M. Witmark & Sons
Encyclopedia
M. Witmark & Sons was a leading publisher of sheet music
for the United States
"Tin Pan Alley
" music industry.
The firm of Marcus Witmark & Sons was established in New York City
in 1886. Father Marcus Witmark was the legal head of the company, but from the beginning it was run by his sons Isidore, Julius, and Jay, who were under legal age when the company started (ranging in age from 17 to 14 years old). They started out publishing their own compositions. They were adept at plugging
songs, and within a few years were publishing the works of such composers as Victor Herbert
, George M. Cohan
, Ben Harney
and John Walter Bratton
.
Witmark originated the practice of giving free "professional copies" of their new music to famous and established singers and bands, which proved so successful an advertising method that it was copied by the rest of the music publishers.
When the International Copyright
Law was passed in 1891, Witmark pioneered publishing versions of British
music in the United States and arranging for American hits to be published in the UK.
In 1929, M. Witmark was purchased by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. merged its music publishing companies (which included Witmark, Remick
, and Harms
) into one company, Warner Bros. Music (now Warner/Chappell Music
).
Competitor music publishing firms in Tin Pan Alley
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
"Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
" music industry.
The firm of Marcus Witmark & Sons was established in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1886. Father Marcus Witmark was the legal head of the company, but from the beginning it was run by his sons Isidore, Julius, and Jay, who were under legal age when the company started (ranging in age from 17 to 14 years old). They started out publishing their own compositions. They were adept at plugging
Song-plugger
A song-plugger was a piano player employed by music stores in the early 20th century to promote and help sell new sheet music, which is how hits were advertised before quality recordings were widely available. Typically, the pianist sat on the mezzanine level of a store and played whatever music...
songs, and within a few years were publishing the works of such composers as Victor Herbert
Victor Herbert
Victor August Herbert was an Irish-born, German-raised American composer, cellist and conductor. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is best known for composing many successful operettas that premiered on Broadway from the 1890s to World War I...
, George M. Cohan
George M. Cohan
George Michael Cohan , known professionally as George M. Cohan, was a major American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, and producer....
, Ben Harney
Ben Harney
Benjamin Robertson "Ben" Harney was a United States of America songwriter, entertainer, and pioneer of ragtime music. His 1895 composition "You've Been a Good Old Wagon but You Done Broke Down" is regarded as one of the first published ragtime songs...
and John Walter Bratton
John Walter Bratton
John Walter Bratton was an American Tin Pan Alley composer and theatrical producer who became popular during the era known as the Gay Nineties-Early life:...
.
Witmark originated the practice of giving free "professional copies" of their new music to famous and established singers and bands, which proved so successful an advertising method that it was copied by the rest of the music publishers.
When the International Copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
Law was passed in 1891, Witmark pioneered publishing versions of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
music in the United States and arranging for American hits to be published in the UK.
In 1929, M. Witmark was purchased by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Warner Bros. merged its music publishing companies (which included Witmark, Remick
Jerome H. Remick
__notoc__Jerome Hosmer Remick , was a Detroit music publisher, philanthropist and businessman from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.-Life and career:...
, and Harms
T.B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter, Inc.
T.B. Harms & Francis, Day, & Hunter, Inc., based in the Tin Pan Alley area of New York City, was, in 1920, one of the seven largest publishers of popular music in the world. As evidence of size of the firm, T.B. Harms & Frances, Day & Hunter, Inc...
) into one company, Warner Bros. Music (now Warner/Chappell Music
Warner/Chappell Music
Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. is an American music publishing company, and a division of the Warner Music Group. The company traces its origins back to 1811 and the founding of Chappell & Company, a music publishing company and instrument shop on London’s Bond Street that, in 1929, began a rapid...
).
Family
| Witmark Family | ||||
| Relationship | Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
| Father | Marcus Witmark |
1834 Prussia Prussia Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history... |
Mar. 29, 1910 Manhattan |
Married Peyser Oct. 4, 1866 |
| Mother | Hennrietta Witmark Peyser |
1840 Prussia Prussia Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history... |
Dec. 14, 1906 Manhattan |
|
| Son | Isidore Witmark |
1869 Manhattan |
Apr. 19, 1941 Manhattan |
|
| Son | Julius ("Julie") Peyser Witmark |
1870 Manhattan |
June 14, 1929 Manhattan |
|
| Son | Jacob ("Jay") Witmark |
Mar. 31, 1872 Manhattan |
Feb. 1950 Manhattan |
|
| Son | Frank Morris Witmark |
1875 Manhattan |
Aug 3, 1948 Weehawken, NJ |
|
| Son | Edward Witmark |
1877 Manhattan |
||
| Daughter | Frances Klein (Mrs. Joseph A. Klein) Witmark | 1877 Manhattan |
1957 Manhattan |
Married Klein Jan. 11, 1905 Manhattan |
| Son | Adolph S. Witmark |
1882 Manhattan |
July 15, 1926 Manhattan |
|
See also
- American popular musicAmerican popular musicAmerican popular music had a profound effect on music across the world. The country has seen the rise of popular styles that have had a significant influence on global culture, including ragtime, blues, jazz, swing, rock, R&B, doo wop, gospel, soul, funk, heavy metal, punk, disco, house, techno,...
Competitor music publishing firms in Tin Pan Alley
- Leo Feist, Inc. – 231 W 40th St, New York, NY
- T.B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter, Inc.T.B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter, Inc.T.B. Harms & Francis, Day, & Hunter, Inc., based in the Tin Pan Alley area of New York City, was, in 1920, one of the seven largest publishers of popular music in the world. As evidence of size of the firm, T.B. Harms & Frances, Day & Hunter, Inc...
– 62 W. 45th St., New York, NY - Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Inc. – 218 W. 47th St., New York, NY
- Watterson, Berlin & Snyder, Inc.Watterson, Berlin & Snyder, Inc.Waterson, Berlin & Snyder, Inc. was, during the 1920s, one of the largest music publishers of popular sheet music in the country. The firm was based in New York City...
– 1571 Broadway, New York, NY (sold in bankruptcy to Mills Music in 1929)