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Musical Courier 1902-02-19: Vol 44 Iss 1143, 1902
44 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 26. See the scan on archive.org.
1PARIS, JANUARY 28, 1902.
3At present a perfect wave of what the French call "snobisme" seems to have swept over Europe. That is, in order to be a success it is necessary to be foreign. One glances over the programs of our concerts—symphonic or chamber—to be struck by the great prominence given to foreign composers and interpreters. A conférence is shortly to be given at the Opéra Comique when compositions by Sacchini, Paisiello, Piccini, &c., will be sung in Italian by an Italian singer. At the Opéra Wagner reigns, as witness the very great success of "Siegfried." Coquelin and Charpentier, with his opera "Louise," triumph in Germany, while there is shortly to be established in Paris a theatre for the performance of English plays by an English company. The old adage, "a prophet in his own country," &c., although trite, was never so true as at present. How much of this present craze for all that is foreign in art is snobbery I do not know. A very great deal of it, I believe. Or, since we are told by the old Latin poet that the "Arts soften manners, nor allow them to become ferocious," may it not be possible that a Franco-German alliance is to be brought about, not, as ordinarily, by diplomats, but by the interchange of foreign musicians and performers?
5Henri Rochefort in a recent article headed "L'art de s'embêter" has many severe things to say on the production of "Siegfried" in Paris. "Snobbery is a word comparatively new, but which serves to characterize a mania very old: the affectation of a sentiment that one pretends to feel, or that one would like to feel. This neurasthenic state was never so developed as at present.
7"In politics we have snobs of Dreyfusism, and even those of anarchism. In poetry we have those who proclaim Malarmé very much greater than Victor Hugo. In painting they prefer Guillaumin to Corot, and in music, those who after being bored for three hours during 'Siegfried,' exclaim in coming out: 'Wagner is a giant.' And, remarkable to notice, the snobs of the Second Empire all gathered at the first performance of 'Tannhäuser' to hiss it down, just as they all were present at 'Siegfried' to applaud it with might and main. It was just as stupid and just as dishonest to wreck the one without being willing to give it a hearing as it was to exalt the other without understanding it.
9"One can scarcely, however, attribute this cult to the beauty of the books, written by Wagner himself, some of which are absolutely silly. This immense work called 'The Nibelungen Ring' is nothing but a sequence of childish fairy stories. But snobbery holds all these admirers, so-called, firmly attached to the master, who is lord of the manor. They would die—of boredom—at their post, rather than surrender.
11"Again, if Wagner had left no posterity! But unfortunately he has left imitators, less gifted than himself, but all bores. And these in their turn will engender others, who will inundate us with their nebulous productions up to the sixth generation."
13At the Opera nothing new to chronicle. "Siegfried" so far has been a great financial success, the whole house at times being sold out. Program for the week: Monday and Saturday, "Siegfried"; Wednesday, "Les Barbares"; Friday, "Romeo et Juliette."
15At the Opéra Comique has been produced a work in one act, "La Chambre bleue," words by Noël, music by Jules Bouval. This is an opéra comique founded on a charming sketch by Prosper Merimée. The book is stupid and ill adapted to a musical setting, which latter is not much better. The work is unimportant, and met with a very poor reception.
17"Le Juif polonais" has been revived for Victor Maurel, who met with his usual success here. It is, however, more as an actor that he shines at present than a singer, his voice being worn and tuneless. What he has, however, he uses with great skill, and his diction is always perfect.
19The place of Mlle. Bréval in "Grisélidis," by Massenet, has been taken by Mlle. Cesbron, the former artist having left for Grau's troupe in America. The young débutante, whom I heard last July at the Conservatoire, where she gained a first prize in opera, achieved a success, particularly when are borne in mind the trying circumstances. For a beginner to follow so distinguished and experienced an artist as Bréval was no light task. Mlle. Cesbron succeeded better than was expected. Repertory for the week: Monday, "Carmen"; Tuesday and Thursday, "Grisélidis"; Wednesday, "Manon"; Friday, "Louise"; Saturday, "Le Juif polonais."
