The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-02-16
BY DEXTER MARSHALL.

very few really great living composers
OF these, Saint-Saens is so old that he
has cult writing music. and Dudley Buck
the American practically went into re-
tirement few years ago when he retired
as organist of Holy Trinity Church
Brooklyn. where he had been musically
supreme for upward of a quarter of a
century,
Italy. with her trio, Mascagni, Leonca-
vallo. and Pucclni. easily leads the list OF
the nations in living composers of inter
national fame Then there is Richard
Strauss Of "Salome" fame or notoriety,
just as YOU care 70 look at it, In these
men We doubtedly have the six most
famous living composers. Among those
of lesser fame, but more or less widely
known. are Reginald de Koyen, George
W. Chadwick. and Edgar Stillman Kelly,
Americans ALL the last named being To-
Gated in Berlin, where he is looked upon
as a celebrity.
Italy's three all had the traditional
I, hard time of it before tickle fame smiled
on them and led them to walk along the
paths of Easy street. All are under fifty.
Mascagni is the youngest, being only
forty-two. Each of his compatriots is
seven years older Puccini is the only
one who comes of q musical family
there were four generations Of musical
Puccinis in a line before him. All three
however. in early boyhood displayed a
strong liking for music, and each has
done nothing much in this world but
dream music, play music and write
music.
LeOncaVa1IO's Egyptian Adventure.
Ruggiero LeoncavaIlo did dream once Of
a military career, but the appearance of
English rifles speedily dissipated the
! dream, and in so doing probably saved
the Neapolitan to the world OF music
Leoncavallo az the time was in Egypt
whithe- he had gone as a boy TO live with
mis- uncle who was director Of the press
in the Foreign Office. Through his uncle
he got the position Of piano player to the
court Of Mahmoud Handy. That sWarthy
son OF the Nile fell so much In love with
the Italians melodies that he promised
him a regimental appointment and big
salary at the proper time.
But before MahmOud could get around
70 the brass button business there was an
uprising against the English. Mahmoud
cast in his lot with the instigators of the
trouble The British are still in Egypt
LeoncavaIlo had 10 fee in disguise. He
made his way 10 Port Said, and at the
first opportunity took boat for foreign
soil He landed eventually IN France
But before he could get aboard ship-he
was penniless when he reached Port Said
he had 10 raise the necessary passage
money by giving concert. All the time
he was playing he was in mortal terror
lest some Tommy Atkins should swagger
in and arrest him. The concert netted
him between $50 and COO francs.
About the time that LeOnCavallo reached
Paris he made the discovery that he was
again fat as a pOCketboOk The first
work that offered itself was seized quick
~. and so Leoncavailo became an ac-
companist at a cafe. In the course Of
time he filled similar positions in other
cafes Then he began TO teach singing,
and, little later, to work up artists in
their repeTtoires.
Writes Poem, "0Iedici,'
In the midst Of his struggle TO make a
living by doing odd musical jobs he
wrote a poem called "Medici" Fortu-
nately for his future. he got an opportu-
nifty to read his lines 10 Massenet, who
advised him to go to Milan and read them
to RicordL That is how Leoncavallo came
TO pawn the furniture OF his fat-that he
might have money enough TO get to Milan
and before NJ. Ricordi, who commissioned
the cafe player TO write music for the
poem, the pay TO be 200 francs a month
for twelve months. This meant that the
work must be done In a year. and it was.
Then Leoncavallo anxiously awaited the
initial production of his great effort, He
waited in vain for three years.
Meantime he took up teaching again in /
order to keep from starving. Meantime. /
too MasCagni spTang into instant popular |
favor with his 'Cavalleria Rusticana.' /
As Nascagnis fame increased LeOnca- /
vallo got blucr and bluer. Then one day /
he decided not to wait any longer for the /
production Of "Medici,' but to cut loose (
from Ricordi and try to write something /
that would make him famous also. That /
was how he came TO compose Il Pag-
laCCi' in five months. On May Il. 1892 (
IL was produced for the first time. and /
the next morning the name of. Leon
cavano was being coupled with that of |
Mascagni I.eoncavauo was thirty-four
when Italy learned of his existence. Mas
cagni was twenty-five
There are many persons in Germany
who don't think any too well Of Leon
cavallo. This is because Emperor VIII
liam. after hearing "Medicj" decided
that its composer was the man best fitted
TO write for him an opera with Roland as
the theme. The opera called Roland"
was composed by LeonCayall0 after long
and arduous work. When produced it
pleased the Emperor immensely but the
German critics and newspapers roasted"
numerically both the work and the com
q 8. r--H
to select an Italian instead OF German
to write a pet opera for him. Outside of
Berlin, Leoncavallo and his works are
highly thought Of the musical world over.
Composer of 'Nadame Butterfly"
Giacomo PucCiui. composer OF three
popular operas la Boheme." La
Tosca." and Madame Butterfly" got his
musical education at the Conservative Of
Milan. and incidentlv while there lived
the life of a true Bohemian. because, for
sooJh he had not the means 10 live in
ordinary comfort
During the three years that he was
conservatism student his food consisted
largely Of coffee. milk and bread. He, his
brother Michael and q friend all lived to-
gether in a top floor hall bedroom. Some {
times. when bread and milk palled on j
them, they would feast on All Omelet of !
two eggs. Once they gave a little dinner
party OF four and then-rare treat-they /
served a herring. &
Puccinis landlord ran a restaurant IN I
connection with the boarding house. and 5
ne naturally forbade cooking In the {
rooms. To circumvent the crusty old fell s
low by drowning the noise of cooking /
things, Puccinl was wont to play enthusi- I
astically on the plano while his brother G
played chef On one occasion. when the 5
three roOmmates got hold of a live 8