Presto

June 9, 1928
PRESTO-TIMES
The American Music Trade Weekly
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
PRESTO P U B L I S H I N G CO., Publishers.
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - - -
Editor
(C. A. D A N I ELL—1904-1927.)
J. FERGUS O ' R Y A N
- - - - -
Managing Editor
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
music dealers of the diked States will com-
bine with the one object in view of selling
everything that will make the home more at-
tractive, the/ will educate the people to an
appreciation of what the home really is. When
the public is filled with such an appreciation,
the piano will again come into its own," was
the firm belief voiced bv Mr. Clav.
SOLACING THOUGHTS
One encouraging fact impressed on their
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
hearers by convention speakers was that ap-
Post Office, Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1.25; Foreign, $4. preciation, interest and understanding; of music
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
in this country is increasing at a remarkable
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
rate. America is demanding not onlv more
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if of
general interest to the music trade will be paid for at music but better music. Indications every-
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen in the
where are that music is taking its proper place
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and
their assistance is invited.
with other educational subjects in the schools
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the edi- and that piano class instruction in the schools
torial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of produc- is becoming more of a rule than an exception.
tion will be charged if of commercial character or other
than strictly news interest.
So in considering the topic of sales depres-
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is re-
quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi- sion a corrective to discouragement is that
cated.
musical appreciation in the last ten years has
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
made more progress than in the preceding-
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 5 p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Full page display copy twenty and that it has made greater strides in
should be in hand by Tuesday noon preceding publication
day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure the last five years than in the preceding ten
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
years. In view of such undeniable facts the
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South decrease in piano sales does not arise from a
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
lack of musical appreciation and understand-
ing in the American people.
SATURDAY, JUNE 9. 1928.
Rut a question officially and unofficially dis-
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press cussed during the convention this week was
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring what sources of music has adversely affected
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur- the demand for pianos? Has radio, the new
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that phonograph, increased interest in bands and
is not strictly news of importance can have
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they orchestras adversely affected consumer de-
concern the interests of manufacturers or mand for pianos? It was generally admitted
dealers such items will appear the week follow- that no single force is more important in the
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the realm of music today than the radio, and
current issue must reach the office not later man} dealers were free to admit that interest
in radio was directly the cause of a decrease in
their piano sales.
MR. CLAY'S ENLIGHTENING TALK
But there was solace in the belief expressed
by
a few that radio will enlarge the potential
The address of Mr. Philip T. Clay before the
Xational Association of Music Merchants dur- market of every music merchant because it
ing' the annual convention this week was en- daily increases the number of those interested
lightening' and applied to conditions in a par- in music. Instead of being a sinister influence
ticular way. in that the theme was suggested radio was pointed out as the ally of the piano
by the query which Mr. Clay says he finds merchant and that the piano man who sees it
rather a n n o y i n g 1 y frequent these days : otherwise has an inferiority complex.
"What's the matter with the music business?"
In his enlightening report to members, Mr.
He stated convincingly that "there's nothing
the matter with the music business any more Roy S. Hibschman, president of the Musical
than there is with any other business." The Supply Association of America said, in dis-
trouble in the majority of cases, he said, is with cussing piano trade conditions, that "We have
had too many merchandisers and not enough
the men at the head of the businesses.
The man who asks a question that raises piano nieti." He did not think it necessary to
doubt as to the profitable character of the draw any fine distinctions between the two,
music business, cites a case against himself. but he intimated they were well understood
It suggests his inability to understand his own when he added: "Manufacturers and dealers
position. Both manufacturers and dealers are are seeing a new light and, as a result, con-
found in that category, according to Mr. Clay. structive methods of presenting the piano to
The manufacturer who is forced to make the the public are being put into effect."
* * *
prices of his product too high because of a
crushing overhead is naturally detrimental to
Speaking before a convention of music mer-
retail trade in that he decreases the competi- chants in Philadelphia recently, Mr. Paul B.
tive power of his retailers.
Klugh frankly stated a trade fact that sug-
The music trade is not necessarily wrong gested a disappointment in expected results.
because some dealers and manufacturers are He said that fully six years ago the Zenith
blind to changed conditions in music goods de- Radio Corporation decided that music mer-
mands. "What's the matter with the music chants provided the proper outlet for radio
business?" is a natural question with the piano selling. This decision seemed to be well
dealer who is unable to differentiate between founded because music merchants were estab-
the obsolete methods of piano presentation and lished as sellers of high-grade musical prod-
"proper approach" essential today. Mr. Clav ucts going into the home. A strenuous effort
said the music store should be an emporium was made, therefore, to interest music dealers
for the sale of home entertainment. Jt is a in radio, but the results were meager. "We
necessitv arising' from the competition be- encountered, among music merchants, the
tween the home and the out-of-doors. "If feeling that radio was an interloper which
would interfere with the piano and phono-
graph business." he said. "After a persistent
effort to make progress with music merchants,
we were forced to abandon the idea and to
seek outlets which were in sympathy with the
radio business."
