Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1881 Vol. 5 N. 3

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
J 38teW
With which is incorporated THE MUSIC TRADE JOURNAL.
VOL. V.
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 5TH, 1881.
No. 3
rees in the Colosseum grounds and along the gal-
"'I'll write you a song,' said I, 'if you'll pro-
THE JEWS' HARP.
of the great pavilion overlooking the East mise to sing it before we go home.' "
•\TOTWITHSTANDING the antiquity of the eries
"This was agreed to. On the opposite side of
_LN Jews' Harp, or Jews' trump, or Jew trump iver.
road a rail fence had been torn away and a
as it is or has been called, it appears to be gener- The exercises of the evening were begun at 6.30 he
plank fence had been erected. Where we
ally considered a mere toy, and it does not seem ''clock, a military band giving a promenade con- hite
ere sitting a party of negroes had been roasting
that any one has ever become famous as a perfor- ert while the guests of the society were entering ars
of corn over a fire, and the charred sticks lay
mer on the instrument. But, in spite of this, some :he gates and wending their way through the park.
around. I gathered up a bundle of them under
proficiency might doubtless be obtained upon it; So lager beer was sold, but there was an incessant all
arm and, followed by the girls, walked over to
although from the smallness of its compass and opping of champagne and Rhine wine corks at my
fence. With the charred sticks I wrote the
feebleness and generally unpleasing quality of its he side tables. The consumption of Rhine wine the
verse of the song on the top plank of the fence
tone, it would in all probability be debarred from must have been enormous, judging from the large irst
the notes for four verses on the four jjlanks be-
ever rising to the rank of a musical instrument. umbers of empty long-necked bottles visible on ,nd
leath, making it a quartet. Then we stood oft", and,
Pegge, in his " Anonymiana " speaks to the point. he tables at 10 o'clock.
Probably the most interesting feature of the fes- ,s all could read the music, we sang it. The girls
He says. "The Jews'trump is vulgarly believed
delighted and insisted on having a chorus, so
to be one of the instruments of music. But ival was a short concert given by the members of ere
down to the end and wrote the chorus out
upon inquiry you will not find any such mu- he society and an orchestra led by Dr. Damrosch, n went
planks. Well, we sang it over and over,
sical instrument as this described by the authors he programme of which included the following nd the
went home singing it. Next morning 'Evan-
who treat of the Jewish Music. In short, this in- ocal and instrumental selections: Overture, ;eline
down stairs humming the air, and ask-
strument is a mere boys' plaything and 'incapable 'Oberon;" "Ein Brunnen Wunderbar," (Abt), d me ' to came
write it out and finish it. I told her I
of itself being joined either with a voice or any Messrs. Graff, Torek, Remmertz, Steiner, and Arion ouldn't do
she might go down and copy it
other instrument.'" He then goes on to say that shorus ; valse caprice, (Rubinstein) ; Mainnacht, if the fence. it, but
took an umbrella and a sheet of
he considers the orthography of the word is due (Abt), Mr. Graff and Arion chorus ; "Die Jungen laper, and soon She
came back with words and music
to the French "Jeu trump"—a trump to play Musikauten," (Kaecken), Messrs. Himmer, Torek, sopied off.
with. In Belgium and the Netherlands, whence Mastorff, Steiner, and Arion chorus ; Zwei Duette
" Then she insisted on having another verse, and
we obtained numerous toys, a trump is understood Mendelssohn), Messrs. Graff and Remmertz.
to be a rattle for children. It may be added that Next were unfolded a series of tableaus under io I wrote another verse, on condition that I was
some persons consider the "instrument " to be so lie direction of Mr. J. Stollwark, who successfully o have a kiss for it, and she to have the music.
