Music Trade Review

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TH
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
NO CREDIT FOR MUSIC WORK.
TIMELY TALKS ON TIMELY TOPICS.
The summer music opened May 20, when Walter
Damrosch and the New York Symphony Orchestra
gave the first of a three-weeks' season at the New
York Theatre Roof Garden. It is a pity that this
season should be so limited as to time, because it
takes nearly that length of time before the people
arrive at the decision that they really need this
form of diversion. There is no man in America
better fitted to make summer music of the high-
est class a success than is Walter Damrosch, be-
cause he is a thoroughly capable and entirely in-
teresting conductor, one who is tireless in his
efforts to please the public and to keep up the
standard at the very highest notch. When the
engagement at the New York Theatre closes, Mr.
Damrosch and orchestra will proceed to Chicago,
where they have been engaged for the summer,
beginning June 17, at Ravinia Park Theatre,
which is about two miles away from Highland
Park on the North Shore.
given this season than there were last, there will
also be fewer which lack in the proper import-
ance. The reason for this is that with every sea-
son the people are further away from the accept-
ance of anything but the very best, and people are
becoming chary of foisting themselves upon the
critical public unless their success is assured.
When Lillian Blauvelt decided to go into comic
opera the public seemed to take the matter as
though it had been long expected and quite the
proper thing. Perhaps, indeed, this is the case;
the charming prima donna's personality is one
which is more adapted to the realm of light opera
than it is to grand opera, because for the greater
part personality, manner and all the intimate side
of a nature is merged into the role in grand
opera, while in the lighter field there are many
moments where this quality is very close to the
audience, and it may be that this is one of the
reasons why light opera is a more popular form
It appears that R. H. Macy & Co. will put an of amusement than grand opera. Speaking of
orchestra on the roof of their great structure if grand opera singers who have joined the ranks of
proper arrangements can be arrived at. The lighter vein, brings to mind that Mme. Schu-
Metropolitan Orchestra was the one first contem- mann-Heink has again married. This time
plated by R. H. Macy & Co., but Mr. Conried ob- it is Wm. Rapp, who has acted in the capacity of
jected strenuously to the entire scheme. How- her secretary since her entrance into comic opera.
ever, it is possible that another organization may In all probability Mme. Schumann-Heink will
be secured and that free music may be dispensed send for her entire family, which is of consider-
from the housetop. Victor Herbert is still to be able size, to say the least.
heard from as far as summer plans are concerned,
and if he has none up his sleeve there are many
Calve is enjoying her usual success at disap-
of his admirers that will be really disappointed. pointing audiences, to judge by reports we get
from London, where the eccentric prima donna
It must be admitted that the music in the parks was to appear in the new Waldorf Theatre in that
is not above reproach; in fact, most of it is any- city, where she was to have appeared in opera
thing but calculated to supplement the careful with Alice Nielsen, Mary Garden and others. It
work that goes on in the winter season under di- is stated that a tour has been arranged for Alice
rection of such men as Frank Damrosch, F. X. Nielsen and others who feel that they have as
Arens and those who are interested in the work much chance as Calve, and probably they have;
of the Educational Alliance. Band music has its the country is large enough to stand a good many
drawing powers for the small boy and for the tours, if only there is no such perpetration as
tired individual who enjoys his doze on the park Patti and her "distinguished company."
benches, but there seems to be no attempt to cater
The era of the festival and of the convention is
to a better audience, and there is no attempt made
to give some music of a similar nature to that upon us, and it serves to keep the musician busy
which the masses have become acquainted with up to such time as he is ready to sail. One of
in concert rooms. It is but natural that the an- the most important in character will be the ses-
swer comes forward in the form of a question, and sion of the Music Teachers' National Association,
that is, "Who could be responsible for raising the which will convene in June in New York City at
standard and how could it be done?" Only by Columbia University. The exercises will be for
putting it under the same influences as the winter the greater part given over to the discussion of
music is under and leaving such people as Mr. vital questions, and in a certain way this will be
Damrosch and Mr. Arens the power to select or unique, because the faculty of Columbia has be-
come interested in the matter and some of the
condemn the programmes.
subjects selected for debate may bring that great
There is a considerable amount of talk among institution into the state of activity for music
the people who discuss these things anent the that it has manifested in other directions. The
attitude of a pianist to the piano he plays. It is Illnois Music Teachers' Association at Peoria will
in very truth amusing to see how quickly he is be of exceptional interest this year, since the pro-
ready to assume that his lack of success is due grammes arranged are to be given by some of the
the piano and not himself. Artists are very in- best talent of this country, including Arthur
teresting, but they are very unsatisfactory when Foote, Julie Rive-King, Oliver Willard Pierce,
it comes to measuring them by the side of ra- Miss Mary Angell, W. C. E. Seebeck and many
tional beings—if we may be permitted to make others. During this month also comes the New
this distinction—and it is very certain that a York Teachers' seventeenth annual convention,
pianist without a piano would be a sorry looking which will be held at Rochester, and which will
object and vice-versa. But to hear the artist one enlist the services of Rudolph Ganz, Mme. Rive-
must of necessity infer that his greatest unhappi- King, Birdice Blye and Milada Cerny, pianists,
ness is the fault of the piano, yet if the piano and many vocalists. The convention of Federated
could tell its little tale of woe on the side, what Musical Clubs will be held at Denver this month,
and there will be many attractions, the most
hair-raising information we would get.
