The San Francisco call., 1896-09-10
MRS. PORTER COLE Who Says ~Od Kentucky Home No
Negro Melody.
Negro Melody.

the bright-colored head handkerchief from
her beautiful black hair and flung it into
distant corner, when she heard she was free
woman, because it was to her badge of
slavery, we would forget those songs we had
heard all our lives. Our director, always
man OF determination, had his wav, however,
and his jubilee singers sang first two or three,
that those who so much desired TO hear them
might do so. To him think we are indebted
Tor the preservation OF the only native Ameri-
can music"
J. D. Mehan has written to the Song Journal
to plead for the observance of professional
ethics by all music-teaehers. He says: "Pos-
sibly all the professions need elevating, but in
my opinion there is none that exhibits such
lamentable lack of dignity as the profession of
music. Fancy for instance members of the
legal and medical professions writing personal
letters to clients and patients of other practi-
tioners offering reduced rates and other in
ducements in order that such patrons may be
brought over to themselves. The methods
followed by some OF our fraternity would dis
grace peanutvender. l know a piano.
teacher, lady of considerable ability and
reputation, who actually writes personal,
urgent letters to the pupils of other teachers,
trying to persuade them to leave their present
instructors and come over to her. This is up
holding the dignity of the profession, isn't it?
1t may be that this method has brought the
lady few more pupils, but it will eventually
impair her standing with the people of Detroit.
II were to presume 10 offer advice to teachers
should say: Don't try to nuild reputation
in any way except by honest work."
Strange to say, Germany possesses no statue
to Richard Wagner or Franz Liszt The
Weimar Journal is now proposing that, to cele-
brate the tenth anniversary of the death of
fc0f
Weimar, where the Liszt Museum already
exists, to perpetuate his memory. 1t is be-
lieved that the innumerable pupils of Liszt
would contribute literally, particularly those
who, ike Sophie Menter, have made large
fortunes. 1t is very possible that the Hunga-
rians will protest against Weimar as the site
OF the statue, and Will point with pride to the
fact that they already have statue of Liszt in
front OF the Royal Opera-house at Budapest.
1t cannot be denied, however, that Germany
has very strong claims on the master, and the
probability is that Liszrs pupils would con-
slider Weimar the best place for the erection of
q commemorative statue.
One of the singers promised for the Mapleson
company is Jane Harding, French soprano,
who made her debut two years ago. That was
her first appearance as vocalist, but she had
been a notorious character for some years, and
on the occasion of her appearance in opera Ut
was made in SaintSaens t'Phryne''l there was
popular demonstration against her. Vegeta-
bles and other mocking tributes were thrown
on the stage and storm of catcalls drowned
most of the vocalists efforts. Jane Harding
went through her part with perfect indifer-
ence to the demonstration and the following
day the papers were almost unanimous in
censuring the public for letting the private
character of the singer interfere with her re-
ception as an artist. Since then she has con-
tinued to sing and has won some recognition.
She is said to be possessed of light, trivial
soprano voice, which she uses skillfully enough
to atone for its utter lack OF volume.
william Parry, the stage manager of the
Metropolitan Opera-house, is just home from
Bayreuth, where he went to get suggestions
for the stage setting and the stage manage
ment of "Die Walkure," which is to be given
at the Metropolitan next winter. He says it is
not possible to produce operas in New York as
are done at Bayreuth and Munich. awe do
too many operas, and we cannot attend to
each with all the closenesss ana care that they
put into them over there. When 1 told Herr
Fuchs, the stage manager at Bayreuth, and
also at Munich, that we did twenty four ope-
ras in twelve weeks he did not make any reply,
but he looked at me in way that seemed to
say, THAT is another American lie.'"
The European opera-houses are beginning to
announce their programmes for the coming
season. The Lyric Theatre, at Milan, wiz re-
open in the middle of this month with Nine.
Emma Nevada in 'Lakme," and the works to
follow are "The Navarraise" with Nine. De
Nuovina, "Nignon," with Miss Simonnet, and
Miss Sibyl Sanderson in "Phryne." The nov
elites already announced Tor the Scala season
consist of Leoncavallo's 'La Boheme," and
Mascagnfs new Japanese opera. The Argen-
tina at Rome will play for the first time
"Camargo" by De Leve, and the San Carlo at
Naples viii give the initial performance of
Franchettis new opera, "Pourceaugnac"
Fame came to the recently deceased Pro-
fessor Crouch by writing the meiodious
kathleen Mavourneen." a song founded on