Music Trade Review

Issue: 1904 Vol. 38 N. 19

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
47
In tKe World of Music PublisHing
TRADE CONTINUES FAIR.
Publishers Are Hopeful of the Future, Notwith-
standing That the Close of Theatrical Season
Necessarily Makes Trade Slower.
As a rule publishers are recording no special
hard kicks against business; in fact, are gen-
erally pleased with present conditions and hope-
ful of future developments. Trade is fair, if not
altogether good. The slowing-down period is at
hand with the close of the regular theatrical Eea-
son. Road companies are working toward New
York and some are already here, which means
much to the publisher.
The demand from all kinds of summer resorts
for entertainment features of a professional
character and standing, is becoming more ur-
gent. This year the call is more insistent than
ever, and writers and publishers are putting out
a special line of goods to meet this demand.
The summer song is the thing just now, with
even some of the leading houses springing titles
which bear a ludicrous resemblance to each
other. This means an exchange of the retort
courteous clear up, or down, if you please, to the
lie circumstantial, and then the war of words
cease. To be sure, this is diverting to some, but
is deprecated by every one at all interested or
concerned directly in the welfare of the business.
Just at the present good instrumental have
the call, and many really fine and meritorious
compositions bear the imprint of firms who al-
ways aim to offer the best obtainable. Ballads
follow closely, and several numbers now out,
with a few announced for early publication, will
doubtless hold the public fancy for a long time.
Standard music is selling well, and it is ex-
pected business will keep up in this branch later
this season than for the past two years.
FLASHES FROM A LIVE WIRE.
haunting refrain. Both of these have, in theat-
rical parlance, "made good."
The comic opera, "The Royal Chef," now play-
ing at the La Salle Theatre, Chicago, is so full
of kaleidoscopic changes, such continuous action
both of the principals and chorus, so filled with
mirth and music, that scenery of any kind be-
comes of secondary consideration. The strains
of one musical number are scarcely through
with before it is sounded by another even more
pleasing. A few of the hits are: "A Little Bit of
Green," "Love in a Mango Tree," "In the Morn-
ing," "As Befits My Rank and Station," "The
Mythical Isle of Oolong," "I'd Like to Break My
Way Into Society," "I'm a Literary Military
Man," "When Old Glory Floats from Every-
where." F. B. Haviland Publishing Co. are the
exclusive publishers.
When a song is making strong headway the
publisher tells the jobber to "go to," otherwise
his assistance as a distributor is eagerly sought.
Little effort is made to reach the dealer direct,
because it requires time and attention to ac-
complish this object; but as a paying proposition
every publisher concedes its correctness.
Alfred G. Robyn's latest ballad, which some
say surpasses his famous "Answer," is unique
in that it seems to appeal just as much to the
vaudeville and professional singer as it does to
the concert and drawing-room balladist. Among
the well-known people who are now featuring
this song, are Howard Sayres, Haydn Coffin, the
well-known English tenor, Florence McNeill.
Maud Beach, Maurice Hewlitt and, in fact a long
list of the very best people in the singing world.
They were talking of musical comedies when
the publisher was congratulated on the music
in a certain production. "That may be all
right," rejoined the publisher, "but the songs
don't sell, hang it! and I can't make it out."
"Well, the trouble is," answered the other fel-
low, "the singers are a poor lot, and this defeat
has damned more than one musical comedy this
season." And it is true. The wonder is why such
poor talent was selected, for many of these enter-
prises have been costly undertakings.
Paul Dresser will be the interlocutor in the
minstrel show part of the program to be given
at the Broadway Theatre to-morrow night by the
managers and agents of the vaudeville perform-
ers for the annual benefit of the Actor's Fund.
Music publishers, with a few exceptions,
which point the case, seem especially blind to
the fact that imitation is the poorest sort of
policy, not only from the point of view of fair-
"The Wizard of Oz," that perennial success, is ness, but because, by rousing antagonism, it re-
going along its prosperous way with very little acts against their own best interests.
change in any of its features except that some
new and attractive songs have been interpolated
In these days of press booming, when every
into the clever score. Bessie Wynne has two show girl, who merits the name, has her advance
new good ones, "Mary Canary," by Furth and agent, it is rather surprising to note the methods
Moran, and "I Love You All the Time," by Will of "The Bostonians," who in "The Queen of
R. Anderson. The latter song is of a popular Laughter," have made one of the biggest suc-
nature of the alliterative lyric set to catchy and cesses of the year, and who yet go on their pros-
DOES NOT MEET WITH APPROVAL.
