Music Trade Review

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THE: MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
43
In tHe World of Music Publishing
TRADE CONDITIONS WITH PUBLISHERS
"You forget. I sing it. All I want is a back-
ground. You can leave the rest to me."
Sales Departments Experiencing Summer Dul-
ness—Conservatism Now Generally Ruling
—Professional End Active, However—A
Publisher's Chats on the Situation.
In the sales department business is spoken
of as exceedingly quiet. Publishers are disin-
clined to indulge in any expense just now that
might liven up trade. June is rather early to
lay down so completely, but with the backward-
ness in general business, and the disinclination
to buy more freely on the part of dealers and
jobbers, publishing houses are justified in pur-
suing a conservative course. An occasional
spurt, in the shape of fair-sized orders, has en-
couraged a few firms to believe the bottom is not
altogether detached; but these are exceptions,
and are traceable to department store activity.
The professional end is the reverse, for June,
July and August are the busiest months. Every
MADAM SCHUMANN HEINK.
publisher is besieged with singers looking for
good things either for immediate use at the re-
Mme. Schumann Heink, the distinguished
sorts or private entertainments, or in prepara-
grand opera soprano, who has probably the larg-
tion for the coming theatrical season. Of this
est and most fashionable clientele of any concert
side of the business a publisher remarked to
singer in America, is to make a direct departure
The Review Monday: "We get quick returns
next season from any of her former work, as she
from our stuff from the professionals. They try
is to appear in a comic opera written especially
out our new things, and we can tell in short
for her by Stanislaus Stange and Julian Ed-
order whether it is worth our while to bring out
wards. This opera is now in work at M. Wit-
a piece 'regular.' You have no conception of the
mark & Sons, and while it abounds in novelties
numbers the singers take out that are never
and popular airs, the composer has been careful
heard of again. It is a capital process for weed-
to write a quantity of elaborate numbers for the
ing out a catalogue. Then, again, a song may
star, which will demonstrate the fact that one
take a long time to develop and become popular.
can be as thoroughly artistic in comic opera as
These are the best kind and the most lasting
in more ambitious work. This opera will prove
sellers. Just now we have a waltz-song, written
a treat to music lovers as well as mere amuse-
five years ago, that is just coming to the front,
ment seekers.
and is selling well. This class of' popular music
makes desirable business, because it is generally
WOODWARD WITH STERN.
above the average on the score of musical merit."
Among publishers of standard music trade is
Matt C. Woodward, who has written a great
quiet, though sales are satisfactory for the deal of available song material, last week signed
season.
with Jos. W. Stern # Co. to write exclusively for
LIKE ROLLING OFF A LOG
The singing comedian discoursed to the Igno-
rant Person in this wise of the comic opera:
"I had an idea that the part was written by the
author and interpreted by the comedian, who in-
jected his own pleasing personality into it," ob-
served the L P.
"Now, don't make me laugh, my boy," rejoined
the professional. "The author doesn't cut any
figure at all. I t is all right to have him drop
in and tell you what the opera is about. Then
he can go home. For all the author has to do
with it you could write my part, as a rule, on
the back of a postage stamp. I originate all the
funny lines and situations."
"I'm getting valuable points every day," said
the Ignorant Person, with surprise.
"The public doesn't know these things."
"Why, of course not. The poor fools always
thought the author did some of the writing."
"Yes, yes; I suppose so; and in a way he does.
I always give him full credit for the scenario."
"How about the composer?"
"He's very useful for the ensembles, but you
get the song hits in Twenty-eighth street or along
Broadway. I'll let you in on a litle inside infor-
mation about these songs. All you have to do is
to step into any one of the song publishing
houses. Tell 'em you'd like a crack-a-jack coon
song. In a jiffy they hand you out, say, 'My
Little Ogdensburg Maid' or something of the sort.
And there you are."
"Well, that seems very simple. Suppose the
song doesn't make a hit?" said the Ignorant
Person.
them for a terms of years.
The firm are enjoying a brisk demand for
Cole & Johnson's latest songs, introduced by
prominent artists in Klaw & Erlanger's Aerial
Gardens. They include "On Lalawana's Shore,"
"Lindy" (from Evolution of Ragtime), "Fish-
ing," "Como le Gusta" (How Do You Like Me),
sung by Miss Fay Templeton; "Don't Wake Him
Up, Let Him Dream," "Spirit of the Banjo" (from
Evolution of Ragtime), sung by Peter F. Dailey;
"Pretty Little Squaw from Utah," sung by Miss
Leila Mclntyre; "There Is Something About You
that I Love, Love, Love," sung by Frank Coombs.
"Fishing," with its pleasing chorus, is referred
to by enthusiasts as the distinct hit of the piece.
POPULAR
UMMER
ONGS. .
ORDER
MUSIC PUBLISHERS' "LIVE WIRES."
Summer songs are certainly having an Inning
this year. Nearly all the front rank publishers
have an offering, and considerable hard work is
being done to keep them alive. A few are selling
well, others are languishing; nevertheless, the
cry is still they come. One of the latest is by
Ren Shields, written for Edna DeWolf Hopper,
and pronounced off-hand by its sponsors a "song
to fade them all!" Fortunately the predictions
of the over-sanguine song writer are not re-
corded, or there would be some embarrassing ex-
planations in order.
Six songs of the ballad style which are now
being heard to the exclusion of more serious
work are: "There's Nothing New to Say," Alfred
G. Robyn's new ballad, which promises to rival
his "Answer"; "Where Thou Art," by Angelo
Mascheroni, composer of "For All Eternity";
"Within Thine Eyes," by Harry Rowe Shelly;
"In Dreamland," by W. T. Francis; "Just You
and I," by Wilton Heriot and Frank E. Tours;
and Caro Roma's "Resignation."
Competent
judges declare it would be difficult to find six
songs of one season which could equal the beauty
and charm of these numbers, and the Witmarks
are to be congratulated.
When a song hit materializes the fortunate
publisher is then assailed with divers claims of
plagiarism, if not downright piracy. Everybody
with a ghost of a show butts in, and the demands
range from a peremptory order to withdraw the
alleged infringement forthwith, or a compromise
on a division of the profits is politely proffered.
The episodes in this connection are not infre-
quently "too funny for anything," as a veteran
publisher phrased it.
"Phantania," a new music comedy by
of "The Runaways" celebrity, may lead to a legal
wrangle between two publishers, both of whom
are reported as having contracts with the com-
poser.
In this strain the press agent: "Now is the
time par excellence for the love ballad to
flourish. There is no use talking, there is some-
thing in the effect of the summer moon which
inclines even the most prosaic of us to senti-
ment. The summer poets seem to get a firmer
grip on the bridle of Pegasus and the musicians
are confessedly inspired by every breeze and
sight and scent of the good old summer time.
The consequence of this is the unusual popu-
larity of the ballad."
When Howley, Dresser
Co. suspended, the
Follow the Crowd on a
By GERARD,
Sunday MORRISON
A ARMSTRONG.
Down on the
^ Go - Round
By HAL KENT A LYN UDALL, Compomorm of
Ono Girl," and "Jumt a* the Sun."
ONCE
"Ju»t
Kate Kearney
By FAY A OLIVER, wrfter* of "Goodnight,
Boloved,
Goodnight."
Wit mark & Sons
NEW YORK
CHICAGO
LONDON
ILLUMINATED TITLE PAGES FREE
SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE IN QUANTITIES
Do you Handle " WITMARK" PUBLIC A TIONS 7