Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TIMELY TALKS ON TIMELY TOPICS.
When the midsummer calm strikes New York
it strikes hard, indeed, even now everything in-
side the city has given way to thoughts of rest
rather than recreation. A few of the great festi-
vals are still to come and some of the conven-
tions, but these are for the greater part to be
held in cool resorts rather than in the large cities
with the exception of the Music Teachers'
National Association, which large body will as-
semble in St. Louis.
Niagara Falls iias been selected by the New
York State Association and a large delegation
will go on from here.
The Maine Festival will be held early in June
instead of early in October, as has been the cus-
tom of William R. Chapman and those interested
in this musical enterprise.
Many of the managers, artists and teachers
have already gone to Europe, and some of them
•will send back news that will be received with
interest. None will be more welcome, however,
than that which we are just apprised of concern-
ing the Philharmonic Society's engagements for
the coming season. These engagements include
another visit from Colonne, Weingartner, Safo-
r.off, and Ysaye will conduct a pair of concerts
in addition to an appearance as violin soloist
with this organization. Henry Wood, who was
also engaged, has been compelled to cancel this
os well as an engagement in several of the large
cities of the East. The reason for this is be-
cause the London Philharmonic Society, of which
Mr. Wood is conductor, has made the rule that
no substitute will be permitted to act. This is
a distinct disappointment, as Mr. Wood was one
of the greatest successes of last year.
And still the Parsifal rage continues. Now
in the form of drama without music, then in the
shape of music without drama until by fall when
it is time for another siege of it, it will be worn
hollow, all this because Mme. Cosima made such
a fuss about it, which proves that after all ad-
vertising is all that anything needs.
The matter must present itself in everybody's
mind at the present time that Henry Savage can
be no nearer justified in giving an English pro-
duction than Conried was in giving the produc-
tion as it is given in Bayreuth. Perhaps the
press have realized the volumes of free adver-
tising that they were giving the Conried enter-
prise and have decided to make Mr. Savage pay
for what he gets. However, Gadski will not be
the Kundry, and unless Gadski be engaged by
Conried she wiii tour this country in concert.
Another! Ye gods! It seems, verily, that every
singer that was heard of will tour the country
in recital or concert companies. No doubt there
is room for them, but we can not see where.
There would be room if those who should patron-
ize these attractions did so, but at the prices
that these operatic artists hold their services
those who should hear them can not afford it
and too many in the field can do nothing except
to kill one another's prospects, or rather more
than prospects—the business itself.
With all this it is usually the American artist
who suffers as the management is never so
active in his behalf and with no one to attend
properly to his interests they are bound to suffer.
The greatest outlet for the American artists is
in Oratorio, however, and they have much to be
thankful for that the foreigner is unable to sing
English, and moreover that the operatic singer
is no more fitted to sing oratorio than the music-
hall singer is able to sing opera. Often this
makes no difference to the exploiters of oratorio,
as all they think of is whether the name of the
artist is big enough to draw at the box office, as
it is not often that music itself can do it.
Perhaps we may regard this as a blessing in
disguise, for the American has been compelled to
turn his forces one way or the other, and he has
become a remarkable oratorio singer. As ex-
ample we need only recall the names of Gertrude
Stein-Bailey, Shannah Cumming, Hildegard Hoff-
mann, Ellison Van Hoose, Herbert Witherspoon,
Theo Van Yorx and a few such to realize that
they have made themselves indispensable to
those who give oratorio, and after all that is all
that counts. To be indispensable, that is the
great secret of success.
In looking over European papers one cannot
refrain from wondering whether the summer is
less severe than it is in America, or whether they
give concerts in all seasons, as the activity does
not seem to diminish on the other side, but in
America it is safe to say that nobody is even
thinking of music. Hardly, indeed, even of the
coming season.
What music there is in the country is in all
probability concentrated in St. Louis, and there
is little doubt that when the season opens we
will hear many of those who will visit New York
before returning to the other side. New operas,
new artists, as well as old ones, are holding the
interest of our European friends, and things
seem to be as active as they are in January.
Pugno and Ysaye, too well known wherever
music is known to require more than a word, are
drawing enormous audiences in chamber music
concerts in Paris. To such men as these there
is no such thing as personalities, there is noth-
ing but music, for as individuals they stand at
the head and everybody knows it. Thus this sea-
son they are giving quintettes, quartettes, trios
and sonatas, and they are assisted by people of
such importance as Gerardy, Crickboom and
Van Hout.
It is interesting to note that Paris has its con-
tingency of such people as do not know how to
show proper respect to the artists, in fact, to the
audiences, at some of the largest concerts, as is
shown by the following information, which
reaches us from the great French center:
A superb concert was given at the Nouveau
Theatre, when Paderewski was one of the lead-
ing attractions. During the first number the
"society" representatives in the front rows con-
tinued to talk. After two or three crushing
glances Paderewski stopped suddenly, and in
the calmest manner possible, he said: "When
you are through, I will continue." Suffice it to
say that he had the attention of the whole house
for the time, at any rate. Speaking of Pade-
rewski, this noted pianist has just issued the
twelve songs of which I spoke a few months ago.