named because it is played by insertion between the grcmped a number of pretty girls in scenes repre- She went home to St. Louis, and sang ' Evangeline'
jaws. Lucinius, the Benedictine Monk, of Stras- senting " Diana's Hunt," "Lorely," " Cleopatra's about there until it attracted attention, and she
bourg, who in 1536 published his work entitled, kmrfc," "Siegfried" and "Die Rheinnixen," and ent it back to me to have it published. I sent that
" Musurgia seu praxis musica " gives some idea of the "Amazons." A grand display of fire-works song to every music publisher in America, until the
the esteem in which the Jews' harp was held. He ook place at 11.30 o'clock from the deck of a scow MS. was nearly worn out, and the best offer I re-
first classes it with the drum, the bugle, a sort of moored in the river below the pavilions. Dancing eived for it was from Brainard, of Cleveland, who
French horn, castagnets, a little bell, a pot with a and uninterrupted jollity were maintained until iffered me $10 and twenty-five copies of the music.
I declined it. Shortly after, I was in Cleveland,
stick, and a smaller machine, for a noise which we shortly before dawn.
and Campbell's Minstrels were there. I took the
do not know how to name (accepted translation^
A ^CELEBRATED SONG.
,ong to Campbell and we went to a music store and
and then remarks that they are instruments '' quae
( ORE than 145,000 copies of 'Evangeline' ried it. He said it was a great song, and sang it
strepitum ciere possunt magis quam amicum auri-
were sold in fourteen months," said Will that night five times to persistent encores. Brainard
bus sonitum reddere "—•'' which are better calcu-
lated to produce a noise than an agreeable music S. Hays, the famous song writer, yesterday to a heard of the new song, went to hear it and then
to the ear." In Hakleeyt's "Voyage,"volume iii Courier Journal reporter. The conversation was on ame to me to buy it. I was drinking in those days
folio 57G, and volume iii., folio F665, we also find the subject of his songs, their origin, number and and was a regular 'h—1 of a feller,'so I up and told
these notes of interest—"Yet if they would bring history. Of all he has published, considerably him that John Howard Payne had died in a poor-
him hatchets, knives and jewes harps, he bid them over 200, "Evangeline," "Mollie Darling "and house, that Keyes, who wrote the Star-Spangled
assure me he had a mine of gold and could refine Norah O'Neal" were probably the most popular. Banner, had died in destitution, and that the pub-
Evangeline " is one of the most beautiful popular lishers in America were determined to starve the
it and would trade with me (Sir Robert Dudley),'
and, "If we would have any we should send them compositions ever published in America, and just omposers out, but I would make him a, present of
jews-harps, for they will give for every one two before the breaking out of the war was sung in every ' Evangeline,' to show how little publishers know
hennes" (Sir Walter Raleigh). Beaumont and Flet- home and by every company of singers in the land. of the value of composition. Well, it went selling
cher apparently did not think much of the " toy,' Strange to say, the author never received one cent right along like a whirlwind. Three months after-
as will be seen by an allusion in their "Humorous for his composition, though at the usual royalty, ward he offered me $500 for another song like it,
Lieutenant," Act iv., Scene 1. Olaus Wormius three cents per copy, he would have made $4,350 but I refused it, and have never written anything
(Mon. Dan.) refers in a most curious manner to an out of it in the fourteen months. How many copies for him."
instrument which was understood by Sir Thomas in all have been sold he does not know, though it
Browne (vide Hydriotaphia) as doubtless being is still in demand, and the total number would pro
Jews' harp, found enclosed in an urn that had long bably reach 300,000. When "Evangeline" was
A NEW VERSION OP TRAVIATA.
been buried in Norway. By its side there seems to first issued it became immensely popular. The
S
certain
opera-singers have, recognizing the
have been an urn containing some ancients' ashes minstrels of antebellum days, whose specialty, nexi
of "La Traviata," declined to sing
and bones; and both the urns and the Jews' harp ap to characteristic negro delineations, was sentimen in that wickedness
opera, the difficulty will, it is believed, at
pear to have been considered splendid specimens tal ballads, sang the beautiful composition for quin last be overcome
writing a new libretto for them.
