Music Trade Review

Issue: 1882 Vol. 5 N. 22

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
852
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
June 20th, 1882.
Her voice has done duty for many years, b u t But remember how discouraging all this is to-
the time is over when it is an unalloyed pleasure the young student, who is conscious of this condi-
to listen to her.
tion of things, and who sees no remedy except
She has recently started out on her farewells, the most extreme, and that only comes when it is
and it is to be hoped that her farewells will at too late.
least be genuine, and not extended for more than
Yet this cannot be changed unless the publio
five years.
itself becomes educated u p to the question. Then
The late lamented Ole Bull formerly had a our managers will be obliged to abandon their old
series of farewells every decade, and by the time musical friends and engage young people in their
that a certain set of concert-goers had disappeared, places. Then we will also hear modern music
Ole Bull was ready with a new set of farewells.
more frequently, and consequently become better
I think I am expressing the opinion of many acquainted with what is really going on in the world
others, when I say that Clara Louise would disap- of music.
point a large number of musical people if she
We do not know it now, except from hearsay,
^ r T H H I S is the time for disappearing" is an in-
extended her farewells beyond five years.
and had it not been for Theodore Thomas we
I junction which should be heeded by our
There should be some discretion exercised by would not at this day know it, or have the faintest
managers, who, since the close of the season, have
some of our managers in reference to this very idea of what Wagnerian music is.
been lying around the musical headquarters and
matter—I mean the engagement of artists that
Reflect for one moment. We are living iu an
getting up their schemes for next season, in order
should be pensioned. What we want is music, age where a revolution in an art is actively in pro-
to be ready to "bob up serenely" when the time
musical voices—not the remnants of former ones. gress, and yet we do not get more than a glimpse
oomes.
of the movement, and that only through the per-
Some of them will have to be more judicious in
sistency of one man.
their selections and the nature of their enter-
The fossils should be relegated to their proper
prises, otherwise they will not be able to " b o b But the same thing applies to instrumentalists;
places, and a new and vigorous spirit should per-
u p " serenely or otherwise.
and right here I will refer to a peculiar tendency
meate the musical world around us.
You have probably noticed how often managers among a certain class of musicians who will always
Mme. Anna Bishop should give lessons. She is
will complain to you about a lack of appreciation tell you how remarkably great their contempora-
a good teacher, b u t she should cease in her at-
on the part of the public for the "show" which ries were, about thirty or forty years ago.
tempts to sing publicly. Some of the members of
they present; but did you ever hear them com-
Young artists must contend against this insane
our quartette clubs should retire, especially after
plaining of the weakness of their companies?
prejudice, which has no reason in it.
they demonstrate at every performance that they
I only know of one occasion, when Colonel
I have heard old musicians of the monopolist
play out of tune, even if they play suoh composi-
Mapleson met me after an opera, and said to me, class make statements in reference to the perform-
tions as were heard a century or so ago.
"My boy, the opera was bad, very bad to-night; ances of soloists many years ago that bordered
Our old friend Brignoli should retire after next
upon my word it was hawful. Just give Hauk on the impossible.
season, and give young Ravelli his place.
hail; she was blank bad."
I call them the monopolist class because they
The old baritones should make way for young
I am under the impression that the Colonel is consider it essential to the development of music
men like Tagliapietra and Gottschalk and George
better able to tell you when the opera is bad than that it should be monopolized by a set of com-
Sweet.
when it is good, and when he complained of the posers and a set of interpreters who form a kind
The managers should learn that we do not care
performance himself, it must have been wretched. ef musical "ring" that no one else can enter.
about paying money to hear singers brought from
Probably he had a little private grudge against
They will not credit any one except Handel,
Europe after they have been "sung o u t " over
Minnie, and he wanted to get "square" with her, Haydn, and Mozart with genius. Beethoven has
there.
and told his friends and the critics something they been admitted a comparatively short time ago, and
Let them bring Sembrich and artists like Ma-
undoubtebly knew, in order to give it a more ex- only after a struggle, the intensity of which has
terna now or never. I n six or eight years they
tensive circulation.
never had, and I hope will never have, a parallel.
will be of no value any more.
