The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-14

release him from taking the trip TO Chicago.
The singer always said he wanted 10 die In
harness-and he did-died while taking part
in the opera before a large and enthusiastic
audience. The audience was told that Cas-
telmary was III. a substitute provided and
the opera went on smoothly TO the end
The cases of actual death on the stage are
very rare. almost unknown. NJ. Castel-
mary in reality Count Armand De Cas-
tan, of a prominent French noble family
He was sixty-three years old. He was mar
ried to Marie SasSe, a famous soprano, from
whom he separated twenty years ago and
who now lives in Europe teaching music.
NJ. Jules Martin has compiled list of
works produced at the Grand Opera
House. Paris, from Jan. l. 1880, to June
80, 1896. In these 65la years French COM
posers were represented by Auber. 1,163
times: Halevy, LOIS; Gounod, 1.0S1 Adam,
SIS; Ambrose Thomas, i69; Delibes, ga;
Reyer. 246; Massenet, 222; Schneitzhoefer.
221: Herold, 173; Saint-Saens, 1sO NJ.
Labane 135. and nineteen others. 1,14O. To-
tai for French composers. $500 times. Ital-
ian composers: Rossini, 1.40y: DoniZetti.
1,003; Verdi, 721: Pugni, 3D.; eight others, 331.
man composers, ZOOS: Wagner, 26O; Mo-
Fart, 227; Weber 207; six others. 2n. Total
German composers. 3.53S times. Eight com
Total foreign composers, 1918. The most
of Meyerbeer 100 QS6O; Gounod. s. QSSs);
So QSsOl; Halevy. 50 qSs5): Thomas. IS
QS6S.) The works most frequently given in
one year were 'L'Africaine,' IS Qs65l;
QSS9); Hamlet IS QS6S.) During the last
twelve years, under the Gailhard manage
ment, the numbers are: French composers:
Gounod. SIS: Reyer 22O; Massenet, 165; Saint
Saens 127; Thomas, ia; Delibes, los; vari-
Gus others, 1872; total. 1.642. Foreign COM
posers: Meyerbeer, 419; Wagner, PSI; Verdi.
Weber, Is; total. 1855 Since 1880. then. the
Grand Opera gave I'D operas and 66 ballets
total, 1SS works-by 81 composers, of
which 81 were French II Italian, German
and various nationalities.
The following clipping regarding Miss
Marguerite Hall, who sang at the musicale
and dance given by Mr. and Mrs. 4. c.
Atkins during holiday week, will be of in
terest to all who had the pleasure of hear
ing her at that time and who can testify
that this notice in the Musical Courier is
not at all too flattering: Miss Marguerite
Hall sang with great beauty and richness
of Tone fine art in phrasing and abso-
lutte finish. The Schubert songs were not
marvelOusly enhanced by the orcheStrated
accompaniment, but the singer delivered
them with the utmost discretion and taste.
Geheimes, which she sang with particular
archness and finesse, had to be encored.
So also had Ma Vorsine, which Miss Hail
sings as probably few others could sing it.
The dainty gracefql song h Gas written Tbd eX
and it surely could find no better, more
gracious interpreter. She sings ii with
charm all her own. Miss Hall, usually
called a mezzo soprano. has certainly the
richness and volume of the mezzo voice,
but her range is beyond that of the average
mezzo singer and she produces every tone
IF hpr
ity and ease.
1t took over a thousand years to develop
our musical notation, or system of writing
and reading music; and a most clumsy and
stupid system it is, despite improvements
and the labors bestowed on it by many
great minds-clumsier and stupider even
than the system of spelling and pronounce
ing the English language, says Henry
Finck. Now comes the news that an En-
gliSh scientist, who is also a musician, has
invented new musical notation, which has
been approved by expert judgment and de-
clared great Improvement on the older
systems. AS the invention is not yet copy
righted details are not given, but 1t is said
that the most striking change to the eye
will be the absence of all accidentals and
key signatures and the abolition Of all the
different cefS.
Victor Herbert is a grandson Of Samuel
Lover, the Irish novelist, song writer and
artist. Mr.. Herbert recently received from
his mother. Mrs. Fanny Schmid, Lovers
album, containing many of his sketches
and personal letters from most of the
celebrities of Lovers day The interesting
features of this album will be reproduced
in the February Century, accompanying
Mrs. Schmid's recollectionS of her father,
under the title of The Author of Rory
O'More."
1t is rumored that Nine. Nordica has
unearthed a great tenor, one Proschow-
sky, a Pole by descent, and a resident in
America He introduced himself to the
prma donna as baritone. and before she
had heard him sing six bars she eX-
claimed You are a tenor" After putting
him through his PAGES, She gave him her
blessing, told him TO study for two years.
and to thank God he had such a voice.
Perhaps we may have another Jean in the
field.
The songs composed by Guy d'Hardelot
are coming rapidly into popularity abroad.
His latest publications are: "Avec Toi,'
Mutt dEte,' ''vos Yeux." La Fermiere,'
Invocation Sans Toi.' ''Serenade."
Sous les Branches" ''Valse des Libel
lules," "Chanson de ma Mic" and in Eng
lish. Say Yes" I'm Cupid's Garden" The
Bees Courtship'' and a song cycle.
Adelina Patti arrived at Paris the other
day to attend the rehearsals of the new
opera Dolores" by Polonais and Boyer.
of which she will create the title part in
Monte Carlo. The story, which is arranged
into a very clever libretto is supposed TO
have occurred in Spain near the French
frontier in the first decade OF this century.
At the Grand Opera, Paris, despite a sub
vention of $4,000 a year and no rent to
pay, only one new opera was produced in
1896 namely the "HeIIe'' of NJ. Duvernoy.
At the Paris Opera Comique, which Is also
subsidized and is rent free there were only
two nOveltieS-M. Messengers lie Chevalier
d Harmental" and M: Cahen's La Femme
de Claude.
One song Of Miss Violet Lloyd in THE
Geisha' is entitled I'm the Smartest Lit
tie Geisha in Japan" and is given to the
accompaniment of veritable japanese in
struments. The young ladies who imper-
senate the geishaS have become proficient
in the use of these old instruments and
both the song and it's accompaniment are
charming.
In Italy, as elsewhere the most popular
of Wagners operas is "Lohengrin." which
has so far had 500 performances. Tam
hauser' has had 169 ''Walkure" II. Fly
ing Dutchman 62. ''Rienzi' 80. "Meister-
singer %, 'Gotterdammerung % His two
greatest works Siegfried" and Tristan
ARE as yet unknown in musical Tor un-
musicaD Italy
The Handel Society. of London. which re-
vived the grand old masters Hercules
last winter. has done the same service for
his Susanna" which was performed Feb
g. at the Peoples Palace. Handlers original
orchestral accompaniment was used.
There is n rumor that Mr.. Adolph Yeuen-
dorff has been elected permanent conductor
by the New York Metropolitan Orchestra
in place of Anton Seidl who is to go tC
London in the spring to conduct Wagner's
operas at COvent Garden.