Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-07
GOSSIP AND STORES
OF THE STAGE.
.T900sG;tt.a-t CGs3oSSSEsCESSSssCS;

strumentation. His opinions are of a pc
culiar value at this time, because eminent
musicians in Germany and Italy pro-
nounced the March King" the represen-
tative composer of the United States. Says
Sousa:
..Perhaps there is no form of musical
writing SO little understood by the world
at large on one hand. so easy to accom-
plish in its trite forms. but so difncult 10
attain from the standpoint OF creation ana
dramatic effect. as that OF Instrumentation
or orchestration.
In the musical profession there are
hundreds of men who can take compo-
sition and write parts payable to orcheS-
tral instruments and com binatlonS, VINO
possess neither sufficient ability TO create
a melody or harmonize one after II Is Gre
ated. We are surrounded by any number
of men called composers. either by the
world or by themselves, who compose for
the voice, piano or organ, who are entirely
barren OF ideas for the production of or
chestral coloring or the use of orchestral
instruments. The number OF conditions
presented to the arranger or instrumental
tor is only limited by his creative faculties
and his absolute knowledge of tonal quail
ity of the instrument to be written for,
and how these instruments, in groups.
should be treated. There is no question
in my mind that some of the masters
CROPPED at times for orchestral cOloring,
and unquestionably put their notes on pa
per hoping for effect, Just as the buyer OF
There is such a thing as over-dreSsing
a score, Just as woman Is guilty of the
same OHenSe 10 good taste, IN regard 10
her toilette. Every part of her attire may
be of the richest material, but the crowd
ing together of inconGTuous colors and ul-
ira effects may spoil the beauty OF the
subject. Some of the modern composers
scoring for an unusually large body of
Instrumental performers have seen fit to
crowd their scores with figuration and
counterpOint until the human ear finds 1t
almost impossible to decipher the compos-
ers intention. Wagner, that wizard of the
orchestra, has perhaps produced more ef-
fectiye bits of orchestral colOring. that
have been unexpected and dramatic at the
same time. than any other composer. And
for ingenuity of design and delicacy of
treatment Saint-Saens and Massenet are
veritable masters.
"A man, in orchestrating, should have
knowledge of the capabilities of each and
every instrument of the orchestra, and an
undisputed knowledge of the power and
penetration of each member and group of
the instrumental body. For instance, Il
man may intend certain instrument in
the orchestra to play an obligato or solo.
but not understanding the penetration of
that instrument or its peculiar tonal quail
ity, may so surround the melodic device
by the accompaniment of other instru-
ments as to completely ruin and make in
effective that that should stand out in
boldest relief. That is one of the great
sins of many composers who write for the
voice and orchestra OF course, there are
times when an incapable orchestral con-
ductor, or a careless or inefficient body of
instruments, can ruin the best laid plans
of the orchestrator.
AS have said, there is no form of writ
ing that Is so purely mechanical can
be so wonderfully creative as the scoring
for body of musical instruments. How
often have we attended an operate per-
formance. and in some number when we
were particularly anxious to hear the ton
al quality and the phraSing of some great
vocal artist have realized that her voice
was completely hidden by the loudness of
the orchestra. While this may at times
be due to the stupidity of the conductor
and his men, it is much more often due
TO the use of the instruments made by
the composer"
The arrival of the pantomime season is
the cue for an English paper to print an
account of a rather curious institution. as
Is Is seems. in London. says the New York
neMsboys lodging house. only 1t is for
actresses. instead of for newsboys. It was
started in small way some twenty years
| ago by Courthorpe Todd. who opened a
club room for poor actresses. in the hope
of saving some of them from the privations
| ard dangers to which they are often eX-
posed His plan prospered. and the place
was enlarged till the house now called the
Macready Institute was built.
The objects of the institution are partly
religious. but not sectarian. and the re-
ligIcus element is not insisted on. The
chief effort is to assist the poor young
wcmen and children of the stage, and to
help them to get other situations il they
care to leave the stage. There are sleep
| ing rooms and dining rooms and recreation
roc ms and resting rooms. The last named
are for any genuine actresses who care 10
use them.
Sleeping rooms are let at Is Sd to IS Sd
a week, and there is an average of over
twenty dodgers a night. The prices of
meals are in proportion. Breakfast and
| tea are served at 4i2d each. and dinner
| for Cd. There is also a small library. A
| play room is provided for the children,
| who come in considerable numbers in the
| pantomime time.
It is questionable whether such an in
| stitution as this would prosper here
| Though 1t seems to have an undoubted use
| in London. The great number of cheap
| theaters and music halls IN London gives
occasion for large class of actresses of
which there is only a trace here Children
| are also much more employed on the stage
| there than here. especially in the panto-
| mines. No doubt such a house would
| have been useful in New York two or
| three years ago. wnen there was much
actual deFtitution among the people of the
stage. and. indeed. among others, too. At
| that time the Actors fund which ordin-
| arily attends only to helping the sick and
| buryiDg the dead. established special
| fund for the destitute. and did much good.
| The times We're so hard then that many
actresses OF renute, and actors too. We're
| glad to accept places as supernumeraries
| for whatever they could get. But under
! ordinary circumstances there are probably
| scarcely enough women of the stage in
| New York in need of such help as the
| M6cready Institute gives to make such a
| place at all necessary.
Mr.. John p. Slocun, manager of the
| Auditorium theater has received from his
| brother in London. Mr.. J. w. Sloeum. the
| sCnS and full orchestration OF the Mar
| Quse de Lenville's latest composition. en-
titled. The First Kiss" This song is to-
| day almost a sensational success in Eu-
| rope. and has been played before his royal
| highneSS. the Prince of Wales. the
| peror of Germany the Duke of ConnauFht,
| and at all the principal theaters in Erl-
| rope. The Auditorium orchestra will have
| the distinction of being the first in Amer
| lea to play this famous composition. says
| Nj Slocum. These are the words to the
| famous song:
| loveliest bays OF all the South that float
before mine eyes.
| Meath tilmy cloud and purple rest in far
| off fairy skies:
| What drifting breaking waVe of dreamand
| weave We Ger my brain?
| With all your fond faint music back. at
fret with joy and pain.
'Tis not the Ianguid wind that stills
The hour when eve is nigh;
| But some Tapt note from Orient isles,
| The cypress weeping waves a smile
The now unfolding flowers thrill
| And aspens heave and sigh;
| And aloes tell the joy that kills
Where they but bloom to die.
A note of by-gone tendernesse will hover
! fondly neur;
A south wind breath of by-gone song one
| cannot bear to hear.
| That holds within its Orient wing some
| beauteouS deadly souvenir.
| Some loved lost word from one true heart,
half-told half-dreaming there,
Made now the voice of waving palms in
| violet-perfumed air.
| o. what ye are and what We mean, fair
| skies. may bel know
! I'm dreaming of that one first kiss, my