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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
FLASHES FROM A LIVE WIRE.
Of the flimsy, flippant character of the words
or lyrics used in connection with many songs,
much unfavorable criticism is heard. With rag-
time and coon melodies no one pretends to find
fault; for everything goes here. But in the better
class of ballads the writers might polish off their
verses to the advantage of the sentiment, and
the improvement of the story. Recently a well-
known "songsmith," who writes his owns words,
had his M.S. returned by a publisher with the
suggestion that the melody deserved a better set-
ting, and offered to shape the lines accordingly.
The amendment was completed with thanks and
good grace—quite remarkable in itself—and the
song went out to the world in all ways suitable.
Not a few instrumentals proving successful are
afterward arranged in song form, with the lyric
as an after-job. In many instances the tinkering
is only too apparent, for the combination is far
from harmonious and not at all in accord with
the music.
Although Howley, Dresser & Co. were adjudged
bankrupts June 20. The first meeting of the cred-
itors has just been called by Seaman Miller,
referee in bankruptcy, at 346 Broadway, New
York, for August 30 at 12 m. The creditors have
held informal conferences, with the hope of mak-
ing an amicable adjustment of the embarrassed
firm's affairs. But it is evident this hope has
been abandoned, and now the concern will be
wound up in bankruptcy. A trustee will be
elected at the meeting, but it is not probable the
bankrupts will be examined further.
numerous, but the informal drawings of an artist,
evidently an admirer of Teddy Morse, the com-
poser of a long list of popular successes, are the
best of the lot and show unusual skill in por-
traiture as well as happy choice of subject. The
pictures come in envelopes, one especially depict-
ing a clever sketch of the addresser, who is writ-
ten down as "Ted" Marks, author of "The Dinner
Bell That Never Blew." The Review's comments
occupy a conspicuous position in this helter-
skelter arrangement.
A batch of the latest music from Jos. W. Stern
& Co., includes the following: Vocal—"Lindy"
(from "The Evolution of Rag-Time"), by Cole
and Johnson; "Shame On You," by Chris. Smith
and John Larkins; "The Girl With the Change-
able Eyes," by Alfred Solman; "Lonely Without
You," by Max S. Witt. Instrumental—"The Isle
of Spice," march and two-step, arranged by
George Rosey.
POLLY PRIM
FALL IN LINE
AFRICANA
WONG TING SING
EGYPT
GARDEN OF DREAMS
PLAIN MAMIE O'HOOLEY
PEGGY BRADY
LOVER'S A. B. C.
FISHING
SWEET LOVE LAND
SLY MUSETTE
\
7
T
'
BIG INDIAN CHIEF
PILLOWS OF DESPAIR
KITTY RAY
TURN THOSE EYESAWAY
Published by
JOS. W. STERN 6 CO.,
34 East 21st St., New York
CHICAGO
LONDON
SAN FRANCISCO
HARRY
ROWE
SHELLY
WITMARK.
SIGNS
WITH
Accompanying is a very good likeness of the
composer, Harry Rowe Shelly, whose symphonies,
string quartettes, organ music and church an-
thems, have made his name a prominent one
throughout the entire music playing world. It is,
William H. Penn, of Sol. Bloom's staff, has a
new march song, and is confident that he has
added another hit to his long list. It is entitled
"Jennie Jones," is a novelty in its class, and al-
ready is in demand and it is claimed to be creat-
ing sales wherever it is offered.
"One of the uptown blocks off Fifth avenue is
almost monopolized by the publishers of popular
music who have gathered there, and all day there
is a mighty din of voices, hardened by travel on
the road, and the pounding of pianos. There is
rivalry of another kind," says the New York Sun,
"between these firms, and their efforts to attract
more attention than their competitors lead to
some strange results. One of these is to be no-
ticed on the facade of a building occupied by one
ot the firms. The name of the composer who
owns the company appears thirty-seven times on
the front of a three story twenty foot house."
Formal notification is made by Chas. K. Harris
that Raymond Hubbell, composer of "The Run-
aways," has signed a contract with him whereby
Harris claims to control all of Hubbell's writings
fcr a term of years ending with 1906. All writ-
ers of books and lyrics, who intend collaborat-
There is a great scrambling among the bur-
ing with Hubbell, are therefore continued by Mr. lesquers for new songs this season, owing to the
Harris to this effect. In connection with his re- ruling of the managers that each company shall
cent enlargement of premises this enterprising provide different numbers, in order that the same
publisher states he has made propositions to a songs shall not be sung in the same theatres
number of prominent composers, and in the week after week.
future this branch of the business will be made
Among the incorporators of the Frederick
a special feature of the catalogue. I t may also
Schwarz Co., to produce operas, etc., is Alfred
be added that A. Baldwin Sloane, composer of
"Sergeant Kitty" and many other musical com- Aarons, the composer. His colleagues in the
edies and operas, has placed three new composi- enterprise, which is of New Jersey origin, are
tions with his publisher, Harris, and which are Alice Kleeman and Annette Hensen, who are said
to be the "angels." The capital named is
now in press.
