Books › Musical Courier 1928-12-20: Vol 97 Iss 25, 1928 › scan 52
Scan 52
Musical Courier 1928-12-20: Vol 97 Iss 25, 1928
70 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 53. See the scan on archive.org.
1PIANO AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SECTION
2WILLIAM GEPPERT, Editor
3CHARLES D. FRANZ, Managing Editor
5EXPRESSIONS
7Some Interesting Sidelights on the Character and Accomplishments of Howard E. Wurlitzer, a Remarkable Man Whose Career Was Unique in the Music Business
9The passing of Howard E. Wurlitzer, October 30, 1928, lost to music one of the most brilliant intellects that this country has known in its musical history. Music, outside the voice, requires musical instruments for conveying it to the ears of the auditor. Therefore, it can be said that there was lost to music one of the men who has done much to make America musical.
11Howard E. Wurlitzer was a man of great mental strength. His force was felt throughout the organization that has been built up the past quarter of a century by himself and his brothers, Rudolph H. and Farney R.
13Howard E. Wurlitzer's mentality was not confined to music alone, but covered the sciences, the arts and all that encompasses what is being done in an intellectual way. When one studies the wonderful expansion of the Wurlitzer organization, its factories and stores, there is given a picture of what has been accomplished. Mr. Wurlitzer for several years before his passing suffered great physical disability. He did not retire from business until June, 1927, when his interests were purchased by his brothers, Rudolph H. and Farney R., the consideration running into the millions.
15During the years that Mr. Wurlitzer was seemingly incapacitated in a physical way from the tremendous business volume done by the great organization, he kept in touch with every move that was made, in consultations with his brothers, and only retired when it was felt that there would be no internal disorganization or let-down in the driving force of the Wurlitzer interests.
17A Remarkable Memory
19It was thought that Mr. Wurlitzer yet had many years ahead of him. He was planning to devote his mental energies to the studies that he had been allowed only to give a part of his time to when in business. Mr. Wurlitzer possessed a remarkable memory that few of our successful men have presented. His attitude always was to know. He would allow nothing to stand in his way to carry through a searching survey of any problem that presented itself. His reading was confined to the best books that pertain to any subject that might attract his attention, and he retained all that he read.
21It will probably be a surprise to many to see the picture that is given in this issue of the MUSICAL COURIER of Howard E. Wurlitzer, for he was always backward about personal exploitation and did not deem it of value. His whole ambition was to make the name Wurlitzer stand as the recipient of all the attention that might be given directly through publicity.
23An Immense Business
25There was no detail too small for him to take up in the affairs of the great business that has been created since he and his brothers took it over in 1890. Few realize the immensity of the Wurlitzer business. The company has a chain of over fifty stores in the leading cities of this country in addition to a number of great factories. The Wurlitzer name is found on many products, and houses of the Wurlitzer institution sell every known instrument. One can realize that millions of people hear Wurlitzer instruments played daily over the world.
27The taking up of the manufacturing of organs has developed into one of unusual prominence and these Wurlitzer organs are found in the movie theaters throughout the world, in residences, in churches, and is one of the great organ producing factories that has had much to do with bringing such instruments into general use, reaching into the homes of the people. In all this Howard E. Wurlitzer's magnetic and forceful mentality was felt, and it is in this that there has been so much to his credit.
29Little known personally in his own field of work, he was well known in other circles of the sciences and art in this country and in Europe. His travels were extensive and always was he accompanied by his wife, who was a partner, it might be said, in all that Mr. Wurlitzer went into, and was with him in all of his interests, discussed avidly, interestingly and understandingly the many business propositions that come up from time to time.
31Keen Appreciation of Art
33Those who knew Mr. Wurlitzer's home life and could enter into the many sides of his great mental attainments were at times dazzled with the certainty and the exactitude of what he would present. This all showed his keen appreciation of subjects that the average business man does not entertain. His home was but a reflection of his inclinations toward art. He gathered many objects of value in Europe. He was keenly interested in the development of the violin department under the direction of his brother, Rudolph H., which has resulted in the bringing together the largest collection of Stradivarius and other Old Masters known to the violin world.
35His interest in the work of his brother, Farney R., of the North Tonawanda, New York, factories, one of the greatest and most beautiful industrial plants in this country, was just as intense, as keen and as clear as in any other unit of the great Wurlitzer institution.
37It was in finance, however, that Howard E. Wurlitzer showed his greatest strength. The three brothers combined brought about the building within a quarter of a century of the greatest music industrial and retail business in the world. This naturally called for keen and intelligent handling of the finances.
39There are no more beautiful exhibits architecturally than the houses that the Wurlitzers have built. Owing to this diversity of interests there was required brains of unusual brilliancy. There was no marked deterioration in this direction even through the years that he passed with physical difficulties to overcome that seemed impossible.
41Well Travelled
43His retirement from business led him into those directions that he had utilized as a pastime during his business career, and he would, had life been granted him, have brought about many impulses in the direction of music and other arts that would have been of great benefit to this country.
45He knew Europe as he knew this country. He had personal acquaintances not only in the sciences but in professional directions and to civic and governmental affairs that was astonishing.
47As stated, his reading was omnibus, but not in any direction that would lead downward, but upward. His library is a valuable collection of books that enabled him to study and investigate many subjects that the average man declines to enter into.
49Those who knew Howard E. Wurlitzer, who knew his ambitions and his desires to further the interests of the great institution that his father founded in Cincinnati in 1856, created from a very small beginning the greatest musical house in the world.
51It was not easy for Mr. Wurlitzer to give up all of this when he retired, but he felt probably that he had accomplished much and he did accomplish much. He did not let go, however, of all things pertaining to what had engrossed him so for the past many years for he took an interest in all that his brothers were doing and had that as a balance to what he took up in the way of his studies and his travels.
53Mr. Wurlitzer's strength was such that he allowed no obstacles to stand in his way as regards the expansion and the financial affairs of the company. His interests in other commercial problems that had to do with the music business, and in many other lines, it might be said, presented what would require the utmost efforts of several men. All that he did, Mr. Wurlitzer found a pleasure. He was a hard worker, his application was decisive, and thus more was accomplished by him than is possible to few.
55A Tribute
57No more comprehensive understanding of the man and his work can be given than in the following which appeared in the MUSICAL COURIER of November 8:
59"Howard E. Wurlitzer to all who knew him was an unusually brilliant and able man. He was known for his great courage and ability in a business way, and had an uncanny memory, not only a memory of facts, figures and occurrences, but also the artist's memory, once having been in a room even though his visit there was casual, his eye and memory retained the details of the decorations, color schemes, etc.
61"He traveled much and was well known abroad as he was in this country. He had just returned from a several months' trip to Victoria, British Columbia, and the Pacific Coast, and was in good health and splendid spirits. He had, however, suffered from a number of serious illnesses, beginning with an operation for appendicitis in September, 1914. He died from an attack of influenza, complicated by his old trouble."
63Thus reads the record of the days and deeds of one who in life was a leader among men. And the mighty Wurlitzer organization, which, under his careful guidance, grew to its present position of paramount importance, stands as a monument in honor of Howard E. Wurlitzer.
65WILLIAM GEPPERT.
67What Do Discounts Cost?
69It would be interesting to know how many dealers can figure just how much cash costs them in obtaining it through discount company operations. Suppose five dealers financing with the same discount bank were asked to tell just what their cash costs them. It probably would be found that each one would have different figures to give. This does not mean that the discount proposition is not a good thing—it just means that dealers as a rule do not get at the cost of their financing. Here again comes in the mistaken analysis as to financing the markup on pianos.
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