The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-07


 fore"
 "The audience of the future has every 1 advantage to be intelligent and the most
 satisfactory imaginable and you have no idea how encouraging that Is to a per former. Until our people study musical literature as the Germans, for instance
 and acquaint themselves with the why
 and wherefore of music. there will always
 be lack of appreciation. Take Carl
 Schurz, for example. when he was a
 member of the German cabinet, after a
 meeting of this august body he would
 frequently sit down to the piano and play | Beethoven sonata as charmingly as
 any musician who had made music
 profession
 Have the mechanical devices ever been
 of use to you?" l asked Mrs. Aldrich
 as we ehatted
 Indeed they have" she replied "I have two Victor machines. One for receiving
 the record and the other kind. You know that pretty Les PapilIionsn-well, let mo tell you how I studied that. never had heard it played, and I got
 record of it by MT Frank LaForge and listened attentively to it. Then l played it as nearly like 1t as 1 could. After I
 had accomplished the necessary technique and phrasing l played it into the ma chine and then listened to my own rec ord. Then I compared my interpreta- tion with that of MT. LaForge and now let me play the result"
 And after playing the two records on the machines, Mrs. Aldrich seated herself at her beautiful piano and played the composition as she had learned it through hearing the Victor production. Tt is the home and home life to which we must look for progress and advance ment," continued Mrs. Aldrich. And there mechanical devices have been the greatest factors imaginable, bringing as they do the compositions of all musicians into every home, making it easily pos sible for every one to hear them played by the greatest artists of the world and be- ing taught an appreciation of the beautl- ful art in a few short months, whereas 1t would take a lifetime of study other wise to accomplish
 And do you find time for accompani ment playing?" I asked, "or do you care for that particular artY"
 Indeed, I do," replied Mrs. Aldrieh
 And l am glad you said an art, for accompaniment playing nowadays is one of the greatest arts. and Is followed by some of the greatest musicians of our time"
 Lots of people feel that the position of accompanist is sort of like policeman off his beat, or a chauffuer when not on duty" jestingly remarked. Tt is a mistaken idea for any one to think that the accompanist is of sec ondary importance" said Mrs. Aldrich Tt requires all the technique that the most finished artist must possess-sympa- try, understanding, the creative faculty of the mind, all find deepest expression In this most wonderful and least under l stood of arts"
 There are very few good musicians and l am always amused at the way un- | musical people fail to understand a singer l refusing to sing to a strangers accompan- iment, for certainly there is nothing that can spoil beautiful composition like an incompetent accompapist'.' I said.
 Take Dr. Wulners aecompanist, Coen- raad V. Bos and see his position" said Mrs. Aldrich. "The real value of the leid recital Is shown by the homegeniety of the two artists, singer and pianist Such art renders the ejoch as obsolete | which regarded the accompanist as in- artistic. The pianist must be as much an | integral part of the recital as the singer. | The two artists work as one and 1t H. Illustrates the analogy between the evolu- l tion of opera and of recitals of lieder Wagner first gave the orchestra the idea to be presented, and then song writers began to give the piano accompanists ] important themes until now in the operas 1 of Richard Strauss and Debussey the orchestra is of primary importance in the voicing of the musical ideas. The songs l of these writers, together with those of Max Reger, Brahms, and other moderns,
 make such technical and emotional de-
 mands upon the ability of the pianist. who undertakes accompaniments. as to enable | him to command recognition as an artist l of equal rank as his fellow-exponent of
 an art-form-the singer of the song. I reverted to the subject of Mrs Ald- i richs studies with Madame Rive-King and she was quite enthusiastic about her l work for the summer and said many in l teresting things of Madame King which l wish l had time to relate. But what | she did not relate, and I knew full well | was, that Madame King considers her one 1 of her most gifted pupils and that her l future, musicaiiy, is tremendously f1atter- ing and all of Birmingham is watching her with the keenest interest
 
 of St. Mary's and St. Andrews parishes,
 whose hearts and homes were open to re-
 ceve us from the moment we landed in