Metronome
Metronome September 1949
Artie Shaw on the cover of the
September 1949 issue
Categoriesmusic magazine
Founded1881
Final issue1961
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Metronome was an influential music magazine published from 1881 until 1961.[1][2]

Other Metronomes edit

The Metronome: A Monthly Review of Music, Boston, published by White & Goullaud from April 1871 to May 1874

Ambrose W. Davenport, Jr. (1838–1906), Editor, assisted by his brother, Warren Davenport (1840–1908). OCLC 809454726 (all editions).

History edit

Bandmaster Arthur A. Clappe founded The Metronome in 1884 for band leaders. Carl Fischer (1849–1923), the music publisher, later became publisher of The Metronome for band leaders, and was its publisher until 1914.

The magazine in its early years catered for musicians in marching and then dance bands, but from the swing era, Metronome focused primarily on the genre of Jazz music appealing to fans. During the 1940s, the cover title was displayed as "Metronome" (in a cursive script-style font) with the subtitle words "BANDS · RECORDS · RADIO"[3] (see Metronome logo image under "References"). Notable writers for the magazine were its co-editors, Leonard Feather and Barry Ulanov; Miles Davis cited them as the only two white music critics in New York to understand bebop.[4]

In 1960, Metronome was acquired by RMC Associates of New York City and became its wholly owned subsidiary with a new executive publisher, Harvey Shotz, a Los Angeles based artist manager doing business as Harvey Shotz Artists Manager. Bill Coss remained editor. Coss was a former violinist and, later, artist manager.[5]

The magazine closed in 1961.[2]

Metronome All-Stars Band edit

Metronome Magazine conducted an annual poll during the years 1939-1961[6] to choose the musicians whom their readers considered as the top jazz instrumentalists, for that year, playing each instrument. Often, the Metronome organization recorded the all-stars on a regular basis, with recording sessions of the bands chosen in 1939-1942, 1945–1950, 1953, and 1956.[6]

In many cases, the all-stars group recorded two songs, with short solo performances, from nearly all of the participants.[6]

In 1940, Metronome magazine organized the Metronome All Star Nine, including Harry James, Jack Teagarden, Benny Carter, Jess Stacy, Charlie Christian and Gene Krupa.[7]

The all-stars band had several name variations: Metronome All Star Nine; Metronome All Stars; Metronome All Stars 1956; The Metronome All-Stars; or Metronome Allstars.[6]

Edgar Bitner edit

Edgar Bitner, who ran Leo Feist, Inc., in its founder's absence, was a Tin Pan Alley pioneer, who, with Julius P. Witmark and Nathan Burkan (1878–1936) (a founding father of intellectual property law), was one of ASCAP's honorary pioneer members. As a sideline, after retiring from Feist in 1936, Bitner took over publishing of Metronome, Musical Courier, both of which his son, Edgar, took over after his death.[8][9]

Metronome Corporation in 1960 edit

In 1960, Ned and John W. Bitner, whose offices were at 26 West 58th Street in Manhattan, were publishers of Your Music and Music Dealer.

Beginning around 1950, William Joseph Dougherty (1893–1951) became executive editor of Music Dealer. Dougherty, in October 1945, after World War II, became associate editor of [[Music Trade Review, then he became editor of Musical Merchandise, one of several magazines founded by Glad Henderson (né Gladston Winchester Henderson; 1884–1942), then, beginning around 1949, advertising and sales promotion manager for Mastro Industries Inc., founded by the French-born reed manufacturer Mario Maccaferri (1900–1993).


Selected people edit

Publishers edit

  • <—1906-1907—>: George H. Hilbert (1881–1969)
  • 19??–1938: Edgar Franklin Bitner (1877–1939), former president of Leo Feist, Inc., was publisher of (i) Music Periodicals Corporation, owner of Musical Courier and (ii) Metronome. He retired December 1938, four months before his death. He was survived by three children, Julia Elizabeth "Betty" Bitner (1907–1977), Edgar ("Ned") Franklin Bitner, Jr. (1912–1966), a 1938 Princeton College graduate, and John ("Jack") William Bitner (1915–1999), a 1932 Babson graduate.[10]
  • 1939–1960: Ned Bitner, co-publisher
  • 1939–1960: John William Bitner (1915–1999), co-publisher
  • 1960–1961: Robert Asen (1910–1993), co-publisher[11]
  • 1960–1961: Milton Lichtenstein

