Music Trade Review

Issue: 1904 Vol. 39 N. 4

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
38
YORK PUBLICITY.
An Interesting Catalogue Just Issued by the
Well Known Band Instrument House of
Grand Rapids.
J. W. York & Sons, band instrument manufac-
turers, Grand Rapids, Mich., have issued an ad-
mirably printed catalogue containing illustra-
tions of the various instruments which they
manufacture. A very beautiful line, interesting-
ly described and copiously illustrated, appears
of cornets; band and orchestra horns; perfect
solo altos, in various designs; slide and valve
trombones; euphoniums, with single and double
bell; Eb basses and Eb and BBb monster basses
in both helicon and regular models; clarinets,
saxaphones, drums, flutes, piccolos and other spe-
cialties suitable for bandsmen. The designs
shown are of great beauty and are highly spok-
en of by bandsmen. Dealers and others who
have a call for band instruments, which should
be most active now owing to the coming pres-
idential campaign, would do well to look up the
literature of J. W. York & Sons. It will interest
them mightily.
BIO DEMAND FOR MUSIC BOXES.
More Sold Than Ever, Despite Competition of
Phonographs and Other Instruments, Ac-
cording to the Report of a Salesman to the
Sun.
"Now you'd think," said the man in the music
store, "that phonographs and graphophones and
mechanical piano players had cut into the music
box business. They haven't; on the contrary,
there are more music boxes manufactured now
than ten or fifteen years ago, when the phono-
graph was only a wonderful new invention which
no one could use, and the mechanical piano player
was never thought of.
"There has been only one change. We don't sell
eo many of the big, expensive boxes as they used
to. There was a time, about fifteen or twenty
years ago, when they were made costing as high
as $1,500 or $2,000. Those boxes were as big as a
piano. They had all kinds of arrangements of
tells and drums and string effects. Some of them
were combined with mechanical toys. For exam-
ple, there would be a line of little drummers to
ring the bells, and they'd wiggle their heads in a
lifelike manner as they worked their drumsticks'.
The makers were trying to get as near the effect
of a full orchestra as they could by mechanical
means.
"When the phonograph was made practical,
some six or seven years ago, it knocked the pins
out from under these makers. The phonograph
could reproduce a whole orchestra of sixty or
more pieces, and the music box was nowhere in
the game. The makers gave it up. Nowadays
about $400 is the limit of price."
The "Victor" Dog in pure gold at the St. Louis
Exposition is, as was predicted when it was first
sent there, a standard attraction. As an ad-
vertisement it is one of the best ever devised.
The combination of the dog listening to his mas-
ter's voice, the Victor machine and the great
quantity of precious metal required to make a per-
fect presentation makes people talk and bring
them round easily to a discussion of talking ma-
chines and this leads them to inquire concern-
ing the merits of the Victor. When that stage
is reached the question of purchase and pos-
session of a "Victor" is not far off.
THE SAXE OF THE BOTT VIOLIN.
Lyon & Healy, of Chicago, have addressed a
communication to the New York papers which re-
STRINGS THAT SATISFY.
cently contained an interview with a New York
violin dealer regarding the Bott Stradivarius. In
The National Musical String Co.'s Products
this connection they say:
Are Used and Praised by Leading Artists
"This interview states that the violin was sold
Throughout the World.
three weeks ago by the Bott estate for $9,000. As
That American strings for violins and other a matter of fact, the violin was sold to us on De-
stringed instruments have won great prestige in cember 28 last, and in March it was sold by us
all parts of the world, and have overcome the to Mr. Mitchell. It was such a fine specimen of
prejudices of the past, is evident from the tre- Stradivarius work that New York dealers were,
mendous business which the National Musical apparently, afraid of it.
"At least it has been offered for sale for the
String Co., of New Brunswick, N. J., are now
transacting. We refer not merely to the domestic last two years and found no takers among the
demand which has shown steady advances, but to dealers of the great metropolis. I t would prob-
the foreign trade. And this call for their Black ably have remained in obscurity much longer,
Diamond and Bell Brand strings from the con- had we not, by identifying it and establishing
noisseurs of Europe demonstrates more eloquent- its claims, placed it on the high pedestal where
it belongs as one of the finest Stradivarius violins
ly than words how these strings satisfy.
It is evident that the National Musical String in existence."
Co. have conquered the secret of successful string
AMERICAN PIANO FOR POPE PIUS X.
making. Lead/ing violin virtuosi have tested
these strings, and have paid the highest pos-
An engrossed document from Rome has been
sible tributes not only to their superb quality, but received by the Weber Piano Co. announcing that
to their durability and all round excellence. It Pope Pius X. has selected the Weber piano for his
is something of which the country can feel proud personal use and in the Holy Apostolic Palaces.
that strings are to-day being manufactured here The warrant bears the Papal coat of arms, and
which are the equal of any made the world over. is signed by his major-domo.
