The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-05-17

u.
ganfzations of high artistic merit and their
failure to attract paying audiences upset the
calculations of all who have had experience
in such matters. The Boston Festival Or
chestra presents case in point. Here was
an organization made up of capable perform
ers under the direction of one of the best
known and most popular musicians in the
country Their soloists were all of the first
rank Aus der Ohe alone should have filled
the house, and Whitney and Herbert should
do the same. The concerts were of high or
der, and those who attended were well repaid
for going, but not enough went to meet the
expense of the concert.
Our local societies met with the same treat
ment. The Choral Society is in debt nearly
800, the Georgetown Orchestra was forced
to call in several subscriptions, the Washing
ton Saengerbund celebrated its fortieth an
niversary by losing nearly 5000 on a concert,
and the Washington Musical Club failed to
secure the patronage It deserved. The Marine
Band has had two fair houses, but the pros
pect Of their free concerts all summer long
kept away many who would otherwise have
attended. The Yale Glee Club, the Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania Mask and Wig Club, and
the eamateur performance Of "L'Africaine" had
good houses because "society' decided to go
and then everybody went to prove that they
were numbered in that charmed circle
Y y 4
The Choral Society will endeavor to clear
off part OF its debt by concert on May 81
for which assistance has generously been Of
fered by the Georgetown Amateur Orchestra,
the Saengerbund, the Schubert Quartette, the
Philharmonic Quartette, and Mr.. Anton Kas-
par, violinist. A well-varied programme will
be presented and every one who is at all in
terested In the cause Of music in Washington
should be present and thus aid the Choral
Society to rid itself of its burden.
X X II
One of the successes of the Boston Festival
Orchestra was the singing of Miss Rose
Stewart. Petite, with attractive face and
charming manner, she had the good will Of
the house before she sang note. Her sing
ing simply carried the house by storm. Hers
is not great voice, but sweet, bird-like, rival
ing the tones of the flute in purity. To this is
added facility and brilliancy Of execution
that is unusual. Liszt called her the "Kleine
Patti" She will always be sure of warm re-
ception in Washington.
X X X
When the writer first heard Whitney, some
twenty years ago, he sang the same selections
that he gave last Thursday night One ex-
poets to hear s'I'm Roamer,n the ssMagic
Flute' aria, or "rhree Fishers" when Whitney
sings and is exceedingly disappointed if he
omits these. With all his years before the
public he is still the only Whitney.
y ~
The New York Musical Courier for last
week gives fine description, with cuts, of
the new Carnegie Music Hail. with full ac-
counts of the opening music festival. The
number has also reports of various other fes-
rivals throughout the country and other mat
ters of interest to those musically inclined.
Charlotte, N. c., has an auditorium seating
three thousand people and had it well filled
at the concerts of its festival last week.
Washington has hall seating fifteen hundred,
and has been able to fill it on only one or two
occasions all winter
The Boston Symphony Orchestra declined
to take part in the Choral Society perform
ance of the "Spectre's Bride' because ''the
men objected to the rehearsals." On their
present tour they have played in Pittsburg,
chorus societies. There is somewhat of a
failure to connect between the two state
ments.
The Boston Musical Herald has the follow
ing to say about De Pachman: ''Should the
apology for the undignified actions and buf-
foonery of the artist be that he is perfect
child of nature and the innocent artlessness
with which he applauds himself and makes
his comments to the audience is but proof
of entire ingenuousness, then the dire truth
must be told that all these effects are care
fully prepared beforehand, that every bit of
impromptu gesture or comment is carefully
introduced in order that the audience shall
think constantly of the artist rather than of
art, of the performer rather than Of the COM
position"
\ \ 4
Mrs. f. Y. Perkins, whose delightful So
prano has aided so much the success of
the Sixteenth street Quartette, will go to Eu-
rope in June, to study under Shakespeare, the
eminent English musical instructor. Mrs.
Perkins is ndefatigable In the desire to per-
feet herself In the mastery of the art and has
already studied under most of the great In
structors Of Europe, as we'll as this country