The record-union., 1896-11-22

with the following: 'sThe terms OF
vocalists are ever rising, and it Is salu
that f230 more was paid to them al
the Glouscester Festival last year thah
in 1892 If this movement continues
oratorio performances on large scale
will eventually become lmpractlca-
ble''
Auguste van Biene seems thorough
ly theatrical person, even in his de-
lightful performances on the cello. he
can play exquisitely, but he is apt at
any moment to do something that jars.
and cannot be attributed to lack OF
skill, for he is an exceedingly skll1ul
player 1t seems almost as if he were
purposely playing to the gallery, and
this unfortunate impression is hight
ened by his extraordinary manner o.
concluding a solo. He sddenly draws
his bow from the strings and holds 1t
out from him like a melodramatic hero
with asword, giving vocal challenge to
a few desperadoes, while, at the same
moment, he throws his face, hitherto
turned to the right and away from his
instrument, violently round to the left
and upward to the top of the house, as
who should say:
There, boys, that's great. Now ap-
plaud.''
And they do it, with enthusiasm.
Mr.. van Biene Is not a genius to
whom one forgives much that is silly,
and his tricks of demeanor would injure
him in the estimation of a thoroughly
musical concert audience: but he is an
actor, and he carries histrionism, or
rather theatricism, into his cello play
ing as we'll as his personation of a role
BY all accounts he carries it into his
daily life, not always with dignified re-
suit
However, his direct and uncompro-
missing assurance in acting, and his evil
dent power of artistic sentiment, carry
him successfully through very grave
defects of expressing emotion in a very
crude and, in itself, uninteresting drama
ike The Broken Melody" The net re-
ult is certainly effective, and he is in
teresting all the time that he is on the
stage.
The London Daily News" thus de-
scrlbes one Of the novelties performed
at the Norwich festival: Signor Man
cineilfs Hero and Leander'' is set to
a revision of the old libretto (the au-
thors name, ''Tobio Gorria," is an alb
surd anagram of Arrigo Boi'to), already
set by Boito himself (who DESTROYED
his music), and in 1870 by Bottesini. It
IS based on the poem of Musaet1s. The
text has long been available, but the
music, which is said to be a melanen
OF the Wagnerian and advanced italian
styles, will not be issued by Messrs
Novello till the end of the month. The
first act in the Temple of Venus is
mostly lyrical, and beside three
choruses II contains three solos fo,
hero, soprano. two for her father y
baritone, and one for Leander, a tenor
beside a species of love duet for Nine
Alban1 and Mr.. Lloyd. The second act
comprises the feast to Aphrodite. with
sacred dances and pagan ceremonies
and the taking by Hero of the oath OF
rriestess. In the third act, the scene oi
which Is in Hero's tower overlooking
the Hellespont, with chorus of sailors
heard in the distance, Leander swim
ming across from Abydos is drowned
in storm, whereupon Hero throws her
self into the water in despair.
Now that Tchaikovski is no more
Dvorak is beyond comparison the great
est orchestral composer in Europe
Brahms not excepted. Since leaving
America Dvorak has written a numbe,
Gf
be produced in London shortly. Durins
the three years that Dvorak lived IN
New York he did not often attend con-
certs. He used to get up about O'Clock
in the morning and go to bed CORE.
spondingly early, so that It was diff.
cult to persuade him to go to any kind
OF an entertainment. When he made ar
exception it was usally in favor of 8
Philharmonic or a Kneisel Quartet con.
cert. To the Kneisels he intrusted his
new chamber music as soon as the
manuscript was dry, and to the Phil.
harmonic Society his immortal New
World" symphony. at the first rehearsa
Of which occurred the famous episode
when Mr.. Seidl took the slow movement
slower than it was marked and DIR
Dvorak promptly seized the pencil anc
marked it as Seidl played it.
Here's the sort Of story the press
agent tells sometimes: He was funn,
looking little man who rode a wheel
Taking his machine from the Casino.
porter after matinee of Jack and tn,
Beanstalk," he met George Lederer.
fpfa off l.,
ers might take suggestion from ar
outsider now and then with profit" h,
volunteered
Trot 1t out" said Lederer.
Then the little man started in to show
Lederer that the world was all awheel
that stage travesty of the fad was al
ways applauded, that an idea that hat
Just come to him might be introduced
in Barnets new piece. He didn't wan
any return for the suggestion 1t shoult
be uproariously funny. Simply 1t wa!
10 get set of trick stairs put 'em il
any of the scenes, get funny man OF
the top astride a bike. then press tht
button and the lightning fight and ap
plause. Jack might even so escape from
the giants palace. In less than ter
t'*AFAaNNNs iCi~i lidu ii set Oh IrICf
stairs on the stage in position. Yes. TIL,
pudgy little man would illustrate hi.
idea. From the top of a fifteen-f foo
Ioiaing stairway moment later HI
said he was ready. Lederer. at ths
bottom, pressed the button. When tn,
little man had come 10, his hundred
dollar wheel was pulled out of the bas.
drum looking like concertina. Lederel
didn't have to explain why the tricl
stairs idea wasn't practicable.
The Imperial Grand Concert Compan,
is the name of new musical organiza
ton which viii shortly so on a tour will
formidable list Of attractive names
Among the princinals arn Nina pn44in