For the sake of the name given to the instrument, tet in every city in the land, and, as is usual with The scene of the by
first
act will.. I presume, be laid
we quote a few words from the original—" In Nor- popular ballads, the minstrel tenor, the famous at a Dorcas meeting, whence
comes to help
Campbell, of Campbell's Minstrels, first introduced the heroine mix the tea. The Alfredo
two become enamor-
vegia
duae effosae sunt urnae, in it.
ed of each other, but Violetta having been informed
quorum altera cineres et ossium reliquiae, in altera
" I was a wild young fellow when I wrote by the hero's father that Alfredo is a gay young
instrumentum musicum, Danis En Mundharpe' ' Evangeline,'"
continued Col. Hays, " anditgrew spark, and that he was once distinctly seen to wink
(a mouth harp).
out of a frolic. Just before the war I was visiting at a barmaid, the heroine resolves in the second act
one summer up in Oldham county, near Lagrange to tear herself from him. This scene is as heart-
THE ARION SOCIETY'S FESTIVAL.
There was a party of gay young ladies visiting th rending as it is in Signor Verdi's opera when the
is tolerably well sung. In the third act, after
VERY enjoyable summer night festival wai house also, most of whom have children now as old music
some weeks of parting, the two meet at a Sunday-
as I was then. Among them was a beautiful girl
held by the Arion Society not long ago
1
treat, Violetta hanging on the arm of the hand-
Washington Park and the adjoining pleasure who resembled the ideal pictures of Longfellow school
young curate. In vain does the hero storm
ground, Jones's Wood Colosseum, in New York • Evangeline' so closely that I called her by th some
rage ; in vain does he take her behind the trees
city, both of which were brilliantly illuminated for name, and it clung to her as a nickname. On and Hampton
Court and throw a packet of buns at
the affair. Two thousand persons, including man evening we were all invited over to a frolic at th at
her
feet.
The
young damsel, sheathed in the armor
residence
of
Hon.
Robt.
D.
Mallory,
and
all
went
well-known and influential German citizens wit
her sex, promptly shrieks and faints, while the
their families, were present. The decorations c We danced and sang, and soon discovered that foui of
and all the Sabbath-school scholars declare
the Washington Park dancing pavilion were strik- of us could sing very nicely together. We triec clergy
to be a most abandonod young man. In
ingly attractive. Tasteful folds of crimson drapery ' Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming' and othe Alfredo
final act the last scene of the tragedy is con-
interwoven with imitation lace hung in front of the popular quartets, and got along so nicely that w< the
became quite enthusiastic over our success. Abou summated. Violetta has caught violent cold from
long galleries.
or 2 o'clock in the morning we started to wal fainting on the dew-damped grass at Hampton
the 1
Court, and the doctor saya sho has acquired the
Large
trees and
of evergreens
clustered
many
pillars,
from the lofty
roof about
depended home down the road. The night was as bright as seeds of rapid consumption. She has powdered
day,
with
the
full
moon
hanging
in
the
sky,
and
a:
monster Chinese lanterns, which, contrasted with
her face and donned a dainty dressing-gown with
the electric lights in the vestibules, shed a pale we walked we sang. Finally we sat down in a nici scarlet ribbons, and as she reclines on her two lace-
nook
in
a
field
to
rest,
and
'
Evangeline'
began
yellow glare on the dancers beneath. Lanterns of
edged pillows she looks decidly interesting. The
variegated colors were hung in festoons among the suggest other songs to sing.
'M
A
A
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
September 5th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
26
voices of revellers are heard in the street singing
that profane ballad, "Got'em on," but the sick
and penitent damsel turns for comfort to the new-
est monthly issue of a book of fashion-plates. A
footstep ! a cry ! a sob ! and Alfredo is in her arms!
He protests he never wunk at a barmaid in his life,
and attributes the error to an occassional weakness
of the dexter eyelid. She believes him ! Ah ! now
she will die happy. In vain does Alfredo entreat
her to fly with him to the ambrosial groves of the
Alexandra Palace, where, in connection with the an-
nual outing of the pew-openers and sexton of St.
