The record-union., 1899-03-19

! ~ 49,
| Manager Ficks of the Clunie Opera
house has received an offer from the
4 Melba Opera Company and New York
Symphony Orchestra to give two nights
| of grand opera in Sacramento March
Both and 31st on a guarantee of $4,000
| for the two nights, at which figure the
manager says he can make nothing,
but is willing to give the house to get
the troupe. It is conceded also that the
| figure for such troupe, the largest
ever on the coast, embracing 154 peo-
pie, is not extravagant. Mr. Ficks will
start guarantee subscription and if
| it fills we shall have Melba, Gadski, De
Lussan and all the others here for two
nights of grand opera.
| Grand opera has come to the Coast
under the direction of the Ellis man
agement and is now in full feather
at the San Francisco Grand Opera
house, reconstructed by the Moroscos
for the purpose. 1t gives US a chosen
New York orchestra, Melba, the diva;
De Lussan, the American songstress,
|
cation that is probably stronger in
leaders than any that has ever visited
the coast. OF course such a combina-
ton, including over 1SO people, cannot
appear outside of the metropolis, and
of course such of US as Wish to have
| the music sense delighted by grand
1 opera, must, whether or no, travel to
the metropolis for that purpose. The
first week of the company was a tri-
umph, not alone for the singers and
the mana cement, but for the people.
BY which we mean that the advent of
a great troupe, such as that now en-
tering upon its second and last week, is
a distinct gain to our people by enab-
| ling them to prove that their love Of
the music art is quick and that they
lare appreciative of its exalted expo
nents The musical sensibilities of the
State will be bettered by the company
coming to the coast Even music low
ers who do not hear the great artists
will feel the quickening influence upon
themselves and their associates, who
believe music to be a civilizing, refin-
ing and uplifting influence. So we take
it that everybody with love for har-
mony in the soul is to be congratulated
! that there is musical appreciation suffi
cient in California to justify the i'm
mense enterprise of bringing out such
an aggregation of talent as is now in
the State.
/ Ludwig Englaender, the composer
! and orchestra conductor, has lust re-
ceived very tempting offer to take the
management of the Hungarian Court
Opera-house in Budapest. It's great
compliment to me-" says Mr.. Englaen-
1 der, and / appreciate, it; but l guess
America is good enough for me-"
Goldmark's Die sgefangene.' -
produced with great success in Vienna
some weeks ago, has added important
new laurels to the composers fame.
The plot of the new work partly fol-
lows Homeric arrangement, and begins
with the funeral MYnroclus, slain by
Hector, and concludes with the pas
sionately awakened love of Achilles for
Briseis Those who heard the opera
commend the music highly, praising its
delicacy, it's high tone and its passion
ate warmth The best parts are the
| funeral songs and the passages wherein
Pyra,nus treats for the corpse of his
son. Never before has Goldmark pre-
duced a work in so short a space or
/ time, aasf. THE Queenf of Sheha' oecu-
pied him five yearsu and Merlin" four,
while he completed Kriegsgefangene
in four months.
New York Post: Australian birds, it
seems. are better musicians than Aus
traliar men and women. At any rate
the eminent German naturalist, Richard
semon, of whose admirable book, In
;be Australian Bush,' the Macmillans
have just published a translation, de-
(lsres (224) that the melodies of the
natives appear to US monotonous and
childish. not ons- of them can be COM
pared with the afore mentioned note of
The Australian fiute-bird' Turning to
mage 70 we read: Really beautiful is
the Joyous morning song of a bird be-
longing to the crow tribe, Gymnorhina
tihicen. the fiute-like notes of which
made the silent bush resound every
! morning. The song of the
birds, taken individually, is not equal as
to melody and force. There are bung-
lers and artists among them. Up to
this day can recall the tune which a
1
every morning close to my tent at the
| Auburn junction. This charming mel
ody. delivered with much fervor and in
clear, perfect notes, and repeated with
ever fresh enthusiasm, delighted me
anew every morning; and made me love
the Joyous little songster."
+ But if Australians cannot invent such
beautiful melodies as the birds, they
/ seem capable of learning out simpler
kinds of music, for on another page
! (343) the author tells US how he was
charmed by hearing mission pupils sing
hymns to the melody of Home, Sweet
Home "The cultivation of music by
| the missionaries has always excited my
special admiration. Even where there
is DuI one eolored teacher, whose sue
cess in all other matters may be slight
enough. the children occupied in the
neighborhood, and a great many ether
i bright boys and girls, will assemble to-
ward evening in his house, where they
settle on the floor, beginning with great
glee and with a fine musical instinct
to sing the simple hymns, the words of
which will not fail in time to impart
themselves to their souls and to exer-
I,nse a Soothinsr Influence on their little