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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
In 1875, during Mr. Wood's life-time, the board of
trustees was created to take charge of the college,
and the Legislature passed a law empowering the
Board of Park Commissioners to set aside a plot of
ground as a site for the proposed conservatory,
which Mr. Wood desired should be known as ' 'The
Samuel Wood Free College of Music." In accord-
ance with the act, sixteen acres of land surrounding
the present Metropolitan Museum of Art were
set apart for this purpose, and thus the trustees
would be able to secure the site without incurring
any expense.
Dr. Elmer said that it was proposed to begin
building in the spring, and that the college would
be modelled after the Paris Conservatory, with
possibly some improvements on the architecture
and methods of construction of that institution.
It was proposed to make the Wood Musical College
the finest institution of its kind in the woi'ld.
After the building had been erected, the remaining
fund would undoubtedly be sufficient to provide
for free instruction on the most elaborate scale.
The best musical talent in the country would be
employed.
January 5th, 1882.
the most conscientious and careful of men. He
said to me: 'Doctor, do you know my opinion of
onservatories, compared with private instruction?
This is it: When I see how much better my class
ITALIAN OPERA.
pupils do than my private ones, it makes me feel
as if I didn't wish to give another private lesson.' " T3EFORE the close of the present season of
' 'Then you are of the opinion that the Conserva- J O Italian opera, Colonel Mapleson vouchsafed
tory is the place in which a thorough musical o give one representation of "Mefistofele," which
ducation can be obtained,—much better than by we referred to, and to which we accorded the en-
omiums due to the representation; and prior to
means of private instruction?"
"I certainly do," replied the Doctor; "and as to his departure with his company on the annual
New York Conservatories, and the dissensions ex- provincial tour, we were gratified to hear the an-
nouncement of Meyerbeer's "Les Huguenots"—
isting among them, I know nothing at all.
"I will simply add, that the conservatory, which much more gratified in hearing the announcement
has been established in Europe for over three hun- than in hearing the opera.
dred years, is an essential element in the art edu- It requires the boldest effrontery to produce a
cation of the nation, and should have the same *reat work like "Les Huguenots" in the muti-
advantages that are secured to the student in ated form in which it was temporarily rehabilitated
schools, colleges, and universities, since its sys- on Wednesday, Dec. 21, and subsequently at the
tem is, or, at least, should be, the same. I have ast opera performance, December 24. Cutting of
tried, and I think with success, to create a con- scenes and acts destroys the symmetry of a work
servatory on such a basis. The faculty of this and makes it nearly impossible to arrive at a just
institution is a permanent part of it, just as a fac- conclusion as to the merits of the performances.
ulty is a permanent part of a school, college and A grand opera like Meyerbeer's work consists of
university. As a result of this system, I can an elaboration into scenes and acts of one complete
point out such graduates as Lillian Norton, who and formulated idea, and when this idea loses its
AMERICAN CONSERVATOBIES.
has created such a sensation in St. Petersburg and onsistency by a series of mutilations, the whole work
Paris, and Mrs. Aline Osgood, whose reputation as is jeopardized, and the performance loses its value.
THE NEW ENQIiAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC.
In fact, the management would do better to
IGNOR ERRANI'S attack on the conserva- an oratorio singer is now universal; also many acknowledge
its incapacity to produce the opera
tories of music in this country, as published others too numerous to mention now.
"We receive applications daily, from all over the than risk performances such as we witnessed on
in THE MUSICAL CKITIC AND TRADE REVIEW, to-
referred to.
gether "with the replies by Mr. Alexander, of the ountry, for teachers of music, who are required the It occasions
is unnecessary to make a detailed statement
New York College of Music; Mr. Eberhard, of in music schools and regular colleges, and we can about
the particular scenes and the act which was cut
the Grand Conservatory of Music, and Mr. Gris- mention graduates who are now successful music off. To
unmusical people this was of no moment,
teachers
in
many
institutions
of
learning
in
this
wold, of tho New York Conservatory, have pro-
and the musical portion of the audience did not
duced a great sensation throughout the musical country.
