Scan 23
Musical Courier 1893-07-01: Vol 27 Iss 695, 1893
66 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 24. See the scan on archive.org.
1Foreign Items.
3H. M. Schletterer.—The death is announced of Dr. Hans Mich. Schletterer, founder of the Music School and Oratorio Society in Augsburg, on June 5.
5An Innovation in Paris.—The success of the lecture on Wagner by Catulle Mendès has induced the directors of the Grand Opera to institute a series of similar lectures at low prices every Thursday. These lectures are to embrace the whole history of opera composition, especially of the old French masters, and works of each composer mentioned will be given, with an orchestra occasionally interrupting the discourse. The "Third Salon" is undertaking a similar enterprise. The Liberal Union of French Artists has opened at the Trocadero an exposition of Music and Literature, in which ample opportunity will be given for living composers and authors to bring their works before the public.
7An Innovation.—The London "Figaro" remarks in a paragraph in one of our late numbers, respecting the performance of "St. Matthew's Passion," at St. Gall, that the singing of the chorales by the audience is no innovation, the plan having been adopted twenty years ago. We stand corrected, or would or should stand corrected, if the "Figaro" had not added that, on the festive occasion twenty years ago, "cornets were dispersed among the audience to keep them together." The dispersion of cornets is a decided "innovation," but we doubt whether it was "undoubtedly Bach's intention." We are happy to agree with his description of England as "this unmusical country."
9Carlo Albanesi.—Mr. Carlo Albanesi has been appointed professor of the piano at the London Royal Academy of Music in succession to the late Thomas Wingham. The academy, during its seventy years of existence, has not turned out a competent teacher.
11A Falstaff Tour.—The company from La Scala will resume their tour in autumn, and give "Falstaff" in London, Paris and Brussels.
13Rothmühl.—The hero of Stibitz's "Zigeuner," announced for production on the 20th at the Berlin Royal Opera House, will be represented by Mr. Rothmühl.
15"Falstaff."—Owing to the cold reception given to "Falstaff" at Vienna, only two performances were given in place of four. At Berlin it has been described as a "Revelation in the history of music."
17Cyril Tyler.—The capabilities and accomplishments of Master Cyril Tyler, the American boy soprano who made his first appearance in England at an invitation concert at Princes' Hall a few weeks ago, may be best described as being those of a young lady who has a pretty voice, and knows it. Master Tyler's vocal organ, which displays the emotional quality common to girls in their "teens," is very flexible and of extensive compass, but his singing is marred by an objectionable effeminate style and the assumption of the airs and grimaces of the traditional prima donna.—"Musical News."
19French Taste.—A curious question was recently asked in the weekly supplement of the Paris "Figaro": "Which are the twenty melodies whose artistic value is most unquestionable?" and then a plébiscite was taken on the matter, and the result of the voting was tabulated. The following is the list of the pieces which received the greatest number of votes in the answers sent in: 1, "Aria di Chiese," Stradella; 2, "Sicilienne," Pergolesi; 3, "Plaisir d'Amour," Martini; 4, "Le Lac," Niedermeyer; 5, "Le Soir," Gounod; 6, "Le Vallon," Gounod; 7, "Sérénade," Schubert; 8, "L'Adieu," Schubert; 9, "Les deux Grenadiers," Schumann; 10, "Les Enfants," Massenet; 11, "Elégie," Massenet; 12, "Noël," Adam; 18, "Les Rameaux," Faure; 14, "Alleluia d'Amour," Faure; 15, "Noël," Holmès; 16, "Adieux de l'hôtesse arabe," Bizet; 17, "Sérénade," Braga; 18, "Sonnet," Duprato; 19, "Si vous n'avez rien à me dire," Baroness de Rothschild; 20, "Le Rêve du Prisonier," Rubinstein. A most patriotic list; the voters, however, had been influenced less by artistic than by sentimental considerations.
