Music Trade Review
Issue: 1904 Vol. 39 N. 4 - Page 39
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
39
In the World of Music Publishing
H is all very fine to say that the department
stores are comparatively few in the United States
Regarding the Demoralization of Prices—The as compared with dealers, and that the latter are
National Association or the Publishers not always aware of the prices at which music
Themselves Should at Once Take Some is offered by the big stores. This assertion might
Action Which Will Preserve the Industry no in the dark ages, but not to-day, when the
From the Danger That Is Evident Owing prices at which goods are offered by department
stores, as well as by like catalogue houses, are
to Cutting the Market Wide Open.
watched keenly by dealers in every section of
the country.
The question of prices seems to be the all ab-
The situation is one that calls for plain speak-
sorbing topic in the music publishing field to-day. ing and immediate action. It is regretable that
The tendency to make still narrower the margin our leading publishers who lend dignity to the
of profit, owing to department store competition, industry, and who have placed millions of capital
seems rife with the greatest danger. This cutting
in this business, should have their reputation and
of retail and wholesale prices is deplorable, and
their business endangered by unscrupulous con-
will go on until the publishers—at least those
cerns which have sprung up with greater expecta-
of them who respect themselves and their trade
tions than capital and whose eagerness to market
—get together and formulate some practical work-
their music shows them to be devoid of the most
ing plan to cope with the efforts which are ap-
parently being made to "cut the market wide commonplace principles underlying permanent
business success.
open."
AN UNDERSTANDING NECESSARY
This is a subject which it seems to us the Mu-
sic Publishers' National Association could and
should take up with profit to themselves and to
the trade. Some arrangement should not only be
made, but enforced, to the end that a satisfactory
scale of prices be maintained.
It is true, it is a difficult task to adjust this mat-
ter, for there must be a degree of elasticity in the
management to meet conditions even beyond the
control of the most experienced, skillful and care-
ful. Indeed, the situation emphatically calls for
careful handling. As has been suggested be-
fore in this column, some satisfactory scale of
prices, or minimum agreement or a sliding scale
ot discounts could be established between publish-
ers that would be beneficial.
The publishers who to-day are supporting the
department store idea, and selling their product
much lower than what the wholesale price should
be, are cutting the very heart out of the business
and are so disspiriting the dealers throughout
the country that they are loath to put that energy
into the sheet music department of the business
which they would, were there any encouragement
ahead.
"KATE
one of those "keep moving" numbers, but Mr.
Johns seems to have hit it again. His publish-
ers, M. Witmark & Sons, adopted the unique de-
vice for introducing the "Boardwalk Parade" by
distributing free* copies to all promenaders on
that popular thoroughfare, with the result that
every piano, orchestra and band at the seaside
metropolis is playing it, and newcomers must
"fall in line" from the moment of their arrival
to the time they depart to carry the catchy melody
to their scattered homes. It is an expensive, if
thorough, method of introducing a new number,
but then the house of Witmark never does things
by halves, and will doubtless reap a big profit on
their investment, through orders from all over
the country.
MUSIC DEALERS AT ST. LOUIS FAIR.
The Editor of the Review Asked to Take
Charge—Could Be Made a Great Success—
The Association May Handle the Affair.
COMPOSER DRISCOLL'S DEATH.
Tolbert R. Ingram, the well known music pub-
lisher of Denver, Col., has aroused considerable
interest among the music dealers in the Middle
West, in the proposed music dealers' day at the
Frank Driscoll, twenty-five years old, a musical Louisiana Exposition on August 17th. The Ex-
composer, who had been connected with a number position authorities have appointed that date on
of publishing houses both here and in Boston, the official programme and will give their warm-
died suddenly Friday afternoon on a New York, est assistance to the project. It is proposed to
New Haven & Hartford Railroad train which was have a short programme in the morning or after-
about to leave the Grand Central Station for Bos- noon, a reception, and then a recital on the big
ton.
organ in Festival Hall.
With Driscoll were his father, Jeremiah, who
Mr. Ingram has the offer from a large military
lives at 228 Walnut avenue, Boston, and Dr. Cor- band which will tender their services on that day.
nelius J. Egan, the composer's physician. Young He has asked the editor of The Review to take
Driscoll had been suffering from hasty consump- charge of the entire department.
tion and was being taken home. The body was
Allen D. Cockrell, secretary, also writes: "Will
removed to an undertaking establishment. It was you not take charge of this matter? I should
shipped to Boston Saturday.
be more than glad to co-operate with you, making
a grand success of music dealers' day. There is
THE BOARDWALK PARADE.
sufficient time to accomplish this if you begin
Atlantic City's musical hit this summer is "The at once."
