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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
52
CONDUCTED BY B. B. WILSON
DONALDSON SIGNS WITH WITMARK
Successful Song Writer Makes Exclusive Con-
tract With That House
Walter Donaldson, the well-known writer of
popular sons hits, has signed an exclusive con-
tract to write for M. Witmark & Sons. Mr.
Donaldson has been successful in his chosen
held, and has an unusual number of hits to his
credit, in proportion to the volume of songs
turned out. Among the best-known of them
are: "We'll Have a Jubilee in My Old Ken-
tucky Home," "Just Try to Picture Me Back
Home in Tennessee," "Nashville," "Oh, Joe,
With Your Fiddle and Bow," and "When Verdi
Plays the Hurdy-Gurdy," one of the good
things at the new show at the Century Theatre.
Mr. Donaldson has already turned over several
songs to Witmark & Sons for publication short-
ly after the New Year.
READY FOR NEWjCENTURY CAMPAIGN
First Announcements for 1917 to Appear in the
February Issues of the Magazines
Preparations are now being made for the ad-
vertising campaign to be followed the coming-
year by the Century Music Publishing Co. The
first announcements to the public will appear
in the February numbers of the nineteen pub-
lications, which were used during the season
just closing. As most of the February num-
bers of the magazines with a national circula-
tion appear early in January the live dealers are
already prepared. This year's campaign suc-
ceeded far beyond the expectations of the man-
agement, and the co-operation dealers gave the
Century Co. brought about the decision to open
the campaign for the coming year without de-
lay.
NEW SONG F0RCHR1STMAS FUND
George M. Cohan and William Jerome Write
Number for N, Y. American Fund
George M. Cohan and William Jerome, who
are always found in the front ranks of those
willing to give to chanty, are co-authors of a
song the profits of which will be devoted to the
New York American's Christmas Fund for Chil-
dren. The song is quite appropriate for the
season, being entitled "Let's Help the Dear
Little Kiddies." The American on December
IS had a sketch of Eddie Cantor, who is sing-
ing the song with success, accompanied by the
words and music of the number. The title page
contains a photograph of William Randolph
Hearst, alongside of which appears the names
of the authors and the purposes for which the
profits from the sale of the song will be used.
LOCAL PUBLISHERS ACT ON MUSIC ROLLS WITH WORDS
Endeavoring to Reach Agreement for Own Protection—Word Royalties to Be Higher Than
Those Fixed for the Music—Some Interesting Phases of the Present Situation
Definite progress is reported by a number of Moreover, he can lix any desired rate. There is
leading local publishers of popular music, who no question but that the publishers would be very
for some time have been working earnestly to careful in granting such permission and with-
reach an agreement in the matter of granting holding it from those music roll concerns who
permission for the use of song lyrics on music in the past have shown more or less careless-
rolls. The publishers feel that by offering both ness in submitting royalty statements as pro-
words and music in music roll form the new vided by law. It is maintained that such ac-
word rolls that are becoming more plentiful, tion on the part of the publishers in co-opera-
and apparently will be quite common in the tion with the music roll concerns of higher
future, offer an actual menace to the music pub- standing can also prove of advantage to the
lishing trade as a whole. It is a well-known latter, by working against the irresponsible
fact that the majority of music publishers are manufacturer. Meanwhile, the developments
distinctly opposed to the present copyright law, will be watched with interest.
or at least those sections covering mechanical
reproduction, one of the sore points being the
ONE HUNDRED ENGLISH FOLKSONGS
fact that the law provides an arbitrary royalty
of 2 cents per copy for such reproductions.
The Latest Valuable Addition to the Ditson
"Musicians' Library" Carefully Edited and
It has been maintained by the publishers upon
Arranged by Cecil J. Sharp
legal advice, it is said, that the sections of the
copyright law regarding mechanical reproduc-
< )ne of the most interesting publications that
tion do not in any sense apply to the lyrics.
In other words, they claim that a lyric being has come from the Oliver Ditson Co. for some-
a printed work they can grant permission for time is the volume just issued containing 100
its use to whoever they see fit and refuse per- English folksongs, carefully compiled and ar-
mission to others. They can, moreover, fix ranged by Cecil J. Sharp, as an addition to the
"Musicians' Library," and making the seventy-
whatever price they desire for the word rights.
