Presto

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.
Editor
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - -
(C. A. DAN I ELL—1904-1927.)
Managing Editor
J. FERGUS O'RYAN
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.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1.25; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if of
general interest to the music trade will be paid for at
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen in the
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and
their assistance is invited.
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the edi-
torial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of produc-
tion will be charged if of commercial character or other
than strictly news interest.
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is re-
quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi-
cated.
aside the need of abiding prudence, a period
when men, manners and things seem to have
changed over night. But this is only a "seem-
ingstance," to coin a new word.
The truth is, the young are not yet properly
recognized, for many among them are eagerly
in search of some rich intellectual possession
which can never be forfeited. Those with
musical talent can find that treasure in piano
playing or in singing to the accompaniments
of the king of instruments.
DESIRE FOR NEW MUSIC
Since the invention of the steam calliope for
making the welkin ring, its vociferous music-
has been a clamorous part in circus parades
carnivals and pageants. Wherever an appeal
to attention is by sound, the calliope provides
an emphatic earful. In the average country
town one is within earshot of the circus cal-
liope any place inside the city limits. News-
paper humorists, too, have always dwelt upon
the stridency of calliope sounds and the ab-
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad- sence of any harmonious qualities. Now, how-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 5 p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Full page display copy
ever, the calliopes while as loud as ever, dif-
ehould be in hand by Tuesday noon preceding publication
day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure
fer
in the character of their music.
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
The calliope in its up-to-date form still ful-
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
fills
its purposes in the parades, pageants and
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
carnivals and important improvement in the
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1928.
music is the attractive quality of the tunes.
The calliope user realizes the necessity for
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press having current airs for his machine and that
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur- by new, well-selected rolls he can evoke a de-
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that sired feeling or respond to any spirit in crowds.
is not strictly news of importance can have According to the Clark Orchestra Roll Co., the
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they calliope owners in their desire to be up-to-date
concern the interests of manufacturers or in music, set a good example for many auto-
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the matic piano owners. Just as you can kill the
current issue must reach the office not later desire for any tune in radio fans by too much
repetition of the air, so the automatic piano
than Wednesday noon of each week.
owner can end the profit-making character in
INTEREST IN SLOGAN CONTEST his instrument by neglect to frequently change
his rolls.
The activity in promoting interest in the
Slogan Contest has been extended to the musi-
When Harry Bibb, president of the Piano
cal merchandise trade and the most wide-
Club
of Chicago, in a talk on piano class in-
spread publicity is thereby assured. At a joint
struction
in the public schools at a recent club
meeting last week of the Associated Musical
luncheon,
alluded to the piano as "the basic
Instrument Dealers of New York, and the Na-
musical
instrument,"
an illustration was pro-
tional Association of Musical Instruments and
vided
in
an
entertainment
feature that fol-
Accessories Manufacturers, presided over by
lowed
his
talk.
A
guitarist
and a banjoist
President Lomb of the latter group, the word
gave
several
selections
on
their
instruments :
of the Slogan Contest Committee was unani-
song melodies with variations, a Chopin noc-
mously endorsed.
The greatest help of the association coop- turne in E flat, the Rachmaninoff C flat minor
erating with the contest committtee will be prelude, the sextet from "Lucia," and other
the enlistment of dealers in all phases of the selections all of which were either composed
music trade in making known to the public originally for the piano or, as in the case of
the facts about the contest. The circulars and the songs, were written at the piano or with
leaflets prepared by the contest committee are the piano as the one melodic aid and ac-
all good lists of propaganda for music and mu- companiment.
sical instruments in addition to their particular
uses in evoking interest in the slogan contest.
The Indianapolis music merchants realize
the value of occasional discussion of trade
matters, the simple ones and those important
GIVING THE PIANO ITS DUE
enough
to be called problems. The twice-a-
Why should it be necessary to put up a fight
month
luncheon
at the Board of Trade dining
to give the piano its due? This query comes
room
is
acknowledged
to be the means for
to the mind of any thoughtful person who
preserving
the
ethical
processes of music
reads the promotion of music literature that
goods
selling
in
that
city.
