Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-18
TASTE AND TALENT
Were Both Developed by the Cantata
and Gounod Societies.
NEITHER OF THEM LIVED LONG,
But. Their Legacies Cannot Be 0verestimated
by Pittsburg.
A REUNION OF THE OLD SINGERS
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH ]


vided with such increased facilities for it,
work, will give great pleasure to all the
music lovers of the city. The bright pros
poets of this favorite club will recall to
| mind the difficulties and detriments under
which those that preceded it suffered fol
want of such liberal assistance.
The old members of the Cantata and the
Gounod will remember the ill-arranged old
halls and dingy old chapel in which their
rehearsals were held without even ordinary
conveniences, let alone such luxuries, deco
rations, mirrors, busts, pictures of the great
masters and artists, as described in The
DISPATCH last Sunday in "The Music
World" But still the memory of the dark,
ill-lighted stairs, where stumbling was the
rule; the hard old settees, where the front
ones were usually left sacred to the best and
boldest singers, while the modest ones took
the back seats; the dust and dirt of win
dows, walls and floors will also bring back
the fun we had, the joys that filled the
happy hours when with youthful enthusi-
asm the members of the old societies were
wont to raise the echoes-and perhaps the
neighborhood-with their singing of the old
masterpieces.
ORGANIZATION OF THE CANTATA
There were musical societies in Pittsburg
before the birth of ''The Cantata, " but there
was never one, perhaps, that was organized
under more hopeful auspices Its member
ship, limited to so, was composed of the
cream of musical society, selected from the
best and most cultivated singers of the day,
who were full of enthusiasm for music of the
first order. The taste for music of such COM
posers as Handel, Mendelssohn, Gounod
Spohr, Schuman, Rossini, Bruch and others,
more or less famous was to be cultivated.
An orchestra was to be formed that could
sustain the noble works of such composers
Its finances were to be furnished by the re-
turns from concerts, and the hope was enter
tanned that such public-spirited citizens as
Mr.. Carnegie, Mr.. Frick and Mr.. Phipps
are now, would be ready to help the enter
prise in case of any failure of public sup
port.
But the public had not yet been educated
to enjoy such music. They preferred
Christy's Minstrels and compositions of the
Sweet Genevieve" and "Roll on Silver
Moon'-popular songs left now to the men,
ory of years ago; and only to call up festal
ewes and banquet halls deserted" while
the works of the masters are kept
Green, not alone in the summer time,
But in the winters frost and rime
and furnish fresh delight to every coming
generation.
DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE CLASSICAL.
Nor did the men of money see much to en-
courage in classical music. 1t bored them
to death. They could appreciate such music
as appealed to their emotions. They could
feel the pathos of "Home, Sweet Home"
could appreciate the sentiment of "Annie
Laurie" or "Bonnie Doom" could respond
in spirit to Crock Me to Sleep, Mother"
"The Old Folks at Home" or "Come
Where My Love Lies Dreaming" and feel
the thrill of patriotism profoundly over the
stirring strains of the 'Star Spangled Ban
ner," but they had no more comprehension
of, nor use for, ''The Walpurgis Night" of
Mendelssohn, "The Last Judgment" of
Spohr, the oratorios of "Elijah" or
"Danie1," or the masterpieces of Gounod,
than have most people to-day appreciation
of the grand operas of Wagner, in which he
aims ''to express the underlying emotions"
of fantastic legendary subjects.
The Cantata, with all its high aspirations
and noble aims, died about the age of two
years of the usual discords. But it sowed
seeds which have been growing ever since,
and of which the Mozart and other societies
are resping some of the fruits.
THE FIRST CONCERT WAS TOO RICH.
The programme of the first concert, if I
remember correctly, was Schuman's ''Gypsy
Chorus" Gounod's "Messe Solenelle," and
'gThe Campbells Are Coming" by Max
Bruch-a rather ambitious programme for
society so young, but fully justified by the
talent and standing of the singers who COM
posed it. The concert failed to please the
majority of the people, whose taste was not
sufficiently cultivated to enjoy its richness.
Those succeeding we're also rather coldly re-
ceived, and this threw q reciprocal cold
blanket over the society. The usual little
discords, jealousies and animosities had
crept in, that prevail in all societies, es-
pecially those devoted to harmony, and the
Cantata went to pieces, as most associations
do sooner or later.
Then came in the Gounod with trumpets
and style. Its premises showed that it in
tended to avoid all the faults of its prede-
cessors and to maintain all its virtues
Learning wisdom by the previous failure, it
made its object the pleasure and improve
ment of its members rather than the eleva-
tion of the public taste. While composed
largely of the old members CT the Cantata,
it yet determined to become vastly exclu-
sive and yet not expose itself to the fires of
criticism. Although its first concert was
given in the dingy Female College Hall, the
cards of invitation prescribed Evening
dress" Mendelssohn's Gave Maria" and
'Night," by Gounod, were upon the pro-
gramme.
THE GoUNoD IN OPERA.
The Gounod had quite successful career
while it lasted. But internal troubles, to
which all societies are subject, broke it up
at last. The opera of "Stradella" was given
about this time by the Frohsinns, with
Madame Loheyde as the prima donna and
Apfelbaum as Stradela. The success of this
amateur performance fred the Gounods for
opera. They soon took hold of ''Martha'
in rehearsal, and on its public performance
they made Pittsburg feel proud. Mrs. Camp
assumed the role of Martha. (What has be-
come of Mrs. Campo Mr. Paul thinner
man was the primo tenor, Miss Theresa
Herme was the Nancy, Barclay Everson was
in it and so was Paul Boehme. The popu-
larity and success of this production gave
large encouragement to the Gounods, and
their entertainments after that were in the
line of opera.
2sMuch fine talent was developed, though not
much of it has gone beyond the amateur
stage. The admired and beloved Jean
Wallace made her debut as member OF. the
Gounods and trod the stage for the first
time in 'The Bohemian Girl" Who in
Pittsburg does not recall her charming voice
and piquant style in her ballad singing, and
who does not regret her present retirement
through i'll health? Then there was Inez
Kennedy, whose voice was pronounced
In what obscrity is that
voice now? Josie Smith also made debut
in opera. She had rich contralto voice of
striking power, and displayed great
dramatic ability, but she too seems lost TO