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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
nature was fostered and nurtured to a degree
At a comparatively early age Mme. Duff
developed a voice of wonderful range and
power. She became a pupil of the cele-
brated master, Manuel Garcia, in London,
with whom she studied upwards of four
years. At the conclusion of her studies
with Garcia, the great teacher proclaimed
her to be the equal of Jenny Lind, Pasta
and Grisi, possessing a voice of extraordi-
nary power and extension. The chief
MARIE DUFF.
beauty in Mme. Duff's singing is shown in
her masterful technique, while her splen-
did vocalization and artistic enunciation
are particular qualities evident in all her
work. During her sojourn abroad she ap-
peared in many concerts and recitals in
London, and gained the unanimous en-
dorsement of the trained and experienced
observers of music.
*
LL
W
H E T H E R itis a misfortune to be
v
* an American artist or not " is a
question being debated these days—with
some good purpose, we sincerely trust. It
is regrettable that occasion should arise for
discussion of such a topic, but the fact re-
mains that scores of composers, pianists,
sculptors, painters, writers—all productive,
creative, and recognized as men of ability,
—are actually in want through lack of pat-
ronage on the part of the public.
To love art for art's sake stamps the
true artist and a cultured community. We
have the artists, as Franklyn Sonnekalb
well says, but the community is lacking be-
cause the public demands novelties, fads,
fashion and eccentricities in art preferable
to the beautiful, whether in an artist or an
object. The beautiful never changes and
ever remains beautiful, but the ill-cultured
public craves a change, because grasping
everything with the senses they have no
minds to conceive the inexhaustible riches
in a single beautiful object, such as a Cor-
reggio, a Venus de Milo, a quartet of Bee-
thoven, a Paradise Lost by Milton, or the
work of a native and many a foreign mu-
sician executant.
_1
,
The public and society have an idea that work. Nobody will be likely to hear M.
a pianist, for instance, only exists to amuse de Reszke on the stage after his voice has
and not to live! That years of toil and begun to decline. His reluctance to take
fortunes have been spent by the artist to the long journey to San Francisco alone
finally enable him to entertain the public prevents him from coming here with the
gratis! The public never thinks of pay- rest of the singers in October.
ing this debt so as to enable the artist to
BECKER VON GRABILL, the dis-
live. Why? Because the public does not
tinguished piano virtuoso, has re-
know, in its ignorance, that what he, the
turned
from
the Southwest. He will make
artist, gives them is not only culture, but
a
tournee
throughout
the Northern states
dollars and cents; that he throws away
this
coming
season.
Mr. Von Grabill's
capital—in other words, he is a philanthro-
personality
is
"all
his
own," as a promi-
pist, though poor, and the public are the
nent
critic
puts
it.
"
His
playing is sim-
beggars! Nowhere is this fact so notice-
ply
fascinating,
and
portrays
more indi-
able as in our city.
viduality than probably any other artist
T H E R E are a number of so-called pat- before the public." The Southern Herald
*• rons of musicians and artists in this says of him: "Mr. S. Becker Von Gra-
city who would never think of putting bill is the greatest pianist that has ever
their hands into their pockets to help a visited the South; arrangements will be
starving artist. This seeking a reputation made to secure him for another series of
as an art patron at the expense of a poor recitals in the future. Certain it is that
and defenceless, nay, weak, artist, is one this man has few equals."
of the biggest frauds perpetrated during
the winter season in this city—making a
of Boston's most promising young
convenience of artists to gain newspaper
contraltos is Miss Florence Etta
notoriety.
Glover, whose portrait appears on this
In view of this fact, no artist should page. Her voice, while possessing suffi-
give his services unless fully compensated. cient range and power for oratorio and
Only when an artist is recompensed is he opera singing, is none the less pleasing in
truly and intelligently appreciated. The the lighter forms of musical composition.
professions of jurisprudence, medicine and She received instructions from the best
arms are legitimate, but music, poetry, teachers in her native city and also in
letters, painting and sculpture are fine arts, Paris. Since her debut in Boston, some
and it is unfortunate that artists invariably three years ago, she has been in demand
poor cannot pursue their art untrammelled for concerts and recitals and has met with
with care so as to be of the greatest ser-
vice to state, man, art and themselves in-
dividually, and thus glorify the Grand
Architect of the Universe, as in the prime
days of Greece or as is being done in Italy.
JVAR. SONNEKALB is of the opinion
* * * that this ideal might be reached
through a system of socialism. A commu-
nity or institution of artists of merit form-
ing a settlement of from five hundred to a
thousand persons in each state, and who,
in order to be free from care, are willing
to contribute their work for a general fund
to support the institution or community,
just as the Shakers demonstrate in their
community, would procure comfort, happi-
ness and an ideal life for all artists in the
various arts.
The artist would have a home, a market
for his work, whether painting, music,
sculpture or letters. There could be ex-
hibitions of paintings, recitals by artists,
works could be read, etc., etc. With the
combined efforts of so many artists, a new
impetus would be given to art, and it
would be the beginning of an art epoch
in the New World's history. Such an in-
stitution could be best founded by a phil-
anthropist willing to endow the institution
until it became self-paying.
T H E Maurice Grau Opera Co. will sail
*• for this country on Oct. 20, with the
exception of Jean de Reszke, who will not
arrive here until the beginning of the Bos-
ton season. No reliance is put in the story
that his voice has permanently failed. It
is one peculiarity of the great tenor that
he always sings better as the season ad-
vances and is usually improved by hard
FLORENCE ETTA GLOVER.
a large measure of success. The critics
have been very complimentary in their
estimate of her ability and this is revealed
in the innumerable notices which have ap-
peared in the daily papers. Miss Glover
is under management of Chas. L. Young.
TERESA CARRENO, the cele-
M ME. brated
pianist, is to make an ex-
tended tour through America next season
under the management of J. W. Cochran.
Her first appearanee will be in the opening
concert of the New York Philharmonic
Society in November, when she will play
the B flat minor concerto of Tschaikowsky.
During the past season Mme. Carreno has
been performing in Paris and London with
much success.