Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-11
THE MODERN SONG WRITER.
Figures as to the Sales OF the
Latest Popular Ballads.

stepped lntO lHuSiC StoIc Hot lai
from the Sun office one day last week
and asked for the "Boulanger March. T"
A half-dozen varieties of copies were
quickly placed before her, and, after
selecting particular print, she said :
"Thank you; this is the one," paid
for it and departed.
''Does that often happen ?" asked
the reporter of one of the leading lady
attendants, whose pretty eyes and
golden hair formed q face that was fit
for music title page.
eyes," she replied, ,sweetly. "There
are any number of compositions re-
printed from foreign works, the ar
rangements of which are by different
authors We keep all the varieties
and allow the public to choose for
themselves"
"Does such competition pay?"
"Sometimes. When an exceed
ingly popular composition is printed
here, authors and publishers vie with
one another in winning public favor.
By these means some very credltable
efforts are produced, and the public is
the gamer in the end"
"Who are the popular writers of
this class"
'sOh, they are too numerous to
mention. Among those whose cele
brity entities them to a foremost
rank are professionals whose works are
composed, arranged, and sometimes
sung by themselves. Among such
may be named Frank Howard, the
late Harry c. Talbert, julius P. Wit
mark, Harrison Millard, Charles
Connolly and Charles d. Blake of
Boston. Many others there are whose
efforts have been crowned with
success, but who for want of
classical knowledge of harmony,
or disinclination for work, allow
the talent in that direction to be util-
lied by others. The best workers of
this kind, though fruitful and original
in their conception, become indiffer-
ent to fame, and live only for day.
Among the list in our catalogue of the
most successful producers of catch
music are found such names as
Skelly, Newcomb, Rosenfeld, Kava-
naeh, Delaney, Mitchell and Others"
"What class of songs are the most
POPULAR" =,
late the serio-comic songs have been
favorably received. These, however,
are only of ephemeral existence, and
are, as a rule, generally superseded
by the more staple productions that
appeal to domestic ties and the fire.
side. The publishers themselves not
infrequently determine the popularity
of many compositions.
The reporter then paid a visit to
several uptown houses, among them
being the establishments of Harms
and Harding. Said Manager Healy
of the first named: "We have any
amount of manuscripts offered us
dialy by ambitious writer's who aspire
to fame and desire to see their works
in print; but it hardly need
be said that where one song
meets with popularity, that is,
a large and extensive sale, there are
as many hundred which fall short OF
the original expense OF publication,
and are relegated to oblivion. In this
era OF fitful prosperity, it is the ex-
ception and not the rule that song
will pay its first cost of production.
Many authors, however, are unwilling
to realize this, and become aggrieved
when their manuscripts are summari-
ly declined. There is, to be sure,
certain class of standard writer's,
both operate and sentimental,
whose works are always in
demand, such as edward E.
Rice, Woolson Morse, Charles E.
Pratt, Bobby Newcomb, and others;
and by many these are looked upon
,as monopolists, so to speak. But this
is erroneous. These writer's simply
possess an innate gift and are prolific
with flow of melody, which means
so many dollars and cents to the pub
-lishers."
"Upon what do publishers base
their opinion of any specific work ?'
"There is no definite manner
of ascertaining the value of a
song. 1t is all a lottery. Of course,
the purchaser should have an ex-
perienced ear and knowledge of the
degree of skill with which the words
are welded to the melody. But even
these sometimes fail in determining
truly successful hit. A recent case in
point was that of an author whose
manuscript had been declined by four
different publishers, and which we
were finally persuaded to accept, to
soon find out that is was veritable
bonanza. Since then we have paid
nearly 81 200 in royalties to the COM
poser. Bobby Newcomb's famous
There's Light in the Window has
an eventful history of this kind. The
Letter that Never Came, as introduced
by May Howard, is also a striking in
stance in question. can enumerate
list of popular achievements in this
line by authors who, at the time of
writing, little dreamed OF the recep-
ton theE production would meet with
at the time of publication. Among
such are Poor Old Dad, by John w.
Gibbons; THE Old Red Shawl by
Morelsnd; The Clock on the WALL
by Belasco, and The Little Boy in
Blue,' by Talbert, as popularized by
the new minstrel tenor, James Norrie.
Among the works Of professional
writer's always more or less in demand
are those of Frank Howard, better
known as the author of When the
Robins Nest Again. and whose later
creations, Sweet Alpine Roses
Two Little Ragged Urchins, ;
Sweet Heather Bells etc., are still
selling. Nearing the Harbor,' by
Gussie L. Davis; Teddy Solomon IS
Life Story and Pretty Little
Dark Blue Eyes, by Gus Williams. "
"A trip to Harding's establishment
in the Bowery disclosed the proprie-
tor surrounded by stacks of musical
catalogues, ready for the opening
season. Here is where the famous
Matt O'Reardon first conceived his
memorable Marriage Bells" and
the song which immortalized his
his name soon after, "Our Dream OF
Love is Der" O'Reardon began his