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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
68
Conducted by B. B. Wilson
WHAT THE RECENT TRADE CONVENTIONS ACCOMPLISHED.
Broad Discussion of Business Problems, Including Formerly Tabooed Question of Prices, Should
Prove of Benefit to Everyone Concerned—The Suggestion of a Twenty Cent Popular Edition.
The sessions of both the music publishers and
the dealers at the Hotel Breslin last week were
especially noteworthy for the manner in which
matters of prime business importance, such as dis-
counts, prices, new issues, etc., were discussed.
There has been in the past some hesitancy about
bringing up such matters at the meetings and
among competitors in the same line of business,
but the resolution presented by the dealers on the
discount question and the views expressed by the
dealers who attended the meeting of the publishers
served to bring matters to a head and force their
discussion.
In all ways this general and open consideration
of trade matters is to be heartily indorsed, for it
will serve to remove many little snags that, were
they to continue unnoticed, might develop into
trade evils. The discussions may not have
achieved the desired results or reforms at the out-
set, but it is evident that all those who attended
the conventions have gone home with new business
ideas, and the working out of those ideas should
prove of benefit to the trade in general.
The individual dealer and the individual pub-
lisher cannot accomplish much for trade better-
ment unaided, for he too often is inclined to view
his own system and his own grievances as some-
thing private and apart from the systems and
grievances of the trade as a whole. When a
score of dealers and as many publishers get to-
gether, however, it soon develops that the
troubles of the individual are widespread and gen-
SUGGESTS ARTICLES ON TRADE.
In Bulletin to "Get Together Club," President
Woodman, of Oliver Ditson Co., Outlines
Plans for Dessimination of Trade Information
Through
Association
and Trade
Paper
Channels and Urges Interest of Ditson Em-
ployes and Others in the Subject.
( Special to The Review.)
BOSTON, MASS., June 21.—C. A. Woodman,
president of the Oliver Ditson Co., has issued the
following interesting bulletin to the members of
the "Get Together Club," made up of employes
of the Ditson Co., regarding the preparation of
special articles for publication in the trade papers,
in accordance with the arrangements made by the
National Association of Sheet Music Dealers at
its recent convention in New York.
The Review and other trade papers have assured
co-operation with the dealers in all matters look-
ing toward the development of the business and
which include the publication of special articles
of trade subjects of value and interest and news
in general regarding the retail trade as supplied
by the dealers' association through its publicity
committee appointed at the convention. Mr. Wood-
man's bulletin reads:
The National Association of Music Dealers, at
its convention held in New York City June 10,
Two Sensational English Ballad
Successes
"Somewhere a Voice is Calling"
'The Sunshine of Your Smile"
T. B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter
62 West 45th Street
NEW YORK
eral and they therefore are more likely to receive
the proper attention.
The members of the trade who really seek to
benefit by the work of the associations should
make it a point to attend the regular conventions
and enter in person into the various discussions
and debates. Only by that method can satisfac-
tory results be obtained, for under other condi-
tions the dealer is unable to offer his personal
opinion in support of or in variance to the opinions
offered by others. The oral or printed report can
only tell of what happened and offers no chance
for direct argument.
The ''popular" music received little consideration
at the meetings inasmuch as, despite the con-
demnation of certain phases of that business, it
offers few of the problems connected with the
publication and retailing of standard music. The
suggestion to the effect that a popular edition be
issued to retail at a minimum price of twenty
cents was about the only noticeable action taken
regarding that class of music, although there was
no plan outlined for the carrying out of the idea.
Just what demand there would be for an edition
of that kind is doubtful inasmuch as the ten-cent
popular music would still be issued by many pub-
lishers and the dealer with his twenty-cent edition
would be compelled to compete with the ten-cent
stores, just as he does at present. As a matter
of fact, the local publishers of popular music are
not in the least impressed with the practicability
of the idea.
11 and 12, made arrangements with the trade papers
to issue editions devoted to the interests of sheet
music and music books four times a year and
offered a prize of $25 for the best article sent in
during the year on a matter of interest to our in-
dustry.
There is no restriction as to topic, but articles
on such subjects as window dressing, how to con-
duct a successful music store, etc., will be of in-
terest. Doubtless topics of your own choosing
will be the best.
All are cordially invited to compete and to send
items that will interest and help brother clerks in
other cities.
A publicity committee of five has been ap-
pointed by the association to which items and
articles for publication may be sent, as follows:
C. A. Woodman, Oliver Ditson Co., Boston; J.
M. Priaulx, Charles H. Ditson & Co., New York;
T. F. Delaney, Lyon & Healy, Chicago; Harold
Orth, Denver Music Co, Denver, and E. P. Little,
Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco.
Do not be backward in sending in articles and
items for publication. Here is a sample item of
interest to every music dealer:
"I LOVE YOU."
Mr. Heffelfinger told a story at the recent con-
vention about one of his friends. Requests kept
coming in for "I Love You," but the author was
We are the publishers of
THE SONG OF SONGS
(Chanson du coenr briie)
Music by Moya
Three Keys: Ab, Bb and D
Send 12 Cents for Sample Copy
CHAPPELL & CO., Ltd.
41E. 34th St., NEW YORK
Canadian Branch
347 Yonce St., TORONTO
unknown and the title only could be given. After
losing about twenty-five sales, someone remem-
bered that the words "I Love You" are the con-
cluding ones in Cadman's immensely popular "At
Dawning," and our copyright. After that no more
sales were lost. We here know it and supposed
everyone else did, but we were wrong. It is items
of this kind, as well as short pretty articles of
universal interest, that are desired.
A PAIR OF EXCELLENT SONGS.
'Somewhere a Voice is Calling" and "The Sun-
shine of Your Smile," Included in Catalog of
T. B. Harms and Francis, Day & Hunter.
T. B. Harms and Francis, Day & Hunter have
two ballad publications that have achieved unusual
success for publications of that character. One of
the numbers requires no explanation, being too well
known. It is "Somewhere a Voice Is Calling,"
with words by Eileen Newton and music by Arthur
F. Tate, and has been sung on this side of the
water by many artists of prominence. It is the
sort of ballad that will live and hold interest in-
definitely. The song is supplied in four keys, and
may also be had in various instrumental arrange-
ments.
The second song is "The Sunshine of Your
Smile," with words by Leonard Cooke and music
by Lillian Ray. It is a delightful type of love bal-
lad, and the demand for it is the best indication of
its popularity at present.
NEW MUSICALfARCE FINISHED.
" F i f t y - F i f t y " the Title of New Piece by Charles
Dickson, Will B. Johnstone and Will R.
Anderson to Be Produced in the Fall.
The finishing touches have just been applied to
"Fifty-Fifty," a new musical farce which will be
produced in the fall, and is the work of three
prominent writers. The book is by Charles Dick-
son, author of the "Three Twins" and other suc-
cesses ; the lyrics are by Will B. Johnstone, who
was responsible for the versification of "Betty"
and "Miss Princess," and the music is by Will R.
Anderson, who in the new work makes his first
serious attempt at a musical score, although he
has a number of song successes to his credit, in-
cluding "Tessie, You Are My Only, Only," "Just
Someone" and '*Good-Night, Dear."
The new piece is declared to be unusually ex-
cellent and is now being considered by a promi-
nent firm of producers for early production.
McKINLEY'S WONDERFULLY PATHETIC
BALLAD, IN GREAT DEMAND JUST NOW
HE THOUGHT OF THE GIRL WHO LOVED HIM
fit THOUGHT OF THEIR WEDDING DAY