Scan 6
Musical Courier 1897-09-15: Vol 35 Iss 915, 1897
85 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 7. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1THE MUSICAL COURIER.
3they now spend on vaudeville shows, lithographs, French and English novels—if! This is an enormously rich city, but we haven't a conservatory worth mentioning; we haven't anything—except beer, and that always makes you sick, unless you eat olives with it, and beer and olives is an ungodly, inartistic combination. Nux vomica also prevents unpleasant effects from drinking domestic beer (this is for the benefit of the Raconteur, who, not knowing when he was well off, was foolish enough to wish that he could be in Milwaukee with the New York Arion Society. As you may have surmised, I, personally, drink only ink.) We could be a second Bayreuth (without the traditions) if we wished. With our location, climate, money, what couldn't we be, and what are we?
5Speaking of our theatre orchestras, the critic on the Journal suggests that seventeen men take the place of the nine now employed, since we can't have forty. He admits that it is inartistic, but it would be a vast improvement over the present ridiculous arrangement. The combination suggested is this: One flute (this would be very weak), one oboe, two clarinets, two French horns, one trumpet, one trombone, one drummer, three first violins (this would be rather squeaky), two second violins, one viola, one violoncello, one double-bass. Besides being a vast improvement musically, this would give employment to eight more men, which is a very important consideration. A 'cellist told me that the Pabst theatre management intends cutting down its orchestra, which has until now comprised the bulk of Bach's orchestra, and furnishing suitable music after the serious dramas given there. The 'cello is to be eliminated, and probably other instruments will be dropped correspondingly. I hope this will not be the final arrangement, for besides decreasing the already small income of the men discharged, it will spoil the music.
7I wish Arthur M. Abell, whose articles we all enjoy so much, would give us a list of some good, fairly easy, violin pieces—something which does not descend to the dreary nor yet require the technic of a Sauret. Something melodic, serious and modern. Such a list, coming from one who is in touch with the newest productions and the best arrangements, would be of great assistance to our teachers and pupils. If Mr. Abell, on his approaching American tour, comes to Milwaukee, I should like to show him some violins which are here in a collection, phenomenal in some respects. We are always glad to have the opinion of appreciative and competent people upon things dear to us and considered beautiful by us. I wonder why no paper except the Sentinel has written up this collection. Possibly because the critics do not know a vast amount about violins, varnish, shape, model, tone, &c.
9How many collegians who have graduated cum laude have never been heard from! How many conservatory graduates are not worth a feeble shake of a lamb's tail. It proves very little that one has been turned out of some conservatory mill. We all know unfortunate conservatory graduates who, after passing a good examination, have grown old and gray, finally wondering what in thunder they were ever born for, since they could never score heavily as musicians. I noticed in the August 25 issue of THE COURIER a communication signed by one who had been "for quite some time" in Milwaukee, in which a tolerably mediocre violinist receives a quantity of free advertising. I am supposed to cherish, for some occult reason, an animosity for one who, had he not received too much fulsome praise, to the exclusion of those his superiors, is invisible to me both personally and musically. I don't know him. I have chronicled in the past reasons why I consider him only average, if that.
11The correspondent must be "real smart" to visit a town "for quite some time" and be competent to judge what things are fair or unfair, important or the reverse. He knows lots, except English, which possibly degenerated during his intimacy with the violinist in question, who, although he has been in America five or six years, has not yet learned to speak the tongue of the land which supports him. That's nothing; we have musicians who have been here thirty years—thirty years! and cannot yet make themselves understood in English.
13Now, in my opinion concerning this violinist, I am sustained by musicians who, were their real opinions to become known to the young man in question, would give his conceit a great shock—possibly. Let him play me Ernst's F sharp minor concerto, Paganini's solo for the G string, Paganini's Witches' Dance, Paganini's D major concerto, Hubay's A minor concerto, La Rondo des Lutins, Wieniawski's F sharp minor concerto, the Kreutzer Sonata—let him play them within 50 per cent. as well as Jacob Reuter plays them and I will gladly praise him as I praise Reuter. This is more than fair. To ask him to play as well as the man whose work he derides and for whose tone he wouldn't give "2 cents," it should be a very simple thing for him to do.
15These people are so ignorantly childish—the Trio Club, I mean. Here are three men, each an average musician, not one of them extra gifted, intelligent or educated, because our local critics have handled them like sniveling babies they have come to believe that of all the musicians of this town they positively have the best and only right to exist. The truth is, they play fairly well, and they consider it an insult for anyone to criticise them, or that any other organization should be tolerated in or around Milwaukee—this is what their speech and actions denote. That they regard criticism as an insult is proved by the rage which arose in the shirt front of their 'cellist because I simply remarked that Hugo Bach played better than he, and that he missed intonation.
17If he doubts Bach's superiority, let him play on a concert stage with Bach, before a fairly intelligent audience, and he will learn his lesson. This is a fact, and admits of no rage, spleen or vituperation. Any musician who thinks otherwise is a fool—no unusual thing. Anyhow, they are going to get even, because I won't flatter their vanity and lie about them. They, it is darkly hinted, are going to refuse me passes to their concerts. Dreadful, to be so afraid of criticism. A musician should profit by criticism, all criticism. He is a silly fool to get angry over it, for his getting angry is the surest mark of his inferiority. This is a fair little club, and I wish it success. There should be room and support for a dozen such.
19A picture of gentlemanly manners, brotherly love, gratitude and a sample of the magnanimous feeling for each other existing among our musicians! A benefit was given for the members of a certain orchestra. A violinist of rare ability contributed his services, which he could ill afford to do. The audience stamped and bravoed and shrieked praises to him. Instead of thanking this musician who had brought them such honor, certain members of the orchestra were furious at his success; they mimicked him, tore him to pieces, and growled, where no one could jerk them up that he played like a "Schmeier painter." We need new musicians here who are incapable of making these disgusting exhibits of bad manners and spite, and who are not as ignorant as horse blocks generally.
