Scan 36
Musical Courier 1902-01-01: Vol 44 Iss 1136, 1902
55 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 37. See the scan on archive.org.
1cluded, presumably, in order to display his remarkable technic.
3During the next week or two not many concerts will take place. The Christmas Day concert at Queen's Hall is of the ballad type, the singers being Mme. Kirby Lunn, Miss Jessie Goldsack, Messrs. Lloyd, Chandos, Davies, Joseph O'Mara and meister glee singers. On New Year's Day the Royal Choral Society gives, as usual, a performance of "The Messiah" at the Royal Albert Hall, and the performance is always well worth hearing, for the choir is particularly fine, and good soloists are always engaged.
5In addition to these there will a second series of Promenade Concerts at Queen's Hall, extending from Boxing Day to February 1, and though no announcements have yet been made, if the programs are up to the average of the first series they should prove interesting.
7LONDON NOTES.
9Harold Bauer left Europe for America on Thursday, December 19, on the Holland-American steamship Rymdam.
11Lillian Blauvelt and her husband left Southampton today (December 21), on the St. Paul, for America.
13Paderewski, accompanied by his manager, W. Adlington, leaves England for America on January 22, 1902, on the Oceanic.
15Susan Strong, of the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, announces her first vocal recital (under the direction of Alice E. Joseph) on Tuesday, February 4, 1902, at the Bechstein Hall. She will be assisted by F. Korbay, and will "introduce" songs by Legrenzi, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Hans Sommer, Hugo Brückler, Richard Strauss, Paladilhe and Korbay.
17John Coates, the young English tenor who has recently come into such prominence, has had extraordinary success in Germany. He sang in "Lohengrin" and "Romeo and Juliet" in Cologne. As Romeo he was so successful that the opera was given three times within eight days. He has been engaged for a Gewandhaus concert at Leipzig, and another Gürzenich, and thirty more appearances have been booked for him in Germany for next season.
19William Backhaus, the "Kubelik of the Piano," plays on January 18, 1902, at Robert Newman's Symphony concert at the Queen's Hall; on January 29, at the St. James' Hall Ballad concert, and on April 25 he will play Liszt's E flat Concerto at the Philharmonic Society's concert. He has also been engaged to play at all Kubelik's London recitals in May and June.
21The question of the hour: Who will succeed Hermann Klein as music critic of the Sunday Times?
23"STOLEN CORRESPONDENCE."
24By B. A. Sharp.
26THIS is the name of a booklet just issued by the Gervais Publishing Company, containing twenty imaginary letters from leading local musical lights to eminent dead ones, with replies from the latter. Some of the best known conductors, pianists, organists, singers and teachers are represented in this little volume, and the pet weaknesses of each set forth in entertaining fashion. Indeed, many a man will wonder at the intimate knowledge shown by "B. A. Sharp," a knowledge born of close acquaintance with his foibles and follies.
