Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-18
THE MUSIC WORLD.
No Reason for apprehension as to the
Plans for the Worlds Fair.
ATTACKS NOT BASED ON FACT.
One by One the Foreign Composers Are lc-
cepting Invitations.
4 BUDGET OF GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

Mr.. Theodore Thomas is notoriously lack
ing in tact His brusque ways and out
spokenness have offended great many peo-
pie in the course of his long, brilliant career.
This unpleasant personal characterirtic of
the man at the head furnishes the only e1-
planation of the commonly current attacks
upon the supposed plans of the Worlds Fair
Bureau OF Music. 1t furnishes no justifca
tion, however. No matter what just reason
anyone may haVe for personally disliking
Mr.. Thomas, or for ohjecting to the hasty
way in which Mr.. Thomas too often e1-
presses his own views about people and
things, it can form no sufficient excuse for
those who are assailing the Bureau of Music
and really doing their best to embar-
rass and obstruct a cause that ought to COM
mand the loyal support of all.
There is no actual ground of fact for the
gratuitous, but widespread, assumption
that American composers and Americas
representative artists and organizations
have been or will be ill.treated or ignored
at the Worlds Fair. The bureau has not.
officially or by any member, done or said
anything on which this sumption could in
fairness be based.
bureau points the other way. The scheme
for the dedication next month makes ample
recognition of the American composer in
the two important works to write which
missioned. All native composers have been
invited to send into the bureau, by October
Is. orchestral, choral or chamber works,
either in MS. or print, being assured OF
worthy performance at the Exposition Of
those works recommended by a special
examining committee yet to be announced.
Personal requests of like nature have been
addressed to native composers of acknowl-
edged standing.
The general outline of what will be done
during the Exposition period proper, as
lla hah In ha .hr
whatever to ignore the representative
artists and Organizations of the country.
or course the first question was to provide
for an orchestra and chorus that could be re-
lied on throughout the season. And Chicagn's
permanent, local forces must OF necessity
be looked to as the backbone OF these
rangements. But all the leading choral
societies from Pittsburgs own Mozart Club
on the east to Kansas City and Omana on the
west have been invited-snd have been con-
suited in the arrangements-to assist en-
masse in special choral concerts.
AS to what further recognition will be
given to special organizations it is in point
to cite the ungracious account OF an inter-
view with Mr.. Thomas for the New York
Herald (Which has been ultra violent in its
attacks as follows:
"He was good enough to say, however,
that all the leading Eastern clubs would be
represented at the fair. but not all would be
invited. The invitations would depend only
on his judgment OF their merit. He was un-
der no other restrictions. The amount OF
his own Judgment would be supreme.
"Then in burst of generosity he said that
the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the
New York Philharmonic Society would re-
ceiye invitations: in fact. that their officers
had been notified several months ago but
the organizations themselves knew nothing
about it. AS for Mr.. Damrosch's orchestra
he had nothing to say, and in this case it
did not seem to be the silence which gives
consent. That was all Thomas would say
for print He admitted it was more than he
intended to say or should say until he was
ready to make all the announcements in
Chicago"
This is quite enough to show how un-
founded are the accusations referred to. The
real cause of the complaints is that the bu-
reau has pursued the business-like, sensible
policy OF making no specific announcements
until they can be made positively, and peo-
pie that think they ought to be taken into
preliminary consultation as to the plans feel
disIruntled. The cry of "CZarism" and
autocracy Is arrant nonsense The best pos
sible thing was done when the Worlds Fair
music was wholly entrusted to three such
men as Me.srs. Thomas, Tomllns and
Wilson and they are taking the best
and only practicable course of proceeding
quietly and surely to carry out the superb
general scheme announced. The evils Of
having "too many cooks" have been pain
fully apparent in the general management
of the Exposition business. 1t is admin
istratiN 9 officers that these three men were
chosen, and they are wise not TO waste time
and court embarrassment in the work by
discussing the preliminarfes with Tom, Dick
and Harry.
No one need doubt that from time to time as
concluded all the details of a worthy and
loyal plan will be officially announced by
the bureau in clear, satisfying shape-like
the following issued under date OF Septem-
Der IA:
The invitation Of the Exposition rendered
to DIR. A. c. Mackenzie, of London, to visit
1t as guest has been accepted. DR.. Mac
kenZie will come to Chicago next Sep
tember and several programmes Of his com
positions will be performed. DR.. Mackenzie
is not only one of the foremost OF English
composers, but is prominent as q conductor
and educator, being the principal of the Royal
Academy OF Music and conductor OF the
London Philharmonic Society, the oldest
and most honorable of all existing English
musical organizations. DR.. Mackenzie's
choral and orchestral works are well known
in this country. A comparatively young
man, DR.. Mackenzie, is one of the most
scholarly, versatile and popular Of English
musicians.