Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-04
THE MUSIC WORLD,
Dazzling Attractions MIR. Carl Retter
Has Secured for the PittSburg
May Festival.
PETER TSCHAIKOWSKPS VISIT.
Rafael JOseffy at the Piano, Anton Seidl as
Conductor and SOlOists Worthy
of Such Company.
PETER TSCHAIKOwSKPS VISIT.
THE TEACHERS AT PHILADELPHIA.
Handeps Nuhlss oTstOriU by the Mozart Club Delighted
Gas City People

ter the P. S. NJ. I. A. meeting in Phila-
delphIa last week, to run over to New York
aud close a number of engagements for
Pittsburg's coming May Festival, a repre-
sentative of this journal was instructed to
hunt him up yesterday and ascertain what
he had accomplished, whence the following
special telegram under New York date:
q reporter for THE DISPATCH found Mr..
Carl Retter in an uptown music store this after.
noon and mad talk with him about the May
Musical Festival. Mr.. Retter thinks the com.
ing festival will not only eclipse Pittsburg's
previous efforts in that direction, but that it
will be equal, if not superior, to any musical
festival ever given in this country. In proof of
this he points to the list of artists already en-.
gagged, which is to be added to in future
Mrs. Antonia Mielke, of Cologne, the leading
priIna donna of the Metropolitan Opera House,
and Miss Clementina De We're, are to be the
sopranos and Mrs. Walter c. Wyman and Mrs.
Rosa Linde the contraltos. Andreas Dipple,
who has met with great success here and is
considered by some the peer of Alvary, and
either Campanini or Guile, will be the tenors.
Theodore Reichmann. of Vienna, whom Mr..
Rctter calls 'the worlds greatest barytone, "
and Emil Fischer, the basso, have also been en-.
gagged.
The great feature of the festival will be the
engagement Of the Russian composer, Tschal.
kowski, who is TO cross the ocean only to ap-
pear in Pittsburg and possibly in this city. He
will be in the country but fortnight. At the
May festival he will conduct his own symphony
and piano concerto, the latter to be played by
Rafael Joseffy, who will appear in public this
season only In conjunction with the Russian
composer.
Anton Seidl, the conductor of the Metropoli.
aa|p h. =
ter musicians, with a chorus of 500 voices, will
supplement the efforts of the list of artists to
which Mr.. Retter points with so much pride
He is now negotiating with other artists. The
result of his negotiations will be announced in
due time.
In regard to the works TO be rendered, Mr..
Retter said that only the choral numbers had
been decided on. These are the Emperor
Mass Of Haydn, the "Deluge," by Saint.
Saens, Apollo" by Roeder, Rossini's
'Stabat Mater" "At the Cloister Gate
by Grieg The Water Nymph," by
Rubenstein, and the Wagner numbers
which are: OF "Tannhaeuser," the Overture and
Bacchanale, with the concluding chorus of the
SIRENS Paris version); the "Vorspiel," EISa's
Dream and Prayer, and the finale of the first
act from "LohengrIn;n the Finale and Prize
Song from the "Meistersinger' and the finale
of 'Parsifal" This last will be the first choral
performance of the piece in the United States
that in Brooklyn not having chorus. Mr. Ret
ter is confident that the rest of the programme
of the seven co3certs which are to De given will
equal what is here announced.
One ofthe Worlds Greatest
If it were actually true that Peter
Tsehaikowski is coming from Russia to
America only to appear in Pittsburg and
possibly in New York-if this were the
truth and the whole truth, that fact alone
would suffice to carry the name of our May
Festival throughout the civilized world. OF
course he must be coming over for some
other object as well, perhaps, like
Scharwenka last year. to arrange for a sub
sequent tour.
However that may be, it will be a great
thing for Pittsburg's festival to count among
its attractions, one of the foremost living
composers, the undisputed leader of that
young, original and intense Russian school
toward which the whole musical world is
looking with such expectation. As no
definite mention seems vet to have been
made of Tschaikowski's intention of cross
ing the ocean this spring, this first announce.
ment of it through Mr.. Retter's engagement
cannot fail in itself to draw widespread at.
tention to Pitts6urg's May Festival Of 1891.
No better pianist could be asked for thi:
occasion than Mr.. Josef1y, whose retirement
OF late the New York critics and public have
been bewailing. TschaikoWski and Joseffy
what teami
The rest of the sole list, as far as We;
known, is worthy of such company. Mr.
Reichman's fame is worldwide while Mrs
Mielke and Mr.. Dippel are two of tns
brightest stars among Director Stanton.
new acquisitions now earning suct
high metropolitan praise. The diminu.
tive Guile will be remembered here
as the tenor Of PATHS last operatic concer
tour, and all the others named have gained
great local favor at one time or another with
in the past two seasons.
Anton Sc idI as Conductor.
As we have already found out on a former
occasion, Anton Seidl is host in himself a.
have 4 much better disciplined force oI
players for the all-important orchestral de-
partment.
There is remarkable catholicity in tht
choral selections named; the scheme is open
TO criticism only from those who believe,
with the writer, that a true festival pro-
gramme is not complete without one or more
representative works in the largest forms o
choral composition. That consideration
ASIDE the variety of these shorter
works is both rich and rare
Haydn, Rossini, Rubinstein, Wagner,
Martin Roeder, Grieg and Saint-Saens add
Ischalkowski and the yet greater orchestral
composers sure to be included bv Mr., Seidl,
and we have an exceptionally strong repre-
sentatlon OF the most important schools and
nalonalltles. Ii only the humble Ameri-
can composers might have a chance, tool
The present important announcements as
to the performers and programme assure.
beyond doubt, the artistic brilIiance of the
Festival, just as the patronage and assistance
OF that strong body OF society leaders. ex.
clUsively named in this department some
weeks ago, assures its fashionable and fnap.
Cial success. Mr.. Retter and the public
alike are to be congratulated on the prospect.
The Philadelphia Gathering.
The second annual meeting of the Penn.
sylvania State Music Teachers Association
passed off at Philadelphia last week with
much success, as the telegraphic columns Of
The DISPATCH informed its daily readers
The general scheme given in this column
last Sunday was departed from only because
Of absenteeIsm and proved to be a good or
derlng of the meetings, save, perhaps, in the
unwlse placing of musical programmes after
the lengthy essays and discussions of the
morning sessions.
Plttsburg's representation was, unfortu.
nately, less than was expected. Sickness In
his family prevented Mr.. Ad. NJ. Forester
from going to hear the excellent perform
ance oil his tine trio, and to take his right.
ful share in the discussions and business.
The same cause kept at home Mr.. Beyeridge
oh mi lsT