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THE
MARCH 13, 1920
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
63
STRONG FEIST AD CAMPAIGN
The Song and Dance Triumph of the Country
Production Numbers Featured in Advertise-
ments in National Publications
The big Feist advertising campaign on their
musical comedy productions, which included full-
page advertisements in the March issues of some
of the leading national magazines, is continued
in the April issues of some of the well-known
monthly publications of large circulation.
The campaign especially features the music
of "Irene" the successful musical comedy now
playing to capacity audiences at the Vanderbilt
Theatre, New York. In addition the other lead-
ing songs of the Feist catalog, such as "Peggy,"
"Oh!," "Golden Gate," "Sweet Blushing Roses,"
"Mystery," "My Baby's Arms" and "When You
Look in the Heart of a Rose," are given pub-
licity, as well as all the active numbers of the
Feist catalog.
It is assumed that over live million people will
read the publications used in the campaign.
Among these mediums of national circulation
are the Ladies' Home Journal, McClure's and
the Metropolitan Magazine. Leo Feist, Inc.,
who have always been in the forefront in giv-
ing publicity to their songs, have in the present
campaign without doubt appropriated a larger
amount of money for publicity purposes than
ever before. The campaign, which is already
under way, has demonstrated that it is to be
a most successful one from every viewpoint.
" CLOUDS "
(That Pass in the Night)
SONG
FOX-TROT
SONGS THAT SELL
"Wond'ring"
" Tents of Arabs "
" Romance "
B. D. NICE & CO , 1 5 4 4 Broadway, NEW YORK
WITHDRAW TEN=CENT SHEET MUSIC
ITALIAN COURTS ACQUIT CONDUCTOR
Jos. W. Stern & Co. Announce They Will No
Longer Furnish Their Songs to Syndicate
Stores Selling Them for Price of 10 Cents
Judge Rules That Playing Violin Off Key Is
Sufficient Provocation for Anything
Jos. W. Stern & Co. have forwarded a recent
announcement to the trade, stating that they
will withdraw all their popular music from one
of the large syndicate stores having a maximum
sales price of 10 cents on single articles. The
MUST PAY TAX ON ROYALTIES
announcement stated: "We believe with the ma-
Roper Holds Authors, Artists and Others Do jority that the day is past when, good music
can be successfully exploited and sold at 10
Not Collect Dividends
cents retail. We have no quarrel with the 10-
WASHINGTON, March 6.—Royalties received by cent policy, nor do we wish to criticise those
authors, artists, composers and others cannot employed to carry out this policy. However,
be classed as dividends and are subject to nor- circumstances not only justify, but practically
mal tax as well as surtax, Internal Revenue force us to make this move. We do not antici-
Commissioner Roper has ruled. Dividends are pate ever handling the 10-cent publications
subject to taxes paid by the distributing com- again." The statement further calls attention
pany, being a part of the corporation's profits, to the greatly increased cost of paper, print-
the Commissioner explained, while royalties, ing, plates and overhead, which all show a big
constituting an expense of the paying concern, rise. The new policy will take effect on and
are subject to taxes levied on those benefiting after April 1, when the wholesale rate will be
I2yi cents per copy. The prevailing wholesale
from them.
rates on popular music will apply until that
date.
NEW TUNE FOR COLLEGE SONG
Miss Sonia Streuli, a young violinist of Green-
wich, Conn., has set the song "Bright College
Years," whose old tune was "Die Wacht Am
Rhein," to new music.
"Oh! Bring Them Back, Won't You, Please,
Uncle Sam," is the name of a new song, words
by Z. F. Gorbett, music by J. C. Halls, pub-
lished by Gorbett Bros., New Castle, Ind.
SPECIAL OFFER FOR MARCH!!!
1 5 cents per copy
"ON THE ROAD TO ARABY"
A Desert Story
ORIENTAL FOX-TROT
By Gene Quaw
The Overnight Hit
Became a Hit Immediately
Will Last a Long Time
Already selling in large quantities on Victory
(instrumental) and Superba word roll No. 1357.
Backed by an aggressive advertising campaign
15
cents
v
SUNG and DANCED to EVERYWHERE
Order TO-DAY from us or from your jobber
Attractive window advertising matter furnished
VICTORY PUBLISHING CO., 102 W. 42nd St., New York
The Italian courts of Milan have recently
rendered a decision that musical genius, es-
pecially when under the stimulus of creative
enthusiasm, is not legally responsible for its
misdemeanors. This opinion was handed down
in a case in which Toscanini, the well-known
former conductor of the Metropolitan opera,
and now returned to his native Italy, was the
defendant.
Toscanini was brought before the court upon
a charge of assault, having smashed his baton
on the head of one of his musicians, broken
the man's bow and driven the corner of the
broken bow into the unfortunate player's eye.
The charge was not denied. Nevertheless the
court adjudged him not guilty of the offense,
realizing that, under the spell of music and in
the wild enthusiasm of conducting an orches-
tra, the offender was not conscious of his ac-
tions, and therefore not responsible for them.
Some musical witnesses testified that the poor
violinist was playing off the pitch. This fact
would doubtless explain the leader's rage, but
would not have sufficed to secure his acquittal,
had it not been that his abnormality at a time
of an outburst of artistic temperament was
taken into consideration. Fortunately for Tos-
canini, a psychologist at the trial was able to
prove the irresponsibility of genius under the
throes of creation or under the stress of artis-
tic labor. This witness testified that a man
becomes so transfigured by genius that his
inhibitory nerves are completely paralyzed. In
a paroxysm of inspiration he falls a tragic prey
to the tyranny of art.
Toscanini's memory is one of the most strik-
ing characteristics of his genius. He has more
than one hundred and fifty operas so com-
pletely memorized that he never even glances
at a score while conducting. This astonishing
burden which his memory carries probably ac-
counts in large measure for his self-absorption
and consequent eccentricity.
USING WITMARK BALLAD
Jack Gibson, a member of the Lew Kelly
show, now playing in the Middle West, is sing-
ing with great success the M. Witmark & Sons'
ballad, "Let the Rest of the World Go By."
In a recent letter to the publishers he stated
that the number was "going over great" at
every performance.
"Let the Rest of the World Go Ry" is being
sung by a long list of stage stars, among them
Louise Gilbert, now playing over the Southern
Paniages Circuit.
"At the Moving Picture Ball," the novelty
number from the catalog of Leo Feist, Inc., is
from all indications one of the most popular
numbers with the professional singers.