The World of Music.

At Home.

Dr. Frank Damrosch has resigned from the conductorship of the Oratorio Society of New York, owing to pressure of other duties.

Concerts in aid of Titantic survivors, and in memory of the victims of the disaster continue to be held all over the world.

Preparations for the Sangerfest in Phila­delphia are now in progress. There will be six thousand in the chorus.

An invention has been made to enable one to sign eighteen checks at once. Composers and artists please note.

Ernest Hutchinson has taken a year’s leave of absence from the Peabody Conserva­tory of Baltimore, and Ludwig Breitner will succeed to his position during the interval.

Mr. William Berwald’s new overture Walthari was given at the Central New York Music Festival (Syracuse), and was received very enthusiastically.

At the Spring Concert, of the People’s Choral Union, of Boston, under the able di­rection of Frederick W. Wodell, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater and Haydn’s Creation were given with great success.

Reginald de Koven’s comedy-opera, Robin Hood has been revived in New York. It is proving a worthy rival in popularity to Gil­bert and Sullivan’s Patience, which has also been revived.

The sympathies of Etude readers will go to our well-known contributor, Mr. T. L. Rickaby, whose sixteen year old daughter shot herself accidentally, resulting in death a month ago.

The Musical Leader, of Chicago, has pub­lished an excellent Spring Festival number (May 16th), giving a fine idea of the sur­prising musical activity in our country.

The storehouse in Brooklyn in which the Aborn Opera Company kept much of their stage equipment was recently burnt down. The Aborn Company lost the equipment for twenty operas, comprising 110 carloads of scenery and costumes. Most of this was for comic opera purposes, however.

A successor to Leopold Stokowsky as con­ductor of the Cincinnati Orchestra has been found in Dr. Ernst Kunwald, of Berlin. He declined a flattering offer from the Munich Royal Opera in order to come to America.

The oratorio societies of Franklin and Oil City, Pa., have given a very successful per­formance of Elijah.

Boston is sorry to lose Max Fiedler, who has now completed his contracted time with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Innumer­able wreaths were presented to him on his last appearance with the orchestra, and he made an affecting little speech, in which he said that the last four years have been the happiest in his life.

The hero of the Richmond Festival seems to have been a young American composer and pianist, John Powell. Efrem Zimbalist, Alma Gluck, Louise Homer, Riccardo Martin, Carl Jorn, Clarence Whitehill and Henri Scott were engaged to appear. Many interesting works were given by the orchestra and solo­ists, including many operatic selections.

The annual convention of the Illinois Music Teachers’ Association has been a very brilliant success. The convention was held at Streator, and the concerts given were attended by crowded audiences. The officers selected for the coming year were Adolf Weidig (president), E. R. Lederman (vice- president), and H. O. Merry (secretary and treasurer).

Mr. Edwin Hughes, former assistant to Theodore Leschetizky, and for two years instructor in pianoforte at the Ganopol Con­servatory in Detroit, has determined to take up his residence permanently in Munich, Germany. During the next year he will concertize in Germany.

The lack of a managerial bureau in Chicago similar to those in New York, has now been remedied by Messrs. Harry Harrison and Fred. Pelham. They have formed an agency known as the Redpath Musical Bureau, which is quite distinct from the well-known Redpath Lyceum Bureau. Among the artists who will come under their management are Caro­lina White, of the Philadelphia-Chicago Opera Co., and Mrs. Fannie Bloomfield Zeisler.

An amateur symphony orchestra of Scranton, Pa., has recently celebrated its eighteenth anniversary. This orchestra is unique, as its members, including the conductor, are un­paid for their services, and such works

as Tschaikowski’s Pathetic Symphony and Bruch’s G Minor Symphony have been pre­sented. Among the soloists who have appeared with this organization are Nordica, Schumann-Heink and Evan Williams. The conductor is Louis Baker Phillips.

