The herald., 1898-07-24
The Music Star

Great enthusiasm has been aroused h
Munich by the revival Of the Magic
Flute" In its original form, according to
Mozart's manuscript, in which form the
score was published by Breitkopf & Hartel
in 1870. In the course of a century both the
libretto and the music had suffered consid-
cradle alteration and mutilation, so that
the revival afforded much that was new
and delightful to veteran opera goers. Ber-
lin is going to follow the example OF Nu-
Mich by bringing out a cycle of MoEart's
best operas.
It is reported in New York that Agostini,
the tenor, with the Bagetto opera company,
has been engaged by Grau for his next
metropolitan opera season.
It is predicted that before the year is
finished there will be a new opera by Gil
bert and Sullivan. The two can make no
success apart, and the gossip of London Is
that they have joined hands again.
Christine Nilsson, whose marvellous voice
delighted opera goers a quarter Of a GEN.
fury ago, invested some of her savings IN
American real estate, which turned out
| immensely valuable. The other day she
disposed of the last Of her Boston holdings
consisting of valuable mercantile houses,
which realized over $l5O,OOO. The once great
singer is now the Countess de Casa Mirande
and enjoys her fortune and title in the
south of France She is still remarkably
well preserved woman.
| The London Daily News declares that
1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" is said to be
| IA ho 1nHt ~ A n in
Heaven" written by John Stafford Smith,
organist of the Chapel Royal. 1t was first
performed to Ralph Tomlinson's words
about 1773, at the Crown and Anchor, better
known in the younger days of the present
| generation as the Wilmington club.
| Musical criticism is not without its dan
gers in Paris. One of the papers there &C.
cused certain singer Of cheating the
public by producing her top notes" not
with the voice but by means Of a sort of
popgun concealed in the bosom Of her dress.
| The singer brought suit against the paper
and got verdict in her favor.
Musicians have been in the habit o1 look
ing down on the so-caIled gypsy scale a. q
mere piquant curiosity in music. But now
comes a German theorist named Worker,
who proves in q short but erudite book.
die Theorie der Tonalitat," that that scale
is the scientific basis Of music. Liszt's
music, obviously. is the music Of the flu
ture.
Robert Froberger has published an ar
rangement for pianoforte, two hands, of
what is at present the most popular Of all
svmDhonies Tchaikoysky's Pathetiuue,
| The first and third movements had to be
shortened somewhat, as there were few
places too complicated to be managed by
| two hands.
Samuel Rousseau, composer OF the
| "Cloche du Rhin," the latest novelty pro-
duced at the Paris opera, won nearly all
| the prizes for which French musical stu
dents can compete. At the age Of "a he got
the first organ prize at the conservatory.
In 1878 he received the prix crescent for a
one-act opera, in 1891, the cantata prize
offered by the city of Paris, and finally the
grand prx de Rome, the highest OF all hon.
ors. To Judge by French criticisms, the
| "Cloche du Rhin" can hardly be called a
masterwork. The composer tried to please
| both the conservatives and the moderns,
and therefore failed to please either. His
metho&-is described by himself In the
/ Eclair, of which he is the musical critic.
He there explains that he has used seven
| leading motives to form the general texture
of the opera, but has introduced also a
number of arias, duets and ensembles, as
GASES in the desert. Some of the critics
seem to think that the GASES are the least
| refreshing parts Of the desert.