Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
concerto by H. H. Huss of New York,
with the composer, himself, at the piano,
and the aria from F. G. Gleason's "Monte -
zuma."
On Friday morning the departmental
sessions will be resumed and the latter part
of the morning will be devoted to the
annual business meeting, the election of
officers, and adoption or rejection of the
new constitution, formulated and recom-
mended by the special session of the Dele-
gate Body held in New York during the
last holidays. Adjournment at noon.
The afternoon concert will be of the same
general nature as those of the previous
days, several composers performing their
own works.
The evening concert will present or-
chestral works, Foote's Hiawatha, by the
Orpheus Club, Victor Herbert's new 'Cello
Concerto, in the hands of Mr. Lino
Mattioli, the Prologue of Buck's "Golden
Legend," an Elegy, for solo quartet and
chorus, by A. Gorno, and the finale of
Parker's " Hora Novissima," by the
Polyhymnia of Cincinnati, the program
closing in a blaze of glory and patriotism
with Kaun's Overture "The Star Spangled
Banner."
*
DUDYARD KIPLING'S works are evi-
*^ dently the rage in the reading world
nowadays. Whether this demand is based
on actual merit, or due to a species of
"craze" to which we are very prone in
this country, is open to debate. Mean-
while it occasions some cause for wonder
that the verses of this writer are not used
as generally for musical purposes as those
of other poets. This, perhaps, is due to
the fact that Mr. Kipling does not look
with any degree of favor on this form of
popularizing his works and has therefore
protected himself by effective copyrights
in every country. He has discouraged an
army of composers who are desirous of
paying him homage and adding to their
fame.
The cold shoulder which Mr. Kipling
gave Walter Damrosch, when invited to
hear his setting of "Danny Deever"and
" Mandalay " is characteristic. He didn't
place himself on record as appreciative of
or disliking Mr. Damrosch's work, he simply
said nothing, but at once left the house of
his host who arranged this musical surprise
for him.
Meanwhile Damrosch's " Danny Deever"
is unquestionably the best Kipling song
published, which is not saying a great deal.
About seven of Kipling's poems have been
set to music by writers in England and this
country. None of them possesses claims to
any special merit. "Danny Deever " ob-
tained a vogue during the season now
closed, owing to David Bispham's dramatic
rendering. Kipling's "Recessional" has
also been the subject of numerous musical
settings. Reginald De Koven and P. A.
Schnecker have both tried their hands with
a fair measure of success, yet the serious-
ness of the theme has not yet received the
treatment it merits.
Of course, any consideration of Kipling
music can only cover the published set-
tings. Excellent music to Kipling's words
has probably been written, but.it remains
in manuscript, and therefore some of the
most successful results will never reach the
public. This is to be regretted, as the
songs which are now before the public are
not equal to their inspiration.
*
TT was a favorite statement of the late J.
* W. Keely of motor fame that each In-
dividual has a key or tone which must
harmonize with those of the people around
him in order to insure a peaceful and a
happy life.
T. H. Brand, of Chicago, writes that this
is not a new discovery, that he learned this
fact many years ago, and always ascertains
the individual k e y
of each pupil before
he g i v e s the first
lesson.
" I t is a f a c t , "
Mr. B r a n d says,
" that human beings
are individualized or
made known to each
other by the pitch of
their voices, and it
is also a fact that the
disposition of an in-
dividual is indicated
by the key tone of
the voice, just the
same as the tone of
an E-fiat cornet or
a n y other musical
instrument enables
people to identify the
instrument
with
which the sound is
produced.
" It will be found
that persons whose
.MRS.
voices are pitched in
the key of C are of a
social nature, and their whole make-up is
amiable. D voices indicate hopefulness
and cheerfulness; E indicates a sanguine
temperament. Those whose voices are
pitched in F are earnest and sincere; those
in G are egotistical and domineering; those
in A are fretful, nervous and pathetic,
while those in B are timid and apprehen-
sive, and lack confidence and self-control.
" The semi-tones are similarly distrib-
uted, but we give the diatonic scale as a
sample. With this key any one can judge
of the qualifications and the disposition of
those with whom he comes in contact."
A VERY delightful and unique form of
**• entertainment was that given by Mrs.
Jeannette Robinson Murphy, at Carnegie
Hall, on the afternoon of April 2 2d, en-
titled "A Bandanna Matinee." Her ren-
dering of negro slave songs was charming,
particularly as she possesses a clear, mel-
low soprano voice which has been carefully
cultivated under Errani.
Mrs. Murphy is a Southern woman, born
and bred, and her knowledge of plantation
jife, negro slave songs, and musical tra-
dition, are the result of years of investiga-
tion and study. She sings only those songs
that have been written and sting by the
negroes, and has thoroughly familiarized
herself with the musical folk-lore of the
South.
The lecture with which she prefaces her
songs brings her audience at once into
quick sympathy with the genuine Southern
negro, his. superstitions, dominant charac-
teristics, and quaint humor. Mrs. Murphy
justly claims the distinction of being alone
in the field, and of having created this
new departure in concerts and drawing-
room entertainments. She is under the
management of Major Pond and has
large degree of recognition in t
exclusive circles of New York socie
JEANNETTE ROBINSON MURPHY.
T H E rise and fall of the oratorio priest-
*• composer, Lorenzo Perosi, forms an
interesting chapter in the history of con-
temporary music. Few composers have
ever been brought to public notice so ef-
fectively, every device known in the art of
modern reclame being employed, and for
the first time the influence of the church
was brought to bear toward accentuating
the fame of this composer and his music.
As one of our leading writers well says, his
praise was sung in the most extravagant
terms, discretion was thrown to the winds,
and he was proclaimed to be the peer of
the men who may be said to have created
the music of civilization.
Every medium of publicity was em*
ployed—even the pulpit. Papal decrees
encouraged his patronage. Extreme hon*
ors were paid to him. A mere youth, he
was called to the highest post in the musi-
cal service of his creed.
Patriotism played its part. Perosi was
not only hailed as the successor of Pal-
estrina and Bach; he was proclaimed to
be the re-creator of pure ecclesiastical
song, the redeemer of music from its ma-
terialistic degradation, the Messiah of a.