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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1902)
THE BUNDAT OEBGONIANj , pOBTtANB, DECEMBER . 21, 1902. 21 V MUSIC CRANKS A PLEA FOR BEAUTY OK BEHAVIOR IN SINGING AND PLAYING (To the Editor.) Strange, is it not, that In music, where there is so much delightful harmony and beauty of color, there should be so much petty Jealousy, bickering and unfriendly criticism of honest work well done. .Most musical peo ple, say S5per cent, are musical cranks with whom it Is difficult to live. I have held these views during my 20 years' study of music as an amateur, 'and am' sorry that I cannot make them different. Gladly would I do bo if I could, but it is best to be candid. It is wearisome to meet so many pianists and violinists who are so Jealous of other pianists and violinists, that they can only see their rivals' faults. It is also wearisome to meet singers who delight in telling you that their rivals, , Mr. and Miss Blank, sing flat, and have no Idea of rhythm, style or interpreta- tlon. "When listening to the singing of a rival, these eager critics are nearly ; reaay to expire wxtn anguisn it me singer who ,1s human and therefore not faultless does not commit an error of musical Judgment, or manages her breath so that her trill Is of the requisite length, volume and fineness. But let the singer make one little mis take, and the ordinary musical listener will audibly chuckle, and say to himself: "Ah. What did I tell you. What a great head. I have." In a forelm city, not "very many years ago, a distinguished choir was singing J part songs unaccompanied, and It was ' the peculiar boast of this choir that the voices kept an even pitch throughout. In one of the front seats, sitting alone, was a dyspeptic, nervous, iprltable mu sical crank who thought he was a mu sical critic, but he was not. One piece was marked in the key of A, and when the choir began to sing the composition. the critic waited until the sopranos fin ished in the key tone. Then he, loudly blew his "A" from a consumptive-look- j lng pitch pipe he carried, and to his intense Joy found that the choir had ( enaea a quarter -or a tone flat. lie beamed on everybody when he made this discovery. Then he departed, sat isfied. When a brass band with an interna tional reputation for artistic excellence was in Portland recently, a certain mu sician who was a flute player, actually paid four-bits for the privilege of hear ing the band play. He listened eagerly for signs of discord In the wood-wind section, and when he didn't hear any he was unhappy. His criticism of the ? band was: "Oh, for my fifty cents. Of course there was no bad break In the wood-wind. But say, the foreign band Is not up to much. No, sir. You ought to hear our band at Squeedunk Corners. We'd play as well aB that foreign band, if the Portland public would only sup port us." Another musician, on being recently interviewed as to the reasons why Port land does not possess a first-class brass band, said: "Because Portland will not pay money enough to support such a band." "We have the musicians here and the talent. Why could not a new band be organized to give public con certs, free of charge?" was ventured. The musician said: "Sir-r-r, I am in sulted at your suggestion that I should play in public on my beloved instru ment without getting paid for it I want money." n Blessed are the peacemakers la music people who scatter smiles wherever they go, and who are not eaten up with this petty Jealousy, People who will ad mire art for art's sake, and are willing to bow humbly to real genius when they meet It. People who will also say a kind word about their musical neighbors, and will hesitate before they grow bitter or sarcastic As one who has lived for a considerable time in Portland, I de sire to say that nearly all the musical people I have met here have been klpd in word and deed, to a marked degree. It is a pleasure to Icnow them. But in the language of the poet: "There are others." I expect some of these people will arise in their wrath and smite me for