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Musical Courier 1927-08-15: Vol 95 Iss 4, 1927
49 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1MUSICAL COURIER EXTRA
2FOUNDED 1880
3Published on the 1st and the 15th of each month by
4The MUSICAL COURIER COMPANY
5(Incorporated under the laws of the State of New York)
6ERNEST F. EILERT, President
7WILLIAM GEPPERT, Vice-President
8ALVIN L. SCHMOEGER, Sec. and Treas.
9Steinway Building, 113 W. 57th St., New York
10Telephone to all Departments: Circle 4500, 4501, 4502, 4503, 4504, 4505, 4506
11Cable address: Musicurier, New York
12CHICAGO OFFICES—820-830 Orchestra Building; 220 South Michigan Avenue. Telephone, Harrison 6110.
13WILLIAM GEPPERT, Editor
14C. D. FRANZ………………..Managing Editor
15W. R. RICHARDSON………….Advertising Manager
16Member of Merchants' Association of New York; National Publishers' Association; Rotary Club of New York; The Fifth Avenue Association of New York; Advertising Club of New York; Honorary Member, American Optimists; Music Industries Chamber of Commerce.
17See List of American and Foreign Representatives of the Musical Courier Company in the Thursday Edition.
18SUBSCRIPTIONS: One Dollar a Year; Single Copy, Fifteen Cents; Back Numbers, Twenty-five Cents.
19The advertising rates of the MUSICAL COURIER EXTRA are computed on a flat rate basis, no charge being made for setting up advertisements. An extra charge is made for mortising, notching, leveling, and any work done for special articles.
20The privilege is extended to any one to answer or comment upon any criticism that may appear in this paper. The privilege of refusal to print any such communication is reserved should it be libelous or conflict with the postal laws or if not signed by the writer.
21Address all letters to MUSICAL COURIER EXTRA and not to individuals.
22Entered as Second Class Matter January 8, 1883, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
23NEW YORK, AUGUST 15, 1927
24No. 1580
25N. Stetson & Co.
26At a Directors' meeting of N. Stetson & Company, the Steinway representatives for Philadelphia, August 2, the following officers were elected:
27Aug. von Bernuth, President
28N. Stetson, Vice-President and Treasurer
29Henry Junge, Secretary
30Directors—Henry Ziegler, Theo. E. Steinway, L. H. Moore, Albert Sturcke, A. von Bernuth, N. Stetson, Henry Junge.
31Aug. von Bernuth was elected to fill the office of president to take the place of Frederick T. Steinway. The report of N. Stetson, vice-president and treasurer, was very satisfactory, showing a substantial dividend, as usual. This in itself indicates a business of a most satisfactory volume.
32Great Piano Productions
33What has been the greatest production in a year of a single manufacturing institution in the piano industry? This is probably answered by giving the peak of production of the Kohler Industries, which, in a single year totaled 26,000. The next highest production is probably that given by the Baldwin institution, which shows 25,000 as its greatest year. These two piano organizations probably lead in this respect. These figures will not be reached this year but it is good to know that for the year 1928, up to August 1, the productions of these great piano industries are running close to the 1927 figures. This brings up the question of the selling methods that bring such great figures as to output. The field methods of the Baldwin, and the same may be said of the Kohler, present their system in one word—Work. Here is a condition known as go-getting, that works twenty-four hours of the day, and not only that, but the days and nights in the year. It is easy to make pianos but it takes work to sell them, and in order to build up the high production given there must be a sale that keeps ahead of the factories engaged in the making. The factory selling is as difficult as that of the dealer who places them in the home and along with the wholesale and retail selling there must be built up a policy that maintains the highest principles of merchandizing. Those who study the methods of the two organizations named never hear gloomy stories about dull times—they have no time even to think about that.
34MUSICAL COURIER EXTRA
35"The Challenge Comparison"
36A correspondent—not a co-respondent—wants to know which is the best piano trade paper. The best way to find out is to ask the editors. That is like asking a piano manufacturer who makes the best piano in the world. Answering for the MUSICAL COURIER EXTRA, we admit that there is no other publication in the world as good or as independent. Begging pardon of Vose & Sons, of Boston, "we challenge comparison."
