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THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
95
marks to The Review: "If a publisher has any- season. Mr. Schirmer intends to take a month's
thing that sells he is doing a fairly good busi- holiday in Paris, and before returning home in
In the Music Publishing Field During the Past ness. The others naturally complain of being in August will visit his mother's home in Dresden,
Week—The Session of the Publishers Last the dumps; but there is nothing to it. One thing an annual custom.
has been found out to our satisfaction and that
Week Commented On.
In a publishing house recently established at
is low prices do not stimulate sales in music. On
London,
England, after describing the furnish-
the
contrary,
they
are
hurtful
of
the
popular
Whether the arrival of seasonable weather has
revived the spirits of publishers, jobbers and variety. If higher grade publications are cut a ings and conveniences to be found in the suite of
dealers or not, at any rate business this week run may follow, but it will peter out, and then rooms, the informant says: "Among the novel-
has taken on a new lease of life, if credit may the state of trade is worse than at first. New ties introduced is a phonograph, liberally fur-
be truly given the line of optimistic talk heard York is the poorest place in the country on nished with records, so that artists will be able
in many quarters. To be sure the sunshine does which to base any calculations, for conditions to test the merits of any song they fancy." This
is rank heresy, according to the American pub-
not pervade every crook and cranny; that would here are abnormal."
lisher's way of thinking! "A bas!" the talking
be impossible, for the pessimist is never lacking
machine is the cry here, excepting when request-
"THE MAN ON THE STREET."
who keeps his face toward the murk and gloom,
ing the laboratory managers to record their mu-
no matter what may be the general or even aver-
United Music Stores Co.'s Plans—Isidore Wit- sic, and then the communication is a model of
age conditions. These exceptions are constantly
mark to Europeh— Engravers' Wages In Leip- politeness and tactful expression.
prating of what a bad summer is before the
zig,—Schirmer Says French Music Will be
trade, and how demoralized the dealers are over
in Vogue—Publishers and Talking Machines
A temporary injunction was granted Friday
watching the moves of the so-called combinations
—President Bowers Returns Home.
week by Judge Lacombe in the United States
of publishers now perfecting plans to enter the
Circuit Court at the instance of counsel for G.
retail field.
A director of the United Music Stores Com-
Allowing for the hectic situation inseparable pany told The Review this week that before the Ricordi & Co., of Milan, Italy, restraining the
from the publishing of popular or ephemeral Fall they would have fourteen places, in as many Royal Italian Opera Company from producing
pieces, business with houses having established cities, handling all the music that sells, "but giv- "La Boheme" at the Grand Opera House, New
connections and putting out music along recog- ing ours the preference, of course. You know, \ork. It will be remembered Oscar Hammer-
nized and legitimate lines of steady exploitation we are not in business to elevate the trade or for stein was restrained from producing the opera
is in fair volume. To be sure, firms in a mori- our health, bmt to make money. If anybody hands by the same court, a finding in which he acqui-
bund or fossilized .tate cannot appreciate this you the 'philanthropic gag' tell him he is an- esced.
fact, and therefore contemn and condemn any- other. There has been a slump for several weeks
After suffering a severe, if brief, illness in New
thing, everything and everybody. Aside from when sales should score big now."
York,
following the meeting of the Music Pub-
these croakings, welling up perennially, in good
lishers' Association of the United States, James
or foul business weather, trade is rendering by no
On June 26—next Wednesday—Isidore Wit- F. Bowers, of Lyon & Healy, the president, re-
means discouraging reports.
