Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
o
rangement of his programme historically, and
the first concert was devoted to composers of the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries presented
in chronological order. These were Bach, Handel,
Couperin, Rameau, Scarlatti, Paradies, Haydn
It is a question whether the opera is responsi- and Mozart. It is not necessary here to speak
ble for very much in the way of raising of the exquisite art of the pianist, because it is
the musical standard among the masses, since a fact well known LO all who have heard him
its unparalleled success brings it more and more upon this and upon former occasions, and he
into the exclusive social circle with every sea- would not lend himself to altering the spirit of
son. One thing, however, which the opera has the compositions for the sake of bringing them
done for the people is to make popular the Sun- into modern requirements. To demonstrate the
day evening concerts and to raise the offerings development from the seventeenth century to the
far above the older acceptation of the "popular present time, Pugno devoted the second recital
concert." The popular concert of to-day is a to Beethoven, Schumann and Schubert, which,
very powerful factor in musical life, especially while offering great contrasts to the first pro-
of the people as contra-distinct from society. To gramme, was historically the correct sequence,
take as example the very remarkable concert no less masterful in its message or less fascinat-
given by Walter Damrosch and the New York ing. One lesson taught beyond the shadow of a
Symphony Orchestra at the Hippodrome recent- doubt, was the difference between the sort of in-
ly, we may readily see that artistically there is strument for which those composers wrote and
no difference between that programme and the that which is the inspiration as well as the me-
best offerings at Carnegie Hall. The first part dium of expression for the composer of a more
presented Thomas, Saint-Saens, Meyerbeer, modern time. This being the case, it is easier to
Liszt; the second part was devoted to Wagner, explain the orchestral tendencies of the extreme-
and the third to Tschaikowsky, Massenet and ly modern piano compositions, but there is such a
Verdi, and with the one notable exception of Von thing, and many of the modern composers have
Blon every name has become a classic. In the been guilty of it, as getting outside of the prov-
presentation of the programme this was not a ince of the piano without getting outside of its
glaring insertion, because Von Blon was the com- limitations. The extremely modern programme
poser of a clarionet solo with which M. Leroy, will be offered by Pugno on Tuesday, when this
the new clarinetist, was introduced as soloist. feature may be noted even by a cursory observer.
Again, the Metropolitan Opera company are
heard in popular Sunday night concerts, and Vic-
To return for a moment to the orchestra and
tor Herbert is playing programmes much lighter
in character to crowded houses weekly. All these, its doings, in so far as Mengelberg was the first,
of course, are outside of the regular series of the conductor to appear with the New York Philhar-
different organizations that give concerts on the monic Society, he is the first whom it is
broadest and on the most elaborate scale given reported will be the permanent conductor
of this organization next season. But Mengel-
anywhere in the world.
berg is a conductor of the rarest qualities, so it
would not be a calamity were this really to ma-
After Humperdinck came out of the Metropoli- terialize. The same people have already named
tan Opera House on Wednesday night, when Vincent D'Indy as conductor of the Boston Sym-
'"The Queen of Sheba" was given its first per- phony Orchestra next year, which would be in-
formance in many years, he said that never with- teresting, since it were better to find out be-
in his remembrance had he seen such an elab- fore hand what will be the result of the Franco-
orate presentation of opera. He was fairly daz- Teutonic alliance as between D'Indy and the
zled by the brilliancy of everything, and stated Boston Symphony Orchestra.
decidedly that he believed opera in New York to
EMIIJK FRANCES BAUER.
be more imposing and more elaborate than in
any country which he had visited. So much for
NEW DITSON PUBLICATIONS.
the magnificence of the opera of this city. Now
what about its influence upon musical life?
Some of the publications of the Oliver Ditson
TIMELY TALKS ON TIMELY TOPICS.
Brilliancy is the word with which hest to de-
scribe the season as it finds itself at present.
From the opening of the first orchestral concert
to the expressible- splendor of the opera each
and every event has seemed to scintillate with
that subtle quality which is lent as much from
the audience as from the stage, and the music
offered shows very markedly the upward ten-
dencies of all classes. To begin at the bottom of
the ladder and go up the scale—the society be-
hind the People's Symphony concerts must feel
the keenest gratification in the results shown at
the very outset of 19U5-0G. Everything goes to
show what tremendous forces have been at work,
and that comprises not only the musical taste
which has developed, but the noticeable refine-
ment which one feels even unconsciously upon en-
lering the different halls where these concerts are
given. It was a tremendous stride in advance to
give them in the manner in which the People's
Symphony concerts are given to-day, the schema
being to give the same programme three times.
The first concert is served to the lower end of
town, where the enterprise had its birth; from
here the orchestra is taken to the Grand Central
Palace, and a totally different audience is ap-
pealed to, after which a third concert in Car-
negie Hall calls out still another clientele, thus
placing within the possibility of every student
and every music lover opportunity to hear the
very best music, and to say that it is adequately
presented is not doing justice either to Mr. F. X.
