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WHAT IS THE WITMARK LIBRARY?
In an Interview a Member of the House of M.
Witmark & Sons Explains Its Various Im-
portant Functions to The Review.
"We would like to know more about the Wit-
mark Music Library," said a representative of
The Review to Isidore Witmark, of M. Witmark
& Sons, during a friendly chat. "Is it like Schir-
mer's students' library, for instance, or is it com-
posed of strictly orchestral works?"
"No," was the reply; "the Witmark Music Li-
brary is unique. It is the only institution of its
kind in America having any claim to prominence,
and differs widely from any other library. Ours
is principally an operatic library, through which
medium we control the production rights of
big musical successes, like 'Robin Hood,' 'Wang,'
'Dolly Varden,' and the Weber and Fields pro-
ductions, to say nothing of the big European
comic opera successes of Strauss, Millocker,
Genee, etc., as they come off the road and
revert to the author and composer. In the Wit-
mark Music Library we represent the authors'
and composers' interests, placing the productions,
collecting the royalties and rentals for them,
etc."
"The library itself must be very valuable."
"It is; containing, as it does, all the standard
and popular operatic works complete, with scenes,
stage managers' guides, prompt books and musical
scores and parts." "And to these you keep add-
ing from time to time?" "Constantly. At one
time we increased our collection by seven thou-
sand pounds of music, mostly manuscript."
"Seven thousand pounds?" queried The Review
man, a trifle incredulously, it must be owned.
"Yes, sir," replied Mr. Witmark; "and we know
the music weighed seven thousand pounds, be-
cause we paid the freight on it from Los Angeles
to New York."
"You must do considerable with professional
people?" "We do; but no more than with ama-
teurs, from whom we receive most liberal patron-
age. There is no longer any need for an amateur
organization to use the stale, hackneyed, time-
worn operas and musical plays which have done
duty so long. In fact, you would be surprised to
see how many ambitious amateurs there are who
want to play royalty operas made famous by pro-
fessional stars!"
"Don't such people spoil those productions?"
"Not at all! On the contrary it is quite a revela-
tion to see how they put them on and what
amazing results they accomplish. Confidentially,
I have seen amateur performances that were far
more acceptable than many given by profes-
sionals."
"After a company of amateurs have secured
from the Witmark Music Library the opera or
otner musical production in which they have
decided to appear, where do they go for their
paraphernalia, such as costumes, shoes, wigs,
grease paint, etc.?" "The Crest Trading Co. can
furnish them, at short notice, with anything and
everything they need, from 'make-up' to scenery."
"Is controlling and leasing operas all you do?"
"No; we prepare for the stage most of the new
productions made here on Broadway and in other
large cities by making, from the composers'
scores, solo, chorus and orchestra parts, etc.,
ready for the opening night. For this purpose
we sometimes keep over a hundred musical arti-
sans constantly employed, writing and copying."
"What of a young composer who writes an
opera, but cannot orchestrate it?"
"We take the'work practically from the finger
tips to the stage by arranging the music for
orchestra. We also orchestrate for busy com-
posers, who can do so themselves, but, being deep-
ly engrossed with rehearsals, intrust us with
work which we perfect from their indications.
So far as the author's work is concerned—we put
the book in shape, revise and condense it, etc..
acting as veritable 'Libretto doctors.' " You must
have some very competent assistants for such
work." "Nothing but!"
"Does the Witmark Music Library handle
operatic productions exclusively?" "By no means.
IVIU^IC TRADE:
REVIEIW
We have also a fine selection of symphonies and
other works of a heavier character for large
symphony and philharmonic orchestras." "From
what you say it would appear that you have act-
ually made it possible for amateurs to cultivate
their ambition and produce really important
works." "Yes, indeed. Some of the largest clubs
are using our material. These we advise, assist
and instruct by correspondence." "And is the
Witmark Music Library a branch of the music
publishing business of M. Witmark & Sons?" "By
no means. The library is absolutely a separate
institution from our publishing establishment, al-
though our people are, of course, interested in
both concerns*"
"So you assist amateurs in other ways than by
merely renting productions to them." "Surely.
This is one reason why the Witmark Music Li-
brary fills a long-felt want. It is an institution
which the public has long needed to bring ama-
teur talent to the surface, cultivate and stimulate
it, and so aid in the musical education of the peo-
ple by helping to create and encourage a taste
for good music and wholesome amusements. In
this way we have been enabled to help amateurs
greatly. We even go so far as to write produc-
tions expressly for them,, or, in tne case of clubs
having members who write comic operas or musi-
cal comedies, we revise and perfect both the books
and music, and make everything ready for pro-
duction. Thus, you see, the Witmark Music Li-
brary, through the Crest Trading Co., is pre-
eminently the amateur's real friend to guide and
assist him to success, and our experience is that
he is not slow to avail himself of its timely and
efficient aid."
"Thank you for a very pleasant and profitable
chat," said The Review man, rising to take his
leave. "I had no idea that the Witmark Music
Library was so far-reaching and important a
factor in the field of entertaining." "Take one
of our catalogues with you," said Mr." Witmark.
