Music Trade Review

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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
December 20th, 1881.
The epidemic spreads and the teacher geta
charge of all the families infected with the malaria.
He still adheres to his original pupil, and now
"The Whispering Winds." When she
T occurs to me that the era of piano-banging is brings
plays
this
"Whispering" during a delightful
now fairly started and under way, with pros-
evening, the policeman on the block can
pects of a long run. Never before in the history autumn
the extreme end of his beat. He soon
of the development of that branch of musical cul- hear it at the
now popular composition, and it finds
ture, has the piano been so assiduously en- a whistles
sale.
couraged; never before have so many individuals ready
Thus perfection in banging-culture is gradually
sought that peculiar field as a means of torture to attained,
and nothing can control the irresistible
their less fortunate neighbors.
force with which the impetuous pianiste now
You have undoubtedly heard of the inflictions rushes
onward. She has succeeded in mastering
of the cornet virtuoso, whose favorite blasts and the technical
of the piano, and nothing
delicious euphonies have depopulated whole dis- in the shape difficulties
of scales of all descriptions, trills,
tricts; but this piano culture is now beginning to shakes, arpeggios,
etc., can resist her attack,
assume proportions next to which the cornet although if you ask her
an arpeggio is, she
craze sinks into insignificance. I understand will disdain to answer. what
puerility of the ques-
from reliable authorities that the corporation of tion is too apparent to The
her. Her course of in-
Weimar, Saxony, has passed a resolution com- struction has made such questions
as that one en-
pelling students and performers on the piano to tirely superfluous.
close the doors and shutters of houses during the She has at last reached the capacity of learning
practicing season, in order to keep the town in the pieces without the teacher, and he has reached the
necessary repose requisite for ordinary business goal of his ambition, by filling all his time. They
transactions.
footing, and the mutual
Our aldermen will soon be compelled to resort all remain on of a friendly
opinions only adds to the develop-
to similar extreme measures, or, at least, banish a interchange
of banging-culture. He recommends, among
regiment of teachers, who are responsible for ment
brilliant compositions, " The Black Key
much discredit that the city is compelled to other
Polka," an excellent parlor piece that generally
endure.
the natives," as he says. Nothing
I wish it distinctly understood that I am not re- "astonishes
with the facility with which his former
ferring to the playing of legitimate studies and ex- compares
masters the intricacies of this most remark-
ercises. I am simply referring to the great ma- pupil work.
The climax has at last been reached
jority of persons who are constantly exerting a able
she performs all those kindred works "by
powerful muscle and a weak brain to develop a when
a feat which causes unutterable envy and
new feature of so-called musical education, that heart;"
dismay to enter the brilliant minds of the mothers
may be aptly termed—piano-banging.
The process is something like this. A pater and of the "other" girls.
mater familias of ordinary good sense and discre- They are, however, only temporarily checked in
tion, who are the happy possessors of a young their careers, as they began too late to be able to
daughter, consider it essential to her future wel- cope with the first pupil of the "Professor," as he
fare that she should enter upon a course of mu- is now termed. After a while, however, I heard
sical education. The piano, as a matter of course, the familiar airs and their variations throughout
is selected; and now, after renting, or buying on in- the length and breadth of the land, and I then
stallment or for cash a piano, the next and most knew that the " other" girls had at last reached
important step is taken, viz., the selection of a perfection also.
This is a simple sketch of the plague known as
music teacher.
But very few among thousands of parents suc- the piano-banging era, brought down to a descrip-
ceed in getting a music teacher. Now I know tive scene, which, if multiplied by thousands,
you will be astonished to learn this; yet I am represents the phenomena in every section of the
most positive that only a small percentage succeed country. I can assure you that the great majority
in securing the services of a piano or music of children now taking lessons on the piano can-
not play the C major scale with proper fingering
A SUCCESSFUL SYSTEM.
teacher.
What is called a teacher, is engaged, and now and correct position of the hands.
HE TONIC-SOL-FA SYSTEM of teaching to the music begins. After about seven lessons the How long the people will continue to be im-
read music at sight is being successfully young lady plays the Potpourri from "Martha," posed upon by persons, male and female, calling
introduced at the Grand Conservatory of Music, arranged
by somebody or other. The " Last Rose themselves teachers, it is impossible to say. It
No. 21 East Fourteenth street. Ernst Eberhard, of Summer"
is, of course, embodied in the ar- appears to me that one of the best means to secure
the director, recently talked about the system with rangement, and
when the parents, relatives and themselves against the danger (for it is a danger)
a reporter of THE MUSICAL CHITIO AND TRADE
neighbors
hear
how extraordinarily the young of frauds and impostors, is to introduce a reliable
REVIEW.
genius
performs
" sweet" air, their ecstatic musical paper in the household, which fearlessly
" It is a new thing," said Mr. Eberhard, " but ejaculations are not that
even
commensurate with the exposes all the humbugs that pervade the musical
has, so far, met with the most gratifying succes . happiness they enjoy.
world.
NICHTSNTJTZ.
