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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 1900)
THE SUOTAX OBEGONIAN, PORTLAND, DECEMBER 2, 1900. In Ithaca, the seat of Cornell, a like live ly Interest has been shown In Mrs. Fiske's appearance, and the young men of these Institutions have been as persistent In their efforts to set posters of Mrs. FIske as. souvenirs as were the young women In tho other towns. Mrs. Fiske's encase ment In Rochester Is notable for several reasons. There she was booked In a vau deville theater, the prices of which for her encasement were raised to correspond with those of a first-class house. On the first day of the sale for the engagement. In rritc of a snow storm, a crowd of people awaited the opening of the box office, and the first day's "take" amounted to over ?2000. Tnlla MnrloTre Is Stubborn. Variety was given to the last -week of tho rehearsals of "When Knighthood "Was In Flower," by a difference of opinion "which arose between Miss Marlowe and the author of the novel, as to how realist ic should be the reading of the lines of the heroine, Mary Tudor. In knighthood's flowerlnsr time. It is recorded, oaths -were heard as often from the lips of -women as men. So Mr. Major did not go amiss "When he allowed the heroine to consign her enemies to the realms of perdition Paul Kester, the dramatist. Imitated the author, and the curse -was written with pointed brevity. Miss Marlowe refused to speak the line, and thereupon Mr. Major read his contract to her. It called for the speaking of the lines as -written. As Miss Marlowe Is not an actress on salary, but a star, she could not refuse to play tho part after the example set by Miss Eve lyn Millard. But she -was stubborn. In rehearsals she has mumbled over the line, but has gone through the pretense of speaking it. If she does not swear In publio Mr. Major has the recourse of the law. If he cares for that diversion. Paul Kester thought the matter would bo Bmoothed over. That Unlnclcr Sir-ore Thrust. Unless E. H. Sothern unexpectedly Im proves In health there Is small chance of his opening his Chicago engagement New Tear's week, as he is scheduled to do. Ugly rumors to the effect that the leg Itself in threatened were about last -week, and It Is admitted that a small bone was taken from the foot a few days ago. The injury, it will be recalled, was due to a swerd thrust In the duel scene be tween Hamlet and Laertes In one of tho early New York performances of "Ham let." Blood poisoning set In two -weeks later, after the actor had begun his tour outside of New York. It would seem as if Washington Is Mr. Eothern's hoodoo town. At least, thero is some fatal influence In the place for him, for it was there he closed his sea son last year, as well as this, on account of illness, and strangely enough it was there that John McCullough, many years ago, when Eddie Sothern was doing a spear part, notified the young aspirant for thesplc honors of the death of his famous father. Oljcn Xethersole's Bnd Luck. Olga Nethersole's summer residence, at East Cliff, near Elgin. Scotland, was al most made a total wreck two weeks ago through a storm, which did a great deal of damage In that part. Miss Nethersole's library, which is stocked with valuable books and manuscripts, was unfortunately the most damaged, many of tho volumes being completely destroyed. More Than ? 2000 n. Night. To equal her recent profits in Paris Mme. Bernhardt must have tremendous business in American cities. The receipts of tho 234 performances of "L'Aiglon" in France amounted to $495,425, an average of more than $2000 every performance. Rostand has always received In royalties more than 559,000 for "IAlglon" aline. Beat Sew York Record. "Arizona" will reach Its 100th perform ance at the Herald Square Theater, New York, on December 4. It is the only play of the season in New York thus far that achieves that record so early in the year. Miss Annie Russell, In "The Royal Fam ily," is a close second. Booked Five Years Ahead. Tho commmerclal value of a successful rural play, once thoroughly established in popular favor, is evident from the fact that "Way Down East" is already booked for the season of 1S01-1S02, and In some of the principal cities fixed time is re served for it five years ahead. "WELSH RABBIT" IS RIGHT Bnt Improper Use of "Rarebit" Is Almost Universal. It is high time that all lovers of English ehould unite in common protest acainst that barbarous collection of words, "Welsh rarebit," says a writer in the New York Herald. Every now and then In the past some good man has raised his voice in a plea for the right phrase, "Welsh rabbit," and has then disappeared. Such staccato protests have proved un availing. The word rarebit has now In sinuated itself upon SO per cent of all the menus in New York. The smaller hotels caught the habit from the greater ones. The French and German hostleries imi tated their American contemporaries. Nor Is this the worst. Owners of chophouses and restaurants flaunt the offensive word on their gilded signboards in the very faces of the public at large. Now, why Is this? Hot a dictionary of today sanctions the use of "rarebit." though in a temporary aberration of judg ment Worcester and Webster once did. Perhaps hotel men are too busy to con sult dictionaries. Then let them hearken to the indirect reproof they are continu ously receiving from their customers. I have been in many, many places where tho menus announce "rarebits." I