Music Trade Review
Issue: 1902 Vol. 34 N. 14 - Page 7
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THE
IS IT MERE AFFECTATION?
HTHE leading French musical critics de-
clare that the present craze for Wag-
ner in Paris is mere affectation. One of them
maintains that "Siegfried," to the French
eye, contains the material for a pretty love
tale, a drama of intrigue; and when by plen-
ty of cuts something approximating to a
drama of intrigue is made of it, the French-
man has to put up with this imperfect thing
and console himself with the beautiful melo-
dies scattered through the work. A writer
in the Saturday Review of London upholds
the French view, and wishes that it might
serve as a useful corrective to the Bayreuth
view. "We all know it," he declares, "the
'Ring' is far too long; there are far too many
repetitions; and it is in 'Siegfried' that Wag-
ner has sinned most. Even under Bayreuth
conditions it is too long. The Frenchman,
loving lucidity and clearness of form above
all things, goes straight to the mark in his
criticism; he sees that Wagner has sought to
get balance of form not by cutting away pas-
sages that were too long, but actually by
lengthening passages that must in the begin-
ning have been already long enough.
Wagner did everything too much; he talked
too much, he wrote too much prose, he made
all his dramas save 'Tristan' too long."
YX/ AGNER could never find a sufficient
outlet for his enormous energy; he
threw into his dramas everything that his
riotous imagination suggested; he was never
content to hint a thing, but must needs speak
it out full, explain and explain a hundredth
time things he had made perfectly clear on
their first statement. There never was a
man with so wonderful a talent for explain-
ing the obvious. Just as he presented his
themes in a hundred different forms, so he
presented his ideas from a hundred different
points of "view. WHien his ideas want his own
he was always interesting; there is no one
portion of the music dramas that we would
rather be without; but when we are com-
pelled to hear all the portions of one even-
ing the ordeal is often a little fatiguing. He
defeated his own object; on a first hearing
the endless repetitions, instead of making for
clearness, make for confusion. Balance of
form on paper is not end, the end ought to
be clearness when the music is sung, and
clearness is not attained. And if the French
critics are wrong on many points, on this
one they are absolutely just.
j*
OPERA SINGERS IN LONDON.
D UT few of the singers who appeared at
*-^ the Metropolitan are to sing at the Lon-
don season at Covent Garden. In spite of the
fact that Mmes. Calve and Fames have been
announced, neither is to sing there. Mme.
Melba and Suzanne Adams are to have the
lighter roles, while the bulk of the Wag-
nerian work will fall on the shoulders of
Mme. Xordica and Ida Hiedler, of the Royal
Berlin Opera House, who is to be heard in
London for the first time. Latest accounts
indicate that the De Reszkes will be part of
the operatic forces in London. It is said
they received a "royal command" to appear
during the Coronation festivities.
JULIAN WALKER.
A X artist who has made his way to the
**• front and holds that place is Julian
Walker, basso, whose work in concert, re-
cital and oratorio has won golden opinions
from the most eminent critical lights in the
musical world. Mr. Walker was born in
Manchester, England. By inheritance he was
entitled to his artistic temperament. When
a boy he studied violin and piano, but as his
JULIAN WALKER.
voice developed, turned his attention to the
study of vocal art. Of the quality of his
voice it is difficult to write without seeming
to exaggerate. . Aside from possessing a
voice of great character Mr. Walker is a thor-
ough musician.
THE PEOPLE'S SYMPHONY CONCERTS.
"T" H E People's Symphony Concerts which
have been given at Cooper Union Hall
this season, under the direction of F. X.
Arens have met with extraordinary success,
not even standing room being left at the last
concert of March 21st. The next and last
concert of the series will occur on Friday
evening, April 18th, when a special pro-
gram representing works by Wagner, Rubin-
stein, Berlioz and other great composers will
be offered. Evan Williams, tenor, will be
the vocal soloist.
A LMA WEBSTER POWELL, the well-
known soprano who left here some time
ago for a tour of Europe and who secured a
five years engagement at the Berlin Opera
House in December, 1900, which was ter-
minated owing to a misunderstanding with
ihe management, is having an extraordinar-
ily successful tour in Russia, where she is
rapidly becoming the musical sensation of the
season. She intends to tour the whole em-
pire with Signor Pirani, an eminent pianist.