These are set to poems of Catulle Mendes, and
those who know the tremendous force of every
word from the pen of that great French writer,
may have some conception of the inspiration
that a man of Paderewski's qualities, or rather
tastes, would find in them. A deep analysis of
both musician and poet would reveal the ten-
dency to exotics in both men. One of the noted
French writers somewhat known in this country
is Camille Bellaigne. He describes exoticism as
a taste for and the representation of things at a
distance and rare. He claims, moreover, that this
genre is secondary, if not inferior, especially in
the field of music, in so far as it describes things
rather than beings. He claims further that be-
ings rather than things, humanity rather than
nature, is the legitimate theme of music. How-
ever, the day of cavilling at things of this sort
is over, if Mendes or Paderewski can waft us
into lands heavy with sandal-wood and Cham-
pak, if they can drop upon our senses some sus-
picion of that Orient which we know, knowing
not—why should this art be classed as inferior?
However, to return to Paderewski and his new
songs, the translated titles are as follows: "In
the Forest," "Thy Heart is of Purest Gold," "A
Heaven Very Near," "Formerly," "A Young Shep-
herd," "She Walks With Step Distraught," "The
Nun," "Widowhood," "The Cold Moon," "The
Petulant One," "Fatal Love," and "The Enemy."
As these have only appeared in Paris, it is too
early to say how they will be received, and one
can judge from nothing except as they know
both Paderewski and Mendes, who seem admir-
ably Qualified to complement one another's aes-
thetic tastes.
Before Alexandre Guilmant leaves France to
appear in St. Louis, he will be heard in conjunc-
tion with several othei great organists in a pro-
gramme of Cesar Franck's compositions, to be
given upon the occasion of the dedication of the
monument of Cesar Franck, which the great
sculptor, Albert Lenoir, has just completed for
the Square of St. Clothilde. This programme
will be given at the Church of St. Clothilde and
the organists, in addition to M. Guilmant, will
be MM. Widor, Gigout, Piernf* and Tourniere.
Since the middle of April Guilmant has been
giving his series of organ recitals at the Troca-
doro, which will continue until July 11. The
course which he gives is of extraordinary im-
portance, and is supplementary to his series of
organ recitals at the Paris Conservatory. He
opened with the Italian literature of the 18th
century, and added to the enjoyment and educa-
tional value by explanatory talks given before
each number.
A very peculiar coincidence arises, which
bears upon the supposed edict of Pope Pius X.,
concerning the re-establishment of Gregorian
music in the Catholic Churches. It is thoroughly
understood that the Pope has great regard for
the Abbe Perosi, and at the recent production
cf Perosi's last composition, which was pre-
sented before Pius X. and the Pontifical Court
at the Vatican, the Pope applauded him and con-
gratulated him warmly. With his own hands he
conferred gold medals upon the soloists and the
directors of the Constanzi Theatre of Rome,
where this work was first performed. The work
is called "The Last Judgment." If the Pope finds
this of such importance and a dignified treat-
ment of so sacred a subject, why should he
feel that music of this order should be kept out
of the Catholic Church? It is not impossible
that before it reaches us the Pope's true feeling
in the matter has been sadly exaggerated, for it
can hardly be possible that he did say, "I like
Bach and the great symphonies and the operatic
masterpieces, but I wish opera to be confined to
the theatres. Such music is admirable in its
place, which is not in the Church." It hardly
seems possible that he should classify Bach with
the symphonies and operas which have no place
in Church music. No one who hears what awful
atrocities are committed in the churches of
America will blame the Pope for wishing to
eradicate the evil with one great sweep, but to
put the congregations onto the diet of Gregorian
music exclusively, will entail more hardships
than will ever come to his ears.
Out of fourteen American bishops, nine have
made known to the Pope, through the medium of
Cardinal Gibbons, that it was impossible to apply
the Gregorian chants in America, because the
suppression of the female voices, to say nothing
of the orchestra, in religious ceremonies is con-
trary to American tastes and needs. Cardinal
Satolli will hold conferences in America in tho
attempt to adjust the conditions.
Ysaye will again regale the audiences of this
country next season, and lovers of the violin
may once more enjoy the privilege of hearing a
man who is of enormous dimensions as a vir-
tuoso, but also as a musician, which is not fre-
quently the case. Ysaye, as mentioned, will
conduct one pair of the Philharmonic rehearsals
and concerts. This will probably be in Decem-
ber.
Richard Arnold, concert master of the Phil-
harmonic Society, is due from Europe, where he
has made arrangements for the conductors who
are to appear with the Philharmonic Society next
season. As a matter of course, there have been
many rumors and almost as many announce-
ments which have been followed by contradic-
tions. That is part of the musical scheme. It is
not always that things are misrepresented or
misunderstood, indeed, it is a very frequent oc-