Music Trade Review

THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
INDIVIDUALITIES.
November 20th, 1&80.
THURSBY.—Mr. Saalfield, the enterprising manager of Ballad Concerts
in our city, announces that later in the season Miss Emma Thursby will ap-
pear in one of his concerts. How is this possible, when Miss Thursby
evidently wishes to remain abroad this winter ? Can she sing in two hemi-
spheres at the same time ?
STARILLE ?—Three months ago a young man arrived here from Europe
and said that he was gifted with a fine tenor voice. His aspirations were
high, and he wanted to sing the " Prophet " and roles of the same character.
The gentleman called himself Mr. F. C. Sternberg, and sang before ^ several
impresarii, managers, and entrepeneurs. But he was not considered fit to fill
an important position on the operatic stage, and had to come down from the
pedestal of his wishes. Finally, through the instrumentality of one of the
many agents who sell souls for a couple of dollars, he received an offer from
Mr. Mahn to sing in " Boccaccio," and his name was changed to Starille.
But even in this humbler sphere his talent did not meet with marked
approval, and he left the company after an engagement of three weeks. We
see his name transferred back to the original Teutonic sound, advertised as
one of the teachers of a conservatory of music. Whether he really teaches
there, or whether the power of his name is only brought forward to attract
pupils, we do not know. Our conservatories announce many teachers who
never gave a single lesson, in spite of the announcement.
HOWARD.—We were perfectly right. Mme. Constance Howard is really
going to give piano recitals ; it is true, only two—but then in case of success,
there is plenty of room for others to follow. And of course we wish her all
the success she deserves.
.—Mr. Herndon Morsell, "the young American tenor," recently
appeared here at a matinee, "precious to his return to his finishing studies
under Maestro Lamperti." We wish that he had sung here after his
return from his finishing studies. We like to have the very best of the
best, and anyone who goes abroad to study must be considered only a pupil.
As Mr. Morsell is to "{fulfill engagements in Italy and London during the
present season" (at least so the official announcement reads), we have no
hance of judging how much he may improve under Lamperti: and there is
room for improvement.
LEVY.—Jules Levy, the cornet player, has made-up his mind to go to
Europe, in September, 1881, and travel through Germany under the manage-
ment of Mr. Dittman. Whether Dittman has made up his mind to take him
there, is less certain. More certain it is that Mr. Levy will change his mind
before the date mentioned several times.
FISCHER.—Monsieur Fischer, the Belgian violoncellist, complains about
He thinks that they do not treat him with due con-
Globe theatre, Boston, about a week ago. This is about the twentieth time sideration, although nobody finds fault with his playing. Mr. Fischer
her life has been endangered on the stage during her career in America; but the would like half a column a day in every paper, and we hope that this will be
Lord, who protected her when fighting on the barricades in Paris for the done, otherwise he may commit one fine morning a terrible deed, and—take
honor of the grande nation, is always with her, and again saved her from a the steamer to France.
terrible danger, which threatened to make an end to an enviable artistic and
IMPARTIAL JURY.—Mme. Etelka Gerster's voice, according to the best
social position. Te Deum laudamus I
judges, has improved since she was last here. — Telegram. The "best
HARD TO TELL.—Somebody asked us recently, whether Mr. John Lavine judges" are undoubtedly Col. Mapleson, her manager, and Dr. Gardini,
was considered more efficient as a concert manager, or in his capacity as clerk her husband.
with Messrs. Steinway & Sons. We answered the curious questioner, that
A CAUTIOUS MANAGER.—Mr. Frank H. King, not satisfied with the suc-
in his relations to the great piano house, Mr. Lavine probably fills his posi-
tion satisfactorily, otherwise he would not have remained with them so lon^ cessful management of the Rive-King Concert troupe, has accepted the posi-
In regard to his managerial capabilities we cannot say anything with cer- tion of " booking manager " of the Donaldi-Rummel Concert Company. He
tainty ; and artists, managed by him, will be a more reliable source of has had the wisdom to make an essential point of his contract that he must
th same town with the company. Is Mr. King
information. Mr. Lavine has high-flown ideas for the future, and his never be expected to be in the
thorough education and refined culture should enable him to accomplish a afraid of the belligerent spirit of the members of the troupe?
'great many things. Time will show what he can do.
