The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1913)

46 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. FROM OUR LONDON HEADQUARTERS— (Continued from page 45). I have no doubt the foregoing will be read with great interest by talking machine men the world over. Some Excellent "His Master's Voice" Posters. "His Master's Voice" Co. has issued quite a number of excellent posters of late, the most recent being an artistically colored sketch showing a couple dancing the tango. The poster is round in shape, and specifically advertises the company's new dance records, not excluding a number of tango specials. By the way, these latter records are selling like the proverbial hot cakes. All London is crying tango, and for the moment other forms of the terpsichorean art seem to have been superseded. Several new issues will be announced this month. Described as "A Christmas Gold Mine," the December "H. M. V." program is exceptionally rich in the quality and comprehensiveness of its items, though we fail to locate any special quantity of Christmassy titles, such as one would expect to find at this period. However, the company will doubtless make up a special list, apart from the many fine dancing records they have ready. The complete December list is as follows: Twelve-inch, double sided. — "You Made Me Love You" (Monaco) and "I Hear You Calling Me" (Marshall, arr. by Behrend), Band of H. M. Coldstream Guards; "Overture Saul," Part I and Part II (Antonio Bazzini), Band of H. M. Coldstream Guards; "Prelude" (Rachmaninoff), and "Kutschke Polka," op. 155 (Ludwig Stasny), Metropolitan Orchestra; "Surprise Symphony", Allegro di molto, and Andante (Haydn), Grand Opera Orchestra; "Surprise Symphony," menulto allegro molto, and Finale (Haydn), Grand Opera Orchestra; "Joseph and His Brethren," Prelude, and "Bacchanalian Dance" (Adolf Schmid), His Majesty's Theater Orchestra. Ten-inch, double sided. — "Distant Greeting March" (arr. by C. Godfrey), and "Rosemousse Entr'acte" (Auguste Bose), Band of H. M. Coldstream Guards; "Snooky Ookums" One-Step, "Old Maid's Ball," "There's a Girl in Havana," and "In My Harem" Medley One-Step, "Wait Until Your Daddy Comes Home," "Snooky Ookums," Metropolitan Band. H. M. V. twelve-inch, single-sided. — "Lilac Time" (Willeby), Miss Ruth Vincent; "Songs of the Fair" (A) Jock the Fiddler, (B) The Balladmonger (Easthope Martin), Mr. Thorpe, Basso; "Nearer, My God, to Thee" (Carey), Mme. Edna Thornton; "Gems from 'Rigoletto' " (Verdi), Grand Opera Company; "Tacea la notti placida" (My Heart is His Alone) (II Trovatore) (Verdi), Mme. Tetrazzini; "Hey, Ho, What Might Have Been" (Sullivan and Edgar), George Robey; "Winkelheimer's Motor Ride" (R. Marsh), Tom Clare; "Song Medley" No. 2. The Ragtime Chorus; "The Frog Prince" (Sutcliffe) (Talking), Miss Pauline. Potter; "The Wolf and the Kids" (Sutcliffe), (Talking) Miss Pauline Potter; "The Witch of the Lake" (Sutcliffe) (Talking), Miss Pauline Potter; "The Golden Key" (Sutcliffe) (Talking), Miss Pauline Potter; "Kiss Waltz" (Johann Strauss) (Piano), Mark Hambourg; "Tout en Rose" (Vincent Scotto), Mile. Gaby Deslys; "Angel's Serenade" (Serenata) (Braga), Gluck and Zimbalist. Ten inch, single sided. — "The Calf of Gold" (Faust) (Gounod), Mr. Clarence Whitehill; "Love Lily" (Thomson), Mr. Hubert Eisdell; "The Happy Farmer" (from "Songs of Four Nations") (arr. by Somervell), Mr. Charles Tree; "Love is Mine" (Gartner), Mr. John Harrison; "I Looked into Your Heart" (Kahn), Miss Ruby Helder (lady tenor); "A Song of Waiting" (E. Wright), Miss Paola St. Clair; "The Little Grey Dove" (pp. 58, no. 2) (BowlesSaar), Miss Lucy Marsh; "Invictus" (Bruno Huhn), Mr. Reinald Werrenrath; "Barcarolle" (Tales of Hoffmann) (Offenbach), duet by Miss Lucy Marsh and Miss Marguerite Dunlap; "Volga Botaman's Song," St. Petersburg Quartette; "Cante pe' Me" (Neapolitan Song) (de Curtis) (sung in Italian), Caruso; "Schon Rosmarin" (Fair Rosmarin) (Kreisler) (Violin), Fritz Kreisler; "La Danza" (Tarantelle Napolitana) (Rossini, arr. by Piatti) (Cello), W. H. Squire. Plans Completed