The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-14
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS
MIR. ARMSTRONG LECTURES TO THE
MATINEE MUSICALE TO-MORROW.
Helping Eject of Music on the Home
Lifc-Gossip Concerning the
Worlds Composers.

Mr.. William Armstrong, musical critic
for the Chicago Tribune. will be in the city
tomorrow and will deliver his lecture on
Unpublished Interviews" at the Propy
laeum, under the auspices of the Matinee
Musicale This lecture was recently deliv
cred before the Contemporary Club of this
city, and met with decided favor. The SUBJ
ject is novel, and the writer, who has per-
sonally known most of the great artists
for the past ten years, gives many inter-
esting scraps of incidents, which have, as
the name of the lecture indicates, never
been published. Calve, Eames, the De
Reszkes, Nordica and a score of others are
mentioned. The manner of the lecturer is
pleasing and the incidents are graphically
told. The Matinee Musicale has issued
heart-Shaped invitations to its members an
nouncing the Valentine treat. Any one
not member may attend on payment or
plmentary notices Mr.. Armstrong has had
from the press and from every member of
the Contemporary Club who heard him will
be such as TO fill the assembly hall to its
fullest capacity.
I'VE do not have enough music in the
home" writes Mary c. Stetson in the Feb
ruary Woman's Home Companion. Chill
dren who sing at their work will hardly
quarrel; and parents who sing will find the
burden of their task grow lighter. There is
rest and recreation in music. Once a frail
minister who thought the progressive
wheels of the worlds work would stop if
he took a vacation slept and dreamed a
dream. He dreamed that he died and APP
peared before the Lord. The Lord seemed
surprised to see him. and asked, What did
you come so soon for? Why did you not
take needed rest and recreation. and so
prolong your life?' The minister walked,
and went to Europe recovered his health,
is alive to-day, and is known for inspiring
words all over America.
II wish that every mother could dream
this dream. The world may spare her, but
her home cannot. There are no children
but need mothers care and love. They
are more responsive and obedient TO a tie
of blood than to tie created by law. Does
she inquire, then, how she can economic
her forces that they may last; how she can
burn less fuel, that her little fire of life may
burn brightly and long? My answer is, let
women try to give to things their true i'm
portance. 1t will make no difference in
weeks or years time how windows and
woodwork look to-day; il will make diff
ference whether the children are perfectly
nourished physically and trained mentally.
Learn to do the most important things
first, and il your strength Gibbs learn to let
the minor things wait; sing inspiring songs.
Try to get something out of life for all you
tomorrow may not be yours. People ought
to get more than an existence with such
help as song and sunshine. laughter and
friendship.
1.-The charm of music is great. 1t bushes
the infant to rest. At the family altar il
lifts the soul in worship to God and heaven.
In the home 1t fosters the home spirit and
strengthens the family ties. Encourage the
children to sing. 1t matters not whether
there is much music in their voices or not;
there is music in their souls from which the
effort springs, and that Is enough. If the
gift of song is a divine gift. the disposition
to sing is a holy influence for the salvation
boz hztn rx,lA IL sf4v
lifting of him out of the mire and up on the
rock"
Henry Donlan is the name Of boy singer
who is attracting great attention through
out New England. He recently sang at the
fiftieth performance of Elijah" given by
the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston.
Henry Donlan Is soloist at St. Pauls
Church and at Appleton Chapel, Harvard
College. where the service is in the even
ing, but his Sunday singing is not always
confined to these choirs, as he has often
been heard at fremont Temple and at
various places throughout New England.
The lads handsome face and unusually
fine stage appearance attract immediate
attention wherever he appears. He does
not seem to be ''spoilt" by adulation. but
is thorough boy and throws snowballs
and enjoys any sport that Is going. At
home he is loved and looked DIP to by his
five little brothers and sisters and if you
chance 10 call when father is out and
house and entering into the children's play
MS heartily as any OF them: Talking about
Christmas he said: We'll. l gave them
each IL set of winter underwear. / thought
tina. would be better than lot of foolish
toys. And what did I get? Oh, L got some
things and some jackknives. i have twelve
now.
At seven years of age Donlan began to
sing, and soon afterward entered the col
lege choir Three years later he began to
study with his present instructor Mr.
George Mendall Taylor. Among the boy's
first important appearances were the bene-
fit concert rendered to the whistler Miss
Ella NJ. Chamberlain. when Henry was as
sOciated with Miss Gertrude Edmands. Mr.
Lang. j. G. Bartlett and the Beacon Quar-
tet. and at the funeral of Ex-Governor
Russell. when the distinguished company
were visibly affected by the pathos of his
beautiful solos.
When he began with Mr. Taylor the
boys voice was weak and trembling. al
though Henry was strong physically. 1t
is now even. true and perfectly adjusted
throughout the phenomenal range of three
octaves from G to G. His reading of music
is most remarkable for his twelve wears.
and his appreciation Of distant and difficult
intervals Is marvellous. His favorite solos
are 20: Had / Jubal's Tyre" Handel;
With verdure Clad Haydn; The Holy
City" Adams; Ave Maria" Bach-Gounod
and "L'Ectase," Arditi..
The Musical Courier has been trying to
make fight against the large salaries that
are paid TO the leading singers. 1t places
the table of salaries I'm this country and
Europe side by side for comparison. and
1T does certainly seem that several thou
sand dollars night for singing is large
sum. Jean de Reszke. who receives a
princely salary. was interviewed recently
on the subject, and he said in part: ITO
return to the original question of artists
salaries. and speaking only for myself, as
L Will repeat that L really do not regard
my terms with the Metropolitan manage
ment as excessive. When a singer has de-
voted twenty-five years to the earnest, seri-
Gus. thoughtful. expensive and trying study
or voice art and his efforts have been
crowned with what the public have been
pleased TO call success don't YOU think that
the singers services are worthy whatever
they will bring in the open market? Should
he not ask as much as managers are will
ing TO pay, just he should be content
TO receive as little as his place can be filled
for? Are the artists of the Metropolitan
receiving too much in salary ii they can
draw ap/audience that pays for their sal
aries ard profit besideS?'
Opera singers are not given extravagant
salaries in the French provincial cities. Out
OF $40 month paid an artist in one of these
places, she pays SIS for board. So for her
room. 81 for washing 81 for stage cosmet-
les. - commission TO her agent, 81 to her
claque 81 for care of her music. 81 to her
dresser. 81 to the prompter. 81 to the call
boy and 60 cents to the theater concierge
With what was left she had to pay for her
street apparel shoes. coaching" scores
conditions she cannot indulge In the lux
ury of occasionally disappointing the pub
lie to say nothing of paying a physician
for certificate verifying her indisposi.