Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
78
Conducted by B. B. Wilson
AMERICAN MUSIC ABROAD.
General Run of Popular Music of the United
States, Including Ragtime, Making Slow
Progress in European Countries, According to
Government
Reports—Some
Market
for
American Music in Germany and England.
(Special to The Review.)
WASHINGTON, D. C, March 21.—Notwithstand-
ing the prevalance of folk songs among the peas-
antry, the deeply rooted love for classical music
that pervades all Italy retards the introduction of
American "ragtime," which is making its way but
slowly in that kingdom. Consul Alexander W.
Weddell considers it quite doubtful if the type of
music now popular in the United States would find
a .market in the Catania district. In the vicinity
of Leghorn the sale of foreign music, with the ex-
ception of German classical selections and French
songs, is very limited owing to the sparseness of the
foreign population, states Vice Consul Leon Bohm
de Sauvanne, who is stationed in that seaport.
Consul Claude I. Dawson reports the entire ab-
sence of a demand for American music in Valencia,
nearly all instrumental sheet music sold in that
Spanish city being brought from Barcelona and
Bilboa. Neither does France offer an inviting field
for the extension of the sale of foreign music;
such as is sold in Marseilles, states Vice Consul
General Paul H. Cram, is supplied almost wholly
by Germany and consists of classical music and
'"studies" for the improvement of one's technique.
Owing to the difference in language there is prac-
tically no market for foreign popular songs.
In Strassburg, Germany, American music, es-
pecially the so-called "ragtime," is very popular
and has a good and ready sale, reports Consul
Milo A. Jewett. A German music publishing firm
in Berlin is said to copy the popular and "catchy"
instrumental music and sell it in all parts of Ger-
many ; songs are also translated and published by
this firm, and some of these American songs are
quite popular. Music dealers in Strassburg say
that the German firm referred to can sell the
copied music more cheaply than the original can be
imported from America.
The direct sale of sheet music in Manchester and
district by means of correspondence and catalogues
would not, in the opinion of Consul W. Henry
Robertson, be wholly successful for the reason that
the local sheet music dealers, practically without ex-
ception, are supplied through London houses and
agents. Travelers call upon the wholesale and re-
tail trade regularly throughout the year. Much
of the sheet music offered for sale in and about
Manchester is printed in Germany, but there is also
a fair present demand for American sheet music,
such as "two steps" and "ragtime," and a few
American ballads. For mandolin and guitar folios
there is very little call.
BERT WILLIAMS' SBSTES
OTHER GOOD
SELLERS
" B o b b i n ' Up and
Down"
" Dear Old Girl "
" Salvation Nell"
" Wbo'» Going to Love
You When I'm Gone"
"When You Haven't a
Beautiful Girl "
" You're the Haven of
4i My H e a r t "
" I n t h e L a n d of
Plankity Plank "
" My Dearie Waltz"
(Ma Cheriei
" When Yon Sang the
Rotary To Me"
"Hatrack in the Hall"
" Until You Said Good-
Bye"
Order either from
ut or your
-»
jobber
Dealers write us for our novelties in Sheet Music and
Orchestra and Band numbers.
THEODORE MORSE MUSIC CO., «
"DREAMING" PROVES BIG HIT.
One of the Strong Features of Oliver Morosco's
Production in "Pretty Miss Smith."
(Special to The Review.)
BOSTON, MASS., March 24.—Oliver Morosco's
new production, "Pretty Miss Smith," direct troin
Los Angeles, with Kitty Gordon in the title role,
was presented at the Cort Theater last night and
won an immediate success. The work of the
several principals, including Charlotte Greenwood
and Sidney Grant, was especially well received.
The big musical number, with the chorus being
used throughout three acts, was "Dreaming," the
waltz-song by Earl Carroll, for which Mr.
Morocco paid $1,000 recently for the production
rights. Mr. Carroll was one of those who came over
from N«w York for the purpose of attending tiu
opening performance of the piece. "Dreaming" is
published by Leo Feist, Inc., New York.
USING ERNEST BALL'S SONGS.
Enrico, the Singing Violinist, Featuring " I n
the Candle Light" and "While the Rivers of
Love Flow On" with Excellent Effect.
Enrico, "the singing violinist," who, in addition
to being a violinist of exceptional ability, also
possesses a fine tenor voice, which he uses to ad-
vantage,, is at present featuring the songs of
Ernest Ball with great success, the numbers in-
cluding "In the Candle Light" and "While the
Rivers of Love Flow On." In featuring the for-
mer song, Enrico works on a dark stage and a
small electric light back of the bridge of the vio-
lin gives the effect of candle light thrown against
the face of the singer. The violinist plays his
own obligatos and counter melodies with abso-
lute sureness while singing.
SINGING "THE IRISH TANGO."
Al Jolson Scores a Big Success with the Walsh-
Brewer Song in "The Honeymoon Express."
HIGH PRAISE FOR LEHAR'S MUSIC.
