Music Trade Review
Issue: 1898 Vol. 27 N. 24 - Page 9
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
uses seven, one for each note in the dia-
tonic scale, the spaces between being used
for semi-tones. The plan is, however, not
a new one. Systems of lines up to fifteen
were used centuries ago, but it was finally
agreed that the five-line staff was the most
convenient.
It cannot be denied, how-
ever, that the present silly and cumber-
some system of sharps and fiats and double
sharps and flats must be superseded some
day by something more rational. Here is
a good field for Yankee ingenuity, says
the Evening Post. It took over a thousand
years to develop our present musical nota-
tion, and there is still very much room for
improvement.
*
BECKER VON GRABILL, the re-
nowned pianist, who is making a
tour of the South and the Mexican Re-
public, gave his first recital of the series
at Dallas, Tex., Nov. 15, and was received
with the greatest enthusiasm, and justly
so, for Herr von Grabill is one of the most
highly subjective artists that has ever
appeared in America.
He is making
Dallas his headquarters for a season, prior
to filling an engagement embracing the
United States and Europe.
*
I T is said that Emma Calve is a profound
believer in palmistry and that faith has
probably had much to do with her decision
not to return to this country during the
present season of opera at the Metropoli-
tan. One of her closest friends in Paris is
a palmist and she practically controls the
singer's affairs.
On several occasions
when Mme. Calve was under contract to
sing in England she advised her not to fill
the engagement as it meant her death. In
fact there are a number of stories along
this line which prove how powerful is this
influence over her actions. Just what the
advice of her occult friend had to do with
her decision not to come here this season
is not known. It appears, however, that
ill health will prevent her from appearing
in opera in Paris this winter. Her loss in
this city this year will be felt, as it always
has been, chiefly in two operas, "Carmen"
and "Faust," in both of which she was a
strong drawing card. This, however, will
open the way for others. Perhaps we may
hear Zelie de Lussan in some of Calve's
roles.
*
IN view of the many rumors concerning
* the roles which Jean De Reszke will
sing at the Metropolitan this season, it
may be interesting to state that he will ap-
pear not as Edgardo, as the mature Sieg-
fried, or in any of the varied parts in which
it has been said he will sing,but as Romeo.
This certainly will not be a novelty, but at
all events, it will be one of the roles in
which he is heard to the greatest advan-
tage. Jean De Reszke arrived in Paris
from Rome last week where he attended a
performance of Mascagni's " Iris."
*
. DVORAK'S new opera, based upon
a Czechish legend, will be given at
Prague shortly before Christmas, but in
the national dialect. Another opera, bear-
ing the title of " Satanella," composed by
Rozkosny, is also about to be produced at
Prague; but it is said to be upon a totally
different subject from that of the "Sata-
nella " of Balfe, in which Louisa Pyne forty
years ago at Covent Garden, London, de-
lighted the last generation with the popular
melody of "The Power of Love." Rheinhold
Hermann's " Wulfram " is about to be pro-
duced at the Court Theatre, Cassel, and
young Siegfried Wagner's new comic opera
is in preparation at Munich.
*
A LEXANDER SILOTI, one of the many
* * celebrated artists who will use the
Steinway piano in concert this season, will
The first public service will be held at the
First Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, on
Thursday evening, December 15. It is the
intention of the council to arrange for pub-
lic services, if possible, in Chicago, Phila-
delphia and Boston during the coming
season, with the assistance of prominent
members of the Guild in those cities.
IUSEPPE VERDI'S home for old and
needy singers is now, after three
years, completely finished and ready to re-
ceive inmates. Camillo Boiito, brother of
the composer and librettist, was the archi-
tect of the home, which is said to be like
a palace. More than $200,000 has already
been spent on it.
Verdi's interest in the
scheme was so great
that he went every
day, in good weather,
to inspect the prog-
ress of the work.
During the winter
sixty men and forty
women w r ho were for-
merly singers and are
now poor and old will
be admitted to the
home. Verdi has re-
served only one right
for himself. He de-
sires to be buried in
the chapel of the
home by the side of
his wife, who is now
buried in a cemetery
at Milan. The in-
mates of the house
will include some art-
ists who have been
very well known in
their time and their
names will never be
made known to the
public if it is possible
to keep them con-
cealed.
The house
will be in the main
devoted to Italian
singers.
*
arrive in. this country early in January.
During his last tournce of the United
States he received a magnificent reception,
based on his remarkable merits as a great
artist. One of our leading critics says of
Mr. Siloti: "There can be only one judg-
ment—he is a master of his art, and it
would be difficult to recall any pianist of
to-day who is his superior." A phenom-
enal player and rare artist who has no
tricks to appeal to the public taste, he is
destined to augment his reputation still
further during the present season.
*
T H E first general meeting of the Ameri-
*• can Guild of Organists was held at
the residence of the warden, Dr. Gerrit
Smith, on the evening of December 1.
The special subjects for discussion were
the following: " Intelligibilty and Uni-
formity in the Non-liturgical Service " and
"The Theory and Practice of Chanting."
OEVERAL
associations for musical
^ * study and performance are of recent
organization in town. Walter Henry Hall,
who is also leader of the Brooklyn Ora-
torio Club, has started a Wednesday even-
ing club for the study of choral music,
meeting in the Guild room of St. James's
Church, at Madison avenue and Seventy-
first street. Elsewhere a Cosmopolitan
Orchestra has been organized, with Alber-
tus Shelley as its prime promoter.
*
^ L A R E N C E EDDY, the renowned
^•^ American organist will reach this
country on December 21st from Europe,
where he achieved a wonderful success.
He will inaugurate an American tour on
January 1st which will extend to May.
