The morning times., 1896-08-30

| OVID VeISIOH. NJ. udS u
version by Arthur liornblow. 1t all de
ponds upon the exact way in which Mr..
Barrie's contract with his American pub
fishers IL worded. II he sold the pub
fishers the Nights OF stage adaptation, then
A. NJ Palmer will produce his version.
| But III he did not sell the rights, The Ffch
| mans viii produce the author's own version
II is controversy between publisher and
| author.
l!V I ASHINGT0N people will BE- glad and
IA sorry to hear Of the good fortune
~ which has befaien John Philip
| so1sa. Glad becaIse it VIII ma Ike
him fixture in the leading city OF
America, an ambition for any musician. but
it Will ROD US OF ins visits and the perio-iical
| concerts, which are 50 much enjoyed. Os-
car Hammerstein has made Sousa ana his
| band one OF the fixtures at the Olympia.
| The famous ba nurIlstpr' swinter sea. son be-
gins IN New YORK this year, ana his contract
/ is marked indefinite. He will remain at
| the Olympia for week. maybe for two.
possibly Tor four. the time TO be extended
| in correspondence with his business. His
| 81 larry is liked at 1000 a week, but out OF
| that sum the orchestra players must be
| paid. which win seriously diminish his IN
! cone. Still, Mr.. Sousa will receive at
! least So. 900 n week Tor his personal ser
| vices. ami on Thar amOunt ne can arrive al
| philosophy.
1uis engagement indicates several mat
| tiers. Ii means that Oscar Hammerstein
intends TO spend literally the money that
he has earned lavisiiiy and that cost is
not allowed to interfere with tie artistic
merit OF his program. 1t means that John
Philip Sousa is at last coming into his own,
for, although .nertsIs no city in which his
| music is more popular, the composer has
spent most of his life in other towns. 1t
means, Furthermore, that Gotham's ci;i-
Zens shall have an opportunity 10 enjoy the
most spirited military orchestra OF mod
ern mes. ,4.. --s-.
In welcoming him to New York, Hilary
Bell has this to say:
Mr.. sousa lacks some OF the qualities
that made Godfrey and Gilmore popular
HIT he has qualities 90 his owa that have
commended him to1general applause. His
music possesses harmonic elements that
appeal To the emotions rather than, per-
haps, to the intellect. That is an excel
lent thing. for OF all the arts music IS
NEST emotional. ana when we begin to
measure a composers genius by the foot
rule Of traditional melhoI that moment
the common p,oDle diseover that our value
as music critics is worthless. This old
fashioned system was applied To Wagner,
GounoI and B!Zet with results that were
disastrous to their Judges. but triumphant
for the composers. In our own times AGA
ttluiC Stu itstli
against Mas hi, LeuncaveIlo and Mas
senet- But, however new and ludacious
an artists spirit may be, his message is
always heard by the people. The Italians
attacked Wagner, and in time the Wagner
ians attempted To destroy Mascagn, bus
when a man has Something to say the
w0rli will listen to him. SoIsa has some
thing to say. AMI lie mas said 1t confidently
to the common people. Therefore, we wish
our young 60 npos.r luck in his battles with
the learned doctors OF music, and desire
to commend the Independent action of Mr.
Hammerstein in arranging for Us an en-
joyable concert season.
HERE has been a well defined and
logical tendency n recent literature
toward renaissance of colonial and
revolutionary topics. Ii now servesas
J if that tendency were to make itself
felt in the drama. In fact. the drama and
literature are coming closer together in
England nd America than they have at
any time since Shakespeare In France,
Germany and Italy even Norway, drama
ana literature have been corelative. In
deed, their drama has beeu n part OF their
literature. The signs OF the present times
are the prospective productions Of plays.
either orlsinaE or adapted, by Mrs. Burnett,
james II Hirlse Hall Game. Thomas Hardy.
Anthony HOPE, George DuMaurier and
others.
lbe dramatic colonial and revolutionary
renaissance had its beginning in patriotic
play called 70 which is now shelved
with several years accumulation Jf dust.
A later effort was put forth last season
in special performance in New York city
of play founded on the life of Benedict
Arnold aud bearing that mans name.
At that time there was rumor that
Clyde Fitch had written play for E
II Sothern, with the gallant Ma jor Andre
for its hero Nothing has since been heard
of this piece, and 1t is sidetracked some
place on the long Journey from authors
table to stage. Another point in the re-
naissance Is the production in Cleveland
aext Monday right, one week from tomor-
row, of putnam. Son of the Revolu-
tion." by Robert Downing
To cap the list and give substantial i'm |
petus to the movement. which should be |
of engaging interest to all who have the |
legitimate growth of dignified and essen. |
tally American drama a heart. Sir Henry !
Irving has ordered of J. l. c. Clarke. Of |
New YOrkcty. play, to be written .;,ni |
the life of George Washington 1t Is as |
sumed that Sir Henry will PLAY the ,itle |
part. But will he dare to play IL In
England? Perhaps not But il is III, up |
preciative return OF a graceful ami :,r1tr. I'll
artist for much that he has had If ,.s We
will all be glad TO see the EDglishmaa the
American hero.
n NE of the most difficult pieces of work
connected with the building or the
new Columbia Theater was com.
Neted Tuesday evening when the big
girder that spans the proscenium
opening was raised into position. The
girder is AZ feet long and weighs s LIZ
tons. 1t required an entire day to get IL