Music Trade Review

Issue: 1897 Vol. 24 N. 10

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
OPERA IN THE VERNACULAR.
For many years there has been a cry for
a national opera. Successive managers
have come forward with splendid schemes,
on paper, for the permanent establishment
of a theatre in which native singers
should sing the works of native com-
posers in our native tongue.
Yet each scheme in turn tumbles from
the lofty pedestal on which its propounders
place it, and crumbles into very ordinary
materials. A distaste for English opera
cannot be charged upon the public, who are
quite ready to appreciate and reward
good opera of any kind, and who flock to
the theatre when any piece but slightly
above the usual feeble run of English opera
is produced.
There is, moreover, a strong wish among
the lovers of music for the development of
a school of dramatic composition; yet with
all this demand, with all the increased at-
tention which music has lately received,
and with all the improvement in the
national musical taste,-the hopes of a na-
tional opera are as small as ever.
The cause must surely be found in our
composers and our managers. The former
allow their pens to be guided, not by their
musical and dramatic feelings, but by the
wishes of their publishers; and, in place of
composing for the stage, write what will
suit the atmosphere of the drawing room
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
or the street. This is the crying vice of
our operatic writers.
If they have by them a pretty ballad or a
sparkling song, they care nothing for dram-
atic situations, but bring it in head and
shoulders, that they may get good terms
from the publishers, which thus obtains
the best possible advertisement of the mor-
ceau by its being sung by the pet singer in
the new opera, with which it has perhaps
no more in common than Achilles with the
distaff. The best opera-writers are guided
by different principles.
Take " Fidelio " or " Der Freyschutz "—
there are but one or two pieces in each of
these operas bearable off the stage; and
one can count upon one's ten fingers all
that Meyerbeer's operas yield for drawing-
room consumption. The same is true of
Auber in a less degree; and although
Mozart's music, and that of the great Italian
composers, can be listened to with pleasure
apart from the story, containing as it does so
much pure melody, yet the effect is tenfold
greater "when the passages are heard in the
situations for which they were composed.
This happens because these composers,
being really operatic composers as well as
great musicians, clothe the situations and
the characters of their dramas with music
which tells the story and paints the passions
they wish to express.
This is to write an opera; but to string
together a series of isolated songs, uncon-
nected by any unity of purpose, gives a re-
sult like the necklace of a savage, in which
each stone may be intrinsically valuable,
but the whole is tawdry and barbaric, ex-
citing no pleasure in its contemplation.
Yet this is the course of the average com-
poser. He lays out his book so as to have
the greatest number of ballads for his pub-
lisher; and as they are generally written
to show to advantage the execution of Mrs.
A, the sentiment of Miss B, or the volume
and upper notes of Mr. C, they ensure a
large demand from the young ladies and
young gentlemen who attend the opera to
find out what they fancy will suit their re-
spective voices, and immediately reproduce
such pieces for the benefit (or infliction) of
the circles in which they move as musical
:
lights.
So long as this system lasts, so long is
a national opera impossible, says a contem-
porary, with which sentiment we entirely
agree; and our composers had better busy
themselves with single songs than go on
choosing a story and putting into it half a
dozen of their best ballads, taken at ran-
dom from their desks, filling up with a
noisy chorus of two, bestowing some pains,
perhaps, upon a solitary concerted piece,
fitting the prima donna with a sufficiently
difficult rondo finale, and imagining they
have written an opera.
SPECIAL
NOTICE.
We respect-
fully c a l l
t h e atten-
tion of our
agents, and
the music-
loving pub-
lic in gen-
'eral, to the
fact t h a t
' c e r t a in
parties are
manufac t-
uring and
have placed
upon the
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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
GOOD NEWS FOR AnERICAN ARTISTS.
We bear much nowadays about the con-
centration of wealth and its attendant evils.
The sensational papers, preaching the Bry-
anic doctrine about the "classes against the
masses," intentionally ignore the fact that
it is to many of these so-called "robber
barons" we owe whatever advance this
country has made and is making in the
realm of the arts. Stanford in the far
West and Carnegie in the East are only two
of the many who, by their generous gifts,
have evinced a keen, practical interest in
the artistic development of the nation—an
interest which, in European countries, is
considered the duty of their governments,
but unfortunately has so,far been ignored
by the government of this great republic.
It is cheering, however, that we can boast
of public-spirited and big-hearted citizens
who take a pleasure in holding out the hand
of fellowship and advancement to the Amer-
ican artist. Among these Andrew Car-
ANDREW CARNEGIE.
negie undoubtedly takes his place in the
front rank. It is not our purpose to speak
of his benefactions in the past, but of the
latest development of his thoughtfulness.
At an important dinner which he gave in
this city last week to a number of artists
and art lovers as a sequel to the first annual
