The herald., 1896-07-26
Observation-Disclosures
! MUSICAL COLUMN !
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For the first time for many moons
there was no concert, pupils recital, nor
any musical event of importance held
within our gates during the week. The
musicians, like everybody else, are
fiocking to the seashore and enjoying a
respite from the city grind. 1t is now the
season of the banjo. the guitar and the
mandolin, and what more delightful ac-
compartment to revelry or Irritation
than the soft tinkling of the light
strings?
There is some talk of organizing a
beach concert clud to provide occa-
sional musical entertainments at the re-
sorts, and the idea seems an excellent
one. Even Avalon is at loss for some
thing to do on Sunday evenings. and a
first class concert in the pavilion should
prove a very welcome diversion for the
Sabbath eve. Some of the best talent
of the city is mentioned in connection
with the scheme, and it is to be hoped it
may mature successfully.
Mrs. Modini Wood was the charming
hostess of delightful entertainment,
she providing for the Monday Musical
club at Santa Monica last week. Solos
Hamilton, and the hostess, and in
strumental numbers given by Mr. Mac
neil and Miss Fuller
Colgrove was the mecca last Thursday
1 night of many music lovers. The occa-
| sion was musical given by Mrs. Cor
nelus Cole in aid of the St James mis-
| sion 1t was an al fresco affair, and very
delightful. A very enjoyable program
included quartets by Mines. Modini Wood
and kempton Mr.. Modini Wood and DR..
! Semler; trios for violins and piano by
the Misses Mullins and James and Mrs.
| w. D. Larrabee; vocal solos by Mrs.
Roth Hamilton. Mrs. Kempton. Miss
Louise Clark, Mrs. Modini Wood and
DR.. Semler; duet by Mr.. and Mrs. Mo-
DIM Wood; violin silos by Miss Mullins
and Miss James; piano solo by Miss
Kent. and recitation by Mr.. Barnes.
1t may as well be authoratively an
nounced that it is useless approaching
Miss Ellen Beach Yaw with request or
an offer for her services, because the
soprano is under contract not to sing in
public until October, when her tour will
begin, her first concert probably being
given in this city.
German opera is much younger thing |
than Italian opera. The Italian cities had |
opera in their own language early in |
the seventeenth century, whereas the !
Royal opera in Berlin did not produce |
an opera in the German language until |
17SS. There had been German opera at
an earlier age at Hamburg and other
cities, but it did not amount to much
Even Mozart wrote only two of his
operas to German librettos, and Weber
was the first to win a decisive victory
for German opera, with his "Freischutz."
or which the seventyfifth birthday was
celebrated in Berlin few weeks ago.
The death is announced in Milan at
the age of so years, of Franchi, who was
for many years Adelina PATHS secre-
tary and confidential agent. BY the way
OF obituary the following doubtful yarn
is told about him in London. The scene
is Philadelphia, in one of PATHS tours
under the management of Mapleson:
Mapleson's contract was to paw Patti
$4,000 a night. in advance. He only pos
sessed $4,000, and Nine. Patti good
naturedly undertook to come to the thea
ter ready dress for La Traviata. all save
her shoes Eight hundred dollars more
was scraped from the box office and Sie-
nor Franchi declared: You are a mar
velous man, Mapleson. She would not
oo oo,,ul Il tor oi.,a any man but you Nine. Patti
planked down.
An English doctor has lately given
some very horrible and dangerous ad
vice. "It is quite true" he said. singing
is a very good thing for the lungs, and it
has, indeed. beneficial effect on the
whole system.
For one t. ing, it expands the lungs
as no other form of exercise does. l
may say exercise advisedly, for singing
brings into play great number of mus
cles. You will often hear rowing recon-
mended as a splendid means of expand
ing the chest. Vocal exercise when car
ria n effects this r. |
pose far more satisfactorily. Besides. the
mere taking in of so much fresh air must
tend to enrich the blood and so strength
en- the whole body.
Therefore. | say, no matter how poor
or small the voice, indulge in at least ten
or twenty minutes vocal gymnastics
everyday. Your neighbors won't like it,
I dare say, but we can't please every
body in this world"
While the new opera, in four acts, of
Mascagn, Vestilia, is expected, the +
maestro, during the night hours of lib
erty from his duties as director of the |
Rossini musical lyceum at Pesaro, is
composing still another, The Japoneso,
which he himself in speaking calls an
opera in two acts and half" as it con-
tains two acts and short epilogue.
The Japonese libretto is by Luigi lllica,
the same who together with the poet ana
Qramat1St, giuseppe bldCOsoi WlOtC tiV
words Of Puccini's last opera, La 30
heme Signor Illica Is so in love with ms
subject that he is devoting himselt al
most entirely to Japanese literature,
while Mascagni. to imbue himself with
the music of the country and eaten us
| character, receives nearly every day
| from London bundles of japanese ma
! tional songs 1T Is very hard work
| exclaimed Msscagni, but at least II my
| opera should not be well received can
say that the music is Japanese. The
| new opera will be represented for the
| first time al La Scala in Milan next Lent
A Paris paper relates the following
! anecdotes of the famous opera compos-
er Auber He often said that he would
give all the laurels of his later years II he
could be restored to youth. Once when
old age was under discussion, he eN-
claimed: Yes, 1t is annoying to grow
older day by day, but so far no other
wav has been found of living long. one
evening, a soiree, King Otto OF Greece
said to him, Il hear you have written
another opera" Il confess / have been
50 indiscreet," was Auber's answer:
When he was a very old man he attended
the funeral of a friend. On returning he
M IN