The San Francisco call., 1897-11-11

! SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN, the Well.knO
Op
In 1866 he was asked to compose an overture
for the Norwich Festival, but finding no sub
ject suitable he was inclined to give it up but
MS father urged him to try again, as some
thing was sure to come up to direct his
thoughts into new channel. Thomas Sulli-
vans words proved strangely true, Tor in
three days he died suddenly of aneurism of
the heart, and his son, who passionately
attached to his father, flung himself into the
work on the night of the funeral in order
to take refuge from his overwheim-
ing grief His beautiful composition, "In
Memoriam," was the consequence. An
other well-known piece was the outcome
of overwrought feelings. He was nursing his
brother through a severe illness and had
hardly left his bedside for several days and
nights, when, finding the invalid had fallen
into dose, he crept into the next room, but
could not close his eyes. so he reused himself
and set 10 music Adelaide Proctor's interest
ing words, ''The Lost Chord" There is prob
ably no spot In the civilized world where the
Gilbert and Sullivan operettas are not known
and admired. Travelling through the mining
districts of California he was one day mis-
taken for John l., and the disappoin ted min
ers were disgusted with his weight and ap-
pcAIdI4Ce. 'Ou dlu you tHe SlOSger1 NO.
l am only Arthur Sullivan" he replied.
''WhatI' one of them said, with evident sur
prise, "are you the man as put 'Pinafore' to-
gether? Come and have a drink all the same"
Being in San Francisco, he accompanied
lady to the park. where TO his surprise and
deep emotion the band suddenly struck up
The Lost Chord" which he said was ad-
mirably played from beginning to end. II
was purely accidental, for his presence in
"a = p
time. Sir Arthur has most lovely home in
Queens Mansions, London, where every turn
DespeGks the artist. Ill the entrance hall
Arabian lamps hang, giving out their mysteri-
Gus quaint lights in softly somber rays, while
you peep through lovely screen OF old Cairo
woodwork before reaching the dwelling.
rooms. The doors are artistically draped
with elaborate Persian and Greek hangings,
and, nesting beneath the spreading leaves of
rare palms, you meet with large, restful
divans upon which Oriental silks of great
beauty and price are carelessly thrown.
In London NJ. Bourgault-Ducoudray the
learned musical folkiorist, Is giving series of
entertainments at st. James Hall upon the
popular Greek songs and dances. AS NJ.
Ducoudray is not well acquainted with the
English language, he has an associate NJ.
Jack who reads the text A Greek singer, NJ.
Arames, interprets the songs, and Greek
dances are initiated, in ancient costume, by a
ballerina of the opera, Mile. Sandrini, who
has made a careful study OF the bas-relieis and
statues OF Greek antiquity.
The Prussan army possesses a negro musi-
cal director. This artist is named Sabac el
Eher and is at the head of the music IN Fred
eric HIS Grenadier Guards, now stationed in
garrison at Koenigsberg. He is at present
giving concerts at the Arts tic International
Exposition in Dresden, where he is making
great success. The Taglische Rundschau gives
the following curious particulars about him:
The father OF Sabac Ell Eher, who bore the
same name was originally from Lower Egypt
and was raised at Cairo, at the court of the
Viceroy. 1t was there he became acquainted
with Prince Albert of Prussia, who took him
into his service and brought him TO Berlin,
where he married q Berinese. From this
marriage was born in 1867 the future kapell-
meister, who began early 10 study music, and
at the age of Is was admitted rs hautboyist
| in an infantry regiment In 1898 he entered
the Conservatory OF Berlin, and in 1895, alter
a brilliant examination, he quilted that estab-
lshment to take the musical direc ton of the
regiment of grenadiers, where he now is.
During NJ Saint-Saens' visit to the Brussels
Exposition he showed himself in new char
acter. He made apparent his admirable tai
his virtuosity as q pianist. 1t is known that
as an organist the author OF Samson is con-
sidered one OF the first virtuosos Of he age
| The organ is indeed his instrument by predi-
| lection He has proved it by the remark q BILE
series of works with which he has enriched
the Literature of the instrument. AT This con-
cert the master performed some of these
pieces. as piquant and original by the har-
mouiZation as by the elegance OF iorm and the
seductive melody, berceuse, some preludes
and fugue, majestic fantasie. The crown
| ing number was an extraordinary fantasie BY
List upon the "Choral of the Prophet" tforty
minutesD musically but mediocre work per-
haps, but sparkling with effects of which the
Hungarian artist alone knew the recipe-aud
of notwithstanding could be better to put
into relief the technique OF a grand virtuoso
NJ. Saint-Saens made an absolute triumph
of it.
| At Copenhagen the musical and dramatic
soirees arranged by NJ. Bjornstjerne Biornson
have obtained an immense popularity. The
old Norwegian poet, in spite OF his sixty-five
years, possesses marvellous organ OF decla-
nation, which fairly carried his audience away
with the poetry OF Victor Hugo The French
and Norwegian songs sung by Nine. Ibsen, his
daughter-in-law, were equally successful.
| benefit took place last week at Athens to
raise funds to help the victims OF the war,