Scan 9
Musical Courier 1891-02-18: Vol 22 Iss 574, 1891
122 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 154. See the scan on archive.org.
1Opera in German.
3MINNIE HAUK made her reappearance in "L'Africaine" on Tuesday evening of last week and perhaps the fact was significant from both a musical and an ecclesiastical view point. Vocally Mrs. Wartegg was an Ash Wednesday, although the house bills informed us that she assumed the role of "Selika."
5The house was not large, which only proves that the public are a much abused class. They, the musical proletariat, knew that Walter Damrosch conducted, so they absented themselves. They were wise. It was very bad. Reichmann's impassioned singing and acting carried the performance through, otherwise—but then we are prejudiced we have been told; so silence is discretion.
7Whether it was a coincidence or the chronological routine of things at the Metropolitan Opera House which made the first performance this season of Wagner's "Die Göterdämmerung" fall upon Friday, February 13, we do not know, but certainly no more befitting commemoration of the eighth anniversary of the day of his death could have been thought of than the production of this most dramatic and sad music drama, the climax and culminating point of the "Nibelungenring." As the grand, sonorous and noble strains of that inexpressibly sad and impressive funeral march thundered through the vast auditorium the writer's eyes moistened in spite of him, as he thought of the creator of all this beauty, of his sorrows, his fights for a living, and the tardy but finally overwhelming recognition which his genius forced from an ungrateful world. He looked also through the long rows of boxes to find one sympathetic soul which would be touched by the same idea: "This is Wagner's death day and they are playing 'Siegfried's' funeral march." He searched in vain. The boxes contained people with money, but not people with music in their soul. They contained the people who do not want to listen to what is highest, noblest and most elevating in art, for they do not understand it and it consequently bores them. They want to hear the Italian gewgaws of yore, and they are going to have them next season, for they can afford to pay for what they want to have and—the rest is silence.
9The performance of "Die Göterdämmerung" was a notable one. First of all, Seidl and the orchestra really surpassed themselves, and a more beautiful reading of the score, therefore, has never before being heard in New York. Then Gudehus, who is growing in artistic breadth and power of interpretation, and who with every performance is gaining in public favor, was the finest and most satisfactory "Siegfried" we ever saw on any stage, not excluding Niemann. Mielke, although she sang the part of "Brünhilde" in "Die Göterdämmerung" in public for the first time in her life on this occasion, was vocally and dramatically on the highest plane of her artistic abilities, and more praise than that can and need not be bestowed on her.
11The rest of the cast was as follows:
13"Günther"………………………………………Juan Luria
14"Hagen"…………………………………………..Emil Fischer
15"Gutrune"………………………………………Marie Jahn
16"Woglinde"…………………………………….Selma Koert
17"Welgunde"…………………………………….Jennie Broch
18"Flosshilde"……………………………………Charlotte Huhn
20At the Saturday matinee "L'Africaine" was repeated, and on Monday night of this week "Die Göterdämmerung."
22To-night another "Lohengrin" repetition, while on Friday night "Carmen" will be given for the first time this season, with Minnie Hauk in her favorite part. Saturday afternoon will see another repetition of "Die Göterdämmerung."
24Petition.
25To the Honorable Legislature of the State of New York, in Senate and Assembly convened:
27The undersigned respectfully present for your consideration the following petition:
29Whereas, The study of vocal music in the public schools of the State of New York would greatly promote the physical well being and general culture of our youth, would "carry added happiness the homes of the State," and "could be used to promote patriotic sentiments among the people;" and
31Whereas, "The cost would be small" and "the time involved pleasantly employed," "placing no additional burden upon the work of the schools" (vide report of the Hon. A. S. Draper, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, transmitted to the Legislature January 6, 1891); and
33Whereas, In other countries in which this matter receives more careful attention than here the results show the wisdom of giving general instruction in this branch; and
35Whereas, In the opinion of the Honorable State Superintendent of Public Instruction, as stated in his report, it is no longer necessary to continue the special effort of the department for the past three years in behalf of free hand and industrial drawing; while a special effort toward the more general instruction in music now seems to the same eminent authority to be the one which promises the largest results; and
37Whereas, The Honorable Superintendent of Public Instruction, in his report transmitted to the Legislature January 6, 1891, has submitted to the Legislature for its consideration the matter of a statute to aid the department in making a vigorous and general effort to introduce vocal music into the public schools throughout the State; and
39Whereas, A large proportion of the members of the Legislature have recently signified in writing to the county vice-presidents of the New York State Music Teachers' Association their cordial approval of the enactment of the following bill presented to them for their examination (the said bill having been drafted with the express sanction of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction), to wit:
41VOCAL MUSIC TO BE TAUGHT IN NORMAL SCHOOLS.
