Music Trade Review

Issue: 1908 Vol. 47 N. 3

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
J . HAYDEN-CLARENDON, E d i t o r
PoMisbed Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
SUBSCRIPTION, (Including postage), United States and
.Mexico, $2.W per year; Canada, $3.50 ; all other coun-
tries. $4.00.
Telephones—Numbers 4677 and 467S Gramercy
Connecting all Departments
NEW YORK, JULY 18, 1908
COMMENTS B Y - „
MUSIC TRADE! REVIEW
popular publishers to allow them the privilege
of advertising on the back covers of their sheet
music. It should be said in justice to the pro-
moters of this scheme that the sample advertise-
ments which they are showing are all highly
artistic, many being the work of our best-known
illustrators. But this is beside the question. For
the privilege of using the back page of the music
as an advertising medium the promoting company
are offering the publishers $2,500 for every million
copies sold, or at the rate of one cent for every
two and a half copies. It is reasonable to sup-
pose that every sheet of music is either played
over or examined by some thirty persons, and
therefore for each cent that the generous-hearted
advertiser expends he reaches seventy-five per-
sons, many of whom are prospective customers
for his product, for the excellent reason that
music is bought only by those who possess pianos,
and the fact that a man or woman possesses a
piano is in itself prima facie evidence that he or
slie is not entirely indigent. But this again is
beside the question.
What
Is the
acted as treasurer of the Helf & Hager Co. Now
the entire stock of the corporation stands in the
name of J. Fred Helf and Fred Hager, for Mr.
Fiedler has been paid a lump sum for his inter-
ests, which he recently turned over to the two
enterprising young men who have had so
meteoric a career in the music publishing world.
Another Swindler Convicted.
It is with no small amount of satisfaction that
we announce the conviction of Eugene B. Watt,
one of" a band of swindleis working a bogus
music publishing scheme, which was treated at
some length in this column. Judge Hough, of the
United States Circuit Court, with that customary
leniency for which he is celebrated, consented to
the striking out of the conspiracy counts in the
indictment against the prisoner, who in truth
seems to have been a stool pigeon for more
brainy offenders. There are a few more convic-
tions about due, and it is the earnest, hope of the
writer that they will not err on the side of
leniency.
SONGS THAT ARE SELLING.
Question?
The above preamble may not be altogether in-
Prom time immemorial, sheet music, either of
structive, but it is certainly necessary. First,
the popular or classic variety, has harl a certain last and all the lime the mission of The Review
is 1o perform its qitola in upholding the sheet
standing in the world of merchandise which even
latter-day department and ten-cent-store methods music trade on a dignified and clean plane. No
have been unable to wrest from it. Whatever matter at what price sheet music has been sold
rock-bottom retail price music may have reached in the past or may be sold in the future, the
therefore, its standard of excellence, so far at public, when it pays for a song, counts upon
least as production is concerned, has in no way buying a song and not a medium for advertising.
deteriorated. In fact, all records go to show In our opinion a scheme of this description is
that to-day, however bad the music itself may ruinous and would sound the death knell of the
be, the printing and engraving of it is more music trade. Unfortunately a certain section of the
costly and more artistic than ever. It is also public has been educated down to the belief that
an undeniable fact that though sheet music has sheet music is a more or less valueless com-
of late years sold in enormous quantities, it has modity. What greater argument—a fortiori to
up to the present time kept itself free from the this belief—could be advanced than the accept-
degenerating influence of advertising such prod- ance by any publisher of such an advertising
ucts as "No-smellee" or some equally unodorous scheme as that propounded, which would in-
commodity. True, the manufacturers of certain stantly place sheet music on the level of a
staple articles have from time to time printed butcher's circular.
weird music for free distribution to advertise
They Pay the "Fiedler" and Call the Tune.
one or more of their wares, but it has already
A rumor which has been current in the pub-
been proved by actual experiment that such lishing world for some time past has now be-
music when printed was difficult to dispose of
come a matter of record, for during the past
to any advantage, even though it was distributed week Helf & Hager succeeded in gaining entire
gratis.
control of the publishing house which is known
from one end of the Continent to the other as
A Few Facts Beside the Question.
