Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
May 2oth, 1882.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
Miss Annie Louise Cary and Signor Antonio F.
Galassi.
(1797-1848)
Aria, "Ah, non giunge" (La Sonnamlmla) ..Bellini
(1802-1835)
Mme. Etelka Gerster.
Romanza, "Eri tu" (Un Ballo in Maschera)..Verdi
(1814)
Signor Antonio F. Galassi.
The concert was essentially popular in its char-
acter, many of the numbers being familiar to
the audience, which was in a most cheerful and
enthusiastic mood during the afternoon, with the
exception of the time when Cherubini's "Les
Deux Journees" was performed, which seemed to
tire the majority of listeners.
There was nothing remarkable done during the
performance, with the possible
exception of the
"William Tell" overtui - e, the success of whieh
was so pronounced that the finale was repeated.
The orchestra did some remarkable work again,
although the technical difficulties during the per-
formances preceding this concert made it suffi-
ciently evident that any difficulties in the Italian
line could easily be overcome.
Miss Cary made her first appearance during this
concert, and was received with great favor.
Campanini, who seems to have arranged this
concert, was in his element. The numbers which
he sang, or in which h
ously applauded, although his voice was covered
and husky. In fact, during the Festival Cam-
pauini could not distinguish himself, as his voice
was not in condition, and on several occasions he
was positively ignorant of his score.
Mine. Gei*sler, Miss Cary, and Signor Galassi
were at home with the music allotted to them.
The other artists sang correctly, but not with
any particular enthusiasism. In its entirety, this
concert, although a pleasant entertainment to the
audience, did not effect its purpose in giving any
comprehensive lesson in the chronological devel-
opment of the music of the Italians. Most of the
examples were too meagre, and others again did
not represent any special development.
SEVENTH
AND
LAST CONCERT-SATURDAY
NIGHT.
MODERN WORKS.
r
T^HE programme selected for the closing night
J_ was peculiarly arranged, in so far as it placed
Rubinstein, with a short aria from "Der Damon,'!
between Liszt's "Dante" symphony and Berlioz's
"Fall of Troy," Act II., the arrangement being as
follows:
PABT I.
Dante Symphony
Scena, "The Demon"
Mme. Gerster.
Liszt
Rubinstein
PART II.
The Fall of Troy, Act II
Berlioz
Chorus, "The Meistersinger"
Wagner
It would have been better to dispense with the
aria entirely, as it is not one of Rubinstein's repre-
sentative pieces, and secondly, Mme. Gerster
could not have expected great results from it in
the large hall.
Moreover, it was performed in a distorted man-
ner. The Liszt Symphony consisted of three
movements, "Inferno," "Purgatorio," and "Mag-
nificat."
A few remarks i-. reference to this attempt to
depict all that is hideous in the imagination,
with the aid of instrumental effects and wierd
melodies and unpleasant harmonies, which we
append, are taken from an English journal, and
are very apropos:
Liszt's "Dante" symphony was written a quarter
of a century ago, and not even his stoutest cham-
pion, Mr. Walterd^ache, has hitherto dared to offer
it to the English public. The scene 1 of the opening
section of this precious "symphony ' is laid in "In-
ferno." We need a musical thermometer to appre-
ciate it. Leaving behind us the gateway at which
hope is abandoned, we are introduced to the hideous
cacophony through which theologians of the Abbe
Liszt school believe they have to pass before they
attain eternal bliss. We are assured, on the indis-
putable authority of Herr Pohl, that Liszt aims to
depict not only the mental and physical writhings,
but the "occupation, 1 of disembodied souls in hell.
The thermometer naturally rises as the movement
progresses, until at the "second subject" we arrive
at a place which my old friend and collaborates,
"Dod Grile," would describe as "Furnace No. 11,208
—unknown heat." Here the thermometer, it is sup-
posed, bursts; while r'rancesca da Rimini and her
co-respondent float through the air on the wings of a
cool blast, typified by the harp. A breath of pure
air must be as welcome in Hades as the Francisca
episode is in Liszt's "Inferno." But anon the ther-
mometer is repaired; Beelzebub and Liszt pile on
the musical fuel; and the audience are made to ap-
pre iate some, at least, of the tortures of the damn-
ed. And this is what Dr. Fohl recommends in or-
der to give us "that faint, indefinable reverence lor,
and longing after, things eternal."
This is a complete argument, in a few well-di-
rected expressions, against the laborious effort
Liszt made in this instance to write a symphony.
There is no question that Liszt is a most re-
markable musician. Some of his piano composi-
tions are brilliant, and contain new and original
ideas in reference to the technical effect that can
be secured in piano playing.
Some of his arrangements of the arias and melo-
dies of the great composers, and some of his par-
aphrases constructed from their works, must be
credited with being excellent examples of pian-
ism, as it is now aptly termed. Yet, whenever
Liszt enters the field of instrumentation on a
large scale, he incurs great risks, on account of
his poverty in the varied qualities which
comprise a successful author of symphonies.
He lacks originality; melody in its pure form is
an unknown quantity with him; his harmonies
are outre, and his instrumentation is replete with
plagiarisms. In addition to all this, he is an
aggregation of the most violent prejudices in art,
the drama, literature, and religion; and a mind
constructed on such a basis can never create great
things in art.
