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Musical Courier 1896-12-16: Vol 33 Iss 876, 1896
60 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 9. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE MUSICAL COURIER.
28 RUE CLÉMENT-MAROT, CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES,
3PARIS. December 2, 1896.
5A STRANGE lethargy rests in the musical air of Paris through these opening days, which it is to be hoped something may dissipate before the closing ones. Merit and painstaking and conscience remain—vitality is lacking.
7It must always be so where there is too much analysis and discussion surrounding an emotional or sensuous subject. Take a love affair, and let all the relatives on both sides meet, talk over, discuss, incessantly harp on the advantages and disadvantages, pros and cons, qualities and lack of qualities of the union and its subjects, in their presence and on all occasions, and if the young people did not run off to escape it they would certainly become most dreadfully enmued.
9People everywhere argue and talk, analyze and fuss too much over everything musical that is given. There is too much forewarning and forewarning, too much pulling and twisting and contorting of things just to give éclat to pens and tongues. People are so anxious to show that they know it all, and to seem to find and say things that no one else has found or said, that the whole thing is smeared, the bloom scraped off. Our attention is called to so much (that does not exist), and we are so directed, advised, restricted, frightened—everything is done except to let us alone and enjoy in peace. Why can't they let us alone with ourselves for a while?
11Three inimitable concerts are doing their best to hold the rudder steady, and so at least keep the channel of worth till land of some kind comes in sight. The Conservatoire, the Lamoureux and Colonne orchestras are steadily gliding along, and the Opéra concerts yet to come. The Colonne, after a brave showing of Russian talent, concentrates this week on national composers. Frithof overture, Dubois; Conte d'Avril, Widor; Introduction et Rondo capriccioso, Saint-Saëns; Caligula, G. Fauré, with the Crépuscule and Chevauchée for bonne touche.
13M. Lamoureux follows the example of the Opéra House in keeping an annual program, simply changing the places of the pieces. This at least produces excellent technic, and what an education for the performers! Then Beethoven and Wagner are always orthodox, and what is better for religion than orthodoxy?
15The Pastorals, C minor and A, are good food for ears and mind; Wagner marches and overtures, the inevitable Siegfried Idyl, are safe, and Mozart bits timely. On Sun-
17day the répertoire was represented by Berlioz's Queen Mab (scherzo), fragments of Maitres Chanteurs; Symphonie Italienne, by Mendelssohn, and a Schumann concerto in G minor for piano and orchestra, the piano played by M. de Greef.
19At the Conservatoire M. Diemer played M. Saint-Saëns' new symphony, and The Preludes, by Liszt, was given for the first time. The Serenade to Watteau, by Charpentier, first heard at the unveiling of the Watteau monument a few weeks ago, were added to the Châtelet program, and Lumen, a symphony in three parts, by Lutz, to that of the Cirque d'Été.
21The Schütt concerto for piano and orchestra was the central figure of the second concert of the Philharmonic Society, played by M. Breitner to immense enthusiasm. This conscientious artist was never heard to better advantage, or better rewarded for his talent. Tchaikowsky suite d'orchestre No. 5, a Schubert-Liszt Fantaisie, and an Elegie and Prelude, by M. Breitner, were other features. This society has opened well with increased subscriptions, increased interest, and the same steady determination to make and keep it a success. M. Breitner leaves Paris this evening for Homburg and Frankfort, where he plays engagements.
23Meantime programs are formed for six séances of chamber music, under the direction of the pianist Philipp in the Salle Erard.
25A Bach concerto for piano, flute and violin, with quatuor accompaniment, a Händel concerto for piano and quartet, Mozart and Rameau concerto, Beethoven trio for hautbois and cor Anglais, and an Oriental suite by Glazounow will be heard. Bernard, Faure, Widor, Lalo and Godard will sustain the modern side.
27While Bourgault-Ducoudray lives the literary side of music will never wane in Paris. What a savant! What an indefatigable worker for music! What a limitless and contagious enthusiasm! Greek music is the subject of the opening lectures. He speaks of the rarity of document in this regard until the period of the French Delphic discoveries, and shows up in memorable style the genius of Sophocles, Euripides, Eschyle, Pindare, &c., who were not poets or writers or musicians or philosophers—but all. The traces of Greek music thought in the plain chant, the Greek dance, and the development of major and minor from the numerous scales make subject for thought—the kind exactly to create genius from studying nature.
