Music Trade Review

170
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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
government of Newark, should wield his powerful
pen in place of Thorndike's, what would the readers
of the Review do?
I think, after revolving the idea in my mind,
that a man's private character has considerable to
do with any pursuit he may decide upon.
But especially does this apply to journalism. 1
would not care to subscribe to a musical paper
edit, d by a man who acknowledges himself to be
of questionable character, when he starts out with
such an apology.
My opinion is a very decided one, that journal-
ism has very much to do with a man's private
character, from the fact that an immoral man, in
order to be a journalist (who must naturally be
moral to the world at large), necessarily becomes
a hypocritical rascal instead of a bold one.
There it is in a nutshell! Instead of a bold ras-
cal he becomes a hypocritical one, because he
cannot announce his private character in the col-
umns of his paper. And why?
Because the public requires a guarantee of an
honorable character before it will support any
kind of a journal, and this proves my maxim,
"Journalism has everything to do with a man's
private character, especially when that man is the
editor of a journal." Good-bye.
January 20th, 1882.
It is a remarkable circumstance that men who
are intelligent Bhould hold the most shallow views
on particular subjects. It seems to us entirely
unimportant whether a man is a communicant of
the Roman Catholic Church, or a Heathen, or a
Hebrew, or a Quaker, if he has succeeded in com-
posing a musical work of merit. What the relig-
ion of his ancestors was has no effect upon the
delicacy of his auricular nerve or the conception
he possesses of harmony and instrumentation.
HINGING- THE CHRISTMAS BELLS.
A
PECULIAR
HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT
CITY SCHOOL TEACHERS.
FOR THB
A GOOD deal of my time is consumed in reading
*<• /"CHRISTMAS BELLS" was the appropriate
_L\. musical papers, and 1 enjoy the perusal of
\_J title of the rather curious but thoroughly
the same with as much gusto as any one.
enjoyable holiday entertainment given before the
Yet, I cannot spend all of my time in looking
New York Teachers' Association, in Steinway Hall.
through many of them, and reading some of them,
The bells thus styled comprised a carillon of 131
both foreign and domestic. You know, a fellow
of various sizes and sweet tone, and they were
who gets around as I do, is naturally compelled
manipulated by the "Royal Hand-bell Ringers
to keep track of the general news of the day, and
and Glee Singers of England." These ringers have
keep himself posted on what Arthur, or Gladstone,
been six weeks in the country, and comprise
or The Jeannette is doing, besides watching Liszt,
Mr. Duncan S. Miller, and Messrs. H. Havart,
and Alfred Pease, and Clara Louise Kellogg's in-
W. J. Havart, T. H. Williams, and A. G. Pritch-
tended, and—and—well, say—the members of St.
ard. They have performed before Queen Vic-
NICHTSNUTZ.
Thomas's choir.
toria, and last evening made their debut before a
New York audience. Their entertainment lasted
It is absolutely necessary for my past and future
AN IDIOT AT LARGE.
for two hours, during which they rang out many
welfare, that I should try to know a little of the
p
H
E
following
item,
by
the
Paris
correspondent
tuneful selections and sang several fine glees. The
world outside of music and musicians. But if
the crop of musical, or so-called musical, journals J_ of the London Truth, writes the fellow down bells were rung in perfect unison and with great
ass:
skill and accuracy. The applause was very hearty
continues to increase, I shall be obliged to desist
from reading even the daily papers, much less "A MUSICAL PRODIGY—THE PERFORMANCES OF CESAR- and liberal, and was awarded, as well to Mr. Miller,
INO GALEOTTI, AN ITALIAN BOY.
who spoke very entertainingly on "Campanology,
Oscar Wilde's interviews and lectures.
"I have twice heard this week the pianoforte im- the art of bell ringing," as to his associates, who
Writing about these journals, I would suggest
that some kind of change should be made in the provisations of an Italian boy, who will probably illustrated that art. America, Mr. Miller said, was
conventional and commonplace titles, to start with. take in some years a foremost rank among the probably the greatest of all countries for bell-ring-
What is the use in getting up a musical paper great composers of the age. This boy is just nine ing, for here they even have bells on the locomo-
with an indefinite title? "Musical Critic" sounds years old. His name is Cesarino Gafeotti. He is tives, a thing not seen in the old country. Cam-
well, and I can mention several other names that are a native of Pietraganta, in the Province of Lucca, panology was divided into two branches—hand-bell
both euphonious and telling. For instance, how and has come here with his father, who is provided ringing and church-bell ringing. In his own
would "Musical Flickers" do? There is something with letters of introduction from the Grand Cham- entertainment five people played upon 131 bells,
expressive, suggestive, pointed and explicit in this berlain of the King of Italy and other Italian accomplishing all the variation of which that
title. "Musical Flickers" would flick so and flicker personages. To-day Cesarino played the organ at number is susceptible by arithmetical progression,
so that I have no doubt of its comparative success. vespers in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, at the but he had seen as many as ten and twelve people
The idea is entirely original with me, I can as- request of the organist, M. Lefebure Wely. The playing upon a smaller number of bells. The
sure you. 1 have often thought that if my destiny youthful Galeotti is not only a child, but looks object sought to be effected in perfect bell-ringing
ever led me to edit or start a musical paper, "Mu- one, and resembles, but advantageously, King was the production of the illusion of one person
Humbert and the Princess Clotilde. He has still alone ringing the changes. The ringers now played
sical Flickers" would be my ideal of a title.
