Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
AUGUST 15,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1925
35
IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted By V. D. Walsh
Dance Orchestras' Popularity and Their
Effect on Exploitation of Popular Hits
SONGS THAT SELL
Too Much Rendition by This Means Has Led to Shortening the Selling Life of a Popular Num-
ber by a Considerable Degree—Methods Which the Publishers Take to Check This
Yearning
' I * HE popularity of the modern dance orches-
tras has continued for a period of about eight
years. The demands for good dance music do
not appear to wane. We shall evidently have
a few years more, at least, of the predominating
influence of modern musical combination.
When the modern type orchestra first came
into vogue, the popular publisher, particularly,
looked upon it as a quick means of popularizing
his issues. It still is a very important factor.
Its power to popularize songs is just as great
as ever, but its very strength has produced a
weakness in such exploitation programs. This
drawback, which has been increasing in scope
for the past few seasons, has reached a stage
where it serves, in many instances, to limit the
gross sales of popular music.
The large number of orchestras and their
popularity have necessitated the issuance of
many fox-trots. This makes the competition
keen. The numbers that they play, of the most
popular calibre, of course, stand out from the
competitive ranks. However, this serves to give
such meritorious numbers over-exploitation. It
serves to shorten the period of their popularity
with the result that what created the demand
also serves to limit it.
A popular song with a good dance arrange-
ment would probably have a much longer life if,
after it had reached the successful stage, it were
to have a few less public renditions.
There are supposed to be something like
30,000 orchestras in the United States. If all of
these 30,000 orchestras are playing "O Kath-
arina" or "All Alone" or "Don't Bring Lulu,"
simultaneously night after night, the natural re-
sult is that these particular issues win quick
popularity, and then make room for the next
piece of alluring fox-trot music.
The popular publishers have made an effort
to limit the number of public renditions on their
best offerings through insisting upon most or-
chestras purchasing their orchestrations. This
often places the maximum of free orchestra-
tions at about 1,500 of the leading orchestras.
This method serves in a way to limit over-
exploitation and is also the means of creating a
sale for an average of 15,000 popular orches-
trations per issue. It has made it possible for
the retailer to sell popular orchestrations suc-
cessfully. But it hardly serves the purpose of
Ill/ten rlw (hw
You love,
Loves You*
^£
/feu) Waltz balhd
So Successfully . SiW$- bij
Vaudevilles Leadm^ Artists
reducing the amount of public rendition to a
figure that adds considerably to the health of
the number. The reason for this is that once
a title attains the position of being a hit, the
cost of orchestrations does not deter up-to-date
orchestras from obtaining it. Indeed, after pur-
chasing such orchestrations, they probably play
them on a greater number of occasions than if
they received them gratis.
With this and other factors in mind, the
popular publishers are turning more thought
and attention to the vaudeville performer and
the vocalists of photoplay houses. In this field,
the vocal, there are not the drawbacks that are
to-day found in orchestra channels. Through
this means both the words and the melody are
sold to the public, and a desire for the song
generally results in purchases. The same can-
not be said for a fox-trot rendition by the
average orchestra. One fox-trot can be danced
to almost as readily as another one. Where a
song is concerned, however, whether a ballad,
love song or comedy, and a desire is created,
nothing else but that particular title will do.
During the coming season, we can expect
some big campaigns on ballads and love songs,
because there is no danger of over-exploitation,
and because the sale will last over a longer
period, thus setting them apart from the more
competitive field of fox-trots.
Problems on exploitation in the music pub-
lishing field are complex yet are usually sus-
ceptible of a rapid solution.
Dinner to Erno Rapee
A dinner was given to Erno Rapee at Ro-
mano's Place, 232 West Fifty-second street,
New York City, on Sunday night. A host of
his friends attended the affair, and these in-
cluded many shining lights of the theatrical and
musical world. His long connection with one
of New York's leading photoplay houses as
musical director, and his success as a composer
and arranger, resulted in a series of enthusi-
astic addresses by the committee in charge of
the program.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
Oh, How 1 Miss You Tonight
When You and 1 Were Seventeen
—
Ukulele Lady
Yes, Sir! That's My Baby
Silver Head
Sonya (Yup Alay Yup)
Cecilia
On a Night Like This
The Whole World Is Dreaming of Love
Summer Nights
My Sweetie Turned Me Down
Suite Sixteen
So That's the Kind of a Girl You Are
—
Waitin' for the Moon
Say, Arabella
Alone at Last
Sing Loo
One Smile
BOOKS THAT SELL
STRUM IT WITH CRUMIT—Songs for
Ukulele
TIDDLE DE UKES—Comic Songs for
the Ukulele
X Universal Dance Folio No. 9 (New)
Peterson's Ukulele Method
—
World's Favorite Songs
Hits from TOPSY and EVA
Rememb'ring
I Never Had a Mammy
IRVING BERLIN, Inc.
1607 Broadway, New York
BECAUSE
MIDNIGHT
WALTZ
'A
&*-
Lyric Bu Gus Kahn
Ji
With A Wonderful
„ Fox Trot Rhythm/
Music by Walter Donaldson . , £ *
Vnttev\ faj
Cliff frbd
lqric by Walter liirsch
Music bij T hd Fiorito
You cant do wtfou,6 with
aity FEIST