Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-07-25
By Alice EverSman.

n sicians had a period of worry
II as to what would be the future
4 \ Of music as regards the indi-
vidual study and the personal pur-
suit of music, either as profession or
an avocation. Dealers in musical In
struments complained Of dearth Of
sales and teachers Of marked de-
crease in their student body. The
growing popularity Of the radio, fol-
lowing after the vogue Of the gramo-
phone, in fact, the ease with which
ready made music could be had by the
simple means of turning mechanical
key, seemed to be the threatening
cause of the decline of personal effort
in music making.
Many articles appeared in various
musical journals and in the newspa-
pers, predicting the passing of the
old family standby, the piano. From
a universal popularity, whether as
simply a good-looking piece Of furni-
ture to add dignity to the living room,
or as a means by which the coming
generation learned its musical alpha
bet, the piano seemed destined to be
relegated to the limbo of unwanted
things. Other instruments began to
suffer in the same way, although the
liking of students for the violin or
cello seemed of more special brand,
strong enough to keep the desire for
personal performance actively alive.
THE radio caught the fancy Of the
people from the very first. The
pleasure of being able to have music
of every kind presented with skill
and finish at whatever hour one
wished it, appeared never to dim. The
most famous orchestras, the greatest
artists, and even the Metropolitan
Opera, could be had by the simple
means of turning the dial.
The desire personally to make music
9ould have to be strong, indeed, to
win out over this easy way to have
1t all. Who would wish to spend long
hours in painfully building up a tech
nique that could in some measure
render the same music that came so
perfectly over the air? Not every
student could hope for career as a
radio artist.
So the radio was blamed for dis
organizing the music education Of the
country and for the sale decline of
instruments. However, such a con-
dition has proved to be but passing
one, the natural outcome of an in
terest in a new invention. From q
release of the National Broadcasting
Co. it would seem the tide has turned
and in place of being responsible for
O falling off of music study and con-
sequent sales of instruments, the ra-
do has served as a spur to greater
endeavor and more widespread wish
to solidify musical backgrounds, as
the following article from the broad
casting studio afflrms:
Radio is primarily responsible for
o 300 per cent increase in piano sales
during the past year, according to
letters recently received by the Ma
tional Broadcasting Co. from execu-
tives in the piano industry. Once
considered a dangerous competitor Of
the instrumental music industries,
radio is now credited with being one
of the fundamental factors in the
recent upturn in that business, and
statistics now offered by the music
trades provide significant confirma-
ton Of repeated claims by broadcast
ers that radio is the most effective
medium yet devised for stimulating
music appreciation and promoting
general music culture.
I" A FTER a careful and dispassion-
ate study of the nearly 800 per
cent increase in piano sales during
the past IL months w. A. Mennie,
secretary of the National Piano Man
ufacturers' Association, declares, 'ra-
do must now be considered one of the
major reasons for this increase. Mil
lions of listeners, who might other
wise never have attained an appreci-
alton of music, are manifesting an
interest in music culture and endeav-
oring to become participants them
selves.
"'These converts to the musical arts
are purchasing musical instruments
of every description, and the piano, be-
ing the basic musical instrument, has
benefited most of all from this stimu-
lation. Radio, with its limitless pos
sihilitieS hos educated listeners to an
preciate music, and it has produced a
natural desire to create it, thus open
ing a hitherto non-existent market.
Theodore Steinway, president of
steinway g. Sons. wrote:
1--WE have found it (the influence
AZ oooJ y,,,,cin ~, tho oirl RI he q tre-