Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
OCTOBER 2, 1920
THE
59
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH
catalogs are also assuming a similar attitude,
much to the displeasure of the publishers, and
the publishers' success in winning the battle
with the 10-cent syndicates will encourage them
to resort to battle with the higher-priced or-
ganizations. They will, however, need the most
earnest co-operation of the trade in general.
It means much for the trade to give them this
co-operation—in business activity, in profits and
in added prestige in their communities.
Among the problems that the syndicates have
brought to the publishers'attention is their unwill-
ingness to place upon sale anything but hits—
fast-selling numbers. In fact, the publishers
have found it necessary to use the utmost tact
at times in order to get ordinary business co-
operation on other than hits.
Another situation the publishers have had to
contend with is that owing to the various man-
agers of the syndica-te stores working on a
percentage basis with their organiAitions it
has led some of them to place the hits in incon-
spicuous positions (so that they are only sold
when the purchaser directly requests them) and
feature mediocre numbers that can be purchased
at a smaller wholesale figure. For instance, the
initial orders of most of the 30-cent numbers are
wholesaled at 15 cents, following which the
wholesale price generally goes to IS cents.
Some short-sighted publishers have accepted
offers from syndicates of 12^ cents for their
mediocre numbers, and thus arises a problem.
Of course, the publishers can standardize their
wholesale prices. This they must do for the
good of the business, but there are still many
other problems in syndicate distribution that
lead the publishers to look forward to greater
co-operation from the legitimate dealer. The
dealer has a wonderful opportunity. By all
means he should accept it. By starting now
lie can, in a few months, have the biggest ma-
jority of the sales—the quick sales and quick
profits. The dividends are certainly not of
such small dimensions as to be overlooked.
Rather they should cause the trade to give this
subject their deepest consideration. The pub-
lishers will welcome it.
"GYPSIANA" SCORING BIG
AMERICAN MUSIC FOR FRANCE
Attractive Window Display Made by Chas. E.
Roat Music Co.—"Song With the Kick" in
Great Favor With Orchestras
U. S. Vice-consul Declares That There Is a
Real Opportunity for the Introduction Into
France of American Sheet Music
DEALERS SHOULD REALIZE PREVAILING OPPORTUNITIES
Should Control Larger Percentage of Business in F .st Selling 30-Cent Numbers and Convince Pub-
lishers They Are Desirous of Co-operating With Them—Why Syndicate Stores Now Control Trade
During the last eighteen months this de-
partment lias had a series of articles designed
to impress upon the legitimate sheet music
dealer his opportunity, with the elimination of
the publishers' 10-cent catalogs, for getting the
larger percentage of the business in fast-selling
30-cent numbers.
The publishers have informed us that de-
spite the wonderful opportunity the dealers have
had in respect to developing their 30-cent cata-
logs it has been found that over 60 per cent of
the sales have been handled by syndicate stores.
This should not be so, for the time has not
yet come when the legitimate sheet music dealer
can look upon this large distribution by syndi-
cate stores as permanent. As a matter of fact,
conditions have arisen which have led the pub- .
lishers to believe that it would be well for them
to further encourage the co-operation of the
sheet music dealer.
In eliminating their 10-cent catalogs the pub-
lishers of necessity had to accept quickly the
means of distribution at hand. Syndicate stores,
being good merchandisers, gave them the dis-
tributing medium and, what is more important,
most earnest co-operation. This, on the whole,
they have not received from the legitimate music
dealers.
Further developments in syndicate distribu-
tion are causing many of the publishers to look
with displeasure upon the tactics of the buyers
of these houses, despite the fact that they
are now the means of giving the publishers
their largest volume of sales with their new
catalogs.
It is a well-known fact that the 10-cent cata-
1: gs would never have been entirely eliminated
if it were not for the methods resorted to by
the 10-cent syndicates to keep the publishers
in line. The publishers - were willing to still
retain 10-cent distribution, but upon their own
terms and by their own methods. The syndi-
cates in question, however, were apparently in
no mood to co-operate with the publishers in
meeting a difficult situation, but felt that by
bringing pressure to bear and using a dicta-
torial attitude they could hold the publishers in
line. In this they failed.
It is now brought to light that the syndicates
connected with the distribution of the 30-cent
BATTLE CREEK, MICH., September 27.—Chas. E
Roat Music Co., of this city, reports that excel-
lent sales have attended the release of ils suc-
cess, "Gypsiana." Herewith is reproduced an
illustration showing the window given over by
the company to the display of this new number.
The .work has been featured recently at the St.
Roat's Striking Window Display
Francis Hotel, San Francisco. "The Song With
the Kick" is the way W. C. Krausgrill, leader
of the St. Francis orchestra and successor to
Art Hickman of "Ziegfeld Follies" fame, de-
scribes it.
The selection is also being used by R. Bert,
leader of the Union Pacific Band, Omaha, Xeb.,
in his concerts and is reported by him as a
great fox-trot success, demanding numerous en-
cores. The publishers of the piece have just
issued an illustrated poster for window and
counter display. It is a reproduction of a paint-
ing in oil in live colors, and makes a valuable
piece of publicity for dealers handling "Gyp-
"You Smiled My Heart Away," published by
Alton J. Stevens, 1562 Milwaukee avenue, Chi-
cago, 111., is proving one of the most popular
waltzes in the Middle West at the present time,
and its favor is increasing in other territory.
The orchestras have taken kindly to the number,
and as a song it is also proving to be a work.of
much merit.
WASHINGTON, D. C, September 27.—American
dance music is very popular in France, its
marked rhythm and uniform tempo making it
particularly adapted to ballroom purposes, says
U. S. Vice-consul Square at Nantes.
A good market would probably be found for
American popular songs also if the publishers
would print a French version of the words to-
gether with the English. French popular songs
are usually published without accompaniment,
which must be supplied by the performer,
whose improvising is not always harmonious
unless, indeed, he be a professional musician or
a virtuoso.
There should also be a good market for low-
priced editions of uncopyrighted classical,
operatic and standard sheet music. Because of
the American superior lithographic work and
our reduced costs, by virtue of quantity produc-
tion, competition with French music should be
an easy matter.
Edition Beautiful
One of our good friends
among the dealers asked one of
our representatives r e c e n t l y
why he should carry Edition
Beautiful when he already car-
ried eight other Editions.
Our representative promptly
came back with this, "If you
sold the Ford and the Buick,
wouldn't you be glad to have
the opportunity to represent the
Stutz?"
Edition Beautiful is the
Pierce-Arrow of the mu ,ic
business.
C. C. CHURCH AND COMPANY
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
Hartford—New York—London—Paris—Sydney