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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Conducted by B. B. "Wilson
BRANDING FREE COPIES.
CHRISTIAN KRIENS WORKS.
Stamping of Word "Complimentary" in All Free
Copies of Regular Music Would Put Quietus
Upon Selling It—Move Worth Inaugurating.
Additions Made to List of Compositions by
Dutch-American Composer—A New Quar-
tet for Strings and Other Works.
Although there is a bunch of professional copies
of the popular music of the day to be found
on a surprisingly large proportion of the pianos in
New York a matter to be more deeply regretted is
that so many regular copies on the same pianos
have been handed out by the publisher without
charge and no one is the wiser. Professional
copies, though they have no place outside the pro-
fession, at least offer instant proof that they have
been obtained without cost; why not, therefore, if
it is necessary or desirable to give away regular
copies, have the word "complimentary" stamped
plainly on each copy instead of only a few, as is
now the case with many houses.
There is no question but that many of those who
obtain "sets of regulars" with such ease from the
various publishers proceed to sell that same music
for what they can get for it. A little trip through
the publishing district in the course of a morning
and an appeal to several friends with various
•houses may easily result in the accumulation of a
hundred or more copies of the latest popular music
which when sold even for a couple of cents per
copy is sufficient to ensure lunch money for a day
or two. The word "complimentary" spread gener-
ously over the title page and first inside page of
the music indicates the source of the music and
hinders its sale materially. To give music away
with great willingness is bad enough, but to give it
away and have the recipient sell it later is adding
insult to injury. Incidentally it might be remarked
that the placing of the authority to distribute free
music with one man and not with practically every
member of the staff with any standing, would do
much to reduce waste. The writer has seen
one of the regular copy fiends secure two sets of
the same music by appealing to two different men,
and all within a half-hour.
COULDN'T SAVE KEY HOME.
Old Dwelling of Author of "The Star Spangled
Banner" Being Destroyed.
(Special to The Review.)
M. Witmark & Sons have recently added another
important composition to their catalog of instru-
mental music. The composition in question is a
quartet for strings in B Flat major and is in
four parts as follows: 1. Allegro; 2, Scherzo, Cap-
riccioso; 3, Nocturne; 4, Allegro con brio. It was
written by Christian Kriens, the Dutch-American
composer and violinist, whose meritorious compo-
sitions have won much praise. The quartet shows
the hand of a perfectly skilled musician. It was
rendered for the first time in public, the occasion
being a concert given by the composer in the Astor
Gallery, Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y., on April 22, 1912,
by Christian Kriens (first violin), William Doen-
gef (second violin), Karl Benhak (viola) and Leo
Schultz ('cello). The performance was an excel-
lent one and each movement aroused enthusiasm.
Feb. 2 and 3 movements of this welcome composi-
tion are published separately.
Among other new compositions by Mr. Kriens
recently published by M. Witmark & Sons is a
quartet for three violins and piano entitled "The
Mermaids," two quartets for first and second
violins, viola and 'cello entitled "Spring," and
minuet, respectively; a delightful quintet for four
violins and piano—Miniature Suite and some solos
written for violin and 'cello with pianoforte ac-
companiment including "Babbling Brook," ("Valse
Coquette") "A Sad Song," "Summer Evening,"
"Epitaph" (Meditation) and "Dance of the Old
Queen." "The Fountain and the Lily" is a violin
solo with piano accompaniment, "A Dream" (Un
Reve) solo for 'cello with piano accompaniment,
"Valse Boheme," a brilliant solo for the piano.
Another very important number by this young
and promising composer now in course of publica-
tion is entitled "In Brittany," a new suite for large
and small orchestra. It will also be published in
sheet form for piano, and for violin and 'cello,
etc.
- Those who were fortunate enough to hear it
at a private rehearsal played from manuscript pro-
nounced it the best work of its class heard in
many years.
Washington, D. C, Jan. 0, 1913.
WANT TO MAKE $1,000?
Workmen have begun the destruction of 'the
;>ld home of Francis Scott Key, author of the Oscar Hammerstein Offers That Amount to
'Star-Spangled Banner," where Key lived from
Anyone Who Will Prove That His "Valse
1806 to 1828.
Jubilee" Is Not Original.