Arens, the conductor and originator of the plan.,,
or to the very excellent orchestra whose hea':s
are more truly in the work than under ordinary
circumstances.
This organization alone is
enough to mold the musical atmosphere of tho
city, because it is within the reach of all, because
the creating of a musical or of an art atmos-
phere rests with the masses and not with the
classes, because this is no longer an entertain-
ment offered in the hope of attracting people to
the concert hall instead of allowing the dives and
the dance halls the only amusements available
within easy range. The People's Symphony con-
certs have become a part of the great educa-
tional force at work in New York at present. It
supplements admirably the lecture courses given
by the Board of Education, and it is intended
for wage-earners and students of music who can-
not afford the expenditure of large amounts in
Quest of music, eve"n though they do need its in-
fluence as- much as they need personal instruc-
tion, and, above all this, it is beyond estimated
value to the teacher of the smaller caliber who
has his little coterie to whom he gives the best
he has, and that is not very much, because from
this source he can draw that which he did not
get earlier in life, and which will bring into his
own work higher aspirations and nobler aims.
It would be agreeable to think that this tre-
mendous body has its bearing upon the student
life of New York, but such is not the case; in
fact, it would seem as though, with every sea-
son, the elegance and the patronage accorded
opera by society and wealth of the city keeps it
further than ever from the reach of the student.
It is a fact that there are few seats in the house
not sold out by subscription, including the cheap-
er ones at the very top, where formerly students
and music lovers whose purses did not match
their musical tastes could enjoy the masterpieces
The lectures given under the auspices of the of opera. To-day, however, it is only on rare oc-
Board of Education offer much food for thought casions that any of the cheap seats are on the
among those interested in music, its promulga- market, It is vain to struggle with a solving of
tion and its influence. The work done by Dr. this problem of grand opera for any one except
Henry G. Hanchett cannot be too strongly in- exclusive society and wealth, because it takes
dorsed, and he is only one of numbers engaged unlimited capital to keep it at. the present stand-
in giving weekly lectures on musical subjects at ard, and under exisiing social conditions to at-
the different schools and halls which the Board tempt to bring it within the reach of all is also
of Education selects. These lectures tend to give to lower it from the highest artistic plane. The
clear and comprehensive insights to musical sub- stand may be taken, and not without reason, that
jects, and in the case of some few they are il- in a subtle manner the 1 opera has had a strong
lustrated. That they create a widespread inter- influence on the raising : of the general standard
rst will not be doubted, and they, too, cater to of all music. At the same time it would be
ihat class of people really in earnest and anxious easy to meet this argument, with the counter
for information, especially upon such subjects as statement that it is the rapid growth and expan-
are beyond their reach, either through lack of sion of the musical life itself which forces the
time or money. To refer again to the People's operatic ideals and aims higher in the artistic
Symphony concerts, it may easily be seen how scale.
closely related are the two enterprises. Perhaps
it is due to this example that we find so many of
What a commentary upon the spread and
the private schools devoting time and attention growth of musical appreciation in New York was
to talks upon musical subjects; in fact, there the large audience that remained to the very end
are few institutions that do not feature music, of the programme offered by Raoul Pugno at his
if not actively at least by means of the lecture first piano recital in Mendelssohn Hall. Pugno
or informal talk.
offers a novelty in the piano recital by the ar-
Co., which are being placed on concert pro-
grammes, are as follows:
Clarence Eddy is using an organ arrangement
of John C. Alden's "Sandman," Gwilym Miles is
using E. R. Kroeger's "Bend Low, 0 Dusky
Night," Miss Bessie Wheaton uses J. C. Bartlett's
"i Love You, Sweet," and Louis Black has Gas-
ton Borch's "I'm a Bird That's Free," "When?"
"Morning Song," "Gone," "If We Must Part" and
"April."
A. Musgrove Roberts, the baritone, of New
York, will tour the Australasian colonies. He has
added to his repertoire the following songs, pub-
lished by Oliver Ditson Co.; "Meeting," by Arthur
Farwell; "The Willows," by Mary Turner Salter;
"Down in the Broom," by A. M. Fox; "I Drink the
Fragrance of the Rose," by H. Clough-Leighter;
"Thou Art Mine," by W. J. Baltzell.
YOUNG FRENCH COMPOSERS ARE LUCKY.
The young French composers are luckier than
the American, says the musical critic of the
Evening Post, because the conductors over there
give them a chance to come before the public.
Colonne's programme for this season, for in-
stance, includes new works by Messrs. Claude De-
bussy, Max d'Ollone and Henri Rabaud, three of
the best known young French composers. Selec-
rions from Berlioz's "Les Troyens," which has
unaccountably never been revived at the present
Opera Comique, a Beethoven cycle, and the 148th
rendering of that old but evergreen favorite, Ber-
lioz's "Damnation de Faust," are likewise prom-
ised. Dr. Richard Strauss has arranged to con-
duct the performance by the Colonne Orchestra
"of his Domestic Symphony," which has not yet.
been heard in France.