The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1906)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 5 TRADE IN THE SAINTLY CITY. Business Reports Favorable — Dealers Optimistic Over Outlook for the Fall — Val A. Reis Co.'s Handsome New Quarters — The News of the Trade Carefully Sifted and Presented for Readers' Consideration. (Special to The Talking Machiue « oild.) St. Louis, Mo., August 8, 1906. Talking machine reports for this month are all fairly favorable, and trade for the latter part of the month shows an improvement with indications for a nice fall trade. All the dealers are decidedly optimistic, and are preparing for a big business from now on. Those who attended the Edison gathering in New York are very enthusiastic over the pleasure they enjoyed, and are predicting that this reunion will have a splendid effect on all those who had the good fortune to participate. W. C. Fuhri, Central Western manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., returned recently from a trip through his territory, and found business in a very healthy condition with splendid prospects for the fall. Manager Kelly, of this concern, states that they have just received some of their new type B. M., which are making a big hit, both with the public and the dealers. This concern has just recently fixed up a fine grand opera room, where these records are played exclusively for their prospective patrons. W. M. Byrd, traveler for this house, is home from a month's trip through Illinois and Missouri, and reports trade Very good. S. E. Lind, assistant manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., at Detroit, Mich., was a recent visitor here on his vacation. D. S. Ramsdell, vice-president and general manager of the St. Louis Talking Machine Co., reports trade as being better than expected for this season of the year. He finds great difficulty in getting enough of their new style second and third Victor machines to supply the demand. C. P. Ramsdell, of this concern, is expected home about August 10 from an extensive Eastern trip. Marks Silverstone, president of the Silverstone Talking Machine Co., reports their business as being good. He states that their monthly concerts, which they give at their store one night a month, are good trade producers. The Val A. Reis Music Co. are fitting up handsome talking machine rooms at their new store, and when completed they will be decidedly attractive. This firm will push their talking machine interests very strong from now on. The Thiebes-Stierlin Music Co. are making preparations to establish elaborate talking ma chine rooms on the first floor of their store at an early date, when they will go into the retail business extensively. They report their wholesale trade as being good. T. P. Clancy, manager of the talking machine department of the Conroy Piano Co., states that their July business made a nice showing, and tliat he looks for a big fall trade. A. G. Quade is now manager of the Talking Machine Co., vice M. Neuman, who is no longer connected with the company. E. B. Walthall, manager of the talking machine department of the 0. K. Houck Piano Co., accompanied by his wife, is home from his vacation, which was spent in the East. EUROPEAN SINGERS MAKE MONEY Through Singing for the Talking Machine — Even Musical Papers Now Admit the Artistic Influence of the "Talker" — Some Singers Who Secure Big Salaries. "That the talking machine lias come to stay, and, moreover, has to be treated quite seriously, there is no longer any doubt," is the admission of the London Musical News. For this, much thanks. Even the British Museum, the most conservative of all institutions, has, in entering on its list of exhibits records of Tamagno and others, set the seal on the utility of the talking machine, and an interview with a record maker, which recently appeared in Tit-Bits, demonstrates the fact that it offers a new source of income to singers. It appears that many singers, not necessarily of the very highest class, but those whose voices are peculiarly adapted to record making, are being engaged in England at salaries of £100 ($500) to £700 ($3,500) by the talking machine merchants. The manager of this establishment tells us that the best voices do not always make the best records, and that basses and contraltos are generally more effectively reproduced than tenors and sopranos, with the single exception of Caruso, whose voice, it is said, can be heard on the phonograph with wonderfully realistic naturalness. Throaty tones are fatal, and "the man or woman who sings from the back of the throat is no good for the phonograph. What is wanted is a clear, unaffected tone, which will cut clearly into the wax." It seems evident, therefore, that voices which have been subjected to "open" training are the ones that are most effectively reproduced, and though this can be readily understood, it is somewhat unsatisfactory. Voice trainers who advocate more "closed" methods for body of tone and carrying power will find their pupils less in demand for phonographic purposes than the more shrill and hard toned students of the "open" system. But it must be remembered that the most effective voices at a few feet away are the ones which will make the best records, and those who can carry their voices to the farthest end of a large concert hall are not necessarily the most suitable for reproduction. We are told that Madame Schumann-Heink and M. Plancon make better effects than Madame Melba and Herr Burgstaller. Further details as to instrumentalists are interesting. Violin soloists are at a discount, a.