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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
the winter. While I was there we had a try-out
at rehearsal of my new Fantastic Suite for
piano and orchestra. I suppose my own opinion
of my work is apt to be biased, but I am frank
to say I was better pleased with it than I
Concerts at Ocean Grove—Four Weber Concert Grands Used—Importance of Baldwin Retail thought I would be, especially the music in which
Change—Oscar Hammerstein's Experiences in Europe—Interesting News Regarding Schel-
I have worked up a number of American melo-
ling and His Plans—Chautauqua Musical Festival Now On—Maud MacCarthy Gives Up
dies in the tempo of the Virginia Reel. I am to
Violin for Theosophy—Puccini Still Denouncing the Iniquities of Our Copyright Laws.
play the work in public for the first time with
Mengelberg at Amsterdam on October 10, and
The growing appreciation of music at the great him to go with me to the Opera. Now I hear that later probably in Frankfort at the Museum con-
summer resorts is exemplified in the increasing you have engaged him!'
certs. I showed both works to Arthur Nikisch
"Of course, the contract was not signed. For and he was much pleased with them.
popularity of the concerts given at the handsome
auditorium at Ocean Grove, N. J. Here is a six months it had been on that desk. In the
"After some visiting in Holland, Mrs. Schell-
great building, the acoustics of which has won meantime all hands might have died or the ing and I went to Schloss Willegrad in Mecklen-
the admiration of noted singers—without a pillar theater might have burned down, or anything burg and stopped for two weeks with the Duke
or post to obstruct the view, and affording ac- might have happened. That thought did not and Duchess of Mecklenburg, assisting at the im-
commodations for nearly two thousand people. hurry the manager up to sign it, however. It lay pressive ceremony of his Highness' acceptance of
Last Saturday evening one of the most important there until another impresario came along to his election as Prince Regent of Brunswick.
concerts of the season was given when Mme. engage Dufranne. I told M. Messager that I did Then we went on to Berlin where I had the pleas-
Barnes was the attraction, assisted by Julian not feel myself called upon to give up an artist ure of seeing Dr. Karl Muck. He inquired about
Walker, basso, and Hans Kronold, 'cellist. The because he had neglected for six months to sign my compositions, and after he had gone over the
big auditorium was packed to the doors, special a contract with him. That is typical of the way scores did me the honor of saying that he would
trains being run from adjacent towns. Much ap- in which business is done abroad."
be delighted to produce either or both at th,e
* * * *
plause followed Mme. Eames' closing number,
Boston Symphony concerts during the coming
Gounod's "Gallia." In the chorus the soloist was
The Steinway Bulletin, which made its appear- season. I also met Emil Paur in Berlin, and he
accompanied by the combined New York, Eliza- ance this week, has an interesting story regard- was pleased to hear of the success of my com-
beth and Ocean Grove festival chorus, numbering ing Ernest Schelling, the American pianist, who, positions. He promised to be present when I
seven hundred voices. It is interesting to note
play my Fantastic Suite in Berlin early in the
that four Weber concert grands are used at the
fall.
Auditorium during the season—a distinct tribute
"From Berlin we motored to Leipzig and Mun-
to the musical merits of these creations.
ich, where we spent some days visiting Felix
* * * *
Weingartner and Max Schilling, the composer.
That was a very important item of news ex-
"From Munich we motored over the Bavarian
clusively announced in The Review last week in
Highlands to Innsbruck, and over the Brenner,
regard to the placing of the retail representa-
then back and over the Ariberg to Ragaz. After
tion of the Baldwin piano for the metropolitan
that I feel that I would be entitled to enter some
district with Charles H. Ditson & Co. The pres-
of the endurance runs you are so fond of in
tige the Baldwin piano gained in Paris, both
America. I am not sure whether I will bring
at the Exposition and in concert, supplemented
my car over with me."
by its splendid career in the concert field in this
"Wouldn't it be delightful to travel by auto-
country, will certainly be stimulated through this
mobile on your concert tour?" I suggested.
