Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-24
Weighing the Value Of the Average
Musical Education.
LISTENERS OF THE RIGHT KIND.
Performers Who Are Astonishing the
Critics of New York.
GOSSIP ABOUT OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS.

young society weekly on the Southside. A
good way for his new co1freres to welcome
him into the arena would be to break a
lance with him upon the topic discussed in
yesterdays issue of the new paper.
1t is only too true, as there claimed, that
many young folks who have been put under
music teachers never learn to play anything
worth while, and do often become bores.
But it is logical non seQuitur to say
that, therefore, they possess no musical
talent An undoubted acorn may be kept from
growing into an oak by being deprived of
proper and natural conditions Of growth.
Many musical talent is ruined in the same
way.
More than that, it is not right to say that
music teaching is a failure, if it does not
bring the person taught to point where he or
she can play or sing well enough to entertain
the public or a coterie of friends. That's the
Grass. utilitarian spirit that prevails too
widely to-day. Is the young girls course
in botany failure, just because she don't
make practice of imparting botanical knowl-
edge to others? Shall high school or college
course be accounted wasted time, simply for
the reason that the graduates do not (could
not, indeed, If they tried) NIL their daily con-
versstion with Latin quotations and habitually
spout learned discourses upon this or that
''ology"?
Z.
for the elements it adds to ones own manhood
OF womanhood, and without so much reference
to the specific practical use to which it may be
put or how much 1t will fetch in the market
that is what we Americans need TO learn. In
the sphere Of music especially is this
desideratum felt. There are plenty of
listeners Of the right kind; persons
who make no pretension OF technical
proficiency, but who look upon music as some
thing more than mere pastime, who see its
noble. elevating character, and who habitually
take an attitude receptive of all that is lofty
pure and true in musical art. The capacity for
such musical culture is to be found well-nigh |
universally. So should its development be.
Indeed. the DEVELOPMENT of such listeners is an |
object for musical study quite as important as
the development OF good performers. The
latter are of no more use without the former
the blind.
No course of musical study can rightly be |
called failure if it has given the student an
insight into the meaning of music: if it has |
brought him into personal and affectionate |
sympathy with its ideals and madeits Ian |
guage speak to him as his mother tongue
ANY alleged musical course that does not |
bring this result with it is blank and dismal |
failure; all the more so, if it has turned loose
another mechanical performer TO prey upon |
society,
s"4
It's chiefly to supply the need for the dis |
semination of musical knowledge among the |
non-professional part of the community, that |
Chicago publishing house has issued a MAN |
udl Ol MUSIC, tic duNduC6 S0e6bS OF winch, |
have been submitted TO The DISPATCH for |
review.
When completed upon the lines begun the |
work will be quite unique a compendium of |
musical information. 1t contains a general |
history Of music sketched in broad outlines. |
There are about half a hundred more or less /
extended biographical sketches of prominent |
composers (nearly all with excellent portrait |
plates) and somewhat larger number of com
plete pieces, which are, of course, in the |
smaller forms, but characteristic of the various
COmDOserg All these piecRS and 1
many more are analyzed-or rather explained
in a popular fashion, eschewinC technicali-
ties and giving copious hints as to phrasing
Interpretation, etc. Then there are dictionaries:
one of notable composers and performers; an
other of important musical works. instruments +
SnQ INSTITUTIONS: Ihlrd OF technical terms and
phrases, giving full and clear definitions; and,
fourth, a key TO the pronunciation of French,
German and italian words.
All these features, while in handler shane
than is often seen elsewhere, are designed
especially for non-professional persons, who do
not possess similar sources of information In
any form.
There is one feature of the 'Manual," how
ever. which is wholly novel and of great con-
venience as well to the Professed musician as
to the layman interested in the art. This is the
set of a half dozen historical charts which, by
colors, subdivisions and other Typographical
means, picture to the eve the principal epOchs,
periods schools and events in the general his
tory of music; the course of development in
various departments of composition (opera ora
torio etc. J, and in various instruments and the |
works writtln for them; and finally, the
course of musical events within the various
countries separately. These charts must be
examined to be appreciated t is really surpris-
ing to note the details to Wi ch they extend |
OF much value is it to be able to get SO clear |
and so comprehensive bird'seye view of the |
worlds musical advancement at any piven /
period, together with the steps that lead nm to
and the developments that Immediately fol
lowed the same.
One must perforce echo the sentiment of Mr..
W. s. B. Matthews, the prominent Chicago
critic and author, who has written an en- !
thusiasic introduction for the Manual" clos
ing with this sentence: That such a work |
should be demanded is indeed an encourarino |
sign OF the present state OF musical cultivation
in this country
As was TO be expected New York has oona
wild over Sarasate and d'AIbert, doubtless the
greatest pair of musical artists that have come
70 TINS country since Rubinstein and Wieniaw-
Ski This is how the "Raconteur" of the
Musical Courier. sketches them:
"Eugen dAlbert is a study. On the street it
is hard to realize that the little queer even
quaint figure that suddenly strikes Yonr aston
ished vision is the Old World famous piano
hero and rapidly developing composer.
, His individuality is as pronounced as Rubin- q
STEMS, while In the matter of attire he far
transcends the great Russian master Fancy a
green-gray weather-worn jager coat, tight pan
falcons q mile too short. a weird third eenturv |
(B. c. hat, long, oddly cropped hair ewes T
veiled, but at times intensely piercing a sbv {
reticent manner, and you have the picture Of {
one OF Ine most talented young men in the t
''Sarasate is also small, but he is dapper !
graceful, alert, brilliant and winning A thor. 4
ough man OF the world and a consummate '
virtuoso, Wieniawski's terse criticism of Sgra q
sate's playing was 'Superbe main gaucbe >; :
fPlttsburg possessed a suitable large music
hall, we might stand better chance Of a visit
from these Dioscurn of the present musical
As it is, however there are T.
enough muslcIoyers willing to pay the higher :,
prices entailed by a smaller auditorium to 81
make it worth while for Mr.. Abbey TO consider a
our claims. q
'tClover." at the Bijou, has been nra+tv fr,,,- T.
reviewed during the week, but there is room 4
here for word Of recognition for irs musicaI d
merits. Without anywhere attempting to "
french upon the domain of grand opera Won Il
Suppe displays IN this work a skillful d
workmanship, a spontaneous flow of mel
,dy and a solicitude for dramatic effect -
hat are far above the stuff that commonIv | II
,asses current as light opera. And the singinfr :,
u Mr.. Eugene Oudin and-to little little less y
xtenu-Jhat of Miss Marion Mapola are onita ! u
S far above the vocal efforts common in This II
lass of work. ~
If we must have nearly all our opera of +be u
,Omic order, and besprinkled with aero | I!
,atc funny business it as well to have such -
ieyers to do it-and it is better vet to have | z,
uperintending spirit like Mrs Cottrellv whose ~
rtistic instinct forbids the excision OF ali ro |
nance and seriousness, in order to give the | .
ufocn element the nauseatlng license it all s.
DO frequently receives. oil
CrOtchetE and Quavers.
AN organ recital will be given by Mr.. Carl =
.etter az the Arch Street NJ E Church Aua
heny, next Friday evening.
THE well-known song composer, Meyer-HeI-
und, Of Berlin, has written an opera entitled
Margitta" which is to be brought ont At
agdeburg this month.