what I have written.. What of it? CONSTANT HEADER. Portland, December 19. FRENCH PIANIST ON A TOUR. Raoul Pngrno Receives a Hearty Welcome In tke East. NEW YORK, Dec 16. Special corre spondence.) The representative pianist of France, Raoul Pugno, is now mak ing his second American tournee, and It is safe to say no artist ever re ceived a heartier welcome than Mr. Pugno upon his return to this country. Six years have passed since his first visit, yet It seems but a year ago that he was here with Ysaye and Gerardy, making friends on all sides. Pugno Is a great man not only a musi cian of enormous capability and genius, but also a man of Ideal personality. Ho is a typical Frenchman, with a frankness. and a geniality that are positively con tagious. One cannot be with him for five minutes without feeling the exhilaration and freshness of a nobility and simplicity that one rarely meets In the world of artists who are accustomed to the admira tion and adoration of hero worshipers. Mr. Pugno speaks very little English, although he reads It fluently; he finds the English grammar much simpler than either the French or the German, but the pronunciation is difficult. He speaks enough, however, to make the people who do not understand French know that he ls glad to meet them, and It seems to be a 'pleasure to them simply to watch him, as they can almost understand what he is saying by his characteristic French ges tures. His father was French, but his mother was Italian. He is a large, heavily built man with a fine head, handsomely set on broad shoul ders. He is very distinguished In appear ance, but he also has an extremely pa ternal look, and much personal magnet Ism, which puts one at ease with him on short acquaintance. 'Hl9 hair and beard are well sprinkled with gray; his eyes reflect the -kind, loving nature of the man, and the deep intellectuality of his mind. A characteristic picture of Pugno would not be complete without the tortoise-shell rimmed eye-glass eg and the low, broad Aside from his music, 'Mr. Pugno has many subjects which make hlna interest-, lng to the unmusical world. He can talk dogs and horses, in fact,, he has no less than seven dogs at present, or tech one of which he Is -devotedly fond. One little 'animal reouras for him from the time he leaves home until he returns. He can also talk photography, and is himself an amateur of no small ability; he under stands the smallest detail and technical ity of that fascinating art. Mr. 'Pugno speaks yery entertainly of his library in his home near Paris. Ever since he was a young boy, he has collected rare volumes, original editions and clas sics in every tongue. Before he was 20, when he was organist at the Church of St. Eugene in Paris, he gavo each month a part of his salary to a dealer in second hand books, who saved for him the finest, the most 'Valuable books which he came across. This bookdealer, Mr. Pugno says, was a very well-educated man, and an intimate friend of the great novelist Bal zac. Mr. Pugno tells a story of how the bookdealer came Into possession' ,of an enormously valuable library, containing original editions of Moliere, each volume of-which brought more than the price paid for the whole library. After uie death of the great French Bazln, his magnificent library fell Into, the hands of a man who knew nothing about the value of a book and cared less. This man called In the bookdealer, who, being extremely shrewd, bought the entire collection for a ridicu lously small sum of money. Several of these volumes now stand In Mr. Pugno's library. As a musician, Mr. Pugno easily stands In the. foremost rank of artists. He Is a painter of dainty aquarelles, of noble landscapes, of exquisite miniatures. He Is broad-minded In his Interpretations; when he plays Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, be Is a strict classicist, when he splays Grieg, Chopin "and Tschaikowsky, ho is a romanticist of deep sentiment and passion. He Is also cosmopolitan in his art, for when he plays Chopin, he is a Pole; LJszt makes of him a Hungarian: Grieg, a