But he is about the only one who ever admitted
A Haydn quartette or trio represents the highest
An elderly gent like Nicolini was foisted upon
to me that he was dissatisfied with his own per- form of chamber-music composition with them,
us recently, while dozens of young tenors were in
tonnel, ox at least a part of it.
and if you ask one of this "inner brotherhood"
Europe that would have been acceptable.
Managers should be more careful in selecting what they think of a Saint-Saens, Brahms, or
And it is said that Aim6e will be here next
artists for their operas or concerts, and then they Eubinstein quartette or trio, he will tell you that
season. What the old lady wants, I do not know.
•would be justified in complaining about the pub- is not music; only the old music oan be tol-
The last time she was here she had left her voice
lic; and they could also lose their money with erated; only the good, olden days represent the
in France for "repairs," and I understand the
more complacency, derived from the conscious- truths of the art.
material was worn to such an extent that "repairs"
ness that their mission was at least a noble one.
They will not tolerate young musiciaas who were out of the question.
When they put incompetent singers or players practice the modern works.
Still, she will, come again. I prophesy here
on their pay roll they cannot expect a hearty re-
With one sweeping remark they inform you that
that individually she will not succeed, unless
sponse from the public.
the "old school" does not even recognize their
her attractions are chiefly those that are not mu-
laborB, while at the same time the "old school"
* *
sical.
NlOHTSNTJTZ
I t has often ocourred to me that many of the knows nothing at all about modern music, con-
old artists should also be dispensed with, in order demning it generally before hearing it, and gener-
SAN FRANCISCO " DRAMATIC BREVITIES."
to infuse a young and vigorous element into the ally never hearing or playing it.
I remember distinctly an episode where a young / C O N S I D E R A B L E musical news is found once
business. Our old friend Castle should make
in a while in the San Francisco Dramatio
room for younger men. His voice was excellent, violinist, who was practicing a Rubinstein sonata, \J
but is so no mor«. There is no musical tone sent it for a few days to an elderly violinist. The Brevities. The paper has an attractive typo-
graphical appearance, b u t would be more in-
left; it has done its duty, and it is not expected to latter returned it on the afternoon of the day on teresting if it had more timely articles and less
which
it
was
sent,
with
the
message
that
he
did
do more.
alleged criticism and scissors work. To head an
Still Castle is put forward, and is made to sing not «are about keeping such music under his editorial on the entertainments of San Francisco
"iEsthetic Aspects," would lead the unwary reader
in roles he once upon a time filled to the pleasure roof over night.
to anticipate a screed on a Pacific slope sunset,
Probably
he
had
a
number
of
shelves
full
ef
of the auditors, while young men with fresh voices
or something of that ilk.
old violin sonatas that no one ever cares to hear,
and talent are excluded and discouraged.
By the way, the reckless extravagance of this
The mistake that managers make in this instance and that are not worth listening to, and their editorial in the matter of adjectives and French
is the estimate they place upon his name as an at- musty appearance was as gratifying to the anti- and Latin phrases, when a simple-minded publio
would have been content with less, betokens a
traction. That may do for one or two nights (al- quarian as Rubinstein's name was distasteful to generous
disposition on the part of the writer that
him.
though I do not believe that such is sure to be the
is very admirable. The editor evidently thought
There is now in the city of New York a certain that his verbal curiosity shop "would at least be
ease), b u t after a certain number of people have
heard Castle, and have left the opera disappointed, quantity of old and useless musical timber that Early English," but it is not even that. It's rot.
the damage that has been done to the venture is monopolizes engagements, while the younger ele-
ment gets no opportunity to exercise its talent.
much greater than the gain that was expected.
There are very few better violinists anywhere
I only mention Castle as an instance, because he
The Lord Mayor of London, who had charge of
represents that particular class of artists, or, rather, to be found than Carri, the Franko brothers, and the grand banquet which was to have taken place
Carlos Hasselbrink, yet certain violinists, who have in the Mansion House on June 17, in aid of the
ex-artists, that I refer to.
