Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-05
THE MUSIC WORLD.
Tho Cost of Music and the Proper
Way to Get the Money.
As TO AN ENDOWMENT FUND.
New Grand Opera and It's Merits Compared
With tho Old.
GOSSIP OF MUSIC AND MUSICIANS

WIN tho UlQ.
GOSSIP OF MUSIC AND MUSICIANS
Music costs money. It frequently COST
more money than it makes In its larger
forms, the more adequate the performance
the larger the inevitable deficit.
That is the gospel that needs preaching
just now to bring about the musical saliva.
tion of Pittsburg. In our town larger
musical affairs have been looked at chiefly
as business enterprises. True, there have
been guarantee funds" subscribed at
times. But when the guarantors
have been called on to pay up
as they always have been they
were surprised and disgusted. They ex-
pected the enterpr1se to pay for itself under
normal conditions and thought their guar
antee was only sort OF provision against
extraordinary, unforeseen circumstances.
This is all wrong. The very name, guar
antee fund" is wrong It should be called
Subscription of capital, or 'endowment, F."
or something else implying that the money
is actually intended to be called for. The
usual name implies a merely secondary,
conditional obligation; but the presumed
principal obligor is a man OF straw. For
music on such scale does not pay for
itself and should not be expected to pay for
itself
In money.
Note that paragraphed restriction. For
the experience of the world, which has
shown that such music cannot pay pecuni-
arily, has also shown that it pays so richly
in other directions that most Governments
cover its deficits out of public taxes on the
same ground and in the same way that
they maintain public schools, public parks
or conservatoriea
Until American statesmen can rise above
"river and harbor" log-rolling, the neces-
sary support for music of large caliber has
to be sought from private sources In
many cities of our land this call has within
the last year or two met with most gener-
GUS response from large-hearted, large
fortuned' men and women. Several sub
scriptions of as much as 81, 900 (the income
of 81, 600, ,000) have been made for series
of years. Permanent endowments, ranging
all the way up to $3.50, 900 for the New Eng
land Conservatory, have been raised.
That is how American cities are trying to
rise to the musical level Of the State-sub-
ventioned institutions Of Europe. Pitts
burg has this lesson yet to learn. The con-
ditions are ripe for it to be learned and
practically realized right now.
~
Prof Paine's View Of It
In line with this view Of our
local situation, read what the Musical
Courier quotes of Prof John K.
Pain e's article in the current Forum
After reviewing the operatic situation,
which he finds in all but q hopeless condi-
tion, Prof Paine makes the following sug-
gestion for an endowed operatic establish
ment, which would be independent of the
caprice OF the public, the whims of artists
or the penury and ayariciousness Of man.
ayers:
OPERA" writes Prof. Paine. 81 should think
that a capital of 81 900, 600 would be sufficient
to place and maintain it on q firm basis. Two
struction or purchase Of an opera house,
The interest from the endowment fund
would provide for the annual deficit, though
at times opera would largely pay for ITSELF
Any money saved could be devoted to pen
=, :, The cost of giving opera on permanently
organized plan would be far less, relatively,
than it is now. With moderate salaries and
q system of long engagements for the artists
the expenses could be kept down to a mini
mum, and there is no doubt that people
would form the habit of going to the opera
II the prices were regulated according to
might range from 50 cents to IS.
with higher prices for private boxes. There
be conducted with as much economy rs
university or a railroad SO far as its financial
affairs are concerned 1t should
have a corporation and Board of Directors
connection should be made with tsblished
schools of solo and chorus singing, dramatic
action and orchestral playing.
Prof. Paine further elaborates this plan,
and points out that every town almost in
Germany boasts of its opera house while
America with difficulty supports one, the
Metropolitan Opera House, and for only
four months every year. He advocates
nine months season, urging that artists could
be engaged at reasonable terms if their en-
gagement was longer. Much more has
Prot. Paine to say on the subject, and he
does not forget to call attention to the
and mentions that Parker, Whiting, Foote,
Chadwick, Mcdowell, Bird, Strong, Nevin,
Buck, H. w. Parker, Van der Stucken,
Huss, De Koven, Shelley, Gilchrist and
Gleason are all likely men from whom hope
tul work must be expected.
~
The musical programme Of the Art So
ciety's one hundred and seventy-ninth re.
ception last week read thus:
Massenet: Elegy.
Miss Bertha NJ. Kaderly.
Violin Obligato, Miss Blanche Newcom6.
Gricg: Sonata for Violin and Pianoforte. OPT l.
Allegro con brio.
Allegretto quasi Andantino.
Ms. Nsvcsme and Mr.. BsSsridse Webster.
Miss Kaderly.
After this brief but very delightful musi-
cal menu, the members and guests examined
the large, new plans and designs of the
Carnegie Free Library buildings to go up
at Schenley Park, and which will comprise
the Central Reference Library, Oakland
District Library, Museum, Art Gallery.
Music Hall and accommodations for the
various sections of the Academy of Science
and Art. Subsequently resolution was
passed expressive of the Art Society's
qualification OF the superb institute projected
by Mr.. Carnegie for the. public encourage
ments OF the fine arts that constitute 1he
society's own object also.
The business meeting was exceptionally
lively and interesting for body that has
generally stunned meeting for business.
Many suggestions OF wider lines Of work
were made, and to carry them into effect
this Board of Directors was elected: Messrs.
Joseph Albree, John w. Beatty, Ross w.
Drum, William B. Edwards, Martin B.
Leisser, George A. Macbeth, Charles G.
Ill TAhn n