The morning call., 1894-01-18
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.

A troupe OF Russian singers, who were sue
cessfully touring the small towns of the Cau-
casus at the time OF the Franco Russian demon
stratiOns, became daZZled by accounts OF the
oyatiOns given to Admiral Ayellan and his
men. Believing that banquets, enthusiasm and
bIayos weie henceforh reserved for all Mus
coviIes visiting French soil. they Immediately
see out for Paris, taking their scenery, dancers
and orchestra with them TO the number of II
persons. The long journey exhausted their
funds, and when hey secured theater in the
French capital their venture proved faiIu O.
In city OF which they knew neither the lam
guage nor the customs the unfortunate singers
were turned out of their hotels for debt and
were reduced TO sleep on the benches OF the
boulevards or under the bridges. On Christ
mas day they wculd have been without food il
kind-he rted person had not sent them $50.
The Daily Figaro. hearing OF their condition,
promptly raised subscription and the artists
have now been sent home, sadder but no doubt
wiser men and women.
There is poetical Justice in the fact that
Paris, which once neglected and despised
Wagner, has now become the stronghold OF an
ultra Wagnerlan worship. Particularly among
amateurs has this new religion reached such a
state of fanatieism that people of more catho-
lie taste in matters musical are beginning to
protest. AphOnse Daudet. in one of his later
novels. severely ridlcules the "rabid Wagner
ians," and the famous composer, Saint-Saens,
in recent magazine article, says: "Persons
Incapable of playing the most simple thing upon
the piano, and who know not one single word
oil German, pass entire evenings deciphering
scores which are the most difficult there are In
all The world, in order TO sing this music. of
which each note has its sense only when ioinrd
10 the word 10 which it is written, and they
revel In admiration. Wagner has invented
everything. There was no music before him
and there will be none after"
Great discussion has been raised among
Eastern critics by the production of Dvorak's 5
"From the New World" which our local sym.
phOny organization is soon TO give Us an Oppor-
tunlty OF hearing. Dyorak, whose works have
until recently been tinged with the meiodic
sDirit OF Bohemian fok-s0ngs, has, since his
residen CO in this country, used the spirit of
plantation melodies TO give American coloring
10 his compositions. This has aroused the op-
position of some critics, who ask why melodies
that are characteristic of the Afrlcan tempera-
ment should be considered peculiarly Amer
lean. Meanwhile Dyorak labors placidly at
new compositions. A quartet in major, pro-
duced this month in Boston by the Kneisel
Quartet, is pronounced TO be delightful and
refreshing work, that recalls Gounod's remark
on the ultra modern school,; "a return 10 eigh-
teenth century musical honesty and SIM
plicty."
Henry lrving's own particular temple Of art,
the London Lyceum, has been let TO what must
strike the great actor as base uses during his
absence IN America. An extravaganZa, OF the
variety known as a Christmas pantomlme, Is
being played there, and promises TO hold this
house for some time to come. The subject is
cinderella" AS though to compensate for
this desecration of the Irving temple. however.
the music is OF class hitherto unassociated
with pantomlmes The transformation scene,
for instance. which is called "From Shadow 10
Sunshine" Is accompanied by Beethoven's
Pastoral Symphony" and all The other music
is OF an equally exalted class. Imagine the
1.-TWO Little Girls in Blue" or any other pop
ulaf extravaganza ditty being sung in San Fran
cisco 10 Beethoven or Wagnerian music.
A new hand-organ OF the two-man variety Is
the latest Eastern novelty in street music.
This instrument has a number or pipes ar
ranged like those on church organs One
Italian turns the crank and another adj usts the
machine to new tunes. The music produced Is
said to be new and strange, and to contain all
the effects Of well-conducted orchestra
''The Attack on the Mill'' is the title Of an
opera just produced at the Opera ComiQue.
Paris, the libretto beIng by Zola and Galet
and the music by Bruneau. The drama is de.
scribed as somewhat lug ubrlous, but the music
appears TO have given universal satisfaction.
Stop, the well-known caricaturist. in comment
ing on the score. gives the usual thrust at the
Wagnerians. "Some people," he says, "like