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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
will be watched with considerable interest.
To draw an audience nightly that will fill
a house like the Metropolitan, an unusual-
ly strong roster of singers must be pro-
vided. Suzanne Adams, who has been
among the first engaged for the new com-
pany and who will appear in "Faust,"
"Romeo and Juliet," and other familar
operas is a valuable acquisition to the com-
23, 24 and 25.
Other artists who will appear here under pany. Writing on this subject in the Criter-
Mr. Wolfsohn's management are: Mr. and ion for June she says the new English
Mrs. Georg Henschel, January until May; opera venture has assured elements of
Ernst von Dohnanyi, pianist, November success. "So far as vocalization is con-
until February; Fritz Kreisler, violinist, cerned," says Miss Adams, "probably the
November until March; Maude Powell, Italian language lends itself most graceful-
the American violinist, January until May ; ly to the demands of musical roles, but the
Hugo Becker, 'cellist, January and Feb- English lyrics, if carefully prepared with a
ruary; Clara Butt, the contralto, (possibly regard for the singer, can be quite as effect-
with a concert company of her own), Feb-
ruary until May; D. Ff rangcon Davies, the
English baritone, October to January;
Mine, Schumann-Heink and Augusta Cott-
low, the young American pianist.
be heard in all of the principal cities of
the country under the management of Mr.
Wolfsohn, and in January will go back to
Europe for an extended tour on the con-
tinent. Mrae. Blauvelt has just been en-
gaged as the leading prima donna of the
Handel Triennial Festival which is to be
held at the Crystal Palace in London, June
\ 1 7 R I T I N G of the condition of music at
the Paris Exposition John Philip
Sousa, the eminent conductor and com-
poser, says that it reminds him very vividly
of the Columbian Exhibition. At Chicago
Thomas's orchestra was in evidence; at
Paris it is a Colonne orchestra which dis-
courses sweet music. Numerous national
villages at the Columbian Exhibition had
their orchestras or bands of more or less
importance. These represented their res-
pective countries. "Here, too," says Mr.
Sousa, "different nations have their bands,
ours being the official band of the United
States Commission. We are here to
expound military music as we under-
stand it in America. I am glad to
say that our interpretation of American mil-
itary music made such a strong impres-
sion that the French Goverment put at our
disposal the Salle des Fetes, where we will
give concerts under the patronage of the
French and American commissions. When
we give Massenet's music naturally it is
well received. I am glad also to say that
our own music is as well received here as
in the United States.
"An exhibition such as this is musically
valuable, as it leads away from conserva-
tism, and individual genius has an oppor-
tunity of exploiting itself for the benefit
of art. I have no doubt that the musical
pabulum furnished during the Exhibition
will be of great value to the world. All of
us who are here working in the musical
vineyard will profit by the association."
D L A N S for the Grau-Savage English
opera scheme are rapidly maturing,
and in this connection the heads of the
organization are about to meet in London
for the purpose of deciding on the princi-
pal singers. It is said that the first tenor
will be a singer of rank, who has never
visited America before. The chorus, as
before announced, will be made up from
the forces of the Castle Square Opera Co.
and the English speaking portion of the
Metropolitan chorus.
The experiment of giving English opera
at the Metropolitan and on a more preten-
tious scale than at the American Theatre
1
repertoire of leading singers, notably
"Little Boy Blue" and "The Dream Tree,"
two ballads, coming under the popular
designation of cradle songs, which are
noted for their melodic beauty, effective
scoring and charming words. They have
been widely sung, and in all cases have
met with marked approval.
The latest composition from this gifted
woman's pen is a love song, " When We
Were Parted." Although yet in manu-
script it has been sung by several artists
with unusual success. At the recent
meeting of the Society of American Com-
posers at the Waldorf-Astoria, Hobart
Smock sang this ballad in his usually
effective manner. The favor with which
it was received by the distinguished assem-
bly was a compliment of which the
composer can well feel proud. It
is only natural to expect that other
musical numbers of a more ambitious
character may be expected in due
course from the pen of this accom-
plished musician.
Mrs. Joyce, whose portrait appears
on this page, gave her annual con-
cert on the evening of May 24th,
at the studio of Mr. Orrin Parsons.
It was in every way enjoyable and
a great success. Some of the lead-
ing artists of the metropolis par-
ticipated and a fashionable audience
was in attendance.
O T E I N I T Z , the chess expert
*^ whose mental condition is such
a source of regret, was very fond
of music and liked to dwell upon
the affinity between chess and
music. As a matter of fact, many
eminent musicians have been, and
are, more or less, adepts at
FLORENCE BUCKINGHAM JOYCE.
chess, and Steinitz rarely missed
ive, and certainly more interesting to Eng- a chance to bring home this argument in
lish-speaking audiences.
The English favor of chess. An ardent admirer of
translation of French and Italian opera, of Richard Wagner, Steinitz always used to
course, must and will be of the very best, hum the march from "Tannhaeuser" when
and provided that the librettos be skilfully meditating over an intricate position, or
arranged, I cannot see that there are any engrossed in the solution of a difficult
great difficulties in the way of presenting problem.
English opera.
He was especially prone to liken his own
"There is an impression, possibly, that style of playing to that master's music,
the English language will interfere with said a player to-day, inasmuch as he subor-
the phrasing of certain passages in operas dinated brilliant and catching combinations
that have according to tradition, been sung to strategical design and play for positions,
in French and Italian, and I may say Ger- just as with Wagner harmony prevails over
man, but I think the impression is false. melody. It must be said that Steinitz was
If the lyrics are so written as to balance an enthusiastic Wagnerian long before the
the musical value of an operatic score, the Baireuth composer had triumphed over his
singer will not find any change in the orig- enemies. Steinitz never met Wagner, but
inal arrangement of the music."
he used to tell a bon-m6t by the latter with
great relish. In 1873, after having won
OELDOM has success come quicker to the Emperor's prize at Vienna, Steinitz
^
anyone than it has to Florence Buck- was filling an engagement at Munich. On
ingham Joyce. It was in 1894 she came one occasion, the topic turning to music,
to New York from Utica and since that Steinitz loudly professed his admiration
time she has been making steady headway in for Wagner. The incident was reported
her profession. She not only has won a to the latter, who said in reply: "Very
prominent position in the metropolis as an nice of him, but the chances are Steinitz
accomplished pianist and talented composer, knows as much about music as I do of
but has displayed rare gifts in the realm of chess."
accompanying—an art which nowadays
occupies a distinct place in the musical O F. SMITH, former Mayor of Daven-
field. Several of Mrs. Joyce's composi- ^ # port and a son of Samuel S. Smith,
tions have found a standard place in the the author of "America," recently ad-