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THE MUSIC TRADE
SIR EDWARD ELGAR'S VIEWS
On National Anthems—Terms Them "Rub-
bish"—Why Shouldn't Sir Edward Try His
Hand?—Pessimistic Regarding Future.
REVIEW
him. At that time rank was designated by color
in dress. The bard had a dress of fine colors,
including a white mantle and a blue cap orna-
mented with gold crescent. There were nine dif-
ferent musical instruments in use. The harp was
the most appreciated, and after it in popularity
came the bagpipes, flute, and horn. The ancient
music of Ireland, which is still extant, consists of
battle marches, dance tunes, love melodies, re-
ligious hymns, and chants. Right down the cen-
turies the characteristic of Irish music has been
its vein of melancholy or tenderness.—Pall Mall
Gazette.
Sir Edward Blgar, the eminent English com-
poser, who came here to receive the degree of
Doctor of Music from Yale University, has
reached his native heath alter a short sojourn
among us. His visit was ill-timed as far as his
ability to receive an idea of our musical activi-
ties was concerned, but he is coming again. Pre-
vious to leaving New York he had something to
say regarding national anthems, which he char-
EMINENT MEN ENGAGED
acterized as "rubbish," both from literary and
musical standpoints. He added: "The English By Dr. Ziegfeld for the College Faculty Dur-
ing His Trip Abroad.
national anthem is the silliest thing imaginable;
the words are stupid, and some of the lines won't
(Special to The Review.)
rhyme, and altogether the man who sings it and
Chicago, 111., July 31, 1905.
thinks of what he is saying can't respect himself.
Dr. F. Ziegfeld returned last week from his
The music is good enough, because it was stolen
one hundred and ninth trip across the Atlantic
from the Germans.
ocean, having been absent from Chicago since
"Your national anthem is even worse than
May 12. On this tour of the art centers of Eu-
England's. You haven't got any regular legiti-
rope Dr. Ziegfeld combined business with pleasure
mate national anthems, but you have four an-
and reports the engagement of several prominent
thems which seem to rank about equal in popular
artists for the college faculty. He is particularly
estimaton. There is 'Yankee Doodle,' which has
pleased over his success in securing Waldemar
words that are stark idiocy, while the music
Lutschg, the Russian pianist, whom he had been
would set the teeth of a buzz saw on edge. Then
seeking persistently for more than five years.
there is 'Hail, Columbia,' which is nearly as bad in
Lutschg will arrive in this country Aug. 12 and
every way as 'Yankee Doodle.' The 'Star Span-
will come immediately to Chicago for the opening
gled Banner' is a song that begins so low and goes
of the fall term of. the college. Foreign critics
up so high that nobody can sing it, which is the
are unanimous in pronouncing him a great artist,
only advantage it has over the other national an-
and it is likely a short concert tour will be ar-
thems. And there is 'America,' which is the Eng-
ranged for him during the coming season. An-
lish national anthem, with words that run a little
other prominent artist secured by Dr. Ziegfeld is
smoother than ours, but are every bit as silly."
Alexander Von Fielitz, who occupies a conspicu-
Sir Edward does not offer any remedy for the ous place among the great lyric and dramatic
evils of which he complains, and we would re- composers. An equally important acquisition to.
spectfully suggest that he try his hand, although the faculty is Frederik Frederiksen, the Scandi-
he says: "It would be entirely hopeless to ex- navian violinist, and still another addition to the
pect that anything will ever be done to radically list of instructors is Richard Schroedter, a irio-
improve the world's national anthems—to make linist who has been engaged for the preparatory
them more palatable. Most of them are as old violin department.
as the hills, and any nation would regard it as
just as great a sacrilege to change any part of
ORCHESTRA FLOOR HIGHER.
their national song as it would be to eliminate
some of the chapters from the Bible and put the Plan Adopted by Wagner at Beyreuth Revised
views of an atheist in their place."
by Director Mahler.
