Presto
Issue: 1930 2246 - Page 20
20
PRESTO-TIMES
NEW YORK'S ACTIVITIES
IN PIANO CLASS WORK
"Instruction Valuable Only When It Produces Actual
Piano Playing."
More than 100 persons interested in the latest de-
velopments of the piano class movement met at the
Great Northern Hotel, New York city, a few days
ago.
This conference, which was held under the
auspices of the National Bureau for the Advance-
ment of Music, was in response to many requests and
was the direct outgrowth of the rapidly increasing in-
terest in group instruction. In opening the meeting.
Mr. Tremaine, the Director of the Bureau, explained
that the purpose of the conference was to throw more
light on the piano class situation.
Ella H. Mason, who is associated with the Bureau
as Piano Class Consultant, said that in the past year
with the Bureau, she has had an opportunity to gain
a national viewpoint and see the work done in many
different cities. This had served to increase the en-
thusiasm which s'.ie gained in her previous nine years
of class teaching in the Rochester Public Schools.
Osbourne McConathy, a pioneer in the movement,
talked on "Piano Classes in the Public Schools. He
said: "Class piano instruction is worthy only if it
produces actual piano playing. The public schools,
if this country of ours is to stand, must see that the
sensitiveness to beauty, to fineness, to the finer things
in our lives and spirits is nurtured just as much,
and even more, than things which have to do with
our material side; that music is one of the most
potent means of getting at the sensitive and finer
sides of our natures; and that the piano, next to the
singing voice, is the basic, fundamental means for
getting the greatest, surest, quickest and most effec-
tive initial contact with music. These are the theses
that I present to you as the argument for piano study
in the public schools."
The question of "Piano Classes and the Private
Teacher" was given an interesting angle by Ernest
Ash, president of The Associated Music Teachers'
League of New York, who said: "All private teach-
ers should understand group teaching in order that
they may combine class teaching with their private
work whenever desirable; that class work makes for
sociability as well as economy, since children on the
whole like the class better than the private lesson;
that it is an effective means of securing new pupils;
May, 1930
and that good results can be obtained."
The open forum included a discussion of the
growth and development of piano class work and
such questions as the size of class, fee, and degree of
advancement possible.
At luncheon, George H. Gartlan, director of music Treasurer Walter Bond of Weaver Piano Co., Inc.,
in the New York public schools, spoke. He said:
Is Optimistic Over the Outlook.
"The thing that strikes me as being most important
The
Weaver
Piano Co., I n c . York, Pa., is going
is that public school adoption of piano class teach-
ing will aid America to do something which she has steadily along manufacturing and selling its excellent
not done up to the present time, to achieve an ar- line of instruments, without any observable halt or
hindrance. It is one of the stable houses that sticks
tistic culture."
to its knitting.
In a recent interview given to a Presto-Times rep-
RADIO CORP.'S NEW SHARES
resentative,
W. L. Bond, treasurer of the company,
The governing committee of the New York Stock
Exchange last week approved the listing, upon official said:
"We are not pessimistic as to the final outcome
notice of issuance, of 6,580,375 additional common
shares of the Radio Corp, of America, which are to of the piano business. Unless somebody invents a
superior keyboard instrument, there will always be
be issued to the General Electric Radio Co., Inc., and
the Westinghouse Radio Co., Inc , in payment for a certa'n number of pianos sold. We have the feel-
rights and properties. The two radio companies are ing that there will likely be many more new pianos
new subsidiaries of the General Electric and the sold each year within the next eight or ten years
Westinghouse Electric & Manufactaring companies, than there have been during any of the last three
organized to care for the radio part of their business. years. In fact, we are looking for a rising tide of
The Rad'o Corp. also will acquire shares of stock appreciation of the value of piano instruction from
held by the two companies in the National Broad- an educational standpoint alone, but how long it is
casting Co., Inc.; R. C. A. Victor Co., Inc.; R. C. A. going to take that to be reflected in sales and in
Radiotron Co., Inc.: R. C. A Photophone, Inc., and dealer attitude it is more than we are able to predict
General Motors Radio Corp. As a result of these at this time."
The only crimp that Mr. Bond could see in piano
acquisitions the Radio Corp. will become the sole
owner of the outstanding stock of all the companies, manufacturing schedules at the present time, he said,
except the General Motors Radio Corp., in which it was put there by the great craze of the public for
will own 49 per cent of the common and preferred buying second-hand pianos and of dealers for selling
them. Otherwise, advertising and other creative
stock instead of 29.4 per cent as at present.
activities would have been sped up months ago.
