November 5th, 1880.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
SULLIVAN:—Mr. Arthur Sullivan's new sacred musical drama, " T h e Martyr of
Antioch," has been successfully produced at the Leeds Musical Festival.
GROVE'S DICTIONARY.—The n t h number of Mr. Grove's admirable Dictionary of
Music opens with the 18 concluding pages of Mr. W. S. Rockstro's article on " Opera,"
begun in the preceding part, and extends to the title "Palestrina."
DECORATED.—On the 50th professional anniversary of Herr Bilse, at Berlin, the Em-
peror Wilhelm sent him the cross of the Order of Hohenzollern.
A T LAST !—Mdme. Art6t-Padilla, who recently had an increase in her family, will
shortly make one last tour, and then retire from professional life.
A GOODLY NUMBER.—Herr Theodor Wachtel recently sang inZ* Postilion de Leng-
iumeau for the 1,200th time.
NICE.—A choral society, called L'Echo de Nice, has been established in that city.
WILLIAMS.—Mr. Williams, the great Williams, the stout Williams, the
creator of the Young Apollo Club, now calls himself the manager of the
original Young Apollo Club, and declares most seriously that he has no con-
nection with similar organizations which have taken the same name. It is
terrible to learn that several young Apollo clubs are in the field, but we are
glad to hear that Mr. Williams is to be considered the genuine Richmond.
MINOR ROLES.—In one of the valued critical essays in this city the parts
of Prefetto and Marchese in " Linda di Chamounix " were called minor roles.
Very severe on the artists who had to perform these important parts.
ORCHESTRAL MUSIC IN BALTIMORE.
T a meeting of merchants recently held in this city, for the purpose of
organizing a protective association, Mr. Henry C. Smith, president of
CURIOSITY.—A " Waltz for four, Violoncellos," by Mr. Fitzenhagen, has been per-
the Shoe and Leather Board of Trade, in the course of an address, made the
formed frequently of late with marked success in Moscow.
following remarks: " What Baltimore lacks most to-day, is a co-operative
LALO.—M. E. Lale has written a new violin piece for Marsick, who will play it first public spirit." This reveals in one short sentence the cause of the lack of
at the Chatelet Concerts, and then in Germany.
energy so necessary in the consummation of enterprises of all kinds. For
A HANDSOME SUM.—Mdme. Adelina Patti is to receive 15,000 francs a night, paid nearly six months the question had been agitated whether a musical festival
should take place in connection with the Sesqui-Centennial celebration
in advance, at Monte Carlo.
held here in October. This would have been the opportune time and
NIEMANN.—At the Royal Opera-house Herr Niemann selected Spontini's Ferdinand occasion for just such a festival; we needed a musical festival not alone for
Cortez for his first appearance this season. The theatre was crowded, and Herr Niemann's strangers, but especially for our own citizens, who rarely have an opportunity
reception enthusiastic.—[How even worn voices will take people in Europe. Artists are to hear good music, and never have an opportunity to hear great works. Yet
better treated over there.—ED. MUSICAL C R I T I C ]
notwithstanding the long time for preparation and the constant agitation, not
MILAN.—After an interval of ten years, " Robert le Diable " has been revived at the a single public-spirited citizen could be found among nearly 400,000 people,
Teatro Dal Verme, Milan, with Mdme. Contarini, Signori Ugolini and Queyrel in the lead- many of them millionaires, who could use his time or influence to realize the
ing parts. Well acted, well sung, and well put on the stage, it has drawn large houses. project. As Mr. Smith said: " It is the lack of co-operative spirit." Had it
REICHARDT.—Alexander Reichardt, the composer of "Thou Art so Near" and not been for a few Germans, members of German singing societies, who held
other popular songs, has been elected vice-president of the Academy of Music of Bou- an informal meeting to celebrate the day at the Schutzen-Park (a place where
rarely anyone else but Germans congregate), no celebration would have been
logne-sur-Mer, in place of M. Sanson, who retires.
VIENNA.—The concerts of the Gesellschafts-concerte, Vienna, commence on the 14th decided upon.
November. The 12th April is fixed for the Extraordinary Concert. Mdme. Norman-Neruda
You will ask—as you naturally should—where was the Peabody Con-
plays at the first ; Herr Auer, from St. Petersburgh, at the third ; and Mr. Charles Halle servatory of Music represented in such an event ? By asking that question
at the fourth ; " T h e Creation " being reserved for the second.