The Columbia
Graphophone ^ A
Type AR
A "VICTOR" ATTRACTION.
^^^^flP^SidNfliK^A,
Grand Opera at Home
The Graphophone will reproduce for you the voice of your fa-
vorite artist, with all its beautiful modulations and all its wealth of
tone color. Send for catalogue of records by the world's greatest
singers—De Reszke, Sembrich, Schumann-Heink, Campanari, Su-
zanne Adams, Scotti, Gilibert, and many others.
Columbia Disc Records
Absolute perfection of sound reproduction.
volume and beauty of the original rendition.
All the sweetness,
Seven Irvch, 50 cents each; $5.00 per dozen. Ter\ Inch. $1 eacH;
$10 per dozen. Grand Opera. Records, $2 eaicH.
O £t
ColumbiBL Gold Moulded
O C
4 j C
Cylinder Records
J&zDC.
JJJHBBBHB^
graph, $4 to $100
Send for catalogue M, containing vocal quartettes, trios, duets,
solos, and selections for band, orchestra, cornet, banjo, flute, clar-
inet, etc., etc.
Columbia Records Fit Any Make of Talking Machine
FOR SALE BY DEALERS EVERYWHERE, AND BY THE
COLUMBIA PHONOGRAPH COMPANY
PIONEERS AND LEADERS IN THE TALKING MACHINE ART
GRAND PRIZE, PARIS, 1900
NEW YORK, Wholesale, Retail and Export, 353 Broadway.
UPTOWN, RETAIL ONLY, 872 Broadway.
CHICAGO, 88 Wabash Ave.
PITTSBURG, 615 Penn Ave.
KANSAS CITY, 1016 Walnut St.
PHILADELPHIA, 10191021 Market St.
NEW ORLEANS, LA., 628-630 Canal St.
ST. PAUL, 386 Wabasha St.
ST. LOUIS, 908 Olive St. (Frisco Building).
DETROIT, 272 Woodward Ave.
DENVER, 505-507 Sixteenth St.
BOSTON, 164 Tremont St.
MILWAUKEE, 391 East Water St.
OMAHA, 1621 Farnam St.
BALTIMORE, 231 N. Howard St.
WASHINGTON, 1212 F St., N. W.
LOS ANGELES, 323 South Main St.
CLEVELAND, Cor. Euclid Ave. and Erie St.
TORONTO, ONTARIO, 107 Yonge St.
MEMPHIS, 302 Main St.
BUFFALO, 645 Main St.
MINNEAPOLIS, 13 Fourth St., South.
PORTLAND, ORE., 128 Seventh St.
SAN FRANCISCO, 126 Geary St.
INDIANAPOLIS, 48 N. Pennsylvania St.
TERRE HAUTE, 23 S. Seventh St.
CINCINNATI, 117-119 W. Fourth St.
LONDON, Wholesale, Retail, 89 Great Eastern St., E. C. RETAIL BRANCH STORE, 200 Oxford St., W.
BERLIN, 71 Ritterstrasse.
PARIS, 111 and 113 Rue Montmarte.
ST. PETERSBURG, 63 Nevski Prospect.
VIENNA, Seilergasse No. 14.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
39
In the World of Music Publishing
H is all very fine to say that the department
stores are comparatively few in the United States
Regarding the Demoralization of Prices—The as compared with dealers, and that the latter are
National Association or the Publishers not always aware of the prices at which music
Themselves Should at Once Take Some is offered by the big stores. This assertion might
Action Which Will Preserve the Industry no in the dark ages, but not to-day, when the
From the Danger That Is Evident Owing prices at which goods are offered by department
stores, as well as by like catalogue houses, are
to Cutting the Market Wide Open.
watched keenly by dealers in every section of
the country.
The question of prices seems to be the all ab-
The situation is one that calls for plain speak-
sorbing topic in the music publishing field to-day. ing and immediate action. It is regretable that
The tendency to make still narrower the margin our leading publishers who lend dignity to the
of profit, owing to department store competition, industry, and who have placed millions of capital
seems rife with the greatest danger. This cutting
in this business, should have their reputation and
of retail and wholesale prices is deplorable, and
their business endangered by unscrupulous con-
will go on until the publishers—at least those
cerns which have sprung up with greater expecta-
of them who respect themselves and their trade
tions than capital and whose eagerness to market
—get together and formulate some practical work-
their music shows them to be devoid of the most
ing plan to cope with the efforts which are ap-
parently being made to "cut the market wide commonplace principles underlying permanent
business success.
open."
AN UNDERSTANDING NECESSARY
This is a subject which it seems to us the Mu-
sic Publishers' National Association could and
should take up with profit to themselves and to
the trade. Some arrangement should not only be
made, but enforced, to the end that a satisfactory
scale of prices be maintained.
