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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
CALVE TO SINQ FOLK SUNOS.
She Will
Do It Here in Twelve Different
Languages.
Mme. Calve, it is said, will break new ground
in her American tour this fall, taking with her
nothing but nursery songs and folk chants. She
has made up a repertoire from twelve countries,
and will sing every piece in its own tongue. I t
is a point of pride with her not to betray the
slightest foreign accent. She is now spending
studious days mastering the phonetic difficulties
of Russian, Chinese and Gaelic.
She will wear the national costume of every
country from which she borrows and will in
every case sing to the national instrument—the
cornemuse of Brittany, the pipes of Ireland, the
mandolin of Italy. She will travel the whole
American continent in Melba's special saloon car
and hopes to get as far north as the Klondike
and return to France richer by half a million.
The national temperament in music has long
attracted her; quite recently she has been treat-
ing Paris at receptions to specimens of the char-
acteristic music of various countries; for in-
Pianos, Organs
Piano Players
and
can be advertised in
With better results
than through any
other medium in the
world*
THE MUSICIAN
Is devoted wholly and entirely to the interests
of users of the instruments named above, and
reaches every MUSICIAN and AMATEUR of
prominence in every State and Territory in
America, and foreign countries. It is read,
and reread, and preserved for future refer-
ence, by at least 100,000 people, and manufac-
turers are earnestly requested to correspond
with us regarding terms and prices for space.
Results guaranteed.
The Musical Instrument Department of the
Oliver Ditson Company
has tested the value of advertising in THE
MUSICIAN, so thoroughly and with such
good results, that orders in response to adver-
tising from this department have been received
from every State and Territory, and every city
of prominence in the United States, as well
as many orders from foreign countries. Our
files are open for inspection and we know of
no concern that is better able to speak for, and
in the interest of advertising in THE MUSI-
CIAN, so well as the Musical Merchandise
Department of this concern, as the goods ad-
vertised are distinctive, and the exploitation of
them in the columns of this Magazine, appeals
directly to the prospective buyer of PIANOS,
ORGANS and PIANO PLAYERS.
As a medium to help the sales of Local
Agents, by procuring responses and applica-
tions for information regarding the manufac-
tures of this class of goods. THE MUSI-
CIAN has no equal.
Try it once and you will never give up the
use of its columns.
Oliver Ditson Company
150 Tremont Street, Boston,Mass.
stance, the work of Scandinavian composers
rendered by Miles. Murdoch and Edwards.
MUSIC TEACHLRS IN CONVENTION.
JURIDICAL ASPECT OF THE PRODIGY.
Many Topics of Interest Discussed—Attend-
ance Not as Large as It Should be.
Recent proceedings before the magistrates di-
rect attention to the juridical aspect of the pro-
digy question, says our London namesake. The
psychological side of it is far less clear, and
though the world becomes from year to year
more sophisticated, the supply of natural musical
geniuses does not decline. The mother of the
latest prodigy writes an account of her daugh-
ter's devotion to violin playing in The Pall Mall
Magazine; but she concludes, with a sadness that
will appeal to all mothers, "I wish that my only
child were not a Wunderkind." Indeed, even a
mother can only rhapsodize in such a matter, and
rhapsodies are apt to be unilluminative.
The law aims primarily, no doubt, at the infant
Rosciuses of the Crummies age, and can take no
account, as mere law of how far the genius is a
young Crummies or not. Undoubtedly some of
the prodigies owe something to the way they are
dressed, and perhaps even to the mysterious pro-
cesses known in the theatrical profession as
"make-up." Equally certainly others do not and,
in the nature of things, could not. Their art is
too mature to gain any added glory even from
the possible misconception of the absolute cor-
rectness of a birth certificate.
There is one explanation which sounds pos-
sible. It is pretty definitely known that certain
parts of the brain are reserved for certain classes
of perception. Musical perception undoubtedly
has a mathematical basis, though that basis may
only act subconsciously. The only person who
could definitely explain the phenomena of the
child-musician would, therefore, be an anatomist,
and it would not be worth while to dissect even
a prodigy to solve the problem.
Provided the child is really an artist, and its
efforts are not aided by meretricious tricks, there
is nothing to be said against prodigies in mod-
eration; but there is a danger of missing the art-
istic value in wonder at the precocity.
The twenty-seventh annual convention of the
Music Teachers' National Association was held
at Teachers' College, Columbia University, in
this city, on June 20, 21, 22 and 23. The first
day opened with business meetings and a recep-
tion at the residence of N. Coe Stewart, Fort
Washington Park. Public meetings began on
Wednesday at 9.30 a. m., a t Teachers' College,
with an address of welcome by Dean Russell, of
Teachers' College, with response by E. M. Bow-
man, the acting president of the association.