exhibition held recently at the Carnegie
galleries in Pittsburg, Pa., a plan was pre-
sented through John W. Beatty, fine arts
director at the Carnegie galleries, whereb}?
the exhibition is to be made an international
affair with special inducements for artists.
Every one present approved the plan,
which is, in brief, that the contributors
themselves elect their own jury of award.
Medals and large money prizes will be of-
fered. In London, Paris and Munich con-
tributors will also elect juries with power
to accept works for the exhibition. Out of
the $50,000 at the disposal of the Carnegie
trustees every year, at least two pictures by
American artists will be bought for the
permanent collection.
0
Wm. C. Carl, concert organist, and Miss
Maud Morgan, the well-known harpist,will
inaugurate a spring tour of organ and harp
concerts in Montreal, April 7th.
SOriE NEW MUSIC.
Miss Fannie Hirsch, the well-known New
York soprano, sang "To you and but to
you" by Robert Coverley recently at a re-
ception of the "Wednesday Woman's
Club," held at the residence of Dr. Edward
Fridenberg, New York. The song is a
very dramatic composition and is one of
five by Mr. Coverley just issued by White-
Smith Music Publishing Co., Boston, New
York and Chicago.
Adam Geibel's song for Easter, "From
Gloom to Glory," by the same publishers is
the finest Easter song that has appeared as
yet this season, or in fact for a number of
years. It is arranged for high or low voice,
and singers generally are attracted by this
melodious and well written composition.
Among the recent publications from
Hamilton S. Gordon, this city, which are
destined to achieve a wide popularity are
the songs " Because It's You," (in several
keys), by Georgie E. Lamson; " Peace,"
(contralto or baritone), by Anton D.
Heindl; " Two Little Vagrants," (for me-
dium voice), by Edgar Selden, and the
following instrumental numbers: " A t the
Mercy of the Waves," waltzes, Pierre Hay-
endal; "Dashing Cavalry," two step, Chas.
Rockwell; "Loving Cup," F. X. McCann,
and " L a Picarona," Spanish dance, Hugh
Darlington.
The Oliver Ditson Co. have just pub-
lished some charming compositions which
are of exceeding merit. ' ' Y e Bells of
Easter Day," by Louis R. Dresler; "Ave
Maria," by Oreste Bimboni and a collection
of sacred songs for organ, should become
popular with lovers of sacred music, while
"Sail, Little Boat," a delightful vocal
number by E. E. Starr, and the pianoforte
pieces "Parting," "Lullaby," by Harold
Leston; "Courtship, " two step, by A. H.
Aarons, and " Ours," a dance, by Howard
Cadmus, are so meritorious that their suc-
cess is assured.
The White-Smith Music Publishing Co.
have just published a number of Easter
carols which are of especial merit. We
should advise choir masters to send at once
for sample copies.
o
BANDMASTER ERNEST NEVER.
The Seventh Regiment Band, which at-
tained a national reputation under the
leadership of C. A. Cappa, is destined to
regain its old place under the directorship
of Ernest Neyer, who has recently been ap-
pointed bandmaster. Mr. Neyer is a well-
known figure in metropolitan musical
circles and has been leader of the orchestra
of the Broadway Theatre since its incep-
tion. He was born in this city and began
his career under Harvey Dodsworth, the
celebrated bandmaster of the Twenty-
second, and eventually rose by degrees
until he succeeded him in that position.
When a mere lad he accompanied his
father, who was the bandmaster of the
Ninth Regiment, to the front during the
civil war and manipulated the drum sticks,
thus fitting himself early in life for mili-
tary life. Mr. Neyer is splendidly equipped
by training and reputation to make the
Seventh Regiment Band one of the leading
organizations of this city. Judging from
the excellence of the concert given by the
new band at the Broadway Theatre last
Sunday night it will not be long before
this is accomplished. He has a splendid
body of men, each a master of his instru-
ment.
A pleasant event of the concert was the
presentation of a handsome medal by the
members of the Broadway Theatre or-
chestra as a mark of appreciation of
Mr. Neyer's varied kindness and valued
services, and in honor of his elevation to
his new position. The cut herewith is an
excellent likeness of Mr. Neyer, who has
the best wishes of The Review for his
success.
ERNEST NEYER.
©
.
-
During the Metropolitan opera season of
thirteen weeks which recently closed,
twenty-four different operas were sung
seventy-six times. The German composers
(Wagner, Meyerbeer, Mozart, Flotow)
lead with twenty-eight performances; the
French (Gounod, Bizet, Massenet) follow
with twenty-seven; while the Italians
(Verdi, Boito, Donizetti, Mascagni) had
twenty-one. The favorite composers were
Wagner, with twenty performances, Gou-
nod, with sixteen, and Verdi with nine.
Since all the Wagner operas were sung in
German, and all the French operas in
French, is it not time, asks the Evening
Post, to stop alluding to Mr. Grau's
organization as an " Italian " opera com-
pany? Not one of its great singers,
moreover, is Italian. There are no great
Italian singers at the present day. That
Wagner should have been the lion of
the Metropolitan season is more than sig-
nificant; it is funny; for a few years ago the
same artists who now sing Wagner in
preference to everything else were brought
to New York for the express purpose of
driving out that horrid man!
o
The Amateur Philharmonic Club of Brook-
lyn was recently organized, with the object
of forming and supporting a first class
amateur orchestra composed exclusively
of the best players in Brooklyn and
vicinity.
j
. . .

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