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THE
ADMIRABLE PUBLICATIONS.
T " H E Ditson house has again issued two vol-
umes of The Musicians' Librtry, which
very admirable publication is making much
more of an impression upon the seekers of
the best musical selections than the promoters
of the volumes ever could have hoped for.
But the secret is in having something beyond
what is promised for it, and this is the case
with the collection which is issued by the
famous old house of Ditson under the name
which is correctly applied—The Musicians'
Library. The first volumes that were given
to the public were Fifty Master Songs, edited
by Henry T. Finck, and Forty Piano Compo-
sitions of Chopin, edited by James G. Hune-
ker. The pens of these talented editors were
enlisted in a short sketch of the composers
whose compositions form the book.and alto-
gether the works are almost irresistible.
Those volumes have just been followed by
Twenty Original Compositions of Franz
Liszt, with a literary prelude by August
Spanuth, and Fifty Songs by Bobert Franz,
edited by W. F. Apthorp.
It is not enough to say that the collection
of instrumental numbers is by Liszt, for there
are many of Liszt's compositions to be found
in nearly every collection of music. But the
collection offered by Ditson's publication con-
sists of such material as is not found else-
where; in fact, we cannot remember see-
ing any of these selections except in sheet
music form. This is a superb volume and
one which is destined to bring musical joy
into the homes of those who admire the more
serious works of a master whose composi-
tions are not yet to-day properly appreciated.
But justice must be done to those who se-
lected the material for this work, to say that
more has been accomplished to show the
greater Liszt than has been attempted here-
tofore. The same may be said of the Franz
songs than which there are none more beau-
tiful. The better the musician the more these
latest efforts of the Ditson house will be ap-
preciated.
MACKENZIE ON SCOTCH MUSIC.
O I R ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who
^
is about to conduct thirty-three concerts
throughout Canada with Lillian Blauvelt and
Ben Davies as soloists, said recently in speak-
ing of Scotch music: "In London it is hard-
ly known. The real stuff is endless—you
cannot see the forest for the trees. But
Scotland is, apparently, too close to London.
Ireland being further away, more attention is
paid to Irish music. But if you take Scotch
music on the Continent, as I have had the
honor of doing several times, you will find
it is considered quite as interesting as Hun-
garian music."
NEM EDITION OF GROVE'5.
A new edition of Grove's great "Diction-
ary of Music and Musicians" is being pre-
pared under the editorship of Mr. Maitland.
The first volume of the original edition was
issued twenty-four years ago.
•*
Ellison van Hoose sailed for Europe last
week. He will first visit London, after which
he goes to Paris. Mr. van Hoose will be
heard in opera in Germany during the coming
winter.
7VTUSIC TRPCDE
REVIEW
MUSIC IN THE PARKS.
' 1" H E summer season will be soon upon us,
*
and the usual transformation of music
from the concert hall to the park and roof
garden will occur. Then thousands of peo-
ple in the East and West sides who love mu-
sic, but who are deprived of hearing it
throughout the year, will be able to forget
their grinding environment. They will hie
to the parks where they will get a glimpse of
nature and breathe purer air to the accom-
paniment of music.
There are fewer investments made by the
city which pay so liberally as the money set
SOME ENGLISH NOVELTIES.
aside for the bands which play in the parks.
T the Hereford (Eng.) Festival to be That the programs- given in these public
held from Sept. 8 to II there will be breathing places are not quite classical we
one or two novelties. The chief of the com- will admit, but the music, such as it is, is
positions specially written for the Festival uplifting to those who rarely hear anything
will be a half-program work on the subject better than a piano-organ.
of "Calvary," by Mr. Coleridge-Taylcr, this
Almost fifty thousand dollars a year is ap-
being the first essay by the West African propriated by the city for music in the parks
composer in the field of oratorio. Another —not a large amount when apportioned be-
novelty will be Dr. Wolfram's "Christmas tween the different parks in Greater New
Indeed the per capita, taking into
Mystery." The Festival, which, as usual, York.
will begin and end with the "Messiah" and consideration the population of 3,500,000 in
"Elijah," will include in its program a Bach Greater New York is very moderate, and we
cantata, Elgar's "Dream of Gerontius," and believe the city could even afford a larger
Sir Hubert Parry's "War and Peace," and a appropriation and provide a better class of
bands than we have had for the last couple
Wagner selection.
of seasons.
