Music Trade Review

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September 5th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
26
voices of revellers are heard in the street singing
that profane ballad, "Got'em on," but the sick
and penitent damsel turns for comfort to the new-
est monthly issue of a book of fashion-plates. A
footstep ! a cry ! a sob ! and Alfredo is in her arms!
He protests he never wunk at a barmaid in his life,
and attributes the error to an occassional weakness
of the dexter eyelid. She believes him ! Ah ! now
she will die happy. In vain does Alfredo entreat
her to fly with him to the ambrosial groves of the
Alexandra Palace, where, in connection with the an-
nual outing of the pew-openers and sexton of St.
Startem-in-the-Valley, there are tea gratis and cake
unlimited. She refuses. She cannot. Altogether
apart from the difficulty experienced by Basselas,
how can she go to the Alexandra Palace in her dress-
ing-gown ? So, instead, she lies gently down on
the couch, covers her toes decently with her pretty
robe, and gracefully expires, while charity-boys
sing mourn fully, "Down among the dead men."
The libretto of " La Tcaviata" rewritten somehow
in accordance with the foregoing plan would not
only be acceptable to modest opera-singers, but
also for use at the Royal Academy of Music and
kindred places where the parents of the pupils do
not mind the music, but seriously object to Italian
operatic plots.—Figaro, London.
OBITUARY.
JOHANN CIIMSTIAN LOBE.
T3ROFESSOR J. LOBE, the theoretician, died at
_L Leipzig on the 27th of July. Born at Weimar,
May 30, 1797, he was at first engaged as flautist and
subsequently as violist at the Grand-Ducal Theatre.
His theoretical knowledge soon obtained for him
the title of Professor and it was not long ere, aban-
doning the career of an actual performer, he settled
permanently in Leipzig, working industriously as
writer and teacher. His compositions for the piano
and other instruments are not much known ; nor
was he more fortunate with his operas, " Die Fli-
bustier," "Die F'drstin von Granada," "Wittukind,"
"Der rothe Domino," "Solabella," ka. Hisnamo
is all the more familiar through his writings, es-
pecially his '• Compositionslehre," in four volumes,
which "both simpliiied and presented in a highly in-
telligent form the art of musical composition.
Lobe's " Musikalische Briefe," " Consonanzen und
Dissonanzen," " Katechisrnus der Musik," &c, are
in the hands of every educated musician. From
1846 to '48 he edited the "Allgemeine Musikzei-
tung," then published by Breitkopf and Hartel.
He used frequently to sign his articles " Ein Wohl-
bekannter," and appropriately enough, few readers
being unaware that the " Old Acquaintance " was
no other than " Old Lobe ! "—Su/aale.
THE KAKOCZY MARCH.
A
HUNGARIAN journal gives an interesting
account of the origin of the Rakoczy March
which Berlioz utilized in his " Damnation of Faust"
an example which has since been followed by other
composers. According to the Hungarian paper,
Franz Rakoczy II., one of the heroes (if the war of
Magyar independence, was returning with his
troops from the battle of Szibo, when, on the 10th
November, 1705, he heard for the first time this
air played by a Hungarian named Barna Miska,
and who gave the composition the title of the Ra-
koczy March in honor of the warrior. One of the
descendants of Barna, the " beau Zinka," popular-
ized it by playing it all over the country. At Stuhl-
weissenburg, a musician, the Abbe Vacek, heard it
and wrote it down, and it was issued as a definite
musical composition by a musician named Rus-
zicska. " Since then," says the Hungarian paper,
"according to the custom of the Magyar musicians,
several variations have been added to the March,
according to the taste and fancy of innumerable
executants."
A wag suggested that a suitable opening for
many choirs would be, " O Lord, have mercy on
us miserable singers!"
It is said that the average musician is shorter
lived than those of other professions. This is not
such a gloomy world after all.
The German local Saengerfest which opened in
Philadelphia, Aug. 21st, was concluded on the 22d.
About 10,000 persons were in attendance during
the day. The Saengerfest was held to raise funds
for the great Saengerfest next year in celebration
of the bi-centeuary of the settlement of Pennsyl-
vania. The united Germa n singing societies were
all present and sung during the day.
