Music Trade Review

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THE
ARTISTS'
TELEPHONB
DEPARTMENT.
NUMBER. 1745.--EIGHTEENTH STREET
The Artists' Department of The Review
published on the first Saturday of each month.
THE AMERICAN BAYREUTH.
r* OSIMA WAGNER is carrying on quite
^- > a campaign in the daily press of Ger-
many anent Manager Conried's intention to
produce "Parsifal" at the Metropolitan Opera
House without her consent. She objects to
its production outside of Bayreuth and says
she wants the civilized world to understand
her view of the nature of things. In a lengthy
interview with James Creelman, of the New
York World, she said:
"If 'Parsifal' is presented on the stage in
New York it will be the desecration of a
sacred work for the sake of money and an
insult to the memory of its creator. I can
only hope that artists will refuse to sing it and
that American society will not approve the
sacrilege. Until now the whole world has re-
spected the master's wish that 'Parsifal'—in
which the Holy Grail, which held the blood
of the dying Christ, is unveiled at the sacra-
mental moment—should not be sung any-
where except in the stage-festival playhou«e
which he built here in Bayreuth."
She closed her interview thus:
"It is a matter of great comfort to me that
many letters and newspaper articles sympa-
thizing with my position have been sent to me
from America (sic). The truth is that I am
surprised that so great a nation is content to
rely almost entirely on foreigners for its
music. Americans have fine voices and high
intelligence. There is no reason why they
should not have great composers. Even in
Russia there is already evidence of a serious
creative movement in music. America has
astonished the world by her industrial gen-
ius. I look earnestly for signs of an awaken-
ing of her art."
The Berlin and Munich papers have de-
voted much space to the discussion, the Ber-
lin Post and the Berliner Tageblatt apparent-
ly being leaders. The latter speaks of Mr.
Conried's "war of dollars against the opin-
ions held by the whole civilized world with
regard to what is right and proper." This
paper is sure prominent Americans will not
patronize the undertaking, and that the
"artistic respectability" of those who do not
will be increased, "even in New York."
Meanwhile the German editors conveni-
ently ignore the fact that Mr. Conried offered
Mme. Wagner ample compensation and that
all the leading Wagnerian singers from Ger-
many itself—Burgstaller, Van Rooy, Ternina
and others, including Felix Mottl as con-
ductor—have signed contracts with Mr. Con-
ried.
A lot of nonsense has been written in con-
nection with this controversy. "Parsifal" is
not merely a religious ceremonial—it is a
work of art—and the education of the musi-
cian is not complete until he has heard it. As
has been pertinently said, Bayreuth is for the
few, and the many have rights. There comes
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
a time when the work of every genius ceases
to be the exclusive possession of his family
and joins the productions of Homer, of
Dante, of Shakespeare and of Goethe as part
of the common intellectual heritage of man-
kind. That the world is ready to add Richard
Wagner to the list of the universal immortals
should be taken by his widow not as an insult
to his memory, but as the loftiest compliment
it is possible to pay.
This hysterical outburst about "sacrilege"
and "shocking that a desire to make money
should lead to the desecration of a holy play"
sounds well, but in very truth it is largely
brought about through the loss in income
which must ensue at Bayreuth through an
American production of "Parsifal."
That
is where the shoe pinches. It will jar, no
doubt, to learn that Conried's ambition is to
make New York the American Bayreuth.
And why not ?
*
A GREAT PIANIST COMING.
A N excellent portrait appears on our cover
page of Alfred Reisenauer, the great
German pianist, who comes to this country
in January next under the management of
Henry Wolfsohn, for his first American
tour. He has played five hundred concerts
in Russia since he made his debut. On the
closing of his fifth century mark he was pre-
sented with an enormous laurel wreath from
the professors of the St. Petersburg Con-
servatory, while Professor Sopaczek, of the
Conservatory faculty, read from the plat-
form telegrams of congratulations from
nearly all of the musical organizations and
musicians of note throughout the Russian
Empire.