have never heard any one order anything else than a rabbit. Nay, the very waiter who repeats the order to the cook says "Welsh rabbit." This Is, Indeed, one of the most curious of all philological feats that by which some amateur etymologist of the past forced the wrongful substitution of "rare bit" for "rabbit" upon tne world. It has ever been a common habit with the ety mologist of this breed when the meaning of a word does not seem obvious to him to remedy the difficulty by a slight change that makes it seem superficially reason able. Coming across the term "Welsh rabbit" he gazed through solemn spectacles at this mare's nest, and decided that a bit of toasted cheese could not by any stretch of the imagination be considered a game animal, though it might well be a "rare bit," so he jumped at the conclusion that time and the corruptions which time ef fects must have done their evil work upon this word. Hence he decided to re store It to Its original beauty and signifi cance. Hence "Welsh rarebit." Now this Is all wrong. "Welsh rabbit" Is a genuine bit of slang, belonging to a large class of similar terms, describing In mock heroic language the favorite dish or special product of a particular district. Here are a few examples that are abso lutely analogous: In London a sheep's head stewed with onions is called a "Field Lane duck." Potatoes are "Irish apricots," and "Mun ster plums." A herring Is called in dif ferent localities of England a "DIgby chicken," a "Norfolk capon." a "Dunbar wether," or a "Gourock ham." In France it Is humorous to call a herring a "pou let de careme" (Lenten fowl). In our own country. In New England, codfish is frequently known as "Cape Cod turkey." Similar examples abound in the language of every country. Yet, In the face of all these analogies, the amateur etymologist refuses to accept the common-sense ex planation that the name "Welsh rabbit" Is simply a humorous recognition of Taf fy's fondness for toasted cheeae. Musicl The Soul's Expression. "With starnm'rlng lips and Insufficient Bound I strive and struggle to deliver right That music of my nature day and night. With dream and thought and feeling unwound, And Inly answering all the senses round With octaves of a mystic depth and height. Which step out cr&ndly to the infinite From the dark edges of the sensual ground. This song of soul I struggle to outbear Thro' portals of the sense, sublime and whole; And utter all myself Into the air. But If I did It as the thunder roll Breaks Its own cloud, my flesh would perish there Before that dread apocalypse of soul. Ellr&beth Barrett Browning. A SENSATIONAL FAILURE St. Iouls ioaes Prestige Because of Its Recent Fiasco, the Blc Musical Festival. Gossip and criticism are rife concern ing the sensational failure of the am bitious St. Louis musical festival, planned for two weeks, which closed prematurely at the third concert with the orchestra unpaid. Two days before, worthless checks for over 52000 were issued by the managers of the festival, who had no funds in the bank, says Homer Moore, of St. Louis, In the Musical Courier. The men who gave tho festival claimed to have a guarantee of 51S.O0O, which, how ever, was never investigated. It Is just one of those slipshod things that crop up frequently in music. Nordica sensible business -woman that she is who had left the Grau forces long enough to make a flying trip to St Louis for the opening concerts, foresaw the crash that was com ing, and refused to sing until the 51900 due her was paid. Charlotte Maconda, who had scored a great hit at the second concert, followed her example. This pre cipitated matters, and on the third night tho orchestra declined to play; the small audience waited nearly an hour, and then was sent home. No one is surprised that the men who started the project In St. Louis were suc cessful In securing engagements without preliminary deposits or guarantees, for this is no unusual way of doing business In the music world, where reform is sadly needed. These men were wholly un known, unfamiliar with music, and with the public, yet they could put forth the scheme of a festival, and secure artists without any substantial business basis. From an artistic standpoint, to be sure, the concerts were highly enjoyable. Both the large chorus and the orchestra did strong work. Nordica and Maconda aroused great enthusiasm, and the festival band was pronounced the best St. Louis has had in years. The financial failure of the festival Is likely to have a disastrous effect on the future of music in that city. Undoubtedly, says the Concert-Goer, the civic pride of a number of citizens wa flattered by the project of a festival of such scope as has rarely been under taken. But the result must have been apparent from the outset to those who looked at the matter without prejudice and with full knowledge of the facts. Disaster Invited. Disaster was Invited by the very char acter of the project no less than by the lack of management evident in its carry ing out. There must be rare .attraction indeed in a musical banquet to draw peo ple out night after night steadily for nearly two weeks. Indeed, it Is safe to say that music alone cannot accomplish this. The aid is reaulred of some ex traneous interest, or, failing this, there must be a public large enough to insure practically a new audience for nearly every performance. But every one knows how small is the public, in a city like St. Louis, which is attracted by concerts of the character of