SHEET MUSIC and BOOKS ... Mr. En- gel has again resumed his duties as Chief
of the Music Division in Washington .... issue by R. L. Jones, of the Jones Music.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SHEET MUSIC and BOOKS HERMANN IRION ELECTED PRESIDENT OF SCHIRMER'S Hermann Irion, long an executive of Steinway & Sons., New York, and, for two terms, president of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, has been elected president of G. Schirmer, Inc., the prominent music publishers and dealers. Mr. Irion, who has been a director of the Schirmer house for a number of years, will retain his position with Steinway & Sons. At Schirmer's he succeeds Carl Engel, who by special arrangement with the Library of Congress served as president of that company for three years. Mr. Engel has again resumed his duties as Chief of the Music Division in Washington, but will continue with Schirmer's in an advisory capacity. Harold Flammer continues as vice-president and business manager of G. Schirmer, Inc., and the Board of Directors of the company remains unchanged. To his new office of President, Mr. Irion brings a wide acquaintance with matters musical and the personalities in the musical world together with a keen appreciation of the opportunities that offer for a broader musical development in this country.
BOSTON PUBLISHERS PROTEST ANTI-PIANO CARTOON The bi-monthly dinner and meeting of the Boston Music Publishers' Association was held at the Copley Plaza with President Charles A. White, of the White-Smith Company, in the chair. It was a round-table occasion and never before have the members sat down to a more beautiful table decorated as it was with carnations and ferns. It was voted, following the repast, that Banks M. Davison, long associated with the music publishing business, but now retired, be made an honorary member of the association. A committee consisting of Jacobs, Crosby and Preston was appointed to draw up a slate of officers for the February meeting, which is the annual one. Some interesting discussion followed, inspired by the appearance in the Boston American of a cartoon bearing on the piano business, which it was considered in bad taste and President White wrote to Arthur Brisbane of the Hearst publications, protesting at its appearance. Mr. White's letter was read to the members present as was the answer which Mr. Brisbane sent in reply, which was considered both interesting and ingenious. Mr. Brisbane said, in part: "I thank you for your letter, and I value it especially because it reminds me that, with Christmas approaching, it is desirable to write again, editorially, as I have often done, emphasizing the importance of music, not merely the kind that comes from the radio or the talking machine, but the kind that human beings produce themselves. "I have more than once emphasized, and shall again emphasize, the importance of
THE
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Henry Ford's statement, made to me, that every child should be taught to produce some kind of music. "I hope you will not mind my pointing out that in this particular strip, which would not, in any case, influence people's ideas of music, your friends have missed the point entirely. The man with the truck is engaged in dumping a load of gold, absentmindedly. And to show how absent-minded he is, he mentions the fact that he also dumped a load of pianos there, meaning to say that the pianos are as precious as the gold, and not by any means meaning to say that the pianos are 'rubbish.' In other words, he has been going to the rubbish pile so often that he forgets himself, dumps solid gold there, and even dumps a precious load of pianos. "There is nothing to suggest in the reading of comics, by those that are experts, anything to indicate that the maker of the cartoon considers pianos rubbishy. "But as I said, I am obliged to you for reminding me that something ought to be said to encourage "Se purchase of pianos and other musical instruments of high character, now."
KENNETH S. CLARK WITH RICHMOND-MAYER CORP. Kenneth S. Clark, for some years past an assistant director of the National Bureau for the Advancement of Music, has been appointed sales manager of the Richmond-Mayer Music Corp., New York, the prominent music wholesalers. Although devoting his major attention to his new post, Mr. Clark will continue his association with the bureau in an advisory capacity.
OPENS ELABORATE NEW SHEET MUSIC SECTION With alterations costing approximately $2,000 completed, the new basement sheet music department of the Seiberling & Lucas Music Co., Portland, Ore., will be opened to the public shortly. A full line of standard and classical music, as well as musical supplies, will be carried under the direction of Mrs. Maude Luzader. C. P. Macnab and F. R. Grubbs as coowners have launched a new venture in Eugene, Ore., to be known as the Music Box and to be operated along the same lines as the Marshfield establishment of that name. Macnab is the founder of the local store which later was merged with the musical business of T. R. Grubbs, successor to the L. L. Thomas Music Co.
REVIEW,
Robert Teller Sons & Dorner Music Engravers and Printers I1ND MANUSCRIPT AND IDEA Of TITLE FOB KSTIMATK 311 West 43rd St. New York City
January,
1933
ANOTHER DEALER OBJECTS TO RETAIL PRICES ON MUSIC "Belleville, 111., January 3rd, 1932. Editor, THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW:
"Dear Sir—The article in the December issue by R. L. Jones, of the Jones Music House, pertaining to the policy of the sheet music publisher, in printing the price on the title page, was very timely and should serve as a clarion call to arms to every music dealer in the country. "We worked for years to establish a paying business on sheet music and felt that we were fairly successful in doing so up to this time. Records for the past month or so indicate an alarming decline in profits and we are joining with Mr. Jones, by instructing our wholesaler of the fact that we will refuse to accept any popular sheet music with the retail price indicated on the title page. "If the publishers want to join the ranks of the hysterical 'dumpers,' let them do it at their own expense and not ours. They will destroy the very links which have sustained them up to this time. They will destroy the confidence of those whom we have managed to 'stay on the ship,' and we believe that this is the time for the retailer to impress the publisher with the fact, that, without us they cannot survive. "Yours very truly, "E. W. PARO,
"T. J. Price Music House."
F. C. SOCIN INVENTS A NEW PRACTICE CLAVIER F. C. Socin, of St. Charles, III., well-known pianist and organist, who is widely known in the piano trade as a tonal expert, has invented and put on the market a new portable clavier or practice keyboard, which can L,e easily carried in a small suitcase, and which ought to have a wide sale on its musical merits. The striking mechanism is very simple, of few parts and produces individual musical tones, educating the ear and stimulating practice. Key touch is that of a real piano, and this Socin clavier (to use a general name), but which he calls the Technitone, is patented and will be manufactured by the inventor for sale at a modest price. Some dealers who have already purchased Technitones to rent out to prospective piano buyers and music students.
LESTER EXPECTS MORE GRAND PIANO DEMAND IN 1933 In discussing the general situation, together with prospects for 1933, Jacob Schiller, vicepresident in charge of sales for the Lester Piano Co., Philadelphia, said: "During the past twelve months we have had a very active demand for grand pianos, particularly the high-grade Lester grand. We added to our dealer list a number of leading and better known music houses and we anticipate an increased demand for grand pianos." 15