She has received great ovations in St. Peters-
burg, in Warsaw, and other cities.
MUSIC IN LECTURES.
T T is gratifying to note that musical topics
have formed quite an important feature
of the free public lectures given under the
auspices of the Board of Education this sea-
son. It is estimated that the lectures in Man-
hattan Borough are attended by alxnit IO.CXX)
workinginen and women every mght, who
throng into the fifty-five centres, after a hard
day's work, for an hour of instructive enter-
t a i 11 m e n t. The
I > r o o k 1 y n free
course has been as
successful as that
of Manhattan, and
has secured a large
attendance at each
of the lecture cen-
tres within a few
weeks after they
were opened.
There can be no
question but the
interest in music
and musical litera-
ture has been ma-
terially stimulated
by the many inter-
esting lectures giv-
en this season, and
it is to be hoped
that when the ar-
rangements
a r e
mad c for t h e
courses of 1902-
1903 music will
form as large a
part in the pro-
grams as it has
during the season
- which is now about
.
to close.
DR. ELGAR'S CORONATION ODE.
. ELGAR has been asked to compose
a Coronation Ode, says our London
namesake, which will, it is hoped, be heard
for the first time at the State performance
contemplated at Covent Garden during the
Coronation week, the solo being undertaken
by Mme. Melba. Although no official inti-
mation has, we believe, yet been received,
there is a report that for the decoration of
the Opera House on that occasion the King
is in favor of artificial rather than real Mow-
ers. The guess will probably prove a true
one, for at the last "gala" some of the sing-
ers complained that the scent of so maiiv
natural flowers affected their voices, and, as
it was necessary to postpone the decorations
till the very last minute, the workwomen
were scarcely out of the place before the com-
pany arrived. But there will J)e plenty of
real and rare flowers carried by the ladies in
boxes and stalls.
Suzanne Adams, who is not to be a mem-
ber of the Maurice Grau Opera Co. next
season, will make a tour of the country in
recital and concert. Her husband, Leo Stern,
will also return to the concert platform after
ci practical retirement of several years.
Teresita Carreno, daughter of the pianist,
has been appearing in the (ierman cities with
great success. She is said to have many
characteristics of her mother's playing.
THE
IS IT MERE AFFECTATION?
HTHE leading French musical critics de-
clare that the present craze for Wag-
ner in Paris is mere affectation. One of them
maintains that "Siegfried," to the French
eye, contains the material for a pretty love
tale, a drama of intrigue; and when by plen-
ty of cuts something approximating to a
drama of intrigue is made of it, the French-
man has to put up with this imperfect thing
and console himself with the beautiful melo-
dies scattered through the work. A writer
in the Saturday Review of London upholds
the French view, and wishes that it might
serve as a useful corrective to the Bayreuth
view. "We all know it," he declares, "the
'Ring' is far too long; there are far too many
repetitions; and it is in 'Siegfried' that Wag-
ner has sinned most. Even under Bayreuth
conditions it is too long. The Frenchman,
loving lucidity and clearness of form above
all things, goes straight to the mark in his
criticism; he sees that Wagner has sought to
get balance of form not by cutting away pas-
sages that were too long, but actually by
lengthening passages that must in the begin-
ning have been already long enough.
Wagner did everything too much; he talked
too much, he wrote too much prose, he made
all his dramas save 'Tristan' too long."
YX/ AGNER could never find a sufficient
outlet for his enormous energy; he
threw into his dramas everything that his
riotous imagination suggested; he was never
content to hint a thing, but must needs speak
it out full, explain and explain a hundredth
time things he had made perfectly clear on
their first statement. There never was a
man with so wonderful a talent for explain-
ing the obvious. Just as he presented his
themes in a hundred different forms, so he
presented his ideas from a hundred different
points of "view. WHien his ideas want his own
he was always interesting; there is no one
portion of the music dramas that we would
rather be without; but when we are com-
pelled to hear all the portions of one even-
ing the ordeal is often a little fatiguing. He
defeated his own object; on a first hearing
the endless repetitions, instead of making for
clearness, make for confusion. Balance of
form on paper is not end, the end ought to
be clearness when the music is sung, and
clearness is not attained. And if the French
critics are wrong on many points, on this
one they are absolutely just.
j*
OPERA SINGERS IN LONDON.
