Scan 11
Musical Courier 1891-12-02: Vol 23 Iss 615, 1891
75 lines. Read by computer on 19 September 2026. Printed page 648. See the scan on archive.org.
111, 1867. The Auditorium was opened by Patti with this opera. It is the sole survivor of twelve settings to music—Benda, 1772; Schwanberg, 1782; Marescalchi, 1789; Rumling, 1790; Delayrac, 1792; Steibelt, 1793; Zingarelli, 1796; Guiglielmi, 1816; Voccai, 1826; Bellini, 1830; Marchetti, 1865; Gounod, 1867. It is interesting, as it gives the leading soprano and tenor great opportunities, but it is excruciatingly long (five long acts). The opening was sadly marred by false entries of the strings in the fugato and abominable cacophony of the chorus in the prologue, which had much better have been omitted, as it was most evident to the casual observer that it was insufficiently rehearsed. It falls behind "Faust" in every way as a dramatic success, as the play is sadly mutilated to suit the composer's ends.
3Eames recovered herself to a certain degree from the "Lohengrin" failure. She is an ideal "Juliet" in personal stage presence, and she evinced fire and fervor in her acting in the trying and lengthy love scenes with Jean de Reszké; but even in the well-known and well-nigh hackneyed waltz song in the first act she did not infuse her voice with brilliancy, as her intonation was not true and the execution seemed to overtax her technic. She scored, however, a great success with the audience, as did Jean de Reszké ("Romeo") by his really fine dramatic impersonation, and we cannot but speak in the highest terms of eulogy of his impassioned use of his voice, which was clear and true as a bell even in the highest register. Edouard, the basso, created a furore by his sublime work in the wedding scene.
5Martapoura has a noble voice and gave the "Queen Mab" ballad with telling dash. Capoul also pleased the audience as "Tybalt."
7Vinche as "Capulet" had a severe attack of the "shakes," an illness marring an otherwise capable organ. The house was small but very enthusiastic. It was, in short, the most satisfactory night of opera so far.
9"Dinorah," a most uninteresting and antiquated attempt by Meyerbeer, was a complete fiasco on Wednesday; even Van Zandt, being in bad form, failed to make an impression in the "Shadow Dance" scene. Ravogli, who is fast winning her way to the front as a deservedly prime favorite, won the most applause and the warmest encore she has yet had. We are to be afflicted with that inanity, "Sonnambula," on Saturday, and next week the startling repertory of "Otello," "Rigoletto," "Martha" and "Norma" (Lehmann debut) is offered. I can safely predict that the houses will not be great, for Chicago has spoken. She does not want "Sonnambula," "Dinorah" or works of that ilk.
11Where are "Fidelio," "Don Juan," "The Meistersinger?"
13The news comes that the original score of "The Huguenots," with Meyerbeer's interlineations and autograph instructions, has just been discovered in the library of the National Lyric Theatre.
15In reading Mendelssohn's letters I have just come across that master's dictum on "Robert the Devil." "Cold and heartless," says he; "a poor devil and little effect." I must confess that Meyerbeer has ever seemed artificial and stagey to me, although Heine tells us that the man's devotion to his art was so thorough and genuine that "were the angel who blows the last trump to blow out of tune Giacomo would quite possibly out of sheer disgust remain in statu quo and decline to take any part in the general resurrection!"
17I have just read Heine's letter from Paris, in which, March 1, 1836, he describes the brilliant first night of "The Huguenots" of the night before. I can only refer the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER to those scintillating ten letters of Heine to Lewald on Paris art matters. No. 9, on Rossini and Meyerbeer, is one of the most perfect delineations of two divergent characters ever penned.
19At this juncture I would like to mention that most interesting work, "Les Chansons Populaires de Canada," by M. Ernest Gagnon (Robert Morgan, Quebec, 1880; second edition), and the interesting articles on Lower Canadian folk song by Dr. Larne in the "Foyer Canadien" of 1863. It is scarcely widely known that scores of the most touching melodies of old France have found their ark of safety in that wonderfully interesting old province of Quebec ("New France"). We have as national melodies our richest store in the Spanish and Creole music, the dances of Mexico and the voyageurs' chansons, and every American musician should become familiar with the 100 specimens given in the above remarkable work, that has called the attention of many savants to the song treasures of "Fair Canada" (vide the "Éphémérides" feuilletons of the Montreal "Gazette," by Wm. McLennan, 1886).
21I've tried to waken with a loving care
22Some echo of the joyance of these lays,
23Which sound as sweetly on Canadian air
24Asneath the skies of France in olden days.
26How often has each song been lightly sung
27By lips that now are silent for all time!
28How often has each tender cadence flung
29O'er distant seas the magic of its chime!
