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SHEET MUSIC and BOOKS
SHEET MUSIC DEALERS TO
CONVENE IN NEW YORK
The annual convention of the National
Association of Sheet Music Dealers will be
held at the Hotel McAlpin, New York, on
June 6, 7, and 8, and, according to the Sec-
retary-Treasurer, Thomas J. Donlan, there
is every prospect of a very satisfactory atten-
dance.
A majority of the members of the asso-
ciation appear to agree with President John
Harden that this year, more than any other,
there is a real need for a general convention
of the dealers in order that they may discuss
and try to solve their growing problems.
There will be a particular effort made
this year to have the publishers lend their
endorsement to the code of Ethics adopted
by the dealers in Chicago last year and which
is designed, particularly, to iron out the com-
petitive difficulties that now exist. The of-
ficers of the association are now working on
a comprehensive program for the convention,
copies of which will be mailed to the mem-
bership at an early date.
BOSTON MUSIC PUBLISHERS
HOLD LAST MEET OF SEASON
The Boston Music Publishers' Association
held its last meeting of the season in the Cop-
ley-Plaza Hotel Tuesday evening, April 12.
The change of base of the meetings, an idea
of the new president, Charles A. White, was
a happy one and the large attendance was
eminently pleased. Dinner was served at 6:30
p. m., followed by a business meeting. There
was no formal speechmaking. After routine
matters had been transacted, the meeting Te-
solved itself into an open forum in which
questions pertinent to the local and national
problems of music publishing were discussed.
William Arms Fisher gave an interesting
account of his experiences at the Music Super-
visors' National Conference held in Cleveland
last week. What impressed him most was the
optimism manifested at all business meetings.
A motion was made, and unanimously car-
ried, inviting Claude Mills, general manager
of the American Society of Composers, Au-
thors and Publishers, to address the associa-
tion at a special meeting to be called at Mr.
Mills' convenience in the immediate future.
KEIT-ENGEL, INC., START
WITH FINE NEW CATALOG
The new music publishing firm of Keit-
Engel, Inc., New York, have announced the
acquisition of Harry Link, formerly with
Santley Bros., as professional manager, and
have also released a number of new songs
by prominent writers, among them:
"When the Lights Are Soft and Low," by
Arthur Freed and Peter Tinturin.
"The Roses Are Red, the Violets Are
Blue," by Sidney Clare, Charles Tobias and
Vincent Rose.
"Ev'ry Little Bit of Me (Loves Ev'ry
Little Bit of You)," by Al Bryan, Joe Young
and George W. Meyer.
"There's Romance in the Air," by Joe
Young, Carmen Lombardo and George W.
Meyer, and "One More Night in Your Arms,"
by Arthur Jarrett and Micky Mickel.
COMPOSERS AND BROADCASTERS HAVING
MERRY WAR OVER PROPOSED ROYALTIES
HE demand of the American Society
of Composers, Authors and Publishers,
for a fee amounting to five per cent
the gross income of radio broadcasting sta-
tions, plus a sustaining license fee, for the
granting to the latter of the privilege of
using copyrighted music in their programs,
has brought about a merry war which, at
this writing, seems far from settlement.
The Society makes its claim on the basis
that the present revenue, based on a fixed
annual charge determined by the size and
importance of the radio station, is inadequate
and totaled only $933,000 last year. Al-
though the figure seems large, it is pointed
out that the annual income of broadcasting
stations was well beyond the $50,000,000
mark, and radio receivers with a retail
value of over $300,000,000 were sold during
1931. A check has disclosed the fact, it is
said, that eighty-two per cent of the broad-
cast programs are composed of musical
numbers, a great majority of them being
copyrights.
In speaking fcrr the Society, E. C. Mills,
its general manager, calls attention to the
T
20
fact that the sales of sheet music have
dwindled steadily since 1927 and that much
of the falling-off is due to the constant broad-
casting of the music. As the result of broad-
casting, declares Mr. Mills, the active life
of a popular song hit has been shortened
from eighteen months to ninety days, which
not only reduces the profits of both com-
posers and publishers to the vanishing point
but forces the latter to write many more
songs annually in order to make a fair in-
come.
The broadcasters, on the other hand, hold
that the proposed new rate is prohibitive,
especially under existing business conditions,
and that, under it, the composers would col-
lect royalties on much non-copyrighted music
and upon sketches, speeches, etc., given over
the radio.
Meanwhile the composers stick to their
claims that most of radio entertainment con-
sists of copyrighted music, that they aTe en-
titled to a greater return for the use of their
productions and that the new scale will
become effective on June 1. The final re-
sults will be awaited with interest.
THE
MUSIC
MUSIC PUBLISHERS TO MEET
IN NEW YORK ON JUNE 7
The annual convention of the Music Pub-
lishers' Association of the United States will
be held at the Hotel Roosevelt, New York
City, on June 7, with the sessions confined
to that day. Full consideration will be given
to the various problems that now confront
the industry. The membership of the or-
ganization is made up principally of pub-
lishers of standard music, and the president
is W. Deane Preston, Jr., of the B. F. Wood
Music Co., Boston.
VALUABLE NEW ISSUES
FROM CARL FISCHER, INC.
Recent publications of Carl Fischer, Inc.,
New York, are rich in variety and musical
values. They include, for the student, a
handy volume entitled "The Concert Goer's
Library," a welcome addition to an interest-
ing series by Rosa Newmarch, this time
devoted to symphonies and concertos, and an
informative book on French Piano Music
by Alfred Cortot, the noted pianist and
teacher, translated by Hilda Andrews.
There is also an excellent assortment of
choral music, anthems and church music
generally together with a second volume of
school marches, a volume of dances for chil-
dren by Anne Harding Thompson, books of
short pieces for violin and piano by W.
Gillies Whittaker and volume number one
of "The Boy's Book of Songs." Altogether
it is a wealth of material for the dealer to
offer to his following of teachers and pupils.
SETS NEW PROCEDURE IN
ISSUING PRODUCTION MUSIC
J. J. Robbins, head of the Robbins Music
Corp., announces that his firm is establishing
a precedent by not printing, for the first time
in the history of music business, the sheet
music copies or orchestrations of a show in
conjunction with the show's premiere.
Mr. Robbins refers to the new Lew Leslie
production "Clowns in Clover" which debuts
at Chicago's Apollo Theatre on June 6.
In conference with the producer of the
production, Mr. Robbins pointed out that by
far the most intelligent procedure will be to
first observe the reactions of critics and audi-
ence before the promiscuous printing of songs
and orchestrations. By so doing, it becomes
possible for the publisher to concentrate on
those songs which stand out most effectively
instead of wasting time and expense on num-
bers which may prove to be incidental or
secondary.
Robert Teller Sons & Dorner
Music Engravers and Printers
BEND MANUSCRIPT AND IDEA OF
TITLE FOB ESTIMATE
311 West 43rd St.
New York City
TRADE
REVIEW,
May,
1932