21Children's Orchestra.—An interesting children's service was held at Curzon Chapel, London, lately, at which the children's orchestra, composed of girls between the ages of seven and twelve, took part. The orchestra played Costa's "March of the Israelites," Händel's "Largo" and Mendelssohn's "Athalie" march, and what is perhaps more surprising, accompanied the chants. The conductor of the orchestra is Mr. Percy Armitage, who has taken the greatest pains in the training of the children. The orchestra was formed six years ago. It began with the performance of toy symphonies, the "toy" element being predominant, there being only two or three violins. Now the orchestra has some sixteen first and an equal number of second violins, the 'cello, double bass, piccolo, clarinet, side drums, tympani, &c., are represented. A noticeable feature in the performances is the use of Turkish bells.
23Grossmith in London.—Mr. Grossmith is introducing American subjects into his performances since his return to London. The peculiarity of the American "knock-about theatre" are commented on with humorous emphasis. The American girl and "The Paderewski craze" provide subjects for whimsical songs, the latter being accompanied with some clever mimicry of the style of playing and manner of the famous pianist.
25Verdi at Vienna.—Since 1848 twenty-two works of Verdi have been given at the Hofoper, with a total of 1,200 performances, namely: "Nabucco," 17; "Ernani," 188; "I Due Foscari," 8; "I Lombardi," 21; "Attila," 6; "I Masnadieri," 5; "Macbeth," 44; "Luisa Miller," 5; "Rigoletto," 149; "Il Trovatore," 289; "Giovanna d'Arco," 3; "La Traviata," 71; "I Vespri siciliani," 25; "Aroldo," 2; "Un Ballo in Maschera," 104; "La Forza del Destino," 3; "Aida," 186; "Simon Boccanegra," 7; "Otello," 51; "Le Requiem," 18, and "Falstaff" 2. "Don Carlos" is conspicuous by its absence.
27Borodine.—Mr. Alfred Habets has published a monograph, "Alexandre Borodine," based on the life and letters by Wladimir Stasoff. The work contains interesting notes on Liszt. Borodine's works were composed in the intervals of his duties as professor of chemistry at the Academy of Medicine at St. Petersburg.
29A New Journal.—A monthly journal, "Le Reveil des Organistes et Maîtres de Chapelle," has just been started in Paris.
31The Coburg Prize.—The committee to award the prize of 5,000 marks for the best one act opera met at Coburg June 8. The foreign members of this committee were Schuch, of Dresden; Sucher, of Berlin; Reinecke, of Leipzig; Count N. Esterhazy, of Vienna; Von Hartogensis and Lüpschütz, of Berlin. The prize money was to have been divided, 4,000 marks to the composer, 1,000 to the librettist. Of the 124 scores sent in two were selected as pre-eminent by all the judges present, but as they could not agree as to which was the best the Duke ordered the prize to be equally divided. The two successful competitors were Paul Umlauf, of Leipzig, librettist and composer of "Evanthia," and Josef Forster, of Vienna, librettist and composer of "The Rose of Pontevedra." Both operas will be produced at the Court Theatre July 80 and 81. Next to these prize-winners came Carl Grammann, of Dresden, with "Ingrid," and Alfred Lorenz, of Jena, with "Helge's Erwachen." A large proportion of the scores were highly meritorious, and many of the libretti, to which the music was inadequate, were deserving of great praise.
33Musical Items.
