New-York tribune., 1908-12-27

Some OF the most entertaining pages in tbf
book are given to another pioneer, Max Marst
eek That gay, resourcefuI manage. led
strenuous life, for the ups and downs OF which
the reader must go TO the book itself o,s
story we must quote. in illustration Of the ten,
permanent that carried him cheerfuLy througE
storm after storm Mr.. KrehbieI met him at 1bs
Metropolitan Opera House one afternoon in The
first season Of that institution. and expressi,s
his regret that Maretzek was not the nnanare-
asked him what he thought Of It. The veteran
replied as follows:
Well, when I heard the house was TO Be b,f1,
did think did think that some f the ztocE-
holders would remember what / had done 20
the Academy Of Music and AstOr Place Cp=ra Hruse
when L was manager there. I thought would -
OlIect what companies I gave them-Parodf aTI
Stenanone and Marini. and Loriri. and Bettinf
the list, counting OF the singers on his chUbb,
fingers !)-"and Truff, and BereIetti. and SaIvf
I thought somebody might remember this snd
the old man. and come to me and say. Max Won
did a good deal for US once let DO something
OFFER me the house but I thought they mfgF-
say this and add. Come. we-u make YOU head
usher" OF You may have the bar" But nobody
came. and I'm out Of it completely.
The impresariO follows the dictates Of his
nature. Occasionally. as Mr.. KrehbieI shows. he
is governed by the instincts of the shOpkeepe-
Occasionally he works. as the author describes
Walter Damrosch as working in his Wagnerian
propaganda, with something like religious zeal
In every case his personality is interestfng,v
bound up with the fortunes of his campaign
There are some delightful notes in this book on
the diplomatic wiIes of Colonel NapIzson- AT 2
dinner given to Patti by some seventy New
York men her hosts individually paid her their
compliments. They did very well, but Mapeson
eclipsed them all. He kneIt before the diva anI
kissed her hand No wonder she would do any
thing for him. even allowing him to get into
her debt In his treatment Of Patti. BY the wav
Mr.. KrehbieI illustrates the excellent method
adopted in the writing Of this book. a method
embracing those portraits in words which. even
better than the numerous photographs, give 70
the work a warm, personal character. Patti is
a legend, and familiar one into the bargain.
but We cannot fOrbear quoting this description:
Her talent was so many-sideI and so ast0uish-
ing. matter from which side il was viewed.
for one who attempts analysis or description of
it. Her voice, OF Unequauec beauty, was no
more gift of nature than the ability 70 asSm--
late WITHOUT effort the things which cost ord
nary mOrtals years OF labor and vexarL1n OF soul
made the best efforts Of the best Of her con
temporaries pale, especially those VINO depended
on vocal agility for their trlL-Iipfs- Each per
fOrunance OF hers made it palmer than il had
been before that her genius penetrated the mere
outward glitter of the music and looked upon
the ornament as so much means to the attain
ment of end; that end. beautiful iIterpTets-
ton OF the composers LLOLEL- No artist OF
her time was so perfect an exponent as she cf
the quaLlty or repoSe- - Tar - appearances
went il easy for her 10 burden the al
with triliS and rOUlddeS i- was % talk She
sang the lark sings, the OE-rOurIng OF an
ecstasy of tones of almost infinite number an
beauty seemed in her 10 be natural means Or
expression Her ideas OF art were the highest.
and II was a singular testimony or her earnest
ness that while educated IN the old Ita-lln
school Of voCaliZation and holding her most e2-
alJed supremacy as singer OF IoSS-l-S EluSlc,
her warmeSt love, by her own confession. was
serious efforts OF the most dramatic writer's
This must re remembered in the list Cf her as
IohiSillhS merits now "Le0 Ir- t---e can az
longer call up more than the tender grace OF i
day that is dead. mine was the proud privilege
and great happiness of having heard her often
in her prime
The book is rich in critical passages Ike the
foregoing. passages bringing out the artistic
significance of those developments which have
borne heavily upon the musical education q
New York What an education il has been
What an extraordinary procession of singers has
passed through New York across the stages OF
the Academy of Music the Metropolitan Opera
House, the Manhattan Opera House, and those
various buildings of an earlier day in which the
foundations OF our operate culture were Gre
ated Italian and German opera has been made
known in this city on a scale and with splen-
dor unsurpassed in Europe. All the Ereat singers
of the world have been heard here Most Of the
great conductors have also come 90 our shores
Mr.. hrehbieI briefly but luuinOusly indicates