The Efforts of the Incorporated Society of Musi-
cians is Not Approved in England or Ger-
many.
Neither in England nor in Germany does
the plan of the Tonsetzer Genossenschaft, or In-
corporated Society of Composers, seem to meet
with much approval. The object of this so-
ciety is to levy tribute on concert givers, who
are asked to pay $1.25 for every song on their
programs. It is contended that if this plan could
be carried out it would result, so far as England
is concerned, in the banishment of German songs
from the programs, in much the same way as the
demands for petits droits have succeeded in al-
most excluding new French pieces from English
concert programs. In Germany about 140 im-
portant concert societies, with the famous Ge-
wandhaus of Leipsic at their head, have jointly
signed a document by which they decline to recog-
nize the "Genossenschaft," and declare their in-
tention either of seeking (by payment or other-
wise) for permission from the composers them-
selves to produce copyright works, or of striking
such works out of the programs altogether. Ac-
cordingly, the Tonsetzer Genossenschaft may find
itself rather in a tight place. The fact is, says
a London journalist, that composers obtain, or
at any rate should receive, a quite sufficient
remuneration for their work out of the royalties
which publishers pay them on every copy of the
music that may be sold. In England it is the
custom, even as to larger concert works, such as
symphonies or cantatas or oratorios, where the
right of performance is reserved, to gratuitously
grant licenses to perform, a purchase of the score
and parts automatically conferring such license.
Cobb & Edwards, the "songsmiths," are said to
be scoring with "The Bronco Buster," an instru-
mental by Leo Edwards; "No. 1 Cupid Street,"
"Pretty Kitty San," and "Good-bye, Little Girl."
it
THE WITMARK CORNER'
LOOK FOR BI-MONTHLY CHANGE I
KEEP "POSTED" ON OUR "GOOD THINGS"!
Successful Musical Productions Just Published!
" SHO-GUN,"
"MAN FROM CHINA/'
By George Ade and Gustav Luders.
By Paul West and J. W. Bratton.
"WOODLAND,"
"A CHINA DOLL/'
By Frank Pixley and Gustav Luders.
By H. B. & R. B. Smith and Alfred E. Aarons.
A FEW OF THE SEASON'S SUCCESSES:
"BABES IN TOYLAND,"
"THE TENDERFOOT/'
"BABETTE,"
" THE YANKEE CONSUL,"
" PRINCE OF PILSEN,"
" MAM'SELLE NAPOLEON/*
"WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME,**
"SULTAN OF SULU/'
"PEGGY FROM PARIS/' "MR. PICKWICK."
GET OUR 96-PAGE CATALOG -COMPLETE LIST OF PRODUCTIONS.
M. WITMARK AND SONS,
SCHILLER BUILDING, CHICAGO.
»•••*•!• N E W YORK CITY
-
-
WITMARK BUILDING, LONDON
FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN — AND ACROSS
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
48
THE: MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
perous way without making any unusual fuss
over their pronounced hit. This new opera is by
two young people, Ysabel DeWitte Kaplan and
S. William Brady, who have never before had
so important a work produced, and yet their
efforts have resulted in as smooth and finished
an opera as though they were old-timers. The
piece is full of good things, but the song hits
which stand out prominently are undoubtedly
"The Faithless Daffodil," "Magic Boat' of
Dreams" and "Oh, Lady Moon." These num-
bers are all poetic to a degree and yet they pos-
sess that marked simplicity which denominates
them as "catchy."
inal songs of the season in their new comic coon
creation, "When the Coons Have a Dreamland of
Their Own." A number genuinely funny, gen-
uinely tuneful and a novelty put forward at the
right moment, it is not difficult to see that Sol
Bloom is in line with a coon song hit.
A. H. Goetting, while active as a jobber, cuts
something of a figure in marketing the output of
publishing houses. He also handles a line of
music paper, which he prepares ready for the
publisher. He maintains a separate establish-
ment for selling his product.
Vocal—"When Love Was Young," by Roy B.
Goetz; "Dream On," by Arthur J. McWatters;
"Honey, Won't You Let Me Know?" coon love
ballad, by Farrell and Frantzen; "Little Gertie
Murphy" and "For de Lawdy Sake, Feed My
Dog, 1 ' by Houghlin Cannon. Instrumental—
"Southern Poppies," march and two-step, by
Charles F. Faith.
