Music Trade Review

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46
THE
REVIEW OF TRADE CONDITIONS.
January Business Fairly Satisfactory, Al-
though Some do Not Hold This View—Cur-
rent Publications Up to Standard—The
Situation Analyzed.
January has wound up in a mairaer quite satis-
factory to the majority of publishers, though the
complaints of slow trade are not altogether ab-
sent. There is a condition in the trade which
all agree is deplorable, and therefore houses are
acting individually so far as prices are con-
cerned, for this is the crux of the situation. In
number and merit current publications are up to
the standard, but the marketing of the product
in a strictly trade sense is the problem. Pos-
sibly it is needless to speak of the advantages
possessed by firms whose prestige and influence
is acknowledged wherever popular music is han-
dled; but the guerrilla methods, rife for a period
longer than any one cares to say, are having an
effect even in the places where independence of
action is looked for and generally conceded.
With publishers of serious and higher-grade
music no especial change either in price or out-
put is noticeable. It is known firms who have
bought out works of character and stability are
marketing the lines in the usual steady way, with
sales up to expectations and the customary con-
servative estimates. Before the spring several
important publications of American origin are
promised, the standing of which cannot be im-
peached, as they represent the best efforts of the
leading composers.
Current conditions are variously estimated, ac-
cording to the appended opinions given The Re-
view this week: "Business during January has
picked up, and the month, as a whole, was good.
This pertains to publishers in general. Of course,
prices are not what they should be, but the 'bad
break 1 made by the cheap stores will not last.
Their efforts to discredit the music publishers
will prove unavailing in the long run; and in
the meantime publishers must rely on their own
resources to market their line. These five and
ten-cent places are faking the public, having a
few copies of the hits, which are soon gone, and
then all their stock is exhausted.
Otherwise
trade is averaging all right.'
Another publisher, taking a different view,
said: "I have been in the business for many
years, and I never saw a worse time, and I am
Complete vocal Score and Separate Numbers of
"THE ROSE OF THE ALHAMBRA"
Book and Lyrics by CHAS. EMERSON COOK.
Music by LUCIUS HOSMBR.
Featuring tbe well-known prlma donna,
Mme. LILLIAN BLAUVELT.
Supplementary Songs In tbe following productions :
EDNA MAT'S New Musical Play,
"THE CATCH OF THE SEASON."
"RAINING"
By Jerome D. Kern
SHUBBRT BROS.' English Musical Comedy Success,
"THE EARL AND THE GIRL."
"HOW'D YOU LIKE TO SPOON WITH ME."
Max. C. Eugene's hit, "IN ROSELAND" Intermezzo
Published by
T.
B. HARMS
126 West 44th St.
CO.
NEW YORK
"Tha Housm Melodious."
GUS EDWARDS
MUSIC PUBLISHING CO.
Publishers of Lillian Russell's and the Sea-
sons Song Hits,
" I f a Girl Like You Loved a Boy Like Me "
"Somebody's Sweetheart I Want to Be,"
and "Napoli,' and Italian Love Story.
Our New Issues
"PocahonUs," (Tammany's sister). " I n a little Canoe
with Y o u " being featured by all the leading acts in
Vaudeville. "When the Green Leaves turn to Gold' a
Beautiful Rustic Ballad.
Gus Edwards Music Pub. Co.
ISI2 Broadway, New York.
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
telling you the absolute truth. If I said trade
was good that would not make it so, and there
is no prospect of it being better so far as prices
govern. This morning I turned down an order
for 2,000 copies of a song at eight cents, on which
I pay a royalty of five. No one can stand that
kind of sales. Better keep the stuff than sell at
a loss. The publishers must now face the situa-
tion, for it is evident no agreement of any kind
will be made. As long as publishers exist who
must realize quick or go under, the trade will
be in anything but an enviable position."
PAUL DRESSER'S FUNERAL
Attended by Many Publishers and Friends—
—Unusual Tribute by Clergyman—Arthur
Gillespie's Graceful Poetical Affusion.
The funeral ceremony of the late Paul Dresser,
of the Paul Dresser Publishing Co., whose death
occurred Tuesday of last week, took place the
Friday following, in the Church of St. Fran-
cis Xavier, Sixteenth street and Sixth avenue,
New York. Paul had been a communicant of the
church for many years and was a regular atten-
dant. The father officiating was a personal
friend of the deceased, and interrupted the mass,
an unusual proceeding, to pay a brief and
feeling tribute (reciting a list of the songs writ-
ten by Mr. Dresser) to his goodness of heart,
wide sympathy and unbounding generosity, con-
cluding with reading the lyric of "The Judgment
Is at Hand," the last song penned by the dead
writer. Furthermore, the clergyman declared
that in all of Mr. Dresser's songs—ballads of sen-
timent, home and the fireside—not an impure
thought or unclean word could be found.
Every publishing house of any note was repre-
sented at the church, and among those present
were the following: P. J. Howley, Fred Havi-
land, of the F. B. Haviland Publishing Co., both
partners of Mr. Dresser in the old firm of How-
ley, Haviland & Dresser; Jay Witmark, of M.