For a considerable period one concern had seventh volume of the series. The book is
a practical monopoly of the music roll with prefaced with an interesting introduction on
words, and permission was granted them to use old English folksongs in general, together with
certain songs, because the publishers did not valuable historical data regarding each of the
see any particular danger in it, and moreover songs included in the volume, all written by
were not quite sure of their position in the Mr. Sharp. The book comprises over 235 pages,
matter. For this right, the usual mechanical and is offered in paper cover at $1.50, and in
copyright fee of 2 cents a copy was charged. cloth at $2.50.
Recently, however, there have been other con-
cerns entering into the manufacturing of music NEW OPERETTA BY VICTOR HERBERT
rolls bearing words, and still others have sig-
nified their intention of producing such rolls. "Hearts of Erin" to Be Presented in Cleveland
on New Year's Day
This change in conditions has served to alarm
the publishers regarding the probable effect of
"Hearts of Erin," the newest Irish operetta
word rolls on the sales of music, especially in
view of the fact that the proportion of player- by Victor "Herbert, and with book by Henry
pianos is steadily on the increase, and in some Mlossom, will open in Cleveland on New Year's
sections represents 75 per cent, of the total Day, under the direction of L. Lawrence
Weber and Joseph Weber. It is said that the
business of piano merchants.
music
of the piece is among the best yet writ-
While no royalty basis has been decided upon,
it has been suggested that the rate be fixed ten by Herbert, and the piece will be presented
at 6 cents, although some advocate an H-cent with a cast of eight or nine people, headed
rate for words. In addition to the usual roy- by Yernon Styles; of the Chicago Opera Co.
alty for music rolls, another phase of the ques-
tion is that while under the law applying to
J. H. REMICK IN TOWN
mechanical reproduction, the granting of per-
J. H. Remick. of Detroit, head of J. H. Remick
mission to use music to one concern, automatic-
ally releases the music for the use of all upon & Co.. was a visitor to the New York offices
due notice, in the case of words the publisher of the firm during the week of December 11,
can grant permission for their use to one con- leaving the latter part of the week on his return
cern and withhold that permission from others. to the Detroit offices of the company.
DEATH OF JOSEPH T. MILLS
Writer of "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old
Town To-Night" Passes Away in California
Joseph T. Mills, a veteran actor and song
writer, who wrote the song "There'll Be a Hot
Time in the Old Town To-Xight," died at his
home at Santa Rosa, Cat., last week. "There'll
Be a Hot Time in the Old Town To-Night" is
probably one of the best-known of the modern
popular songs, and came close to being the na-
tional anthem during Spanish-American war
days.
FEIST SONG ON VICTOR RECORDS
The January list of Victor records will con-
tain the ballad entitled "Love, Here Ts My
Heart," sung by John McCormick. The com-
position is the work of Lao Silesu, who wrote
"A Little Love, A Little Kiss," and is published
by Leo Feist, Inc.
THE
SONG
Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag,
and
Smile, Smile, Smile!
By GKOKI.E ASA !•'.
Introduced
and
featured
by
Miss Adele
>lu*ic l».v I''EI,1X l'OH KM
Rowland
in
Messrs. ShuUerfs
tremendously
successful
"Her Soldier Boy"
Variety s a y s : "Adele Rowland has another 'Tipperary" in 'SMILE. SMILE. SMILE.'"
Brooklyn Daily Eagle s a y s : "The best song in tlie production is Adele Rowland's 'SMILE, SMILE,
SMILE" song."
New York Evening Journal says: ' T i m s did Adele Rowland sing 'SMILE. SMILE, SMILE' and had
the audience humming it with her."
New York Times s a y s :
"You should hear Adele Rowland s i n - 'SMILE. SMILE. SMILE.'
The
chorus was hummed by the whole audience."
CHAPPELL & CO., Ltd., 41 East 34th Street
(Ity special
arrangement
with
T . It. H a r m s
4 V-
Francis,
l>ay
iV i l u n l e r .
NEW YORK
N e w York!