Music Trade Review
Issue: 1925 Vol. 80 N. 24 - Page 107
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
JUNE 13,
103
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1925
Convention of the National Association of Sheet Music Dealers
lights, must be handled on a different basis or
else not handled at all.
Now then, the dealer who undertakes to op-
erate a popular music department must conduct
it on a smaller margin than on his standard
lines since the cost is the same for merchandise
and the loss decidedly greater. Very, little pro-
tection is afforded the dealer against price cut-
ting, very little against over-stocking and con-
siderably less against lack of information re-
garding the prospective hits. While maybe not
readily believed, it often seems like the biggest
hits are the ones least believed to become so.
One by one the surviving popular houses
seek an alliance with the dealer and usually
are readily welcomed since the sheet music
dealer is the most exuberant type in forgetful-
ness of past occurrences ever recorded. But, on
the heels of such encouraging changes, comes
into being a steady stream of publishing re-
cruits ready to take up the robe of reckless
business activities their pathfinding predeces-
sors have resigned to them. Is it any wonder
that the majority of sheet music dealers carry
popular music as a "necessary evil" instead of
as legitimate merchandise and that some do not
carry it at all?
Most any dealer would be glad to see popu-
lar music standardized, taken into the regular
channels of music supply and put on a stable
basis that will mean longer lived hits as of
yore instead of the present rapid death rate now
obtaining. It cannot be accomplished with the
present activities of the popular publishing
houses. We must have a system of notification
of what is afoot; we must have some protection
against loss; and we must have standardized
prices with a living profit. If this is not worth
while to popular publishers, the sheet music
dealer must continue to handle popular hits
only in a small way.
Gladys Alwes
'TPHIS subject is one which might prove to
assume an entirely different aspect accord-
ing to locality. I can only speak of what we
have experienced in our vicinity. We have
found that popular music is sold mostly outside
of the legitimate trade. This may be due to the
fact that our location is not on the main street.
and to the fact that in Indianapolis we have
several department stores and music shops
which specialize in popular music. Most of these
are located in the center of town where one
can "drop in" and purchase a few popular num-
bers, thus saving a walk of three or four blocks.
Another item which must be considered is
the fact that popular music must be demon-
strated. We have found that even playing jazz
records while certain musicians are looking over
music sometimes annoys them so much that
they will leave and come back when there is
not so much noise (as they term it).
It is an acknowledged fact that the real musi-
cians are not the ones who buy popular music.
By this I do not say that they do not enjoy
some popular numbers now and then, but they
are not the mass of people who make the sale
of popular music worth while.
As I said before, a dealer who is located in
the center of the town probably could enjoy
a good business in both popular and standard
music. But to the dealer who is (as one might
say) located "a little out of the way" it does
not prove advantageous.
The question at issue is as to whether the
dealers secure an appreciable share of the popu-
lar music business or whether it is "sold mostly
outside of the legitimate trade."
Let me answer this question rather abruptly
before going into any detail by saying that my
estimate would be that between 60 and 75 per
cent of popular music is sold outside of the legi-
timate trade. This estimate is purely my own
personal opinion and the only way to get ac-
curate figures on the subject would be to take
the statistics of four or five of the popular
houses and average their figures. After this is
done there is a possibility of my having esti-
mated a high percentage of sales for the dealer.
I could easily stop right here because the
question asked me has been answered, but
might I take a couple of minutes longer to
enumerate a few things that are directly per-
taining to this subject?
To start with unless popular music is sold in
large quantities it is very unprofitable because
of the fact that in meeting competition the
margin of profit is very small and its life very
short. All of this is "old stuff" but it brings
into the subject our competitors. They are
principally, as we all know, the syndicate stores,
department stores and song shops.
Assuming that these competitors have the
legitimate right to retail popular music, may I
ask, "What is popular music?" The reason I
ask this question is because I know personally
where thousands and thousands of copies of
such numbers as "Kashmiri Song," "The World
Is Waiting for the Sunrise," "Kohler Piano
Method" and a thousand and one other items
have been sold outside of the legitimate trade
at popular music prices. Do such numbers as
these come under the heading of popular music?
Because if so, my estimate would be somewhat
Participation of Sheet Music Trade
in General Music Advancement Work
G. A. Woodman
"p\URING Music Week in Boston I had the
*-^ great pleasure of attending a concert in
Symphony Hall under the direction of Dr. John
O'Shea, Supervisor of Music in the Boston Pub-
lic Schools. Eighteen hundred and fifty school
children sang and played. Evidences of inten-
sive training and discipline abounded. No regi-
ment of West Point cadets ever excelled in
their maneuvers the demonstration made by
these children in response to Dr. O'Shea's sig-
nal to rise. Time after time they rose as one
child and they sang with the joyfulness and
abandon of birds but with admirable regard for
requirements of tempo and expression as indi-
cated by the baton of Dr. O'Shea. The sing-
ers were accompanied by an orchestra also made
The Fastest Growing Firm in
the Music Publishing Industry
AGER, YELLEN & BORNSTEIN
1595 BROADWAY
Inc.
