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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
February 20th, 18S1.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
Beebe, Castle, Seguin, Remmertz, Levy, Liberati, Montague, Winant'
Poole, Thayer, Franklin, Richings, Henne, Gulager, Borie, Wilkie, Lasar'
Annie D. Reid, McQuesten, Ridgeway, Doria, Addie Randall, Edith F"
Abell, Vanzandt, Jeannie D. Bull, Albert Laurence, Varian Hoffman, Fannie
Goodwin and many whom I cannot at the moment remember. And this is
the association which "Klassick Iiuss," in every number, when occasion
presents itself, misrepresents in as unjust a manner as he possibly can. I
regret to tire you with this long letter, but the injustice done the Haydn is
so flagrant, that it required a long letter to fully explain the matter.
Very truly yours,
INDIVIDUALITIES.
AT A DISCOUNT.—For the "Nibelungen " performances in London, the
Leipsic director, Mr. Angelo Neuman, is to receive 80,000 dollars from
Maurice Strakosch. Let him have the house first and then we shall see how
much money will be forthcoming. If Mr. Strakosch has also to pay the
"Great Master" who is to superintend the representations, the margin
for him will be deplorably small.
WELCOME.—Mr. Theodore Herrmann, the impresario of Maurice Den-
Jos. A. PUEVOST,
gremont,
seems to be inclined to make America his home. Mr. Herrmann i3
Treasurer Haydn Mus. Asso.
a gentleman in the true sense of the word, and gentlemanly managers will
[We publish this letter in full, because we are followers of the motto: always be welcome in this country.
"Awliatur et altera pars." Comment is not necessary. The whole matter
THB FHANKOS BEATEN.—In a small place somewhere in this country a
is a difference of opinion between the criticising and the criticised parties. family
of nine persons has been formed into a brass band. This organiza-
Such occurrences are not rare, and will happen wherever severe criticism is tion beats
the Franko family, which comprises only four persons.
exercised. Although we publish Mr. Prevost's letter, we have full confi-
THE TWO PICTUBES.—Two friends standing before the window of a
dence in the integrity and reliability of our Baltimore correspondent..—ED.
music store on Union Square, were looking at the pictures of Franz Rum-
MUSICAL. CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.]
mel and Rafael Joseffy, the rival pianists, announced to appear in a number of
Recitals. Says friend No. 1.: "Look here upon this picture, and on this.
FEENCH AND GERMAN.
Franz Rummel with his full beard, gives the impression of a man with a
E live just now in an interregnum in operatic entertainments. The strong will and a great deal of vigor; Joseffy in his dainty walking suit,
grand opera since the time of Gluck has remained unchanged in with hat and cane in his hand, has the appearance of a variety actor." Says
spite of all modern additions and augmentations; we find in Wagner and Friend No. 2.: " Never judge by appearance; the proof of the pudding is in
Verdi the same tendency towards the declamatory element, as we had the eating."
when Gluck reigned supreme on the operatic stage. Whatever Spontini,
WHICH WAY ARE WE TO TAKE IT.—The notice that Mme. Mary Louise
Meyerbeer and Halevy have tried, whatever attempts German composers
have made, the system of grand opera has remained intact, and compara- Swift, before going to Italy, studied with L. W. Wheeler in Boston, is going
tively pure. The lighter character of musical works^has been changed, and through all the newspapers of the Hub. Is Mr. Wheeler proud of his pupil,
in this line we cannot help feeling that our present existence is ephemeral, and does he advertise himself as a singing teacher through her; or, does
and needs thorough reform. The French school has developed into opera he wish to express that Mme. Swift's voice and style were ruined after
bouffe writers, who cater for the taste of the masses, and the masses like it, she began to study with San Giovanni? The meaning of the notice is am-
and spend their money freely. America did not remain in its enthusiasm, biguous.
and although the majority of the people did not understand the French
THE HAPPY COUPLE.—A matrimonial engagement is recorded in musical
language, the performances were well attended, and a source of a handsome circles. Miss Marie Schelle and Mr. Emil Gramm are mentioned as the
income to many managers. We can understand the feeling of the masses parties which intend to sign a contract for life. The couple have our best
perfectly well, without ever having shared their enthusiasm. The masses wishes.
wanted to be amused, and opera bouffe gave them the full-weight of hilarity
RELIABLE NEWS.—London papers informs us that Messrs. Steinway &
and sensual excitement. They laughed at the droleries which they saw on
the stage, and thought the dialogue very funny without being able to under- Sons " intend opening the New Opera House, New York, next season for Ger-
stand the exact meaning of the worda spoken on the stage. We often man opera.." As far as we know Messrs. Steinway, just at present, have
remarked, that at opera bouffe performances, during the dialogue the larger their hands full with their own business, and do not think of managing
portion of the audience «hatted with one another and waited patiently till the operatic affairs. But where is the New Opera House which is to be opened
singing was taken up again. Another feature of the entertainment was its next season?
novelty; opera bouffe is a specialty, and as such, sure to attract people for a
Figaro, our bright London contemporary, wants to
certain period. How long that period is depends, of course, afterwards on know PUEBILITY.—The
whether Maurice Dengremont amused himself here during the
the merits of the thing itself, and we must say that opera bouffe held its entr'actes,
by a game of cup-and-ball, as he did in London. We do not
own long enough in this country. It began to show signs of failing as soon know exactly
he passed his time, but Dengremont is a boy, except
as the first English translations of French works of this kind were put on fiddle in hand. how
He is always ready for boyish pranks, and the old Latin
the stage. Then people began to see the sham and the nastiness of saying is true: Surd
pueri pueri, pueri puerilia tractanl.
the libretto, and the fine aroma was considered a miasmatic smell. The
German operetta, which has of late became en vogue in the Fatherland, was
BAD SPECULATION.—Mr. Lamoureux, the Paris conductor, has announ-
imported in this country, and although much cleaner and less offensive than ced some concerts in London, with an orchestra of 110 performers. It
the French opera bouffe, it never could get a stronghold on the American is said that the expenses of each concert will be $3,000, while the receipts
stage in English adaptations. Some works, like "Boccaccio" and "Royal cannot be higher than SI,500. Who will lose the money? The manager
Middy" had a good run, but the impression created by them, compared or the members of the orchestra? We know how these things have been
with that produced by the " Grand Duchess "or " Fille de Mme. Angot," managed in this country, but would like to know how they settle these
appears faded and insignificant. The reason seems to be quite natural. questions in England!
