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ARTISTS' DEPARTMENT.
TELEPHONE
NUMBER.
1745.--EIQHTEENTH
STREET
The Artists' Department of The Review is
published on the first Saturday of each month.
NEW ARTISTS FOR THE METROPOLITAN.
REVIEW
May 7, and all those interested in forwarding
the purposes of the People's Symphony Con-
certs and the above auxiliary scheme are cor-
dially invited to be present. There will be
no charge for admission to the hall on this
occasion, and Mr.. Arens will then present a
program of musical compositions as exam-
ples of the species of work which he wishes
to introduce to the attention of the people
outside of the regular concerts. Assistance
will be given by numerous prominent musical
artists.
perhaps before it, it is the apostle of democ-
racy and the leveler up in a republic. The
gift of music is the freest and most sponta-
neous of all nature's bestowals upon man-
kind. Painting and sculpture except in their
cradle lands require at least a little culture
for appreciation of their merits. There is an
aristocracy in the plastic arts.
Music is the only natural and perennial
democracy. Its principles are born of heaven
and were active before man himself, one of
whose chief problems and continual delights
has been to explore, expound and exploit
them. To tax the spelling-book is deemed
tyranny. To tax music is an oppressive stu-
pidity,.
This country needs free music more than
any other on the globe. Its harsh climate
is not conducive to singing. The natives are
not as a rule musical in themselves. Their
mechanical skill is promotive of music both
at home and abroad. This country leads the
world in material progress and lacks a na-
tional anthem within the compass of the pop-
ular voice. Americans are not born musi-
cal, but they are bound to become musicians.
The manufacture of musical instruments is
a great American industry. Chicago makes
harps for all the world.
It were absurd for an office-seeking coterie
to assume that the people of Illinois will con-
sent to subject music to exceptional burdens
in order to provide public salaries for aspir-
ants for political favor.. The plausible plea
that the commission will raise the standard
of music in the State is transparent non-
sense. In music, as in everything else, expe-
rience distinguishes the capable as well as
the incompetent. Efficient teachers become
as well known as the inefficient. Merit finds
its own level.
IT appears that Heinrich Conried intends
to begin his administration at the Met-
ASCENDING PRICES FOR SINGERS.
ropolitan Opera House next winter with
TT HE gradual rise in the payments made to
some new prima donnas. Three of whom
singers in this country and in -England
Mr. Conried has spoken with particular has more than kept pace with the prices paid
certainty are singing now in the German to composers. The treasurer's accounts of
opera houses, but only one of them is a Ger- the old Sacred Harmonie Society of London
man. That one is Mme. Leffler-Burckhard confirm this statement in a very certain and
of Wiesbaden. The other two, Thila Plaich- interesting way. For example, at the Christ-
inger and Emmy Destinn, now at the Royal mas performance of "The Messiah," in De-
Opera House in Berlin, are Bohemians.
cember, 1853, Miss Birch was paid $40; Mme.
All of these singers are under long engage- Sainton-Dolby $40; Mr. and Mrs. Lockey
ments at the opera houses in which they are together $80, and Mr. Weiss, the composer
at present singing. But a certain annual of "The Village Blacksmith," $30. At the
leave of absence is allowed to them, and Mr. performance of "Israel in Egypt," in the same
Conried expects to have them sing here dur- year, Mr.. Sims Rives took $75 ; Carl Formes
ing these periods. Mile. Destinn has a so- $50, and Mme. Sainton-Dolby $40. Nine
prano voice of great beauty and a widely years afterward, in December, 1862, for sing-
varied repertory. She sings in Italian, French ing "The Messiah," Mme. Rudersdorff was
and German.. She sings the lyric Wagner paid $50; Henry Haig $40; while Mme.
roles, and as Elsa, Elizabeth and Septa, as Sainton-Dolby's terms had risen to $50.
well as Santuzza, Selca, Marguerite and above
It need hardly be said that the concert vo-
all Carmen. A singer who can make a suc- calists now in full demand would laugh at
cess in that opera after Mile. Calve is eager- such fees. Some years ago, when Mr. Toole
THE PERMXNFNT ORCHESTRA Q'JESTION.