21The Journal said, you can see, that the things of which I write are acknowledged here at home:
23The colleagues of my friend, the "Dramatic Critic," are all very lenient to distinctly bad shows, and for repayment they should not complain that their readers learn to disregard their opinions and refuse to be lead by them to the expending of their available amusement pocket money. Here also there is great room for reform. If all the critics of this city would agree to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, in one season Milwaukee could be raised triumphantly from the slough of despond into which it has dropped, theatrically speaking. But this is a hopeless dream. The critics on the German papers do not understand half of what they see and hear in the English theatres, and when they do they deliberately judge it from a different standard than under which it is presented. The other English papers believe that it is "bad business" to criticise anything, no matter how bad it is, adversely, and that is the situation. The dramatic criticism of Milwaukee, instead of being a power, is a farce, and until the critics can act unitedly there is little hope of improvement. My friend cannot accomplish it single-handed, and the others are either unwilling or unable to help him.
25This is the case, put mildly. The critics either lack intelligence, ability to tell the truth, or are cowards. It doesn't matter much which. I'm weary.
27Mrs. Stacy Williams, an energetic vocal teacher, opens her studio September 1.
28The A Capello Choir commence rehearsals September 2.
29The Academy of Music opened the season with a burlesque, and will become a burlesque house. The play was said by one critic to be unfit for feminine ears, but he hoped for a change. Lord help us—ewig und immer.
30The Alhambra remains a vaudeville house, with good soloists interspersed semi-occasionally.
31The Sentinel says:
32The Pabst Theatre will open on Wednesday evening, the 15th prox., when Angela Bormann and Max Kappner, two newly engaged members of the company, will make their American début. On Sunday evening, the 19th, the new soubrette, Emmy Borowska, will be welcomed. Two new plays will be presented on these occasions—Fraulein Doctor, by Walter and Stein, and Die Goldene Eva, by Schoenthal and Koppel-Elifeld.
33This theatre is well managed by Ferdinand Welb and Leon Wachsner, who endeavor to keep the tone up, and to give satisfactory productions. They should spare no expense to secure a good orchestra of at least thirty men. Bach is the musical director; Max Winné, capellmeister.
35The Sentinel says:
36The regular season at the Davidson Theatre will begin on Monday evening, September 6, at which time the Lyceum Theatre Company will appear in a number of plays, among which will be The Prisoner of Zenda, which will be the opening attraction; other pieces will be The First Gentleman of Europe. The Mayflower and The Late Mr. Castello. James K. Hackett will be seen in the leading male roles, while an actress new to this city, Miss Mary Manning, will appear in the principal female parts.
37This is intended to be a first-class theatre and should be kept such. Good troupes and good works only should be secured. The Davidson audiences would do well to mend their manners. If they are not ladies and gentlemen, they might imitate the manners of those who are—even monkeys can imitate.
38Pax vobiscum.
39EMILY GRANT von TETZEL.
41Anna Miller Wood.—Anna Miller Wood, who is spending the summer in San Francisco, has made an instantaneous success wherever heard in concert. In Southern California she sang at Los Angeles and Pasadena, receiving most complimentary notices, some of which are appended:
42Miss Wood has a rich contralto voice of great power and feeling and she controls it easily. A remarkable evidence of her versatility was afforded by her first four numbers. Franz's Aus dem Meer was superbly rendered and won rapturous applause.—Pasadena Correspondent of Los Angeles Daily Times, July 9, 1897.
43Miss Wood scored a distinct success, winning her way to the hearts of her audience with her first song and deepening the favorable impression with each succeeding number. She possesses a well trained voice of a delicious quality, rich, powerful and thrilling with feeling, which she controls easily and artistically. Her enunciation is refreshingly distinct and adds immensely to the charm of her singing.—Los Angeles Times, July 7, 1897.
44Miss Wood's voice is a rich, powerful contralto of wide range, which she uses with a very great deal of intelligent art. Her diction is delightful in either French, German or English, and she sang last night in all three; she infuses a fine dramatic spirit into all she sings and her tone production and modulation are admirable.—Los Angeles Herald, July 7, 1897.
46DORA VALESCA BECKER,
47SOLO VIOLINISTE,
48With the NEW YORK LADIES' TRIO.
49Address: 120 East 89th Street, New York.
51ESTHER HIRSCH
52Contralto.
53CONCERT and ORATORIO.
54For terms, dates, &c., address
55LEADING AGENTS,
5670 W. 118th Street,
57NEW YORK.
59JOHN HERMANN LOUD,
60ORGANIST.
61Pupil of Alexandre Guilmant.
62Associate of the Royal College of Music.
63Organist at First Church, Springfield.
64ADDRESS: 45 Mattoon Street, Springfield, Mass.
66WILLIAM H. SHERWOOD.
67MAX ADLER, 240 Wabash Ave., CHICAGO, ILL.
68SHERWOOD PIANO SCHOOL,
69Steinway Hall, CHICAGO, ILL.
70Complete equipment for developing the best modern method of practice and the highest standard of musicianship from the elementary stage upward.
71For full information address
72WALTON PERKINS, Secretary.
74Dr. HENRY G. HANCHETT,
75Analytical Recitals. Beethoven Readings.
76DIRECTOR CENTRAL SCHOOL OF MUSICAL ART, BROOKLYN.
77New York address: 108 Fifth Avenue.
79ANTONIA H.
80SAWYER,
81CONTRALTO.
82ADDRESS:
83The Musical Courier,
84NEW YORK.
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