Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-11
SHALL THERE BE ENcoEgs2

The new music journal, Music, thus
breaks forth 1t is fully time for the coz
scientious critic to enter protest against
encores in general. The custom so much
in vogue of recalling anybody and every
body upon the least provocation or upon
no provocation whatever, is radically
wrong for the reason that it is un lust to
the performers, and the supposed compli-
ment necessarily loses its value and i'm
portance on account of its indiscriminate
and lavish use in our concert rooms. Pro-
fessional musicians are paid for their SER
vices, and their contract or agreement re-
quires them to perform a certain number
of selections, and it is maRifestly unfair to
expect them TO double or even treble their
efforts without adequate compensation.
There is, of course, no reasonable objection
to manifestations of satisfaction and delight
on the part of an audience, and no one can
blame the performer for acknowledging the
same by the courtesy of reappeariug for a
moment and simply bowling his thanks.
This would be in accordance with the
canons of good taste, and is so manifestly
a proper course of action that no one could
cavil thereat.
As the matter stands every siBger is pro-
vided with an "encore for each selection
which he or she is advertised to sing, and
here the full absurdity of the practice is
evident. At the first thought it would
seem that if a clamorous audience should
be so charmed with Miss Smithinis solo as
to demand her temperance, it would be
for the reason that that especial selection
had been extremely pleasing, and common
sense would suggest that some portion, at
least, Of that selection would be the natural
response. This is very far from the fact,
for Miss Smithini reappears and regales her
hearers with something Of a radically diff
forent character, and very often or much
lower plane as far as musical worth is con-
cerned so that it is not at all unusual for
Miss Smithini to sing Bach Gouuod's ave
Maria, and TO supplant it with "Comin'
thro' the Rye, and these apachronisms be-
ing once tolerated, their variety is endless.
Very recently a lady sang as a concert an
extremely neat song, with cello oblieato
1t was well done, the cello passages being
the special feature, and yet, upoa q recall,
the lady came out a}oae ard sang vastly
inferior song, Now, this kind of operation
is neither artistic, in good taste, nor even
measurably decent.
The "previousness of this mode OF pro-
cedure is far less evident in the case of a
pianist, for in these days piano solos are
very rarely played from the notes, and
Mr.. Founder can easily assume sort of
impromptu and taken-by surprise air when
he obligingly consents to play "ittle
gem as an encore selection. Bat singer
has no snch refuge, for she must be accom-
panied, and her accompanied must have a
copy of her song, and-hsVing it-pray
how did he happen to have it with him in
such an opportGne moment? Did Miss
Smithini feel absolutely certain that her
endeavors would be SO enhancing that she
would be compelled to double her selec-
tions?
Well, the whole thing is wrong from boz
ginning to end, the performer had no bust.
ness to assume, as predestined fact, that
a recall is sure; neither Is he nor she doing
the right thing in allowing any public to
demand more than it has paid for, and She
audience should be taught that, in izstice
TO the persons who do not care to hear Miss
Snithini indulge in another MARBLE, no pyo.
gramme should be extended to double its
length by this pernicious and aborainAble
custom. In point Of fact theee deliberately
arranged aud carefully planned Re calls have
lost even the semblance Of spontaneity, for
it is often an open "a very oper secret, that
Mise Smlthini is TO sing such and such a
solo for an encore: il the gri'er could find
sufficiently powerful adjectiyes in the Eng
lish language, he would characterizs such
low, degrading procedures as they des, rye,
hut no words can do justice to the subject.