Presto

December 1, 1929
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
ISSUED THE FIRST AND
FIFTEENTH IN EACH
MONTH
FRANK
D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - -
(C. A. D A N I ELL—1904-1927.)
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Publishers
417 So. Dearborn St.
Chicago, 111.
The American Music Trade Journal
Editor
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CHICAGO, DECEMBER 1, 1929
THE WALL STREET BUBBLE
Fred P. Bassett. of the M. Schulz Company, speaking- at the
recent open forum meeting- of the Piano Club of Chicago, said that
personally he did not know of a single individual of his acquaintance
who lost anything- on the collapse of stocks. Mr. Bassett is just the
average business man of the nation who cannot point out an ac-
quaintance who was bitten because he used Wall Street bears for
playfellows. This is a great nation with many diversified interests;
so much so that the ticker-tape is a game aside that the average man
is too busy to notice. What may seem big on Wall Street or La
Salle Street to men playing the tape all the time passes unnoticed in
the offices of great factories or in marts where real merchandise is
handled. Real business goes on all the time regardless of the polly-
wogs whose puddles dry up on them.
STOCK SLUMP HAS SLIGHT EFFECT
The stock market collapse did not hit the piano or radio business
as hard as some J»elieved. For example, the (irigsby-Grunow Com-
pany, manufacturers of Majestic radios, which had partly closed
down to take inventory and had not planned to resume full blast until
the beginning of the new year, was so bombarded with telegrams
from its dealers all over the country that work was resumed at
around one-third of capacity, which meant producing about 2,000
sets a day and employing between 4,000 and 5,000 people.
VIEWS OF PIANO MEN
The glaring contrasts of life and its patent absurdities are only a
few of the things that are aired at the Piano Club of Chicago in open
forum at the Monday luncheons. Some of the jests are quite useless
for quotation, but whatever is lost in vivacity is compensated for In-
discretion. As soon as the club discovers a better way of doing things
it does not stand longer in old traditions, realizing that new knowl-
edge has no foe but the ignorant, its speeches and programs give a
touch of singularity found in but few clubs. A topic will be taken
up and a number of persons will be called upon to assist in a general
inquiry into causes and to suggest practical remedies if it is some-
thing requiring remedial treatment. The main difficulties are pre-
sented and the clinic begins. The club soon discovers who can out-
strip the others in technique and industry and who can replace preju-
dice with keen judgment. These men are at home among the reali-
GROUP TEACHING IN ENGLAND.
The Liverpool Post recently stated that in one ele-
mentary school alone in Liverpool seventy children
are already receiving group piano instruction under
the Federation scheme. And the same issue of this
paper descrihed a class lesson given to children at
the Liverpool Royal Institute by a well-known local
musician, at which members of the Liverpool center
of the Incorporated Society of Musicians were pres-
ent, and at the end of the lesson were .igrecably sur-
prised at the progress made by the children who
formed the class.
ties. Some of them are men of unfathomable determination, who
not being hampered in their desire to teach, do not stop until the
goal of their efforts has been attained.
PROMOTING A GOOD WORK
Some of the piano manufacturers are far in the lead of the others
in their good work in promoting the national- campaign for classes in
piano playing in the schools of America. A notable leader in this
general movement is the Gulbransen Company, of Chicago. This
great manufacturing company went to extreme pains to get its data
first-hand, competent members of the firm personally conducting a
canvass of several representative cities of medium population to find
out the exact percentage of needers of pianos as compared with the
rest of the population. To the (uilbransen Company, also, must go
the credit for popularizing the word "needers," a substitute for "pros-
pects," which F. W. Wood of (lulbransen's thinks is a stale word and
offensive.
A DEFENSE OF PERFECTION
It even seems that perfection needs defenders once in a while.
After the piano was perfected, the desire for something additional
or different took hold of the people and they kept switching to player-
pianos, to phonographs, and finally to radio. These turn-abouts were
all right, for nature delights in infinite variety and the human race
is part and parcel of nature. Art that trots alongside of nature is
treading the direct path to success. Hut there are many little di-
vergent by-paths that the journeyer must avoid. Xature says to
Art: "Do not take that path. Do not go back on the piano, the
musical instrument of perfection. You need it for self-expression.
Nothing can take its place."
A SUBSTANTIAL SUPPLY HOUSE
One of the most reliable and substantial companies manufactur-
ing keys and actions for pianos and other supplies is the house of
Comstock, Cheney & Company, Ivoryton. Conn. Stock markets may
skid and the devices manufactured by Comstock, Cheney & Company
may at times run into a period of somewhat restricted use, but this
linn has always taken advantage of the principal means at hand to
tide over the tight places. Its thews and sinews and vital energies are
those of strong men running races and its life and success are based
on service and quality of goods.
cities they teach children how to play the piano dur-
ing school hours and at public expense. The Amer-
ican family is at the height of its prosperity. Buy-
ing was never so widespread as it is now. Radio has
fostered a growing desire to play music. All these
facts lead but to one conclusion—that pianos can be
sold by hard working, resourceful salesmen.
OFFER CABLE GRAND AS PRIZE.
A Cable grand w : ll be the prize in the Society of
American Musicians' annual contest for pianists. The
piano is being donated by The Cab'e Company to
promote this means of advancemcr. of individual
musical expression in America. F'nti nice to the con-
test will close March 1, 193(1.
PIANO STUDY IS EASIER.
Axel Christeusen. beloved member of the I'iano
Club of Chicago and all-around entertainer, was fea-
tured on the program at the annual banquet of the
Rock ford Teachers' Club on t'.ie night of November
6 at the Hotel Faust, that citv.
RADIO MESSAGES, OCEAN TO OCEAN.
The Mackay Radio & Telegraph Company on
August 15 inaugurated radio communications between
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. This step places the
Mackay radio interests again in direct competition
with the Radio Corporation of America.
Today piano stud}- is easier than it ever has been.
Children learn to play five times quicker than they
did in the past. It is so easy that anybody can learn
to play regardless of age or talent. Even public
schools have adopted piano classes. In over 400
Francis MacMillan, American violinist. \\n> cor-
dially welcomed and applauded in Berlin, Germany,
November 19, on the occasion of his reappearance
after an absence of some twelve vears.
The Grandwood Music Company, 8937 Grand River
avenue, Detroit, has been incorporated. Its capital-
ization is $200,0C0. and it will deal in various kinds
of musical instruments.
CHRISTENSEN AT ROCKFORD.
DETROIT'S NEW MUSIC STORE.
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