Music Trade Review

Issue: 1926 Vol. 82 N. 20

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted By V. D. Walsh
The Music Trade of the Golden Gate,
One of the Country's Greatest Cities
Maurice Richmond, Head of the Richmond Musical Supply Corp., New York, Requires Several
Articles to Tell of All He Found There, of Which This Is the Second
DAUL WHITEMAN, the king of symphonic
jazz, on his recent trip to the Pacific Coast
played at the exposition auditorium for the San
Francisco Auto Show. Yes, Whiteman is a big
figure in the musical
world, a big figure
physically, too, and he
plays for big figures.
It seems that George
Wahlgreen, who man-
aged t h e automobile
show for the Dealers'
Association, had been
busy for several days
framing a long speech
to be spoken when he
turned o v e r White-
man's salary check to
him. He was going to
let loose a variety of
Maurice Richmond
long words that would
stump Noah Webster himself. Well, the pres-
entation took place. Wahlgreen wrote out the
$25,000 check and started a search for White-
man. He found the leader down at the truck
display studying the new bodies of rival heavy-
weights. "Paul, I have your salary check here,"
Wahlgreen began. "I am
." He didn't get
a chance to finish. Whiteman grabbed the
check, shoved it inside his pocket, murmured a
thanks and continued his survey of the trucks.
John P. Broder
J. P. Broder, at 140 Stockton street, does a
general music business and particularly stocks
educational material. He also specializes in
the orchestra field, catering to musicians. From
his experience he thinks the popular pub-
lisher has never given serious consideration
to the popular orchestration end of the
business. Until recently the publisher gave
away gratis practically every popular or-
chestration he printed, being under the im-
pression that this would help to popularize the
tunes. But how does that affect the dealer?
If the publisher will co-operate with the dealer
and stop giving away his merchandise it will
create a healthier condition for both the dealer
and publisher. There should be no discount
allowed to the musician unless the publisher is
willing to give the dealer a sufficient profit to
warrant it. The fact remains, however, that the
musician is willing to pay any reasonable
amount for an orchestration if he wants it.
Many old-timers will remember the old firm
of Broder & Schlam, a music publishing con-
cern in San Francisco years ago and the pub-
lisher of quite a few hits back in those days.
The junior member was lured away by the call
of New York's tin pan alley and has since
passed on. Our good friend, Mr. Broder, how-
ever, remained in San Francisco and is enjoy-
ing a prosperous retail business. All of his
friends will undoubtedly be glad to know that
Mr. Broder is back on the job with renewed
energy and regained health.
Emil Cruells
My visit with my good friend, Emil Cruells,
at the Mission Music House, was purely a social
one. However, he did give me a few facts about
himself which may be interesting. He started
in business in 1898 with a Michigan bank roll
of $2,000. He said, "Watch the pile grow,"
and it did. He carried a complete popular music
department and a selected line of standard ma-
terial together with the Columbia and Victor
products. However, in 1907, during the big
San Francisco fire, Mr. Cruells sustained a loss
of $15,000 and collected insurance of only $3,500.
The pile which had grown was sadly diminished
then, but he re-established his business at 2538
Mission street, where he prospered for many
years and is now preparing to move into his
own concrete building at 2226 Mission street.
Mr. Cruells disclosed the fact that he can lay
his hands on $50,000 in cash and that his stock
is valued at about $50,000, so that he is rather
confident he can keep the wolf away from his
door for quite some time.
He attributes his good health and smiling
countenance to his good wife, Mrs. Isabelle
Cruells, who has been feeding him Scotch oats
(mush) every morning for breakfast and mush
cakes on Sunday since 1909. He looks good
and feels good, so evidently he likes it.
While Mr. Cruells contemplates being active
in his business for a long while to come, he be-
lieves in making way for the younger genera-
tion and some day intends to hand it over to
some live wire who has proved himself worthy.
Gene Florentine
Just how much Florentine knows about the
music business he has never disclosed to me,
and it is just as well, perhaps, that he didn't.
He is interested mostly in the live, popular hits
of the day where he can make a quick turnover.