Startem-in-the-Valley, there are tea gratis and cake
unlimited. She refuses. She cannot. Altogether
apart from the difficulty experienced by Basselas,
how can she go to the Alexandra Palace in her dress-
ing-gown ? So, instead, she lies gently down on
the couch, covers her toes decently with her pretty
robe, and gracefully expires, while charity-boys
sing mourn fully, "Down among the dead men."
The libretto of " La Tcaviata" rewritten somehow
in accordance with the foregoing plan would not
only be acceptable to modest opera-singers, but
also for use at the Royal Academy of Music and
kindred places where the parents of the pupils do
not mind the music, but seriously object to Italian
operatic plots.—Figaro, London.
OBITUARY.
JOHANN CIIMSTIAN LOBE.
T3ROFESSOR J. LOBE, the theoretician, died at
_L Leipzig on the 27th of July. Born at Weimar,
May 30, 1797, he was at first engaged as flautist and
subsequently as violist at the Grand-Ducal Theatre.
His theoretical knowledge soon obtained for him
the title of Professor and it was not long ere, aban-
doning the career of an actual performer, he settled
permanently in Leipzig, working industriously as
writer and teacher. His compositions for the piano
and other instruments are not much known ; nor
was he more fortunate with his operas, " Die Fli-
bustier," "Die F'drstin von Granada," "Wittukind,"
"Der rothe Domino," "Solabella," ka. Hisnamo
is all the more familiar through his writings, es-
pecially his '• Compositionslehre," in four volumes,
which "both simpliiied and presented in a highly in-
telligent form the art of musical composition.
Lobe's " Musikalische Briefe," " Consonanzen und
Dissonanzen," " Katechisrnus der Musik," &c, are
in the hands of every educated musician. From
1846 to '48 he edited the "Allgemeine Musikzei-
tung," then published by Breitkopf and Hartel.
He used frequently to sign his articles " Ein Wohl-
bekannter," and appropriately enough, few readers
being unaware that the " Old Acquaintance " was
no other than " Old Lobe ! "—Su/aale.
THE KAKOCZY MARCH.
A
HUNGARIAN journal gives an interesting
account of the origin of the Rakoczy March
which Berlioz utilized in his " Damnation of Faust"
an example which has since been followed by other
composers. According to the Hungarian paper,
Franz Rakoczy II., one of the heroes (if the war of
Magyar independence, was returning with his
troops from the battle of Szibo, when, on the 10th
November, 1705, he heard for the first time this
air played by a Hungarian named Barna Miska,
and who gave the composition the title of the Ra-
koczy March in honor of the warrior. One of the
descendants of Barna, the " beau Zinka," popular-
ized it by playing it all over the country. At Stuhl-
weissenburg, a musician, the Abbe Vacek, heard it
and wrote it down, and it was issued as a definite
musical composition by a musician named Rus-
zicska. " Since then," says the Hungarian paper,
"according to the custom of the Magyar musicians,
several variations have been added to the March,
according to the taste and fancy of innumerable
executants."
A wag suggested that a suitable opening for
many choirs would be, " O Lord, have mercy on
us miserable singers!"
It is said that the average musician is shorter
lived than those of other professions. This is not
such a gloomy world after all.
The German local Saengerfest which opened in
Philadelphia, Aug. 21st, was concluded on the 22d.
About 10,000 persons were in attendance during
the day. The Saengerfest was held to raise funds
for the great Saengerfest next year in celebration
of the bi-centeuary of the settlement of Pennsyl-
vania. The united Germa n singing societies were
all present and sung during the day.
The fourth annual Saengerfest of the'Peninsula
Sangerbund took place in Grand Rapids, Mich.,
Aug. 22d. In addition to singers of local repute,
Messrs. Franz Remmertz and C. Fritsch, of New
York, were among the soloists.
MUSICAL CHAT
AT HOME.