Scandinavian; Schumann, a German; and in his own compositions, he la French. Mr. Pugno has written a piano concerto, which places him, as a French composer, beside Cesar Franck and Salnt-Saens. Of his smaller compositions, the best-known are "Serenade' a la Lune," and "Conte Nocturne." The latter portrays an old grandmother telling ghost stories at twi light to the little grandchildren, and as may be imagined, the theme of the com position is very weird and extremely orig inal. The "Serenade," too, Is very origi nal and dainty; It has a melody running through it that one cannot soon forget. Mr. Pugno Is the recipient of high hon ors in France. He Is honorary principal of the Paris Conservatory, and Is also an officer of the Academle Francalse, which Is the highest mark of distinction that France has to offer her countrymen. The badge of the Academle is a little pleec of .red ribbon In the button-hole, and Mr. Pugno is never without It. MARION EUGENIE BAUER. In the World of MhkIc Mrs. Rose Bloch Bauer, the dramatic soprano, leaves tomorrow for Spokane to remain over the holidays. She will sing at the February meeting of the Musical Club, Tacoma, with the chorus of 70 voices, led by Director G. M. Shulz, and will also give a song recital soon. A Ta- loch Bauer, says: "She is a singer well ; known here, and whose reputation as a vocalist is jEJdeiy recognizee -xnoso wno have beard Mrs. Bloch Bauer will readily understand the treat her singing promises. ; She 'has a fine voice of much dramatlo power and sweetness, and .sings with the power of an artist" "Enoch. Arden," in music, by Richard Strauss, was given by the Art Society of Pittsburg. Gregory Hast, the English tenor, sails for this country immediately after Christ mas. His first recital will be in Utlca, N. Y., January 8. Ellison van Hoose, tenor, sang at Pitts burg, Pa., at the Pittsburg Orchestra con cert, when the first performance of Ajv thur Nevln's orchestra suite, "Love Dreams," was- excellently played. Iillllan Blauvelt, one of thlg country's most popular concert sopranos in recpnt years, ha3 been engaged In London for the next opera season at Covent Garden in June. She will, sing Marguerite, and later will add Juliette, Zerllna and Mlca ela. The Boy or chorus had an excellent re hearsal, last Wednesday, of several "Mes siah" choruses, and Niels W. Glade's charming cantata,- ".Christmas Eve." The next rehearsal of the chorus, under Mr. Boyer's direction, will be January 7, at the Aeolian 'Hall. Mrs. AHco Samuels Chamberlain, well known in this city, sang several songs with much acceptance at the recent Ger man concert of the Musical Olub, Taco ma. She will be soloist at Trinity Epis copal Church, next Sunday, and will also sing for the Browning Club, Tacoma, In January. Poalo GilHco tackled a piano keyboard and a matinee audience both at 20 degrees below freezing at New York several day3 ago. It was more like dancing In the barn than like a house warming-. But the pianist was brave, and though, it'was no fair hearing, he conquered most of the difficulties attending a piano recital. Gal ileo's technique Is smooth and soft and sweet. As a pianissimo artist, he has at least tho precedent of Pachmann for tak ing Chopin in a whisper. An artistic recital of the music of young France was, given at New York by Ma dame Alexandre-Marlus, when her pro gramme was: "Le Poeme de L'Amour et de la Mer," Ernest Chausson; "Nell," "Li'Hermite," "Chanson a Danser," A. Porilhou; "Lie Charme," "Lea Paplllons," Emtst Chausson; "Nuages," "La Pous slere," "La Plule," "La Parole," Chansons de Mlarka (by desire), Alexandre Georges; "Lies Mains," 'Mousme," Massenet; "En Sourdine (Chanson Grisej, Oabrlel Faure; "Mandoline," C. Chaminadc Edouard de Reszk'e was recently Inter viewed, concerning his brother, Jean de Reszke, the famous tenor, and said: "For the present, Jean does not care to go far from home. This Winter he will re main most bf the time In Paris, and as yet he has made no definite arrangements to sing elsewhere in the Spring. He is now appearing at the Opera In 'Siegfried and 'Lohengrin,' and