The New York herald., 1876-03-13
MUSIC SELLERS AND BUYERS.
THE ENORMOUS PRICES OF FOREIGN MUSIC
PROTEST FROM A MUsIcIAE-ADvICE TO AMER
IcAN STUDENTS.

THE ENORMOUS PRICES OF FOREIGN MUsIc-A
PROTEST FROM AUsICIAE-ADvICE TO AMER
IcAN STUDENTS.
To THE EDIroR THE HERALD:-
You have shown desire to right some of the wrongs
music loving and music purchasing people as far as
is in your power by disclosing them and their rene
dies Allow to call your attention to ono that we
have endured for years. Now, the subscribers OF
your paper and Of all musical papers music buyers
and music sellers, Is about timo that they had
some TO present their side Of the the cx.
travagant and outrageous prices that they com
| pclled to pay for foreign music.
We had to pay enormous prices for foreign music
both for non copyrighted well copyrighted
music until about 1870; then the LtoT and Peters
editions and Novclo's, Of London, began to be in
ported in considerable quantities 1t Is true the Hole
editions and Novelos also sold here before 1862
but they were not known as generally then now.
These cheap publications Of Peters and Ltoln
copyright OF composers who have been dead
from years aud upward, or their own copyrights
In this country all music copyrighted abroad is non
copyright here must add here that American pub
lshers to copyright transations and title
pages and like very well TO have the consumer under
stand that the copyright everything; but the
American copyright law gives different version.
Many OF our music publishers have made fortunes by
reprinting foreign music, paying a cent to the
author. and selling at price q little less than the
foreign edition, but only enough lower compete In
price and thus control the sale without any reference
20 the composers rights or the American consumer.
As is necessary that all music students should pur-
chase some considerable portion Of the classics md
also OF the compositions OF modern foreign COM
p0sers before they give any attention TO American
copyright works-that IS music by American authors
IL will be greatly TO the advantage OF American COM
poscrs If they will interest themselves any
neni that promises to cheaper foreign music thus
enable the music student to devote some OF his
funds TO purchasing American copyright'nusc.
TO show at what price music can be Sold will quote
Dson's edition OF don Giovanni" which contains
800 pages rcfails $lor three pages for cent
and NOvello Ewer's edition OF the opera OF civilian
Tell" which contains 40 pages. and which bought
for $1-hat makes four and one hfh pages for cent
The arrangement Of the overture TO this opera the
best ever yet printed, and, at the above rate, would
cost three cents Severa editions OF the overture are
printed this country not by any equal to this
arrangement and they cost, not three cents, but sixty
eighty, 81, NC
Now lei me come TO wholesale rates and give somc
figures showing what rates music bo printed aud
furnished TO the trade.
The prices NOycllo K Ewcr's, London; and II the
music that they publish and retail mere at 81
be printed in this country and sold the samethat
II is done when the competition demands II compare
Novellos edition OF the opera OF "Don Giovanni with
Dtsons, OF Boston, and you will lind the thing
the same prcc-therc Is no reason the American pub
lie should pay any longer such eStoronate prices II
thoy viii demand music at these and support the
publisher that prints IL they will get IT.
Novcllo 4 Ever will furnish 900 copies OF book
containing $40 pages aud requires translation In the
style OF their octave editions OF operas for the OF
twenty-five cents apiece, they owning the plates With
these octave volumes Of music OF 800 pages retailing
81, could have the complete compositions Of wag.
ncr List RubinstcIn Ran, sullivan, Macarren Ben
mott ST. saens, &c, ia uniform editions at less than
so each, while they cost anywhere from 500 TO
$500 each. Who wouldn't the above prices, own
the complete works Of the best living composers just
as fast as they appeared, while II simply mpos-
sble for any one unless worth thousands OF dol
lnrsY Full scores can be printed at the same rates
just think OF the symphonies OF Spohr Mendclssohn
schumann and others, full scores for less than dollar
each
No wonder, comparing the prices given above with
the prices that existence that one hrm s able
10 control largely the music trade OF the United States
aud that poor g. NJ Won Weber, when ushered into the
handsomely furnished parors OF his publisher looking
around signed and said 10 himself "Ah | see IL is
much better 10 print music than 70 compose H."
Now a few words about the immense percentage
charged by tne importers Of foroiga music and am