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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
New BooKs of Piano Music.
STRUGGLES OF WAGNER.
Oliver Dltson Company, Publishers
Q O M E very interesting particulars con-
THIRTY
DUETS
WITHOUT OCTAVES. 75c. For two
^
cerning Richard Wagner's first en-
Equal Performers. CORNELIUS GURLITT.
gagement, showing what immense difficul-
This is a book of four-hand pieces gathered
ties the composer had to overcome before he from
Op. 81, Op. 102, Op. 122, Op. 136, Op, 147,
could secure the performance of a single and Op. 179. The book is large enough to prove
work of his, have been just made public by useful to the pupil, and yet it is not so large as to
Herr Oppenheim, of Munich. Six weeks become tiresome. The pieces are carefully se-
after entering on his first engagement, that lected in the point of grading; may be used by
teacher and pupil or by two pupils. In the last
of conductor at the Stadtheatre at Magde- mentioned use of them it will prove most practical
burg, Wagner, as will be remembered, be- if the Secondo be a somewhat more advanced pupil
came engaged to Fraulein Mina Planer, who than the Primo, so that the latter play the upper
gave sentimental parts at that same theatre. part throughout before attempting the lower. Or,
the teacher may grade from the easier Primo into
To the disappointment of the lovers the the easier Secondo part while proceeding through
union had to be postponed because the un- the book.
favorable state of affairs at the theatre at
To pupils who find no technical difficulty in
Magdeburg kept Wagner with an empty these little pieces, the book will be excellent for in-
pocket, and it would have been delayed still struction in sight-reading.
Every number is carefully phrased, fingered and
longer had not two friends of his found the supplied with marks of expression and dynamics.
money for the marriage fees and other abso- FuUR LITTLE HANDS. $1.00. First and second grade
pieces for equal performers; without octaves; various com-
lutely indispensable expenses, for also the
posers; revised and fingered by HEINKICH KIEHL.
profits from Wagner's opera, "Das Liebes-
This volume and the "Thirty Duets" by Gurlitt
verbot," were next to none. He as composer are admirable volumes. Whether used by teacher
was to receive a royalty of eight thalers for and pupil or by two pupils they are desirable.
the first performance, but there was no sec- Books of four-hand pieces for equal performers are
ond performance, and of course the sum of particularly useful when the teacher desires to
eight thalers, for which, besides, some very train pupils to play together. Again either part is
equally available.
hungry creditors were waiting, was not suf-
The pieces proceed from simple unison, in whole
ficient even for the most unpretentious to notes: to independent work for right and left
hand the Secondo begins somewhat more inde-
marry on.
pendently than the Primo, and sustains that inde-
throughout.
"And our wants," afterwards said Frau pendence
This volume is excellently graded for sight-
Mina Wagner, "were then modest indeed; reading ; that is for sight-reading which is care-
planned and applied by the teacher. Played
they were compelled to be so, despite our fully
twice through by two pupils of the third grade,
putting the earnings of both together, as with an exchange of parts the second time, will
helpful and enjoyable.
Director Bethmann had a decided objection prove
The book contains fifty-eight pieces by nearly
to pay days." In their distress Wagner twenty composers. Fingering, phrasing, marks of
expression and of dynamics have been carefully
conceived an original means of obtaining added.
money from Bethmann on account of his ON THE WHITE KEYS: An Introduction to the Piano.
Twenty-four first grade pieces without accidentals. For
salary. Usually of an evening during the
Two and Four hands. By L. E. ORTH. Op. 18. Price,
performance at the theatre Bethmann would
Exceedingly attractive in appearance, both
be at the inn Zum Prinzen von Preussen, within
and without. The book contains twelve
simple
pieces, each with a distinct purpose clearly
playing cards for money with some other
stated,
and
each twice presented, first in two-hand,
gentleman, and laid a small sum of money on then in four-hand
arrangement. As the title states
the table at his side. One pay day, after the white keys only are employed. Thus, by re-
hand-difficulty to a minimum greater atten-
SARA ANDERSON.
Wagner had not received any money, he ducing
tion and concentration may be given to the dis-
purpose to be pursued.
may sometimes take broader views of hu- sought for the director and found him play- tinct
In
the
four-hand section the admirable feature is
manity than its censors, and sometimes en- ing cards in that inn. Wagner, seeing the that the little player may play either Primo or Sec-
ondo.
