Music Trade Review

Issue: 1901 Vol. 32 N. 9

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ARTISTS'
DEPARTMENT.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER, Editor.
TELEPHONE
NUMBER,
1745—E1QHTEENTH
STREET
The Artists' Department of The Review is
published on the first Saturday of each month.
have become fashionable functions, and to
make sure that they will be there they
are furnished with tickets in order that the
"small but fashionable audience" might be
present. It will be money in the pockets
of him who will be bold enough to ask 50
and 75 cents admission. Mendelssohn Hall
would not hold one-third of the people.
misunderstood, for at the present time
Gabrilowitsch is a most interesting and
skillful pianist; surely time must serve to
make him more valuable else what were
music if the height were reached at the
outset?
Toselli, a young Italian, is of more ten-
der years than any of them. He is too
mature to be termed a prodigy, yet he is
only seventeen. He has a fascinating per-
sonality and in those things which require
delicacy, poetry and naivete^ he has a charm
entirely and decidedly his own. The
Italian pianist is not a familiar figure to
American audiences, and Toselli brings
with him the sunny sky effect of his coun-
try, as also the conviction that he is differ-
ent in many particulars from other pian-
ists. Time is also a requisite to bring him
to the height which, by reason of his
talent, he is expected to reach. Further-
more, he needs transplanting, and he needs
it quickly. All that he has received from
Sgambati and Martucci, has been of rare
value to him and of keen delight to his
hearers, but he has need of Germany and
its rugged mountain roads over the heights
and depths of music, into the genuine
realm of the art. One must eat where
fall the crumbs of Bach, Beethoven and
Brahms; for after all, these represent the
bread, the meat, the life of music.
THIS SEASON'S PIANISTS.
'"THIS has been a remarkable season for
FREE TICKETS OR CHEAPER CONCERTS.
those who are interested in pianists
TN Germany the theatre is very expen-
and their art. Sometimes the lack of art
sive, the concert is very cheap; to this
gives a poignant lesson, so that to the
and to this only may be attributed the
piano student the pianist is worth hearing,
widespread love, appreciation and under-
for he always must have some good points,
standing of music. In America the theatre
and from his faults there is something to
or vaudeville is very cheap and music is
be learned, if only what to avoid.
an exotic, and those who need it do not
New York has had the first hearing of
get it. With few exceptions the general
most of the new artists, as is natural
run of concerts lose money for the man-
enough, although Boston had the first ap-
ager or for the artist as the case may be,
pearance of Harold Bauer, who is foremost
and the cause is due to the fact that there
among the artists new to America this sea-
are so many concerts and they are so ex-
son.
pensive that music students can not go and
It is not extravagant to say that Bauer
society will not, except in rare cases.
is a pianist of colossal attainments; his
Then come the features that these con- poise, his authority and his knowledge are
cert rooms must be filled, even if the box vast; and his technic and touch are unsur-
office is not, and so the "free-ticket" busi- passed by any one who has played this sea-
ness is started and there is nothing more son—or last, for that matter. His is a
detrimental to the art, as an art or as a strong individuality where you would least
business. Between the free tickets and expect it, for he is an unassuming sort of a
the artists who give their services for the person that would not appeal especially to
appearance, music as a money-maker seems the general public, except through the
Dohnanyi is another youth, but another
to be at a low ebb. With no reference to straightforwardness of his art and the hon-
who makes one ask what have years to do
philanthropy it behooves the manager to esty and sincerity with which he gives
with art, for he is finished and thorough.
put money into his house, and to give to forth all that he has to impart. He has no
His first introduction to America occurred
the student the opportunity to hear the art trick to startle or amuse, but he has a deep
very late last season, at which time he won
that he has for sale.
intimate knowledge of music, and this he for himself the respect of all who know
Is it not apparent that this is the only is willing to share with his hearers in a and who admire the most earnest and the
way to create large audiences for the whole-souled manner that brings them face most intellectual in the art of piano play-
future and to put the business on a profit- to face with the music, even to the point of ing. Dohnanyi has figured strongly as
able basis? Reduce the price of concerts forgetting the interpreter. It takes the composer, and in the double role of com-
and fill the concert rooms with the sort of greatest art to be so unselfish. Bauer is poser-pianist he has been subject for much
people that music was created for. Bee- young—so young as to make one wonder admiration. His personality is a strange
thoven, Bach, Brahms, never wrote for the whether years count for anything.