"I am very busy, and cannot say much more to hesitate to show its disapproval. It was stated on
circles of the country.
the programme that "the opera will terminate
The controversy having reached Boston, our you, but will remind you that Harper Bros, sent a with
the window scene in the fourth act." This
representative visited that city and called upon gentleman here to look through this institution, in information
was perfectly gratuitous, but, never-
Dr. Eben Tourjee, Director of the New England order to write the article which subsequently theless, consisted
of an announcement of an im-
Conservatory of Music and College of Music, one appeared in Harper's Magazine. We knew nothing possibility.
of the foremost institutions of the kind in the about his visit, and were wholly unprepared.
Colonel Mapleson's performance closed with
United States, in order to hear what the Doctor After examining the conservatory he said: 'The New that
particular scene, but not Meyerbeer's opera.
England
Conservatory
of
Music
is
the
model
in-
had to say about the matter.
Meyerbeer closed his opera exactly where it was
"Why," said the Doctor, "I am altogether un- stitution of the age.
best fitted to close, and we are quite sure'that he
acquainted with the music schools in New York
never, in the most dreamy moments of his exist-
city, never having been in one of them or investi-
ence, could have supposed that any manager would
NEW MUSIC.
gated their systems. I only remember, and very
ever make such an innovation.
BY OLIVER DITSON & Co., BOSTON.
distinctly, too, that about ten years ago Theodore
The cast is well-known by this time, and the
Thomas, during a visit to our conservatory, criti- "Beauties of Sacred Song." A collection consist- performances
of the various singers have been
cised the New York music schools very severely, ing of fifty-eight songs taken from oratorios and closely scrutinized,
to such an extent that the
while he stated to me personally that the New other religious music, and including vocal composi- musical people here even
know exactly what each artist
England Conservatory of Music was an exemplary tions of Handel, Marschner, Thomas, Mendelssohn, can do.
institution, upon which it would be difficult to Hiller, Gounod, Bishop, and many other composers We will say that Mile. Paolina Rossini gave a
of less celebrity. As a matter of course, a few
improve."
have crept into the collection which might most genial representation of the role of Valen-
'•How about Errani's strictures in regard to Mr. songs
have been left out. The original text is in most in- tino, evincing vocal and histrionic abilities which
Thomas's absence from the New York College of stances
adhered to, and English, Latin, German, and we do not meet with except in rare cases.
Music?"
French texts are added whenever they are really Mile. Juch's voice does not possess the calibre
"Well," said the Doctor, "the only way in which necessary.
power necessary for the role of Marguerite of
a music school can be successfully managed is by The collection is intended to reach a class of and
Valois.
repeat, that the other artists are
the constant presence of the director and the purchasers who are unable to secure tho same com- known to We
be fully able to cope with the roles that
faculty. That is, at least, the experience of all positions in costly editions.
assigned to them.
the renowned institutions in the world. For in- The same firm send us a "Norway Music Album," were
The importance of the choruses seems to have
stance, here in our Conservatory we have an aver- dedicated to the memory of Ole Bull, and consisting been
overlooked, and the indifference of that part
of a selection of folksongs, dances, national airs and
age attendance of nine hundred pupils."
recent Scandinavian compositions, arranged for of the performances was the direct cause of the
"What! nine hundred pupils?"
and solo singing, with a few four-part failures of the grand choruses, especially the
"Yes, sir; nine hundred pupils, and seventy-five pianoforte
songs,
and
having, in addition to the original, an "Blessing of the Poigniards." Here was a climax
professors, with twenty-eight rooms, as facilities English text,
the whole being edited by Auber of the opera which was entirely lost in the slug-
for instruction. These professors cannot go off Forestier and Kasmus B. Anderson. There is an gishness
of the chorus work, and the total absence
on concert tours. They must be at their posts introduction giving the biography of Ole Bull, Ed.
any kind of inspiration.