In the face of all this, a New York advertis- "Hitland." It was William Fiedler, a well-known
and wealthy real estate man, who until recently
ing concern is endeavoring to induce a number of
c
An Interesting Chat With J. Fred Helf Regard-
ing the Sales cf Songs—Mr. Hager's Vaca-
tion—New Season's Offerings.
In a recent interview with our "Man on the
Street," J. Fred Helf, of the firm of Helf &
Hager, gave some interesting facts regarding late
sales of sheet music. "We are doing very well
at all of our retail stores just now," said Mr.
Helf, "for needless to say the improvement in
business over that of last month is marked. At
our Atlantic City store my own songs, 'Tipper-
ary' and 'Somebody That You Know and I
Know, Too,' are selling wonderfully well. In
spite of your gloomy prophecies, 'Are You Sin-
cere?' (Remick & Co.) is selling steadily and looks
like a 'hit,' while 'Smarty' and 'Take Me Out to
the Ball Game' (York Publishing Co.), are well
up in the popular stage. 'Summertime," Harry
Vcn Tilzer's great song, is, of course, doing splen-
didly, while 'Just Someone,' Will R. Anderson's
pretty little number (Witmark & Sons) seems
to have caught the summer fancy. In our New
York store the numbers from 'The Three Twins'
and 'Mary's Lamb' are very much in demand, as
indeed were those of 'The Gay Musician' until
it temporarily closed its run in this city. Al-
though Mr. Hager is away for a week or two on
a fishing trip, it is very doubtful whether I
M«KINLtYIO MUSIC
The very best ballad on the
market is not as good as
Francis, Day & Hunter
1364 Broadway, New York
Have you yet interested yourself in
my First Music Folio
"Famous Medleys
If you have
not, it's worth
your while. Send
for sample copy, post-
paid, 17 cents, together
with special introductory rate.
The Most Famous Pnb. Co.
24 E. 21st Street
NEW YORK CITY
Write To-Day for Samples and Special Offer
McKINLEY MUSIC CO. WM. McKINLEY, Pres.
158 Harrison St., Chicago
74 5th Avc, N. Y.
YES ! WE ARE STILL ISSUING NEW FOLIOS
THE LATEST IS
" The Most Popular Selections
"If Those Lips
Could Only Speak'
It has already taken England by storm.
It will do the same in America.
Costs You 3 Cents
FROM THE
Most Popular Operas"
(Arranged for Piano)
M
THE MOST COMPLETE OPERATIC
FOLIO EVER PUBLISHED "
Write for Special Introductory Rates
Hinds,Noble & Eldredge, a S S
OCR NEW ISSDE PROPOSITION
is of great interest to every live Dealer. We
Bill our Monthly New Issues at 5 Cents per
copy. Subscribe now. The following are
some of our best sellers:
-MOONBEAMS AND DREAMS OF YOU"—"A LITTLE
COZY FLAT"—"MONTEREY"—-NIGHT AND DAY"
—"WHILE YOU ARE MINE"—"MORNING CY"
"FOREST KING" March.
Write us To-day
"Just Someone"
WOULD BE THE BIG
SELLER! THIS PROPH-
ECY HAS COME TRUE.
IF THE DEMAND HAS
NOT REACHED YOU,
IT WILL! ORDER NOW
AND BE PREPARED.
M. WITMARK ® SONS
VICTOR KREMER CO.
152 Lake Street
OME TIME AGO WE
TOLD YOU
CHICAGO
144 West 37ih St.. NEW YORK CITV
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
43
REVIEW
Home, and Mother songs is shown by the steadily
cidc to hold their Middle West convention in
Milwaukee on the same date, our "Man on the increasing sale of good 'reprints.' "
'Some Day," written by Tell Taylor and pub-
Street" will get there, if he has. to walk.
lished by the Star Music Co., of which he is a
THAT "Peggy Machree" (John Church Co.)
is to be seen again in the fall with Joseph member, is certainly going fine in Chicago. "Bill,
O'Mara in the leading part. He will replace the You Done Me Wrong" is another Taylor num-
ber that is doing very well indeed.
late Denis O'Sullivan.