The Riverview Music Publishing Co. is a new con-
CHAS. FREDERICK STEIN BUSY.
cern just starting at St. Paul, Minn.; located at 175
Wabasha street, that city. Aside from publishing
A call was made recently upon Charles Frederick
music special attention will be given to preparing and
Stein, piano manufacturer at 3047 Carroll avenue, Chi-
arranging compositions for publication.
cago, by a Presto-Times representative, who found
the factory very busy. Mr. Stein said his business
A gift of $250,000 from the t'resser foundation to was ahead of last year at this time and he was going
pay part of the expense of the Northwestern Music to keep the factory going all summer at full speed,
as there is an active demand for the pianos he is man-
building in Evanston. 111., is announced. The founda-
ufacturing. He showed the caller a group of sold
tion was established hy the late Theodore Presser of
pianos on the shipping floor ready to go out and
Philadelphia, publisher of "The Etude."
said a number more were going out the following
The Leggle Music Co 's building, Terrell, Tex., week. He looks for a big year in his trade.
was damaged by rire last month and its stock ruined.
The Schtnoller & Mueller Piano Co., Omaha, Neb..
The F. A. North Co., Altoona, Pa., closed its store is announcing the Bramabch pianos in "a number of
lovely and authentic period models."
last month after holding a closing sale.
LOOKS FOR RISING TIDE
OF PIANO APPRECIATION
JULIUS BRECKWOLDT & SON, INC.
DOLGEVILLE. N. Y.
Manufacturer* of
Piano Backs, Boards, Bridges, Bars,
Traplevers and Mouldings
Grand, Upright and Player-Pianos
Strictly High Grade. Many Exclusive Selling Points
W. A. BRBCKWOLDT, Sec. 4k Treaa.
J. BRBCKWOl.DT.
Attractive Proposition for Dealers. Send for Catalog
i a n O ffiot. »• manufacturers, CHiCAGO, ILL.
New York Warerooms: 112-114 West 42nd St.
THE O S. KELLY CO.
Manufacturers
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
TELLS ALL ABOUT ALL PIANOS
of
Might
Oracle
PIANO PLATES
SRRIISJOFIEIL.D
-
-
OHIO
99%
interested prospects become customers
BECAUSE
PERFECTION BENCHES
are used by people who have good taste, appreciate fine things and know sound valuer
No. 3 Radio Bench
12x24x18
Send for Catalogue
2267-2269 Clybourne Ave.
Chicago
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/
PRESTO-TIMES
NEW YORK'S ACTIVITIES
IN PIANO CLASS WORK
"Instruction Valuable Only When It Produces Actual
Piano Playing."
More than 100 persons interested in the latest de-
velopments of the piano class movement met at the
Great Northern Hotel, New York city, a few days
ago.
This conference, which was held under the
auspices of the National Bureau for the Advance-
ment of Music, was in response to many requests and
was the direct outgrowth of the rapidly increasing in-
terest in group instruction. In opening the meeting.
Mr. Tremaine, the Director of the Bureau, explained
that the purpose of the conference was to throw more
light on the piano class situation.
Ella H. Mason, who is associated with the Bureau
as Piano Class Consultant, said that in the past year
with the Bureau, she has had an opportunity to gain
a national viewpoint and see the work done in many
different cities. This had served to increase the en-
thusiasm which s'.ie gained in her previous nine years
of class teaching in the Rochester Public Schools.
Osbourne McConathy, a pioneer in the movement,
talked on "Piano Classes in the Public Schools. He
said: "Class piano instruction is worthy only if it
produces actual piano playing. The public schools,
if this country of ours is to stand, must see that the
sensitiveness to beauty, to fineness, to the finer things
in our lives and spirits is nurtured just as much,
and even more, than things which have to do with
our material side; that music is one of the most
potent means of getting at the sensitive and finer
sides of our natures; and that the piano, next to the
singing voice, is the basic, fundamental means for
getting the greatest, surest, quickest and most effec-
tive initial contact with music. These are the theses
that I present to you as the argument for piano study
in the public schools."
The question of "Piano Classes and the Private
Teacher" was given an interesting angle by Ernest
Ash, president of The Associated Music Teachers'
League of New York, who said: "All private teach-
ers should understand group teaching in order that
they may combine class teaching with their private
work whenever desirable; that class work makes for
sociability as well as economy, since children on the
whole like the class better than the private lesson;
that it is an effective means of securing new pupils;
May, 1930
and that good results can be obtained."
The open forum included a discussion of the
growth and development of piano class work and
such questions as the size of class, fee, and degree of
advancement possible.
At luncheon, George H. Gartlan, director of music Treasurer Walter Bond of Weaver Piano Co., Inc.,
in the New York public schools, spoke. He said:
Is Optimistic Over the Outlook.
