The record-union., 1899-01-15

On the 9TH of February the greatest
of living contraltos, Scalchi, gives
concert here at the Opera house, sup
ported by Helene Noldi. prima donna,
soprano of the La Scala Theater, Milan,
Achille Alberti of Rome, baritone
from Mapleson's famous company, and
Codurri Cauzio, tenor of the Manzon
Theater Milan, and Walter A. Peck,
director They will give an act from
I'll Trovatore," an act from SEMI
rande," and an act from Martha, all
in costume, and besides will give sew
eral concert numbers.
A use has at last been found for the
millionaire. Bradley Martin writes in
the Nineteenth Century that If 1t
were not for the miHionaires- in the
boxes, who whisper and annoy the true
music lovers, who have paid for their
seats in the stalls, the latter would not
be able to go to the opera at ALL as all
operas are run at loss to the stock
holders
Dr. Joachim's biography, by 4s Herr
Andrea Moser, recently. published by
Beer of Berlin, contains long letter
descriptive of hitherto unperformed,
though not entirely unknown, violin
concerto by Schumann, written a short
time before the composer went mad.
DR.. Joachim does not deem it worthy
of Schumann, and he, therefore, wisely
refuses to have the concerto either
played or published.
One seldom reads about music In
English provincial cities except when
there is a choral festival. That does
not mean, however, that these cities
ignore good music Here is Bourne
mouth, for instance, at which Dan
Godfrey recently gave his 200th SYM
phony concert. Since 1895 he has pro-
duced there 9S overtures, IA sympho-
nies, 81 orchestral suites and 50 con-
certos, many of them for the first time
in England.
Alexander Guilmant, says "Harper's
Weekly" is not merely great organ
ist. He is very great one. His posi-
ton relative to his instrument is not
merely national but universal. There
are giants in these days at the organ
and Guilmant is of them. From Mos
COW to San Francisco he has few peers.
Guilmant is now about go years old; a
Frenchman to his finger tips. From
his high old seat in the dim organ loft
of fashionable La Trinite Church in
Paris. he can look down and over a
career of superiority and fame almost
frcm the start He has presided at
the organ ever since 1871. 1t was not
a golden period for Partisan organists,
that date; but in a short time the new
organist, a. successor to Chauvet, was
drawing all Paris to hear mass and
vespers, as not before, to the stately
temple named His repute grew fast.
In 1878 Guilmant did much more than
preach the great style of organ play
ing in La Trinite; he inaugurated his
famous recitals in the huge Trocadero
Music hail. There last summer our own
Clarence Eddy won deserved laurels.
not a little under M. Guilmant's friend
ly and admiring management The
Trocadero recitals have been among the
distinctive musical features of Paris
each season. Guilmant, in fact, has
been an institution, missioner, a
pioneer. in instructing France in the
glories of Bach and Wesley, and Men
delssohn, and the highest electricism of
organ composition. Against the trum-
perry claptrap and belittlement, by the
average Partisan organist, of the more
serious and authoritative of all instru-
ments, Guilmant has set his face like
the north wind. He tolerates none Of
such music making. He is not only a
|consummate player. He is a profound
Interpreter of deep organ music "a re-
fined and solid composer, and sincere
musician. There is a kind of Jovian
sp:endor about him. There are no
tricks as tricks, no articles ad captain
dunn. A Bach fugue- from him Is a
revelation and an improvised voluntary
or occasional is a rapture. Guilmant is
severely worked organist, and, in
spite of two eminent assistants in La
1rinite, the NM. Bouichere and Salome,
he carries the burden of the elaborated
pats of the services in his hands.
Nevertheless he has been forced to be-
come a visiting and a touring artist 1t
is said that nobody in France opens