Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-02-21
MAINE DOESN'T AGREE
With The Musical Publications Which Attack
Prof. Chapman and Festival.

| This morning, after the presence Of
| Prof. W. III. Chapman to lead the Au-
Susta festival chorus, last evening.
possibly the many members of the
chorus may be interested to read what
the Bangor Commercial has to say Of
the Musical Courier's criticism of Prof.
Chapman for bringing the stars down
here in Maine
This is what the Commercial said:
The Musical Courier of New York re-
Gently published the following:
when Mr.. Grau's stars sing in the
Sunday night concerts the house is
jammed. People go to hear the stars
and not the orchestra, because when
the orchestra plays without the stars
but with good artists as SoloistS no one
goes. Consequently there was an
empty house Sunday night when the
great Violnist Alexandra Petschnikoff
was Soloist.
The operate star system therefore
VIII not only kill off the whole Amcri-
can scheme of music here, but ii Mill
eventually invade Europe. and make
America useless for the legitimate in
strumental artists of Europe. This
whole matter Will find its own level
The stars doomed in the daily press
every day, with whole pages devoted
to them on Sundays will charge SO
much that the management itself Will
be In constant danger of bankruptcy.
Mr.. Chapman has engaged these
stars for the Maine festival, and prob
ably they will wreck it. as it ought to
be wrecked. The people in Maine are
not engaged in building up a musical
scheme for the purpose of giving
money 10 the foreign operate stars.
who return to Europe ana laugh at
our fnolishness, but for the purpose of
the cultivation Of American music ana
singing, and Mr.. Chapman knows it,
II he cannot get along without the
operate stars he ought to resign H.
ought to know that Mr.. Grau is pay
ing 50 much to these stars now that |
he possibly cannot make any money at
the Metropolitan"
TIL Courier has long been devOting |
itself to a campaign which il says ii is |
Waging for the benefit of American i
singers, opposing vigorously any for /
tign artists ana the enormous sal !
aries paid to them in opera and CON
cert here. This is supposedly the rea-
son why it attacks MI Chapman's +
methods in the festival.
Several Bangor musical pa
irons who saw the clipping |
printed above by the CONNER
cial. expressed some Indignation at it,
tone though it is not at all personal,
Of course one Of them voiced the
sentiments Of the others when he said:
This is practically saying that Mr..
Chapman has been giving US too much
down east here. II is good evidence.
anyhow. and We ought t. be more
grateful to the drector-in- chief than
ever. As to what Maine folks will think
about this sentiment against imported
singers. | don't pretend to say. ! 10
think that We want to hear the best
there is. provided We can afford to pay
for it, ana ii looks now as if we could
do that If Worcester and Boston and
New Hampshire ana other places are
going to have the great operate stars
ii is a great privilege for Maine people
to hear them at home here, and my be
lief is that until it is strictly proved
that we cannot stand the cost We shall
take as much pride ana delight in hear
ing them as Mr.. chapman undoubtedly
does in bringing them to us. 1t is our
boast that the Bangor feStival-the
Maine festival. is the equal of any in
/ hr country. For one want to stick
to that record.