28After a preface the writer, a well-known Russo-American conductor and composer, gives this table of contents:
30Dalton Blutkopff to Johann Sebastian Bach; Johann Sebastian Bach to Dalton Blutkopff; Archibald de Mullen to Richard Wagner; Richard Wagner per Secretary Anton Seidl to Archibald de Mullen; Hector Rickbett to Ludwig van Beethoven; Ludwig van Beethoven to Hector Rickbett; Edmond Juliens to Franz Schubert; Franz Schubert to Edmond Juliens; Hans Kettledrum to Anton Seidl; Anton Seidl to Hans Kettledrum; Franz Blutkopff to Johannes Brahms; Johannes Brahms to Franz Blutkopff; Horacius Homer to Franz Liszt; Franz Liszt to Horacius Homer; Armer Lausen to Dr. Leopold Damrosch; Dr. Leopold Damrosch to Armer Lausen, per Hans von Bülow; Lucas Lumpus to Anton Rubinstein; Anton Rubinstein to Lucas Lumpus; Edgar McWelldone to Robert Schumann; Robert Schumann to Edgar McWelldone; Countess Marianna de Pompadour to Hector Berlioz; Hector Berlioz to Countess Marianna de Pompadour; Herveq Germanier to Arthur Sullivan; Arthur Sullivan to Herveq Germanier; Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Base-drum Players and other Virtuosi to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to the Secretary of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Base-drum Players and other Virtuosi; Genario Pimpampuncinani to Lamperti; Maestro Lamperti to Genario Pimpampuncinani; Louis Wildo to Giacomo Meyerbeer; Giacomo Meyerbeer to Louis Wildo; Mme. Andra Maribeau to Peter Tchaikowsky; Peter Tchaikowsky to Mme. Andra Maribeau; Ragtime Publication Society to Joseph Haydn; Joseph Haydn to the President of the Rag-time Publication Society; Mme. S. Cauliflower to Clara Schumann; Clara Schumann to Mme. S. Cauliflower; Angelo Februario to George Händel; George Händel to Angelo Februario; the United Brotherhood of Musical Undertakers to Augustin Daly; Augustin Daly, per Secretary to the United Brotherhood of Musical Undertakers. one of two readings
31Dalton Blutkopff to Johann Sebastian Bach; Johann Sebastian Bach to Dalton Blutkopff; Archibald de Mullen to Richard Wagner; Richard Wagner per Secretary Anton Seidl to Archibald de Mullen; Hector Rickbett to Ludwig van Beethoven; Ludwig van Beethoven to Hector Rickbett; Edmond Juliens to Franz Schubert; Franz Schubert to Edmond Juliens; Hans Kettledrum to Anton Seidl; Anton Seidl to Hans Kettledrum; Franz Blutkopff to Johannes Brahms; Johannes Brahms to Franz Blutkopff; Horacius Homer to Franz Liszt; Franz Liszt to Horacius Homer; Armer Lausen to Dr. Leopold Damrosch; Dr. Leopold Damrosch to Armer Lausen, per Hans von Bülow; Lucas Lumpus to Anton Rubinstein; Anton Rubinstein to Lucas Lumpus; Edgar McWelldone to Robert Schumann; Robert Schumann to Edgar McWelldone; Countess Marianna de Pompadour to Hector Berlioz; Hector Berlioz to Countess Marianna de Pompadour; Hervé Germanier to Arthur Sullivan; Arthur Sullivan to Hervé Germanier; Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Base-drum Players and other Virtuosi to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to the Secretary of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Base-drum Players and other Virtuosi; Genario Pimpampuncinani to Lamperti; Maestro Lamperti to Genario Pimpampuncinani; Louis Wildo to Giacomo Meyerbeer; Giacomo Meyerbeer to Louis Wildo; Mme. Andra Maribeau to Peter Tchaikowsky; Peter Tchaikowsky to Mme. Andra Maribeau; Ragtime Publication Society to Joseph Haydn; Joseph Haydn to the President of the Rag-time Publication Society; Mme. S. Cauliflower to Clara Schumann; Clara Schumann to Mme. S. Cauliflower; Angelo Februario to George Händel; George Händel to Angelo Februario; the United Brotherhood of Musical Undertakers to Augustin Daly; Augustin Daly, per Secretary to the United Brotherhood of Musical Undertakers. one of two readings
33"Dalton Blutkopff," of the first letter, is one of two brothers who pose as conductors. "De Mullen" is De Koven, and others will easily be recognized. The letters form a series of parodies, and are full of good natured raillery. The booklet is obtainable at any music store. The following gives a taste of their quality:
35DALTON BLUTKOPFF TO JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH.
37My Dear Old Boy—How are you, Sebastian? You must be getting old. Let me see, you were born in 1685, and now we are in 1901. Well, you must be about 216 years old. That is quite an age, isn't it? I hope, when I am as old as you are, I shall have a name like yours.
39Between us, I can't make out why you should have such a name. Is it through your masses, fugues, counterpoint or piano pieces, that you got it? You write very uncomfortably for the piano; it is too difficult. I never took your writings as a model; it would never pay. For my model in harmony and piano technic, I took the "Maiden's Prayer," and I am quite successful here as a composer.
