Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SEPTEMBER 15, 1928
The Music Trade Review
Rapee songs, although in no way reminiscent
of each other, have one thing in common, viz.,
a perfect blending of clean-cut lyrics with a
simple, singable melody. That is the reason
that Robert Crawford, president of De Sylva,
Brown & Henderson, Inc., selected "Angela
Mia" before the writers had finished playing
and singing the chorus, , as he recognized
through his experience that this was a hit with
lasting qualities.
ering 'Metropolis' (A Fantasy in Blue), and
that is rather unfortunate, since interesting has
a feeble and somewhat damning ring when ap-
plied to music. There are portions of the work
that are strongly moving. There are whole
stretches of it that are stimulating."
Grofe's "Metropolis" Scores
With Whiteman Orchestra
Latest Production From Cohan Pen Hailed by
Critics—M. Witmark & Sons Publishing the
Music
Composition by Weil-Known Arranger and
Published by Robbins to Be Leading Num-
ber on Whiteman Concert Tour
The new George M. Cohan musical produc-
tion, entitled "Billie," had its opening recently
at the Garrick Theatre, Philadelphia, and
An important recent contribution to the field
of orchestral jazz in its more serious forms
has been a composition, symphonic in character,
called "Metropolis" (A Fantasy in Blue), by
Ferde Grofe. This composition, published by
the Robbins Music Corp., New York, was given
its first hearing by Paul Whiteman's Orchestra
some time ago over the National Broadcasting
Co. chain of stations in a midnight concert. As
a result of this presentation, musicians in ail
parts of the country have become interested in
securing the piano score of the piece.
Mr. Grofe, composer of "Metropolis," who
has been head arranger for the Whiteman Or-
chestra practically since its inception, will be
remembered also by music lovers as having
been responsible for the excellent orchestration
of Gershwin's "Rhapsody," as recorded by this
orchestra originally on Victor records. In view
of his attainments both as arranger and com-
poser, Mr. Whiteman has selected "Metropolis"
as the "piece de resistance" of his next serious
concert, which will be given in New York
shortly, which is a strong indication of Mr.
Grofe's standing as a modern American com-
poser.
An example of the way "Metropolis" was re-
ceived by the critics following its radio presen-
tation can be obtained from the following item,
written by Stuart Hawkins, radio critic of the
New York Herald-Tribune: "Interesting is the
adjective that first comes to mind when consid-
THE OVER-NIGHT
SENSATION
'ries
( Golden memory Days )
"Billie" New Cohan Show
Scores in Philadelphia
NHW VOKK
Published as follows
SOLO-TWO KEYS, B flat and C DUET—C
OCTAVO
MALE, FEMALE and MIXED VOICES
ENSEMBLE
VIOLIN & PIANO, 'CELLO & PIANO, VIOLIN
'CELLO and PIANO
VOCAL ORCHESTRA, B flat and C BAND
DANCE—WALTZ
M. WITMARK & SONS, New York
You CAN'T CO WRONG
WITH A N Y F E I S T SONG'
A NEW HITiy
The WritersoP'R
LWOLFE GILBERT.
and
REAL
[SWEETHEART
b, IRVING CAESAR. &>
CLIFF
FFllEND
it
r
\\
ffAMONA
ty
George M. Cohan
according to a consensus of press notices
should have an extended run, comparable to
Mr. Cohan's "Little Nellie Kelly," "The Rise of
Rosie O'Reilly" and "The Merry Malones,"
some of his former production hits. As usual,
the producer has written everything in the
piece and his characteristic methods of impart-
ing an atmosphere to the production are more
in evidence than ever. The company is well
cast, headed by that charming comedienne,
Polly Walker.
This year's crop of George M. Cohan songs,
with which "Billie" is plentifully sprinkled, is
especially promising. The music of the produc-
tion is published by M. Witmark & Sons, New
York, who also published the music to the
three other Cohan shows above mentioned. At
least seven songs seem at this point to possess
the earmarks of the unusual, according to the
publishers, and two of them, "Where Were You
—Where Was I?" and "Billie," are expected to
lead the list. The others are "Happy," "The
Two of Us," "They Fall in Love," "Every Boy
in Town's My Sweetheart" and "Personality"
all of which look good.
Adds Sheet Music
M \vl MARK 6 SONS
29
A full line of sheet music, including late
popular hits and standard editions, has been
added by the C. M. Mahood music store, lo-
cated in the Exchange Block, Warren, Pa. Mr.
Mahood formerly handled phonographs, records
and small goods.
Big Smash/
L WOLFE GILBERT
MABEL
The Hit Class'
ME FIND
b
ROY TURK &-
LONESOME i N/
IEMOONLIGHT/
h BENEE RUSSELL
and ABEL BAER.
'awt Catcky/y
Too BUSY
' NED MILLER, at
CHESTER COHN^
New Sheet Music Store
The Roberts Music Mart, a new store de-
voted entirely to the sale of sheet music, has
been opened at 139 South Limestone street,
Lexington, Ky., by Mr. and Mrs. Trevor
Roberts, well known in musical circles in that
city.
LEO. F E I S T I N C
231 w. 4 0 ST NEW YORK