Presto
Issue: 1929 2225 - Page 8
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
ISSUED THE FIRST AND THIRD
SATURDAY IN EACH
MONTH
F R A N K D. A B B O T T - - - - - - - - - -
(C. A . D A N I ELL—1904-1927.)
J. F E R G U S O ' R Y A N
_ _ _ _ _ Managing
The American Music Trade Journal
Editor
Editor
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
P r i v a t e Phones to all D e p a r t m e n t s . Cable Address ( C o m -
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, $1.25 a year; 10 months, $1.00; 6 months,
75c; foreign, $3.00. Payable in advance. No extra charge
in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates
for advertising 1 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.
Forms close at noon on Thursday preceding date of
publication. l a t e s t news matter and telegraphic com-
munications should be in not later than 11 o'clock on
that day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
April 15, 1929
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Publishers
417 So. Dearborn St.
Chicago, 111.
Tuesday, 5 p. m., before publication day to insure pre-
ferred position. Pull page display copy should be in hand
by Tuesday noon preceding publication day. Want ad-
vertisements for current week, to insure classification,
should be in by Wednesday noon.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street. Chicago, III.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press at l l a . m.
Thursday preceding publication day. Any news trans-
piring after that hour cannot be expected in the current
issue. Nothing received at the office that is not strictly
news of importance can have attention after 9 a. m. of
Thursday. If they concern the interests of manufactur-
ers or dealers such items will appear the issue following.
CHICAGO, APRIL 15, 1929
RESTORING THE HOME PIANO
T 7 VERY plan for promoting piano study is a means towards reestablishing the piano's uses in the home.
Iij Group classes in stores, instruction in schools, piano playing contests—incidentally aids to increas-
ing piano sales—are forms of the main effort, to restore the home piano to its old uses. Lack of interest
in piano music and the consequent falling off of students of the piano in the home led to the condition
suggested by the question among piano men: "What is the matter with the piano business?" Each one
too answered it in his own way, according to his view of the things responsible for the decadence of piano
music. The causes were not as tragic as the hopelessness with which the situation was viewed by the
more pessimistic.
A reaction was natural in a trade of such triumphant antecedents. And when the more spirited men
in the trade organized consistent and effective propaganda for the revival of piano music and devised
practical means to end the era of the silent piano in the home, the factors contributing to the piano's
decline were minimized and the proposed methods for its revival became the absorbing thoughts.
To instil the desire for piano lessons in the young and encourage persistence in piano study when the
pupils pass from the earliest stage, are the main motives in the promotional efforts. Faith in the success
of the schemes is expressed by the attitude of the trade associations. The piano is "coming back" is
the encouraging thought, because the pride of piano performance is again becoming a feature of home
life. The spread of piano classes in the schools is a fact that prompts a hopeful feeling in piano men and
the promotional features in the program of the annual convention of the trade next June are indicative of
the cheerful attitude.
RETURN OF THE CONCERT BAND
\ SIGNIFICANTLY hopeful fact in music is the return of the concert band to favor as a form of enter-
l \ . tainment for fairs, lyceums, chautauquas and public events of like character. It is a renaissance
that marks the revival of an old attitude in the public and no matter what may be the causes, there can be
no doubt as to the effects on musical taste and their influences on the musical instrument business.
The fair, lyceum and chautauqua promoters are not acting blindly in booking concert bands for the
season of 1929. Their action follows tests made by the officials responsible for the success of programs.
They found that the concert bands have the old lure that had reached its greatest potency about fifteen
years ago. Then, attractions of greater variety, though of lesser mass appeal, were employed to supplant
the bands, and many great ones passed out of existence, succumbing to the dictum of the booking officers.
A glorious few, however, stood pat, and these will dominate the entertainment field this year.
The action of the bookers is a response to the enthusiastic feeling of the American public over its town
bands, industrial bands and high school bands which have grown in numbers and favor within the past
decade. The spontaneous call-back of the traveling concert band is a fact of cheerful significance.
\ PROTEST of the sheet music trade is voiced in the letter this week from Robert T. Stanton, presi-
I J L dent of the National Association of Sheet Music Dealers, who points to the over-production of sheet
music, both popular and standard. The gravity of the condition is increased too by a decline in quality
accompanying the increase in quantity, he says.
With the advent of an era of public school music, the opportunists among the publishers, endeavoring
to get a foothold, released a flood of music that can never fit the needs of the supervisors. "If the publish-
ers could only realize the dealers' difficulties in absorbing the numerous publications, the supply would
be reduced materially," says Mr. Stanton.
