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Musical Courier 1892-05-04: Vol 24 Iss 637, 1892
61 lines. Read by computer on 19 September 2026. Printed page 5. See the scan on archive.org.
1The Musical Courier.
2PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
3—BY THE—
4MUSICAL COURIER COMPANY,
5(INCORPORATED)
619 Union Square W., New York.
7ESTABLISHED JANUARY, 1880.
8No. 637.
9EDITORS:
10MARC A. BLUMENBERG. OTTO FLOERSHEIM.
11JAMES G. HUNEKER. HARRY O. BROWN.
12BUSINESS DEPARTMENT:
13SPENCER T. DRIGGS. R. S. MAXWELL.
14A. T. KING. FRANK M. STEVENS.
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24Three Months………….$20.00 Nine Months………….$60.00
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26Advertisements for the current week must be handed in by 5 p. m. on Monday.
27All remittances for subscriptions or advertising must be made by check draft, or money orders, payable to the MUSICAL COURIER COMPANY.
28American News Company, New York, General Distributing Agents.
29NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1892.
30ANSWER to Oriental correspondent: As far as is known Moses I. was not musical, the only game he ever played was Pharaoh!
31SOMEBODY suggests that Bülow's famous trio of S. B's is not Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, but Bülow, Barnum and Buffalo Bill.
32JOHN RIETZEL, the composer violinist, is a violent Wagnerite; he also admires the compositions of Mr. Wagner of Third avenue, near Eighty-second street. But that is another story and not a dry one either.
33OST, strayed or stolen a piano virtuoso of rare genius, named Rafael Joseffy. Any information of his whereabouts will be gratefully received at this that office. The concert stage yearns for him, the public has listened to Paderewski, Rummel, d'Albert and Pachmann sighs for him—for the incomparable Rafael—but who sulks in his tent and refuses to give us a sign. In Vishnu land what musical Avatar art thou, subtle master of the keyboard.
34THIS was the explanatory note appended to the program of "The Messiah" performance of last Saturday night, which was the concluding night of the Händel festival:
35At this performance the experiment will be tried of restoring as far as possible the original Händelian instrumentation. The Mozart wood wind parts and horns have been eliminated, and the original trumpet and drum parts restored. The strings will be reinforced according to the custom of the period by a choir of oboes and bassoons, the organ filling out the harmonies wherever necessary. The few places where Mozart has carried on the harmonies in the violins and violas to the Händelian bass have been retained. While the Mozart wind parts may be missed in a few of the numbers, notably the trumpets in the chorus "For unto us a child is born" and in the air "Why do the nations," in many other numbers the simpler instrumentation, with the curious effect produced by the addition of the oboes to the violin parts, seems more in keeping with the character of Händel's music.
36Interesting as was this experiment from a historical view point, it is sincerely to be hoped that it will be adhered to. Singularly tame, monotonous in coloring, did the original orchestration sound after Mozart and Franz. To the student of operatic music the enormous stride from Händel in "Acis and Galatea" to Wagner in "Tristan and Isolde" was an extremely interesting feature of this Händel festival. A word would not be amiss regarding Mr. Walter Damrosch's energy and skill in conducting the whole affair.
37THE Vienna "Society of the Friends of Music" has announced a competition for the Beethoven prize of 1,000 florins ($400) for the best composition in either opera, oratorio, cantata, symphony, concerto or sonata. Composers of all nations may compete. Works intended for competition should be in the hands of the committee before March 1, 1893, and must be sent in anonymously and with a motto. American composers should not let this chance for gaining one of the most distinguished musical prizes of Europe pass by without at least trying for it.
38OVERS of good chamber music are warmly recommended to procure Robert Kahn's new piano quartet (for piano and strings), published by F. E. C. Leuckart, Leipsic. The work, in the key of B minor, is unpretentious, musically, free from pedantry and, while adhering to classical forms, is very modern in coloring. It is dedicated to Emil Paur. The first and third movements are extremely well written, and the slow movement (in A flat) contains a very expressive theme. Not alone in ideas is this quartet noteworthy, but in the musicianly exposition of the themes and general workmanship.
