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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
which in due time is bound to envelop
smaller towns, thus hastening the day
when we will be considered a musical
nation.
#
TELEPHONE
NUMBER.
I745.--EIQHTEENTH
STREET.
The musical supplement to The Review is
published on the first Saturday of each month.
An important move is now under way,
which has met with the approbation of
Secretary of War Alger, to increase the
army bands to thirty or thirty-six pieces,
and increase the wages to $30 a month for
the principal musician and $25 for the
members of the band. It is also pro-
posed that the bands should be officially
recognized by the Government.
The 'United States Military Band of to-
day consists of twenty-two men, made up
of two detailed from each company, one
to rank as a principal musician, and twen-
ty-one to rank as musicians. The former
occupies the position of leader and re-
ceives $16 a month as an extra, the prin-
cipal musician $22 a month, and the mem-
bers $13 a month, the usual allowance
made to enlisted men.
The present inadequate pay has com-
pelled army musicians to seek outside en-
gagements. This has occasioned consid-
erable opposition from bandsmen all over
the country. If the Secretary's^ ideas are
upheld, and Congress enacts a law increas-
ing the standing and wages of military
bands the friction which now exists be-
tween the army and civil bands will no
doubt disappear.
Why does the one air in a new opera
catch the taste of the multitude, and be
whistled all over the town before it is a
week old, while other airs in the same
composition, equally melodious—superior,
perhaps, from a musical point of view—
are never heard outside the theatre? What
causes the public to fix upon one tune in
a music hall entertainment and give it
preference over every other tune?
These questions are easier asked than
answered; the secret of musical popular-
ity will probably never be discovered.
Sometimes a song will owe its success to
the circumstances in which it is first heard,
having been composed for a special occa-
sion ; to the fact of its being introduced
by a favorite singer; or to some other
cause in no way connected with the music
itself.
As regards musical worth, it is
always impossible to tell beforehand what
will take the public taste, or how long a
favorite tune may retain its popularity,
often lost as unexpectedly as it was
gained.
#
Musical festivals are now going merrily
on in all quarters of the land, and the
programs show a great variety of choral
music. One thing in connection with
these festivals is worthy of observation,
and that is the continued improvement in
chorus work; it has been noticeable in this
as in all our large cities. This, in a meas-
ure, shows the growth of musical culture,
The Peoples' Singing Classes, elemen-
tary and advanced, under the leadership of
Frank Damrosch, demonstrated by their
brilliant, and in many respects, remark-
able choral work at Carnegie Hall last
week, that we have now " in our midst " a
chorus which is bound in due time to take
high rank and to give some of the older
and more distinguished organizations a
close race in artistic ensemble work.
The results achieved by Mr. Damrosch
in the training of the material at his dis-
posal would occasion surprise were we not
aware of the natural aptitude and talent of
the rank and file of the people who com-
pose these classes.
It is a good thing to know that when
the time shall come for singing
the
hymns of peace, after the war is over,
there will be at command a ready chorus
of thousands of well-trained, fresh and
tuneful voices, just as there was on the
President's call, a ready army of disci-
plined volunteers.
#
Standard musical literature is enriched
by a new volume which has been published
in a very excellent manner by Theodore
Presser, of Philadelphia, entitled " Masters
and their Music," by W. S. B. Matthews.
It is designed as an introduction to music
as a literature for the use of clubs, classes
and private study, and is divided into two
parts. Part I. opens with an able essay on
the "Moving Forces in Music," and deals
with ten of the most noted musicians, the
phases of their art, and explanations of
the typical musical forms.
In Part II. the modern masters and
American composers are treated of in
eight chapters. The opening essay is on
"Nationality in Music." The American
composers selected for comment are
Messrs. Gottschalk, Mason, MacDowell,
Foote, Beach, with minor references to
Kelly, Smith, Norris, Kroeger, Liebling,
Chadwick and Sherwood.
The foreign
musicians include Grieg, Brahms, Rubin-
stein and Tschaikowsky.
The book is ably written. There is an
absence of over-elaboration, and the author
has successfully succeeded in making the
book both interesting and authoritative.
The only criticism that might be made is
that the closing chapter might include
some other worthy names of American
composers in addition to those given.
*
Now that war songs are the order of the
day, it is interesting to note that the first
war song written during the Rebellion was
' ' The First Gun is fired; May God Protect
the Right,"by George F. Root of Chicago.
It never became popular. This was in
1861:
But the next one he wrote was an
inspiration. He was one afternoon lying
down, after having read President Lin-
coln's call for troops, and the words and
music of "The Battle Cry of Freedom"
formed themselves in his mind. The next
morning he composed that wonderful ral-
lying song, which is said to have been the
most popular of the many written during
the war. It was first published by Root
& Cady. William Lewis, who was with
them at the time, says that Oliver Ditson
gave an order for 5,000 copies, and in a
short time another order for 10,000 copies,
followed by a third for 20,000, and finally
an order for 50,000 copies.
"Tramp,
Tramp, Tramp, the Boys are Marching,"
by the same author, was_equally as popular.
Whether it is due to the temperament of
the people or the changing times, it is evi-
dent that the war songs written during the
present trouble have not made an endur-
ing impression, and the great war song has
evidently yet to come.
*
In this city we are now experiencing a
comic or light opera renaissance, and those
who predicted a speedy demise of operetta
as a form of amusement, are evidently
poor prophets. Company after company
are branching out in revivals and still the
public flock to hear them.
The Castle Square Opera Co., at the
American Theatre, have had a most suc-
cessful season and their really clever work
has been suitably appreciated.
At the
Harlem Opera House, Paul Steindorff is
entertaining our up-town friends in light
opera, with a good company, for the sum-
mer months.
Francis Wilson, with the
aid of many noted artists, has gone back
to his first love and the grand revival of
his old success " Erminie," at the Casino,
has made a big "hit." At the Star Thea-
tre, " Pinafore " and " Trial by Jury " and
other well-known operas of that calibre
have been filling the house during the
past few weeks at prices that are phenom-
enally low, while at the Knickerbocker,
"The Bride Elect " shows no intention to
abandon the scene of her triumph.
This is perhaps, an unequalled showing
of operatic ventures in New York, and
the managers will be fortunate if they can
hold public attention during the dual com-
bination of war excitement and torrid
weather.
*
Turin is proud of its new organ, which
local papers claim to be the finest in Italy,
if not in the world.
It is certainly
gigantic, taking up 138 square metres,
with a front of nearly forty yards. There
are 266 pipes and the motive power is
supplied by sixteen bellows worked by
gas.
The organ was built in Turin, and
before being placed in the Church of
Santa Maria del Cuore, will be used at the
Turin exposition for a series of concerts
by eminent organists from various coun-
tries, who have been invited to co-operate.
*
Emil Paur, formerly conductor of the
Boston Symphony Orchestra, and now of
the New York Philharmonic Orchestra,
has been secured by Manager Loewen-
stein, as conductor for the subscription
series of concerts at the Waldorf-Astoria
next year. The orchestra of sixty play-
ers will, it is said, constitute a permanent
organization for symphony and general
concert work.