these. The total num ber of people who can be reckoned on for such occasions is not many times greater than the number which must have attend ed each concert to Insure success. Tho first Impulse of musicians who were engaged for appearances and went there only to meet the crash will be to say hard things of the St. Louis public. But the people are not without defense. Such an offering of continuous music for two weeks partakes more of the nature of a debauch than of a feast. Few peo ple can listen to and assimilate so much In so short time. A festival of three or four days duration, with two concerts a day, is quite enough to try any listen er's power of endurance. Indeed, the whole idea of the music festival Is a vicious one; it Is at best a makeshift, and its perpetuation as an institution may not be to the interest of the healthiest growth of music. Nevertheless, the fiasco will be a set back to the cause of good music In St. Louis. Managers will probably become unduly cautious for a time, and musicians will be chary of risking the loss of a fee In a town which has such a record. The amiable and well-meaning men who in stituted this festival have by their care lessness or their ignorance, struck a blow at the musical interests of the city, from which It may not entirely recover for years. The responsibility of managers to the public Is too loosely defined. Public sentiment should demand some sort of guarantee from those who serve Its mu sical Interests, and then should hold them more strictly accountable. San Francisco Redeems Itself. Large and appreciative audiences are now the rule In San Francisco for the Grau Opera Company. The cycle of "The Nibelungen Ring," which opened last Monday night, forming the climax of the season. Is receiving the unstinted en thusiasm it merits, since this Is the first production of the "Ring" In San Fran cisco. The opera season Is now completely out of the dolldrums, and unless all signs fall Maurce Grau will go out of tho city with well filled sails. Grau wll not have occasion to lose the faith which broght him across the continent with 60 out of the 100 singers of all ranks available for grand opera. Of "The Rhlnegold," the introductory opera of "The Ring," the San Francisco Chronicle says: Between the singers and the orchestra "The Rhlnegold" cast a spell on the house, which never broke, and will never entirely pass away from anybody who was there. Van Dyck's Loge - one of the most masterly performances we have seen on the stage. We had heard him In "Tann hauser 'and "Lohengrin," but no one would have suspected that the dignified and stately tenor could be so light and easy in what Is the only comedy of "The Rhlnegold." And Blspham as Alberlch held his audience with an intensity that has rarely been equaled, acting and sing ing with such dramatic spirit that he stood out with Van Dyck from all the others. But very graceful, expressive and charming was Susan Strong's unaffected performance of Frlcka, while no more at tractive figure than Miss Marylll made In Frela, the goddess of love, could be asked for. She was thoroughly In the spirit of Wagner's writing of the char acter, for Frela Is not Venus nor a sim ply beautiful vision of love; she repre sents the strong, pure, lasting love that is not suggestive merely of passion. A gem of the evening was the warning of Erda, sung by Mme. Schumann-Hclnk. It was a weird face In the light, and that great voice rang oat with mystic power. There was never a time when applause could get In, or there would have been plenty of It. But the scene at the end has rarely been witnessed before. The whole house remained and called out the artists, and recalled ' them, and finally, with everybody standing, Damrosch was brought out In the midst of them, and received with a great burst of enthusi-'asm. Alvln Schroeder of the Knelsels. No violoncellist in recent years has gained a stronger hold upon the apprecia tion and esteem of the Boston and New York public than Alvln Schroeder, of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Knelsel Quartet. He has also many warm admirers in Portland, who remember with loving Interest his work here with the Knelsels, under the auspices of the Mu sical Club. These friends will be Inter ested In learning that on November 26. in. Boston. Mr. Schroeder celebrated the 25th anniversary of his first public ap pearance. His celebration took the form of a concert, in which only 'cello mu sic was heard. Mr. Schroeder was as sisted by J. Keller. J. Adamowski and Carl Barth, and by Wllhelm Gerlcks, conductor of the Boston Symphony Or chestra, who played the accompaniments. The programme Included a suite by Bach, the first movement of a Rom berg concerto, some pieces for four vio loncellos, several short solos and a fan tasie by Servals. Mr. Schroeder, when only 20 years old, took his p!ac as first 'cellist of the Lelp slc Orchestra, In Berlin. This was In 1S75. Previous to this however, he had played viola for six years in a string quartet or ganized from members of his family, taking his father's place when 11 years old. The earliest instrument studied by the young musician, however, was the piano. At the age of 7 his father taught him the piano, while his brother Herman gave him violin lessons. The 'cello was a later acquisition. Sir. Shroeder Is a German, having been born at Neuhaldeneleben, near Madge burg, in 1S55. After his Berlin experience he joined the Gewandhaus Orchestra, at Lelpslc, and taught there U