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THE
7VYUSIC TRKDE
CHICAGO'S PROJECTED MUSIC HALL.
r^ ONCERNING the new music hall which
is to be built in Chicago for the Theo-
dore Thomas orchestra, if the requisite $750,-
000 can be raised, D. H. Burnham says:
"The hall is to serve as the premanent home
of the Chicago Orchestra, and at the same
time supply that much-needed convenience,
a place available for public gatherings of
moderate size, which has not existed in this
great city since the destruction of Central
Music Hall. Their intention is to build the
most perfect hall for these purposes in this
country, if not in the world, and to make it
a music hall pure and simple, monumental
in character, without proscenium or scen-
ery, and also without stores or business ad-
juncts of any kind."
Its site will be ideal, central to all parts
of the city, facing the lake, the park, and
the Art Institute, and convenient to all trans-
portation lines. Its architecture will be of
the best period of the Italian Renaissance.
The stage is specially arranged for orchestra,
bringing the players well forward into the
house so as to obtain perfection of tone de-
livery. Behind and slightly above the or-
chestra are permanent seats for chorus sing-
ers, and above the latter on each side will
be a large organ. All constructive and equip-
ment features will conform to the best ob-
tainable expert advice upon acoustics. Under
the stage will be the "tuning" room and stor-
age rooms for musical library and instru-
ments.
THE OUTCRY AGAINST SUNDAY*MUSIC.
C O M E of the ministers who have opposed
^
the giving of concerts in the public
schools of New York on Sundays must be
living in the atmosphere of a century or so
ago, judging from the peculiar objections
which they have made. In the dark ages
of this country it was customary to believe
that music was a dangerous element—some-
thing allied to the devil. But we have grown
out of this, and to-day intelligent men—even
some ministers—admit that music exercises
a great educational and refining influence.
Why the schools, which are primarily de-
signed for educational purposes, should not
be utilized on Sunday for that which is ab-
solutely educational—the music for which
people are hungry—is something beyond us.
If we ever are to become a musical nation,
ADELE AUS DER OHE.
such as Germany, it must be through get-
A S exclusively announced in The Review
ting good music before the young people of
* * some time ago, Adele Aus der Ohe will
.this country. And it can be very effectively
come to the United States next season for a
done by such means as the public schools.
tour to be made under the management of
The popularizing of music in America may
Henry Wolfsohn. This is the first of the
be expected to have an effect beyond the im-
army of pianists to be positively announced.
mediate pleasure it gives. The development
J*
of the national audience must precede the
THE EVIL OF BAD TEACHERS.
development of the national music. We
NE reason why the supply of good sing- must become more or less musical through-
ers falls so far below the demand, out before we can develop a school of great
though thousands are trying to fill it, lies in musicians. Any movement toward first-class
the prevalence of incompetent teachers. In- concerts in the schools—concerts that will
credible as it may seem, there are teachers, educate a people to the beauties of the works
and not a few of them, who actually culti- of the great masters should be heartily en-
vate in their pupils' voices the tremolo, that couraged.
most detestable of vocal vices.. On this point
The intolerance of some churchmen in this
MATERNA'S DAUGHTER.
the Philadelphia Musician has some remarks connection is exceedingly regrettable. It dem-
C RAULEIN MATERNA, the daughter of which pupils and teacher should take to ' onstrates that if their judgment is at fault
the famous Wagnerian soprano, is evi- heart:
in this matter, they err in many other things,
dently progressing rapidly in her career, and
The vocal tremolo is not appropriate in and therefore are not the shepherds of souls
may soon be able to sing the roles which a church choir, and its frequent use any- which their mission entitles them to be.
made her mother famous. Recently she sang where is not an evidence of culture, but is
Aida at Mainz with success.
a serious defect in the rendition of good mu-
CONDITIONS IN WORCESTER.
sic. Yet it is an artificial device which young
TSCHAIKOVSKY, THE FASHION.
*~r H E Worcester Musical Festival, which
singers strive to accomplish at the outset in
"T SCHAIKOVSKY has at last become the
has become one of our standard insti-
their voice culture, as if they would make
fashion in Vienna, and observers are
tutions, so to speak, this year is facing a
the impression that they have attained a
noting at the same time a waning of the
rather serious condition of things financially.
proficiency beyond what they possess. The
Brahms cult. Speaking of Robert Fuchs
It appears that for a number of years the
vocal tremolo is an alternate wave above or
(one of the Brahms disciples), Robert
expenses of the festival have averaged over
below the true sustained tone and in effect
Hirschfeld says that since Brahms, the main
$18,000, while the average income was
is really out of tune. Instead of being a
stem, has fallen, the creepers that surrounded
$12,000. This has reduced the reserve fund
graceful accomplishment it is a serious and
him are gradually being ignored, and the
until the present available assets are but
painful defect, and an affected habit which,
paths of modern musical development leave
$1,162. The managers are making an ap-
when once acquired, is very hard to erad-
them behind.
peal to the general public for subscriptions
icate. With the vocal tremolo the true note
to guarantee a festival for this year.
is never sure in pitch and the singer is to
ZELDENRUST "AT HOME."
C DVARI) Z El/DEN RUST, who a year be pitied who is wedded to its use. It does
ORATORIO BANISHED.
or so ago was heard in piano recital not blend with other voices because it ren-
in this country, has been giving a series of ders the voice out of tune and is irritating,
A CCORDING to the London Daily News,
musicales on the invitation of the Queen of both to the other singers and listeners. A pure, **• oratorio now seems practically ban-
Holland at her castle. The programs were steady tone which can be uttered with the ished from central London, although in the
specially selected by the Queen and it is said least amount of breath in the softest pian- younger days of the present generation it
that Zeldenrust excited the intense admira- issimo, and then swelled without a break in flourished at Exeter Hall, St. Martin's Hail,
tion of his sovereign.
returning to pianissimo, is evidence of higher and elsewhere. Of late years, however, it
,•*
culture when this can be done with each tone, has been found that owing to the increasing
The Musical Culture Co., of New York than the artificial oscillation of the vocal fees of principal singers, and the demands
City, has been incorporated in this State with cartilages, which will become weakened by of the choir, who each expect a free seat
a capital of $100,000. The directors are: such constant shakings.
for every performance, oratorio has become
T, H. Barron, J. W. Abraham, of New York,
almost impossible at either St. James' or
and E. W. Proscher, of Brooklyn.
LEMARE TO AUSTRALIA.
Queen's Hall. Sunday oratorio is, of course,
Edwin H. Lemare, the organist now con- on a different footing, but, apart from eight
Suzanne Adams will have a prominent part
in the coming opera season at Covent Gar- nected with the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburg, performances a year at the Albert Hall, cho-
den. She is to sing Aida and the Countess is to give a series of recitals in Australia and ral music now flourishes chiefly in the sub-
New South Wales during July and August. urbs.
in "Nozze di Figaro."
O