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THE
MUSIC TRADE
43
REVIEW
In tKe World of Music Publishing
CONDITIONS IN PUBLISHING TRADE.
Slight Shrinkage in Sales Last Week—Settled
Conditions Not Looked For Until After Elec-
tion—Some Houses, However, Are Breaking
Records—Department Store Practices Con-
tinue to Be Much Discussed—Scalping Now
So General Universally Condemned—Pub-
lishers Should Come to Some Understanding.
For some inexplicable reason business with the
publishing houses fell off last week. The shrink-
age in sales was noticeable, to be sure, but not so
marked as to upset the general calculations for
fall trade. It seems to be conceded, however,
that entire confidence will not be restored until
after the pending political contest is absolutely
settled on election day. Current sales look that
way, and advices from jobbers and dealers are
of this complexion. There is evidently no doubt
that the continuation of the present administra-
tion of national affairs is a foregone conclusion.
Even with this certainty in the mind of the busi-
ness community, they consider it prudent to buy
conservatively at present to conform with well
established mercantile traditions.
These are the views of the leading firms and
their connections; but on the other hand, houses
carrying on extensive dealings on a safe, sound
basis, speak of their business as if no cessation
of activity is noticable in the slightest degree.
In fact, declare their sales are larger than ever,
and no indication of a diminution in tiie demand
for their operatic selections or miscellaneous
publications. There is no doubt certain interests
are being pushed with an energy and versatility
of resource that is bound to cut more or less of a
figure in the trade; consequently business in
these quarters is brisk and is likely to remain so.
Their activity apparently acts like a tonic on all
within its sphere of influence, which is by no
means small, and an optimistic diagnosis of the
situation is always in order.
Metropolitan publishers continue to berate de-
partment store practices in the sale of sheet mu-
sic, and predict dire results to the trade at large
unless a halt is called. The manager of a house
deeply concerned in this problem from an invest-
ment point of view, said to The Review, the other
day: "I will admit this department store scalp-
ing is not only a nuisance, but a menace to the
trade. But after all is said the trouble really
sifts down to a species of business rivalry—a
sort of price fight between competitors—in which
dealers in general are being injured. It is a tem-
porary condition, unfortunately, and not a theory
we are up against, and will right itself; in other
words, will fall into innocuous desuetude one of
these days. When, I am not prepared to say, but
as long as other publishers will sacrifice their
prices in order to place weapons of offense—not
to say offensive weapons—in the hands of parties
who are after our scalps. Furthermore, who
have made their boasts they would run us not
only out of business but out of New York. There-
fore we must fight back, and we will, and as this
is our game no one can beat us at it. Please re-
member that.
POPULAR SONG and INSTRUMENTAL HITS
FISHING
EGYPT
PLAIN MAMIE O'HOOLEY
PEGGY BRADY
TWO ROSES
MADCAP PRINCESS
RED FEATHER
POLLY PRIM MARCH
SHAME ON YOU
FALL IN LINE
BIG INDIAN CHIEF
I
I
ISLE OF SPICE
SAMBO GIRL
JEWEL OF ASIA
Published by
JOS. W. STERN G CO.,
34 East 21st St., New York
CHICAGO
LONDON
SAN FRANCISCO
"The proposition for the publishers to 'get to-
gether' and settle their differences, etc., and so
forth, is poppycock. You know the story Sen-
ator Hill tells about old Governor Tilden and
harmony in politics, and the latter's reply:
"Harmony in politics? You might as well expect
harmony in hell!' Now, that applies to the music
publishing and every other business, for that
matter, so far as prices are concerned. A so-
called 'gentlemen's agreement' would be a beauti-
ful thing in this line—on paper. Its practical
workability would be nil. No, the so-called evil
must run its course, unless the outside publish-
ers form an iron-clad combine, and that is mani-
festly impossible. As it is all the big sellers per
se command their own figure, and the 'junk' can
only be sold by making a combination price and
working the stuff off together. Every publisher
knows this. In the meanwhile please convey the
assurance of our distinguished consideration to
all interested."
TO OPEN HOUSE IN LONDON.
J. Albert & Son to Represent Chas. K. Harris
and Stern & Co.—Dissatisfied W i t h the
Way Londoners Do Business—Some Opin-
ions on This Interesting Topic.
