Wilhelm Ganz, the composer, recently celebrated his seventy-fourth birthday. He settled in London, in 1857.
Mr. Walter Damrosch and his orchestra have been very successful in their concerts at Ravinia Park, near Chicago.
Orchestral matters in St. Louis are in an unsettled condition, and a conductor of experience and authority seems to be called for.
A New York paper announces that the Henry W. Savage Opera Company will give "Salome" in English, outside New York City.
The London Symphony Orchestra gave a special Beethoven concert on June 3, to commemorate Dr. Richter's thirty years of conducting in England.
Alwin Schroeder, formerly 'cellist of the Kneisel Quartet, will locate in Frankfort, Germany, and will be connected with the conservatory of music in that city.
The report is made that Gustav Mahler has been engaged as conductor of the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City. He was opera conductor at Vienna for the past ten years.
A concert for the benefit of the Beethoven Memorial in Paris was held June 4, attended by a large audience. Saint-Saëns directed the "Ninth Symphony," which formed the central part of the program.
The Weimar Court Theatre is to have a variable proscenium, by which means it will be possible to have the space for the orchestra on a level, as is generally the case, or sunken, or even entirely concealed.
Max Reger is engaged on his 100th opus, a set of variations and fugue, on a theme by Adam Hiller. The work is to be written for orchestra. Why must modern composers have a theme from some outside source?
Washington correspondence seems to assure the building of a new auditorium for opera at the Capital, with a seating capacity of about 2,000. Mr. Hammerstein, of New York, will supply the company and produce grand opera.
Massenet's opera, "Thais," has been secured for performance in the United States by Mr. Oscar Hammerstein of the Manhattan Opera House, New York City. Mary Garden and Maurice Renaud are to sing the principal rôles.
Much interest is manifested in the plan presented by Mme. Nordica to found an American Bayreuth on the banks of the Hudson near New York City. The general impression seems to be that she has a big contract on her hands.
Mr. Rossetter G. Cole, of Chicago, has accepted the position of professor of music in the University of Wisconsin, succeeding F. A. Parker, who retires from executive duties although he will retain some class work during the next school year.
A Bach Festival was held at Eisenach. May 26-28. The New Bach Society received a number of contributions to the fund to purchase the house in which Bach was born and fit it for a museum. The Emperor William sent a contribution of $2,000.
Mr. Clarence Eddy has located in New York City, and will devote a portion of his time to teaching. He recently accepted the post of organist in the Tompkins Avenue Congregational Church, Brooklyn, which has just installed a large four manual organ.
Charles Lecocq, the French composer, now seventy- five years old, celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his appearance before the public as a writer for the stage. It was in 1857 that he won the Offenbach Prize with a one-act musical play called "Doctor Miracle."
A Collector living at Florence, Italy, has bought Beethoven's manuscript of the "Waldstein" cantata (sic) for a price reaching almost to $11,000. Both the Berlin and English museums were bidders, but could not compete with the private collector, whose name is given as M. Olschki.
Vladimir de Pachmann, the famous pianist, is now in the United States, in retirement, preparing for his concert trip in the fall, which opens in New York, October 2. Mr. de Pachmann is expected to play at Bar Harbor in August, at the dedication of the Building of Arts, recently erected there.
A Musical Art Club is to be organized in Philadelphia the coming season, the membership including professional musicians and non-professionals prominently identified with musical interests as writers or patrons, although the governing body of the club shall have a majority of professional members.
The concerts of the Philharmonic Orchestra, at Berlin, are given on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The admission fee is 15 cents, and the people sit around at tables in the most informal manner. Beer can be purchased during intermissions. Conversation is promptly hissed down, if some thoughtless person essays to talk during the musical numbers.
A disastrous fire in one of the studio buildings of Kansas City, several months ago, inflicted severe losses on a number of musicians. Among the instruments destroyed was a violin that once belonged to Spohr, which later came into the possession of Mr. H. E. Schultze, of Kansas City. Mr. Schultze received it from his father, who played under Spohr.
What a difference between the program of German opera houses and those in the United States ! The report of the Lortzing Theatre, in Berlin, shows operas by Lortzing, Flotow, Nicolai, Beethovenand Maillart which never figure on our bills; and, what is more, the number of performances of some of these operas reach as high a figure as fifteen to twenty-five a season.
The Norfolk and Norwich Music Festival announce a prize of $250 for a cantata by a composer of British birth. The competition closes December 1, 1907. An English music lover, Mr. Ernest Newlandsmith, believing that music is becoming complex and noisy, has offered a prize of $15 for the best composition by an amateur or professional in the form of a simple melody.
The Federation of Women's Musical Clubs has established a reciprocity bureau, as a sort of exchange, by which any member of a club who is willing to appear before other clubs in the Federation for expenses or a small fee will be placed upon a list of available artists. Some time later in the present year it is expected that the Federation will offer prizes for work by American composers. The plans are not yet fully decided.
The University of Illinois will dedicate a new auditorium next fall and plans to have a work by a living American composer given under his own direction. Between four and five thousand ballots have been sent out to musicians asking them to name the three most eminent living American composers. If any one composer has a clear majority of votes the invitation will be extended to him to be present and conduct one of his works.
The collection of songs authorized by the German Emperor has lately been published by Peters at Leipzig. It contains over 600 songs arranged for male quartet, etc. The division of the songs is interesting. Thus there are seven groups, of which the first, sacred, has four subdivisions (choruses, motets, other ecclesiastical songs and folk songs of a sacred character)—serious and devotional. Fatherland songs, songs of huntsmen, seamen, peasants, miners, etc.
