The New York herald., 1879-02-07

tons Of those days--they would cover too much
ground for your patience'
But about Bach's violin compositions"
We'll eau only say that had the honor of first
introducing them to the public. You may remem-
lin Museum. and consisted of fugues, sarabandes.
Nc. Mendelssohn handed them to the great David TO
add the bowing staccatos and legatos which he did
without changing the character OF the works, and
when they We're completed David placed them IN my
hands for presentation to the cognoscei of Berlin
They far from enthusiastic in their appreciation
OF the master as they to-day; but am proud to
say that my efforts the heartest critical enco-
miums from the entire German press"
"Well, now, Mr.. Mollenhauer. your wide expert
ence. extending period of nearly fifty years.
should enable you to judge pretty accurately OF the
various merits and demerits OF art and artists IN this
country well as your own.
As to art in this country it is surrounded by such
q money getting atmosphere that it droops and dies
and then the government not fostering the arts as
they fostered in Europe is much against tit is
crushed out. But have hopes OF this country some
day producing composer that Will take rank
among the great names of the earth. Why not In
every other way America has shown her superiority,
and the day will come for her Beethoven and her
Mozart Only in Germany q composers works do
get q hearing-there is some encouragement; but
here am afraid the German element which controls
art so largely disposed to crush ont Ango-Saxon
talent. They very pigheaded, my countrymen
but they will sec clearer some day, perhaps. There
is the Philharmonic Society; its decline is apparent
for the that it wants some fresh young blood
infused into its dry veins Poor Carl Bergman! the
best conductor this country ever saw ana think l
under julien, who, with all his claptrap effects OF
katydids and railroad trains and booming cannon.
was the finest conductor of the most magnificent
orchestra the world ever saw Carl Bergman say"
"But Damrosch. and Neuendorf, and Carlperg-
where are they?
"Where they do not belong. All three rolled to-
gether would not make Bergman. He was leader
deserving the he saw even before he died that
some fresh blood was needed in that society. Now,
am not young lady; but if were should petition
that some of those old graybeards be removed from
the front row and younger talent put in their place
for the relief to the eye if nothing more. But we
have the experience they yes, experience with
the same enemy that wrought all poor Rip Van
Wrinkles misfortunes-the schnapps bottlel"
But Thomas?'
''Theodore Thomas possesses the wand of success
energy He is not much of musician and no COM
poser; and he cannot play-he has stiff back-arm'
as We say. instead of bowling only from the wrist
Besides he lacks education. But he has done great
in that regard is well deserved. The late u. G. Hill
has claims on the gratitude of the New York public
founding the Philharmonic, but his society gave
him thanks it turned him out like an old broken
down steed to die in the pasture.
''what do you think Of the two violin virtuosi now
before the publicw
'Excuse me; cannot class them together-at least
under that head. Wilhelmj is great artist; he is al
most too perfect-too schoolmastery. to speak.
His technique staggers, dazes you, but it is legit
mate; there are no tricks. He has but one fault
coldness. But great he is you cannot once say
after hearing him that you have brought the atmos
phere of his playing away with you You have it all
in your BRAIN perhaps but not in your heart You un
he gives AS for Remenyi. he is charlatan. but the
charlatan may please after all He can evoke SYM
pathy though by trickery and in the end you carry
away much more pleasing memory OF him than OF
Wilhelmj. But when he undertakes the masterpieces
of composition he makes caricature OF them For in
stance the eighth concerto of Spohr-the pattern Of
ali concertos ever written-which opens with long
drawn, sustained note so!"-and the old artist took
up his violn and with clear, full tone illustrated
his meaning. "Remenyi saws it up and down-so!-
breaking the composer s idea entirely"
about this Brahms storyY'
ooh! don't think much of that. am not an ar
dent admirer OF Brahms, but am scarcely prepared
to believe that Renienyi composed the Hungarian
dances. We know that Beethoven took Scotch airs
and built upon Them but we do not call him q
plagiarist for that. The Instrumentation and
variation and oil the necessary greatness that be-
long to composition were there and that was
enough There Is Ole BUD. His capacity as a virtu-
oso is extremely limited; but, like Remenyi, he
evoke sympathy and not only create but preserve
the illusion he makes. The secret of his success is
that he knows how to take his audience He pats his
violin. he smiles and sends his personal magnetism
that art2 How much magnetism has Will
helmj? What is his personality to us?
