Books › Klers' violin repository of dance music : comprising reels, strathspeys, hornpipes, country dances, quadrilles, waltzes &c., 1885 › scan 115
Scan 115
Klers' violin repository of dance music : comprising reels, strathspeys, hornpipes, country dances, quadrilles, waltzes &c., 1885
22 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1"Britain's Thousand Men" with great éclat. The title is a healthy rebound from the England this, that, and the other thing, which is so offensive to Scottish ears.
3The announcement that M. Gounod has been sentenced to pay Mrs. Weldon £10,000 damages has caused a great sensation in Paris. In the Matin appears an account of a conversation on the subject between M. Gounod and an editor of that journal. After expressing bitter regret that he had wasted so many years in England with Mrs. Weldon, M. Gounod explained that he believed he had found in her an apostle of musical art, and an enthusiastic admirer of his works. As to the judgment just pronounced, M. Gounod called it "simply monstrous." The calumniouss article which was attributed to the inspiration of M. Gounod was, he affirmed, not seen by him until two months after it appeared, when it so irritated and annoyed him that he was on the point of demanding satisfaction in the usual way from its author, M. Albert Wolff. The judgment of the English tribunal could not, he affirmed, be executed in France; and if Mrs. Weldon should attempt to get it ratified by the French courts he should look forward with confidence to the issue. He had not put himself to any trouble in regard to Mrs. Weldon's suit; but the Directors of the Birmingham Musical Festival, where "Mors et Vita" is about to be produced, had simply instructed Mr. Lyttleton to appear, so that judgment might not go by default. M. Gounod declared that he should not now go to Birmingham to conduct the first performance of "Mors et Vita," and would, indeed, never again set foot in England.
5Mr. Carl Rosa speaks our language as perfectly as if he were born a Briton. But when under the influence of strong artistic excitement, he lapses into the most extraordinary pigeon English. So when the popular manager was called before the curtain, after the production of "Manon" on Thursday, to bow to as cordial a burst of cheering as ever rang through Drury Lane, certain wickedly disposed friends and admirers of his in the stalls yelled at him for a "speech." Mr. Carl Rosa then delivered himself somewhat as follows:—
7"Ladies and Gentlemen,—I haf the honor now to inform you that M. Massenet the composer he haf not yet come for England in consequence to-night of illness as was expected. Under these circumstances I shall telegraph you that he haf received this the opera with great success if you will allow me and I think dot is right."
9And then the audience went merrily into renewed cheering. Mr. Carl Rosa is the most deservedly successful of all opera managers; but he really should not prepare his speeches in advance.
11The difficulties under which Italian opera managers nowadays labour can hardly be appreciated by the outsider. Miss Nevada was, for instance, paid at the rate of £200 per night until she consented to accept half that rate for a few performances in the American provinces. Madame Patti has received from Mr. J. H. Mapleson since November last no less than £35,200. Madame Patti was to receive at the rate of £800 per night for two nights a-week, the services of Signor Nicolini being, of course, thrown into the bargain. Signor Nicolini was, however, not obliged to sing in every opera, but only in those which contained a suitable part, and he was to sing with no other prima donna save Madame Patti. Madame Patti was to have at least a week's notice of the dates selected, and her repertory was to be made out by her and determined upon by agreement. "La Traviata" was, moreover, to be exclusively kept for her in New York, and she was to have the right of the first two performances of "Lucia." Article 10 says that for every representation Mr. Mapleson shall pay Madame Patti £800, either directly after the performance or next day at latest, and whether Signor Nicolini take part in the performance or not. Article 11 deserves to be quoted—"Mr. Mapleson shall defray all travelling expenses incurred by Madame Patti, Signor Nicolini, and their suite, supplying a first-class railway car, exclusively intended for Madame Patti's occupancy, with attendants, cook, &c." If Madame Patti were indisposed, Mr. Mapleson was to be entitled to no damages, and if Signor Nicolini were indisposed, Mr. Mapleson bound himself to provide a substitute. Mr. Mapleson had to deposit £4,800 before Oct. 15. Madame Patti's name was to be at the head of all bills, &c.; and, lastly, Madame Patti and Signor Nicolini were to be free from the necessity of attending rehearsals, "Madame Patti being the sole judge of the utility of taking part in a rehearsal."
13The other day Signor Arditi got into hot water from a Chicago audience, because he had forgotten to provide the band parts of "Home, sweet home," which Miss Emma Nevada interpolated after the mad music in "Lucia." Miss Nevada sang the song nevertheless, and can therefore cordially be congratulated for her artistic feeling. On the last night of the season a Chicago audience of ten thousand persons called upon Madame Patti for "Home, sweet home" in the prison scene in "Faust." Madame Patti declined, but sang the melody after the opera. To staid British audiences this sort of thing may seem funny; but to a people who applaud a vocalist who introduces "Nearer, my God, to Thee," in the church scene in "Faust," the incongruity of "Home, sweet home" in the prison scene is not particularly striking.
15Somebody has played off a cruel practical joke at Sir George Grove's expense. It seems that a letter, purporting to come from Sir George Grove, was sent to a certain musician at Malvern, saying that the Royal College of Music had conferred upon him the degree of Mus. Bac. A notification was also sent, to be read in the parish church, and, finally, patterns of a hood were despatched. The notice was duly read in the parish church on Easter day, when the musician appeared in church in all the glory of his new hood. The hoax was complete. Its success seems to show much misapplied inventive genius on the one hand, and hopeless credulity on the other.
17Seeing what the number of military bands in this country is, and to what a pitch of excellence many of them have attained, the tax-payers may fairly congratulate themselves on the small sum they are called on to contribute towards the cost of military music. The entire sum that is to be rated for band expenses this year is £10,600, a sum which will not go far towards defraying the actual cost of the regimental music.
19Sir Julius Benedict, now recovered from his dangerous illness, has resumed his professional engagements, and will give his annual concert about the middle of June.
21The programme of the Birmingham Festival, to be held during the last week of August next, runs thus:—Tuesday morning, "Elijah;" Tuesday evening, Mr. F. H. Cowen's new cantata, Mr. Prout's new symphony, Mendelssohn's violin concerto, played by Señor Sarasate, the Overture to "Tannhäuser," &c. Gounod's "Mors et Vita" will be produced on Wednesday morning; and the programme for the same evening includes Mr. Anderton's cantata and Mr. A. C. Mackenzie's violin concerto. The
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