Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
those in the history of English literature.
But in its earl)' manhood it migrated to a
new world. Its character was evolved dur-
ing centuries amid unprecedented sur-
roundings. It stands to-day united to
England by only one of the four great ele-
ments that determine the character of lit-
erature— that of race; and even this tie is a
weak one, since the average American citi-
zen can boast but a small fraction of Eng-
lish blood.
0
THE FEHALE ORCHESTRA.
In these days of new occupations for
women, when some enterprising members
of the sex are continually hewing out new
paths for themselves, the most novel de-
parture excites little comment. As yet one
has hardly grown accustomed to the ap-
pearance of women as orchestral players,
but the number of women adopting this
calling as a profession is on the increase,
and within the last decade several full-
fledged women's orchestras have sprung
into existence and into the popular favor.
Musical performers have always enjoyed
a prominence in public estimation. "A
fine voice, brilliant technic, the magnetism
of genius, the contagion of personal emo-
tion—all these have held potent sway over
the enthusiasm of man." Endowed with
patience, fidelity, fervor, deftness of touch
and "quick intuitiveness of soul," women
are peculiarly qualified as orchestral play-
ers.
For years the mastery of the piano has
been considered an essential part of every
girl's education, whether or no she evinced
taste or talent in that direction, but of late
the tendency has been to allow a wide
range of choice in musical instruments, and
young women now learn to play the violin,
the flute, the oboe, the harp, the clarinet or
the 'cello with equal facility. " It is more
than possible," says one writer on the sub-
ject," that upon some of these instruments
the superior daintiness of the sex might fin-
ally make the woman a more successful play-
er than the man. On the flute a certain com-
bination of delicacy with flexibility in the
lips is absolutely necessary to bring out
fully that passionate yet velvety tone of
the instrument. The same may be said in
a less degree of the oboe and the bassoon.
With the exception of the double bass viol
and the heavier brass there is no instru-
ment of the orchestra which a woman can-
not play successfully. The extent, depth
and variety of musical capability among
the women of the United States are con-
tinual sources of astonishment and pleas-
ure. It may be asserted without extrav-
agance that there is no limit to the
possible achievements of women in this
direction."
There are several female orchestras
throughout the country. The Howard
Woman's Orchestra, one of the leading or-
ganizations of Boston, has recently made a
tour of the West and South, while in this
city we have a very promising organiza-
tion in the New York Womans' String Or-
chestra, which is making rapid headway
under the directorship of Carl Lachmund.
TWO DISTINGUISHED VIOLINISTS.
Two violinists whose success in this
country is indeed well merited are Franz
Wilczek and his talented wife Mary Reuck-
Wilczek. Mr. Wilczek made his first ap-
pearance in America as soloist with the
Theodore Thomas Orchestra at the Lenox
Lyceum. Since then he has played at the
finest concerts and largest musical festi-
vals in the United States in conjunction
with the Thomas, Seidl and Boston Sym-
phony Orchestras, and wherever he has ap-
peared he has proved himself an artist of
superb type. His playing is notable for ex-
to Cologne, Germany, and for two years
studied with Prof. Schwartz, and later
went to Berlin and completed her studies
at the Royal Academy of Music. After
three years of earnest study at that world-
renowned institution, she returned to Pitts-
burg, where she was lionized by the four
hundred of that enterprising city. Mrs.
Wilczek, who was a fellow-student of her
husband in Berlin, has pleased the public
no less through the artistic value of her
playing, than by means of the charms of
her personality, both of which act like a
genuine revelation.
o
IS WAGNER TO BLAME?
FRANZ WILCZEK.
quisite tone, purity of intonation,excellent
and finished technique and good bowing.
Franz Wilczek was born in Graz, Aus-
tria, in 1869. He studied at the Conserva-
tory of Music in that city, and at the an-
nual contest won the first prize, which en-
titled him to be educated at the expense of
the Austrian Government. He finished
his studies under the great Joachim with
whom he studied for three years. Prior
to coming to this country he played at con-
certs in Germany and'Austria, eliciting the
Speaking of the stagnation in the pro-
duction of new operas, Reginald de Kovcn
is apparently of the opinion that the Wag-
nerian craze is responsible to some extent
fur it. He says:
"Stagnation certainly now exists; the
reaction, in my judgment, is bound to come
in the direction of simpler forms and more
lucid and less involved expression of idea,
and a return to purer, simpler melody. It
would not surprise me to see the clarity of
Mozart, rather than the turgidity of Wag-
ner, the fetish of the coming generation of
operatic composers. But the fact remains,
and it can hardly be gainsaid, however you
choose to put it, that, for the time being at
least, Wagner—in spite of the colossal work
that he accomplished, and the many and
needed reforms which he worked—has
killed modern opera, and what the future
of it may be is indeed a difficult problem to
solve. . . .
t
"One fact is certain, and that is that
grand opera, particularly given in the per-
fect way we now require it should be, al-
ways has been, and always will be, a luxury.
Somebody must pay for it besides the regu-
lar public, and when we make up our minds
to this fact, and provide for this inevitable
condition of affairs, we shall not need to
worry so much as to the why and the
wherefore of the financial outcome of a
season."
©
MARY REUCK-WII.CZEK.
highest praise from the critics. Among
the most notable of Mr. Wilczek's recent
engagements was his appearance at the
White House at a musicale given by Presi-
dent and Mrs. McKinley.
•
*
*
Mrs. Wilczek was born in Pittsburg, Pa.
When thirteen years of age she was taken
riANUSCRIPT SOCIETY'S ANNIVERSARY.
Although definite arrangements have not
as yet been completed, it is expected that
the Manuscript Society will, as it has done
. the past two summers, celebrate its anni-
versary day on August 27 at Manhattan
Beach with concerts, the programs of
which will be made up entirely of compo-
sitions by members of the Society, and
with a re-union of members, active, pro-
fessional and associate, at a dinner in the
hotel after the afternoon concert. Mr.
John Philip Sousa, one of the members,
has tendered the services of his unrivaled
military band, conditional on the consent
of the managers of the hotel and the Beach,
as in previous years. This has not as yet
been obtained. Members wishing to con-
tribute works for this occasion may corres-
pond with Mr. S. N. Penfield, No. 329
West 112th street, New York, who has
charge of the entertainment.
The annual dinner of the Society took
place at the Hotel St. Denis last Thursday
evening and was largely attended.