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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
October 20th, 1881.
might in the future devote yourself to subordin- >f these, then he is only writing "words, words,"
ate parts, viz:—Lecocq, Audran and Sullivan, and as Shakespeare has it, without meaning. If a
jive a rest to Donizetti, Gounod, Auber, Rossini, madman were fiddling away at one of the symph-
onies of Weber, or Schuman, or Rubinstein, (they
md Wallace.
HE New York Grand Opera House is truly a
)elong to the "romantic" school), his neighbor
*
grand place for operatic performances. The
r the director would know it before the first
But
you
must
never
abandon
your
kind
friend
seating capacity is three thousand and odd seats, be-
measure was completed.
Tomasi.
sides the window sills on both sides of the house,
For Mr. Warner's special information, we will
which have been much favored by the friends and This genial, good-natured and easily-moved di- Ldd
that no fiddling is indulged in when romantic
admirers of " Honest " Emma, who has been oc- ector is an absolute necessity to Miss Abbott. )r classical
music is performed. There is such a
cupying the stage of that place during the two watched him very closely and found him ready rhing as violin-playing,
but not fiddling, unless
to repeat an aria in a mere whisper for an encore.
weeks beginning Oct. 3rd.
ood violin-playing is not appreciated by persons
Emma Abbott is one of the most charming At encore concerts he would be the right man in who have heard music of the "intense" school,
young (?) ladies in the profession at this moment, the right place, if the Abbott engagement should as they call it.
but she does not know how to be modest, nor does cease. Mark what I say, it will cease, I refer to The entire statement credited to Mr. Warner
she know how to sing. I am very sorry to be Abbott Opera. The public can only be imposed
evidence that the writer knows nothing what-
compelled to use plain, unvarnished language, but upon for a few short seasons. Some morning the gives
about music, beyond a superficial acquaint-
really I cannot, I cannot help it. As Heinrich managers of the so-called English Opera Com- ever
any will awake to the fact that all this absurd, nce with a few musical terms, and these he has
Heine says:
put to an absurd use.
" Oh Emma; whoa, Emma! why do you put me aelf-laudatory advertising can no longer be forced It is nobody's fault that Mr. Warner has not
down the public's throat, and on that morning the
in such a dilemma?"
tudied music, or that the art is inaccessible to
My dear MUSICAL CKITIC AND TRADE EEVIEW it beginning of the end will be inaugurated. The him, but it is his fault if he exposes his ignorance
hurts me to say things about a good-natured managers of Emma Abbott will be obliged to with- to the world at large.
" Jenny-Smith-young-girl," who apparently tries draw a phraseology that ignores the existence of
her too too utterly utmost to increase the size of her rtists like the late Parepa-Rosa, and many other
AN APPEOPEIATE PAPEE.
bank account, even at the sacrifice of what she irtists who have appeared in this country in Eng-
claims to be the ideal art. I do not want to be lish Opera.
LINCOLN, Oct. 5, 1881.
* * *
known as an aesthetic young man, nor do I claim
Editor MUSICAXI CKITIC AND TRADE REVIEW,
any exceptional ability as an ordinary young man,
The ipse dixit of any one man is generally not Dear Sir:—It would be a great favor to the pu-
but I assuredly do claim the possession of an ear, redited unless fortified by reasons and facts. I pils
of our Asylum if you would send us your
a big ear, if you please, that can distinguish be- must therefore give some reasons why I write that r aluable
Journal gratuitously and regularly.
tween musical tones and braying. Emma has been mma cannot sing. Of course, I mean in opera Our pupils
very fond of music, and our
at it* for two weeks past without cessation, giving or classical concerts In the first place Miss eachers would are
like to get up for them monthly
us a healthy repertoire of English Opera, so- Abbott has not a musical voice; there are a few musical entertainments
and your Journal would
called.
notes that possess tone, but they are very few and aid us materially in this effort.
a
few
will
not
do.
