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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
IN A CONGEST MANAGERS' OFFICE.
A GALAXY OF ARTISTS.—GROWING POPULARITY OF
CONCERTS.—HOW THE BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED.
busy scene which a reporter for THE
DROPPED in the other day, accidentally, at
I upon T was the a other
day in a couple of rooms at the I Koster & Bial's popular resort and heard
MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW happened
October 5 th,
when the Assembly makes an appropriation of say
$85,000 (they might as well make it $100,000) for
Music in the Parks, and a portion to this Conser-
vatory for Symphony Concerts, another to this,
for Philharmonic Concerts, etc., etc , how the mu-
sic of the future and the present (the latter is
younger) will be heard and disseminated. A
great many abuses will cease and among other
things, the overture of the "Freischiitz" will be
played with an evenly-balanced orchestra. Hamm
will enjoy that. You know he is quite young yet.
I may call there soon again to hear an orchestra
they say, called the "Philharmony," consisting of
ladies of different ages. I will wait a few weeks
until they have things "down fine," as it is graph-
ically called. It would be so ungallant and show
a total absence of chivalry to go there in the be-
ginning of the engagement. I might be apt to
mis-judge the misses (and the mesdames!). Some-
times ladies do play very well, and often lecture
well. The latter seems to be their more experi-
enced field. Mrs. Caudle was, I think, the first
one to venture upon it and make a success. She
has had many successors since. Poor, good girl!
I think about the time your next edition is out, I
will have had the opportunity to hear the ladies
of the Philharmony, fill the place with harmony
and the box-office with money.
Your devoted
NICHTSNUTZ.
Everett House in this city. Messrs. J. B. Pond The Freischiitz Overture." Now, Hamm is cer-
and Max Bachert were in one room directing a tainly a good and conscientious musician and con-
number of clerks, one of whom was evidently the sequently must be a great admirer of Weber and
Rubinstein of the type writer, another was taking consequently also a great lover of that splendid
stenographic notes, while Mr. Charles Crosby, a piece of musical composition, " The Freischiitz
cousin of Miss Kellogg, was driving through a Overture." And it is truly one of the most dra-
pile of letters, newspapers, etc., etc. In the other matic and soul-stirring overtures ever written,
room were several artists, among them Signor full of imposing figures and contrasts, and inspir-
Brignoli, Mrs. Florence Rice-Knox, and Miss ing in its development of musical form. That
Howe, who were trying their voices accompanied much boasted of accomplishment of the younger
by an upright piano.
composers—namely, instrumentation and the
" Want me to speak a little piece for your paper, science of orchestration, is found in this overture
eh !" said Major Pond, a large, hearty, straight- in all the grandeur of simplicity. I love to hear
forward man, to our reporter. " Well, if I can get the work and love to hear it repeated again and
a moment's time from this rush of business I will again.
give it to you."
Now, as I was saying about Hamm at Koster &
" You are quite right," he continued, in reply to Bial's, well he directed and did it well. But I
a remark made by the reporter. " The concert would like to know whether he did not think
business was never in a healthier or livelier con- that the construction of the orchestra was entirely
dition. I have been in it, in connection with my inadequate for the purpose of a " Freischiitz
lecture business since '72 and '73 and I have never Overture." The f and ff passages were all in-
seen it promise better than it does this Fall. If audible on account of the preponderance of brass
you were to cover the smaller towns throughout and tympani over strings. No theme could be
this country as I have done, you would be sur- heard at times and it was a positive pity that the
A CASINO.
prised at the amount of interest taken in them in noble work was again maltreated. The orchestra
musical matters, and you would wonder at the is composed of excellent material, only there is not T was due entirely to the efforts of Mr. Rudolph
natural musical talent—crude and imperfect though enough of it for such a work or similar works.
Aronson, that the Metropolitan Concert Hall
it often is—which is to be found in such places. We must say that sandwiched in between many was projected and subsequently completed. A
I assure you there is a great store of native musi- bad and indifferent compositions, Hamm often had short time after its inauguration, circumstances
cal talent, especially vocal, which is scattered a good piece of work that showed the musician.