The Thompson Music Co. have got out the
THAT Nathan Burkan, the eminent copyright
"Teddy Bear" song, words and music by Ger-
lawyer, who went to "Denver for the Democratic
trude Daggett, of Chicago. It should prove a
convention, gave our "Man on the Street" sonic-
winner with the little ones.
excellent advice by mail last week.
Hanks Winter, the well-known Chicago singer
THAT on a delightfully cool-looking post card and composer, and the father of Winona Winter,
portraying Manitou, from the Cave of the the star of the late "Lady from Lane's," is going
Winds, he wrote, "Get out and travel beyond the 1o New York to see about putting on the stage a
Harlem river."
vaudeville sketch in which he will appear. He
THAT this advice sounds somewhat familiar. has gone over several songs by Harry Auracher
THAT when the New York Herald bulletins and Otis Colburn, among them "The Puritan
announced "Kern selected for Vice-President," Girl" in "The Lady from Lane's," and will prob-
THAT Albert E. Wier, of the "Most Famous"
a delegation of publishers proceeded over to the ably use them in his sketch.
Publishing Co., has changed his brand of cigars.
Victor Kremer is very much encouraged re-
office of T. B. Harms & Co. to congratulate
THAT although South Carolina green hay may "Jerome D." under the impression that he was garding trade. June showed a gratifying, if
be excellent for horse bedding, it cannot be re- the unfortunate.
small, increase over last year, and July is run-
garded as a fine smoking product.
THAT one publisher was heard to remark, "May- ning ahead.
THAT the next "sailor" direct from Cuba who
Fred Hager, of Helf & Hager, New York, spent
be now we will be able to get some of our stuff
approaches Mr. Wier with a proposition to buy
into the Charles Frohman productions."
some cheap cigars, will be thrown through the
transom.
T is a significant fact that
THAT Harry Williams, the author of "I'm
although music business gen-
Afraid to Come Home in the Dark." has writ-
erally
has been "hit hard" recently,
ten two new songs entitled "It Looks Like "Merry Widow" Sales—Chandler Optimistic—
a Big Night" and "Well, I Wouldn't Go as Far Banks Winter's Sketch—Kramer Encouraged
— Fred
Hager
a Visitor—New
Musical
as to Say That."
Comedy—A Catchy March Song.
THAT William McKinley, president of the
William McKinley Co., of Chicago, or his double
sales have held their own, which
(Special to The Keviuw.)
was observed sunning himself on t he Asbury
Chicago,
111.,
July
LI.
1908.
means that many people purchased
Park boardwalk on Sunday last.
Chicago estimates place (he number of copies
ten cent music because they wanted
THAT Jerome- M. Schwerin and his beautiful of the "Merry Widow" waltz distributed so far
to economize, and becoming ac-
wife were also "among those present."
as upward of 2,000,000. This, however, it should
quainted
with
THAT the Chicago office of Jerome H. Remick be remembered, includes at least a million very
is now in charge of J. B. Kalbert, while his cheap copies given away with Sunday editions of
Detroit printing plant has been taken in hand various large city dailies. Of the remainder a
by Harry Werthan.
goodly portion was sold at wickedly low prices.
for the first time, created new bus-
THAT Leo Feist, who secured the American Quantities of a well-printed and title-paged edi-
iness and caused activity in our
rights of Scotto's "Ah Si Vous Voulez de tion were sold at a Chicago department store at
l'Amour" some twelve menths ago has the very 2 cents a copy, and it is whispered that a couple
sales department.
best French composition on the market. It is of Chicago publishers are at good-natured loggfr-
The era of
heads over this particular deal in "Widders."
duly copyrighted, too.
Just
now
the
sale
of
the
waltz
has
dropped
to
THAT "Teddy" Morse, that really clever and
painstaking composer of "popular" music, is tak- nothing, but there may be a revival this fall.
