Music Trade Review

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THE m\JSlC TRKDE
REVIEW
necessary proofs in an indisputable fact?
•The only thing which concerns us is how
can we remedy the wrong? In other words,
'"THERE must be a leak somewhere among speaks like a man of experience. Again he how can we supply the "atmosphere?"
If any one believes this an impossible
those who know the private affairs of says: "The best artists, the real artists, only
Mark Twain, for we hear that he was paid meet with deceptions. Perhaps they dare not achievement, it is only necessary to attend
twenty cents per word for the last magazine confess it when they get back, but they are the concerts and to examine into the work-
ings of the People's Symphony Concerts es-
article that he contributed. This is said to wrong in not doing so."
be the largest amount paid for such contri- • Again spoken like a savant. But that is tablished by F. X. Arens. Each time these
butions to literature with the notable excep- the situation and the trick is to cope with it. concerts reveal new and more pronounced
tion of Kipling, who received twenty-five Mascagni's advisers were to blame for the benefits, and from the looks of things it would
cents a word for his "Absent-Minded Beg- whole trouble and no one can blame him for not be strange if the East-siders would have
gar." Now we know why he insistently re- bitter feelings, but when he says of San Fran- a musical atmosphere before the other half.
peated "Pay! Pay! Pay!" He made fifty cisco—"That big cosmopolitan city is abso-
Until music is not a luxury almost beyond
cents extra with a strong reminder to "Pay.." lutely devoid of artistic education," he states
reach of those who have not enormous purses
But the composer has a different story. absolute falsehood, and if he does not know at their disposal, so long can there be no at-
If, indeed, he is the creator of a popular song it, he would better not figure upon returning mosphere that has any relation to art.. It
he may become the possessor of many hun- there, as he evidently does not understand the seems unnecessary to say again and again
dred thousand dollars. But if he aspires no situation.
that most of the students hear no music un-
higher than to write good music, he prob-
San Francisco has suffered just as New less through the kindness of some one or
ably could not make the cost of writing ma- York suffers, and just as every city in the another who now and then gives them a
terials. If the American did not write be- Union suffers from the untruths of the press ticket. Opera is out of question, and orches-
cause he Joved the work there surely would agent. The work begins in Europe when tra nearly so. Until all this can be differ-
be no other incentive. This particularly ap- cables are bought, and then it ends—Heaven ent, there will be no musical atmosphere and
plies to instrumental music which is not, and only knows where. And it should be stopped, there is no use in wasting words upon what
can not be made interesting to those who play because instead of attracting people it is re- seems to be a hopeless case. And yet not
volting, and having been deceived so often, hopeless—Mr. Carnegie could create a mu-
in public.
sical heaven and haven in ten minutes—if he
Just why pianists take this attitude to they are chary of everything.
"I first gave them some pieces which sur- wished to.
American compositions is not quite apparent.
One reason, as much as any other, may be prised them, then interested them, and finally
We can sense a reaching out for new mu-
that they play such cut-and-dried programs roused them to enthusiasm," says Mascagni.
sical
forms and new musical entertainments.
that nothing could induce them to break the And of San Francisco—it is really too funny.
Perhaps
one of the most unique creations
monotony. The great artists will not take Why, San Francisco was listening to Wien-
in
this
way
was presented by Edward Star
the trouble, and the demi-semi-quavering art- iawski and Sontag, to Vieuxtemps and to Belknap and Harvey Worthington Loomis
ist is afraid to do what the great man does Jenny Lind when Mascagni was still in pro- April 23, when they gave a Musicale Voilee.
toplasmic desuetude. Enough, enough!
not elect to do. So there you are,.
It may not be necessary to explain that the
It has been the matter of some comment exquisite program was given behind screens.
Gabrilowitsch loves his own country well
enough to bring some of the Russians to recently that comic opera is an art almost This was a comfort, to say the least, as the
America. And? The people listen—"Ca- forgotten, It has been deposed by the so- audience could not have seen anything, any
viare" they say and wait until after the crit- called musical comedy, which name is almost, way, as it was very large. So this had the
ics have quibbled and dribbled, and then some if not entirely, a misnomer. Comedy should quality of diplomacy as well as exquisite art.
of them repeat what one paper said and some not be construed to mean burlesque, or at The music consisted for the greater part in
the other. But those who really understand least extravaganza. When one recalls the re- musical backgrounds written by Mr. Loomis
rise up and call him blessed who dares markably good work of Gilbert and Sullivan, to the poems read by Mr. Belknap.
to break into the rigid rule which forces us it is not possible to feel otherwise than that
A second entertainment to present music
to listen to the same program at least one we have tolerated, if not encouraged, com- as background for recitation was given by
plete retrogression. De Koven in his "Robin
hundred times during the season.
Mrs. Amy Grant and Bruno Huhn on Tues-
Hood" created something out of the ordi-
Alack! alas! Now what does Mascagni
day afternoon. They gave Strauss' setting
nary, but that was the only noteworthy opera
of "Enoch Arden," and, by the way, the work
do but return to the land of blue skies and
that he has given us. The time is, indeed,
music and malign us with all the tempera- ripe for another success in that which has "Bergliot" that was set by Grieg for Mrs.
ment, to say nothing of temper, that he has enough life to be up-to-date, and enough mu- Cora Potter. It is very interesting and dra-
matic and makes a charming entertainment.
at his command. And why, Mr. Mascagni? sic to be artistic.
We have placed the "Cavalleria" among the
It is stated that Grieg will be in America
We are to have a presentation May 25th next season with Mrs. Potter. She gives
classics; at least, we listen regularly at the
Metropolitan, and with delight, it must of a comic opera of the type aforementioned, classic readings to musical settings and in
be admitted. The whole trouble in a nut- and when it is stated that it comes from the England she has been remarkably successful.
shell is that the gentleman who is such a pen of Albert Mildenberg, perhaps it will not America has long been waiting for Grieg,
charming musician, such a delightful com- be difficult to understand that it is meritori- who is one of the greatest figures in the mu-
poser, seems to be in the kindergarten class ous. Mildenberg has been the most promi- sical world who has never been in this coun-
of the business college. And what he does nent disciple and pupil that we have from try. It has always been said that he is afraid
not know about commerce would furnish the that rare artist, Joseffy. The title is "The of the ocean voyage, besides, he is not a young
books for a great many volumes of opera, Wood-Witch," and the book has been fur- man. How T ever, he is only sixty and he could
"Look before you leap," Mr. Mascagni; it nished by Willard Holconib, a well-known come to America, serve a year as conductor
newspaper man of Washington, D. C, There of the Philharmonic Society, and still be a
will save you no end of trouble next time.
Still let us hear the words of warning that is a delightful introduction of Hungarian mu- young man—no, not after having occupied
Salvini had whispered to him: "Do not be- sic and action, which adds to the delicious that chair—that does not tend to keep men
lieve the stories of artists who come back flavor of the work. It would be strange if young.
Emilie Frances Bauer.
from America talking enthusiastically about the opera did not make an instantaneous suc-
cess.
j*
the land of dollars. Fortune can be acquired
The
concert
announced
by Selma Kronold,
only with the aid of combinations which are
Whenever people talk of music in Amer- the soprano, for last Wednesday night has
ica the first statement is that America lacks been postponed until Thursday evening,
quite independent of art."
Nothing could be more truthful. Salvini atmosphere. Well—it does; why offer un- May 14.
TIMELY TALKS ON TIMELY TOPICS.