He appreciates that Mr. Ditson and Mr. Schir-
mer are doing a splendid business, he knows
about Mr. Wood and his "wood pile," he knows
how to spell "Carl Fischer," but he prefers to
sell popular music. All he handles in classic
music is the Century Edition and a few studies
and methods. He told me it doesn't take any
time or energy to sell Century music. The old
and young come in with their lists and say:
"Please give me copies of Nos. 937, 924, 1743,
2099, etc." They know that it is 15 cents per
copy and they bring the right change. "You
might just as well put Century music in a cafe-
teria. It sells itself," says he.
It took quite a few visits before I located
Gene Florentine. I don't know what his side
line is, but I hope it is real estate and not what
you mean. When I did find him he insisted
upon knowing what hotel I was stopping at.
Wanting a complete rest, I told him I was at
the Clift, far away from all the night owls and
no parties for me. Finally he said: "Unless you
move over to the Plaza Hotel where all the
music boys make their headquarters I won't
take you to 'tea' with me and I'll tell the gang
that you are high-hatting us." While at Floren-
tine's store I met Ray W. Maxwell, who is the
auditor of the Hotel Plaza, and I found him a
very cordial chap. I promised that on my next
trip to the Coast I'd be glad to stay at his
hotel providing he'd keep it a secret from Gene
Florentine. I've an idea that Gene must be col-
lecting some commission for his propaganda
and boosting. Perhaps he takes it out in trade.
The most enjoyable part of my visit with
Gene was the dianer I had at his home with his
sweet mother. After dinner it was Gene's idea
of a good time to play pinochle or poker and
bust. However, what we did do was attend an
elaborate ceremonial at the Scottish Rites Tem-
ple, of the fourteenth grade, Lodge of Perfec-
tion. The work was so soothing to my friend
Gene that he fell asleep directly after it began.
42
SONGS THAT SELL

At Peace With the World—(Irving
Berlin)—New
Always—(Irving Berlin)—New.
Remember (Irving Berlin)
Don't Walt Too Long: (Irving Berlin)
Venetian Isles (Irving Berlin)
Then I'll Be Happy
I Never Knew
That Certain Party
In the Middle of the Night
I Wonder Where My Baby Is To-night
Poor Papa (Has Got Nuthin' at All)
I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (If I Knew
I'd Find You)
Gimme a Little Kiss (Will Ta-Huh?)
Tentin' Down in Tennessee
But I Do (You Know I Do)
What! No Women
Pining for You
Somebody's Eyes
Chlnky Butterfly
Say It Again
He Ain't Done Right by Nell
What Am I Supposed to Do?
The Wind Blew Thru His Whisker.
Cecilia
I Wish't I Was in Peorla
Yes, Sir! That's My Baby
Oh, How I Miss You To-night
The Roses Brought Me You
Yearning
Waltzing the Blues Away
Miami, You Owe a Lot to Me
When Autumn Leaves Are Falling
Take This Rose
Tell Me Why You and I Should Be Strangers
The Day That I Met You



BOOKS THAT SELL
X

New Universal Dance Folio
No. 11
Edition Extraordinary—Just Out
Peterson's I'kulele Method
World's Favorite Songs
Tiddle De Ukes
Strum It With Crumlt
Irving Berlin's Song Gems
From the Musical Comedy Sensation
"THE COCOANUTS"
A Little Bungalow
Florida By the Sea
We Should Care
The Monkey Doodle Doo
Lucky Boy
IRVING BERLIN, Inc.
1607 Broadway, New York
At the end I had to rap him on the "dome" and
shout: "All aboard for Carnarsie."
Gene Florentine was the first publisher to dis-
cover the selling qualities of "Cielito Lindo"
(Beautiful Heaven) and put it on the market.
If he hadn't encountered a lot of competition
it probably would have been better than boot-
legging. However, many other wise ones dis-
covered it was anybody's property and they all
went after it.
