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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
54
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Conducted by B. B. Wilson
SUES FOR ALLEGED PLAGIARISM.
POPULAR MUSIC PUBLISHING AS A BUSINESS.
Despite the Apparent Ideas of Some Ambitious Song Writers of the Near Professional
Who Seek to Corral A l l the Profits, Business A b i l i t y and T r a i n i n g Are Necessary.
There has long ibeen a saying to the effect that
every man, no matter how humble his position in
the world, has a firm belief that he can run a
newspaper and the Government better than those
already engaged in the work, but developments
for some time past would seem to indicate that
music publishing should be added to the list of
things that the layman believes he can do without
previous training and with little effort. As a mat-
ter of fact, that number of ambitious ones who
have the idea that they would like to engage in
music publishing is in excess of the number who
believe that they are inspired song writers.
The song writer who finds little market for his
productions or thinks the publisher is not pushing
them with sufficient energy, looks at the small
royalty offered or paid him and immediately se-
cures the impression that the hardest work the
publisher does is to count his profits at regular
intervals. The amateur is frequently ill supplied
with capital in excess of an amount sufficient to
have a small edition of his songs published, and
when the music dealers and the syndicates do not
rush to take the stock off his hands he starts to
talk of the "music trust."
Music publishing is, and always has been, a reg-
ular business, despite the jokes that have tended
to indicate the contrary. It is a business that de-
mands good business sense of a recognized sort.
a thorough understanding of conditions and meth-
ods and real training. No man in his right senses
would engage in any manufacturing business,
Philander Johnson, Dramatic Critic, Charges
That Libretto of "The Beauty Shop" Was
Taken from One of His Own Plays.
Type
would sink his capital in a manufacturing business
without a more or less detailed knowledge of the
conditions prevailing in that particular field or th-
market that was open for his products and the
method for advertising and selling his goods.
Why should the same man expect to manufacture
music, for that is what it amounts to, without any
previous experience? Is it any wonder he loses
his money and looks upon the trade as one gigantic
combination designed to freeze out the little
fellow?
The actual publishing of music, the simple mat-
ter of having copies printed and placed on the
stock shelves, is only the smallest factor in the
business. It is the question of popularizing the
music and then selling it and getting back the
money invested that turns the publisher's hair
gray. The dealers, whether they are independent
or in syndicates, will not buy anything that does
not have at least the promise of becoming a good
seller or a "hit" unless the original order is con-
signed, and they do not want everything even on
the latter basis. Shelf room costs money.
Those who have been connected with the trade
as professional song writers know too much about
the inner workings to start publishing on their
own account until they are fully prepared and in
a position "to stand at least some chance of suc-
cess, and at that comparatively few of them meet
with more than ordinary success. Under such
conditions, where does the ordinary amateur
stand a chance?
Philander Johnson, dramatic critic of the Wash-
ington Star, has brouglit suit against Charming
Pollock and Rennold Wolf, co-authors of "The
Beauty Shop," and seeks damages on the charge
that the piece is founded on his own libretto of
"Dr. Fakewell." Mr. Johnson asserts he sent his
manuscript to Mr. Hitchcock. Mr. Pollock says
that Mr. Hitchcock did not know he was to play
in "The Beauty Shop" until it was read to him
in its entirety in the offices of Cohan & Harris last
summer. Both Mr. Pollock and Mr. Wolf deny
they ever had seen the manuscript or heard of "Dr.
Fakewell" until after they had finished "The
Beauty Shop."
HAMMERSTEIN_DELAYS OPERA.
New
House
Won't Be Opened
September.
Until
Next
Oscar Hammerstein decided Monday not to
open his new opera house, now building in Lex-
ington avenue, until the first week in September.
It was to have opened the middle of this week.
Mr. Hammerstein explained that difficulty in
striking bedrock for the foundations had caused
the contractors such delays that it would be im-
possible to finish the building before March.
Then, too, he explained, it was doubtful if the
proceedings now before the Appellate Division to
dissolve the injunction obtained by the Metro-
politan Opera Co. restraining him from producing
opera in this city would be decided before late
next month.
TO PROTECT AMERICAN MUSIC.
LAUDER'S TICKLIN' AGAIN.
