The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1906)

46 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. CROMELIN REPLIES TO SOUSA. Declares Mechanical Music is Not a Menace But a Blessing. In The World recently reference was made to the article by John Philip Sousa in last month's Appleton's Magazine on "The Menace of Mechanical Music." In the current issue of App'.€ton's there appears a very interesting communication in reply to Sousa's article from the pen of Paul H. Cromelin, vice-president of the Columbia Phonograph Co., in which he says: "I have read with much interest an article under this title in the September Appleton's, written by my distinguished friend, John Philip Sousa. Having been closely identified with the development of the talking machine, I was curious to learn how many and which of our cherished institutions were ■ menaced by the great and growing use of these mechanical reproducers of music; and after having read the catalogue set forth in the above entitled article, I confess to having breathed a sigh of relief. "But before taking up the details, I cannot refrain from calling to mind that the mechanical reproducer of musical and other sounds has received, in the article referred to, precisely the same greeting that has been accorded to the other really great products of mechanical genius. There are not lacking, in such cases, those who see in the new device some peril to the community, and who seek to excite opposition to it, though usually, if the opposition be probed, a selfish motive may be found. One of the distinguished instances was the cotton gin, which was regarded as so serious a "menace" to those who earned a livelihood by separating cotton fiber from its seed that the inventor was stoned by the infuriated representatives of the 'menaced' industry. Now, the annual output of about ten million bales of cotton is the answer to that historic wail of unfounded apprehension. "There are those still living who can recall the outcry against the sewing machine, and the predictions that it would deprive the poor sewing girl of her scanty wage. But notwithstanding these predictions, plausible as they appeared to be, there are to-day a score of sewing women earning, and with comparative facility, good wages, by the aid of the mechanical device, where there was then one securing a pittance by plying her needle. "But, after all. what are the existing institutions which are menaced by the talking machines and automatic piano players? "First, it is complained that the expression or rendition of music suffers, with a threat of deterioration of the public taste and appreciation in music. / "To this assertion, a general denial can be confidently entered. No one who reflects upon the matter for a single moment will deny that the average rendition of music by the amateurs ill the homes of our land is far, far below that of the mechanical music reproducer of to-day. It is just because these devices bring into our homes renditions of music of a superior quality, to which the vast majority of our people are total strangers, that they are meeting with such universal acceptation. "But there is much more than this. The average amateur is generally limited to one instrument, and his or her proficiency admits only of the indifferent rendition of a small number of compositions, usually of elementary character and mediocre quality. The graphophone, on the contrary, brings into the home the widest range of musical renditions, vocal and instrumental, solo and concerted, rendered, it may be, by the greatest living artists. So far, therefore, from the musical taste and appreciation of the public being menaced from this cause, it is safe to say that nothing has yet been devised by the wit of man so calculated to promote these qualities. "But let us hasten to the next of our menaced institutions. Our author assures us that the onward march of the mechanical music maker will cause the girls of our nation to desist from the effort to make mediocre piano players of themselves, and will also diminish the use of the banjo, mandolin and guitar. Assuming for a moment the correctness of this statement, which of our readers, on hearing it, will not cheer onVvard the march of the mechanical music maker, and wish that it may soon accomplish its wholesome mission? What a fearful waste of time and what needless suffering have been caused by the futile but persevering attempts to make all our Mary Janes "learn the piano." And to think that now a mighty reforming agency has appeared, which will abolish from our houses and flats the horrors of scales and exercises, and will confine these tedious performances to the musical colleges, or to those who really possess the gift of musical expression! "But I deny that the progress of the mechanical music maker will diminish individual application to the art of musical rendition. On the contrary, one important result of the present-day musical sound records is to excite an interest in music in millions of homes which otherwise have absolutely no access to really artistic musical renditions, or even access to renditions of any sort of great musical compositions. To those gifted by nature with a singing voice the opportunity of listening repeatedly to the phrasing and expression of great artists is of incalculable benefit. Already the high-class musical sound records have produced great educational results, affording to gifted persons in remote places and of slender means the extraordinary advantage of singing lessons from the greatest living artists, and a career of great utility is opened in this direction. "The idea that any person having the natural ability and desire to sing, will permit a mechanical device to do his singing for him is laughably absurd. On the contrary, the mechanical reproduction of songs by correct methods will only stimulate him to sing the more and enable him to sing the better. "Music and musical tone production has differed in the past from all other forms of art in that the pleasure which it afforded was but of a momentary' and passing existence. We love the pictures and paintings in our homes and in the great galleries, and delight in feasting our eyes upon the masterpieces which noted sculptors have produced. There is a certain sense of possession and security in the knowledge that, if we care to, we may cross to Dresden and linger as long as we will in silent contemplation, not to say awe approaching' adoration, before Raphael's Sistine Madonna. A few steps into another room, and once again Hoffmann's wondrous masterpiece, Christ in the Temple, is ours to remain with and to behold in sweet meditation. "But, oh! the memory of that night when Jean de Reske sang at the Metropolitan. Beautiful and sweet and blessed memory, but only a thing of memory now; and the recollections of the nightingale tones of Jenny Lind's remarkable voice! Ah, but a recollection now; a thing of the dead, dead past — gone, gone forever. "But the talking machine will change all this, and future generations will rejoice and be able to enjoy forever the music of the great artists of to-day. Tamagno is gone, but the voice of the gieat Italian tenor remains and brings pleasure and instruction to thousands of homes. Our well beloved Joe Jefferson is no longer with us, but we have a precious legacy in Rip's quaint and pathetic meeting with his daughter 'Meenie,' after twenty years' sleep. The matchless and incomparable triple-tongue cornet tones of Jules Levy remain to delight and please us, although all that was mortal of the great artist lies buried in a country churchyard. "Can we pay too great a tribute to the genius in the invention which makes it possible to bottle up this wine of music and song inexhaustible, and should we not offer up our thanks for 'The Blessing of Mechanical Music'?" CHANGES m CANADA. Monday C. H. Wilson, general sales manager of the National Phonograph CO., got back to New York from a week's trip over the border. The business of the company has expanded so rapidly in Canada that it has got beyond R. S. Williams & Sons Co., Ltd., of Toronto and Winnipeg, who were the sole Edison jobbers in the Dominion. Dealers being unable to obtain goods as quickly as desired ahd to facilitate shipments Mr. Wilson created the following additional jobbers: Peter Kelly, Montreal; C. Robitaille, Quebec, and W. H. Thorne & Co., St. Johns, N. B. An immense Victor dogj as an illustrated sign, will be placed in front of Landay Bros.' new store, 440 Fifth avenue, New York. It is over five feet high, and in proportion throughout. A. L. Irish, former president of the Talk-ophone Co., Toledo, O., is the executive head of the Atlantic Phonograph Co., a New York corporation, with a capital of $2,000,000, with an office in New York City. J. L. Adrien is secretary and 0. Clayton Reed his assistant. These were connected with talk-o-phone interests also. Rapke Horn Crane, No. 15 I ^ lIMPLEST and best ever produced. Will [^^,^1 support any horn up to and including 36 Mf, Dealer! are you using the RAPKE Labels for Edison and Columbia XP Records; Trays, regular and folding? If not, consult at once YOUR JOBBER SAMPLES OF LABELS FREE. As soon as you adopt this system, your profits increase. It costs you nothing to try. If yotu" jobber cannot supply you. write to VICTOR H. RAF^KE, IVIfr., 1661 Second Av., IVew YorR [BBg^j inches. 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