New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-27
MUSICAL COMMENT.
sprNAFoRE" REvIvED-SIR ARTHUR SUI
IIvAN AND W. S. GTLBERT-ossIP
GABRILowITscHs FIRST RECITAL
NINE. SEMBRICH'S RECITALS
SEMBRICHS RECITALS.


= brought forward at the Metropolitan Opera
xsmse by Mr.. savagt's company last night. At
.ha same moment the funeral Of one of the col
,snorators uppermost in the mind Of musical
To,Son To many It may have seemed like a CO.
.Assnce both sa4 and singular. Sad II was. truly,
-, not singular. Arthur Sullivan could have
ss.s at any time within the last twenty-five years
Sfthout his death falling together with the pro-
a sBction of ''Pfnafore" in some English speaking
land II and the bright, CHEEKY, sweet and sound
forks OF the same kind that followed Il form the
heritage which he has left a monument which
b,as fair be enduring than even the theatre
which their earnings caused to rise the Thames
Frhankment. There thought of me-
mortal nature when this production of 'Pinafore"
vas planned. but when, between the performance OF
,Carsreria Rusticana'' and the beginning of Pima
fore" the orchestra played The Lost Chord"
syrpathetic audience was brought TO realization
NJ the loss which English music has suffered.
There Is not much that need be said about the
nerfornance. Its best features were musical, and
there seemed be propriety in that circum-
stance though Nj Eckhold. the conductor. seemed
~ be among the few who have lived for space in
English lands without learning the music OF the
operetta In consequence things were frequently
AT skies and sevens' in the solos. well as the
ensembles But there much compensation in
Mr. Paulls singing. though the music is too low for
him: some In Miss De Lussan's some also in Miss
studiford's and Mr.. Daubigne's. and a generous
amount in that OF the chorus. when 1t had an
understanding with the sIipshod orchestra and the
uniformed conductor.
AS FOR the play and its lines, Mr.. Dixey, who
came back delight US as Sir Joseph. and MI
BOYLE as Dick Deadeye. and Mr.. Daubigne were
the only people on the stage who showed appreca-
ton OF Mr. Gibert's sparkling quiddties Tr''e It
has ever been since the first companies came
across seas bearing fruits of Mt Gilberts per
sonai instruction.
Sir Arthu-'s death ought 10 turn attention 70 his
contribution 10 music but in America, at least he
Will be thought about now In connection with
Mr. Gilbert more often and with more admiration
than alone deep interest in his music outside OF
the operettas has never grown up here. His or
chestral music never won place in our concert
rooms and his oratoros The Golden Legend"
cepted have had only fragmentary life in few
church choirs. Even hts contributions song lit
erature have seemed TO be summed up in The
Lost Chord" 1t may be time will tell that in this
respect America been unjust, but each hearing
q one OF the delightful operettas of Gilbert and
Sullivan makes stronger the conviction that sulli-
van q complete artist only when associated
with Gilbert.
II was the influence Of Gilbert upon sullivan's
receptive fancy which made the collaboration of
these men so successful. Every work of the kind
attempted By either without the cooperation of
the other after their separa proved the need OF
their collaboration, need which the public
superior TO every conceivable personal or
Ansncia! consideration that almost measure
would have seemed tustihable which would have
made them
walk this world
Yoked IN all exercise Of noble end
I'll Nature herself should pronounce the irrevoca-
bic decree OF divorce Poets and composers live
together & of angels maria ge-which de-
rnands reciprocal trust Weber 10 blanche
while ne working ''Oberon," and even
nEFsre true. which it is not, that the offspring
o. Gilbert and Sullivan serve only 10 add 10 the
careless enjoyment Of the world, the world could
q AFFORD to have anybody come between them
There IS a national reason why the incident
which put end the collaboration Of the two
men almost deploranie would have been
tire death OF either Of them the time. as is
The death CT Sir Arthur ". II Is not all i'm
proba bic that they had done the finest work that
could have boon expected Of thenn-the falling on
II both departments In Utopia. Limited" and al
ready in 'RCCdisore'' permits us TO believe that
but I, Is just likely that had the union between
the two been preserved. and time and ctrcum-
stance produced the subject. should have had
such another ebulIition Of intellect and fancy as
We had III -cI7insfore," Patience and The Mi
Eado.' Besides. needed the men examples
Together they put the English speaking countries
IL advance OF al the world in respect OF a popular
form Of diversion Sir Arthur Sullivan. no doubt,
would have heEitated 10 believe that his operetta
Music constituted title 10 fame, and must
have cast many regretful look at the scores Of
The Prodigal Son The Martyr OF Antioch and
TIE Light Of the World; but the fact which is
vital in the case and which his death brings into
added nothing To music with all his geniahty'
whereas il the light dramatic style into which he
was drawn by his partnership with Mr.. Gilbert ne
has lone q distinct service his generation. his
people and the
This l. the age OF operetta. No serious form OF
music compares with il in popularity in England
Germany. France and America. Yet II is only IN
England. the home OF the Gilbert and Sullivan
product that public has been cultivated in a
Gfre~rt 1dar he
good art End good morals In France the descent
from The opera comique OF Auoer, Boieldleu ana
Adam 70 the opera boune Of Ofenbach was great;
bur i avoned for IN manner and degree by
ms pIQuency and gracefuiness OF OTenoachs rneio-
dies and satirical scourge which Il applied to
ire manners OF the Second Empire Since then
there has been no advance in the music. and the
intelligence and OF the iibrettists are exern
phhed IN the attempts making to utilize Bible
stories boune SUBJECTS In Germany French
opt-a boune crowded out the Singspiel of men like
LortZiEg. whose talent most ingratiating
Without replacing it with works Of characteristic
Originality. Ingenious clever. charming as the
better opereCIas OF Suppe. Strauss and Mocker
are II cannot be SAID o. them that they are unique
Y their kind They but developments OF the
French type. Not with The creations Of Gilbert
and Sullivan: they are racy Of the English soil.
credit 70 English brains and English taste. AND
an honor 70 the English heart
II tE the conventional thing that pianists wish
Ing 70 effect their entrances on the American
concert stage shall do so at a concert at which
Trey can have the assistance OF orchestra; that
OF such occasion they shall play or two
of the compositions Of large scope In which the
puoiic. d Of fact have the smallest In
ierest; End that soon thereafter they shall give
e recital full Of the compositions OF little
scope which teachers ser studies for their am