* * *
A man may be great while alive and be ac-
corded the rewards of success only after his
death. For the greater part of his lifetime
Schubert owned no piano, but was content to
play his works to a few friends at one of their
houses or at some hospitable "gasthaus." Now
thanks to the enterprise of the Columbia Com-
pany, his Sonata in G Major is performed in
thousands of homes. This sonata is probably
his greatest work for piano solo.
'WAY BACK IN PRESTO
(From issue of Presto of June 5, 1890)
I'nder the caption, "Quite Prosperous, Thank You."
Presto did a little "blowing its own horn" in the fol-
lowing reader and "proof of the pudding."
QUITE PROSPEROUS, THANK YOU!
The above words formed the reply by the editor
to an inquiring friend who wished to know how
Presto is progressing now-a-days. We added that
subscriptions continue to come in freely from all
parts of the country, and handing our friend a copy
of the paper, remarked that in the matter of adver-
tising patronage the paper speaks for itself; that our
advertisers hardly ever think of dropping off; on the
contrary, new support is being gained all the time.
The following are names copied from our subscription
books of new music trade subscribers to Presto received
during the month ending May L\S, IKilO.
A. Denison, Arcade, N. Y.; W. L. Reading, Akron,
Ohio; Lange & Minton, Burlington, La.; New York
Cheap Store, Bisbee, Ariz.; Dubois & Newell, Brad-
ford, Pa ; Dubois & Newell, Lima, Ohio; Brigham
City Music Co., Brigham City, Utah; G. F. Rosche
& Co., 178 State street, Chicago; F. S. Cable, secre-
tary Chicago Cottage Organ Co., Chicago; D. H.
Baldwin & Co., Cincinnati; Thos. Goggan & Bro.,
Galveston, Tex.; Solomon Dill & Co., Kalamazoo,
Mich.; Carl Hoggman, Leavenworth, Kan.; Wm.
Rohlfling & Sons, Milwaukee, Wis.; Max Meyer &
Bro., Omaha, Neb.; Hinners & Albertsen, Pekin, 111 ;
Chas. Whitmore, Plymouth, Ind.; Guernsey Bros.,
Scranton, Pa.; H. M. Dible, Verona, Pa.; Wm.
Vischer & Sons, Wellington, Pa.; Adam Schaaf, 176
West Madison street, Chicago; M. E. Converse, Joliet,
111.; David McKee, with Lyon & Healy, Chicago, 111.;
Ed. C. Smith, with W. W. Kimball Co., Chicago;
Geo. Schleiffarth, with B. Shoninger Co., Chicago;
Geo. Busse, 305 State street, Chicago; Edmund Gram,
Milwaukee, Wis.; Sanders & Stayman, Richmond, Va.;
E. Hunchendorf, Walnut, Iowa; E. A. Wilson & Co.,
Franklin, Pa.; J. Topping & Co., Calais, Me.; W.
P. Hanna, Sharon, Pa.; Alcott & Maynor, Dallas,
Tex.; P. Kramer, Ft. Jennings, Ohio; H. J. Hay-
more, Erie, Pa.
Mathushek & Son, now incorporated as a stock
company under the laws of the state of New York,
have capital and manufacturing facilities largely in-
creased.
Comrade Henry Behning, who has lately arrived
at his boyhood home, Hanover, Germany, will spend
the summer in Europe and reach New York about the
middle of September. Mr. Behning is accompanied
by his wife.
Mr. Edward P. Mason, son of the late Henry
Mason, will succeed his father as president and gen-
eral manager of the Mason & Hamlin Organ Co.
We have received No. 10, Vol. 1, of Peek & Sons'
paper, "The Opera." It is well gotten up typograph-
ically and contains interesting and useful reading
matter.
The well-known excellence of the Hardman, Peck
& Co. pianoforte, having steadily added to its glory
and prestige year by year, now ranks as one of the
leading American pianofortes.
One of the pianofortes, in fact we may say the
one in particular which the W. W. Kimball Co. has
pushed extensively, is the Hallet & Davis. They annu-
ally dispose of a large proportion of the output of
the Hallet & Davis factory in Boston. The excellent
and unique system of selling which characterizes
the Kimball Co. is one of the reasons for their suc-
cess with the Hallet & Davis pianofortes.
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