one. He shows timidity which almost
kid-glove fraternity, but for the art itself
Gabrilowitsch is another incomer and seems indifference, and sometimes one
and for those who love and serve it.
newcomer. He comes as a pupil of Le- wonders whether more geniality in his
New York is the spot in America where schetitzky and of Rubinstein. Gabrilo- playing would not be the one point which
students "congregate. It is probable that witsch is very young, so that his career would bring him closer to his hearers.
the teachers they have left are as good as under Rubinstein cannot have been of
Ernest Hutcheson has been heard in
the teachers they have come to, but they very great duration. He shows the Le- Baltimore, but nowhere else. In that city
came that they might have the benefit of schetitzky stamp pre-eminently. Indeed, he has met with the greatest favor. I have
the concerts, and under the great expense one might wish that the Slav had not been not heard him and am unable to give a
of living in places that are fit to live in, so buried; not eradicated, however, for personal opinion.
and studying with teachers of any stand- there is no doubt that as Gabrilowitsch
Breitner comes as pedagogue, and a
ing, it is not very difficult to see that gets further away from his days of study
great one he is in addition to his artistic
concerts are entirely out of their financial the individuality of his country will super-
and refined pianism. Very sincere and
reach.
sede that of his teacher. He is an artist very unassuming, but above all he im-
Again, be it understood, that this is not of great attainments, with the emotional presses one as a deep scholar.
written as an appeal to the managers on side strongly developed. He is a senti-
Joseffy, he who is king of all pianists,
behalf of students, but to impress them mentalist and to this he gives up rhythm and who is dearer to the American than
with the fact that the thousands who want frequently. He is in the melo-dramatic any other (for does he not belong to us?)
to go to concerts cannot go, and the hun- period of his career and of his life. With has kept us hungering for an appearance
dreds who do not want to go, are once in a this over he will be more valuable to art this season, and now, owing to the recent
while seen there because, alas! concerts than he is at present. This must not be death of his mother and his departure for
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Budapesth, we may be disappointed. We
hope not, for no one can replace him. It
is unnecessary to tell of the success and
art of Carreno, Bloomfield-Zeisler, Rive-
King, Aus der Ohe. These names are
household words in America, and each
holds her own this season.
Godowsky, Slivinski and Josef Hof-
mann are still to be heard, and, although
late, there is no doubt that they will meet
with a hearty welcome at the hands of
music lovers in America.
LET US BE HONEST.
/"^VNE of the dailies speaks with praise of
a young opera singer who admin-
istered what it is pleased to term a "de-
lightful snub," to the encore fiends who
recalled her six times. Can it be possible
that the writer did not know that she was
standing in fear and trembling lest they,
(the encore fiends), should stop recalling
her? The oftener the better. It gives the
newspaper a chance to do just what was
done, and that is to tell how many times
she was recalled. This is only one of the
innumerable tricks of the trade, and, not-
withstanding the fact that music is sup-
posed to be an elevated trade, it has more
tricks in a minute than any other profes-
sion known. The matter of applause is, in
itself, something that never will be dis-
tinctly understood as long as many abomi-
nably bad things receive as much noise as
do the good things; as long as the popular-
ity of a performer, rather than the quality
of his work is the motive for applause; as
long as a top-note will bring the enthusi-
asm rather than the music. No, no—de-
ceive yourself not; no singer born ever
administered a snub because an audience
gave what some other singer, or the public,
or herself, or her maid might construe in-
to "long and continued applause.'
YOUNG A11ERICA AND LESCHET1TZKY.
1 T is true that Young America has no rev-
erence; sometimes it is deplorable, but
once in a while the most reverent of us re-
joice at the naivete with which Young
America expresses its opinion. This time
it is her opinion. A few months ago, a
young girl of thirteen or fourteen went
from San Francisco, Cal., to Vienna, to
study with Leschetitzky. It is only fair
to say that, besides having a wonderful tal-
ent, Emma Cellarius had a wonderful
teacher, and she went there magnificently
equipped. The usual by-play was gone
through with, and Emma was turned over
to a preparatory teacher with the promise
of lessons in the future from himself. After
three lessons, the immeasurable distance
between the teacher she had left and what
she had come to was so apparent that
mother and daughter decided to end the
temperament and the innumerable wreck-
ers that accompany this disease.