RECENT MUSIC.
FROM C. L. I'ARTEE MUSIC CO.
Instrumental—"The Flower of Music," inter-
mezzo, by Carlos Curti; "The Maestro March,"
by Rollin W. Bond. Both are arrangements for
full military band.
FROM HOWLEY, DRESSER CO.
JOHN W. BRATTON.
MME. PATTI TO HARRIS.
The Famous Diva Sings His Songs in Paris—
Some Very Appreciative Words.
Though the recent financial collapse of Dr.
Woodend, the Wall Street broker, is said to have
originated with his backing of the ill-starred
tour of Patti, Charles K. Harris is happy in the
receipt of an autograph letter from the one-time
famous singer, as follows:
PAKIS, April 15, 1904.
My Dear Mr. Harris :
I sang at a concert in Paris your little ballad, "The
Last Farewell," which you so kindly wrote for me on
my last American tour, and which was so well received
in every city where I appeared. This pathetic little
ballad appeals so strongly to the audiences, and the
tears will always come to my eyes whenever I sing it.
1 wish to thank you again for your kindness in writing
me this ballad, which I shall always sing at every op
portunity.
With kindest remembrances from both the Baron and
myself, faithfully yours,
We have become so accustomed to thinking of
Mr. John W. Bratton as a writer of popular songs
that although he had done a great deal of writing
for productions, still until very recently one has
always been inclined to think of him as the
composer of separate instrumental and song hits.
His masterly work in "The Man from China,"
however, forces the popular singer to relinquish
this well-known writer to the musical comedy
field; for in this play he has shown an ability
to humor situations, to write the true atmosphere
of a scene, and to weave all together in a maze
of delightful melody which makes him peer of
any of the well-known men now writing for the
musical comedy stage. This doesn't mean that
Mr. Bratton has ceased to be popular; on the
contrary, there are twenty different numbers in
"The Man from China" every one of which is
truly "catchy," and of the easy twinkling kind
that the boys in the gallery learn to whistle
after the first hearing. There are love songs,
sentimental songs, Chinese, and comic songs ga-
lore in this piece and you can put your finger on
any of them and say: "Here is a hit!" Still
there are a few which necessarily stand out above
the others, and these are "Columbine," "How I
Thought I Looked," "For Glory and For Love,"
"Clorinda" and "There are Fifty-Seven Ways to
Catch a Man," and "My Dark Cloud."
FBOM THOS. GOGGAN & BRO.
Vocal—"Jackson, Davis & Lee," by Chris. Chris-
topher; "O, Name the Day," waltz song, by Bes-
sie Jackson. Instrumental — "Queen of the
Rockies," march two-step, by Jessie Katz; "Hold
On to the Rope," march two-step, by Frank B.
Herrle; "Six Little Water Scenes," by Carl W.
Kern—("Dance of the Dragan Flies," "Tin Sol-
diers in the Paper Boat," "The Slender Water
Lily," "The Fisherman's Song," "Birdie in the
Elm Tree" and "An Evening Concert.")
MISCELLANEOUS.
Instrumental—"Ormola," intermezzo, two-step,
by Harry S. Webster, from Nillor Music Publish-
ing Co.; "Georgia Rose," waltzes, by C. Selig,
from Goetz & Co.
WILL HAVE SUMMER SEASON OF OPERA.
It is extremely probable that following the
regular season at F. F. Proctor's Fifty-eighth
Baroness Cedarstrom.
Street Theatre, a summer season of light opera
It is needless to say Mr. Harris has use for
will be inaugurated, with an exceptionally strong
this letter in his business.
cast of performers presenting the latest sac-
"The Voice of the Night" is a new waltz by
cesses in this line, instead of the hackneyed rep-
Mr. Harris, who has also written "Just a Bit of
ertoire from which summer opera companies are
Heaven in Her Eyes," a waltz love ballad, for
usually made. Among the pieces already de-
Pauline Hall. It will be ready for the trade next
cided upon are "The Fortune Teller" and "The
month.
Singing Girl," which served to bring Alice Niel-
This has assuredly been a splendid year for
son to the fore and virtually enabled her to ar-
POPULAR "POLLY PRIM."
