Music Trade Review

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November
20th, 1881.
98 Music Trade Review
THE
CRITIC AND TRADE
REVIEW.
JOSEFFY IN SAN FRANCISCO.
TOSEFFY has excited great interest in San Fran-
f j cisco by his brilliant performances. He gave
a series of twelve orchestral concerts there with
marked success.
On the evening of October 30, a largo audience
filled the Baldwin Theatre, to bid farewell to the
famous pianist. After the performance, he was pre-
sented with a laurel wreath fashioned of solid sil-
ver. On the lid of the velvet case containing the
cushion, on which the wreath rested, wore inscrib-
ed the words, " T o Rafael Joseffy, from the Ger-
mans of San Francisco, October *30, 1881." The
lower portion of the wreath was fastened with a sil-
ver knot on which were the words, " German Thea-
ter ; " on the right loop was "San Francisco, Oct-
ober 30, 1881 ; " on the left. " To Rafael Joseffy,"
and the monogram, " R. J." was on the knot.
Henry Kadelburg, the leading man of Mme.
Genee's German Company, made the speech of pre-
sentation, and Mr. Joseffy replied in a few well
chosen words, thanking the audience for the atten-
tion he had received in San Francisco.
many about 6 florins, or $2.50, is the average price
at such concerts.
Of course, Miss Patti soon discovered the blun-
der that she had made, and reduced the price of
many of the seats on the first floor and first balcony
by fifty per cent.
Just reflect one moment, reduction of one-half
in price. This is a virtual abandonment of the
position, and really, not "nominally," amounts to
a surrender.
Miss Patti tells us that she sings for $2,000 per
night in opera in London "simply because it is
for Mr. Gye;" while she loves the country of her
early youth and its inhabitants five times better
than she loves Gye and only demands $10,000 per
night.
Angelic Adelina! You are willing to sing for
the Milanese for $3,000 a night; you go us three
and one-third better and raise us to $10,000 a
night!
The fact of the business is that Miss Patti has
shown no artistic instincts at all before and since
her arrival here, in regard to her position toward
us. She manifests a sordid spirit to make money
and will descend to common clap-trap to make it.
Who for one moment would have even dreamt
that Adelina Patti was going to appear here in a
concert and sing grand arias with the accompani-
ment of a piano? It was never even hinted until
the orchestra failed to be announced. Then even
a doubt was expressed that such a scene could be
enacted. How could an artist of such celebrity as
Adelina Patti deign to sing grand arias with piano
accompaniment ? But she did and in doing so she
lost tremendously in the estimation of the artistic
world.
Miss Patti must be reminded that during two
decades great progress has been made in this
country, not alone in the practical matters of life,
but also in the aesthetic life of the nation.
Miss Patti, recognizing that a success in this
country depends upon a change of tactics, has sud-
denly had a softening of her sympathies and gave
a " Great Benevolent Concert" for the benefit of
the "Michigan Sufferers," on Wednesday, Nov.
16th, at Steinway Hall.
The unhappy people of Michigan are sorely in
distress and the Winter is now upon them. A vo-
calist who asks ten thousand dollars for one night's
operatic performance, and who is estimated as a
millionaire, should now continue to contribute to
this charity in every place she sings. To such a
wealthy person as Miss Patti one concert for the
poor Michigan sufferers to be given in every city
should be a source of untold happiness.
I have nothing to say about her singing, or her
voice, or her method, but will await what your cri-
rT^HE idea seems to have gone abroad and cir-
_L culated all over Europe, that Americans ean
be induced to pay most any price to hear an artist
who has a European reputation, no matter whether
that artist is competent or not.
We are not supposed to have any knowledge or
judgment; we are not supposed to possess dis-
crimination; only greenbacks, that's all.
I think after the Patti fiasco this absurd idea
will be abandoned, and persons interested in trans-
atlantic musical affairs will come to the conclusion
that we have made a little progress in the past two
decades.
