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48
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
WITMARK & SONS' SILVER JUBILEE—1910-1911.
over this astounding list: "The Ameer," "The Auto
Race," "Babes in Toyland," "Babette," "Baroness
Fiddlesticks," "Belle of the West," "Ben Hur,"
Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Founding of M. Witmark & Sons Being Celebrated This Season—
"Broadway to Tokio," "The Burgomaster." "Bus-
How the "Boys" Started and Fought Upward—Operatic and Other Successful Numbers.
ter Brown," "The Chaperons," "A China Doll," "A
Chinese Honeymoon," "Clorindy," "Cyrano de Ber-
Silver jubilees have come hut seldom in the his-
the theatrical profession enjoyed- by one of their gerac," "Dick Whittington," "Dolly Varden," "The
English Daisy," "The Explorers," "The Fair
members, Julius P. Witmark, who was largely in-
tory of American music publishing firms. When
strumental in popularizing many of their various Co-Ed," "Fantana," "The Filibuster," "The Fortune
one such house has grown and prospered through
Teller," "The Gay Musician," "The Girl and the
successes. Consequently, since its inception, the
twenty-five years of existence, therefore weathering
house of Witmark claims to have had more genuine Governor," "Girls Will Be Girls," "Glittering Glo-
the recurring trade storms in which so many other
ria," "The Grand Mogul," "His Honor the Mayor,"
hits, in the line of both individual vocal and instru-
firms were wrecked, and growing in strength irre-
"Isle of Champagne," "It Happened in Nordland,"
mental
numbers
and
musical
productions,
than
any
sistibly, the achievement is a notable one in the
other firm in the music business. But notwithstand- "King Dodo," "King Kaliko," "The Land of Nod,"
music trade.
"Lonesome Town," "Love's Lottery," "The Maid
ing the quantity, variety and importance of their
. M. Witmark & Sons are the firm now at the past triumphs, especially as regards comic operas, and the Mummy," "Mam'selle Awkins," "Matn'selle
quarter-century mark. More than this, the season
musical comedies and similar entertainments, it is Napoleon," "The Man from China," "The Motor
Girl," "Molly May," "Man from Now," "Marcelle,"
of 1910-11 marks the twenty-eighth milestone in the
to M. Witmark & Sons a most satisfactory and
commercial existence of "The Witmarks" them- significant fact that their silver anniversary has ar- "Mary's Lamb," "Mayor of Tokio," "Me, Him and
selves, separate and distinct from their history as a rived during a season which has already proven to I," "A Million Dollars," "Miss Dolly Dollars,"
be the brightest and most prosperous they have "Mispah," "Mr. Bluebeard," "Mr. Pickwick," "My
business institution. In spite of all this—and
ever known, and look whichever way they may, Antoinette," "My Lady's Maid," "Normandy Wed-
twenty-five years does seem a long time when con
ding," "Parisian Model," "The Pearl and the
sidered in the concrete—the members of the firm euher around them or ahead, naught but prosperity
Pumpkin," "Peggy from Paris," "The Pied Piper,"
are young men. They are known across the country. and continued well-being meets their view.
"The Prima Donna," "Prince Humbug," "Princess
Never before has the house been able to point in
Beggar," "Princess Chic," "The Rollicking Girl,"
any one season to so many successful musical pro-
ductions which bear its imprint. Of these the fol- "The Royal Chef," "The Royal Rogue," "The Sho-
lowing are now playing, either in New York or on Gun," "The Singing Girl," "The Spring Chicken,"
the road: "Naughty Marietta,"' "Madame Sherry" "The Storks," "The Sultan of Sulu," "Sweet Anna
Page," "The Tattooed Man," "The Tenderfoot,"
(three companies), "International Cup" (the New
"The Top o" Th' World," "The Viceroy," "When
York Hippodrome production, 1910-1911), "Girl of
My Dreams, "Bright Eyes," "Three Twins" (three Johnny Comes Marching Home," "The Wizard of
Oz," "Wonderland," "Woodland," "The Yankee
companies), "Girl in the Train," "Jumping Jupiter,"
"Old Town," "Barry of Ballymore," "The Fasci- Consul," "A Yankee Tourist," all of the Weber &
Fields, Chauncey Olcntt, Rogers Bros, and Hippo-
nating Widow," "Katie Did," "The Soul Kiss"
drome productions.