notable and most fitting of which will be the Olive
A. Roebbelen, of the Philharmonic Society, has Mead Quartet.
sailed for Europe to conclude engagements of the
Emma Calve is reported to have written the
conductors who are to be with us this season.
Among the plans of Mr. Roebbelen are many that libretto for an opera to be composed by Isidore
will be of the deepest interest to the concert goers de Lara; it is to be produced in London next
of New York, and whereas they have not been an- season. Mme. Calve has also become the pro-
nounced as yet, it is understood that his negotia- tectress of the operatic chorus girls and dancers.
tions will be instrumental in bringing Safonoff As these receive only ?50 to ?60 a month for
for two pairs of regular concerts and one pair of seven or eight months a year, on which they
extras, and it is further understood that he will cannot live in cities like Paris or New York, she
attempt to engage Arthur Nikisch, Gustav Mahler suggests that the wealthy prima donnas should
and Henry Wood. It is evident that the activity give part of their earnings to these girls, and
in musical life will be more energetic than ever, offers to head the list of donations.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUEB.
and while there will doubtless be more concerts
Efforts Being Made to Induce Colleges and
Universities to Allow Music to Count To-
ward Entrance—What Prof. Baldwin Says.
Prof. Ralph L. Baldwin, supervisor of some of
the Hartford schools, is a very prominent worker
in the campaign inaugurated by the New England
Educational League of Boston for the purpose of
securing a proper and worthy recognition of
music as an educational factor, and to secure a
unification of the course of study in music from
the elementary schools, through the secondary
schools, to the colleges and universities, and to
obtain proper credit for the work attained in the
various phases.
It is Professor Baldwin's opinion that for years
educators have regarded music as an accom-
plishment and of little value as an educational
factor, but that views are changing as improved
methods and results of teaching are being se-
cured. The misconception of the educational
value of music is due to the lack of results that
the public education has shown in the past. No
subject in education has been so poorly treated
as music. Educationally considered, music is in
its infancy. Naturally, the college authorities
and educators generally have refused to credit
that brand of music education in elementary
schools which teaches children to sing a few
songs mainly by rote or that kind of instrumen-
tal teaching which enables the pupil to play a
few pieces mainly by ear. For these reasons,
while educators acknowledge that knowledge of
the art of music is a necessary part of a liberal
education, and while they have been free to credit
study of harmony and counterpoint with scholas-
tic standing, music on the applied side, that is,
singing and instrumental playing, has not been
countenanced.
"What phase of the subject is bringing about
a change of view?"
"The intelligent study of the science as well as
the art of music. The mastery of the language of
music, which shows itself in the ability to sight
translate the language, either in singing or play-
ing, plus the ability to correctly interpret and
render, and with this a knowledge of the litera-
ture of music. The intellectual value of this kind
of study is recognized by those colleges which
have allowed music for entrance, and in each de-
partment it is required that the pupil demonstrate
his mastery of the language."
"You spoke of the adoption of a unified course
of study. What is the need in present condi-
tions?" Mr. Baldwin was asked.
"Music has been taught for years in the eight
or nine grades of elementary schools, but this
work is not generally credited and not considered
for promotion, instruction in advanced courses is
entirely lacking in the high schools and is not
regarded for entrance to college with a few ex-
ceptions, although almost every college has its
music department. Except for the work in music
in the elementary schools, all study must be
carried on by the pupil outside, and in addition
to his school studies, which works much injustice,
especially during the high school period. Pupils
with special talent desiring to specialize are
obliged to give up high school work, and thus the
art loses the value of the general education. On
the other hand, pupils whose parents desire for
them the high school training, are obliged to drop
their outside music study, as otherwise they are
unable to maintain the standard required. Now,
this would all be remedied if music was taught
in the high schools and the work credited toward
graduation."
"Can music study be carried on which is of
high school standing?"
Mr. Baldwin gave the pertinent answer that it
can be if the elementary instruction is worth any-
thing. And he made the further comment that
nothing should be taught in the high school that
is not worthy of credit, otherwise time is wasted,
and also that all work should receive due credit.
"What work is the Educational League doing
to remedy these conditions?"
Mr. Baldwin said that in 1904 a conference
under the auspices of the league, with co-opera-