Boardwalk Parade," an inspiriting march two-
It is with extreme regret that the editor of
step, by Al Johns, author of "Go 'Way Back and The Review is compelled to decline this compli-
Sit Down" and other popular successes. This is mentary offer, inasmuch as his official duties as
Treasurer of the New York Commission, will ren-
der it impossible for him to assume the addition-
al work, which must be necessary in order to
make the music dealers' day the distinguished
success that it deserves.
If the Music Publishers' National Association
will take up this matter there should be no diffi-
culty in bringing together a large number of peo-
ple interested in music at St. Louis. The scope of
the day might be broadened somewhat and make
if. a music trade day, including all of the allied
trades. It could be worked up to a splendid suc-
cess.
PBESIOtNT.
PBESIOt
Fell Victim to Hasty Consumption on Train
That Was to Take Him Home.
KEARNEY"
Blanche Ring's Greatest Sensation
POSTALTELEGRAPH
CL4RENCE H. MACKAY.
COMMERCIAL CABLES
NIGHT TELEGRAM
EG
The Postal Telearaph-Cable Compaarflrcorporated) transmits and delivers this message subject to the terms and conditions printeoNtn the bask ot this blanh
"KATE KEARNEY."
Blanche Ring's New Song Sensation Greater
Than Bedelia.
Blanche Ring, who is being featured in the
summer run of "Vivian's Papas" at Powers' The-
atre, Chicago, has a litle scene written for her
in the third act, to permit the introduction of
some of her popular songs.
She recently introduced a new ballad entitled
"Kate Kearney," written by two Chicagoans, John
E. Fay and Jas. B. Oliver, writers of the popular
standard ballad success, "Good-night, Beloved,
Good-night." The witty words and ringing re-
frain captivated the audiences and won so many
encores, that Miss Ring has little use for her
familiar numbers. Nearly everyone remembers
the lines of the old Irish ballad, beginning:
&LJL
"Did ye never hear tell of Kate Kearney,
Who lived by the Lakes of Killarney?"
The "Kate Kearney," celebrated by John E. Fay
and James B. Oliver, in typical Celtic lyric and
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
39
In the World of Music Publishing
H is all very fine to say that the department
stores are comparatively few in the United States
Regarding the Demoralization of Prices—The as compared with dealers, and that the latter are
National Association or the Publishers not always aware of the prices at which music
Themselves Should at Once Take Some is offered by the big stores. This assertion might
Action Which Will Preserve the Industry no in the dark ages, but not to-day, when the
From the Danger That Is Evident Owing prices at which goods are offered by department
stores, as well as by like catalogue houses, are
to Cutting the Market Wide Open.
watched keenly by dealers in every section of
the country.
The question of prices seems to be the all ab-
The situation is one that calls for plain speak-
sorbing topic in the music publishing field to-day. ing and immediate action. It is regretable that
The tendency to make still narrower the margin our leading publishers who lend dignity to the
of profit, owing to department store competition, industry, and who have placed millions of capital
seems rife with the greatest danger. This cutting
in this business, should have their reputation and
of retail and wholesale prices is deplorable, and
their business endangered by unscrupulous con-
will go on until the publishers—at least those
cerns which have sprung up with greater expecta-
of them who respect themselves and their trade
tions than capital and whose eagerness to market
—get together and formulate some practical work-
their music shows them to be devoid of the most
ing plan to cope with the efforts which are ap-
parently being made to "cut the market wide commonplace principles underlying permanent
business success.
open."
AN UNDERSTANDING NECESSARY
This is a subject which it seems to us the Mu-
sic Publishers' National Association could and
should take up with profit to themselves and to
the trade. Some arrangement should not only be
made, but enforced, to the end that a satisfactory
scale of prices be maintained.
It is true, it is a difficult task to adjust this mat-
ter, for there must be a degree of elasticity in the
management to meet conditions even beyond the
control of the most experienced, skillful and care-
ful. Indeed, the situation emphatically calls for
careful handling. As has been suggested be-
fore in this column, some satisfactory scale of
prices, or minimum agreement or a sliding scale
ot discounts could be established between publish-
ers that would be beneficial.
The publishers who to-day are supporting the
department store idea, and selling their product
much lower than what the wholesale price should
be, are cutting the very heart out of the business
and are so disspiriting the dealers throughout
the country that they are loath to put that energy
into the sheet music department of the business
which they would, were there any encouragement
ahead.
