The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-10


Litvinne does not seem to be up to Nordiea's
standard. and there are rumors that Grau is
making fresh overtures to the whiiom
Maine widow, but she could not in any case
go back to the Metropolitan Immediately, on
account of her concert engagements. Nordica
will sing in this City some lime during
January.
Austria and Germany are preparing great
celebrat' ons in honor of the centenary of
Sehuberl's birth, which occurs next month.
In Berlin the impetus given TO music in FASH
ionable circles by the example OF Emperor
William Will cause the birthday to be OBJ
served in an original manner. The Emperor
has not disdained to give public performances
of his own com positions, so the members of his
conrt have decided that it is not beneath their
dignity 10 perform in public, just like ordinary
play actors. 1t will be an entirely new de-
parture in court circles Tor the naughty aris-
tocracy to sing and act before the populace,
but the noble squires and DANES OF Emperor
Williams suite have decided to do it. Schu-
bert's charming opera comique, "The Ladies'
Crusade" will form the bill, and the Countess
Won Motke, wife of an imperial aid-de-camp,
who is nephew of the famous marshal, will
be the stage manageress. The story OF 1.-The
Ladies' Crusade" is borrowed from n ancient
comedy by Aristophanes, which is still played
under the title of "Lysistrata." The ladies of
the court will have to take the part of middle
age chatelaines, who form a trades union
against their husbands while those gentlemen
are absentat one of the crusades. The femi-
nine com bination is finally broken up by The
firm. conduct of the husbands on their return.
The critics are preparing themselves before
hand for good deal OF musical suffering for
the choruses in "The Ladies Crusade are very
difficult for court amateurs to sing.
The choir of Grace Church. on California
street, will tender testimonial concert to w.
H. Holt, the organist and choirmaster of The
church, next Monday evening at the Associa-
ton Auditorium. In making the announce
ment of their desire to acknowledge Mr.. Hollis
courtesy and zeal the members of the choir
state that while the appreciation shown by the
congregation is in itself a sufficient reward,
only the members OF the choir can realize the
extent and responsibility of the work accom-
| plished by the organist. One of the most sue
| cessful features of the music at Grace Church
| is the monthly festival, which has become an
| acknowledged factor in the ecclesiastical
| music in this City. The members of the choir
| are: Frank Coffin, ]. Edmund Jones, S. Homer
| Henley, George T. Balch William Mcdonald,
| George H. Hook, J. NJ. Shawhan, George St.
/ John Bremner, d. NJ. Warde, Sampson E.
Tucker, N. B. Frsbie, Cyril E. Holt.
The third concert of the San Francisco Ora
tOrio Society Will take place this evening at
the Association Auditorium The work pro-
duced will be 1.-THE Light of Asia for the first
| time in this City The music is by Dudley
Buck, and the text by Sir Edwin Arnold.
James Hamilton Howe is the conductor, and
the soloists will be: Miss Grace Davis, Miss
Florence Harries, Miss Maud Fay, Miss Kathe-
rine Black Miss Edith Hanks, Miss Isella Van
Pelt, Miss NJ. Henrietta Smith, ]. f. Veaco,
George Mcbride, Edgar L. Atkinson; pianiste,
Mrs. L. J. Murdoch.
The Russian censor has forbidden any per-
| formances of 'The Evangelmann" in the
] Cars dominion. The work has no political
bearing and it is supposed that its religious
/ character makes it inadmiss ib.e in Russia
! The "Evangelmann" is by the Austrian COM
/ poser William Kienzl, and at present it is
/ meeting with great success in Germany. A
/ new opera by Kienzl, entitled "Don Quixote,"
is being rehearsed at the Royal Opera of Ber-
| lin ana much curiosity prevails in German
musical circles to hear it.
| European conductors seem to be looking
| more an d more 10 Russia for new music, and
| therefore good deal of interest is felt in the
! coming prod uction OF two new Russian operas
! One is by Kasatchenko, and although the title
/ is not yet fixed the libretto is known TO be
| based on life in Little Russia The second
| new opera is by P. J. Blaremberg and ia
] founded on a drama by Ostrowski entitled
| "a Seventeenth Century Comedian"
| The University of Jena has preserved for
several hundred years voluminous manu-
script volume, which contains, in the musical
| notation of the fourteenth century, an impor
| tant series OF songs by the Minnesingers This