NEW YORK CITY
We publish
I WONDER WHAT'S BECOME OF SALLY
CHEATIN' ON ME
AWAY FROM YOU
I'VE FOUND MY SWEETHEART SALLY
SMILE ALL THE WHILE
ARE YOU SORRY?
Jack Harden
X i r H I L E I was yet a "knight of the dusty
» * road" I had a wild idea that a dealer, by
persistent effort, could get a fair proportion of
popular music sales. But alas, poor me! During
the past eighteen months I have had an oppor-
tunity of "tasting the fruits of my wild ideas"
with the result I have expended money, time
and effort to no end.
changed so far as this situation is concerned.
Take the first song, for instance, "The Kash-
miri Song." During 1920, 1921, 1922 it found
its way to the counter of the syndicate stores
and was sold in tremendous volume. But taking
into consideration the copies sold before these
stores ever knew there was such a song and
the copies that the legitimate trade dealer is
still selling, I think I could safely say in this
instance that the legitimate dealer has had the
big end of the sales!
Now to look at the other side of the question.
If this particular song does not come under the
heading of "popular music," why is it that the
syndicate stores, etc. are supplied and allowed
to sell such numbers at "popular prices?" Whom
can we blame, the dealer, the publisher or the
public? If the public is to blame there is no
remedy; if the publisher, there is a possible
remedy; if we dealers are to blame let's get
busy and cure the ill!
What I have said of the first song refers also
to the second song, "The World Is Waiting
for the Sunrise" except that most of our sales
will be when the outsiders drop it as "dead."
And so along the same lines I could go
on enumerating instance after instance, but as
I look over the list of items to be discussed I
feel you will think this of little importance
against some, of the other subjects.
However, in concluding, I cannot help but
emphasize the fact that it is not how much
popular music business the legitimate dealer
gets but "how much of the standard end of the
business is the illegitimate trade getting and
how soon will our association deem it neces-
sary to try and stop the supplying of our ma-
terial to the outsider except at prices that would
force them to retail all sheet music at correct
prices!
ROW
ROW-ROSIE
And Other Songs That Sell
AGER, YELLEN & BORNSTEIN
1595 BROADWAY
Inc.
NEW YORK CITY
JUNE 13,
103
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1925
Convention of the National Association of Sheet Music Dealers
lights, must be handled on a different basis or
else not handled at all.
Now then, the dealer who undertakes to op-
erate a popular music department must conduct
it on a smaller margin than on his standard
lines since the cost is the same for merchandise
and the loss decidedly greater. Very, little pro-
tection is afforded the dealer against price cut-
ting, very little against over-stocking and con-
siderably less against lack of information re-
garding the prospective hits. While maybe not
readily believed, it often seems like the biggest
hits are the ones least believed to become so.
One by one the surviving popular houses
seek an alliance with the dealer and usually
are readily welcomed since the sheet music
dealer is the most exuberant type in forgetful-
ness of past occurrences ever recorded. But, on
the heels of such encouraging changes, comes
into being a steady stream of publishing re-
cruits ready to take up the robe of reckless
business activities their pathfinding predeces-
sors have resigned to them. Is it any wonder
that the majority of sheet music dealers carry
popular music as a "necessary evil" instead of
as legitimate merchandise and that some do not
carry it at all?
Most any dealer would be glad to see popu-
lar music standardized, taken into the regular
channels of music supply and put on a stable
basis that will mean longer lived hits as of
yore instead of the present rapid death rate now
obtaining. It cannot be accomplished with the
present activities of the popular publishing
houses. We must have a system of notification
of what is afoot; we must have some protection
against loss; and we must have standardized
prices with a living profit. If this is not worth
while to popular publishers, the sheet music
dealer must continue to handle popular hits
only in a small way.
Gladys Alwes
'TPHIS subject is one which might prove to
assume an entirely different aspect accord-
ing to locality. I can only speak of what we
have experienced in our vicinity. We have
found that popular music is sold mostly outside
of the legitimate trade. This may be due to the
fact that our location is not on the main street.
and to the fact that in Indianapolis we have
several department stores and music shops
which specialize in popular music. Most of these
are located in the center of town where one
can "drop in" and purchase a few popular num-
bers, thus saving a walk of three or four blocks.
Another item which must be considered is
the fact that popular music must be demon-
strated. We have found that even playing jazz
records while certain musicians are looking over
music sometimes annoys them so much that
they will leave and come back when there is
not so much noise (as they term it).
It is an acknowledged fact that the real musi-
cians are not the ones who buy popular music.
