Music Trade Review
Issue: 1903 Vol. 37 N. 19 - Page 3
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
REV^FW
flUJIC TIRADE
V O L . x x x v i i . No. 19.
PuDiishea Every Sat, by Eiwarfl Lyman BUI at 1 Madison Are, New Tort, HOT. 7,1903.
PIANO PLAYERS AS EDUCATORS.
"TTHE doubters to the contrary notwith-
standing, there can be no question as
to the piano player being a vital factor in in-
culcating a wider and more thorough musi-
cal knowledge among the people of this
country. Thousands of pianos that for years
have been idle are being utilized, and those
musically inclined, but lacking the ability to
play, are able to satisfy their craving for a
hearing of the works of the great masters
through the mediumship of the self-player.
We take some very well considered words on
this subject from that interesting journal, the
Concert Goer, and heartily agree with the
writer when she says that the self player is
doing more towards filling the concert halls
than is any other force. People have become
interested in certain selections which they
have played upon the self-player, and that
they may know the expression and the style
that the artist gives they go if for no other
reason than to measeure and compare. The
fact that they go once will assure their in-
terest the next time, and in this way they
gain not only a love for the sound itself but
they gain an understanding of what shading
and phrasing will do for a piece of music. An-
other phase of the self-player is in the tre-
mendous assistance that it offers the pianist
who is fairly good but who is away from the
art centers and is thereby deprived of study
under masters. To these the self-player is
well-nigh indispensable, as they can use it for
the purpose of learning how the selection
should sound when it is played fluently and
without mistake. The self-player is a reli-
able teacher as far as technical matters are
concerned, as there is no possibility of a slip
and of wrong notes. This in itself makes it
most valuable to one who has not become a
master. When the self-player will come into
its own it should be utilized in every school
in the Union. Children will not be unfamiliar
to all save the ragtime and the popular tunes
of the day, and they will have an incentive
to study that as yet has not been offered them.
They will absorb music without knowing how
and from what source, and the music will be
real music,—that which is refining and ele-
vating in its influence. The promulgating of
the self-player should be the duty of every
teacher of music. He should be of such
value to the pupil that the player can do no
harm, and he should try to interest the pupi!
in listening to the best that it has to give and
in being earnest enough to work for his own
advancement at the same time. The self-
player has certainly come to stay, and with
it has been brought new inspiration for the
furtherance of music. If it does not accom-
plish this the fault will lie with the exploiters
and not with either the instrument or with
the people, for they are waiting to be edu-
cated, especially if this can be done in a sugar
coated manner.
at
MME.
SCHUMANN-HEINK ON AMERICA.
JVA ME. SCHUMANN-HEINK has paid a
forfeit of $5,000 to cancel her contract
with the Director of the Imperial Opera
House in Berlin. Her salary there is only
half that sum, although at the time she made
the contract—before her American triumph
—that meant a fortune to her.
The Berlin papers comment bitterly on her
loss to the Berlin opera. In an interview
with the correspondent of the Berlin Lokal
Anzeiger she says in explanation of her
course:
"My eight children are the reason why I
am going to America instead of to Berlin.
There I save $20,000 yearly. That is impos-
sible in Berlin. German opera craved me
only since I succeeded in New York. Before
that I offered myself to it in vain.
"Besides, in America I have gained an en-
viable position. I sang the first German
song in the White House when renewing the
acquaintance I had made with the President
at Albany, when he was the Governor of
New York. When my eighth child was born
in America, the President's youngest son sent
me a photo inscribed: 'Archibald Roosevelt
to his dear friend George Washington Schu-
mann-Heink.'
"Art is fostered in America* in its grand,
practical style. These are the facts concern-
ing my American contract: I shall return
there in February or March to create a part
in a new comic opera by Julian Edwardes
and Stanislaus Stange. I am guaranteed for
forty weeks in a year $2,000 a week and 20
per cent, of the gross weekly earnings. My
costumes and all my traveling expenses are to
be free, and I have the right to engage the
orchestra and the chorus, even the soloists.
"I hope to bring $60,000 annually to Ger-
many. I am now forty-two, and must make
the most of my remaining time for my fam-
ily."
•t
THEODORE THOMAS' PROGRAMMES.
HTHEODORE THOMAS says that among
the novelties he will play in Chicago
this season will be the entr'-acte to Bru-
neau's "Messidor" and the same composer's
symphonic poem "The Sleeping Beauty;"
Fritz Volbach's symphonic poem "Easter,"
and his "There Were Two Royal Children."
