The talking machine world (July-Dec 1927)

82 The Talking Machine World, New York, October, 1927 Beethoven and Schubert Favorites of Radio Fans New York Edison Co. Reports Interesting Results From Questionnaire Designed to Determine Musical Tastes of Listeners-in A nation-wide expression of opinion bj' radio listeners shows that the favorite composer is Beethoven, and Wagner's overture to "Tannhaeuser" the favorite type of music, according to a statement made public recently by Arthur Williams, vice-president Commercial Relations of the New York Edison Company. These opinions were obtained through a questionnaire recently distributed by his compan3' in connection with the Edison Hour, which is broadcast weekly over WRNY. "The standard of musical taste of radio audiences is very much higher than perhaps it is commonly rated," said Mr. Williams, reviewing the results of the questionnaire, in which 4,800 radio listeners cast a total of 79,800 votes for fifty composers and eighteen types of musical compositions. "Following close after Beethoven— considered by musicians the master of composers — with 3,245 votes, comes another of the great immortals, Franz Schubert with 2,971 votes. Third is our popular American composer, Victor Herbert, whom 2,935 of the 4,800 included in their preference. "Second in popularity to Wagner's masterpiece, the overture to 'Tannhaeuser,' as a type of musical composition, comes the 'Poet and Peasant' overture bj^ Franz von Suppe, with the 'Marche Militaire' of Franz Schubert third. The musical tastes of men and women are practically alike. Instrumental solos proved to be more popular than vocal solos, with 2,720 votes favoring the former, and 1,422 for the latter; 2,110 votes were cast for orchestral music alone. "One of the significant things shown in the questionnaire, which seems to indicate that the tastes of listeners everywhere are alike, is that the relative positions of the leading compriier* and compositions were the same for each thousand of the questionnaires tabulated. The space left on the questionnaire for remarks provoked much lively comment. The men had more to say and were much more positive in their opinions than women. Thirty asked for jazz and more than 135 denounced it in no gentle terms. "Radio announcements came in for their share of comment. Seventeen hundred and forty-one desired brief annauncements, while 2,465 indicated a preference for longer descriptive announcements. Few, however, contented themselves with a mere indication of choice. The opinions of most on this score were expressed very definitely and positively and even at great length. "In the few questions appended concerning the broadcasting of household matters the women indicated a preference for talks relating to cooking." The first ten composers in order of choice are Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Victor Herbert, Richard Wagner, Felix Mendelssohn, Fritz Kreisler, Franz Liszt, Charles Gounod, Peter Tschaikowsky, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The first ten compositions are Overture to "Tannhaeuser," Wagner; "Poet a,nd Peasant" overture, von Suppe; "Marche Militaire," Schubert; Fifth Symphony, Beethoven; Unfinished Symphony, Schubert; Ballet Music from "Faust," Gounod; "Meditation" from "Thais," Massenet; "Liebesfreud," Kreisler; "H. M. S. Pinafore," Sullivan; Nutcracker Suite, Tschaikowsky. Following are the results of the questionnaire. The figures indicate the number of votes: 1. Overture to "Tannhaeuser" (2778). Richard Wagner. 2. "Poet and Peasant" overture (2631), Franz von Suppe. 3. "Marche Militaire" (2578), Franz Schubert. 4. Fifth Symphony (2325), Ludwig von Beethoven. 5. Unfinished Symphony (2363), Franz Schubert. 6. Ballet Music from "Faust" (2243). Charles Gounod. 7. "Meditation" from "Thais" (1941) Jules Massenet. 8. "Liebesfreud" (1912). Fritz Kreisler. 9. "H. M. S. Pinafore" (1675). Sir Arthur Sullivan. 10. ISlutcracker Suite (1619), Peter Tschaikowsky. 11. "The Firefly" (1600), Rudolph Friml. 12. "Syniphonie Pathetique" (151S), Peter Tschailo w-ky. 13. Dagger Dance from "Natoma" (1495), Victor Herbert. 14. "In the Morning" (1318), Edward Grieg. 15. "Invitation to the Dance" (1282), Carl Maria von Weber. 16. Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro" (1178), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. 17. "Scherazade" (970), Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakoff. 18. "Poupee Valsante" (521), Edwin Poldini. Registers Complaint With Federal Radio Commission Formal complaint has been made to the Federal Trade Commission at Washington hy Arthur D. Lord, receiver of the DeForest Radio Co., Jersey City, N. J., against the "tube" clause in the licenses issued by the Radio Corp. of America to a number of important radio manufacturers throughout the country. This is the clause in the license agreement which compels the licensees to buy from the Radio Corp. of America the tubes "required to make initially operative the apparatus licensed," according to the announcement, and it is charged that under this clause the DeForest Radio Co. and other independent tube manufacturers are prevented from selling tubes to the licensees. For this reason the complaint charges that the Radio Corp. of America will have a monopoly of vacuum tube sales for receiving sets in the United States, thus violating the Clayton Anti-Trust Law and the Federal Trade Commission act. Brunswick Dividend The directors of the Brunswick-Balke-Coliender Co. authorized a dividend of 1J4 per cent, payable October 1, 1927, on the outstanding preferred stock of the company, as of record September 20, 1927. The Salak Bros. 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