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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
41
In tKe World of Music Publishing
MUSIC PUBLISHERS OPTIMISTIC
About the Character and Volume of Trade for
the Year, Although It Opens Up Slowly.
As yet trade has not started up in full form,
though indications point to a volume of trade
that may be surprising. With many publishers
pushed for funds, prices have been sacrificed, and
during last month jobbers inclined to take advan-
tage of the situation loaded up so heavily that
sales have fallen off greatly, owing to this fact.
Houses not in this class have quietly bided their
time, taking business in the usual way, and con-
sequently trade with them has been brisk; in
fact, far beyond expectations.
There has been a slight improvement in depart-
ment store conditions, and it is possible this dis-
turbing element may be eliminated in the course
of time, and in one way only, those competent to
speak aver. There is a slim chance of a few of
the leading publishers getting together and
patching up a trading basis, though there is no
positive assurance of this consummation devoutly
to be wished. As the matter now stands the per-
sonal equation is to the front, and the stores in
New York particularly still slash at each other
in the most barbarous manner. Elsewhere the
tendency to maintain a fair price is growing, and
outside of the regular sales days quotations on
sheet music are kept at the standard.
One publisher, apparently satisfied with the
way the new year has opened, said to The Review
the other day: "Business in general is quiet,
but with us we have simply been swamped with
orders and we are having difficulty in getting the
goods out. This is accounted for by the fact
that during December jobbers and dealers
worked their stock down to the lowest stage, and
as we were firm on our prices the buying was
slow; but since the first the trade finding them-
selves short on our lines have been compelled to
come into market, and orders have been coming
in with a rush. Business, however, promises to
be firm with publishers with the right stuff."
STERN & CO.'S OPERATIC SUCCESSES.
It would undoubtedly be quite a surprise to the
casual observer to know how many successful
operatic productions have visited New York this
season, the music being published by Jos. W.
Stern & Co. At the opening of the season in
October, the "Isle of Spice," a musical extrava-
ganza, by Allan Lowe and Paul Schindler, en-
joyed a successful run at the Majestic Theatre,
followed by Paula Edwardes in "Winsome Win-
nie." Then came the greatest of all Drury Lane
pantomimes, produced by Klaw & Erlanger, en-
titled "Humpty Dumpty" for which Bob Cole and
the Johnson Brothers wrote the entire musical
setting. Lulu Glaser opened at the Knicker-
bocker Theatre in a dainty little comic opera by
Harry B. Smith and Ludwig Englander, entitled
the "Mapcap Princess"; while almost simultane-
ously Miss Fritzi Scheff scored a triumph at the
Broadway Theatre, in a romantic opera by
Stanislaus Stang and Ludwig Englander, the
"Two Roses." Another recent production which
has been received with much favor is "Life in
Newport," featuring Fay Templeton and Pete
Dailey. This is a light musical comedy written
by John McNally and composed by Cole and
Johnson. The most recent of the operatic suc-
cesses published by Stern & Co. is "Lady Teazle,"
an opera in which Lillian Russell has scored the
greatest success of her artistic career. This is
the joint work of John Kendrick Bangs and A.
Baldwin Sloane, and is now having a record-
breaking run at the Casino. Other live produc-
tions, which are now touring the country, and
for which Stern & Co. publish the music, include
"Red Feather," "Jewel of Asia," "The Mocking
Bird," "Smiling Island" and "The Office Boy,"
JOHN W. BRATTON.
Ore of the mosi, prominent American com-
posers now before the public is John W. Brattou,
whose portrait appears above. Mr. Bratton is
equally at home in the writing of popular songs
and such numbers as are called for by pianists,
orchestra leaders and bandmasters, from which
it may readily be inferred that his is a brain of
great versatility and power. He never seems to
lack ideas for new melodies, and his vast fund of
originality is well nigh exhaustless. He has
also done considerable work along the lines of
comic opera, having composed the music to "The
Man From China" and several numbers in the
famous "Buster Brown." Mr. Bratton's name
first came into prominence when the famous
ballad, "The Sunshine of Paradise Alley." was
published. This song was written in collabora-
tion with the late Walter H. Ford, and it became
an instantaneous hit throughout the world. Suc-
cesses in ballad and instrumental writing fol-
lowed in quick succession, and the demands on
his time were such as to force him to systematize
his work in order to get the required time for
recreation.