College of Music, and at which the Prince
neither the technical ability nor the musical edu- Royal
*
of Wales was to have presided, placed the mu-
Clara Louise Kellogg is another of the same cation that these young men have, occupy import- sical arrangements in the hands of Henry Maple-
ant positions, to the detriment of the art.
son. Marie Roze and Mr. Santley were to sing.
olass.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
June 20th, 1S82.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
REVIEW OF MUSIC.
353
PERFORMANCES
inson supplies the words, and the music is fur-
nished by George C. Rexford. The poetry de-
serves momentary attention:
T ) I A N O arrangements of operas with texts, and
What makes the birds so merry?
"PATIENCE" AT THE BIJOU OPERA HOUSE.
JL especially of comic and light operas, have al-
What makes so ripe the cherry?
It is the sun that comes along
ways found a ready sale, especially if the operas
f
>
~T
HE perennial popularity of "Patience" has re-
To
mellow
fruit
and
mellow
song.
have been well received by the public.
X.
ceived additional illustration in the crowded
Oliver Ditson & Co, Boston, have given much
Such is verse one; verses two and three are even
attention to publications of this sort, one of their worse. We can hardly decide whether the prize houses of the Bijou Opera House. Metropolitan
latest being S. G. Pratt's "Zenobia," which was should be accorded to the text or the music, both theatre goers have seen many performances of this
operette, but hardly under better auspices.
to be produced in Chicago this month. As in being about equally entitled to it.
Close attention to detail has been bestowed upon
most of Oliver Ditson & Co.'s publications, great
this representation. I t is tastefully set and ex-
-care has been taken to avoid typographical mis-
ceedingly well played and sung. The dresses of
takes, to give a clean appearance to the text, and
the immortal maidens are wonderful combinations
make the syllabic divisions as precise as possible.
of color and embroidery.
Of the work itself, very little can be gleaned from
Following is the cast:
ANXIETY FOR A PIANIST.
the piano score, but there is enough to warrant us
iu stating that the composer is a talented musician,
Bunthorne
M. Ed. D. Temple
R. ALFRED H. PEASE, the well-known
and one who appears to understand his musical
Grosvenor
Mr. Harry St. Maur
pianist,
is
missing,
and
his
many
friends
purposes.
Mr. John E. Nash
are greatly interested in ascertaining his where- Colonel
Mr. Harry Pepper
There is consistency prevailing throughout the abouts. I t is known that he left Chicago Thurs- The Duke
Mr. William Gillow
work, which we are pleased to notice, especially day, June 1, for St. Louis. Mr. Herman S. The Major
s Solicitor
Mr. William Ridgeway
as this one great feature in composition is greatly Praetorius, of St. Louis, was to have accompanied Bunthorne
Lady
Jane
Miss
Augusta Roche
neglected.
him, but whether he did so is not known, because Lady Angela
Miss Marion Lambert
The orchestra score, however, is necessary to that gentleman has been telegraphing from St. Lady Saphir
Miss Emily Lawrence
arrive at a just conclusion in regard to the real Louis asking for Mr. Pease's whereabouts.
Lady Ella
Miss G. Bulwer
merits of "Zenobia."
Miss Lillian Russell
It is also known that Mr. Pease was in St. Louis Patience
Miss Annie Louise Cary, for whom the title role after leaving Chicago. June 3 he paid his bill at
No better representative of Patience than Miss
was created, and to whom the opera is dedicated, Hurst's Hotel, but returned again at night and re- Russell
has yet appeared. Pretty, natural, and
has some pleasing songs in the opera.
mained there until morning, when he again paid
she perfectly appreciates the subtlest
The same firm, among other piano compositions, his bill for the night. He continued to do this vivacious,
points
of
Gilbert's
and her voice, which is
*ends us a Potpourri of Johann Strauss's "Marry from day to day, but after he had paid his bill well trained and of humor,
a
most
pleasing quality, she
War," an operette which has become very success- Wednesday morning he was never seen again, and u«es with artistic skill. The
interest of the per-
ful, although without apparent reason, as neither no one knows what has become of him. When formance
plainly centres in her, if the enthusiasm
libretto nor music contains anything meritorious, his friends called to see him at the hotel, the day of the audience
and elaborate floral offerings are
•except the waltz motif.
clerk said that Pease had paid his bill, and natur- any criterion. Miss Russell has greatly improved
The Potpourri is arranged in the usual man- ally supposed that he had gone.
in singing and acting since her earlier appearance
ner.
