Music Trade Review

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THE MU3IC TRADE
REVIEW
OUR NATIONAL ANTHEjtt
FRENCH VOCAL ART.
A CLEVER YOUNQ PIANIST.
Must Not Be Changed—The Idea of Eliminating
The Third Stanza of "The Star Spangled
Banner" Declared Absurd.
The Subject of a Pertinent Disquisition by Al-
bert Saleza, the Famous Tenor.
Is Miss Carrie Hirschmann, Who Is Appearing
in Concert This Season.
Albert Sal6za, who has done so much to re-
store brilliancy to the French performances at
the Metropolitan Opera House this season was
induced to speak recently of French vocal art.
"The subject is rather delicate," said he. "As
a Frenchman, I naturally think the art of my
own country preferable to that of Germany and
even of Italy. There are wide differences in the
methods of French, German, and Italian singers.
Putting myself quite out of the question for the
moment. I will refer to M. Pol Plancon, among
my men comrades at the Metropolitan, and to
Mmes. Eames and Nordica, among the women,
as exponents of French vocal art in its most
noble form. What are the chief characteristics
of their singing? What is it that we think of as
most admirable in their art? First perhaps, the
excellence of their voice production. Next, the
perfection of their diction. And next the grace,
elegance, and rerinement of their phrasing. They
play on their voices as a violinist plays on his
instrument. Not only do they sing notes, de-
tached notes, set down for them in their parts,
but they also know how to link them easily and
smoothly, and to beautify them with color, feel-
ing, and expression.
"French singing is often severely criticized.
But its virtues are surely evident, in France we
are taught an art which in Germany, and too
often in. Italy, is curiously neglected. We are
taught to sing legato, to avoid exaggeration, and
to cultivate taste. The nasal quality with which
we are frequently reproached here is due, no
doubt, to the nasal syllables so common in our
language. The Italians, more fortunate in that
respect than we are, have no such difficulties to
contend with. They are aided by their pure,
open vowels, and, as you know, they sing as a
rule in a frank, open way, though many of them
do not, any more than we do, escape censure for
what I may call nasality. On the other hand the
Germans, whose language is a rougher and ruder
medium than those of the Latins, sing, in most
cases, with what to our ears seems hardness and
harshness. For our legato they substitute stac-
cato. Possibly, and indeed probably, the differ-
ences between the vocal methods, so called of the
three nations is largely attributable to essential
qualities of the three languages.
Miss Carrie Hirschmann, who has not been
heard in New York as frequently as she should,
has been meeting with decided success in a
number of concerts this season throughout New
England, where cultured audiences, as well as
leading critics have paid tribute to her ability
in an enthusiastic way.
A decided factor in her success has been the
magnificent Everett concert grand which she is
using on her tour. She has revealed the won-
derful orchestral qualities of this instrument to
great advantage and i t is not too much to say
that the instrument has come in for a very large
degree of praise at the hands of the critics who
have spoken so favorably of her ability as a
pianist. Miss Hirschmann will be heard as as-
sistant artist of the second Kaltenborn Quartet
concert early this month. Mr. Gallico played
with this organization at its opening concert last
month. He also uses the Everett piano.
Baltimoreans are much interested in a letter
from Sir HowaiM Vincent, of England, published
in the newspapers of that city, suggesting the
omission of the third stanza of "The Star-
Spangled Banner," so as to promote good feeling
between England and America. All Baltimore-
ans who were asked for their views on the sub-
ject yesterday were outspoken in their opposi-
tion to mutilate the glorious anthem that saw
the light in Maryland.
The third verse reads:
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul steps pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling or slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph doth wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
When asked for an expression of opinion,
Cardinal Gibbons said: "Just say that I am op-
posed to any paraphrasing of "The Star-Spangled
Banner."
Governor Edwin Warfleld said: "I am op-
posed to any changes in the song."
Ex-Mayor Latrobe said: "The proposition is
ridiculous. We can maintain friendly relations
with England without destroying our history.
Would England alter her 'God Save the King'?
If we should alter 'The Star-Spangled Banner' to
suit England we might have to change 'Dixie' to
please the North or rearrange 'Yankee Doodle' to
suit the South. We are of the same race and
everybody desires good feeling, but if we have
to alter the national song we might as well tear
down the Battle Monument and take George
Washington off his pedestal. Bunker Hill, Con-
cord and New Orleans are part of our history,
to be taught our young, and we can live peace-
ally with the world without destroying their
memories."
President Ira Remsen, of Johns Hopkins Uni-
versity, stated: "'The Star-Spangled Banner' is
a continuous story, and to lift one verse out of it
would destroy the poem. There is no suggestion
in it that can arouse any ill-feeling toward Eng-
land ; it breathes the spirit of the flag. All de-
sire good-will among the nations, and we shall
not lose any international friends by retaining
'The Star-Spangled Banner.'"
Mrs. William Reed, vice-president of the Colon-
ial Dames, said: "'The Star-Spangled Banner'
is very dear to Marylanders, and the people of
this State would object to any alterations."
United States Senator Isidor Rayner: "I am
opposed to changing a word of the song."
Pressed for a further expression of opinion, he
said: "No, it is too absurd."
THE MUSICAL REVIEW, SAN FRANCISCO.