"From it you will not only learn far more of
our scope than I could tell you, at one sitting,
but it will refresh your memory whenever you
are in doubt as to what concern has most to do
with the leading musical productions in the
United States. Good-afternoon!"
THE VOGUE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
As
Exemplified in the Homes of Some of Our
"Elect" Where Cant Is Regnant.
Without giving them time to breathe he
rushed off into one of Chopin's studies. From
there ho drifted into a Beethoven sonata, and
was just about to begin the second movement
when he cast a side glance at his audience.
The hostess, the slim young thing and the
Chopin enthusiast were ardently examining a
photograph album. Through the din of his own
creation he heard such exclamations as "Ain't
he grand?" "He takes a lovely photograph!"
"Ain't she took nice?" while they were turning
the album leaves.
The young man whose tie was a shrieking dis-
cord in colors kept opening and shutting his eyes
in an effort to banish a strange, sleeply sensa-
tion that was gripping him hard. The devotee
of Liszt was carefully examining the potted
house plants in the bay window. His only appre-
ciative listener was the cat, who rubbed up lov-
ingly against the leg that was working hard on
the pedals.
The light that never shone on land or sea
kindled in the classic orbs of the parlor Pader-
ewski. This was the crowd that had thrown a
monstrous classical bluff! Beethoven, Chopin
and Liszt, indeed! He struck a few final chords
simply to satisfy his own ear.
A wild outburst of applause greeted him.
"You play divinely," murmured the slim young
thing with the enraptured look of one who feeds
on classical selections.
"It's just too exquisite for anything," ventured
she of the polka dots.
"You certainly do play with wonderful expres-
sion," purred the hostess.
The pianist was experiencing a narrow chok-
ing sensation in his throat. He showed his won-
derful self-control by limiting that sensation to
his own throat.
Little Amy, the daughter of the hostess, came
toddling up and asked him to play a popular air
that was being murdered by every able-bodied
Italian organ grinder in town.
"Yes; do play it just to please the chee'ild,"
said the hostess.
When the popular notes sounded in the same
old popular way, the slim young thing looked as
if she had tapped a keg of the elixir of life, the
Chopin enthusiast began to waltz with the young
man who went in for ultra-unusual patterns in
neckwear, the Liszt devotee was keeping time
with both hands and feet, while little Amy
clapped aloud in open, childish delight.
The martyr look on the pianist became more
deeply imprinted.
"I'm the star fool of the entire outfit for hav-
ing been persuaded to throw pearls," he wearily
growled as the Liszt devotee shrieked t>e words
of the popular song he was playing into his ears.
The reception parlor was almost full and the
hostess came up to the pianist with one of her
most sugary smiles.
"Do play for us, Mr. Concord," she entreated.
A bored look was ill-concealed behind his an-
swering smile. It might have been the merri-
ment of an undertaker appreciating a bit of Following the announcement of a "MacDowell
Club" in honor of the great American composer,
choice funereal humor.
"What would you like me to play?" he asked. it has been stated this week by one of his very
"Won't you play one of Beethoven's sonatas?" intimate friends that Mr. MacDowell is very seri-
gushed a slim young thing near-by, with a celes- ously ill with nervous prostration. Many dis-
tinguished musicians and men eminent in social
tial roll of her eyes.
"I do so adore Chopin!" sighed another. She life have become charter members of the Mac-
Dowell Club. One public concert will be given
pronounced it Chop-in.
annually.
"He ain't in it with Liszt. Play one of them
rapsophies or phrapsodies of his. They're stun-
Two new operas on Shakespearean subjects are
nin'," suggested the young man whose tie showed
talked
of. In one, the Russian composer, Axen-
violent contrasts in color.
sky, deals with "The Tempest." This is finished,
"I would so like to hear something dreamy but Mr. Arensky, threatened with tuberculosis, is
and far away by Schumann," muttered a hungry- now in a Finnish sanatorium, enduring the rig-
looking enthusiast in polka dots, adjusting her ors of open-air treatment. The second opera,
pince-nez.
written by the veteran, Carl Goldmark, now sev-
"So you all want something classical?" asked enty-five years of age, has "The Winter's Tale"
the musician, with the patient look of a profes- for its theme.
sional martyr.
"By all means classical—nothing popular, of
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Holden Huss intend to
course," urged the frightened hostess.
give a local concert with the Kneisel Quartette
A murmur of condemnation of popular music this winter, with a programme consisting mainly
spread among the would-be listeners led by the of Mr. Huss' works, the principal item being a
young man with the riotous neckwear.
new string quartette dedicated in Eugen Ysaye,
An expression of grim resolve came into the and the piano and violin sonata which Mr. Huss
musician's face. He would dish out classical played with Mr. Kneisel at the initial perfor-
music until they cried for help.
mance of the work in' New York.
A few introductory chords announced the be-
ginning of one of Bach's most complicated
Bessie Abbott, the American soprano who has
fugues. His fingers scurried over the piano, been so successful in Paris, arrives on-Wednesday.
slurred, slid along, drummed, poked, pounded.
She is under the management of Mr. Wolfsohn.