NOVEMBER
I·
THE
10, 1923
MUSIC
TRADE
57
REVIEW
INlfti:WORLDlJ~. i
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH
RETAIL MUSIC PRICES AND THE FEDERAL COMMISSION
Recent Hearing in New York on Fictitious Prices on Sheet Music Likely to Lead to Change
SONGS THAT SELL
III
Present Practice in Trade-Decision Not to Be Handed Down for Some Time Yet
"
A hearing by the Federal Trade Commission
on the marked prices of sheet music was re
cently held in New York. A number of pub
lishers and officials of music associations wer,e
called to give evidence so that the Commission
could hand down a decision as to whether the
present practice of marking sheet music at least
a third higher than the prevalent retail pric p
should be discontinued.
There is, naturally, no way of knowing "hat
the Commission's decision will be in the matter.
From the evidence gathered it \vould appear
that a strong case was made against the prac
tice of marking sheet music at a higher figllre
that the net retail selling price, The reasons
for this, which is of long standing, were, of
course, explained to the Commission. It was
readily shown that the great majority of music
buyers were quite familiar with the workings
of the present marked prices and only in ex
ceptional instances were the printed figures used
to obtain higher than what is considered a
normal retail price. But, owing to the fact that
from a business standpoint, good commercial
and merchandising practice, there seems no
legitimate. reason in the eyes of an outsider
\vhy a false price should be printed on the title
page, there is more than a little likelihood of
decision agai nst the practice,
The ~ational Association of Sheet Music
Dealers and the Music Publishers' ,\ssociation
of the United States both have taken up this
question at their annual meetings for the past
few years, Owing, however, to the many ob
stacles and the long continuance of the present
practice, as well as the heavy costs of making
necessary changes, action on a unanimous scale
has always becn postponed. Several individual
publishers, however, in recent years have suc
c(,sfully marked standard publications at the
real retail selling price and not at a fictitious
[i,u·IHe. On the other hanel, one of the largest
publishing houses, having a voluminous stand
anl catalog, some two years ago, at great ex
pense, inaugurated the same idea,
For this
latter organization the arrangement did not
prove a sucerss anel after a period of months
il was I'oune! necessary to return to fortner
111ethods of 111arking sheet music,
.\s the Feclnal Trade Commission may find
it aclvisable to rencler a decision requiring the
elimination of fictitious figures, it might be well
for the retailer to give the matter consideration
so if the new arrangement goes into effect it
wi.1I not take the dealer unawares, although,
lInc!ouhtedly, a sufficient amount of time will
be allowed· pllbli,hers and dealers to dispose of
accumulated stocks anc!make necessary changes
in plates, etc.
No doubt the Commission has the power to
require publishers to eliminate fictitious prices.
On the other hand, it has not the power to
dictate prices at whicR music will be sold nor
can it require the printing of such prices. So,
as a matter of fact, if the publishers decide to
discontinue the present method of marking the
prices on sheet music and eliminate the price
altogether, the status of the dealer in disposing
of the stock 'will be the same as heretoforc. In
other words, the elimination of price marking
need not necessarily mean a reduction in actual
retail figures.
TOM QUIGLEV JOINS HEARST
SHERMAN NOW GENERAL MANAGER
Tom Quigley, Western
mark & Sons, Resigns
Publishers, Ltd., as
United States for This
Manager of M. Wit
to Join Hearst Music
General Manager in
Company
CHICAGO, ILL" ~ovember 3, ..Tom Quigley, who
has been associated for the past twelve years
as western manager for M. vVitmark & Sons,
has resigned his position to take effect Novem
ber 17 in order to join Hearst Music Publishers,
Ltd" as general manager for the United States.