43SECTION I. In each of the State normal schools the course of study shall embrace instruction in vocal music.
45IN SCHOOLS IN CITIES.
47SEC. II. The board of education in each city in this State shall cause free instruction to be given in vocal music in the schools under their charge.
49IN UNION FREE SCHOOLS—STATE SUPERINTENDENT MAY EXCUSE THEREFROM.
51SEC. III. The board of education of each union free school district incorporated by special act of the Legislature shall cause free instruction to be given in vocal music in the schools under their charge, unless excused by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
53IN TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.
55SEC. IV. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall provide instruction in vocal music in all teachers' institutes held throughout the State.
57SEC. V. This act shall take effect immediately.
59Therefore, we whose names and signatures are hereunto appended respectfully ask your honorable body at this present session to enact the bill aforesaid, or such a modification of it as in your judgment may seem wise.
61The committee of the New York State Music Teachers' Association in behalf of vocal instruction in the public schools of New York State:
63ALBERT ROSS PARSONS, chairman, New York city (past president of the M. T. N. A., the American Society for the Promotion of Musical Art).
65E. M. BOWMAN, New York city (president of the American College of Musicians, past president M. T. N. A., the American Society for the Promotion of Musical Art).
67WILLIAM B. WAIT, New York city (superintendent New York Institute for the Blind).
69CHARLES W. LANDON, Claverack, N. Y. (past president New York State Music Teachers' Association).
71GEORGE F. GREENE, Troy, N. Y.
73LOUIS LOMBARD, Utica, N. Y.
75(Signed by)
76WILLIAM STEINWAY,
77G. SCHIRMER,
78CARL SCHURZ,
79GUSTAV H. SCHWAB,
80CHARLES I. SMITH
81(president New York Chamber of Commerce),
82CHAUNCEY M. DEPEW.
84A Musical El Dorado.
86(Translated for THE MUSICAL COURIER.)
88WHILE America bears away the palm in the world's industrial competition, the Old World without doubt retains the first place for the culture of art and science, and much in this respect is due to the artistic taste of the princely houses of Germany.
90It will be well remembered by all what triumphs of the plastic and pictorial arts were won by the courts of Bavaria, Saxony and Wurtemberg, and every German may be proud of Weimar, its Athens on the Ilm, and its great poets Schiller and Goethe, while everyone remembers the reputation which the "Meininger" have for their matchless dramatic productions.
92Since the commencement of this century music has found a home at the court of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, an ancient noble family, whose castle "the Schwarzburg," known as the "Pearl of Thuringia," is visited yearly by thousands of tourists.
94One German emperor of olden days came from this noble race of the Schwarzburger. The present residence of the prince is Sondershausen, a charming little town of 7,000 inhabitants, situated in a lovely dell between the Thuringian forests and the Harz Mountains, not far from the old imperial castle, Kyffhausen. In a few hours' time you can reach by rail the Wartburg, the "Brocken," as well as every large German capital. Sondershausen can also easily be reached in eight hours from the seaports of Hamburg and Bremen, and it takes only twenty-four hours from London by the way of Cologne.
96The noise of the busy world does not find its way to this quiet valley, which is a material advantage for the work in the excellent schools of the town, as well as for domestic comfort. The climate is exceedingly healthy, in summer as well as winter, and living very reasonable. From the beautiful wooded heights in the neighborhood, on which stand the "Possenthurn" and the "Frauenberge," you look down on a magnificent park which encircles the town and also on the commanding castle of the prince. Here is the abode of the art loving couple whose likesnesses we present in to-day's number of our paper. one of two readings
97The noise of the busy world does not find its way to this quiet valley, which is a material advantage for the work in the excellent schools of the town, as well as for domestic comfort. The climate is exceedingly healthy, in summer as well as winter, and living very reasonable. From the beautiful wooded heights in the neighborhood, on which stand the "Possenturm" and the "Frauenberge," you look down on a magnificent park which encircles the town and also on the commanding castle of the prince. Here is the abode of the art loving couple whose likesnesses we present in to-day's number of our paper. one of two readings
99The welfare of their country and especially the education of the young people form their constant aim.
