Evening journal., 1898-11-01


as there are no important ones, except |
the Catholic choirs. and they are badly
in need CT good leaders.
What I would judge as the best choir
in the city, ST. Pauls Il. c. Church, has
the poorest leader. When he starts toI
beat time he becomes excited and stops
beating entirely, which he did several
times upon one occasion when an or
chestra was assisting the choir. His
wife is a good singer, and suppose M
they fired him she would quit also.
The choir OF Calvary p. E Church is
practically In the same boat, as the
leader there has not even ordinary
ability. and the organist,, Miss Carrie
Sarlng. a talented young woman, is vir-
tually the leader, although he gets
there ahead OF her in securing his sal
airy. and they are frequently a year be-
hind in the organists salary.
There are two really fine pianists in
the city. ]. ID. Kurtz, Jr, and Miss
Martha Bradheld Kurtz studied in
Lelrsic, and Miss Bradheld is a gradu-
ate Of a Philadelphia conservatory.
Among the few other good pianists
can name are w. NJ. S. Brown. also or
ganist at ST. Paul's r. c. Church. T.
Leslie Carpenter, j. ID. Maier, Jr. Mics
Saring, mentioned above; J. ID. Hill
drcth. e. j. Muhlhausen. Florence
Fisher, Frederic Becher and Nine. Olga
Baumann. There are lots OF thumpere
and Dangers, very few OF whom are not
teachers. Many OF them have old pu-
pills who have never practced a scale,
/ t., l.
pieces are written. | know one child
studying with a Miss Dill. who is play
ing Sousas marches in such horrible
fashion that the law should interfere.
This pupil has never had scales to
practice and can't count time at all on
an ordinary exercise. IL Is a shame. but
it Is so. and being acquainted with
them, l can give the pupils name and
address Not only that the fond par
ents are indulging in the hope that
their daughter may be in a position to
soon make her living teaching music.
May the Great Spirit warn the unfor-
tunates who may fall into her hands!
The newspapers are very alert TO all
local happenings, but music is not in
their line. and they cannot be blamed
/
criticism here. consequently. It is not
given. Every local dance player is
called professor" In the papers, and a
man who would say ill of local per
5 fCrmance would be called mean; In
] fact, It does seem hard 90 say III Of mer
you meet every day, but one wants Tho
truth once in a while, and / am giving
II, without fear or favor. The towr
has a small army Of violin players II
various stages of ability I can onl,
{ name two who may lay claim 20 IN,
= title Of flrst-clase in all respects s. I
. Compton and Elizabeth Swift. Othe
4 young and ambitious students Of NOR
u or less ability are A. c. Dennis. j. l.
, Dashiell Alfred Frisch and Frank VIII
p son When ! say ambitious ] meal
r hard-working, as ambition minus wor
/. amounts to nothing. There are other
"a who make lots OF money, George Luck
man, b. f. Rawnsley j. b. Ritchio an
- few others who play for dances. etc
D. and think they know all about music
n at least they have long since quit tan
ing lessons, but they cannot play. Th
&c best violin player practices FIVE hour
a day and / have known him to praC
tice ten hours in a day, but they don
take their violin in their hand onl
e when they have a job. John ID. TaylC
d Is the best local cornetist, and is work
,s ing hard to improve We have fin
p clarinet player, John Grella, and fin
flutiet, John L. Ritchie. II Is CRAFTY
- ing to me to state also that the one
e who are practicing and studying mus
are gentlemen, and conduct themselv'
i as one musician should toward anothe
10 but the smaller fry are continually @
=. the "outs" with each other
OF composers we have several loc
~ ones. principally piano pieces. and
II few songs. Samuel Compton, Of Il
to orchestra connected with the Grar
sp Opera Houee, is the most competen
b, He has composed some fine march
and theatrical music, overtures, etl
n' and possessing the ability to score G
IL fectively and correctly for orchestT
s, has had considerable success. In IA
he he is about the only musician in TOW
an who is an authority, having been 4
at fifteen years actively engaged in tn
=, atrical work and hard study in
branches Of music, and actual expel
sr' ence has rendered him competent Z
,e, most any kind Of musical work.
let NJ S. Brown has composed a few pia'
he pieces. some Of which have had a go
al local sale.
Of All the people musically inclin
nd have to depend on Philadelphia
Die their concerts, recHals. etc. and as {
majority are not able to pay their c
n fare. etc. they stay home. Nearly
he the members Of the brass bands thi
MS their band ie the only one. and ! dou
nd that one-third of the whole numl
3es ever attended a symphony concert. A
cir you can imagine the condition of
on press when one OF them describes
da slow movement from Mendelssohl
ms violin concerto as minor concerto q
go, dante from Mendelssohn's E."
nd have a few fairly good singers. M
ip- Mary K. Thielman is a very pleasi
.he singer, with a good style and mu
sic ability r. w. Walters and =. V. IL
i'd bert are among the best male SINCE
Ell j. T. Clymer is a good, conscientiC
vocal teacher, and maintains a we'll;
ted nofnfod eff1diO BiIt 10 sum up