Miss Patti had a long talk with a Herald reporter
and told him that she " saw at once that the audi-
ence was well able to distinguish between sensa-
tionalism and a higher art," and later on she says
that " t h e audience was the most intelligent lever
sang before." This was in reference to the first
concert at Steinway Hall. This talk is all very
flattering, but the facts of the case do not agree
with the talk.
A "DAISY" LIBEETTO.
An artist like Miss Patti, when she sings to an
ESSRS. COWDERY & PRESCOTT, of No- audience which she considers intelligent, would
21 Barclay street, New York, publish a libret- not dare to sing such popular music as "Home
to, which was sold in the vicinity of the Academy Sweet Home." There is no sweet home hare for
Miss Patti. Miss Patti has a sweet home in Wales
of Music on Friday night, Nov. 11th.
The opera was to be " Lucia di Lammermoor," and a sweet home wherever she makes a great deal
but Col. Mapleson substituted "Martha." The of money. The prevailing idea with Miss Patti
boys who sold the librettos on the streets, knew was, to awaken the sympathies of an audience
nothing of this change, and continued to sell the which she, guided by mistaken judgment, con-
libretto of "Lucia," published by the above-named sidered musically ignorant.
" Home Sweet Home," " Coming thro' the Rye,"
firm, for Gets. This libretto consists of a so-called
argument and a dialogue in English. The usual and " A Mile from Edinboro'," are three very
libretto always contains a column of the Italian sympathetic popular songs of much value in many
text, and a parallel column of the Engl ish transla- respects, but of no earthly good in a concert in
which Miss Adelina Patti sings, nor are they test
tion.
But the publishers of this libretto have dropped songs to ascertain her grade as a vocalist, nor even
the Italian text, and simply arranged an English suited for her as encore songs.
She says that people could not expect her to
text, which, if it has no other merit, possesses at
sing the mad scene from "Lucia" after singing the
least that of originality and brevity.
For instance: Act I.—Scene 1, contains exactly " Shadow Dance" from "Dinorah." Of course no
thirty-seven words; Act II.—Scene 1, contains one would expect that, just as little as anyone
one hundred and four words; Act III.—Scene 1, would expect "Within a Mile from Edinboro'."
Those are two extremes between which a happy
contains fifty-two, and Scene 3, thirty-eight words
medium can be found, which we know every ac-
respectively.
Donizetti, according to this libretto, had only complished musician and intelligent concert
a slim chance to compose arias and choruses, with patrons can easily point out.
Where are the thousands of delightful ballads
a text of such small dimensions.
It requires about seven minutes and a half to read and songs, written by eminent composers, with a
this libretto through, and what a wonderful genius musical object ? Does not Miss Patti know that
Donizetti must have been to get up a three-hour this excu?e is much worse than none ? Does she
want us to think that she is ignorant of musical mat-
opera from that material.
The English is choice and rare. Here is a spec- ters, outside of the half-dozen or dozen operas she tic will tell us.
NICHTSNUTZ.
sings and the few ballads she seems to select?
imen of poor Edf/ar's hallucination:
The
fact
is,
that
Miss
Patti
is
not
sincere;
it
is
If at this undue hour
not a part of her nature to be sincere, and if you
A NEW DEPARTURE.
I asked to see thee : a powerful reason
Obliged me so to do, before the first dawn of morn, look through that Herald interview, you will see T^EMENYI'S manager, E. De Celle, promises a
that
she
is
not
only
insincere,
but
tricky.
From the shores of my country,
The reporter asked her if she was not consider- _L\ novelty. The violinist will give a violin re-
I shall be far away.
cital, at Steinway Hall, January 11th, unaccom-
Luc. What say YouV
ing an offer from Mapleson to sing in opera.
panied by piano or orchestra. Rdmenyi will play
Now
watch
the
answer.
No wonder Luc. asked him what he was saying.
" I would do so if he would pay me $10,000 a several of Bach's compositions.