Happily
all words indicative of mood and
force a lesson of charity that they are apt money lying beside the director, quietly seat- speed are in English.
The first 8 pieces pertain to
to overlook. I offer this suggestion with ed himself at the side, and when Bethmann note values particularly. No. 9 presents the Slur
and Staccato; No. 10, Phrasing; No. 11, Expres-
the diffidence of a murderer who is suspected had again won a small sum, Wagner pocket- sion; No. 12, Steadiness of Rhythm. The pieces
of being no Christian; but in the fierce light ed it, whispering to him: "On account, dear are short, interesting and full of melody. A line
of text is provided to indicate the mood. It serves
that beats upon the stage there is so much directorkin!"
as a key to the imaginative element of the compo-
j*
sition.
variety of opinion that the actor may feel
In such variation of the solo part for its reap-
REdAINS IN CINCINNATI.
tolerably safe in leaving his critics to enter-
pearance in the four-hand version, the pupil finds
C
RANK
VAN
DER
STUCKEN
will
re-
new
matter for study. But it is new matter in a
tain one another.
familiar object. New application to the familiar
*•
main
in
Cincinnati
as
the
conductor
of
"I see that one sprightly writer, who is
object, not to the unfamiliar, is a fundamental
law.
still young, entreats his brother critics who the Symphony Orchestra for another six teaching
The hands are independent throughout.
years.
This
is
the
result
of
a
definite
action
are more mature, to throw up the business,
EASY PIECES IN EASY KEVS, VOL. 2. s °c. Edited by
L. E. OKTH.
because their ideas are out of date. Another taken by the Board of Directors. In their
This
volume contains forty pieces arranged in-
writer, a man of greater experience, com- opinion, Mr. Van der Stucken's work as key-groups, and progressively in technical diffi-
The book is, in brief, an experienced teach-
plains that when classic parts are acted now, conductor has shown him to be fitted for culty.
er's gathering of musical material from many
the
place,
and,
his
salary
being
assured
by
sources.
Every piece is fingered and phrased with
there is no standard of comparison to judge
care, taste and discrimination. It assists the
Mrs.
C.
P.
Taft's
offer
of
$5,000
a
year,
they
them by, and that when new parts are acted
teacher rather than infers that she knows nothing
they belong to the indefinable personality offered him the leadership for the ensuing of these matters.
The pieces represent a broad range of styles;
of the player and there is nothing for the six years.
they are short, never exceeding two pages, repre-
sent all demands for early piano-technic, and pro-
critic to lay hold of. Gentlemen, I read this
helpful material. If these pieces are as care-
Busoni appeared before a very large and vide
with pain, for it looks like abdication and
fully taught as they have been prepared by the
enthusiastic
audience
in
St.
James
Hall,
editor,
their worth to the pupil will be consider-
despair. Let us hope it was only a passing
able. Rhythmically and technically they thor-
London.
He
played
the
Beethoven
Sonata,
mood.
oughly exploit the grade for which they are in-
Besides serving for instructive material
"The drama may not be a moral teacher, op. 26, and the Chopin B flat minor, both tended.
the book lends itself admirably for lessons in sight
containing
a
funeral
march.
The
program
but do not let us give way to the dread that
reading, a grade or so later.
The volume is inexpensive. Such pieces as
was closed with a group by Liszt, and in an-
criticism of acting will teach us no more.
Thome's "An Alsacian Dance," musical, charac-
"The outlook for the stage, whatever may swer to tumultuous recalls he added a Cho- teristic and graceful, is worth the price of the
entire collection.
pin polonaise.
be its anxieties, is not so cheerless as that."
who was taken from us not long ago, de-
clared Shakespeare to have been divinely
endowed with a total lack of conscience in
order that he might paint humanity exactly
as it was.
"Where are you going to put Falstaff in
any scheme of moral teaching? The pulpit
must treat him as an old reprobate, and yet
Shakespeare has endeared him to mankind.
It is an alarming paradox, and I do not ven-
ture to hazard any explanation for the bene-
fit of diocesan conferences, except that the
drama, even when it is not Shakespeare,
$1.00.