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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Musicians the world over have been much
interested in the announcement that the
brother of the late composer Tchaikovsky,
who is himself a dramatic author, is en-
gaged in collecting materials for the bio-
graphy of his celebrated brother, and for this
purpose has taken up his abode at Klin, in
the government of Moscow, in the house
where the composer lived.
M. M. J.
Tchaikovsky has succeeded in collecting as
many as 4,000 letters, written by his de-
ceased brother to various persons, and 7,000
letters from his correspondents; besides
these letters the composer left a diary ex-
tending over several years, which has to be
looked through. The second part of his
diary, which Tchaikovsky kept systematically
for some years, was burnt by him. The text
of the first volume of the "Materials," which
it is proposed to issue shortly, is already
completed; it embraces the period up to the
beginning of Tchaikovsky's professorship.
It is expected that the whole collection of
worked-out and rough materials will not take
up less than four volumes.
through the forty-eight preludes and fugues
of the Well-Tempered Clavichord, discover-
ing each time some new beauties. At the
same conference Mr. Howard Swan explained
what he regarded as a discovery. It was
that the light which people see, or think they
see, in the dark, even when their eyes are
closed, was sensitive to sound. Music would
cause it to form a great variety of distinct
figures, and he suggested that the phenome-
non might be systematically used for influenc-
ing the mind.
O '
Alexander Siloti, a genuine and duly auth-
enticated pupil of Liszt and a pianist already
known to European capitals, had his first
hearing in America on the evening of January
25th, before a fashionable audience in the ball
room of the Hotel Astoria. His playing
of Tchaikovsky's second concerto, Chopin's
familiar No. 7 Etude and Liszt's 14th Rhap-
sodie was well received. The young Russian
©
'•The Bride Elect," Sousa's new opera which
has made a big hit out of town introduces
the "March King" in a double character—as
a musjcian and librettist. He invented his
own text, his jokes, his songs, his dialogue.
The music is characterized as stirring, vigor-
ous, brilliant; instinct with life, replete with
melody—an opera in the true sense of the
word. New York will soon get an oppor-
tunity of passing its verdict.
'
O
The Musicians' Club of San Francisco an-
nounces its first annual composition prize
contest, open to composers residing on the
Pacific Slope. The prizes are to be gold,
silver and bronze medals for first, second
and third prize. E. A. MacDowell and
Xaver Scharwenka are to be the judges.
Compositions must be received by May 1,
this year, and are to be written for not less
than two instruments, and must contain
not less than three' movements. The com-
positions must be chamber music.
©
0
Speaking of the life of a voice, a well-
known writer says: The average life of a
good voice is fifteen years. Patti's is an ex-
ception. So also is Sims Reeves'. Smoking
and drinking have ruined countless male
voices. Singers live fast, and their voices
suddenly become frogs in their throat.
Women suffer all the ailments of the vocal
chords, owing to low neck and short sleeves,
consequent exposure and late champagne sup-
pers. Jerloury kills a great many voices of the
gentler sex. A voice well cared for should
lastforty years, in which time it should earn no
less than half a million dollars. Possibly one
singer in 500 has a nest egg and saves some-
thing for a rainy day. The rest live from
hand to mouth—ride to-day, walk to-morrow;
feast this week, famine next. They convert
a safe investment into a precarious existence.
o
In connection with the Golden Jubilee of
the North American Saenger-bund to be
celebrated in Cincinnati, O., in 1899, Fred.
H. Alms of that city has offered a prize of
$1,000 for the best composition for solos,
mixed choruses and orchestra to occupy be-
tween forty and sixty minutes, written to
German or English text, and being in its
character a glorification of the fine arts in
general and music in particular. The chorus
will number about 1,500 voices, hence the
work should contain " no extraordinary diffi-
culties." Orchestra scores must be accom-
panied by complete piano scores and in the
hands of Mr. Ed. Berghausen, 307 East Sec-
ond street, Cincinnati, O., on or before
August 1, 1898.
O
At a recent conference of musicians in
London, Dr. Prout declared that Bach, like
Shakespeare and the Bible, was inexhaustible.
He said that every three weeks he went
power of each for expression, of the inter-
action between the two, and what each has
gained from the other, lastly of the relation
that ought to subsist between them when
conjoined.
is a good but not a great pianist. He will
however make a better impression on further
acquaintance. Siloti will be heard at Mendels-
sohn hall on the afternoons of Feb. 9th and
16th, in recitals.
©
Maurice Grau intends to present to the
New York public, the closing month of this
year, the most complete grand opera company
that has yet appeared in America. Already
arrangements are completed for the appear-
ance of Mesdames Calvd and Eames, so-
pranos; Schumann-Heinck, contralto; the
Messrs. Jean de Reszke', Van Dyck, and
Salignac, tenors; Campanari, Bispham and
Albers, baritones, and Edouard de Reszke*
and Pol Plan^on, bassos. The conductors are
to be Anton Seidl and Signor Mancinelli. It
is the intention of the management to pre-
sent several new operas in addition to the
standard repertoire.
Q
Dr. Hugh A. Clarke, Professor of Theory
and Composition at the Broad Street Con-
servatory of Music, delivered a lecture be-
fore the pupils of that institution, in their
concert hall at No. 1331 South Broad street,
Philadelphia, on January 19th. Subject:—
"The Differences between Vocal and Instru-
mental Music."
He treated of the subserviency of instru-
mental to vocal for a long period of time,
and of its gradual emancipation. Compari-
son was then made between the means by
which each produces its effects, and the
Joseffy's marvelously fine playing of
Tschaikovsky's concerto at the last Sym-
phony concert evoked the greatest enthusi-
asm. The critics have been effusive in their
compliments. Here is a sample: "Joseffy
overwhelmed everybody with the maestria of
his playing. He ran the gamut of pianistic
expressiveness, from the gentlest and dainti-
est of whispers to the broadest and most pow-
erful of utterances. His disposition was most
felicitous and the mechanics of his art were
submerged in a whirlwind of magnetic inter-
pretation."
Q
At the request of the National Conserva-
tory of Music of America the Musical Mutual
Protective Union have amended article 3,
section 1 of their by-laws, so that the mem-
bers of the Union are no longer prohibited
from playing with the orchestra of the Na-
tional Conservatory of Music, the receipts of
whose concerts are devoted to the further-
ance of musical education and the advance-
ment of art.
©
These thorough artists and able teachers
Messrs. Ferdinand and Hermann Carri, direc-
tors of the New York Institute for Violin
Playing and School for Piano and Vocal Cul-
ture, gave the second of their enjoyable con-
certs on the evening of January 27th. The
program as usual was admirably selected and
its interpretation was applauded by a large
and discriminating audience.
©
It is'a queer thing about prima donnas.
Those who are intended by nature for Ger-
man opera want to sing parts of the flowery,
skyrocketing sort, and vice versa. Of course
this tendency in the opposite direction to
that for which we are fitted marks all of us
more or less. But with the singers it is dis-
tinctly more. And the audiences suffer.
©
During the coming season at Milan Son-
zogno intends to produce twenty-one operas,
of which twelve are French, seven Italian,
and two German.