Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-19
An Objection to the Site of the Carne-
gle Music Hall 0bliterated.
CAPACITYOF THE NEW BUILDING.
Haydns I'm perial Mass as Rendered at Cal-
vary Episcopal Church.
GOSSIP OF THE BARS AND SPACES

the park, conclusively proves that even
with the present means of transportation
the people can and will get to their new
pleasure ground. That 5000 people go
| there now for a simple band concert finally
disposes of the allegation that the park en-
trance will be an inaccessible site for the
Carnegie buildings, and especially for the
| Music Hall.
Another deduction may be made. If the
rough band pavilion and an everyday
local band can command q patronage Of
| 5000, how large patronage will be ready
for the fine music hall, with its own bril-
| liant attractions, with the aid of the many
other departments of that suite of build
ings and with the popular habit of going to
the park strengthened by the passing of the
cation sure to come?
~
| Capacity of the New Music Hall.
This question is vitally important just
now, when the Carnegie Commission is in
viting competitive plans for the buildings.
The capacity and the design of that music
hall should by all l'means be such as to ac-
commodate properly the patronage that will
be ready for it. 1t ought to hold out its
higher musical opportunities to as many as
| possible of those 5000 people, who showed
themselves ready to go to Schenley Park
for pleasant musical evening.
The minimum capacity of 1000 suggested
by the commission is much too small, unless
it should be necessary thus to keep within
the funds provided. Three thousand five
hundred to 1000 would be more like the
proper capacity for the average patronage
that ought to be and can be had, while such
an audience would be still well within the
limits beyond which music ceases to be
heard to advantage.
"But," someone says, "Pittsburg does not
contain even 1000 regular patrons of con-
certs of the grade likely to be given in
a music hall" That is unfortunately true,
and it is all too likely to remain true, un.
less the new hall shall, as it readily can,
present the necessary conditions to develop
our rightful proportion of regular concert
goers.
Distinctly Popular Concerts.
Those necessary conditions may be
roughly stated thus: The hall should have
a total capacity in the neighborhood of 4, 900
and should be built with one or two tiers
of boxes, a balcony and gallery, all rising
above the parquet. About half the seats
should be in the balcony and gallery. Such
a scheme will permit scale of prices
graded to suit every purse and yielding
enough receipts for any attraction. At first
the hall will be filled only on rare occa-
sions, but even if the two upper sections be
entirely empty, the vacant seats will be out
of sight and will affect neither the appear
ance nor the enjoyment of those occupying
the rest of the auditorium.
Every time that hall is used there could
be, by this plan, hundreds of seats to be had
at 25 and 90 cents. Every time, mind you.
1t would be a constant thing; everybody
would soon get to know that this new
music hall is intended for the whole people,
and that anyone can get in for quarter.
given at small prices for the whole house;
free organ recitals, too, like those that have
been crowding the Allegheny Carnegie |
Hall. The people-the same classes that |
now throng the free concerts out doors and |
in-could and would be got into the habit |
of looking to music for regular, normal re-
creation.
This is no idle dream. Other cities have
proven its entire reasonableness. If the |
proposed Music Hall be large enough and |
rightly planned, Pittsburg, too, can enter |
upon this musical missionary work, and |
that without interfering with the avail
ability of the hall for the smaller audiences
that may be expected until the popular
movement shall have taken effect.
~
The Devotional Value of Art.
The giving of Haydns Imperial Mass,
complete, at Calvary Episcopal Church last
Sunday evening reflects credit upon both
ends of that church.
1t shows the waning Of the ancient Pro-
testant prejudice against even the music of
the Romish Church. The prejudice is chief
" against the words, of course, but even
this feeling has no real right to exist, es-
pecially in the heart of an Episcopalian,
whose own book of common prayer contains
the best English translation of the words of
the mass extant. Nevertheless it is full of
that any Protestant church
should give an entire service written and
for the Church of Rome.
From musical standpoint it is gratify-
ing to see any such recognition of the
devotional value of the art, as is implied in
devoting almost the whole of Sunday
evening to it. This is not infrequently
done in other cities, but in Pittsburg Mr..
L. G. Webster and his choir at st. Andrews
Episcopal Church have for some time been
alone in this species of activity. ALI the
churches might make music much more
efficient handmaid to religion than she can
possibly be SO long as they give her place
in public worship merely on sufferance-as
a kind of sop to the world-fesh-and-devil
Cerberus.
Music of the proper sort has just as good
right to occupy prominent part Of a
church service as sermon has. Calvary is
TO be congratulated on possessing in Mr.
Hodges rector broad enough to recognize
the truth of this doctrine, and in Mr.. Retter
an organist and choir master who is both
able and willing to put it into practice.
~
Musical Gossip From London.
A personal letter from former we'll
Known Pittsburger, Mr.. William D. Holmes,
contains the following London musical
,ossip, under date of June %:
I have just returned from what consider
he evenest performance of 'Lohengrin" I
,aye ever heard. Here is the cast: Elsa,
Nine. Melba; Ortrud, Giulia Ravogli LoIens-
min, Jean de Reszke; THE King, Edward de
Reszke; Ielramasrsd, Maurel; Herald, Abra-
noff. Such tremendous cast does not
,ften fall to ones lot to hear. Add to this
! superb orchestra under Marcinelli and a
emarkable chorus, and l think 1 shall
lot hear as good a performance
,ery soon again. In the farewell scene of
he third act Jean de Reszke was perfectly
uperb and received all ovation. Melba i'm :
proves every month and is an ideal Elsa. !
,he is so pretty now. Maurel even if he is ,
retting bit old and his voice a shade passe,
s incompatible as an artist. Lasalle, the
baritone who was near me- became SO ex-
,ited and enthusiastic that he rushed off to
the singers.
Next Saturday night "Otello" is to be !
-iyen for the first time with Jean de Reszke ,
le,,ord. There is considerable speculation =.
Ls to what De Reszke will make of it. Ger