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84
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
November 5th, 1881.
comparison with our day, rather the exception
than the rule on concert programmes.
Looking b»ck we are amazed at the powerful
nfluence these composers have exercised on the
jomposers of the present time, and our surprise is
increased tenfold, when we reflect that their
names belonged only to the elect of twenty-five
years »go, while to day their names are household
words. This presents" only one item of musical
progress.
Removing temporarily, for argument's sake, the
ontroversy on the subject of Wagnerism in
SLAYTON I.YCEUM COURSE.
music, every fair-minded person must admit, that
CHICAGO.
This course of entertainments was opened last Wagner is a genius or (to be conservative) a rare
week to an overflowing house t in Central Music phenomenon. He is a man of positive originality,
CHICAGO, Oet. 27th.
Hall. The Chickering Male Quartette, Mr. Heine, undeniable intellectual grandeur and intense ap-
r
I "'HE Emelie Melville Opera Company gave the blind violinist, Mrs. Caldwell, the Canadian plication and industry, whose works have, very re-
X Gilbert & Sullivan's latest comic offering, soprano, and Miss Jessie Couthoni, the reader, ently, received a wide encouragement. About
" Patience," for one week, in Haverly's New formed the company. The programme was popu- twenty-five years ago Wagner was groping around
Theatre, to very large audiences. Mr. Haverly, lar in its make-up, and in consequence the audi- n the darkness of obscurity and poverty, known
with gTeat energy, succeeded in having a new ence applauded every number, and made recalls a only to a few who could do little for him, no
theatre erected during the Summer vacation. The necessity. Mrs. Caldwell, the soprano, has a very matter how good their intentions. Here again
appointments, decorations, and upholstery being high but unmusical voice, but as she touches F in Liszt was the encouraging angel pointing to
all fresh, and bright. The theatre presents a very alt, she provokes a certain kind of admiration. a future which would reward the secluded student.
attractive appearance.
Her method is bad, however, and her execution
Anotker interesting future of musical progress is
On either side of the stage are six boxes, which after that too commonplace manner that is unfor- found in the direction of pianoforte culture and
have very graceful hangings in crimson and gold, tunately but a counterfeit of the real thing. Good development. In this particular branch of music
while the style of decoration may be termed orien- singing is so rare in these days, not because there some of the most wonderful strides have been
tal in color. The seating ^capacity of the theatre are so few fine voices, but rather for the reason made. The earlier period, presents a mere techni-
has beea utilized to the utmost, and yet there is that faulty methods of voice culture are indulged al and mechanical phase of instrumental perfec-
enough room for comfort.
in, and even commended by some classes of people. tion, which was allied to a super-sentimentalism.
Two very large and commodious galleries in A good method of voice culture, founded upon the Operatic or other airs were exhausted in the mani-
horse-shoe shape are in the building. These ex- proper use of the vocal organ according to the law fold complications to which the piano variation
tend for a long distance in the back of the theatre, of nature that governs the right use of the voice, subjected them. Liszt, then in the zenith of his
giving great seating capacity.
will produce most gratifying results, which are powers, was the first one to demonstrate to the
Unfortunately the building is situated between attainable by every industrious student. Mr. world the utter absence of profundity or poesy in
two others, and there are no side entrances. In Slay ton, in his course of entertainments, has aimed the cold and illogical solo playing of the day. His
cases of great emergency, a part of the audience to please the people, and he must have been grati- influence had the effect of revolutionizing the
would be forced to make its way out, through the fied at the applause that bore witness to his success whole system, and now the piano is a musical in-
on this evening.
door-ways under the stage.
strument, not a mere machine for the purpose of
" PATTENO*."
Artistically the concert did not present much exhibiting technical perfection. It was Liszt also
It is evident that the people of this generation worthy of note, but taken in a popular sense it was who presented the claims of Bach and.Beethoven »s
pianoforte composers.
love to be amused. All entertainments that pro- a pronounced success.
In those days contemporary composers were
voke mirth, »re always sure of good audiences, and This evening Miss Clara Louise Kellogg and
their managers of large money return*. Life has company make their appearance in this course. I never encouraged; but see what the last twenty-
five years have done for Rubinstein, Brahms, Raff,
been made such a serious matter in thiB new shall make mention of them in my next letter.
Saint-Saens, Tchaikowski, the youthful Sohar-
country of ours, that the people have to use ail
CHAMBER MUSIC.
wenka brothers and Moszkowski. All of these are
their energy and mental force to keep abreast of
The Ingersoll-Lewis Quartette party gave their living and during their lives can find their names
the great wave of commercial industry, that presses
unresistedly through the land. Recreation then first concert of the season last Thursday afternoon. on programmes in all the large and in many of the
becomes a necessary antidote to this almost cease- For a number of seasons this little organization small musical citieB of the world. Compare with
less outlay of energy. And thus the people seek has been holding its own, and furnishing very in- their success the struggle of Berlioz twenty-five
it in the offered amusements. If the mirthful teresting concerts to their patrons. They gave at years ago. and the despair of the wonderful
predominates in a play or a light opera, its success this entertainment, Quintette, Op. H7, of Hum- Schumann.
is insured by the very nature of the demand made mel; Trio, Op. 121, of Rheimberger; and the
A remarkable phenomena, which should not
Quintette of Schubert, Op. 114. Besides these escape us, is, that every one of the above-named
for it by the people.
The people want to laugh; they desire to be pieces, Mr. Lewis played a Polonaise of Chopin, living composers, (and each has already made an
amused, and if, perchance, they obtain what they arranged for piano and violin, and Mr. Knorr impression), was directly and personally influenced
wish, they are willing to pay for their pleasure sang a ballad by Clay. This little club improves by Liszt. It is due to the indefatigable efforts
year by year, and the interest in them increases. and the universal intelligence of this great genius
most liberally.