Whether it is due to the growing demand for
American popular music, or dissatisfaction with
the business methods of English publishing
houses—possibly both—at any rate a new deal
has been made whereby publishers here will have
their interests better safeguarded, and more satis-
factory results will follow in a pecuniary way.
At least this is the view of Chas. K. Harris, who
brought up the subject, and in discussing its
WEBER & ZIEGFIELD PRODUCTION A
SUCCESS.
(Special to The Review.)
Rochester, N. Y., Oct. 10, 1904.
The reception of "Higgledy-Piggledy," a musi-
cal melange by Maurice Levy, which was given its
premier at the Lyceum Theatre by the Weber &
Ziegfield All-Star Stock Company, was more than
flattering. It was a try out before its appear-
ance at the company's permanent home in New
York, and the large audience stamped the pro-
duction with its hearty approval, especially the
catchy musical numbers, among which were "Gay
Paree," "Nancy Clancy" and a laughing song
which made a hit as rendered by Anna Held.
Chas. K. Harris is the exclusive publisher.
JACQUES AI.BKHT.
HELF & HASKINS OPEN UP.
The well-known song writer, Dick Temple, is
now writing exclusively for Jos. W. Stern & Co.
He has already placed with them three very
clever songs, entitled the "Moon and the Star,"
"Aileen Asthore" and "Any Old Tree." These
songs are already placed with important produc-
tions.
It is said that the prime song hit of the Dock-
stader Minstrels at the Herald Square Theatre is
the ballad "Upon a Sunday Morning When the
Church Bells Chime." As sung by Manuel Ro-
maine, accompanied by a quartette of male voices,
it makes a deep impression.
Stern & Co. have a specially good sacred song
for concert or vaudeville use, "My Dream of the
Heavenly Shore," words by Arthur J. Lamb, and
music by Albert E. Wier. It has been sung by
a number of well-known artists with considerable
success.
various developments and present status, chatted,
in his customary interesting manner, on Monday,
to The Review as follows:
"For nearly nine years Charles Sheard & Co.,
of London, have controlled my rights in Great
Britain and the British colonies. Up to very re-
cently—in fact just preceding the annual meet-
ing of the Music Publishers' Association of the
United States—all American publishers had their
music copyrighted with the Registrar of Copy-
rights in London, Eng. We were compelled to
name a date five or six months ahead for the day
of registration. Under this system the British
publishers controlling American publications
could do most any old thing, and taking my ex-
perience as an example, I should judge he did.
For instance, the house holding my privileges a
few months back cabled for the rights to 'Good-
Bye, My Lady Love,' adding a check for royal-
ties was coming by mail. Considering the very
slim returns I had been receiving from the other
side, though a number of my songs were selling
big, I thought I would await the arrival of the
letter referred to before committing myself. And
it is well I did. I found my account had been
made up for the preceding six months, and while
Sheard & Co. were handling over 100 of my songs,
on a three-cent royalty basis, the amount re-
mitted was just $38. Think of it! Well, you can
make up your mind the request for further rights
was promptly denied and in a letter which my
English friend will not Forget in a hurry. My
contract calls for a settlement every six months—
the last one due in July, and here it is October
and no settlement.
A new song, "Dolly's Cradle Song," by Eugene
Luening, director of the Milwaukee Musical So-
ciety, is published by the William A. Kaun Mu-
sic Co., successors to Kaun & Bluemel Music Co.,
of the same place. It is dedicated to Mme. Schu-
mann-Heink, perhaps as a delicate compliment to
the famous singer's interesting family circle.
"Now, I have made a new deal and I am not
the only American publisher in it. Jacques Al-
bert, of J. Albert & Son, Sydney, Australia, who
have been my agents in that part of the world
for many years, and has been in New York for
several weeks, will establish a publishing house
in London under the firm name of J. Albert &
Son. He leaves for his destination Saturday (to-
Fred Helf, formerly of the writing team of
Heelan & Helf, and Wm. R. Haskins, a publisher
of Brooklyn, N. Y., have formed a partnership as
Helf & Haskins, and opened offices at 55 West
28th street, New York. The junior partner
claims to have an instrumental catalogue of some
strength, and the trade is familiar with Mr.
Helf's career as a writer, having a number of
good sellers to his credit. If sufficient working
capital is in sight this combination should win
out; at least their many friends are generous in
their expressions of good wishes to that end.
A BUNCH FROM JOS. W. STERN & CO.