Scan 16
Musical Courier 1893-01-04: Vol 26 Iss 670, 1893
93 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 17. See the scan on archive.org.
1and 28, February 11 and March 9. Everything will be done to render the balls a success. The orchestra in the great ballroom will consist of 200 performers and will be conducted by Mr. Witman, who conducted the orchestra at the Hippodrome. Mr. Edmond Audran will conduct the waltzes from "Miss Helyett" and "Sainte Freya" at the ball of January 14, and the orchestra in the avant-foyer will be intrusted, as in previous years, to Mr. Edouard Braustel.
3A statement of receipts of the principal theatres during the past week may prove of interest to the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER. The Nouveautés stands at the head of the list, with "Champignol Malgré Lui," and its receipts have not fallen below 5,700 frs. The Comédie Française stands next, except on the days when "Jean Darlot" has been played, and then follow the Folies Bergère and Opéra Comique, with from 4,000 frs. to 6,000 frs. The Gaité has received about 3,000 frs. and the Vaudeville, Variétés, Gymnase, Cluny and Ambigu about 2,000 frs. each. At the Porte St. Martin and Renaissance the receipts have been bad.
5À une autre fois,
6(no line here) one of two readings
8C. M. V.
10Letters From Robert Franz.
11(no line here) one of two readings
13To the Editor of The Sun—Sir:
14(no line here) one of two readings
16It has been most gratifying to every admirer of this great composer to read the appreciative notices that have appeared in the English and American papers respecting him. The German papers I have not seen, but Germany is always tardy in the recognition of the genius of her own sons, and Franz, like Mozart, Schubert, and Schumann, has been and probably will be a sufferer from this cause. Liszt, by his transcription of several of Robert Franz's songs, and by instituting, with the aid of the late Baron Senft von Pilisch and others, a series of concerts to raise a fund of 40,000 thalers, in order to make Franz independent, was the first to call the closer attention of the public to this lyric composer. Through the instrumentality of the late Otto Dresel his compositions, as well as his arrangements of Bach and Händel's arias, were largely introduced into America. In the year 1873 a concert was given in Boston, U. S. A., to contribute toward the fund raised on behalf of Franz, and a committee, consisting of the late Prof. Louis Agassiz, John S. Dwight, the eminent journalist and critic, the late Otto Dresel, Henry L. Higginson, who organized the Boston symphony concerts, and myself, undertook to receive subscriptions. The total amount realized and remitted to be added to the fund was $4,381.
18Though I have never met Robert Franz I have for years been in correspondence with him, and on looking over some of his letters it has struck me that a few extracts from them would be of interest to the musical public. I venture, therefore, to translate one or two.
20On February 11, 1884, he wrote to me on the subject of composition and said:
22The modern lyric demands a form as limited as possible, which dispenses with everything that is superfluous, thus leaving more to inference, instead of expressing the flow of thoughts to the last drop. This tendency we see not only in modern poetry, but in its sister art, modern music, and in both it is characteristic. When the two arts are therefore combined, as in songs, it follows that the music must grow out of the text, and must not be added to it without having any relation to it. And as every worded text has a seed from which everything springs, so must the music to it also aim at a gradual developing process, and thus you will find in my songs a certain continuity as a growth plan from which all else emanates. Further than this the melody must not be in harmony with the words; the rhythm must only in very exceptional cases change; the harmony must finally be based on the diatonic system. The last I hold especially important, because nowadays one seeks to reproduce the most beautiful relations of the old German and foreign. These fundamental principles have guided me in my compositions, and I have never had reason to repent that I always followed them to the utmost of my ability. one of two readings
23The modern lyric demands a form as limited as possible, which dispenses with everything that is superfluous, thus leaving more to inference, instead of expressing the flow of thoughts to the last drop. This tendency we see not only in modern poetry, but in its sister art, modern music, and in both it is characteristic. When the two arts are therefore combined, as in songs, it follows that the music must grow out of the text, and must not be added to it without having any relation to it. And as every worded text has a seed from which everything springs, so must the music to it also aim at a gradual developing process, and thus you will find in my songs a certain continuity as a growth plan from which all else emanates. Further than this the melody must not be in harmony with the words; the rhythm must only in very exceptional cases change; the harmony must finally be based on the diatonic system. The last I hold especially important, because nowadays one seeks to reproduce the most varied relations of the diatonic and foreign. These fundamental principles have guided me in my compositions, and I have never had reason to repent that I always followed them to the utmost of my ability. one of two readings
25On February 8, 1889, he wrote:
27Although the musical tendency of the English public is only known to me from a distance, I have not the least doubt that in Albion the public is treated to a great deal of trash that seems to it to sound well, and all old countries are prejudiced against innovations or new elements. America is virgin soil, which willingly takes up with what is offered. That it also takes up trash that is offered is not to be denied, but its force is so great, and that is what it can have no long existence, and nations that strive forward. Do not imagine, however, that Germany is an El Dorado in this respect, because trash music is also announced here en masse: Man macht vieles musik, er lebt jedoch nicht. The good people want to be amused for a while, and to be educated they are by means of it does not entice them. If you knew how solitary and alone I am, and how embittered my life is here in Halle, you would hardly believe it. Sometimes a sympathetic word and genuine interest comes to me from abroad, but generally it makes the impression that if alms were given to a beggar, this after a while becomes habit. One gradually seeks, heedless of advice, to crawl into one's own shell, and find consolation in the thought that better men have fared worse.
