The San Francisco call., 1896-11-12
NNE BLOOMFIELD ZESLER, the Piane Who Created Such
Remarkable Fuor Tuesday.

tie IurklSn March showed on her powers
enectually. The iatter-a piece de resistance
Oh the late Anton Rubinstein-is a study in
crescendo and decrescendo, and well fitted to
show off the gigantic strength he possessed.
Nine. Zeisler interpreted this delightfully."-,
even though hers was a feminine edition.
All musicians are aware OF the enormous
technical, and one might say intellectual, diff
hculties OF Schumann's "Eludes Sympho-
niques'' (Op 13l. Nine. Zeisles interpreted
this in a mastery manner, bringing out
vividly the various tone pictures contained
therein. For an encore she gave a sereusde
by Saminski.
After an "Impromptu" by Chopin (Op. 36)
came his well-known Valse No. l Top. 64).
Her strongly Characteristic rendition of this
brought down the house, and she repeated the
number for an encore.
Moszkowski's "Gondoliera" (Op. AL and
Liszt's Twelfth Rhapsodie" brought the pro-
sramme to close. The audience rose en-
masse actually shouting, and instead of going
home demanded another encore, which Nine.
Zeisler obiigingiy gave by playing com posi-
ton OF Lesziticki's, "Les Deux Alouettes."
All sorts of rumors are rife about the libretto
of "Messidor," which Emile Zola is writing
for Alfred Bruneau. Many OF the papers state
that "Messidor'' is only the scenic develop
ment of "Germinal," but this does not seem
probable, for to adapt the finale of "Germinap'
to stage purposes would be to make bricks
without straw. The ending of the novel is
tragic in Its veiled menace to society, but there
is no food for the dramatist. Eienne has
been trying unsuccessfully TO carry on strike
among the downtrodden coal-miners of Mont
sou, and in the early dawn of a spring morn.
ing he turns his back on the village of
wretched novels where his comrades must toll
on. Everywhere the hedges and trees are
bursting into blossom, the sap of new life is
ring the earth, and deep down In the ground
his comrades are picking with their axes. In
the morning OF the young year. the country is
bursting into life, and below the burrows of
spring1ug corn is growing black reyengeful
army springing up slowly for the harvest of
the next century. The book conc udes with
the prophecy that this army vii! ''bientot
falre eclater la terre,' tragic motive enough
but one which the successful author of LAT
taque du Moulin" would scarcely use for a
libretto.
Every one has laughed at instances OF bucolic
musical criticism, where the man who does
prlZe-fghts hes been detailed TO give the local
choral society write-up, and proceeds to do
1t In the terms OF the prize ring. This is moth
Ing, however, to some OF the blunders which
have recently been made the subject of
music in England. No less paper than the
Pail Mall Gazette let loose one of it's bright
young men TO report the memorial service 10
the late Archbishop of Canterbury, in West
minister Abbey, and among other items of
news, he conveyed the pleasing information
that DR.. Purcell presided at the organ. Now,
as the bicentenary OF the esteemed doctors
birth was recently celebrated with great cere-
mony in Westminster Abbey, 1t is TO be feared
that the reporter was what is known to the
vulgar as talking through his hat" for had
DR.. Purcell risen from his honored tomb "ior
one day only" the other reporters would surely
have discovered the phenomenon. Even the
a nf ioo
however, by the sermon of an eloquent
preacher during q recent musical festival who
descanted with great feeling upon the emo-
iions experienced by Handel when he first
heard the Baal choruses in "The Elijah"
Several Roman newspapers make the state
ment that Edward Sonzogno the famous i'm
presario and publisher. intends TO give up his
Lyric Theater in Milan and all other theatri-
cal enterprises and retire into private life. II
this -ews be true it announces great blow to
lyric art i'll Italy. for Sonzogno has been a
liberal patron both of singers and composers
and has done more than any other man for the
music of "young" Italy.
The latest musical fad in British society
circles is for ladies to learn the bagpipes. 1t
is pleasing instrument, on its native Scotch
heath, and heard bali a mile or so away among
the mountains its effect is most romantic but
the bagpipes in room, played by beginner,
is probably the worst form of torture which
society has yet invented in the name of musi-
| cal diversion. Every one does not know it, but
the bagpipes is an instrument that requires
skill and musical ability TO play successfully.
We hear great deal Of fervid admiration
expressed for John SEBASTIAN Bach but his ad.
mirers now have chance TO show their ad-
miration in q practical manner by subscribing
TO the fund for the monument to be erected to
him in the Johanniskirche in Leipsic. Four
thousand dollars more is wanted to raise a
fitting memorial over the place where his
lately found bones have been, it is hoped.
finally laid to rest.
Herr Burgstaller, who sang with such sue
cess at the last festival at Bayreuth, was a
woodcutter till recently. 1t is remarkable
what humble avocations some great tenors
have pursued until their voices were discoy-
ered. The great Gavarre WAS Spanish shep-
herd; SO was Vignas. Tamagno was porter
aud number of others toied humbly Til
chance led them to find that they had fortunes
in their throats.
! Colonne has just charmed the Parisans by