new connection, for the Ditson house has long
"Hardly," replied the pianist laughingly. "Just
been associated with artists and artistic happen-
hold the steering wheel of a hard traveling 40-
ings, and it is meet that the Baldwin should be
horse-power car for a couple of hours and then
displayed and exploited in such suitable environ-
try to run a scale and you'll have the answer."
ment. It is the intention of Ditson & Co. to give
* • • •
this instrument a splendid representation. This
Arthur Friedheim, who is well remembered
move gives Arnold Somlyo, general wholesale
here as a piano virtuoso, has composed an opera,
representative of the Baldwin Piano Co., more
"The Dancing Girl," which has been produced
freedom to look after the artistic as well as whole-
with success in Leipsic.
sale ends of the business. Under his guidance,
•
* • »
the Baldwin has made a splendid record in the
In the Church of Muchelney, the Somerset vil-
East, one of which the manufacturers can feel
lage famous for its historical association with
extremely proud.
Alfred the Great, a new organ has been placed
ERNEST SCHEI-UNG WITO WILL PLAY THE STEINWAY.
* * * *
with his wife, is passing the summer in the Royal to succeed the remarkable instrument which has
In talking of his recent experiences in Europe Villa leased from Carmen Sylva, the poet-queen of done service there for the past one hundred
Oscar Hammerstein said the other day: "I did Roumania. His home is the rendezvous of all years. The old instrument was of the barrel
have this year evidence of the way the im- the musical celebrities either resident in or pass- organ type, and limited the congregation to
presarios abroad do business. When I decided ing through that section of the country. In the twelve tunes only. The story was told at the
to give 'Pelleas et Melisande' I wanted to get as course of a chat he reports that he has just com- dedication gathering last week how on one occa-
many of the original singers as possible, because pleted an eight weeks' motor trip straight across sion the century old organ, having been duly
wound up and started with a tune, refused to
the work is extremely difficult to perform and the Alps, without a breakdown, and added:
takes endless rehearsals. The Paris rehearsals
"I am going to give up my car now and devote stop when the time came for the sermon, and had
for the original production lasted more than four myself to the Steinway grand piano, which has to be removed bodily to the churchyard.
« • * *
months. I realized that if I could get all the just come down from Hamburg. In two weeks
Chautauqua, N. Y., has been holding its annual
singers who appeared with Miss Garden, it we shall have Mr. and Mrs. Paderewski here to
would be much easier to prepare the opera here. visit us into August. He and I will work to- musical festival the past week. It opened on
I got them all and made a contract with the basso gether, and I do not expect to leave here except Sunday evening with a song service in which the
Dufranne, who is a wonderful artist in other for a short trip to Freiburg to play for the Welte first part of Hayden's Oratorio "The Creation"
was sung by the Chautauqua choir and soloists
roles as well. As soon as I had made his con- Mignon.
aided by the Chautauqua Orchestra under the di-
tract I received a letter from M. Messager ask-
"We left Paris on May 4 with a party of
ing me to come to 10 Rue Auber on a matter of friends and motored to Amsterdam to be present rection of Alfred Hallam, who was the organist
business. That is his office in the Opera Comique. when Mengelberg produced my symphonic poem of the entire week's program. On Monday even-
I went there the next day.
'Legende' with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. It ing occurred the annual event of the presentation
" 'You know we impresarios in Europe have a was gloriously done, of course, and I am happy of Handel's "Messiah." On Tuesday evening a
certain consideration for one another, Mr. Ham- to say was so well received that Mr. Mengelberg miscellaneous program was presented at which,
merstein,' he said, 'and I think you will show will keep it in his repertoire. He is to produce in addition to the choir and soloists, W. H. Sher-
that to me in the case of M. Dufranne. I have it at Frankfort in the Museum concerts which wood, pianist, and Sol Marcosson, violinist, ap-
he is leading, and in other cities on tour during peared. The feature of this program was the
had for six months on my desk a contract with
presentation of a number of choral, orchestral
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