41Not long ago I wrote a song, by name "Penny Dearer." It has been sung by the great, but not over-great, baritone, actor and lecturer, Bispham. Of course, I made him great. Oh, you should hear that song. It is a dream, not a song. Some people say it is taken from our patriotic song, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." Well, I'll tell you, after I composed this song, the resemblance struck me, too; but does it not happen that the same great compositions are written by different composers? In fact, all the new operas remind us of the old ones. Don't they?
43I have also composed an oratorio, "Vanilla Tedium." Some profane jester made a joke on it, by calling it "Vanilla I Scream"; isn't that foolish? Speaking frankly, and with some modesty, Sebastian, the workmanship of this oratorio surpasses yours in the B minor mass. I simply took Smith's five finger exercise for the "angels" theme: Do, re, mi, fa, sol; sol, fa, mi, re, do. How does it strike you, Sebastian? So simple and so grand. I forgot to tell you that I have also tried myself in the operatic field. I have composed an opera entitled "The Yellow Fool" or "The Scarlet Satchel"; quite an original name, you must admit. Well, well, I must tell you, without pride, it is a "chef d'oeuvre." Everybody says it is. You can ask my brother Franz. The opera was produced by my own opera company; and it made a sensation. In fact, it marked an Era. When the New Yorkers speak of something they always say: "It was about ten years previous to the production of the 'Yellow Fool,' or three years subsequent." It will stand as a monument of American composition for long, long years to come, and still longer after death. Some critics said (jealousy, of course) that if my opera had been written 300 years ago it would have been quite original; and Wagner could have learned from it something about orchestration and workmanship; and now it happens just the contrary. We will not talk at all about the creative part of the opera; there is nothing in it.
45I also tried the opera business, and after spending a lot of money it busted, as you might expect it; and now I have to be without an orchestra or singing societies. When I went into operatic speculations I gave the societies away to my brother Franz, an excellent business man; so I am looking now for a position.
47Finally, old friend, if you hear of a vacancy for a conductor in your place, let me know at once; I will take it with delight, money no object. I know I will be a success; down there you have a more appreciative audience. Here they say I conduct too coldly, that I need a stove on each side to warm me up. What nonsense! Now, don't forget, dear Sebastian, about the conductorship, or I will have to take a conductor's place on a Second avenue car. Well, good-by. Give my regards to the old fellows down there.
49Yours truly,
50DALTON BLUTKOPFF.
52JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH TO DALTON BLUTKOPFF.
54Dear Sir—Your favor received. You are very kind in remembering an old man like me. Yes, it is quite an age since my being on your planet. You ask me how I have such a name and you have none. Now, look here, young man; you are sensible; you showed that by marrying into a rich family and getting quite a few dollars so as not to depend on earnings from your musical undertakings, except your compositions, the income of which would amount, if I am not mistaken, to five dollars and seventeen cents per year. Don't you think so? This sum would perhaps have been sufficient in our times. So you ask me, why have I such a name? First of all, a composer must have a creative talent; then he must have a thorough knowledge of harmony, counterpoint, fugue, musical forms and instrumentation. Now it is for yourself to confess that your creative talent is so poor that you have to borrow from other composers all the time. Take, for instance, your opera; show me one place that you could call real new. Take your oratorio, "Vanilla"; it is the most tedious work of the last century, and if your brother Franz would not have produced it, nobody would know about it. Take your sonata for violin and piano; it is a combination of sounds without soul and without body. Take your popular song, "Penny Dearer." By writing this song you spoiled the beautiful patriotic song, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." You know why it became so popular? Because it reminds one of the other popular song. Your audience likes popular music nowadays; something which reminds of another something. They condemn everything new and original. The technic of your compositions is so shabby, so badly mended together; and, after all, why did you take to composition altogether? Do you think that your compositions will last? The moment you go away to our blessed land—and go you will—your compositions will die out and
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.