Letters received in
this city indicate that
there is a probability
of the return of Sig-
nor Campanini for the
coming season. There
is more than one rea-
son for the return of
Signor Campanini to
New York. It is t
derstood that Signor
Campanini takes
much interest in the
construction of the
new opera house. His
suggestions have been
received with great
favor in the matLcis ui construction and internal
arrangement, and it is not unlikely that his name
will be prominently associated with those who
have subscribed to complete one of the finest
places of entertainment in the world.
Mr. Thomas, in accepting the tribute, said that he
did so for the members of his orchestra, to whom,
more than to himself* the pleasure expressed by
the public through Professor Swing was due.
A concert was given at Chatauqua, N. Y., on
Aug. 20th, by the Fiske University Jubilee Singers.
Among the prominent features of the concert were
the splendid piano playing of Professor Max Lieb-
ling, of New York, and the violin solo by Signor
Vitale of the same city. The efforts of both gentle-
men were greeted with hearty demonstrations of
applause.
Some people can invent awful mean slurs.
When the Jenkins girl was whaling away at the
piano and pestered the next door neighbor, the
next door neighbor came out on the steps, listened
to the noise a minute, looked up at the Jenkins
girl's mother, who was at the window, and said.
"Got plumbers at work in your house, haven't
you?" No wonder those families don't speak now.
John Howson, lately singing in " Olivette " with
the Comley-Barton troupe and now at the Hay-
market Theatre, London, in "Gibraltar," is having
a new piece written for him, entitled "Straws,"
and from the pen of Clay M. Green. Remarks as
to its showing "how the wind blows " or in regard
to its " baleful influence " are now in order through
There is a violinist out West who is without arms
and plays with his feet. His playing attracts exchanges.
large audiences but we have our own private opin-
Miss Florence Copleston, assisted by Mme.
ion about a man who plays with his feet in Sum- Julie de Ryther, gave a highly successful
mer with the thermometer at 98 deg. in the shade. matinee musicale at Richfield Springs, on Wednes-
day morning, Aug. 17th. Miss Copleston played
Richard Grant White plays, or did years ago,
the violoncello with a degree of skill, but he is not selections from Liszt, Chopin, Saint-Saens and
Scarlatti, and Mme. de Ryther sang two favorite
a theorist or a well educated musician.
songs by Gabriel.
The Philharmonic Society of Jersey City pro-
The Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Mr.
poses a series of oratorio concerts next season.
The society numbers 175 singers, and is now estab- Henschel's direction, will give twenty evening
lished on a permanent basis. Dr. Damrosch com- concerts and as many afternoon rehearsals this
The orchestra numbers 60 musicians,
plimented them highly for their valuable assistance season.
at the Festival last May, and under the efficient and the library includes 275 numbers, 52
training they have received they may fairly claim symphonies, 85 overtures, 12 concertos and 126
miscellaneous pieces.
to rank among the best choral organizations.
The twenty-fourth annual festival of the Worces-
ter (Mass.) Association will occur on Sept. 2(i, 27,
28, 29 and 30. There will be nine concerts. The
principal works will be the Verdi " Requiem," the
"Creation," and "Elijah." In addition there will
be a number of minor choral works, organ and or-
chestral concerts, and solo singing.
The artists
already engaged are Miss Kellogg, Miss Cary, Miss
Winant, Mr. Tom Karl, Mr. Whitney, Mr. Rem-
mertz, and others of local reputation.
Mr. William E. Mulligan, the organist of St.
Stephen's Church, gave an organ recital at Red
Bank, N. J., recently.
The entertainment was a
social and artistic success.
Messrs. Koster & Bial will change the character
of their entertainments at the hall in Twenty-third
street. The Berliner Ladies' Orchestra have been
engaged, and will begin a series of concerts Sej)t-
ember 16.
