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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TRADE HAS BEEN NORMAL
For the Month of April—Usually Considered a
Slow Month—Looking for More Activity in
May—Summer Song Redivivus.
April is generally regarded as a slow month
by the publishing fraternity, and from all ac-
counts no disappointment has ensued. Trade
slumped off early, and while an occasional spurt
was in evidence the average results were not en-
couraging even up to the close of last week. Road
sales also fell away, and few trips, excepting on
special missions, will be taken up with the sea-
son waning. May, however, is put down as de-
veloping more activity, and publishers are not
lacking who believe their output of summer songs
and instrumentals are destined to cut something
of a figure, and are making preparations accord-
ingly. In this line hope springs eternal in the
writer's breast that his particular melody will be
the coming hit, but judgment of this kind more
frequently goes astray than right, 'much to the
disappointment of the fond dreamers.
The really wise publisher has doubtless passed
through this experience, consequently is handling
such numbers gingerly and with great circum-
spection. It is agreed that a meritorious compo-
sition of this kind, from which advertising or the
exploiting of some resort or other is entirely
eliminated, has a splendid field, but so much poor
stuff is rushed on the market that it is either
difficult to interest the public sufficiently to es-
tablish even ephemeral favor, let alone perma-
nent recognition, or the whole lot is condemned
out of hand as unworthy attention. At least,
such an opinion has been voiced by a veteran in
the business, whose dictum is accepted as of
value. Further commenting he said:
"Business has been slow during April for vari-
ous reasons known full well to the trade at
large. May is expected to be much better. The
past season was brisk at times, though prices
were completely demoralized. Things theatrical
are also closing up, troupes are nearly through
with their dating, and this means a curtailment
in sales. Standard and well established cata-
logue lines are always in demand, and trade now
is steady in that respect. The new prints, unless
really 'knock-outs,' are moving extremely slow."
GEO. MOLINEUX'S CHOICE OFFERINGS.
George Molineux, of the Molineux Publishing
Co., 150 Fifth avenue, this city, owes his world-
Complete vocal score and Separate Numbers of
"THE
ROSE OF THE ALHAMBRA"
Book and Lyrics by CHAS. EMERSON COOK.
Music by LUCIUS HOSMBR.
Featuring the well-known prlma donna,
Mme. LILLIAN BLAUVELT.
Supplementary Songs in the following productions :
EDNA MAY'S New Musical Play,
"THE CATCH OP THE SEASON."
"RAINING"
By Jerome D. Kern
SHUBBRT BROS.' English Musical Comedy Success,
"TUB EARL AND THE GIRL."
"HOW'D YOU LIKE TO SPOON WITH ME."
Max. C. Eugene'8 hit, "IN ROSELAND" Intermezzo
Published by
T. B. HARMS CO.
126 West 44th St.
NEW YORK
"Thm House Melodious."
GUS EDWARDS
MUSIC PUBLISHING CO.
Publishers of Lillian Russell's and the Sea-
sons Song Hits,
" I f a Girl Like You Loved a Boy Like Me."
"Somebody's Sweetheart I Want to B e , "
and " N a p o l i , " and Italian Love Story.
Our New Issues
"Pocahontas" (Tammany's sister). " I n a little Canoe
with Y o u " being featured by all the leading acts in
Vaudeville. "When the Green Leaves turn to Gold' a
Beautiful Rustic Ballad.
Gus Edwards Music Pub. Co.
1512 Broadway, New York.
wide reputation probably more than anything
else to his consummate skill in the collection
and combining of instrumental and vocal music
into the folios which bear his name.
The demand for these books of choice selected
music is universal, from the youthful beginner to
the finished artist. They comprise piano solos,
duets and six-handed selections, the latter hav-
ing recently become extremely popular, as well
as sacred solos and organ books. From the
financial point of view they are a particularly
good stock for a dealer to lay in, for they are
standard in every respect and, unlike the cheap
popular sheets, do not suddenly become the rage
only to drop back into insignificance and become
dead stock to lie on the shelves. They have be-
come great favorites with teachers for teaching
purposes on account of the perfect system and
high-class selections. Dealers in the music pub-
lishing world should not fail to look into this,
as it will mean a perfectly safe and lucrative
investment.
REV1EWOGRAPHS.
