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58
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
The Eilers Music House, San Francisco, Cal.,
likewise tried a vaudeville act that met with
much success. In the large square window,
between the two entrance doors, they installed
an upright piano. Here two young men,
pianist and vocalist, gave daily concerts at noon,
and again about 2.30 when the shopping crowd
was largest. On a large easel was placed, in
true vaudeville style, the name of the selection
being rendered. The unusual sight of living
models always attracts a large crowd, and much
effective publicity was given the newest bal-
lads, marches and dances. At other hours of
the day a Victrola in this window rendered pop-
ular selections, a small boy in green uniform
with gold braid being detailed to change the
records, and see that the name of each selection
was placed on an easel so that all could see.
Even the best of music concerns get "stuck"
with unsalable music—songs which they antici-
pated would run big, and proved to be only
"flivvers," and popular airs whose lustre has been
dimmed by later successes. In order to reduce
their stock of this dead merchandise they might
well follow the plan of Kresge, Washington,
D. C. In their music department they had a
big wire wastebasket filled with rolls of wrapped
music. There were three separate pieces of
music wrapped in each roll, and the firm ap-
pealed to the sporting proclivities of the public
with their variation of the ever-popular "grab
bag." The basket was in plain sight of all who
came to the department and above it was a card:
TRY YOUR LUCK
Only Five Cents. Three Songs in Every Roll.
The sum was so small that the chance to get
something for (practically) nothing drew many a
nickel, and greatly reduced their stock of an-
cient songs.
Mother's Day is almost universally observed
at present, and a beautiful setting for songs for
such an occasion was arranged by Woolworth's,
Birmingham, Ala. In the center of the window,
seated in a low rocker, was the wax figure of a
Little Mother—a gray-haired woman in black
gown, white apron, purple knitted shawl over
her shoulder, gold rimmed glasses, and knitting
in hand. Of course, she did not typify the aver-
age abreast-of-the-times mother of to-day—who
has no desire to sit in the chimney corner and
knit—but she well represented the mother about
whom most of the sentimental "mother" songs
are written. On the wall, on the floor, and
set up in racks, were songs of the past and pres-
ent—"That Dear Old Mother of Mine," "Rock
Me to Sleep," "The Little Grey Mother" and
"Mother Machree," while a card called attention
to "Just Break the News to Mother," a favorite
of many years ago, which recently won a prize
as the best "mother" song over hundreds of more
recent lyrics.
0D0MS HAS SUCCESSFUL TRIP
NOVEL OFFERING FROM SCH1RMER
• Cliff Odoms, traveling representative for Leo
Feist, Inc., returned early this week after mak-
ing a trade trip to the Middle West. Mr. Odoms
was well pleased with the results of his trip
and predicts a' tremendous demand for music
during the spring months.
In sending out their spring stock offer, G.
Schirmcr, Inc., originated a very novel idea in
placing the various selections before the trade.
The offer is contained in seventeen descriptive
booklets of nice size with an order blank at-
tached to each. The material is placed in an
artistic card-board box carrying a colored potted
Easter Lily, suggesting spring. While the whole
has been most attractively arranged, the sim-
plicity and ease with which the dealer can make
use of the same is to be commended.
EFFECTIVE PUBLICITY FOR SHEET MUSIC
By WILLIAM BLISS STODDARD
Too many dealers seem to think that if they
carry a good supply of the latest music in stock
that is all that is necessary. But music will
not sell itself any more than any other com-
modity, and what is needed is to put "pep" in
the music department itself, and keep its lines
before the public at all times. Novel plans
must be tried from time to time to arouse in-
terest, for it is the unconventional that attracts.
Kresge, the big racket store of St. Louis, Mo.,
has adopted a plan that could be taken up very
effectively by the more exclusive music establish-
ments. The store stands on a corner, and the
big corner window faces on two cross streets.
Here they erected a big platform, whose floor
was on a level with the bottom of the window.