35What Some Musicians Earn.—Franz Kneisel, who is one of the greatest concert-meisters, or leaders of violins, in the world has had years of experience, which is the first consideration. He is not alone a great solo performer, but is a great leader and orchestra player as well. What Mr. Kneisel earns in one year would have kept poor, deaf old Beethoven in luxury for his life. Aside from the actual concert-meister, the orchestra must be equipped with at least two equally as great soloists. The men who play these in the Boston Symphony Orchestra are said to earn $7,000 per annum. The others come next in order, and their earnings range from $6,000 to $3,500 per year. After the first violin comes the first 'cello, who is also a great soloist. His earnings net him $10,000 a year. The five other 'cellists in this orchestra are also first-class; and their earnings range from $4,000 to $2,000 per annum. The leader of the second violins gets as much as the third solo player, and his place is just as important. The other second violins earn from $40 to $60 per week. The players of the difficult instruments are even rarer and harder to get than the strings, and are also well paid. First in line comes the oboe, then the bassoon, the flute and the clarinet. The leaders of these instruments earn from $2,000 to $3,000 per year. one of two readings
36What Some Musicians Earn.—Franz Kneisel, who is one of the greatest concert-masters, or leaders of violins, in the world has had years of experience, which is the first consideration. He is not alone a great solo performer, but is a great leader and orchestra player as well. What Mr. Kneisel earns in one year would have kept poor, deaf old Beethoven in luxury for his life. Aside from the actual concert-meister, the orchestra must be equipped with at least two equally as great soloists. The men who play these in the Boston Symphony Orchestra are said to earn $7,000 per annum. The others come next in order, and their earnings range from $6,000 to $3,500 per year. After the first violin comes the first 'cello, who is also a great soloist. His earnings net him $10,000 a year. The five other 'cellists in this orchestra are also first-class; and their earnings range from $4,000 to $2,000 per annum. The leader of the second violins gets as much as the third solo player, and his place is just as important. The other second violins earn from $40 to $60 per week. The players of the difficult instruments are even rarer and harder to get than the strings, and are also well paid. First in line comes the oboe, then the bassoon, the flute and the clarinet. The leaders of these instruments earn from $2,000 to $3,000 per year. one of two readings
38Some Attractions for the Expositions.—In addition to the regular orchestral attractions, both the Pittsburgh and St. Louis expositions intend having soloists. Materna, Scalini, Campanini and Blauvelt have been already booked for the former city by Manager Henry Wolfsohn.
40Philharmonic Soloists.—Materna will be the soloist of the first Philharmonic concert and public rehearsal November 17 and 18. Adele Aus de Ohe will play Liszt's E flat concerto (by request) at the second public rehearsal and concert December 15 and 16.
42The Return of Miss Florence Schubert.—Miss Florence Schubert, a talented young pianist of Philadelphia, who has been completing her musical education in Dresden with Bertrand Roth, returned to this country last week. Miss Schubert will reside in Philadelphia, and will devote herself to that much neglected and very important branch of the pianistic art, accompanying. She comes of the well-known musical family of the Schuberts, one of her sisters being Mrs. Max Heinrich, the soprano, and the other Miss Emma Schubert, the guitar virtuoso.
44Mrs. Chas. ffrench.—Mrs. Chas. ffrench played at a recent concert at Kansas City, where she is now residing, with most flattering success. The Kansas City "Times" has the following:
46A memorable feature of last evening's concert was the introduction to a Kansas City audience of Mrs. Charles ffrench, a most accomplished pianist, a pupil of Emil Bach and Henry Baumer, of the London School of Music, and a lady who ranks high in English musical circles. Mrs. ffrench's style is remarkable for great brilliancy and refinement, and her touch is something delightful to watch. Her first number, "Valse de Concert," by Moszkowski, was a brilliant opportunity for the display of the pianist's skill, while her encore number, a Chopin waltz in A flat, was the medium for more feeling and a delicacy that at once placed the player among the best musicians that have been heard in Kansas City.
48Bethany College.—The music department of Bethany College, at Bethany, W. Va., has greatly increased both in size and efficiency under the careful supervision of Eugene Feuchtinger. Six recitals have been given this season with great success, and a series of artists' recitals is contemplated for next season. Of the director's ability as a musician, this clipping, taken from a local paper, will serve to show:
50It is difficult to particularize where all was good. The cordial reception by a music loving audience proved that in the selections a cultured taste had been carefully considered, while the masterly and sympathetic playing of the director and the fine, musicianly work of his pupils bore abundant testimony to the excellence of the department in his hands. The piano playing of Professor Feuchtinger included a wide range of style and expression, passing from a scherzo of Chopin, with its heroic, dignified, and in the middle scene religious character, through the dreamy, poetic sentiment of a Liszt gondolier singing of lovers drifting on Venetian waters to the fiery, brilliant, passionate utterance of the valse caprice by Anton Rubinstein.
52Money for Boston's New Music Hall.—Boston June 28.—The committee appointed to secure the $400,000 subscriptions for stock in a new music hall corporation has that amount and more subscribed, and it has all been secured within two weeks. The limit was ten days. The committee will endeavor to raise the amount to $450,000.
54Sistine Choir Coming.—Rome, June 28, 1893.—The Pope has given his consent to the proposal that Maestro Mustafa, director of the choir of the Sistine Chapel, and members of the choir should visit Chicago and sing there during the progress of the Exposition.
