Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ARTISTS'
DEPARTMENT.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER, Editor.
TELEPHONE
NUMBER,
1745—E1QHTEENTH
STREET
The Artists' Department of The Review is
published on the first Saturday of each month.
have become fashionable functions, and to
make sure that they will be there they
are furnished with tickets in order that the
"small but fashionable audience" might be
present. It will be money in the pockets
of him who will be bold enough to ask 50
and 75 cents admission. Mendelssohn Hall
would not hold one-third of the people.
misunderstood, for at the present time
Gabrilowitsch is a most interesting and
skillful pianist; surely time must serve to
make him more valuable else what were
music if the height were reached at the
outset?
Toselli, a young Italian, is of more ten-
der years than any of them. He is too
mature to be termed a prodigy, yet he is
only seventeen. He has a fascinating per-
sonality and in those things which require
delicacy, poetry and naivete^ he has a charm
entirely and decidedly his own. The
Italian pianist is not a familiar figure to
American audiences, and Toselli brings
with him the sunny sky effect of his coun-
try, as also the conviction that he is differ-
ent in many particulars from other pian-
ists. Time is also a requisite to bring him
to the height which, by reason of his
talent, he is expected to reach. Further-
more, he needs transplanting, and he needs
it quickly. All that he has received from
Sgambati and Martucci, has been of rare
value to him and of keen delight to his
hearers, but he has need of Germany and
its rugged mountain roads over the heights
and depths of music, into the genuine
realm of the art. One must eat where
fall the crumbs of Bach, Beethoven and
Brahms; for after all, these represent the
bread, the meat, the life of music.
THIS SEASON'S PIANISTS.
'"THIS has been a remarkable season for
FREE TICKETS OR CHEAPER CONCERTS.
those who are interested in pianists
TN Germany the theatre is very expen-
and their art. Sometimes the lack of art
sive, the concert is very cheap; to this
gives a poignant lesson, so that to the
and to this only may be attributed the
piano student the pianist is worth hearing,
widespread love, appreciation and under-
for he always must have some good points,
standing of music. In America the theatre
and from his faults there is something to
or vaudeville is very cheap and music is
be learned, if only what to avoid.
an exotic, and those who need it do not
New York has had the first hearing of
get it. With few exceptions the general
most of the new artists, as is natural
run of concerts lose money for the man-
enough, although Boston had the first ap-
ager or for the artist as the case may be,
pearance of Harold Bauer, who is foremost
and the cause is due to the fact that there
among the artists new to America this sea-
are so many concerts and they are so ex-
son.
pensive that music students can not go and
It is not extravagant to say that Bauer
society will not, except in rare cases.
is a pianist of colossal attainments; his
Then come the features that these con- poise, his authority and his knowledge are
cert rooms must be filled, even if the box vast; and his technic and touch are unsur-
office is not, and so the "free-ticket" busi- passed by any one who has played this sea-
ness is started and there is nothing more son—or last, for that matter. His is a
detrimental to the art, as an art or as a strong individuality where you would least
business. Between the free tickets and expect it, for he is an unassuming sort of a
the artists who give their services for the person that would not appeal especially to
appearance, music as a money-maker seems the general public, except through the
Dohnanyi is another youth, but another
to be at a low ebb. With no reference to straightforwardness of his art and the hon-
who makes one ask what have years to do
philanthropy it behooves the manager to esty and sincerity with which he gives
with art, for he is finished and thorough.
put money into his house, and to give to forth all that he has to impart. He has no
His first introduction to America occurred
the student the opportunity to hear the art trick to startle or amuse, but he has a deep
very late last season, at which time he won
that he has for sale.
intimate knowledge of music, and this he for himself the respect of all who know
Is it not apparent that this is the only is willing to share with his hearers in a and who admire the most earnest and the
way to create large audiences for the whole-souled manner that brings them face most intellectual in the art of piano play-
future and to put the business on a profit- to face with the music, even to the point of ing. Dohnanyi has figured strongly as
able basis? Reduce the price of concerts forgetting the interpreter. It takes the composer, and in the double role of com-
and fill the concert rooms with the sort of greatest art to be so unselfish. Bauer is poser-pianist he has been subject for much
people that music was created for. Bee- young—so young as to make one wonder admiration. His personality is a strange
thoven, Bach, Brahms, never wrote for the whether years count for anything.
one. He shows timidity which almost
kid-glove fraternity, but for the art itself
Gabrilowitsch is another incomer and seems indifference, and sometimes one
and for those who love and serve it.
newcomer. He comes as a pupil of Le- wonders whether more geniality in his
New York is the spot in America where schetitzky and of Rubinstein. Gabrilo- playing would not be the one point which
students "congregate. It is probable that witsch is very young, so that his career would bring him closer to his hearers.
the teachers they have left are as good as under Rubinstein cannot have been of
Ernest Hutcheson has been heard in
the teachers they have come to, but they very great duration. He shows the Le- Baltimore, but nowhere else. In that city
came that they might have the benefit of schetitzky stamp pre-eminently. Indeed, he has met with the greatest favor. I have
the concerts, and under the great expense one might wish that the Slav had not been not heard him and am unable to give a
of living in places that are fit to live in, so buried; not eradicated, however, for personal opinion.
and studying with teachers of any stand- there is no doubt that as Gabrilowitsch
Breitner comes as pedagogue, and a
ing, it is not very difficult to see that gets further away from his days of study
great one he is in addition to his artistic
concerts are entirely out of their financial the individuality of his country will super-
and refined pianism. Very sincere and
reach.
sede that of his teacher. He is an artist very unassuming, but above all he im-
Again, be it understood, that this is not of great attainments, with the emotional presses one as a deep scholar.
written as an appeal to the managers on side strongly developed. He is a senti-
Joseffy, he who is king of all pianists,
behalf of students, but to impress them mentalist and to this he gives up rhythm and who is dearer to the American than
with the fact that the thousands who want frequently. He is in the melo-dramatic any other (for does he not belong to us?)
to go to concerts cannot go, and the hun- period of his career and of his life. With has kept us hungering for an appearance
dreds who do not want to go, are once in a this over he will be more valuable to art this season, and now, owing to the recent
while seen there because, alas! concerts than he is at present. This must not be death of his mother and his departure for