Editors-in-chief edit

(see cite)
  • <—1903–1922—>: Gustav Saenger (1865–1935), editor the Musical Observer and the Metronome, violinist and pianist. Both publications were, at the time, published by Carl Fischer. Saenger translated into English Professor H. Kling's Modern Orchestration and Instrumentation; editor-in-chief Carl Fischer Violin publications; composer 2 concert solos (Spanish style), 3 concert miniatures, 12 "Album Leaves" (for piano); arrangements and pieces for piano and string instruments
  • 1939–1955: George T. Simon, editor-in-chief, who sometimes wrote articles under the pseudonym Jimmy Bracken. He also had been a drummer. He changed the magazine's focus from articles on instrument-making and publishing to items about recordings and the noted big-band leaders of the day.[13]
  • 1955–1960: Bill Coss (né William Hungerford Coss, Jr.; 1925–1988) who had earned a bachelor of science degree from Boston College in 1951, was editor-in-chief of Metronome and Jazz Today.[14]

Managing editor edit

  • 1960–1962: David Solomon, hired December 1960 by Bob Asen, after Asen let Coss go.

Random people edit

  • 1916: Walter Strich Fischer (1882–1946), manager Musical Observer and secretary Metronome Publishing Company, 46 Cooper Square; he was one of three sons of the founder and namesake of Carl Fischer Music

Business manager edit

  • <—1914–1916—>: George H. Hilbert (1881–1969), business manager Musical Observer and Treasurer Metronome Publishing Company

Associate editors edit

Associate photographer edit

  • <—1958—> : William Claxton, West Coast Staff Photographer
  • Herb Snitzer

Selected contributors edit

Addresses edit

<—1903—>6-10 Fourth Avenue
<—1906-1907—>: 48 Cooper Square
<—1908–1909—> 136-44 Thompson Street
<–1914–1922—>: 48 Cooper Square

Selected articles edit

Reproduced articles in Jazz in Print (1856–1929): An Anthology of Selected Early Readings in Jazz History Karl Koenig (ed.), Pendragon Press (2002), pps. 576–577; OCLC 1001592218, 66809317, 963832596

  • "Rag Time, by Gustav Kühl (de), Die Musik, Vol. 1, August 1902: 1973, translated by Gustav Saenger, "The Musical Possibilities of Rag-Time," Metronome, Vol. 19, No. 3, March 1903, p. 11
  • "Possibilities of the Concert Wind Band from the Standpoint of a Modern Composer," Metronome Orchestra Monthly 34/11 (November 1918), 22-3

Other selected articles

  • "Making the First Talking Picture of a Jazz Orchestra," by Pat Ballard, Metronome, November 1929, 40

Public access edit

Metronome (Carl Fischer)

Metronome Orchestra Monthly

Vol. 30, No. 10 (October 14, 1914)- Ceased in December 1924

Metronome Orchestra Edition (1925–1932)

Metronome Band Monthly

Metronome Band Edition

Music U.S.A.

Jazz Music U.S.A.

Metronome Music U.S.A.

The Dominant

Music dealer, the business magazine for music merchants

Microfilm and digital edit

Metronome

Metronome Orchestra Edition, (Metronome Publishing Company)

Metronome Orchestra and Band Editions (1925–1932)

Metronome, Vol. 48 (1932) – Vol. 75 (1958) (gaps)

Metronome, Vol. 77, No. 6 (June 1960) – Vol. 78, No. 12 (December 1961)

Metronome Music U.S.A., 1959

Metronome, 1897–1961 (32 reels)

Metronome, A Pictorial History of Jazz


  • American Microfilm Service, Inc. (AMS Inc.)[a]

  • ML 1 .M17. Metronome. V. 13-29, 31-67, 69-78. New York, Metronome Corp., egc. Jan 1887- Dec 1913; Jan 1915-Dec 1951; Jan 1953-Dec 1961.
  • ML 1 .M17. Metronome. Metronome, orchestra monthly and the Metronome, band monthly. From Jan. 1925 to Jan. 1932 called either "orchestra edition" or "band edition". Absorbed the Dominant, orchestra monthly, in Jan. 1925.

Copies of Metronome online edit

See also edit

Disambiguation edit

  • The Metronome of this article is not to be confused with Metronome Magazine founded January 1, 1986 (Vol. 1, No. 1) a monthly edited by Brian M. Owens covering arts and entertainment for the Boston area.

