Music Trade Review

THE
ttpl tf ijitic
With which is incorporated THE MUSIC TRADE JOURNAL.
VOL. III.
MARIO TIBERINI.
TENOR recently died in Europe, who, more than 20 years ago, was
very much liked in America, and old opera-goers will remember him
with pleasure. Mario Tiberini, born in 1828 ; came to America in 185G, when
he sang under the management of Maurice Strakosch, Mile Therese Parodi
being the privia donna of the troupe. Tiberini was then in the prime of his
youth, and had a beautiful voice, although his method was faulty, and re-
mained faulty even in after years. When he came to this country he had,
although young, a large repertoire, and mastered Verdi and Mozart with
equal ease. The season following his arrival here he was with Ullman, and
sang Rnoul in Meyerbeer's "Huguenots," but at the end of that season he re-
turned to Europe, and made there what is considered a splendid career. The
writer of these lines happened to hear him in 1861 in Berlin, where he sang
under the impresario Achille Lorini. He married a prima donna, and the
couple were known in Italy under the name " I conjugi Tiberini." Mario
Tiberini sang different parts of heavy and light character, but not seldom
had to put a strain on his voice, to produce the effect, which every Italian
singer, we may say, every singer works for. His organ was very pleasing
and sweet, but became in later years harsh and husky, till the voice showed
signs of total ruin. Tiberini, who was rich, immediately retired from the
stage, and led a quiet life in his villa at Leghorn.
A few years ago he lost part of his fortune in a speculation which turned
out unluckily, and soon afterwards was attacked with a nervous malady, which
ended by preying on his mind. After having attempted suicide by throwing
himself out of a window of his villa, he was confined in a lunatic asylum, first
at Pistoja, afterwards at Reggio. Not long ago the physicians considered his
health improved, and sent for his wife, who entertained the idea of taking him
home. Before she left Leghorn, however, she received the unexpected news
of his death.
Mario Tiberini belonged to the past period of Italian schooling, and con-
sequently knew very little of the repertoire of the present day. His career
was honorable for the artist, and enjoyable for those who listened to the tones
of his silvery voice.
A
No. 8.
NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 20TH, 1880.
proach, he is finally told by the Tribune that in summer people never
allowed the band to disturb them ; that when Mr. Aronson had an oppor-
tunity to show what he could do, that he not only proved a failure, but that
there never was a conductor of such flat and hopeless incapacity met with
before. It may be hard for Mr. Aronson to swallow this bit of truth, given
him as a bitter pill, without the benefit of a sugared coating, but he has to
blame himself for it ; he had provoked it by his injudicious letter ; and if he
wanted to have a gratuitous advertisement, he has gained his point. We
think that he would have acted more wisely by refraining from any allusions
which looked like comparisons, for comparisons are lame. In sober mind
Mr. Aronson will not deny that .si tacuiases philosophus mansisses.
FREAKS.
HE work of a composer should be respected. Be it good, or bad, or
indifferent, if it is considered worth performing, it should be given to
the public in its originft-1 shape, so that a just verdict can be rendered.
The reasons are obvious. A composer knows generally exactly what he
wants, and has his fate in his own hands. Another person has hardly any
right to interfere with a composition, to make changes and mutilate it even
with the best intentions. Let the hearer decide, and such decision can only
be given when the original work is represented. Singers have a special
liking for changing and altering the phrases ; in Italian opera cadenzas are
inserted; so-called traits de chant are added, and an audience, which now-a-
days listens to Rossini's " Barber of Seville," receives very little beyond the
orchestration of the original score. This habit of singers has become so
general, that not even the simplest little song is left undisturbed ; if the end
does not seem effective enough, a high note is substituted for the original
lower one, no matter whether the declamation suffer by such a change
or not. Singers have always an excuse for making changes ; they say
that a certain tone suits their voice better, or it is inconvenient to their
organ as it is written ; and, of course, as the voice of a vocalist is the first
consideration, it is of no use reasoning with them. They will not listen to
reason, and follow their own, generally nonsensical, ideas.
That operas in five acts have to be cut on account of their length, cannot
" SI TACUISSES, PHILOSOPHIC MANSISSES."
be helped ; an injustice to the composer is committed, but practical reasons
n
e
TDEOPLE ^ *h musical profession are apt to get easily excited, and corn- furnish the apology. It is impossible to keep an audience from five to six
XT mit on the impulse of the moment deeds they are sorry for afterwards. hours in an opera house, and many operatic writers have marked the cuts,
If they would only sleep over it, they would grow calmer, and would have as they found, them necessary themselves. The conductor has to decide
no reason to repent the rashness of their actions. They feel themselves hurt; whether the advice of the composer is to be respected, but now it has
they consider their artistic pride grossly insulted, and they make fools of become the rule to cut almost every opera to pieces, and perform it in a
themselves. Young Rudolph Aronsoj is the latest instance of this irasci- fragmentary form. It has become a time-honored custom to ignore certain
bility, which led him into the unwise action of letter-writing. Do not write pieces from certain operas entirely ; for instance, the present generation
letters, the contents of which are dangerous to yourself. Be careful not to knows hardly anything of the duetto between tenor and baritone in "Lucia,"
put anything in black and white which may be used as a strong point against or of that between alto and tenor in " Lucrezia Borgia." They are left out,
you. But, above all, avoid writing letters to newspapers, which make capital without any excuse, without the least sign of regret. They are not con-
out of them, and which, nine times out of ten, will harm the writer of the sidered worth performing, and the verdict of the public does not appear
necessary at all. We recollect that some years ago Rossini's "Tell "was
letter.