:Mr, Quigley will open offices on December 1
in Chicago, which will be the headquarters for
the "Cnited States, The Hearst ::'Iifusic Pub
lishers, Ltd" has built up a very large business
in Canada, where its headquarters are located,
and will now endeavor to do likewise in this
country,
"tvlr. Quigley voices his regret at leaving the
firm of Witmark & Son", as his twelve years
with that house have been the most plea,ant
of his life. The proposition he has now ac
cepted, however, i" so attractive that he feels
it is the opportunity of a lifetime,
"GANG OF MINE" IN DEMAND
"That Old Gang of Mine" continues to be
the best seller in tlte catalo,~ of Ining Bnlin,
Inc. Its popularity is not confined to any par
ticular territory, its sales covering all parts of
the country in substantial quantitic'i. The band
and orchestra and profc"ional departments and
the sales organization, including the various
branches, are continuing their activities on this
issue and from indications it will be one of the
largest sellers ever added to the catalog.
Succeeds Kenneth Nichols as General Manager
of Ned Norworth, Inc.-Is Well-known Song
writer and Widely Known in Trade
Ct! IC\GO, ILL" November 3,- -Tom Sherman, well
kno\\'n songwriter, who has been associated
with ~ ed r-< orworth, Inc., as professional man
ager sinCt" its incorporation some months ago,
is now general manager of the company, suc
ceeding Kenneth Nichols, NIr. Sherman has
written many popular hits and written also the
words for the latest song that the company has
published, cntitled "I'll Never Do It Again,"
while the music has been written by Harry
Stover. It is predicted that this number will
be as popular as the previous hit "In a Covered
VVagon With You," and it is being played by
the leading orchestras, featured' by both Art
Landry's Call of the North Band and by the
Vincent Lopez Orchestra,
"SUN=KIST ROSE" IN HOLLAND
"Sun-Kist Rose," a fox-trot song from the
catalo,C; of the .\, 'j. Stasny Music Co" Inc"
which achieved more than a little popularity in
this country and later rcpeated its success in
England, has now found favor in Holland, Re
c('ntly th,' De Telegraaf, \msterdam's leading
newspaper, c:l.rricd a full-page advertisement
illu'lrating both the worels and music.
The Engli,h lyric for "Just One :tvIore Kiss,"
the c;reat Viennese song by Leon Berger, was
written by ~\rchie Bell, dramatic and lllusic
critic of the Clc,'elancl News-Leader, Sam Fox
Publishing Co, is the publisher.
-
That Old Gang of Mine
Sittin' in a Corner
If I Can't Get the Sweetie I Want
- (I Pity the Sweetie I Get)
Indiana Moon
When You Walked Out, Someone
Else Walked Right In
Love (My Heart Is Calling You)
T en-T en-Tennessee
Kokomo
Roamin' to Wyomin'
Lovey Came Back
I Love the Girl Who Kisses
Why Should I Give My Love to Ym;
Tell All the Folks in Kentucky (I'm
Comin' Home)
You Darling You
You
I Wish I Had Someone to Cry Over Me
Bit by Bit, You're Breaking My Heart
Nobody Else Can Love Me Like
My Old Tomato Can
Salt Your Sugar
Just One Kind Word
Universal Dan~~ F~lio
Special Edition for 1924
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Song Gems from Irving Berlin's Third Annoal
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MUSIC BOX REVUE
An Orange Grove in California
The Waltz of Long Ago
Little Butterfly
-
Tell Me a Bedtime Story
Learn to Do the Strut
Climbing Up the Scale
One Girl
IRVING BERLIN, Inc.
1607 Broadway, New York
SOME RECENT DlTSON PUBLICATIONS
Unusually Interesting Volume and Individual
Numbers Offered by Boston Publishers
Among the very interesting recent publica
tions of the Oliver Ditson Co., Boston, is in
cluded a valuable volume of music for children
by Homer Grunn entitled "The Bears at the
Beach," consisting of four-tone pictures for the
little ones, Appropriate full-page illustrations
accompany each of the selections.
Another unusual volume is Ditson's Music
\\Triter and Speller, by Arthur B, Canfield, an
excellent \"olume desi~ned to facilitate the work
of learning music notations,
Other separate
publications include "Here's My Heart," words
by John Kendrick Bangs and music by John
T-I, Densmore; "Come Now, and Let Us Reason
Together," a sacred song by G, Waring Steb
bins~; "While Bells of' Memory Chime," by
j\,hrguerite Lawrence Test, and "Go Tell It on
the Mountains," a negro spiritual for Christmas
time, hy Harvev B. Gaul.
"