Presto

January 12, 1929
PRESTO-TIMES
study the movement further from the standpoint of
the private teacher, and to prepare literature designed
to make clear its underlying principles and how he
can adapt it beneficially to his own work; and fur-
ther, that the committee lend its aid in bringing
this movement to the attention of both the private
teachers and the schools."
Music Teachers' National Association at An-
William Arms Fisher Acts.
nual Meeting in Cleveland, Dec. 27 to 29,
Immediately after the meeting William Arms
Fisher, president of the association, wrote Mr. Tre-
Acknowledges the Effectiveness of
maine that, having been re-elected for the coming
Scheme in Stirring Resolutions.
year, he would again appoint Mr. Maddy chairman
Another important national organization has been of the Public School Music Committee. Mr. Fisher
actively enlisted by the National Bureau for the considers the subject of the school piano classes a
Advancement of Music in the campaign to promote vital one and is in favor of making it a prominent
the group method of teaching piano playing—the feature at the next annual meeting. Under such aus-
Music Teachers' National Association. At its annual pices it is fair to infer that Mr. Maddy's committee
meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, December 27-29, it unan- will carry out faithfully the instructions in the last
imously passed a resolution calling attention to the paragraph of the resolution and will prepare liter-
spread of the movement, its effectiveness in arousing ature and in other ways further the group method
interest in piano playing, and its potential benefits to among the schools and the private teachers.
The M. T. N. A., with its membership of prominent
the private teacher.
The resolution was drafted by C. M. Tremaine, music educators, chiefly from the colleges and con-
director of the National Bureau for the Advance- servatories, has great influence with the vast but
ment of Music, and presented by Joseph E. Maddy, disorganized body of music teachers scattered
chairman of the Association's Committee on Public throughout the country; and the fact that it has been
receptive to the piano class idea and recommends
School Music. Mr. Maddy, who is also chairman of
the Committee on Instrumental Affairs of the Music their study of it is bound to make its weight felt
Supervisors' National Conference, and Mr. Tremaine, in the entire music teaching field. To convince the
who is its secretary, have long been cooperating in private teacher of the possibilities of the group
the campaign for the development of school piano method and overcome the hostility naturally engen-
classes, and when the opportunity of the M. T. N. A. dered by a new movement, and especially one which
meeting presented itself, Mr. Tremaine saw how this may at first seem to threaten his livelihood, is a
might beu sed in the interest of the group piano matter to which the National Bureau for the Ad-
vancement of Music, as well as the Music Super-
method.
visors' Committee on Instrumental Affairs are giving
Movement Expands.
serious consideration. The action at Cleveland will
The stage is now set for a wonderful nation-wide, aid them in their further efferts.
forward movement along two vitally important lines
—namely, in the public schools and among the pri-
GULBRANSEN FEATURED.
vate music teachers. In each case the active support
of the most powerful organization in each field has
Following the usual custom the Gulbransen Com-
been sought and secured rather than mere passive pany, Chicago, participated in the Annual Christmas
endorsement. Last April the Music Supervisors' Frolic of the Advertising Council of the Chicago
National Conference officially adopted the campaign Association of Commerce. Santa Claus was there to
to promote piano classes in the public schools and
distribute souvenirs to the more than one thousand
now the National Music Teachers' Association has advertising men who gathered for this affair, and in
undertaken to arouse the interest of the private the big shopping bag full of novelties which he pre-
teachers.
sented to each guest was a new and attractive colored
In offering the resolution the Committee on Public hot dish pad for table use, on the reverse side of
School Music was perhaps going a little outside the which appeared an advertisement of Gulbransen
usual sphere of its activity, but in doing so it served pianos. The Christmas Frolic was marked by many
an important function as intermediary between the musical features including the community song direc-
schools on the one hand, with their need for trained
tion by Fred W. Carberry. A number of operatic
piano instructors, and the private teacher on the stars appeared. The proceeds of the affair go to help
other, to the benefit of both. The resolution was as the "Off the Street Club." This affair took place on
follows:
Thursday, December 20th, in the Grand Ball Room
of the Sherman Hotel.
The Resolutions.
GROUP PIANO CLASS
MOVEMENT SPREADS
NEW YORK TRADE
STAGE REVIVAL
Pianos Figure in Resumption of Normal Busi-
ness in Metropolitan Area—C. D. Pease
in Enlightening Talk on Conditions—
Trade Events in Newark, N. J.