The Francis Scott Key Memorial Association
failed in its efforts to raise enough money to pre-
Though Oscar Hammerstein is busy with his
serve the structure. The building is about 125 plans for opera in English and by that token pre-
years old and stands near the Aqueduct Bridge paring for a fight with the management of the
Metropolitan Opera Company, he nevertheless has
'n Georgetown, District of Columbia.
found time to contradict the statement that his
"Valse Jubilee" sung at the Hippodrome recently
NEW CONTRACTTFOR E. R. BALL.
is a melenge of a score or more of popular songs
• On January 1, Ernest R. Ball, composer of "Love and just to prove his assertion that the piece is
Me and the World Is Mine," "In the Garden of original he has offered $1,000 to anyone who will
My Heart," and other successes, received a con- prove to the contrary. Up to the present writing
tract from M. Witmark & Sons, his publishers, no one has come forward to claim the $1,000, which
which is said to guarantee the payment of royalties may possibly be attributed to Mr. Hammerstein's
9n his songs for the next ten years.
recognized prowess as a fighter.
If you desire a man for any department of
your service, either for your factory or for your
DESIGN COMPETITION.
selling department, forward your advertisement
The competition for advertising designs to be
to us and it will be inserted free of charge.
used in connection with the new cheap editions
of the three Wagner works which are published
Harold and Helen Ballou's
by Fuerstner, "Rienzi," "Flying Dutchman," and
POST CARD SONGS
"Tannhauser" and for which prizes were offered,
Have Caught the Hearts and Purses.
The ONLY novelty in printed music. Original,
has been decided in favor of four German artists,
catchy, complete with accompaniment and pleasing
though other European draughtsmen had also taken
sentiment. Samples, List and Prices at your call.
part. An exhibition of all the designs, that
HAROLD AND HELEN BALLOU, Publishers.
Maritime Building,
Seattle, Washington.
amounted to some eight hundred, is shortly to be
They ginger up the music trade.
arranged in Berlin and other German towns.
MREVIEWflEARS
THAT the scratching noise one hears in the vicin-
ity of the music publishing houses is the sound
of the salesmen writing out orders, with a view
to getting back into practice after a six weeks'
lull.
THAT with the majority of houses things began
to brighten up immediately with the beginning of
the new year.
THAT according to a report from London there
is a new safe in that country which may be opened
only upon the blowing of a certain note on a
trumpet.
THAT a little ragtime tune with lyrics of poor
quality has accomplished the same result with the
safes of some music publishers to their ultimate
regret.
THAT Ted S. Barron, general manager of the
Jerome & Schwartz Pub. Co., started on one of
those busy little road trips of his last week and
will be gone for a month or more.
THAT Jean Schwartz is spending most of his
time these days working on the music for the new
show to be produced at the Winter Garden within
a few weeks.
THAT several of the more prominent publishers
are devoting more of their attention to ballads
and numbers of that sort than to ragtime, on the
theory that the ballads will prove better proposi-
tions in the end.
THAT an authentic list of song titles that have
already been used would prove of great benefit
both to song writers and publishers in choosing
suitable names for new numbers.
THAT such a list would also take away from the
imitation fiend his chief excuse—that of ignorance.
THAT though a couple of music publishers had
automobiles on Broadway at about midnight on
December 31 with the cars bearing large and ap-
propriate signs, the safe and sane New Year cele-
bration did not materialize to any extent.
THAT one professional manager believes the
cabaret singer who receives a generous tip for giv-
ing an encorse of a popular song should come
across with a divvy to the house publishing that
song. Oh, well, that's different.
THAT with combinations of publishing houses
announced at frequent intervals, as it were, it is
about time for the dealer to raise the cry of
"trust" and ask the government to take action.
CHIME MUSIC NOTJVHAT IT SEEMS.
Shades of English forefathers! Costly chimes
of Meriden, Conn., church rings out old year, in
with the new by chiming "How Dry I Am." At
least that's what the evil minded people thought
it was until chimemaster informed scandalized
ones, it was "Oh, Happy Days," a perfectly good
hymn. "Blessed Be the Tie That Binds" has a
parody, "I'd Rather Have Fingers Than Toes."
"Not 'Till Then," the new Chas. K. Harris ballad,
is breaking some records.
Ain't Yo' Comin' Back To
Me, Ma Dinah Lee ?
The greatest Southern song written since
"Down Upon the Suwanee River." A
quaint, pathetic song with beautiful har-
mony of real Southern character, sweet
and melodious. The Southern song "hit"
of the season. Get this one quick.
METROPOLITAN MUSIC PUB. CO.
1520 Broadway, New York City