*
It is said that Maurice Grau will conduct
an operatic enterprise independent of Con-
vent Garden in London next season.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
uses seven, one for each note in the dia-
tonic scale, the spaces between being used
for semi-tones. The plan is, however, not
a new one. Systems of lines up to fifteen
were used centuries ago, but it was finally
agreed that the five-line staff was the most
convenient.
It cannot be denied, how-
ever, that the present silly and cumber-
some system of sharps and fiats and double
sharps and flats must be superseded some
day by something more rational. Here is
a good field for Yankee ingenuity, says
the Evening Post. It took over a thousand
years to develop our present musical nota-
tion, and there is still very much room for
improvement.
*
BECKER VON GRABILL, the re-
nowned pianist, who is making a
tour of the South and the Mexican Re-
public, gave his first recital of the series
at Dallas, Tex., Nov. 15, and was received
with the greatest enthusiasm, and justly
so, for Herr von Grabill is one of the most
highly subjective artists that has ever
appeared in America.
He is making
Dallas his headquarters for a season, prior
to filling an engagement embracing the
United States and Europe.
*
I T is said that Emma Calve is a profound
believer in palmistry and that faith has
probably had much to do with her decision
not to return to this country during the
present season of opera at the Metropoli-
tan. One of her closest friends in Paris is
a palmist and she practically controls the
singer's affairs.
On several occasions
when Mme. Calve was under contract to
sing in England she advised her not to fill
the engagement as it meant her death. In
fact there are a number of stories along
this line which prove how powerful is this
influence over her actions. Just what the
advice of her occult friend had to do with
her decision not to come here this season
is not known. It appears, however, that
ill health will prevent her from appearing
in opera in Paris this winter. Her loss in
this city this year will be felt, as it always
has been, chiefly in two operas, "Carmen"
and "Faust," in both of which she was a
strong drawing card. This, however, will
open the way for others. Perhaps we may
hear Zelie de Lussan in some of Calve's
roles.
*
IN view of the many rumors concerning
* the roles which Jean De Reszke will
sing at the Metropolitan this season, it
may be interesting to state that he will ap-
pear not as Edgardo, as the mature Sieg-
fried, or in any of the varied parts in which
it has been said he will sing,but as Romeo.
This certainly will not be a novelty, but at
all events, it will be one of the roles in
which he is heard to the greatest advan-
tage. Jean De Reszke arrived in Paris
from Rome last week where he attended a
performance of Mascagni's " Iris."
*
. DVORAK'S new opera, based upon
a Czechish legend, will be given at
Prague shortly before Christmas, but in
the national dialect. Another opera, bear-
ing the title of " Satanella," composed by
Rozkosny, is also about to be produced at
Prague; but it is said to be upon a totally
different subject from that of the "Sata-
nella " of Balfe, in which Louisa Pyne forty
years ago at Covent Garden, London, de-
lighted the last generation with the popular
melody of "The Power of Love." Rheinhold
Hermann's " Wulfram " is about to be pro-
duced at the Court Theatre, Cassel, and
young Siegfried Wagner's new comic opera
is in preparation at Munich.
*
A LEXANDER SILOTI, one of the many
* * celebrated artists who will use the
Steinway piano in concert this season, will
The first public service will be held at the
First Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, on
Thursday evening, December 15. It is the
intention of the council to arrange for pub-
lic services, if possible, in Chicago, Phila-
delphia and Boston during the coming
season, with the assistance of prominent
members of the Guild in those cities.
IUSEPPE VERDI'S home for old and
needy singers is now, after three
years, completely finished and ready to re-
ceive inmates. Camillo Boiito, brother of
the composer and librettist, was the archi-
tect of the home, which is said to be like
a palace. More than $200,000 has already
been spent on it.
Verdi's interest in the
scheme was so great
that he went every
day, in good weather,
to inspect the prog-
ress of the work.
During the winter
sixty men and forty
women w r ho were for-
merly singers and are
now poor and old will
be admitted to the
home. Verdi has re-
served only one right
for himself. He de-
sires to be buried in
the chapel of the
home by the side of
his wife, who is now
buried in a cemetery
at Milan. The in-
mates of the house
will include some art-
ists who have been
very well known in
their time and their
names will never be
made known to the
public if it is possible
to keep them con-
cealed.
The house
will be in the main
devoted to Italian
singers.
*
arrive in. this country early in January.
During his last tournce of the United
States he received a magnificent reception,
based on his remarkable merits as a great
artist. One of our leading critics says of
Mr. Siloti: "There can be only one judg-
ment—he is a master of his art, and it
would be difficult to recall any pianist of
to-day who is his superior." A phenom-
enal player and rare artist who has no
tricks to appeal to the public taste, he is
destined to augment his reputation still
further during the present season.
*
T H E first general meeting of the Ameri-
*• can Guild of Organists was held at
the residence of the warden, Dr. Gerrit
Smith, on the evening of December 1.
The special subjects for discussion were
the following: " Intelligibilty and Uni-
formity in the Non-liturgical Service " and
"The Theory and Practice of Chanting."
OEVERAL
associations for musical
^ * study and performance are of recent
organization in town. Walter Henry Hall,
who is also leader of the Brooklyn Ora-
torio Club, has started a Wednesday even-
ing club for the study of choral music,
meeting in the Guild room of St. James's
Church, at Madison avenue and Seventy-
first street. Elsewhere a Cosmopolitan
Orchestra has been organized, with Alber-
tus Shelley as its prime promoter.
*
^ L A R E N C E EDDY, the renowned
^•^ American organist will reach this
country on December 21st from Europe,
where he achieved a wonderful success.
He will inaugurate an American tour on
January 1st which will extend to May.
*
It is said that Maurice Grau will conduct
an operatic enterprise independent of Con-
vent Garden in London next season.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).