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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
CONDUCTED BY B. B. WILSON
PLANNING TO CHECK ROYALTIES
COMPOSERS PLANNING TO PUBLISH?
TO FORCE PICTURE HOUSES TO PAY
Music Publishers Seeking Some Means for In- Rumored That Increase in Music Prices Is Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
suring Accurate Statements of Royalties Due
to Charge From $60 Per Year Upward for
Making the Producers Ambitious
on Mechanical Reproduction of Their Music
Privilege of Using Copyrighted Music
According to rumors along Broadway, the
While endeavoring to bring about some un- tendency of the various music publishers to
That the American Society of Composers, Au-
derstanding between the music roll manufac- place as many of their selections as possible, thors and Publishers is prepared to take full
turers and themselves regarding the proper roy- even popular numbers, in the standard or pro- advantage of the powers given its members un-
alty to be paid for the use of song lyrics on duction class to sell at 25 cents to SO cents re- der the copyright law, and by the recent deci-
lolls, music publishers have also under con- tail, has developed in the composers and au- sion of the United States Supreme Court, is
sideration some plans for insuring an accurate thors a desire to realize more than the usual evidenced in the announcement that motion
statement of royalties due, for the mechanical royalty on their efforts. It is stated that the picture theatres have been notified to take out
reproduction of their copyrighted works.
composers argue that if a publisher can make a franchise and pay a yearly fee for the priv-
Some publishers are in favor of adopting the money by selling music at 6 or 7 cents whole- ilege of using copyrighted music. It is pro-
British system of placing royalty stamps on sale, he is certainly getting more than his posed to charge a flat rate of $60 a year where
rolls and records, but lacking an organization share when he charges from 18 to 22 cents, and only a piano or organ is used, the charge to
to control the distribution of such stamps it is that a plan is now under foot for the organ- be increased .in proportion to the size of the
felt that the amount of bookkeeping involved, ization of a company by composers to publish orchestra. With 12,000 motion picture theatres
and the other problems liable to develop, make their own works. Meanwhile the publishers, in the United States to draw on, the members
it desirable to work out some simpler plan that knowing of the little things that go towards of the society see wealth coming their way in
will be satisfactory to the roll and record manu- making music publishing expensive, particu- the near future.
facturers, and at the same time protect the larly at this time, are setting tight and saying
copyright owners.
nothing.
DEATH OF JOSEPH S. NATHAN
The several conferences among music pub-
lishers and roll manufacturers regarding song TO HANDLE HIGHERCLASS NUMBERS Well-Known Composer, Musical Comedy Con-
royalties has brought about a better under-
ductor and Manager Dies in Hospital
standing between those trade factors, and it is W. T. Grant Co. Makes Important Announce-
ment
Regarding
Music
in
Thfeir
Stores
felt that some of the problems that have grown
Joseph S. Nathan, well known in music pub-
up between these interests are on the way to a
The. W. T. Grant Co., which operates a num- lishing circles in and about New York for a
satisfactory solution.
ber of popular-priced stores in New England number of years, died at the Peoples' Hospital
territory and also in upper New York State, last week in his fifty-second year. Mr. Nathan
announced recently their sheet music depart- achieved considerable farne as a composer. For
BAR FLAG FROM TITLE PAGES
ment would from March 1 handle all publica- a number of years he was with Leo Feist, Inc.,
Law to that Effect Declared to Have Been tions that sold for 30 cents or less. The addi- was at one time manager of the Roger Bros.