Franz Liszt will again you reach to the root of the matter. The Peabody exercises no influence
be invited to take part in the "Extraordinary Concert," on April 12, 1881.
whatever, except to distort the ideas of the average attendant who is willing
WEBER CYCLUS.—There is now to be a " Weber Cyclus " at the Imperial Opera, to be cultivated, but has no other authority here outside of the Peabody. As
Vienna, including " Preciosa," in which most of the characters are to be sustained by a conservatory it has done absolutely nothing. Not a single pupil has left the
members of the Burgtheater company.
" Euryanthe " opened the Cyclus at the end ot conservatory who has ever accomplished anything of moment while in it or
since. Some pupils have attained a certain amount of proficiency as pianists,
the past month.
yet this proficiency must only be measured by a certain standard. During a
GYE.—Mr. Ernest Gye was recently in Paris, making engagements for his next long number of years of private tuition pianoforte pupils are sure to play
season at Covent Garden.
Borne of Bach's fugues. We mean play them correctly, and memorized at
STRAUSS.—Herr Eduard Strauss, now in Hamburgh, will, with his orchestra, visit, that. That has not yet happened at the Peabody. The concerts, considered
this season, several important towns in Germany, including Berlin and Dresden.
from a critical point of view, are parodies upon music, and very often below
KREBS.—Mdlle. Marie Krebs has entirely recovered the use of her fingers, and in- the standard of critical analysis. The appropriations by the trustees, added
to the subscriptions received from the citizens, do not amount to a sum large
tends revisiting England after Christmas.
enough to pay the musicians a salary equal to the labor required. Re-
BRAHMS.—In return for the degree of Doctor of Music which was lately bestowed hearsals are few, and concerts sometimes two and three weeks apart, during
upon him by the University of Breslau, Johannes Brahms has dedicated to the university which time no rehearsals take place, and this brings matters down to the Bame
a composition in which the ways of students are the motive.
It will be played under the
condition as if no rehearsals had taken place at all, as most of the musicians
composer's direction at Breslau on the 4th of next January.
in the meantime play at balls and entertainments. An orchestra, in order to
HENSCHEL.—Mr. Henschel, says the London World, has made many friends in this perform a Beethoven or Rubinstein or Berlioz symphony, must be in con-
country, who will be glad to hear that, although he intends returning to America in a tinual practice and rehearsal. One of the trustees, on being told that a cer-
fortnight to fulfil a number of engagements, his permanent home will be London.
He tain sum was required to pay for additional first violinists, said: "Why, let
sings this week at Leeds and on the 23d inst. at a concert at Brighton, after which he us drop the first and begin with the second or third violinists." A conserva-
instantly leaves for Queenstown, en route for New York, where he is announced to sing tory based upon such principles, and guided by such authorities, should
on November 4th—rather a tight fit—at a concert of the Oratorio Society.
He has then
a number of engagements in the States up to the month of May, when the first grand eschew all attemps to impose upon a community; but notwithstanding this,
festival, of four days' duration, will be held in New York under the conductorship of Dr. the renowned symphonies and orchestral works are played at the Peabody
Damrosch. By the end of May Mr. Henschel will be in Boston, to be united in matri- and applauded. As certain musical instruments are not represented here at
monial bliss to the charming Miss Lilian Bailey, and with her he hopes to arrive for the all, the director has on various occasions substituted other instruments in
place of them. Still the performances are applauded and even praised by
month of June in London, where he will settle down permanently.
the greater portion of the press here.
RAFF.—The Symphony " Summertime " by Joachim Raff, was performed at the first
Crystal Palace Concert, London, this season.
