Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
meet. It provides a perpetual topic in the
trade.
July 14, 1928
'WAY BACK IN PRESTO
(From Presto, July 16, 1890.)
The American Music Tride Weekly
Mr. Thomas A. Edison, the inventor, recently pur-
chased a Steinway piano-forte for his own use.
PIANO PLAYERS INCREASE
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
The Conover piano-forte, formerly represented in
The pessimistic thought that the American Philadelphia
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
by Messrs. F . A. North & Co., is now
people were becoming mere passive listeners sold by Messrs. W. F. Boothe & Co. in that city.
PRESTO P U B L I S H I N G CO., Publishers.
to music from radio and mechanical instru-
From Thirteenth street to Twenty-first street on
F R A N K D. A B B O T T - - - - - - - - - -
Editor
(C. A. DAN I ELL—1904-1927.)
ments is corrected by the optimistic figures Fifth avenue, New York, there are fourteen piano-
J. FERGUS O'RYAN
- - - - -
Managing Editor
collected and published by the National Bu- forte warerooms.
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
A movement is on foot in New York to have a
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
reau for the Advancement of Music. While number of young boys at the trade schools educated
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
admitting that the radio, the phonograph and in the art of p r ano-forte making.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.
Mr. Albert Weber has returned to New York from
the playerpiano have secured a permanent
Paris where he went to seek medical treatment for a
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1.25; Foreign, $4.
place
in
American
life,
music
not
mechanical-
Payable in advance. No extra charge In United States
severe attack of nervous prostration.
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
ly produced is gaining in the most encourag-
application.
Since Lyon & Healy of this city have undertaken
ing manner.
the agency for this vicinity of the Wm. Knabe Com-
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if of
general interest to the music trade will be paid for at
Every piano manufacturer reports the in- pany's piano-fortes, these instruments have been given
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen in the
impetus in their sale which they had not previously
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and
crease
in the call for the straight piano ; music- an
their assistance is invited.
had in this section of the country.
schools and private music teachers see no fall-
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the edi-
Mr. P. J. Healy, of Lyon & Healy, is spending the
torial or news columns of Presto-Times.
ing off in piano pupils and publishers of music larger portion of his time at his cottage at Geneva
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of produc-
tion will be charged if of commercial character or other
books for piano study and piano music in Lake, Wisconsin. He owns several acres of ground
than strictly news interest.
the cottage. There are three living
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is re-
sheet form note a satisfactory improvement surrounding
springs on the place.
quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi-
cated.
in their business. In the schools of the coun-
Mr. Thomas A. Edison, the inventor, recently pur-
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
try
where piano lessons have been introduced chased a Steinway piano for his own use.
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 5 p. m.,
The Conover pianoforte, formerly represented in
as a regular part of the school courses, mil-
to insure preferred position. Full page display copy
should be in hand by Tuesday noon preceding publication
lions of children are given the opportunity to Philadelphia by F. A. North & Co., is now sold by
day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure
W. F. Boothe & Co. in that city
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
become piano players.
From Thirteenth street to Twenty-fifth street on
Address all communications for the editorial or business
The action of the national association of Fifth avenue, New York, there are fourteen piano-
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
school supervisors in favoring a systematizing forte warerooms.
Mr. Henry L. Mason, son of the late Henry Mason,
of piano instruction in the schools has notably the recent president of the Mason & Hamlin Organ
SATURDAY, JUT A* 14, 1928.
aided in the formation of group classes. In & Piano Co., was in attendance throughout the Music
many of the school systems the pupils of piano Teachers' National at Detroit last week. Mr. Mason
was accompanied by Mr. Frank L. Gibson, a sales-
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring or other instrument get credit on school re- man at the Mason & Hamlin warerooms in Boston.
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur- ports just as they get credit for any other
A TEACHERS' CONVENTION.
The eagerness with
rent issue. Nothing receive.d at the office that prescribed subject.
(Music and Music Trade Notes on the Music Teach-
is not strictly news of importance can have which the young folk enter the piano playing ers' National Convention Held at Detroit the First
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they tournaments in every city and town where Week of July, 1E90.)
concern the interests of manufacturers or they are promoted shows the extent of the The music trade element constituted much of the
activity at the Detroit meeting, as it always has much
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the piano playing desire. The allurement of the of the life and vitality of the association. The same
current issue must reach the office not later new piano teaching methods like the Curtis pianos that were used last year and in other years,
with the exception of the DECKER BROS., were
System, the Melody Way and other means used
'han Wednesday noon of each week.
this year. The following is a record of the
increase the incentives to participation in the pianos used this year:
classes.
The STEINWAY was played upon at the orches-
THE FIGHTING SALESMAN
tral and choral concert Friday evening by Mme.
The piano dealer's advertising and printed
Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler, pianist.
