The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-22

little about music and cares less, but with
out which no great musical Undertaking
can succeed. Underneath this snreWdness
and hard Medicines Mr.. Damfosch is d
genuine artist of the Kind That leNei'prs
slowly and wins great rewards by hdIu
work He has already become the greatest
Of really American orchestra conductors
and he Is quietly nOurishlng dmDltohs 10
become the foremost Of American compos-
crs Of opera. the leader OF a new sChool
which the older nations snail scou al,
then initiate He has never been content
with success already won, however hien'
but has worked on with renewed FlgoI 10
ward higher aims. He will never rest on
his oars. ana II will De worth VINE ~
watch his future course If only 10 note
rho value Of the observations on American
music which ne had made in the couISe vl
an interesting conversation, part OF when
b. quoted below. He has the Ieputaton Oi
being an unapproachable man, ana ne mas
never. perhaps. given so many Ol MS
views TO the public before. ,,....- .,.,,,
Early training and surroundings seem
10 have done more than her@lity TO MAKE
Walter pamrosch IN lsicidn, Tor IL was
not until he had reached the years Vl
reason that he decided 70 devote ms me
10 music His first ambition was 70 be
PAINTER. and he hest ated long before ne
concluded TO follow IN ms dlstlnsulsheu
fathers footsteps Yet his mother, as
wen as his father. was professional
musician Probably few persons know
that she was one of the first Ortruds IN
Wagner's "Lohengrin." singing the part
ln the early SOS. when she was very
Young Leopold Damrosch, then young
physician whom music had called away
from medicine. was first violin in the
orchestra at the time. and thus formed
The acquaintance that led to marriage.
Walter DamrOsch was born in Breslau.
Slcsia. in 1862, and his earliest years
We're spent among the musicians who ala
the most 10 give the middle of the nine
teenth century the prominnt place 1t
u'l hold in musical history for 20 era
Won
rig Rubinstein. and Won Bulow used TO
stop at my fathers house whenever they
stopped at Breslau. The only one of
Richard Wagner's visits / remember was
ON the occasion he came to act as god
father 10 a little brother of mine who
afterward died Taussig stands out
PROMINENTLY IN my memory as being eX-
tfayagantly fond Of particular kind Of
Aading my mother always made when
Ae came 10 see us He was a charming
nan but moody and pessimistic. a disciple
VI Hchopenhauer As for me. / began |
20 study the plano at the age Of six, UNI
ger q teacher whose name / have for !
tpVrn, but under my fathers general |
,prrt lslon. i was not a prodigy. and al |
,..v'sh began the study Of counterpart |
is early / must have been fifteen or |
Nl'rn before | wrote my fir@ COMPOST
'o 0, set OF preludes for piano
M rather was stern overseer of |
lF musical studies. ruthless with mo |
81 any negligence; but his face beamed
I' over IN approval Of conscious work /
lr lrft my choice between music and |
f'Nlng wholly TO myself. but was very
,dppy when the decision was made in |
.'FpF OF music. and thereafter spent |
.NIch time with me. Although catholic |
''.n ~ music was his distinguishing char
eflstic. and although as an orchestra
..lnuctOr ne made "A great night fop ag-
-,r Berlioz. List and other composers
ms time. he kept me pretty close to
u.s. ne used TO say. Will take care OF
"a. .nlSeIVes. lie believed. also, that with
" afner the dramatic art reached per-
uon, and could never be improved
-Iher believe so. too; that is, that
we lnusic-drama can never be carried |
Se."y further In the direction Wagner took
a. Dut new combinations will be made |
ana music Will surely advance yet furth-
eI IN some other direction. An II / only |
rev what direction II would be.
would hurry there myself"
W hep scarcely out Of knickerbockers !
Ut DamroSch was presenting 70 MS |
iidiI5vInqs an elaborate production OF the
hheingold' In mimic theatre. whose
curtains he had painted himself ana
whose actors were dolls. costumed with
,,Yhscienuous care. From the time that
, : us musical education for conductors
aieer began I'm earnest until ne sue |
eeued his father as an orchestra d. |
Tc'or' the young man spent most OF
IN summers In Europe. one summer |
spent with DR. Hans Won BulOw, at |
FRANKFORT. was. he declares, the most |
nspHing ana suggestive influence that |
laq come 10 him since his fathers death.
vi course, DR.. Won Bulow was eccentric"
le says, but II Is great mistake 10
suppose that he could not be the most |
Hnghtful and charming OF friends
..nroughout whole season OF constant
We had only one quar-
81 IN that time, and that was over
er9i j had confessed to "A liking for
Alda and some other things ana the
ooctor At once broke out into furious
'orm. Verdi. he screamed. is a dts
.asung vulgar. vicious composer IL
sas week before he got over that. Yet
or 70 Verdi. confessing that he had