Music Trade Review

Issue: 1901 Vol. 33 N. 14

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
52 Pages.
THE
flUSIC TRADE
$3.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS
V O L . XXXIII. N o . 1 4 . Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street, New York, Oct. 5,1901.
THE WORCESTER MUSIC FESTIVAL
*"T H E annual music festival at Worcester,
Mass., has long since passed local or
State confines and may well be characterized
as an affair of national interest. Especial dis-
tinction was given to the festival which closed
last week through the presentation of George
W. Chadwick's new work "Judith." This
work is described as "a lyric drama,'' but
it is in the fullest sense of the word an opera,
and suffered in its presentation only .through
the lack of spectacle and action which the
imagination craved. Meanwhile, the musi-
cal sense was highly gratified, for there is
an abundance of melody in the solo parts
and much individual work in orchestration.
It may be said that "Judith" scored a de-
cided success, the chorus work especially be-
ing admirable. There are long passages a
capella in the chorus, and others that are
massive, withal simple.
Cesar Franck's oratorio "The Beatitudes,"
with which the festival opened, is now quite
familiar in this country. The presentation
was extremely good both in solo and chorus
parts. Mrs. Shanna Cumming made a most
emphatic impression and won much appre-
ciation. The other soloists, Messrs. Williams,
Bispham, Townsend, Griggs and Towne,
were" equal to their respective roles; the same
cannot be said of Mme. Poole-King.
Verdi's "Manzoni Requiem" was sung on
Wednesday night and may be characterized a
distinct triumph for all engaged in its produc-
tion. Mr. Chadwick deserves the highest
possible praise for the general work of the
chorus, while Mrs. Cumming, Mr. Van Hoose
and Dr. Carl Dufft made the presentation
one long to be remembered.
At the concert on Friday evening, Richard
Burmeister, the pianist, scored a tremendous
success. His marvellous technique and re-
markable tone made his piano a veritable
orchestra. He aroused the large audience
to a high pitch of enthusiasm, and was re-
called time and time again. It was a re-
markable demonstration.
We regret to learn that the festival, from
a financial standpoint, was not a success.
This is sincerely to be regretted, for the gen-
tleman back of the enterprise gave a great
deal of time and energy to it, with merely
the hope that public patronage would be
sufficient to cover the cost. The lack of sup-
port oftentimes given a great musical festival
like this is most disheartening. The defection
in attendance at Worcester has been attri-
buted to the non-appearance of Mme. Eames,
thus demonstrating that the "star" is still
a potent attraction, even at a festival where
such tremendous musical values abounded.
MUSIC FOR YALE'S GREAT CELEBRATION.
JV/l USIC will play quite an important part
* " • in the bi-centennial celebration at Yale
University on Oct. 20th and 23d. Elaborate
preparations are being made for two con-
certs—one a rendering of Prof. Parker's
"Hera Novissima" by the Gounod Choral
Society of New Haven, the other a concert
by the Symphony Orchestra of Boston. Nu-
merous other musical features will be inter-
spersed throughout the days of the celebra-
tion. Among the most important is the ren-
dering of the Greek ode set to music by Prof.
JAN KUBELIK, VIOLINIST,
Who^willibeJHeard HereJthisJSeason.
Parker. It is entitled a "Greek Festival
Hymn for Yale University on the 200th an-
niversary of its founding, October, 1901, by
Thomas Dwight Good ell, English Version
by Isabella G. Parker; the music composed
for male voices and orchestra by Horatio
Parker." Prof. Goodell is a graduate of
Yale in 1877, and holds a professorship of
Greek in the University.
The production of a Greek hymn is un-
usual, and will attract much attention
among classical scholars. Moreover, the set-
ting of words to appropriate orchestral mu-
sic will be regarded as an achievement on
the part of the composer, Prof. Parker. The
English version is by Mrs. Parker, his mo-
ther, who, on similar occasions, has done her
son the same service. It is handsomely got-
ten-up, the title page showing a Greek bor-
der, to correspond with the character of the
contents of the book. The chorus which will
render this festival hymn at the central com-
memorative function, Wednesday, Oct. 23d,
is now in training, and the baritone and tenor
soloists are also at work mastering the pe-
culiar text of the music. It is said that a
large number of musicians have been con-
sulted in overcoming the many difficulties
which the task presented. Even the printing
of the Greek text was made a matter of long
discussion in order to combine good taste
with classical conditions,
jc
LISZTS ADVICE TO PIANO PLAYERS.
D E I N G asked one day what one should do
*~* in order to become an efficient piano
player, Liszt replied laconically: "One must
eat and walk much."
Paradoxical as this advice may seem, there
is much truth in it, says Josef Hofmann in
an interesting article in the current issue of
the Ladies' Home Journal, for, in order to
study successfully one should enjoy perfect
physical and mental health, and this, as every