(the knowledge of which is of no public impor-
broadcast. It is like many of our other resources,
tance), intervened, which severed Mr. Aronson'a
* * *
it only waits proper development to become
connection with the Metropolitan.
noticeable. Now these musically inclined people You know when a musician is genuine and Lately Mr. Aronson has undertaken the task of
honest
he
loves
the
good
stuff.
You
should
get
a
in our smaller towns, have no other form of musi-
organizing a company for the purpose of erecting
sal entertainment, but that given by such organiza- chance to hear a number of them talking about it a new and novel place of public entertainment, to
around
a
table
with
glasses
of
beer
as
the
only
tions as we send out. Besides, there is always a
be known as "The Casino," to be located at the
large number of people who will not patronize auditors. They don't want an outsider to join corner of Thirty-ninth street and Broadway. Mr.
theatrical, circus or minstrel shows, but they joy- them, because that would produce an interference, Aronson has succeeded in getting a charter and
fully hail the advent of a good concert company." and unless he treated at once, the flow of soul, subscriptions amounting to over $90,000 out of
and cider would cease. After the treat $100,000 to be raised. Work will begin in a very
"We are now filling the time for from six to sentiment
could join them and hear some of the most re- short time. Some of the most prominent mer-
eight concerts a day outside of those to be given he
by Miss Kellogg and her company. These are all markable experiences at occasions when good re- chants and capitalists are embraced in the list of
first-class attractions, for I have made it a point as liable music was performed. Soon an enthusiasm subscribers; among them we mention: Cyrus W.
long as I have been in business to handle only the would become manifest and he would be astonish- Field, Chauncey M. Depew, Jesse Hoyt, D. S.
best. I have probably done more in this way, and ed to hear of episodes as thrilling as the decisive Appleton, J. Pierpont Morgan, James W. Con-
spent more money than any other man in this charges of decisive battles. It's all about some stable, Charlea Lanier, L. L. Lorillard, Robert B.
country, and I had always rather pay the best overture that was played so and so many years Minturn, U. S. Grant, Jr., George Peabody Wet-
price for the best article than deal in that which is ago, under some celebrated director, as it never more, H. O. Havemeyer, J. F. Kernochan, H.
was played until then and as it surely never will McK. Twombly, C. L. Tiffany, L. M. Bates, J. N.
second rate."
played again. The narrator played the viola A. Griswold, C. C. Baldwin/W. H. Fogg, F. W.
" Here is a pamphlet which contains a list of the be
lecturers and the musical artists for whom we make and you can take his word for it, that although he Stevens, J. A. Roosevelt, C. N. Bliss and others.
engagements," said Major Pond, handing our has played it thousands of times since, he never It is proposed that Herr Strauss, of Vienna is to
reporter a long list which included the Kellogg, heard it played in that way. We mean the over- inaugurate the "Casino." When it is completed
the Maurice Dengremont, the Remenyi, the Gil- ture. You see, he forgets that he is about 32 we shall be abundantly supplied with popular
more's 22d Regiment Band, the Arbuckle, the years older than on that occasion, and his auri- places of amusement for the Summer and Fall
Plymouth Church Quartet, the New York Philhar- cular nerve has been strained many hundred times seasons, and with the completion of the Grand
monic Club, and the Weber Quartet Combinations, each year since. He also forgets that he was 32 Opera Building, another structure for musical per-
besides soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone and bass years younger then than now, when the deli- formances will be added to those already in use.
singers and pianists, violinists, harpists, cornetists, cate pp passage was first heard recurring again
and again in its manifold changes with its
ete., etc.
OBITUARY.
