Presto

P R E S T O-T I M E S
human nature. The music industry is one of the old-
est in existence. In the face of these facts the dwin-
dling in the desire to personally perform on a musical
instrument, with the consequent decline in the man-
ufacturing and retail industry, is one of the anomalies
of the century.
"It may he due to some extent to the development
of the various forms of mechanical music, but in my
judgment the real reason is that the music industry
has allowed itself to he outsold by other and newer
competing industries.
Pleasure in Actual Playing.
"People have been allowed to forget, in the distrac-
tions and complexities of modern life, the pleasure
and profit to be derived from the actual playing of
a musical instrument. The benefits from a mental,
a moral and a social standpoint are not to be doubted.
It is not an accident that over a period of more than
thirty years the 10 per cent of the students who
studied music at Oxford took 75 per cent of all the
scholarship prizes. One cannot hear the fine school
bands and orchestras without realizing the earnest-
ness, the application, the mental alertness, the coopera-
tive spirit, the musical appreciation and. above all, the
wonderful spiritual inspiration which a moderate
amount of good musical training can create in our
young people. And even adults have the same poten-
tial possibilities, as many bands and orochestras
among the grown-ups without previous musical train-
ing have proved.
The Job Is a Big One.
"These are the facts which must be demonstrated
to the American people. This is our job, and it is a
big one. In properly performing it we shall render a
great public service. And incidentally the music in-
dustry will retain its rightful place among the leaders."
MUSIC IS ESSENTIAL.
A correspondent of Presto-Times at Washington,
D. C, in chatting with E. H. Droop, of E. F. Droop
& Sons Co.. 1300 G street, that city, complimented
him on the fine sentiment that his advertisement car-
ried, as seen in the one re-published in the February
number of Presto-Times. Mr. Droop replied that he
thanked Presto-Times for reproducing the "Back to
the Piano" advertisement and remarked that "There's
so much 'bargain' advertising everywhere that it is
nauseating; it is not in any sense prestige building."
As an introduction to a local ad that has appeared
since, Mr. Droop says: "Good music exerts an up-
lifting and refining influence. No matter where or
through what channels you receive it. The piano will
always hold an important position in the artistic and
cultural life of America, as it is basic and fundamen-
tal. The world of music would be adrift without it!
Give your child the advantage of musical training.
Place a good piano in your home and engage a com-
petent teacher. You owe your child or children such
an opportunity."
TRADE PAPER MERGER
Another merger in the music trade paper field has
just been announced in the Piano and Radio Maga-
zine over the signature of Roy E. Waite. editor-in-
chief of that paper. As he expresses it, the Piano and
Radio Magazine and Music Trade Indicator "are
now one." This merger reduces the number of music
trade papers to four—all monthly publications. As
to whether tire trade in general is to be congratulated
upon the elimination of one unit, we will not attempt
to indicate, but we have our own opinions, neverthe-
less. And as for the publishers of the trade papers
themselves, Presto-Times believes it's safe to say of
the reduction, "Amen!"
MINIFIE HEADS PIANO TUNERS.
For the third consecutive year A. V. Minifie of Pon-
tiac, Mich., was elected president of the Tri-State
Piano Tuners' Association, consisting of members
of the profession in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Elec-
tion took place at the annual meeting held in Grand
Rapids. Other officers include H. E. Pilgrim of
Hamilton, O., vice president: T. M. Wise of Mt.
Clemens, Mich., secretary, and W. A. Sweetman of
Indianapolis, treasurer. "Resolutions were adopted
commending the work of Walter Damrosch in send-
ing out his school music programs over the nation,"
Mr. Minifie said on his return. It was agreed that
radio has stimulated appreciation of good music, and
has been an aid rather than a hindrance to the piano
business.
COMPETING FOR COMPOSITION PRIZE.
Announcement has been made by the Hollywood
Bowl Association that the Katherine Yarnell annual
$1,000 prize composition contest will be offered again
for the 1930 season, and that the time for presentation
of compositions has been extended to March 15, 1930.
