Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-15

ago, got into quite a scrape on such an ac-
count. 1 had composed waltz and had not
been able to resist the temptation to play it in
various drawing rooms on number OF occa-
sions. The music CHANGED to be rather taking
and applications for the dedication were corre-
spondingly numerous. l was 30 cornered on
the subject that, fairly in desperation, gave
an amiable promise to every girl who asked
When the piece was ready for publication L
was at my wits end to know which Of the
seventeen applicants should be chosen. A lit
tie thought convinced me that to make selec-
ton would be impossible and, to give them all
the slip, called the waltz The Broken Prom
Use and dedicated it to my former chum at
college.
''You want to know how an amateur like my
self composes music? 1t is very simple, though
1t Is a question often asked me. All L can say
Is that the melodies i produce come sort OF
naturally. They strike me like a pain or any
other thing rather surprising. VI course, IL L
were professional 1 would be guided by the
mathematical rules of harmony, but being only
an amateur, when one of my fits strikes me /
sat down at the piano and play what have
thought OF 200 times, maybe until have got IL
to suit me. Fortunately for the neighbors my
house does not Immediately adjOin anybody
eises. In any event, however, 1t would not be
reasonable for me to consider their nerves or
patience. inaSmuch as art cannot afford to take
such tribes into view.
MAKING THE SCORE.
"For purposes of musical composition have
a ruled slate so that can correct things until
l get them to as accurate a point as could
Beethoven or Wagner. When l have reason to
be entirely satisfied with my much-mended
effort l copy it into little musical note book
ana store 1t away for future reference and d.
gestion. You must not imagine that | can
thump out an entire waltz at one go IN this
manner. All try to do is to form few salts
factory measures, and when L have enough
shape them into my production for the pub
lisher's eye. From one hundred to one hun
dred and fifty measures make the body of a
waltz. and then it simply remains to do the in
PRODUCTION aud the ending. The whole being
thus concluded it is copied out i'll ink and send
it to the publisher.
II forgot to say that right here comes in the
greatest difficulty-the name. The list Of pos
slble names for pieces of masic-especially
waltzes-has been so thoroughly used up that
1t Is almost impossible to lit upon an attractive
one which has not been used. But with a
waltz, as with many other things the name is
three-quarters of the business. My first effort
i'll this line l called a Dream Of Beautiful
Women and, after it was printed. found that
musical composers had had dreams of beautiful
women on not less than four previous occa-
sions.
CHANCES OF SUCCESS.
'As to the prospects Of success for a new
piece of music can only say that about one in
every 500 really goes. The musical publisher
must possess most highly cultivated judg-
ment in such matters, inasmuch as his revenue
Is direct ly III proportion to the popular success
which the music he issues achieves. His posi-
ton Is somewhat like that Of the theater man
ager. who, however great his experience, is
never able to be sure how well q piece will
take. If he hears it whistled by the small boys
on the streets he has the most fattering IN
dorsement of his own critical decision. Most
pieces of music published-indeed the great
majority-do well if they pay the cost of their
issue. The lucky few bring in profits to the
publishers and an emolument also to the toll
ers who produce them. You may well imagine
that the royalty paid the composer is O small
one.
1T has always been an ambition of mine to
assist IN getting up a society in Washington for
musical composition on strictly amateur
basis, the prime requisite for membership
being that the candidate shall have produced
at least one published musical flight. Such
an organization would be of much use to
yonng composers. l don't sec why this city
should not have such a society. There is plenty
OF talent of the sort here and Washington pro-
ducers OF music have already made for them
selves some reputation.
'One of the most aggravating things about
musical composition is the correction Of the
proof when 1t comes back to you from the pub
Usher The fixing up of literary proof does
not approach it for difficulty. All you can do
Is to daub yourself and the paper with ink I'M
til, after long and elaborate toll. you get the
thing to go right. Then you send 1t back to
the publisher and wait patiently for glory"