Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
and in Berlin he studied with Haupt, Fischer and
others from 1858 to 1861. In 1862 the chair of
music was created for him at Harvard. He leaves
a very large number of published and unpub-
lished works.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER.
CINCINNATI'S MAY FESTIVAL.
Some Great Programmes Splendidly Interpreted
by Noted Artists-
On last Tuesday night the Cincinnati May
Music Festival opened with the "German
Requiem" of Brahms, Bach's cantata, "God's
Time Is Best," and selections from Wagner's
"Gotterdammerung," sung by Mme. Gadski, Mme.
Louise Homer, John Coates, Charles Clark, Her-
bert Witherspoon and a chorus of 400. This
programme was a memorial to Theodore Thomas.
On Wednesday evening Sir Edward Elgar's "The
Apostles" was given and the composer conducted,
appearing in this capacity in the United States
for the first time. The soloists were Mrs. Corinne
Kelsey, Mme. Homer, Mr. Coates, Mr. Ffrangcon
Davies, Mr. Clark and Mr. Witherspoon. On
Thursday afternoon Mme. Gadski sang the finale
from Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde" and an aria
by Mozart. Sir Edward Elgar conducted his
overture, "In the South," and the orchestra
played Schumann's B flat symphony. The fourth
concert, on Friday evening, introduced a chil-
dren's chorus of 1,000 voices in Benoit's cantata,
"Into the World," and Conductor Frank van der
Stucken's "Pax Triumphans." Mr. Davies, Mme.
Homer and Mr. Witherspoon were the soloists.
To-day (Saturday) will be a great day in mu-
sic in Cincinnati. At the afternoon concert the
orchestra will play the "Pathetique" symphony
of Tschaikowsky, the love scene from Richard
Strauss' "Feuersnot," and the prelude to "Die
Meistersinger." Sir Edward Elgar will conduct
an orchestral number of his own. Gadski and
Witherspoon will be the soloists. Saturday even-
ing is the last concert of the festival. Elgar's
"Dream of Gerontius" constitutes the first part,
and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony the second
part. The soloists in the Ninth Symphony will
be Mrs. Kelsey, Miss Janet Spencer, Mr. Coates
and Mr. Witherspoon; the soloists in "Gerontius,"
Mme. Homer, Mr. Coates and Mr. Davies. The
two Englishmen were engaged at Elgar's request.
Among the New Yorkers who attended this
festival were Dr. Frank Damrosch and also H. E.
Krehbiel, who has heard the biennial festivals,
seventeen in all, since their first start in 1873.
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
ments of the old and the new are happily
blended. He has written in the classical forms
and he has also shown a romantic spirit in his
more recent works; he has attained the dignity
of the old Hellenic tragedy in his "CEdipus Ty-
rannus," and he has given most modern touches
in some parts of his opera "Azara," notably in
the Oriental dances and in the beautiful forest
scenes. It will be a matter of much interest to
the readers of the Etude to know that Profes-
sor Paine is at present at work on a large sym-
phonic poem upon an American subject—Abra-
ham Lincoln. We can all hope that when we
have the pleasure of hearing this work performed
we shall be justified in calling it the American
"Heroic" Symphony, upon a greater man than
Napoleon, whom Beethoven honored in music.
schools. Some speakers are Frank Damrosch,
Edward Dickinson, Thomas W. Surette, O. G.
Sonneck, H. D. Sleeper and R. L. Baldwin. Pro-
fessor Stanley, of Ann Arbor, will give an illus-
trated lecture on a famous opera of the seven-
teenth century. Professor Charles W. Morrison,
of Oberlin, is in charge of all arrangements.
THE LATE JOHN K. PAINE.
IN DEFENSE OF THE ENGLISH BALLAD.
Lincoln is so pre-eminently a man of the Ameri-
can people that American characteristics must
come to the fore in such a work."
HIGH PRICES FOR LETTERS
By
Famous
Composers Recently
Auction at Berlin.
Sold by
High prices were paid for some unusually in-
teresting letters by great composers, that were re-
cently sold at auction in Berlin. Among them
was one from Beethoven to Zelter, which went
for $180; it is of very great importance, as in-
dicating that he felt that his Missa Solemnis was
unsatisfactory, and capable of being improved by
editing. "It is certain," he wrote, "that much in
this mass might be performed almost in a purely
a capella style; the whole, however, would need
to be worked over for this, and perhaps you have
the patience to do it." A three-page letter by
Chopin to Breitkopf and Hartel was sold for
$240, while $410 was paid for a letter in which
Haydn gives a brief sketch of his life, in which
the following occurs: "My father was by pro-
fession a cartwright; he played the harp, though
he could not read a note, and I, as a boy of five,
sang all his short, simple pieces correctly after
him. When I finally lost my voice I had to drag
myself through eight years of my youth grievous-
ly. N. B.—By this wretched mode of bread-win-
ning many geniuses perish." There was bitter
irony in the payment of $265 for a letter in which
Mozart asked for the loan of one or two thou-
sand florins for a year or two; and there was
pathos in the payment of $400 for a letter in
which Schubert applied (in vain) for the posi-
tion of director of music at Laibach.
