The Saint Paul globe., 1900-12-16

was so deeply interested. that he WAS
openly accused of having had Il finger at
least in it's composition. The story is di-
Terting. After BerIioz returned to Paris
from his sojourn in Italy he began dab
bling in journalism to exc out a living.
among other things he wrote a sketch
entitled 'Rubini Calais, which M Ar
mand Bertin reproduced in the journal
des Debats, of which he was e litor
Soon after he made Berlioz editor of the
musical feuilletons of the newspaper, Civ
ing him the place that had just been va
Gated by Casttl Blaze. NJ. Armand Ber-
tins father was owner of the Journal
and his sister was ambitious to shine as a
composer. For her Victor Hugo wrote
the i1bretto of 'EsmeraIda;' she compos-
ed It, there was influence enough to Sc
cure It's acceptance at the Grand opera,
Berlioz conducted the preparat ons for a
consideration paid by the proud father,
and the work received it's first perform
ance on Nov,s14, 1886 1t was received
with hlsses, groans and4cFies5 and. made
a monumental failure. AT an attempted
repetition the curtain had to be- -drOpUed
IN the middle. of an act, and the audi
ence dismissed Only zone number, the
Air Ges eloches'f of G@4asimodp was an
plauded, and the gossi.s at once attribu-
ted its authorship to BeT1' 'oz; who in his
memoirs said @ns.woFd ofghona- that not a
note of 1t was f1s. = Mr. eAChorley, the
l..
seem to have heard the story about the
Air des<clociIes," but he did hear that
Berloz touched up the orchestratfon.
herHoz5 put in a pretty gallant defense
for Mile. Bertin, whom he considered
one of the ableSt women of the period.
and whose musical talent he said was
real, though rational rather than emo
ttonal. The opera, he said, was ''ef great
interest and contained many fine pas
sages lie attEihuted it's failure to DO
Atlcaf opposition TO her father. r., One of
his letters Ofttra*eI,l written flom Berlin.
Is addressed TO Mile Bertin. In it occurs
TINS passage concerning ''Esmeralda;
by Whlte magic we are able to divine
that Victor Huge is great poet; that
Beethoven was 4, great musician;.-that
you are at once musician and poet:
tEat JanIn, ts,-a clever man; that if a fine
opera well performed, fails, the public
has understood nothing of it; that if II
succeeds the public has understood it no
better" -r.l.....- NJ
Strauss symphonic poem was given
lts Ifst performance in New York last
week by the Philharmonic society at
carnegie hall. 1t has been heard in
america only at Chicago and Cincinnati
When Mr. Thomas played it last sea-
son. Composed less than two years ago
II IS IN a manner, the latest and the
most copious word that has been spoken
IN instrumental music. 1t is not onlv
extraordinary in form and contents b1It-
also in scope and character In if The
composer attempts to give delineation to
as comprehensive a psychological plan as
any of the schemes which Beethove,, or
Berlioz placed at the foundation of their
symphonies. There are six subdivisions
in the work, six pOetical moments. as a
German commentator would say; vet
the performance is continuous. In the
first the ideal hero is pictured; in the
second his foolish adversaries: in the
thlrd his consort and helpmeet; in the
fourth his strife with worthy foemen; In
the fifth his deeds of peace, and in the
last his renunciation of the world and
his peaceful end. In carrying out this
programme Strauss has not only employ
ed the device of typical phrases devel-
oped by Wagner, but has touched the
furthest limit that has yet been reached
In the matter of harmonic daring and
Instrumentation
There seems to be an unfortunate i'm
pres sion among foreign musicians of the
Iong-ha1red- variety, that the American
woman is made up of hysteria and chew
ing gum; that her profession is to at
tend maunees- and her cult the latest
pianist. The success of M Paderevs5i
in tnis country has been erroneousIy at
ributed to his supposed fascination FOR
tie laQleS Ills qualities as a great
artist, his poetic temperament and lovely
tCne go fer nothing. But his Iopg hair
is supposed to ensHare the hearts of a
feminine audience and to reduce them to
mental Jelly. This opinion would be a
matter beneath contempt We're it not
that certain artists whose coming is an
rOunced in lurid terms by an injudicious
management. propose to play the piano
under the influence of feminine witche"y
and advertise their excessive Suscepti-
blity to the charms of the fair sex. as
the inspiration, the motive power of
artistic achievement 1t seems Incredible
that man worthy the name would per.
nit such disgusting statements to be is
sued concerning his work