The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-09
THEATER MUSIC.

"What class of music appeals most to
San Francisco theater audlence? re-
peated August Hinrichs, looking little
as If he had been asked a c0numdrum.
IL should say that there are three ele-
meats in our San Francisco theater audi
ences Yes, decidedly three elements" he
continued, refectively. There are those
people who know and understand music :;
those who think they know and those who
don't want to know and only care for what
tickles their ears.
1.-The people whs endeavor to be the con-
noisseurs are the hardest to please. Why.
some of them actually 60 so far as to i'm
agine that there is nothing " orth listening
to, unless 1t is by Beethoven or Wagner
CLEAN Of mischief In his eye. iii | were
to take Beahms' music and put 'Wagner's'
in the programme these people would not
know the differencei indeed, they would
be quite happy under the impression that
they. were listening to Wagner.
1--WE do play a classical work once In q
while to please another class-those who
really do know. Some of the people here
do not care what we play, as long as it ap-
peais to the heart. The music may have.
been composed by heaven knows who
they don't care, so long as it moves and
touches them. Those are the portion of
the audience that we ought and do enjoy
playing for most.
st Is always dangerous thing for
musical director to spring novelties on his
audience, though. Yes, really, it takes
courage Aud there is one singular thing
that l have remarked about novelties.
When you play any little thing that is new
to their ears many people imagine at once,
because 1t does not strike them as being
familiar, that it must be classical. On the
other hand. some people will condemn a
thing not because 1t Is bad, but because it
has become popular.
"a Baldwin audience Ia one OF the most
critical IN the Unltsd States. aud it is the
hardest task for ths musical director 10
please both the gallery and the people
downstairs. That WAS magnificent; just
what we want, SONS of TIE people may be
heard to remark. ana others will say,
we understand Yes, 1t is almost i'm
possible TO obtain recognition from the
wnoie house.
Have l been too candida" asked Mr..
Hnrichs. smiling. Il hope our audiences
won't give It to me for saying they are
difficult to please. There is one thing l
can tsuthfully say about San Francisco
audiences; tnsy can always appreciate
something really good. Now, when OXIDE
Musin was here the people packed the
house to hear him. Some went for the
fad, perhaps, but l honestly believe the
majority went for the merit in the per-
forinance.
by the way. speaking of music, here l
received an offer this morning from the
Eastern agency of Henri Marteau. the
great French violin virtuoso, inviting me
to conduct an orchestra in a series OF four
concerts that Martsau aud a number Of
other European artists are to give here
next season. The agency Is the ono that
brought Musin out, and it knows by expe-
Renee how we'll San Francisco audience
responds to what is really good, or it would
never venture upon bringing 50 many So
loists here. OF course. great solo perform
ers demand high prices and are always on
the wing.
"As fer grand opera we very seldom
have chance of hearing it adequately
given In San Francisco. The expense Of
bringing out so many solo artists runs away
with all the profits. But when we do have
an efficient grand opera troupe have never
known our people fail to recognize its mer-
ita nd Datroniza ik'