The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-05-26
POPULAR MUSIC.
THE COMPOSITIONS THAT MEET WITH GREAT
SUCCESS.

have been talking with come of the
music publishers here, with view OF get
ting out some of the interesting facts
about the "popular" publications of the day
No compositions in the whole range oi
sheet music meet with such financial sue
cesses as those which ordinary people are
| accustomed to look upon ss "trash." And,
while q writer of high toned melodies looks
with contempt upon the composer rof"Don't
be Angry with Ne, Darling" the latter ia
consoled with the reflection that, even if
his work is not esthetic, it pays, For in
stance, Will s. Hays, of Louisville, we'll
known as an author of popular songs, has
| made a modest fortune ont of a single
ballad called "Mollie Darling" And he
considers this one of the poorest he has
ever written. But it bears the merit of
simplicity, and by far the greatest demand
is for songs of that quality,
The histories of come of these are full of
interest. At this moment I think of rather
an odd incident, where q ballad inspired
purely by the meaningless stuff in fashion
was accepted in earnest by the public, and
had an enormous sale. The song l refer
sn't long since it was sung throughout the
country by every body, from equailing in
fant to fat aud placid matron. The author,
Dexter Smith, had written a number of
clever verees, which he carried to his pub
Usher. That gentleman after glancing
Gu0n OVER ubEuSu UdCky Wltu LILO
following doubtful criticism
"These are very good, Mr.. Smith-too
good, in fact. Yes, they are too good for
me. Use them in the Atlantic or some
such place. What l want just now is
something after this pattern"
And he read to the astonished writer
some selections from several of the popular
ballads. Smith was disgusted.
SIT surely can't be possible" said he.
"tbat the public wants such miserable stuff
as this"
"It is not only possible, but true"
"Then don't wonder that mine is too
good for use. Good day"
Aud the young composer half angrily
strode out of the Office, rejecting upon the
degeneracy of the public mind. He was
going along one of the narrow Boston
streets, absorbed in his thoughts, when he
heard a dirty little urchin yell to his
mother, "Say nam Put me in my little
bed ~ There was his subject! And, going
home, filed with this determination to
write the most unutterable mess of dreari-
ness he could think of, be composed the
song which has since made him famous.
His little joke was we'll received, and its
reputation spread until the sales reached
an enormous figure.
In this connection, let nae give you the
number of copies sold of few of the best
known publications of this kind Put Me
in My Little Bed" by Dexter Smith, $780,
600 "Come, birdie, come" same author,
I0O, 900; "Mollie Darling" by Will s Hays,
4O. 600; "Silver threads among the gold"
by Banks (who is vary popular) $4,000;
lCe hSSe Tra@p sssw1
100, 900 "Norah O'Neili, )" 200, 900; "sweet
Genevieve," 10000. Many of these still
sell steadily, and will doubtless continue
to do 30 for a number of years. Songs
written to suit the times frequently reach
immense sales, and, as in book publica-
tons, those which appear the weakest are
not unfreq quently the most successful.
The prevailing style of musical periodi-
calls in various parts of the country is
good indication of the taste of the masses.
Aside from q very little gossip and light
waisted literature, their contents are solely
made up of reproductions of popular songs
of the day. At infrequent intervals these
periodicals so 80 far as tu print an operatic
selection of Chopin waltz, but their pre-
vaiiipg tone is not in this direction, an d,
as they are mostly successful, the inference
is plain. There ID but one publication in
the country devoted exclusively to the
interest of the lovers of good music. 1t is
printed by Boston frm, and it's sphere is
among the higher walks of the art. A friend
once congratulated the editor upon the
success of his magazine among the cult
waited classes.
"I like your paper" he said, "it is very
popular"
"No, sir" snapped the editor with indig.
nant vehemence, ait is not popular, and
wouldn't publish one that was."
This incident only goes to show that
there are classes among music writer's aB
we'll as in other branches of business or art,
and that, while the cheap class makes the
money and chuckles in it's sleeve, the high
toned hangs to its dignity, and is content
with fame alone.
AS the bathing season is now near at
hand, the hints contained in the following
will be found very timely:
DR.. Samuel Sexton, Surgeon-in Chief to
the New York Ear DispeDsary, in a recent
communication to the Medical Record, es-
Inmates that a thousand people of that city
are sent to their ply sicians to be treated
for ear diseases every year whose trouble
has arisen from getting water in their ears
while bathing, or from catching cold at
such times by exposure or neglect. 1t
appears from the doctors researches that
salt water is peculiarly irritating to the