Victor Herbert and ASCAP

Synopsis

Today we observe an important anniversary for what we now call “intellectual property.”

On today’s date in 1914, ASCAP—the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers—was founded in New York City. Its first director was the composer Victor Herbert, who, the story goes, once heard a hotel orchestra playing some of his music. Now, you might think Herbert would be pleased, but actually he was furious. His music was supposedly protected by copyright, but Herbert realized he wasn’t receiving royalty payments from the hotel or the performers.

Long before Muzak and other recorded background music, live musical performances in commercial settings like hotels and restaurants were common, but enforcement of copyright law and the collection of royalty payments woefully rare. Helping to found ASCAP was Herbert’s way of improving the chances that his fellow composers, songwriters, lyricists, and music publishers could earn a decent living from their creative works.

Herbert was 55 years old in 1914, and a string of Broadway hits such as “Babes in Toyland” and “Naughty Marietta” had made him the early 20th century equivalent of Stephen Sondheim or Andrew Lloyd Webber – and Herbert would probably be very gratified that both Sondheim and Lloyd Webber would later become ASCAP members themselves.

Music Played in Today's Program

Victor Herbert (1895 - 1924) Hang March, fr Babes in Toyland Razumovsky Symphony; Keith Brion, cond. Naxos 8.559025

Stephen Sondheim (b. 1930) Into the Woods Original Cast; Paul Gemignani, cond. RCA/BMG 6796

On This Day

Births

• 1778 - Spanish composer and guitarist Fernando Sor, in Barcelona;

• 1870 - American composer and virtuoso pianist Leopold Godowsky, in Soshly, near Vilnius;

• 1946 - English composer Colin Matthews, in London;

Deaths

• 1741 - Austrian composer Johann Joseph Fux, age c. 80, in Vienna;

• 1883 - German composer composer Richard Wagner, age 69, in Venice;

• 1968 - Italian composer Ildebrando Pizetti, age 87, in Rome;

Premieres

• 1724 - Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 181 ("Leichgesinnte Flattergeister") and No. 18 ("Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee") performed on Sexagesimae Sunday as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24);

• 1725 - Handel: opera “Rodelinda,” in London at the King’s Theater in the Haymarket (Gregorian date: Feb. 24); On May 6/17 that same year, the score to this opera was published, the first Handel score to be offered to the public by subscription;

• 1867 - Johann Strauss, Jr.: "Blue Danube" Waltz, in Vienna;

• 1881 - Tchaikovsky: opera “The Maid or Orleans,” in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Feb. 25);

• 1926 - Honegger: opera "Judith" (2nd version), at the Monte Carlo Opéra;

• 1943 - William Schuman: "Prayer in Time of War," by the Pittsburgh Symphony, Fritz Reiner conducting;

• 1944 - Antheil: Symphony No. 4, by the NBC Symphony, Leopold Stokowski conducting;

• 1956 - Toch: "Peter Pan (A Symphonic Fairy Tale)" for orchestra, in Seattle;

• 1959 - Martinu: "The Parables" for orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting;

• 1961 - Bernstein: "Symphonic Dances," from "West Side Story," by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Lukas Foss;

• 1978 - Roger Reynolds: "Fiery Winds" for orchestra, in New York;

Others

• 1727 - Handel applies for British citizenship (Gregorian date: Feb. 24); Handel received his official citizenship seven days later, on Feb. 20/Mar. 3;

• 1914 - ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is formally organized in New York City, with composer Victor Herbert as its first director.