-~ violin tones are too sharp to reproduce well. They seldom earn more than 10 shillings a record; but the record manager has a side drum player who has been engaged for five years at £300 a year! This is a decided setback for stringed instrument artists, but our Kubelilcs and others can comfort themselves with the thought that in ordinary performance they have little fear of being ousted from the platform by players on instruments of percussion! Still the song artists have the best of it, and engagements by makers of talking machine records, though unattended with the "enthusiastic receptions" so beloved by public performers, offer a nice little addition to the income of competent exponents without the trouble of getting into concert attire or the possibility of suffering from stage fright. CHAS. FROHMAN'S LATEST IDEA. Brings Trunk Full of Talking Machine Records of Songs in London Play to be Produced in New York. Charles Frohman successfully tested an interesting experiment last week at the dress rehearsal of "The Little Cherub" at the Criterion Theater. He not only came back from Europe with a chest of plays and contracts, but also brought with him a trunk full of tunes. It was Mr. Frohman's idea that there was a new way of importing popular song hits, and he has found that it worked finely. Songs he heard in Paris and London he had sung into a talking machine by the artists who were singing the hits. The records he brought with him, and at the rehearsal several songs now used in "The Little Cherub" were reeled off the records with excellent effect. In some regards the song on the record compared well with the song as rendered here by the singer, and in instances it suggested improvements. The song written by Marie Doro, "The Doggie in the Yard," which is being sung in "The Beauty of Bath" at the Aldwych Theater by Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss, was reproduced for "The Little Cherub" company from the record. It is sung here by Hattie Williams. Mr. Frohman was so pleased with the success 01 the experiment that he cabled Seymour Hicks to send him records of any new song hits as they come out in London. A QUICK SELLING NOVELTY Is the New Patented Compartment Needle Box Being Placed on the Market by Hawthorne & Sheble Mfg. Co. An important addition to the list of quick selling novelties in the talking machine trade has been made recently in a new patented compartment needle box illustrated in this issue of The World. The box is admirably adapted for the purposes intended, providing a means for separating needles of different reproducing qualities. Almost any desired tone effect can now be secured from a disc talking machine by the aid of needles of various thicknesses, length and taper. Another feature of the compartment needle bos is the space arranged for the used or rejected needles, and the method of disposing of the needles is a novel one. We understand from the patentees of the box that they have booked orders six months ahead for same. There is no reason why it should not have a large and extensive sale, as it not only fills a long-felt want, but is the first device of its kind so admirably arranged with convenient features. Sell Them The Best Oil— It Pays The best oil that's made (that's "3-in-One") is none too good for your talking machines. No other oil is good enough. Any less-than-best oil is liable to make trouble between you and your customers. Why take chances? Why not take the good easy profit (50 and 100 per cent.) you would make selling "3-in-One?" "3-in-One" is the one right and safe lubricant for phonographs, graphophones, gram-o-phones and all other disc machines. It makes the action points work perfectly. Prevents rust and tarnish on the metal surfaces. Polishes the wood cases. Keeps the records clean — just wipe them with soft cloth moistened with "3-in-One." Suppose you just get a trial supply of "3-in-One" from your jobber and see what happens. Or prove its value to yourself by writing to-day for a FREE sample bottle and the "3-in-One" Book. Address: G. W. COLE COMPANY, Broadway and Liberty Streets. Sole Makers of "3-in-One" New York City.