for Big Amalgamation. All arrangements for the amalgamation of Dr. Grunbaum & Thomas A.G., the Carl Lindstrom, Favorite, Zyrophon, and Dacapo companies have now been completed, and the agreement was duly ratified at a general meeting of Carl Lindstrom Ltd., held on October 29 last. The fusion will control factories in Russia, France, Austria, and England, apart from, the extensive organizations in Germany. In material, manufacturing, administration, and other charges, a great saving is expected to result, and in the copyrighting of repertoires in the different countries, simplifications and economy would follow. Under the agreement Herr Thomas is retained as a director of Carl Lindstrom A.G. for ten years, and Herr Dr. Grunbaum will hold the position of technical and chemical adviser at a fee of 10,000 marks per annum. A directorship and central office will be established for the control of the amalgamated interests. The proportional interest of the various companies in the profit and expenses will be on the following basis: International Talking Machine Co. (Odeon), 7 3-20; Lindstrom, and Beka A.G., each 5 3-20; Favorite Record A.G., 1 2-20; Zyrophon G.m.B.H., and Dacapo Co., each 4-20; of the profits. If the year's profit exceeds the amount of 2,000,000 marks, the surplus profit will be divided as follows: Favorite, Dacapo, and Zyrophon, each 10 per cent., and the remaining 70 per cent, equally between the Lindstrom, Beka, and International companies. It was agreed to increase the share capital of Carl Lindstrom, Ltd., by 350,000 marks. This issue will be arranged by underwriters who have to offer it to the old shareholders on the basis of 10 to 1 at the rate of 140 per cent. New records will probably be issued, and we shall hope to be in possession of interesting information as to the fusion's future plans in time for publication next month. Columbia-Rena Descriptive Records. Descriptive records — especially those of a domestic type — never fail to appeal to a very large number of record buyers, and these will assuredly be interested in two such records listed by Columbia-Rena this month. The respective titles practically explain themselves, there being Christmas at Sea, Farmer Hodge's Christmas Party, Christmas Eve in the East End, and At the Music-Hall — the latter a capital snapshot of an up-to-date show. All these records are exclusive to Columbia. Feeling that the season demanded an adequate record of the spirit of Christmas, the Columbia Co. announces a new record by mixed chorus of "Auld Lang Syne." As a suitable combination on the disc they included a fine quintet setting of "The Rosary." Columbia-Rena also offers more big chorus-song hits, among them "Every Polly Loves a Jolly Sailor" (said to be another "Ship Ahoy"), "When I Get You Alone To-night" (one of the "most riotous hits that ever landed here from New York") and sung by those highly successful duettists, Jones and Van Brunt, and "Whistle It," which we understand is practically a challenge to refrain from whistling the infectious air. Old Favorite Again Recorded. "Turkey in de Straw" is said to be the most popular "coon shout" and laughing song ever recorded, and for the Columbia-Rena Christmas supplement, the manufacturers have had the old favorite (hundreds of thousands of which have been previously sold of old recordings) newly put on for them by Billy Golden. A lovely flute solo record by George Barrere, the imitator of the movement which resulted in the famous French "Societe Moderne d'Instruments a Vent," is a gem on Columbia-Rena this month. Mr. Barrere is represented by "Simple Aven" and Saint-Saen's "The Swan." Nordica Records in Australia. Mme. Nordica, the great Wagnerian^soprano, has been touring in Australia and New Zealand, singing operatic selections from her vast repertoire. Excellent use was made of the opportunities provided for advertising the Nordica record on a Columbia catalog, and we are informed that the demand was very strong in consequence. Messrs. Chivers & Co., of Christchurch, New Zealand, made a strong point in their