Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TIMELY TALKS ON TIMELY TOPICS.
With the advent of summer the color of mu-
sic changes to fit the general attempt at breezi-
ness. The orchestra and the opera give way to
the brass band, and this dispenses everything
from a dash of the great classic to the latest ver-
sion of "My Wife Won't Let Me." I t is a no-
ticeable fact that those who have been the most
closely bound to Beethoven, Bach and Brahms
are the first to find themselves humming the re-
frain of these undignified though, catchy bits of
tune. On the Mall at Central Park and on Rec-
reation Piers alike; in fact, in every park and on
every roof garden, music of all sorts is dis-
pensed. That it should be music of all sorts is
the pity, because it is no longer possible for the
rank and file of New York to enjoy, one might
go further and say to tolerate, anything but the
very best because these same people are the ones
who form the audiences for F. X. Arens, Frank
Damrosch and others; they are members of the
people's orchestras under direction of David
Mannes and Sam Franko; in short, there is no
reason to believe that they are educated to the
understanding and appreciation of the best in
winter and drop to the mediocre in summer. By
mediocre I mean a poor organ of transmission,
not the selections, because a light trifle well
played is at the proper time quite as enjoyable as
music of a heavier nature.
An innovation, which has been the subject of
not a little interest, is the fact that Conried has
been awarded the contract to furnish the first
fifteen concerts in Central Park, and on Saturday
and Sunday afternoons Nahan Franko is attract-
ing very large crowds, the personnel of which
proves that everybody is interested if the qual-
ity is of such nature as to make it so.
This brings us to music at Brighton and Man-
hattan Beaches, and a moment's retrospect will
be sufficient to prove that people want the very
best, and are only attracted in that way. No one
visiting Brighton to-day can fail to be impressed
with the difference in the quality of the patron-
age from the days of Anton Seidl and his orches-
tra. Those were halcyon days in the history of
Brighton Beach, both as far as numbers and
quality of the clientele were concerned. Then
Seidl and his orchestra attracted the people, hun-
dreds of whom went there because of the great
music festival and of the personality of the mas-
ter conductor. Now people go to Brighton to es-
cape the heat for a few hours, and when time
hangs more than heavily upon them or there is
no seat to be had anywhere else upon spasmodic
occasions, they drift into the vaudeville houses.
It must be conceded that the band which plays
twice daily on the hotel piazza is both good and
enjoyable. In this respect, Brighton is far ahead
of Manhattan, but no one will go from New York
and, indeed, from all parts of this country, for
the purpose of hearing the band. The Seidl or-
chestra not only attracted New York and Brook-
lyn people, but indeed from California to Maine
there was an incentive to music lovers to go
where they would hear the great orchestra and
meet in friendly good fellowship hordes of the
best known musicians in this country. Let it not
be believed that Manhattan Beach is the same at-
tractive resort as it was in the days of Gilmore
or Sousa, or, still later, Shannon, who, with his
Twenty-third Regiment Band of Brooklyn, has
dispensed good, very good music for the past few
years. This year Duss and his band was there.
However, before it was generally known, he was
gone again and nobody knows or thinks very
much about who is there. We indeed must envy
Ravinia Park, of Chicago, its season with Walter
Damrosch and the New York Symphony; Willow
Grove its short season of Damrosch, and then its
engagements of Pryor's Band, Herbert and his
orchestra and Sousa with his band. It will not
take long to see that New York Is clear out and
injured as far as music in the resorts is con-
cerned. It would be Interesting to know, how-
ever, whether the powers that control these re-
sorts know the situation themselves.
The largest and most important music festival
perhaps ever held in this section of the country
has just closed at Newark, N. J., where a chorus
of 11,000 voices supported by the New York Phil-
harmonic Orchestra and the largest number of
eminent artists ever joining forces were heard.
This was the twenty-first saengerfest given by
the Northeastern Saengerbund, when the leading
German singing societies sang in competition for
the "Kaiser Prize." For those who are not fa-
miliar with the conditions it may be interesting
to learn that until 1900 the chief interest in these
competitive singing events lay between the sev-
eral German societies for prizes, diplomas, etc.
In 1900, however, at the festival held in Brook-
lyn, the Emperor William added to the interest
by offering the "Kaiser" prize. This arrived in
Newark from Philadelphia, where it was last
won, and the United Singers of Newark marched
through the streets to welcome the committee
bearing the trophy. The soloists were Maud
Powell, violin; Mme. Schumann-Heink, Mrs. Rider-
Kelsey, Frieda Stender, Dan Beddoe and Giuseppe
Campanari, singers, and Edwin Grasse, violin.
The musical director was Julius Lorenz, who con-
tributed for competition, "Hans und Grete." Mr.
