Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
52
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Conducted by B. B. Wilson
DEDICATE MUSICIAN'S HOME.
Beautiful and Commodious Building in Phila-
delphia Dedicated to Use of Retired Mu-
sicians Who Have Given Best Years of Life
to Profession—Theodore Presser the Donor.
(Special to The Review.)
PHILADELPHIA J PA., September 26.—A distin-
guished company, made up largely of musicians
and writers and headed by Mayor Blankenburg,
attended the dedication of the beautiful new build-
ing of the Presser Home for Retired Music
T::.,'
at Johnson and Jefferson streets, Ger-
mant..\vn, this afternoon, and celebrated the inau-
guration of a charity unique in the United States.
The new building and its endowment represent
an.outlay of over $1,000,000 contributed by Theo-
dore Presser, the Philadelphia music publisher,
for the benefit of old musicians who have given
up ; their active years to teaching in the United
States.
Mayor Blankenburg, Charles Heber Clark, Dr.
Hugh A. Clarke, of the University of Pennsylvania,
and Congressman Richard Pearson Hobson, the
hero of the Merrimac, were among the speakers
at the exercises. A touching feature was the pres-
ence of the twenty or more old ladies who were
teaching music when the square piano was fash-
ionable and who now are installed as life guests
at the new institution.
The new structure is four stories in height and
is set in the center of a four-acre garden. Its in-
terior arrangement has the intimate comforts of
a private house and the conveniences of a modern
hotel. Musicians sixty-five years old or more,
who have taught for twenty-five years in the
United States, are eligible to life membership on
payment of $200.
In his address Mr. Presser spoke of the spread
of humanitarian interests among governments and
individuals alike, and after a reference to the
slight acknowledgment usually accorded the work
of music teachers, said:
"As a class, music teachers do not accumulate
great worldly possessions. There are in the United
States about 200,000 persons whose main support
comes from teaching music. Should only one in
a thousand need the help this institution provides
it would require two homes of this size. There
will be no class or sect distinction here. The
humble teacher, who has labored faithfully in a
small village, will be as welcome as the metro-
politan teacher, who at one time may have thrilled
concert rooms."
Though the new building has been finished and
in use for several weeks, the cornerstone was not
put in place until yesterday. Mr. Presser and the
board of directors were the only ones present at
a private ceremony. Talking machine records
made by the singers who appeared at the dedica-
tion, including David Bispham, Mme. Maud Pow-
ell and Henri Scott, were sealed in the stone.
A fine music room, library and dining rooms
take up a large part of the first floor. The most
pleasing feature of all is private practice rooms
for the residents who wish to continue their work.
The home was founded eight years ago in a
building at 236 South Third street. Later it moved
to a larger building near the present site.
"LADY LUXURY" PRODUCED.
New Musical Comedy with Book by Rida John-
son Young and Music by William Schroeder
Has Successful Premiere in Detroit—Sched-
uled for Early Production on Broadway.
"Lady Luxury," the new musical comedy by
Rida Johnson Young and William Schroeder, had
its premiere at the Detroit Opera House on the
evening of September 21 before an enthusiastic
audience, and the local critics were particularly
favorable in their attitude regarding the new play.
Mr. Schroeder 'has embellished Mrs. Johnson's
charming story with some melodious music, which
will probably be heard in New York soon, as
"Lady Luxury" is scheduled for an early appear-
ance on Broadway. The production has been
made on an elaborate scale in the matter of
scenery and costumes and the caliber of the people
making up the cast.
There are several song hits in "Lady Luxury,'
including "Longing Just for You," the song which
is heard throughout the second act, forming the
basis for the second half of the play, and "Love's
Awakening," which is the waltz song.
But there are several others labled for popu-
larity in such dainty gems as "Lady Luxury,"
"Dream On My Princess," "Longing Just for
You," "Kiss Me Once Again," "It's Written in
the Book of Destiny," "Don't You Really Think
I'd Do," "Tango Glide," "Oh My! How He Loves
That Rag Tag Dance," "I'll Take You All."