There is little doubt that Carnegie is all
this with more wealth in hand with which
to operate. In the enthusiasm of the mo-
ment, Carnegie spoke of taking the Pitts-
burg orchestra abroad which, of course
he knows will be a colossal money-losing
proposition. However, Carnegie has the
money to lose if he wants to lose it this
way. But if the same amount of money
were placed in making tours at very short
intervals of the cities surrounding Pitts-
burg, even including the smaller cities
HIGQINSON AND CARNEGIE.
ANDREW CARNEGIE was one of the that cannot afford orchestras of their own,
speakers at a luncheon given some the education that such a scheme would
weeks ago to Victor S. Herbert and the promote is incalculable. What financial
Pittsburg Orchestra by William S. Hawk, loss would be entailed might be charged
vice-president of the Carnegie Music Hall up to educational benefits and America
might well worship one who would bring
Company, at the Hotel Manhattan.
Mr. Hawk introduced Mr. Herbert, who relief from the unsatisfactory conditions
spoke briefly and was followed by W. N. existing at the present time.
Teachers, artists, pupils, all crowd into
Frew, chairman of the Board of Trustees
New
York, the former to make a living,
of the Carnegie Library, Pittsburg. Then
Mr. Hawk introduced Mr. Carnegie as the latter to reap the benefits which they
cannot find at home. Many of the pupils
"the Star-Spangled Scotchman."
Mr. Carnegie said that he had always fall into the hands of more incompetent
been a man of dreams, but the peculiar teachers than they left, and they cannot
feature of his dreams and air castles was enjoy the advantage of concerts un-
less they have more money than the
that they were always realized.
"I used to dream," he said, "that I average student is blessed with. What
would one day be as mad as the mad King the country needs is more men like
of Bavaria and have an orchestra. The Higginson and Carnegie who can and
Pittsburg Orchestra has exceeded my who will give the country the benefit
of the best orchestras at such prices that
dreams.
those
who need the concerts can have
"You who are members of the orchestra
have the right conductor. I have just been them. Nor is this all that such nurturing
speculating about my castle in Scotland, results in. Appreciation increases; such
anrl I have thought that some day we localities receive better resident artists and
would just take ship and go over to Lon- teachers; they carry more prestige, and,
don, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, and when you best of all, they will turn out just as satis-
have played there you would come back by factory results as does New York, which at
best is an exploiting ground for everything
way of Scotland and stop at my castle."
To those who know organ and music good, bad and indifferent. There is no
hall history of America the name of An- city in the world that is more in need of a
drew Carnegie is as familiar as is that of Higginson or a Carnegie than this same
Henry L. Higginson to the orchestral New York.
world.
Now Carnegie shows himself
CROTCHETS.
ready to play the role of Higginson also, HTHERE is nothing quite so amusing or
and if he goes at it in the same way as
entertaining as overhearing the snatch-
Higginson has done, Pittsburg will some es of conversation in critical vein during
day be a musical center, like the Boston a concert, especially when it is permeated
Symphony Orchestra has made of Boston. with the delicate aroma of know-it-all. At
And Carnegie can do it if anyone can. a recent occasion during a Richard Strauss
He has money to spare for any expense 'cello sonata the stage whisper of "You know
that was the elder Strauss" was an amusing
that the orchestra may incur.
When Higginson hears of a great artist climax after hearing every musician in the
on any instrument he never rests until city discussed and dissected.
that man becomes a member of the Boston
A T least one man seems to have an ap-
Symphony, cost what it may. His appre-
preciation of the fitness of things
ciation of the best and his determination
when he arose from his seat, whether paid
to have it have been largely the making of
for or deadhead, and left the church en-
that wonderful orchestra. Besides Higgin-
son is a business man, cool, calm, deliber- tertainment where the beauties of "Just
ate, without interference of the artist's Because She Made Dem Goo-Goo Eyes"
farce at once. How to break the news to
Leschetitzky was not easy to Mrs. Cella-
rius; however, accompanied by her enfant
terrible she called, and after having gained
admittance to the maestro, the young lady,
with never a tremble or shiver, blurted
out: "You call that teaching? Why, she
doesn't know anything at all. I knew more
than she taught me when I was a baby! I
won't have her, nor any one else around
here." And the probability is that Miss
Cellarius will become a pianist without the
assistance of Mr. Leschetitzky et al.

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