It is true, it is a difficult task to adjust this mat-
ter, for there must be a degree of elasticity in the
management to meet conditions even beyond the
control of the most experienced, skillful and care-
ful. Indeed, the situation emphatically calls for
careful handling. As has been suggested be-
fore in this column, some satisfactory scale of
prices, or minimum agreement or a sliding scale
ot discounts could be established between publish-
ers that would be beneficial.
The publishers who to-day are supporting the
department store idea, and selling their product
much lower than what the wholesale price should
be, are cutting the very heart out of the business
and are so disspiriting the dealers throughout
the country that they are loath to put that energy
into the sheet music department of the business
which they would, were there any encouragement
ahead.
"KATE
one of those "keep moving" numbers, but Mr.
Johns seems to have hit it again. His publish-
ers, M. Witmark & Sons, adopted the unique de-
vice for introducing the "Boardwalk Parade" by
distributing free* copies to all promenaders on
that popular thoroughfare, with the result that
every piano, orchestra and band at the seaside
metropolis is playing it, and newcomers must
"fall in line" from the moment of their arrival
to the time they depart to carry the catchy melody
to their scattered homes. It is an expensive, if
thorough, method of introducing a new number,
but then the house of Witmark never does things
by halves, and will doubtless reap a big profit on
their investment, through orders from all over
the country.
MUSIC DEALERS AT ST. LOUIS FAIR.
The Editor of the Review Asked to Take
Charge—Could Be Made a Great Success—
The Association May Handle the Affair.
COMPOSER DRISCOLL'S DEATH.
Tolbert R. Ingram, the well known music pub-
lisher of Denver, Col., has aroused considerable
interest among the music dealers in the Middle
West, in the proposed music dealers' day at the
Frank Driscoll, twenty-five years old, a musical Louisiana Exposition on August 17th. The Ex-
composer, who had been connected with a number position authorities have appointed that date on
of publishing houses both here and in Boston, the official programme and will give their warm-
died suddenly Friday afternoon on a New York, est assistance to the project. It is proposed to
New Haven & Hartford Railroad train which was have a short programme in the morning or after-
about to leave the Grand Central Station for Bos- noon, a reception, and then a recital on the big
ton.
organ in Festival Hall.
With Driscoll were his father, Jeremiah, who
Mr. Ingram has the offer from a large military
lives at 228 Walnut avenue, Boston, and Dr. Cor- band which will tender their services on that day.
nelius J. Egan, the composer's physician. Young He has asked the editor of The Review to take
Driscoll had been suffering from hasty consump- charge of the entire department.
tion and was being taken home. The body was
Allen D. Cockrell, secretary, also writes: "Will
removed to an undertaking establishment. It was you not take charge of this matter? I should
shipped to Boston Saturday.
be more than glad to co-operate with you, making
a grand success of music dealers' day. There is
THE BOARDWALK PARADE.
sufficient time to accomplish this if you begin
Atlantic City's musical hit this summer is "The at once."
Boardwalk Parade," an inspiriting march two-
It is with extreme regret that the editor of
step, by Al Johns, author of "Go 'Way Back and The Review is compelled to decline this compli-
Sit Down" and other popular successes. This is mentary offer, inasmuch as his official duties as
Treasurer of the New York Commission, will ren-
der it impossible for him to assume the addition-
al work, which must be necessary in order to
make the music dealers' day the distinguished
success that it deserves.
If the Music Publishers' National Association
will take up this matter there should be no diffi-
culty in bringing together a large number of peo-
ple interested in music at St. Louis. The scope of
the day might be broadened somewhat and make
if. a music trade day, including all of the allied
trades. It could be worked up to a splendid suc-
cess.
PBESIOtNT.
PBESIOt
Fell Victim to Hasty Consumption on Train
That Was to Take Him Home.
KEARNEY"
Blanche Ring's Greatest Sensation
POSTALTELEGRAPH
CL4RENCE H. MACKAY.
COMMERCIAL CABLES
NIGHT TELEGRAM
EG
The Postal Telearaph-Cable Compaarflrcorporated) transmits and delivers this message subject to the terms and conditions printeoNtn the bask ot this blanh
"KATE KEARNEY."
Blanche Ring's New Song Sensation Greater
Than Bedelia.
Blanche Ring, who is being featured in the
summer run of "Vivian's Papas" at Powers' The-
atre, Chicago, has a litle scene written for her
in the third act, to permit the introduction of
some of her popular songs.
She recently introduced a new ballad entitled
"Kate Kearney," written by two Chicagoans, John
E. Fay and Jas. B. Oliver, writers of the popular
standard ballad success, "Good-night, Beloved,
Good-night." The witty words and ringing re-
frain captivated the audiences and won so many
encores, that Miss Ring has little use for her
familiar numbers. Nearly everyone remembers
the lines of the old Irish ballad, beginning:
&LJL
"Did ye never hear tell of Kate Kearney,
Who lived by the Lakes of Killarney?"
The "Kate Kearney," celebrated by John E. Fay
and James B. Oliver, in typical Celtic lyric and

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