The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-13

4 & WASHINGTON, D. O., Dec. 12.-Thero
ara two opinions Regarding the course
which 1t were best for American compo-
fltion to take In the future. One was
expressed by John Knowles Paine. OF
Harvard, a veteran American composer,
who has done much for the development
OF music In TIL s country. 1t was on tho
occasion Of the unwilling OF the Wagner
monument iii Berlin last October. Mr..
Paine had been invited 10 attend the
ceremony and deliver a. speech. In the
course OF his remarks lie said that
through German supremacy In music the
strict national limits OF musical style had
b been greatly modified. It was no long
er n question OF purely German, Italian
French, slavonlc or Anglo Saxon music,
ne stated, but cosmopolitan music. no
doubt, he thought, certain national char
acteristics would continue to exist, but nc
believed In future composers would 20
distinguished moro by their Individuality
OF style than by nationality. or what IS
called local color. q.
E8A decidedly opposite view OF the case
"a entertained by Mr.. Oscar 6. Sonncck.
musical historian. lecturer and critic OF
washington, y. G.. In a recent Issue OF
"Die Musk,'' monthly musical maya
zinc published In Berlin, he points out
that the. only salvation for American
composition is the avoidance OF musical
4 Volapuk by our composers and the pur-
suance OF d distinctly national style we
have no composer" writes Mr.. Sonneck,
"whose style we may coll distinctly
American none who reveals the ideals
OF our people In music as our poets
have done II In poetry. Our ocm.
posers possess a technic equal 10 that OF
European masters, but only now and ther
dces the manner In which they attack
and follow their themes prove them 70 be
independent unaffected Americans IN
stead OF the slaves OF Europe. Their
scores abound with international renil-
niscences, and It Is In vain that their IN
dv:dualty attempts to break through the
mass OF academic formulas. IT is not
lack OF talent, but the deplorable blood
dilutlng Injection Of n musical Volap uk
that has prevented America so far from
giving to the world such typlcally nation
al masters Ms Brahms. Blzet. Tschaikow-
sky and sibellus.'
Mr.. Francis Mcmillan. n young Aneri-
can violinist, who scored success IN
London recently, first in II concert with
orchestra, and then In recital With plano
forte accompaniment, Is native OF Ohio.
He studied in Chicago with Bernard Lis
ternann and then at the Brussels Con-
ge,yatory under Cesar Thomson. At his
recital hlr Mcmillan brought forward
some violin pieces Of tho seventeenth
century. among which was "Clacona"
by Vital. His rendering Of this compo-
stIon evoked the warmest commenda-
ton. He Is said to have played every
thing well cxcclling in beauty OF tone,
accuracy OF information and phrasing. The
fact that his first programme contained
three concertos did not mar the good I'M
preston he made on the Brtishers. We
would advise him, however. not to try
similar plan In this country. #
Kubelik has left England and has start
ca on a. concert tour through Holland,
Germany and Russia.
Eugen d'Albert has written new mu
sic drama, "Tienand". which has had It's
Coming OUT at Prague. The critics
nyer that the work lacks originality. be.
Ing reminiscent OF both Wagner and Mas
cagni.
Theodore Thomas Chicago Orchestra
celebrated the centenary OF Hector Bcr-
lioS last Friday and Saturday by devot-
Ing their entire programme to the works
OF the French master The selection In
cluded the overture to ""Benvenuto Gel
$lini," Recltative and Aria from lies
1'royens.' the Symphonic Fantastique,s
Bali and Love Scene from Romeo and
OF the sylrhs." Romance (vocaD my
Heart With Grief Is Heavy and the
4"Rakoczy March" from the Domination
OF Faust" The fears which We're entor-
tanned as to the further existence Of this
: orchestra were set aside by the bencHo-
lent action OF few Chicagoans who
ftepped forward at the last moment and
guaranteed an amount sufficient to en-