Waldo S. Pratt, of Hartford, then gave an ad-
dress on the aim and plans of the association,
and Gen. H. C. King, of Brooklyn, spoke in his
usual eloquent way on the lack of endowments for
education in music. In the afternoon there were
addresses on music criticism and one on con-
certs, composers and conductors in America.
Thursday was occupied with a discussion of
"The Place of Music in General Education," in
which H. E. Dann, of Cornell University, W. E.
Watt of Chicago, Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick of
New York, L. B. McWood of Columbia, W. R.
Spalding of Harvard, Hamilton C. MacDougall of
Wellesley, and Albert Ross Parsons of New York
took part.
On this subject, E. M. Bowman, president of
the association, said: "For years American edu-
cators have regarded music as a faddish accom-
plishment and of little value as an education,
but their views are changing, as improved meth-
ods and results of teaching are being secured.
The misconception of the educational value of
music is due to the lack of results that public
education has shown in the past. No subject in
education has been so poorly treated as music.
"Students nowadays are making a more intel-
ligent study of the science and art of music,
some to such an extent that they give up their
school or college life to specialize in music for a
career, thus depriving themselves of a better gen-
eral education. This would not be necessary if
the university more thoroughly accepted music
JOSEFFY'S CAUSTIC WIT.
in its entrance examinations and course of
The latest story of Mr. Joseffy's caustic wit studies, just as it does French or German or the
comes from the classroom at the National Conser- ancient languages, some of which are seldom
vatory, says Henry T. Finck of the Saturday studied after the second year in most colleges."
Evening Post. One of the young persons who
On Thursday evening there was a seaside din-
labor under the funny delusion that they can get ner. Friday morning was devoted to discussing
better instruction on the piano in Europe than "The Essentials that should be agreed upon for
in America, called on him and begged permission pupils of average musical ability." As to the
to play, so as to get his advice as to what teacher voice this was discussed by Frederick W. Root,
she had better go to abroad. "It is not necessary of Chicago, and Herbert W. Greene, of New
for me to hear you play," retorted the pianist. York; the piano by Calvin B. Cady, Kate S. Chit-
"Then will you tell me what teacher you would tenden and Henry Holden Huss, of New York;
recommend?" "Well," replied the Tarrytown pi- theory, by Thomas Pepper, Jr., of Boston; Silas
anist, "in my days Liszt and Tausig were reputed G. Pratt, of New York; George Coleman Gow, of
the best teachers. If you could get one of them Nassau, and Eva B. Deming, of New York.
. . ." "But!" exclaimed the young lady, "they
On Friday afternoon there was an illustrated
are dead!" "Are they?" Mr. Joseffy said calmly. lecture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, by
"Well, you see, it's a long time since I was in Miss Fannie Morris on the Crosby Brown collec-
Europe." And that ended the interview.
tion of musical instruments, numbering 3,500
specimens, representing the instruments of prim-
PUGNO SCORES IN LONDON.
itive man as well as of civilized nations, and in-
cluding many rare specimens.
It is good news that the French pianist, Raoul
The annual election of officers resulted as fol-
Pugno, is to visit this country next season. Con-
cerning a recent concert at which he appeared, lows: President, Waldo S. Pratt, Hartford; vice-
the London World said: "The clou of the even- president, Charles H. Farnsworth, New York;
ing was M. Raoul Pugno, who played delight- secretary, C. W. Morrison, Oberlin, O.; treasurer,
fully. With wisdom and courage he had chosen Walter Spry, Chicago. Next year's convention
two French compositions, both modern and each will be held in Oberlin, in connection with Ober-
differing widely from the other, which is not lin College.
A concert complimentary to the Music Teach-
quite unnatural, seeing that one of them is by a
Belgian. In his Symphonic Variations Cesar ers' National Association was given by Richard
Franck has allowed his usual somewhat somber Henry Warren with his orchestra at the St. Nich-
olas Garden on Wednesday evening of convention
reflectiveness to be lightened by more flashes of
gayety than one generally associates with his week.
name; but the gayety is that of a very serious
GRAU TO RE-ENTER GRAND OPERA.
man unbending, and not in the least an expres-
sion of the joy of living of a Latin race. Quite
According to the latest accounts from Maurice
different is Saint-Saens' brilliantly joyful Grau he is contemplating again managing grand
'Africa,' which, however, is a somewhat Parisian- cpera. I t is said he will return before the ex-
ized version of barbarism, and reveals no more piration of the contract by which Herr Conried
than a young lady of the best society might be now directs grand opera in New York, and if he
allowed to see. Still, it is very fascinating when fails to secure his old place, will build a new
played as M. Pugno played it."
opera house.