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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE REFORM OF CHURCH MUSIC.
'"THE Indiana Music Teachers' Association
adopted a resolution at its recent con-
vention demanding the elevation of the
standard of music in Protestant churches,
after a discussion in which one teacher de-
clared that "all must now how in humilia-
tion before the music of the Church of
Rome," and expressed the hope that "all the
rot of the Moody and Sankey style of music
could be utterly destroyed."
There is no doubt that much of the sol-
emnity and impressiveness of the service
of the Catholic church is due to the qual-
ity of the music that is sung. Where a
Catholic church makes any pretensions to a
trained choir, all the music sung is classical
in character and the work of the very best
composers. Much of it, moreover, is music
that is far from reverential in character.
That a need for a reform or "elevation"
of music in the Catholic choirs also exists
has many believers. The Pope himself has
just given the reformers a special commen-
dation in a letter he has written to the Rev.
Dr. Delatte, O. S. B., Abbot of Solesnes,
praising the work of the Benedictines of
Solesnes on Gregorian music. The follow-
ing is a translation of the letter:
"Beloved Son, Health and Apostolic Bene-
diction :—We know, and at other times have
raised our voice in praise of the intelligent
zeal shown by you in musical science as
applied to that chant traditionally ascribed
to Gregory the Great; and, compelled by a
similar spirit, we cannot but approve of
your laborious and constant work in inves-
tigating and bringing to light ancient docu-
ments on this subject.
"The manifold truths of this work we see
in the numerous volumes which—a most
acceptable present—you have sent to us at
different times, and which, we have heard,
have already a wide circulation and are by
daily use appreciated in many ways.
"Every attempt thus made for the eluci-
dation and improvement of this science, the
companion and assistant of the sacred rit-
ual, is worthy of all praise, not only owing
to the ability and industry so employed,
but, what is of far greater importance, be-
cause of the advantage likely to be derived
therefrom by religious worship.
"Now, the Gregorian chant is most skil-
fully and most wisely calculated to bring
out the meaning of the words with addi-
tional clearness, and if employed with
knowledge and ability, it has a great power
and a wonderful sweetness, united with grav-
ity, which readily affects the minds of those
who hear it, and is capable of exciting pious
emotions and salutary thoughts in due sea-
son. All priests, then, both the diocesan
clergy and the members of the religious or-
ders who feel that they can be of any ser-
vice in this science or art should exert them-
selves freely and intelligently; for mutual
charity and the obedience and reverence due
to this Church being observed, the labors
of many in the field may be of great bene-
fit, as yours now are.
"As a token of divine favors and also
of our paternal good will we impart our
apostolic benediction most lovingly in the
Lord to you, beloved son, and to your col-
leagues.
"Given at St. Peter's Rome, on the 17th
May, 1901, the twenty-fourth year of our
Pontificate.
'Leo XIII., Pope."
Archbishop Elder, of Cincinnati, heads
the reform element in this country. He has
an official music committee for the diocese.
It has made up a list of masses and other
liturgical music, and nothing outside of this
can be sung in any Catholic Church in that
jurisdiction.
Among the works it has
banned are many compositions popular else-
where. Meanwhile, the reform party has
not made great headway in the matter of
Catholic Church music.
WHAT ZELDENRUST REPRESENTS.
| N these days of prodigious technic, an artist
must possess many other characteris-
tics than mere muscular strength and dex-
terity in order to obtain recognition as a
really good virtuoso. In the past few years
the American public has heard so many of
the foremost foreigners that it has grown
discriminating. Men and women represent-
ing different schools and methods have come
EDUARD ZEl.DENRl/ST.
over, have played, and have been flayed or
praised, as it was deemed they were worthy
or unworthy—but all have been heard, and
comparisons instituted. This year Mr. Charl-
ton, the New York manager, is to introduce
to American audiences a Hollander, Eduard
Zeldenrust, who, if report may be relied
upon, combines "prodigious technic" with
other qualities, all of which serve to make
him master of his art as well as his instru-
ment. He is said to have intellect of a high
order, and his interpretations of the great
masters is scholarly and thoroughly thought
out; a temperament sensitively alive to the
spirit of wiiatever he plays, and abundance
of warmth and color that arouses his hear-
ers to wild demonstration of enthusiasm.
MISS C. VAN ETTEN.