31Oblivion's self was softened by their grace,
32And stored them safe within a people's heart,
33To share the fortunes of a songful race
34And charm us with the artlessness of art.
36Each chanson is commented upon; e.g., "Malbrouck s'en va-t-en guerre, Mais quand reviendra-t-il?" the refrain of which, "Mironton, Mirontaine," survives, wedded to the after dinner sentiment of "He's a jolly good fellow," was of the time of Le Grand Monarque, with the great English general swearing and fighting like a trooper in Flanders, and the people lifting his funeral elegy in Paris to this banal ditty. Father Prout in his "Reliques" says Mrs. de Sévigné wrote it as a cradle song for the dauphin. Dumersan, Segur and John Oxenford, in his "French Songs," think that the soldiers of Villars and Boufflers brought it home after Malplaquet.
38It was a great favorite with the great Napoleon, and he hummed it by preference when mounting for battle. Count de Las Cases in his "Memorial de Sainte Hélène" tells of how the exiled scourge of Europe laughingly said to him when speaking of this song, only a few weeks before his death: "What a thing ridicule is; it bedims everything—even victory!" The famous "Lullibullero" of Sir James Wharton and even our innocuous "Yankee Doodle" partake strongly of the prevailing element of gasconnade. In Canada the peasantry have a comico-religioso refrain to it of "Cum Spiritum sanctum tuum." Like much of folk song mayhap it was never made, but simply grew! Writing of Paris got me onto this subject, and I do not think the space wasted for that field is quite an interesting and not overrun one.
40What with Jacobsohn, the Marum and the Bendix string quartets we are not in a bad way for chamber music. I am in receipt of invitations to a recital by Emil Liebling and Harrison Wild, in which on November 20 they play a novelty (?), concertante duet, E. Prout, for piano and organ and some duets by that peculiar genius, Widor. Unfortunately they have chosen the night of "The Huguenots," so that I shall be deprived of the pleasure of attending. I notice that on the program the space is utilized for advertisements of Mr. Liebling's edition of Heller's "Studies," W. S. B. Matthews' new magazine "Music" and the Kimball portable pipe organ. There is nothing like being practical. I am in receipt of a book program of a Miss Neally Stevens recital from Fort Smith Conservatory, Arkansas. It contains the peculiar and startling novelty of a cut of Miss Neally's hand and arm, labeled—Facsimile of Miss Stevens' Hand, with the accompanying guarantee "The hand of an artist"—Adelina Patti. It is quite a good looking hand and arm, and as advertisements go nowadays not a bad idea of an advertisement. I believe I will have my nose engraved (I don't mean to subject it to any process of tattooing) for some of my new advertisements. I tell you it doesn't do for a fellow to get left.
42I notice that Mrs. G. W. Schulte, the daughter of Botefuhr, the energetic director of the Fort Smith Conservatory, sings with the Stevens. I am just in receipt of a program of Jacobsohn's String Quartet, Tuesday, November 24. They play a novelty, the D minor quartet of Cherubini. As I shall be absent part of next week giving recitals at Grand Prairie Seminary, Onarga (which institution has had a conservatory for nearly twenty-five years!) I shall be unable to attend.
44A Beethoven concert (anniversary) will be given by the Ziegfeld Chicago College of Music December 17. I am in receipt of a very interesting and beautiful program in Old German illuminated type of the season's dates of the Chicago Musical College. Thirty-six dates in all. We certainly get ample musical pabulum from our colleges. The number of recitals is becoming an onus to the critic. He cannot attend but a tenth part of them.
46Last night, Friday, 20th, we had a really good "Huguenots"—the first great house of the season, and the first approach (saving "Lohengrin") to grand opera that we have had. Albani had great trouble with her high C. It was flat at first, and she had to screw up all of her high notes. The fervor of her acting was fine, as of yore. She has years on her head, and can be pardoned much on account of her past noble record. Scalchi was glorious as the page "Urbano." A singer said to me, "When Sofia sings, it is ever to me as though she were breathing into my face." Her voice, although not quite as rich as of yore (and can it be wondered at, for she has worn some of the nap off by wear and tear), belongs to the same rollicking, jolly woman as of old, captivating all. Mrs. Bettignani has a most brilliant coloratura, and did mechanically well as "Margherita."
48Jean de Reszké was better than ever as "Raoul." His high, clear chest tones positively reminded me of those three marvelous tip toppers (A B C above the staff) of Wachtel when in his prime. Vinche, Coletti and Bauermeister eminently unsatisfactory. The rôle of "Marcel" was made a sheer burlesque by Vinche, and he spoiled the duet ("Night") with "Valentina" by his atrocious tremolo. With the exception of Vianesi's bad breaks the orchestra was good.
