Scan 47
Musical Courier 1897-11-24: Vol 35 Iss 925, 1897
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1THE AMERICAN PATRIOTIC MUSICAL LEAGUE.
2(INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.)
4FREDERIC GRANT GLEASON, President-General,
5Auditorium, Chicago, Ill.
7WINFIELD BLAKE, Secretary,
8Carnegie Music Hall, New York.
10HEADQUARTERS—THE SOCIETY OF ASSOCIATED ARTS,
11229 West Fifty-second Street, New York.
13EARNEST indorsement of this undertaking is to be found everywhere, and the following will be found interesting:
15The plan of consolidating all the musical societies of this country into one great national association for the purpose of encouraging American musicians and opera given in English has been inaugurated by Winfield Blake.
17Among his co-operators are mentioned Dudley Buck, Bruno Oscar Klein, John F. Gilder, Frederic G. Gleason, of Chicago; Dr. Gerrit Smith, of this city; Herbert W. Greene, President of the M. T. N. A.; Dr. Floyd S. Muckey, Emma Thursby, George F. Bristow, George Sweet, Harry Rowe Shelley and a long list of well-known musicians. As soon as sufficient funds have been secured a publication is to be issued consisting of 200 folio pages and containing a brief history of musical progress in America, numerous letters and articles from prominent musicians and laymen, with a full explanation of the plan of the organization.
19That there is something to be said for a movement toward more national music in this country, appears from the following estimate of the moneys paid each year to foreign musicians and musical institutions abroad:
21REVENUE TO FOREIGN MUSICAL ARTISTS (ANNUAL AVERAGE).
22To visiting players and singers not in opera companies… $10,000
23To light opera and operetta stars and combinations… 500,000
24To grand opera artists, choruses, companies and hangers-on… 1,500,000
25Total… $2,500,000
26To teachers and institutions in Europe by American pupils… 1,000,000
27To cost of living in Europe paid by pupils, parents and guardians… 2,000,000
28To traveling expenses through annual visits of parents and families or temporary return visits of pupils… 1,000,000
29To cost of debuts in Europe, nine-tenths of which constitute practical failures… 500,000
30Total… $7,000,000
31—New York Sun.
33There are indications that the question of native versus foreign musical talent is likely to receive considerable attention in the near future. Winfield Blake, of New York, a gentleman well known in San Francisco, proposes to set on foot an organization for promoting the welfare of the American musician and diverting the large annual expenditure on music which at present goes into the pocket of the foreigner.
35It is perhaps needless to remark that almost every musician now resident in the United States, whether of native or foreign birth, would gladly aid in such a movement; for unquestionably there is a great waste of good American dollars going on, particularly as regards the musical education of students who seek instruction abroad. Mr. Blake has figured out that America's tribute to the foreigner is about $7,000,000 annually. Of this amount he estimates that $2,500,000 is expended on the great artists who visit our shores, while the remainder is spent by American students who go abroad for musical instruction. Mr. Blake very reasonably argues that if this large sum, or any considerable part of it, could be retained at home, there would be a corresponding improvement in the condition of the resident musician.
37In criticising the heavy outlay for musical tuition abroad Mr. Blake is on safe ground. Two-thirds of this amount would produce better results if expended in steady, persevering work at home. There are as good teachers in all branches of music in the United States to-day as in any other country, and it cannot be doubted by those who have had opportunities of watching our students abroad that, in many cases, the suggestion of a musical career has been used merely as a pretext for a trip to Europe. Certainly it is often true that serious study is about the last thing in the minds of these young people, who doubtless succeed, however, in having a good time at the expense of their confiding friends.—H. J. Stewart, in San Francisco Evening Post.
39A NATIONAL OPERA SCHEME.
41As a rule the artificial process of fostering home talent and home taste has its disadvantages and appeals but feebly to the unsanguine. A new plan for the establishment of a national opera, with accompanying facilities for the education of popular taste, the training of American musicians, and the bringing out of standard operas, as well as of American compositions, is, however, attractive as it has been presented to our notice, and has certain features which can scarcely fail to commend themselves to any lover of music.
43The plan is one of wide scope, for it includes fourteen cities in its program. In each of them there is to be an opera company and an orchestra, with local support. All operas will be sung in English, and while no embargo will be placed upon foreign singers, they will be offered no fabulous pecuniary inducements, and therefore no preposterous prices will be demanded of the public. In each of these fourteen cities there is to be a conservatory where all branches of music will be taught, and from whose classes talent will be drawn for the companies.
45At the head of the movement is Winfield Blake, a Western man, whose experience and ability are vouched for on good authority. The scheme is indorsed by Dudley Buck and other prominent musicians of the East.
47It is safe to say that if the plan of this movement is carried out far enough to supply even a moderately good opera to the people of fourteen American cities, it will be worthy of encouragement. This is not its prime object, of course, that being the placing of educational facilities within the reach of ambitious students who cannot afford to go abroad. It is hoped that good instruction may be given them in this way, and that the opera house receipts will make it possible to do this at a figure which will be within the reach of modest purses.
49What we may hope from the purely selfish standpoint is that there may be, by this plan, a system of opera established in this country by which we may be enabled to hear the works of the best composers fairly well produced at prices which do not mean bankruptcy for the remainder of a season to all but millionaires. We Americans cannot be called a music loving people, and one reason for it is the very slender opportunity we have for becoming familiar with good music. Greatly heralded opera singers from Europe have had tremendous following in this country, partly because music was scarce, partly because they easily became a fashion.
