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The Music Trade Review
JANUARY, 1931
27
Robbins Sees SteadyDemand Census
for Worthy Songs in 1931
of Manufactures Shows Great
Increase in Radio Output in 1929
J. J. Robbins, president of the Robbins Music
Corp., New York, is thoroughly optimistic re-
garding the prospects for the new year, basing
his optimism on the fact that, despite the situ-
ation which existed throughout 1930, the sales
of worth-while songs maintained surprising
strength. In a recent interview he said:
"That any one should buy sheet music during
a business lull such as America is now ex-
periencing" is, in itself, a highly encouraging
sign. That genuine hits should sell almost at
normal figures, despite the marked falling off in
sales of other commodities, is a situation that
offers the music publisher and music dealer a
bright ray of sunshine and a happy augury for
the future.
"For my own part, I see nothing but bright
days ahead for 1931. The past has proven
that hits are always in season and that a meri-
torious song product laughs at slumps. Ours
is a singing nation; our army sang as it marched
to war and thousands of Americans died with
a song on their lips. The world of amuse-
ment and entertainment has ever been the ref-
uge of our citizenry in times of stress.
"My own business showed a good report for
1930, because our product was kept uniformly
good throughout the year. With the peak of
the depression over and with belter times not
only around the corner, but directly before us,
1 feel that music business will enjoy a new era
of prosperity during the year to come, assum-
ing always, of course, that the product has
merit and that intelligence is directed toward
its exploitation.
"We have had reassuring word from Irving
Thalberg, vice-president in charge of produc-
tion for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, that the return
of music to pictures is inevitable, and that music
will continue always to play an important part
in talking pictures as they continue to develop
in the future.
"Chimes of Spring" Being
Featured by Orchestras
Under the new title of "Chimes of Spring"
Paul Lincke's beautiful waltz originally known
as "Spring, Beautiful Spring" is now being fea-
tured by a number of the leading orchestras
of the country and through other channels.
One of the first to take up the new waltz
BANK-NOTES
THE MONEY HITS
OF AMERICA
BLUE AGAIN
DON'T FORGET ME IN
YOUR DREAMS
AND THEN YOUR LIPS
MET MINE
YOU'RE SIMPLY DELISH
THE SONG OF THE
FOOL
Robbins Music Corporation
799 Seventh Ave.
New York
ROBERT TELLER SONS & DORNER
Music Engravers and Printers
BEND MANUSCRIPT AND IDEA OF
TITLE FOR ESTIMATE
311 West 43rd Street
New York City
YXT ASHINGTON, D. C, December 23, 1930. 559,516; 152,106 combination phonographs and
The Bureau of the Census announces radios, $22,193,702; 4,938,099 radio receiving sets
(tube type not including tubes), $250,602,162;
that, according" to a preliminary tabulation of
the data collected in the Census of Manufac- other types of receiving sets, $472,803; 2,243
tures taken in 1930, the total value (at f.o.b. transmitting sets, $5,788,077; 3,301,314 loud
factory prices) of radio equipment, phono- speakers, $30,279,287; 5,204,506 radio transform-
ers, $9,478,891; radio parts and accessories, $57,-
graphs, and parts and accessories shipped or
delivered in 1929 by manufacturers in the 027,008; phonograph cabinets, records, parts and
accessories, $43,560,330.
United States amounted to $439,961,776, an
Detailed statistics for 1929 and 1927 arc given
increase of 62.6 per cent as compared with $270,-
in the following table. The figures for 1929 are
497,270 reported for 1927, the last preceding
census year. The total for 1929 is made up as preliminary and subject to revision in the final
follows: 600,872 phonographs, valued at $20,- report.
