Presto

July 1, 1929
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
Tennessee—Frank Clark, president and treasurer
( lark-Jones-Sheeley Company, Knoxvilie, Tenn.
I "tali—George S. Glen, president (Hen Hros.-Rob-
erts I'iano Co.. Ogden, Utah.
Vermont—W. C. W. Marshall, Marshall Music
Company, White River Junction, Vt.
Washington—R. E. Robinson, manager Sherman,
Clay & Company, Seattle, Wash.
West Virginia—Richard A. McKee, president Mc-
Kee Music Company, Charleston, W. Va.
Wyoming—C. E. Hayden, president and treasurer
A. L. Cummings Music Company, Sheridan, Wyo.
Colorado—Charles E. Wells, president The Charles
E. Wells Music Co., Denver, Colo.
Iowa—E. G. Stacker, vice-president Stoner Piano
Company, Des Moines, Iowa.
Kentucky—J. P. Simmons, The Music Shop, Lex-
ington, Ky.
Minnesota—M. L. McGinnis, M. L. McGinnis Piano
Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
New Jersey—Frederic Barlow, G. A. Barlow's Son
Company, Trenton, New Jersey.
Oregon—J. J. Collins, president Collins & Erwin
I'iano Co., Portland, Oregon.
RADIO CREATES THE
DESIRE TO PLAY PIANO
PRES. F. B. BASSETT
IN HOPEFUL VIEW
Head of National Piano Manufacturers* Asso-
ciation Gives Cogent Reasons for His
Faith in the Come-Back of Piano
Trade.
"Surely everyone who attended the recent piano
convention in Chicago was impressed with the feel-
ing of optimism and confidence which pervaded the
entire convention from beginning to end," said F. P.
Bassett, president National Piano Manufacturers' As-
sociation, last week to a Presto-Times representa-
tive. "Every dealer with whom I talked seemed to
feel that now that he has 'cleaned house' and has
many new and beautiful styles to offer to the public
he is in better position to do business than for a
long time.
A Successful Dealer.
"A number of dealers reported very excellent sales
during recent months; perhaps the best report from a
dealer w r as that he had sold seventy-two instruments
Famous Broadcaster, "Bill' Hay, at City Club,
Chicago, Answers Mooted Question on the Subject.
At the City Club, Chicago, one day last week,
"Bill Hay, chief announcer of WMAQ broadcasting
station, gave a talk on general radio topics. At the
close of his remarks he invited questions and many
were propounded to him. Most of these had to do
very closely with the affairs of his profession, but
one question was, "Does the radio improve musical
taste and inspire young people to study music?" He
believed it did, and he cited" quite a number of in-
stances where families had started studying music
after having a radio in the home. He believed that
the tendency would grow stronger and, after the
novelty of listening to the radio had worn off, they
would wish to recreate what they had heard.
Another question, "If the rad!o has injured the
piano trade as a business, will it continue to be
detrimental?" Mr. Hay thought that the radio had
not hurt to any alarming extent, at least, the piano
business. He is a man who knows whereof he
speaks, as he was connected with several large manu-
facturing and retailing piano concerns for a good
many years. He said the radio was creating an
ambition in the people to want to play the selections
they heard through the radio upon their own pianos.
Mr. Hay told of his transference from the piano
trade to broadcasting some years ago. At that time at
Hastings, Neb., an announcement would be made that
"Bill" Hay would sing a song "with Mrs. Hay at the
McPhail." And now it would cause Mrs. Hay a lot
of trouble and perhaps quite a journey to find a
suitable McPhail grand to use. as that well-made
Boston instrument has rather been "lost" for a few
years past.
According to Charles Deutschmann, former presi-
dent of the National Piano Tuners' Association, the
evidence of class for a family today is the grandeui
of the automobile that can be seen standing at the
curb in front of the home. Former generations got
the reputation for class through the ownership of
fine pianos. Each generation has its distinct fads
and fancies, and Mr. Deutschmann says that the
young folks just coming to maturity now will prob-
ably take to the piano with as much zestful appre-
ciation as this generation shows for the auto. Mr.
Deutschmann does not attribute the lower piano
trade to radio but to the changed attitude of this
generation and to cut-price methods of selling prac-
ticed for many years back by a majority of the
dealers and manufacturers. He cited the J. W.
Jenkins Sons Co., of Kansas City, the Steinway &
Sons and the Gulbransen Company as examples of
one-price houses and said that if other houses had
pursued their sensible policies the trade would not
have to mourn its present "sad pass." Tuner John S.
Everett, w T ho was a member of the group when
Mr. Deutschmann expressed these views, agreed with
him in the main and said that the better grade
pianos were the only ones that would win from
now on.
WM. GRUNOW LOSES DAUGHTER.
Lois Grunow, aged 7 years, daughter of William
and Valborg Grunow, died on June 14 of the effects
of pneumonia. The offices of the Grigsby-Grunow
Radio Corp. in Chicago and both of its plants were
closed all day on June 17, the day of the funeral,
out of sympathy for the chief in his great loss.
Interment was at Forest Home Cemetery. The
Grunows have one child left, a little girl named
Valerie.
lent a n d w o r k early a n d late, a n d surely in t h e
lie w i l l b e w e l l r e p a i d .
•
'•'.*..