On this floor was placed a pergola, the pillars
twined with climbing roses, and the sloping roof
covered with copies of sheet music, placed to
form a thatch. Only one song was featured at
a time, but the roof was changed frequently in
order to give publicity to the popular successes
as they appeared. Within the pergola was a
grand piano, and suspended from the ceiling
above it was a huge lamp shade made of yellow
and white flowered paper. During the noon
hour and early in the afternoon they had a mu-
sician and singer stationed here, and as the store
doors were open the words and music of the
song could be heard by passersby, as well as
those within the establishment. Big cards on
easels announced the selection that was being
rendered, and as the floor was elevated to those
on the interior the effect was very similar to
that of a concert or vaudeville show. Such a
plan could be used for featuring any kind of a
musical instrument as well and these concerts
would go far in acquainting the public with the
newer instruments, such as the ukulele, and re-
vive admiration for the graceful ones, such as
the harp, as well as creating a demand for many
of the newer songs.
A variation of the same idea was used by the
Bartlett Music Co., of Los Angeles, Cal. The
store has a wide promenade with windows at
either end. In the center of the promenade they
placed a big showcase, with glass on all four
sides. Within this case was a player-piano,
operated by a young woman, who at the same
time performed upon a violin, the two instru-
ments being kept in perfect unison. So great
was the popularity of this "stunt" that crowds
formed six deep on all sides to see this "human
bird in a gilded cage," who rendered both clas-
sical selections and the popular songs of the
day.
Pace & Handy, originators of the "BLUES,"
specialists in rags and Southern ballads, of fer
"The Song the Sunny Southland
Sings"
"Satan, I'm Here"
"Oh! Death Where Is Thy Sting"
"Ringtail Blues"
"Hooking Cow Blues"
"Who Have You Been Loving
Since I Went Away"
"Remember"
"The Kaiser's Got the Blues"
(He's Got Them Weary Blues)
By BROWN and HANDY
"A Good Man Is Hard to Find"
SEND FOR CATALOG
PACE & HANDY MUSIC CO., Inc.
1547 Broadway (Gaiety Theatre Bldg.), NEW YORK
MARCH 22, 1919
MAX DREYFUS TAKES VACATION
Max Dreyfus, of T. B. Harms & Francis,
Day & Hunter, left this week on a trip to the
Pacific Coast, and he will spend some time in
California as a sort of vacation—the first vaca-
tion he has had in a number of years.
PUBLISHING "LET'S BEAT IT" MUSIC
The music for the new 27th Division's musical
show, "Let's Beat It," which will open at the
Century Theatre on Monday evening next, is
being published by Jerome H. Remick & Co.
The A. J. Stasny Music Co. have added a new
instrumental number to their high-class catalog.
It is a waltz number entitled "Dream True."
"WHEN I COME HOME
TO YOU"
Word* by WILL J. CALLAHAN
Muic by FRANK H. GREY
3 Keys
"Arabian Nights"
Song
Intermezzo
By
One-Step
M. DAVID and WM. HEWITT
Published by
T. B. HARMS & FRANCIS, DAY & HUNTER
C. C. CHURCH & COMPANY
60 ALLYN ST., HARTFORD. CONN.
Succeuon to CHURCH, PAXSON & CO., New York
ROBERT TELLER SONS & DORNER
Music Engravers and Printers
SAMMY LAD
SEND MANUSCRIPT AND IDEA OF
TITLE FOR ESTIMATE
M. G. TEST
Hif b Voice
Lew Volet
HUNTZINGER & DILWORTH
159 West 57th Street
THE Sensational Oriental Intermezzo
NEW YORK
We Are the Publishers
of the Tremendously
Popular Ballad
"WAITING"
311 West 43d Street
New York City
BUY YOUR MUSIC FROM
BOSTON Polishers
WALTER JACOBS
• Boawortk S t .
Publisher
of
BOSTON, MASS.
"See Dixie First'*
Oliver Ditson Company
BOSTON
NEW YORK
Anticipate and supply Every Requirement of Music
Dcalerg
CHAPPELL & CO., Ltd.
White-Smith Music Pub. Co.
41 East 34th Street
NEW YORK
PUBLISHERS, PRINTERS AND ENGRAVERS OF MUSIC
3 4 7 Yonge Street
TORONTO, CAN.
Main Offices: 62-64 Stanhope St., Boston.
Branch Houses: New York and Chicago.