29On his seventieth birthday he seems to have felt in a different mood, for he wrote:
31The 28th June has brought me ovations in presence of which I stand stupefied. From all parts of the world I have received addresses, over 300 letters and seventy telegrams. The greater portion I have to answer personally, although my lame arm protests against it. That I have lived to see my artistic efforts thus appreciated in wide circles, and that those good friends of mine who have faithfully stood by me in the best times may also feel a sense of satisfaction, gives me unspeakable joy. Still this to Dresel and others, I cannot write, though the spirit is willing. My head is in a whirl. I know not where to begin and where to end.
33On another occasion he wrote:
35Art must always preserve an aristocratic dignity; at least that is the principle I have always endeavored to follow with my own humble powers.
37I fear I have already trespassed on your space, and hence I abstain from quoting more, but I think you will agree with me that these extracts are of great interest to every musician and everyone aspiring to become one.
39SEBASTIAN B. SCHLESINGER.
40LONDON, 45 ALBERT GATE, S. W., December 17.
42— "Sun."
44the admirable singing she did in her number, and the skill she displayed in the use of her singularly enjoyable voice, her fine taste and her brilliant abilities in vocal technic, all combined to create a sensation after each of her appearances. — Boston "Herald."
46Polleri's Opera.—Mr. G. B. Polleri, one of the leading Italian organists, has written an opera, "Colombo Fanciullo," which has already been successfully produced at Genoa during the exposition, and is now being produced at the Parma Conservatory. Mr. Louis Lombard, of the Utica Conservatory, has secured the American rights of production and publication.
48Siegfried Wagner.—The only son of Richard Wagner, Siegfried Wagner, familiarly known as "Young Siegfried," officiated as best man at the wedding of Felix Mottl and Miss Staudthartner, which took place in Berlin recently. Mr. Mottl is the musical director at the Carlsruhe Opera House, and his bride is well known as an opera singer in most of the Continental capitals. She has of late been singing in Vienna.
50Chaston de Mear.—Mrs. Chaston de Mear died at Paris November 30. Anne Arsène Chaston began her career at Bordeaux, where her excellent soprano voice and her great dramatic intelligence gained her rapid success. In 1846 she sang at Brussels, and in 1849 at the Opéra Comique, after which she adopted the Italian stage, and appeared at St. Petersburg, Madrid, New York, Baden, Havana, &c. She returned for a brief period to the Opéra Comique in 1852 and then went abroad again. In 1862 she appeared at the Théâtre Italien in "Otello," and created at Baden the rôle of "Beatrice" in Berlioz's opera "Beatrice and Benedict." On the death of her husband she abandoned her career. Mrs. Chaston de Mear was born in 1824, not in 1827, as stated in the supplement to Fétis. Also her name was "de Mear," not "Demear." These corrections are due to Mr. A. Pouglin, of the "Ménestrel."
52Paul Kalisch.—The management of the Vienna Opera has re-engaged Paul Kalisch for the month of March.
54Stagno.—The slight accident to Stagno is pronounced by the doctors as not dangerous, and he will soon reappear at Kroll's.
56Halir.—Professor Halir played with great success Lalo's "Sinfonie Espagnole" and Paganini's concerto at the last Hamburg Philharmonic. In consequence of the illness of Von Bülow, Capellmeister Mahler directed.
58Thomas.—Mr. Ambroise Thomas has gone to Hyères to pass some weeks in quest of fresh air.
60The De Reszkes.—The brothers Jean and Edouard de Reszke will return to Paris at the end of this month and will give some representations at the Opéra.
62Delmas.—A severe cold caught by the tenor Delmas has delayed the production of "Werther" at the Opéra Comique, Paris.
64Calvé.—Miss Calvé, who is to appear as "Carmen" in Paris, has announced that "she decidedly will not play castagnettes. In spite of her severe study of this musical instrument she cannot master it, but will substitute for the solo in the second act a shawl dance of a picturesque character"—we suppose à la Loie Fuller.
66Alboni.—This veteran artist has sent to the Prefect of the Seine 2,000 frs., to be given as prizes to twenty boys of the communal schools.
68Rubinstein.—A biography of A. Rubinstein has been published by Eugen Zabel.
70Scheffel.—A monument to Victor von Scheffel will be erected this year in Carlsruhe.
72Moir Clark.—A quintet for piano and strings by the Scotch composer, Moir Clark, has lately been given in Dresden and noticed by the critics in terms of high praise.
74Vonessa.—A young American, Litta Vonessa, who has been studying under Mrs. Marie Rose, will shortly make her début in Rome, in Massenet's "Herodiade."
76Van de Sandt.—On December 10 Max van de Sandt gave a piano evening in the Singakademie of Berlin. Liszt in 1884 wrote: "He is an artist of extraordinary talent, and will prove himself to be more and more an artist of the rarest kind."
78Alfred Krasselt.—The young violinist Krasselt lately received from Georg Ebers the following quatrain:
80Was unter den Vögeln der Nachtigall Sang,
81Das ist im orchester der Geige Klang,
82Und wird sie gespielt, wie's von Dir geschieht,
83Gleicht die Stimme der Geige der Engel Lied!
85WILLIAM ROHLFING & SONS,
86Music Publishers and Importers,
87MILWAUKEE, – WISCONSIN.
88Depot for Germany: FRITZ SCHUBERTH, Jr., Leipsic.
89Depot for England: STANLEY, LUCAS, WEBER & Co., London.
90Publishers of "EDITION ROHLFING."
92The most complete stock of all the standard cheap editions found out West. Catalogues free on application. Most liberal and inducing terms granted to the trade and the musical profession in general. American and foreign musical novelties are sent to their respective noted stores as soon as issued. Apply and be assured of prompt and quick attention.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.