Albuquerque morning journal., 1907-09-24
AMERICA ELDORADO
FOR MUSICIANS Of
THE WORLD
OPERA STARS BETTER PAID
THAN RAILROAD CHIEFS
Many Get More For an Even
ing'S Performance than a
Great Many AMERICANS Earn
in a Year.

New York, Sept 22.-With an en-
ergetic New York impressariO plan
ming to distribute grand opera houses
In half a score of the larger cities Of
the United States and with another
puveyor Of entertainment contracting
with a singer for a few songs at a
round price Of 100000, 1t looks as If
Americans will shortly be listening
except that those in the box seats
don't always listen--to more high
priced music than ever before. AL
ready this country has acquired rep
utation for paying musicians as they
are paid nowhere else in the world.
Americans may not be a musical peO-
pie. There are some who say not Bu-
the people Of this country clearly have
the price when something comes along
which is believed to be worth listen
ing to. Music and money ought not
perhaps 10 he intimately associated;
but. as things are the people who
have the money generally get the best
music
With two grand opera combinations
in competition and with the permd-
nent orchestras of several American
cities featuring distinguished instru-
mentalists and vocal artists in their
concerts up and down the country, It
is impossible To say whether the sup
PLY of distinguished foreign musicians
will keep up with the demand: and il
Is certainly not remarkable that Amer
lean girls in greater numbers than
ever before are studying for the op-
cratic stage. The prizes In the mu
steal profession become greater and
greater each year. as for the blanks,
why OF course. youth argues that
these are numerous in every profes-
sion What allures is the undoubted
fact that prices have advanced far
over those Of earlier days, when $500
night was regarded as excellent pay
for the singer or instrumental par-
fOrmo-
Although musicians receive much
better compensation in England Than
on the continent of Europe they ..,
II Is generally understood. more than
twice as much In New York as i'm Lon-
don. Melba for example. according 10
statements that have not been denied,
Is paid In the British capital about
$500 an evening but in New York she
has 1880. Calve. whose Compensa-
tion is the same as Melbas in Covent
Garden, is gabled-or perhaps it is the
literal truth--to receive $4,000 for
each performance in New York City
Lehman is popular In Germany
where she gets $3.50 a night-a very
high price Tor the thrifty music lovers
Of tho FatherIand TO pay, her Amer
lean rate is $500
So 1T goes through the whole list of
the grand opera favoritcs Nordica,
Louise Homer. Geraldine Farrar. En-
ma flames and the others are all said
to receive compensation In America
which they could not expect 10 get
abroad Consequently. it is no Won
L. .s.ssts.s al a won
Maine 10 Mexico covet the opera sing
er's career.
a considerable number Of men mu-
sicians. singers and iHstrumentalsts,
also do remarkably well financially,
earning bigger salaries In short sea-
son than most bank presidents in a
years work. Their chances, Of course,
are greater in America Thus II is
reported that a much advertised plan
ist not long ago played for $50 re-
cital at Nuremberg and then received
$4,000 FOR a series Of forty recitals in
the United States. Considering the
opportunities here 1t Is not strange
that so well informed a musical critic
as Henry +. Finck wrote recently in
THE Nation.' The rewards OF sue
cess In music are indeed so great that
It IL wonder so few men compete for
them"
There Is. to be sure. another side to
the story Beneath the ranks Of the
very successful are thousands OF pro-
fesslonsl musicians who, even In this
country Of high prices. manage at best
to get only a modest living, and some
times hardly that. Still 1t rs doubtful
II they are worse off than the gem
erality Of the moderately successful In
other walks Of life. The small sala-
res of orchestra players are some
times referred to as showing that
there Is little money In music. Yet. If
Il is true. as recently asserted. that
the average earnings OF certified doc
tors of medicine in the United States
are not more than $500 for a whole
years work. the average compensa-
tion Of players in the permanent or
chestras of the United States certainly
exceeds this, in comparatively short
season: and they have chances TO sup
plement their income by summer
work. By teaching throughout the
year. and by occasional engagements.
The most famous and highly trained
~ American orchestras. one which
New Workers always hear with pleas
ure, Is the Boston symphony The sal
aries are said 10 be modest In this
organization. which is kept together
only through the guarantee of Major
Henry J.. HgglnsOn to make up the
annual deficit but. on the other hand,
The positions are permanent for men
who continue TO advance profession
ally. the summer months are easily
made productive as well as pleasure
ahe and very considerable number
Of the members of the orchestra re-
eeivc salaries AZ teachers at the New
England Conservatory OF Music. the
oldest and largest of American schools
Of professional study IN music. 10
which their fame rs vrtuOs annually
attracts many students who would
otherwise go abroad for their musical
education.
The reasonable certainty that there
Is a living In teaching music is un-
auestlonaby what induces many a
hard-headed American business man
70 spend money on his chlldren's mu-
slea education 4 city like New York
where there are two thousand or more
.mllllonalrer. and many times That
number Of families with Incomes In
excess OF 0.000. supports thousands
af well-paid music teachers. II Is
said that four women students out Of
five. even 0f those who are deiermin-
ed al the outset % become foremost
opera singers Or concert performers
end up by teaching Boston rather
Than New York has always been the
great source Of highly trained teach
err Of music. OF the more than $500
sludenfs Al the New England Con-
aarvafnry last year. Of whom a large
majority we're women. Il II probable
that most win be teaching q few years
henee
There s. no occasion to pity them
4 Hofee condition than fhat et ne