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THE
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PIANTADOSI NOW ROBBINS
PROFESSIONAL MANAGER
Arthur Piantadosi, one of the best-known
figures in music business, was recently ap-
pointed professional manager of the Robbins
Music Corp.
Piantadosi succeeds Elmore
White, who is no longer associated with that
firm.
Arthur Piantadosi entered the music business
in 1912 in the capacity of act man for
Shapiro, Bernstein. Soon after he became
MUSIC
sales, but last year it is doubtful if any one
number passed the million-mark.
When it is all said and done, however, the
business basically is the same business as it
was a half century ago or more. There are
new faces in the publishing houses and new
names on the title pages, but the new ideas
are few and far between and, as a matter
of fact, this is not to be taken as any special
criticism of the popular song writers of to-
day, for human emotions have remained
about the same since the beginning of time
and their living depends on appealing to
those emotions. What is said to be one of
the first songs to be written with English
words is "Drink to Me Only With Thine
Eyes," which is still extremely popular
despite the fact that the sentiment is more
logical to-day in the United States than it
was in England several hundred years ago,
yet many of the popular love songs of the
day have the singer giving the same kind
of hooey to his lady-love, although in other
words. Where does the newness come in?
MUSIC PUBLISHERS
WORK TO CHECK EVILS
ARTHUR PIANTADOSI
assistant manager to Joe Goodwin, who was
then professional manager for that organiza-
tion.
In 1919 he joined the firm of Al Pianta-
dosi, acting as general manager, returning
two years later to Shapiro, Bernstein, as pro-
fessional manager.
In 1929 he started the firm of George &
Arthur Piantadosi Music Co. This was a
Warner Brothers subsidiary and the firm's
catalog was later absorbed by Remick.
Shortly after this he became director of the
music department of Vitaphone, remaining
in that office until last September, when he
joined the Robbins Music Corp. as assistant
to Elmore White, whom he has succeeded.
WHEN ALL'S SAID AND DONE
POPULAR MUSIC'S THE SAME
(Continued from Page 7)
to "Kitty From Kansas City," another song
old enough to vote.
Perhaps the popular song from the mer-
chandising angle is not so strong just now
as it has been at various times in its history.
Its greatest vogue was during the period
when such music was retailed at 10 cents
or even less, and a song with any hit qual-
ities at all could crowd the two-million-mark
in point of sales. Increased costs naturally
struck the music publishing field as they did
every other line of industry, which meant
that the price of popular music advanced to
from 25 to 35 cents a copy. In the long run,
this worked out fairly well for the trade in
view of the increased margin of profit thus
made available, but it did cut down unit
sales figures. During the past couple of
years there have been only two or three songs
that approached the two-million-mark in
The members of the Music Publishers'
Protective Association have held several
meetings recently for the purpose of discus-
sing ways and means for checking the grow-
ing practice of paying orchestra leaders for
the exploitation of songs of the popular
variety. Although the regulations of the
Association prohibit the payment of fees in
any form for the plugging of songs, the
new evil has crept up nevertheless, and has
become serious enough to warrant considera-
tion.
It was the general opinion of the music
publishers at the meetings that not only
should the payment of orchestra leaders for
the promotion of music be brought to a stop,
but that consideration is to be given to the
possibilities of having the orchestras pay for
the use of copyrighted numbers. Naturally,
there was much doubt as to the practicability
of the latter suggestion.
At the meetings several other evils that
have crept into the publishers' field as the re-
sult of unsatisfactory business conditions were
discussed with the view to discovering some
remedv.
WILL ROGERS COMMENTS
ON "PEANUT VENDOR"
In his daily comment in the New York Times
and some 500 other papers recently, Will
Rogers had the following to say regarding the
Marks hit "The Peanut Vendor." "One thing
about this 'Peanut Vendor,' it's popular, but
you don't know how it goes till you hear it.
Nobody can whistle it, that's what makes it
the greatest bit of music during our time."
J. J. Robbins to Visit Coast
T. J. Robbins, head of the Robbins Music
Corp., left New York February 20 for a trip
which will take him to important cities be-
tween New York and Los Angeles. He spent
a week in Chicago, and thence departed for
Los Angeles to confer with studio executives.
Mr. Robbins expects to be gone about five
weeks and upon his return will prepare him-
self for another European trip which he will
undertake early next Spring.
TRADE
REVIEW,
M a r c h , 1931
PRESSER BUYS OUT
OLIVER DITSON CO.
The music publishing interest of the
Oliver Ditson Co. of Boston and New York
was sold early in February to the Theodore
Presser Co., Philadelphia, which concern pur-
chased all the stock in trade, copyrights, plates,
good will and name of the Oliver Ditson Co.
The former owners, however, retain the
very large business in musical instruments,
radios, phonographs, etc., which will be con-
ducted under the name of Ditson Distribu-
tors, Inc., at 179 Tremont street, Boston. The
Djtson retail stores both in New York and
Boston have been closed.
The Oliver Ditson Co. was the oldest
music publishing house in the United States,
the business dating back to 1783 when Eben-
ezer Battelle opened his Boston Book Store at
8 State street with a collection of "musick
books."
The Albany, N. Y., division of the Ditson
Co. engaged in the wholesaling of Victor
radio and phonograph products will be con-
tinued under the same local management by
Ditson Distributors, Inc.
VESTAL COPYRIGHT BILL
REPORTED TO SENATE
The Vestal copyright revision bill was re-
ported favorably to the Senate on February
23 by the Committee on Patents, with a num-
ber of amendments designed to clarify the
bill as passed by the House and to facilitate
its enactment before Congress adjourns. A
number of the amendments as well as sec-
tions of the bill itself have aroused much
controversy among various interests, and it
is likely .that other changes will be made.
SAM FOX REVIVES OLD-
TIME SONG SUCCESS
Inasmuch as the revival of popular songs
of a score of years or more ago seems to be
quite the rage, it is interesting to learn that
the Sam Fox Publishing Co. has arranged
for the revival of the song "You're As Pretty
As a Picture" by John F. Barth, which was
a big hit about twenty-five years ago. The
company has issued an attractive new edition
of the song.
Winkler With Remick
Dan Winkler, formerly an executive with
DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, has been ap-
pointed executive vice-president of the Rem-
ick Music Corp., of which Jerome Keit is,
president. Bobby Crawford, in general
charge of the Warner Bros, music interest,
will direct the affairs of DeSylva, Brown &
Henderson in addition to his other duties.
Flaherty With New Concern
Pat J. Flaherty, formerly general man-
ager of the Red Star Music Co., has become
vice-president and general manager of the
Charlotte-Irving Music Co., which recently
entered the publishing field.
Stanley Mills Arrives
Jack Mills, head of the well-known music
publishing house bearing his name, was pre-
sented by Mrs. Mills with a fine baby boy
on February 18. He will be called Stanley.