New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-09
Audiences and Applause
War Tax Audiences and Their Observation-Disclosures
tions Upon the Claque and Its Origin---Lon-
don SchoIarship--Prog ress of Music i'm Japan

"William," said he, what will it
cost you if give my concert"
ooh, about $75 for the gas and the
ushers, and perhaps as much more for
the printing"
"Then III tell you what we'll do,
William. You give me 1925 and
won't give tho concert. You'll save
S25."
The proposition, novel as it was,
seemed reasonable. and Mr.. Steinway
handed over his check. That is the
end of the story so far as it is apropos
Of the subject we are discussing; but
since it is veracious history which we
are writing, and the incident is other
wise illuminative, its sequel might as
Steinway received request to sup
with his grateful friend at Delmon-
icos. There a merry party had gath
cred on invitation of the pianist to
celebrate his return to health. At the
conclusion of the supper the host
handed the check back to Mr. Stein
way, together with the bill. which
amounted to $3.50 or more. "You pay
it, William" said he, and then, COM
fortingly, "the concert would have cost
you that much anyway"
Injudicious Applause
Where do these war tax audience s
come from? We have studied them
lately and can give an answer to that
question. They come largely from the
East Side of the town and are re-
cruitcd to a great extent from the
Hebrew communities, Russian and
Polish, which have their habitat
there. Many of them, perhaps the
majority, are young people, and very
appreciate fraction of them are eager
to hear the music and probably also
eager to learn. In this respect they
are good formative material, and in
time their judgment may have in
fluence upon the artists as we'll as
upon the public at large. But before
then they must be trained in correct
appreciation.
Frequently Of late it has been made
obvious that their applause is more
likely to harm than to help the per-
former who receives it. 1t was Schu-
man, we think, who said that nothing
was harder to endure than the ap-
plause of fools; at any rate, it was
he who admonished yyoung musicians
to value the approval Of artists be-
yond that Of the multitude. APP
plause becomes unmeaning when 1t
is bestowed without discrimination.
When it disturbs the peace of mind
of the judicious listeners it become
also an impertinence and a vexation,
and then it works harm to the indi-
vidual whom 1t aims to help. When
it drives such listeners out of the con-
cert room it prejudices them against
him, even though they may feel that
he is not responsible for the annoy
ance to their sensibilties.
The claque at the Metropolitan Opera
House is a nuisance, not so much be-
cause it applauds the singer, it is hired
to applaud on his entrance and after
every air, because it disturbs the en-
joyment of even the most fervcnt ad
mirers of the singers by continuing
the applause to the serious disruption
of the performance. Even the wishes of
their employers arc not regarded.
Several times this season when Ca
russo has sung "Una furtiva" in
"LElisir dAmorc," and has plainly
indicated an unwillingness to repeat
it, going so far as to call Nine Hempel
to the scene and continuing with the
dialogue, his countrymen behind the
gilt rail have kept up their clamor
for five minutes or more, while the
orchestra and the voices Of the sing
ers were drowned by the noise and
the prima donna was covered with
confusion. Such an insult at once to
the singer and the audience seated in
stalls and boxes ought on the first
occurrence of it have been punished
by the cjectment from the theatre of
the disturbcrs; but they are permit
ted to repeat it as often as they feel
so disposed. Singers and conductors
who hire claques ought to see that
they are properly trained and kept
obedient to command. Or perhaps the
matter would better be taken in hand
by the management. Before the wal
we used to say, "They do these things
better in Europe" Concerning what
they are doing there nov we are not
quite clear, though reports have