The record-union., 1898-07-17

age, popular character Just now. The
scene is laid in Paris, and much reliance
is placed upon the dialogue, which is
said to be of uncommonly good quality.
Mr.. Alexander has given the piece a
very strong cast.
Washington Star: Professor Wilson
of the National Museum states that
music evidently occupied a prominent
place in the arts of the ancient Mexi-
cans, for 1t is mentioned by the early
Spanish writer's in connection with war,
religious ceremonies and festivities of
various kinds. The instruments de-
scribed or mentioned were drums, tim
brels, flutes. horns, trumpets and rat
ties. According to Clavigero they had
no stringed instruments There is no
representative of the ancient Mexican
drum in the National Museum. 1t is
described, however, the "teponaztli' Of
the Aztecs, as being made of a single
block OF very hard wood, somewhat OBJ
long, square in shape, which was hol-
lowed, leaving at each end a solid piece
about three or four inches in thickness.
and at its upper side a kind of sound
| ing board about a quarter of an inch in
thickness. In this were made three in
| cisions, two running parallel some dis
| tance lengthwise of the drum, and a
third running across from one of these
TO the other just in the center. BY this
| means two vibrating tongues Of wood
We're obtained, which, when beaten with
| a stick, produced sounds as clearly de-
| fined as those of kettledrums of the
| present day. The rattle, it is stated, ap-
pears to have occupied an important
| place in the ceremonies of the ancient
| Mexicans. In construction it was SINH
| lar to the rattle commonly used by the
Indians OF the present time These are
round or oval in shape, and usually
made OF gourd, into which is inserted
wooden handle. A number Of small
| pebbles were inclosed in the hollow
| gourd. Rattles made Of pottery were
also used, and there are a number Of
| these ancient instruments in the mu-
! scum
| A primitive form of dance rattle still
| used by the Yaqui Indians of Sonora
Mexico, is made of butterfly cocoons.
which are divided into halves and sew
| ed together at one end with a double
| cord. Each half Of the cocoon contains
a grain or pebble. They are attached
to long cord, which is wound around
the leg of the dancer. The only instru-
ments of metal in the museum collec-
ton Of Mexican antiquities are the
bronze bells. These appear to have
been in general use by the Mexicans
before the Spanish conquest, and they
are often found figured in the picture
writings representing the various OBJ
1ects which the Aztecs used to pay as
a tribute to their sovereigns. Whistles
xxnr ir,
| America. The whistling mechanism in
all is identical with that of the modern
| flageolet, and the only distinction that
can be made between them is by class
ing the instruments which only emit one
sound or note as whistles, and those
which have one or more finger holes
as fiageolets. The smaller instruments
| are mostly grotesque caricatures of the
| human face or figure or Of animals or
| birds. The larger instruments are
more like the modern flageolets. A
| figure is shown carved in marble. It
| has six round holes, the lower end be-
| ing carved in imitation Of an alligator's s
| head. 1t is Professor Wilson's opinion
that the antiquity of the instrument
may not be very great The fact Of it's
having six finger holes, he thinks, sug-
4
specimens of this class from the West.
| ern Hemisphere the usual number ap-
pears to have been four holes
| An arrangement is under way for
w. H. Crane to play next season in
London. Negotiations are going on
for Mr.. Crane to use Martha Morton's g
play at the Court Theater in July,
I ic oh
has taken an interest in the matter, but
it will be necessary for Joseph Brooks
to be counseled before any contracts
can be signed. Mr.. Crane is reported
as having a royal time at the Players
and Eccentric Clubs in London.
|
| According to Milan correspondent
of the Pail Mall Gazette" Mascagni
is not a good conductor. except Of his
own works: ''Mascagni conducts his
own compositions admirably, and
| knows how to communicate the ardors
Of his musical temperament to execu-
tants Of various purely Italian compo-
sitions; SO that where rhythm, square
ness, animation and general go form
| the chief elements of a successful in
| depreciation, the aimed-at effect is
/ mostly obtained. But when it comes to
| absolute music of a. reflective mood,
where philosophy of conception must
be complemented by the philosophy of
| Interpretation, and where elaboration of
| detail should go hand in hand with the
| adoption of one general outline, there
1 the young maestro is at sea. He can
not give an objective physiognomy to a
symphonic page, and his subjective
view of ii is faulty. The audience may
| encore the Liebstod or the scherzo of
Svendsen's symphony in D; it is the ir-
resistible enchantment of the music
that tells, and not the Interpretation"
The famous English tenor Sims
Reeves will attain the ripe old age Of
80 years next September.
The Kaiser offers a cup for competi-
tion among German choral societies.
The first contest will take place at Cas-
sci next autumn.
! A commemorative tablet has recently
| been placed at the house inhabited by
| Richard Wagner during his residence
at Magdeburg, while holding the con-
ductorship at the Stadt Theater.
| At a recent meeting of the Wagner
Society at Mannheim, Felix Weingart-
ner, the Berlin conductor, gave a first
reading Of the book Of new music
drama, "Orestes," upon the musical
rendering of which he is now engaged
The poem Is a free adaptation, in
rhythmic prose and incidental verse OF