29Two prizes have been given by the Academy—4,000 francs to M. Paul Hervieux, who by his piece, Tenailles, has shown to Parisians that intense interest may be attached to a representation with a philosophical thought behind it, and 1,000 francs to M. Romain Roland for his History of the Opera before Lulli's time.
31Widor's first progressive move as professor of composition at the Conservatoire was to suggest the establishment of an orchestra for the use of students in preparing their Prix de Rome compositions. The subject is being discussed. So is the immense success won by M. Widor at Moscow.
33M. Henri Falcke is making a tournée in Germany. Messrs. Bauer and Salmon in the French provinces, M. Samuel Rousseau, the well-known organist-composer, writer of Merowig, which received the prize of the ville de Paris in '93, has been chosen by the Institute to present a work before the Opera this year, according to that custom.
35M. Noté, one of the best voices of the Opera, is engaged by Mr. Grau to sing in Covent Garden next season. This able singer is to have a leading rôle in the opera of Messi-
37dor, Zola-Brenneau, to be given at the Opera in early January.
39M. Georges MacMaster, the organist-composer, has been writing six petits motets for organ—O Salutaris, Sub Tuum, Pie Jesu, Inviolata, Ave Maria and Tantum Ergo. Also for Mustel organ menuet, Noce Villageoise, Marche Nocturne, Elégie, Beatitude and Musette. M. MacMaster is a veritable artist on the orgue Mustel and harmonium, and by his playing and composition is bringing these beautiful instruments into use. Organist of Saint-Ambroise of Paris, his musical influence is steadily growing in Paris. His talents and energy have been recognized by the French Academy, and his school is a means of grace to pupils who need the modern, practical and wide awake united with the good and true and classic.
41M. Colonne means to commence this year the study of Schumann's Faust.
43Swedish legislation has stopped music hall poison. Yet Yvette is invited to America! Cherbourg legislation has stopped the whistle as a means of prima donna reprimand. M. Bourgault-Ducoudray's opera Thamar will be given in December, with Heglon in the title rôle.
45France gives 900,000 frs. to the Opera, 860,000 to the Opéra Comique and concerts. Lyons gives 300,000, Lille 80,000, Rennes 100,000, Rouen 120,000, Nantes 100,000, Bordeaux 120,000. Yet they talk of a Théâtre Municipal for Paris! The Conservatoire gets 258,700 frs. this year. The professors receive from 5,000 frs. a year down, and very much down some of them; but that makes no difference whatever with their work. They willingly see their little salaries reduced to create new improvements, such as:
47Cours of general history of music.
48Cours of dramatic history and literature.
49Special classes in solfège.
50Class in acting extra and extra class for operatic singing.
51Classes in dramatic declamation, orchestra class, preparatory classes extra and more accompaniment teaching.
52Enlarging the building is being seriously contemplated.
53A concert of chamber music was given this week at the Blind Asylum. Five professors and pupils, all totally deprived of sight, gave the quintet in A of Mozart, a sonata by Dunezat and the second trio in C minor, Mendelssohn.
55MUSICIANS IN PARIS.
57Mme. Sigrid Arnoldson is busy with Paris dressmakers, modistes and photographers en passant between Holland, where she has been making vocal triumphs, to Russia, where she is to make new victories. Her husband, Mr. Alfred Fischof, is with her and both are well, happy and hopeful. The building in which she is to sing is the New Imperial Opera House. When Rubinstein was associated with the Conservatory he was given authority and carte blanche to take any step he thought best in the line of musical progress. He chose the erection of this beautiful new music hall, which, under the same roof as the Conservatoire, is wholly separate from it. It will be completed for the performance of which Mme. Arnoldson is star, with the artists Sembrich, Tamagno, De Lucia, Battisini, Faust, Romeo and Juliette, Elsa, Traviata, Mignon, The Barber, Lakmé, Sonnambula, and Manon will be the repertory in French and Italian.
59Mme. Arnoldson wishes to correct a false impression circulated in connection with her singing at the coronation. It was printed that she with forty-eight other artists received 8,000 frs. a night, and skeptical allusions were made as to the wealth dispensed in music on that occasion. The fact is that Arnoldson was chosen as one from forty-eight foreign singers and the other forty-seven did not sing, and
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