The San Francisco call., 1897-07-08

nfShed. MN. Malpertufs and Boulland have
put iC all into merry couplets, and NJ. Navy
has shown the orchestra that the music of the
future holds no secrets from him.
An effort has recently been made in Ger
many, says the New York Tribune, to discover
where Minna Planer, the first wife of Richard
Wagner, is buried. but in vain. She died in
Dresden January. 1866, of heart disease. Con-
cerning her the idolatrous biOgraphers OF
Wagner are strangely reticent 1t could not
be difficult to learn the whole story of Wag-
ner's first marriage were they anxious to do
so; but they were not. There are letters in
existence which fcrn ish clews OF great 10 ter
est, but they have never been printed, one
especially in which Wagner offered Minna
Planer marriage after what had obviously
been lovers quarrel. and coupled the offer
with threat to ruin himself by dissipation If
1t were not accepted. The second, written
comparatively O short time after the marriage
(now in a New York collection), speaks of pro-
ceeding for divorce which lad been begun by
him. Perhaps if the fact be borne in mind
that it was about this time tn at the friendship
between Wagner and Won Bulow's wife began
the cause of the separation would not be hard
to find
Albert Chevalier has written the book OF a
new two-act musical comedy called "The Land
OF Nod" Perhaps IL would be more correctly
described as two-act feerie. In it Mr.. Cheva-
lier will play q Professor Peter Pinder, chang
ing later to a cockney butler, in which char
acter he will sing some more of his cockney
ditties. The music, which is said TO be blend
of clever writing and catchy refrain. is by
Alfred II. West. 1t is somewhat amusing to
read in the London papers that Mr.. Chevalier
has Eoblv refused to accept new theater
which some American angel has offered to
build for him.
Arthur Nikisch is ore of the most brilliant
OF the shining lights of the musical world and
as an orchestral conductor Is unsurpassed. A
few years ago he conducted tie Boston SYM
>sony Society and from Boston he went to
.-Pesth This summer he took the Berlin
ASrm onic Society to Paris, where they Gre
immense sensation. 1t is not only h is
,scal attainment IS and his vlrtuosity
e rendered him SO notable a ch ar
\us personality is exceptionally at
z is one of the most refined, poetic
sn that ever welded power.
athy with regard to novelties in
torios and can tatas that ham
choral conductors in their at
. the repertory prevails in Aus
,cording to a Sydney newspa-
will have no new thing. On
"The Messiah" drew the Gus
nut this oratorio, together with
and the Elijah" is the only
for the expense of production.
here the oratoriO is most i'm
!, the conditions are much more
progress, although the older
popular as ever.
Lty of Musical Composers, Paris, has
10 NJ Picard, commissary-general
Ixposition of 1900, letter asking for a
lall to be constructed of sufficient size
Concerts to be given on a grand scale,
D.ting that there is o hall in Paris which has
Nhe requisite acoustic properties. NJ. Picard
has formally prom sed that the artists shall
have their hail at the Exposition, and that
when the time arrives the Society of Com
posers shall be consulted as to the interior ar-
rangements of the said hall.
AtAms.erdam q musical solemnity of the
utmost Importance recently took place, init-
ated by NJ. Henri Viotta, whose extravagant
devotion to Wagner has become legendary.
1.-THE Dusk of the Gods" was put on the stage
and received magnificent in depreciation.
Soloists of renown had been engaged for the
occasion. Mime. Sucher sang Brunnhilde, NJ.
Burgstaller, Segtried; NJ. Elmblad, Hagen,
etc. The success was colossal. Truly, they do
thingsi in style in Holland.
One of Detroits young composers, John T..
Wolcott has been working for three years on
an oratorio named "Hezekiah," which will be
produced next season. He has been assisted
in the compilation of the text by the Rev.