The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-15
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.

Caesar Cecil. distinguished Russian, has Just
produced lyric drama, "Flibustier." at the
Opera Comique, Paris, and in spite OF all the
Franco Russian enthusiasm, scant praise has
been lavished upon his music by the Partisan
press. "He shows" says one Critic mo signs
OF the personal qualities which abound In
Glinka's Life for the Tsar.' a work so
strongly stamped with Russian nationalsm,
nor does he show the qualities which mark
Borodine's admirable symphonic picture, In
the Steppes of Central Asia IL Caesar Ceci is
musician of Russian origin, he at least Is not
one by temperament. He Is general In the
Russian army, and his heroic name OF Cesar
would seem 10 predict for him the highest mill
tary successes. Why has he not consrcrated
himself entirely to this honorable destiny, and
not turned aside TO a different avocation, pre-
ferrIng the laufes Of Apollo 10 those OF Mars?
1t is the old story Of Frederick tile Great.
more welded TO MS flute than to his con.
quests"
In Paris. as elsewhere, concertgoing is gen.
orally commercial speculation, and as the
public will moi flock 10 hear unpublished works
by composers unknown to fame. 1t follows that
concerts OF the better kind are closed to young
writer's. Charles Lamoureuse, In order to over.
come this drawback TO production, has banded
himself together with number of other French
musicians, including Andre Messenger, into q
society for giving concerts OF the modern
school," The organization will not seek to
make money, It's only ambition being to bring
TO light new works. Compositions by the char
ter members Will be produced, and also those
oil "lnvited' musicians. AT one of the first con-
certs Paderewski will give bis new concerto for
piano and orchestra
Notwithstanding hard times, the opera season
10 New York seems to have quite equaled the
expectations of Messrs. Abbey and Grau, al
though the resolute efforts of the management
TO induce the public 10 accept what it does not
want have been in some respects past under
standing. For the present at least. the old
fashioned ornamental opera is dead. Works
like Lucia" aud ''Semiramide." given with the
best possible card, and Madame Meiba, who
sings the mellifiuous music as no one else In
The world can. in the title role, have been per.
formed before houses not tw0-thlrds full,
whereas Carmen" and Gounod's Romeo and
Juliet" have drawn crowded audiences.
Brahms new s'CIavier-stucke," are q series
OF ten very short pianofortr sketches. lasting
ON an average perhaps two minutes each. AL
though pleasing trifies they care of course OF
comparative unimp0rtance, although some OF
the little pieces, notably the "Ballade." the "Ro-
nance" and the Rhapsody" are marvels of
ingenuity and finish. With the exception of
some studies" they represent Brahms COM
position for year. but then few men OF over
90 can write with the inspiration of youth,
aud Brahm Is always very careful never to re-
peat himself.
No domestic infelicites seemed able to break
the late Hans Won Bufow's admiration for Liszt
and Wagner. nor theirs for him. He married
LISTS daughter Cosma, aud after she was
divorced from him, aud had become the wife of
Richard Wagner, that gentleman. Frau Cosima
and List himself, did not on that account deny
thems ives the pleasure OF a box at Won
Bulow's concerts. Indeed they attended them
quite frequently, and were among the most
deeply Interested members OF the audience.
Albert Soubies, who first called the attention
OF the French public to theemerits OF Savonic
composers, says In his interesting book "a