The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-11

of wear and tear her middle tones have gained
proportionately in richness and fullness.
PATHS durability is nothing short of phenome-
nal, for the great singers of twenty years ago,
such as Titiens, Trebelli, Earle Talbourg, are
passed and gone, and thirty-four years ago even
Christine Nilsson had not begun to study
music seriously.
Next year the French Government will in
augurate the first of an annual series of must
cal fetes, which will not ouly be superb, but
will in many respects surpass the great theater
of Bayreuth. The fetes will take place in the
ancient Roman amphitheater of Orange, near
Avignon, which, considering that it is nearly
1000 years old, is in a marvellous state of
preservation. The theater is built against the
side of hill, which is supposed to bestow its
unique acoustic properties, for though il seats
thousands of people whisper from the stage
can be heard distinctly all over the house.
The commission, appointed by the Govern
ment. has reported that 1t will be i'm
possible to organize the fete this year.
The tiers upon tiers of seats have
fallen into ruins, and it will also be nee
essary to construct an immense velum, for. like
all Roman theaters, the vast building at Orange
is open to the sky, and shower of rain during
the performance would scatter a modern audi
ence. Some accommodation will have to be
provided for the thousands of visitors that will
be sure to flock to the fete. The commission
has reported that all this work will occupy till
next year. Some of the performances for 1896
have already been arranged. The companies
from the Grand Opera, the Opera Comique, the
Comedie-Francaise and the Odeon will partici-
pate, and it has been decided that David's
"Herculaneum" and Berlioz's "Les Troyens''
shall be among the operas and Sophocles'
"Gdipe Roi" and "Antigone" among the
dramas.
siegfried Wagner, "The Heir to Name" as
q n angry German professor has dubbed him in
a way that will stick, is accused or never hay
ing loved music. They say that Mrs. Cosima
Wagner, who is a very strong-minded lady, sig
nified her determination that her son Siegfried
instead of taking up architecture, which he
liked, should take up music, which he did not
especially like, and prepare himself to con-
duct the Bayreuth shop to the end that the
business might remain in the family, and it is
easy to understand that no one would be bold
enough to oppose her. siegfried meekly fol-
lowed his mamma S desires, and he has not been
much of asuecess as conductor, and G sympho-
mic poem, "Sehnsucht," which he has Just pro-
duced is denounced as unworthy of Siegfried's
grandpapa List at his worst and almost as bad
as Hubert Perry at his best. 1t is stated that
the heir to the name is coming to San Fran
cisco if the Damrosch Company plays here
Mrs. Cosima Wagner is going to send him to
add eclat to the tour as well as to see that the
works of his illustrious papa are properly re-
spected. If he comes he win probably conduct
few times, perhaps he will let us hear his
"Sehnsucht' SO that We can judge for our
selves whether 1t is "Wagner made vulgar - as
they say of IL in London.
F. A. Gevaert, director of the Brussels conser.
tow and f1nr -
just published very remarkable work en-.
titled "Melodee antique dams lie chant de
Peglise Latin" antique chant in the Latin
church, No modern musician doubts that the
chants and canticles of the Catholic liturgy are
the precious remains of antique art. but mn To
the present every one has rested content with
this superficial knowledge, without. appar-
emily, seeking an answer to the question.
'What are the elements of the GRECO Roman
music which the church has appropriated for
It's oWnf ZEN years of patient study, after
puOhsnlng MS music OF Antiquity" have led
Geyaert to satisfactory solution of this prob
lem, ana ms new work shows how the Grseco-
Roman music, like the Latin tongue. entered
bodily into the Catholic church, and continued
to be part of its service, with the exception of
the suppression of Greco Roman instrumen tai
elements.
Nlklsch, the aforetime Boston conductor
mas been inviting comparison with the great
est living chefs d'orchestra during the London
season and has been severely roasted for his
temerlty. Only for his picturesque appearance
mas ne won some commentator. One critic
says: motifs majestic form is rather too
puriy to delight a fastidious eve, and the main
virtues OF Rlchter's conducting are the princi-
pal defects of his person; Levi is not at all an
impressive parsonage, and Siegfried Wagner
mas not yet grown out of his resemblance to a