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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
those of Wagner, his illustrious precursor.
But we are all too near the man to be able
to judge him as he should be judged, for
\ A / H E N the festivals of' Worcester and short of dishonorable, no matter how you he needs perspective and plenty of it.
* * *
Maine are over, we may settle down look at it. To this fact is due much of the
T
H
E
English
opera
which opened last
to the fact that the season is about open, hardship of new people in the field. Out of
week
at
the
Academy
of Music in
although New York makes no move yet in town managers have learned the ropes, and
Brooklyn,
is
another
milestone
which
the direction of concerts. The artists who press notices mean about as much to them
marks
progress
in
the
music
of
this
coun-
participate in the festivals are therefore as do flies on a summer day. The benefit
try.
It
is
one
of
the
best
English-speaking
compelled to be in the country earlier than that might be derived from favorable press
they would be otherwise and it is always notices is killed for everybody, because of companies that Savage has ever brought to-
attempted to hurry things as their man- the constant abuse of the truth in what we gether. When such companies can be made
agers naturally want to make good every see published. "Miss So-and-So has very up it assuredly should be encouragement to
moment of time that they are in the coun- good press notices—don't you think so?" the young singers who feel that there is
was asked of one who is interested in some of no future in opera. There is future in Eng-
try.
Every season the first thing we hear is the largest musical affairs given out of New lish opera in this country, that is one sure
the eternal discussion of foreigner versus York. She looked very much astonished, thing, as the growing interest shows. This
American, and perhaps it would be interest- and she answered: "Do you mean that desire to have English opera is the outcome
ing to note the personnel of the festivals there is anyone left who does not know the of first-class representations. And they are
which are closing to-day. At Worcester, press notice business? No, press notices only made possible by the people them-
with the exception of Harold Bauer, there have no interest for me, I should have to selves. The patronage accorded this com-
were no foreigners at all, the singers hav- see them signed before a notary with the pany in Brooklyn is very satisfactory, in
ing been full-fledged Americans, and Am- signature of the writer that they had not point of the fact that they are there for four
been distorted in any way. No, the prebS weeks. The audiences are growing nightly
ericans of whom we can be proud.
Shanna Cumming has placed herself fore- notice of to-day is hardly worth the paper because the company is so very good that
most among resident sopranos, and she has it is written on." And this opinion is the it is worth while going. That all seems
done it by legitimate hard work. She has same with most of the people who engage logical enough.
Among the newcomers of passing excel-
been able to fill the requirements every talent.
lence
are Mme. Jennie Norelli, of Covent
*
•
•
time she was engaged and that is one of the
Garden,
and Miss Regina Newman, of San
\
A
/
E
are
entering
a
remarkable
season
;
in-
secrets which many people forget. Herbert
Francisco,
who spent eight years in study
deed,
people
are
looking
at
one
another
Witherspoon occupies the foremost envia-
and
in
opera
in Germany. Both artists are
in
surprise
at
the
conditions.
This
promises
ble position of any resident American bas-
of
exceptional
merit. Other newcomers are
to
be
an
orchestral
season,
and
in
itself
so, and that hard work and his ability to
Miss
Brooks,
of
Colorado; Miss Nelma, an
make good the claims that are made for this is an evidence of the growth of music
Australian
singer,
and several male singers
him have put him into this position, cannot in this country. The orchestra is the great-
of
whom
I
have
only
heard Mr. Gherardi,
be questioned by anyone who knows the est education that a country can have, and
the
tenor.
The
orchestra,
the conductors
situation. The same is true of Ellison van the more orchestral concerts a country is
and
the
staging
are
all
at
a
high degree of
Hoose, who is the leading tenor of the good for the higher it has advanced upon
country, and whether his tone is always the ladder of culture and intelligence. The excellence.
* * *
what it should be or not, on the whole he Philharmonic Society with its remarkable
HERE is so much talk upon the subject
is an admirable and painstaking artist who engagement of seven conductors means
of "Parsifal" that it is almost tire-
is keenly alive to his duty to the public, and more than the desire to have a novelty of
some.
Parsifal has been given outside of
who always discharges it in such a man- this sort. There is little doubt that it was
Beyreuth
already and on that score we may
ner that his manager can come back for an- the intention of the orchestra to engage a
rest
content
and assured that we will not
conductor permanently but they took this
other engagement.
be
the
first
country
to give the opera, even
Mrs. Bertha Cushing Child and Mrs. means of finding out exactly whom they should Conried succeed in his enterprise.
Louise Homer are also Americans who want.
It has been given eight times in Munich,
It will be interesting to note that this is the dates being May 3, 5, 7, and November
were fit companions for the aforemention-
ed, and besides work in the concert field, Mrs. not the first visit of Colonne to this coun- 5, 7, of 1884, and April 26, 27, 29, of 1885.
Homer has made a very creditable position try. He was in the rank of violinists at the It should be added, however, that these
for herself in the Metropolitan Opera Grand Opera House in the days of Jim were privately given for the benefit of King
Fisk, and it was in that opera company that Ludwig II, of Bavaria. The singers were:
House.
*
•
•
he found his wife. They were married Reichmann, Gura, Gudehus, Vogl, Fuchs,
A T the Maine festival the condition is still shortly after returning to Paris, where they Kindermann and Siehr, Mesdames Malten
more pronounced as there is not one have lived ever since. Colonne will be the and Vogel.
foreigner to appear. The artists include first to conduct the Philharmonic concerts
* * *
David Bispham, Mrs. Ruby Shotwell-Piper, November 13-14, as usual, the public re-
T would be interesting, and more than
that—it would be glorious fun to get a
Felix Fox, Percy Hemus, Lillian Blauvelt, hearsal and the evening concert.
record of all the remarks that the singers
*
* •
Edward P. Johnson, Corinne Welsh and
I T is hardly possible to rehearse the name of to-day will have to make concerning
Francis Archambault.
Patti and her farewell. It is well for her
of every musical attraction that New that she will be unable to hear the impre-
All this should be significant of the fact
that if the artists can do what is required of York is to witness this season, but it is sat- cations and the comments; it might make
them, there is no reason to believe that they isfactory to note that when the season will her realize that she is regarded as an in-
into the field of vocal celebrities.
cannot get engagements because they are be in full whirl we will have become ac- truder
Her
programs
will not be like Mme. Sem-
quainted with some of the most noted fig-
Americans.
brich's nor like Schumann-Heink's, nor
ures
in
the
world.
Richard
Strauss
is
prob-
That Americans are not as attractive to
even like Melba's whose voice might be
their own people as strangers is only true ably the central figure, for he will be "in more similar to hers than that of any other
in a measure. Novelties are what the peo- our midst" not only as conductor, nor even singer, so there will be no reason for these
to think about whether she is in the
ple want. They want novelties more than as composer, but as one who has a new mu- artists
country or not. But the howl will come
sical
message
to
proclaim,
and
who
is
not
they do foreigners—and they want people
from other sources *ad every time a raw
to be able to do what their press notices afraid to let his clarion tones be heard. That young soprano does not get the engage-
is the man who will come in for the most ment she is after, poor Patti's ears will
claim for them.
varied criticism of them all. He will have burn as there will not be enough things in
* * *
dictionary to call her and to say of her:
C V E R Y now and then we hear a great those who will be able to appreciate his the
Art! oh, Art! what a number of funny
dimensions
and
there
will
be
many
others
hue and cry about "fixed-up" press
things are done under the cloak of thy
notices, and there is certainly every good who will not accept his new theories at all. name!
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER.
reason for the cry against it. It is nothing New theories they are, even newer than
TIMELY TALKS ON TIMELY TOPICS.
T
I