The herald., 1896-03-08
MUSICAL COLUMN


The importance of music as an assist
ance 10 worship has always been recog-
nized by the Roman Catholic Church, and
usually one may be certain of finding good
music at their cathedrals and chapels. The
Catholic cathedral of Los Angeles is no ex-
cepton to this rule, for the music per-
formed there is Of a high order. The con-
gregation takes no part in the singing, not
even in the hymns. The antephones are
first intoned by the priest and the hymn
then taken by the choir. Prot. A. j.
Stamm, a well known musician here for
the last ten years, presides at the organ,
and is the musical director. Some years
ago Mr.. Stamm, who previously was choir
master of ST. Mary's, Albany, occupied the
same position, which, after an interval
Of over seven years, he resumed last Sep
tember. During that interval the cathed-
raj g music was in the painstaking hands
of Mr.. A. G. Gardner, and during his
regime the choir had a repertoire of some
twenty masses, including Haydn's First,
Third in d minor, and the we'll known
Thirteenth mass in b fiat, Paolo Gioza's
Third mass, Gilsini's grand Italian No. l.,
Webers in e, Farmers in fiat, Bat
mans arranged for four voices by HANNA,
GeneraIis in f, and Gounod's Messe Solen-
nellie. From such list it will be seen that
the music undertaken by Mr. Gard ner was
elaborate and of high order. During
most of that time the quartet consisted OF
soprano. Miss Cecilia Gardner, now Mrs.
G. c. Heller: alto, Mrs. Is. Gardner; tenor,
Henry p Fam, and bass, w. Z. Wallace.
Among the conspicuous members OF the
chorus may be mentioned the names of
Mr.. Held, bass, DR.. Jauch and A. Gabriel.
tenCrs.
The principle part of the music is. of
course. the mass, and different mass Is
sung every Sunday. In the middle of the
mass the otfertory is taken up. during the
process of which other music is introduced.
such as solo from Rossini's Stabat Mater.
The present quartet ia composed as fol-
lows: Soprano, Miss Bertha Roth; con-
tralto, Mrs. S. Paine; tenor, S. Thrower,
and bass, James Scott. Miss Roth has a
rarely musical voice and invariably sings
in good tune. While Mrs. Paine's voice
has lost It's freshness that lady proves by
her great experience an invaluable men,
ber of the choir. Mr.. Thrower has but
lately joined the organization and has al
ready made favorable impression.
In the chorus the female voices predomi-
nate in point of numbers, but the tenors
and bssses are all strong singers. The
choir, as a rule, averages sixteen members,
who are very faithful to their voluntary
work.
A considerable amount of fresh work is at
present being studied, among which may
he mentioned Mozart's first mass in Q and
Twelfth in G.. Mr.. Stamm insists on two
rehearsals week and it is gratifying to
to know that the these are always we'll at
tended. Last Sunday La Hache's mass
was sung in unison, and the unusual effort
was entirely successful. The choir is al
ready at work on Beethoven's grand mass
in c. which is to be rendered on Easter day
with orchestral accompaniment. 1t is as
difficult a work as it Is beautiful, for the
harmony is most intricate. Mozarts first
mass in will be sung this morning.
Music is not one of the prominent feat
ures at vespers, consisting only OF the
chanting of the psalms. A fairly liberal
appropriation is made for the cathedral
music. The organ. which is of French con-
struction, has been in the church for the
last twenty years. it is msllow-toned
but not very powerful instrument, of twen-
iy stops, two manuals and one and half
octave pedals. Next Sunday the music at
St. Pauls Episcopal church will be re-
viewed
The Woman's orchestra returned yester-
day from giving most successful concert
at Santa Ana. A very interesting program
was received with much enthusiasm. Miss
Edna Foy's violin solo. De Berot's Seventh
Concerto, evoked several encores. The
cornet solo, It's Alone Can Tell. was ex-
celisntly rendered by Miss Matiide Loeb.
and serenade for flute and saXaphone by
Miss L. j. Roller and Miss Wilkinson
fairly brought down the house. The or
chestral selections included Sousa's March,
King Cotton. Won Suppe's overture, Light
Cavalry, Zug der trauen from Lohengrin,
Mascagni's Intermezzo, Strauss waltz,
and potp lurri from Lucrezia Borgia. The
Ladies' orchestra were royalty treated and
have made many friends at Santa Ana.
< Il &
The eminent musician and critic, H. J.
Stewart of San Francisco, has wide sym
pathy In the loss of his wife, who died sud-
denly on Wednesday last. In the profess
sional world Mrs. Stewart held an honored
place. In addition to diploma from the
Paris conservatory she took degree at
Trinity college, London, which entitled her
to the violet and white cape, All honor OBJ
tained by few women in music.
=
The Paris conservatory is finding it very
hard to replace the loss of Ambrose
Thomas. Although the grand old man had
reached the age OF 81, he presided over the
musical competitions almost until the end.
Thomas is the only composer who had as
sisted in the flesh at the one thousandth
Gounod died sh ortly before the millennium
of Faust was celebrated at the Grand Ope-
ra, and even then it was the composer of
Mignon who wrote suitable piece for the
apotheoss OF his old friend on the occasion
OF the great jubilee of Faust.
4 4 4
A splendid testimonial is to be rendered
Theodore Thomas on March Goth. The
handles of the big silver bowl are fashioned
in the shape of violin arms. From each
side of the bowl protrude the graceful
necks of swans. symbolic of Lohengrin,
Mr.. Thomas favori.e opera. On one side
of the bowl are chiseled the heads of Wag-
ner, Beethoven and Theodore Thomas.
(, 4 &
Here are few of the requests and notes
received by Sousa during his present tour: :
"Would it be asking too much il l re.
quested that you play as encore the beauti
full opera of Martha? l believe it is by
Sullivan"
II came forty miles over the mountains
to see the man who makes $4,000 out of
his compositions. Kindly oblige me by
playing all OF them.--J. T."
"Bandmaster Sousa: Please inform me
what Is tine name of those two Instruments
that look like gas pipes"
"A warm admirer of music would like to
hear the Maiden's Prayer on your band"
'Sir: Please play Love's Old, Sweet