Yet by his consummate art he commands
admiration; he does not angle for it. Ole Bull is
gentleman in every sense OF the word-a fine man
with a fine mnd-but do not call him great
artist. He cannot play quartet of Beethoven by
sight In music it is good deal it is in politics
there will always be more or less chicanery.'
''Then you are politician ~ well as an artst?,
ssOh, have any opinions--for instance think Til
den is an old Jesuit.
'Never mind about that now You were speaking
of sight reading"
.'Yes and that reminds me of Gottschalk They
said he could not read that he was ignorant OF the
classics and all that Now. travelled with Gottschalk
and Lagrange, and it was not true that he was not
fond the classics. He played Beethoven super6ly
but, he sad, There is no money in Beethoven the
people don't want him. but they go mad over my
banjo and Last Hope II aman asks you for roast
beet will you give him mince pier l remember the
first time that played together at old Dodworths 3
Hall. There had been opportunity for rehearsal,
and when the De Beriot concerto was placed before
him trembled but there was not false note"
'What OF the voices in this country 2"
beautiful! especially the female sex; nearly every
girl has voice here. and such clear beautiful voces
except for the nasal drawbacks that comes from the
Language. knew Jenny Lind weli she was charm
ing and delighted with everything she saw in this
country. Ah. she said. I love those dear Ameri-
cans J.
care you composing at all, now ?"
Nothing at all; the fount Is dried, think. My
blindness and the heavy blow lately had from the
such effort. The last work of mine concerto
for two violns with full orchestra accompaniment
which dedicated to Dom Pedro when he was in this
country / sent 1t TO his hotel with letter to the
effect that would be amply rewarded by his playing
my composition. You know lie is an excellent vio-
linist. But l received no reply whatever. Over q
year after wrote to Brazil asking for the return of
the manuscript, as had preserved no copy, and q
month aferward the Secretary of the Brazilian
Legation drove my door in most ridiculous state
or agitation and very anxious to know II was the
composer whose lost manuscript the Emperor was
making such fuss about. 1t had never reached
him."
''But this letter of Mendelssohn's?
81 will give IL you, remember 1t word for word
There two brothers lately come to Leipzig who
play violin duets in a marvellous manner. The
younger, Edward, has the romantic beauty or an
Italian iprorisatore; the elder. of rugged aud
intellectual type. already composes admirably. 1
have had them to my house frequently. and il the
deaf to their playing the eye would be
than satisfied by the picture they make standing side
by side III their dark beauty. And all this from
Thuringiav You understand this was extract
from private letter to friend. Moscheles? No. 1
never saw him. anticipated meeting him in Lon
don. but when got there he was in Leipzig,
where he had been called to chair in
the new Cons servatory. But 1 met veuxtemps
and Sivori and Bottesini and Prosper Sainton,
with all of whom played when Hector Berlioz led
the new Philharmonic at Exeter Hall. But notwith-
standing those earlier triumphs in Europe my heart
has been with America since came here first with
Julien. 1t Is u great country, and firmly believe
in 10 future power in art-supreme and lasting.
But t will not about altogether through foreign
agency. Americans must cultivate and encourage
native genius There is a foreign autocracy here in
art that l. of detriment than anything else I;
it go down. shall not live to IL, but be-
lieve heartily in the future ! have prophesicd.
Doubtless many who are struggling on to-day with
encouragement will be remembered in history.
'ris the fate of the artist, you know-'unwilling
pennies for the living; golden monuments for the
dead thank you for your visit good morning."