Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
TIMELY TALKS ON TIMELY TOPICS.
While the sympathy of the whole world goes
Henri Marteau has been guilty of very dis-
out to San Francisco, stricken as she is, there courteous and impertinent treatment of America
is one class of people who need it the most, and and the American musician. He so far forgets
as a class will receive the least. Millions of dol- himself as to say in print "Too many musicians
lars are being hurried into San Francisco to al- come over to this country from abroad and tell
leviate the immediate suffering, but what of the you Americans that you are all right over here
to-morrow for the musicians of that city laid in regarding your musical compositions and your
ashes? When the excitement of the moment appreciation of good music, but that, I think, is
will be over and the rebuilding will begin upon a mistake. In many ways you are all right, and
what can they depend? Granting that their we who come from across the water to give con-
nerves will be in a condition to begin the grind of certs are very willing to concede this." Mar-
teaching again, where will they find pupils? It teau should have been more politic than to show
must not be forgotten that music is a luxury in to the world at large that his tour has not been
every sense of the word, and also that the nerves what he expected, and that the American people
of the children and young people are in such con- did not go hysterical over him. One can excuse
dition as to make study almost impossible. These him on this score, but on no other, as his co-
are not speculative conditions, they are cold facts. lossal egotism throughout makes him forget that
For the teachers, the musicians and the church right here we have Kneisel, Willy Hess, C. M.
singers to seek livings elsewhere is a practical Loefner, Maud Powell, Olive Mead and many
impossibility, because each city has more than its others who could jump in at a moment's notice
share of musicians to support, and none of them to fill his place the instant he and his kind de-
afford the real support which a musician of im- cide that America is not musical enough upon
portance should command. There are a number which to waste these wonderful talents.
of teachers in San Francisco of sufficient impor-
tance to come to New York City or to go to
We are pleased to place beside Marteau's opin-
Europe and command immediate recognition.
Among these may be mentioned Professor Louis ions those of Raoul Pugno, and to state that
Lisser, Oscar Weil, Hugo Mansfeldt, Fred Zech, Pugno substantiates his opinions by playing
Herman Genss, Robert Tolmie, Giulio Minetti, American compositions wherever the occasion de-
Dr. H. J. Stewart and others, but none of these mands, either with orchestra or on his recital
could content themselves away from the Pacific programmes. We are also justified in believing
Coast, which has a rare fascination for all who that the judgment of Pugno, whose manhood and
cast their lines in that direction. Perhaps most intellect are among the noblest specimens of
of these have escaped the" fire line, several of France, is a trifle above that of a disappointed
them have, but what of the tremendous majority, violinist. Pugno said to the writer: "Every
including church singers, organists, teachers, or- force in America should be brought forward to
chestral musicians, what of them? It is safe to bear upon placing the American composer where
assume that Eastern capital, the banks, the manu- he belongs. The place he occupies in the face of
facturers and the wholesalers of the entire world the serious obstacles which he must overcome is
will stand with credit and with loans behind sufficient proof of his worth. I do not say that
every firm willing to go back into business and every one who has written or who has expecta-
into the rebuilding of the city, because San Fran- tions is worthy to be ranked by the side of the
cisco is an absolute necessity to the financial cir- greatest, but I do maintain that you have in
cles of the Bast and of the world, and therefore America men who can take their place by the
San Francisco must be rebuilt as quickly as pos- side of musicians of any other country." Grow-
sible, but there is no one who must for his own ing personal, Pugno said: "Huss is certainly one
interest stand behind the musicians of San Fran- of the most serious and musicianly men among
cisco, and with the exception of a few individuals my acquaintances. I am only too happy to in-
they have nothing in San Francisco and nothing clude his beautiful piano concerto in my reper-
out of San Francisco to draw from. It, therefore, toire as several of his piano compositions. His
behooves the musicians of every city 1o create a songs, too, are delicious, and this sonata for
fund to bridge the San Francisco musicians in violin and piano which I am taking with me shall
a body over a period which will fall more heavily be presented in some of my concerts with Ysaye,
upon them than upon any of the property-holders who feels concerning Huss much as I do."
or business men of that afflicted city. Every dol- Pugno took with him much music of MacDowell
lar contributed would represent money spent in and some of Arthur Foote's larger works, such
the purest emotion without the suggestion of per- as his piano quintette, of which Pugno spoke
sonal benefit and something to be returned. There with enthusiasm without knowing the composer
is a psychological reason why musicians of all personally.
people should take this particular matter in hand.