The New Year's edition of The Musical Re-
view, published and edited in San Francisco, by
Alfred Metzger, is a number of exceeding merit,
and one of which the musical people of the Pa-
cific coast and the entire country can feel justly
proud. There is an exhaustive review of musi-
cal happenings throughout the United States, but
more particularly in those cities bordering on
the Pacific which are destined to play no un-
important part in the musical development of
America in the no distant future. During the
past twelve months this publication has made
giant strides.
Every department has been
strengthened and we are glad to learn that Mr.
Metzger's enterprise is meeting with the hearty
support it so thoroughly deserves. The New
Year's number of The Musical Review consists
of 150 pages with special lithographed cover,
and is dedicated to the students and music lov-
ers of San Francisco.
Mme. Olga Samaroff, a Russian pianiste, well
known in her' own country, has arrived in this
country and will give a concert in Carnegie Hall
on Wednesday evening, January 18th, under the
management of Henry Wolfsohn. In addition to
having toured in Russia, Mme. Samaroff has also
been heard in Germany, France and England.
"In France," continued M. Sal6za, "we pay
scrupulous attention to the dramatic proprieties.
We lay stress, in opera, on important passages
and on important words. But we regard it as an
offense against art to emphasize words and pass-
ages which are dramatically insignificant, mere-
ly for the sake of producing vocal effects. Art,
with us, ranks above everything. Italian sing-
ers, however gifted they may be—and how gifted
they can be we know from listening to that won-
derful tenor, Caruso—are often apt to sacrifice
art to sensationalism. Nature, temperament, and
the temptation to astonish an audience by the
skilful prolongation of a musical phrase, or the
omission of a high C, will lead most Italians to
ignore the proprieties which we respect. This
may sound invidious. Yet I assure you it is not
meant to imply anything in the least objection-
able.
Harold Randolph and Ernest Hutcheson gave
a recital of music for two pianos at Mendelssohn
Hall on Wednesday afternoon. They played
Mozart's D major sonata, Rudorff s E major vari-
ations, Dvernoy's study, "Feu Rolant, "Saint-
Saens' variations on a theme by Beethoven, and
Liszt's "Les Preludes." There was a most appre-
ciative audience.
When Adele Aus Der Ohe gives her only piano
recital here on Monday afternoon, January 9th,
in Mendelssohn Hall, she will have the assis-
tance of David Mannes, violinist, who will play
the violin part in her new sonata.
Campanari resumes his concert tour this week
when he sings in Cincinnati, with the Symphony
Orchestra on the 6th and 7th.
SIEGFRIED WAGNER'S MODESTY.
A speech made by Siegfried Wagner at a ban-
quet, after the recent performance of his new
opera, "Der Kobold," at Graz, has attracted con-
siderable attention in Germany. It indicates a
modesty in that composer, which if genuine, is
remarkable. "For an artist," he said, "it is not
easy to make a speech, for he runs the risk of
either revealing too much modesty or of falling
a victim to Grossenwahn (swelled head), a mod-
ern disease which I try to keep clear of. That
the staging of 'Tannhiiuser' at Bayreuth last
summer was my achievement I know, and I also
know that the honors bestowed on me on that
occasion were intended for me alone. But I also
realize equally well that, of the applause be-
stowed here on my 'Kobold,' only 20 per cent,
belongs to me; the remaining 80 per cent, is to
be placed to the credit of my father. If my
name happened to be Miiller or Schulze instead
of Siegfried Wagner, I am quite sure that I
should not be the center of such a distinguished
assemblage this evening."
TO CONDUCT WITHOUT BATON.
Mr. Safonoff, who conducts the Philharmonic
Orchestra to-day, wrote to Mr. August Roebbelen,
one of the directors of the Philharmonic Society,
the other day, that he is anxious to conduct with-
out a baton. He argues that since the days of
Lulli the length of the baton has been gradually
growing shorter, and he believes that a conduc-
tor may convey his musical intentions to an
orchestra without that adjunct. Mr. Safonoff
realizes that his idea is a radical one and may
shock musical sensibilities in this country. It
will be remembered that he produced a unique
effect last year in conducting one of the move-
ments of Tchaikovsky's symphony "Path6tique"
with his baton under his arm. Mr. Safonoff's
name, by the way, is pronounced with the ac-
cent on the second syllable.
AN INTERESTING MUSICALE.
An invitation musicale of unusual interest
was that given last Thursday evening by the
pupils of the Noble Street School of Musical Art,
of which Prof. Chas. Andrew Brown is director,
at the studio, 150 Noble street, Brooklyn, N. Y.
The programme and its interpretation demon-
strated the skill of Professor Brown's pupils.
One of the several attractive features of the
evening was the rendering of Rossini's overture,
"Semiramis," which was scored for two pianos
and five violins. Those who presided a t the
pianos were: First piano, Miss Emma Braun
and Miss Caroline E. Kindred; second piano,
Prof, and Mrs. Chas. Andrew Brown; violinists,
Mr. Ernest Braun, Mr. Chas. J. Schluter, Mr. Her-
man Derenthal, Mr. John Morren and Mr. Chas.
Schaad. This number was splendidly played,
and evoked much applause. Professor Brown was
assisted by Mrs. Marie Boyce Mooney, soprano,
and Granville R. Sturgis, reader.