Simon's relatives edit

  • 1903: Alfred L. Simon, Edwin A. Brady, and Leo L. Simon (1866–1959) firm of Alfred L. Simon & Co.[15][16]

Discography edit

  • TV Movie: "Getz: Ravel, Sauter, Wilder, Macero and all that jazz ... ," produced by Thomas J. Knott, Written by William H. Coss, Jr.; conductor and of the Chamber Symphony was Anshel Brusilow. The program was one of 52 specials scheduled by Group W during the 1968–69 broadcast throughout the United States. Aired March 18, 1969.[17]

Notes and references edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ AMS Press Film Service was, in 1971, located in Manhattan, New York, at 56 East 13th Street.
    Metronome, New York
    Vols. 1-78, 1885–1961.
    Vol. 76, No. l, January 1959 – May 1960 as Music U.S.A.
    Vol. 77, No. 6, June 1960 as Metronome.
    October 1914 – December 1924 issued in 2 ed: Metronome, orchestra monthly and Metronome, band monthly
    1925 – January 1932 called either Orchestra Edition or Band Edition.
    Absorbed Dominant January 1925.
    Vol 76, No. 11 – Vol 77, No. 5, never published.
    Microfilm:
    AMS Press Vols. 13–78 1897–1961, positive 35mm microfilm 800 USD
    Brookhaven Press, LaCrosse, Wisconsin 13-78 1897-1961 (lacking 30 & 68, 1914 & 1952) positive and negative 35mm microfilm 800 USD.
    ("Music and Other Performing Arts Serials Available in Microform and Reprint Editions," Stuart Milligan, ed., Notes, 2nd Series, Vol. 37, No. 2, December 1980, pp. 279-280; accessible via JSTOR at www.jstor.org/stable/939494)

References edit





  1. ^ "Dan Morgenstern oral history", Ed Berger, March 2007, webpage (PDF):smithsonianjazz-Morgenstern.
  2. ^ a b Teicher, Jordan G. (11 August 2015). "Rare Photographs of Jazz Icons from the Archives of Metronome Magazine". Slate. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Jazz Studies Online: Jazz Journalism". New York: Columbia University. 2008. JazzStudiesO-640. Metronome logo, Metronome-logo.
  4. ^ Davis, Miles (1989). Autobiography.
  5. ^ "Music as Written: New York," Billboard, May 9, 1960, p. 30
  6. ^ a b c d "Metronome All-Stars Band Discography" (overview), Discogs.com, 2009, webpage: Dcogs.
  7. ^ "Jazz CDs, Pt. 1 - November 2002", John Henry, Audiophile Audition, AudAud.com, 2002, webpage: AA-NOV02.
  8. ^ American Popular Music and Its Business: the First Four Hundred Years – From 1900–1984 (Vol. 3 of 3), by Russell Sanjek (1916–1986), Oxford University Press (1988); OCLC 960166150
    Note: Sanjek was a longtime executive at BMI and is the father of music educator David Sanjek
  9. ^ "A Founding Father of IP Law," by Erin Geiger Smith, NYU Law (annual publication of the New York University School of Law), Vol 24, 2014, p. 36
  10. ^ Edgar F. Bitner – Former Head of Leo, Inc., Music Publishers, Was 62," New York Times, April 13, 1939 (retrieved July 8, 2018 at timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1939/04/13/94698152.html, subscription required)
  11. ^ "Metronome Mag's End Due in Dec.," Cashbox, December 2, 1961, p. 38
  12. ^ "Famous Bandmasters in Brief: Capt. Arthur A. Clappe," by Frank R. Seltzer (nl), Jacobs' Band Monthly, Vol. 4, No. 7, July 1919, p. 10
    Frank R. Seltzer was Cornetist with John Philip Sousa's bank on its initial tour in 1892, with the Philadelphia Orchestra for four seasons, and toured with Conway's band.
  13. ^ "Obituaries: George T. Simon; Journalist, Author and Jazz Musician" (from the Associated Press), Los Angeles Times, February 16, 2001
  14. ^ Glorious Days and Nights: A Jazz Memoir, by Herb Snitzer, The University Press of Mississippi (2011)
  15. ^ Alfred L. Simon" (Vol. 18), The Illustrated Milliner, January 1917, pps. 43 & 240
  16. ^ "Leo Simon, Partner in Hat Concern, 92," New York Times, June 11, 1959, p. 33 (accessible at timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1959/06/11/89207442.html)
  17. ^ "The Lifetime Instant," The Times (San Mateo, March 15, 1969, p. 8B (accessible via Newspapers.com at www.newspapers.com/image/52445674, subscription required)

External links edit

  Media related to Metronome (magazine) at Wikimedia Commons

Category:Music magazines published in the United States
Category:Magazines established in 1881
Category:Magazines disestablished in 1961
Category:Defunct magazines published in the United States
Category:1881 establishments in the United States