The awakening of emotions brings about one of
Anent the American composer abroad it is in-
two conditions: a maudlin sentimentality or the
translation of an otherwise empty sentiment into teresting to note that friends in New York have
a tangible action which enobles it to the highest received a number of programmes from Henry
degree. Music, poetry, painting, architecture, Hadley, now in Europe, showing great activity on
sculpture, all have the qualities to move the the part of that talented young composer. It is
hearer or the beholder into emotional conditions. no small matter to present Richard Strauss'
If this passes off, leaving but the momentary "Death and Transfiguration" and Wagner's Vor-
thrill, the effect is lost, but if it brings about a spiel to the Meistersingers in addition to a "Sym-
kindlier frame of mind to mankind, or one kind phonie Phantasie," and two movements from
action, art has accomplished its mission. When Hadley's "Symphony of the Seasons." It may
the telegrams will cease coming and the sensa- thus be seen that in addition to composition Mr.
tional headings will no longer attract, San Fran- Hadley has given himself up to conducting, and
cisco and her troubles will be forgotten; but that that he must have made a success of it goes
will not mean that its people, and especially its without saying. The concert just mentioned en-
musicians, are not in suffering and in want. It listed the assistance of Marguerite Lemon, also
is again suggested that the musicians of each an American, and the Kaim Orchestra. Mr. Had-
city in the United States take upon themselves ley is also to conduct the Kaim Orchestra in
the support of the San Francisco artists and Mannheim in May.
teachers until beyond a doubt they are able to
stand upon their own feet. This need not mean
Also speaking of the American composer abroad
a steady drain upon those hardly able to afford it, the following personal letter from L. Campbell-
but a couple of concerts a season for such a fund. Tipton is not without the greatest interest, as it
Any city wishing to create such a society may expresses clearly his views regarding the negro
communicate with this office, and will be advised and the Indian melodies:
as to procedure and connections in the West,
"I hope the impression will never gain that I
am any less an American because I am living in
Paris. No one could be less French than am I
in sentiment in this year of our Lord 1906. No
one has more keenly at heart than I the develop-
ment of the American school of music. I do not
think, however, that it should be founded on
negro or Indian themes, for we are neither
negroes nor Indians. These may be used inci-
dentally, but they are far from necessary as a
foundation. We are a composite nation, and no
nation has a better right than ours to develop
itself through the best resources of our parent na-
tions, and if we infuse the characters of virility,
of a most active nervous genre, and adopt mod-
ern methods, without going to some of the silly
extremes to which some of the Frenchmen are
given because, lacking in any natural melodic
gift, they conceal their paucity by the assumption
of 'new school,' we will attain to it, and much
more suddenly than many Americans realize, for
I am firmly convinced that there are some Ameri-
cans who either actively object to its develop-
ment, or else they must conclude that it is to be
attained only by zealous opposition to it."
Mr. Tipton is not so well known in America as
are some others who have been more widely ex-
ploited, but his work bears every evidence of the
serious student who has something to say, and
who knows how to say it. He is further tremen-
dously gifted with melody; in this perhaps lies
bis most American trait, because melody is the
divine right of the American composer from the
most inferior to the best.
It is sad that John Knowles Paine passed
away before the American composer receives just
recognition in his own home, since this man was
perhaps the oldest and first great representative
composer of this country, as the works which he
has left will attest. That his opera was never
produced was a grief to him notwithstanding
the fact that he was loo proud to show this feel-
ing broadcast. Of this he said at one time to
the writer, "Perhaps when 1 am dead and the
American will come in for the recognition that
should be due him, my work may find its way to
the Metropolitan Opera House. Well, I can wait
for it, and so can any composer afford to wait so
long as he does not lose courage while so doing."
The influence of J. K. Paine is very far reach-
ing in America, much more so than any one
wants to believe. He was the creator and di-
rector of the musical department of Harvard Uni-
versity, which post he retained until about a
year ago. During this time he turned out some
of the best composers of America. Among these
are Arthur Foote, who never studied witli any
one else, Frederick Converse and many others.
Professor Paine was a fine concert organist, and
a man of the broadest spirit. In connection with
his organ playing a story conies to mind which
is worth the telling at this moment. It is one
of John A. Norris' most agreeable reminiscences
of his own organ days when a very young man.
Mr. Norris was intimately associated with the
late Dr. Wilcox, and was with him upon one
occasion when he was invited to try a magnifi-
cent new organ just installed in Boston. Pro-
fessor Paine was also invited to try the instru-
ment, and while insisting upon Dr. Wilcox taking
precedence he sat with Mr. Norris to listen in
the distance. As a matter of fact, Dr. Wilcox
was probably the greatest artist at improvising
that this country has ever known, and while
Professor Paine was listening he said to Mr.
Norris, in an outburst of delight: "I would givj
ten years of my life to be able to improvise like
that." When Professor Paine took the organ
seat and Dr. Wilcox came down to listen in turn.
Professor Paine pealed out the Bach Fugue in G
minor, when Wilcox, in exactly the same tone of
voice, grasping Mr. Norris by the shoulder, said:
"Norris, I would give ten years of my life to be
able to play a fugue like that."
It will be remembered that Professor Paine
contributed a most interesting article on music
in the Universities to the St. Louis Exposition
number of The Music Trade Review. It was
widely quoted after its appearance. He was born
in Portland, Me., January 9, 1839, and pursued his
musical studies in Portland tinker J$ro,t v zsm.aaj,