Music Trade Review

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September 20th, 1881.
38
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
that he is a poet and dramatist, as well as a musi-
cian. A dramatist he no doubt is, his plots and
characters are good, but a poet he is not. There
is not a line that he has composed which rises
above mediocrity. His great achievement is in
production of melodies of unearthly beauty, of an
order distinct from those of any other composer, but
chiefly in the extraordinary development he has
given to the orchestra, especially to the stringed
instruments. His music is not merely epoch-
MOZART.
making, it is a new revelation. Wagner has never
Mozart's style was that of pure beauty. His written anything that could, by any possibility,
music poured from his soul in inexhaustible flow lave been produced by another master. * * *
and freshness. His music is that of a refined spirit, Wagner is the Shakspeare, the Turner of music.
delicate, sentimental, feminine. There is sparkle His beauties do not lie on the surface : one of his
in Haydn, color in Mozart; effervescence in the operas will not take by storm when first heard : it
former, flow in the latter. The great distinguish- must be heard again and again, and then again and
ing work of Mozart is that he changed the sex of again, and, each time heard, some new idea, some
music. In Bach, Handel, and Gluck, the music is new beauty, some marvellous perfection will be
essentially manly. Vigour is its characteristic ; it the reward. His music must be digested to be
is massive, logical, bold. In Haydn it is still male ; ?njoyed. He never flatters the ear, he uses it as
but it is the new music in boyish joy of heart. It ;he passage to the soul. He has his craze, but also
has renewed its youth, but not deposed its virility. liis inspirations ; his theories, which entangle his
But Mozart's music is altogether female. Its genius, but his genius bursts through them. He
beauty is feminine. Instead of massiveness is is his own and his worst enemy. Puffed up with in-
flexibility, in place of logic, sentiment; pathos in ordinate vanity, he believes it his mission to reform
lieu of boldness. There is no disparagement in the musical drama on some fantastic theory which
saying this. Woman has a special beauty of her is not worth discixssion, but which may be Hegel-
own, and man has his special beauty. Both are ian. A German is nothing if he be not a philoso-
beautiful on different forms. Mozart achieved a pher, and Wagner has invented a philosophy of
great work in drawing his musical Eve out of the the opera; he will kill his genius to build it up
side of his predecessors, and he gave to the world and lime it with his blood.
a new type of loveliness.
sunshine. The ideal character of all Haydn's works
ip joyous youth and inexhaustible freshness. The
master remained to the end of his days a child in
the noblest sense of the word, and his music has
the power of breaking off the chains of daily cares,
of sweeping the cobwebs out of the heart and
brain, and like no other music, of bringing back
the soul to sunny innocence and childlike enjoy-
ment
MUSICAL CHAT
AT HOME.
The following letter has been written to Mr.
'red. Schwab, of New York city, apropos of Au-
ran's new opera " T h e Snake Charmer:"
PAH IS.
DEAR MB. SCHWAB : I handed yesterday to M.
D£fossez the score and orchestral parts of my now
pera comique, " The Snake Charmer." Do not for-
get that during the rehearsals the conductor may ask
mo, by letter or cable for any suggestions ho may re-
quire. I shall always answer him witli promptness
md
precision. Landolff has made for the revival of
1
The Maacotte " and for the production of " T h e
Snake Charmer" lovely costumes. All this is of
ood promise for the success of tho performances In
America, a success I am most concerned in, as you
an imagine. You have an excellent mise en scone
by Hame, the most careful of Parisian stage mana-
gers. I have rehearsed my score for M. Defosst*z
and for yourself (who are a very good musician) a
sufficient number of times for you to know it by
heart, and hence I am quito easy in rospoct of tho
execution, especially with Mr. Jesse Williams, the
capital conductor, and the admirable artists whom I
know have been eugagod for the season at tho Bijou
Opera House. My best compliments and sincerely
yours,
*
EDWARD AUDRAN,
No. 28 Rue Multon, Paris.
The annual election of the Orpheus Singing
Society was held at the association's room on Main
street, near Huron street, Buffalo, on the evening
BEETHOVEN.
