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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
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In the World of Music Publishing
PLANNING FOR THE NEW YEAR.
Business Quiet in the Publishing Field, but a Hope-
ful Feeling Prevails in Connection With Trade
For the New Year,.
BILL TO PREVENT PIRACY
THE GROWTH OF MUSIC PUBLISHING.
On Musical and Dramatic Compositions, Etc., Has Its Importance and Qualifications Outlined by One
of the Craft—The American Invasion of
Been Introduced in the Senate at Washington.
London.
[Special to The Review.]
Approaching and during the Christmas
"Music publishing, as a business enter-
Washington, D. C, Dec. 21, 1903.
holidays publishers have ample time and
A bill reported to the Senate to-day by prise, only dates back about sixty years,
opportunity for exchanging the "compli- the Commissioner of Patents is intended and was confined to England, Germany
ments of the season." To be sure, trade to prevent piracy of foreign books, musi- and Italy, up to 1870, at which time the
is not stagnant, for there is always some- cal and dramatic compositions, drawings, publication in America of a few melodies,
thing going on in the "song factories" and paintings, statuary, etc., by giving the popular during the war, found a limited
some sales are being made; but the rush is owners of the copyright the sole liberty of sale and made the publication of musical
abated, until even the fateful January is printing, publishing, vending, translating compositions possible as an avenue of
marked off the calendar. Publication and dramatizing their works, and in the trade," remarked the head of a publishing
houses are engaged getting out their ad- case of a dramatic composition of control- house to The Review. "But it was not
vertising matter to the dealer, and laying ling its performance.
until about ten years ago that this branch
plans for a hustling campaign that is ex- The committee also reported a bill to af- of publication assumed such proportions
pected to materialize later on. Such ford protection to exhibitors of foreign as it has, and made it possible to establish
changes as will go into effect with the new literary, artistic or musical works at the an industry employing thousands, in con-
year are also being framed up, and on this St. Louis Exposition. Authors, artists nection with the field of music publishing
score the gossip is unending and mainly and composers have the sole right under as a profitable business enterprise.
unreliable.
the bill of printing and vending copies of
"To gauge the public taste, in giving
their works at the exposition. The latter them music would become popular is
SEIDL AND WAGNER.
bill was subsequently passed by the the most difficult problem for the publisher
to solve. It does not say that if ar coon song
The First Meeting of the Great Composer and Senate.
was received with favor, that another one
Conductor.
TWO HOUSES CONSOLIDATE
of the same style would even be enter-
One of the most amusing anecdotes told
tained for a year or two to come; it is pos-
in Hermann Klein's "Thirty Years of Whitney-Warner Co. and Shapiro, Bernstein & sible, that a pretty ballad, or a strong story
Musical Life in London," recently published
Co. Will Join Forces and Operate Under the
song, would displace the popularity of the
Title Shapiro, Remick & Co. After Jan. 1.
by the Century Co., and referred to in these
coon song completely. The tendency of
columns recently, relates to Anton Seidl's
the
times must be closely watched
On January 1st, the well known music
first interview with Wagner, in the library at
and
the tastes of the masses whetted
Wahnfried. Seidl found the room dark; and, publishing house of the Whitney-Warner
imagining nobody was there, he pulled out Pub. Co., of Detroit, and Shapiro, Bern- with innovation and novelty; whether
the attention of
his letter of introduction, and began silently stein & Co., of New York, will be con- it be to attract
rehearsing the speech he had prepared. Sud- solidated. Business will be conducted the public to a meritorious march
denly, from out of a gloomy corner, Wagner under the firm name of Shapiro, Remick number recently acquired, or to illustrate
appeared, and Seidl was so nervous that he & Co., the interests of Mr. Bernstein having the beauties of a pathetic story song with
could not bring out a sentence of his speech. been purchased by Maurice Shapiro. The picture slides. Then, again, song writers
This proved to be his salvation, for Wagner,
New York office of the Whitney-Warner should not be encouraged to take up work
declaring, "If you can work as well as you
for which they have no natural inclination,
can hold your tongue, you will do," engaged Co., will, on that date, be transferred to that is to say, ballad writers to attempt
the building now occupied by Shapiro,
him on the spot.
Bernstein & Co., and the majority of the coon songs or vice versa. Versatility has
employes of the former house will be re- its limitations, and writers can achieve suc-
The Talk of New York!
tained.
There will be some minor cess and fame in certain branches of com-
FRANK DANIEL'S TERRIFIC HIT
changes in the New York and Chicago positions, which are looked forward to by
IN
houses and it is probable that Homer their admirers and the public in general."
"THE OFFICE B O Y "
Howard of New York, and Mose Gumble,
STERN'S SUCCESS
of Chicago, will exchange managerial
" I'M ON THE WATER WAGON NOW " positions.
In the Domain of Popular and Operatic Publica-
By PAUL WEST and JOHN W. BRATTON.
tions Seems Phenomenal, But it is the Result
Talking to The Review Monday con-
Seven and Eight Encores Nightly.
of Hard Work and Good Judgment.
cerning the consolidation, Maurice Shapiro
said: "Well, the two concerns have been
The success of Jos. W. Stern & Co. in
< M. WITMARK & SONS, Publishers,
Wittnark Building,
consolidated here and in Detroit. We cer- the field of popular publications have
NEW YORK
CHICAGO
LONDON
tainly shall be a strong firm, and we arc earned for them the title of "House of
now making the necessary alterations in Hits." Since Jos. W. Stern and Edward
our
building."
B. Marks launched their first song, "The
Separate Numbers and Scores
F.
E. Belcher, manager of the Whitney- Little Lost Child," their joint composition,
of the following
Warner Publishinig Co., said: The hold- by the way, their career as publshers is
Comic Opera and Musical
ing company for the merger has not been studded with any number of the greatest
: : Comedy Successes : :
"RED FBATHER"—By Chas. Emeraon Cook, Chas. Klein
named yet. As it stands, Mr. Remick song successes that have engaged the at-
and Reginald De Koven.
'NANCY BROWN"—By Frederic Ranken and Henry K
and
Mr. Shapiro hold equal interests. The tention of the public.
Hadley.
"THE MOCKING BIRD"—By Sidney Roienfeld and A.
Whitney-Warner
Co. will maintain its De-
During the past eighteen months, this
-Baldwin Sloane,
"WINSOHE WINNIE"—By Frederic Ranken and Gus- troit'establishment under the same name,
firm
became interested in the publication
i tave Kerker.
and jwill handle the instrumentals with of comic opera and musical comedies and
"THE OFFICE BOY "—By Harry B. Smith and Ludwig
Englander.
Shapiro, Remick & Co.. handling the busi- with the energy born of ambition, suc-
" THE SLfcEPY KINO "—By Geo. V. Hobart and Gio-
vanni E. Contcrno.
ness at this end. Contracts with the staff ceeded in acquiring the services of the best
"A OIRL FROM DiXIE"—By Harry B. Smith.
"THE ISLE OF SPICE"—By Allen Lowe & Paul Schindle.
of writers for both houses will be carried known librettists and composers in this
r.biuh^b T j O s # w . STERN & CO.
out in every particular, as a matter of country; and in this very short time, pub-
84 East 31st Str^t
N E W YORK
course."
CHICAGO
LOIBOI
lished no less than fourteen productions,