Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
52
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Conducted by B. B. Wilson
NEW SOCIETY MEETS OPPOSITION.
Several Publishers Opposed to the Plan of the
Performing Rights Society of Great Britain to
Charge Singers for Privilege of Using Songs
in Public—Declare the Publicity Received
Thereby Is Sufficient Payment.
(Special to The Review.)
1
LONDON, ENG., August 3.—The recently estab-
lished Performing Rights Society, of which I
wrote recently, is meeting with considerable op-
position from a number of influential publishers
and composers, who take the view that as the pop-
ularity of their works is often dependent to a
large extent upon their frequent performances all
aver the country, they should not attempt to place
restrictions upon artists desirous of singing or
playing the work.
It is further argued that as a form of adver-
tisement the composer receives full value by means
c|f royalties payable on sales, and to place a pre-
mium on this freely given publicity is obviously
Contrary to business ethics. The situation would
seem to call for co-operation among artists with
a view to the protection of their interests. I have
received intimation from several large publishers
condemning the incidence of this society and its
objects, with the further advice that no charge
will be made for the performance of any works
they control. Some very interesting views upon
this much debated society are given by eminent
publishers and composers in a leading London
newspaper which has devoted several columns to
this purpose.
The gist of the correspondence
would seem to indicate that great divergence of
opinion prevails in musical circles regarding the
wisdom of charging artists for the public per-
formance of copyright works. Comparison, too,
is drawn between conditions in this country and
particularly the Continent, where sheet music sales
are but a fraction of those in the United Kingdom.
It is argued that the Performing Rights Society's
legal right to make a charge for performance is
quite outweighed by the publisher's (or compos-
er's) dependence upon prominent artists to popu-
larize works which in the majority of cases would
otherwise not attain commercial value. It is sure-
ly against sound business principals, but opinion
prevails in responsible quarters that the society
will eventually win the battle now in operation.
* * *
The report of our London correspondent is
particularly interesting in view of the recent or-
ganization in this country of the American So-
ciety of Authors, Composers and Publishers, with
objects very similar to those of the British society.
The points made as to the publicity received by
means of prominent singers are interesting in
their way and apply with equal force to this coun-
try. That the publishers themselves are announced
to have taken the stand against the plan of the
society if particularly significant.
PROFITS DIDN'T MATERIALIZE.
Frederick F. Chase, Song Writer, Runs Afoul
of the Law as Result of Complaint Made by
Young Lady—Is Held for Trial.
Frederick F. Chase, a song writer, was arrested
by deputy sheriffs last week on the complaint of
Miss Anna Levine, who alleged that Chase had
defrauded her out of $1,600 on the pretense that
he would invest the money for her in a music
publishing business and make her wealthy.
In her petition to the Supreme Court Miss Le-
vine quoted a song -which she said Chase had
dedicated to her, and which convinced her of his
honesty and ability. The song had the significant
title "The Straight Road Is a Great Road After
All."
Miss Levine, who is a bookkeeper, said Chase
told her he was wealthy, but needed ready cash
to "plug" his music with the public.
Chase was held in $1,O(X) bail for trial on Miss
Levine's charge.
ACCOUNTING ON "HAVANA" SONG.
Ted Snyder Co. et Al. Obey Order of Court in
Chas. K. Harris' Suit and Offer Interesting
Figures on the Cost of Music Publishing.
The successful suit brought some time ago by
Charles K. Harris against Ted Snyder, A. Bald-
win Sloane, E. Ray Goetz and Lew Fields for an
injunction and an accounting on "There's a Girl
in Havana," interpolated in the production of "The
Never Homes," and for which Harris claimed the
exclusive publishing, was again called to mind last
week when the defendants obeyed the order of
the court to file an accounting.
The figures given show that the total copies sold
was 157,966, for which the publishers got $21,56,4.
Royalties received on the song brought the total
receipts to $23,278.
The defendants claimed to have spent more than
$20,000 on the song, the largest item being one
cent royalty on each copy paid to each defendant
named and also to Irving Berlin and Glen Mc-
Donough. The defendants claimed to have spent
$8,625 for advertising the song and teaching artists
and cabaret singers to use it.
JUST OFF THE PRESS
A New Song
By
(Harm 3larnba-lotti»
POEM BY JOHN B E N N E T T
Published in High, Medium
and Low Voices
PRICED AT SIXTY CENTS THE COPY
T w o Other N e w Songs
LIFE'S GARDEN (High-Medium-Low Voices)
COMPENSATION (Medium-Low Keys)
Published at the £ond Shop by
Gkrrt?
726 South Michigan Avenue
CHICACO, U. S. A.