ARBUCKLE.—Mr. Arbuckle, the new leader of the Ninth Eegiment
STEINERT.—Our friend M. Steinert, in New Haven, recently performed Band, fulfills the contracts made by the late Major Downing, as he promised,
in a benefit concert on the violoncello. They call him the king of cello-players but has since found out that the bargain was not advantageous to himself.
in Connecticut. Why does he never come here, to net the indorsement of Nevertheless he sticks to it like a man.
the New York critics? Probably he thinks like Julius Caesar, " Better in
CALUMNY.—The London Musical World tells its readers that Max Maretzek
the provinces the first, than in Koine the second."
has been appointed director of the School of Composition at Cincinnati.
NILSSON.—Our readers will be glad to learn that Mr. Knudson Nilsson Not as bad as that by any means. He only teaches singing in Cincinnati,
has been appointed professor of singing at the Conservatory at Copenhagen, whether with the title of Director, Professor, or whatever it may be, is
and has started for that place. People will perhaps ask : Who is Mr. immaterial.
Knudson Nilsson ? Those who attended Miss Nininger's concert at Chick-
A NEW IMPRESARIO.—A Berlin paper announces that " Xaver Scharwenka
ering Hall will answer : that he pretends to be a tenor ; that he only sang
once ^n New York, and returned shortly after his debut to the northern has received an offer from the Impresario Wilhelmj, for a tour nee of six
regions of Europe, whence he came. Therefore our readers will be glad to months in America, for the guarranteed sum of $30,000." Who is the impres-
learn that Mr. Nilsson has left, for his sake and their own. Should anyone ario Wilhelmj ? August, the violinist ? We knew that the sturdy German
violinist traded violins, and occassionally Rhine wine ; but that he ever
wish to settle in Copenhagen, he may be warned beforehand.
wanted to become an impresario we hud yet to learn. He is much better off
CELEBRATED —We read the other morning that a "celebrated" teacher taking other people's money, and letting his managers face the risk. We do
will give lessons on the pianaforte for $12 per quarter. Has it really gone not think that Wilhelmj is ambitious, and longs for the title of Impresario.
so far, that " celebrated " men in their profession come down with their But, after all, who can tell ?
prices, just for the sake of earning bread and butter ? To our best know!
AIIOTHER FAILURE.—According to London files, the dramatic prima
edge S. B. Mills, llichard Hoffman, William Mason, and others of the same donna,
Lorenzini-Gianoli, whose name figures in the list of our opera
rank receive the former prices ; but maybe they do not belong to the' class of company Mme.
on the first page of the official programme, but has never left
" celebrated " teachers in New York.
Europe, made her appearance at her Majesty's Theatre, and proved a failure.
CONLY—George Conly, Strakosch's basso, thinks that bassos nevei If she really is so bad, we wonder that Mr. Mapelson did not bring her here ;
have jealous quarrels, while tenors are worse than prime donne, and con she would have completed the gallery of inferior dramatic prime donne
tinually at loggerheads. Mr. Conly himself may have a lamb-like dispo- headed by Montesini and Swift. Tres/aciunt collegium.
sition, but there were bassos in existence who had continual rows—foremost
STOCKHOLDERS.—The directors of the new opera house company tried
among them Carl Formes.
to form a coalition with the stockholders of the Academy of Music, but the
DEADHEAD TICKETS.—If you wish to hear a performance of the Italian scheme does not seem to work satisfactorily. The principal idea was, that
opera troupe without feeling like paying for it, you must not go to Col. the Academy of Music as a place for operatic entertainments should cease to
Mapleson or his amiable son Charles. They both will tell you that the house exist, and the interests of the stockholders be transferred in some way or
has been sold out for several days, and that it is impossible to find a seat other, to the new house. Some of the stockholders consider for the coming
anywhere. But you must be smarter, and find other means to get in. Go few years the location in Fourteenth street preferable to that in Forty-third
to one of the lagerbier saloons in Fotirteentli street, ask for a glass of the street; and as both parties want to work for their own benefit, and not take
cooling beverage, for which we have to thank our Teutonic Mends, and you into consideration the mutual advantages, we suppose that the Academy of
always have a chance of being presented with an admission, a seat, even a Music will remain for a while longer, what it is, and the new opera-house
box, to one of Col. Mapleson's performances. People will hardly believe it; will not be erected at all, at least, not as long as the capitalists are afraid of
but as we have seen it with our own eyes, there is no doubt left. How the the competition. The public would benefit by competition, but of course
tickets get into the hands of the saloon keepers is a mystery to us: prob- capitalists, who invest their money, are always in favor of monopoly. And
so the matter stands, and probably will remain in statu quo a while longer.
ably no less to the management.
ANOTHER ESCAPE.—Mme. Marie Eoze had another narrow escape at the the New York critics.