The symphony was received in silence, and it
was a relief when its last notes had died away.
Berlioz was not treated properly. The "Fall of
Troy" was very indifferently performed. It is a
powerful dramatic-musical work, which demands
punctilious adherence to Berlioz's well-defined
rules in order to make it a success.
First of all, however, the parts must be well re-
hearsed and thoroughly studied. Again, as on
former occasions during the festival, it was the
instrumental performance only which was satis-
far tor ily done.
The choruses were weak and uncertain, and the
soloists, with the exception of Materna, again
failed to do justice to their parts.
Campanini, as jEneas, sang the descriptive aria
on the death of the Lnocoov very indifferently,
and could not be heard any distance from the
stage.
In fact, the whole performance of the "Fall of
Troy" was incomplete, and failed to make the im-
pression its merits call for. ;
The concert closed with Wagner's chorus from
the third act of the "Meistersinger."
I
317
T IS high time now to cease talking about the
festival. ~* For months and months I heard
nothing but festival gossip, until I became
thoroughly tired out before it came off, and sorry
to say was not able to recuperate during its pro-
gress.
Matters of great pith and moment must now
occupy the minds of the artists, and if they con-
tinue to give the festival any more attention, they
will not be able to attend to the very important
business I refer to—that is, the selection of a sum-
mer resort where they can spend their easy-earned
salaries and emoluments.
Joseffy told me he had secured, or was about
securing, a place, I think, up the river.
" I want to be able to practice during the sum-
mer, and enlarge my repertoire, and smoke my
cigar with ease and comfort," he said. Two good
companions to smoke a cigar with.
But all artists are not as lucky or as capa-
ble of making large salaries, or smoking such
good cigars, as Joseffy.
Some of them go off to Newport; others see
their friends in the country, and still others con-
template the majesty of the ocean from the beach
at Coney Island.
But there is a large stay-at-home army which will
be found during the three coming months anywhere
but at the seashore or on the mountains.
Some of them that belong to this army are
economical and anxious to save their earnings for
a future day, and others again have more tangible
MECHANICAL MUSIC.
r
~T^HE Black Forest is famous for these mechani- reasons for remaining here, or at home, wherever
_L cal organs—orchestrions, as they are called— that may be.
and in some instances they are brought to great
* *
perfection. There is a shop close to the exhibi-
That reminds me of a remark I overheard the
tion, bearing the name of Lamy Sohne, full of
clocks and singing-birds and orchestrions, where other day.
you may pass half an hour in a fairyland of sur-
I spoke to a manager about Brignoli, who was
prises and all kinds of mechanical music.
One morning I went in with an old lady and then coming down Broadway.
Says the manager:' 'There goes a man who should
gentleman—the latter a grave dignitary of the
Church of England. "A very tiring place," said be worth half a million dollars. He has been
the old lady; "all up and down hill; the only getting large pay constantly for over thirty-five
fault I rind with the Black Forests. Couldn't
they level it, my dear?"—to her husband—"or years,—some years his income being as high as
build viaducts or something? Or at the very thirty thousand dollars, if not more."
least, couldn't they organize pony chaises all over
"How much do you think he is worth?" I asked.
the country—like those, you know, that we found
"Oh, comparatively very little."
so useful at Bournemouth last year?"
This is not strange. Brignoli was known as
"Take a chair, my love," said the old gentle-
man sympathetically, without committing himself quite liberal, especially to himself. Other artists
to an opinion. And he placed one for her, while again are very saving, and carefully preserve
the young man in the shop (whose jolly, good- their stores of earthly goods.
natured face and broad grin delighted one to be-
Jenny Lind has always been considered a shin-
hold) wound up the orchestrion.
The old lady sat down somewhat heavily from ing example of this kind. She retired with a
sheer exhauston, and immediately the chair struck large competency. So did Clara Louise Kellogg
up the lively air of "The Watch on the Rhine," —that is, if she has retired.
with a decidedly martial influence upon the occu-
Among the artists now before the public who
pant. She sprang from her seat as if it had been
a gridiron, and asked her husband reproachfully are not spendthrifts, I can mention Remenyi, who,
if he was amusiug himself at her expense, and although enjoying himself, does so rationally, and
whether her age was not sufficient to secure her saves considerable money. He does not care for
from practical joking.
sea breezes or mountain air; he plays all the year
"Dear me!" cried he, in amazement, looking at
the offending chair as though he expected it to round, and knows nothing but one continuous
walk away of its own accord. "What a musical season.
nation these Black Foresters are! It's music
Henrietta Beebe, they say, is an artist that
everywhere! The very chairs you sit down upon knows how to save her money, and I am sure that
are full of it."
At this moment the orchestrion struck up a se- little Letitia Fritch is as shrewd about dollars and
lection from "Don Giovanni," and the old lady re- cents as any of them.
covered her amiability in listening to a really
One of the most successful investors in good
splendid instrument. I left them still enjoying it, securities is Annie Louise Cary, whose wealth iB
marveling at all the birds and boxes, and thinking
each one more wonderful than another.—The considerable, and whose independence is thus as-
sured.
Argosy,