D UT few of the singers who appeared at
*-^ the Metropolitan are to sing at the Lon-
don season at Covent Garden. In spite of the
fact that Mmes. Calve and Fames have been
announced, neither is to sing there. Mme.
Melba and Suzanne Adams are to have the
lighter roles, while the bulk of the Wag-
nerian work will fall on the shoulders of
Mme. Xordica and Ida Hiedler, of the Royal
Berlin Opera House, who is to be heard in
London for the first time. Latest accounts
indicate that the De Reszkes will be part of
the operatic forces in London. It is said
they received a "royal command" to appear
during the Coronation festivities.
JULIAN WALKER.
A X artist who has made his way to the
**• front and holds that place is Julian
Walker, basso, whose work in concert, re-
cital and oratorio has won golden opinions
from the most eminent critical lights in the
musical world. Mr. Walker was born in
Manchester, England. By inheritance he was
entitled to his artistic temperament. When
a boy he studied violin and piano, but as his
JULIAN WALKER.
voice developed, turned his attention to the
study of vocal art. Of the quality of his
voice it is difficult to write without seeming
to exaggerate. . Aside from possessing a
voice of great character Mr. Walker is a thor-
ough musician.
THE PEOPLE'S SYMPHONY CONCERTS.
"T" H E People's Symphony Concerts which
have been given at Cooper Union Hall
this season, under the direction of F. X.
Arens have met with extraordinary success,
not even standing room being left at the last
concert of March 21st. The next and last
concert of the series will occur on Friday
evening, April 18th, when a special pro-
gram representing works by Wagner, Rubin-
stein, Berlioz and other great composers will
be offered. Evan Williams, tenor, will be
the vocal soloist.
A LMA WEBSTER POWELL, the well-
known soprano who left here some time
ago for a tour of Europe and who secured a
five years engagement at the Berlin Opera
House in December, 1900, which was ter-
minated owing to a misunderstanding with
ihe management, is having an extraordinar-
ily successful tour in Russia, where she is
rapidly becoming the musical sensation of the
season. She intends to tour the whole em-
pire with Signor Pirani, an eminent pianist.
She has received great ovations in St. Peters-
burg, in Warsaw, and other cities.
MUSIC IN LECTURES.
T T is gratifying to note that musical topics
have formed quite an important feature
of the free public lectures given under the
auspices of the Board of Education this sea-
son. It is estimated that the lectures in Man-
hattan Borough are attended by alxnit IO.CXX)
workinginen and women every mght, who
throng into the fifty-five centres, after a hard
day's work, for an hour of instructive enter-
t a i 11 m e n t. The
I > r o o k 1 y n free
course has been as
successful as that
of Manhattan, and
has secured a large
attendance at each
of the lecture cen-
tres within a few
weeks after they
were opened.
There can be no
question but the
interest in music
and musical litera-
ture has been ma-
terially stimulated
by the many inter-
esting lectures giv-
en this season, and
it is to be hoped
that when the ar-
rangements
a r e
mad c for t h e
courses of 1902-
1903 music will
form as large a
part in the pro-
grams as it has
during the season
- which is now about
.
to close.
DR. ELGAR'S CORONATION ODE.
. ELGAR has been asked to compose
a Coronation Ode, says our London
namesake, which will, it is hoped, be heard
for the first time at the State performance
contemplated at Covent Garden during the
Coronation week, the solo being undertaken
by Mme. Melba. Although no official inti-
mation has, we believe, yet been received,
there is a report that for the decoration of
the Opera House on that occasion the King
is in favor of artificial rather than real Mow-
ers. The guess will probably prove a true
one, for at the last "gala" some of the sing-
ers complained that the scent of so maiiv
natural flowers affected their voices, and, as
it was necessary to postpone the decorations
till the very last minute, the workwomen
were scarcely out of the place before the com-
pany arrived. But there will J)e plenty of
real and rare flowers carried by the ladies in
boxes and stalls.
Suzanne Adams, who is not to be a mem-
ber of the Maurice Grau Opera Co. next
season, will make a tour of the country in
recital and concert. Her husband, Leo Stern,
will also return to the concert platform after
ci practical retirement of several years.
Teresita Carreno, daughter of the pianist,
has been appearing in the (ierman cities with
great success. She is said to have many
characteristics of her mother's playing.
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