Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-11-14
Music and
+ Musicians.
SliARPS AND FLATS.

SliARpS AND FLATS.
The figures for PATHS opening con-
certs in New York sound like fairy
tales. The best seats sold for seven dol
lars each and the opening night count
ed up Sl2,000-while the matinee
brought In $4,000 more, total of s22,-
600 for one days work.
This, and we have the testimony OF
Mr. Marcus Mayer for the fact (Mr
Mayer having had more intimate ac-
quaintance with Madame PATHS
American tours than any other living
being, Is the largest sum that the
pima donna has ever earned any
whore in the same given time. In the
oldcn days when she used to sing al
ternately for Mapleson and Henry T.
Abbey, she received three thousand Ave
hundred dollars for concerts, and -four
thousand dollars when she sang at
opera. 1t Is true that during one sea-
son when Mr.. Abbey took Patti to
South America Marcus Meyer being
once more the travelling director of the
company she was paid five thousand
dollars night but that was all.
on the present tour, MIR. Grau not
alone gives her FIVE thousand dollars
night, but he divides with her all the
receipts over seven thousand five hun
dred dollars. In other words, after she
takes the first five thousand dollars
Chis being guaranteed to herr, Mi
Giau takes the next two thousand Ave
hundred dollars, and then comes the
equal division. Under these circum-
stances. Madame PATHS first concert
would give her for her personal services
seven thousand two hundred and fifty
dollars, and Mr. Grau would receive
four thousand seven hundred and fifty,
Il very gratifying result Mt both ends;
and at the second concert, Madame
Patti would receive six thousand three
hundred and fifty dollars, and Mr.. Grau
three thousand six hundred and fifty.
The critics found plenty to write
about regarding PATHS voice. and they
raised quite a unanimous chorus of dis
appointment over it-as II they had not
known In advance that a woman of 60
could not sing az she did when she was
&c., A writer IN the New York Herald
flies to PATHS rescue in the following
strain:
To the Editor of the Herald;
The brutal criticisms which have been
accorded Mime, Adelina Patti during the
last week by most of the reputable
example of the plane upon which gen-
us, art and honorable achievement are
placed in this country.
In no other country In the world
could such irreYerent-and irrelevant
reports OF her work have been printed
as have appeared i'm the columns of
newspapers which pride themselves up
on the high standard OF their musical
criticism, Wrinkles, why, of course
there are wrinkles" was the cry, and
they referred to the holes in her
voice and to her "deeaying' powers
and to the pecularities of dress and
manner I'm shocking bad taste as they
would hardly have criticised some nth
rate dancer or chorus girl, let alone
the most marvellous singer OF this or of
any other age,
These papers have not voiced the real
sentiments Of large majority of those
who went to hear, or more properly to
see, Mime. Patti on Monday and We'd
nesday. The audiences were, for most
part composed Of gray haired men and
women, who attended, together with
their children and their grandchildren,
for the sake Of "auld lang syne." These
went to hear THE Last Rose Of sum-
mer" and Home, Sweet Home" which
Patti sang In her youth as possibly
no other singer may ever sing again.
She has been censured for singing
these two songs. made dear to our
mothers and fathers, but from every
portion of the audience arose sincere
expressions of sympathy and delight,
which was due To her whom we. as a
nation, have been proud to call. and are
still proud to call Our Patti
Great musicians are much more gen.
erous toward each other than is gem
orally believed. Recently Nine. Sem
brich was referred to as second
Patti "There Is but one Patti, and
there never can be another" replied the
delightful artist.
It has been quoted before, but 1t may
not be inapropos here, that upon the oc-
casion of n certain farewell concert
in England. given by n famous tenor
of that country, an American woman
who was present, not approaching the
enthusiasm of the audience and wild
waving of handkerchiefs when the most
eXcruciating tones were being sung,
turned in amazement TO her neighbor
and said, us II possible that you don't
hear him natting frightfullyY
why, of course we do" was the
equally amazed reply; but we are APP
plaudlng the good work which he did 10
years ago, not what he is doing now"
II seems incredible that English songs
are hardly known at all In Paris but
a communication from Grateful
Mother" In one of the newspapers In
which she writes that "a loving mother
appeals for her l5-year-old daughter 10
some kind hearted person who win re-
ply with the names of a dozen suitable
and pretty English songs" would lead
one to suppose that the popular ballad
OF the English concert room has little
vogue in the French capital,
One after another the German opera
houses are adopting Wagner's plan OF
a lowering and invisible orchestra,
Dessau being the latest instance. The
only objection to this procedure 10 that
while lowered orchestra is an adj
vantage In the Wagner operas, with
their rich orchestration, II IL disnd-
vantage In the operas OF Mozart and
others of the older masters. II has
therefore been suggested that there
should be an arrangemnt making II
possible to lower or raise the or
chestra at will. to suit each opera.
Viennese operagoers are mourning
the loss of Miss Edith Walker, who,
after being connected with their opera
house for ten years, has now joined
Mr.. Conrieds forces. Die Zeit says
that her departure had been anticipated
for some time. Efforts have been
made" II adds, 80 find substitute
for this Invaluable singer But that
is not an easy thing"