Mr. Charles L. Shepherd, of Salt Lake City, Utah, won the Mason & Hamlin piano donated by the Mason & Hamlin Piano Com­pany each year as a prize for piano students at the New England Conservatory. The judges this year were Harold Bauer, Harold Ran­dolph, and Max Fiedler, Arthur L. Shepherd, brother of the successful young man, who won the Paderewski prize for composition some years ago, is at the present time a member of the faculty of the New England Conservatory.

It is reported that the Aborn brothers, who have made a fortune in presenting opera in English in America, will start a free con­servatory to give stage training for young opera singers. This it is said will be founded in New York, and only a very limited num­ber of especially qualified pupils will be accepted.

Several pages of The Etude could easily be devoted to a series of articles upon the conventions of Music Teachers’ Associations held in many of our States during the last two months. Possibly the most prominent of the State Associations is the New York State Association, which was held at Colum­bia University in New York, in June, and which the following took part: Rossitter G. Cole, Edgar Stillman Kelly, George C. Gow, David Bispham, Reginald deKoven, Dr. Frank Rix, E. M. Bowman. Harriette Brower, A. R. Parsons, A. K. Virgil, H. H. Huss, J. S. Van Cleve. Marie Ranpold. Cecile Ayres and G. L. Becker, President. The Etude would like to give detailed information about the excel­lent conventions held in many other States, but the fact that the journal goes to press over a month before the conventions are actually held makes this inexpedient. The Etude is in deep sympathy with the entire movement, and has given its support in every manner possible when called upon to do so.

The Cincinnati Music Festival, held on May 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th, was one of the most successful ever held from the artistic standpoint. No music festival is conducted with greater conscientiousness, and the enthusiasm of the German element in the population of Cincinnati gives an ad­ditional zest to the performance. With Frederic Stock and Frank Van der Stucken as conductors, Schumann-Heink, Gadski, Rider-Kelsey, Bonci, Matin, van Hoose and Witherspoon among the soloists, it would be difficult to imagine anything but success. Despite its frequent performances the treat of the festival was The Elijah, which was given with great effect, and visibly influ­enced the auditors by its simple but forceful means. The Beatitudes of Cesar Franck was beautifully sung, as were the Wagner and Berlioz numbers in the later concerts. Wolf-Ferrari’s New Life was the novelty, aside from some striking orchestral novelties such as the Liszt Dante Symphony.

The season of the Philadelphia Music Teachers’ Association closed on May 21 with a high successful banquet held at the rooms of the Musical Art Club. Eighty persons attended the banquet and Mr. E. M. Bowman made the trip from New York especially for this occasion. Many prominent Philadelphia musicians participated in the speech making, including Dr. H. A. Clarke, Mauritz Leefson, Wassili Leps, Mrs. Frances Clarke, Mr. Henri Scott, Mr. Theodore Presser, Mr. Frederick Maxson, Mr. Daniel Batchellor. Mr. Adam Geibel, Mr. H. A. Lang, Mr. Richard Zeckwer and the president, Mr. James Francis Cooke. The following was the novel menu of the dinner which some of our readers may desire to copy in part at some musical function:

Overture, Consomme Brillante Von Suppé (Glissando Con Galore); Leit Motif, Shad Roe with Bacon au Wagner (Presto Agitato); Cadenzas, Sliced Cucumbers Elgar, Italian Olives Mascagni (Allegretto Con Spirito); Main Theme with Variations, Roast Sirloin au Beethoven, Avec Champignon Frais au Bizet, Petit Pois Verdi. Irish Potatoes au Victor Herbert (Attaca Subito Con Molto Gusto); Intermezzo, Asparagus Strauss (Avec Sauce Salome); Suites, Glace Debussy (Affetuoso e con amore); Grand Finale, Café Demi Tasse au Chopin; Fine.