By HENRY MACMULLAN
New York resumed its speedy pursuit of business
in a characteristically lively manner after the joyful
and noiseful interlude of Christmas and New Year,
and the cheerful fact is that the public readily re-
sponded to the earnest appeals of the music trade
Of course radio sets sold in enormous quantities be-
fore Christmas, and sales in small instruments, like
banjos, saxophones and violins, were influenced
more or less by the Christmas gift spirit.
But an enlightening fact is that special plans for
the pianos met response in a notable way. "It proves
that to sell pianos you must talk 'em up vigorously
enough to make the desirable impression," said one
veteran piano sales manager, commenting on piano
conditions after the holidays. "There is a reliable,
continuous demand for pianos in Every large city.
It is something no musical or other kind of fads can
divert. Piano demand is a persistent thing and the
natural piano customer is always in evidence," was
his enthusiastic comment. The natural piano cus-
tomers, he explained were the musical families who
consider a musical home impossible without a piano.
Why Wholesale Trade Went Slack
C. D. Pease, treasurer of the Pease Piano Com-
pany, 128 West 42nd street, New York, explains the
reasons why wholesale piano business has suffered
much more than retail business in the same line
during the last three years. In his remarks to
Presto-Times correspondent this week, he put the
onus of the blame on the selling methods pursued
by the retailers themselves. He said that after a
piano passed out of the hands of the manufacturer
it usually became the property of the retailer to dis-
pose of it in what manner and on what terms said
retailer saw fit.
Retailers were very apt to take too small an initial
payment, to set too small a monthly payment and to
make the time of the contract too long. It was that
method which had discouraged manufacturers in
the wholesale end of their business. As far as the
Pease Piano Company is concerned, he believes that
it ought to swing out of the wholesale business alto-
gether and sell only at retail.
"A sale is the beginning of every transaction,"
said Mr. Pease, "despite the belief of many that the
"Whereas, The Committee on Public School Music
sale is the closing transaction. Without sales there
PIANO CLASSES IN CANADA.
of the Music Teachers' National Association has
would be no business. Without sales any business
already made some study of the school piano class
J. S. Atkinson, director of the Canadian Bureau for or line of business will soon cease to exist."
movement, now spreading rapidly through this coun- the Advancement of Music, states that "piano class
Mr. Pease called attention to the difficulties that
try; and
work is succeeding far beyond our fondest expecta- were set up by different States of the Union to pre-
"Whereas, The committee considers the movement tions. A large number of school boards in Canada vent profitable consignment business. Again, deal-
conducive to an increase of the public's interest in have authorized these classes in their schools, after ers would buy and refuse to pay. And again, dealers
school hours. The enthusiasm and interest of the would prove to be veritable slackers, not only in
piano playing; and
"Whereas, The Music Supervisors' National Con- pupils, together with their splendid success, are se- neglecting to work their territory properly, but also
ference has prepared excellent informative material curing for the work the most hearty endorsement in selling to indifferent characters who could not pay.
and approval not only of parents and school boards, So he said that brought it around to his assertion
on the subject, for the benefit of the schools, be it
that as the sale and its follow-up was in any line
"Resolved, That this committee be instructed to but of the private music teacher."
whatever, so was the business.
The Pease factory in the Bronx is running, but in
a smaller way, to supply the retail Pease trade in
New York and some other towns.
Famous Harpist Dies.
Funeral services for Miss Edith Mae Connor, harp-
ist, who died on Wednesday of last week at her
home at 240 Quincy street, Brooklyn, were held
Saturday afternoon in St. Bartholomew's Church.
Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery. She studied
the harp under Fanclli and Salzedo.
The Griffith Store.
The Griffith store in its new 15-story building on
Broad street, Newark, N. J., is conducted on a high
plane. The plate glass on the front of the store is
decorated with the names of the several well-known
pianos that they handle, such as the Steinway, the
Duo-Art, the Brambach, the Steck, and others.
Harry D. Griffith, the head of the concern, said this
week that they have had quite a good business dur-
ing the last month.
The efficient advertising manager, George Con-
over, has been in the piano advertising game for
about twelve years. The fine publicity of the house
is evidence of his abilities. Mr. Conover said he
believed he got in at the wrong time for making
money, and he jokingly remarked that it was easier
a few years ago for any man in the piano business
to pile up quite a fortune. However, he admitted that
this was a changing world and that those who were
keeping up with the present changes in the piano
This attractive window in the store of the Fitzgerald Music Co., Los Angeles, recently featured a Hard- business were still able to mark every stride with
man Spanish Renaissance grand model by Hardman, Peck & Co. New York. The progressive Los Angeles success. The business now was harder to understand,
(Continued on page 13.)
house is the exclusive representative there for the fine range of pianos in the Hardman line.
THE HARDMAN IN LOS ANGELES
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