constantly. The distances in New England are Grieg, Lindeman, Svendsen, one of the most cele- of The
must be said of the orchestra, which
very short, and it is jjossible that Mr. Zerrahn brated of the Scandinavian composers, and many was at same
very worst in the "Huguenots." Signor
may be called away for a day or two; but even other Norwegian musical celebrities, and is interest- Arditi its
lost his temper on several occasions. All
that is an exceptional case. Mr. Whiting, for in- ing reading matter.
this was due to his own fault in not giving proper
stance, before he went to Cincinnati, was con- Part first contains ninety-seven numbers and part time
to rehearsals. There is no use in disputing
stantly in attendance. You see, I consider it really second contains thirty-live, surely an exhaustive the stubborn
fact that such an opera requires con-
collection
of
Norwegian
music.
essential that all the teachers should be on the
scientious
rehearsing,
and unless this is done no
Mr.
M.
Gray,
of
San
Francisco,
continues
to
send
spot. My experiences here and abroad have taught us compositions by Joseph Low. "Evening Promen- performance of any merit
can take place—even in
me that the Conservatory is the real school in ade," "At the Fountain," "Turtle Doves," in scherzo a mutilated form.
which a thorough musical knowledge can be at- form; "Love's Greeting," a romanza, very pathetic,
Carmen" was announced for Friday, December
tained, and it has its preference over all other sys- and a "Traumerei," are all excellent piano works of 23, " but
for some reason—well, most any kind of
tems. See, for instance, what Mendelssohn, the their kind. Mr. Luw seems to be an assiduous student, reason—"Martha,"
with her "last rose of summer,"
founder of the Leipsic Conservatory, said on the and no doubt will succeed in making his compos! was substituted. Once
or twice during the season
subject: 'An institution such as the Conservatory has tions popular.
a substitution could be excused, but when it
this advantage over the private instruction of the in- We are always pleased to look at and even occa such
chronic, it is necessarily a nuisance. ;#*> x
dividual,—that by the participation of several in sionally play and sing an average worthy composi becomes
Thus
the
Colonel's preliminary season of opera
tion,
but
when
we
get
hold
of
the
matetial
Mr.
F
the same lessons and in the same studies, a true
W. Helmick, of Cincinnati, sends us, we feel de here is over, and it will not be amiss for us to ex-
musical feeling is awakened and kept fresh among pressed,
and hardly get deeper into the profound amine the work that has been done. We had a
the pupils; it promotes industry and spurs on to works than
the title pages. Ned Abrahams com
dose of "Trovatore," "Traviata," "Lu-
emulation; it is a preservative against onesidedness poses the music and the words of a comic song complete
"Favorita," "II Barbior" and "Martha."
of education and taste—a tendency against which "Clerk in the Music Store," and another one en cia,"
"Lohengrin" and "Carmen" were the redeeming
every artist, even in the student years, should be titled " What's Your Hurry!" with an exclamation features,
with a good performance of "Me-
upon his guard, '—these being the exact words of point. Our hurry will at once manifest itself, and fistofele," together
several
very acceptable representations
the
reason
for
it
is
because
after
looking
at
the
text
the great Mendelssohn, and my experience has
of
"Faust,"
and
the
season virtually closed with
we
find
the
following
libellous
assertions
against
the
surely proved the wisdom of his remarks."
"Les
Huguenots,"
as
described above.
"Clerk
in
the
Music
Store
:"
"I suppose the members of the faculty are very
We were promised "L'Africaine," "The Taming
enthusiastic in their pursuit?"
"He is the ladies' pet;
of the Shrew" and "Fidelio." Comment is en-
"Oh, yes, sir," said the Doctor. "Listen to a
He puts on airs, you bet;
tirely unnecessary. The spring season will, of
remark made to me voluntarily only a short time
He wears a nobby ulster
course, come, and then we may hear "The Taming
That isn't paid for yet."
ago by Mr. J. C. D. Parker, one of "our faculty, a
of the Shrew." We may hear this opera. As to
graduate of Harvard University and a graduate of
Mr. Helmick is hereby requested to spare our the other two, we have little or no hope in regard
the Leipsic Conservatory of Music. He is one of feelings in the future.
to their presentation.
S
PERFORMANCES