Lorenz is the conductor of the Arion societies of
New York and of Newark.
cal center, of utmost importance in the past, will
continue to be a factor not only in the musical
life of New York, but to an even greater extent
in the great musical centers of Europe. By fall
another Aeolian Hall will be added to those al-
ready famous in the world of music. This will
be in Berlin, where the Choralion Co. is now
erecting a hall which, for decorations and fur-
nishings, will be a fit link in the chain of ex-
quisite and sumptuous Aeolian Halls of New
York, London and Paris. The enormous popu-
larity of Aeolian Hall in London among artists
and the music-loving public is demonstrated by
the fact that during the months of ,March, April
and May the hall was engaged for 122 concerts.
45 of which were given in May alone. Some of
the greatest names in contemporary musical his
tory are associated with the hall. Among them
Saint-Saens, Friedheim, Bauer, Gabrilowitsch,
etc., etc. This is also the case in Paris, where
it would seem impossible to count the number of
artists who give recitals and chamber music con-
certs there. The Aeolian Co. is one of the great-
est musical factors in the entire world, and the
Rosenthal tour will be a fitting climax and begin-
ning at the same time. A climax to what has
gone before in the manner aforementioned as
also in its tremendous and insidious educational
work and a beginning in the concert world
where there can be no doubt it will be a powerful
force and emulation.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER.
STATUE OF STEPHEN C. FOSTER.
The unveiling of the statue of Stephen Collins
Foster, the author of "My Old Kentucky Home,"
While the attention is considerably turned from on Foster day, during the recent home-coming
the musical doings of the winter season, every week for all Kentuckians, is a belated recogni-
now and then attention is drawn to the coming ion on the part of the citizens of the Blue Grass
season by sensational reports. There is a very
State of one of the greatest debts of gratitude.
amusing side to all this, but it is one which The statue, which was made by J. L. Roop, a
should be discountenanced by those able to do Kentucky sculptor, was paid for by the school
so. Musical news is sprung upon the unsuspect- children of Kentucky, who contributed their pen-
ing public so insidiously that they never know nies and dimes that the memory of the man
where it comes from, and certainly until the sea- whose song they delight in singing might be
son itself is upon us many never find out that honored in a fitting way. Though Foster has
it was based either in the imagination of those been dead for many years the song that has made
eager to pose as possessing exclusive news, or his name immortal has gained wider and wider
that it was used as a method of securing engage- popularity, and is sung not only in Kentucky but
ments before arranging with the artist himself. in every part of the English-speaking world. In
Assuredly there are tricks in all trades, but it Kentuckians it awakens the same tender feel-
would seem as though there were more of them ing that the melody and sentiment of John How-
in everything connected with music and musi- ard Payne's "Home, Sweet Home," arouses in
cians than in any other direction.
the breast of every citizen of America.
With the foregoing as preamble and apology
for anything that may or may not occur, it is now
SHE KEPT TO ROTATION, AT LEAST.
certain that Saint-Saens will be in America this
fall. The great Frenchman, the greatest of the
Madame Teresa Carreno, the pianist, enjoyed
present day, can figure as conductor, composer, the bliss of matrimony three times, her third hus-
pianist and organist, past master in each. Pade- band being Eugene d'Albert, the pianist and com-
rewski is also coming.
poser. At the seventh or eighth Philharmonic
It is now understood that Ysaye is booked concert in Berlin she played a familiar work
solidly in Europe this season, and has no idea which called forth from Otto Lessmann, the Ger-
of coming to America. Of course, it might be man music critic, what is, perhaps, one of the
possible for him to change his plans, but there wittiest bits of writing ever put into a musical
are those who think he will not. When it comes criticism. Wrote Lessmann:
to the operatic artists it would simply not be
"She did not play it so well as she played for
possible to say anything definitely, not only on
the first time the Second Concerto of her third
account of possible mistakes on the parts of
husband at the fourth Philharmonic."
those who Issue information, but also because
there is never any telling how the singers them- MAKING "YANKEE DOODLE" IMPRESSIVE.
selves fail to live up to their own plans. This
may be due to health conditions or contract con-
"Yankee Doodle," as always played, is un-
ditions. However, we shall know when they ar-
doubtedly the most insultingly vulgar tune that
rive who is to appear both with Conried and
ever made pretensions to patriotic honors. The
with Hammerstein.
eminent Irish composer, Sir Charles Stanford,
however, remarks in a communication to the
One of the definite joys of the coming season musical editor of the London Truth, that this
will be the visit of Rosenthal. We have waited tune can be made "most impressive" by being
long and patiently for the return of this giant, played slowly. This is actually a fact, to which
and it is hard to realize that it is so close. Rosen- Henry T. Finck, of the Post, has repeatedly
thai has been more of a success than ever, and called attention. Play "Yankee Doodle" at
that is saying much, since already at his last hymn-tune pace, with rich modern harmonies,
visit he revealed such heights that seemed im- and you will be surprised at the change. Very
possible to go beyond. The coming of Rosen- likely this tune (which, as everybody knows, is
thai will be an epoch in the history of the not of American origin) was originally intended
Aeolian Co. and the Weber piano, since he has to be sung slowly. Its performance at the usual
selected this instrument as his medium of ex- distorting pace ought to be a state's prison of-
pression. Aeolian Hall, which has been a musi- fence.