The New York Clipper (February 1919)

February 12, 1919 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 17 STERN & CO. CELEBRATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY Music PahKshing Bruin— Stated in ScnaD Ofiice* in 14th Sbfsss Hm Grown to Bse* Proportions Twenty-five yean ago the music publish- ing firm of Jos. W. Stern & Co. was formed and offices opened in West 14th St, and this month the house is celebrating its an- niversary. Many a star «hinin g serenely to-day in the theatrical firmament, as well as scores of successful writers, when reading these lines will unconsciously revert to the time when Stern A Co.'s struggles of the early days were contemporary with their own. In those days Montgomery & Stone were doing black face. Irene Franklin was "Baby Irene," Elsie Janis was "Little El- sie," Weber and Fields trooped with Gus Hill, and Sam Bernard recited way down the bill next to A. H. Sheldon's sketch. In answer to congratulations, one of the members speaking for his firm, said this: "Outside of our success, possibly, our great- est satisfaction after twenty-five years is that we retain the friendly-respect of the real men and women of the theatrical world with whom our business at some period has brought us into contact. We believe, too, that we enjoy the valued esteem of oar many employees, and the good will of the majority of our fellow publishers. Mis- takes have naturally entered into twenty- five years of business intercourse and mis- understandings are inevitable where the human element is involved. Our supreme effort, however, is not to make the same mistake twice. There are times also when one must retaliate to retain one's self-re- spect." In the twenty-five years Stem A Co. have ocucpied in all four different locations near Broadway. Each move was farther up- town and into larger quarters. After the first location (14th St) each mow was Into their own building, the last being the ten-story establishment they now occupy at 102-104 West 38th St, with additional professional offices next to the Palace The- atre on Broadway. - - It is not generally known that outside of many real estate holdings and mercantile interests, they control a thriving play bu- reau with important connections in Lon- don, Paris and other European centres. The Stern catalogue is a large one, many- sided in its make-up and embraces every type of music from grand opera to "blues." 12-VERSE SONG WANTED Representative David F. Davis, of Penn- sylvania, is evidently of the belief that if his State is to have an official "song it should be a long one. He has introduced a bill officializing Dr. Will George Butler's "Old Pennsylvania of * Mine." It has twelve verses and coven Pennsylvania from the time of the In d ian to the participation of the State in Che war with Germany. HIT CCMES FROM RECORD A namU- of song writers who keep in close touch with the song hits are telling with considerable glee of the manner in which one of the reigning hits of the day was written. Several writers were visiting the home of a well-known artist. In the room was a phonograph and oat of curiosity one of the writers pat on a record of one of the compositions of an old master. The writer, whose musical education is, to say the least, elemental, had never heard of the classic and, after repeating the record, said: "There's a darn good popular song in that old gink's tone. You just wait until I get my lyric writer here and IT1 show yon." The word writer was sum- moned by phone and in half an hoar he arrived. The record was put on and after hearing it he commenced work. The com- poser played the number over on the piano, changed a spot here and there just to keep away from a bare-faced lift, and within an hour the number was completed. Tea, if s a big hit right now, and its title is worth a guess from any one with a slight knowledge of the classics. "MOTHER" SONG SCORES QUICKLY No popular ballad of recent days has ex- hibited a sorer and steadier progress to- wards solid success and popularity than Hager A Goodwin's "That Wonderful Mother of Mine." It has staying qualities that will enable it to far outlive the aver- age popular song, and the number of per- formers who find it a strong drawing card rapidly increases each week. Here is a song that not only is "there," but here— and here to stay, it would seem. "That Wonderful Mother of Mine" is published