The herald., 1898-01-09
Stray Chords

The Viecna philharmonic orchestr;
has adopted the laudable custom of set
ting aside several rehearsals every sea
son for trying over manuscripts of new
| pieces, which any composer is at lib
erty to forward to them.
| The largest playhouses in Germany
are the Vienna opera house, seating 1000;
the Munich opera, with 5000 seats; the
new Leipsic stadt theater, with 20O0; the
Frankfurt opera house, with 1900, and
the Berlin opera house, with 1850 seats.
The town of Pampeluna, where Sara
safe was born, has received from the
great violinist a valuable collection of
works of art and other gifts bestowed
upon him by royalty and other admirers.
The collection is to form the nucleus of
a museum for the town.
When DR.. Hans Richter, the famous
Wagnerian conductor, made up his mind
to devote himself to that branch of mu-
sic, he burned all the music he had COM
posed up to that time, and declared that
it cooked the most delicious cup of cof-
fee he had ever tasted.
Jules Massenet, the French composer,
whose "Sapho" has been great success
in Paris, with Calve in the title role, has
announced that he will write no more
operas. Massenet is like Gen. Grant in
his love for cigar, having one between
his lips almost all the time He never
accepts social invitations, never attends
performances of his own works except
at rehearsals, and is of an exceedingly
nervous habt.-San Francisco Argo-
naut.
The operatic novelties to be produced
at Hamburg this season are Bungert's
"Odysseus." Weingartners "Genesius,"
BiZet's Fair Maid of Perth" Leonca-
vallos La Boheme," Godard's "Vivan-
diere," Humperdinck's "Gonigskinder,"
and several other works. No other opera
house in Europe has such long list,
but the Hamburgers have always been
addicted to operate novelties.
The following advertisement appeared
in the Herald last week: Young man
(2D as first class cook or pianist best
references. P. N, PA East Forty Sixth
street" Why pianist, we should like to
know? A tenth-rate cook is of more use
in the world than a second-rate pianist.
This P. n. is altogether too modest. He
should call himself virtuoso of the cui-
sine and let Czerny and Chopin go. A
first class cook heavens, what boon in
these days of dyspepsia and piano recit-
York Musical Courier.
The study of the higher forms of mu-
steal arts is interesting the ladies of
Denver, Colo. They have organized
there the ST. Cecilia Musical club, which
promises to become powerful factor for
artistic progress. The club has three
each of which has its own
chairman and officers-a vocal, an in
and a department of musical
history and literature. Meetings are
held on every Thursday evening, and as
the membership is already large and is
rapidly increasing in numbers, much
may be expected from so progressive an
in the near future.
In the New England Home Magazine
Mr. Philip Hale writes: I believe that
MIR. MacDowell is one of the greatest Of
now living. This belief is
based on his works for orchestra, his
piano pieces and his songs. l know Of
no composer now living who displays in
more marked degree the combination of
these qualities; pure, spontaneous orig
inal melody; intimate knowledge OF
harmonic effects musical, and not
merely pedantic, employment of coun-
terpOint; mastery of instrumental color;
poetic inspiration and noble magma
ton, lovable, authoritative Individual
itv"