The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-12

she; and on she went and sang. This Vas
PATHS first appearance"
1t was proved at the Metropolitan opera
House last Sunday night that hair is by no
means so necessary to the success of foreign
musicians in this country as recent seasons
has led the public to believe. Raoul Pugno,
who made a popular success at the Sunday
concert, has none of the spectacular quail
tiles associated usually with great enthusi-
asm. He is rather commonplace looking,
with black beard and eyeglasses, and his
figure is more Falstaffian than anything
seen on that stage since Victor Maurel APP
peared at the Metropolitan in Verdi's opera.
But the public liked him, and there was
never a more astonishing exception to the
ordinary experience in such cases. Ysaye
has seemingly grown much stouter since ne
first played here, and there was an element
of avoirdupos about the concert that was
quite exceptional. But it proved that in the
case of men, at least, flesh does not neces-
sarily interfere with popularity. Seated at
the piano, NJ Pugno was not the sort of
figure to win the heart of the matinee girl,
and there seems as little likelihood at any
such result from M. Ysaye's locks. But
the audiencesi There are still traditions in
the kitchen Of the Hotel Martin as to the
6inners. and, for that matter, the break
fasts, luncheons and suppers, which NJ
Ysaye used TO eat there, and the startling
Intelligence that M. Ysaye'S appetite has
improved was lately nedrd IN the uelgnDOr-
hood of the hotel. But from the favor with
which he has been received by the public
there is apparently no necessity for him to
curb his appetite and bring his increase
of weight to a short stop. One feature of
his appearance at the Astoria concerts,
which is believed to have been responsible
for his comparatively Indifferent playing,
was the distribution of ice cream to the
guests at a time which he regarded as in
appropriate. That, at least. is the impress
he may have been vexed by the exasperat-
ing fact that it was Kept permanently out
of his reach. This year Sievking, the plan
ist has grown his hair long enough to fall
over his shoulders, having totally mistaken
the signs of the seasons. He should have
put himself through the pate de fos graS
process, as in musical circles this is to be a
year of flesh and not OF hair.-New York
Herald. -
Speaking of his new comic opera, "The
Bride-eIect," which will be produced at
the Boston Theater Jan. by Messrs. Klaw
& Erlanger and B. D. Stevens Mr.. John
Philip Sousa, the author and composer,
says that the usual combination is for the
librettist to claim the music to be the best
ever written, and the composer vociferously
returns the compliment by declaring the
book to be better than anything that Gill
bert has ever DONE" AS Mr. Sausa has
written both book and music, he thinks his
cue is to keep quiet and await the final
and inevitable judgment of the pubic.
Pending that Judgment, however, the man
secure perfect presentation of the opera
In the cast are Albert Hart, Nella Bergen,
Christie Macdonald; Lillian Carlsmith,
Luckstone. The chorus will consist of fifty
voices a ballet under the direction of Carl
Marwig and a military band will also APP
pear Ben Tael is staging the opera, which
is now under rehearsal at the Knicker-
booker Theater. New York
Seven towns disputed the glory of hav-
ing been the birthplace of Homer. AL
though not so numerous, there are three
which dispute the honor of having given
birth to Pergolesi. These three towns are
Casoria, Pergola and JEST 1t has now been
settled that it was at JEST, Jan. 3, ITO. that
the melodious author of the ''Stabat Mater"
and of the "Serva Padrona'' was born; that
is why, on the initiative Of the Journal la
Bilancia, committee has just been APP
ing, by means of an international subscrip-
ton, a monument to the illustrious COM
poser, who died so young after having writ
ten such delicious chefs doeuVre. ThlS
committee, which has already commenced
the work, consists of many well-knoWn
names.
This Nations immense musical collection
is soon to become accessible to the people
for the first time in its existence. Within
the past few weeks the whole collection,
which has been steadily growing for the
past half century, has been removed to the
new library of Congress, where a special de-
partment will be given up to it and 1t will,
before long, be made available to the public.
It's burial in the Capitol has been so COM
plete that there was no possibility or getting
at any of its contents. The collection COM
Counting bound Volumes Of music Among
the latter are English madrigals, Scotch,
Irish and Welsh ballads, folk songs of Scan
dinavia, Chinese and Hindoo music. The
opening of this vast collection of music to
the public will afford musicians opportuni-
ties hitherto unknown
According to the New York Tribune Mr.
Alvin Schroeder, the first 'cellist of the Bos-
ton Symphony Orchestra, and the cellist of
the Kneisel Quartet, has finally declined a
most tempting offer from the Berlin Opera,
and that he has thus definitely decided to
cast his lot in future with America. Mr..
Schroeder was asked to become the first
'cellist of the orchestra of the Berlin Opera
one of the most honorable positions the
world of music has to offer a performer
upon his instrument, and one that carries,
besides honor, permanence and a pension for
life after his active work shall have ended.
Leopold Gogowsky, recently returned from
Europe, says that the influence of advanced
methods is making itself widely felt abroad,
and, while old methods still prevail to some
extent, a new era is dawning. He considers
the orchestral parts of foreign operas
abroad much finer than the vocal features,
and says that European audiences are less
severe in their criticisms than those of
America, and are much more demonstra-
tive, thus making artistic success much
easier than in this country.
The advent of Nine. Marcella Sembrich
has upset many managerial schemes. It was
believed that Melba would have the field to
herself in fiorid music, and that the result
ing monopoly would give her tremendous
prestige which would be duly exploited in
succeeding seasons in the width and breadth
of the land. Sembrichs appearance has
changed the aspect of things. With her
purpose of giving concerts in all the large
cities she seems destined to become in the
popular estimation the legitimate successor
of Patti.
Among other reforms, M. Mailer, the new
director of the Vienna Opera, has ordered
that people arriving late shall not take
their places during the playing of the over
ture.
VITAL STATISTICS-DEC. IL