The times., 1899-12-10
50. 600 FoR A SONG
scmbrich VIII Earn Il at Private
Musicale


NEW YORK. Dec. 9.-The charms of
music are evidently as potent in sooth-
ing the society as the savage breast. with
the difference that society is willing TO
pay handsomely for harmouies. Last w.B-
ter mathematical musician spent some
time getting up statistics as 10 the amount
of money put out ia New York citv alone
i'm the opera, concerts. etc. and his con
seTvatjve conclusion was that two millions
and a half of money had gone from the
pockets Of music hungry citizens into
! those OF violiGists. sweet warblers and pi-
anists. That is an impressive item but
this winter even more viii probably be
( spent. for aside from the opera and the
/ regular course OF concerts, long haired
I foreign artists have evolved plan Tor
I giving studio class recItals. and an he
opera stars have put up their prices for
drawing room musicales at least l0 per
cent
Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt for long time
bore the proud reputation of having paid
the largest sum to any individual singer
for her contribution To private musicale
I Fifteen hundred dollars was the sum de-
noted on the check sent Madame Melba
/ for a couple of songs but having been
| persuaded to break through her rule
against singing for pay at private enter
! tainments, Marcelle Sembrich stands al
ready engaged to sing this winter az a
wealthy woman's house just one aria for
the sum of 81 000 Paderewsk can't beat
this. Jean de Reseke never would try, and
Calve will sing for nobody bur her friends
When Emma Eames and Nordica sing
for money they never consider any price
under $3.50 per song. and from their friends
they accept no money. Some of the most
beautiful jewels and plate these two div3s
I possess have been given them by friends
in whose behalf their melOdious voices were
/ uplifted
When Eames. for instance last winter
| sang the Jewel Song from Faust at
| a brilliant musicale given by Miss De For
/ rest the next day was sent TO her hotel an
| antique velvet covered box within which
| lay such a string of pearls as might cas-
/ lily have turned the head of any Narguer-
/ ite. At another select musical entertain
ment where Mrs George Gould was pres
/ ent when Nordica ceased her very dra-
| matte Interpretation OF the "Erl King,
I the impulse and music-lOving million
/ airess whose box at the opera is never va
I cant, slipped up near the prima donna
snapped upon her wrist an exquisite
| bracelet and then hurried away
/ All the musical enthusiasm is not con
| fined TO the spirituelle society woman and
! her followers, however for so soon as rhe
/ opera and concert season opens, the men
| pay their money as readily and give heir
| time as freely as the women. to the pa
! tronage and enjoyment of this art One
/ of the best vantage grounds for catching
] slimpses of the well-known men OF the
! day. is the lobby and orchestra Of the
! vast Metropolitan Opera house, when there
! is a constellation Of famous and popular
/ stars in the cast.
/ Studio recitals are to be the feature Of
/ the season. and Monsieur Ivauowski is the
/ leader OF that corps of artists who culti-
yate a name of red blonde hair. a pall0r
/ that bespeaks intensity of emotion and ap-
l plication Of art, and hands that a duchess
might envy. He will play at private musi-
Gals but he prefers a class.
! A studio class consists of ultra fashiOna-
BILE matrous and debutantes VINO each pay
800 for the privilege of getting once every
/ fortnight in a luxurious spacious studio
and hardening for an hour 10 harmOnies
| discovered by the spiritual genius al a
! modern piano. at an inlaid spinet or al the
far more difficult clavichord ON every
occasion the pianist takes up a different
| composer and interprets. his Instrument
mounted on dais and the women seated
at some distance, each with music rack
before her on which lies the toccata. the
bacarole or nocturn the artist is interpret
ing.
At the end of the recital he stands on
his das besides the piano and receives. al
| lowing the women to crowd about and
make him as much Of a hero as they please.
or wander around the studio TO examine
mis- collection of jeweled tributes and
| signed photographs from crowned heads
and mobiles, his cabinet and manuscripts
and mis- own photographs, 10 one OF which
! every class member is entitled with an au-
tograph attached.