Music Trade Review

Issue: 1928 Vol. 87 N. 25

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Music Trade
DECEMBER 22, 1928
Band Instrument Sales
Henry Busse Becomes
Rise in Milwaukee, Wis.
Granada Orchestra Leader
Special Window Displays of Conn Products
Bring Heavy Holiday Buying—High-Priced
Goods Predominate
15
Review
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., December
17.—Henry
Busse, Paul Whiteman trumpet star, Conn
trumpet enthusiast and Victor recording artist,
is the new Granada orchestra leader, and he
and the Conn Co. have been well to the fore
MILWAUKEE, WIS., December 18.—A heavy busi-
ness on band instruments during the pre- in local newspapers of late. Some of the
advertising was quite in the style of Paris news
holiday season is reported by A. J. Niemiec, purveyors, but the featuring ran ahead of any
manager of the band instrument department for French publicity. Busse was with Paul White-
Flanner-Hafsoos Music House, Inc.,
man from 1916 until two months ago when he
Mr. Niemiec has been featuring special accepted the leadership of the Metropolitan
window displays of Conn gold instruments, Theatre orchestra in Los Angeles, and from
against backgrounds suggestive of their use for there he came to his new position at the
gift purposes and for the translation of the Granada Theatre. The advertisements showed
holiday spirit.
him buying hats, coats, etc., at local stores and
"We have been very busy on Christmas buy- also with Conn instruments.
ing this year, and there has been a big demand
for instruments for gifts," Mr. Niemiec said.
Praises Vega Trumpet
"We have noticed a lot of shopping, and there
is also a lot of buying, and buying of the
BOSTON, MASS., December 18.—The Vega Co.,
higher-priced instruments, too.
of 155 Columbus avenue, this city, is in receipt
"The trend of buying instruments for non-
of a letter from Walter M. Smith, head of the
players continues to be noticed. For instance,
Walter M. Smith School for Cornet and
we sold ten saxophones alone, in one day, to
Trumpet, of this city, in which Mr. Smith voices
parents of children who did not know how
his praise of a Vega trumpet.
to play an instrument.
"Surely anyone who listens to the tone of
"Another demand which has been notable
during the Christmas season is for high-priced the new Vega Medium Bore Trumpet," writes
banjos. We have found these to sell very Mr. Smith, "must be impressed by its wonder-
ful quality, purity and volume. I have played
readily."
The Flanner-Hafsoos Music House features many fine instruments, all of which I have
the Epiphone lines, and Mr. Niemiec reported thought at the time were close to perfection,
some very satisfactory sales of the models re- but here is an instrument that more closely
tailing above $300, and also a great number of approaches the unattainable than any it has
ever been my fortune to play. I could write
$150 instruments.
pages concerning perfect intonation, ease of
blowing, clarity of tone, and all those things
an artist might desire, but I sum it all up in a
Rolmonica in Demand
few words, that the new Vega surpasses any
Buegeleisen & Jacobson, Sole Distributors, Re- other trumpet I have every played, in any one
port Heavy Sales of Novelty Instrument and every one of the qualities that go to make
a beautiful instrument."
Orders for Rolmonicas received by Buege-
leisen & Jacobson, Inc., New York, sole dis-
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
tributors for this product, so exceeded the The Review.
manufactured output during the past few weeks
that several hundred music stores were unable
to secure these instruments for the holiday
trade, according to Samuel Buegeleisen, head
of the company. Mr. Buegeleisen states that
the Rolmonica Corp., of Baltimore, Md., Manu-
facturer of this product, has been forced to
build an annex to its factory to meet the in-
creased demand, which is of such a character
as to indicate long duration.
"We are very pleased with our campaign on
the Rolmonica and we have every reason to
feel that increased business on this item will
be secured by the trade for several years to
came," Mr. Buegeleisen added. "We have late-
ly secured distribution rights for the Rolmonica
for the entire world, which places us in an
excellent position to give service to everybody
in the trade," he stated.
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Published by
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BOSTON. MASS
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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted by Fred B. Diebl
Many Opportunities for the Dealer
in Theme Songs, Declares Robbins
T p H A T the theme song, is the salvation of
•*• the music merchants, and that, properly
hooked up and intelligently exploited, it will
prove a boon to the publisher and the dealer
alike, is the opinion of J. J. Robbins, head of
the Robbins Music Corp., New York.
Mr. Robbins, whose firm enjoys an exclusive
song association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
and important contracts with the other leading
film producers, is well qualified to discourse on
the subject of theme songs. His number,
"Cross Roads," is the musical tie-up of "Show
People," the William Haines-Marion Davies pic-
ture, and "Love Dreams," another theme of
considerable promise is featured in "Alias
Jimmy Valentine," now in New York for a long
run. "Live and Love" is his contribution to
the John Gilbert photoplay, "The Masks of the
Devil," and other theme songs in his catalog
are slated for early release in conjunction with
pictures now in work.
Speaking of the theme song, Mr. Robbins
has the following to say:
"It is easily possible for the music publisher
to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. in this
instance. A tie-up with a picture must be a
definite hook-up, an association arranged for
prior to the shooting of the picture, and com-
pletely worked out as the photoplay is being
created. Wherever possible, the song must
be sung, and no tie-up is authentic unless the
synchronized result features the song at least
fifteen times during the showing of the film."
"Once this is accomplished," Mr. Robbins
continues, "there is still much to be done before
the publisher can conscientiously feel that he
has exhausted every promotion possibility. The
manager of the theatre must be solicited for
lobby sales and displays, the dealer must be
apprised of play dates, and must be urged to
stock up liberally with copies. Of course, here
is where the fable of the boy who cried 'wolf
comes in. To enjoy the continued and intensive
confidence of the dealer, the publisher must
assiduously refrain from over-enthusiasm, un-
less the photoplay and the nature of the hook-
up warrant it.
"In this way, music business can be reju-
venated to no inconsiderable degree. Promis-
cuous printing of alleged theme songs—theme
.songs in name only—will as surely kill this new
source of revenue as intelligent propagation
will enhance it."
"Naturally," Mr. Robbins goes on to say, "our
years of association with the leading picture
firms made possible through our extensive
photoplay catalog, have enabled us to obtain
just the correct perspective on the whole situa-
tion. The production of a moving picture is a
mammoth enterprise, and 'small time' methods
SAM FOX PUB. CO.,
are out of place utterly in the general scheme
of things.
"Before our staff writers concoct a theme
song, we see to it that they arc fully acquainted
with the nature of the photoplay, and that their
finished effort is to some extent inspired. There
must be definite coherence, or the theme song
becomes an irrelevant proposition, unworthy of
publication.
"The Robbins Music Corp. is proud of its
contacts with the important figures in the mo-
tion picture industry, and is quite convinced
that the theme song is destined to play a com-
manding role in the future of music business.
Publishers everywhere can cash in on the new
vogue, if haphazard publication is avoided and
if intelligent and efficient methods arc em-
ployed in the development of this promising
field."
Paul Whiteman Appears
in Role of Music Critic
Paul Whiteman, who won his spurs some
years ago as a band leader, recently appeared
in the role of music critic when he acted as
judge in a music-writing contest held under
the auspices of the Omaha World-Herald. Over
150 manuscripts were submitted, of which six
were judged as having commercial possibilities
and were broadcast over radio station WOW.
Mr. Whiteman regarded only one composition,
however, as being suitable for the use of his
orchestra.
,*•: '
NEW YORK-CLEVEUMO-CHICAGO-LOSAWEtIS-LONDON
138 W. 4$'-ST.
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