ly sought by impresarios.
was returning thanks to an audience in the
Thila Plaichinger is the leading Wagner- Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, he referred to the \\J E observe that Baltimore is now agi-
ian soprano of the Berlin Opera House at circumstance that he and Sims Reeves and
tating for a permanent orchestra.
present, and now ranks with the most famous Henry Irving had all at an early stage of Members of the Board of Trustees of the
of the German Wagnerian singers. Mme. their careers sought professional honors in Peabody Institute are circulating a paper ask-
Leffler Burckhard has been at the opera house the Scottish capital. The salaries of the ing for a guarantee fund to secure a series of
in Wiesbaden for the last three years, where three friends, according-to Mr.. Toole, were ten concerts a season for five seasons, under
she has made her reputation as a dramatic then: The singer, $8; the comedian, $10; the auspices of the Institute. Minneapolis is
singer. She had previously sung in operetta the tragedian, $12.50 each per week. "Of also contemplating the establishment of such
and the lyric roles. Her greatest triumph course," added Mr. Toole, "we get more an institution. St. Paul, as The Dispatch of
that city reports, learns of it with a distinct
was in the famous revival of Glxick's "Ar- now."
feeling of envy, but not with a complete aban-
mide," made there last year. She was in this
donment of hope. The Minneapolis guaran-
LEGISLATION AND MUSIC.
country some years ago and sang in the
tee
is $30,000 for six concerts. New Or-
West in concert
I 1 NDER the caption "Defeat the Music
leans
is trying to establish a high-class musi-
^
Bill," the Chicago Chronicle in a re-
A COMMENDABLE SCHEME.
cal
organization,
backed by the financial sup-
cent issue uttered some vigorous words re-
TN connection with the regular series of con- garding the legislation affecting teachers now port of prominent people,. The Washington
* certs of the People's Symphony Con-
orchestra, which has just finished its second
before the Illinois Legislature. It says:
cert, which has just been completed, F. X.
season,
seems to be in some doubt about its
While the grotesque and obnoxious bill for
Areris, the founder of the enterprise, has in
future.
Evidently the permanent orchestra
creation of a State music commission natural-
view an undertaking in connection with the ly arouses ridicule, it has a serious aspect bacilli are working overtime these days—
movement which will continue the interest in which should not be ignored. The bill is es- the disease is so universal.
it and make its operation still more widely sentially an attempt at special legislation for
spread among those for whose benefit the the oppression of an industrious class of citi-
MME. KIPKBY-LUVN.
concerts have been given. It is now proposed zens. It separates music-teaching from all
the cover page of this issue appears a
other kinds of teaching and undertakes to
to organize a species of auxiliary society subject that to a special tax. This of itself
portrait of Mme. Kirkby-Lunn, the dis-
among those who attend the concerts, in or- is sufficient to condemn the bill.
tinguished English contralto who has been
der to acquaint them with the forms of mu-
The State has a right to examine and associated with the Grau forces at the Met-
sical composition not possible to be placed license all the teachers it intends to employ ropolitan Opera House this season. Mme.
on the regular programs of the concerts, and at public cost in State institutions. It has Kirkby-Lunn leaves at once for Europe,
at the same time to make the audiences per- no right to intrude its taxing power need- where she will appear during the English
lessly and with proscription upon teachers
sonally interested as members of the society whom the people employ at their own cost. opera season, after which she will return to
through the payment of a small fee (prob- There is no legal justification for taxing mu- this country for the purpose of singing at
ably $i), which will enable them to attend sic teachers while art teachers, dancing teach- the principal musical festivals early in the
certain extra concerts, lectures, etc., and in ers, language teachers, cooking teachers, fall. A number of engagements have already
order to lay the matter plainly and definitely dressmaking teachers, teachers of mathemat- been booked, This artist has won her way
ics and of many other subjects go untaxed.
before the people, a meeting will be held at
Next after reading and writing music is into a high degree of favor both here and
Cooper Union on the evening of Thursday, the most democratic of arts. Next to reading, abroad.