How can such an institution exert a healthy influence upon Art-life in a
PASDELOUP.—M. Pasdeloup, at Paris, announces a series of historical concerts of community ? It has, during the many years of its existence, produced no in-
works by French composers, from Lully to the present time, and works new to Paris by fluence at all, otherwise some actions would necessarily have taken place
the Russian composers, Glinka, Dargomirschky, Rubinstein, Seroff, Tschaikowsky, and which would have resulted in some kind of a festival. Imagine Dusseldorf
Rimsky-Korsakoff, and by the Italian writers Verdi, Boito, and Ponchielli. M. Pasde- with its exhibition and no music ; Brussels with its fStes and no music ; Cin-
loup also proposes another attempt to popularise the works of the German school in Paris, cinnati with its exposition and no music. This was not a celebration lasting
and to produce compositions by Wagner, Brahms, Raff, and Goldmark.
one day, but 10 days. Of course this unhealthy condition radiates in every
COMMENDABLE—The opera-house at Saigon, in French Cochin-China, has paid direction. The churches are affected also. At a service in one of the largest
churches here an organist closed by playing a Bach fugue. He is a musician
authors' rights for the first time to the French Society of Authors and Composers.
of ability, as the selection proves. The minister "layed for him," to use
ST. PETERSBURG.—The St. Petersburg opera season opened with "Aida," with slang, and when he came down to the vestibule, the poor organist was asked,
Mesds. Salla and Scalchi, MM. Masini, Cotogni, and Gasparini. Glinka's " La Vie pour " What were you just now playing?" With reverence for both subjects
le Czar " is in preparation to be sung in Italian.
(Bach and minister), he quietly replied, "One of Bach's fugues." "Who
MUSIC-JOURNALISM.—Among the new papers are announced the Neue Zeit, at is this Bach ? " was the rejoinder ; and without awaiting any further answer,
Berlin, an organ of the opera and the theatre ; and the Musik- Welt, also at Berlin, with the minister continued, '' He should have learned a trade ; that's no music.
Dr. von Buelow, Dr. Hanslick, and M. Saint-Saens on the literary staff.
Never play such stuff here again." Probably the minister was a constant
ROEDER.—Roeder's posthumous work, "German Opera During the Last Thirty attendant at some of our classical symphony concerts.
Years," is, it is stated, to be finished by his daughter, the vocalist, Mdlle. Mila Rodani,
The Academy of Music is under a new and very active management. S.
and to be published shortly.
W. Fort, the new manager, would ingratiate himself with the Art-loving
DEATH LIST.—The deaths are announced—of apoplexy, at Bordeaux, of Signor public of this city if he would arrange a series of symphony concerts in the
Calendini, violoncellist; at Milan, aged 41, of Giulietta Frugoni, danseuse ; at Malta, concert hall or auditorium of the Academy. He could get sufficient sub-
aged 54, of Camillo Darbois, pianist ; and at Naples, aged 70, of Antonio Giunti, pro scriptions to secure the expenses, as he is popular already, and has the favor
fessor of music ; at Tours, aged 91, of Madame Marguerite Delahaye ; at Tours, aged 75, of many influential people. Let us hope that he will begin this work at
ef Charles Joseph Gcetschy, a composer ; at Brussels, of Joseph Meynne, music publisher; once, and succeed in it.
at Bologna, of Luigi Ferrari, professor ; and at Naples, of Antonio Giunti, vocalist.
Something next time about some of our other musical (?) organizations.
STRAUSS.—Johann Strauss' new operetta " Das Spitzentuch der Konigin," has been
successfully produced at the Theater an der Wien, at Vienna.
BERLIN.—Gluck's "Iphigenia," with Frau Mallinger in the chief part, has been
revived at Berlin.
BRAHMS.—Herr Brahms has just completed a new, his third, orchestral symphony.
GOLDMARK.—Herr Karl Goldmark has written a new opera, entitled the "Stran
ger."
BISCHOFF.—A monument has been erected at Hildersheim to George Frederick Bis
choff, who founded the German Festivals in 1804.
VERDI.—Signor Verdi, who kept his 66th birthday at Santa Agata, received several
congratulatory telegrams.
FRANKFORT.—The new opera house at Frankfort was opened Oct. 20th.
A
KLASSIOK KUSS.
LAMBEBT.—Another young pianist, by the name of Lambert, has arrived
here. He was born in Warsaw, Poland, and studied three years with Julius
Epstein in Vienna. His record may be very good; nevertheless he will find
it very hard to find an opening here in first-class concerts. There are actu-
ally not first-class concerts enough to satisfy the ambition of every pianist
in New York, although the season promises a rich harvest of high-
toned entertainments.
KELLOGG.—The report has reached us from Europe, that Clara Louise
Kellogg is engaged to be married to a marquis, who fell in love with her
about six months ago. If Monsieur le Marquis understands his position, he
surely will make one of the stipulations of his marriage contract, that the
mother-in-law shall return by the next steamer to the United States.