Music Trade Review

Issue: 1908 Vol. 47 N. 11

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
Like the Sailor's Parrot.
REVIEW
The Turn of the Tide.
The idea of failure never suggested itself, in
Let it not be thought that iho writer is charg-
spite of the fact that day in and day out most
ing malevolence against the writer or writers of
the articles referred to. This is far from being of the publishers declared that twelve months
the case. It is more likely that the articles in from that time the project might be carried
question were inspired by some "smart" attor- successfully into effect, but then—impossible!
ney burning with an unquenchable desire to ex- Bui the tide that ebbs strong also flows strong,
EDWARD LYMAN BILL • Editor and Proprietor ploit a little knowledge on a difficult subject with and so it proved. Within three weeks of the
the aid of a few legal quibbles, which in triuh date set for the publication of the special num-
J. B. SP1LLANE, Managing Editor
are by no means convincing to anyone who has ber the New York, and, indeed, the Boston pub-
J . HAYDEN-CLARENDON, E d i t o r
given the subject even the slightest considera- lishers, had entered into the spirit of the thing.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
tion. It has been remarked on several occasions The result is past history, and to-day we publish
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage). United States and
that this section of The Review has had little to the second number dedicated to the music pub
Mexlro, $2.00 per year; Canada, $3.50; all other coun-
tries, $4.00.
say on the copyright question, but, like the lishing interests, a number made possible by
sailor's parrot, we think "a hell of a lot." their appreciative support and magnificent en-
Telephones—Numbers 4677 and 4678 Gramercy
Connecting all Departments
The truth of the matter is that, although the thusiasm. In dedicating it, therefore, the writer
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 12, 1908 writer has burned the midnight oil trying to does so with a sense of gratitude that the good
master this intricate question, he feels it is not feeling which exists between the music publish-
his place to give an opinion on a subject which ers of the country and The Review has not been
has given serious trouble to trained legislators dimmed by the occasional harsh things which it
and world-famed lawyers. Therefore, in the has said of one or the other individually, in the
kindliest possible spirit we say. "Let newspapers interests of the whole.
stick to their news and not delve into matters
The Interpolated Number.
on which they—and apparently their advisers—
The practice of interpolating separate numbers
are more or less ignorant. Rather more, than into musical plays has become so general of late,
It is a poor axiom that does not cut both ways,
le?s, is our personal opinion.
and the privilege has been so much abused, tha
yet never was the truth of the proverb, "A
a word on the subject- may not be entirely in-
Retrospection.
little knowledge is a dangerous thing," more
How time flies! It seems but yesterday that apropos. The interpolation of a number into a
thoroughly demonstrated than in a series of
musical success, of course, gives—or did give—
articles which have lately appeared in a musical the writer suggested that a special number of
paper on the subject of the copyright legislation The Review be dedicated to the interests of the it a certain standing among the retail trade, as
now pending at Washington. While the writer sheet music trade. Of course, it was a new idea, it is obvious that no sane manager would will-
respects the opinions of all men—that is, if the and for a time it was viewed with some sus- ingly place a bad song in a successful produc-
opinions are honest and are formed without picion. Looking back, the work of getting the tion. It is unfortunate, however, that certain
sordid or ulterior motives—the published state- first special music publishers' number into publishers constantly take advantage of this fact
to place mediocre songs in successful produc-
ments referred to are so garbled and there- shape seems like child's play, but time softens
tions for one or two nights, nominally to try
fore so unreliable, that they cannot be accepted everything, and even memory is often dimmed
them out, but really with knowledge aforethought
by
its
chastening
influence.
As
a
matter
of
otherwise than at their face value. True, legis-
that they would not. be retained in the play.
lation is for the most part a double-edged weapon, record, however, it may be said that for a time
The idea, of course, is merely to have the privi-
the
move
seemed
rather
inauspicious.
In
the
first
and it is a poor lawyer who cannot find more
lege of printing on the title page that the Bong
than one interpretation to the average law. It place, the panic had just struck the financial
in point was "successfully introduced" into such
centers
of
the
country,
and
fresh
storms
were
was the great Daniel O'Connell who said that
and such a musical comedy.