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER *EAR.
NOVELTIES AT THE METROPOLITAN.
' T H E REVIEW has received from Man-
ager Conried the official announce-
ment of his season of grand opera at the Met-
ropolitan Opera House, which, though it
contains little that has not previously been
published, will be of interest to intending pa-
trons of the establishment. The season will
last fifteen weeks, beginning Monday even-
ing, Nov. 23. It will include sixty subscrip-
tion performances and a series of Saturday
evening performances at popurar prices. The
prospectus says as to novelties:
"During the season it is the earnest hope
and intention of the management to produce
more than one novelty, and several revivals
of interest. The novelties selected include
The Bartered Bride' ('Die Verkaufte Braut')
of the well-known Bohemian composer, Sme-
tana, (which will be sung in English,) Mail-
lart's fascinating opera comique 'Les Drag-
ons de Villars,' (in French) which, though
long popular in Europe, has not been heard
at the Metropolitan Opera House, and Pon-
chielli's favorite opera, 'Gioconda' (in Ita-
lian). Should circumstances permit, Boiel-
dieu's masterpiece, 'La Dame Blanche', will
also be produced."
BAN
ON PROFANE MUSIC.
C R O M a letter recently sent to the Grego-
rian Review, by order of Pius X., it seems
that a decree is soon to be issued regarding
reforms in church music all over the world.
The friendship of the Pope for the famous
composer, Maestro Perosi, whom he has re-
ceived frequently in private audience since
his election, has resulted in the framing of
several laws regarding the kind of music
which is to be used in churches.
The simplicity of Gregorian chant receives
great praise from the Pope, while the less
solemn but more melodious compositions of
Palestrina are allowed where they can prop-
erly be executed. All operatic and profane
compositions are to be barred from the
churches during religious ceremonies, espe-
cially in Italy, where the custom of gaudy
and absolutely profane performances at great
religious celebrations has gained prevalence.
tt
ELGAR'S NEW ORATORIO.
C DWARD ELGAR'S new oratorio "The
Apostles" had its first performance at the
Birmingham Music Festival two weeks ago.
The composer conducted. The work is on
the same lines as "The Dream of Gerontius"
and it found much favor with audience and
critics.
_ . .-,
THE
REV^FW
flUJIC TIRADE
V O L . x x x v i i . No. 19.
PuDiishea Every Sat, by Eiwarfl Lyman BUI at 1 Madison Are, New Tort, HOT. 7,1903.
PIANO PLAYERS AS EDUCATORS.
"TTHE doubters to the contrary notwith-
standing, there can be no question as
to the piano player being a vital factor in in-
culcating a wider and more thorough musi-
cal knowledge among the people of this
country. Thousands of pianos that for years
have been idle are being utilized, and those
musically inclined, but lacking the ability to
play, are able to satisfy their craving for a
hearing of the works of the great masters
through the mediumship of the self-player.
We take some very well considered words on
this subject from that interesting journal, the
Concert Goer, and heartily agree with the
writer when she says that the self player is
doing more towards filling the concert halls
than is any other force. People have become
interested in certain selections which they
have played upon the self-player, and that
they may know the expression and the style
that the artist gives they go if for no other
reason than to measeure and compare. The
fact that they go once will assure their in-
terest the next time, and in this way they
gain not only a love for the sound itself but
they gain an understanding of what shading
and phrasing will do for a piece of music. An-
other phase of the self-player is in the tre-
mendous assistance that it offers the pianist
who is fairly good but who is away from the
art centers and is thereby deprived of study
under masters. To these the self-player is
well-nigh indispensable, as they can use it for
the purpose of learning how the selection
should sound when it is played fluently and
without mistake. The self-player is a reli-
able teacher as far as technical matters are
concerned, as there is no possibility of a slip
and of wrong notes. This in itself makes it
most valuable to one who has not become a
master. When the self-player will come into
its own it should be utilized in every school
in the Union. Children will not be unfamiliar
to all save the ragtime and the popular tunes
of the day, and they will have an incentive
to study that as yet has not been offered them.
They will absorb music without knowing how
and from what source, and the music will be
real music,—that which is refining and ele-
vating in its influence. The promulgating of
the self-player should be the duty of every
teacher of music. He should be of such
value to the pupil that the player can do no
harm, and he should try to interest the pupi!
in listening to the best that it has to give and
in being earnest enough to work for his own
advancement at the same time. The self-
player has certainly come to stay, and with
it has been brought new inspiration for the
furtherance of music. If it does not accom-
plish this the fault will lie with the exploiters
and not with either the instrument or with
the people, for they are waiting to be edu-
cated, especially if this can be done in a sugar
coated manner.
at
MME.