New York Critics Enthuse Over the Melodies
in the "Maids of Athens"—Waltz Number,
"When the Heart Is Young," a Real Hit.
Whatever the various critics of New Y< rk
thought of the "Maids of Athens" produced at the
New Amsterdam Theater last week by Henry W.
Savage as a whole, the fact remains that they
were as one jn praising the music and especially
calling attention to the waltz number, "When the
Heart Is Young." Some of the statements in the
press regarding the music of the piece, published
by Chappell & Co., follow:
Jiveiiiiiy Journal, Pretty girls, pretty tunes, and good
music.
Prettv gills, singing pretty songs and dancing
gracefully to lilting tunes, proved sufficient to stamp "Maids
of Athens" as a musical hit. The play proved full of lite
and most entertaining. The music throughout was distinctly
Lehar. ' A stunning march number opened the second act—
a song sufficient in itself to make the opera a success. Leila
Hughes sang the particular waltz hit, "When the Heart is
Young," and repeated the chorus until the first night
audience was able to whistle it as it found its way out ot
the theatre. It is safe to say that at Tango Teas and in the
homes of those of us who delight in the timely tunes, the
sang will before long be firmly established.
Melody and
plenty of it seems to be the idea of the authors when they
set out to write and to adapt the opera. The other num-
bers well received were "Life Is Lonely" and "Kosie."
livening Mail-- Leila Hughes and Albert Pellatou won the
vocal honors of the evening, the best of the duets falling
to them. They included a melodious waltz number, "When
the Heart is 1 oung," of which great things are doubtless
expected.
The Press—New Lehar opera contains both pretty women
and music.
Genuine fun by comedians.
The opening
chorus of the second act is recognizably Lehar's. It is a
stunning march, entitled "Brigands' Chorus."
Many an
opera has gone to success with only one tune as good. "Life
Is Lonely" also has a good swing. 1 do not imagine that
Lehar wrote "Kosie," but it comes perilously near being the
hit of the piece. "When the Heart is Young' is a neat
waltz. Leila Hughes sings this waltz until you won't have
to buy the music if you have any ear at all. The song
publishers should object to this.
New York Times There were several tunes which will
be remembered, notably "When the Heart is Young," and
a song by the bandit and male chorus, "Life Is Lonely,' at
the
beginning of the first act. The composer writes
throughout in a musically, tasteful style, a better style than
we are accustomed to by the average run of musical comedy.
The Sun The audience received the prettiest waltz song,
"When the Heart is Young," so gracefully that Leila
lluglus. who sang it very well, was kept repeating the re-
frain until the less demonstrative hearers would have dis-
pensed with it.
The World—Without managerial aid, even the novice
will be able to tell that "When the Heart is Young." with
its_ languorous, rhythmic waltz strains, is Lehar at his best.
Miss Leila Hughes, who sang this waltz song, is exceedingly
winsome, and, moreover, she has a fresh soprano voice that
she uses with rare skill and distinction—her singing of this
song was easily the evening's delight.
New York Herald. Of the women principals. Miss Leila
Hughes won the highest honors. Everyone will like her
song "When the Heart is Young." It "is one of the real
Lehar musical gems.
Al. Jolson, the magnetic singer of characteristic
songs, now with "The Honeymoon Express" in
the West, has added "The Irish Tango," by J.
Brandon Walsh and Ernest Brewer, to his rep-
ertoire. Mr. Jolson sprung "The Irish Tango" on
the audience and registered a real hit. The
clever combination of real lyric wit and rhythm,
with a lilting melody that savors of "the Auld
Sod," was effectively "put over" by Mr. Jolson.
PRIZE FOR YOUNG COMPOSERS.
A despatch from Rome says that the keenest
pleasure is evidenced in that city over the news
that Mrs. Harold McCormick, of Chicago, formerly
Miss Edith Rockefeller, daughter of John D.
Rockefeller, has established a bi-annual $4,000 prize
for the best lyric opera, the work of some youthful
composer.
The elation is due to the fact that the prize,
which is the first of its kind in Italy, will bring to
light the efforts of a large number of talented
young composers who so far have failed to obtain
the good will of the two music publishing houses
controlling the operatic market in Italy, the support
of which has come to be regarded as indispensable
to the staging and producing of a new opera.
Whether or not Mrs. McCormick in establish-
ing the prize intended to break up what is popu-
larly termed the "music trust" in Italy, or merely
wished to encourage young musicians, is not set
forth—probably it is the latter intention—but local
musicians maintain that through the liberality of
Mrs.
McCormick and Conductor Campanini
students of both sexes henceforth will have a
chance to bring their talents to public attention.
We Are the Publishers of the Waltz Song
Success
"Just Because It's You"
From Ivan Caryll's New Musical Comedy
Success
"The Little Cafe"
C H A P P E L L & CO., L t d .
41 East 34th St., - NEW YORK
347 Yonge St.,
TORONTO