The London Referee rises in defence of the
English ballad. To Giovanni Clerici's remark
that" "if it is only the singing of a concert type
English ballad that the student aims at, then
TO AID GILMORE CONCERT.
very little would be gained by going abroad, but
if the student aspires to something higher, then
Memorial for the Popular Bandmaster to be a the matter assumes a different aspect," the fol-
Great Musical Event.
lowing reply is made:
The real English ballad is by no means to be
The P. S. Gilmore memorial concert to be despised nor easy to sing. British high-class
given in Madison Square Garden Tuesday even- songs require more intellectual ability to in-
PROF. SEMNACHER TO GO WEST.
ing, May 15, will be one of the most noted musi- terpret properly than Italian songs, which, as a
cal events of the year. One thousand singers and rule, almost entirely depend on emotional warmth
William M. Semnacher, who has long been fa- 1,000 musicians will take part, under direction of
for effect. It is a mistake to suppose that the
vorably known as a teacher and composer, hav- Walter Damrosch, Victor Herbert, Frank Dam- trivial, empfy song is confined to England. In
ing- lor many years conducted the National In- rosch and John Philip Sousa. The orchestra will proportion to the number published there are
stitute of Music in New York, has decided, owing be the largest ever assembled in New York.
just as many waste-paper compositions issued by
to ill health, to leave at an early date for South-
Aside from the purely musical part of the con- French and Italian publishers. Again, while it
ern California, where he will reside in future. cert, a large number of men of prominence are is true that a vocalist will gain by visiting Con-
Professor Semnacher's fame as a teacher has co-operating in rendering honor to the popular tinental musical centers, this will only be after
preceded him, and he is certain to receive a bandmaster. In addition to the Committee of
years of study at home. The musical atmosphere
hearty welcome in "the land of fruit and flow- Five Hundred, headed by President Roosevelt, which the author suggests exists only on the
ers."
He will probably locate in Los Angeles, Congressman W. Bourke Cockran Monday sent Continent will be found at our most important
and the best wishes of a host of friends in New a note from Washington stating that, if possible, schools of music, and there is now no city in the
York will accompany him to his new home. he would deliver the eulogy and opening oration. world to be compared with London for oppor-
Every one hopes that the balmy climate of the
Boxes have been reserved for ex-President tunities of hearing frequently the greatest artists
Pacific will restore Professor Semnacher to his Cleveland, Archbishop Farley, Governor Higgins, and the best instrumental music.
old-time health and strength.
Mayor McCIellan, General Grant, Seth Low, Au-
gust Belmont, Perry Belmont, Justice O'Brien
ROSENTHAL'S TOUR.
and John D. Crimmins. The sale of seats begins
JOHN K. PAINE'S GREAT WORK.
at the Garden May 7. Mail orders will be hon-
Final negotiations for the Rosenthal tour have
Concerning the Nestor of American composers, ored as received, and applicants can secure places been completed by Henry Wolfsohn. The reap-
John K. Paine, whose death occurred last week, requested the day before the public sale begins. pearance of the Roumanian pianist will be made
the following remarks of Louis C. Elson in a re- John P. Carter, secretary of the committee, said at Carnegie Hall, New York, early in November,
that many orders are coming not only from New after which he will visit all the principal cities
cent issue of the Etude are timely:
"An active musical life that covers the period York but also from adjacent cities. The rehearsal from coast to coast. He is eager for the tour.
from 1860 to the present embraces every impor- of the vast chorus and orchestra will take place He is sincerely fond of America and Americans.
They were among the first to recognize his early
tant event that has occurred in the higher realms on Sunday, May 13.
talent, and he is anxious that they should have
of American music, and Professor Paine not only
has lived through this period, but has been a
MUSIC TEACHERS TO MEET IN OBERLIN. the benefit of his maturity.
prominent leader in the advance from first to
The musical and theatrical professions have
From Oberlin, in Ohio, has recently been an-
last. In a recent letter to the present writer,
Professor Paine says: "It is an error to consider nounced the annual meeting of the Music Teach- displayed their proverbial generosity in connec-
me bound to the past. I believe thoroughly in ers' National Association, to be held at that place tion with the many benefits which have been given
during the past two weeks for relieving those dis-
from June 27 to 29. Two of the half days will
the future of music." He certainly can be classed
as a musician aqd composer in whom the ele- be devoted to questions of, music in, colleges and tressed through the San Francisco, disaster.