21The "Damnation de Faust" of Berlioz holds in the mind of French audiences an analogous position to that of Händel's "Messiah" with the English. So great is its popularity that three consecutive performances have been given by Colonne, the vast Châtelet Theatre being filled at each. Last Sunday was played for the first time at these concerts a symphony in B flat by E. Chausson: a fine work which possesses real interest. To César Franck belongs the honor of having developed among the younger French school the taste for chamber music, and for having remodeled to a certain extent certain traditions of symphonic forms. Ernest Chausson was one of his disciples, and this work, written four years before his death, is full of interesting themes carefully developed, with clear, sonorous orchestration, in which one hears clearly the influence of Wagner. Ossip Gabrilowitsch made his appearance, bringing the Concerto in E minor, by Chopin, as his battle piece. After the first few bars, which seemed a little uncertain, he made a great impression on the audience by the very great taste, delicacy and poetic charm with which he invested this work, somewhat old fashioned coming after the ultra-modern work of Chausson. The last movement of the concerto was played by Gabrilowitsch with astonishing clarity and firmness.
23André Hekking also was warmly applauded by the audience for an admirable reading of Saint-Saëns' Concerto for 'cello in A minor. His tone is large and warm, and his intonation perfect; to genuine musical feeling he unites very great virtuosity.
25Brahms' First Symphony in C minor terminated this long concert. Imagine two symphonies, two concertos and a long air from "The Redemption" of Franck on one program!
27An interesting concert was that given at the Salle Erard by two charming girls—the sisters Ottyle and Juliet Sondheim. These two young artists, who are, I believe, well known in Vienna, are skillful pianists, who, clever individually, have made a distinct specialty of music written for two pianos. Their repertory—which they play entirely from memory—is very large, and ranges from Bach to Chaminade.
29Their success on this occasion was very great and never in any doubt after their first number—Variations, by Duprosse. It was very interesting to hear a Romance by Thern played with the most perfect freedom of tempo rubato, really conveying the idea of one performer rather than two, so delicately were the arabesques played and so perfectly the elasticity of movement maintained.
31The number which excited the most enthusiasm was the Valse Paraphrase, Chopin-Schutt, which was interpreted with great dash and brilliance. Very numerous were the recalls, the audience numbering many prominent people, social and artistic.
33Mlle. Berthe Vallière was the vocalist, and added to the success of the concert by her dramatic reading of an air from "La Tasse." She was also very successful in a group of English songs by S. B. Schlesinger, in which she had the advantage of being accompanied by the composer. For the last song, "Phil's Secret," a repetition was insisted on.
35The Nouvelle Société Philharmonique steadily keeps on bringing organizations and compositions hitherto unheard by the public. The Hayot Quartet recently showed excellent qualities of ensemble in their interpretation of the Quartet in A minor by Schumann, and, with second 'cello, the quintet of Schubert. Marie Brema was the vocalist, and won great and merited success in works very little known, and later on gave two pieces by Tchaikowsky and Bruneau. The audience insisted on another number, when she offered a new song by a young musician, M. Weber. I say young advisedly, that this clever young man may not be confounded with Carl Maria of the same name.
37Mr. Hayot's solo numbers were a Berceuse by Saint-Saëns and two solos by Bach for violin alone.
39Rosenthal's second recital evoked as much enthusiasm on the part of the public as the first. The critics are not unanimous as to his interpretation of the classics, some thinking that his reading of the three sonatas given lacked somewhat in dignity. They are all, however, unanimous in their recognition of his extraordinary mechanism, his nearly demoniac virtuosity and his control, even when apparently he has given the utmost rein to his imagination. His own Rhapsody on Themes, by Johann Strauss, is voted marvelous as an exhibition of technical skill. But perhaps it was in the hackneyed "Don Juan" Fantaisie of Liszt that his purely executive powers gave the greatest effect.
41There is a little difference at the Opéra Comique between Mlle. Marie Delna, principal contralto, and Albert Carré, manager, which the law courts may be called upon to settle. It appears that Mlle. Selna has an engagement since April 15, 1900, at $1,200 (6,000 francs) per month; ten performances a month. By Mlle. Delna's contract she is entitled to two months' leave of absence in the year, during which time her salary is suspended. Last December the singer asked leave of absence for five days to give two performances at Bordeaux, which was accorded to her, but was surprised to find at the end of the month that M. Carré had deducted $200 from her salary. Now she is suing M. Carré for this amount, or in its place the cancelling and forfeit of $12,000, stipulated in her contract.
43Carré, who was interviewed on the matter, said that the suit would not hold for a moment. In the case of an artist who only received a small salary, a chorister or an employee, if he gave a holiday on account of illness, their salary continued. But for principal singers like Delna, to whom a holiday might be accorded, and which was generally utilized for the purpose of accepting well remuner-
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