round cheeks of infancy, but the upper part of "Home, Sweet Home," and the "Sailor's Hornpipe"
Out West a friend of mine started a musical the
head is phenomenally developed, and projects —a beautiful melody from Handel's "Harmonious
paper also, but he really secured a title that excels his
out both in back and front. The hands appear Blacksmith"—to show how this illusion could be
all others in comprehensive energy, and a kind of far almost
babyish size and are too small for long produced. The effect of a sailor dancing and a
wooden-headed security. This paper I allude to of
chords. But their dexterity on the piano key- blacksmith at work were imitated in a manner that
is called the "Kalamazoo Splinter," a weekly mu board
is almost bewildering. Cesarino Galeotti is provoked great laughter and applause. "The
sical journal.
one of those unfortunate Italian children who Turkish Patrol" was next given on seventy-thre«
The "Splinter" is closely allied with other mu- not
sold to impressarii and taught by dint of bells, to indicate how it was also possible to pro-
sical terms; you discover the analogy at once. are
cruelty to outrun nature. He is a little worn duce the effect of persons coming from a distance
When you hear the word "Splinter," music nat- looking
the eyes, but gave me the impres- and passing by ringing bells, and it was done
urally and immediately suggests itself to your sion of a about
boy whose childhood has been a happy cleverly.
mind, unless you are weak-minded.
one, and he appears very fond and not at all afraid
There are many and various titles still on hand of his father, with whom he is making a tour round In the church bells, "peals," Mr. Miller ex-
which could be adapted for a musical paper. The Europe. Signor Galeotti is a very gentlemanly plained, consisted of not less than six bells, and
last paper on the list is a Spanish paper, edited Italian, and of a good middle-class family, as the there ought to be at least eight to secure proper
here in Spanish. Simultaneously with this Span- numerous letters of introduction he has with him effect. Sometimes the peals numbered as many
ish paper, however, I see that the "Music Fraud" testify.
as ten and a dozen bells. The arrangements of
has appeared.
the old churches showed some very curious bells,
This is a paper, as I am reliably informed, that "The child, of whose musical accomplishments I although the necessity for them had practically
intends to make music a secondary consideration can only give a very imperfect idea, has studied been destroyed by the advent of clocks, which
four years under Professor Castrucci, of Pisa, and warned people of the time for the opening of the
and a fraud the paramount feature.
I understand it is edited by a fraud, who names Sgambati, of Rome. The second occasion on church service. Still, in England there could not
which I saw the prodigy was at a dejeuner which only be seen and heard these old bells, but in some
it after his own characteristic quality.
This "Music Fraud" looks well, reads plausibly, preceded an informal children's party. Cesarino of the ancient pulpits could be seen the old metal
contains no criticism, is intensely personal in its was set down to the piano and all kinds of tests rests on which stood the hour-glass which marked
own favor, tries to explain away little irregulari- were applied to him. One could see that he was the passing of the time, and which, no doubt, the
ties of its editor, and condones fraud and anony- longing to play with the children. To draw them congregation watched with much more interest
mous journalistic ethics from a new and modern to him he ran off from a sonata, which he got than the long-winded preacher, as the volume of
through in the most brilliant manner, to a queer the sand grew small by degrees and beautifully
standpoint
For instance, I read this peculiar phrase: sort of capriccio, made up of discords and con- less. While the speaker was talking he knew that
"Journalism has nothing to do with a man's pri- cords, which one would have said had been in- in old England the ringers were beginning to start
vate character." What man's character? The spired by a visit to the Zoo. They flocked round out on their way to ring in the merry Christmas
Day on the well-known chimes. As the lecturer
editor's or the man who reads it? Looking through him, to his unconcealed pleasure."
some old and defunct musical papers, I see that When a pianist runs off from a sonata to a ca- ipoke, the ringers standing about him suddenly
the character of the man who has been reading priccio made up of discords and concords, he should seized their bells and gave a realistic imitation of
seems to have had much to do with that journal- be immediately pursued, and, if possible, captured the village bells and chimes, including psalm,
by the police and put into a place of safety. Any chant, and hymn tunes.
ism.
But to return to the maxim: "Journalism has person, no matter of what age, who runs off to "Change-ringing," the speaker resumed, after
such a capriccio made up of discords and concords
nothing to do with a man's private character."
the melody ceased, was both an art and a science,
Let us suppose that Guiteau, for instance, should is a dangerous menace to society, and should not be and required thought as well as skill in the ringer.
permitted
to
remain
at
large.
If
the
pianist
is
not
be made editor of the New York Herald, or that
The changes were practically endless, and societies
ex-cashier Baldwin, the Newark Bank defaulter, imprisoned, the correspondent of the London had existed for centuries in England to develop the
Truth
should
at
least
be
nailed
into
a
lead
coffin
should assume charge of the New York Tribune;
art. In England the chimes were affixed to a
suppose that Carl Scliurz retired from the Evening and made thoroughly harmless.
wheel, operated by ropes, and the bells, instead
Post, and that Red Leary, the bank robber, took
of being struck by a hammer attached to a lever,
A FOOLISH TIRADE.
his editorial chair.
were swung to and fro, and made to "fling out"
I say, suppose all those impossible conditions in • • '""FiHE musical critic of the London World is their music from the belfry towers. Rung in this
journalism, and imagine, for one moment, what the
J_ strong in his review of those pages of way their notes were much clearer, and could b«
effect would be in the circulation and business of Liszt's new edition of Chopin, in which he accuses beard at a greater distance than under the lever
the newspapers mentioned.
the Hebrews of combining what others create, and system. The bells were all known by their num-
Suppose again, that in place of Thorndike, who wishes that they be driven to Palestine. The bers instead of their notes, and were rung accord-
edits the North American Review, Palmer, the opinion is that Liszt's tirade is likely to decrease ing to these numbers. The largest church bell in
the world was that of Moscow, which weighed 193
forger and perjurer, who was auditor in the city his popularity."—Ex.