His more recent composition, "A Dream of
Love and You," was accepted by Sam Fox dur-
ing his recent trip to the Coast. Sam expects
to make a go of it. Gene's newest number,
"Count the Stars," looks like his best to him.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Music Trade Review
MAY 15, 1926
SOMEBODYS,
LONELY
THE
SIGN
A Popular Fox Trot
ballad With A Great
Dance Rhythm/
L
BENNY M/1S
CL 2/1 Cu
I
vJOE GOLD/
HORSES;
V£f? Then it's O.K.
It was "written for
]au$hs~justaCome
"nut" idea
QF23ZE
DICK WHITING.
ROSE
and
BYRON GAY/
Writer of
%
VAMV«
Sentimental Foxtrot S o ^
of Unusual Charm/
©1926 LEO FEIST Inc.
You Can!t V Go Wrong
Gene's business must be pretty good. While
I was at the store one of the fashionable tailors
delivered three brand new suits to him.
H. C. Hanson
H. C. Hanson's music house at 137 Powell
street always looks like a musicians' convention.
Our good friend Hanson is always so busy en-
tertaining his musician friends that he is a
pretty hard fellow to get hold of. He is ex-
tremely cordial, as is shown by his host of
friends, and his friendliness is a great asset to
his business.
Mr. Finley, the manager, gave me several mo-
ments of his time and told me a few facts about
the business, He said it was showing some
progress now, but that conditions for a while
were a little off. It is the headquarters of the
Buescher instruments and many other well-
known lines. In sheet music it handles prin-
cipally the popular hits and better type ballads,
as well as a selected line of teaching material.
Frank Sheridan
Just as I stepped off the elevator into the
lobby of the Hotel Clift Frank Sheridan ap-
peared on the scene. He was "busy as the
dickens," he said, rehearsing Wm. Anthony Mc-
Guire's merry thriller, "Twelve Miles Out." This
play, which was a huge success on Broadway,
was about to open with the Pacific Coast com-
pany at the Alcazar Theatre. Frank told me
he was originally slated for the star part with
the New York company, but on account of ill-
ness in the family he had to make a flying trip
across the Continent to his home at Carmel,
Cal. However, he was enthused about the play,
he was anxious to get in it if only for a few
weeks and then back to "Carmel by the Sea."
His John Franklin music catalog needs no
introduction to the trade. "Marcheta" has made
him independent. In fact, he retired some time
ago. Aside from that, the Sheridans are busy
cutting coupons from many other solid invest-
ments of real estate and other deals. His oc-
tavo catalog is probably one of the best on the
market and is for sale if a publisher convinced
of its true value will actually make what Sheri-
dan feels is a good offer.
Music Activities
It has been said that one of the hall-marks
of a true metropolis is its musical activities. In
this respect San Francisco is noteworthy. A
hasty reading of annals makes some people
gather the mistaken impression that San Fran-
cisco's musical history had its genesis when
miners threw gold nuggets at the feet of Ade-
lina Patti. But it has been pointed out by one
musical critic that the Franciscan padres were
chanting Gregorian measures in the Mission
Dolores when the battles of Lexington and Con-
cord were being fought, and that the Indians
were intoning hymns and staging miracle plays
for their sun god in California before the land-
ing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. San
Francisco not only discovered the gold in the
soprano of Luisa Tetrazzini at the old Tivoli
Opera House, but it has figured in the triumphs
of many luminaries of the musical and dramatic
yrid hy
' LERNER ud ROSE
Music hy
FIELDS ad WHITING
With
Any JFEIST Son?
stage, from Lotta Crabtree and Tamagno to you golfed); RICHMOND Wedding Season's
Event (what, again?); RICHMOND Growing
Mary Garden and Galli-Curci.
Rapidly (Aren't you full grown as yet); RICH-
The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, con-
sisting of eighty-five musicians, is supported by MOND MURDERER Caught (I didn't know
public subscription and gives weekly concerts they could kill you); RICHMOND wins suit
(Were you wearing it?). Say, Who's this guy
throughout the Winter months. Each season
the city of San Francisco presents the Sym- RICHMOND?" I finally asked a cop. "RICH-
MOND is a suburb and not to be guyed," he
phony Orchestra in a series of evening popular
concerts in the huge Exposition Auditorium, said.
which seats 10,000 people. This is the only in-
From then on, Marvin continued to "spill the
stance of a municipality sponsoring music in chatter" and I'll say that he surely was in high
such form.
gear and spirits: "That cigar you handed me at
The city also maintains a municipal chorus the hotel was real Havana,-wasn't it? Thanks.
director, who trains a municipal chorus of 300 Havanother?"
voices for civic gatherings and in collaboration
I went over to see Rudy Seiger, genial or-
with the Symphony Orchestra in the production chestra director at the Fairmont Hotel here.
of the great masterpieces.