J\rt ISS CORNELIA VAN ETTEN, the
popular soprano, whose portrait ap-
pears on the cover page of this issue, has
been secured by the Charles L. Young
Amusement Company for the coming sea-
son, and will be one of the teachers in Mr.
Young's School of Music, which will be
opened on Fifth avenue, Oct. 1st. Miss Van
Etten will also be heard in concerts and
recitals during the season.
The following press notices illustrate what
the critics think of her work :
At a concert given last night at the Lyceum
Theatre, Miss Cornelia Van Etten sang the
"Shadow Dance" from Dinorah, and was com-
pelled to respond to several encores.—Commercial
Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
Miss Cornelia Van Etten appeared at Univer-
sity Hall, last night and made a decided hit in her
rendition of the " A r i a " from Les Huguenots.
—Chicago Herald.
The entertainment given last night at the
Central Music Hall was a great success. Miss
Cornelia Van Etten was received with enthusiasm ;
she has a sweet soprano voice of remarkable ful-
ness and power. From her first appearance in the
Ballade and Jewel song from Faust, it was evident
that it was more than an ordinary voice the audi-
ence were listening to, and the impression given
by her first number was enhanced by subsequent
selections.—The Springfield Journal.
A large audience assembled yesterday after-
noon to hear what will be practically Miss Van
Etten's farewell recital to the Jacksonville musical
public. It was the unanimous opinion that her art
reached its climax in her exhibition on this oc-
casion. Miss Van Etten's voice was at its richest
and most vibrant sonority, and her artistic nuances
and breadth of style were a revelation even to her
most ardent admirers. Miss Van Etten's versa-
tility was remarkably displayed in the exacting
ar>d varied programme which she rendered and it
is almost invidious to muke any special mention
where all was of such supreme excellence.—Jack-
sonville, 111., Journal.
Miss Van Etlen sang a waltz, song by Arditi.
She has appeared before Springfield audiences
many times, btlt never to better advantage than
She did last night Her voice seemed to be more
sweet and clear than usual and she held the audi-
ence in rapt attention all during her number.
When she had concluded, a perfect storm of ap-
plause burst forth from the admiring listeners.
She returned to the stage and bowed her acknow-
ledgements, but that did not satisfy the audience
who continued to applaud with more vim than
before until she came out and responded t > an
encore —Springfield State Register.
Miss Van Etten is a rare artist and her musical
capabilities have been developed to the last degree.
Her voice, a beautiful mezzo soprano, exhibits the
highest refinement of vocal possibilities and poss-
esses that nameless quality of charm which is
given to only the favored few. In the " Lorelei'
of Liszt, Miss Van Etten almost realized the ideal;
she was enthusiastically encored, to which she
responded. — The Illinois Courier.
BAILEY'S REPERTOIRE.
\ X 7 ILLIAM W O R T H BAILEY, the
blind violinist, who is to tour this
country during the coming season, is now
receiving the finishing touches from Ysaye.
He will return to his native country early
in November, beginning his tour on arri-
val. Much interest is taken in the career
of this young genius, who, although he
is totally blind, plays the violin like one of
the greatest masters. Young Bailey has
a very large repertoire. It includes the
following concertos: Vieuxternps' five,
Wieniawski's second, Viotti's twenty-sec-
ond, Spohr's ninth, Brueh's second and his
"Scotch Fantasie" Saint-Saens' third, Men-
delssohn's, Beethoven's and Lalo's "Span-
ish Symphony"; fantasies by Vieuxtemps,
Ernest, Wieniawski, Joachim and Ysaye;
sonatas and etudes by Bach, Rode and Pag-
an in i, and concert compositions by Sara-
sate, Raff, Bazzini, Schumann, Ries, Hiller,
Svenson, De Beriot and Rubinstein—eighty
compositions in all. Bailey will be supported
by Elizabeth Northrop, soprano, and Ed-
win M. Shonert, pianist,
^e
TALIAN composers are now finding their
heroes among musicians. One opera has
Chopin for its leading figure, and another
is devoted to the exploits of Haydn. Now
Friedmann Bach, a son of Sebastian, has
inspired a composer named Luigi Gustavo,
a Neapolitan pianist. The opera bore little
relation to the facts of the composer's life,
but met with some success, but was with-
drawn after three performances owing to
the bankruptcy of the impresario. Another
recent operatic novelty in Rome, where the
season does not end with the winter, was
"Maritanita," bv Simmieoni.
I