In
the
second
place,
the
large
She started in with Auber's " Fra Diavolo " an
Hope you may find it possible to grant this re-
old time picture of the most veritable Italian number of notes that lack the essential quality, quest.
Respectfully yours,
C. T. WILBUR.
commonplaces, to which are added bad English make it impossible for her to sing for any length
Supt. Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children,
puns. I admit that I would have been perfectly of time without exposing the uneveness of her
Lincoln, 111.
satisfied to take all this in, had honest, aye honest, register. Her singing of a chromatic scale sounds
[Of course we could not refuse the above request,
Emma stuck to Diavolo; but in spite of the devil, ike a diatonic scale. To make this plainer to hough it occured to us that the most appropriate
she would intersperse the opera with airs from readers who do not understand musical terms, I paper for an asylum for feeble-minded children
other operas, and did not hesitate to sing an aria must state that in singing a run or scale from would be the Art Jabbei-er, edited—with a pair of
from Rossini's " Semiramis " in Auber's " Fra semi-tone to semi-tone, she forces one note and scissors—by W. eak M. inded Tom—-ED. MUSICAL
Diavolo." The Queen of the East captured by the the next note is not heard. The scale, therefore, "KITIC AND TKADE REVIEW.]
bandits of Italy! Think of it! Emma knew, how- is not from semi-tone to semi-tone, but from tone
ever, that she ran but little risk. The audience to tone, and that constitutes a diatonic scale.
FEED. EULLMAN TALKS ABOUT PATTI.
that takes in so-called Grand Opera at 50 cts. for a Her trill is not a musical trill but a sensational
reserved seat does not care for such slight changes device to catch the multitude. Miss Abbott can-
E happened to meet Mr. Fred. Rullman,
of programme. In fact she might have improved not trill.
the ticket and managerial speculator, the
the occasion by singing: '' Way down upon the Another device is the unnecessary length of other day at the corner of Fourth avenue and 14th
Suwanee lliver" and would have succeeded in cap- time that she holds a high note. Any ordinary street. He looked exceedingly happy, seemed
turing a pronounced encore, outside of the clacque singer can perform such a feat, but very few carry bouyant and full of spirit, and was brimful of
that was drilled to do the business at every inap- it to such an excess; it is simply a trap for the talk. We know Fred, to be a good talker ; more-
propriate moment.
ignorant. Her phrasing is contrary to that of the over one.who can always tell us some of the very
vocalist, and if she claims merit for it on the latest musical news. Knowing that he had his
There is where Emma and her backers made a best
of originality, it would be advisable for her hands in the Patti pie we, of course, very
grand mistake. What's the use of singing " Bel- score
to retire into obscurity at once. Last, but not naturally asked him when he expected the diva in
raggio " to an audience that came to hear a fifty- least,
she takes the most unwarranted liberties America.
cent opera.
the works of composers; cutting operas into
" Why "—answered Mr. Rullman—" when I see
Oh, Emma ! you might have saved the wear and with
all kinds of absurd shapes, and transposing aria the cablegram that the steamship with Patti on
tear of what is left of your voice.
voice to another, just as it suits her board has left Queenstown then I'll believe that
Sing anything next time, in any opera you from one She
often leaves out the original aria in she is coming. But not until then. You see,
please, at any place, after such a success in New fancy.
certain scenes and replaces it with a song by Sulli- there is a little sea between Liverpool and Queens -
York.
van, or & force aria of her own from some other town and we do not know how that will affect
* * *
opera.
her."