We note the London critics expect that Sir
Edward Elgar will express his impressions of
Of great interest and importance to all oper-
this strenuous country in terms of music. We atic managers is the latest news from Vienna—
hope not. Strauss, who pictured the joys and the announcement that Director Mahler, of the
trials of domestic life, may like this kind of
Imperial Opera, has ordered the floor on which
work, but we hardly think it is in Sir Edward's the orchestra plays, which was lowered a la Bay-
line.
reuth two years ago, to be raised again to its
former level. The plan of lowering the orchestra
was, as everybody knows, first adopted by Wagner
SONGS OF OLD IRELAND.
at Beyreuth, where it met the approval of even
"The Land of Song" is one of many poetic and his arch enemy, Hanslick, who wrote: "Wagner's
symbolic names in which Ireland rejoices. It is a inspired thought of doing away in the opera with
title which is well deserved. Ireland is the one the sight of all the fiddling, blowing, and beating
country which has a musical instrument for its musicians I endorsed long ago and repeatedly; it
national emblem. On her green flag gleams a is one of the most sensible and durable of Wag-
golden harp. The system of law in ancient Ire- ner's reforms." Yet he found that the brilliancy
land was a poetic composition set to music. The of the orchestral sound was impaired somewhat.
Irish airs which are best known, those adopted On this point the opinion of experts differs as re-
by Thomas Moore to his own graceful lyrics, ex- gards Beyreuth. In Vienna, however, there could
pressing intensely every phase of emotion, never hardly be a doubt that the lowering of the or-
fail in their human appeal. Yet the history of chestra was a mistake.
this matchless possession of the Irish race has
never been written till now. Hitherto the best
ARTISTS FOR NEXT SEASON.
account of the music and musical instruments
of Ireland was to be found in the famous "Lec-
Among the artists engaged for next season by
tures on the Manners and Customs of the An- Mr. Charlton is Mme. Gadski, who will under-
cient Irish," which Eugene O'Gurry, the archae- take another American tour, including seventy-
ologist, delivered to the students of the short- five concerts; her last one comprised sixty-two
lived Catholic University founded by voluntary concerts and was a great success from every point
subscription in Dublin in the fifties. Grattan of view. She sings this summer at the Wagner
Flood's work ("A History of Irish Music," just Festival in Munich. Other Charlton artists are
published in Dublin) is a most exhaustive history the pianist, Reisenauer, Bispham (who will re-
of Irish music. But it is more than that. It is a peat his splendid "cycle of song cycles"), Harold
very valuable contribution to social history, to Bauer, Marie Nochols, Elsa Ruegger, Van Hoose,
the history of manners and customs in Ireland Kelly Cole, Francis Rogers, and others.
from ancient times till the end of the nineteenth
century, as illustrated by the songs and music of
WEBBER'S OPERA PRODUCED.
the people. In ancient Ireland the bard was a
person of immense power and influence. He had
Amherst Webber, who is known in New York
to undergo at least twelve 3'ears' training before as Jean de Reszke's private pianist, had the good
the coveted title of Ollamh was conferred upon fortune of having his opera, "Florella," produced
in London recently, where it appears to have
made a good impression. It was originally in-
tended that this one-act piece should be given at
the private theater of Jean de Reszke at his home
in Paris. He and Edouard de Reszke were to
sing the principal parts in the little burlesque
melodrama of love and intrigue in Venice during
the sixteenth century. The score is said to be
vivacious, moderately melodious and intensely
modern. Jean de Reszke has frequently sung the
ycung composer's songs in private.
CARUSO HAS A SERIOUS RIVAL.
Caruso seems to have a serious rival in Lon-
don. Speaking of a recent performance of "La
Sonnambula," the Telegraph says that Signor
Bond's "Tutto e sciolto" "reached the point of
absolute perfection. . . . There is no need in
this place to make comparisons between the two
great Italian tenors who are at the moment di-
viding the enthusiasm of opera-goers; personal
preferences must always go for something in such
matters, and, if Signor Caruso's voice is rather
the more powerful, Signor Bonci's is the sweeter
in quality, while both alike are admirable actors."
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