37Ivory vs. Celluloid Pianos
38The daily papers record the fact that there is to be a combination of celluloid companies in Maryland. A plant to cost $2,500,000 will be built at Amcelle, to produce cellulose acetate, used in manufacturing non-inflammable celluloid and allied products. The only interest attached to this as regards the piano does not mean that there is such a great demand for celluloid piano keys that makes this expansion necessary. When one looks over the piano field it will be found that the celluloid key pianos are in a decline of production through the wiping out of several great plants, while the better grade pianos using ivory keys have taken the place of the celluloid key pianos. This is another evidence of how musical America has been made since that slogan was conceived, "Make America Musical."
39Advertisements That Sell
40The announcement is made that the New York Public Library will soon have a permanent exhibit of representative advertising. This will be of great value. To exhibit specimens enables the suggesting of ideas that may apply to different merchandising and in many other ways. One thing, however, seems to escape in selecting specimens for prizes or other commendation, and that is the value of an advertisement as to results. A specimen is but a part of a campaign, and while one specimen might create favorable comment, it is but a small unit in selling values. This, however, is a problem that is hard to solve. The selling powers of a single advertisement are something intangible, and often are lost in the mass of advertising as a whole, or in the results of a single campaign. There are so many ways of advertising the piano that what may be credited to newspaper publicity is unjust to other methods. For instance, the greatest propaganda for the piano, and that which seems to be the basis for all piano propaganda, is the concert stage. Without the piano we could have little music by the great artists. The concert grand pianos are the greatest mediums for piano publicity.
41Chicago Orchestra—A. G. Gulbransen
42In offering to assist in preserving the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from extinction, A. G. Gulbransen is taking a position for the Middle West that is to be commended. The piano manufacturers of the East always have given aid to the maintaining the Symphony Orchestras of the past. It was the Steinway House that gave support to this form of music to an almost unlimited degree. Boston would not have its Symphony Orchestra were it not for Col. Higginson, but that does not mean that the Chickering and the Mason & Hamlin did not assist Col. Higginson in his great work. In New York, the Boston manufacturers together with the Knabe, of Baltimore, and the Weber and others did lend aid in supporting the Symphony Orchestras. Theodore Thomas could never have accomplished what he did in Chicago without the aid and comfort of the piano manufacturers, and it is with good grace that A. G. Gulbransen, even without a concert grand as one of the products of the Gulbransen Company, should without solicitation offer to help maintain the existence of the great orchestra founded by Theodore Thomas and carried on by Frederick Stock. No doubt other piano manufacturers in the Middle West will join Mr. Gulbransen in giving support to maintain this musical institution which has had much to do with making Chicago the great musical center it is.
43Banana "Verselets"
44A fifth avenue piano salesman who should be writing lyrics for comic opera instead of selling pianos, sends in several "verselets," starting with "Where, O, where has the Banana Editor gone?" We decline to print this bit of joyous excitement for the same reason that the verses of the Banana song were eliminated. Seriously, what has become of the Banana Editor who wanted to create a taste for music by the same process he claims bananas were brought to commercial success in this country.
45Talking Piano Action
46Much has been printed in these columns about the necessity of the piano salesman talking tone, but with all this it should not be forgotten that the salesman should know how to talk his production; should be able to explain the problem of how the blow upon the piano key travels to that point where the hammer blow upon the string is carried from the point of contact of the finger on the key to the point of contact upon the string. It is an interesting talk to the customer who wants a piano with tone. It gives that assurance that what the salesman says about a piano is based upon knowledge, and has much to do with building and gaining the confidence of prospective buyers. Just the same, the action in a Wessell, Nickel & Gross is not sufficient alone to sell a piano, notwithstanding the world-wide reputation of this great leader of piano action. Even though the prospective customer may know that the Wessell, Nickel & Gross action is the standard of the world, whatever may be asked by the prospect, the salesman should be able to answer. This is but an illustration of the many "talks" the salesman can utilize in this building to confidence in his pianos and to a sale.
47Association Idiosyncrasies
48The commercial and industrial worlds have seemingly gone association mad. The music trade and industry is not alone in this. Immense sums of money, cash money, are spent in the endeavor to bring about the doing of business in an omnibus manner, to get business in an easy way. But the association idea does not produce the results so many believe can be obtained through the bringing competitors together into a semblance of a brotherly love, that it will induce those who do things which are not ethical and which do damage to the understanding that evil business practises are not conducive to healthy returns. The building of name value, the gaining the confidence of the buying public, and creating demands that result in good selling methods, these reflect to the benefit of the industry. Time is the one element in the building to piano manufacturers. It has taken over one hundred years to create the
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