The competition for this year has attracted wide-
spread interest and compositions have been submitted
from all parts of the United States, from Belgium,
France, England, Germany, Denmark, Russia, Nor-
March, 1930
way, South America and Italy. The composition is
to be a Symphonic Poem written for performance by
a full symphony orchestra, requiring not more than
twenty minutes for performance.
SUCCESSFUL ACTION HOUSE
PUNCTURES FALSE RUMOR
KOHLER INDUSTRIES
TAKE FORWARD STEP
Instead of Contemplating Going Out of Business,
Wessell, Nickel & Gross Are Going Strong.
Many rumors are set arloat by the reckless from
time to time. Usually Presto-Times gives no atten-
tion to such ordinary clothes-line gossiping. How-
ever, one rumor that has been bandied about
and which seemed to imply that Wessell, Nickel &
Gross were contemplating liquidation, is so aggra-
vatingly without a scintilla of evidence tending to
show anything of the kind, that this paper can not
ignore it. On the contrary, in reply to Presto-Times'
inquiry by telegram, Wessell, Nickel & Gross replied:
"Presto-Times, Chicago:
"We emphatically deny this sinister rumor. We
do not intend to sell our business and have no thought
of it, as we are very proud of the position we occupy
in the piano industry. We are optimistic concerning
the future of the piano business, and certainly of the
immediate future. With the great reputation we have
built up and the time the members of this house have
spent to maintain this reputation and to improve on
our product we consider these assets invaluable and
above all money considerations. Ferdinand and
Arthur Wessell will continue in the piano action
business and will pass on to their sons the business
to be continued with the same policy that has been
the aim and motto of Wessell, Nickel & Gross since
its foundation.
"WESSELL. NICKEL & GROSS."
The New Name Is "The Kohler-Brambach
Piano Co., Inc.," and Mark P. Campbell
Is the President.
The Brambach Piano Co. and Kohler & Campbell,
Inc., and their affiliated lines are now concentrated
under one management, in one corporation, and on
March 1 became "The Kohler-Brambach Piano Co.,
Inc."
The officers of The Kohler-Brambach Piano Co.,
elected last month at a meeting of the stockholders
and directors, are: Mark P. Campbell, president;
Gordon G. Campbell, vice-president; Corley Gibson,
secretary; Julius A. White, treasurer. The officers of
Kohler & Campbell and their other companies remain
the same as before.
This combination brings out new financial strength
and a unification of personnel in offices and factories,
thus paving the way for greater production, a closer
touch with the trade and a mastery of the many
features that make for big success.
The company's announcement of the change is
made in the following words:
"After March 1, 1930, the manufacturing and sell-
ing activities of Kohler & Campbell. Inc., the Bram-
bach Piano Co. and their affiliated lines will be con-
centrated under one management, in one corporation,
to be known as the Kohler-Brambach Piano Co., Inc.
"This move has been made to simplify and
strengthen the future position of the most popular
lines of pianos in America; to better co-operate with
the dealer and his selling problems; and to continue Otto Grau Chairman of Committee in Charge of Sep-
to produce artistic upright, player and grand pianos—
tember Convention at Cincinnati.
correctly made, properly finished, thoroughly guaran-
In addition to President Otto B. Heaton and Sec-
teed and fairly priced.
"Kohler & Campbell, Inc., the Brambach Piano Co. retary Rexford B. Hyre, the following state officers
and their associated companies have been the leaders of the Music and Radio Merchants' Association of
in their own fields for many years and no lines of Ohio were present at the recent meeting of the Cincin-
moderate priced pianos have been more profitable to nati members in that city: Otto Grau, F. B. Bein-
as many merchants as the pianos made by these affil- kamp, H. E. Shearin, Louis A. Noelcke, Karl W.
Pandorf, Geo. P. Gross, F. Joseph Volz, William R.
iated manufacturers.
"Stabilize your future source of supply. Concen- Graul, J. Fred Van Court, Louis A. Ahaus, Earle P.
trate on the lines that mean guaranteed quality, satis- Hagemeyer, L. E. Coen and W. M. Purnell. Dan F.
faction, fair prices and profit. Build for the future Summey was unable to attend the meeting because
of illness. It was decided to hold the 1930 convention
with the Kohler-Brambach lines.
