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IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted By V. D. Walsh
Two Piano Arrangements Grow in Favor
in the Presentation of Popular Music
immediately taken up by Al Jolson and fea-
tured as one of the hits in "Big Boy." It is
also understood that Ben Bernie and His Or-
chestra is making a Brunswick record of this
same number. Besides Nat Vincent, who is
Piano Duos Featured in Both Productions and Over the Radio as Well as in Moving president and general manager of the new
publishing company, Dean Gross, first vice-
Picture Theatres—Wide Variety of Effects Obtainable
president and professional
manager, and
A FORM of presentation of popular num- young ladies, Constance Mering and Muriel Blanche Franklyn, secretary and treasurer, the
bers which during the past season has Pollack, in "Rio Rita." The former team had company has associated with it many of the
reached a new point of popularity is the piano previously been heard on Ampico rolls and the leading orchestra leaders in Pacific Coast ter-
duo as exemplified by nearly half a dozen latter on the Duo-Art and combined technical ritory and some of the most important Coast
teams of pianists featured in the orchestra pits accuracy and synchronization quite as clever organists.
of the leading musical comedy successes. The as that of Ohman and Arden.
use of specially arranged numbers for four
Following their engagement with "Queen
hands is a practice older than jazz itself and High," Fairchild and Rainger put on a spe-
originated many years ago in the recording cialty for two pianos on the stage of the
studios of the pioneers in music roll making. Capitol Theatre, in New York, for an entire
Since that time, with the development of the week. Their act was one of the most popular Formerly With M. Witmark & Sons, He Suc-
ceeds the Late Otto Jordan With Harms
augmented dance orchestra, the employment numbers on the bill and could have played
of two pianos has followed the trend of the half a dozen encores had time allowed.
Henry Spitzer, who for the past eight years
day and the sparkle of special choruses for
But the spread of popularity of the piano
the pianists in skillful teamwork has become due has not ended in the theatre. The radio, has been associated with M. Witmark & Sons,
one of the bright spots of an evening at the too, has developed favorites in four-hand has recently joined the firm of Harms, Inc.,
dance floor or cabaret.
interpretation of the latest hits. Ballin and succeeding the late Otto Jordan.
Mr. Spitzer is one of the most successful of
About three years ago Phil Ohman and Vic- Race, playing over Station W O R a season or
tor Arden, seasoned recording pianists, were so ago, were among the pioneers for this sort the younger generation of music publishing
featured in a specialty in "Lady, Be Good," of thing on the air. The Piano Twins, who executives. His experience covers a wide range
a George Gershwin musical show. This started have become a weekly feature of New York's of activities—popular songs, standard music,
things for the theatrical presentation of piano municipal station WNYC, are also doing their particularly high-class concert numbers and
duos and the same team appeared the follow- bit in presenting popular dance music on two teaching material. He has a host of friends
among professional singers and a wide acquain-
ing year in the pit of the Gershwin show, "Tip keyboards.
tance with the leading orchestra directors.
Toes." Here the effect was more impressive
Perhaps one of the cleverest piano teams of
His many friends wish him every success in
than in the previous engagement, where they them all, Adam Carroll and Ralph Ricken-
his
new association. Joining a company with
had appeared on the stage but only for a short
backer, were heard not so long ago in Wana-
time. In the second show the two pianos maker's auditorium, in New York, exploiting such an important standard catalog and con-
were an integral part of the orchestra during Ampico rolls, for which they recorded a num- siderable specialized music of all kinds, includ-
the entire evening.
ber of "specialties. Mr. Carroll, although adept ing selected vocal numbers, together with the
Anyone susceptible at all to rhythmic and as an arranger for two pianos, possesses, in tact that Harms, Inc., is the largest and most
harmonic effects in popular music will not addition, a weath of invention and "flash" important publisher of production music, gives
soon forget the thrill of hearing the arpeggio technic which enables him to star in single him unusual scope for his thorough training
passages of Phil Ohman on the upper register glory as a soloist. He has, therefore, tem- and qualifications.
of his piano in the number, "That Certain porarily left the duo field and does most of
Feeling," of Gershwin. The pianists had care- his Ampico recording alone.
fully gone over the entire score with the com-
The value of this wave of exploiting of
poser in rehearsals and every place that popular music by means of two pianos should
"Bless Her Little Heart," one of the latest
afforded a pianistic "break" or embellishment be more or less obvious to both publisher releases of the Triangle Music Publishing Co.,
was so treated. The result was a score far and music dealer. As the public's taste for Inc., is in big demand by jobbers and dealers in
more brilliant and individual than is cus- double piano interpretation grows there should all sections of the country. An advertising
tomarily heard from the orchestra pit and a be an increased demand on both rolls and rec- blotter, printed in red, which has been mailed
new custom was started.
ords for the recordings of the well-known to the trade, has done a great deal to give the
In the theatrical season just ended two new pianists. The tendency of the nation's youth number the attention it deserves. The song,
teams of popular pianists made their bow in to imitation, which is responsible for the composed by Paul Denniker as a novelty fox-
musical comedy orchestras and Ohman and development of countless amateur dance or- trot, is meeting with success on rolls and
Arden were engaged again in the current Gersh- chestras, is sure to produce hundreds of
records as well.
win show, "Oh Kay," just closed. The newcom- non-professional piano teams. Through their
ers were Edgar Fairchild and Ralph Rainger, appearances in clubs and homes the appeal
BUY YOUR MUSIC FROM
playing in "Queen High," and two talented and the demand for popular music will be
widened to a material extent.
Henry Spitzer Now
With Harms, Inc.
"Bless Her Little Heart'
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Write for A Complete Trade Catalog
• ROBBINS Music CORPORATION •
799 Seventh Avenue.New York
Nat Vincent, Inc., Formed
Upon the Pacific Coast
New Concern, Headed by Nat Vincent, Opens
National Campaign With Four New Num-
bers
OAKLAND,
CALIF.,
July
8.—A
million-dollar
music publishing enterprise for this city has
been formed with Nat Vincent, composer of
"I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" and other
successes, under the trade name, Nat Vincent,
Inc. The company will publish music in this
city and will carry on extensive exploitation
activities by way of radio. Among the songs
announced by the new organization are "At
the End of the Redwood Trail," "When the
Sun Goes Down in My Home Town," "It's
You I'm Longing For." Another new novelty
fox-trot also published by the company is
called "Dynamite" (Dinah Might), which was
28
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