The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-07

| that she should be taught the violin, and the
| career she has made is now matter of musical
history 1t was certainly Nine Norman-Neruda
who first made it the fashion for girls to learn
! the violin.
Nothing shows the simplicity and gentleness
| of BENJAMIN Godard's character more than the
| account of his funeral. By his own wish the
gifted French composer was not buried at
Cannes, where he died, but his remains were
| taken to Saintlen-Taverny to be inferred
among the simple country people he had loved
| so we'll No invitations were sent to Partisan
| celebrities and only the dead mans most init
| mate friends were aware that the funeral was
! to take place Paul Vidal of the Grand Opera
presided at the organ of the little village
! church. playing fragments from several of
| Godard's works, including among others his
new opera, "The ViVandiere," which he lived
to compose but not to hear performed He
| had labored at this work in his last
moments till sometimes weakness conf
PEELED him to drop the pen. Among
the beautiful floral tributes on the casket was
wreath from the Opera Comique, where "The
Vivandiere'' will soon have its initial perform
ance Another large crown was from Godards
pupils in the conservatory. Although entitled,
as a Knight of the Legion of Honor, to military
honors it was one of the regretted musicians
last wishes that no troop OF soldiers should
attend his funeral. Godard's death seems par
| ticularly pathetic when it is remembered that
he was only 45 years of age, and had it not
been for the consumption, which sprang from
| a neglected cold, he probably would have had
brilliant future. His operas are little known
| in the United States, but some of his chamber
works, particularly his pianoforte compost
tions are very popular. A little song OF his,
"Chanson de Florien," has been literally sung
| to death.
The London Truth says that if the habit OF
| getting good musicians to write incidental mu-
! sic for new plays has to be abandoned the fault
must be attributed to modern society manners.
! 1t matters not whether as analytical pro-
| granme writer's the music is intended to pre-
pare the mind for the proper reception of the
| drama. Modern society prefers to chatter
| about dress, about its friends or its enemies,
| about notable persons nobodies in the house,
and about anything that will make the entr'
| acte music inaudible. Many noted musicians
have suffered in this way, and Sir Arthur Sulli-
| van has at last rebe1led. In king Arthur"
which Henry Irving is playing at the Lyceum,
| Sullivan has carefully avoided any risk of dis
| turbing the conversation during the entr'actes
and has limited his task to the purely Incl
dental music. Even this has been cut short,
though what is left is very agreeable, artistic
and appropriate, assisting rather than retard-
ing the dramatic action.
News comes from Dresden that William
Keith the California barytone, has just had a
greet success there in a grand concert given by
Herr Stoltenberg. William Keith was put for
ward as the chief attraction. The concert was
subscription one, the tickets being So so
each, yet the house was packed and great
enthusiasm prevailed. Keith was recalled
eight times and made to sing six eneores, the
house going particularly wild over Gounod's
easter Eve,' which was greeted with cries of
"Brayo bis" This tribute to an American was
all the more remarkable, us there are so MANY
good German barytones. Herr Ludwig Hart
mann, the well-known musical critic, gave
Keith great praise in his paper the following
day remarking upon the ease with which the
Californian took notes that were phenom-
enally high for barytone, the resonance of
his voice and the perfection of his style and
training. Keith has recently been studying
oratorios in London, as well as singing there
on special occasions.
Some translations have just been published
in LIE Figaro of letters by Richard Wagner, [
which were first made public in the Deutsche
Bundschau. The most interesting ones were
written in the early sixties, when the provi- |
Dental Intervention of the young King of |
Bavaria had sudaenly changed the artists |
destiny and saved him almost from despair |
Speaking of the King, Wagner says in one of |
the letters: che is unfortunately so handsome /
so intelligent, ardent and so great that fear
his life will fade out of this vulgar world as a |
fugitive, divine dream fades. He wishes me to |
stay always near him, to finish the 'Nibelun- |
gem and have them performed as l wish All |
pecuniary care will be taken from me, shall |
have all want, on condition that 1 stay with |
him. What do you think of that? Can it be |
more than a dream?'
There may possibly be few changes in the |
choir OF st. Ignatius Church in this city before
long One of them will probably be the redue-
ing OF the professional triple quartet to a
double one. 1t is believed that this change
would not detract from the efficiency of the
choir, while it would lower the expenses, which
are at present very heavy. No change is con-
templated, however, in the large amateur
choir. As soon as funds win admit OF it, Father
Allen is anxious to purchase fine new organ
for the church. In that case the top gallery
would probably be lowered, or removed alto
gether, as the height at which the present or
gan is placed weakens the effect of the music. |
AT Santander, one of the most important |
towns In Spain, "Miss Helyett," trivial opera |