Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-11
MUSIC.


There is a fine activity in musical circles
just at present which ~foretells a season Of
interest and entertainment that ought to be
profitable.
The oratorio field will be ploughed
thoroughly, for 1t is said that one choir will
give 1.-THE Messiah" about Christmas, and
an oratorio society of recent birth will pro-
duce the same work in May, together with
other standards, the former under Mrs.
Cotton and the latter under Miss Julia
Officer of Council Bluffs.
The First Methodist choir will offer as
its contribution the Daughter Of Jairus'
by Sir John Stainer. The Madrigal club
will give a series of popular concerts, con-
sisting Of organ solos. vocal solos, duets.
q~uartets, etc., Of a popular nature and with
| the aid OF illustration in the way Of stere-
| opticon colored views will endeavor to at
tract attention to a new method Of popular
izing good music.
Even light opera will have a share. I'm
der the joint management OF Mr.. Barton.
Mr.. Franz Adelmann and a local conductor
the opera Patience will be given a good
presentation.
The Musical Union has elected a new &c.
Of officers for the coming year, and numer-
ically as we'll as financially the secretary
claims that the instrumental resources of
the city have never been in such a flourish
ing condition.
Then 1t Is probable that the musical en-
tertainment (for want OF a better word)
which has created a furore in the east under
the name Of "a Persian Garden"-words
from the Rubayant Of omar Khayam-wl'l
be given by Nine. Clementine DeVere. Miss
Broadfoot. Mr.. Mitchell and signor Dado,
under the clever direction Of Signor saplo.
The Catholic choirs will be heard from.
The production of the Messe Solennelle
(Gounod), and the Twelfth Mass (Mozart),
are but foretastes of harmonious joys
which will doubtless be In evidence.
It is TO be hoped that with all this
jealous work in so many different directions
there will be an eager anxiety evinced by
the musical students, and by those lesser
lights whose modestv often forb'ds their
assisting any musical enterprise, to be up
and doing. There is surely scope. and each
can have his choice.
The old. old story has been again told.
When in doubt, give a concert. II a church
is in debt, give a concert. II a hospital wants
a carpet. give a concert. II the ~tanitor
wants a suit Of clothes, give a concert. II a
Sunday school wants a water cooler. give a
concert.
No business man Is likely to donate any
OF these articles without compensation. But
the good -natured musician will. Kind. to
be sure. but unfortunately the musician who
so does is not hurting himself so much as
he is the other musicians. All concerts
given for charity. wherein musicians donate
their services. have a prejudicial effect on
all concerts of a legitimate nature. A con-
cert for real charity Is an exceptional thing.
The writer would be willing to give and
secure all the musical services Of every
available musician. once a year, for a big.
rousing, money-making charity concert.
which would be more profitable than a
charity ball-if not so pleasurable.
But 1t is these little concerts, CON
certines." IL one may coin a word. that ruin
the concert business, because Of their
frequency. and also because they are, as a
rule, no more charitable. in the true sense
OF the word, than it would be to get the All
Saints choir to give an entertainment for
the benefit Of the mayor and city COUNCIL.
An interesting case In point: Last week
tnere was gwen an entertainment AT one OF
the prominent churches Of omaha In which
some Of the best known local musicians took
part. Three Of them were persons whose
reputation should have been worth a price.
Their names, for obvious reasons. are
omitted. but they received nothing. Not
only that, but one OF the managers of the
concert boosted openly Of the fact. An
elocutionist, whose name Is not a house
hold word in Omaha. who had come here
heralded nightly, appeared on the same
program, and for so doing received no less
than twenty-five w%herewithals, in the shape
of good American dollars.
This is nothing against the church. for
why should not the church make whatever Is
possible out Of the gifts proffered? But,
while 1t might seem to the artist that It Is
exclusively his or her business what he or
she does with the ability individually be-
longing. there is a little law Of ethics
which might not be a bad thing to fol-
low. and as stated above, all Of these I'M
important affairs which have no real must
cal end In view and which are made pos
sible by the voluntary services OF pro-
fessional musicians are a decided menace to
the prospects Of any profit from an enter