The fourth annual Saengerfest of the'Peninsula
Sangerbund took place in Grand Rapids, Mich.,
Aug. 22d. In addition to singers of local repute,
Messrs. Franz Remmertz and C. Fritsch, of New
York, were among the soloists.
MUSICAL CHAT
AT HOME.
Letters received in
this city indicate that
there is a probability
of the return of Sig-
nor Campanini for the
coming season. There
is more than one rea-
son for the return of
Signor Campanini to
New York. It is t
derstood that Signor
Campanini takes
much interest in the
construction of the
new opera house. His
suggestions have been
received with great
favor in the matLcis ui construction and internal
arrangement, and it is not unlikely that his name
will be prominently associated with those who
have subscribed to complete one of the finest
places of entertainment in the world.
Mr. Thomas, in accepting the tribute, said that he
did so for the members of his orchestra, to whom,
more than to himself* the pleasure expressed by
the public through Professor Swing was due.
A concert was given at Chatauqua, N. Y., on
Aug. 20th, by the Fiske University Jubilee Singers.
Among the prominent features of the concert were
the splendid piano playing of Professor Max Lieb-
ling, of New York, and the violin solo by Signor
Vitale of the same city. The efforts of both gentle-
men were greeted with hearty demonstrations of
applause.
Some people can invent awful mean slurs.
When the Jenkins girl was whaling away at the
piano and pestered the next door neighbor, the
next door neighbor came out on the steps, listened
to the noise a minute, looked up at the Jenkins
girl's mother, who was at the window, and said.
"Got plumbers at work in your house, haven't
you?" No wonder those families don't speak now.
John Howson, lately singing in " Olivette " with
the Comley-Barton troupe and now at the Hay-
market Theatre, London, in "Gibraltar," is having
a new piece written for him, entitled "Straws,"
and from the pen of Clay M. Green. Remarks as
to its showing "how the wind blows " or in regard
to its " baleful influence " are now in order through
There is a violinist out West who is without arms
and plays with his feet. His playing attracts exchanges.
large audiences but we have our own private opin-
Miss Florence Copleston, assisted by Mme.
ion about a man who plays with his feet in Sum- Julie de Ryther, gave a highly successful
mer with the thermometer at 98 deg. in the shade. matinee musicale at Richfield Springs, on Wednes-
day morning, Aug. 17th. Miss Copleston played
Richard Grant White plays, or did years ago,
the violoncello with a degree of skill, but he is not selections from Liszt, Chopin, Saint-Saens and
Scarlatti, and Mme. de Ryther sang two favorite
a theorist or a well educated musician.
songs by Gabriel.
The Philharmonic Society of Jersey City pro-
The Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Mr.
poses a series of oratorio concerts next season.
The society numbers 175 singers, and is now estab- Henschel's direction, will give twenty evening
lished on a permanent basis. Dr. Damrosch com- concerts and as many afternoon rehearsals this
The orchestra numbers 60 musicians,
plimented them highly for their valuable assistance season.
at the Festival last May, and under the efficient and the library includes 275 numbers, 52
training they have received they may fairly claim symphonies, 85 overtures, 12 concertos and 126
miscellaneous pieces.
to rank among the best choral organizations.
The twenty-fourth annual festival of the Worces-
ter (Mass.) Association will occur on Sept. 2(i, 27,
28, 29 and 30. There will be nine concerts. The
principal works will be the Verdi " Requiem," the
"Creation," and "Elijah." In addition there will
be a number of minor choral works, organ and or-
chestral concerts, and solo singing.
The artists
already engaged are Miss Kellogg, Miss Cary, Miss
Winant, Mr. Tom Karl, Mr. Whitney, Mr. Rem-
mertz, and others of local reputation.
Mr. William E. Mulligan, the organist of St.
Stephen's Church, gave an organ recital at Red
Bank, N. J., recently.
The entertainment was a
social and artistic success.
Messrs. Koster & Bial will change the character
of their entertainments at the hall in Twenty-third
street. The Berliner Ladies' Orchestra have been
engaged, and will begin a series of concerts Sej)t-
ember 16.