" Miss Emily Spader has just been singing for us additional arabesques and embellishments, he
CHARLES LAMB KENNEY.
to-day," said Major Pond. " She has an excellent would naturally think of the blue-eyed girl he
mezzo-soprano voice and is studying oratorio with would soon take over to the "home of the free," piHARLES LAMB KENNEY, who recently died
Dr. Damrosch. One of the most promising con- where he would marry and settle down and make V_y in England, was a son of the late James
traltos we have engaged is a young lady from Bos- money and buy a better viola. Of course, she is Kenney, the dramatist, and a godson of Charles
ton, Miss Alta Pease. Miss Zillie de Lussan we about 50 and over now and one of the boys has a Lamb. He commenced his literary career at nine-
also count upon ; she has a high soprano voice, boy and the viola is much better from constant teen as assistant foreign editor, dramatic critic,
and a bewitching manner, just suited to light opera. play, which grandfather is doing and has been do- and scientific reporter on the Times, simultaneously
She made a hit at Richfield Springs this Summer. ing. Of course he forgets all this and will con- contributing to magazines and writing plays for
There is also Mrs. Helen Norman, contralto of tinue to tell you how grand that performance was. the Lyceum, Princess's, Haymarket, and Adelphi,
Plymouth Church, Miss Emma S. Howe, Miss Well, I suppose it was better than on the occasion in conjunction with Tom Taylor, Shirley Brookes,
Jessie Bartlett, who has a charming contralto voice; I refer to; the surroundings were more adapted to Albert Smith, and Dion Boucicault. In 1851 he
and the Conron Sisters, who have delightful it and I suppose that the government paid a part aided in promoting the objects of the Great Ex-
hibition in Hyde Park. Ill-health obliging him to
soprano voices. These are a few of our vocal of the expense.
give up work on the daily press, he became secre-
artists."
*
'' I could tell you a great deal more, if I only Here, in our good country, all the entertainments tary to Sir Joseph Paxton during his organization
had the time, about the concert business," said of a public description are created by private en- of the transport service for the Crimea. In 1856
Major Pond, as he heaved a sigh and plunged terprise and investment. We suppose that if an he was called to the bar, and became secretary to
into a pile of letters, while Mr. Bachert started orchestra of 20 men is satisfactory the first few M. de Lesseps. He advocated the advantages of
off to telegraph a lists of artists who could be sent nights, the gentlemen who are obliged to foot the the Suez Canal at a time when the enterprise was
bills, will not enlarge it to 25 or 30 men. Talking opposed by Lord Palmerston, and wrote a book
to fill a concert route in the Far West.
confidentially however, an orchestra should really on the subject, entitled the "Gates of the East."
Music is going to be so fashionable during the consist of no less than 40 men and more if possi- Partly owing to his exertions a complete revolu-
present season that all the ladies who attend ble. But as I said before, this is a question con- tion was effected in public opinion, and he re-
musical performances will wear counterpoint lace. trolled altogether by circumstances. It is some- ceived from Seyd Pacha a letter of thanks, accom-
times impossible to pay for more than a limited panied by a diamond ring. Some misunderstand-
Music of the future—promissory notes.
number of men and as a matter of course that ends ing between him and M. de Lesseps deprived him
Music of the past—protested notes.
it. " No money, no music; little money, little of the secretaryship, and his connection with the
Suez Canal ceased. In'1858 he joined the staff of
BEHKENDS, the director of the Strakosch Italian
the Standard as a writer * n social and scientific
or English Opera (as the case may be) is at present
topics, as well as dramatic and literary critic In
in New York and taking it quite easy. During The day may come, although it looks to be off 1862 he was active in support of the Great Exhibi-
the season ke is known as a very hard working about two geological periods, when the Govern- tion at South Kensington, and was awarded Great
dirigent, whose work has often been very un- ment or States will encourage the Arts as an incor- Council Medal and Medal for Services. Besides
grateful. We suppose he will take the "baton porated part of the Educational System. There these services of public utility, he contributed to
under the Strakosch management this season as he is nothing inconsistent with a Republican form of miscellaneous literature—"Count Hamilton's Fairy
has in the past.
Government in such a course. Then you will see
I