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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745.--EIOHTEENTH STREET.
The musical supplement to The Review is
published on the first Saturday of each month.
The question of state aid for music has
again come to the surface through a bill
which has been introduced in the House of
Representatives by Mr. Curtis of Iowa.
This measure is as follows:
" Whereas by the provisions of the act of Con-
gress of March third, 1891, the National Conserva-
tory of Music of America was constituted a body pol-
itic, and corporate, and empowered to found, estab-
lish, and maintain a national conservatory of music
within the District of Columbia for the education of
citizensof the United States, and such other persons
as the trustees may deem proper,in all branches of
music: Therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, that the sum
$25,000 be, and is hereby, appropriated, to be paid
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, for the use and benefit of the
National Conservatory of Music of America
to be expended under the direction of the
Secretary of the Interior, after the adoption by
him of a plan having for its object the diffusion
of musical knowledge and the education of citizens
of the United States and others in the various
branches of music."
There is much to interest and move one
in the matter of Governmental aid for mu-
sic. Those who argue against it on the
ground that it is inconsistent with the dig-
nity of the art, or its professors,are mak-
ing a plea which is based on sentimental
standards. The principle that has done so
much for art in European countries ought
certainly to be efficacious here.
Perhaps this is the only country where
governmental support of the art has not
been vouchsafed, and this is due to a num
ber of causes apparent to the" most superfi-
cial observer of the trend of affairs in the
political world.
The commercial development of the
United States has up to the present been
nurtured almost exclusively, while the
musical, the artistic, the esthetic side of
our people has been utterly neglected. It
is time a change was inaugurated.
Were industrial strength, riches and sci-
ence wedded to the highest musical cul-
ture, it would result in immeasurable ben-
efits by an elevation and broadening of the
minds of the people. Music is fast becom-
ing an essential education, and if institu-
tions are fostered by the means of legisla-
tive aid, why should not music share in the
benefit of the system ?
0
be incorporated next week and formally or-
ganized with Mr. Grau as manager.
The stockholders of the Metropolitan
Opera House have given the Board of Di-
rectors full power to acquiesce in these ar-
rangements and also to release Mr. Grau
and Mr. Schoeffel from their engagement
with their corporation. Mr. Grau will
have the lease from June 1, 1897, to June
1, 1900, and as much longer as he desires,
at the regular rent that he now pays—$52,-
000 per annum. During the past year,
while the Metropolitan has not been occu-
pied by the regular opera company, it has
been rented for about $35,000 in all, so
that it will only be necessary for him
to get about $17,000 rent from Mr.
Damrosch or others, who may give opera
next winter, to bring in the $52,000. Of
course, it costs a good deal in addition to
run the Opera House, even when closed.
Mr. Grau will not give opera of any kind
at the Metropolitan next season, but the
season of '98-'99 he will return practi-
cally with the company of this year—of
course with some important accessions.
Next season he will have the decision of
which impressarios, Damrosch or others,
are to give opera at the Metropolitan in his
absence. Mr. Grau and all the artists with
one or two exceptions left for Europe last
week.
0
When Mr. Charles Frohman visits Eur-
ope this summer he will not only have his
eyes wide open for anything that he thinks
will please American theatregoers, but he
will also be on the lookout for any oppor-
tunities that may offer for presenting or
placing American material in England or
for introducing American stars to the Brit-
ish public.
" I intend," said Mr. Frohman, in a re-
cent talk, " t o secure a theatre of my own
in London, and this will enable me to ex-
tend the engagements of the American
players I am going to take over. Among
these I may mention John Drew, E. H.
Sothern, Maud Adams, Nat Goodwin,
Henry Miller, the Bostonians and De Wolf
Hopper, all of whom I feel confident will
succeed in London if properly presented.
" When I have a theatre in London these
stars can visit England every season. Un-
til quite recently it was most difficult to
secure a theatre in London for American
plays. An American had to stand around,
hat in hand, and after several weeks of per-
sistent labor, when it was finally decided
to allow him to pay a very high rental for
a theatre then closed, he was expected to
look delighted and made to feel that he had
received the height of hospitality.
" All this is changed now, and when an
American company presents American
plays in London the English manage-
ment will not only participate in the
profits or losses of the venture, but will pay
their share of the expense of the ocean
transportation."
Grand opera matters have at last been
settled. At a recent meeting of the friends
of Mr. Grau and a number of the patrons
of operatic art in this city it was decided
to place grand opera on a lasting and sub-
stantial basis artistically 'and financially,
o
and to that end necessary capital was sub-
scribed for the formation of a new opera
This is truly an evolutionary age. In
company for which stock to the amount of several churches out in New Jersey minis-
$150,000 has been sold. The company will ters have had their sermons delivered and
hymns sung by graphophones, while across
the big pond in Paris the Theatrophone
Co. is a well-established institution. Sub-
scribers not desirous of going to the trou-
ble or expense of attending big first nights
at the opera can arrange with the com-
pany for switches for the occasion. At the
first performance of an opera recently in
Paris, switches were booked weeks in ad-
vance. If the marvelous developments in
the electrical field continue in the future as
they have during the past few years, visit-
ing the opera, the theeatre and the church
will soon be considered out of date. The
abodes of religion, song and drama will be
placed pretty much on the same basis as
our central telephone stations, and the
varied tastes of the people will be satisfied
at so much per year. Thus science gets the
best of art.
0
What has long been needed is a good
permanent orchestra in New York—-an or-
chestra in which the advanced pupil can
have constant practice and an opportunity
to play the best music in public.
We understand that a movement is on
foot to form such an orchestra in this city.
This one is to be called the National Con-
servatory Orchestra, and will be composed
of forty pupils of the National Conservatory
of Music, and certain artists especially en-
gaged to instruct the less experienced mem-
bers.
Arrangements have been made for giving
a series of twelve concerts, each preceded
by a public rehearsal, fortnightly, beginning
about the middle of November next. Dis-
tinguished soloists will appear at each con-
cert, and at some of them the National
Conservatory chorus will assist. There
will also be six children's matinees, and
six concerts will be given in Brooklyn.
Negotiations are now in progress with
one of the most famous conductors in
Europe.
The programs will include both classical
and popular selections, and at one of the
concerts the prize winners at the fifth an-
nual concourse will direct their own com-
positions under the supervision of Dr.
Antonin Dvorak.
To stimulate the pupils, they will receive
one-quarter of the net receipts of each
concert.
This school should be of incalculable
benefit both in affording experience to the
novice and in bringing to public notice
exceptional talent that might otherwise
long await a hearing.
0
Walter Damrosch evidently intends to
branch out this year to a much larger ex-
tent than heretofore as impressario.- He
has entered into partnership with Chas. A.
Ellis for the production in this city and
elsewhere of opera to be sung in French,
German and Italian. It is said that many
high-priced singers, including Mme. Mel-
ba, have already been engaged, while Mr.
Damrosch is now in Europe making other
selections for next season.
During the past two years Mr. Damrosch
has steered his operatic forces through sue-