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THE
54
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
Conducted by B. B, "Wilson
"LITTLE GREY HOME IN THE WEST."
Song by Herman Lohr Is Simple and Unpre-
tentious, Yet Its Charming Melody Has Won
It Great Success—A Critic's View of Music
and the Psychology of Popularity.
Herman Lohr's song, "Little Grey Home in the
West," which is now the rage in England, has just
been introduced into "The Marriage Market,"
the loosely constructed and poorly written compositions of
amateur or half-fledged composers have sold by the tens of
thousands, almost rivalling the popularity of a well written
masterpiece. Why, for instance, should, a song like Her-
man Lohr's song 'Little Grey Home in the West,' have
such an enormous vogue when other songs equally simple,
as well as equally melodious, and equally attractive, ap-
parently, remain on the publishers shelves, dusty and for-
gotten?
There are other composers with the technical
equipment of Herman Lohr, and there are scores of songs
as natural and as tuneful as the 'Little Grey Home in the
West.' Then why should this song be singled out by the
public from among a hundred or more seemingly as mer-
itorious? Has the public, collectively, a finer discrimination
or more horse sense than the musician who chooses the
manuscripts for publication? A fortune awaits the man
who can explain the psychology of popularity."
A PROMISING_NEW COMPOSER.
William Lester Already Responsible for Some
Successful Numbers—Of English B i r t h —
Well Known as Musician and Critic.
(Special to The Review.)
BOSTON, MASS., November 3.—The new com-
poser, William Lester, who was mentioned last
month in The Review, promises to be another in
the long list of the White-
Smith Co.'s clever 'finds."
However, the following answer gives the ex-
One of his newest songs
planation : "The melody is appealing and the words
which the White-Smith
of human interest."
Co. is about to issue, is
A peculiar tribute to the song is the fact that
called "Apple Blossoms."
Selfridge's, the big American department store in
Composer Lester's compo-
London, has adopted the title as a slogan. The
sitions up to date, include
store is located in the West End and the building
"To Phillis," "As a Per-
is grey—hence "The Little Grey Home in the
fume
Doth
Remain,"
West."
"Echo," "Compensation,"
"Remembrance," and "My
Rose." Two choral num-
CLASSIC MUSIC_FOR SCHOOLS.
bers
are "Under the
Board of Education and Theater Center for
Rose," and "Home.".
Schools Planning to Give Concerts of Classi-
Mr. Lester comes of
cal Music for the Benefit of Public School
English parentage, and
Pupils and Their Parents.
was born in England in
While the successful writers of ragtime music
1889. In 190-2 the family
are visiting Europe and traveling around in ex- came to this country and settled in Keokuk, Iowa,
pensive automobiles purchased with their royalties where several persons of musical attainments be-
from the big sales and are being tendered sumptu- gan to exhibit an interest in the young man, who
ous banquets, the Board of Education of the city early began to show marked talent. Among his
of New York and the Theater Center for Schools close friends was Miss Jane Carey, a talented
are planning to present in the schools classic music pianiste. In 1908 he was graduated from the high
of interest to children more than eight years school of the city and he began to work along theo-
old.
retical lines in Chicago, where he studied piano and
In each school the principal will appoint some theory under Adolpf Brune, and organ under Wil-
representative who will organize the movement helm Middleschulte. For two years he was as-
Miss Betty Callish.
within the school. The concerts will be open only sistant to Felix Borowski, musical critic for the
which is now running at the Knickerbocker Thea- to pupils of that school or members of their Record-Herald. Later young Lester associated
families. Membership cards will be issued on the himself with Thomas N. MacBurney, a leading
ter, New York.
It is being sung by Miss Veneta Fitz Hugh, and payment of ten cents in dues, and these will entitle voice teacher. As a concert accompanist he came
to be well known in and about Chicago. He is the
ir received with great applause every evening. The the holder to admission to all the concerts.
The number of concerts in each school during accomplished organist and director at the Memorial
song is also being featured by Miss Betty Callish,
the talented artiste from t he Opera Comique, the year will depend on the number who have paid Church of Christ in that Western city.
dues. If 2,000 cards are issued there will be eight
Paris, upon her first American appearance.
"The Night Has a Thousand Eyes," song by
It was with reference to this song that the Eng- concerts, and the admission to each concert will
thus average a fraction over one cent. If 1,000 William T. Miller, has been published by the Oliver
lish Musical Critic wrote the following:
cards are issued four concerts will be given, and
"When a publisher examines the composition submitted
Ditson Co., Boston, in two keys, high voice in G
to him for publication, how is he to know the successes
this ratio will be maintained, the committee figur- and medium voice in R.
from the failures? He cannot he guided entirely by his
own likes or dislikes for experience teaches him that some
ing on a cost of $25 for each concert.
of the works on which he had founded his greatest hopes
The dates when the concerts are to be given and
have proved to be inexplicable disappointments. He can-
not be guided by the purity of style of the perfection of
Another Beautiful Ernest R. Ball Ballad
the hours, afternoon or evening, will be selected
technique of the composer, for he well knows that some of
by the schools themselves.
ENGLISH SONGWRITER HERE.
We Are the Publishers of the
Waltz Song Success
"Just Because
It's You"
From Ivan Caryll's New
Musical Comedy Success
"The Little Cafe"
CHAPPELL & CO., Ltd.
41 East 34th St., • NEW YORK
347 Yonge St.,
TORONTO
George Arthurs Has Written Some of the Most
Successful of the Popular Songs of the
Day in England—Gets Paid for Stage Rights.
A recent visitor of particular interest to our
shores was George Arthurs, one of the most
prominent of the French song writers and who
has even gone so far as to compose a "rag" that
has been considered worthy of being introduced
into this country.
Mr. Arthurs arrived in New York with Wilkie
Bard, the English comedian now appearing in
this country, and to whom he is under yearly
contract to supply new music, dialog and other
stage material.
According to his statement
in an interview, Mr. Arthurs secures from $50
to $100 for the stage rights to his songs and at
the same time retains control of the royalties
from the sale of the songs. He also gives 250,000
as the sale figures of a big success on the other
side.
Mr. Arthurs securing $50 to $100 for the priv-
ilege of singing his songs is quite in contrast with
the conditions in this country where the singers
demand various amounts for singing the songs, no.
matter by whom they are written.
GOOD-BYE, MY LOVE,
GOOD-BYE
Lyric by
George Graff
Formerly in our
Standard (high-
price) catalog,
we have now-
placed it in the
Popular catalog,
which makes it a a •% / \ cent
great number for your
counter
Stock up—you'll need them
M. W1TMARK & SONS
Witmark Bldg., 144-146 West 37th St.
NEW YORK CITY
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