News From VHSource, LLC Vol 6 June 2019 The Gibraltar of The Broadway Publishing World with a beautiful singing voice that would lead him all Audacity and Innovation! the way into a minstrel troupe at age 13 as a “madrigal boy” or chorus boy (1882). The entire family of t all started with a toy printing press – a child’s toy siblings routinely produced small stage shows which and five brothers who managed to convince dear old usually made little money but developed quite a nice Idad that they could make money in New York City. “reputation” which often landed them more printing From such humble beginnings came the game changing jobs. The minstrel job had initially been offered to company which would become known as the Gibraltar Isidore by the Thatcher, Primrose & West Minstrels. of the Broadway Publishing World. Isidore chose to pass it on to Julius so he could stay home and help his father. Julius Witmark traveled all M. Witmark & Sons, Inc. was comprised of five across the continent for more than a year as the only Witmark brothers, Isidore, Julius, Jay, Frank and white face performer (negotiated after winning an Eddie (Adolph S.) in a family consisting of six children audition) in a minstrel troupe of black face talent. – daughter Frances never figured heavily in the Julius won his first solo stint in 1884 with Leavitt’s business. Notice not one of the boys had the initial M. Gigantean Minstrels at Tony Pastor’s (Pastor (1837- Who was M. Witmark? The “M” was for the father 1908) was considered one of the founding forces Marcus, who was needed to sign the legal papers when behind vaudeville.) From that point on, Julius was a hit the business was incorporated. Every single son was a singer known all across America, until his death in minor in 1886. Marcus was the chief cheerleader of his 1929. very musical sons, but was never an active participant in M. Witmark & Sons. Therefore, the singular, most fascinating fact regarding M. Witmark & Sons was that at the moment of its incorporation in 1886, Isidore (1869-1941) was 17, already a composer, librettist, stage director and printer; Julius (1870-1929) was 16, a star tenor across the country; Jay (1877-1950) was 14, a financial wiz; Frank was 9, a New York City rising singing star; and Eddie was 7, “the youngest character artist on the stage.” In addition, these “wunderkinder” had actually been independently working in both the theatrical and printing business since they had been 14, 13, 11, 7 and 5, respectively. Vintage Toy Printing Press Isidore, the eldest, held many jobs from age 9 forward, In 1883, Jay at age 11 was a typical mischievous young including photo album salesman, piano salesman and student at PS 28 in Manhattan when he managed to win tuner, magazine salesman, librettist/director/producer an arithmetic prize in class. Normally the award was a and song writer, while brother Julius had been blessed medal, but his teacher could not bring herself to award 2 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 6 June 2019 a medal to a less than model student. Instead, she offered M. Witmark & Sons relied repeatedly on two driving Jay his choice of a tool chest, a velocipede (early forces, audacity and innovation. The boys never bicycle), a baseball outfit or a toy printing press. It was waited around for the next hit or the next opportunity. much to Jay’s credit that he delayed his initial choice of They sought out songs for publishing at every the tool chest until he had a chance to consult his opportunity. Since the four eldest already wrote music, brothers. they began reading the newspaper with an eye toward events that might need a song or two. More than Newly fired, fourteen year old Isidore had just vowed to anything else, they constantly trusted each other’s taste his mother that he would “never work for another man and gut feelings about projects, songs, and shows. as long as I live,” having been dismissed to make way for a boss’s relative, newly arrived from Germany. At Constant innovation kept the business fresh and that moment in walked Jay with his news. Isidore called growing. M. Witmark & Sons were the first publishing a meeting of the brothers to assess the decision. All house to actively plug their own songs instead of agreed that the “printing press” would be the most waiting for singers to come to them. They were the first valuable, and they were suddenly “in business.” to offer free or “perusal” copies of songs and Beginning with New Year’s Day cards, business cards, eventually, scores to entice performers and orchestras stage programs, show posters, etc., the brothers were to “sell” their new songs across the country which in soon able to purchase bigger and better presses in order turn fueled sheet music sales. The boys were the first to to begin to print the music they wrote. Thus, was hire additional composers and arrangers on staff to launched from a toy, the business which would dominate demonstrate and tailor their ever growing catalogue of New York City’s theatrical music publishing houses songs to the exact needs of performers who needed into the late 1920s. fresh material. Need it in a different key? Done. Need it for a duet? Done. Almost from the beginning, According to David A. Jansen, in the book Tin Pan business was booming! In 1888, M. Witmark & Sons, Alley, Plume, 1995: Inc. made it first move out of the family home to 32 East 14th Street to be in the middle of the New York “. the Witmarks became the first truly major full- theater district. line popular sheet music publisher of the [eighteen] nineties, developing the personal and professional Because Julius had spent and continued to spend creative and marketing skills that soon became the significant time touring as a member of minstrel standard throughout the industry.” troupes, the Witmarks were the first to become aware that communities across the nation were beginning to In short, the brothers became the epitome of what we at want to put on their own minstrel shows. Isidore set up VHSource LLC like to call “Game Changers.” a whole division of the corporation to deal solely The initial focus was business printing. However, when with providing minstrel Willis Woodward & Company reneged on a promise songs, scripts, props, and of royalties to Isidore for his first published song, “A dance routines to the rest of Mother’s A Mother After All,” the boys moved into the country. They devised the music publishing world. One didn’t have to worry special kits: “everything you about earning royalties if one printed the songs himself. need to put on your own In addition, Julius was not only the best song plugger in minstrel show,” and sold the United States, but he had also developed a huge them through a mail order talent for being able to spot “hits” at the first hearing. catalogue along with book The “kiddies” had a competitive edge on everyone else guides (see above). Such kits became the roots of the which made them unstoppable and drove their American community theater movement, which competition crazy. The other existing music publishing continues to this day to rent (or license) their musical houses placed bets on how long the kiddie company comedy productions from the Tams-Witmark Music would last. No one ever collected! Library, among others. 3 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 6 June 2019 When the International Copyright Law of 1891 suddenly Being a composer educated and steeped in German forced all American publishers to pay attention to traditions, Herbert had chosen E. Schuberth & Co., a European composers’ rights, it was M. Witmark & Sons fine German publisher with a branch office in New who were the first to see the advantage of having a York City, as his publisher of choice almost as soon as branch office in London. Off one of the brothers went to he arrived in New York City in 1886. However, by establish relationships with both Charles Sheard & 1897 Herbert was also falling in love with his adopted Company, England’s second largest music publisher, country, and thus, quite ready for a visit in early 1898 and Reynolds & Company, a music specialist from Otto Weyl, the new general manager of the publisher. M. Witmark & Sons soon had offices in Witmark Music Library. It did not hurt matters that London headed by Charles Warren. Weyl had also been a classmate in Vienna of the soprano Therese Forster, better known in 1898 as During 1893, Julius Witmark, still on the road singing Mrs. Victor Herbert. Weyl was already a confidential his firm’s songs with minstrel troupes, saw the adviser to the young composer. The Witmarks had advantage of opening a branch office of M. Witmark & strategically picked the perfect emissary and landed the Sons in Chicago during the upcoming Columbia World first major theatrical licensing contract with a composer Exposition and installed Sol Bloom as the new general well on his way to becoming one of America’s finest. manager. The brothers always had that total trust in each other’s judgment going for them. In August of 1898, a notice appeared in the fairly new newsletter, The Witmark Monthly, that “Mr. Victor At home, business was booming, causing M. Witmark & Herbert, the celebrated conductor and composer, has Sons to move uptown to a building at 49-51 W. 28th entered into an agreement with us whereby our house Street.