Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-29
The Musical World
BY Genevra Johnstone- Bishop.

MAX BRUCH was honored last week
N in Berlin. A program of his
AA compositions was rendered in
the large hall of the Hochschule, with
the assistance OF the orchestra and
mixed chorus-Emilie Hezog, soprano
of the royal opera, and Otto Saltzmann.
A fine program 1t was. Here 1t Is:
. Overture to the opera 'Loreley, op. 16.
"Schon Ellen" ballad for soprano solo. bar
itone solo. chorus and orchestra.
First violin concert in G minor.
ave Maria" scene for soprano from the
dramatic cantata. "Das Feuerkreuz."
Scene for chorus and orchestra, Hector s
death and song of victory from "Achilleus. !"
op. So
"Schon Ellen" was written more than
forty years ago and was one OF the
first compositions to make Bruch's
name known to the world. 1t is a beau
tiful choral work, and wish we might
have it rendered in Los Angeles next
season.
Arthur Shattick. an American little
known in his own country, is giving
concerts in Paris at the Sale des Agri-
culteurs, and having success, May IL
he plays with the Colonne orchestra.
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The Courier gives a little English
Sir Frederick Bridge, says the Lon
don Globe, tells good story at the ex-
pense of the committee which drew
up the new Wesleyan hymn book, the
tunes for which he edited. Sir Fred
erick says it was an "artful commit
tee.' They submitted to him tune
which they declared was by Handel.
It was so bad, however that ne sem ~
it bach, with the intimation that II II
were included in the book every time II
was rendered Handel would turn in his
grave The committee submitted 1t
again, this time with the promise that
If only he would include 1T 1t should
be marked to be sung "pianissimo," so
as not to disturb Handel.
Hermann Katzschmar is dead. For
over four decades he was organist at
the First Unitarian church in Portland.
Maine, coming to this country sixty
eight wears ago from Prussia. He died
at the age of 78 years. Every musician
in this country knows his famous
Te Deum, FESTIVAL" This is among his
best known works.
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Leoncavallo is in Paris to read his
score of "Maja" to Choudens, who
commissioned him to do the opera.
Arthur Shepherd, who obtained the
prize of $500 given by Paderewski for
an orchestral composition, lives in salt
Lake City. He is soon to make New
York his home.
Prof. ]. C. Bridge, M. A. Mus. D. f.
S. A., is to visit America this coming
season. Prof. Bridge is the noted or
ganist of Westminster abbey in Lon
don. He lust delivered very interest
ing and instructive lecture at Glasgow.
Scotland, on the Position, Work and
influence of the Church Organist," and
knowing it will be of great interest
to Los Angeles musicians, I give q
part of it. Everywhere will this great
organist receive a hearty reception.
The lecturer began by pointing out
how the best of all training for an
organist was the apprenticeship at a
cathedral, since 1t was there that he
was not only made q player and ac-
companist of the service, but also was
brought practically. into the question
Of choir-training, a matter In Wnlch
so many present-day organists were SO
sadly deficient He briefly touched on
the inadequacy of organists' tuition,
and therefore the necessity arose of be-
ing a specialist in some one branch
of the musical art. AS the teaching
Of the piano must necessarily provide
the organist with the greater number
of pupils, it was obvious that he should
be more than a moderate pldIllSl. LIT.
Bridge dwelt specially on the defici-
ences so frequently shown by organists
as choirmasters. Bad attendance OF
the choir at practice was usually the
fault of the choirmaster, who lacked
the ability to make such work interest
ing, as well as beneficial, to his choir
Frequently the ideal set was so poor
that the singers felt that there was
nothing to work for. The great need
of tact in the intercourse with the
clergy was a feature that should never
be forgotten; with good tact and the
use of common sense in avoiding un-
pleasantnesses, the life of the organist
could often be made much happier.
The necsity of possessing some def
mite hallmark of qualification was
doubtless the chief reason for such
large numbers presenting themselves
for the examinations of the Royal Col
lege of Organists and for the univer-
sity degrees in music. The lecturer
dwelt on the present requirements at
Oxford and at Durham. In this con-
nection he told an amusing story of a
conversation with a young musician in
a railway carriage, who informed him
that you can't get through at Dur
ham unless you know 'Naumann's
History" "Well now, that's
strange" said DR. Bridge, "I have ex-
arnined at Durham, and that is one