39THE following curious information about Beethoven's "Kreutzer Sonata" appeared in last Sunday's "Tribune":
40BRUSSELS, April 1.—The recent revelations of Edward Hanslick, of Vienna, regarding the history of Beethoven's famous "Kreutzer Sonata" have been a chief subject of interest to the musicians of this and other European capitals. According to Mr. Hanslick, to the surprise of many people, Beethoven did not write his famous sonata for Rudolph Kreutzer, the French violinist, but for another artist, now totally forgotten. Bridgetower was the name of the violinist who originally enjoyed that honor. His origin is somewhat obscure, but it is said that he was the son of an African chieftain and a European woman, and was born in Poland about the year 1780. He was educated, Hanslick says, in England, and as a boy ten years old excited the admiration of those who heard him play. Under the protection of the Prince of Wales he gave a number of concerts at that time, in connection with Franz Clement, the Viennese violinist, and was one of the lions of the London season. He was called "the young Abyssinian Prince." He went to Vienna in 1803, where he soon became intimate with Beethoven. The great Viennese offered at once to compose a sonata for Bridgetower and to play with him in public. He kept his word, and in the concerts of Bridgetower on May 17 and 24, 1803, in the Augarten, Beethoven played the new sonata, op. 47, from manuscript.
41Strange to say, Hanslick adds, Bridgetower was lost sight of shortly after these concerts and little or nothing is known of his subsequent career. It is believed that he died in London between 1840 and 1850.
42But how did the sonata obtain its name, a name which has become as well the title of one of Tolstoi's most famous novels? Kreutzer, says Hanslick, who with Rode and Baillet, stood at the head of the famous violin school in Paris, went to Vienna in 1798 on a concert tour. There he became acquainted with Beethoven, who was at that time twenty-seven years old. A chain of unusual circumstances made the two men intimate friends. As a famous French musician, Kreutzer was invited often to the house of the new French ambassador, General Bernadotte, afterward King of Sweden. Owing to the expected birth of an heir in the Imperial house the general's presentation at court was delayed for two months. He was an ardent lover of music, and during this time Kreutzer played for him almost nightly. In order to make the time of the ambassador pass more pleasantly Kreutzer took Beethoven with him to the house and together they entertained the future king. During these two months Kreutzer and Beethoven became intimate friends. A few years later, Hanslick continues, the great composer showed his admiration for his companion by dedicating the sonata to him now known as the "Kreutzer Sonata," but written first for Bridgetower. It was published in 1805 by Simrock, of Vienna, under the title, "Sonata per il pianoforte ed un Violin obligato, scritta in un stilo molto concerante quasi come d'un concerto; composta e dedicata al suo amico Rodolfo Kreutzer per L. van Beethoven." Such is the interesting tale of a piece of music.
43ANTON SEIDL ENGAGED FOR THE OPERA.
44BEFORE their departure for Europe on the Tournai last Saturday, Messrs. Abbey & Grau made several engagements in connection with the next opera season at the Metropolitan. The most important of these was the securing of Anton Seidl as conductor for the Wagner and other German operas to be performed. There will be a larger number of works of the German school than last season, and several of the Wagner dramas will be included. The French and Italian operas will be conducted by Vianesi. "Tristan and Isolde" will be produced with Jean de Reszke as "Tristan;" who the "Isolde" will be is problematical. Surely not Eames. Gott bewahre!
45The engagement of Mr. Seidl is more significant than the opponents of German opera care to acknowledge. The prospect of three seasons of Italian and French opera, with "Faust" as the one mainstay, was enough to dismay the stoutest and most trusting hearts of the stockholders of the Metropolitan Opera Company. Lovers of good opera and classic orchestral music may prepare for a surprise next season if the negotiations which are now pending are brought to a satisfactory conclusion. In the interim let us try to keep cool in anticipation of the hot weather and give your voice or your instrument a long needed vacation of rest.
46RUMMEL'S HISTORICAL RECITALS.