"the law was never enacted that a coach and breaking almost hourly. Again, as has been
The Cry of "Wolf."
horses could not be driven through," and un- said, the idea was a new one, and new ideas
The result has been that retailers throughout
fortunately this statement, made over a century are oftentimes like poor relations—best liked
when farthest distant.
the country who have purchased these "interpo-
ago, is as true to-day as it was then.
COMMENTS B Y - „
An Up-to date Music Dealer Should Cater to
= — the Music Teachers' T r a d e —
The only way to do this is to have the graded material ready for them and plaeed on your
shelves in such a manner that even a musically uneducated clerk can put it before the customer
at once. Therefore our
GRADED PIANOFORTE MUSIC CATALOG 737 Pieces,
is just what you need. It is Divided Into Seven Grades, each piece being carefully phrased and
fingered.
Some of the composers represented in this list are Gurlitt, vStreabbog, Behr, Krogmann,
Bohm, Johanning, Chaminade, Geibel, etc., etc. To introduce this teaching edition we make
the following offer, the price being so low that you can have a good stock at small expense.
SPECIAL STOCK OFFER TO MUSIC DEALERS
Grade I. (86 pieces) $7.21
Grade V. (48 pieces) $3.16
Grade II. (261 pieces) $17.63
Grade VI. (10 pieces) .80
Grade III. (172 pieces) $12.48
Grade VII. (4 pieces) .31
Grade IV. (156 pieces) $11.00
Total for seven g r a d e s (737 pieces* $52.59, net
You can order any number of grades desired but each grade must be ordered complete.
The music is sent with separate shelf wrapper (for each piece) giving name and grade. Will
also send a good supply of catalogs of this music imprinted with your firm name, if you desire them.
Send for Catalog Showing What This GRADED PIANOFORTE MUSIC Consists of
White-Smith Music Publishing Co*
BOSTON:
NEW YORK:
62 & 64 Stanhope Street
13 East 17th St.
CHICAGO:
259 Wabash Avenue
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
6
THE
lated" songs in the belief that they are part and
parcel of a successful piece have discovered when
the play in question reached their city or town
that no such number existed so far as the produc-
tion was concerned. In this way they have been
left with unsalable stock on their hands, and
naturally the cry has gone up, "Why are we so
deceived?" Of course, this sort of thing evens
itself up in the long run, for it is only natural
that the cry of "wolf" palls after constant usage.
To-day retailers are loth to buy interpolated num-
bers, a fact that is proved by the numerous
inquiries which reach this office as to whether a
certain number is being sung in a production
which is now or has lately been seen in New
York. It is true that a song must be tried out
before its merits can be decided upon, but it is
equally true that there is no necessity to place
the stock phrase, "the big success of Mr. Froh-
man's or Mr. Shubert's production" in a con-
spicuous position on the title page until it is
decided whether or not the song is of the caliber
that will warrant its retention in the play.
An Excuse That Is Now Out of Date.
In justice to the publisher it should be said
that in many such cases in the past they were
entirely blameless, owing to the fact that a
young gentleman who has already received con-
siderable notice in this column was—and to the
best of the writer's belief, still is—in a position
to place songs in musical productions on Broad-
way. With a keen eye to business he has put his
position to some use, as for a time he made a
deal of money guaranteeing to place a song in
one of the many musical productions in which he
is interested, at so much per song. His "graft,"
therefore, was to declare even good songs unfit
for his purpose after a night or so's trial so that
another one could be put in its place, and inci-
dentally another $25 into his own pocket as a
fee for his good offices. Fortunately, and thanks
in no small measure to The Review, this excuse,
if the publisher now desires to make it, no longer
holds water, for the excellent reason that the
young gentleman in question, owing to the expose
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
of his methods, has been barred—and very prop-
erly barred—from every respectable music pub-
lisher's office,
Not Much Bitterness Here.
