Presto

January, 1932
prominence that the piano is given over the other
instruments. This is quite a reversal of the opinion
held by many of the calamity howlers who decried
the fact that the radio would kill the piano. It now
seems that the radio is doing more than any other
single agency to keep the piano alive; for, the artists
that broadcast certainly are an incentive to students
as well as helping to create the desire to learn in
the novitiate.
* * *
Presto-Times is not making any splurge for large
or bulky editions these days, but we believe the col-
umns of this paper will be found interesting and val-
uable to its readers.
* * *
While there were fewer traveling men on the road
during 1931 than for many years past, many of the
roadmen in the piano field have reported excellent
business. Presto-Times has received letters from a
dozen or more traveling men from different sections
of the country and many of them speak of good
business along with discouraging conditions of the
year. While it is true that some are pessimistic, nev-
ertheless much good and satisfactory business has
been accomplished and the consensus is that 1932
is expected to start a great improvement in the music
business and the workers are in for reaping a
reward.
* * *
There seems to be a considerable elimination of
music dealers in the smaller towns, especially firms
carrying a stock of pianos with the result that the
larger cities are receiving letters of inquiry from pros-
pective purchasers. One Chicago retail house re-
ceived in one week ten letters asking for terms and
prices, some of the letters saying that there was no
local dealer or piano agent in their town. This elim-
ination cuts off very materially the general output
and quantity of sales during the twelve month period.
* * *
Ray Perkins' promotion department gets off some
good things, one of which was a reputed utterance
from Mr. Perkins, who said:
"Reformers should investigate the poetic license
bureau.
"A man should pay plenty for a poetic license," con-
tinued Perkins. "It's an outrage to think you have
to pay $2.00 to shoot a duck, and a poet can slay
the language for nothing, and what's more, you can't
get a license to shoot a poet.
"They ought to charge as high as $1,000 a license
to write song lyrics."
* * *
W. N. Van Matre, Jr., president of the Schumann
Piano Company, starts out the new year with senti-
ments quite optimistic and of a special interest be-
cause of the generally conservative attitude of this
gentleman. In a recent interview Mr. Van Matre
says: "With the advent of the New Year things are
looking considerably more favorable with us. We are
getting some nice business and I believe trade will
improve in the piano business with the workers and
the 'go-getters.' "
CHRISTMAS-NEW YEAR'S GREETINGS
Presto-Times takes pleasure in acknowledge receipt
of numerous Christmas greetings in the form of cards,
calendars, advertising novelties and letters of good
will, friendliness and encouragement. We thank
these friends for remembering us for this season
and return to each and all of them our best wishes.
THE LATE DEAN P. C. LUTKIN
It is probably not generally known that Peter C.
Lutkin, who passed away the last week in December
and who for many years has been dean of the music
school of Northwestern University, Evanston, 111.,
in his younger days worked for a music house. For
several years he was one of three men now asso-
ciated with the Chicago music trade who were em-
ployed at the same time in the Chicago branch of
George Woods & Co.. reed organ manufacturers
of Cambridgeport, Mass. The other two gentlemen
referred to are Will L. Bush and Frank D. Abbott.
Dean Lutkin made a great success in his chosen
profession and his passing is deeply mourned by
many.
The Mahaffey Piano Showrooms, recently estab-
lished at Brookfield, Mo., are making an exceedingly
handsome exhibit of the Kimball line of pianos. Mr.
J. W. Mahaffey, head of this concern, has been con-
nected with the piano business practically all his life.
Mr. Mahaffey is looking forward to a good trade this
spring as he has a great number of prospects on hand.
The firm of T. J. Miller & Sons, Dixon, 111., one
of the oldest music houses in that locality, is showing
much activity in the sale of musical instruments. In
the past two months, aside from the sales in Dixon,
pianos have been delivered to Princeton, Atkinson,
Manlius, Morrison, Forreston, Maryland and Mt.
Carroll.
P R E S T O - T I M ES
allow himself to become discouraged by receiving a few turn-downs, he will find that the
law of average is bound to take care of the steady piuggers. The only thing that is needed
now is for the general public to have a little confidence in the future and to let loose of a
little of their money, instead of hanging on to it for dear life. There is inspiration in growth;
satisfaction in healthy development; romance in stories of success, and in the records of big
business built up from small beginnings. Most piano business in this country started with
meager capital, but with lots of faith.