Mr. Bratton's instrumental numbers, which
have proved great successes everywhere, are:
"Barnyard Frolic," march and two-step; "Barry-
more," waltz; "Belle of the Season," march and
two-step; "Dance of the Waves," descriptive fan-
tasia; "Gayest Manhattan," march and two-step;
"Gold, Wine and Kisses," gavotte: "In a Pa-
goda," characteristic; "In a Cozey Corner," nov-
elette; "Rubberneck Jim," cake-walk and two-
step; "Trilby Waltzes,"
There are several other instrumental numbers
which must be enumerated, as follows: "The
Rose's Honeymoon," "Laces and Graces," "In a
Lotus Field."
Some of Mr. Bratton's latest songs and ballads,
the words of which were written by Mr. Paul
West, are: "My Little Hong Kong Baby," "She
Reads the New York Papers Every Day" and
"Mademoiselle New York"; "I'm on the Water-
Wagon Now," for Frank Daniels; "In Black and
White," for "The School Girl"; "Can't You
Guess?" for Mav Irwin.
"Happy Jappy Soldier Man," is the latest song
hit written by Messrs. Bratton and West, which
is now being sung by many of the headliners
on the vaudeville stage. It is also a great favor-
ite at parlor entertainments, club functions, etc.
As is well known, "In a Cozey Corner," the
famous novelette, became such a rage that some
one suggested that words be written for it, which
was done by Mr. Douglass, and the new song was
called "My Cozey Corner Girl." It made a tre-
mendous hit from the start, and is still being
sung all over the world.
At present Mr. Bratton is engaged in writing
the music for "The Pearl and the Pumpkin,"
Klaw & Erlanger's great spectacular production,
the book of which is from the pen of Paul West.
REVIEWOGRAPHS.
Publishers are generally accessible to anyone
when business is of sufficient importance to en-
title the caller to a personal interview. One firm,
however, cannot be reached—that is the joint
business manager—excepting by telephone, and
even then it is often the case that after an ap-
pointment is made it is not at all unlikely that
the visitor is left to cool his heels in the ante-
room for an hour or more, and not infrequently
is entirely forgotten. These business managers
are far from popular with their department
heads and office staff and are referred to by the
latter as the "sister team" from their whimsical
moods and effeminate manner of doing business.
Mina Gennell, who is playing in "A Funny
Side of Life" company, is featuring "Snowball
Sammy" and "Won't You Fondle Me?" Bruno
& Russell have added "Back, Back, Back to Bal-
timore" in their repertoire, as have also Mills &
Morris, Green & Werner, Madge Fox and Grace
La Rue. Richard Jose, the great tenor, will in-
troduce the new ballad, "In the Shade of the Old
Apple Tree," by Williams and Van Alsyne. These
are the latest from Jerome Remick & Co.—the
"Big Firm."
At the Liberty Theatre, New York, where "In
Newport" is now being played to crowded houses,
there are three songs which have made decided
hits. The first two are "The Scandal Song," by
Melville Ellis, and "In Dreamland, in Dream-
land," by Abeles and Francis, both of which are
sung by Fay Templeton in her own inimitable
manner, and the third one is "It's wonderful
How the Monocle Helps the Mind," rendered most
acceptably by Joseph Coyne.
Musical Production Successes
BABES IN TOYLAND,
LOVE'S LOTTERY,
FANTANA,
PRINCE OF PILSEN,
YANKEE CONSUL,
FORBIDDEN LAND,
WOODLAND,
SHO-GUN,
BABETTE,
TENDERFOOT,
MAID AND THE MUMMY,
IT HAPPENED IN NORDLAND.
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M. WITMARK & SONS, New Yotk
CHICAGO
LONDON