Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
the way, only asks 7 cents, anyway, for popular
numbers, and suffers not though we disapprove!
Mr. K., of New Haven, may be right, or it may
be that the stores are selling music at a temporary
loss! Let the publishers get what they can; they
are entitled to it, for they cannot solve a Chinese
puzzle any more than the dealers can.
SELLING "TRUST" GOOD IN IDEA.
Too Many Millions, However, Would Be Re-
quired to Consolidate Publishing Firms and
Music Dealers—Only Gigantic Operations
Like Tobacco Trust Could Succeed.
REVIEW
full of energy and meant business. He wished
to get all the music publishers into a combination
and started work on the task, little dreaming of
the real size of this. He came to me and asked
what I thought of the idea. I said then, as I say
now, that it was a good one. The only way in
which it can be carried out, in my opinion, is that
in which the United Cigar Stores are now oper-
ated. The central or main body supplies the goods.
The retail stores sell these, and the goods cannot
be bought save at such stores. The retail tobacco
business that is missed by the United Cigar Stores
is not worth bothering about in comparison with
that which they do control.
"The same process applied to the music busi-
ness would mean that the great majority of pub-
lishing firms would have to be bought up outright.
Then their output could be controlled and marketed
through retail stores. Music dealers would have
to be bought out, just as the tobacco people bought
up retail stores in their line by the hundred or
else drove these out of business. With the pub-
lishers' business consolidated through purchase,
and the retail business controlled or at least domi-
nated, through purchase or power, there could be
a powerful music 'trust.' Millions would be re-
quired, however, to buy up these firms and stores.
It could be done, however, as has been proven by
the United Cigar Stores. A million would be
needed to buy my business alone, and other pub-
lishers would demand and deserve large sums.
Even Ditson, Schirmer, Church, and so on, would
have to be taken into the fold by purchase, so that
you will readily see that money, big money, would
be required. No 'small fry' need apply. I told all
this to the Wall street man. He thanked me and
came to agree with me—and then abandoned his
project. It was too large, he saw, for him to
undertake."
Edward J. Ader, the Chicago attorney who was
in New York last week in an effort to promote
a corporation to be known as The Music Sales
Co., visited some of the New York publishers with
a view to ascertaining their attitude regarding his
project. This is understood to have been a central
agency or "clearing house" which should control
the output of publishing firms holding stock therein
and selling their sheet music, books, etc., to deal-
ers who should join the organization. Little en-
couragement was given the promoter here, it is
understood, although the few music publishers
seen admitted that the idea was a good one theo-
retically. They declared it to be impracticable,
however, unless the company undertaking to carry
it out should be a gigantic corporation with capi-
tal amounting to between $10,000,000 and $20,000,-
000, or even more. One of the publishers ap-
proached here was Chas. K. Harris. Mr. Ader
interviewed Meyer Cohen, as Mr. Harris' manager,
and was told that there was no chance of Mr.
Harris joining such a movement. Later, Mr.
Harris said to The Review:
"The idea has theoretical merit, but can never
be carried out when the scale upon which it is
attempted is a small one. It is not a new idea,
MARRIAGE A LA CARTE OPENS.
either. Leo. Feist had a similar plan in mind
years ago, and a promoter from Wall street also
"Marriage a la Carte," the new musical comedy
worked on it for a while. This promoter was by C. M. S. McLellan, with music by Ivan Caryll,
was produced at the Belasco Theater, Washington,
D. C, last Monday evening to a crowded house.
Holiday crowds attended during the engagement
Reports from that city are to the effect that the
production was a "tremendous success." both after-
noon and evening. "Marriage a la Carte'' will be
produced by Liebler & Co. in this city next Mon-
day evening. The music is published by Chappell
W e acknowledge with thanks and
& Co. The same firm are publishers of the music
of "The Slim Princess," which will also have its
appreciation the excellent manner in
New York opening next Monday evening.
Thanks!!
which the dealers are co-operating
with the
"Century Canvassers"
and feel confident that as the work is
continued all will reap the benefit of
the wondrous campaign. (No can-
vassing will be done during the holi-
day season).
