Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-19

to play song accompaniments. Rather q bit of
news. Another accompanist was the present
conductor Qeading) of the Bayreuth opera
And that reminds me that the Bayreuth dates
for next year are: Tristan and Isolde" July
20, August and Is; "Parsifal," July l9, 2S, 70
July % q. 80, August g. 10, Is and Is. DIRECTORS
of music, Herman Levi, of Munich, and fen1
Mottl. of Carlsruhe. Singers not yet decioeo
upon.
we are awaiting with a great deal of interest
the opening of the Theater Lyrique. formerly
the Eden. OF late years it has not been sue
cessful, but Verdhurt, last years impressarlo
at Rouen, took 4 lease of it and is to give
opera, beginning with this month. 1t is very
large theater and well adapted to opera ID ne
has altered the auditorium materially Inc
premier is to be 'Samson ct Dalila, " by salnI
Saens, with TalaZac as Samson. Rather un,
fortunate that TalaZac is only about teet
inches high! l have forgotten the DdMtG
This opera is to alternate with La Johe r liIe
de Perth" Dy Bezt, until some new operas are
ready wish it lots of success. for opera is SO
frightful here The opera coml4ue is pore
satisfactory than the grand opera.
That is about all the musical news happen
to think of except that PaderewskL the
pianist, hurt his leg recently while visiting the
Duchess de something or another, and Will be
laid up some weeks.
Love Your Composer.
Edward Baxter Perry, the pianist, recently
wrote under the caption Weaknesses of Great
Pianists' the following bit of wisdom:
An eminent master, who was authority in
both, once said carelessly to group Of students.
including the writer: MY dear young friends,
never kiss woman or play composer whom
you do not love. Believe me- there will be no
more warmth in the one than In the other, and
you will wrong them both"
Nearly all, even among the great artists,
those possessing most breadth and versatility,
are subject to certain definite limitations Oh
this kind which 1t is never wise Tor them 10
transgress. There will always be one or moro
of the recognized masters of composition in
whose work they do not glory; one or more of
the legitimate phases OF musical thought ana
mood in which they cannot subjectively par
ticiDate 1t is generally admitted, for instance.
even among the most devoted admirers OF that
veteran lady pianist, Schumann, that she can
not play Chopin, and when works by that
master are announced for her performance it
is mildly whispered in Frankfort that she has
made IAN unfortunate choice. Thus
lyric, even tolerably, though he excels in
most lines of work and commands, in addition,
one which is beyond the reach of most players,
and, some claim, even beyond the range OF in
strumental renditional together; reIer to the
arch, the whimsical, what may be denominated
the humorous in the music. DAlbert, in spite
of his tremendous power, breadth and speed,
is, strange to say, so unsatisfactory as to be al
most impotent in climatic effects: and De
Pachmann, though he has the most exquisite
appreciation and control of the lyrics of
Chopin, of the daintier, more tender and grace
COQlDUSlGlODS,
power of the larger works. and thus is falsely
designated the greatest Chopin player of the
age.
The writer never heard but two pianists,
Liszt and RuDnstein, who did not show very
distinctly such restrictions in some direction.
Many excellent concert performers are con-
fined to two or three styles which they play ex-
cepiionally we'll while they are painfully weak
in all others. A large proportion OF amateurs
have only one vein of composition which they
are willing to recognize as music at all. most
frequently the melodious and lyric, though
some reserve their appreciation exclusively for
the brilliant and others again like only the
mournful and pathetic.
"a
The Prodigy Question Again.
an. W." takes up nearly two more columns
of the New York Star with learned rejoinder
to Mr.. Beveridge W Websters last article in this
department OF THE DISPATCH, on the dis
puted question of whether prodiges are born
or made in voluminous quotations, IN. W."
arrays Goethe's self and other writings against
his epigrammatc definition of genius as
"consummate ability for hard work" and
quite succeeds in proying-wnat Mr.. Webster
never disputed-that genius. precocious or
matured, has to be beth born and made
1t is pleasant in this connection to remark
the wide interest and appreciation bestowed
upon those articles that Mr.. Webster volun-
tarily contributed to this column. Among
many evidences may be mentioned letter re-
ceived from DR.. hugh A. Clark, the learned
Chairman of the Programme Committee of the
Pennsylvania State Music Teachers Associa
ton, urging Mr.. Webster to prepare an
essay for the next annual meeting, and
saying: II read your articles with great
pleasure. There is a pressing want for
musicians who can write and speak fitting
words about our art" 1t should also be
stated that, as the writer has Stree learned, the
letter printed two weeks ago from Mr.: Albert
Ross Parsons ex-President of the National
Association. compiimenting this department of
THE DISPATCH, was written after perusal of
several of Mr.. Websters articles, which doubt
less had much to do with the favorable opinion
thus kindly expressed.
As far as practicable, this department will
always be open to WORTH contributions from
anyone desiring to help along the cause of
musical intelligence our community, Such
cooperation is ever grateful and welcome.
-
The Exposition Music.
Musical Pittsburg marks with regret the
closing of the Exposition and the consequent
departure of Mr. F. N. Innes and his excellent
military band.