advertisement of these Nordica records, using space in the same issue of the newspapers in which Nordica's appearances were announced. Other new issues worthy of mention are as follows : Twelve-inch, double sided. — "Cinderella," Acts I and II (Herbert C. Ridout), Columbia Pantomime Co. ; "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" (Macdonald and Carroll), and "When Love Creeps in Your Heart" (Mills and Scott), duets by Mr. Chas. Holland and Miss Mary Reed ; "Home, Sweet Home" — with variations (arr. by J. Hartman), and "Titania Polka" (W. Remmer) (cornet solos), Arthur Laycock. Ten-inch, double-sided. — "Criollo," Tango Argentine (Cremieux), and "Argentine Tango" (Farban), Band of H. M. Scots Guards; "Every Polly Loves a Jolly Sailor" (Mills and Scott), and "Oh, I Do Love You, My Orange Girl" (Mellor and Trevor), Stanley Kirkby; "Down the Vale" (F. L. Moir), and "The Gipsy's Warning" (H. A. Goard), Carrie Herwin; "Christmas Day at Sea" (descriptive) (Penrose), and "Farmer Hodge's Christmas Party" (descriptive) (Penrose), Columbia Sketch Co.; "Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him" and "Onward, Christian Soldiers" (Sullivan), Band of H. M. Scots Guards, with Robert Howe, Soloist; "Sidney Carton's Farewell" from "A Tale of T*o Cities," and "Death of Little Nell" from "The Old Curiosity Shop" (Dickens), Dramatic Recitals by Bransby Williams; Children's Toy March (L. Currie), Prince's Concert Band, and Children's Symphony (toy instruments) (Haydn), Prince's Orchestra. Karl Harth Resigns as Manager. The trade will learn with extreme regret that Mr. Karl Harth has resigned his position as London manager of the Favorite Record Co. During his tenure of office there can be no doubt that Mr. Harth was instrumental in placing the Favorite business upon a very firm foundation, and this in spite of keen competition in the record world. One of the chief features of his administration was the introduction of a dealers' price-maintenance agreement which generally met with a good reception from all sections of the trade. Mr. Harry Bluff, the well known comedian, is also reported to have severed his connection with the company, whose musical interests on the recording side were his special care. The new agent is Mr. T. D. Addis, who first became associated with the talking machine business as a salesman at the old Gramophone Co. in the early days of their trading at Maiden Lane, London. For the last few years Mr. Addis has been looking after his own business interests, but subsequently joined the Favorite Co. at its works in Hannover, Germany. Transferred to the London office as joint manager some four or five months ago, he has carefully studied the situation here and obtained a pretty good knowledge of the -exigencies of British trading, and is now quite familiar with the company's numerous and increasing clientele. Changes at Lockwoods. Upon the occasion of a recent visit to Messrs. Lockwoods I was sorry to learn that Mr. Keeley had tendered his resignation. The vacant position — charge of the accounting department — has been taken over by Mr. Kilner, late of the British Zonophone Co. In turn the latter gentleman's position has been filled by the son of the late Mr. Malyon, who at one time was assistant manager of that concern. The son practically follows in his father's footsteps, and if he proves as keen a business man as the latter, whom I remember well as a friend, his success is assured. CABINETS MAKE RECORD SALES. One of the lines of talking machine record cabinets that is rapidly gaining favor with the trade and public is that of the Geo. A. Long Cabinet Co., of which Clement Beecroft, of Philadelphia, is the sales manager. The cabinets are designed and handsomely finished to match perfectly the various types of machines and with interiors so arranged as to make the filing of records a simple and convenient matter. In considering the handling of cabinets of quality the dealer should remember that a cabinet increases record sales until its capacity is reached, a sales factor to be reckoned with.