"The Kohler-Brambach Piano Co., Inc. Main in the Sinton Hotel, Cincinnati, on September 9 and 10,
and the state officials were instructed to make a con-
Office: 609 West 51st street. New York city."
tract accordingly with this hotel.
The following committee was appointed to take
general charge of the convention: Otto Grau, chair-
man; Earle P. Hagemeyer, George P. Gross, Dan F.
With the criticism, gossip and lack of dealers' in- Summey, Howard L. Chubb, Louis A. Noelcke and
terest, why hop on the piano alone and make matters W. M. Purnell.
worse. All this rot about no more piano business is
As in 1929, the business sessions will be round-
about as ridiculous as a statement of not going to table discussions except the last one, when officers
eat any more meat, potatoes and bread. When we will be elected and the various resolutions and other
realize that this is and has been a slump in all lines business of the organization attended to. The organi-
of manufacture and merchandise, why not a little zation plans to have one roundtable discussion de-
common sense in discussion, and check up the reason voted exclusively to radio and the many radio dealers
and cause?
who attend the Cincinnati show each year will be
We have in the radio, so to say, a new achievement; invited to the roundtable meeting and also asked to
and overflow demand on attractive profits finds same participate in all the social functions of the Ohio body.
in a worse condition and with heavy losses such as
This will be the first step of the Ohio organization
were never known in the piano game. If careful judg- to definitely align itself with the radio trade and the
ment had been exercised our piano situation would kindness and cooperation of the Radio Division of
hardly be where people are trying to place it, and the Cincinnati Electric Club was most heartily appre-
there would be no reason to criticize it. The greatest
ciated by the members and officers of the Ohio
detriment the piano game faced and had to contend organization.
with was an overproduction of cheap, worth-
The association shows a healthy condition with 330
less pianos (if it is proper to call them pianos), with
which the market was flooded, although many of them members in good standing and it was decided to hold
the mid-year meeting of the board of trustees, past
are now down and out of the way.
If present-clay piano manufacturers would reduce presidents and members of all committees at the
output and cut out the wild tactics of expense and Deshler-Wallick Hotel in Columbus on Monday, April
devote time and energies to quality, it would develop 7. A luncheon will take place at 12:30 on that day and
profitable results. We have some few good pianos the meeting will convene in the afternoon.
made this day, but not every one can pay the price.
There is lots of good piano business to be had, but
FIRST BOOM FOR HUTCHINS.
the public demands something new and better than
Harry Edward Freund, former publisher of the
the average piano shown and in reach of their pocket- Musical Age, in a signed prophecy in the Chicago Eve-
books, and this can be made possible.
ning Post recently, presents Robert Maynard Hutch-
The writer is convinced on this point, from the fact ins, president of the University of Chicago, as a man
that a new achievement in piano construction here,
seen by thousands of musical people, dealers and some well qualified to fill the office of President of the
reliable manufacturers verify the above statement, United States when opportunity calls.
adding, "just the thing needed long ago."
As we know, there are limits, there may be too
NEW STORES AND NEW MANAGERS.
large or small a venture in the piano game; the fellows
The Nite & Day Radio Service, 605 North Illinois
who wanted to make all the pianos in one day and street, Indianapolis, Ind., has been purchased by
sell them, same as in all larger cities, realize their Frances J. Lahmann. The business will hereafter be
plan a failure. A piano factory making a good, new, known as the Allied Radio Service. A full line of
improved piano on a conservative output and with radios will be placed on display.
economical operation is going to be a money-maker,
Powers Bros, have purchased the Maxwell Build-
with greater opportunities today than some few years ing, Lawton, Mich., where they will handle a line of
ago.
CLOSE OBSERVER.
radios, and perhaps add pianos later on.
OHIO TO CONTINUE
ROUND=TABLE DISCUSSIONS
SPEAKS UP FOR QUALITY
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