SCHUMANN-HEINK ON AMERICA.
JVA ME. SCHUMANN-HEINK has paid a
forfeit of $5,000 to cancel her contract
with the Director of the Imperial Opera
House in Berlin. Her salary there is only
half that sum, although at the time she made
the contract—before her American triumph
—that meant a fortune to her.
The Berlin papers comment bitterly on her
loss to the Berlin opera. In an interview
with the correspondent of the Berlin Lokal
Anzeiger she says in explanation of her
course:
"My eight children are the reason why I
am going to America instead of to Berlin.
There I save $20,000 yearly. That is impos-
sible in Berlin. German opera craved me
only since I succeeded in New York. Before
that I offered myself to it in vain.
"Besides, in America I have gained an en-
viable position. I sang the first German
song in the White House when renewing the
acquaintance I had made with the President
at Albany, when he was the Governor of
New York. When my eighth child was born
in America, the President's youngest son sent
me a photo inscribed: 'Archibald Roosevelt
to his dear friend George Washington Schu-
mann-Heink.'
"Art is fostered in America* in its grand,
practical style. These are the facts concern-
ing my American contract: I shall return
there in February or March to create a part
in a new comic opera by Julian Edwardes
and Stanislaus Stange. I am guaranteed for
forty weeks in a year $2,000 a week and 20
per cent, of the gross weekly earnings. My
costumes and all my traveling expenses are to
be free, and I have the right to engage the
orchestra and the chorus, even the soloists.
"I hope to bring $60,000 annually to Ger-
many. I am now forty-two, and must make
the most of my remaining time for my fam-
ily."
•t
THEODORE THOMAS' PROGRAMMES.
HTHEODORE THOMAS says that among
the novelties he will play in Chicago
this season will be the entr'-acte to Bru-
neau's "Messidor" and the same composer's
symphonic poem "The Sleeping Beauty;"
Fritz Volbach's symphonic poem "Easter,"
and his "There Were Two Royal Children."
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER *EAR.
NOVELTIES AT THE METROPOLITAN.
' T H E REVIEW has received from Man-
ager Conried the official announce-
ment of his season of grand opera at the Met-
ropolitan Opera House, which, though it
contains little that has not previously been
published, will be of interest to intending pa-
trons of the establishment. The season will
last fifteen weeks, beginning Monday even-
ing, Nov. 23. It will include sixty subscrip-
tion performances and a series of Saturday
evening performances at popurar prices. The
prospectus says as to novelties:
"During the season it is the earnest hope
and intention of the management to produce
more than one novelty, and several revivals
of interest. The novelties selected include
The Bartered Bride' ('Die Verkaufte Braut')
of the well-known Bohemian composer, Sme-
tana, (which will be sung in English,) Mail-
lart's fascinating opera comique 'Les Drag-
ons de Villars,' (in French) which, though
long popular in Europe, has not been heard
at the Metropolitan Opera House, and Pon-
chielli's favorite opera, 'Gioconda' (in Ita-
lian). Should circumstances permit, Boiel-
dieu's masterpiece, 'La Dame Blanche', will
also be produced."
BAN
ON PROFANE MUSIC.
C R O M a letter recently sent to the Grego-
rian Review, by order of Pius X., it seems
that a decree is soon to be issued regarding
reforms in church music all over the world.
The friendship of the Pope for the famous
composer, Maestro Perosi, whom he has re-
ceived frequently in private audience since
his election, has resulted in the framing of
several laws regarding the kind of music
which is to be used in churches.
The simplicity of Gregorian chant receives
great praise from the Pope, while the less
solemn but more melodious compositions of
Palestrina are allowed where they can prop-
erly be executed. All operatic and profane
compositions are to be barred from the
churches during religious ceremonies, espe-
cially in Italy, where the custom of gaudy
and absolutely profane performances at great
religious celebrations has gained prevalence.
tt
ELGAR'S NEW ORATORIO.
C DWARD ELGAR'S new oratorio "The
Apostles" had its first performance at the
Birmingham Music Festival two weeks ago.
The composer conducted. The work is on
the same lines as "The Dream of Gerontius"
and it found much favor with audience and
critics.
_ . .-,
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).