JEAN DE RESZKE'S DEMANDS.
MacDOWELL'S PLACE AS COMPOSER.
T T was learned Tuesday that Jean de
* Reszke has put an increased price upon / C O N C E R N I N G ' Edward
MacDowell,
his services. When he sang here last his v - > the Philadelphia
Musician says:
fee per performance was $2,500. It is said
'There can be practically no dispute as to
that he has answered a query from Mr. Con- his rightful position among composers of the
ried with a demand for twenty performances day. His gift for composition is original
at $4,000 a performance.
and decidedly individual. He possesses a
style and idiom that is peculiarly his own.
SONG IN NEW YORK'S PRAISE.
Anton Seidl . . . said that he consid-
T T E R E are the words of "The Song of ered MacDowell's compositions superior to
*• * New York." They were written by those of Brahms. This is indeed high
Ida Primcoff, a former pupil and present praise, and we trust that time will show that
teacher in the City History Club, and set to it is not unmerited. His genius is certainly
music by Frank Damrosch, and they will be less conventional that that of Brahms, and
sung by thousands of children and played by equally scholarly. In emotional vitality he
all the bands on the 250th anniversary of the is stronger than Brahms, and this is one of
incorporation of this city:
the most fundamentally necessary qualities
in a composition in order for it to find an en-
To thee, first city of our land.
With hearts and voices blending,
during place in the people's hearts."
"JEAN MICHEL" PRODUCED IN BRUSSELS.
' T H E most important operatic incident of
*
the last week in Brussels, was the first
performance of "Jean Michel," by Albert
Dupuis, the brilliant young composer, at the
Theatre de la Monnaie. The piece appears
to have made a remarkable success. Albert
Dupuis, the composer, is but twenty-six years
old.. He was trained in Vincent dTndy's
musical school, and he plainly shows in "Jean
Michel" that he has been influenced in his
sources of inspiration by the author of "Per-
vaal" and "L'Etranger."
A
We raise a loyal song of praise
In strains of love unending.
We praise thy harbor and thy ships,
Thy bay, renowned for beauty;
Thy parks with statues bravely decked
To tell of faith and duty.
New York, New York, our city loved,
To thee in praise we sing;
Let every loyal heart and voice
Its loving tribute bring.
We sing the praise of Dutchman's day,
We chant of England's holding.
We tell the growth of wealth and trade,
And freedom's cause unfolding.
We praise thy heroes dead and gone,
We praise thy heroes living,
We rally round each patriot's shrine,
A heartfelt tribute giving.
Thy civic growth we praise in song,
Our joyous voices blending;
We pledge our hearts, our head sour hands,
To make that growth unending.
And may the spirit, proven true
On early fields victorious,
Still fire thy sons in days of strife,
To make thy banner glorious.
The trustees of the Chicago Orchestra re-
port that gratifying progress has been made
toward securing the $750,000 that is needed
to assure the continuance of the orchestra's
work under Mr. Thomas.
MISS DE TREVILLE'S SUCCESS.
/V/IISS Y V O N N E DE TREVILLE, who
will be remembered as the prima don-
na of the Castle Square Company, is very
much in demand in Europe for operatic
work. During the past winter she sang at
Marseilles, and is now filling a two months'
engagement in Stockholm.
Next winter,
she is going to sing in Brussels.
KUBELIK ABROAD.
UBELIK has been lately arousing much
enthusiasm in German cities. The
critics, however, agree with those of New
YorK that he is good in poor music and poor
in good music. Die Zeit of Vienna, for in-
stance, says that "as soon as he attempts a
task calling for the higher qualities of inter-
pretation his playirg becomes mechanical."
J*
Humperdinck attended a recent perfor-
mance of his delightful opera, "Hansel and
Gretel" at Rome and received a great ova-
tion from the audience.