Here is a specimen of the kind of poetic meta-
" Such a recital was never given before in this
night—in
advance " added Miss Patti, tapping
phore the chorus gets off:
the palm of her hand. " D o you understand? country," said De Celle recently. " If it takes, it
Cho. For thee all is animated with joys without
In advance! Perhaps you think $10,000 a very will be repeated. The recital will be a matter of
end—the days of hope are dawning—'tis
high price; I think so myself; but do you not con- professional pride with Remenyi."
De Celle added that Remenyi's trip through the
friendship that guides you, and love con-
sider that the terms were equivalent to saying,
ducts you, as a star in the middle of a dark
West had been very successful. The violinist
that
I
would
not
sing
in
opera
?
They
sound
that
night, as a smile through a tear.
went as far as Lincoln, Nebraska, " t h e best town
way to me."
"A smile through a tear." The chorus is ex-
Well, if Miss Patti would subject herself in her in the West." His route includes a Southern trip
pected to shed tears right at that moment. They transactions with a manager, or while talking bus- after twenty nights in Ohio. Following the reci-
should not smile, neither should the audience.
iness matters over with him, to the rules of ethics tal mentioned, Remenyi will play in a mumber of
This libretto also incorporates new characters in established by civilization and understood between concerts assisted by other talent and accompanied
the opera. There is some one who is called Omnes. gentlemen and ladies, she would not have prevari- by an orchestra.
We never heard of him before. He gets in between cated, according to her own confession, when
Luc. and All. in the libretto, and is supposed to Mapleson asked her to sing in opera.
BOSTON SYMPHONY CONCERTS.
sing the following ditty:
Suppose Mapleson had said to her: " Here is a
r
T^HE
Symphony
Concerts to be given in Boston
certified
check
for
$10,000.
You
are
engaged
for
Omnes. What a terrible moment!
one night." What would Miss Patti have done JL Music Hall during the season of 1881-82
In vain I seek for words.
in order to remain a lady ? She would have been promise to be of a very interesting character. The
He can seek for words, but will find very few in compelled to accept the money and make the date. concerts will be given by an orchestra of fifty
this original libretto for five cents.
No excuse would have been commensurate at that picked musicians under the direction of the most
moment, if Miss Patti was desirious of being a eminent conductors of the city. The director of
lady in the estimation of the gallant Colonel, or, the New England Conservatory of Music calls at-
A KIND INVITATION.—A young lover who was
tention to the fact that the undertaking is a novel
very musical dropped on his knees before his what is of more value, in her own estimation.
one in this country, no orchestral concerts ever
Miss
Patti
tells
us,
in
extenuation
of
her
charge
sweetheart and murmured, "Dora me for solace
having been given on so large a scale by any con-
of
$10
per
seat,
that
in
Paris
the
"nominal"
charge
see do."
for each seat is $6 at the opera, and in Germany it servatory or similiar institution in this country.
A concert committee has been appointed to make
A SLIGHT MISUNDEKSTANDING.—A well-known, is $7.
richly endowed musical institution in one of the
Miss Patti is happy in the selection of the word up the programmes from portions of the best
large cities of this country is controlled by a com- "nominal." She avoids the word "real." The symphonies of the great masters and the most
mittee selected from the Board of Trustees. The " real " price of a seat at the Paris opera is not 30 effective works by Liszt, Saint-Saens, Raff, Wagner
director told one of the members of the Committee francs, only one half of that amount. I refer to and other modern composers. Each programme
will contain one pianoforte concerto by Beethoven,
on Music, that the piano was too low and had to splendid seats, according to your own selection.
Chopin or Schumann, together with vocal solos.
be raised before the next concert. "Well, Mr.
In Germany,
the
"nominal"
price
of
seats
at
the
Director," replied the committee man, "order opera is not \l l / 2 florins, but less than one half of The series for this season will consist of four pub-
three of those glass globes and have them put that amount "real." At Patti concerts the best lic performances (two public rehearsals and two
under the feet. That will raise it."
seats in London bring less than $3, while in Ger- concerts), Saturday afternoons at two o'clock,
M