(two companies), "The Newly Weds and Their
Baby" (two companies), "The Prince of Pilsen,"
Does not this conclusively prove to the trade and
"Old Dutch," "The Red Mill," "The Alaskan," "The the music-loving public that, notwithstanding all
Wizard of Wiseland," "Two Men and a Woman," announcements to the contrary, "The Witmark
"Sweet Sixteen," "A Trip to Japan" (the New Boys" have, without doubt, published more musi "tl
York Hippodrome production, 1909-1910), "M'lle
productions during their business career than a!!
Modiste," "College Life/' "At the Country Club," other firms of music publishers in America? And
"At the Waldorf," "The Love Waltz," "The Photo the production field is only one department of this
Shop," and the following in preparation: "The great concern, for they have launched most of the
Grape Girl," "The Mollycoddle,'' "The Sky Pirate," vocal and instrumental successes heard during the
"The Girl from Childs," "Navy Blue."
above period. Among the numbers of all kinds thai
Remarkable Showing for One Season.
at various periods have set the whole country, yes,
some of them, the world, singing, playing and
This is surely a most remarkable showing for
one season. What other house is able to match or whistling, and many of which held the world's rec-
even approach it? Then, to make the comparison ords from a sales standpoint, are "The Trish Jubi-
THE LATE MARCH'S WITMARK.
more complete, more overwhelmingly convincing, lee," "The Picture That Was Turned Toward the
and across the ocean, too, as "the Witmark Roys," you should briefly review some of the triumphs of
Wall," "I Long to Sec the Girl I [.eft Behind,"
which means, of course, that they were mere youths
the house of Witmark in past years. Just glance "Only One Girl in the World for Me," "Her lues
when first they -brought their energy and talents
into what were then the uncertain paths of music
publishing.
Although this great concern has "come of agy.'
speaking commercially, its plucky and enterprising
members have never for a moment relaxed in vigi-
lance or vigor. On the contrary, instead of resting
comfortably upon their laurels won during the
years of steady, persistent toil and unremitting
energy and brain work, they are still "in harness"
—even more so to-day than when they were "boys"
indeed, and began business with a toy hand press.
Began While in Their Teens.
At that period of their existence not one of the
Witmark youngsters was out of his 'teens; so to
insure legal responsibility the brothers pressed their
father, the late Marcus Witmark, into partnership.
They seem, indeed, to have partaken of the elixir
of life, retaining, as they do, all their youthful vigor
and mental activity, thus remaining young for their
respective ages, at which, in the ordinary course of
events, others begin to do their life work.
Despite the storm and stress of tremendous com-
petition they have always more than he'.d their own
against all comers, distancing those who have tried
to pass them on the road to commercial distinction
and who are now no more heard of, and maintain-
ing the place in the van of the Army of Industry
which they have held from the start. Thanks to the
exercise of inventive and executive ability, backed
by keen judgment, they have succeeded where
others failed, and are now enjoying the satisfaction
of being imitated by other firms in many of their
own methods and innovations. Always exerting^ to
the utmost their well-known faculty for clinging
tenaciously to the business in hand, while at the
same time keeping closely to their determination
to expand, the firm of M. Witmark & Sons is to-
day in full and proud possession of the position it
has always sought—that of the only prominent
American music publishing house which controls
its own branch houses in London and Paris, to say
nothing of Chicago and San Francisco. These en-
terprises, together with their connections in Aus-
5UTO55 15 UJ9RK
tralia, Germany, Austria, etc., only tend to magnify
their enviable position in the music world.
One of the many advantages possessed by them
THE THREE PARTNERS OF
WITMARK & SONS.
when they began business was the high standing in