| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
tion as learning to read and write. 1 might go even further and »ay that every girl in the United States whose parents can possibly afford it is to-day receiving music lessons.
A large demand for popular songs is also created by the phonographs, graphophones, pianolas and automatic instruments of all kinds.
It must also be remembered that until a few years ago there was no such thing as a vaudeville show, merely a few variety houses, patronized by men only. As there were no women and children in the audience, popular ballads could not be heard by those who now purchase them. Minstrel shows were the only performances where a ballad was sung. This has all been changed. At least one vaudeville theatre has been established iu every city of any size in the United States. If the audience hears a song that strikes its fancy, the local dealer is promptly besieged with orders. The vaude-ville houses to-day present the best singers that the market affords, where only a few years ago a high-class singer on the variety stage was unknown.
The final prejudices against the popular ballad by high-class singers were overcome when Mine. Adelina Patti introduced and sang in America on her farewell tour a song written by me, especially for the occasion, entitled "The Last Farewell/' That broke down all barriers, and to-day any high-class performer in the world will gladly sing a popular ballad.
The illustration of songs has also helped to make them popular. Having the scenes and characters of a song thrown upon a canvas during its rendition has proved a great hit in every city where it has been introduced, and, as all my songs readily lend themselves to illustration, it has aided in popularizing them. I have sent photographers to such distant |
||