"The thing that strikes me as being most important
The
Weaver
Piano Co., I n c . York, Pa., is going
is that public school adoption of piano class teach-
ing will aid America to do something which she has steadily along manufacturing and selling its excellent
not done up to the present time, to achieve an ar- line of instruments, without any observable halt or
hindrance. It is one of the stable houses that sticks
tistic culture."
to its knitting.
In a recent interview given to a Presto-Times rep-
RADIO CORP.'S NEW SHARES
resentative,
W. L. Bond, treasurer of the company,
The governing committee of the New York Stock
Exchange last week approved the listing, upon official said:
"We are not pessimistic as to the final outcome
notice of issuance, of 6,580,375 additional common
shares of the Radio Corp, of America, which are to of the piano business. Unless somebody invents a
superior keyboard instrument, there will always be
be issued to the General Electric Radio Co., Inc., and
the Westinghouse Radio Co., Inc , in payment for a certa'n number of pianos sold. We have the feel-
rights and properties. The two radio companies are ing that there will likely be many more new pianos
new subsidiaries of the General Electric and the sold each year within the next eight or ten years
Westinghouse Electric & Manufactaring companies, than there have been during any of the last three
organized to care for the radio part of their business. years. In fact, we are looking for a rising tide of
The Rad'o Corp. also will acquire shares of stock appreciation of the value of piano instruction from
held by the two companies in the National Broad- an educational standpoint alone, but how long it is
casting Co., Inc.; R. C. A. Victor Co., Inc.; R. C. A. going to take that to be reflected in sales and in
Radiotron Co., Inc.: R. C. A Photophone, Inc., and dealer attitude it is more than we are able to predict
General Motors Radio Corp. As a result of these at this time."
The only crimp that Mr. Bond could see in piano
acquisitions the Radio Corp. will become the sole
owner of the outstanding stock of all the companies, manufacturing schedules at the present time, he said,
except the General Motors Radio Corp., in which it was put there by the great craze of the public for
will own 49 per cent of the common and preferred buying second-hand pianos and of dealers for selling
them. Otherwise, advertising and other creative
stock instead of 29.4 per cent as at present.
activities would have been sped up months ago.
The Riverview Music Publishing Co. is a new con-
CHAS. FREDERICK STEIN BUSY.
cern just starting at St. Paul, Minn.; located at 175
Wabasha street, that city. Aside from publishing
A call was made recently upon Charles Frederick
music special attention will be given to preparing and
Stein, piano manufacturer at 3047 Carroll avenue, Chi-
arranging compositions for publication.
cago, by a Presto-Times representative, who found
the factory very busy. Mr. Stein said his business
A gift of $250,000 from the t'resser foundation to was ahead of last year at this time and he was going
pay part of the expense of the Northwestern Music to keep the factory going all summer at full speed,
as there is an active demand for the pianos he is man-
building in Evanston. 111., is announced. The founda-
ufacturing. He showed the caller a group of sold
tion was established hy the late Theodore Presser of
pianos on the shipping floor ready to go out and
Philadelphia, publisher of "The Etude."
said a number more were going out the following
The Leggle Music Co 's building, Terrell, Tex., week. He looks for a big year in his trade.
was damaged by rire last month and its stock ruined.
The Schtnoller & Mueller Piano Co., Omaha, Neb..
The F. A. North Co., Altoona, Pa., closed its store is announcing the Bramabch pianos in "a number of
lovely and authentic period models."
last month after holding a closing sale.
LOOKS FOR RISING TIDE
OF PIANO APPRECIATION
JULIUS BRECKWOLDT & SON, INC.
DOLGEVILLE. N. Y.
Manufacturer* of
Piano Backs, Boards, Bridges, Bars,
Traplevers and Mouldings
Grand, Upright and Player-Pianos
Strictly High Grade. Many Exclusive Selling Points
W. A. BRBCKWOLDT, Sec. 4k Treaa.
J. BRBCKWOl.DT.
Attractive Proposition for Dealers. Send for Catalog
i a n O ffiot. »• manufacturers, CHiCAGO, ILL.
New York Warerooms: 112-114 West 42nd St.
THE O S. KELLY CO.
Manufacturers
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
TELLS ALL ABOUT ALL PIANOS
of
Might
Oracle
PIANO PLATES
SRRIISJOFIEIL.D
-
-
OHIO
99%
interested prospects become customers
BECAUSE
PERFECTION BENCHES
are used by people who have good taste, appreciate fine things and know sound valuer
No. 3 Radio Bench
12x24x18
Send for Catalogue
2267-2269 Clybourne Ave.
Chicago
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).