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9RGAN 9R
G
VOL.
XVIII. No. 3.
published Euery Saturday.
OUR £UROP£AN
PUDGET.
MASCAGNI AND " I RANTZAU "—PRESS VIEWS—
AMERICAN PLAYERS IX LONDON—ISADORE
DE LARA'S OPERA—MRS. POTTER EN-
THUSES—THE PRINCE OF WALES IN'
MUSIC—GENERAL POINTS.
LONDON,
July 31st, 1893.
DEAR MUSIC TRADE REVIEW :
Mascagni, who has been lionized here to an
extraordinary degree by the highest social cir-
cles, from the Queen downward, has ju.st left
London for his dear Italy with very pleasant
impressions of the foggy city and its people.
He is sore upon the critics who said harsh
things of his " I Rantzau," but his feelings
toward the Londoners on the whole are grateful
and friendly.
Leoncavalli, his compatriot,
shares the same feelings. I notice that some of
the papers here, having in mind the furor cre-
ated by the two Italians, comment upon the ex-
traordinary change which has come over the
aristocracy and titled classes of the British
realm, as if it was something new. The truth,
however, is that, while the average modern artist
and composer is better equipped by education
and breeding to associate with culture than his
predecessors of a past decade, the recent lion-
izing of Mascagni and Leoncavalli is nothing
new to the ways of London Society. The fash-
ionable salons of the British capital have been
ever open to literary, artistic and musical
lights. But it must be confessed that the lines
are broadening wonderfully, in fact, broadening
out toward the democratic conditions which
are perceptibly revolutionizing the superstruct-
ure of Anglo-Saxon civilization at home.
MASCAGNI INTERVIEWED.
A Pall Mall Budget writer called upon
Mascagni during his London stay, and the con-
versation turned on " I Rantzau " and the un-
favorable press criticisms. "Dear me," said
the Italian composer, " you must not judge ' I
Rantzau ' as an opera ; it was never meant for
one ; it is simply a domestic drama with musical
accompaniment. There are two moments only
in which I have endeavored to obtain a purely
musical effect: the finale of the second act, and
*
Yor\{, fltigust 12, 1893.
when Luisa speaks of her mother ; and every-
where those two moments were recognized and
rewarded with great success. The rest is sim-
ply a study of the various characters of the play,
and all I aimed at is to make everybody sing
according to his or her temperament. So much
for the conception of the work. As to the me-
lodic part, one may say it is not to everybody's
taste, but to deny its existence is not just.
Fault is found with the technique and details
of pure composition. I am reproved for changes
of rhythm; why should I not change rhythm,
and where is the rule that forbids it ? My
melody is square, for all that, if you count the
bars ; and I do not know a master who does
not interrupt or change rhythm when he
pleases. Even the greatest in absolute music
do it. Besides, have I not to follow the poet
and make my melodic design fit his phrases,
however uneven may be the metre of the
verses ? No ; your colleagues have been very
unkind to me. I do not pretend to be above
criticism or past improvement, ma per Vamor di
Dio, I do not want to be sent to school to learn
my business. Well, that is the advice I got all
round, but I am not going to follow it. I have
given now three operas in three years ; in a few
months I shall give a fourth one, next year the
fifth, in 1895 the sixth, and so on, as long as it
will please Providence to fill my brains with
ideas and keep my body in good health. I work
eight to ten hours every day, and I hope to go
on so until I am sixty at least."
THE DALY REGIME.
Augustin Daly and his company are firmly
intrenched in London, and the query, " Hav»
you seen the Daly Company ? " is a positive
indication of vogue. Consequently all the would-
be's twirl their moustache ends, and ask the ques-
tion of one another in public places with unmis-
takable zeal. Mr. and Mrs. Daly have furnished
a house in Park square, and are giving a series
of dinners on Sunday evenings, which are at-
tended by some of the celebrities of the metropo-
lis, political, literary, artistic and otherwise.
In turn, they and Miss Rehan are being feted
and entertained. On last Sunday evening they
were the stellar guests of Lady Jeune. Thus it
is that the artistic life of America is beginning
to command the respect of the Old World, of
which the foregoing facts are indications.
J4.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
India's dramatic child. ' " Yes, Mrs. Potter
wants to be India's dramatic child, and there
you are. " Nirvana " has no objection if India
adopts her. Even the Poona Observer identifies
the gush and its object.
THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC.
The interest the Prince of Wales takes in
music is almost equal to the interest his High-
ness manifests for pugilism and other approxi-
mate diversions. As the President of the Royal
College of Music, the popular Wales took the
chair at the tenth annital meeting of the corpo-
ration at Marlborough House recently. Sir
Charles L. Ryan gave a statement of accounts,
the report of which was formerly adopted on the
motion of the Prince, seconded by Prince
Christian. Then the Duke of Westminster
moved a vote of thanks to the Prince Presi-
dent for having lent Marlborough House on that
occasion, to which the future king responded.
Among the things he said were these : '' One
more point I should like to allude to before sit-
ting down, that is to congratulate Miss Butt on
her success. I had the opportunity of hearing
her in March perform in ' Orpheus,' in which
she sang most admirably and acted the difficult
part of Orpheus extremely well. I also heard
her at the Queen's Concert at Buckingham
Palace, and at a private concert given by my
daughter at Portman Square. I trust she may
be successful in the career which she has
adopted, and that the rest of her musical educa-
tion may be as well looked after as it has been
in the beginning. I understand the Council are
considering the best means of doitig this."
One will see from the foregoing that the
Prince of Wales is capable of expressing him-
self intelligently on musical matters.
PRAISE FOR DANIEL MEYER.
Before closing he had a word or two to say about
the head of the house of Erard, who somehow
is always coming in for plums of diversified
character. He said : " I would also record our
sincere thanks to Mr. Daniel Mayer, the repre-
sentative of Messrs. Erard & Co., for the two
exhibitions that they have given for pianoforte
and harp, for which I think we ought to be
most indebted to them. I thank you once more
for the kindness with which you have received
the vote, and also the few remarks I have made
to you this day." The address was received
with well deserved cheers. Though I occasion-
MRS. BROWN-POTTER GUSHES.
I am responsible to a friend for the following ally crack a joke over Albert Edward I cannot
clipping from the Poona Observer of India : ' 'Mrs. avoid estimating his good qualities and good
Brown-Potter, who visits this country next cold acts at their proper value.
MR. NAHUM STETSON.
weather, is disgusted with America, where, she
says, the toughest only survive, and pines for
I am informed that Mr. Nahum Stetson, of
the East. The lady gushes thus : ' Oh ! give Steinway & Sons, of New York, and family are
me dear, beautiful India, with its cultivated homeward bound after a pleasant stay in Eu-
people, its romance, its color. All and every- rope. Mr. Stetson created a very pleasant im-
thing in that clime appeals to my nature, and pression on all with whom he came in contact.
thousands and thousands of times I feel to cry That he is a fine type of American business
out, Oh ! for the wings of a dove. I know I say man, and a gentleman, seems to be the verdict.
this to a symphathetic listener. I want to be
NIRVANA.