Contributions to the Edward MacDowell Fund are now coming in from foreign countries. Toronto, Canada, has sent $435, over $500 came from a concert given in Paris, and Germany sends several contributions. A committee of Americans is active in England, and nearly $250 has already come in. The fund now amounts to about $40,000. The mark set by the committee in charge is $100,000, which they wish to raise by January 1, 1908. Contributions should be sent to the treasurer of the fund at No. 60 Wall Street, New York City.
A Number of persons interested in music, both professionals and amateurs, have arranged for a conservators of music for the masses of Moscow. The object is to supply solid, scientific musical instruction, and to discover and train latent talent. In seven different quarters of the city large school rooms have been hired for choir practice, studies, lectures, and instruction. The lessons for special instruments, piano, violin and 'cello, are given by the teachers at their own homes. The yearly salary for a teacher is less than $50, yet men of high standing are giving of their time to the movement. The pupils who attend the vocal classes pay a little less than $3 a year as a fee; the study of an instrument or solo singing is about $15 a year. The number of pupils is now over six hundred.
Carl Pohlig, court conductor of the Royal Opera of Stuttgart, has been formally engaged as conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra, to succeed the late Fritz Scheel.
Herr Pohlig is highly esteemed abroad as a composer no less than an orchestral conductor, and is eminently fitted to advance the artistic ideals of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and to carry on the great work so brilliantly done by Fritz Scheel during seven years of labor for music in this city.
Carl Pohlig's career has been a notable one throughout. He was born in Teplitz, Bohemia, on February 10, 1864. He was recognized as one whose talents marked him for special advancement by Franz Liszt, who heard him in Weimar, where Pohlig was studying in the grammar school. Liszt's interest was actively continued for many years. He took the young student into his home, and also invited him to accompany him to Rome— a distinction shared only by Tausig, von Bülow and Rubinstein.
After extended professional tours throughout Europe, where his abilities as concert pianist were everywhere recognized, he went to Hamburg, where for several years he was associated with Gustav Mahler in the directorship of the opera. He then received an appointment as musical director at Coburg and Stuttgart, besides which he conducted with exceptional success the Philharmonic Concerts, in Berlin, and Museums Concerts, in Frankfort; also in Munich and other German cities. His ability as an orchestral conductor of first rank became increasingly evident to the public. Pohlig early attained a position among modern composers of Germany, his music (symphonies) having been performed in Berlin by Felix Weingartner, and by Ernst Schuch in Dresden—always with success.
At Home.
The concert and commencement exercises of the Englewood Musical College were given June 26th.
The Indianapolis Piano College, J. M. Dungan, director, held its annual commencement exercises June 19th.
The Normal Choral Club, Potsdam, N. Y., Miss Julia Crane, director, gave Cowen's "Rose Maiden" May 29th.
The Music Section of the Ohio State Teachers' Association held a meeting at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, June 25th and 26th.
The fourth annual recital of the School of Music, University of Wyoming, Mary Slavens Clark, director, was held June 17th.
The closing concert of the past season of the Marks Conservatory of Music, New York City, was held June 14th; fifteen pupils assisted.
The Huron, S. D., Choral Union gave two performances of "The Pirates of Penzance" in June, under the direction of Mr. Frank H. Tuttle.
The annual commencement exercisesof the Knox Conservatory of Music, Galesburg, Ill., was heldJune10th. There were six graduates.
The University Choral Society, Tiffin, Ohio, Mr. E. C. Zartman, director, gave Patten's oratorio, "Isaiah," June 11th. The society numbers 40 members.
The New Bedford (Mass.) "Theodore Dubois Choral Society, J. D. Brodeur, director, gave Gounod's "Gallia" and Th. Sourilas' cantata, "Jeanne d'Arc," in June.
The Oratorio Chorus of Wooster University (Ohio), gave Schumann's cantata, "Paradise and the Peri," June 11th. Mr. J. Lawrence Erb is director of the society.
The graduating exercises of the Strassberger Conservatories of Music, St. Louis, Mo., were held June 16th. Thirty-three pupils were awarded diplomas and certificates.
The West Side Musical College, Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Stephen Commery, director, gave its sixth annual commencement exercises, June 17th. Ten graduates were presented.
The Detroit Conservatory of Music held its commencement exercises June 21st. Twenty-one pupils were granted diplomas and certificates. Mr. Francis L. York is the director.
Mr. Wm. F. Bentley, director of the choir of the Central Congregational Church, Galesburg, Ill., sends The Etude a copy of the year-book for 1906-07. The choir numbers 140 members.
The Chicago Piano College, Charles E. Watt, director, held its commencement exercises June 20th. In academic, special and graduate courses nearly sixty diplomas and certificates were granted.
The Combs Broad Street Conservatory of Music, Philadelphia, has a summer course in music in conjunction with the Summer School of the University of Pennsylvania, July 8th to August 17th.
Mrs. N. J. Corey's pupils, Detroit, Mich., gave a Soiree Musicale, Dramatique et Lyrique, June 27th. Selections from Verdi, Saint-Saëns, Mascagni, Bemberg, and by American song writers were given.
Miss Edith Lynwood Winn is in charge of a summer school of music and languages, a camp for girls and young women, at Assawampsett Lake, Lakeville, Mass. The camp will be open until September 1st.
The Kroeger School of Music, St. Louis, Mo., held its annual commencement exercises, June 20th. At the summer session Mr. Kroeger conducted a course of study in theoretical and historical work, six lectures each.
The Commencement Exercises of the Nashville, Tenn., Conservatory of Music consisted of a series of four recitals. Thirty-one pupils received diplomas and certificates. Mr. C. J. Schubert is director of the school.
The annual commencement concert and exercises of the American Conservatory, Chicago, were held June 14th. Diplomas and certificates for work in various departments and courses were granted to 205 pupils. The conservatory is directed by Mr. John J. Hattstaedt.