The hotel is located on top of Knob Hill, so
San Francisco is visited each year by all the I had to take a Powell street cable car. You get
first-class opera companies on tour. These the same sensation as going up in an elevator
companies never fail to receive a warm wel- excepting that elevators don't need to watch for
come and a keen appreciation. San Francisco automobiles at each crossing.
has a Music Teachers' Association, of which
Someone told me to give you this pun—only
Alvina Willson, 1048 Union street, is the presi- a music man's secret. "If Richmond is a brick,
dent and Augusto Gillespie the secretary. The is Sherman Clay?"
Sunday organ recitals at Civic Auditorium and
I visited practically all the local radio stations
the municipal band concerts at Golden Gate here and "Apron Strings" seems to be the
Park, the Presidio and various other parks all vogue. I even sang it on the radio. I wanted
go to show the great part music plays in the to slow up the numerous calls till my big orders
city beside the Golden Gate.
arrived. Now, You tell one.
Old-time Melodies
The Victor Co. has released two records of
"Jazz has received another indictment at the "Apron Strings," one a dance record by Jack
hands of Henry Ford." That was the headline
Chapman's Orchestra, the other vocal by the
in one of San Francisco's local papers while I
famous and charming Brox Sisters. It's the old
was there. The "Old Fiddlers' " contests en-
story: "One good turn deserves another," so
couraged by Henry Ford, the broadcasting of
"To the Victor belongs the Records."
the old-time dances from his studio as well as
After that Marvin fainted and I had to look
many other stations throughout the country, up one of the music dealers who had that
have all created a demand for the old-time "something" which would bring him to.
tunes. From the response it can easily be said
(Continued next week)
that the general public appreciates the good old
favorites, which recall bygone days. The ques-
tion is, is this a case of phenomenal occurrence,
or, rather, does it tend to prove that the old-
time tunes, so loved by our fathers and mothers,
still live and will continue with their quaint
Event, Announced Earlier This Year Than
charm long after the current jazz compositions
Usual, Will Close on December 31
have crumpled in the dust?
Official action declaring the dancing of the
The Century Music Publishing Co., publisher
Charleston a menace to the weak-kneed build-
of the Century Edition, which for the past sev-
ings, as well as weak-kneed humans, was taken
eral years has given prizes for unusual window
by Timothy A. Reardon, president of the Board
displays, has announced a new competition in
of Public Works, here. Other dances such as
which every dealer is invited to take part and
the waltz, fox-trot, polka, minuet, quadrille,
which will close December 31 of this year. The
etc., will be allowed.
contest of last season was particularly success-
Marvin Lee, the Globe Trotter, Finally
ful, and the Century Co. has planned this sea-
Catches Up With Me
son's competition at an earlier date than
The general sales manager for the Milton
heretofore so that everyone interested will have
Weil Music Co., of Chicago (publisher of
plenty of time to become a participant. The
"Worth Weil Songs") is none other than Mar-
same judges that awarded prizes last year will
vin Lee, known as the globe trotter. He never
again act in that capacity for the 1926 season.
misses. He knows all the trains, boats, air- There will be altogether five prizes, but in case
planes, street cars, stages, busses, jitneys and
of any tie in the decision of the judges each
gin rickeys. "Say, what were you doing over
winning participant will receive a like prize.
in Oakland yesterday?", was the way he
greeted me. "I read in last night's Oakland In-
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
quirer five articles, all captioned 'Richmond.' The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
RICHMOND Tennis League Starts (I thought free of charge to men who desire positions.
Century Announces Its
Annual Display Contest

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