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February 20th, 1882.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
207
I would not blame this audience had the song Memories, fantaisia, as given in
under
been delivered with poetic fervor, or with any at- date of January 28, we fail, after having care-
fully examined the above composilions, to dis-
tempt to ally the text with the music.
I would not blame any audience for applaud- cover the 1 xceedingly clumsy and alt >gether mis-
placed modulations in "Nights of Music," as also
ing Annie Louise Cary after she sings this song.
Annie Louise, however, is the only vocalist who the painful harmonic progressions, as, according
to the criticism, are located on page 3 in "Sad
ever understood the song.
(Signed by) H.A.CLARKE,
When she sang "Far, Far Away," she imbued Memories."
Professor of Music at University of Penna.
the words with such tender sentiment, and with
MICHAEL H. CROSS,
such musical expression, conveying distance and
remoteness, that one was carried to the far away Director of the Music and Organist of the Church
Swanee river, where the old folks were at home.
of the Holy Trinity—Conductor of the Cecilian
Society.
But you know Annie Louise is a remarkably
J . E . KoCHERSBEROER,
gifted artist, and one of those artists gifted witn
the quality and ability of conveying her own sym-
Professor of Harmony and Organist, etc.
E hear a great deal of talk about musical cul- pathies and emotions to the listener.
The original of this is in my possession.
ture—about the great advance in musical It was not the quality of the voice that did this,
T. M.
ideas that has taken place in this country during but the expression which permeated it.
the past twenty years, and how New York has With Patti, it is simply perfect voice quality;
PHTLADELPHIA, February 7, 1882.
been affected by this improvement.
but it seems as if la diva does not understand the Editor of THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW:
We hear experienced musicians telling us of the song.
SIR—By reading my letter, under date of Janu-
ignorance of the masses twenty years ago; of the Here, however, is a digression that I did not in- ary 29, as written to the editor of
, you will
diminutive size of the audiences that patronized tend to make.
see that I merely asked him whether he would
the Philharmonic for two decades past; of the I was referring to the success of such popular publish the document above referred to, while at
popularity of commonplace musical organizations. songs with audiences that are supposed to possess the same time I asked for an answer.
We hear all this, and we begin to appreciate the musical culture.
He failed to reply, although nearly a week
fact that our city has become a musical centre; a The greater your appreciation of classical music elapsed between my letter and the publication of
city of refuge for misunderstood musical talents; is, the more distasteful will the popular music be his paper, but published the whole matter, with a
a home for the oppressed musician of all climes. to you.
note written by himself, and in which he con-
In the course of the many self-adulations we in-
If people become exercised over a poor rendition tinues to throw mud on me.
dulge in, we are continually losing sight of facts of a popular song, it compels one to lose confi- I have been before the public as a writer for
—stubborn facts, that are weekly, daily, and even dence in the much vaunted musical culture of thirty years, or more, and such a ferocious attack
hourly presenting themselves before our benighted to-day.
as the one in
has never been made on me
minds.
Yours truly,
Another episode that made me think about this before.
It is certain that people are more readily con- occurred at the last Symphony concert.
THEO. MOELLING,
vinced of their own advancement and advantages That prodigy, young Michael Banner, the vio-
No. 808 North Sixth street,
than of anything that could expose their defi- linist, played as an encore at the Public Rehearsal,
Philadelphia.
ciencies.
[The above was crowded out of our last issue.
February 2, an arrangement of the song, "Willie,
I know it will be a bitter pill for many to swal- You Have Left Me."
We are glad to accommodate Mr. Moelling, or
low, who have been exalting themselves in im- It was received with unbounded enthusiasm.
any one else among musicians and the music trades,
aginary flights, to have the beautiful castles which
On the night of the concert, February 4, he who seeks justice at our hands. We would advise
they have reared rudely and stiddenly torn to the played a Bach aria.
him, however, that he is dignifying the matter too
ground.
Ic was received with isolated instances of ap- much. The object of the fellow who handles his
Yet I am compelled to state a few truths which plause, and, as to any enthusiasm, there was none compositions so roughly, is simply to set musicians
are more essential to musical culture than all the displayed.
by the ears and make them rush into print with
mistaken views of enthusiasts.
Now, it must be remembered that this occurred indignant letters. That's his little game. Criti-
cism is a secondary consideration. We print these
As an instance which carries more weight with at Symphony concerts.
it than any argument or theory that can be offered,
These are the select concerts given here, and letters simply to point a moral: People who patron-
let me show you the results of Patti's methods.
they represent the cultured musical element in our ize this man are sure to regret it.—EDITOR MU-
SICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.]
Here is the greatest vocalist living coming to society.
this country and singing the most ordinary songs Yet to these very audiences Bach was an enigma,
and arias that have been written.
and "Willie" was fully comprehended.
DEATH OF HENEY TUCKER.
Every newspaper of prominence, including the Such episodes are not reassuring to the consci-
' 1HHE funeral of Henry Tucker, the musical com-
musical journals of the country, deprecated her entious lover of music.
poser and writer of popular songs, took place
action, but it appears that she was a better judge How is it that the many beautiful songs of i
on February 12, from the residence of his family,
of our taste than any one here.