In Russia as well as in Germany and
other parts of Europe the name of Reisenauer
is heard more frequently than that of any
other pianist now before the public. The
opinions of the leading European critics, as
expressed in the notices of his recitals, are
certainly most flattering and stamp this artist
as a pianist of tremendous power.
As The Review has before stated, Reis-
enauer is not only an eminent exponent of
Liszt, but his repertoire embraces the most
notable works of several great masters. As
an interpreter, among his greatest favorites
may be mentioned Beethoven, Schumann and
Liszt. When Felix Weingartner, the great
Berlin conductor, went to London in April
last to direct the Beethoven festival, he se-
lected Reisenauer as the pianist to interpret
the Beethoven concerto. He will use the
Everett piano exclusively during his forth-
coming American tour.
VOCAL MUSIC IN THE PARKS.
OARK COMMISSIONER WILLCOX has
had several conferences with a commit-
tee of the United Singers of New York at
the Arsenal in Central Park for the purpose
of talking over their plan to give weekly con-
certs in the parks of this borough. August
Buegger, the chairman of the Musical Com-
mittee, has prepared a complete schedule,
which covers nearly every Sunday between
Aug. i and Oct. i, assigning at least two of
the component societies of singers to each of
the various parks.
Mr. Buegger has also suggested to Mr.
Willcox a plan for a monster chorus at Cen-
tral Park some time late in October. Noth-
ing definite can be done in this direction, ow-
ing to the fact that the organization is with-
out a musical director at present. Should
Commissioner Willcox approve of their prop-
osition, the Musical Committee will probably
decide on a successor to Mr. Arthur Claassen,
resigned, much sooner than would otherwise
be the case.
As for the smaller concerts, no special ar-
rangements are necessary, as each of the com-
ponent societies has its own musical director.
No expense will be connected with the con-
certs, as they will be held simultaneously
with the military band concerts now in
progress.
K
CONVENTION NOT A SUCCESS.
^"T HE convention of the National Music
Teachers' Association, held in Ashe-
ville, N. C, from June 30 to July 3, was not
successful as far as attendance is concerned.
Only 125 members were present, which was
a very low number, taking into considera-
tion that the whole country was appealed to.
The poor railroad facilities, only one train to
Asheville during the day, are said to be re-
sponsible for the small attendance. The heat
was intense and many persons were forced to
leave the opera house on account of it. The
next convention will be held in St. Louis.
*
THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF MUSIC STUDY.
*~P HERE is a popular belief that art and
money are divorced. Theoretically, the
artistic soul is supposed to be above dollars
and cents, regarding business as a bugbear
from which his sensitive nature shrinks, and
with which he has as little to do as possible.
In short, business intelligence is supposed to
be incompatible with the possession of an
artistic nature. In these days, however, when
the artist, as well as the artisan, considers
himself "worthy of his hire," a certain
amount of business sense is necessary for the
attainment of success.
Xhe struggle for the wherewithal to pay
the "butcher, the baker and the candlestick-
maker" has prevented many from following
their natural vocations, while some have start-
ed and failed for the want of a little timely
financial aid, says an able writer in the Mas-
ter Singer. To others, poverty has acted as a
spur, and they surmounted all kinds of ob-
stacles. It is not our purpose to discuss this
side of the question, but merely to point out
the necessity for the application of business
principles on the part of the student.
Pleasant as it would be to disregard entire-
ly the commercial phase, few of us are in po-
sition to do so. The necessary years of train-
ing, when "it's all goin' out and nuthin' com-
in' in;" the cost of lessons and of unavoid-
able numerous incidentals; the serious sacri-
fices, in many instances, not only on the part
of the student, but by his family as well, in
order that the necessary money may be avail-
able for his education—all these should cause
him to look the matter squarely in the face
and consider well just how he shall invest this
money to the best advantage, so that it will
give him the largest returns; or, at least,
value received.
Almost every one can recollect at least one
instance of a friend or acquaintance who,
starting out with the intention of becoming a