Thus in the Gilbert & Sullivan operas the people They intend to make good music, and work in that musie of to-day is based upon a broad, com-
prehensive and liberal foundation.
find entertainment. So they are a popular suc- the interest of art.
The encouragement of the living composers is
cess. Taken upon their own ground they do a The Beethoven Society will aid in introducing
good work, in affording a most innocent amuse- compositions of our home composers this year. an evidence of the change which has gradually,
ment. In " Patience " we have a burlesque of a very They have promised to give Mr. Henry Schoen- but beneficially, been worked upon the classes
delicate order, even in a caricature of a prevailing feld's " Salvum fee Regem Domine," a work for which consider music as a refining and cultivating
fashionable taste. A burlesque may deal with per- solo, quartette, chorus, organ, and orchestra. This influence, not alone for the household, but for the
sons and things, but it is more difficult, when it composition was given at the Gewandhaus, Leipsic, masses. The popularity of the art, its universal
before a large audience, but has never had a hear- adaptation for public entertainment; the demand
attempts to comically portray a taste.
for artists in all its various branches; the continued
In attempting this, about the aesthetic craze, Gil- ing in this country. It will provoke interest.
erection of large buildings for musical perform-
COMMENCEMENT CONCERT.
bert and Sullivan have had no simple matter upon
their hands. The modern sesthetic is a slow mov- The Hershey School gave a commencement con- ances and for purposes of musical education ; the
ing person, with more grace than sense, and with cert at which three works were brought out that investments made in musical instruments and
more pretense than real knowledge. Yet he is were written by pupils of the school. I was un- musical enterprises for purely commercial pur-
slow, and hence action is not an element of his able to attend the concert, and so may not speak poses, all prove that a comparison between the
state of music twenty-five years ago, with that of
character. In all comic operas, there must be of its merits.
C. H. BRITTAN.
to-day, would be like comparing the means of
rapid movements to provoke merriment, and to
public conveyance existing then with those exist-
give life to the music. Action therefore is an ele-
ing now.
ment necessary to all comical operas.
LISZT'S INFLUENCE UPON MUSIC.
This was quite impossible with " Patience," and
DR. EAMUQSCH'S EFFORTS.
the love-sick element seemed almost too slow a "VTOTHING that occupies the attention of the
subject for a very successful opera. The many 1 1 intellectual world has made greater progress
nonsensical sayings that were too utterly foolish during the last twenty-five years, than the art of TUDGING from the remarks recently made by
for even a measure of sense, could only provoke a music. The ordinary observer need only be re- eJ Dr. Damrosch, there will be many new and
smile by their want of meaning. As a satire it ferred to the concert programmes of to-day to be interesting works produced this season by the
convinced at once of the complete change that has musical societies of which he is the leader.
failed to receive a prompt recognition.
taken place within the period mentioned; but the
The Symphony Society will give in addition to
Miss Melville is a graceful actress, and sings her philosophic
of art, and especially of the two Beethoven symphonies, either Rubinstein's
few songs in a pleasant manner. The remainder art of music, student
derives more substantial gratification "New Symphony," (op. 107, we suppose), or his
of the company call for no particular mention as
an analytic presentation of the change that "Ocean." His Oratorio Society will give Rubin-
regards vocal ability. They give close attention from
has been going on.
stein's "Tower of Babel," with Campanini and
to stage details, and their action is quite good.
Although three of the brightest stars in the Remmertz as soloists; also " T h e Messiah,"
" T H E MASCOTTE."
musical firmament had within a short time disap- " Israel in Egypt" and Bach's " Matthew Passion"
At the same theatre the Wilber Opera Company peared about twenty-five years ago; although their Music.
gave the above-mentioned work. There are a influence upon their immediate surroundings was
Dr. Damrosch is also director of " The Harlem
number of very clever characters in this company powerful and lasting, yet the musical world in Mendelssohn Union," the concerts of which are
who improve the opportunity afforded them of extenso, did not appreciate; nay, did not encourage given at Chickering Hall. This organization will
fun-making, and provoke unbounded mirth from the compositions of Chopin, Mendelssohn and produce Mendelssohn's "Athalie," Gliick's "Or-
an audience. The make-up of Mr. Harry Brown Schumann. It will be admitted that these three pheus" aud Bach's "Christmas Oratorio," during
as Lorenzo is certainly very good, while his acting composers exercise an immense influence on the the season.
is of the true burlesque stamp. The Bucco of Mr. musical thought and activity of the present day
Chapman was also a well-drawn piece 4 of comedy yet five and twenty years ago, notwithstanding
Dengremont played in Carlaruhe, Baden, early
acting. The Court Physician of Mr. Morris, with the powerful efforts of Liszt, their names were, in in October.
ridiculous. This is a country called the United
States of America, not to be confounded with a
place called the Feejee Islands, which, judging
from the agent's announcement, probably was the
place the agent came from last. We all know that
if Patti and Company sing in concerts and not in
opera, they will give what have always been known
simply as concerts.
STAFF CORRESPONDENCE
his monkey-like appearance and agility, was also a
very humorous piece of acting. While the com-
pany cannot pride itself upon its vocal ability, it
may be highly commended for giving a very amus-
ing rendering of the work. The libretto is not
followed in detail, but the slight changes, and the
additional jokes, and by-play are productive of
much merriment that they are their own excuse.
This company will grow in favor through the West,
because of the amusing ability of the character
actors of the company.