The German operettas lose in translation, and the same may be said of the
THE MARTYR.—At one of the Geistinger performances at the Thalia
French works. But the latter works contain the spark of specialty, which
the Gorman operettas have not. The German works are neither comic Theatre, there was a hitch between the star and the orchestra. Such things
operas nor opera bouffe. They form a mixture of something which covers happen now and then in the regular theatres, to which class the German
indency without avoiding it entirely. There is a degree of hypocrisy in theatre in the Bowery does not belong. The morning following the per-
these German operettas which is rejected out of Germany. Come out formance, the German newspapers fell upon the poor conductor, Mr.
bodly as the French writers do and show your colors. Do not be afraid of Greiner, with the ferocity of tigers, and tore him to pieces. But, after-
being condemned by the class of people who show vices and claim to be wards it turned out that the fault had been Mme. Geistinger's, who in a
virtuous. The adaptation of " Olivette " proved recently that French works, moment of nervousness forgot her lines. Some retribution was due to the
as soon as they turned into more legitimate channels, will even now become conductor, and the same newspapers, which tore him to pieces, patched him
favorites with Americans, although we consider their glory belonging to his; up again, but in such a slovenly and careless manner, that his reputation
tory. It is our opinion that we want to have real comic opera, that our has suffered, and he is called the " Musical Martyr in the Bowery."
public is longing for genuine musical works, which are artistic and amus-
receipts of Maurice Grau's French Opera Company in
ing at the same time. Where these works were written, in what language the REPORTED.—The
City of Mexico, during their first month, are reported to have been
they were originally written, is not of the least consequence. Opera bouffe $100,000.
Reported by whom? Probably by the manager himself. There-
and operetta are nearly dead; their lives were long enough, and we have to fore the correctness
of the figure is not to be relied upon.
return to the old school again, which has to be revived in the interest of the
present generation. We could furnish the name of many German and
"A SHORT RUN."—When "Zanina" was brought out at Daly's Thea-
French composers who wrote comic operas, which are clean and amusing, tre, seats were announced to be sold months ahead; evidently Mr. Daly
which are musically interesting and entertaining at the same time. We think expected to run the work for the balance of the season, and now it has been
that a manager in New York should take up the idea of making his theatre withdrawn after a short run of about three weeks. Mr. Daly will have
the house of comic opera, of legitimate comic opera. There is talent enough understood, that even a splendid mise en sti'ne cannot make a public forget
in this country to do justice to this kind of work, and with a good chorus, a that a musical work was intended for singers, and that Mr. Mollenhauer's
complete orchestra, and a neat mise en scene performances could be given, adaptations are not wished for. Genee's "Niaida" may have interested
which would satisfy critical demands. Only two theatres in this city are the public, Daly's "Zanina " was a failure.
occupied by regular dramatic companies. All the rest live upon different
THE PREACHER.—A Catholic priest in a small town in Moravia, Austria,
kinds of entertainments and " stars "; should not the specialty of comic
opera, introduced to New Yorkers in a style worthy of them, be a paying was found on a Friday in the private room of 'the hostelry eating a piece of
beautiful roast goose, and on the table before him stood a bottle of Ofner-
investment for a manager of brain and enterprise?
Adlerberger, a rich Hungarian red wine. The farmers, who found their minis-
ter breaking the laws of fast days, expressed their astonishment all the more
on the Sunday previous the very same priest had admonished them not to
Miss Clara Louise Kellogg has been obliged to cancel her St. Petersburg as
their duties as members of the Roman Cathokc church, which teaches
engagement on account of her mother's illness. Both Miss and Mrs. Kel forget
abstinence on certain days of the year, in regard to food and drink. The
logg are now at Nice, where they will remain during the cold weather.
priest, seeing himself discovered by several members of his flock, felt slightly
The deaths are announced—at Bergamo, of Francesco Maria Zanchi, embarrassed at first, but soon recovered from his shock, and said: "My
formerly a pupil of Mayr; at Milan, aged 23, of Ottavio Albertini, professor friends, act according to my words, and not according to my deeds," Verdi
of music; at Turin, aged 37, of Elzeario Scala, of Genoa, professor of music; reminds us of this Roman Catholic priest. He said to a large assemblage
and at Modena, aged 27, of Camillo Montanari, professor of the violin at the not long ago: " I cannot understand the determination that shows itself from
Communal School of Music.
time to time in Italy, to make music more German, than that of Germany,
it is in our nature, under our beautiful suns, to make entirely different
" Mefistofele " is to be heard this spring for the first time in Portugal at when
music.
It is with great sorrow I see a great tendency in musical studies in
Oporto.
Italy to go far away from our musical traditions." So Verdi says, and then
The Liceo Musical of Turin, principal Signor Pedrotti, had last year 159 writes " Aida." which breaks the neck and legs of all musical traditions in
Italy.
pupils with 12 paid and 2 unpaid professors.
W