mark, of M. Witmark & Sons, sails for England covered sufficiently to start for Chicago Saturday,
The session of the Music Publishers' Associa- on the Teutonic, of the White Star line, debark
tion of the United States last week was evidently ing at Southampton. He will be gone about a accompanied by Charles Bobzin, general manager
interesting to the members present, though the month. In common with other publishers before of the Oliver Ditson Co., of Boston. The latter
official summary carefully suppressed the most no- this meeting of the Association Isidore offered gentleman, who will be away from duty for sev-
table part of the proceedings. The annual reports $100 to find out who gave the interview to The eral weeks, attended the convention of the piano
of the officers and the obituary memorials were Review concerning a proposed change of officers. men in Chicago this week. Mr. Bowers is not
furnished The Review, but that was about all. When the interviewed gentleman pleaded guilty only chairman of the press committee of the Na-
However, even "leaks" occurred, and without vio- to the soft impeachment Mr. Witmark was so tional Piano Dealers' Association, but is also on
the reception and other committees.
lating any one's confidence or betraying alleged dumbfounded he cancelled the agreement.
secret communications, the selection of the presi-
Since Tinctor wrote the first Music Dictionary
dent and secretary was not devoid of dramatic
In a book entitled, "Life and Labor in Ger- in 1475 there has been many books dealing with
and human interest. As all is well that ends
many," mention is made of the wage scale which musical definitions; but the one published re-
well, the curtain may be dropped on the scene,
obtains among the employes of music publishing cently by the Oliver Ditson Co., of Boston, is
the entire staff being continued for the ensuing
houses in Leipzig. The engravers of the music, certainly the best one issued. The book com-
year, excepting where vacancies existed, and the
who have a special tariff, and are paid according prises 306 pages and is bound in serviceable cloth
Association will present a solid front for the
to piece work, earn from 25s. to 40s. ($6.25 to covers. Every necessary word is included with
copyright fray that is counted upon at the com-
$10) per week. Apprentices, who work as sivch its pronunciation. The book is Elson's Music
ing session of Congress.
for four years, receive 2s., 3s., 4s. and 5s. (50 Dictionary, and is written by Louis C. Elson, Pro-
Speaking of affairs in general, a publisher with
cents, 75 cents, $1 and $1.25) per week, accord- fessor of Theory of Music at the New England
a "temperament" passed over the appended re-
ing to the year of their apprenticeship. The hours Conservatory of Music, Boston.
of work here are 8y 2 , and so-called "English"
hours are kept; i. e., the employes work right
through from 7 a. m. to 4 p. m. in summer, or
from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. in winter—a quarter of
NEW YORK
CHICAGO
59 Dearborn St.
1431 Broadway
an hour's pause being allowed for breakfast and
lunch, respectively. This compares with the
PUBLISHERS
American wage schedule in the same line about
"Under the Tropical Moon," "Won't You
as night and day—in some instances the scale
Let Me Put My Arms Around You,"
By the writers of
is three times more here than in Germany.
"Cinderella," Inst. and Song. "Not Be-
"WAITING AT TBE CHURCH"
cause Your Hair Is Curly," " W i l l the
Rudolph Schirmer, president of the corporation
Angels Let Me Play," "Paddy," "Can You
of G. Schirmer, New York, now in Paris, France,
Keep a Secret," "Vanity Fair," "I Never
and has been for several weeks, told a newspaper
15 West 30th Street
Can Forget You Dear," Kremer's Mandolin
correspondent last week that in his opinion
NEW YORK
Folio, No. 1, etc., etc.
"French music will be the coming vogue" next
BUSINESS MARKEDLY IMPROVED
Vesta Victoria's New Hit
VICTOR KREMER CO.
JOHN!
FRANCIS, DAY & HUNTER
OUR "NEW ISSUE"
!• ol Interest to all dealers—we fnralsh
yon with any quantity of our new
tnematle catalogues without charge.
We publish "The Good Old V. S. A./*
"Just a Little Rocking Chair and You."
"Keep On the Sunny Side." and other
big hits.
Let as get In touch with yon—write us.
F. B. HavUand Pub. Co.
125 W. 87th Street, New York
D
E A L E R S s n o u l < 1 subscribe to M. Witmark & Sons vocal and instru-
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Hereby agree to take one each of your "NEW" Vocal and Instru-
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