Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Boston Symphony concerts grew and grew. I t ber of the Philharmonic Society finds that there
was common gossip that every subscriber lost by is a ludicrously small amount of money await-
the Philharmonic Society was a gain to the crowd ing him for his work he loses heart violently;
Offered by the National Conservatory of Music
of devotees at the shrine of the Boston Sym- and if the following season opens with a still
to Ambitious Students.
phony Orchestra. And the managers of the lat- more meagre subscription list then his artistic
ter
admirable tonal institution must have heart sinks below the knees, and he plays list-
The announcement of the Jeanette M. Thurber
free musical scholarship should be of utmost im- watched with something akin to envy and in- lessly, cavils at the number of rehearsals, and
portance to all students of music in this country, terest the operation of the plan to import fa- finds wholesale fault with the conductor. When,
as this is a chance for a pupil to get the sort mous baton swingers for the Philharmonic Or- however, he trains his artistic eye about a
of musical education which is only possible un- chestra. The Philharmonic plan worked success- crowded auditorium and murmurs interestedly
der such conditions as have been given through fully, but while the people flocked to hear the to himself that his is a share of these box office
the interest of Mrs. Jeanette M. Thurber, whose eminent foreign batonists they did not, on the spoils, then he piles to it with a vigor that
identification with and interest in the National other hand, remain away from the concert hall amazes the natives who have insisted that the
Conservatory of Music of America are well when the Boston Symphony Orchestra was dis- Philharmonic Society is long since dead and al-
most decayed.
known in America and in Europe. Through playing its wonderful versatility.
The increased patronage accounts for the
The
only
deduction
to
be
made
from
these
these scholarships some of the most prominent
figures of the present have enjoyed the benefits parallels is that New York is growing more fond great improvement in the work of this big or-
of a thorough musical education. It is only nec- of music than formerly it was, and that now chestra. No sane pair of ears will contend that
essary to mention the names of a few who are there is a sufficiently large number of people in any way they approach the remarkable finesse
acknowledged either in Europe or America as here to insure the financial future of two big of the Boston band, but, as the musical critic of
true artists. Among these are Lillian Blauvelt, orchestral institutions, to say nothing at all of The World says, any just listener must concede
who held this distinction for four years. Daniel the numberless thousands of dollars annually that the improvement in this orchestra since the
Visanska, now a successful teacher in Berlin, poured into the coffers of the Metropolitan Opera beginning of last season is most marked. I t
held the scholarship for violin for a number of House, and the bags of gold exported from New demonstrates after all, that there is no salve so
soothing to even the artistic soul as gold.
years, as does Julius Casper, who has been for York each season by visiting solo artists.
And the statement that residenters are actually
ten years a pupil of Lachtenberg, which is say-
ing enough. Incidentally, it may be said that growing to like music more than they did a de-
PHILADELPHIA SINGERS ORGANIZE.
when Daniel Visanska went to Germany the cade ago is easily defendable on the ground that
The Philadelphia Choir, is the name of an
prominent teacher said to him: "Why do you you cannot drive people into the concert hall un-
come to Europe, have you not Lichtenberg in less they show some inclination, for here there organization that was recently organized in the
is nothing in the way of scenery, no obvious ef- "Quaker City," by Wm. S. Thunder, organist and
America?"
fects
to appeal to the surface emotions of the director of the Cathedral choir. Although the
Bertha Visanska, too, who is recognized in
Europe as one of the most thoroughly instructed disinterested man. The theatre lures the money main object of the new organization is to pre-
and one of the finest of all the young Americans of such an unsympathetic individual out of his serve the ecclesiastical music which will eventu-
who have gone there, was for many years a pupil purse quite easily, for it usually offers him a ally be abolished from Catholic Churches in com-
of Miss Margulies, also under the Jeanette M. feast for the eye and sometimes an irresistible pliance with the Pope's request, the work of the
Thurber scholarship. The semi-annual entrance diversion from more serious matters; while mu- choir will not be confined to this class of music
examinations will occur at the National Conser- sic, on the other hand, is oftener a bore than it alone.
Vocal compositions of all descriptions, includ-
vatory of America in New York, January 6, from is an amusement, simply because it is serious
2 to 5 p m., for singing and piano, organ, violin and because its language is understood by com- ing cantatas, sacred and secular oratorios, part
and all orchestral instruments, January 7, 10-12 paratively few and answered to by fewer still. songs, and various works of all the masters will
So it is rational to reason that a person attend- be studied and rendered.
a. m. and 2-4 p m.
ing concerts with any frequency at all is prob-
The organization is non-sectarian. Qualifica-
ably fond of music, and the numbers of such tions for membership consist of a voice and an
NEW YORK IS GROWING MUSICAL. good folks anxious to gratify the ear seem to ear for music.
be increasing in New York with obvious speed.