one knows, depends upon a regular mode of
life.
The chief beauty of performing on the
piano consists in unconstrained and yet cor-
rect playing. Everything should be executed
with strict adherence to the text, but with-
out apparent effort and constraint. In prac-
ticing one should proceed conscientiously,
and constantly correct one's self. But when
playing, everything should become natural
and show spontaneity and conviction. The
difficulty of doing justice to a composition
consists in properly weighing the performer's
predilection for the latter and the liberty
accorded to him in expressing his sentiment.
WHERE THROAT TONICS ARE DISPENSED.
'"THE noted baths at Salsomaggiore have
become quite popular with singers, ow-
ing to the fact that Jean de Reszke sojourns
there when he desires a throat tonic. The
place, however, was not discovered by the
great Polish tenor, as it has been famous
since Tamagno sojourned there a few years
ago. The air in the inhalation rooms is im-
pregnated with brine, ozone and iodine, which
are supposed to make a singer's throat so
strong that indispositions become impossible.
The "cure" takes about three weeks, after
which M. de Reszke and his wife visited
their Polish home.
ME. MARIAN VAN DUYN, contralto,
M
who is now under the exclusive man-
agement of Remington Squire, has been
booked for a number of important engage-
ments this season. This week she is singing
in the Canadian provinces, and she will be
heard in a number of affairs to be given by
the Brooklyn Institute during the season.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
"Manru" is not the only opera we should
like to see on the Metropolitan stage, nei-
ther is Paderewski the only composer who
can interest the musical world. I have in
mind the opera "Azara," by one of the most
notable composers of the present day, John
Knowles Paine, whose labor in Harvard Col-
lege represents history by itself.
No one who has heard the masterful works
which stand as great classic marble columns
and rich Oriental colorings, heavy with the
fumes of sandal wood and languorous as the
veiled beauties of the harem, can doubt that
JEAN DE RESZKE, our $2,500 John— the music is of the most fascinating type, at
had good reasons for not coming to the same time coming from the man who
America this season. What could be a better wrote the "(Edipus Tyrranus," it must be
one than the fact that he is going to sing the great in the highest acceptation of the term.
role of Siegfried in Paris in January ? Speak- The vocal score will be out in about a week
ing of Wagner in Paris, it is announced that and is to be offered to subscribers only. It
a series, beginning April 15th, 1902, will be contains 372 pages and is published by Breit-
given under organization of Willy Schiitz, kopf & Hartfel. The full score has over
brother-in-law of Mme. Lelia Litvinne, who 800 pages and the orchestration is intensely
who, with Gulbranson, Brema, Van Dyck, modern. "Azara" will probably be presented
Schemedes and Edouard de Reszke, will be in Germany at no very distant date. Mean-
seen in "Tristan und Isolde," as also in "Die while, we may thank the Boston Symphony
Gotterdammerung." The latter has never as also the orchestras of New York and Chi-
been given in Paris. Mottl, Richter and cago for glimpses into the works of an
Cortot are the conductors named. The operas American composer who is great among the
will be sung in German and in French al- greatest.
ternately. Wagner in the French language!
*
*
*
*
Ha! ha!! It seems like a combination of
And have you heard of Sauer and the trials
sauerkraut, dampf-noodles and champagne.
and tribulations of Vienna, where, .evidently,
Yet, what is the difference with diction as the green-eyed monster reigns .as,fiercely as
it is, who can decipher the hieroglyphics that did Tafner of Wagnerian lore? Just because
most of our singers sing? This does not Sauer made a reputation for himself in Amer-
mean Plancjon, than whom no greater artist ica and seemed to be a most fit person to
in that particular line lives. Plangon is an draw patronage, and incidentally give instruc-
admirable example to every singer that as- tion at the Vienna Conservatory, the entire
pires to opera. What a joy—what a comfort faculty must needs resign.
it would be if all roles were set forth ungar-
No—they are not women; they are men
bled. Away with libretti, and especially that who, in paroxysms of ecstasy, would tell you
beautiful new fad of carrying a pocket lan- how devoted they are to the cause of music
tern to the opera, because the lights are out and what they would do to advance the art.
and it is too dark to read the libretto.
And this brings us face to face with the very
*
*
*
*
disagreeable truth, that much as people talk
By the way, why don't the people who take about working in the cause of music, it is,
the trouble and expense upon themselves of after all, only to glorify themselves or the
attending opera try to get their money's faction of which they form a part, or an
worth? In other words, why don't they individual whom they wish to foist along—
study the libretto, and the music for that but the art! Nonsense; what folly!
matter, at home, so that when they come to
*