by M. Witmark & Sons. MeCARRON LEFT $3,000 ESTATE Charles McCarron, the song and vaude- ville act writer, who died of pneumonia recently, left an estate of about $3,00, ac- cording to his widow, Cora L. McCarron, who has been granted letters of adminis- tration for the estate. McCarron left no will and his entire es- tate consists of personal property. EMMA CARUS SINGS "JA-DA" "Ja-Da," the son which all agree doesn't mean a -thing, is being successfully fea- tured this week at the Riverside Theatre by Emma Cams. This clever singer gets ~ a lot out of the novelty number. _^-^— SEED MAN FEATURES STERN HITS Max L. Seedman's orchestra at the Ice- - Und Skating Sink is featuring "Ken tucky Dreams" and "IndianOla," two of the xs-< cent Jos. W. Stern A Co. SUUlta se s. STERN A CO. TO MOVE Jos. W. Stem & Co., who for the past twelve years have occupied the Mark-Stern Building at No. 102 West 88th St, are planning to move uptown. They are ne- gotiating for the lease of a large bonding in the centre of the new theatrical district, where all their industries can be housed. HAROLD WEEKS HAS NOVELTY Harold Weeks, writer of "Hindustan," has a novelty song entitled "Chong" which has started out particularly well. It is well written both as to lyrics and music and is being sung by many well known singers. Leo Feist, In<t, is the publisher. NEW BALLAD SCORES HIT "Somebody's Waiting for Someone," a new ballad by Andrew B. Sterling and Harry Von Tflzer, is scoring a quick hit It is being featured by scores of the lead- ing singers. COHEN HAS A "DOLL" SONG Meyer Cohen has released a new song entitled "Poor Little Heart Broken Don." The song has a pleasing lyric set to a par- ticularly catchy melody. VON TILZER HAS NOVELTIES In "Can Yon Tame Wild Wimminl" and "Put Him to Sleep with the Marseillaise" Harry Von TOxer has two of the leading novelty songs of the season. McHALE SINGS SULLIVAN SONG Marty McHale, the baseball pitcher now in vaudeville, is singing Alex Sullivan's and Lynn Cowan's new song, T Can't See the Good in Good Bye." MILLS FOR VAUDEVILLE Jack Mills, professional manager for the McCarthy and Fisher Co., is going into vaudeville with a singing act. FEIST HAS NSW K. C OFFICE Leo Feist, Inc., has moved Its Kansas City ofltce from No. 1125 Grand Ave to the Gayety Theatre Building, UNION DECLARES WAR ON 'WGHTS" SOCIETY Fji g li t n Musicians Boycott the Composi- tions of Members of Performing Right Society—Long Fight Predicted The Performing Bight Society of Lon- don, Eng., *n organisation similar to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and the Amalgamated Mu- sicians' Union are in the midst of a big conflict which threatens to spread over all England and in which the boycott and other means of reprisal are rapidly bains; adopted. The cause of the trouble is over the Per- forming Bight Society's .decision to raise the fee for the public performance of the works of its members. The Musicians' Union, feeling that the raise in price may result in the cutting down of the number of members in certain orchestras, as.well as the entire elimina- tion of others from certain resorts, have started an active fight against the com- positions of the society's members and are striving to have them taken oat of all the programmes for which they are furnishing the music. . . As an opening gnn in their campaign against the society the union has in pub- lished announcements stated that they have caused songs and instrumental composi- tions to be removed from many cities* amusement resorts. The report of the union's representative is ss follows: "In Bolton all songs controlled by the' society are to be taken oat of the panto- mime. "Leicester—The manager promised to take every number mentioned on your list from the production. "Reading—'No songs mentioned in your list are now used in the pantomime. "Liverpool—The orchestras will not play without official permission. The men are- loyal and will stick to whatever yon direct. "Portsmouth—Five numbers will be. cut from the pantomime and will be replaced by others." The above are a few of'the towns and cities in which the onion has started its fight on the society and announces that all England will be covered within the next few weeks. The Performing Bight Society is pre- paring to take court action against the union and is advertising for the names of all artists or musicians -who have been