Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-05-13
METROPOLITAN MUSIC.
From the Musical Correspondent OF the
Sunday Register

NEW YORK, May 1.-THE Strollers'
have heretofore been content with pre-
senting dramatic pieces for their friends
dedication. But, satiated with their hon.
ors In this direction they must forsooth
rush into opera and try their wings in a
musical fight. Richard Henry Warren,
organist of St. Bartholomews, and ever
known as the most rigid purveyor OF
eeciesiastic musical treats, was invited to
write the music. and did so. with the
result we all predicted. Saturated with
all that is best in sacred music how could
hr. Warren be expected to trip the light
fantastic, with HIS feet glued to his organ
pedals. He has set Palestine to comic
opera complete and made the heavy viii
lain chant his wickedness to Gregorian
tone. There are fine bits of writing in his
score, scholarly, correct ara brilliant pas
sagss abound, but the singing and the
oash are wanting and a heavy respecta-
bility shrouds the entire work. Phyllis
Is the name of the production, and most
sumptuously is the opera put upon the
Waldorf stage, and very cleverly are the
musical numbers sung-by ladies and gen
tlenef not members of the club And
thus does the club shine with a reflected
glory, and things are not what they seem.
But the effort must be recorded as an
earnest one, and possibly before the week
is out (the work is being sung every night
and on Thursday and Saturday after
noons) there may be more humor in
1ected not only into the manner OF sing
ing the music, but into the music itself.
On Saturday we must say aE revoir TO
Paderewski, who sails away next week
with his customary bag of GOLD The
sale of seats for his farewell has already
been enormous, and no doubt his friends
VIII gather In larger numbers than ever
to wish him bon voyage. His farewells
have always been marked by genuine
feeling, for he is a man as well as fnu-
slcian we take to our hearts. And his
modesty is so grateful In this age OF ours
well remember his parting with his Lon
don friends at the time of his first con-
templated American tour, nine years ago.
The alsles and steps, and the very stage
itself were all crowded with his admirers
After the final number of his programme
he had reappeared number of times
to bow his appreciation, and had played
dressing room with tears streaming down
his cheeks, he exclaimed: What shall
do! What shall l 90? They should have
done this to a great artist-not to me"
From his very first appearance among US
he has been held In true affectionate re-
gard by New Workers., and aside from the
hysterical nonsense that has greeted him
and aside from the purely musical pleas
ure he has given us, there has been an
intense personal feeling of pleasure at his
coming and sorrow at his departure that
few artists have been capable of arous-
ing.
What with all the various projects for
opera during the coming winter We ought
TO be fully supplied with this form of mu-
steal amusement. In addition to all the
Others Mr. Lewis Coleman Case announces
novel repertoire of little known and sell
dom acted works-seleeted seemingly at
random from all scholastic be given by
local talent, and under his own immedi-
ate supervision. Mr.. Case Is from Boston.
is society man, and a musical enthu-
siast. If he but carry out his scheme for
one winter he win have whetted our APP
peute for Just so many more novelties
The works scheduled to be given will not
have the setting musicaly, or scenically
they would have, if given in some more
pretentious way, but it will be a pleasure
TO hear them given at all, and the artists
already selected are q guarantee against
fiat failure. And now if some other
kind gentleman would but offer to give
US hearing Of the unheard and unknown
oratories how complete our education
might become. For know of few cities
where a smaller and more incomplete list
OF oratories is known to the general music
lover than here in New York The
Messiah" and the Creation" are served
up to US yearly and an occasional glimpse
OF Elijah" is vouchsafed us, but beyond
this, little or nothing Indeed, the coming
performance of Samson" is announced to
be given for the first time in twenty-six
years.
Some of our critics have been reused
from their customary lethargy by the fact
that at recent concert given by the
'Rubinstein Club" one of the soloists was
whistler and RECALLED the members Of the
club and their guests with a number Of
''whistling selections" Since the passing
of Mrs. Alice Shaw, who whistled her
way into the presence and favor of the
Prince of Wales and large audiences at
Roster & BiaFs music hall, there has been
a gradual dying out of this unmusical fad
and doubt whether even by an introduc-
ton at the WaIdorf-Astoria and by the
novelty seeking Tmpresario Chapman, it's
vogue can be re-established. Time was
by the way, when this same Rubinstein
Club was composed OF our very best local
soioists. and 1t was said at one time to
be the finest ladies' chorus In the world
Its programmes and its effects were al
ways Chapmanesque. but the calibre of
the singers was undisputed. To-day it
Is company of lesser lights, and with it's
departure from it's old time prominence
and prestige the makeup of its pro-
srammes may have suffered in like ratio
~
Mr.. William c. Carl has made q success
of his Guilmont Organ School and has
succeeded in getting not only a goodly
number of pupils but IN arousing great
deal Of enthusiasm among local musicians
and music-Iovers. Mr.. Carl continues TO
pose as Guilmont's American representa-
tive In whatever he does. with organ ac-
compartment, and this last stroke was a
good strong pull In the same direction
But he has been successful and that IS
what some of our other organists have
Col . -