Possibly it is a harmless diversion faking the
public relative to the origin of melodies, and es-
pecially the Indian songs and intermezzos so
plentiful in the last two years. One publisher's
scheme is to herald a new air with a mysterious
"story" of its conception. He seems to have a
monopoly of the game, whether it is an Irish
ditty, a love ballad or a tale of Injun music,
which seems his long suit. His latest is of "an
interesting relic of the first genuine Indian
melody, just discovered, and which is being set
into modern dress. The curio was found recently
in an old bookshop in Oklahoma, and bears the
imprint of 1809, nearly a century ago. It is
printed, or< rather, painted, upon vellum, and al-
though stained and tattered, is plainly legible in
each detail." The notes of this "discovery," on
"vellum," would do justice to the reputation of
the maker of the "woolly horse." The trade are
•'on," of course, and many a laugh is indulged in
at the expense of the fake "story" mill.
The elder Francis and Day, of Francis, Day &
Hunter, London, England, are expected to visit
this country, accompanied by their respective
families, in July, on a pleasure trip. Leslie
Stuart may also come along. Their American
house, under the clever management of Fred Day,
is spoken of as the coming house, and are sign-
ing several of the best writers in the business.
"Waiting at the Church" and "Bridget," by the
same author, and Vesta Victoria's successes, are
receiving close attention as promising good
things. It is expected both will be heard from
in no uncertain way before many moons have
waxed and waned.
49
ing its way West in the music publishing busi-
ness as well as in many other lines. There was
a time when it was supposed that only the New
York song factories could supply the country with
music, with occasionally a firm in Boston worth
looking at, but the careless work of the Eastern
people in going too fast and issuing so many
worthless things, left an opening for the West,
and it is being taken advantage of. In my opin-
ion, the time is here when the West will be
known as well as the extreme East for its
music." Victor ought to know. He tried it for a
while himself in New York, but grew weary and
returned to the Windy City a wiser if not a
richer man.
"Were I the manager of a publishing house,"
acidly remarked the chief of the professional de-
partment, "just as soon as a pianist started to
write music I would fire him. Such a fellow is
always unfair to the other writers, because he
plugs his own stuff to the disadvantage of every-
one else. A publisher who will permit this is
soon in hot water, and everybody's by the ears.
It is not safe, and take my tip for it."
Publishers are installing a new device to es-
cape the "quick touch." A caller sends in his
name via the office attendant, who enters it on a
roll of paper with an electric pen, which repro-
duces the message in facsimile on a sheet in the
chief's office. Then the buzzer gets busy, three
pressings meaning to open the trap door. P e o
pie accustomed to easy entree are nonplussed
when held up.
When Avon F. Adams, of the John Church Co.,
leaves for Europe on June 29 to look after the
European interests of the company, he will be
accompanied by Frank A. Lee, president of the
Tnhn Church Co.
K Francis,
& Hunter's >!
Coming through the Rye, Jennie Mine
•
Rusti. M,,ivh Smur
YES,
*
A Beautiful
*
DEAR
Knihi.i l.v A r t h u r L u n i b
We All Walked Into the Shop
*
•
rnmi.' Son,;
When You're Up In the World
•
PhllosoiiSy Song
*
DEVOTION Waltz
*
*
(Played by all the Leading Orchratru)
Send for particulars of special prices to subscribers.
PUBLISHERS
^FRANCIS, DAY & HUNTER, 15 W. 30th St., New V o r k ^
3 REAL SELLING HITS 3
" C O M E BACK"
The Dainty
Barron & Thompson Co., with Ted Barron, late
with Leo Feist, as the leading spirit, are the
latest arrivals on the famous 28th street, New
York. They have flung their flaring banners on
the outer walls in regulation style.
Day
MARCH "NEW ISSUES'*
Novell?
tUilad
Success
of America.
"GOOD-BYE 'DIXIE' DEAR"
The March Ballad Hit of America.
"HEATH THE SPREADING CHESTNUT TREE"
The Descriptive Rustic Ballad Hit of America.
Sand for Our Now Oatmloguom.
Alf. Lee, musical editor for Messrs. Sheard,
the English publishers, and a popular song writer
of note, died in London, April 16, aged sixty-
seven years. The historic "Champagne Charley,"
which figured largely in Parker's famous novel,
"The Right of Way," and was sung the English-
speaking world over, was a product of Mr. Lee's
pen, also "I'm Par Excellence, the Idol of the
Day," and a host of others familiar a generation
ago. He was originally a piano tuner, and later
a professional pianist before drifting into song
writing.
Victor Kremer, of the Chicago jobbing house
bearing his name, thus unbosoms himself to the
newspaper inquirers after truth concerning the
publishing business: "The tide of empire is tak-
CHI Dl n n i l
OUL DLUUIn,
PUBLI8HED BY
Amsterdam Theatre Bid*. U o u i V ni> L
«d Street, near Broadway H6W TUrR
New
LOOK!
HAPPY HEINIE
IS THE MOST TALKED OF
MARCH T W O - S T E P .
Do you play it?
JEROME H. REMICK & CO.
45 West 28tti Street,
New York