MUSIC AT THE SUMMER HOTEL.
of Sept. 2. There were 104 votes cast and the
Beethoven was altogether different. He was the
E don't mean the delicious strains of the friendly contest was a spirited one. The Trea-
Goethe of music : his is the style of manly ethic
band on the piazza, to which you can listen surer's report was read and showed that the
pathos. Pure beauty was not what he aimed at from your boat on the water, or dreamily lying on Society has now a membership of 472, of which
creating, but the expression of thought. His the moonlit beach, says the Boston Musical 113 were added during the past year. There ia
musical passages are ideas to be studied and ex Herald; we refer to the noble strains of the hotel now $562.82 in the treasury. Last year the Society
gare two concerts, a masquerade ball, a reception
panded, drops of fire from which to kindle light. piano.
"Music," said he, " i s a loftier revelation than
It is an instrument which has seen better days. by the ladies on New Year's eve, a sleigh ride party,
wisdom and philosophy ; it is wine stimulating to Its tones come forth reluctantly and tremulously, an excursion to Detroit and a summer night's fes-
new achievements. I am Bacchus, casking this as if, though forced to give a waltz, it were medi- tival at Ziegele's summer garden on Main street.
costly drink for men." Beethoven's music is in tating upon more serious topics. Possibly, the They entertained societies from New York,
tricate, elaborate, scientific. He labored at his salt air has gnawed at its vitals, and added to its Brooklyn and Pittsburg. All the entertainments
given by the Society were free to the members
manuscripts without weariness, till he had polishec secret sorrow. It is also overworked.
with the exception of the trip to Detroit. Follow-
and burnished as much as was possible. He
At
early
morn,
the
summer
boarder
dreams
that
labored, as he said, "after a perfection which he the young mermaids have come to the beach, and ing is a list of the officers elected:
felt, but could not describe." Every work of his are taking a short course of harp instruction. He
President—J. Adam Lautz.
muse is gone over painfully, and every where bears wakes, and finds that Miss Pinchbeck, who has
Vieo-President—J. W. Diehl.
the mark of his chisel. The result is highly artistic been exhorted by her teacher to "keep up her
Recording Secretary—Eniil Meyer.
but there is a want of spontaniety about it, of airy practice," is painfully struggling with Duvernoy
Financial Secretary—John C. Duorr.
grace, of easy production, such as characterizes and Czerny. The latter seems to get the best of it
Treasurer—Charles F. Bishop.
the creations of Mozart. His music was the Ian although they are badly mutilated in the fray
Librarian—H. A. Erlonbach.
guage in which he expressed ideas. The wonder Breakfast. After this is disposed of, Miss Jingler
Music Committee—A. Brunn, C. F. Hager, F. 0. M.
ful mystic Canzonetta for violins bears the super- plays the " Siren's Waltzes;" that is, she plays No Lautz, Otto Besser, Alex. Cordes.
Trustees (three years)—Philip Becker, Charles
scription ' ' Holy thanksgiving of a convalescent;' 1 of the set, which is all she has learned by heart
Krull, J. W. Diehl, Charles Lautz.
it is a picture of his own mind in such a condition and
which
is
all
she
has
played
since
her
arrival
Sand on glass, by the vibrations of music, wil but she makes up for this by playing it very often
The Arion Musical Club of Milwaukee, under
arrange itself in various forms. The movements
dinner, the young man who loves music the energetic management of Messrs. J. L. Colby
of ideas in Beethoven's brain vibrated into musical Before
out a few hymn tunes. It is astonishing and W. L. Tomlins, is making strong efforts for an
phrases and fixed themselves in notes. Of his picks
exasperating " The Sweet Bye and Bye " can effective musical campaign during the coming sea-
Symphony in C flat, Beethoven said himself, " 1 how
when played with one finger, with long son. The chorus is once more in fine order, a num-
is Fate knocking at the door," that terrible Fat* become,
and uncertain intervals between the notes. Din ber of the old members having returned, and it is
which awaited him, deafness. He foresaw its ner.
