Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ARRANGEMENTS are almost com-
pleted in the matter of a series of
summer-night concerts in the arena of the
Madison Square Garden. The arena will
be arranged as a German garden—trees,
palms and ferns, illuminated with electric
lights, small tables, wide promenades, &c.
A large orchestra will furnish the music.
The conductor will be Franz Kaltenborn.
*
RY a recent order of the Adjutant General,
bandmasters are now required to wear
sergeant's chevrons, and the term Mr. by
which they have heretofore been addressed
is to give way to the title of sergeant.
Speaking of this ruling Arthur A. Clappe
says:—It would be interesting to learn
the cause of this retrograde step, one that
is calculated to humiliate the bandmaster
and lessen the official esteem in which he
was formerly held. Is this to be considered
as the answer of the War Department, to
the efforts that have been made to promote
the bandmaster and improve the status of
bandsmen? If such it be, it is an insult
not only to musicians of the army, but also
to the profession at large. The profession
is a numerous one, and includes several
hundreds of thousands of tax payers, the
influence and votes of whom are too val-
uable to be jeopardised by ill-advised
official measures emanating from the Sec-
retary of War's office. In the meantime,
Great Britain, the most conservative of
European countries, has removed the
barrier and army bandmasters are being
rapidly promoted to the rank of commis-
sioned officers, from that of the "warrant"
rank they have hitherto held. Evolution
has evinced itself in that country. For-
merly bandmasters were civilian em-
ployees, next they became first-class staff
sergeants, later "warrant officers," and re-
cently they are being commissioned as
lieutenants.
In Belgium and France bandmasters en-
ter as sub-lieutenants and reach eventually
by promotion the grade of colonel. Ger-
many does similarly and the chief band-
master of the army is entitled Inspector of
Military Music. A vivid contrast of the
methods monarchial Europe and democrat-
ic (?) America, in dealing with the matter
was afforded at the recent International
Concert given by the bands of the 7 th
Regt, N.G.S.N.Y. and Godfrey's Guards.
The bands played alternately, below each
number on the program the name of the
director was printed. In one case it read
Sergeant Ernest Neyer, in the other Lieu-
tenant Dan Godfrey. Vcrbum Sap.
*»
A MONUMENT is to be erected in the
**• Chillicothe, Mo., cemetery to the
memory of Nelson Kneass, composer of
"Ben Bolt." It was in 1846, three years
after Dr. English wrote the song, that
Kneass set the words to the present music.
It is said, however, that the air is not
original with him, having been adapted
from the German.
*
A. M A C D O W E L L , the eminent com-
poser and pianist, is opposed to the
presentation of concert programs made up
exclusively of American compositions. He
Xi
prefers rather that societies should make in view of the statements made in the fol-
it a rule never to give a concert without at lowing letter which he has written:
"All that has been said on the subject
least one American composition on the
of
a new work from my pen is false, abso-
program.
lutely'
false. Since my ' Falstaff' I have
We cannot agree with the position Mr.
done
no
'operatic work,' and I fear I shall
MacDowell has taken. Some radical steps
never
do
any more. I finished my task
must be taken to make known to the pub-
with
'Falstaff.'
After seventy-five years of
lic that we have composers who are pro-
ducing meritorious works fully worthy of activity, I believe that I have earned the
right to live in tranquility and in peace the
support.
Can this be done by the insertion of a all too short years which remain of my
life. Since the creation of ' Falstaff' the
single number on a program ?
Would not the results be more effective newspapers have announced at regular in-
were an active campaign inaugurated de- tervals (and what is still more, with details
voted wholly to American musical com- in support) that I am occupied in some new
position ? To-day the American composer compositions. Down to the present I have
and public need to know more of each taken no notice of these erroneous reports,
other. There must be a greater exchange but now, once for all, I wish to declare that
I shall compose no more operas. Repose
of confidence and appreciation.
or tranquility—even in this world—is now
of the most striking features of the my sole aspiration, and I hope that this
last year's book output has been the desire will not be considered premature."
number of works on music. For many
years there flourished a theory, dear to '"THAT some of our people are still living
*• in the dark ages is evident from the
most editors of periodicals and publishers
account
which appeared in the papers last
of books that anything musical spelled inev-
week
of
the general conference of the
itable failure, remarks Current Literature,
Brethren
in Christ which convened in
and only the most fortuitous circumstances
annual
session
in Pennsylvania. Among
brought forth anything more musical than
the
things
which
they " resolved " was
an importation of some startling novelty
that
it
would
be
wrong
to tolerate instru-
like a biography of Mozart or an encyclo-
mental
music
in
church,
carry life in-
pedic series of volumes on the great com-
surance
or
to
take
matters
to
law.
posers, great singers, great violins, great
While
we
do
not
care
to
pass
an opinion
something or other. The American writer
on
the
matter
of
insurance
and
law, it
on music was pretty well confined to daily
seems
extraordinary
that
such
views
upon
papers and strictly musical papers, and the
music
in
churches
should
obtain
for
a
spasmodic outburst of something like Mr.
Upton's standard operas and oratorios only moment in this country where facilities for
emphasized the musical stupor of the pub- education are so ample. There is certainly
no accounting for beliefs even in this age
lishing world.
Within the last two or three years a re- of electricity and progress.
*
markable change has taken place, and to-
A VERY delightful event was the musi-
day musical works fairly be-snow the book-
stalls. The American writers have found ** cal and art exhibit given by the pu-
their entering wedge in books rather di- pils of the Stump-Crocket School of Fine
dactic than critical, and aiming to teach Arts under the direction of lone B. Croc-
the layman a few necessary rudiments ket, at 7230 Cottage Grove Avenue, Brook-
that he may listen to intelligently, if not line, Chicago, on the evening of May 6th.
learnedly, and may approach music as The program was carefully diversified, and
most interesting. It gave an opportunity
something more than an ear-tickler.
to the different pupils to display their va-
*
I EONORA JACKSON, since her distin- ried abilities in such a manner as to evoke
*-* guished successes this Spring at the the highest praise from those present.
Gewandhaus, Leipsic, and with the Lon- There was an exhibit of paintings by stu-
don Philharmonic, has been winning new dents as well as a song and piano recital.
laurels at Paris. She played there recently Mrs. Zimmerman, at whose home the af-
before the King of Sweden and Norway at fair occurred and whose daughter has been
the brilliant musical and dramatic soiree studying at the Stump-Crocket School for
given by the Figaro in his honor; and the four years, entertained the pupils at sup-
same week as soloist of the last Colone Con- per after the entertainment.
cert of the season, won an unequivocal suc-
Mrs. Crocket has good reason to feel
cess with the Brahms Concerto, being proud of the institution of which she is
five times recalled amid great enthusiasm. the head. It has been our pleasure on
In the words of a prominent London various occasions to commend her ability
critic: '' Here is a violinist whose rare as exemplified in the clever work of her
talent and still rarer artistic temperament pupils. The success of this institution is
shed lustre upon her native land." Leo- not surprising.
nora Jackson is the first American violinist
*
to appear as soloist at the Leipsic Gewand- DEROSI'S dreary works have been re.
haus Symphony Concerts, the London Phil- *
ceived in London with much greater
harmonic, and Paris Colone Concerts, three favor than they found here. There is, how-
of the oldest and most distinguished musi- ever, a polite lack of enthusiasm in the
cal organizations in Europe.
criticisms.
*
many diverse rumors regarding
O
I
E
G
F
R
I
E
D
WAGNER,
is said to be at
Verdi's activity in the field of musical
^
work
on
a
new
opera,
'' The Lady
composition should now come to an end,
Judge."