The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-25
For Musicians
and Public.
LOCAL COMPLAINTS.
Mr.. Finck's Millennium
Profits and Losses.


plant from woman who charges thar
the musicians Of Worcester (she could
not say music lovers) are constantly
clafnoring for more music. Yet when d
great artist comes here, if they have
heard him once, no matter how many
years ago, they will not go to his re-
citaI but demand some one they never
have heard" Then this correspondent
goes on to argue, that, though must
clans they call themselves. they never
feel the inspiration of music, for music
that inspires brings the desire TO hear
it again and again; and there are art
lists who can inspire US again ana
again.
This rueful state Of things has exist
ed as long as music itself, and appaT-
emily it is useless to protest against IL.
The glamor of a great name and the
fascination of novelty are very apt TO
reduce music itself to secondary
place.
Possibly this correspondent eEagger-
ates the situation. for it would be hard
TO saw that a really great art.st is ever
unwelcome. On the contrary, the COM
plant in the larger cities IS mat the
music itself is not welcome unless ii is
gNng by some members Of a coterie of
sAmous Vocalists who themselves are
&ne real show rather than the opera.
On the other hand. a desire for new
ss,aFic is commendable trait and, all
enc more SO, because it is not common
IT. is constant source Of eEasperation
IN New York, that the people VIII not
go to new opera. So long as they can
have Faust Carmen, 'Aohen-
grin" Romeo" and the others of the
stock repertoire they take little inter-
1Gst in novelties, no matter what the
cast or with what acclaim the work
has been received in Europe. In this
respect, at least, Worcester audiences
must be rather above the average. for
the festival novelties seldom or never
lack for listeners, provided strong
cast be provided. The mere fact that
the music is new does not scare the
people away.
Moreover. nobody need be set down
as an inconoclast or Dhilistine be
cause he wants his oratorio varied with
something besides Handel Haydn.
Spohr and Mendelssohu, Not all that the
old masters wrote appeals To the feel
ing and sentiment of the fag end of the
century. Here and there. the musical
art has grown beyond their ken. Modes
Of expression have been developed that
has its part in music as i'm everything
else human, has changed with the
habits and manner of life of the people
Nevertheless, a public whose interest
centres in the novelty of either music
or artist or in the great name of solo
list, cannot boast of great progress in
musical intelligence and appreciation.
The Evening loftily congratulates
New York Boston, and the rest
Of the world. that Wilhelm Gericlle
has so far recovered IS to be able to
resume his place as conductor of the
Boston Symphony orchestra, so that
the Kneisel quartet may be preserved.
The meaning of this is, that, according
TO Mr.. Finck, Mr.. Kneisel has more
than once been offered the position of
CONDUCTOR but prefers his position as
sole violin and leader of his quartet.
Quite likely Mr.. Kneisel is one of the
greatest money-Tnakers among Boston
musicians. He gets a handsome salary
as concert master of the orchestra, has
fat fees for teaching. he occasionally
does a little solo work on his own hook,
and finally, there is the quartet which
gets $500 night out of town and what
ever it can make on it's crowded con-
certs in Boston, Cambridge, New York
and the other circuit cities. The larger
share of the profits go to Kneisel, and
his gross income has been estimated at
close upon $4,000 a year.
Mr.. C. Longy, the new oboist of
the Boston Symphony Orchestra, had
a veritable triumph in New York last
week. He was called out again and
again, at the Kneisel Quartet concert,
so obvious was his yirtuosity, even
though the average audience is not sup
posed to know much about this very
essential instrument. Mr.. Henderson
of the Times says: In tone, in tech
nique, in lovely cantilena, in delicate
graduation of tone and in musical spirit,
his performance was that Of a mas
ter"
Appreciation from Sir Hubert Stanleu
IS praise indeed. Time was when New
York used to turn up a supercilious
nose at the wooden wind players of the
Boston band, but that habit was bro
ken off some five years ago.
This recalls the fact that the best
obeists, olarnetists, fiultists, horn and
haasoon players come from France
that is, Paris. II they are not French
men, at least they are Latins of some
kind. Perhaps there Is something in
the atmosphere, perhaps in the blood;
but more probably it is all in the train
jlg and habit. A beautiful tone is the
first virtue sought and next, the ability
for expression, for delicate gradations
might and shade and wonderful plan
Issifnos.
Men or boys who learn to play these
instruments do not take to their Job
for fun. They know there is a living
in It. There are dozen good violin
lists TO one good wooden wind player
and there is no place where such skill
full oboists, clarinetists, ETC., are turn
cd out as in Paris.
So much attention has been paid to
this branch of music that a marked in
fiuenoe has been exerted upon the
French military bands. The reeds are
Of much more account than the brass
2 statement which surely cannot be
applied to American military bands.
These Frenchmen get most amazing pi-
anissimo effects from their bands. and
in the deftness and delicacy of execu-
ton and expression, their bands are
probably unriYalled in the world
Maud Powell and Leonora jackson.
two American Violinists, have been
having rare success in London, and the
enterprising press agent is keeping the
people Of the States" well informed
ofstheir triumphs. Miss Powell is well
known in her native country, and is
not unknown in Worcester. Miss Jack
son. however, has yet to make her bow
IN New ork ana Boston. She has had
good success on the continent as well
as in the tight little island, and enough
has been written both of her and of
Miss Powell to turn the heads of a
dozen girls.
Miss Sara Anderson, whom Mr. How
land will bring back to Worcester next
month, is one Of those who owe their
standing to a successful festival per-
Torrance, She had little prominence
before she sang here last September.
but since that appearance she has not