The Tribune, several weeks ago, when business at the Metropolitan Concert performed at Hamburg, Germany, without the entire last act; and what has
Hall was exceedingly dull, and rumors were pervading this city that the been done in London and here in the same manner with the " Huguenots,"
present engagement of Mr. Thomas would be brought to an untimely close, is too well known to necessitate more than mere mention. They may, how-
published an article on tha prosperity of affairs at the hail, and hinted that ever, do things on the operatic stage as they please ; as Ave always have
Mr. Aronson would be pleased to see \he season under Mr. Thomas' direction maintained, operatic performances are not given for musical people, but
come to a disastrous close. In our last issue we spoke about the foolish in- recruit their patrons from the ranks of the fashionable folks. The concert
sinuation, and proved that the '' young American composer " actually was hall bears quite a different aspect. Symphonic works are written for mu-
utterly powerless to do anything pro or con. The public of New York had sical people, and can only be appreciated by persons who have enjoyed a
the decision in the matter, and even the stockholders of the hall had to musical education of some extent. That even in such works liberties are
finally abide by this decision, if they wanted to act according to business taken ; that even here individual judgment has the right to change the ideas
principles. The accusation against Mr. Aronson was utterly unfounded, of the'eomposer, we cannot concede. It is known that Dr. Hans Von Biilow,
although everybody can easily understand that the change in the direction in the first movement of the Eroica Symphony, changed a chord of the
of the concerts could not fail to annoy him. Mr. Aronson is a smart young violins because it displeased him. Now, we ask, what does it matter whether
man, and we are willing to believe his assurances that he has " invariably re- it displeases Dr. Von Biilow, as long as Beethoven considered it right ?
frained from indulging in any remarks." If he had written a letter to the We could mention several cases of these unallowed liberties, but one of the
Tribune, in which he repudiated the insinuation that he had spread the most glaring, we may even be permitted to say ridiculous, occurred re-
rumor about the disastrous close of the hall, he would have acted in mere cently in Boston. Mr. B. J. Lang performed Berlioz' " Damnation of
self-defence, and nobody can be denied the right of clearing his reputation. Faust." Mr. Lang is one of the best musicians of the Hub, and a very able
But Mr. Aronson went further than this, and the moment he jumped over conductor. He is a learned man ; has studied a great deal, and holds his
the six-barred gate of self-defense, he made a fool of himself. He says, " The own among the best in the land. Unfortunately he has his hobbies, as
150 concerts which were rendered under my direction for the Metropolitan almost everybody else has ; but his hobbies are of the most eccentric char-
Concert Company will bear more than favorable comparison with those acter. He hates the harps ; this feeling of hatred may be shared by many
which have been given since a change in the conductorship has transpired." others, but Mr. Lang's hatred goes so far that he would not have that instru-
Of course Mr. Aronson takes the view of the business man, and has the re- ment for anything in the performance of Berlioz' work, and two of his
ceipts in his mind. The Tribune, however, does not take the same view, pupils did the harp work on the piano. We think that Mr. Lang insulted
either on account of lack of appreciation, or because it suited the editor the public of Boston, and had no right whatever to act in this egotistical
better to misconstrue the meaning, and now falls on Mr. Rudolph Aronson manner. If he hates harps, let him keep his hands off of Berlioz ; if he
with the full weight of plain Saxon, and tries to crush him with this new wants to perform a work with harps, let him conquer his hatred. His
duties towards the work and the public command him to present the work
article.
as written by Berlioz, and not according to his own likes or dislikes.
We do not think that Mr. Rudolph Aronson had the idea of expressing
any opinion about the artistic superiority of Mr. Thomas' concerts; he does not
If such methods of performing great works were considered admissible,
admit this superiority, perhaps, but much less has he the courage of deny- somebody, who hates bassoons, would find a substitute for this instrument;
ing it. He speaks of his financial success, which was much more clearly a third one may exclude the kettle-drums ; and we really do not see any
established, as long as he conducted, than it is now. About this important limit when conductors begin to change the original instrumentation after
point the books of the company would give testimony, if inspected ; but for their own whim and caprice.
this success we think the architect who planned the roof deserves much more
credit than Mr. Aronson. And now, after he has had to resign his position
CHICAGO OPEKA HOUSE.—It is proposed by some art-loving capitalists of
at the hall, after having gone through the terrors and anguish of self-re- Chicago to build a grand opera-house for that city.
T