The reason for the decay of the song hit is
ing a well-earned rest.
still a matter of discussion in the trade, and
Ten Cent Sheet Music has come.
THAT we read in an excellent contemporary
some who have analyzed the matter believe that
that "Milwaukee music dealers are jubilant over
the time will soon be here when we shall wit-
the fact that Milwaukee is to bg the location of
ness the initiation of long-drawn-out successes
the next sangerfest of the great North American
reminiscent of a decade ago. In the first place,
Sangerbund."
19 West 28th Street, New York
publishers are beginning to realize that they
THAT if the Ancient Order of Hibernians de- have crowded the market too much and are now
striving to bring out fewer numbers but exploit
CONSERVATORY EDITION
THE TEACHER'S FAVORITE
these more thoroughly. The vast number of
things that have been thrown to the dear public
GRADED
have only served to bewilder them, and in the
long run to create only a demand for the very
EVEN if you'd like to think so, there
EDITION
"latest," irrespective of merit. All this is to
are no other editions of
U. 3.
undergo a change according to some of the live
B«c U S-
ones in the trade, and Joe Harris, for one, con-
LEO FEIS I, Feist Buildinp. 134 W. 37th St.. N. Y.
fidently predicts that the reinstatement of the
"hit" as a trade feature may be expected no
J
later than this fall.
E
H. F. Chandler, of the National Music Co.,
From "THE DAIRYMAIDS"
R
is optimistic regarding the tendencies of the
( W o r d s b y M . E. ROURKE)
O
trade. "The off-color coon song and the dis
"MARY McGE8," I'D LIKE TO MEET YOUR
that are nearly so good as the just
M
FATHER. "CHEER UP GIRLS," "I'VE A MILLION
reputable rag-time are practically things of the
published
REASONS
WHY
I
LOVE
YOU."
"NEVER
MARRY
E
past," remarked Mr. Chandler, "and that there
A GIRL WITH COLD COLD FEET."
is a return to a desire for a high-grade Heaven,
D.
From "THE LITTLE CHERUB"
myself will be able to take any holiday until tbe
end of the autumn," continued the composer of
"Tipperary," "as of course I have my profes-
sional department to look to, which is always
very busy at this time of the year."
Among a number of excellent songs which Mr.
Helf played over as part of his new season's
offerings, one entitled "You Can Look and You
Can Listen, But M-U-M's the Word," looks like
a winner. Of course, Mr. Helf has his usual
autumn ballads, and two or ihree prodii; lion
numbers which will no doubt be heard from
later.
MREYlEWflEARS
TRADE NOTES FROM CHICAGO.
I
"CENTURY EDITION"
"CENTURY EDITION"
"CENTURY EDITION"
Century Music Publishing Co.
PAT
Orr.
PAT.
Orr.
Kphler,
Heller
SVCCESSFVL SONGS
K
E
R
N
'S
"MEET ME AT TWILIGHT," (Ward! by F. Clifford
Harris), "UNDER THE LINDEN TREE," (Words
by M. E. Roarkc).
From "THE MORALS OF MARCUS"
"EASTERN MOON," (Words by M. E. Rourke).
T 1. R
D.
f ft I431-143E Broadway
lV.,
NEW YORK
ROBERT TELLER SONS & DORNER
Music Engravers and Printers
SEND MANUSCRIPT AND IDEA OF TITLE
FOR ESTIMATE
226 WEST ISth STREET, NEW YORK CITY
and
Czerny
Send
for
our
special
new
issue
proposi-
tion—
WHO IS SHE?
50MEB0DY-THA
I-KNOW-AND
YOU^KNOWTO
J-FRtDHtLFlS
LATEST BALLAD
HIT <*>
"Hit- HELF 6> HAGER CO.
Music Publishers
land" 43 W. 28th
Street. New York
Conservatory
Edition
of these standard works, and best of all,
they cost less than any other edition—
none nearly so good.
Conservatory Publication
Society
Cor. BROADWAY and 28th ST., NEW YORK
CONSERVATORY EDITION

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