early in January he will create, the role of Canlo In the first French production of 'I Pagllaccl." I may tell you that Leoncavallo's opera Is not to be given In conjunction with another opera, but Is to be sandwiched between "the first and last acts of a ballet, which i should make It doubly attractlvo to Par I lslan audiences." . THE BAKER THEATER QEO. L. BAKER, Manager. PHONES Oregon North 1076. Columbia 506. The fashionable popular-price theater of Portland. Playing to crowded houses and giving satisfaction. CHRISTMAS WEEK Starting with usual Sunday Matinee today REGULAR MATINEES SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SPECIAL MATINEE CHRISTMAS DAY DEC. 21 (USUAL MATINEE PRICES WILL PREVAIL) DAVID BELASCO AND HENRY C. DeMILLE'S GREATEST SUCCESS THE CHARITY BALL - BY, PERMISSION OF THE LYCEU3I THEATER (K. Y.) MANAGEMENT PRESENTED BY THE INCOMPARABLE - . NEILL STOCK COMPANY The Baker Theater Prices All Matinees 10c, 15c, 25c; Evening 15c, 25c, 35c, 50c NEW YEAR'S WEEK, STARTING SUNDAY MATINEE, DEC. 28, HOYT'S BEST PLAY .A TEMPERANCE TOWN. NOTE Friday evening, December 26, Stanford Glee Club will occupy theater, the Neill Stock Company will play Vancouver. STANFORD MGHTBAKER THEA TER SEVENTH ANNUAL TOUR , OF THE NEW MUSIC, NOVELTIES SPECIALTIES Stanford University Glee and Mandolin Clubs COLLEGE STORIES COLLEGE STUNTS, COLLEGE FUN A NIGHT OF FUN, FROLIC, MUSIC AND MERRIMENT One Night Only At the Baker Theater FRIDAY December 26 Admission, $1.00, 75c and 50c Scats are now on sale at the Box Office. . CHRISTMAS WEEK ATTRACTIONS AT THE MARQUAM GRAND THEATER MARQUAM GRAND THEATER CALVIN HEILI4 MANAGER Two Nights Only-Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 22-23 ENGAGEMENT OP THE EMINENT ACTOR MR. ROBERT DOWNING IN- ii THE GLADIATOR" ASSISTED BY AN EXCELLENT COMPANY 'SPECIAL SCENERY, BEAUTIFUL COSTUMES, ORIGINAL MUSIG PRICES Lower floor, except last three rows, $1.00; last three rows, 75c; balcony, first sixrows, 75c; last six rows, 50c; gallery, 35c and 25c; Boxes and loges, $7.50, Seats are now selling. MARQUAM GRAND THEATER CALVIN HEILI8 ' MANAGER CHRISTMAS ATTRACTION THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY i DECEMBER 25-26-27 MATINEES CHRISTMAS AND SATURDAY mm THE DISTINGUISHED ROMAN TIC ACTOR ANDREW ROBSON -IN- CHARD CARVEL" A Dramatization of Winston Churchill's Famous Novel of the same name, by Edward E. Roso -THE PRODUCTION- The entire massive scenery, the magnificent costumes, and the complete accessories that marked the success of this play's run of 17 weeks at the Empire Theater, New York, are provided by the Robson management. THE COMPANY HERMANN IjTBB, OLIVER B. COLLINS, EDNA G. BROTHERS; THOS. C. HAMILTON, JOHN J. JCROWLEY, DELLA CLARKE. FERRERS KNYVETT, HALE NORCROSS, MARGARET GALLAGHER. JOHN W. BENNETT, JOHN K. NEWMAN, PRISCILLA KNOWLES, HAMMOND DAILEY, IRVING WILLIAMS, JOSEPHINE ADAMS. JoxlN W. DONOVAN, ALEXANDER DECKER, CAROLINE MAST. RICHARD HARVEY, HAROJL.U RUTLEDGE, FLORA GAINES. EVENING PRICES Entire parquette, $1.50; entire parquette circle, $1.00: balcony, first six rows, 75c; last six rows, BOc; gallery, 35c and 25c: boxes and loges, $10.00. XMAS MAT J NEE PRICES Entire parquette, $LO0; entire parquette circle, 75c; entire balcony, BOo; gallery, Z5o and 23c; boxes and loges. $7.50. THE ADVANCE SALE OF SEATS WILL OPEN NEXT TUESDAY MORNING AT 10 O'CLOCK. eettitaetttt POPULAR WITH THE PEOPLE CORDRAY'S THEATER i JOHN F. CORDRAY, Manager CHRISTMAS WEEK BEGINNING WITH MATINEE MATINEE AT 2:15 TODAY TONIGHT AT S:15 MR. WILLIARD SIMMS AND A CAST OF TWENTY-FIVE PRESENT THE LATEST MUSICAL NOVELTY PICI INGS PUCK" THE PUBLIC MAGNET THAT CHARMS WITH ITS MUSICAL FEATURES. SELECT SPECIALTIES. RICH MELODIES AND DIVERTING DIALOGUE. G RAN D CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY IV1ATIINEE USUAL LADIES AND CHILDREN'S MATINEE SATURDAY EAUTY ALL FU IN PRICES EVENING, 25c AND 50c. CHRISTMAS MATINEE PRICES SAME AS EVENING. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MATINEE 25c TO ANY PART OF THE HOUSE; CHILDREN 10c. New Year's Week "THE IRISH PAWNBROKERS"