By this I do not say that they do not enjoy
some popular numbers now and then, but they
are not the mass of people who make the sale
of popular music worth while.
As I said before, a dealer who is located in
the center of the town probably could enjoy
a good business in both popular and standard
music. But to the dealer who is (as one might
say) located "a little out of the way" it does
not prove advantageous.
The question at issue is as to whether the
dealers secure an appreciable share of the popu-
lar music business or whether it is "sold mostly
outside of the legitimate trade."
Let me answer this question rather abruptly
before going into any detail by saying that my
estimate would be that between 60 and 75 per
cent of popular music is sold outside of the legi-
timate trade. This estimate is purely my own
personal opinion and the only way to get ac-
curate figures on the subject would be to take
the statistics of four or five of the popular
houses and average their figures. After this is
done there is a possibility of my having esti-
mated a high percentage of sales for the dealer.
I could easily stop right here because the
question asked me has been answered, but
might I take a couple of minutes longer to
enumerate a few things that are directly per-
taining to this subject?
To start with unless popular music is sold in
large quantities it is very unprofitable because
of the fact that in meeting competition the
margin of profit is very small and its life very
short. All of this is "old stuff" but it brings
into the subject our competitors. They are
principally, as we all know, the syndicate stores,
department stores and song shops.
Assuming that these competitors have the
legitimate right to retail popular music, may I
ask, "What is popular music?" The reason I
ask this question is because I know personally
where thousands and thousands of copies of
such numbers as "Kashmiri Song," "The World
Is Waiting for the Sunrise," "Kohler Piano
Method" and a thousand and one other items
have been sold outside of the legitimate trade
at popular music prices. Do such numbers as
these come under the heading of popular music?
Because if so, my estimate would be somewhat
Participation of Sheet Music Trade
in General Music Advancement Work
G. A. Woodman
"p\URING Music Week in Boston I had the
*-^ great pleasure of attending a concert in
Symphony Hall under the direction of Dr. John
O'Shea, Supervisor of Music in the Boston Pub-
lic Schools. Eighteen hundred and fifty school
children sang and played. Evidences of inten-
sive training and discipline abounded. No regi-
ment of West Point cadets ever excelled in
their maneuvers the demonstration made by
these children in response to Dr. O'Shea's sig-
nal to rise. Time after time they rose as one
child and they sang with the joyfulness and
abandon of birds but with admirable regard for
requirements of tempo and expression as indi-
cated by the baton of Dr. O'Shea. The sing-
ers were accompanied by an orchestra also made
The Fastest Growing Firm in
the Music Publishing Industry
AGER, YELLEN & BORNSTEIN
1595 BROADWAY
Inc.
NEW YORK CITY
We publish
I WONDER WHAT'S BECOME OF SALLY
CHEATIN' ON ME
AWAY FROM YOU
I'VE FOUND MY SWEETHEART SALLY
SMILE ALL THE WHILE
ARE YOU SORRY?
Jack Harden
X i r H I L E I was yet a "knight of the dusty
» * road" I had a wild idea that a dealer, by
persistent effort, could get a fair proportion of
popular music sales. But alas, poor me! During
the past eighteen months I have had an oppor-
tunity of "tasting the fruits of my wild ideas"
with the result I have expended money, time
and effort to no end.
changed so far as this situation is concerned.
Take the first song, for instance, "The Kash-
miri Song." During 1920, 1921, 1922 it found
its way to the counter of the syndicate stores
and was sold in tremendous volume. But taking
into consideration the copies sold before these
stores ever knew there was such a song and
the copies that the legitimate trade dealer is
still selling, I think I could safely say in this
instance that the legitimate dealer has had the
big end of the sales!
Now to look at the other side of the question.
If this particular song does not come under the
heading of "popular music," why is it that the
syndicate stores, etc. are supplied and allowed
to sell such numbers at "popular prices?" Whom
can we blame, the dealer, the publisher or the
public? If the public is to blame there is no
remedy; if the publisher, there is a possible
remedy; if we dealers are to blame let's get
busy and cure the ill!
What I have said of the first song refers also
to the second song, "The World Is Waiting
for the Sunrise" except that most of our sales
will be when the outsiders drop it as "dead."
And so along the same lines I could go
on enumerating instance after instance, but as
I look over the list of items to be discussed I
feel you will think this of little importance
against some, of the other subjects.
However, in concluding, I cannot help but
emphasize the fact that it is not how much
popular music business the legitimate dealer
gets but "how much of the standard end of the
business is the illegitimate trade getting and
how soon will our association deem it neces-
sary to try and stop the supplying of our ma-
terial to the outsider except at prices that would
force them to retail all sheet music at correct
prices!
ROW
ROW-ROSIE
And Other Songs That Sell
AGER, YELLEN & BORNSTEIN
1595 BROADWAY
Inc.
NEW YORK CITY
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