*

the opera they need occupy themselves with
And so she has risked it once more, and is
nothing but their gowns and the tenor?
it astonishing? Certainly not. For what
*
*
*
*
do years count when a woman is so supreme-
Manru ! Manru ! Manru! What a trem- ly fascinating and so deliriously beautiful
olo senza rallentando of excitement for the as Teresa Carreno? No wonder that she
fair adorers of Paderewski! What a bright had innumerable offers—'but the wonder is
particular spot of interest in the social realm. that she should again take the name under
It will be a subject of conversation con molto which she knew so much pain and suffering,
anima ma con moltissimo sentimento. In the and a former brother-in-law at that.
musical world, too, it will receive more in-
After all, is it not pain that gives to the
terest than any opera that will be presented artist the wonderful palette of colors, of
this season. In many cases the virtues will which each shade came into being through
be extolled con bravura e con molto spirito; a tear? Let us hope that for each day that
in others, of^course, they will be sung pianis- this great artist and beautiful woman has
simo e senza forza—a sort of damnation with suffered in her former matrimonial ventures
faint praise, as it were. But whatever they she will gain months of peaceful contentment,
do, and whatever they say, they will all be and may she know the full meaning of the
there, and "Manru," good, bad, or indiffer- word "home" when once again she is Teresa
ent, will be the sensation of the year. It has Tagliapietra—but Carreno forever.
*
*
*
*

been asked whether Paderewski will be pres-
It is said that Fannie Edgar Thomas, the
ent on this occasion, and although it is an-
nounced that he will be here, the only way of brilliant writer, is in New York on her way
answering truthfully is to state that if he West after having spent several years in
comes he will be here; if otherwise, it is Europe. She has severed old connections
it is rumored that she will make some.
Iea^red, $ b
ll
L
very important ones, which will be announced
shortly.
*
*

»
Mme. Etta Edwards, the Boston vocal
teacher, has returned from Paris, where she
spent the summer, and the way she spent it
should be an example to all those in a like
profession. It also proves the intense seri-
ousness and the thorough understanding that
she has of the relation of teacher and pupil.
Every day through the entire summer she
took a lesson from Delle Sedie, her old mas-
ter; the rest of the time she spent in going
over songs with the composers themselves
and in the selection of a large repertory of
music for her pupils.
Her circle of musical friends abroad is a
distinct honor to the young American woman
whose success in Boston is far beyond ordin-
ary. Her class this year is very large and it
has representatives from all over the coun-
try, as she is known to be one of the most
skillful and most conscientious teachers in
America.
*
*
*
*
The last number of The Etude was given
over to the fair sex—what they have done,
what they will do, and what they represent
in music. It was a creditable enterprise on
the part of the editors and proved a very inter-
esting number. Whatever women are or are
not, as composers, teachers or executants, it
is certain that the success of every musical
enterprise lies in their hands. They not only
have the creation of musical atmosphere in
their homes, but without them the concert
room would be a most desolate looking place,
where the men have little interest outside of
paying for the tickets and sub rosa be it said
that a few of them do that.
*
*
*
*
And so has Cecile Chaminade, known on
every corner of the globe where music is
known, joined the rank of Benedictesses.
She has become Mme. Carbonel. One can
not help thinking of all that has been said
and written about the possibility of happiness
in marriage for artists, and we think—well,
what's the difference what we think ?
*
*
*
*
So is Gertrude May Stein married. If
she is half as happy over it as the contralti
are, her bliss will be beyond measurement.
But wouldn't it be amusing to all those who
are waiting for some of her plums to fall
into their baskets if she remained in the con-
cert field, after all. As for us who do the
listening, we can only hope that she will
not withdraw, for she is a capable and sat-
isfying singer, always acceptable—nay, more ;
always enjoyable. She is Mrs. Bailey and
she lives at the Majestic Hotel.
*
*
*
*
That very interesting Paris musical paper,
Le Monde Musical, had this to say editor-
ially of the Virgil method: "The Virgil
School of Technic, known for several years
in England and America, is beginning to
be much appreciated here. Its aim is to give
to pupils, by the aid of a clavier invented
by the American, Mr. Virgil, a thorough
technic which is acquired in a much shorter
period of time than is possible without it.
This clavier gives no sound, but it possesses
a mechanism which admits of a much more
precise control of technic than does the piano
itself. The most important musicians, are in-:

Download Page 3: PDF File | Image

Download Page 4 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.