The same friend, Herman S. Praetorius, and an- in New York, and in the line of light opera she
The Gavotte, "Stephanie," by Alphons Czi- other employe of Storey & Camp, called again on has unquestionably a bright future before her.
bulka, is disappointing, as it contains common- Monday to see him, they having heard that he was
That Miss Roche's Lady Jane was a successful
place themes that have been used time and again. still in the city. The hotel clerk, after looking at
The gavotte style has been used to such an extent the book, informed them that he had stopped there presentation of this massive role goes without say-
ing. Her gown is now an interesting study for
that only an original adaptation can find favor.
Sunday night, but had paid his bill and must the female element of the audience by reason of
"Jumbo's March," by George Barnham, and have left. Tuesday again saw the same two men its sporting an entire peacock with its tail out-
dedicated to P. T. Barnum, Esq., is a jumble of at the hotel, and an examination of the books re- spread.
notes that would make this much tortured ele- vealed the fact that the man had been there Mon-
If Mr. Ryley had not so thoroughly identified
phant for the first time sincerely regret that he day night, but had paid his bill. Wednesday was
with the character of Bunthorne, Mr.
«ver decided upon leaving the Queen's possessions. a repetition of the other days. The man had been himself
Temple's illustration of the part would be accepted
The sub-divisions of the march are unique and there the night before, but paid his bill, and was as
the best. As it is, his business is original and
assuredly original. Four measures are devoted to supposed to have left. The last seen «f Pease was highly
although at times he imparts to
"Jumbo's wrath on hearing that Barnum has when he was leaving the hotel that morning. The the role diverting,
a flavor of exaggeration that partially les-
bought him;" four measures on "more wrath;" report in St. Louis is to the effect that Pease waa sens its artistic
merit.
four measures on "more coaxing," etc.
under the influence of liquor, but his friends here
Mr. St. Maur makes himself ridiculous by
There in no doubt that a large galaxy of musical do not believe that story, for he drank but very essaying Grosvenor. He seems to delight in sing-
geniuses exists in our great and glorious country. little, and was ever the perfect gentleman. I t is ing slower than the orchestra, which, by the way,
Campana's "Smuggler" is a well-known song believed that he had considerable money and a is a trifle obtrusive, and he accentuates the humor
gold watch aDd chain. While in this city he was of the part so forcibly as almost to insult the in-
which can be made effective by an artist.
F. A. North & Co., of Philadelphia, published the guest of Judge G. W. Cothran, of No. 617 La telligence of the audience. This may be due to
many years ago the "Concordia," a collection of Salle avenue, but the Judge, who is an old friend his desire to attract attention, but in that unhappy
arrangements for the piano, or melodeon, or the of his from Buffalo, does not know his where- event he should study his lines more carefully,
parlor organ, as it is now called. We have before abouts. A number of letters for Mr. Pease are in and not "guy" the piece by his maidenly con-
Judge Cothran's possession awaiting delivery.
us numbers one and six of the collection.
fusion.
They are short, but properly arranged extracts
Mr. Pease is one of the best known pianists in
If Mr. St. Maur would only learn how to sing
from Weber's Prayer in the "Freischutz;" a largo, the country, a conscientious, faithful musician, and
act a little he would be a pretty passable
by Handel; an andante, from a Beethoven Sonata; and the composer of many songs and piano selec- Grosvenor.
Mendelssohn's "Hymn of Praise;" Handel's "See tions that were justly popular, and brought him
Mr. Peptper was a capital Duke, and the chorui
the Conquering Hero Comes;" an "Agnus Dei," much fame and considerable income. He is about gave
evidence of conscientious rehearsals. "Pa-
by Mozart, and an andante from Beethoven's 36 years of age, has iron-gray hair, heavy brown tience"
at the Bijou deserves a long run.