I wanted to know who "assisted" Emma, in I must state also that Miss Abbott never permits Reporter—What are your ideas of Patti ?
the circus at the Grand Opera, and looking over the a subordinate singer to assume a role that might Mr. Rullman—Ideas ! Why I've known Patti
programme for information, I was stupified by read- unduly exhibit the talent of the subordinate.
she was knee-high. I knew her when
ing this sentence: "EMMA ABBOTT, one of the Why does she not permit Miss Rosewald to since
she was a child of six years, at the time those con-
most finished, artistic, and versatile prima donnas sing Maritana or Marguerite? and why does Miss certs
given in the Musical Hall at Niblo's,
on the lyric stage, whose brilliant record of unin Rosewald sing Olivette? The latter part is not when were
Gottschalk
played. She's more like a
terrupted triumphs is unparalleled in the annals of
to her in any way, while either of the two daughter to me as it were and I speak very plain
music in this country, and who is universally ac suited
named roles would be in competent hands i to her. As I was going to say, I said to her,
knowledged as the 'Queen of English Opera.' " first
"Look here Addy, I'll give you 1,350,000 fr, for
she should assume them.
I was stupified on account of the combination of
Every musical person knows that Rosewald is a fifty concerts in the United States." She seemed
fact and fiction combined in that one short, terse superior
to hesitate and in order to close the matter up, I
singer to Abbott.
and elegant sentence. Emma certainly is " finish But I am
forgetting that it is the Abbott and told her I would make it the round sum of 1,500,-
ed," artistically speaking. Undoubtedly Emma is not the Rosewald
company. That is a suffi 000 fr. You see that was $300,000 for fifty con-
versatile . She saag Marguerite, but would not cient answer to my opera
certs.
questions.
NICHTSNUTZ.
sing 'Praviala; and at last, her conscientious scruples
Well, you know, I had my friends here all
having permitted her to sing Traviata with a
fixed and the money was ready. A few days after-
PUTTING HIS FOOT IN IT.
Moody-Sankey libretto, she throws away all re
ward I got a letter from Nicolini, (I have it now),
straint and abandons herself to the licentious sur
HE following has been published in severa' in which he stated Patti's ultimatum, and that was
roundings of a French Opera Bouffe, and comes
papers about the country :
2,000,000 fr. for himself and Addy, besides
out in " Olivette." Oh ! leave it Emma ! leave i
Dudley Warner says: " You can detec travelling and hotel expenses; also told me that for
alone! Don't begin an indiscriminate fusilade along an Charles
inaccuracy in the playing of the music of Mozar a small figure I could get the balance of the com-
the whole musical line. Let us have some opera as readily
as a finger print on burnished silver; bu pany. Of course that was the end of it.
or operette in its pristine purity !
in one of the romantic symphonies of the intenst
I had everything prepared. Went so far as to
Do not ruin our conceptions of Olivette. I heard school, a madman might be fiddling away mean while
small matters, photographs for instance.
your company do " Olivette " during the firs and nobody would suspect that it was not con- arrange
They cannot get up a respectable photograph in
week of the engagement and also dropped in a summate."
Vienna is the only place where you can
Grand Opera House during the second week, when If Mr. Warner did say that we are sorry for him Europe.
get a good one, and then it does not equal an
the attendance was less over-powering, and you What
he means by the " intense " school, we fai American photograph. I told them out there,
friends more exhausted. Judging from what wa
understand. The "intense" school has hitherk that in the future they had better send their
presented to me, I should suppose Emma, that you to
unknown to everybody but Mr. Warner, anc artists over here to get the photographs. I
had, at last, reached something approaching the been
would confer a favor by informing the muaica' believe now, some of our American photographers
level of your abilities. You know, the Countess in he
have orders from a«ross the water for their pictures
who are the composers of that school,
" Olivette " is merely a secondary role, and fits you, world
is able to detect inaccuracies in the playing o: of artists. When I showed some pictures of pretty
Emma, like the glove upon your finger. You he
the music of Mozart so very easily, he must cer women to Nicolini, Patti said: "He does not
tainly be an able judge of contrapuntal forms an want to look at those photographs; he does not
* " Emma has been at it." Does NICHTSNUTZ mean by this tha their development, as Mozart is foremost in tha' want to see anything, nor anybody.
He only
Miss Abbott has beeu at singing, or brayiug?—ED. MUHICAL, CBITR
description of composition. If he is not a judg< wants to look at me." How's that?
AND THAI>E ltKVIKW.
T
W
T