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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Blue Danube " began in the United States.
It was sung first in Vienna by a choir of
male voices, and having made no great
impression, dropped out of use for a while.
Here it was introduced as an orchestra
number, and was popular everywhere be-
fore Vienna and other European cities
became nearly so familiar with it.
Strauss's last triumph was the perform-
ance of "Die Fledermaus " at the Grand
Opera in Vienna, on Pentecost, he himself
conducting the overture. The excitement
proved too much for him, and from that
day his vital powers waned. When the
will was opened it was found that he had,
after providing for his relatives, left all his
property, including six houses, to the
Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde.
. *
'"FHE opening of the summer night con-
* certs scheduled for St. Nicholas Rink
have been delayed owing to the difficulty
of getting the hall ready. Franz Kalten-
born will conduct an orchestra of forty
musicians when the concerts begin in pop-
ular and classical selections. In the mean-
time Sousa and the free concerts must satis-
fy the public demand for music.
*"
I I ERR FRANZ SCHALK says that his
*• *• failure to return to New York and con-
duct the Wagner operas at the Metropolitan
was not due to any disagreement over terms
with Maurice Grau, but was the result of
his inability to get leave of absence from
his duties as third conductor at the Royal
Opera in Berlin. He says that he is too
young a man to haggle over terms and
appreciates too much the value of associa-
tions with a company like that at the Metro-
politan to interfere with his future connec-
tions by remaining away on account of a
question of salary. If he broke his con-
tract in Berlin it would be impossible for
him to conduct in any of the German opera
houses. So he will remain in Berlin until
he gets permission to leave.
Emil Paur, will, it is expected, succeed
Kerr Schalk. Mr. Paur is at present in
Europe where the contract will be signed,
all details having been previously arranged.
*
P R E S I D E N T McKINLEY, it is stated,
will likely present a prize to the
United Singers of Brooklyn to be com-
peted for at the great National Saenger-
fest by the delegates from abroad who are
expected to attend. This has been de-
cided on in view of the fact that the dele,
gates from the several societies in this
country are to struggle for a trophy to be
presented by Emperor William of Germany.
The fact that William of the United States
is partial to coon or rag-time music will
not, we trust, interfere with the entente
cordiale which now happily exists with
William of Germany, and his present and
former subjects.
r
I T would seem now that New York opera,
goers are destined to hear two new
Elsas next season if the contracts of Mme.
Sembrich and Mile. Calve are carried out
in their present terms. Mme. Sembrich
decided soon after she observed the Wag-
nerian influence here that she should share
in the glory to some extent by singing Elsa
and Eva. She has sung in "Lohengrin"
in Italian, but never in German, and will
be heard in the part for the first time here
next winter. Her experience with Eva
was confined to the Seidl benefit. Mile.
Calve is said by the French newspapers to
have included in her contract not only
Elsa, but also Elisabeth in " Tannhauser "
and to have learned that role in German.
This is probably incorrect. Mile. Calve
has never sung in " Lohengrin," although
at one time she studied the part in French
and was to sing it in a contemplated pro-
duction of the work in Paris at the old
Opera Comique.
*
1\ A ME. MELBA announces that she has
* * * definitely dropped the Wagner roles
from her repertoire. It was at one time
said that she was preparing to appear as
Eva, but according to her present plans
that has been given up, along with any
thought of future appearances as Elsa or
Elizabeth. Mile. Calve is likely to compli-
cate still further the old Juliette troubles,
for she is to sing that role for the first time
here next season. As Jean de Reszke will
in all probability be unavailable for Romeo,
it will be interesting to observe how great
the public demand for the opera is. With
Mmes. Sembrich, Melba and Mile. Calve,
not to mention the other women in the
company, the usual supply of eminent
daughters of the Capulets will be on hand.
The Elsas will be nearly as abundant.
Mme. Sembrich has theories of her own as
to the way in which Elsa should be sung,
and that is different enough from the
standard popular here to make it certain
that her performance will be interesting,
whether or not it will conform to present
taste. The Elsas of recent seasons have
occasionally accentuated in singing as well
as in acting the heroic side of the char-
acter. Mile. Calve is promised as Cheru-
bino in " Le Nozze de Figaro," as A'ida
and as Sapho. Mile. Calve has never sung
Aida before. She was to appear in the
role at the. Opera in Paris before she broke
with that institution several years ago.
*
lVJOBODY will be more delighted than
1 ^ Mme. Sembrich at Mile. Calves'
return to the company. It will make pos-
sible the double bills which were formerly
so popular when Mile. Calve and Mme.
Melba were in the company together.
Metropolitan audiences will have the op-
portunity to hear Mme. Sembrich in "Don
Pasquale," " L a Fille du Regiment," and
one or two lighter operas that are not
sufficient for a whole evening's entertain-
ment. This was part of Mr. Grau's scheme
last winter, but it miscarried through Mile.
Calve's illness. It is not thought that Mme.
Sembrich and Mile. Calve are delighted to
be together for any other reason than their
artistic advancement. Indeed, they met
several years ago in St. Petersburg and
parted without having formed any very
deep and abiding friendship. They are
also to be heard together in Bizet's "Car-
men " at special performances of what will
probably serve as the medium of Mile.
Calve" s New York appearances more fre-
quently than any of the new or old roles of
her repertoire. She will always be Carmen
to American audiences more than any
other heroine.
*
'"THINGS have come to a pretty pass in
*• England. Sir John Stainer, the gov-
ernment's chief inspector of music under
the education department, professor of
music in Oxford and former organist of
St. Paul's Cathedral, declares that the pro-
fession is altogether overstocked and that
a serious crisis is at hand. Great num-
bers of musicians of character and attain-
ments are on the verge of starvation for
want of employment. He ascribes this as
partly due to the fact that the profession
is becoming fashionable.
Of the young people who are flocking to
the profession in crowds a vast majority
have not the most remote chance of even
moderate success. He declares that hardly
half a dozen composers in England can live
by writing music. He himself had tested
about 15,000 voices in the past thirteen
years, and discovered perhaps twenty-five
first-rate ones in that number. He says,
that nobody, unless exceptionally endowed,
should think of the musical profession as a
career unless prepared to become a teacher
as well as a performer.
*
LAMOUREUX, the distinguished
• French conductor, is quoted as ex-
pounding the following opinion, musically,
of the English nation: "I do not doubt
but that in ten years' time the English
race will produce some great musical
genius who shall rank with Shakespeare in
literature; their musical education is so
sure and so complete." This is flattering
and hopeful. M. Lamoureux, no doubt,
expects that the "musical genius" will
come from this side of the "big pond."
*
T H E largest music school in the world is
* the Guildhall in London. The num-
ber of pupils this year is 3,600. In
1898 the professors, 121 in number, were
paid the sum of something over $118,-
000; and during the same period the
school received from students and endow-
ments the sum of $139,525.
of the biggest singing festivals
ever known here will be held in this
city during the first four days in July by
sixty-three singing societies representing
the German trades unions of the New Eng-
land and Middle Atlantic States. A re-
markable program has been arranged, and
it is said that 4,000 persons will participate
in the concerts.
The most noteworthy feature of the fes-
tival will be the singing of songs devoted
to the various trades members of the so-
cieties are engaged in. The Rockville,
Conn., weavers will sing a song entitled
" T h e Weavers," which will tell in thrill-
ing musical effects and words what weavers
must undergo during strikes, lockouts and
periods of enforced idleness. The song
will tell of the misery of the weavers with
the most dramatic and realistic accuracy.