In the decision, announced recently by the The KNABE: Orchestral and choral concert, Fri-
follow-up constitute the barrage to prepare
for the attack by the salesmen. In the com- National Association of Music Merchants to day afternoon, by Constantin Sternberg. Piano recital,
pletion of any scheme of piano selling, the discontinue the plan of chartering state music Detroit Opera House, Wednesday afternoon, by E. B.
Perry, and Miscellaneous concert, with Detroit Phil-
salesman is a necessity. It is he who realizes merchants' associations, the Music Merchants' harmonic
Club, et al. Friday morning by Misses
on the publicity efforts. Without the sales- Association of Ohio sees a way to again affil- Marie Miller and Laura Schaffer.
The Hallet & Davis Company was represented by
man's personal assault on the prospect's de- iate with the national body in the manner in
fensive position, the barrage of printed ad- vogue previous to its adoption of the present Mr. E. N. Kimball and Major Howes, and their
parlors at the Russell House were open to the hos-
vertising by the piano house is too often futile. constitution and by-laws. While a large num- pitable entertainment of all.
Mr. Henry Miller put up at the Russell House and
The trouble is that the salesman army is ber of Ohio music merchants have been mem-
undermanned. That fact is proven by the suc- bers of the national body, the state organiza- was accompanied by his wife and daughter.
Mr. Henry L. Mason, son of the late Henry Mason
cess of piano firms employing a sufficiency of tion of the trade has been on the outside for a and brother of Edward P. Mason, the recently elected
competent salesmen in well-organized sales number of years. Rut its organ, the Retail president of the Mason & Hamlin Organ and Piano
efforts With a shortage in the army of sales- Music Merchant, says it has always gladly co- Company, was in attendance throughout the conven-
tion. Mr. Mason was accompanied by Mr. Frank L
men the piano trade is fighting at a disad- operated with the national body "in everv Gibson, a salesman at the Mason & Hamlin ware-
vantage in trying to regain a lost position. movement initiated for a beneficial purpose." rooms i.n Boston.
The reception committee on the Farrand & Votey
That view is held by many observant men in Now it can participate in the annual gather-
and banquet was as follows:
the piano business and the most ambitious and ings in an effective way, in the manner sug- excursion
Messrs. W. B. Farrand, A. E. White, C. T. Sisson,
progressive ones aje eager to improve the gested by the journal named.
W. D. Wood, W. L. Haywood, R. Callender, W. D.
* * *
Gray, Charles Bobzin, James Vaughan, A. A. Stanley,
sales methods, by first of all increasing the
Robinson and J. S. Farrand, junior.
number and efficiency of their sales staffs.
The local music trade and the trade gen- Fred
If there was a "lion" of the convention we failed to
Shrewd dealers are beginning to realize that erally as represented by chambers of com- observe the creature. E. A. MacDowell came as near
the piano business can be revitalized by secur- merce always fee! honored when a music trade as anyone being lionized after playing his concert
night, but he would not be made a lion of
ing good salesmen and holding them by com- association selects a city for its annual con- Wednesday
for he is one of the most unostentatious of young
pensating them properly. Jn plain American vention. At its recent convention in Los An- men.
Music and music trade papers, so far as we learned,
the dealers are getting wise to themselves. geles of the Western Music Trades Associa-
represented as follows: The Etude, Chas. W.
Instead of asking: "What's the matter with tion, Salt Lake City, Utah was chosen for the were
Landon; The Voice, Edgar S. Werner and Miss Elsie
the piano business?" many a dealer says: meeting in 1929 and the prompt acknowledge- M. Wilbor; American Musican, Silas G. Pratt;
"What aits me? Why can't I step on it any ment of the honor by the Salt Lake Chamber Musical Courier, J. G. Huneker and H. O. Brown;
more and hit 'er up on all cylinders? I've got of Commerce conveyed the purpose of making Music and Drama, W. F. Williams; Brainard's
Musical World, A. J. Goodrich; The Echo (La Fay-
a flat tire or two and I'm impeding piano com- hospitable facts during the convention week ette, Ind.), J. H. Kinsey; The Presto, Frank D. Ab-
merce by going too slow. Come on with the prove the warmth of the city's appreciation.
bott and reporter.
The Henry F. Miller piano was played at the
* * *
frank diagnosis, and tell me why I let every-
orchestral and choral concert Thursday evening by
thing pass me."
The great increase in the number of chil- Mrs. Louis Maas. Tuesday morning, concert Ameri-
The question of attracting salesmen and re- dren taking class instruction and the spread can Compositions, Detroit Opera House, by Calixa
taining them by making the job profitable and of piano classes in schools suggests a definite Lavallee, Ernest R. Kroeger and Miss Kate M.
Jacobs, and the Wednesday morning piano recital by
interesting is discussed wherever piano men course of action in the pursuit of sales.
Henry Waller.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/