Witmark & Sons; Fred E. Belcher, manager of
Jerome H. Remick & Co.; Willis Woodward, of
Willis Woodward & Co.; Chas. K. Harris; Max
Dreyfuss, of T. B. Harms & Co.; Ed. Dresser and
C. Coburn, of Paul Dresser Publishing Co.; Fred
Helf and Fred E. Hager, of Helf & Hager; Leo
Feist; Ed. Marks, of Jos. W. Stern & Co.; Albert
E. Wler, with Hinds, Noble & Eldredge; E. T.
Paull, of E. T. Paull Music Co.; F. A. Mills;
Wm. H. Penn, manager Sol. Bloom; Vincent
Bryan, of Vincent Bryan Music Co.; Albert von
Tilzer, of York Music Co.; C. Parker, of Parker
Music Co.; Wm. H. Anstead; Fred Day, of Fran-
cis, Day & Hunter; Samuel Speck, of Armstrong
Music Publishing Co. The pallbearers included a
number of well-known theatrical celebrities.
The following graceful tribute to Paul Dresser
has been contributed to The Review by Arthur
Gillespie (of the Witmark Chicago staff):
Amid the flow of song and rhyme,
'Midst verse and melody sublime.
The hand of death has cast a pal)
Upon the father of them all :—
For Dresser's songs were of the kind
That left sweet memories behind.
His candle burned a lucky flame,
When he penned "The Letter That Never Came,"
'Twas one of Paul's right from the heart,
The kind that placed him quite npart
I'rnm those who wrote of love, sweet love
And stars that twinkled from above.
Most every song that Dresser wrote
Some word of "Mother" he would quote,
In verse so beautiful and brief.
it must have been his true belief
That the magic of her sacred name
In after years would bring him fame,
•lust like "My Mother Told Me So,"
Was hummed and whistled years ago.
Likewise "The Convict and the Bird,"
None like it ever since was heard.
"Here Lies An Actor," brings to mind
That Paul was faithful to mankind.
A theme to which he oft was prone.
When musing by himself alone.
And then "The Pardon Came Too Late,"
FTow cleverly he would relate
Those tales that made the tear drops start,
That went straight into every heart.
The song "Since Nellie Went Away,"
And "The Lone Grave," verdant in its day,
I mention now among the rest,
They were the ones that I ioved best.
"Just Tell Them That You Saw Me," too.
But proved that Dresser's heart was true.
"On the Banks of the Walmsh Far Away"
Was followed by "The Blue and dray."
And thus they came, hit after hit,
It seemed that he was ever fit
To write the tender songs of homo,
The songs that made your memory roam
Back thro' the fields of yellow corn—
Back to the place where you were born—-
Perhaps to where a mother dear,
With many a sigh and falling tear.
Was waiting for her darling boy
Who'd ne'er return to bring her joy.
To smooth those threads of silver'd luiir
And kiss that wrinkled brow of care.
"Tis all these tho'ts that make me cling
To Dresser, who of song was King.
We bow to you, departed Paul—
You were the daddy of us all.
AL. TRAHERN'S REMICK RECORD.
Al. Trahern, who has charge of the publicity
department for Jerome H. Remick & Co., de-
scribes the Remick record-breaking song hits as
follows: Remick's recognized, reigning, reliable,
representative ballad, "In Dear Old Georgia";
Remick's really, rugged, rousing, romantic Irish
song, "Good-Bye, Maggie Doyle"; Remick's rising,
refined, resistless, rag-time Southern song, "Jessa-
mine"; Remick's royal, rhythmic, refreshing, re-
fulgent novelty song, "Anxious"; Remick's ra-
diant, rapturous, renowned, remarkable Indian
song, "Silver Heels"; Remick's rural, rustic,
roaring, robust, cowboy song, "Cheyenne"; Rem-
ick's real, rare, reckless, romping, rollicking,
unique song, "What Has the Night Time to Do
with the Girl?"
Mose Gumble, general manager of the profes-
sional department for Jerome H. Remick & Co.,
reports it the busiest week of the new year, or,
in fact, the busiest week known in years, and
says their publications were in evidence at al-
most every theatre in Greater New York, their
songs and instrumental numbers being repre-
sented eveiywhere in the city. At the theatres,
cafes and at the many society dances from one
to five Remick publications could be found on
every programme.
Miss llene Dore has added "Starlight" and
"Paddle Your Own Canoe" to her clever reper-
toire of songs, and reports great success.
Pierce and Roslyn, the greatest singing act in
vaudeville, make a specialty of "Starlight," using
Indian costumes and special lights while sing-
ing it.
Charlie Guyer was at Haviland's last week.
Now watch for a new song by Drislane and
Morse. Charlie certainly did make "Keep a
Little Cosy Corner in Your Heart for Me" go;
there must be something new in the wind.
Publications of
The Moore Music Co.,
Frank B. Perry, Mgr, 1346 Broadway, New York.
VOCAL.
My Heart Goes Bump-pa-di-Bump For You I
Whan the Evening Shades are Falling.
Sweethearts Forever.
Alice Darling.
INSTRUMENTAL.
Misses and Kisses
A Novelette.
Gallant Brigade
- Maroh and Two-Step.
Tanglefoot Joe • Characteristic Two-Step.
Every dealer should be on our "New Issue" list!
JEROME H. REniCK & CO.
ANNOUNCE
"MY
IRISH MOLLY O"
BY JEROnE & SCHWARTZ
The terrific hit in "Sergeant Brue," sung
by Blanche Ring, and other big bits by Je-
rome ft Schwartz.
JEROnE H. REillCK & CO.
DETROIT and CHICAOO.
45 West 28th Street,
-
NEW YORK