51But this is not genuine encouragement of music. What we need is the opportunity to study, through the conscientious work of minor professional musicians, supported by good choruses and orchestras, the masterpieces of the great composers. Whether such a system would pay or not cannot be known until it is tried. It would depend very largely upon the financial management. But it is certain that it would be popular even if it were fairly good. There is no form of public entertainment more satisfactory in the long run than a stock opera well conducted. It need not be extravagantly mounted nor performed by stars. We should be glad to see such an opera established in St. Paul, and we believe it would be financially a success if it were artistically so in even a moderate degree.—St. Paul Pioneer Press.
53E. Ellsworth Giles Sings Zerubbabel.—Mr. Giles sang this part in the recent performance of "Belshazzar" by the Tremont Choral Society (A. Y. Cornell conductor), and won the honors of the evening.
55Miss Marie Geselschap's Success in Munich.
57MISS MARIE GESELSCHAP, the well-known pianist, late of Boston, has appeared in Munich and aroused such enthusiasm as only the greatest players before have won in that rather cold and reserved metropolis of Southern Germany. Here are some clippings of the leading Munich papers:
59Miss Marie Geselschap, a young American, gave a piano recital in the large Museumssaal, and showed immediately that she is an artist of unusual qualities. To leave aside all technical problems, which we expect nowadays as a matter of course from every player, we met in Miss Geselschap a musical nature and talent of first rank, deep and sincere feeling. The poetry of her tone, for instance, surpasses far that of a Carrofé, whose much praised power and energy of touch Miss Geselschap possesses to the fullest degree. We heard works by Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, and it certainly is saying a great deal for the ability of this promising artist that she did full justice to the various moods, characters, styles of the above named five, strongly individual masters.
61We have seldom heard Beethoven's immensely difficult Sonata, op. 110, in a flat major (with that most feared fugue), played with such ripe intelligence, such clear phrasing and so much soul in the "cantilene." It was by her pure art that Miss Geselschap succeeded in arousing the lukewarm audience to enthusiasm. We surely hope to meet again this noble artist in the course of the season.—Münchener Post.
63It was with a piano recital in the Museumssaal that Miss Marie Geselschap introduced herself to our Munich public. The young artist, who received her musical education at Berlin (from Scharwenka), and who after that lived for a short period abroad (United States), showed good taste, firmly developed technic, agreeable touch and musical energy.
65Miss Geselschap played in excellent style the works by Schumann ("Papillons") and Chopin. She furthermore performed with refined artistic poetry compositions by Gluck-Sgambati, Dvorák (Valse) and Godard. In these pieces she showed herself at her best. The more contemplative and deeply felt Liszt compositions, "Sposaliso" (composed after Raphael's picture of the same name), and the "Sonette de Petrarca," both with noble melody, were given by the young artist with refined taste. The concert closed with the "Rigoletto Fantaisie," by the same master. There was a good audience present, and Miss Geselschap received loud applause.—Münchener Neuste Nachrichten.
67Last Thursday Miss Marie Geselschap gave a piano recital in the Museum before a good sized audience. The program gave us Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Dvorák, Liszt. Miss Geselschap is a thoroughly musical pianist, with refined feeling, who uses her technic absolutely only for the sake of expressing the character of whatever she performs. She excels in whatever is lyrical and graceful—Freie Presse.
69A piano recital was given last night at the "Museumssaal" by a young pianist, whose program was of such high order that one could not but expect of the player at least a remarkably developed technical ability. In this respect Miss Geselschap showed many splendid qualities. She possesses very brilliant dexterity; her touch is good and capable of producing a full tone of the most different shades; in playing piano, it is of the necessary softness; in forte, of sufficient power, sometimes even more than that.
71In regard to her intellectual conception of the numbers of her program, she did well, considering how very difficult some of her numbers were. It seems that nowadays many of our young players prefer to begin immediately with Beethoven's last period. In most cases this shows more self-confidence than judgment. Miss Geselschap appeared with op. 110, A flat major, a work with which even the greatest artists have to struggle. We have to admit that she was able to show warm feeling in her rendition, and some parts of it were played in a remarkably fine way. It will be, however, a matter of her future development whether she will be able to perform this sonata in perfect style. * * *
73Much more apt for Miss Geselschap's individuality are pieces like Schumann's "Papillons," which she played charmingly. She also plays Chopin with great feeling and taste, which she proved by her rendition of the study of op. 25, in C sharp minor. Among modern composers she performed some Liszt pieces, in which she was able to show her stupendous technical abilities, especially in the "Rigoletto" fantasia, after which she was recalled over and over, &c.—General Anzeiger.
75Charles Meehan in New Haven.—Mr. Meehan had most emphatic success in Sullivan's "Te Deum," given at Trinity Church, New Haven, recently. Here are several press excerpts:
77The solo work of the wonderful boy soprano, Charles Meehan, was most effective and a revelation to his listeners. Mr. Meehan's voice is a clear, sweet, powerful, lyric soprano, of marvelous timbre and superb quality.—Palladium
79The rendition by the choir of the magnificent "Te Deum" of Sullivan followed. Charles Meehan's solo work was especially brilliant. It was the musical treat of the season.—Evening Register.
81Mr. Meehan's work as soloist of the evening was simply a revelation to the people who were fortunate enough to gain admission. His voice is a purely lyric soprano and of excellent quality. His enunciation and rendering of the most difficult solo "When thou tookest upon thee" was perfect, and the ease with which he sang the high B impressed the audience with the spell of a Nordica. Meehan's interpretation of Martin's "Who so dwelleth" was indeed fine, and in this work he had an excellent opportunity to display his skill in mezzo voce.—Times.
83Correspondence solicited from Churches, Sunday Schools, Lodges, Clubs, Asylums, Bazars, Hospitals, &c.
85We are the recognized agents not only of the leading Vocal and Instrumental Artists now prominent before the public, but also of the ablest representatives of all the various musical and literary branches of entertainment.
87No connection with any other agency.
89TELEPHONE: No. 2717 18th Street.
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