Indianapolis is an-
is being put out over the country, and over
other
of
the
American
cities
where the music
the world.
business
is
benefited
by
the
periodic social
As well ask, why should it be necessary to
event.
put up a fight to give Al. Smith or Herbert
Hoover their due. Our world is so constituted
The long list of exhibitors at the Seventh
that if one wants something he must fight for
Annual
Radio Show at the Coliseum, Chicago,
it. Limited approval will not do; limited ap-
next
week
is convincing evidence of the impor-
proval might be construed as hesitated dislike.
tance
of
radio
in the commercial scheme at
This is a busy and sensational age, a time
this
time.
when many of the young seem to be brushing
"i*
•>•
"i*
October 6, 1928
THIRTY YEARS AGO
(From Presto, September 29, 1898.)
Herewith is presented
an especially good like-
ness of one of the leading
business men of Boston,
Mr. Alexander Steinert,
president of the M. Stei-
nert & Sons Company.
The portrait and accom-
panying sketch are from
the Boston "Times" of
last Sunday.
Mr. Steinert came to
B o s t o n in 1883 and
opened a branch to the
parent house, M. Steinert,
of New Haven, Conn.,
after having been successful in establishing a flourish-
ing piano business in Providence. Many were the
misgivings and discouragements held out to him. The
piano trade, it was said, was held by a few old and
well established firms and, as Boston was considered
clannish and disposed to look with disfavor on new
comers, there seemed little hope for this great enter-
prise. But this was just the opportunity Mr. Steinert
desired. All he wanted was a fighting chance, and
fair play. Coming, as he did, from a musical family,
through his father, Mr. M. Steinert of New Haven,
whose name is a household word in the entire musi-
cal world of Europe and this country, and from whom
his son Alexander inherits to a large degree his knowl-
edge of musical art with which is combined a thor-
ough knowledge and practical experience in the
elements of pianoforte construction and acoustics,
there was no one better fitted for his task than Mr.
Alexander Steinert.
An important deal was consummated last Satur-
day in Atlanta, Ga., by H. B. Morenus, whereby The
Cable Piano Company will take possession on No-
vember 1 of the property at Nos. 96 and 98 White-
hall street.
The arrival in Chicago of Mr. Melville Clark is
expected on Saturday. He reached New York on
his way home from Europe on Monday last.
C. H. Evans, of Chicago, representing D. H. Bald-
win & Co., has been doing business with the local
agents in Wisconsin.
J. W. Jenkins' Sons Music Company, of Kansas
City, paid $1,300 duty one day last week on a carload
of violins and band instruments imported direct from
Europe.
George A. Steinway, son of the late William Stein-
way, who died on the steamer Statendam, on Septem-
ber 14, en route for Europe, as reported in last week's
PRESTO, was not interested in the operations of the
firm except that he was a stockholder.
There was a quiet, dignified but very alert J. C.
Henderson, of the Ann Arbor Company. He had
slipped in from no one knows where and captured a
big order for Ann Arbor organs before the rest of
the boys were astir. Mr. Henderson is one of the
"Indians" of the road. His trail is hard to follow
and his moccasins make so little noise that his pres-
ence is not discovered until his belt hangs full of
scalps in the shape of orders.
Among Saturday's visitors, too, was Morris Kra-
kauer, who alternates with Reinhard Kochman "on
the road." Mr. Krakauer has developed into a digni-
fied and quite impressive representative of the Kra-
kauer Bros, piano. He always takes good orders and
is a first-class man of affairs generally. He is also
well liked among the dealers and is welcomed in the
warerooms and offices.
Mention is made elsewhere of the presence in Chi-
cago of Mr. E. W. Furrbush, the well-known repre-
sentative of the J. W. Vose & Sons Piano Co. Mr.
Furbush is so energetic a traveler that it is never
surprising to meet him in almost any city where
piancs are sold.
H. B. Eisenbrandt & Sons, of Baltimore, are in
receipt of a letter from Col. William P. Lane, of the
First Maryland United States Volunteers, Camp
Meade, Middletown, Pa., acknowledging the safe ar-
rival of the musical instruments donated for the
embryo band.
Last Saturday, September 24, was a day of more
than common interest to the house of Lyon & Healy,
and particularly so to the head of that great estab-
lishment. It is probable, however, that in the army
of employees there was no special significance at-
tached to the day. It had not even the peculiar
interest of the summer time Saturday with their pleas-
ant memories of the half holidays. Only the heads
of departments and a few others, probably, realized
that the day marked the forty-fourth anniversary of
the entrance of their chief, P. J. Healy, into the music
trade.
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