have already developed into orders.
BRITISH ASSOCIATIONS ELECT.
At the annual meeting of the Pianoforte Manu-
facturers Association of Great Britain, held at the
Federation offices recently, R. P. Brasted was re-
elected president for the ensuing year. The whole
of the council and officers of the association were
also re-elected. Herbert A. Bain, who has acted as
secretary since the retirement of J. G. G. Noble, on
April 30, 1926, was elected secretary. At the annual
meeting of the Pianoforte Suppliers' Association,
held on March 1, Laurence F. Haggis was re-elected
president for the ensuing year.
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