The record-union., 1899-10-08

OF oleg1rled, the original version OF
the "Gotterdammerung" poem.
While Hans Richter conducted the
Nibelung Trilogy at Bayreuth in 1876,
and many times since, he has never
presided over "Parisfal.' He will do
so for the first time this year. Frau
Gulbranson and Frau Ternina will al
ternate as Kundry and Ernest Krauss
and Erik Schmedes as Parisfal.
Lamoureux has commenced the re-
hearsals at the Noveau Theater, Paris,
of Tristan and Isolde" The first
performance is to be on October DIST
and ten repetitions are to be given.
A monument to Hans Won Bulow, by
Hildebrand of Florence, has been placed
over his grave at Ohlsdorf.
1t is said that the dramatic and mu-
sical artists of Germany are in revolt
against the agents who have SO long
exploited them, and intend to run an
agency of their own.
A writer in the 'Berliner Tageblatt"
SlFCS ILLS dCCOuDl VI lIlt way III WHICH
the late Johann Strauss worked: He
liked best to compose at night over q
bottle of wine, when his associates in
the game of taroc had gone But his
ideas came at no fixed times In the
merriest, maddest society he would
suddenly become serious and reflective.
Then his friends knew that he was
busy with musical idea. If he had 10
paper by him he would speedily note
down his idea in few measures on his
cuffs. This happened especially when
he was away from home, and was tray
cling or driving. Then he generally for
got the matter, and put the cuffs into
the wash These valuable notes were
thus for a long time generally lost, tia
one day Frau Adele, his wife, noticed
them. Then all the cuffs that were
thrown in the wash were carefully
saved and examined. He would even
write on bank notes-once he is said
to have scribbled music over a hum
dred gulden note; but on that day Jo-
hann Strauss, who was never an ex-
travagant person, must have been par
ticularly absent minded.
Rubinstein was informed that lady
who was at the point of death, know
ing that he was in the same hotel, had
expressed an ardent desire to hear him.
He willingly assented, and to the
sounds of his enhancing playing she
passed to a better world. In the last
years of his life Rubinstein was very
apt to faint. Once he fell in a swoon
while reading Zola's ''Debacle"; an
oth
confectioner's shop, third time after
performing with a sore finger He Of
ten referred to this last occasion, as a
beautiful young lady had just spoken to
him, and it was reported that he rad
tainted at sight of her beauty Rubin
stein was superstitious, fearing three
lights and the number thirteen partfc-
ularly. He would never undertake any,
thing of Importance on a Monday or a
Friday. Shortly before his death he
bought a house which was No. 13 in a
certain street. That seemed to him a
bad omen. When journalists asked him
for a sketch of his life he used to say
it could be summed up in a sentence:
Il have lived and loved and played
That is ALL" NJ Davidowa also relates
that about the time of the composition
of the oratorio "Christus' Pubinstein
began his memoirs, but destroyed them
because it seemed to him too egotistic
a thing to do.
Albert Soumis has written a Historic
de la Musique en- Boheme," from which
it appears that the list of notable Bo-
hemian musicians and composers Is
considerable. 1t begins in the six
teenth century with Kropac, and in
later ages includes such names as Dus-
SEX, Cibulka, Tichatchek, Smetana,
Rozkosmy, Bendl, Tibich. Prochazka.
Neruda, Dvorak and many others of
lesser note.
In his new treatise on "Old Violins." :"
the Rev. H. r. Haweis says to would
be purchasers: IF you buy at auction,
always go a few pounds better than
the highest bid offered by a dealer.
and if you win, you will be in luck. "
The violin is Haweis' favorite instru-
ment. He goes so far as to declare
that mo instrument-the human voice
hardly excepted-proyides such rare
vehicle for the emotions-iS in such
close touch with the molecular vibra-
tions of thought and with the psychic
waves of feeling" Fiddlesticksi A
piano is worth a score of violins.
An interesting musical novelty is in
preparation for a Vienna theater--an
operetta made up of the best melodies
written by Johann Strauss, excepting
those which he himself utilized in his
operettas. Many of these melodies are
gems quite unknown to the younger
generation.
A special high school for the teaching
of church music is to be opened in
Rome. Perosi will teach composition
(of which he knows very little indeed.
to judge by his oratorios), and among
the other instructors will be Capocci,
Janssens and Kanzler.
1t is said that in order to secure the
proper correspondence between the