After which, the funny young man sits down probable that Handel's great masterpiece—" The
advent, and in that Symphony we read his agony, and sings
"Little Sallie Waters," and then amuses Messiah "—will be performed during the early part
his resolves, his resignation.
himself by playing accompaniments without an; of the winter, with a full chorus and grand orches-
tunes to them for a half-hour. Interspersed dur- tra, with a full list of soloists selected principally
SPOHB.
ing the afternoon is the "Fatinitza March," whicl: in Milwaukee. The managers also intend to give a
Spohr struck a German note in his " F a u s t ; ' is played by all the young la.lies at short intervals, series of classical concerts during the winter, the
but he was far too steeped in the doctrine of t h with the pedal down all through. As the moon programmes being made up of standard musical
musical schools to take the popular ear and toucl rises upon the expanse of waters, the sentimenta works, and they hope that the musical public of
the national heart- His " Jessonda," a work, tin voung lady sits down, and plays " Triiumerei.' Milwaukee will feel sufficient interest in the under-
music of which glows with Oriental richness, wa She is so much soothed by this that she soon fol taking to extend the necessary assistance in order
to crown their efforts with success.
too widely removed from German sympathy to bi lows it with Mendelssohn's ' ' Consolation."
appreciated by others than artists and scholars
We know the prospect. To-morrow, " Consola
Mr. Joseph Mosenthal, of New York city, re-
His other operas, "Zemir and Azor," " The Al tion" will come first, and will be followed b lieved of his cares during the summer, has devoted
chymist," " T h e Crusader," " T h e Spirit of th " Traumerei."
some of his leisure to the work of composition. He
Mountains,'' fell flat. He obtained a better hearing
The children are not counted in the above pro has written, among other things, a choral service
for his Oratorios, " The Last Things," " Ou gramme. They take a bang at the instrumen for the Episcopal Church, which will be produced
Father," and the " Fall of Babylon." Spohr' whenever it is not occupied. Poor, forlorn piano, at Calvary Church, of which he is the organist and
scientific importanoe is double; as a violinist he yours is a hapless fate! Poets have sung of the musical director. The score shows it to be, as the
founded the German violin school; as a composer " ceaseless music of the sea," but none have yet composer himself thinks, some of the best and most
he maintained subtlety of harmony and elabora- done justice to the ceaseless music of the seashore effective of his writings. The several movements
tion of instrumentation against the superficiality piano.
are marked by the sturdy, manly style whioh is
of Italian melodiousness, which used the orchestr
characteristic of Mr. Mosenthal, and throughout
merely as an accompaniment to the air, and whicl:
There is hardly a literary man in America whos there is no suggestion of the sentimentality that
could dispense with half the instruments withoul writings have been more widely read than those o mars most of the modern church music. Another
marring the effect of the composition.
Dr. J. G. Holland, nor one whose name is bettei work, which will be welcomed by Mr. Mosenthal's
known among the people. I t is said that nearlj friends, is a four part male voice song, written for
600,000 copies of his book have been sold, to saj the Mendelssohn Glee Club, which will be sung
Wagner attaches to Weber, his musical ancestor, nothing of the enormous sale each month of Scrib during the coming season. The song is of humor-
His ideal is the foundation of a German nationa! ner's Monthly, over which he presides as Editor-in ous character, bright, and full of spirit, and ex-
drama, which shall be on German soil to th( chief. The Century Co., publishers of Scribner\ hibits the talent of the composer in a vein in which
German people what the Greek tragedy was to th (to be known as " The Century Magazine" afte] he is but little known by those who judge him
Hellenes on Greek soil. Like Lortzing, he write October), will soon issue a portrait of Dr. Hoi chiefly by his writings for the church.
his own texts, feeling that the same mind ought t land, which is said to be a remarkably fine likeness
Leibolt's Military Band has been engaged as an
express in music as well as in words its own it is the photograph of a life-size crayon-drawing o
thoughts ; that the setting of other men's words is the head and shoulders, recently made by Wyati additional attraction at the Metropolitan Concert
but a translation into another tongue, and a tran Eaton, and will be about the size of the original Hall, New York city. Mr. Iludolph Bial's orches-
lation never fully expresses the poetry of the picture. It is to be offered in connection wit" tra will continue, as usual, to furnish the chief
original. Wagner starts with the assumption subscriptions to The Century Magazine.
parts of the nightly programme.
W