Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER 9, 1922
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
149
REVIEW
INTERESTING FAD OF COLLECTING SHEET MUSIC TITLES
The Value That Lies in Some of the Old Title Pages Here Explained—Can Frequently Be Sold
at a Substantial Figure—Have Some Historical Matter
If you tell someone you are collecting music
titles they will probably ask for further en-
lightenment and with more excuse than the
man who asked, "What are Keats?" says the
Musical News and Herald. You may go on
to explain you mean music title pages or
frontispieces, when you will probably be met
with a vague "Oh!"—for though stamp col-
lectors are as the sands of the sea, music title
collectors are comparatively few. As a matter
of fact they have not as yet come into their
kingdom; they are really investing for the fu-
ture, for these charming pictures, although
sometimes a joy forever, do not usually com-
mand a high price in the market unless one
chances on one of Leybourne as "Champagne
Charlie," which will fetch a "fiver," or a very
rare one by the great Thackeray, which I am
told is worth £50. Baxter prints are sometimes
met with stuck on music, and these generally
fetch about 10s. each.
After an experience of some years I can
testify to the pleasure of this hobby. I have
now a collection of prints amounting to several
hundreds, comprising every class of subject—
operatic scenes, landscape, naval and military,
portraits, music hall, etc. . . .
Sheet music has been adorned in this way
for many years, even as early as Stuart times.
The earlier examples are mostly in line or
stipple printed from copper plates. It was the
invention of lithography, especially that in color,
which gave a vast impetus to the production
of the music picture. Numerous artists special-
ized in this branch of art and made great profits.
. . . The demand for this class of work was
enormous, for it seems that the picture often
sold the song or piece, wliich without it would
be neglected. . . . Nowadays the music page,
though not so numerous or so elaborate as of
old, but in some cases simpler and more artistic,
still survives, and, indeed, shows signs of in-
creasing. . . . The great period of the music
title was in the early and mid-Victorian ages,
when opera was in its glory—in London—at
one time supporting two temples of song, and
such song as we may never hear again. Now,
these pictures, although they cannot enable us
to hear those dead voices, can at least let us
see how the singers looked in the habit as they
lived. The details of the costumes in some of
Brandard's pictures (he was the chief depictor
of opera stars) is wonderful. Mario and Grisi,
Lablache, Sims Reeves, Jenny Lind and many
more seem to live again on these pages, and I
often think a collection of such pictures would
suitably adorn a musical museum, if we had such
a thing. For instance, I have one of the Crystal
Palace during a Handel Festival, and have seen
another of the interior of an opera house in
old days with orchestra playing. I have picked
up specimens in all sorts of places, the second-
hand shop, the barrow and even the rag and
bone merchant being resorted to. One must be
prepared for disappointment, as when I found
a print of Mario and Grisi with the top part,
including the heads, missing! But you may en-
tertain, if not angels, still Madonnas, unawares,
as when I found five Baxter's Holy Family in
a heap in the Caledonian Market and bought for
one shilling.
Now a word as to modern developments of
the frontispiece. In recent years it has some-
what fallen into disuse save as regards comic
songs and dance music, but, as I said, there are
signs of its revival in a simpler form. A glance
round some of the music publishers will show
what is being done. At Messrs. Chester, in
Marlborough street, I was shown lately some
beautiful examples of modern Russian covers.
THE kV1 s ? BALLADS
MY FORGET-ME-NOT
POPULAR
MUSIC BOOKS
Bellak's New Method
The best selling copyrighted piano
method and now going better than ever.
Every dealer should keep a good stock
on hand.
Gordon's Graded Piano
Course
In nine grades—Price 50c each, retail.
A graded course that is continually
growing in popular favor. Teachers are
demanding it.
Gordon's Motion Picture
Collection
In two volumes—Price $1.00 for the
two. Not a mere folio but a book es-
pecially for picture playing. Sells to
picture players at sight.
Jousse's Musical Catechism
A new revised edition, much improved
and completely indexed so that it can
be used as a work of reference or "Hand-
book of Music." Ask for the "Gordon
Edition."
Every-Day Melodies
For piano solo, Vols. 1 and 2. Price
75c each.
For violin solo, Vols. 1 and 2. Price
60c each.
For piano ace, Vols. 1 and 2. Price
$1.00 each.
Folios of easy arrangements of popular
standard numbers that are in great de-
mand. They sell on sight. Every dealer
should have them.
Insist on the
Gordon Edition of
BEYER'S PIANO METHOD
A fine edition, revised and enlarged.
DAN CUPID
MYSTIC HOUR
Kohler's Piano Method, 3 vols.
Hohman's Violin School, 3 vols.
Hamilton S. Gordon
141-5 West 36th St., New York, N. Y.
IF I GAVE YOU A ROSE
SHOES
BEAUTIFUL MOTHER
DO DREAMS COME TRUE?
LONELY HOURS
CARL FISCHER S
These are in different styles, either elaborate
lettering and border work of beautiful design,
and color by Bueck, Antipoff and others, or
broad and freely handled modern subjects, of
which the most striking—even startling—speci-
mens are those of Larionov for Lord Berners'
"Trois Morceaux." Most of these Russian speci-
mens are published by Belaieff and printed by
Roder, Leipzig.
At Messrs. Curwen's, Berners street, I saw
some very charming covers illustrating action
songs for children, of which this firm makes a
specialty. Most of these are done in outline
and colored by hand. There were also here
some prints by the late Lovat Fraser, of
"Beggar's Opera "fame.
Messrs. Enoch and others have good examples
of modern work, mostly simple and decorative
in character. The old elaboration of the Vic-
torian print has quite disappeared with the runs,
shakes and roulades of that epoch. So the music
cover, with the song it celebrates, still survives
in a modified form, but its great age, coinciding
with the age of great singers, is no more.