Mr. Hammerstein said that the chorus had been
Society Organized in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Scotch Comedian Sings Some New Songs in
paid off, to reassemble for rehearsals in August,
the Casino on Monday Last.
for That Purpose—American Prints Copied
several of the principals had been placed with
Indiscriminately Under Present Conditions.
Harry Lauder, Scotch comedian, with new tar- other companies, and that other singers, includ-
ing Orville Harrold, Marcus Kellermann, Alice
It is generally known that at the present time tans and songs but with the same crooked smile
Gentle and Nina Morgana, would make a concert
and
crooked
walk
and
the
same
bubbling,
spon-
there is no copyright agreement between the United
tour under the name of the Hammerstein Grand
States and the Argentine Republic, and as a con- taneous humor, began his sixth American tour
Opera Company.
sequence all music published in the United States Monday afternoon in the Casino Theater.
The
best
of
his
new
songs
is
"Ta,
Ta,
My
Bon-
is copied indiscriminately in that country, Adolfo
A NEW WINTER GARDEN PRODUCTION.
Apfelberger, who represents several lines of Amer- nie Darlin'," and his singing of it is artistic. In
The new Winter Garden show, "The Whirl of
the
kilts
of
a
soldier
he
boasts
of
his
amatory
ican sheet music, musical instruments and acces-
sories in that country, has organized the Sociedad and marital conquests, simulating with fine art the World," will be presented on Broadway for
Argentina de Editores de Musica (Argentine So- the swaggering braggadocio of the type. A song the first time to-night, January 10, with the Winter
about a lazy lout, entitled "It's Nice to Get Up in Garden company, including Lydia Kasht, the
ciety of Music Publishers).
The new society, which was legally registered on the Mornin', but Nice to Lie in Bed," was another famous Russian dancer; Lillian Lorraine, Ralph
Herz, Walter C. Kelly and others. The book and
the first of the year, includes in its membership interesting addition to his list.
lyrics of the piece are by Harold Atteridge,-and
over eighty prominent firms in Buenos Aires, and
the music by S. Romberg, a young Viennese com-
"BEHIND THE NIGHTLIGHT."
Mr. Affelberger, who is a director of the society
A dainty gift book, particularly for children, is poser, who is making his debut on Broadway.
and its foreign correspondent, will render all as-
sistance possible and give information to such "Behind the Nightlight," published by Boosey & Co.
NEW MOROSCOJHUSICAL PIECE.
concerns as may have their goods seized in Argen- The verse tells of "Hibbertoo and Other Animals,"
Oliver
Morosco, the prominent and successful
tina through lack of knowledge of the copyright and is set to most delightful music by Liza Leh-
laws of that country, and which will be published mann, who seems to have the charm of giving rare manager of Los Angeles, Cal., who has long had
in The Review at an early date.
"atmosphere" to these quaint rhymes, which are ac- an ambition to enter New York with a new pro-
The failure of American composers and publish- credited to Joan Maud, recorded by her mother, duction, has written, in conjunction with Elmer
ers to have protection in Argentina is due to the and set to music so daintily and effectively by her Harris, a new musical piece entitled "The Pretty
fact that this country did not enter into the con- Godmother. The volume should have a wide ap- Miss Smith," in which Kitty Gordon will star.
vention of Montevideo in order to protect the peal, particularly in homes where music is proving The new piece will be brought to Broadway after
a short try-out through the West.
such a factor in child training.
interests of its publishers.
Messrs. Shubert's Production of the London
Gaiety Success
THE GIRL ON THE FILM
Music by Walter Kollo, Willy Bredschneider
and Albert Sirmay
WE PUBLISH THE GREAT WALTZ SONG SUCCESS
WON'T YOU COME AND WALTZ WITH ME?
Words by Adrian Ross
Won't You Conic and Waltz With Me?
Song of the Mill
Steady! Freddy!
Oh ! If You Were a Girl
SEPARATE
$0.60
60
60 Vocal Score
60 Selection • •
Music by Albert Sirmay
NUMBERS
41 East 34th Street, NEW YORK
TORONTO
CHAPPELL & CO., Ltd., 347 Yonge Street!
.!p2.00
. 1.00
In Bond Street
Down by the Country Side
In Bond Street—March
Valse
LONDON
?0.G0
60
60
75
MELBOURNE