New-York tribune., 1920-05-16
-. In the World of Music and Musicians g.
Records of l919-'2O Concert
Season Show Growth of Activity
Ii Not Progress in Culture
More Than 89O Musical Entertainments; Increase in
Piansts, Niolinists and Singers: Influx of
Foreigners Slight


A curiosity which takes possession Of
rs in the waning days of every musical
season-a curiosity that has grown into
habit since we first began to collect
and collate the facts of contemporary
musical history many years ago-has
prompted US again to go through our
date book Of concerts for the New York
season OF lole-'20. We wish it were
possible to deduce some evidence Of
progress in musical culture from an
elyticsl study of the statistics, but,
frankly, we don't know how to go about
II II growth OF activity were proof Of
growth in popular interest, application
and taste, il might be possible to prove
By the figures which we have compiled
that New York is the most musical city
in the world. We might then, with some
satisfaction, contemplate these facts: that
within less than two hundred days New
York has heard 1914 performances of So
called grand opera chose of the Metro
politan and Chicago companiesl, 139
synshony concerts, so miscellaneous
concerts in which orchestras took part,
So concerts Of chamber music, 5S con-
certs of a mixed character which cannot
be defined by q specification, 80 choral
concerts by large and small organiza-
tons lS7 song recitals, 118 pianoforte
recitals IS violin recitals and half s
dozen voloncello recitals. The sum total
Of these is $50 musical entertainments,
but it does not include all the offerings
TO whictr .he people of New York were
invited 20 give attendance and financial
support There remain large number
Of musica. shows in the theaters, some
hundreds Of real comic opera, many
more of comedies with music, concerts
at hotels and private concerts supported
BY membership subscriptions. Count
ing them II We make no doubt that the
grand total would reach two thousand.
Startling Statistics
These. then, are the bare facts in the
case II we could follow Mr.. Gilbert 5
recipe prescr bed for the making of q
heavy draooon we would take Of these
elements all that is fusible, put them
TO boil in & piDkin or crucible, set them
to simmer and take off the scum, and
find the musical appreciation OF New
York in the residue. But we haven't
the capacity for such a qualitative
ANALYSIS and must continc ourself to a
ouantitative one. We proceed with
our figures. prefxing them with warn
ing that they are not exhaustive, but
onlv such as are disclosed by the date
book Of 8 single recorder. Scores OF
concerts and dozens Of names have
been overlooked, we are certain; but,
then. the results are sufficiently start
Ing to set the minds of the thoughtful
to work. especially when brought into
association tn another fact, which,
50 far as it relates TO the concerts OF
largest icnitv-those, namely, given
BY our orchestral organizations-we
purpose leaving for consideration at q
future day. This fact is that though
more music was heard in the public
rooms of New York in the season of
1890 than in any prev Gus season,
more money was lost by the concert
eivers (meaning not the artists, but
those who paid the bills) than ever
before And this may be permitted to
stand as statement of fact in spite
Of the attendance at the concerts. This
attendance, il it could be computed,
would doubtless be shown to oe larger
than in any year in the history Of
New Yorks concert life. How shall
growth in concerts, a growth in at
tendance and a growth in monetary
loss be explained?
1872 New Names
We append lists Of singers, pianists
and'violinists who have given concerts
in the Individual concerts, or
recitals, as they are called. They do
rot include performers who have taken
part in symphony concerts, miscella
neOus concerts. with or without orches-
ira or chorus such as the popular con-
eerts at the Metropolitan Opera House
and the Hippodromel the concerts of the
choral societies or the recent Oratorio
festival. Last spring we published
similar lists and comparison yields
these results. The singers last year
numbered 81; this year they are 174.
Inc pianists last year were 70; this
Year they are Ill. The violinists in
lsi8-Ie were 81; in 1920 they were
~. The reader is invited TO note this
lact as significant: OF the singers
neard last year AZ were heard in the
season which we are treating as ended
week ago; Of the pianists, 10; of the
"oiinlsts, l6. There are, therefore, 1872
new names this year in the list of
singers, Il piaHists ard IS violiMists
W those holding over not all were
afusts Of whom 1t can be said they
lad proved tha. they had a sufficient
message TO convey to Justify their
appearance before New York public
winch has had surfeit of the best
"usic Tor many years. The influx OF
-V'eign virtuosos of unquestionable
'sF't was not great. 1t did not ap-
p'ec'aoiv swell the current list. Has
''' crop Of singers and players ripe
iOF .nuhlir