AN EFFECTIVE WINDOW DISPLAY OF SHEET MUSIC.
A window display of sheet music, which at-
tracted particular attention from the public di-
rect and also called forth comment of a favorable
nature from the newspapers, was that illustrated
herewith, and which was featured by George C.
Will, the prominent music dealer, Salem, Ore.
"Valse June" Window Display Made by Geo. C
In the display Mr. Will featured exclusively the
Sam Fox Publishing Co.'s success, "Valse June,"
and the effectiveness of the display was marked
by the heavy increase in sales, of that number.
The arrangement of the window was under the
direction of Mrs. Will, who has charge of the
sheet music department of
the store, and the black and
white reproduction naturally
cannot give a fair idea of
the effect of the general
color scheme. The flowers
in the hanging vase and also
in the vase on the floor were
of a color to harmonize with
the title pages of "Valse
June," which were used in
large number. The stuffed
fox in the center of the
window was a quaint con-
ceit that served further to
carry out the idea of an ex-
clusive "Fox" window.
That close attention was
given to the arrangement
of this window display is
evident from the final re-
sults as shown herewith.
Will, Salem, Ore.
THE "BEST" IS ALWAYS THE "CHEAPEST
STILL 200% PROFIT!
CHICAGO
McKinley Music Co.
NEW YORK
Publishers of the
FAMOUS McKINLEY
10 CENT MUSIC
Announce the publication of new cata-
logs for 1915, containing
50 NEW NUMBERS
comprising 29 Piano Solos, 11 Songs and
10 Violin and Piano Duets (Humoresque,
Barcarolle, Etc.)
Better Music, Better Paper, Better
Titles but No Increase in Price.
Free Catalogs with Stock Orders. We
Pay for Your Advertising.
Our Music Is Staple as Wheat or Corn.
Write for Samples.
McKINLEY MUSIC CO.
CHICAGO
NEW YORK
The production was made by Fred C. Whitney
and staged by Ben Teal. All the music of "Lady
Luxury" is published by M. Witmark & Sons.
NEW SONG BY BLANCHE MERRILL.
"We Take Our Hats Off to You, Mr. Wilson,"
Being Used by Prominent Professionals.
Blanche Merrill, the well-known and successful
song writer, who recently joined the staff of Leo
Feist, Inc., has chosen a psychological moment for
issuing her first song under the Feist imprint, "We
Take Our Hats Off to You, Mr. Wilson." Miss
Merrill supplied both words and music for the
number, which is being used in vaudeville by Nora
Bayes, Fanny Brice, of Brice and King, and many
others.
SYMPATHY FORJHR. B. F. WOOD.
(Special to The Review.)
BOSTON, MASS., September 28.—B. F. Wood,
head of the B. F. Wood Music Co., has the sym-
pathy of the trade in the loss of 'his sister, Miss
Mattie Wood, who had looked after the destinies
of his household for a long time. Miss Wood
was a woman of wide intellectuality and deep
sympathies and had a wide circle of friends. She
had been ill for about six months.
The B. F. Wood Co. starts the season with a
group of piano pieces, which are the first publica-
tions of this house for the early fall. These in-
clude ten rustic sketches for piano by Adolf Hart-
mann, one of which is "The Prince's Wedding,"
which has a chorus of bridesmaids. Others are a
Valse Caprice, "Arabesque," Dans? Printaniere
and "Esmeralda," all for piano and by Bruce Met-
calfe. "Naming the Forget-Me-Not" is a song
by Litta Lynn.
INCORPORATED.
The American Song Publishing Co., Inc., New
York, has just received a charter to conduct a gen-
eral song and music publishing business. The in-
corporators are Jack Mahoney, Charles H. Reich-
art and Edward M. Wickes. The offices of the
company, in charge of Jack Mahoney, are in West
Forty-sixth street, near Broadway.
"Chin Chin," a new operetta by Ivan Caryll, was
produced in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening with
great success. Chappell & Co. publish the music