50The ballet was even to be stomached. If Abbey & Grau can give as good opera as this, why did they not do it prior to this? One can expect a great deal for $3. The man of the Chicago "Press" berates operatic artists and says that "they do not do one-fifth of the work an actor does." He evidently knows nothing about the wear and tear of vocal organs. If they are good they are valuable and must not be worked every night. He is an "objector" and kicker. In the matter of poorly prepared playbills and wretched librettos, however, I agree with him, for more wretched samples than those given us in this opera season I never have seen. "Faust," on Thanksgiving, is an extra announcement.
52I have got at the main fault in Emma Eames—lack of sympathy! That airy inward spirit (of Aristotle) necessary in addition to breath to put heart as well as dunamis into the vocal utterance. She does everything intelligently, as she was told to do it by her teacher.
54W. Waugh Lauder.
56Paris Letter.
57Paris, November 20, 1891.
59THE "Centenaire de Meyerbeer," which was postponed from September until this month, and the program of which I sent last week, was celebrated the 14th inst. at the Opéra. There were great possibilities for this celebration in Paris, which was the last city on the Continent to do the composer homage, although he made it his home here for many years; but instead of an artistic performance the retiring directors, Messrs. Ritt and Gailhard, seized the opportunity to make a money speculation of it; the ideas prevailing last week in regard to the house being by invitation proved to be to the contrary, and the "Figaro" states that the directors sold seats in quantities to Cook's tourists through the Paris agency, and interpreted a program to amuse them. So it was an act was given from each: "Les Huguenots," "Robert," "Le Prophète" and "L'Africaine" and a ceremony. True, these are the four great operas of Meyerbeer, but the artists cast for the various rôles were not the first members of the regular company, and excepting Mrs. Deschamps, of the Opéra Comique, who made her début at this performance and is an excellent artist, there was nothing else of note.
61Voilà! The "Académie National de Musique," which has given 2,500 representations of the four operas named on the program (altogether), and from them and the other works produced by Meyerbeer gained 30,000,000 frs. and honor the composer with a celebration the most mediocre is a disgrace to the city, but a fault that lies only in the hands of the directors of the Opéra. The entire press of the city has taken up the subject, and the "Figaro" proposes to Mr. Carvalho, the director of the Opéra Comique, to give a model performance, which would be possible, as Mr. Carvalho is an artist and thoroughly understands such a fête. There are artists here who have created various rôles in Meyerbeer's works, and had they appeared it would have given an interest to the occasion. Also there are works that have not been performed in a long time, and a revival of portions of the now almost unknown operas would have proved a novelty.
63Dr. Jadassohn, of Leipsic, has been honoring artists in Paris recently in dedicating his latest compositions, "Funf Klavierstücke" for the piano, to Mr. Honorio Alarcon, a talented pupil of Mr. Dubois, and formerly in Leipsic; also his first concerto for the piano in C minor to Mr. Isidor Philipp, the piano virtuoso, who will probably produce it within a short time. Mr. Philipp will play Widor's fantasia in A flat, for piano and orchestra, at the conservatoire the coming month, the season to be opened December 6, of these concerts.
65"Manon" has now passed its 100th performance and seventeenth season, continuing with unabated success. In regard to Miss Sanderson studying with Mrs. Marchesi, the latter lady told me a few days since that, although the opinion prevailed in America that Miss Sanderson had studied with her, it is not so, as she has never been her pupil.
67Mr. F. de la Tombelle has during the summer months, while at his chateau, written and completed his fifth number in his second series of organ works published by Ri- chault, which are now in the press. This volume will contain three attractive numbers—"La Nativité," "Vendredi Saint" and "Epithalame." The composer has played each of them for me, and besides I have seen the proofs. The first two, which are dedicated to Mr. Dudley Buck, are descriptive and very cleverly written, while the latter (dedicated to Mr. Burnap, of Brooklyn,) is a charming bit of writing, and will prove very popular in our concerts.
69William C. Carl.
71The New Band of the Old Guard.
72WEDNESDAY last being the 108th anniversary of the evacuation of New York by the British army, the celebration was more than usually observed by the various military organizations in this city. The most prominent part of the proceedings was the grand parade of the Old Guard, under its commander, Maj. G. W. McLean, headed by its new band, under its leader, Mr. Harry Hall. The uniform of the members is an exact pattern of the dress worn by the British Coldstream Guards; the cap is the same as worn by the officers of that famous regiment on fatigue duty.
74The program was well selected and reflects great credit on the part of Bandmaster Hall, whose skill as a leader and composer cannot be questioned. From the replies of the officers and gentlemen composing this old military national guard they are more than satisfied with their band and Bandmaster Hall. There is, no doubt, a bright future in store for Hall's Band.
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