PRESTO
September 29, 1923
25
SHEET MUSIC TRADE
TO PUBLISHERS
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THE COMBINED CIRCULATION
OF PRESTO (EST. 1884), AND MUS-
ICAL TIMES (EST. 1881), IS BY FAR
THE LARGEST IN THE FIELD OF
THE MUSIC TRADE. COMBINA-
TION RATES OF SPECIAL AT-
TRACTIVENESS FOR ADVERTIS-
ING SPACE IN BOTH PAPERS
WILL BE MADE TO MUSIC PUB-
LISHERS.
This department is designed to advance the sales
of sheet music, and give any current information in
the Sheet Music Trade.
This publication believes that Sheet Music will
pay the dealer, just as any other commodity pays
those who merchandise it properly.
The conductor of this department will review
any numbers that are sent in for the purpose. It is
not the intent to criticise, but to review these offer-
ings, giving particular information of the theme and
a description of the musical setting of the number
discussed.
Address all communications to Conductor Sheet
Music Dept, Presto, 407 S. Dearborn, Chicago, 111.
SOME DEALERS' MISTAKES
A Grievous One Is Placing Inexperienced
People in Charge of Buying and Selling
With Foolish Expectation of Profits.
"An odd thing about many sheet music dealers and
managers of sheet music counters in department
stores is that they grumble about certain effects
without trying to find out the contributory causes,"
said a veteran in charge of a prosperous sheet music
business in Chicago this week. "And these reasons
are the causes of failure to make good in sheet music
departments. A principal one is that the managers
hire inexperienced help, which can be secured for
little money, but fail to fulfill the end for which they
are hired—sell the music.
"The person placed inside a sheet music counter
must understand all about the goods just as a piano
or phonograph salesman must know all about his
commodities. Selling sheet music is a distinct busi-
ness and requires special training. Sheet music does
not sell itself any more than pianos sell them-
selves.
I don't call responding to a frantic
rush for a silly, ephemeral popular song salesman-
ship. The valuable sheet music salesman or sales-
woman is something more than a wrapping clerk.
"A strange thing in the music business is that a
dealer who requires experiences and previous proofs
of results in a piano or phonograph salesman will give
complete charge of a sheet music counter to a girl
whose knowledge of the names of musical composi-
tions is limited to a few recent popular songs. He
will expect her to show results, too. Failing these
the blind dealer wonders why the sheet music de-
partment does not pay.
"In order to conduct a sheet music business so that
it will attract sheet music buyers of all kinds, the
person in charge must know all phases of the busi-
ness. There are the wants of the professionals, the
teachers and musical folk generally, to be considered
in a comprehensive sheet music business. To grow,
a sheet music department must become noted for its
attention to all classes of trade. Its show of profits
depends on its ability to respond to every species of
sheet music demand. A mad rush for a week or two
on a come-and-go popular song does not fool the ex-
perienced sheet music manager into letting up on the
activities for the less popular and standard numbers.
But the sheet music counter manager should keep
in touch with all the vagaries of the popular music
field, and should not only be quick to provide the
populars, but should anticipate the local demands for
the same. The stock must be kept up to date with
all the latest hits or customers will go elsewhere to
buy.
HEARST NUMBERS PLAYED
Leading Orchestras in East Featuring Songs and
Vodville Stars Make Hit with Them.
The Hearst Music Publishers, Ltd., 1658 Broad-
way, New York, Phoenix block, Winnipeg, and 199
Yonge street, Toronto, Canada, are doing a wonder-
ful business both domestic and foreign. The for-
eign business covering England, Ireland, Scotland,
South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, together
with Hawaii, Philippines, Cuba, Mexico, Panama and
other countries, running into hundreds of thousands
of copies, while the domestic trade is very large.
Hearst numbers are getting a big break with
orchestra leaders around New York, including Lou
Fisher's Orchestra at Palisade Park, Joe Bailie at
the A T ew York and Newark Veledromes, Benny Rob-
erts at the Palace, Harold Stern at Brighton Beach,
Natzy's Orchestra at the Biltmore Hotel, Arthur
Pryor at Luna Park, and who will also feature
"Wonderful Child," "Beautiful Rose" and other num-
bers at Palm Beach.
Olga La Marr, with the Step Lively Burlesquers,
is making a decided hit with "Wonderful Child,"
playing Lyric Theater in Newark, with Bijou in
Philadelphia to follow, with other cities on the cir-
cuit. Larry P>ancis, of Milford and Francis, says,
"Tell the gang that 'Wonderful Child' and 'Some
Day You'll Cry Over Somebody Else' are regular
wows at each performance in Milwaukee and Minne-
apolis at the Gaiety Theaters."
