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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
is no more dead than Shakespeare. Yes,
there are new composers coming up here
and there all the time, and some of them
have merit.
We are glad to recognize
them, but they do not displace their mas-
ters."
*
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA.
TELEPHONE NUMBER. 1745.--E1QHTEENTH STREET.
Of John Philip Sousa, the '' March
The musical supplement to The Review is
King,"
who occupies the place of honor on
published on the first Saturday of each month.
the front page of this issue, it has well
been said that " h e is distinctly an Amer-
THE GREAT "WAR" DRAHA.
ican product.
His entire influence is
The musical and dramatic season may
thrown in the interest of the American
now be said to be nearing its end. In-
people and the American national spirit."
terest at present is largely centered in the
This is manifest in all his operas and his
great open-air spectacular drama called
compositions generally. In the present
"war," which is now being played to full
crisis in our national affairs he has helped,
houses night and day, with Uncle Sam
by his songs and marches, to make more
occupying " t h e center of the stage " and
brilliantly burn the patriotic fires.
the Spanish Don playing the part of
At present on his spring tour, he is giv-
"heavy villain." The first scene takes
ing a series of patriotic festivals and intro-
place on board our gallant ships,, and
ducing his latest success, " T h e Trooping
Uncle Sam is supported by a goodly num-
of the Colors." This grand spectacle,
ber of brave, experienced men who are
which is virtually an apotheosis of our flag,
showing the world what stuff our fighters
evokes the most tremendous enthusiasm
are made of. The plot of the drama is
in every city. Aside from the sixty musi-
known to all, and judging from the liberal
cians in the band it calls for a grand
press notices it is safe to predict for the
chorus, battalion of United States infan-
production a lengthy run. There is no
try, detachments of United States soldiers
syndicate or trust back of it, and to all ap-
and marines, and other auxiliaries, as well
pearances it Js the most popular " s h o w "
as continental soldiers, standard bearers of
that has visited this great country of ours
the United States in gorgeous costumes,
in many years. From authentic sources
Scottish bagpipers, Tyrolean singers and
we learn that the success of the drama has
eminent soloists. All the national airs are
compelled the fitting out of new companies;
introduced, patriotic ardor is aroused, and
thus the many actors who perambulate up
the Stars and Stripes is saluted by the
and down Broadway and visit European
standards of friendly nations.
resorts in Hoboken when the thermometer
" The Trooping of the Colors " has made
is in the nineties, can be sure of a steady
one
of the biggest " h i t s " in Mr. Sousa's
engagement at $13.00 a month. Uncle
phenomenally
successful career.
Sam is not quite as generous as Mr. Froh-
Some
time
ago
he offered his own, as
man or Mr. Daly, but he is " sure pay,"
well
as
the
services
of his band, to the
and in addition to the salary just men-
Government,
and
feels
that it is his duty to
tioned, furnishes costumes, bed and board.
Now then, let the drums resound and the remain near at hand during the present
aspect of affairs.
bands play. Fall in histrions!
The popularity of Sousa and his stand-
*
ing as a composer is a constant theme of
TOO riANY DISTRACTIONS,
comment in musical and literary circles.
Boston and Chicago's advanced position His evolution, so to speak, from an or-
in the matter of a permanent orchestra chestra player at $15 a week to band-
has been much discussed recently, through master of the Marine Band at $1,800 a year,
the death of Anton Seidl, and the retire- and from that to his present position as
ment of Walter Damrosch. Theo. Thom- composer and bandmaster, with an income
as when asked to give some reasons for of over $50,000 a year, is certainly a re-
the tardiness of New York in establishing markable achievement, and is not based
a permanent orchestra said, <' There are upon "accident" as a writer put it some
too many distractions and not enough con- time ago.
centration and unanimity of purpose. In
There is nothing " accidental " leading
Boston, you know, one man made it pos- up to success in all of Sousa's career. By
sible to have the Boston Symphony Or- hard and incessant study, by cultivating
chestra.
In Chicago there are fewer and expanding his talents and natural
things to interfere with the success of the gifts, and through devotion to a purpose,
orchestra. But in New York you have determination and undeviating application
the opera, which takes precedence. Opera of energies, Sousa has carved out for him-
is not music.
It is antagonistic to it. self the most brilliant career of any young
The opera is realistic, music is ethereal. man of his years in America, unaided and
Wagner did not call operas, music; he alone. His music is more often played, is
called them dramas, and there is where more universally known, and more de-
they belong. Then, there is the distrac- manded by the peoples of two hemispheres
tion of fashion, the Waldorf-Astoria and than that of any composer, living or dead.
other things."
There is no " accident " in these achieve-
How long before we shall tire of Bee- ments.
thoven and Wagner on our programs ?
Sousa's fame in the operatic field is
"They will always be there. Beethoven steadily growing, and the success of " E l
Capitan " has been more than repeated in
" T h e Bride Elect," the book of which,
like the music, is the creation of his own
brain.
Sousa is not by any means a "one-
sided " man, which is the " weakness " of
many musicians. Ask him about the
literature of the day, the last and best
books, he'll tell you readily about them.
Ask him about the music of the hour, or
past days or past decades. Suggest the
national crises of the times, you'll find him
ready enough. Call up the poets, you will
find him familiar with them also. And if
not satisfied then, go into history. If there
is any little thing you omit he will prompt
you. If you should still be curious ask
him if he has ever indulged in belles-
lettres. He might turn to the magazines
and show you some rare articles over the
signature of John Philip Sousa. Yes,
indeed, Sousa is an " American product "
of which we are very proud.
On Sunday, May 15th, Sousa will give
another of his popular concerts at the
Metropolitan Opera House, this city. The
success of those recently given has com-
pelled his reappearance.
*
CONDUCTOR VS. COHPOSER.
Walter Damrosch, now that he is retir-
ing from the role of conductor and assum-
ing that of composer, is on record with a
plea for the American writer. At the close
of the Oratorio Society's festival recently
in this city he made some remarks, in the
course of which he said:
''You have not done your part when you have lis-
tened to the old works. You must patronize the
works of American composers. How can we ever
attain national music fame if we do not encourage
our own composers? How can our musicians learn
except by contemplating, their own mistakes when
their works are produced in public? Do not forget
that the public has its duty also, and you will give
me credit for unselfishness in urging this, as you are
aware that I may not be among you again, at least
for some little time."
With Mr. Damrosch's sentiments as
thus expressed we heartily agree. It is a
peculiar and noteworthy fact however,
that during his active career as orchestral
leader he was not over-partial to American
compositions. That he had ample and un-
limited opportunities for advancing the in-
terests of American composers cannot be
denied, but he failed to rise to the occa
sion. Now that he has essayed the role of
composer and stands a chance of being
"turned down" frequently, we feel cer-
tain that when he again resumes the baton
he will be more partial to and more en-
thusiastic in his efforts to help along the
American composer.
Meanwhile Mr.
Damrosch's utterances are to be taken in
good faith.
They certainly do him
credit.
*
HITS THE CRITICS.
William Boosey, of the well-known music
publishing house of that name, is not, ap-
parently, in sympathy with the present-
day admiration of Wagner held by the
profound and learned critics of London.
In a recent issue of the Saturday Review
there appeared over his name a "refresh-
ing" letter in connection with a "roast-
ing " which the critics gave " The Gate of
Life," a dramatic "cantata by Franco Leoni,