Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-21

/ am sir. Your Obedient Beethoven" From
the London Philharmonic society Bee
thoven received $50 for his Ninth Sym
phony. TO be the exclusive property of the
society for eighteen months, and the lead
ing musical paper stated that II was 3
liberal price" So. too. did Il seem to Bee
thoven. who was at that time sadly in need
Of money. The same society paid him u
guineRs for the overtures Ruins of
Athens and King Stephen"
The prices paid to Mozart for his works
are almost incredible. especially when it
is emembereo that they were, even dur
ing his lifetime. generally popular and sue
oessful. Don Giovanni" brought him less
than So and the Magic Flute" his last
opera. written 10 oblige q brother Mason,
q broken-down theater manager. made the
lRtter's fortune. but netted the composer
800 only Shortly before his death ne wrote
eHuitEntly to his wife from Prague: u
went to see Guardsssoni Cthe local impress
sario). who almost agreed 10 Civ Zoo
dueats next autumn for an opera and 50
ducAts for travelling expenses" Guardas-
sonl was not required TO fulfin mis- half
promise. Mozart never wrote another
opera. FpE his immortal Requiem" he
was paid 100 ducats osome say only Bo.
He uied in Abjeet poverty. leaving debts
far In excess Of his assets.
The Case of the Music PubIiaher.
There Is. Of course. something 10 be said
on the side Of the publisher. Il is only
with the modern development OF the copy
right laws that ne himself has been pro-
tected In the publication rights 10 musical
composers Formerly. without remedy
against the pirates in the trade, he was
liable 10 lose the entire benefits OF his
purchase. This protection has also enured
TO the benefit Of the composer. whose
property rights in his music are thus Sc
cured and made commercially valuable.
There is yet another aspect OF the case
TO Be remembered and this has especial
reference 10 modern times. II is the pub
fishers efforts In the first instance that
have created and fOstered a demand for
the composers works. his advertising, his
stores. mis- saleEpe0ple, the whole mRchin-
cry Of his establishment placed Al the ssrv-
ice of the composer. So that even II souss,
for example. did sell mis- washington Post'
and High School Cadets marches for $50
apiece. making only 3 name, while his
publishers made q fortune Che recollection
OF which doubtless evokes a sigh as Mr..
SouEa passes the door Of the great pub
fishing house reared on the profits of these
pieces, he must realise as he looks AT
the check for Sz2.00. representing a years
royalties ON some later compositions. that
he has in fact ultimately received sEbs.an-
tial profits IN the marches that made his
reputation, even though they did not reach
HIM in time 70 relieve the pressing nsoes-
sites OF his earlier days
Bach and Hts Ines2e.
Unhke most OF the professional cpm-
posers. johann Sebastian Bach WAs not
dependent for mis- incOme upon royalties
from hs compositions In point OF fact
ne probably never directlg received q cent
from TIE SALE or performances % any q
them. But whether OF not this wRS an
engtabls distinction may well be a mates
q opinion when an The facts are consid-
ered. A. cantor of thu Thomas schuls ai
LsigzG q position n fI1sd auring IN Last