It is the intention of Mr. Thunder, the director,
The Increasing Attendance at the Great Or-
It is a cheerful sign in any large city, and more to secure a membership of 150 voices.
chestral Concerts Demonstrate This—The
than that, if one believes at all in the good moral
Renaissance of the Philharmonic a Gratify-
effect music has upon the masses of a cultured
TO TEACH ACCOMPANIMENTS.
community.
ing Feature of the Season.
What artistic results this scheme of importing
The latest development of musical specialism
New York is growing more fond of music every new conductors has achieved with the Philhar- in London is a school for the teaching of piano-
season. This is not sheer theory, but is proven monic Orchestra is plain to everyone who at- forte accompaniments. It is presided over by
by the financial facts of the case and by the tends these concerts. After all a musician is at Mr. Ernest Newton, who, presumably, has con-
evidence offered the observing eye. The Phil- heart a human being, usually, too, a human be- cluded, as many others have, that indifferent ac-
harmonic audiences prove a single but an im- ing who holds his wage in very high regard. companists do more to spoil song recitals than
portant and almost conclusive point in this state- Now, when at the end of a tedious season a mem- most vocalists are able to atone for.
ment. When a few years ago, Anton Seidl was
at the height of his fame, the Philharmonic con-
certs conducted by him drew enormous audiences
that represented as enthusiastic a gathering of
music-mad people as one is apt to encounter in
any city in the world.
Edited by THOMAS TAPPER
But with Seidl's sudden death came a decrease
THIS COURSE CONSISTS OF
in the size of the Philharmonic audiences until
SEVEN
DOORS
OF
GRADED
STUDIES.
TWO HANDS.
they reached a point that was fearfully discour-
SEVEN BOOKS OF GRADED PIECES.
TWO HANDS.
aging. This organization is constructed upon a
THREE TEACHERS' MANUALS.
plan of co-operation, the net profits of the season
FOUR BOOKS OF GRADED PIANO PIECES.
FOUR HANDS.
being divided between the members of the soci-
First Edition Exhausted in Two Days.
ety, and so small were the profits a few years
after Seidl's death that the musicians of the or-
A Few Leading Cha.reLCteristics:
chestra found little to reimburse them for the
1. It permits and assists the application of any "Method."
time of rehearsals and concerts, and even less to
2. It is the only course which recognizes the necessity for Lessons in Music Theory
encourage them to continue. It became evident
(Dictation, Melody, Form, Harmony), and actually provides them.
that something more radical than a mere change
3. Its grading is so arranged from I to VII that virtuoso works lie beyond Grade VII.
4. All music forms are outlined and described.
of conductor was necessary to pull the orchestra
5. Memory aids are given on the basis of Form construction.
out of this rut and at the same time to arouse
6. Especial care is taken in the training of the left hand.
public interest in these concerts.
7. All distinctive features of music composition are developed from Grade to Grade.
8. An unusual variety of authoritative authorship is found in every volume.
So a fund was raised by a few interested ones,
g. All technical terms and signs are accurately explained where they actually occur in
and emissaries were sent abroad to corral emi-
the music.
nent conductors and bring them to this country
10. It is the FIRST Graded Piano Course which presents all the essentials of music edu
to conduct a concert or two for the Philharmonic
cation : Music Thought, Music Reading, Music Playing, Music Memory, Music
Writing.
Society. This plan was put into operation with
11. Hence it is the FIRST Graded Piano Course which aims at Complete Musicianship.
the beginning of last season, and the size of the
Philharmonic audiences leaped at once; all dur-
Correspondence regarding this Course, its Introduction and Use, is invited.
ing last season they increased and multiplied,
Grades 1-3, Studies and Pieces now on sale.
PRICE PER GRADE, ONE DOLLAR
and with the first concert of the present series
Carnegie Hall was again appreciatively filled.
OLIVER. DITSON COMPANY, Boston
C. H. DITSON & CO., New York
Now, while the Philharmonic audiences were
J. E. DITSON & CO., Philadelphia
gradually deserting this venerable organization
ORDER OF YOUR HOME DEALER OR ANY OF THE ABOVE HOUSES
the number of people that flocked to hear the
FREE MUSICAL SCHOLARSHIPS
The Modern Graded Piano Course