pre- vented from performing any of the society's repertoire by the Musicians' Union. BELLE BAKER SINGS WITMARK HIT It was bound to come, and those who figured it would be a song of praise for the more or less expected demise of the Demon Rom, are woefully disillusioned. For here we have a song, and all of America that has so far heard it, has risen on both feet and yelled enthusiastic endorsement of the sentiments it expresses so well. The song is aptly named, "America Never Took Water, and America Never Will," which is a fact and a prophecy deftly combined. This delightful song is the work of J. K. Bran- nan, Paul Cunningham and Gus Edwards, and each of these writers has pot his heart and soul into the noble work, with the re- sult that when Belle Baker sang it at the Palace Monday last for the first time, the walls of that ever crowded playhouse rang with plaudits that chilled the blood in the veins of every crank who heard the de- lirious din. If s a corking good song, words and music, and the way It sums op the feelings of America's heroes who have come home only to find that "the land of the free" doesn't sound quite so convincing and thrilling as the phrase did when they sailed away to pnt the final snuff to Ger- many's candle, U convincing and well-nigh unanswerable. After the mati.ee the Wit- mark offices next to the Palace were be- sieged by professionals who had attended the performance, clamoring' for copies. From the demonstration on Monday after* noon it looks as though it will sorely sweep the country. Naturally, M. Wit- mark i Sons are very happy for two things —first Belle Baker ia singing it and second, they have published it HARRIMAN LEFT $1,000 AL Harriman, the songwriter, author of Eddie Cantor's bit, "That's the Kind of a Baby for Me," "Why Do They Call Them Babies?' and other popular songs, left an estate "not exceeding $1,000 in personal property when he died recently, according to his widow. May Harriman, in her sp- . plication for letters of administration upou the estate. WALTZ HIT NOW A SONG "Kentucky Dream," which first made its appearance as a waits, is now issued in song form. It is excellent for concert use, .being artistic and still has a touch of pop- ular appeal Many of the well-known or- chestras throughout the country were at- tracted by its beautiful melody and as a result it wss extensively played. The pub- lishers received numerous requests for a vocal arrangement and as a result have placed the song on the market with Eng- lish and French text. Jos. W. Stem A Co. are the publishers. STASNY SONG WINS CUP The Stasny Music Co. won the cup at a song contest held last week in Newark. "Can Ton Imagine?" is the title of the prise winner, and since its has been re- leased the Stasny professional offices have been crowded with sets wanting to learn it It is by Harry Pease, Ed. Nelson and Fred Moyo. ILLINOIS SONGS FEATURED Illinois seems a popular State for the songwriter and many successful numbers woven around it have been published. Two new ones, recently issued by the Alton J. Stevens Co., of Chicago, are being widely featured. They are "Way Back Home in Illinois," and "When Ton Get Back to Illinois." NEWSPAPERMAN WRITES SONGS Gustavo W. Lampe, assistant to Samuel Friedman of the Theatrical Department of the New York World, has written the wards and music to two new songs. They are The Mysterious Shimmy" and "When Old New York Goes Dry." HOWARD TRIES FOR PRIZE Harry H. Howard, the Canton, O, song- writer, has submitted five numbers in a popular song contest now being conducted by an Ohio music publishing house. JOE ROSE WITH HOWLEY CO. Joe Rose has joined the _ staff of the P. J. Howley Music Co. VANDERSLOOT HAS NEW SONGS Bay Sherwood, the Eastern manager for the Vandersloot Music Co.. is at work pop- ularising some new songs. They are "When I Dream About That Southern Home of Mine," "Only a Memory of By- gone Days," "In'the Shadow of the Desert Palm," and "Naomi." TWO HITS ON SAME BILL The McCarthy A Fisher Oo. hsd two song hits featured on the Riverside bin last week. They were " m esa s," song by Flossie Campbell, and "When I'm Dry, Dry, Dry," featured in the Pains, k Co. act. WILLIAM FACIN IN NEW YORK Wmism Fagin, formerly of the Phila- delphia office of M. Witmark A Boas, is now in New York. BELCHER GOING TO THE COAST . Fred Belcher, of Jerome H. Rendek A Co., M pUnnln g a trip to California-