Mr. Bratton, for, independent of his successes in
range for the further study which has placed
"The Man from China" and "Buster Brown," he
Since its debut, a few
her in the Covent Garden season this spring;
has been turning out some exquisite instrumen-
months ago, "Polly Prim" has
"The Serenaders," the Bostonians' most recent
been very much in evidence, tal numbers, which attained popularity at first
success, and other operas of similar calibre.
hearing: such as "The Rose's Honeymoon,"
and is always assured of a
Negotiations are now being conducted with a
cordial welcome, it is re- "Laces and Graces," "In a Pagoda," "In a Lotus
number of well known singers, and important
Field," "The Belle of the Season" (march and
ported.
announcements are to be looked for in the course
two-step), "Dream Days of Seville," "The Barry-
of a week. The regular season at this house
"Polly Prim" is from the
more Waltzes," "In a Cosey Corner," and a num- has been a most prosperous one with combina-
versatile pen of S. R. Henry,
ber of other good things which are being heard
tions, and the large clientele built up for the
the well-known, musical com-
not only in this country but all over England as
house has induced Mr. Proctor to enter into ne-
poser, and was "brought out"
well.
gotiations with both Weber and Fields to play
at one of Jos. W. Stern &
one or two weeks each year.
Co.'s monthly musical fetes, since which time
ADELINA PATTI,
"she" has received innumerable invitations to
receptions, social at homes, theatres, concerts
and dances. Her personality is best described
in saying that she is spoken of as prepossessing,
pleasant, poetical, playable and popular. "Polly
Prim" visited the laboratory and warerooms of
the Columbia Phonograph Co., made a decided
impression and registered in the catalogue of the
company as No. 1772.
SOL BLOOM'S SUMMER SUCCESSES.
It is difficult to decide the waltz success of the
Separate Numbers and Scores
summer, it is claimed until you have heard
of the following
George Totten Smith's and Wm. H. Penn's
newest effort "Piking the Pike." After you have
Comic Opera and Musical
listened to this offering a decision that it's a
: : Comedy Successes : :
winner is reached. It is well written it is tune-
"RED FEATHER"—By Chas. Emenon Cook, Chas. Klein
and Reginald De Koven.
ful, it is a novelty, and the song reported as offi-
NANCY BROWN"—By Frederic Ranken and Henry K.
cially selected for introduction at the various at-
Hadley.
"THE MOCKINd BIRD"—By Sidney Rotenfeld and A.
Judging from the successful entree made every-
tractions at St. Louis during the exposition. Sol
Baldwin Sloane.
where "Polly Prim" has been placed in the list
"THE OFPICE BOY "—By Harry B. Smith and Ludwig
Bloom is lucky in the publication of this at-
Bnglander.
of successes.
tractive number.
"THE SLEBPY KINO"—By Geo. V. Hobart and Gio-
vanni E. Conterno.
"Dreamland," the colossal amusement park at
"A aiRL PROM DIXIB"-By Harry B. Smith.
A. F. ADAMS' EUROPEAN TRIP.
"THE I5LB OP SPICB"—By Allen Lowe & Paul Schindle
Coney Island, is certain to receive its full meas-
r.biM..«i, r
Avon F. Adams, of the John Church Co., in ure of attention in songs of all description this
. W . STERN & CO.
84 East 21st Street
N E W YORK
charge of the eastern music publishing interests summer; but it has been the good fortune of
cHicieo
tonoi
sis nuxcuos
of the firm, intends to leave for Cincinnati early Heelan and Helf to offer one of the most orig-
next week. At the end of the month, Mr. Adams
will start for Europe on business. He had taken
PUBLISHER OF
passage on the Kronprinz Wilhelm and expects
" LAUGHING WATER," " UNTER DEN LINDEN," (New)
to be away about two months.
" S A M M Y " (tha Hit of "Wizard of Oz,")
"THERE'S NOBODY JUST LIKE YOU,"
NEW AMSTERDAMJTHEATRE BUILDING,
"THE GIRL YOU LOVE"
The Babcock Music Co., in Cooperstown, N. Y.,
from "Threo Little Maids" and "Tha Silver Slipper,"
42nd Street, near Broadway,
" T W O EYES OP B R O W N . "
is now in charge of Mr. and Mrs. B. S. Morgan,
= NEW YORK
:
Send for our New aad Complete Catalogue*.
of Ritchfield Springs.
SOL
BLOO

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