The estate of the late Sir John Stainer was valued at $170,000.
A new book, “The Pianoforte and its Music,” by Mr. H. E. Krehbiel, is to be issued shortly.
A London report says that Victor Herbert and W. S. Gilbert will collaborate in a comic opera.
Maud Powell has gone to Europe and will remain there for a year or more, giving her time to concert-tours.
Mr. Henry F. Frost, a prominent London musical critic, died a short time ago. He was among the pioneers for Wagner in England.
An English organist recently celebrated his sixty-sixth year of church service. He began as a choirboy in 1835 in Peterborough Cathedral.
Sara Anderson, Gertrude Stein, and Joseph Baernstein are three American singers who have been invited to appear in Wagner opera at Bayreuth.
Mr. Harold Bauer will spend some time in Geneva, Switzerland, and will lecture at the Academy of Music of that city, and play to advanced students.
Hugo Kaun, who lived in Milwaukee, Wis., for the past twelve years, has been so favorably received as a composer in Berlin that he will make his residence there.
An English exchange says that the late Sir F. A. G. Ouseley, Professor of Music at Oxford University for many years, never let a day pass without composing a canon.
The late Dr. Abraham, of Leipzig, proprietor of the great music-publishing house of Peters, bequeathed $100,000 for the establishment of a music-library in that city.
A new flute, resembling the Boehm system, has been made by a Milan inventor. It has a more extended range than the instruments hitherto made on the system.
The Iowa State Music Teachers’ Association met at Waterloo, June 25th-28th. An interesting program of essays, recitals, and concerts was carried through successfully.
During Sousa’s stay at the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, the various bands will be united under his leadership, for evening concerts, making a band of 450 pieces.
A “History of Music,” in six volumes, is announced by the Clarendon Press, Oxford, Eng. Sir C. H. H. Parry and Mr. W. H. Hadow are among the contributors.
A great Saengerfest was held at the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, N. Y., June 24th-27th. The chorus numbered 3500 singers; June 25th a children’s chorus of 3000 was added.
A New York paper says that Walter Damrosch and W. J. Henderson are preparing a musical setting to “Cyrano de Bergerac.” David Bispham is counted on to create the title-rôle of the opera.
During the nine months ending March 31, 1901, the exports of musical instruments from the United States amounted to $1,969,626: a gain of nearly $475,000 over the corresponding period in 1900.
The London County Council has made a grant of $50,000 for music in the parks. There is to be a total of 1131 performances at fifty-seven different places during the summer, the concerts closing September 29th.
The Temple of Music at the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, N. Y., has a seating capacity of 2200. A fine four-manual organ has been placed in the auditorium of the Temple, and there will be daily
free recitals by prominent organists from all parts of the country.
The “’Marseillaise” has just been reorchestrated, by order of the Minister of War of France, by Theodore Dubois. Berlioz first rewrote the original, and later Ambroise Thomas was asked to revise it. The new version is thoroughly on modern lines of orchestration, drums and bugles having a prominent part.
Paderewski’s opera, “Manru,” was given, for the first time, at Dresden, May 29th. Melody is a predominant characteristic, and many quaint phrases of the Slav type have been borrowed from popular gypsy songs. The libretto is by Alfred Nossig, and it has been translated and revised for this country by Mr. H. E. Krehbiel.
At a sale of old musical instruments in London a violin by Lupot brought $240; a Sebastian Kloz (1707), $70; a Joseph Guarnerius (1719), $850; a Joseph Guadagnini, $200; a Stradivari (1692), $3000; a Ruggeri, $500; a Vuillaume, $150; a Stradivari (1714), $2800; a J. B. Guadagnini (1780), $1250; a Stainer, $375; a violin-bow by Tourte, $75.
The full score of Purcell’s opera, “Fairy Queen,” which had been missing for two hundred years, was discovered in the library of the Royal Academy of Music, London. It was found by Mr. J. S. Shedlock among a pile of manuscripts bequeathed to the Academy by R. J. S. Stevens, the famous glee composer. The opera was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dreams,” and was composed in 1691.
Sixty-eight compositions are in the hands of the judges who are to award the prize in the triennial contest instituted by Paderewski. There are thirty-one orchestral works (symphonies, symphonic poems, overtures), nine choral works, and twenty-eight pieces of chamber-music. The judges are William Gericke, B. J. Lang, Carl Zerrahn, W. F. Apthorp, H. E. Krehbiel, W. J. Henderson, Henry T. Finck, James Huneker, and Samuel Sanford. A decision is not expected before next fall.
In 1878, Mr. Samuel Wood, of New York City, died, bequeathing $1,000,000 to found a college of music in that city. The relatives of the testator instituted litigation, which has lasted ever since, with the result that the value of the bequest ha3 dwindled to $130,000, which is still under dispute. Wealthy men and women who wish to do something toward endowing or founding musical institutions should do like Mr. Carnegie or Mr. Rockefeller: give the money during their life-time, and avoid litigation and quarrels among heirs.