"Eroica Symphony."
moustache, is about five feet eight inches in height,
It will thus be seen that the "Concordia" is an and weighs about 160 pounds. He wore a dark-
excellent adaptation of some of the choicest classi- brown suit and a black stiff hat.—Chicago Inter
cal gems, which can be used by pupils that are Ocean, June 13.
THE MATERNA CONCERT.
beginning the more difficult kind of piano play-
ing. They are proper selections for the purpose
ITH
the
assistance of Herr Candidus, Mrs.
of musical culture with young students.
Constance Howard, and an orchestra under
S. W. Straub, of Chicago, sends us Straub's
the direction of Neuendorff, Mme. Materna made
Chorus Book, containing selections from works of
A SOCIETY'S GOOD RECORD.
her first and only appearance at the Academy of
Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Abt, Schubert,
Franz, Schumann, Balfe, Rubinstein, Benedict, T~\URING the half century of the existence of the Music on June 9.
The audience was large, and interested to an un-
i J Sacred Harmonic Society of London, 1,087,-
Sullivan and others.
degree. Her singing at the May Festival,
Surely, a better selection than is usually found 500 persons attended the 662 concerts, or an average usual
of 1,642 persons to each concert, the sum total in under disadvantages, made so profound an impres-
in chorus books.
sion that many were anxious to hear her in a hall
The "Oxford Galop," published by C. H. Dit- receipts amounting to $1,000,000. Heading the which is adapted for musical purposes.
son & Co., New York, and dedicated to the officers list of artists who participated at these concerts
She was in excellent voice, and sang the Wag-
and members of the Oxford Club, Brooklyn, N. we find: Madame Sainton, who, as Miss Dolby, nerian
selections with such remarkable expression
Y., is an innocent piano piece, by Mr. E d . H. first appeared here in 1838, and sang during and with
such broad and dramatic treatment, that
Benedict, author of reception and promenade thirty seasons. Madame Sherrington and Mr. in many instances
the music became a revelation.
Lewis Thomas sang twenty-five years, Weiss and
waltzes.
sang the Adriano aria, from "Rienzi," and
We do not exactly understand what Mr. B. desires Mr. Sims Reeves twenty-three, Mr. Chaplin Henry a She
lied, "Miene Boten," by Gericke, and the duet
to convey by dubbing himself an author of that par- twenty-two, and Mr. Santley twenty-one years. from
"Tannhauser," the latter being the only selec-
ticular kind of music, especially of the promenade Among the singers who have appeared at the con- tion
approaches, although by no means real-
variety, but if he will take a week all by himself, certs are Messrs. Barnby, Braham, Cummings, Du- izes, that
the methods of Wagner's great works, as
with no other accompaniment than his own mu- prez, Formes, Gardoni, Harrison, Lockey, Novello, claimed
by himself, notwithstanding that the New
sio, and get as far away as possible from a publi- Henry Phillips, Rigby, Seguin, Staudigl, Master York Times
states that "Rienzi" "is, in fact, one
cation house, he would do some inestimable favors Sullivan; Mesdames Caradori Allan, Birch, Carola, of his best works."
Castellan, Blanche Cole, Elton, Viardot, Garcia,
to the world of harmony.
Wagner distinctly claims that it is not one of his
"Rock of Ages," a piano transcription, by A. E. Hawes, Catherine Hayes, Huddart, F. Lablache,
works, and we must credit him with knowing
Warren, is written with much expression and Lockey, Lucombe (Mrs. Sims Reeves), Macfarren, best
own purposes and ends, especially as he takes
grace, the piano being treated with especial dis- Claro Novello, Palmer, Parepa, Patey, Patti, his
Louisa Pyne, Marie Reze, Rudersdoff, Seguin, intellectual means to make himself understood.
cretion.
Mr. Candidus sang with good taste, and he, as
"Sun Song, or What Makes the Birds So Merry?" Shaw, Sinico, Sterling, Stockhausen, Thursby, well
as Mrs. Howard, assisted in making the pro-
is a questionable composition. Mr. Ed. B. Rob- Titiens. Trebelli, Van Zandt, and Edith Wynne.
M
W

Download Page 4: PDF File | Image

Download Page 5 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.