The San Francisco call., 1897-07-08

nished. NM. Nalpertuis and Bonlland have
p1t il all into merry codplets, and ". May
has shown the orchestra tn at the music of the
future holds no secrets from him.
An effort mas recently been made in Ger
many, says the New York Tribune, to discover
where Minna Planer, the frat wife OF Richard
Wagner, Is buried. but in vain. She died in
Dresden January. 1866. of heart disease. Con-
cernipg her the idoIatrous biographers of
Wagner are strangely reticent 1t could not
be difficult to learn the whole story Of Weg
ner's first marriage were they anxious 10 do
so but they were not. There are letters in
existence which fcrn ish clews of great in ter
est, but they have never been printed, one
especially in which Wagner offered Minna
Planer marriage after what had obviously
been u lovers quarrel. and coupled the offer
with a threat to ruin himself By dissipation If
1t were not accepted. The second. written
comparatively q short time after the marriage
NOW in New York colieetion), speaks of pro-
ceeding for divorce which b ad been begun by
him Perhaps If the fact be borne in mind
that il was about this time tnat the friendship
between Wagner and Won Bulow's wife began
the cause Uf 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 1t would be more correctly
described two-act feerie. In it Mr. Cneva-
lier will play q Professor Peter Pinder, chang
Ing later to q cockney butler, in which char
acter he will sing some more of his cockney
ditties. The music, which is said to be a 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 shifting lights of the musical world and
as an orchestral conductor Is unsur passed. A
few years ago he conducted tie Boston SYM
phony Society. and from Boston he went to
Buda-Pesth. This summer he took the Berlin
Philharmon Society to Paris, where they Gre
ated an immense sensation. Ii Is not only is
great musical attainment is and his viriuosity
which have rendered him SO notable ch ar
acter but his personality is exceptionally at
tractve. He is one of the most refined. poetic
and gentle men that ever welded power.
The same apathy with regard to novelties in
the way of oratorios and cant tatas that ham,
pers American choral conductors in their at
tempt to enlarge tie repertory prevails in Aus
tralis, where according to Sydney newspa-
per the people will have no new thing On
Christmas night "The Messiah drew the Gus
tomary crowd, but this oratorio, together with
the Creation" and the "Eiijah," Is the only
one that pays for the expense of production.
In England, where the oratoriO is most i'm
portant fac TOR. the conditions much more
favorable for progress, although the older
works are popular as ever.
The Society of Musical Composers. Paris, has
addressed 10 NJ. Picard, commissary-general
OF the Exposition of 1900, letter asking for
large hall to be constructed OF sufficient size
for concerts 10 be given on grand scale
stating that there is o hall in Paris which has
the 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 ur-
rangements OF the said hail.
At Ans erdam a musical solemnity of the
utmost Importance recently took place, initi-
ated by NJ. Henri Viotts, whose extravagant
devotion to Wagner has become legendary.
1.-THE Dusk OF the Gods" was put on the stage
and received q magnificent in terpretation.
Soloists of renown bad been engaged for the
occasion. Nine. Sucher sang Brunnhilde, M.
Burgstaller, Segiried; NJ. Elmblsd, Hagen,
etc. The success was colossal. Truly, they do
thingsip 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.