The morning call., 1894-06-14

pronounced it superb" adding: Happy the
composer who touches This comedy, but TO
nandle IL would require such masters as
hossihl and Donizetti. The composers OF our
epoch are too much given to harmony and or
cneslratlon, and have not the heroic courage 10
'enace' themselves when necessary. With
regard 10 myself l can only say one thing.
100 iate alas"" This too late" meant that
Verdl mad almost completed "Falstaff."
People who contend that men OF music are
jealous set OF people. able to see no merit out
size their own works, would find their theories
set at haught by reading the tenderly affection
ate kilograms that passed between Verdi and
AMBROSE Thomas on The occasion of the re-
cent one thOusandth performance OF "Mlgnon,"
at Inc Opera Comlque. Verdi, on the aus
picious day. wired to Thomas: 1.-THE mil
lehnlun OF Mignon'! A glorious day for you
ana Tor your friends who, like myself, admire
ana love you. May you have all the happiness
winch you certainly merit To-day l shall be
al The opera Comique with you In thought and
heart MY wife joins with me In congratulating
ana applauding you. Our respects TO Nine.
Ihomas. Verdi" To this Thomas replied:
II am very much touched very grateful, dear
iustrlous confrere and friend, at he very atfec-
uonate Terms OF your dispatch. No congratu-
Idtiohs could Dc more precious TO me than
yours. Our best thoughts for Nine. Verdi- 1
embrace you With ali my heart. Ambrose
Thomas"
Anotner great success has has been secured
Dy NerdPs "Falstaff," this time at Covent Gar.
uen, London, where il has just been produced
Dy Dir Augustus Harris splendid company. A
noted critic says OF it: "If sparkling melody,
tue dalntest and most picturesque orchestra.
ZION conceivable, and a book trimming over
Wun humorous conceits, the majority, of
course, taken from Shakespeare. but some Of
lhem the property Of the liDrettist, Signor Ar
rigo, Will fascinate the public. This GROWING
Work Oh a great aud octogenarian composer
VIII Nil the Golfers OF Sir Augustus Harris dur
ing MS CoVent Garden season for many years
10 come. The quality most worthy of mention
III the music Is freshness; one tune follows an
other With persistence that is positiv ly irri.
tating, for nc sooner is one heard than il Is
replaced by another quite as fascinating. This
may De regarded as the only defect in "Fal-
staH' verdi pouring out his melodies with as
much prodigality as a youthful spendthrift
pours out his guineas"
III Is ABOUT Two years since lie Figaro Illustre
published story called LA Cigarette" which
dealt with an episode supposed TO have &C.
cured during the Carlist war In Spain. Jules
ClaTete dramatiZed the main points OF the
Story while changing number OF the details,
ana under the name of LA Navralse" It was
set TO music by Massanet, and is now being
rehearsed at Covent Garden, London, with
Emma carve In the title role. 1t transpires
That Mascagnl has also been Inspired by the
dramatic points In LA Cigarette" and has been
writing an opera in Milan on the subject which
he hoped TO have produced at the Scala. Upon
applying Tor authorization 10 produce the work,
however, the proprie or OF LA Cigarette" in
formed The unfortunate composer that all
rights were reserved for Massenet, and Mas
cagni has therefore been obliged TO abandon
his partly written work, which is said to be
very fine.
Johannes Brahms towers so high above all
living composers of German birth that lt is not
surprising that Fuller Maitland should in The
latest volume OF Masters of Contemporary
Music" devote a third of his space 10 this
representative of The classic branch OF the art.
Another third Is assigned to Max Bruch, Karl
Goldmark and Josef Rhenberger, while thir-
Teen lesser folks receive page each. The fact
Is. at the present time Germany is rather badly
OIL Tor really great creative musicians. The
present generation looks rather 10 Russia, TO
France and TO Italy for The advent of genius
From the far North come every year exception
ally gifted instrumentalists and vOcalIsts. As
Fuller Maitland observes: "The successor TO
Brahms (who is in his sixty second year, should
now be In active work, If he great line of Ger
man masters Is TO be maintained"
The following authentic anecdotes Illustrate
the passionate admiration which the composer
OF "The German Requiem" entertains for the
classical giants of the past: Brahms took
some friends 10 dine at certain restaurant In
Vienna, where the host, when ask ed to pro-
duce his best wine, remarked. Here is wine
that suTpasSes all others as much as the music
of Brahms does that OF other COMPOSERS
Wen them said Brahms take IL away and
a n
Brahms has a warm affection, and his hero.
worship OF Beethoven goes so far that one of
his fayOrite resorts is the old restaurant in the
Wildmarket where Beethoven used to dine
An interesting concert, recently given in
London, was that OF the working Girls Club
Union. Founded in 1SS5, the union now con-
siSts of tweuty-six clubs, the members OF which
are engaged during the Day in different oeeupa-
lions. This was the first girls club In the world.
FL even of the clubs took part In The recent
concert, which was a contest for a challenge
picture. Previous 10 the competition the girls
unit ed their forces in a performance of Arthur
Someryelrs Joan of Are" Society was pres
ent in full force, headed by the Princess Chris
tian, and number Of celebrities, including
Mrs. Humphrey Ward. also enjoyed the really
excellent singing OF the working girls.
A season of English opera is being given at
the Grand Opera-house, New YoIk. Because
The performances are In the vernacular they
draw immense audiences, though the singers
are not all they might be. The critics say OF
the soprano, Nine. Tavary, 1.-THE singing quality
of her voice is not what Is was"; OF The tenor
Payne Clarke, they add: IF he only knew how
TO phrase. how TO color his voice and now TO act
bit, what wonderful TENOR he would be-;
while the contrato, Lizzie Annandalr, is dis
missed with, cher voice no longer obeys the
singer as once il did,
The admirers OF Nine. Adellna Patti appar.
entity suffer no dimDution IN point OF numbers
for, in spite of rival attractions the huge Albert
Hall In London was nearly full at a recent
afternoon concert given by the diva Special
interest attached 10 the occasion, owing to tile
fact that for the first time 10 her career Patti
was announced to sing an item by Wagner. 1t
was only the simple little song "Traewme''
Dreams), with harp accompaniment, but its
rendering was revelation TO those accustomed
10 the harsher German method, ana no fewer
than five recalls followed.
A young pianist. Leopold Godowski. is exeit-
Ing considerable attention in the East. lie is
said to be virtuoso. possessing the distinctive
faculty OF execution TO phenomenal degree,
indeed the cOnsummate ease with which he