Schumann, of Franz, of Gounod, of Rubinstein, 53
Downing street, Brooklyn. His death was caused
She persisted in singing the songs which she and of Schubert are not heard?
by a brain affection, from which he had been a suf-
first sang here, and continues to do so all over the
This is a pertinent inquiry.
ferer for years. He leaves a wife and three daugh-
land, and scores the greatest success and attracts
Why does the old Italian aria flourish, with its ters. The interment was at Cypress Hills Ceme-
the largest audiences at the highest figures ever popular encore every time?
tery.
paid to any vocalist that sang here.
There are answers to these questions, and these
It is not surprising that her success continues answers compel us to admit that we boast too Mr. Tucker was born on December 13. 182G, in
in the other cities of the Union, when audiences much about musical culture, which, in fact, does Kingston, Canada West, where his parents had re-
moved from Connecticut. He,was educated at Au-
here demanded encore upon encore after she sang not exist.
burn, N. Y., where he graduated at the academy.
"Home, Sweet Home."
The Bowery concert halls are crowded nightly
A great many people will say: "Ah! it was Patti with persons who encore the same old songs that In childhood he displayed a remarkable predilec-
tion for music and an aptitude for performing on
who sang these songs."
are encored at Steinway and Chickering Hall.
That would be a tangible excuse if the same We know them, and many that are dead now every instrument he could get access to. When fif-
teen years old he composed the Kingston waltzes,
kind of greeting would not be tendered to singers many years knew them.
which were played all over the country.
who cannot claim any artistic acquirements.
The great songs in the musical libraries are
He gave lessons on almost every musical instru-
The other night I was at a concert at Steinway rarely heard.
ment, but more especially on the piano, organ, and
Hall.
In their stead we hear popular airs, that every
A lady of voluptuous figure, with the good- one has known since childhood, and they are re- guitar. He was church organist in several churches
natured expression and disposition common to ceived with the same furore as they were twenty in this city. His principal work was the compos-
ing of music for sougs and arranging choruses and
stout people, sang a solo.
years ago, and still we have made tremendous cantatas,. When variety entertainments first came
The audience was large and apparently intelli- strides in musical culture!
NIOHTSNUTZ.
in vogue in this city he furnished music for many
gent.
of the ballads written by George Cooper. Eva
The aria she sang was one of the ordinary Italian
POINTING A MORAL.
Brent, a popular ballad singer of that time, sang
kind, composed a half century ago, and preceded
PHILADELPHIA, January 30, 1882.
only Mr. Tucker's compositions.
by one of the choicest vocal compositions known
After her death he used to say that no one but
Editor of THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW :
to the cultured musical world.
SIR—I wrote to you a few days ago, enclosing she had ever done them justice. He composed the
Well, she sang it. and she sang it very poorly.
music for "When This Cruel War is Over," "Dear
, of January 28.
It had the catching form of the Italian aria of that a criticism taken from
Since then I have received a complete exonera- Mother, I've Come Home to Die," "Sweet Gene-
period which has permeated the brains of our pro-
tion from gentlemen like Adolf Neuendorff, Mr. vieve," and many others equally popular. His
genitors and left its imprint upon ours.
As I said, she sang it poorly, and I am firmly Michael Cross, Conductor of the Cecilian Society; ' 'Star of the Evening" quartette was very popular.
convinced that had she sung it still more indiffer- Mr. Hugh Clarke, Professor of Music at the Uni- For the last few years he composed the words of
his songs as well as the music.
ently, the encore she would have received would versity of Pennsylvania, etc.
I will enclose a copy of the document, and would
Among these latter productions are "When
have had more positive force in it than the pow-
erful one that greeted her at the conclusion ot the like to know whether you will insert it, if Mr. Starry Eyes Look on the Sea," "Go Softly and
Freund, of whom I have made a demand for doing Safely," ! "My Own Darling," a sequel to "Nora
aria.
O"Neil,' "Yes, I'll Write You a Letter from Home,"
As an encore, she sang "Down Upon the Swanee so in his next issue, should refuse to do so.
It is the total absence of the blemishes which "God Reigns, Oar Country Is Safe," composed
River."
Oh, what a grand old song that was, and is, to he accuses me of and the insulting manner in shortly ufter the death of President Garfield. His
which the article is written that has exasperated last production is a cantata called "Joseph and His
many ears!
Brethren," which has never been published.
Yours truly,
But it has been sung so many quintillian times, me.
THEODORE MOELLING.
Prof. Tucker, as he was usually called, was be-
that the walls of every concert room and every
low the medium height, and inclined to stoutness.
opera house in this country has a reserve stock on
He had a large head and a projecting brow. His
[Copy of the Document.)
hand that has, in the majority of cases, been
conversation was bright and witty, and his com-
hurled into it.
PHILADELPHIA, January 28, 1882.
pany was much sought. He was very industrious,
At the conclusion of this young and tender mu- Mr. Theodore Moelling :
sical romance the audience was fairly carried
DEAR SIR—Having read the criticism on your and hundreds of compositions bear his name.—N.
away.
pieces, "Nights of Music," waltz song, and "Sad Y. Sun.
W