And, while speaking of the piano business, how did it go in 1931 ? Probably the new
ones manufactured in the year did not much exceed 50,000. Now, if 100,000 pianos have been
sold during the last year, probably 50,000 of these pianos represent repossessions or old in-
struments. Getting the output down to as low as 50.000 new instruments gives a good and
reliable indication that it has touched the lowest point in manufacture and is likely to show
an increase hereafter.
* * * *
Mergers, and the pruning out of dead branches among the firms, have produced auxiliary
growths that presage new life along new lines. Radio firms have been eliminated or merged.
In fact, radio has been more reduced than piano manufacture during the year just gone.
The point is, only a few of the changes can be classed as reverses. Some transplantings,
some engraftings, some men "fired" (although not all of them dismissed for "keeps") ; most
firms not working onjull time; some audits showing a reserve cash balance partially hid
away for emergency'£, sake.
The times through which we have been passing have given men pause and poise. Pause
from hectic going; poise for a new equilibrium of stability to go on. Phis pause has been, with
mo:it business people, merely a temporary stop or rest, not a suspension. Rather than a hold-
back pause, it has been a tarry by the wayside for deliberation ; like an intermission for a
night's rest and a breakfast at an inn.
* * * *
Now, as to the future. "Coming events cast their shadows before," and this is no time
to indulge in dark doubts between the promise and the event. The shadow is more than an
imaginary vision. The adumbration a real silhouette ; it is a shadow of good things to come.
It has all the colors of the rainbow—violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red.
There is no black in it—the absence of all color.
The period of readjustment has about passed. In the majority of cases readjustment
has been voluntarily undertaken. Corporations have been reconstructed and rehabilitated;
old stocks have been disposed of; bad credits have been wiped off the slate.
The conductor of the train of progress has given the signal to the engineer to go ahead.
The locomotive is puffing; she's steaming out of the station full of strength.
THE PIANO AND THE PIANIST
Olin Downes, distinguished musical critic of the New York Times, in discussing a new
star in the pianistic firmament, not only gives an interesting account of the newcomer but
touches on a subject that is germane to the making of pianos and of vital concern to pianists
and other advanced players. It is the matter of voicing and tone regulating, and what he says
is worth quoting for the benefit of the new generation who did not have the opportunity to
learn this branch of piano making when it was an art; who did not learn the art as did prob-
ably a scant half-score whose names can now be recalled for the masters in the field of piano
making art are about as scarce as white crows nowadays. Mr. Downes' article is as follows:
"The hardness, which recurred in a number of places, was due to two things. The first is that Mr. Cher-
kassky still forces tone on occasion and apparently, in cerlain cases, inclines to the belief that a key hit as if
the finger behind it were a wire nail is what people want to hear. The second is the passion which he, with almost
all concert pianists of today, cherishes to voice a piano entirely too brilliantly. This tendency is now getting to
the place where the audience at a piano recital is expected to accept as the point of departure a tone which is auto-
matically shrill with the effect of a naturally high pitch. The sonority and mellowness which the piano, always sub-
ject to the penalties of a percussive instrument, imperatively requires, seem to be forgotten. It is a ridiculous and
inartistic tendency. It would be a mercy to the ears of concert goers if the itch for brilliancy at any cost could be
appeased and the voicing of pianos give heed to laws of beauty in place of acidulous tone."
A CERTAIN KIND OF RADIO BROADCASTING
The American public is swallowing hard and the day cannot be far distant when they will
no longer accept and consequently no longer be fed the cheap brand of radio advertising that
is broadcast by day and by night. Our country is far behind most of the European countries
in the progress that has been made to free the broadcasting studio of advertisers who exploit
the radio for personal gain and furnish "entertainment," if it can be called such, that is pitiably
poor in quality and low down in many ways. America is slowly becoming aroused to the fact
that the "air" belongs to all the people and not to a few advertising promoters.
!
H
ft has been suggested that an attempt be made to arouse public sentiment to such an extent
that a boycott would be placed on articles that are too frequently paraded on the air, though
it is feared at best such measures would be ineffective. The Federal Government might well
have taken over the control of the air many years ago, as the governments of Europe have
successfully done, and by means of a small tax levied on receiving sets, suitable broadcasting
features could thus be provided. Since it is not to the liking to the mass of people that
broadcasting stations be operated almost entirely for the advertising revenue, is it not time
that the government act to free the air of the disgusting ballyhoo which seems to make up
the majority of radio programs ?
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