Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MARCH 20, 1920
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
49
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH
MASCAGNI SUED FOR OPERA DELAY
Just Watch It Grow !
Manager of Theatre in Rome Begins Proceed-
ings When "Little Marat" Is Held Up
A dispatch from Rome says that Emma
Carelli, former prima donna and now manager
of the Costanzi Theatre, has begun legal action
against Mascagni, the composer, because of his
failure to deliver the new opera, "Little Marat,"
which, it was announced recently, will not be
presented for the time being. It is alleged
Mascagni signed a contract last .Fall for the
production of the opera this month, the price
fixed being for its presentation in Italy and
America.
Signor Sonzogno, a publisher, was a party
to the contract, it is said, agreeing to become
responsible for any losses sustained through
non-delivery of the work.
Words by
WILLIAM LK BARON
Music by
VICTOR JACOBI
CHAPPELL & CO., LTD., New York, London, Toronto, Melbourne
SONG BY ELLA WHEELER WILCOX
Musical Art Publishers to Issue Song by Well-
known American Writer
Musical Art Publishers, Atlantic City, N. J.,
arc giving much publicity to a song the words
of which are by the late Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
It is entitled "Whatever Is, Is Best." This is
a composition that should rapidly be accepted
as a standard. In addition to this meritorious
song above mentioned, Musical Art Publishers
have also released the following numbers: "Be-
side the Crystal Sea," "I Bought and Paid for
You," "That Beautiful Dreamy Waltz" and
"Kleanor," and the following instrumental num-
bers: "Slippery Steps," a rag one-step; "El
Talisman," a waltz, and "Spirit of the Times,"
a march.
POPULAR PUBLISHERS MAY ESTABLISH 15-CENT CATALOG
The Gradual Elimination of 10-cent Numbers Seems to Make Advisable a Catalog of 15-cent
Numbers Which Coulc Contain Popular Numbers Which Are Not Quite of 30-cent Caliber
There is now some talk in popular music
publishing circles of establishing 15-cent cata-
logs. An attempt was made to carry out such
an idea about eighteen months ago, but with-
out much success. Now with some of the pub-
lishing houses being excluded from the 10-ccnt
stores, and others eliminating 10-cent numbers
from their catalog altogether, the question of
what to do with songs of the popular caliber
having large sales, but of a special style which
the publishers themselves think are hardly
worth 30 cents retail, is a problem.
These numbers are generally of the novelty
older,
comedy numbers and extreme jazz se-
INDIANA SONG PRIZES
lections. Some of them are especially written
Announcement has been made by Mrs. Grace for vaudeville performers, and indeed practically
Portertield 1'olk that the contest for Indiana all novelty numbers are originally written for
song composers will be held at the Porterfield- stage purposes. The performers demand them
Polk Community House, Columbus, O., dur- of the publishers and the latter produce them
ing the month of March. The prizes will be often for the purpose of pleasing the performer,
paid from the fund provided by Mrs. Polk, and so that he or she, as the case may be, will also
will be given for the best American folk song place in their program one of the more solid
and the best American art song.
numbers of the catalog, such as a love song or
a ballad. Novelties sometimes jump into im-
mediate popularity. Their titles often become
LESLIE A. BOOSEY A VISITOR
a by-word and the publicity they receive forces
Leslie A. Boosey, head of Boosey & Co., the the publisher to issue the number, whether or
well-known English music publishing house, not it was his original intention to do so. This
arrived in New York on Monday of this week. he must also do when these numbers gain great
After a short stay in New York he will visit favor on the records.
Many of them, however, are not what are
the Canadian offices of the company, after which
he will make a tour of this country, including considered 30-cent numbers, but a popular de-
mand is created for them nevertheless. At
Pacific Coast points.
CASTILLIAN FOX-TROT
ere can he no -imitations,
it- is alone and t/.ni times their popularity does not last long, so it
is necessary for the publisher to get quick action
on the sales. Heretofore the big 10-cent syndi-
cate took care of such distribution and, it must
be admitted, did so most efficiently. To-day
some of the publishers find that channel of dis-
tribution closed to them. Therefore, a method
of getting quick action on sales of such songs
must be devised.
The dealers some years ago, especially those
who are members of the National Association
of Sheet Music Dealers, suggested that the pub-
lishers create a 15-cent catalog. In those days
it was their intention to encourage the publish-
ers to eliminate the 10-ccnt store on all popular
works. What the trade's attitude will be on a
15-cent edition at this time is not so clear. They
have looked with favor upon the new 30-cent
catalogs of the popular publishers and they are
giving their encouragement to such issues, but
they may not at once see the necessity of a 15-
cent edition.
The publishers can hardly stop publishing
works of the character mentioned, and on the
other hand they do not wish to ask the public
to pay 30 cents for such works.
The situation should be given consideration
by the dealers. Tf the publishers find an outlet
for such novelty and comedy numbers by way
of a 15-cent catalog the trade should give its
co-operation, inasmuch as helping to solve such
a problem as this is what will place these new
30-cent catalogs i-n an impregnable position.