The annual meeting of the Oliver Ditson Society for the relief of needy musicians was recently held in Boston, and the fol­lowing officers were elected: President, Arthur Foote; Trustees, Parker Browne, G. W. Chadwick, Charles H. Ditson; Clerk and Treasurer, Charles F. Smith; Assistant Clerk, Arthur R. Smith. An unusual number of cases of destitution have been assisted during the past year; applications for aid may be made to any of the above named officers.

The program of the Fourth Annual Con­vention of the Northwest Music Teachers’ As­sociation is of exceptional interest and re­flects high credit upon the organization. The meetings this year were held in Walla Walla, Washington, and the principal concerts were given by the Whitman Choral Society and the Walla Walla Symphony Orchestra. The works given included Henry K. Hadley’s Lelewala, a cantata for mixed voices and tenor solo, Saint Saën’s The Night, a cantata for female voices and soprano solo, Max Bruch’s Fair Ellen, and many important or­chestral works, besides songs, etc. Several important questions were discussed by various important speakers.

The eleventh annual meeting of the Min­nesota State Music Teachers’ Association has again called attention to the excellent work being done by this organization in con­nection with the standardization of music teaching. The recommendations of the com­mittee appointed to go into this subject resulted in the foundation of examinations which, while not in any sense obligatory, will do much to establish the reputation of those who submit to them. The subject of examinations or no examinations is one cap­able of endless discussion. Provided, how­ever, that the examinations are conducted fairly by musicians of high standing, there can be no question of their being very valu­able indeed. Probably the most examination-ridden country in the world is England, at least so far as music is concerned, and since the establishment of local examinations in connection with the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, and other equally important educational institutions, there has been an enormous growth in musi­cal interest in England. All success then to Minnesota. In addition to planning ex­aminations, the members of the Association had a good time listening to many excel­lent addresses and concerts given by various members of the Association.

The degree of Doctor of Music has been conferred upon Tali Esen Morgan, the well-known conductor, by Temple University, Philadelphia. Dr. Morgan has conducted hun­dreds of performances of oratorios and is at the head of a correspondence school which has taught music theory to over 25,000 stu­dents. For many years, Dr. Morgan has had charge of the music at Ocean Grove, N. J., where many of the greatest singers of the day have sung under his direction. He was born in South Wales, 1858.

The Tenth Annual Prize Competition of­fered by the Chicago Madrigal Club for the W. W. Kimball Co. prize of $100 is now open. The prize is offered for a madrigal setting of Longfellow’s “I Know a Maiden Fair to See,” and is open to any composer resident in the United States. Full particu­lars may be obtained from Mr. D. A. Clippinger, 410 Kimball Bldg., Chicago, Ill.

Abroad.

Engelbert Humperdinck has so far recov­ered from his recent serious illness that he hopes soon to continue his work as a com­poser.

The German Empress has declined to wit­ness a performance of Parsifal on the score that it is sacrilegious.

Arturo Toscanini has been engaged for the next season of music in Buenos Ayres, where lie will conduct French opera,

The famous Belgian composer, Jan Blockx, has passed away at the age of 61. From 1886 until his death he was teacher of harmony at the Antwerp Conservatory.

Signor Marziano Perosi a brother of the priest-composer, has written an opera founded on Lytton’s novel, The Last Days of Pom­peii. The work has been successfully pro­duced in Vienna.

Saint-Saëns has declared that he will write no more music for the theater. Practically none of his operas has won a lasting popular­ity except Samson and Delilah.

It appears that one of the com’ng leading tenors in the Berlin Opera will be A. Neu, who has hitherto been a roofer. Hardly a rise in the world!

Glazounow, the great Russian composer, is writing a symphony on the Titanic disas­ter. It will be entitled A Song of Death, and the leading motif will be the hymn, “Nearer my God to Thee.”

There must be no end to music in London. Recently one of the big London newspapers presented seven columns of advertisements of forthcoming concert.

Mahler’s Eighth Symphony, which has come to be called the “Symphony of a Thou­sand” owing to the enormous number of peo­ple required to give it adequate performance, is to be taken on tour to London and Paris.