56This will be the first time that the choir as a choir will have sung outside the Holy City.—" Herald."
58Chevalier, the Cockney's Laureate.
60THE reigning favorite at the London music halls just now is unquestionably Albert Chevalier, whose songs, written in the cockney vernacular and tunefully set, have taken the town by storm. Chevalier's success is indeed remarkable, not phenomenal, in the strict sense of the word, since it is not difficult to account for. He hit upon an entirely unworked vein. He perceived that the vulgarity, which is the chief characteristic of Londoners of the lower order, is largely redeemed by a rich and racy humor. He studied the erratic and picturesque side of the coster, lifted him and his "donah" somewhat out of their sordid surroundings, and invested them with the common attributes of humanity. To use his own words, human nature is what one wants to render and what an audience wants, and human nature is the same whether concealed under an expanse of necktie, with a big pearl pin in the centre, or under coster togs with big mother o'pearl buttons to make them show up "dossy."
62Chevalier has now been singing his cockney songs at the variety halls for nearly three years. Before this he was a comedian. It was in the burlesque "Aladdin," at the Strand Theatre, that he sang one of these, "The Coster's Courtship," though this and "Our 'Armonic Club" were well known in club land and had decidedly "caught on" at smoking concerts some time before this. Chevalier had submitted these two songs to some of the leading music publishers, but they looked askance at them, and marveled at the writer's belief that they would one day become popular. Finally Fox, the wig maker of Russell street, Covent Garden, offered to print a couple of hundred of the songs in single sheet form, and display them in his window. Chevalier was encored nightly for his song, "The Coster's Courtship;" it was the hit of the piece. Soon everybody was singing of the love of "'Arry and 'Arriet—the Phyllis and Strephon of the London streets, and the music hall agents made a simultaneous rush to secure Chevalier for "the halls." Chevalier did not at first relish the idea of abandoning the stage for the variety business, but his friends strongly urged him to do so, as his Coster songs appealed to exactly the class of audiences at these places. Chevalier soon perceived that his counsellors were right. He immediately became the bright particular star of the music hall firmament, and was soon earning an income equal to that of a cabinet minister. one of two readings
63Chevalier has now been singing his cockney songs at the variety halls for nearly three years. Before this he was a comedian. It was in the burlesque "Aladdin," at the Strand Theatre, that he sang one of these, "The Coster's Courtship," though this and "Our 'Armonic Club" were well known in club land and had decidedly "caught on" at smoking concerts some time before this. Chevalier had submitted these two songs to some of the leading music publishers, but they looked askance at them, and marveled at the writer's belief that they would one day become popular. Finally Fox, the wig maker of Russell street, Covent Garden, offered to print a couple of hundred of the songs in single sheet form, and display them in his window. Chevalier was encored nightly for his song, "The Coster's Courtship;" it was the hit of the piece. Soon everybody was singing of the love of "Arry and 'Arrriet—the Phyllis and Strephon of the London streets, and the music hall agents made a simultaneous rush to secure Chevalier for "the halls." Chevalier did not at first relish the idea of abandoning the stage for the variety business, but his friends strongly urged him to do so, as his Coster songs appealed to exactly the class of audiences at these places. Chevalier soon perceived that his counsellors were right. He immediately became the bright particular star of the music hall firmament, and was soon earning an income equal to that of a cabinet minister. one of two readings
65He is now doing three halls a night, and is engaged up to the end of 1897. What he will do then he doesn't exactly know. He has had many tempting offers to visit America, but he is not quite sure whether he would be understood. He even felt a good deal of anxiety on this score when engagements were first offered him in the provinces. The genus cockney, whom Chevalier represents on the stage, is not met with out of London, and the typical coster is a sort of fearful wild fowl to provincial audiences. The fashion of his garments, his language and ways are peculiarly his own, and a very interesting and mirth provoking creature he is—on the stage. Chevalier has now written about thirty songs in all. The music of six of those is his; the others have been set by his brother and Mr. J. Crook, musical director of the Avenue Theatre. His most recent songs are, "The Future Mrs. 'Awkins," "The Rose of Our Alley" and "My Old Dutch." The last named has a beau-
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