"KATE
one of those "keep moving" numbers, but Mr.
Johns seems to have hit it again. His publish-
ers, M. Witmark & Sons, adopted the unique de-
vice for introducing the "Boardwalk Parade" by
distributing free* copies to all promenaders on
that popular thoroughfare, with the result that
every piano, orchestra and band at the seaside
metropolis is playing it, and newcomers must
"fall in line" from the moment of their arrival
to the time they depart to carry the catchy melody
to their scattered homes. It is an expensive, if
thorough, method of introducing a new number,
but then the house of Witmark never does things
by halves, and will doubtless reap a big profit on
their investment, through orders from all over
the country.
MUSIC DEALERS AT ST. LOUIS FAIR.
The Editor of the Review Asked to Take
Charge—Could Be Made a Great Success—
The Association May Handle the Affair.
COMPOSER DRISCOLL'S DEATH.
Tolbert R. Ingram, the well known music pub-
lisher of Denver, Col., has aroused considerable
interest among the music dealers in the Middle
West, in the proposed music dealers' day at the
Frank Driscoll, twenty-five years old, a musical Louisiana Exposition on August 17th. The Ex-
composer, who had been connected with a number position authorities have appointed that date on
of publishing houses both here and in Boston, the official programme and will give their warm-
died suddenly Friday afternoon on a New York, est assistance to the project. It is proposed to
New Haven & Hartford Railroad train which was have a short programme in the morning or after-
about to leave the Grand Central Station for Bos- noon, a reception, and then a recital on the big
ton.
organ in Festival Hall.
With Driscoll were his father, Jeremiah, who
Mr. Ingram has the offer from a large military
lives at 228 Walnut avenue, Boston, and Dr. Cor- band which will tender their services on that day.
nelius J. Egan, the composer's physician. Young He has asked the editor of The Review to take
Driscoll had been suffering from hasty consump- charge of the entire department.
tion and was being taken home. The body was
Allen D. Cockrell, secretary, also writes: "Will
removed to an undertaking establishment. It was you not take charge of this matter? I should
shipped to Boston Saturday.
be more than glad to co-operate with you, making
a grand success of music dealers' day. There is
THE BOARDWALK PARADE.
sufficient time to accomplish this if you begin
Atlantic City's musical hit this summer is "The at once."
Boardwalk Parade," an inspiriting march two-
It is with extreme regret that the editor of
step, by Al Johns, author of "Go 'Way Back and The Review is compelled to decline this compli-
Sit Down" and other popular successes. This is mentary offer, inasmuch as his official duties as
Treasurer of the New York Commission, will ren-
der it impossible for him to assume the addition-
al work, which must be necessary in order to
make the music dealers' day the distinguished
success that it deserves.
If the Music Publishers' National Association
will take up this matter there should be no diffi-
culty in bringing together a large number of peo-
ple interested in music at St. Louis. The scope of
the day might be broadened somewhat and make
if. a music trade day, including all of the allied
trades. It could be worked up to a splendid suc-
cess.
PBESIOtNT.
PBESIOt
Fell Victim to Hasty Consumption on Train
That Was to Take Him Home.
KEARNEY"
Blanche Ring's Greatest Sensation
POSTALTELEGRAPH
CL4RENCE H. MACKAY.
COMMERCIAL CABLES
NIGHT TELEGRAM
EG
The Postal Telearaph-Cable Compaarflrcorporated) transmits and delivers this message subject to the terms and conditions printeoNtn the bask ot this blanh
"KATE KEARNEY."
Blanche Ring's New Song Sensation Greater
Than Bedelia.
Blanche Ring, who is being featured in the
summer run of "Vivian's Papas" at Powers' The-
atre, Chicago, has a litle scene written for her
in the third act, to permit the introduction of
some of her popular songs.
She recently introduced a new ballad entitled
"Kate Kearney," written by two Chicagoans, John
E. Fay and Jas. B. Oliver, writers of the popular
standard ballad success, "Good-night, Beloved,
Good-night." The witty words and ringing re-
frain captivated the audiences and won so many
encores, that Miss Ring has little use for her
familiar numbers. Nearly everyone remembers
the lines of the old Irish ballad, beginning:
&LJL
"Did ye never hear tell of Kate Kearney,
Who lived by the Lakes of Killarney?"
The "Kate Kearney," celebrated by John E. Fay
and James B. Oliver, in typical Celtic lyric and
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