Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
f
music in New York is im-
^ * proving in every way; in the har
mony and quality of voices, in the choice
of musical works, in the brilliancy of vocal
soloists, in the care given to proper re-
hearsals, in the introduction of grand or-
gans and the supplementary aid of orches-
tras on fete days—such as Christmas and
Easter.
When one considers the wealth of the
leading churches, the prices paid to the
singers, while adequate to secure good
voices, are not so large as one would sup-
pose. It would not be surprising if an
enormously wealthy congregation were to
determine to pay anything necessary—
twenty, thirty, fifty thousand dollars a
year—to get the finest music that could
be had. But they do nothing of the sort.
Perhaps ten thousand dollars represents
the maximum paid by the "biggest"
churches in New York.
In this connection a writer, who has
given this matter some attention says:
"$2500 is the highest sum known to be
paid to a church tenor while the average
in the swellest choir is only $1,200. The
minimum is $25 a month,, and mark you,
this beggarly sum is paid in a well-known
church that has an attendance of between
three and four thousand people. Sopranos
receive from $900 to $1,500, contraltos
from $700 to $1200 though the scale runs
higher and lower. Baritones and basses
get about the same figures as are quoted
for the sopranos and contraltos in these
fashionable churches."
A MONG the noted personalities visiting
^
us this season is William Shakespeare,
the eminent English teacher of singing
who has been heard recently in this city
in a cc-uree of lectures devoted to pio-
duction, execution and interpretation, when
he won his audience by the combined frank-
ness and dignity of his address. Mr.
Shakespeare sang on each occasion in a
light tenor voice, some well-chosen songs
from composers whom he especially favors.
And yet it was neither as a discussion of
singing nor as a recital of songs tnat the
occasion was chiefly remarkable. Some
of those present realized that the lectures
were a lesson rather in the art of teaching.
Mr. Shakespeare's published book on "The
Art of Singing" tells much of that which the
audience heard him say concerning respira-
tion and the vocal organs. But it re-
mained for this personal hearing of the
visitor to disclose the rare facility of ex-
position and illustration which has made
him eminent in the profession of teaching.
Mr. Shakespeare comes to an understand-
ing with his hearers in the most direct
way. He tells simply what he wishes to
say and then illustrates it with some figure
of speech, or snatch of song, or bodily at-
titude or gesture that precisely conveys
the idea. His intellectual precision is com-
parable only to the exactness of vocal at-
tack which made his songs delightful to
hear. It may be added here that as a
pianist also he proved himself thoroughly
equipped, and played his own accompani-
ments as few pianists would have played
them for him. To emphasize the beauty
uf both Mr. Shakespeare's voice and art, it
is not necessary to go any further than to
quote from a letter of Johannes Brahms,
written shortly before his death, in which
he says, " I t is the most musical singing
which I have ever heard."
On the front page of this issue there ap-
pears an excellent portrait of this famous
singer and teacher.
T H E news given out last week that Prof.
* Fanciulli conductor of the 71st Regi-
ment Band had signed a contract with the
Manhattan Beach Co. to furnish music at
. SHAKESPEARE'S record in the Manhattan Beach during the coming sum-
musical world from his earliest mer, afforded a great deal of pleasure to a
years is one of continued honors received legion of admirers of this popular and tal-
in England and on the Continent. As a ented musician. Prof. Fanciulli has an
composer he won in 1871 the Mendelssohn international reputation as bandmaster,
scholarship—the blue ribbon of the En- composer and teacher of vocal and instru-
glish musical student. Mr. Shakespeare mental music. He was leader of the U. S.
later journeyed to Leipsic with considera- Marine Band at Washington for five years.
He later moved to this city and
organized the 71st Regiment
Band, which is made up of a
clever body of artists. He has
demonstrated, through the con-
certs given by this organiza-
tion in Central Park the past
two summers, that his indi-
viduality is as assertive and
dominant as it was when he
controlled the destinies of the
Marine Band at Washington.
Prof. Fanciulli is not merely
a bandmaster, he is an educat-
or. His programs at the public
concerts have always been
admirably conceived. He aimed
to inculcate a wider apprecia-
tion of those classical numbers,
easy of comprehension by the
lay mind, and to his credit, be
it said, he not only pleased
the old-time attendants at
these concerts, but drew to
the park a class of people more
critical in their musical tastes.
We consider that Prof. Fanei-
ulli's season at the Beach will
help to augment his reputation
as a leader and composer.
PROF. FANCIULLI.
ble reputation as pianist and composer, TN spite of Verdi's denials, it is said he is
where yielding to the advice of friends he * actually putting the finishing touches
took up singing as a second study. The to a new work, and that it will certainly be
committee of the Mendelssohn Scholarship produced at La Scala during the Carnival
sent him later to Milan to study singing of iyoi. Verdi is said to be at Busseto,
under the great Francesco Lamperti. This and sending frequently for Boito, Giulio
master was one of the last who seemed to Ricordi, and even Tito Ricordi. The sub-
possess the secret of the old Italian style ject is kept a profound secret, but it is sus-
as practiced by Mario, Guiglino, Grisi and pected to be Julius Csesar.
Lablache. He remained with Lamperti
three years, not forgetting in the intervals
AG-TIME according to F.W. Root bears
of study to continue the practice of compo-
the same relation to the great things
sition, for he sent to England several of the musical world that Mother Goose's
string quartets, two overtures and sundry melodies do to the masterpieces of the
other works. In 1875 he returned to Eng-
world's literature. Criticising this lowly
land, making his debut with much success
but extremely popular sort of music, he
as tenor singer at the Philharmonic con-
cert. His classic and artistic style at once says it came from the great maestros of the
gave him a high place among English earth. Wagner lapsed into it much after
the manner of statesmen who sometimes
vocalists.
get
tired and drop into versification. Mo-
On Monday last Mr. Shakespeare gave a
zart
also had moments of fatigue or exu-
lecture recital in Albany after which he left
berance,
when he dashed off a few notes in
on a tour west giving recitals in Montreal,
Toronto, Chicago, Milwaukee, Topeka, the measure of the cake-walk melody.
Kansas City, Cincinnati, Pittsburg and Some of the great literateurs have written
Washington, returning here about Feb. 22 along the mental altitude of Mother Goose,
or 23, and will stay in New York giving and so have Bach and Beethoven yielded to
lessons until the end of March.
the impulse to put their lofty thoughts into
R