It is a development of Lozier's ' Hand' in Eng- A new genius has arisen, and the effect is electric
land. John Curwen introduced it in England, throughout the family and circle of friends. The
ART JABBERING.
and he was undoubtedly led to it by the method of piano-banging is in full blast. "Home, Sweet r
Lozier. Spohr, in his autobiography, mentions Home," with variations, follows at the end of the T^HE handful of readers of The Art Jabberer
the Monday successes of Lozier's ' Hand' when he, next quarter, and its rendition by the juvenile X were surprised to see on a page or two of a
Sphor, was in London, in teaching children to read banger is marvellous. Yet the girl's career has recent issue a very entertaining article about a
recent visit to Verdi at Sant' Agata. It was evi-
music in the public schools, etc. The difference
in our notation is: The extent of the human only been begun, for the many laurels to be gained dently written for The Jabberer by a gentleman
voice is taken as a subject matter, and, of course, in the future prevent any abatement of energy. who was too modest to sign his name. This im-
musical intervals are taught in a very simple " Heavenward" is next in order. This is an at- pression was confirmed by the appearance of a
manner, transposed in all directions through the tack upon the octaves, and soon leads into Alfred page or two more in the following issue, giving the
whole extent of the voice. In this way the Pease's "Delta Kappa March." By that time the conclusion of the article, also with no name attach-
student soon gets a complete understanding of all ward is fairly ablaze with excitement. Not only ed. The Jabberer's innocent readers did not sus-
the musical intervals, and as one of the great prin- are octaves performed, but hands are crossed and pect that it was a first-class piece of scissors work
ciples of the method is to enable the student to the pedal is continually kept down. The glorious on the part of W. eak M. inded Tom, who found
sing in any key, the continuous transportation of future is gradually but surely approaching. The the article in a borrowed copy of the New York
the different musical intervals from one key to an- epoch of banging is now irrevocably impressed Times of December 6, with the well-known initials
other makes him, of course, more musical than he upon the history of the pupil. Only a few more of Howard Carroll appended.
quarters of instruction or destruction and the
could become in any other way."
finish
" The Wandering Sprite" is
OBITUARY.
" When did you introduce the system in the brought is to begun.
the
house
(full price, too, no third off),
Conservatory?"
OL.
HENRY
G.
STEBBINS died of paralysis
and before the " Delta Kappa" is well known the
" A month ago. It has been completely satis- "Sprite" is introduced to the bewildered intellect
at his home, No. 2 West Sixteenth street,
factory, so far. The system is taught by Theodore
December 7, in the seventy-first year of his age.
the habitual admirers of the genius.
F. Seward and Edward Corkhill, from the Tonic- of The
He founded the firm of Henry G. Stebbins & Son,
music
teacher
is
by
this
time
the
acknowl-
Sol-Fa College, London. I have been the first to edged hero of the day. His indefatigable work; bankers and brokers, in 1859, and he continued at
introduce the system in this city. The old system
more than usual interest he has taken in this the head until his death. The new firm prospered
is instrumental in notation, while this system the
especial pupil (he has three more just like her on and he soon amassed a fortune. He was appointed
treats only of the human voice."
the block); the punctuality of his attendance and a Park Commissioner in the same year, and elected
the scrupulous care he has taken to remain just President of tbe board. He was a passionate
one hour to the minute on each occasion; the admirer of music. Before his appointment as Park
A TRIFLE PEEVIOUS.
self-control he has exercised in not falling to sleep Commissioner he had discovered the talents of
'T^HE November number of the Southern Musical during each lesson; the self-sacrifice he has dis- Clara Louise Kellogg, and to him is due the appear-
A Journal states that " J . H. Mapleson will sail played in bringing the new music to the house, ance of this famous artist upon the lyric stage
for this country about the first of October." The thus preventing the pupil from going to the musio He gave her a musical education, and brought her
Colonel must be a bad man, or have an improper store during bad weather; the business acumen he before the public in the Academy of MuBio, of
motive in giving such an important item away has manifested in presenting the bill exactly on which he was a Director, in April, 1861.
fully eleven months before the event is to come the day when the last lesson of each quarter took
off. The Colonel is here yet and must first go to place,—all these and many more admirable quali- The Peabody concerts this season in Baltimore
some land beyond the sea in order to sail for this ties are discoursed upon with composure and will begin in January. Six concerts will be given
country " about the first of October."
if the subscriptions are large enough.
evident satisfaction.
"Well, to convince him, I tried an experiment.
In those days boys in front of St. Paul's Cathedral
sold pieces of bottles with hair attached, and by
swinging them around their heads they made a
sharp, shrill noise. I bought two dozen and
showed them to Julien. 'There is friction,'said
I, ' but the noise is the locust's note.' Finally,
Julien was convinced by John Darcie that the
reed of the clarionet and oboe furnished the katy-
did's note, and the polka was written, and nearly
raised the roof off Tripler Hall. Yes, sir, Julien
wrote the 'Katydid Polka;' but I furnished the
inspiration. I gave him all the dreamy business
necessary about the waves of winter plashing in
melancholy style at Castle Garden and against the
case-hardened wharves of the great metropolis,
while the sweet-voiced katydid sang a solo all by
uerself in the trees, you know. Well, sir, the in-
spiration was tremendous, and, of course, Julien
dedicated the polka to John Darcie, Esq."
" Do you know Florence Rice-Knox?" asked the
reporter.
" Know her? Well, I should
. Why, Flor-
ence and I were pals together. And I have just
seen her to-day and given her some good advica
She paid Mapleson $1,000 for the chance of sing-
ing with members of his company at her concert,
December 8, at Steinway Hall. ' Florence,'said
I, ' you have been very foolish to pay so much
money to force yourself in with those people when
you can't sing with them.' ' That's my business,
not yours,' she replied. 'You'll never see thai
thousand-dollar bill again,' I observed, ' and that's
your business and not mine,' said I. Florence,
poor woman, was not managed at all in the right
way, and I told her she had made a d
d fool of
herself. 'From this moment until the concert,' I
said to her, ' let my word in your management be
law, and you'll succeed.' She consented, and I am
now proceeding to make her concert a success."
" But I thought John Lavine was managing her
concert," observed the scribe timidly.
" Oh, he attends to her material interests—the
advertising and such. I look after her higher in-
terests, the aesthetic department, if you choose—
working up the newspapers and the grand hurrah,
boys !"
Here the Old-Timer gave a graceful twirl to his
Napoleonic moustache and moodily relapsed into
silence.
I
T
C