Radio Equipment, Phonographs, etc—Production by Kind, Number,
and Value: 1929 and 1927
1929
KIND—
Radio equipment, phonographs and parts and ac-
cessories, aggregate value a
Phonographs, including dictating machines b
Combination phonographs and radios
Radio receiving sets (not including tubes):
For 6 tubes or fewer
For 7 tubes or more
Not reported by size
Other sets
Transmitting sets
I .oud speakers
Transformers
Radio accessories and parts (kits, amplifiers, pow-
er packs, microphones, controls, eliminators,
head sets, etc.)
rhonograph parts and accessories:
Records and blanks
N'eedves
Phonograph cabinets a
Other parts and accessories
Phonographs and parts made in other industries
NUMBER
600,872
152,106
637,921
4,000 494
299,684
c
2,243
3,301,314
5,204,505
1927
VALUE
NUMBER
$439,961,776
$20,559 516
$22,193,702
$31,264,855
$195,926,495
$23,410,812
$472,803
$5,788,077
$30,279,2X7
, . . .
1,015,045
.11,342
$270,497,270
$42,825i,708
$6,416,462
l,97Xi,0S7
$95,162,393
l;,093
2,458i,785
4,116,046
$2,233,483
$18,838,751
$5,447,403
$54,591,302
$57,027 00X
105,085,042
/
/
/
$34,12S,,735
$1,971 774
$1,118,258
$6,341,563
VALUE
104,7ori,22.Sc
/
/
/
$31,781,443
$1,321,729
$2,016,039
$6,773,259
$3,089 29S
a Not including value of radio and phonograph cabinets by establishments engaged primarily in the manu-
facture of furniture.
b Combined to avoid disclosing the output of indi vidual establishments.
c Data on crystal and short-wave sets incomplete.
d Disc records only.
e Includes $295,164 for cylinder records and blanks.
/ No data.
was Rudy Vallee, and it was at his suggestion that
L. Wolfe Gilbert was commissioned to write
English lyrics to the number. The waltz proved
a distinct success on the Vallee program and
was later adopted by Paul Whiteman for his
film "King of Jazz." Now it is being used gen-
erally by bands and orchestras, music super-
visors and teachers. The Edward B. Marks
Music Co. are the publishers.
Jack Harden Urges the
Forming of Musicians Clubs
Jack Harden, president of the National As-
sociation of Sheet Music Dealers, in his month-
ly letter to the members of that organization,
called particular attention to the Musicians'
Club of Pittsburgh, Pa., he being a guest at
the first meeting of the season of that organiza-
tion. In his letter, Mr. Harden says, in part:
"The membership of this club is composed
entirely of men who meet once a month during
the season from September to May to discuss
things musical and have a good time doing so.
I was given to understand that they hold an
open competition for young and unknown com-
posers. The compositions (which must be in
manuscript) which are selected by a committee
are performed during the season by members
of the club, and I believe the performances arc
entirely guided by the type of works selected.
In other words, they may put on a concert of
piano, vocal, choral or instrumental music, de-
pending upon what manuscripts the committee
selects as having the greatest merit.
"What I want to bring out most of all re-
garding this club is the fact that it is entirely
composed of men and these are not necessarily
musicians. They have merchants, lawyers, doc-
tors, etc., as well as musicians, but every mem-
ber has the interests of music at heart. Think
this over and I'm sure you will come to the
same conclusion as myself, namely, that the
club is making good listeners out of men. Can
you think of anything we need more than ap-
preciative audiences? Well, that is what these
men really are, appreciative audiences!"
The president of the club is William E.
Benswanger and the secretary William J. Mc-
Whertor, while the membership includes Lee
M. T,ockhard, supervisor of instrumental music
in the schools; Oscar Demmlcr, supervisor of
music in the high schools; and Dr. William
Earhart, superintendent of music in the schools.
m
SHEET MUSIC
Does This
Apply to You?
Quite frequently we receive orders from music lovers
in towns where we have an agency, complaining
that our agent's stock is very often short of the
numbers desired, or has not enough copies on hand
in stock to meet their needs.
For your own protection against loss of profits and
disappointment to your customers, it would be well to
mark the music wrappers of the numbers the teachers
frequently call for so as to have sufficient stock to
meet their needs at any time. In fact, duplicate
stock should always be carried of the better sellers.
We are not seeking retail Mail Orders, but we can't
refuse filling such under these circumstances. They
would far rather buy from you than be put to the
trouble of sending to us or some Mail Order House.
CARRY SURPLUS STOCK—IT WILL PAY YOU
CENTURY MUSIC
PUBLISHING CO.
231-Z35 West 4Oth St., New York