The Hess Opera Troupe, including Miss Eisner,
Miss Randall, Messrs. Peakes and Carleton, have
made a decidedly good impression in the ' ' Mas-
cotte," at the Grand Opera House, Chicago. Miss
Eisner is rather new to the stage, but is spoken of
in most complimentary terms as a very pretty girl,
possessing a good voice and charming manner, and
adding positive strength to the organization.
William Carleton, now traveling with the Acme
Opei'a Company, singing in ' ' The Mascotte," leaves
the troupe at the end of this month in order to come
to New York for rehearsals of "Patience," shortly
to be produced at the Standard Theatre. Mark
Smith takes his place in the Acme Company.
Miss Abbott's costumes for the season are already
beginning to excite the attention of the great West.
A Chicago paper has had an interview, in New York,
with the packer of a dressmaking establishment
where the very good goods were being made ready
for shipment. The dresses for the revised edition
of " L a Traviata " are appropriately described by
the correspondent as "pure in tint and chaste in
design."
The advance subscription for the Gerster engage-
ment under Strakosch, in New Orleans, is very
heavy, and as much as $3,000 premiums have been
received for choice of boxes.
The six-weeks season of concerts by the Theo-
dore Thomas Orchestra at Chicago, closed Aug. 20.
The engagement, which has been financially suc-
essful, will be renewed next summer. The aggre-
gate attendance has been 20,000. The programme
of the closing concert was interrupted by the pre-
sentation to Mr. Thomas of some handsome flowers
by the Rev. Dr. Swing, on behalf of the public
Miss Isabel Stone, of Boston, sailed on Saturday,
Aug. 13th, for London, where she is under engage-
ment to sing at a series of concerts this autumn.
Later she will make the tour of the provinces.
Mr. Max Maretzek and Signor Tagliapietra are
giving vocal and orchestral concerts in Cincinnati.
The Emma Abbott Opera Company begin their
season in Denver, Col., on September 5. They
open the new Tabor Opera House, just completed
by Governor Tabor at a cost of half a million dol-
lars. The company is composed of sixty-eight
people in all, and, it is said, are guai'anteed rail-
way fares and $20,000 for the two weeks' engage-
ment.
" Billee Taylor " has been " a g o " in Boston, as
done by the Rice-Goodwin troupe, and, to put it
paradoxically, will probably be a fixture for some
time in Llie " Hub of the Universe and the /Esthetic
Centre of the Intellectual."
They are to have another " opera festival" in
Cincinnati this winter.
Miss Emma Abbott's English Opera Company
contains this year several artists who will be new
to this public, as well as several of those who were
in her own and Max Strakosch's companies last
season. This is the composition of the troupe:
Miss Emma Abbott and Mme. Julia Rosewald,
soiirani; Miss Pauline Maurel and Mile. Annetta
Zelna, contralti; Castle, Fabrini, Cooper and
Appleby, tenori; and Stoddard, Conly, Olmi and
Tarns, baritoni and bassi, with Signor Tomasi as
conductor. The repertory ranges all the way from
" Faust " and " Rigoletto " to " Olivette."
Adamowski, the violinist, has composed a comic
opera, entitled "Priscilla." The libretto, which is
by Mr. J. T. Wheelwright deals with the loves of
Miles Standish.
" Priscilla" will probably be
produced in Boston this winter.
Mr. Curl Zerrahn has been re-elected conductor
of the Boston Handel and Haydn Society. This
will be his twenty-eight year of service.
Mr. Charles L. Siegel, musical director of the
Yorktown, Virginia, chorus, was in Washington a
few days ago, and while there he conferred with
Col. Craighill and Col. Forsyth with regard to the
erection of the music stand at the centennial of the
surrender festivities
Work will be begun on the
stand about the 1st of September. Mr. Siegel also
conferred with Capt. De Souza, leader of the United
States Marine Band, and the latter will arrange the
music to be played by his band as accompaniment
to the chorus. The band is composed of thirty-six
pieces, and is, with perhaps one exception, the finest
in America.

Download Page 3: PDF File | Image

Download Page 4 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.