The Hess Opera Troupe, including Miss Eisner,
Miss Randall, Messrs. Peakes and Carleton, have
made a decidedly good impression in the ' ' Mas-
cotte," at the Grand Opera House, Chicago. Miss
Eisner is rather new to the stage, but is spoken of
in most complimentary terms as a very pretty girl,
possessing a good voice and charming manner, and
adding positive strength to the organization.
William Carleton, now traveling with the Acme
Opei'a Company, singing in ' ' The Mascotte," leaves
the troupe at the end of this month in order to come
to New York for rehearsals of "Patience," shortly
to be produced at the Standard Theatre. Mark
Smith takes his place in the Acme Company.
Miss Abbott's costumes for the season are already
beginning to excite the attention of the great West.
A Chicago paper has had an interview, in New York,
with the packer of a dressmaking establishment
where the very good goods were being made ready
for shipment. The dresses for the revised edition
of " L a Traviata " are appropriately described by
the correspondent as "pure in tint and chaste in
design."
The advance subscription for the Gerster engage-
ment under Strakosch, in New Orleans, is very
heavy, and as much as $3,000 premiums have been
received for choice of boxes.
The six-weeks season of concerts by the Theo-
dore Thomas Orchestra at Chicago, closed Aug. 20.
The engagement, which has been financially suc-
essful, will be renewed next summer. The aggre-
gate attendance has been 20,000. The programme
of the closing concert was interrupted by the pre-
sentation to Mr. Thomas of some handsome flowers
by the Rev. Dr. Swing, on behalf of the public
Miss Isabel Stone, of Boston, sailed on Saturday,
Aug. 13th, for London, where she is under engage-
ment to sing at a series of concerts this autumn.
Later she will make the tour of the provinces.
Mr. Max Maretzek and Signor Tagliapietra are
giving vocal and orchestral concerts in Cincinnati.
The Emma Abbott Opera Company begin their
season in Denver, Col., on September 5. They
open the new Tabor Opera House, just completed
by Governor Tabor at a cost of half a million dol-
lars. The company is composed of sixty-eight
people in all, and, it is said, are guai'anteed rail-
way fares and $20,000 for the two weeks' engage-
ment.
" Billee Taylor " has been " a g o " in Boston, as
done by the Rice-Goodwin troupe, and, to put it
paradoxically, will probably be a fixture for some
time in Llie " Hub of the Universe and the /Esthetic
Centre of the Intellectual."
They are to have another " opera festival" in
Cincinnati this winter.
Miss Emma Abbott's English Opera Company
contains this year several artists who will be new
to this public, as well as several of those who were
in her own and Max Strakosch's companies last
season. This is the composition of the troupe:
Miss Emma Abbott and Mme. Julia Rosewald,
soiirani; Miss Pauline Maurel and Mile. Annetta
Zelna, contralti; Castle, Fabrini, Cooper and
Appleby, tenori; and Stoddard, Conly, Olmi and
Tarns, baritoni and bassi, with Signor Tomasi as
conductor. The repertory ranges all the way from
" Faust " and " Rigoletto " to " Olivette."
Adamowski, the violinist, has composed a comic
opera, entitled "Priscilla." The libretto, which is
by Mr. J. T. Wheelwright deals with the loves of
Miles Standish.
" Priscilla" will probably be
produced in Boston this winter.
Mr. Curl Zerrahn has been re-elected conductor
of the Boston Handel and Haydn Society. This
will be his twenty-eight year of service.
Mr. Charles L. Siegel, musical director of the
Yorktown, Virginia, chorus, was in Washington a
few days ago, and while there he conferred with
Col. Craighill and Col. Forsyth with regard to the
erection of the music stand at the centennial of the
surrender festivities
Work will be begun on the
stand about the 1st of September. Mr. Siegel also
conferred with Capt. De Souza, leader of the United
States Marine Band, and the latter will arrange the
music to be played by his band as accompaniment
to the chorus. The band is composed of thirty-six
pieces, and is, with perhaps one exception, the finest
in America.