New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-22
UTSTC IN THE THEATRES.

A betterment OF the music In our theatres
has long been a much desired thing In New
York several phases Of the question have re-
ceivcd consideration In decades ago and de-
serve It still; and some Of these are entirely
distinct from the financial phase, and there
fore may be brought to the attention Of theat-
rlcal managers. and even pressed home on their
consciences, without raising the suspicion that
the purpose Is 10 make them pay more than
they are paving now for what they feel obliged
to give the public Imprimis: II manager
be unwilling 10 engage large band. he might
engage small one and still do bis duty aud
deserve the gratitude Of the judiclous by seeing
TO il that the bands composition he such that
truc taste hc not perverted or sweet susceptible
Ity destroyed by It's performances. Two or
three vlons. one viola. one vloloncello and one
double-bass are not fair string complement 10
two faring and mpudently assertive comets,
two trombones and the usual battery or per
cussive din makers-drums. cymhals. triangle.
and that hilarious heightener Of African ANNA
ton. the xylophone Rather let us have FEWER
performers and better balance. Interesting
experiments In this direction have been made
in the past by Mr. Mansfield at the Garrick and
Mr. Frohman at the Lyccum. and these were
due. we believe wholly to the circumstance
that these gentlemen have Joy In music.
Secondly. II this be thought mpractlcable, as
restricting the range Of compositions which
either play or public seems to demand. then IT
might be we'll to engage the services OF a better
class Of musicians Here, We know. We con-
front an extremely obstinate obstacle. New
York gives employment, we venture to say. to
more orchestral musicians than any city In the
world except London. Yet II n manager ar
flcted with n feeble fiddler. deblle drummer
broken bassoon and crippled clarinet attempts
10 recruit his forces in Germany or Belgium he
is confronted by the laws Of the Musical Pro-
tective Union. which prevent him from having
the services OF any member OF that organization
unless all his musical employees are members
and ;hen make It impossible for any musician TO
be q member until he shall have been resident
of tbc United States for six months during W hlch
time he Is estopped from practising bis profess
SION aud have gained the good Will or the
organiza tion. II IS thus that the musicians keep
ever before the public mind the fact that they
are artisans instead Of artists, and their dog IN
the manger policy Is continually and f1agrantly
made manifest by the other fact that the city
and Nation are still dependent upon foreigners
for their orchestral players. The situation pre-
sents problem which the managers alone
must solve and perhaps as effective an agency
TO this end as any that could be conceived would
be the Theatrical Trustt its ends were less
mercenary and more artistic. But yachtsmen
might as we'll "hope constancy in wind as We
IN this.
Might not the music chosen he better: That
denends upon what the musical director con
caives 10 ha the mission of incidental and be-
tween acts musir-a subject that Is discussed
with some fulness to-day IN another department
OF This journal