Outlook Very Encouraging.
" •
"From the manufacturers' • side of the question.
it appears to be far more encouraging than for a
long time, for the reason that he will not J)e com-
pelled to keep such a large sum of money invested
in inventory as had formerly been the case. Now
that pianos can be finished in lacquer in a compara-
tively short time, it will not be necessary for him to
carry the large number of cases in production which
he formerly had to have.
"All in all, the future appears very encouraging to
me, and I feel confident that when January 1 rolls
around that we will all be feeling very much better
than we have for the past few years."
GROUP CLASS METHODS
DEMONSTRATED AT SHOW
Miss Curtis, Leader in Group Instruction,
Gives Practical Demonstration of
Its Methods and Results.
Before 300 piano merchants, piano manufacturers,
public and parochial school teachers and conservatory
instructors, assembled during the recent convention
at the Drake Hotel, Miss Helen Curtis, director of
the Department of Class Piano Methods, Bush Con-
servatory, Chicago, conducted a demonstration of
first and second year group class work.
Over 100 pupils selected at random from group
classes in the grade schools and conservatories
participated. The ages of the children ranged from
4 to 15 years. So important is this school instruc-
tion regarded by Dr. Lewis J. Browne, superintend-
ent of musical instruction in the Chicago public
schools, that he secured the release of the children
from school for the afternoon.
The demonstration was conducted simultaneously
on eight pianos and eight key-charts. Groups of
children took turns at the various positions at the
p'anos and the charts. The demonstration was
marked by the spontaneity and freeness of the chil-
dren's performance, their freedom from self-con-
sciousness or embarrassment, and their remarkable
feeling for tone and dynamics.
"It is an encouraging sign for the future, of the
piano industry," said Miss Curtis when interviewed
by a Presto-Times reporter, "that both dealers and
manufacturers are real'zing that group c'.ass instruc-
tion is the solution of their problem."
The grand pianos used for this demonstration were
of the following makes: Gulbramen, Schulz, Lester,
Wurlitzer, Kingston, Brambach, Everett, Howard,
and Hazelton Bros.
CHICKERING DESIGNS
ARE VERY PLEASING
F. P. BASSETT.
THE EVIDENCE OF CLASS.
end
in four weeks. This may not be a very large num-
ber for some dealers, but this particular man was
located in a comparatively small town and surely this
shows what can be done.
"One of the most helpful things which transpired
at the convention was the resolution in the budget
of the Sales Promotion Committee of the National
Piano Manufacturers' Association to spend a far
larger sum this year in the Bureau for the Advance-
ment of Music than has ever been spent before; and
also to extend a greater amount of direct help to deal-
ers than has been formerly done.
Hold Taken by Piano Lessons.
"Another very hopeful sign for the piano mer-
chants is the hold which the teaching of the piano in
the public schools has finally taken. This is grow-
ing from day to day, and will result in sales for those
who seek them properly, of a large number of pianos.
"Of course, these sales are not going to fall into
any dealer's lap. He must have a good sales de-
INTERLOCHEN MUSIC CAMP.
The 1929 National High School Orchestra and
Band Camp got under way at Interlochen, Mich., on
Sunday, June 23. Only students of excellent char-
acter and undeniable talent are accepted -.•for the
camp. Musical director of the camp is Joseph E.
Maddy, of the University of Michigan school of
music, and its supervisor of instruction, T. P. Gid-
dings, music supervisor of the M'nneapolis public
schools. The camp will continue for eight weeks.
The major activities is an orchestra of 150, a band
of 90 and a choir of 60. By "doubling" the orchestra
will number 220, the band 150, and the choir 100. A
visit to the camp reveals a veritable city of music.
Extracts from Letters from Pennsylvania, Oklahoma,
Arkansas and Ohio Show Satisfaction.
Chickering & Sons, New York, continue to receive
letters from their dealers expressr'ng satisfaction and
delight over the instruments they have been receiv-
ing. Fallowing are a few samples:
From Ben Reynolds & Co.. Washington, Pa.:
"We received the new style Chickering Grand on
this date and we wish to congratulate you upon its
beautiful design and workmanship. It certainly lives
up to its reputation and surpasses the former Chick-
ering designs. We are pleased with it and hope to
be able to turn in some fine Chickering business in
the future."
From Stotler Music Co., Tulsa, Okla.: "Please
put me down for one of the Chickering Florentines
with the Ampico, Style 376 Walnut. The Chickering
you sent us from East Rochester is a beauty, and
you are certainly to be congratulated for turning out
such a beautiful instrument."
FVom J. D. Pope Piano Co., Searcy, Arkansas:
"The Chickering Grand came yesterday, and T am
pleased with it .in every way."
From Otto B. Heaton Co., Columbus, Ohio: "Per-
mit us to congratulate you upon the new style
Chickering, conventional model grand received a few
days ago. This piano is a little gem and should
meet with instantaneous success."
From the J. W. Greene Company, Toledo, Ohio:
"Mr. Church and I looked over the "'new Style 300
Chickering Straight Grand and we were very much
delighted with it. The case is very delightful and
especially do we like the lighter shade of mahogany—
our hopes being that the public will like them as
well as we do and that you will continue to make
them. We predict that this piano is going to be an
exceptionally'good seller.' You have our congratu-
lations."
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