Unkind things are so easy to retail, and are
usually listened to with such avidity, that it is a
pleasure to tell a story which goes far to prove
that the feeling between rival music publishers
is not so bitter as is generally supposed. The
episode in question took place in the office of
Chas. K. Harris the day after he returned from
Atlantic City, where he had been to see the first
performance of Victor Herbert's magnificent
comic opera "Algeria." Elated as he was over
the success of the music of this piece, he found
time to break the conversation by remarking, "I
waited over in Atlantic City to see Gus Edwards'
new show, 'School Days,' and you may take my
word for it that musically it is the best thing
Gus has ever done. As for the book, it speaks
for itself. I have rarely seen a show that I en-
joyed better. Gus Edwards has got a great big
success." And then Chas. K. went on to talk of
his own affairs. Not much bitterness or jealousy
here, it would seem.
song (from the public's point of view) aB is the
professional critic. It is a positive fact that
50 per cent, of the popular songs of to-day are
not worth the paper they are printed on. It may
be truthfully said that most of these are un-
worthy of a moment's thought by any self-re-
specting man or woman (unless, of course, they
have some object in their madness), not alone a
prospective purchaser. It is safe to say, there-
fore, that there are far too many pieces of music
published, and at the same time it may be said
truthfully that there is a dearth of songs.
"FLUFFY RUFFLES."
Musical Comedy by John T. McNally, Music
by W. T. Francis, Lyrics by Wallace Irwin—
Published by T. B. Harms & Francis, Day Co.
To William Francis is accredited the music of
"Fluffy Ruffles," the new comedy presented on
Monday evening at the Criterion Theater, New
York, but to be perfectly frank, there is precious
little credit to be gained from it. Mr. Francis
is an excellent conductor, but up to now he has
never shown any great genius for composition.
Miss Hattie Williams, who for some unex-
Are There Too Many Songs?
The question suggests itself, "Are the number plained reason plays the stellar role in this
of 'songs' that are daily placed on the market latest of musical productions, sang a song called
too many for the public's requirements?" From "Willie's Got Another Girl Now," which was al-
the writer's own observation there are undoubt- most as English in its construction as George
edly too many "songs" published. Why, then, Grossmith, Jr.'s clothes. George Grossmith, be it
does so much trash reach the music counter? said, is the comedian of the aggregation and
The answer may be that the success of a song is plays the orthodox "silly ass," to the manner born.
hypothetical until it reaches the most critical of
As an advertisement for the colored section of
all critics—the general public. This argument the New York Herald, "Fluffy Ruffles" certainly
would hold good once and for all were it a fact does its duty, although, to be just, it contains
that all songs had the same chance of reaching humor, which the supplement in question lacks.
the public ear. Of some 800 which have reached
Speaking generally, the "Fluffy Ruffles" show
this office during the past ten months, not 10 may do. We hope it will. But Miss Williams
per cent, have since been heard of, and it is must try her pretty best to occasionally sing in
more than possible that they never will be. the key, for, however painful such a proceeding
Maybe they all get the same chance so far as the may be to her, it is infinitely more painful to
professional singer is concerned, but it must be the audience. T. B. Harms & Francis Day Co.
taken into consideration that the professional publish the music.
singer is just as liable to err on the merits of a
THE MAN ON THE STREET.
We are the Publishers of
We also Publish
The Girls of Gottenberg
The Great March-Song
Music by IVAN CARYLL
and
LIONEL MONCKTON
Success
Do You Know Mr. Schneider?
.
A Common Little Girl .
.
Rheingold
.
.
.
A Glass of Beer
.
.
Berlin on the Spree .
.
.
I Love My Love (j'aime Mon Amour)
The Titsy-Bitsy Girl
.
.
Otto of Roses
.
.
The Only Girl
.
.
.
Madel Mine
.
.
.
Two Little Sausages
.
.
Vocal Score
.
.
.
.
Selection
.
.
.
.
Two Step (Away Down Indiana), Cremieux
Pianoforte Score .
.
.
Valse
CHAPPELL & Co.,
.60
. .60
.
.60
. .60
.60
.60
. .60
.60
. .60
.60
. .60
2.00
1.00
.60
1.00
75
LTD.
37 West Seventeenth St.
NEW YORK
London
Melbourne
WILLIE,
W O N T You
WAIT
A
LITTLE WHILE
By RALPH NAIRN
CHAPPELL & Co.,
LTD.
37 West Seventeenth St.
NEW YORK
London
Melbourne

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