The herald., 1897-01-31
MUSICAL COLUMN

Christopher Gluck, speaking Of Han
del, says: II look upon Handel with
reverential awe, as the inspired master
of our art" Beethoven says. Handel
is the unequaled master of all masters
| Go, turn to him, and learn with few
means how to produce great effects"
The st. Cecilians really did wonders on
Thursday evening, when one considers
the tremendous difficulties they have
had to contend with, and the great task
they set before them. The glaring
fault in the production Of the Messiah
was the lack of rehearsal on the part of
the orchestra and apparently the diff
| Guilty they experienced with reading the
score entirely prevented them from pay
ing any attention to the conductors
| baton, the results of which were on sew
eral occasions peculiarly painful. There
is plenty of good material among the ST.
Cecilians, and they are evidently earnest
workers They have scored the first
blood in their war with the Treble Clef
club, which, nevertheless, continues to
exist. and promises to flourish as it has
for the past eight years.
Miss Beresford JOY surprised even her
best friends by her excellent singing in
the Messiah, showing fine cultivation and
good command of the rich voice with
which she is gifted. Mr. Zinck, the tenor.
who sang in the same oratorio in Pasa-
dena few weeks since, and was greatly
appreciated, acquitted himself with
much credit.
Tho SonCr oil tI,o
sensus of opinion that Nordica would
have been a most desirable acquisition
to the Metropolitan forces, but it draws
the line at any attempt to settle the
question as to whether the American
singers chances were ruined through
the hypocrltical advice of Jean de
Reszke that she adopt only German
roles, or a discussion over the amount
of salary that she should have been Of
fered by the impressarios. This maga-
zine believes that business relations be-
tween artist and managers should be al
lowed to adjust themselves without in
reference, the same as between any
other employer and employe.
The admins ira ton of La Scala, in Mi
Ian, has started a new departure in the
way of providing facilities for press rep
resentatives on the second floor of the
great opera house, large and elegantly
furnished room having been placed at
the disposition of the press. The apart
ment is provided with every facility for
writing, telegraphing, telephoring, dis
patching messages, etc. This Is an in
novation that would be warmly well
comeo in other cities besides Milan, for
it Is often great convenience to news
paper men to be able to write, telegraph
or telephone between the acts, and in the
majority of American theaters not the
slightest accommodation Is provided for
penning line. A wall has been going
up from some Of the New York dramatic
critics that in many cases their offices
are situated too far from the theater to
go there to write after the performance
and no accommodation being provided
by the managements of the theaters,
they have to rush to messenger office
and write hastily in the midst of the
noise and clatter.
February Goth is the day set for the
production of the opera, The Norsemen,
which is to be performed at the academy
of music, Philadelphia, by students of
the University of Pennsylvania. The
plot deals with the coming of the old
Viking freebooters to this country early
in the 11th century. The Whole of the
music is the work of Hugh A. Clarke,
Mus. D., we'll known as. for many years
past, professor of the science of music
at the University of Pennsylvania.
A Berlin newspaper the Gegenwart,
publishes the following letter, which
Louis II. of Bavaria, at that time 20
years of age, addressed to Richard Wag-
ner after the first performance of Iris
tan and Yseult in which Herr and Frau
Schnorr played the leading roles: I'll
lustriouS and Divine Friend-I can
hardly wait for tonight, so much do 1
long to see the second performance. You
have written to Pfistermeister, you hope
that my love for your work will not be
decreased by the somewhat faulty con-
ception of the role of Kurwenal, on the
part of Mitterwurzer. Beloved friend,
how can you cherish such thought?
am filled with enthusiasts; transport