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THE MUSIC TRADE
48
REVIEW
Conducted by B. B. Wilson
ALEXANDER STEINERT DISCUSSES MUSICAL CONDITIONS IN EUROPE.
Head of the Great Steinert Interests Throughout New England After Visiting All Important
Musical Points in Europe Is of the Opinion that in the Higher Forms of Music America
Leads—Gives Convincing Reasons for These Conclusions—Nothing to Compare With the
Boston Symphony Orchestra Abroad—Europe a Good Place for a Musical Person to Finish
Off, but a Good Foundation Should Be Laid in America First—An Interesting Talk.
(Special to The Review.)
Boston, Mass., Sept. 16, 1912.
Alexander Steinert, head of the M. Steinert &
Sons Co., returned last night from his summer in
Europe. With him were Mrs. Steinert, Russell
L. Steinert, who completed his course at Dart-
mouth College last June, and who now is to enter
his father's iirm; Robert S. Steinert, who enters
Dartmouth this month, and Master Alexander
Steinert, named for his father. The family has
had an enjoyable summer motoring through Eng-
land and the Continent. While in London Mr.
Steinert met Charles H. Steinway, the piano manu-
facturer, whose instruments are handled by the
Steinert house. At Interlaken he had a pleasant
chat with Max Fiedler, lately conductor of the
Boston Symphony Orchestra, and throughout his
trip he came in contact wiih a number of musical
celebrities. Everywhere he went he took special
notice of musical matters. Speaking of the musi-
cal atmosphere abroad Mr. Steinert had this to
say:
"There is plenty of music in Europe and every-
where one goes music is heard, both good and
bad. In the highest forms of music I am con-
vinced that America leads. Opera, taken all in
all, in Europe is inferior to the performances pre-
sented at the Metropolitan, Chicago and Boston
Opera houses. The singers do not • compare in
prominence with the artists we have. I was sur-
prised at the performances I saw at the Paris
Opera House. They do not, of course, have the
star system that we have, but the artists were
well balanced and the chorus well drilled. The
.work of the chorus was unique and interesting. I
was surprised by the number of old persons in
the chorus. They sang beautifully and possessed
stage presence, but their appearance was any-
thing but inviting.
"I attended several Wagnerian performances
in Munich but found them hardly up to the stand-
ards of which that chf boasts. The singers took
delight in forcing tones which brought forth a
striven and harsh quality. The soloists were fre-
quently out of tune and the orchestra dominated
over the singers, making the performances top-
heavy and clumsy. Comparing Wagnerian per-
formances at Boston with those at Munich I don't
hesitate to say that the German presentations are
inferior.
"One would think that with the subsidies
granted to opera by European governments and
the popular support which it receives it would
have the advantage over us. But the advantages
enjoyed have not been conducive to the desired
result. In Munich I met a friend who asked
what I thought of the previous night's perform-
ance. I told him frankly and he was astonished.
I gave him my reasons and when he saw they
were well-founded he apologized by saying that
'one should come to Munich in the winter to hear
good opera.' Then, he said, I would change my
opinion. I asked what they charged for seats in
the winter and he said two dollars. But for the
poor summer performance I had to pay $5.25 a
seat! I asked why this was, and he replied, 'Oh,
the summer performances are only for Americans
and they are easily satisfied and will pay any
price.' That is really the situation in Germany.
"I heard a great deal of orchestral music while
away, but there was nothing to compare with our
Boston Symphony Orchestra. The musicians
over there seem to be old, weary and lack the
snap which characterizes the work of our orches-
tra. The orchestras in the leading hotels all over
Europe are playing American rag music and
negro melodies. It is surprising how enthusiasti-
cally they are received. No notice is taken of
fine compositions, but let an orchestra play 'Every-
body's Doing It' and applause is given. To show
an extreme instance of the effect of American
rag time let me tell you what happened in a fash-
ionable hotel in London where we were stopping.
The Hungarian band in this hotel started a rag
time piece during dinner.
The Russian am-
bassador to England and his wife were dining
with Prince Murat and Lady Grey and, to the sur-
prise of all, the four got up and began to dance.
The proprietor of the hotel told me that it was
the first time that any one had ever danced in the
corridors of the hotel.
"I must say that Europe is the place for a musi-
cal person to finish off. But a good foundation
should be laid in America first. The musical at-
mosphere pervades whole communities there, and
much is going on in musical matters to inspire a
student. But in summing up I must say that in
musical performances America leadte in all de-
partments, vocal, orchestral, operatic and instru-
mental. Boston is particularly strong in music
and "t is-largely due to the. munificence of two
public spirited men. Henry Lee Higginson and
Eben Jordan are doing for Boston's music what
governments are doing abroad."
REMICK & CO.'S NEW QUARTERS.
Various Departments of the House Now Lo-
cated in Forty-sixth Street Building, After
Considerable Unavoidable Delay.
After many weeks' delay, not due to any fault of
their own, J. H. Remick & Co. are now located in
their new building at 110 West 4(jth street, where
the various departments are rapidly becoming set-
tled. During the week the heads of the depart-
ments, from Fred. E. Belcher down, have
been busy holding impromptu receptions, ow-
ing to the many friends of the house who
have taken the opportunity of dropping in to shake
hands and look the place over. The new quarters
are both spacious and imposing and the interior
arrangements are such as have been carried out
with due regard for the greatest convenience.
Thus, for instance, the trade department has been
located on the ground floor right by the main
entrance, where dealers and buyers can run in and
place their orders with great dispatch and with a
minimum of trouble. Mose Gumble, in his realm
upstairs, is also in an excellent position to render
professional service for those requiring same, and
their name is legion.
FRITZI SCHEFFS NEW OPERA.
(.Special to The Review.)
Baltimore, Md., Sept. 16, 1912.
Miss Fritzi Scheff to-night appeared for the first
time in her new opera, "The Love Wager." A
novelty is her appearance in the short skirts of a
girl of fourteen in the first act. In later acts the
prima donna grows up. "The Love Wager" is
the first opera of Charles J. Hambitzer, whom
Miss Scheff discovered playing in a hotel orches-
tra in New York. The cast is a large one.
NEW VON TILZER NUMBERS.
The Harry Von Tilzer Music Publishing Co. is
right in line in the fall list of hits with such num-
bers as "Somebody Else Is Getting It" and "I'll Sit
Right on the Moon," "The Ghost of a Goblin
Man," and the others that have shown more than
ordinary promise. Meanwhile "The Ragtime Gob-
lin Man" and the older favorite, "Oh, Mr. Dream
Man," are still in strong demand.
Richard Strauss's determination to write a ballet
is not surprising, in view of the fact that the
waltzes in his "Rose Cavalier" have been well re-
ceived. In his "Salome," also by far the best
music is that which accompanies the Dance of Sev-
en Veils.
A. H. WOODS PRESENTS A MUSICAL COMEDY
TANTALIZING TO
By MICHAEL MORTON
Music by HUGO FELIX
Oh, Go Away . . . .60 Fairy Bells
60
You Don't Know . . .60
Just Like You . . . .60
Irish Stew
60
Cupid's Car
60
Zizi
60
Y
Lyrics by ADRIAN ROSS
A Tandem
60
Selection
1.00
Waltz
75
Vocal Score . . . . 2 . 0 0
CHAPPELL & CO., Ltd., 41 East Thirty-fourth Street, NEW YORK
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