Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-11

Genevra Johnstone- Bishop, who made arrange
ments TO this end while here to sing IN the
Messiah" with the Mozart Club. Let us
earnestly hope that this young girl, now SO ,nll
OF promise, will prove the possessor OF a ureiess
physique and an unspoilable disposition tnat
can carry her safely through the many perils OF
hopeful prodigies have flashed, meteor.like,
friction.
1T is not yet too late to make mention OF the
exceptionally brilliant reception OF the art
musicale" held on New Years Day IN that
charming music room at Mrs. c. L. Magee's
residence. Oakland. One feature was the play
ing. by Miss E McCreery and Mrs. John Y.
Slack, Of Mr.. Ethelbert Nevin's lately pub
lished set of piano duets, a valse caprice. q
Country Dance" and Mazourka- Inc others
taking part were Mrs. w. B. Wolfe, MISS bees-
ley, Miss Kaderly. Miss Bankard and MISS
Corey sopranos; Mrs NJ r. Scott GGnsraa5Si ana
Mr.. Salmon, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Bell ana
Miss Marshall, planists. There is reason 70 e1-
pect that this newly built music room Oh MIS-
Magee's. which for luxury and commodious-
ness is quite unrivaled hereabouts, will be a
head center of the distinctively fasnlonaple
musical activity in the community.
No person Of sensibility can hear Of the death
of one whom he well knew by name, if not by
sight, without experiencing some feeling OF
regretful seriousness. Death, while it levels all
distinctions, elevates its victim above the reacn
Of all fippant or sarcastic remark. One may
not, therefore. refer to Emma Abbott. since
her death last Monday, in the manner that was
frequently and not inappropriately adopted In
speaking of her while she lived. The wing OF
the dark angel throws into bright relief all that
was womanly. generous and of good repute In
the character of the singer whose name has so
long, and with such variety of infection, been
in peoples mouths. By all means, speak all
possible good of her-but truthfully. Art Ii
ever greater than the artist. 1t is playing
false to the cause of art to print columns Of
eulogy upon the artistic merits OF singer, VINO
was good woman, made much money and has
died, in the face of the fact that the real lnnu-
ence of her career was, from an artistic stand
point meretricious. Such obituaries tend to
perpetuate that evil influence and, for that
reason. call out the other side of the picture
which else might remain unnoticed beneath the
pail.
MR.. ETHELBERT NEvIN, in the course OF
one of his "Nibelungen" lectures in Pittsburg
last fall happened in his own easy conversa'
tional fashion to allude to the fact that his
enthusiastic admiration for Wagners orches
tration was derived from hurried glances into
borrowed copies of the full scores which-he
added earnesrly-"I hope some day to be able
to own"
1t is "a pretty far cry for any hardworking,
young musician to sigh for scores Of the
Ring at over S40O per set But this particu'
lar cry went right home to big-hearted art
patron who heard it and who, though he knew
Mr.. Nevin far better by repute than in person,
instantly realized what a treasure those longed
for scores would be for the young composer
and what source of power they might be in
the hands that had already shown such skill
So he went forthwith and ordered the full
scores OF the four great music dramas, had
them handsomely bound and appropriately in
scribed, and sent them off to Boston to this
young man with whom he had probably never
had as much as Is minutes personal converse
tion. If any richer, nobler gift was made al
heard of il. And if, at that glad season, any
one had greater cause for happiness than
Ethelbert Nevin, whose hearts desire war
satisfied, it was he who did that act of pure
gracious generosity, so wholly unlimited by
selfish motive that even his name must, at his
own request be withheld.