The herald., 1896-08-16
MUSICAL COLUMN

Music and the great work is now ready
for the printer. The professor has la
bored at this treatise for nearly fifteen
years, and when published it will form
an important addition to the literature
of the musical world. The professor
has been a frequent and valued contrib
utor to the principal musical Journals
of this and other countries, and his
name is well known on two continents
for his patient research and admirable
deductions. The publication of the
complete results of Herr Willhartitz's
long labors will be an event of great in
terest in the musical world and will re-
fleet distinction upon Los Angeles, who
is proud to number him among her cit
izens.
The Herald is in receipt of an interest.
ing circular issued by the trustees of the
National Conservatory of Music, New
York, in relation to the annual entrance
examina lions which will take place as
follows:
Singing-scptember 1st from am.
20 IL M, and 2 to pm, and in the even
ing. Chorus from to 10 pm :c.,. s
Harp-September I'd, from 10 am. to IL
M. and 2 to pm.
Orchestra and all Wind Instruments
September I'd, from to pm.
Piano and Organ-September 4th, from
10 a m. to IL m, and to pm.
1t is the desire of the board to gather
from all parts of the United States pu-
pills whose after-labors will advance
the cause of music in their native land.
In view of this, and of the further fact
that the conservatory was founded ana
is maintained with no other purpose,
and by the liberal contributions of few
patrons the board requests publication
of the above dates.
The fifth annual prize competition in
cludes the following valuable rewards:
For the best symphony, $500; for the
best overture, 5000; for piano or violin
concerto, 5000. Manuscripts must be
sent in between September 1st and De-
cember 18th. Any further information
as to the work of the conservatory will
be cheerfully given on application to
the Musical Editor of The Herald.
New York, says the Sun, would like
to learn some of the particulars of Mime.
Emma Eames' repeated refusals to re-
turn to this country, and. now that she
has declined to sing with Abbey. Schoef-
fel & Grau next season, after having Deen
unwilling to make a contract with Col.
Mapleson's company, there is, naturally
enough. especial lnltT6Sl OIl lDe pdIt u
her American admirers to discover what
the matter is. Nine. Eames has been
unusually successful at Covent garden
this season, and undoubtedly her posi-
tion on the operate stage is higher now
than it was when she left this country.
She created the leading role in Caesar
Franck'S Ghissele last winter at Monte
Carlo, and this was one of the successes
that have contributed to her reputation.
Last winter she was sadly missed from
the Metropolitan, and there was no SUBJ
stitute for her in either Lola Beeth or
Frances Saville. Mmc. Eames did not
quarrel about terms with her managers.
but left because she refused to submit
to the arrangement, demanded, and SUBJ
sequently secured by Nine. Melba. This
was that nobody except Melba should
sing either Juliette or Marguerite with
out her permission, and it was Melba's
proprietorship of the roles that prevent
ed Calve from singing in Faust last win
ter. AS Mime. Eames had made her
greatest successes in these two roles, she
was naturally averse to having them en-
| tirely monopolized by Melba. Doubt
i less her failure to come to terms with
| Maurice Grau this year is due to either
the same reason or some difference in
| the matter of salary. 1t is said that the
| recent failure of the great operatic firm
| sent down the salaries of European show
| people 70 per cent, from serpentine dane
| ers to prima donnas. But the news of the
| reorganization may have reached Eu-
| rope and sent back the figures to their
| old level, and Nine. Eames may have
tried to persuade Maurice Grau that II
Wouid work permanent ruin to her pro-
| Iesslonal reputation if she came over to
| sing here and receive less for her SER
| vices than Melba. In her appearance in
| Ophelia at the Opera house in Paris
Melba did not entirely escape criticism
and 1t was said that, while her voice
| showed the effects of overuse. her sing
| ing was slovenly in places. Her pronun-
| citation of French came in for some unfa-
vorable comment, and it was remarked
mat the score had been transposed for
| her benefit.
A discussion has arisen in the English
newspapers as to the earliest use of a
conducting stick by the leader of the or
chestra. 1t grew out of statement in
pr. Murray's English Dictionary that
the year 1867 is the earliest dated refer
ence to the use of the word baton as an
| equivalent for the conducting stick in
| English literature. This statement is
| hotiy disputed to no particular end.
III depends largely upon the exact mean
| ing OF the words English literature"
| III Is likely that newspaper writer's on
muslcai subjects used the easy phrase.
under the baton of" long before 1867
| But there is no reason why the conduc-
Tor STICK should be called a baton
rather than scipio or virga or plain
stick. The custom did not begin in
france. Within comparatively recent
years the tempt were denoted for the
other players by the leader of the first
violins, who is still called the concert
master. In those times the conductor
sat at piano. But the use of a conduct
ing stick dates far back of the history
of the modern orchestra, nevertheless.
The ever delightful Pepy heard a band
play in 1861, at Greenwich and saw the
simple motion that is there of a woman
with rod in her hand, keeping time
with the musique as it plays" Heinrich
Albrecht used the conductors stick in
Germany in the first half of the seven
teenth century. But Groves Diction-
ary of Music insists that the first baton
employed in England was probablys fne
Takirsbatchen,' used by Spohr at the
Philharmonic in 1920" The custom was
firmly established in England by Sir
Michael Costa in the thirties and by
! Mendelssohn at the Gewandhaus con-
certs in Leipsic in 1885. As to the leader
ship of the first violin, Berlioz declares
, that it began with the deafness of Beeth-
oven, when, "the musicians, in order
! that they might keep together, event.
ually agreed to follow the slight indica-
tions of time which the concertmaster
gave them, and to attend to Beethovens
conducting stick"
The fact that Handel alone wrote
&c. If