"Wonderful Child" has just been released by the
Victor, Apex and Gennett in Canada, and the Okeh
in New York City.
A FEW NOTES.
REMICK SONG HITS
Barney Google
Beside a Babbling Brook
My Buddy
Carolina in the Morning
Dream Melody
Your Eyes Have Told Me So
You Can't Make a Fool Out of Me
Big Blond Mamma
First, Last and Always
Somebody's Wrong
Do You, Don't You, Will You,
Won't You?
Tweet, Tweet
Lou'siana
When Will I Know
Sweet One
J. H. REMICK & CO.
New York
Chicago
Detroit
The Remick Song & Gift Shop, San Francisco, re-
cently offered Olin Downes' book, "The Lure of
Music," at a special price and featured the book in
an attractive show window.
Fortune's Music Store, 111 Madison street, Mem-
phis, Tenn., has added a sheet music department.
The new waltz ballad of the McKinley Music Co.,
Chicago, "Just One More Waltz with You," is prov-
ing a big success in sales. Leading orchestras every-
where are featuring it.
Harold C. Berg, general sales manager of the
Charles E. Roat Music Co., Battle Creek, Mich., is
on a tour of the eastern cities exploiting the publica-
tions of the Michigan house.
New quarters have been secured at 96 West Pearl
street, Nashua, N. H., by the Knox Music Store.
SHEET MUSIC IN PORTLAND, ORE.
Interesting Items From Busy North West City Are
Personal in Their Nature.
The Remick Song & Gift Shop, of Portland, Ore.,
was visited during last week by Olger Olsby, man-
ager of the Seattle branch, who came down from the
Sound city to confer with I. E. Sklare, the local
manager.
Sherman, Clay & Co., of Portland, Ore., is featur-
ing the new Sherman, Clay number, "The West, The
Nest, and You," by attractive window display and is
receiving the co-operation of the local music deal-
ers. The George Olsen orchestra of the Portland
hotel is also featuring the tuneful waltz and the suc-
cess of the number is assured.
In the sheet music department of the F. R. Austin
Co. in the G. F. Johnson Piano Co., Miss Alice Mc-
Pherson, who has been associated with Mr. Austin
for the past four years, resigned to become the wife
of E. Redman and they will make their future home
in Pasano, Alberta, Canada. Miss McPherson's place
has been filled by Florence Nash, who will have
charge of the mail order department at 167 Park
street, and Myrtle Knowland will have charge of the
sheet music department in the G. F. Johnson store.
Miss Knowlton comes from Salem, Ore., where she
had a store of her own, which she sold to W. W.
Moore, who is turn sold it to his brother, H. L.
Moore.
PRAISE FOR C. D. ISAACSON.
Grand opera was a vodville hit at Keith's New
York last week when a condensed version of Verdi's
"Rigoletto," prepared by Charles D. Isaacson, was
presented. In telling about it Zit's Weekly News-
paper says: "Here is a man who is doing as much
as, if not more than, any other person living to edu-
cate folks up to good music, to show them in the
only correct way that something fine isn't necessarily
painful, and all credit is due him. He has used prac-
tically every medium possible to carry on his good
work—the printed page, various kinds of concerts,
the radio, and the condensed operatic vaudeville ver-
sion. Much to the credit of the audience, his idea is
most enthusiastically received, due to the very deft
POPULAR
In the Land of Sweet Sixteen (new)
Some Day You'll Cry Over Some-
body Else (new)
When She Talks About Seeing Father(new)
If I Had You (new)
Many Years (new)
'Ginny (new)
Wonderful Child
She's Got Another Daddy
Always Looking For a Little Sunshine
Home (My Lovin' Dixie Home)
Beautiful Rose
Lonesome Two
Just a Little Gold Watch and Chain
Broken Hearts
Piano Dreams (Instrumental Waltz)
Step (Instrumental One-Step)
Dansopation, Instrumental Fox Trot (new)
STANDARDS
Someone Like You (new)
Sunset, The Hills and You (new)
Mother, My Own (new)
Honey-Brown Eyes (new)
Love is Love For Ever
HEARS?MUSIC PUBLISHERS LTD
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Estimates
Music Printers
ANY PUBLISHER
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OUR REFERENCE
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