47MR. FRANZ RUMMEL has demonstrated beyond peradventure of a doubt the eclecticism of his art, for the programs of his seven historical piano recitals which terminate to-day are a monument to his skill, endurance and fine breadth of style and adaptation to the requirements of most varied schools. In all Mr. Rummel will have played in these recitals about 110 compositions, which, of course, means much, for he does not include in this number movements of sonatas or suites, but simply the program number without any subdivision at all. From Byrd to Brahms the list includes, and without speaking of the memory required for such a gigantic feat, the amazing versatility of Mr. Rummel and his admirable balance, sanity and sincerity of interpretation, all conspire in assigning him a very high place indeed in the ranks of modern virtuosi. As THE MUSICAL COURIER once wrote, Mr. Rummel is not a specialist, but plain Franz Rummel, pianist, which means much.
48OPERA IN ENGLISH.
49THE "Evening Post" of Saturday last thus comments on Mr. Seidl's article in the May "Forum":
50Mr. Anton Seidl contributes to the May "Forum" an article on "The Development of Music in America," in which he points out among other things that the change of policy at the Metropolitan Opera House is not indicative of a change of taste among opera goers, "but simply demonstrates that the half dozen wealthy men and women who have done most to maintain opera in New York have become weary of German opera as an amusement and chosen to establish Italian and French opera in its place. This is not surprising, for German opera can hardly be called a mere amusement." * * * It seems to me that those people who take a sincere interest in the musical welfare of this country need feel no alarm at the present state of affairs. If one studies the evolution of the opera he will, I think, be convinced that the chances of its establishment as a permanent institution are decidedly in favor of the German rather than of the Italian and French opera—perhaps I ought rather to say in favor of opera produced after the German manner."
51Mr. Seidl favors opera in English. "No satisfactory results can be achieved here," he says, "nor can America produce any national music until opera is given in English. I look forward to the time when American composers shall produce great operatic works of a distinctly original character, written in the vernacular; but until that time comes I believe that such foreign works as are performed here should be translated into English. The achievements of such American composers as Prof. J. K. Paine, who has done admirable work; of E. A. MacDowell, whose compositions seem to me superior to those of Brahms [Bravo, Mr. Seidl!], of G. W. Chadwick, Templeton Strong and others augur well for the future productions of American composers."
52Mr. Seidl is not alone in his championing of opera in English. One of the first inquiries Dr. Antonin Dvorak made of Mrs. Jeannette M. Thurber, the president of the National Conservatory of America, was as to the feasibility of a national opera in America. This from the greatest exponent of nationalism in music of to-day is extremely significant. That Dr. Dvorak will write an American opera while in this country is scarcely to be doubted. He is already a fair English scholar.
53IS IT A CONSPIRACY?
54THE Boston "Home Journal" in its latest issue contained these very significant remarks regarding the attitude of certain music critics of Boston toward Mr. Nikisch:
55This is the season when the Symphony Orchestra comes in for more than its share of criticism, and just now it seems to be getting it in large consignments, or, rather, Mr. Nikisch is. It is a peculiarity of Boston criticism, be it musical or dramatic, that it is more severe with the most artistic and greatest.
56Let a company, a star, a singer or a musical organization appear here which is merely mediocre and it will escape with usually complimentary notices. But let a really great artist appear and he will be searched for faults which will be found. Exceptions merely prove the rule.
57With the Symphony Orchestra this is particularly noticeable, perhaps because it is claimed by Boston, and if we cannot find fault with what is ours, with what can we find fault? And everybody exercises that privilege. The earlier part of this week saw the leader of that incomparable organization attacked from three quarters and with such unanimity of thought and time that it certainly looked like a preconcerted movement.
58No one can deny the greatness of the organization, nor would they wish to, I think, but the attack is solely upon its leader. It is true that Boston boasts a large number of virtuosi who certainly ought to be numbered in this great organization and who are not, and this seems to be the basis of the criticisms, whether it appears or not.
59The substance, then, of all these attacks is personal. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, say these sapient critics, is "all right," but Mr. Nikisch is "all wrong," which reminds one of the Scotch verdict, "The prisoner is not guilty, but we advise him not to do it again."
60The evil of the whole affair is the naturally low es-
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