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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
FEBRUARY 28, 1920
not good policy on his part, so far as he is
concerned.
Generally speaking, campaigns of this sort
have never been huge successes, and the same
holds true, frequently, where large manufac-
turers of musical instruments have asked to give
similar co-operation to dealers in a given
locality.
That the publicity pays the dealer there can
be no doubt and nothing should be done to dis-
courage those dealers who have shown such
enterprise to further their efforts in that direc-
tion. The point is, however, that the publishers
are not enthusiastic over the share of such pub-
licity as is allotted to them. They cannot see
it from a good business standpoint and they
would like to find some means of showing the
dealer their side of the case, without discour-
aging him.
It may be possible that some way will be
found for the publishers to make appropriations
that will be available for dealer advertising. Up
to this time nothing has yet been devised that
has won the approval of the majority. When
a way is planned that is considered successful,
it probably will be found that it will be neces-
sary for dealers throughout the larger cities of
the country to participate.
The publishers, especially the standard
houses, have been meeting increased costs, dur-
ing the past few years, with the wholesale rate
to the trade remaining the same as that of 1917.
They are, then, shouldering burdens that can
hardly be added to, and, as a matter of fact,
they are sending out more circulars, thematics,
display cards and other publicity material than
was customary several years ago. Certainly
all such material costs well over 50 per cent
more than normal prices, yet the publishers
claim that much of this goes to waste because
the dealer does not make good use of it. Of
course, from the dealer's standpoint, he may
have many reasons why he cannot make better
use of the material and why some of it should
not have been gotten out at all. Those, how-
ever, are problems that must be met from sea-
son to season.
When it comes to the popular publishers, who
have added thirty-cent catalogs to their lines, the
problems already cited are not met with, but a
new set of problems arises. With all this, however,
these popular houses are in a much better posi-
tion than they were some years ago. Their appro-
priations for publicity are turned into somewhat
different channels and they, unlike the standard
houses, receive considerable revenue from me-
chanical royalties. However, the wholesale
prices of their works are not standardized and
the prevailing rates are probably 20 per cent
lower than those of the standard houses, though
they print in larger quantities and get much
quicker action on their investment in every way.
Probably they have a bigger business gamble,
but their success at times is quickly achieved.
Apparently they are being well taken care of
under present conditions. The standard houses
are not and are in no position to assume new
responsibilities.
63
The Song and Dance Sensation of the Country
C
L
O
U
D
C
L
O
U
D
(THAT PASS IN
THE NIGHT)
(THAT PASS IN
THE NIGHT)
The Biggest Money Appropriation Ever Voted by a
Publishing House Is in Back of This Number
Special, one order 18c
B. D. NICE & CO., 1 5 4 4 Broadway, NEW YORK
The recent statement by Victor Herbert pub-
lished in a New York paper and reprinted in
The Review, to the effect that the poor quality
of music to be found in the majority of present-
day musical comedies and operettas was directly
traceable to the grasping attitude of the music
publishers in their efforts to interpolate popular
and, therefore, good-selling song hits, has aroused
a storm of protest among the music publishers,
who, for their part, refused to shoulder the
blame for the poor quality of the music.
The real reason for the type of musical com-
positions now appearing in the score of musical
comedies probably lies with the producer, who
no doubt can easily pass the "buck" to the thea-
tre-going public. It-is true the musical shows
of the present day are of an entirely different
class from those of some years back. That they
are just as successful, however, is shown by
the box office receipts, and that they are what
the public want, we think, is admitted. A close
analysis of the situation will hardly show that
the publishers can be charged with lowering
the standards of the scores of productions. On
the other hand, the publishers very often claim
that the producer is prone to interpolate num-
bers of extreme novelty and of jazzy origin.
Hardly any of the operettas of the past few
The Waterson, Berlin & Snyder number, seasons have been left intact by the producers
"There Must Be a Way to Love You," is ap- as far as the music has been concerned. In-
parently the biggest-selling number in the popu- variably there are interpolated from one to five
lar catalog of that firm. The Woolworth Syn- numbers in such productions, and this certainly
dicate is making a special drive on the song. cannot be charged to the publishers of the
original score, who of course do not look with
pleasure upon such interpolations.
,
The publishers are naturally desirous of hav-
ing salable works in any production in which
they are interested for they get a slightly higher
wholesale rate on such works. However, they
also pay a higher royalty fee to the authors,
and the sales of a most exceptional musical com-
edy hit hardly ever compare favorably with a
big hit that is exploited through the other rec-
ognized channels. The difference between the
methods of putting the songs of the two above
types over is considerable. In the case of the
musical show, the songs are put over without
added expense, and it is possible for five or six
road shows of the more successful productions,
covering the various parts of the country, to
make a national hit of the big number in a
given show. The sales, however, will not be
quite as large as those of what can be termed
a big popular number, though the profits to the
publisher may be somewhat larger, inasmuch
as some of the larger expenses of exploitation
are eliminated.
That popular music is crammed down the
throat of the public and that it is made to
like it willy-nilly has proved to be a fallacy.
The taste of the public is improving, if any-
thing, but many theatregoers enjoy jazz and
there is plenty of room for that sort of music.
Likewise, it is doubtful if any operetta of real
musical value has fallen by the wayside entirely
through lack of support or appreciation on the
part of the public. Meanwhile, the average
producer appears always ready to listen to rea-
son when it is accompanied by a sufficient pe-
cuniary argument as to why he should inter-
polate special numbers in an otherwise good
score.
BE SURE TO GET
NICE & CO. INCREASE LOCAL STAFF
RESPONSIBILITY FOR POOR MUSIC
Music Publishers Protest Recent Statement of
Victor Herbert and Declare That Low Quality
of Show Music Is Due Chiefly to the Producer
DRIFTING ON"
That Waltz Song success by those hit writers
Howard Johnson and Jos. H. Santly
-AND-
WITH YOU, MY OWN"
A Beautiful Ballad Fox Trot by
Jimmie Flynn and W. M. Orest
Special prices for the next 30 days to dealers
who will feature them.
WILL WOOD
233 W. 40th St.
NEW YORK
B. D. Nice & Co., who recently inaugurated
a big campaign on the new Lee David song and
fox-trot "Clouds," have just added six men to
the professional department of the New York
offices. These will be under the direction of
Leon Friedmand and include Cy Cooper, Carl
Alberts, Billy Houston, Dave Silman, Mac
Lewis and Buck Jacobs.
BERLIN RETURNING FROM FLORIDA
Irving Berlin, head of Irving Berlin, Inc., will
shortly return from Florida, where he has been
spending the last several weeks.