101No country in the world in proportion to its inhabitants has so many schools of all grades; for 75,000 inhabitants, 100 public schools, two colleges, two high schools, two seminaries for teachers (male and female), one commercial school, one school for painters and sculptors and one conservatory of music. Foreigners from all parts of the world frequent these high schools; the high school for music has become in the last ten years especially attractive, for Sondershausen is a well tilled, fertile soil for this branch of art.
103The court orchestra has existed since the year 1806, the large orchestra consisting of professional artists of the highest order under the management of the most celebrated directors, such as Hermsdadt, Hermann, Stein, Marpurg, Max Bruch, Max Edmandsdorfer, Prof. Carl Schroder. In addition there is the Royal Theatre, in which opera in every form is produced with the greatest care.
105There hardly exists an opera of merit which was not been produced on the Sondershausen stage shortly after its appearance. Here it was that Weber's "Freischutz" (under the composer's own direction in 1821) was produced for the fourth time, Richard Wagner's "Lohengrin" (1857) the seventh time, and here his "Tannhäuser" (1858) received one of its earliest representations and immediately met with unbounded success.
107One of the most remarkable institutions is the so-called "Loh concerts," which have existed for eighty years and the performances take place every Saturday during the summer months. Situated in the most charming portion of the park on the "Loh," the orchestra gives the public (free of charge) one of the rarest treats in music. The most eminent composers consider it an honor to hear the first productions of their new compositions in these "Loh concerts." Numberless times you could find Franz Liszt there, listening to his own orchestral works. Naturally Sondershausen is also the place for chamber music, its permanent string quartet being celebrated all over Europe. Representations of oratorios, in connection with the court orchestra and the Cecilian Society of the city, are also given from time to time and are attended by willing listeners from near and far.
109By the engagement of Carl Schroder as director for the orchestra in 1881 a new period was opened in the musical life of Sondershausen. Having attained in his early youth a far famed name in all large cities of Europe, he was for seven years teacher at the Conservatory of Leipsic of the violoncello, ensemble and piano with the greatest success. His eminent capability as director is shown by the skill with which he can control with the greatest facility, the largest orchestras and choruses, while he is so thoroughly acquainted with old as well as new compositions that he is able to direct every representation "ex capit." Sondershausen owes to this master the foundation of the conservatory of music of which he took the management after his recall to the function of court director in this place after he had served four years as director of the German opera in Rotterdam; as director of the royal opera in Berlin, and lastly as first leader at the opera with Pollini in Hamburg.
111As director of Wagner's works, Schroder, who had been honored by the prince with the title of professor in recognition of his good qualities, won his greatest laurels. As early as 1885 the Sondershausen stage had presented under his direction an unsurpassed representation of Richard Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde" and "Walkure." He exhibited his complete mastery of music in his direction of the "Deutsche Tonkünstler Versammlung," at Sondershausen, June 3 to 6, 1886, and which met with great success.
113The disciples of art who appear here from far and near are numerous, all desirous of preparing themselves at this conservatory for a musical career. Every branch and every instrument is represented by the best of teachers, whose own knowledge of the subject is their best recommendation. Added to this is the fact that to all scholars, male and female, is offered the opportunity at all times for an appearance in public in an orchestra or on the stage, while frequent occasions occur when an engagement can be procured for them.
115All those who think practically will be able to appreciate the advantages that Sondershausen offers for the musical art.
117MERTEN.
119CATHOLIC CHURCH MUSIC.—A congress is to be held this year at Milan, under the protectorate of the Pope, for the purpose of considering the present state of music in connection with the Catholic Church.
121GERMAN VOLKSLIEDER.—Professor Magnus Boehme, of Dresden, has been commissioned by the German Government to continue the editing of the highly interesting collection of old German Volkslieder, issued by the late Ludwig Erk, under the title of "Deutscher Liedertort." Messrs. Breitkopf & Härtel will be the publishers.
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