Max Reger has completed several new works, including a concerto for orchestra, writ­ten in old style, a vocal composition for con­tralto and orchestra and th,ree orchestral pieces. These new works are to be given in Berlin in the fall.

A new opera by Massenet, entitled Don Quichotte has been produced by Hammerstein at the London Opera House. The first per­formance was very successful and the work is said to possess singular charm’ and attractive­ness.

A museum has recently been opened at the Moscow Conservatory which contains chiefly souvenirs of Anton Rubinstein. Nu­merous autographs of Tschaikowsky, Arensky, Rimsky-Korsakoff and Moussorgsky are also included.

Frederick Delius, the English composer who spent many years listening to the music of the orange groves in Florida, has completed an opera, Fennimore, which will probably be produced by Thomas Beecham during the com­ing season in London.

A Mr. S. Alman has just written the li­bretto and composed the music of the first Yiddish opera ever staged. Alman was edu­cated at the Guildhall School of Music, Lon­don. His opera is entitled King Ahaz, and has been given several representations at the Yiddish People’s Theater, London, under the composer’s direction.

A presentation has been made to an Eng­lish “choir boy” of nineteen who has been singing soprano in the choir for ten years, at an English church. One cannot but ad­mire the bulldog tenacity with which he hangs onto his job without even a break in his continuity, let alone in his voice.

Mascagni is now rather sorry that he has annoyed most of the American publishers and impresarios by his extortionate demands. He is anxious for an American production of his new opera, Parisiana, to a libretto by d’Annunzio.

The death is announced of Mme. Bressler- Gianoli, a famous contralto, and formerly a famous Carmen of the Manhattan Opera House in New York. She was to have re­turned to America in 1913. Her death fol­lowed an operation for appendicitis, and she is survived by several children.

The Paulist Choristers of Chicago were re­cently awarded the highest diploma—the first prize in the Division d’Honneur—in the cho­ral competition at the Thêatre du Chatelet. They were also awarded a Sèvres vase and a commemorative medal. From Paris they go to Rome to sing at the Vatican.

Leoncavallo, the composer of I Pagliacci, is writing a new opera to be entitled Zingara. The work is to be produced at the London Hippodrome. The London vaude­ville managers seem to be following a line of their own. Not satisfied with having Mas­cagni and Leoncavallo conduct their own works in the past season, they also presented new and important ballets by Elgar and Hum­perdinck. This condition of affairs is curi­ous when considered in relation to the fact that it is exceedingly difficult to get English audiences to go to regular grand opera per­formances.

The new opera by Puccini. Anima Allegri, is somewhat lighter in style than most of his works. It tells the story of a staid old Spanish Marchioness, her scamp of a son, and her niece, a vivacious and unconventional young lady. Among other pranks the niece goes to a village wedding and when the son of the Marchioness goes to bring her home he is drawn into the festivities, with the re­sult that he falls in love with his cousin, and all ends happily. There will doubtless be much “local color” in the Spanish setting.

German municipalities are giving more and more to musical art. Their assistance is en­tirely apart from that given by the National Government to musical projects. The city of Mannheim, one of the most progressive of German communities gives 541,000 marks; Düsseldorf, 464,000; Strassburg, 393,000; Chemnitz, 332,000; Leipsic, 329,000; Cologne, 326,000; Frankfurt am Main, 272,000; Frei­burg, 318,000; Dortmund, 200,000; Breslau, 132,000; Mainz, 181,000; Barmen, 125,000; Halle, 108,000; Regensburg, 84,000. It may be seen that these fourteen German cities give an aggregate of 3,815,000 marks, or nearly a million dollars to support the inter­pretative arts in their communities. The population of Freiburg is about sixty-five thousand. The population of Rochester, New York, is about two hundred thousand (possi­bly more now). Imagine the city fathers of Rochester giving a municipal appropriation of about $80,000 for the support of the city opera house! If “money talks” accord­ing to American parlance, it seems to talk a little louder in some of the smaller German cities than in America.