$100,000.
Max Hoffmann, composer of "Sycamore Tree"
Harry Bulger's song, "No Bird Ever Flew So
and other successes, and director of "The Rogers High That He Didn't Have to Light," is the new
Brothers in Paris," under the management of topical hit of "Woodland," as introduced by the
Klaw & Erlanger, has signed a contract to write comedian-composer in his quaint character of the
exclusively for the Witmarks in the future. His "Jail" bird.
first publications, under the new agreement, will
be the score and special numbers of a new mu-
The royalty claims in the Howley, Dresser Co.'s
sical comedy entitled "Me, Him and I," book by schedules, recently filed in bankruptcy proceed-
Willard Holcomb, which Hurtig & Seamon will ings, doubtless interest the song writers greatly.
produce in October.
At any rate the list includes a host of names sel-
dom heard of together with those known to fame.
Not much pretense to elegance of arrangement The statement shows the firm carried 150 royalty
or formality is observed in the curious collection accounts, on which their indebtedness totalled
of notices, clippings, sketches, etc., appearing on $15,594.94 ranging in amounts from fifteen cents
what is generally referred to as the "bulletin
due Fred. Davis, to $1,381.08 on which Rev.
board" in the establishment of the F. B. Havi-
Shields was shy. Lew Dockstader overlooked 50
land Publishing Co., Broadway and 37th street,
cents in his drawing account. The copyrights of
New York. The visitor cannot avoid the heter-
the house were valued at $20,000.
ogeneous mass on entering the place. News-
paper sketches mentioning their song hits are ENTIRE WEEK OF STERN PUBLICATIONS.
SEASON'S SIGNAL SONG SUCCESSES THAT
ENJOY PERENNIAL POPULARITY
clude: Cole & Johnson Bros.' "The Maid of Tim-
buctoo," "Big Indian Chief" and "A Little of
Everything," medley; Lowe & Schindler's "Isle
of Spice." Selection, "Rosie Shea" and "Peggy
Brady," waltzes, and "Goo Goo Man," two-step;
Jean Serrano's "In A Mexican Villa," Clare Kum-
mer's "Egypt," S. R. Henry's march hit, "Polly
Prim," Muriel Nelson's "Wizard," two-step; Leo
Berliner's "Africana," and A. Baldwin Sloane's
"Sly Musette." The orchestra is also enhanced
by a splendid solo violinist in the person of N.
Kamern.
On frequent occasions programmes are made
up for an evening, wherein only publications
from the firm of Jos. W. Stern & Co. are played.
This is a courtesy extended to the house by or-
chestra or band leaders, who find just what their
audiences want in the extensive catalogues
owned or controlled by this well-known and
popular firm. In the case cited here, however,
wherein the orchestra at Huber's Casino, New
York, under the direction of Jennie Makowsky,
devoted the programme for an entire week to
"Stern" publications, it is a mark of confidence
that this young directress places in the popular-
ity of the numbers she has chosen, which in-
HARRY ROWE SHET/T,Y.
however, not in his most ambitious work that
he is best known to the general public, whose
fondness for "Love's Sorrow," Mr. Shelly's
famous ballad, has made that one song the most
closely identified with his name. Since signing
to write exclusively for the house of M. Witmark
& Sons, Mr. Shelly has composed a new love
ballad entitled "Within Thine Eyes," which, from
the eager manner in which it has been taken up
by concert and stage singers, seems to promise
an equal success to "Love's Sorrow." Many think
that the new song is really the more beautiful of
the two. Mr. Shelly is organist and choirmaster
at the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, where Mr.
Rockefeller has his much-talked of Bible class,
and while performing his arduous duties in con-
nection with this position he has found time to
complete the musical setting of an Oriental
drama, entitled "Lotus San," which is to be pro-
duced next season, and also to write a number of
instrumental pieces, among which is "Purple
Eyes," a charming number which will doubtless
be used for many years as a concert and instruc-
tion number.
LOOKS LIKE BUSINESS HERE.
As a sample of the business being transacted
by the Enterprise Music Supply Co., New York,
under the aggressive management of F. M. Hel-
mick, who is spoken of as knowing every nook
and corner in the business, Monday morning the
letter mail opened stood two feet on his desk.
Before closing for the day 420 packages were sent
out by mail and 350 by express on orders for out-
cf-the-city buyers. The business of the company
has about doubled since a year ago.
A. H. Goetting, the king-pin jobber, slipped
into New York from Springfield, Mass., last
week, and had a look over the publishing field at
close range.