Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
THE MUSIC WORLD.
A General Survey of Choral Concerts
Throughout the Country.
CHARMING CRITICAL REMARKS.
New Anecdote Of Karl Formes and Emperor
William 1.
GOSSIP ABOUT OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS

Few more pleasant moments have lately
been had by the writer than those spent in
looking through Mr. H. E. Krehbiel's
"Review of the New York Musical Season,
1SSS-S9," which the publishers, Messrs.
Novello, Ever & Co., have courteously sent
to The DISPATCH for review. The back
bone of the work is a chronology
cal record of all public concerts
given in New York, maintaining a
high musical standard; the record including
place, date, hour, performers and compost
tions, noting novelties especially. In this
particular as in the appendix "a new feat
ure of the Reviews containing general
survey of choral concerts throughout the
country, the scope of Mr.. Krehbiel's volume
is. as far as it goes, quite the same as that
of Mr.. Wilson's Musical Year Book of the
United States" And such records kept by
such accurate, reliable and observant men
care for the progress of the art in this coun-
try.
The peculiar charm of Mr.. Krehbiel's
volume lies in what he modestly terms the
"critical remarks" Tin several instances
these attain the dignity of profound essays),
upon the novelties brought out during the
season, and which are largely extracts from
the eminent critics articles in the New
York Tribune. The authors breadth of
view and "many-sidedness" is strikingly
illustrated from page to page. In the
elaborate "Rheingold" review appears the
earnest student of the Northern myths
conjointly with the enthusiastic yet
clear-sighted and unbigoted disciple
of the Titan of the modern music drama.
ApropOs of flute concerto by Quantz,
Frederick the Greats instructor, he becomes
the charming rdcoRteur of musico-royal
anecdotes, fresh and bright. The Washing
ton Centennial and festival of the Trinity
parish choirs lead him back into the history
of the phases of opera and church music re-
spectively that have transpired in
the American metropolis from its
earliest days essays showing in
defatigabIe research. The splendid
glowing study of Won Buelow's piano re-
citals is remarkable alike for keen, subtle
analysis, Tor poetic description and for en-
Unused encomium., The brilliant essav upon
Symphonic Readings develops the
scholarly critic, whose fondness for the
modern has not abated his reverence for the
classical, and who can bring to his
aid original authority and logical argument
sufficient to make out at least a prima facie
case against even Won Buelow, Siedl
and Thomas.
In short, this collection of critiques is a
worthy addition to those previous publica-
tions which have already won for Mr. Kreh-
biel the foremost place among American
critics.
An entertaining page of the "Review"
for warm weather reading is the following
anecdote, related by Niemann, the great
Wagnerian tenor, apropos OF Carl Formes,
the herculean basso.
Several years ago. said Niemann,
IN effect, II received a call from |
Formes in my lodgings in Berlin. |
my career began after he had left Germany, |
but of course / knew him by reputation, |
and offered myself for any service that he |
might want performed in Berlin. He said |
that he would like to sing at Court |
Concert, and 1 succeeded through In |
tendant Won Euelsen in having him invited. |
I escorted him to the Palace and remained |
at his side until he was summoned to sing. |
He chose Schubert's song, Der Wanderer,'
oAN bSAlONSu ~ 50 tudl : WAS IeTrOr-SGrlcken /
and great drops of perspiration
rolled off my forehead 1t was
a dreadful performance. 1 can't describe
1t to you, but to my amazement the old EN-
peror led in the applause which followed it.
Formes came over to me entirely contented
with himself, and before had got through
wondering why be had pleased the Emperor,
a summons came for him to sing again. This
time he waved the accompanist aside, and.
seating himself at the piano, sang Tn
einen Kuehlen Grunde.' Not long
after 1 had asked Lucca, who was then
with us at the Berlin opera, what she
thought Of the affair. She said she had been
as much amazed as and had asked Prince
Bismarck, beside whom she was
sitting at the time, for an ex-
PLANTATION. Bismarck replied: Cant you
guess? Look at Formes, see the size of
him, and hear that terrific voice! Can't
you Imagine our venerable Kaiser measur-
ing him with his eye and saying to himself:
What fellow he'd be at the head of
1 must hear him sing againp"
CrOtchets and Ouavers,