CENTURY MUSIC PUBLISHING CO.
17 W. 28th St., or 1 1 78 Broadway
NEW YORK
GRAND OPERA MANUSCRIPTS STOLEN.
Two of the manuscripts submitted in the $10,000
opera competition which the Metropolitan Opera
Co. have opened, hoping thereby to obtain a new
American work for production, were stolen from
WE CANNOT PRINT
THEM FAST ENOUGH
EVERY LITTLE
MOVEMENT"
and the other
big h i t s of
New York's Prize Ballad
"Without You The World
Don't Seem The
Same"
Featured in Vaudeville by
MISS LINDEN BECK WITH
For best terms write direct to
THE HEAD MUSIC PUBLISHING CO.
1416 Broadway, Cor. 39th Street
NEW YORK
"Madame Sherry"
now playing to crowded houses at the
New Amsterdam Theatre, New York
including "Love Dance," "The Butterfly," "Birth
of Passion," "I'm All Right," "We Are Only Poor
Weak Mortals After All," etc., etc., etc.
Also Complete Vocal Score, Selection, Waltzes, etc.
M. WITMARK & SONS
CHICAGO
65
an Adams Express Co. wagon last Saturday. They
were being sent to George W. Chadwick, of Bos-
ton, by Walter Damrosch, one of the jurors chosen
to examine the works submitted. They had been
insured against theft in transit, and the composers
will be reimubrsed if the manuscripts are lost.
MREVIEWflEARS
THAT at least one music publisher has some
real money—Theodore Presser, of Philadelphia,
who is on official records as having recently loaned
$135,000 on a real estate first mortgage.
THAT the finding of a piece of sheet music
proved the clue that led to the capture of three
alleged manslayers in Indianapolis last Monday.
THAT some sheet music will lead to almost any-
thing, in fact.
THAT Mrs. Doctor Munyon, who was boxoffice
"headliner" at Hammerstein's Victoria last week,
ssng Witmark's "Honeymooning Honey in Bom-
bay."
THAT if she had sung this to old "Doc" him-
self—well, perhaps he'd have still said, "there is
hope."
THAT the name of "The Satyr," the new musi-
cal comedy composed by Ivan Caryll, which Chap-
pell & Co. are to publish, has been changed to
"Gay Claudine."
THAT it will be produced by Klaw & Erlanger
early in February.
THAT in a dismal failure, "Drifting," which was
succeeded by another play at Nazimova's Theater
last night, one of the few bright spots was the
playing of "Keep Your Foot on the Soft Pedal,"
by one of the principal characters.
THAT Chas. K. Harris is writing a new child
song, "Will the Roses Bloom in Heaven?"
THAT several orders had been sent in for
"Harris' new baby song," and as Harris had no
such new number he grasped his pen and wrote
one.
THAT J. Walter Leopold has resigned from the
professional staff of the Chicago office of Chas. K.
Harris.
THAT William Power, who plays the role of
Theobald Martin in "Alma, Where Do You Live?"
at Joe Weber's Theater, has interpolated a new
song, "Show Me Around and Around," written
by William Cahill.
THAT Harry Askin finally arrived in town from
Chicago, and arranged more details of the produc-
tion of his new and still unnamed musical comedy.
THAT a "medley overture" played at the Plaza
during the intermission under the new policy was
credited to Harry Von Tilzer on the program, but
all the numbers were Shapiro's.
FEIST NOTES.
"SENSATION" is a word so
often abused that we dis-
like to use it.
Still, if you had been to
Hammerstein's Victoria The-
atre this week and had had
the unusual pleasure of wit-
nessing Mr. Ben Welch's
performance, you would agree
that his presentation of
'•THAT DREAMY ITALIAN WALTZ. "
was a REAL SENSATION!
That Feist Professional
Staff IS CERTAINLY DOING
things!
GETTING ANY CALLS?
NEW YORK — SAN FRANCISCO -
LONDON - PARIS
LEO. FEIST--NEW YORK.