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/
ISSUED THE FIRST AND THIRD
SATURDAY IN EACH
MONTH
F R A N K D. A B B O T T - - - - - - - - - -
(C. A . D A N I ELL—1904-1927.)
J. F E R G U S O ' R Y A N
_ _ _ _ _ Managing
The American Music Trade Journal
Editor
Editor
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
P r i v a t e Phones to all D e p a r t m e n t s . Cable Address ( C o m -
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, $1.25 a year; 10 months, $1.00; 6 months,
75c; foreign, $3.00. Payable in advance. No extra charge
in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates
for advertising 1 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.
Forms close at noon on Thursday preceding date of
publication. l a t e s t news matter and telegraphic com-
munications should be in not later than 11 o'clock on
that day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
April 15, 1929
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Publishers
417 So. Dearborn St.
Chicago, 111.
Tuesday, 5 p. m., before publication day to insure pre-
ferred position. Pull page display copy should be in hand
by Tuesday noon preceding publication day. Want ad-
vertisements for current week, to insure classification,
should be in by Wednesday noon.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street. Chicago, III.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press at l l a . m.
Thursday preceding publication day. Any news trans-
piring after that hour cannot be expected in the current
issue. Nothing received at the office that is not strictly
news of importance can have attention after 9 a. m. of
Thursday. If they concern the interests of manufactur-
ers or dealers such items will appear the issue following.
CHICAGO, APRIL 15, 1929
RESTORING THE HOME PIANO
T 7 VERY plan for promoting piano study is a means towards reestablishing the piano's uses in the home.
Iij Group classes in stores, instruction in schools, piano playing contests—incidentally aids to increas-
ing piano sales—are forms of the main effort, to restore the home piano to its old uses. Lack of interest
in piano music and the consequent falling off of students of the piano in the home led to the condition
suggested by the question among piano men: "What is the matter with the piano business?" Each one
too answered it in his own way, according to his view of the things responsible for the decadence of piano
music. The causes were not as tragic as the hopelessness with which the situation was viewed by the
more pessimistic.
A reaction was natural in a trade of such triumphant antecedents. And when the more spirited men
in the trade organized consistent and effective propaganda for the revival of piano music and devised
practical means to end the era of the silent piano in the home, the factors contributing to the piano's
decline were minimized and the proposed methods for its revival became the absorbing thoughts.
To instil the desire for piano lessons in the young and encourage persistence in piano study when the
pupils pass from the earliest stage, are the main motives in the promotional efforts. Faith in the success
of the schemes is expressed by the attitude of the trade associations. The piano is "coming back" is
the encouraging thought, because the pride of piano performance is again becoming a feature of home
life. The spread of piano classes in the schools is a fact that prompts a hopeful feeling in piano men and
the promotional features in the program of the annual convention of the trade next June are indicative of
the cheerful attitude.
RETURN OF THE CONCERT BAND
\ SIGNIFICANTLY hopeful fact in music is the return of the concert band to favor as a form of enter-
l \ . tainment for fairs, lyceums, chautauquas and public events of like character. It is a renaissance
that marks the revival of an old attitude in the public and no matter what may be the causes, there can be
no doubt as to the effects on musical taste and their influences on the musical instrument business.
The fair, lyceum and chautauqua promoters are not acting blindly in booking concert bands for the
season of 1929. Their action follows tests made by the officials responsible for the success of programs.
They found that the concert bands have the old lure that had reached its greatest potency about fifteen
years ago. Then, attractions of greater variety, though of lesser mass appeal, were employed to supplant
the bands, and many great ones passed out of existence, succumbing to the dictum of the booking officers.
A glorious few, however, stood pat, and these will dominate the entertainment field this year.
The action of the bookers is a response to the enthusiastic feeling of the American public over its town
bands, industrial bands and high school bands which have grown in numbers and favor within the past
decade. The spontaneous call-back of the traveling concert band is a fact of cheerful significance.
\ PROTEST of the sheet music trade is voiced in the letter this week from Robert T. Stanton, presi-
I J L dent of the National Association of Sheet Music Dealers, who points to the over-production of sheet
music, both popular and standard. The gravity of the condition is increased too by a decline in quality
accompanying the increase in quantity, he says.
With the advent of an era of public school music, the opportunists among the publishers, endeavoring
to get a foothold, released a flood of music that can never fit the needs of the supervisors. "If the publish-
ers could only realize the dealers' difficulties in absorbing the numerous publications, the supply would
be reduced materially," says Mr. Stanton.
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/
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).