Passed in District of Columbia—Large Num- tion of these stores and the recent announce- Music Co., was a conductor for several musical
ber of Publishers Embarrassed
ment from the S. S. Kresge Co. of their making comedies, and at one time musical editor of The
all the sheet music department distributors of New York Journal. Among Mr. Nathan's suc-
According to reports from Washington a law the better class songs gives quite a little outlet cessful compositions were: "The Bull Frog and
was recently passed in the District of Columbia to the publishers of high-class numbers who the Coon," "Sonora," "Pal of Mine" and "Fare
whereby the sale of sheet music with titles are willing to take advantage of the syndicate Thee Well, My Old Kentucky."
which contain reproductions of the flag or re- stores.
semblance of the flag are prohibited. The num-
ber of publishers who have title pages which
'JEROME H.REMICK&CO:S
ANNOUNCE TWO NEW NUMBERS
will be affected by the new law is large and
^Sensational Son^ Hits^
to further make it necessary that new title pages New Novelty Songs Added to the Catalog of
the Wm. Jerome Publishing Corp.
be provided it is said there is an organized
"I'm Glad You're Sorry"
movement to have the same law made effective
Announcement is made by the Wm. Jerome
"I Brought Red Roses In
in forty-two other States at an early date.
Publishing Corp., of the release of two new
December to You"
A number of New York publishers have al- songs,
Blushing Bride and Groom" and
"Whose Pretty Baby Are You Now"
ready called in several of their songs which "He's a "The
Hard Boiled Egg." The Jerome cat-
"If You Ever Get Lonely"
contained title pages affected by the local law alog's success
proving greater each week,
"She's Dixie All the Time"
and it will no doubt be a matter of days when all hardly a number is being
which is not show-
"Where the Black Eyed Susans
publishers who have numbers which contain a ing itself to be a real listed
lively
seller. The new
Grow"
reproduction of the flag will have called them in. songs should prove no exceptions.
"Down Honolulu Way"
TWO CONCERT BALLAD SUCCESSES
"WHEN SHADOWS
FALL
"DARLIN"'
At featured in the Opera "Martha," by
Elaine DeSellem, leading contralto with
the Boston English Opera Co., now en tour
Brilliant
Encore
Song
15 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME
CH.C A G 0
McKlNLEY MUSIC CO.
SYNOPSIS
Bugle Call Fife and Drum
Corps, I'ninn Army playing
Yankee Doodle;
Fife and
Drum
Corps,
Confederate
Army, Dixie. Marching to
Buttle. Massing Artillery on
the Heights. Heavy Cannon-
iding.
I'ickett's
lleruie
'Ir.irge. Clashing of Bayonets
iinl (inns.
Battle Kaging
'nrioiifcly. I'lckelt Orders Ke-
reut from the Trap of Death.
Kte., Kte., Kte.
MORGAN BUYS OLD COMPOSER'S BOOK
PHILADELPHIA, PA., February 26.—After toiling
for ten years on the compilation of a volume
called "8,017 Birthdays of Living and Dead Mu-
sicians," John Towers, an eighty-two-year-old
singing master and composer, who had expected
to end his days in the Theodore Presser Home
for Retired Musicians in Germantown, has been
suddenly made independent by selling his book
outright to J. P. Morgan. Mr. Towers says he
received several thousand dollars for the work,
but declines to tell the exact price.
"Just a Word oi Sympathy"
"Mammy's Little Coal Black Rose"
"How's Every Little Thing in Dixie"
"There's Egypt In Your Dreamy
Eyes"
"Because You're Irish"
INSTRUMENTAL HITS
Pozzo—Fox-Trot
TIddle-dc- Winks—Fox-Trot
Whispering Hearts—Waltz
JEROME
H. REMICK & CO.
US WEST 46 D ST. NEW "tint GTY |B7 WEST fan ST. DmraafousTK Drams to* CHicw*
E. T. PAULL'S NEW 1917 DESCRIPTIVE MARCH NUMBER
THE
Battle of Gettysburg
Positively the Greatest March Ever Written.
MUSIC DEALERS
This is the one great March
See Synopsis
E. T. PAULL MUSIC CO., 243 West 42d St., N. Y.
that will sell on sight.
panion
Last
piece
Charge.
to
Com-
Napoleon's
Absolutely
nothing better published. Full
of life, spirit and enthusiasm.
Kntirely out of the ordinary.
Special rates for an introduc-
lory
d<
dealt
tioning this ad. Order now.