years. He has made concert tours with success in Russia, Holland, Belgium and the chief European cities. About nine years ago he joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as first 'cellist, becoming at the same time a member of the Knelsel Quartet. Sleveklng: in America. Martinus Sleveklng, the Dutch pianist, arrived in New York much shaken up by the rough passage, which left him hors de combat for two days. He has quite recovered his wonted health and spirits now, and is as eager as ever for the hard work in which he delights. Last week the pianist played for his manager and a few chosen friends, and the little com pany was fairly amazed at the tremen dous progress he has made since he was last here, says the Concert-Goer. Sleveklng spent the Summer at Ischl with Leschetlzky, continuing the work on which for the past two years he has concentrated all his attention. His vol untary retirement from the concert stage, and the life of seclusion and hard work which he has led, reminds one of the similar eplsodo In Taussig's career. He has completely revolutionized his style, and It may be expected that a very different Sleveklng will greet us this year from the young, untrained player we used to know, with the physical and emo tional strength of a giant. Sleveklng will Introduce to American audiences much Important new music Be sides some arrangements of his own of Bach, which are sure to excite interest, he has In his repertory two concertos which are practically unknown to this side of the water. One of these is the Rachmaninoff work In France, and which he declares is very fine. The other is the much talked of Stenhamnifer concerto, which Rummel played here once. It Is In three parts, and is scored for full or chestra, including tuba. Sleveklng has also made an arrangement of "Siegfried's Death and Funeral March," full of genu inely orchestral effects, which he will Introduce in places where the work can seldom be heard by the orchestra. Miss "Wood Back at Boston. Miss Anna Miller Wood, who Is well known to Portland music-lovers, returned from California the first week in Novem ber, and Is already hard at work with pupils at her apartment, 1C5 Huntington avenue, Boston, where she will be joined by her mother later In the year. The Alameda Argus of recent date had the following to say about Miss Wood's work In California: "Miss Anna Miller Wood left on Thurs day for Boston. On Saturday Miss Wood sang five songs very finely at a studio musicale in Alameda. On Sunday she sang solos and In concerted num bers In an elaborate service at the San Francisco First Unitarian Church. On Tuesday evening she gave a concert In Sacramento before a very large audience. The critic of the Record-Union was very enthusiastic in his praise of her singing. Indeed, one who has heard a great part of the work Miss Wood has done in the last several years says that she never sang before with such feeling and power as at the Sacramento concert. Miss Wood goes East followed by loving wishes from a great circle of friends. Hers Is a nature which endears Itself, and no favor seems too great to be granted to her friends. No one could have done more with her heaven-sent talent than she has done and Is doing; and her personal as well as her artistic Influence is extending day by day." Is Kerr York Jealous T New York seems to be Jealous of San Francisco, if one may Judge from the fol lowing paragraph In the Musical Courier, which hardly seems Justfled in view of the lavish expenditures Grau has Incurred for his Western trip: "The Grau Opera. Company will do a very profitable busi ness on the Pacific Coast, and may con tinue similarly financially successful in the cities of the West. The expenses are enormous, and high prices must be charged, but as the performances are novelties, the people will pay for them liberally at least on the Coast. It Is not expected that a traveling company should give operas with proper scenery and mis-en-scene and with trained chorus and orchestra, but here In New York Mr. Grau should finally give artistic produc tions. "He should also cease to farm out his singers to concerts on the 60 per cent basis. That is good business, but It is not fair to the singers or to the public." PetschnllsoS Will Return. Alexandre Petschnlkoff, the young Rus sian violinist. Is to return to America this season under the management of M. L. PInkham, if present plans are per fected. Since Petschnlkoff was one of the most conspicuous figures in the last concert season of America, our readers do not need to be reminded of his artistic status. No violinist since Ysaye made so many Important appearances In this coun try as did Petschnlkoff during his first season with us. His marked popularity seems to warrant his return this season. To Abolish the Male Alto. Still echoes of the Birmingham Festival come to us from England. It Is now 'said that one of Its results will be the aboli tion of the male alto. Although he is one of God's creatures and not, like the mule or male soprano, man's Invention, he will have to go. even In oratorio work, where ecclesiastical traditions have enabled him to keep his place. In spite of the superi ority of the female voice. Astor Discharges a Lord. New York Journal. .London. William Waldorf Astor has discharged Lord Frederick Hamilton from the editorship of his Pall Mall magazine, his place being taken by a professional literary man. Lord Frederick may be said to owe the tMIleillllil(lll(IIIIIIIIIIMIIIlIMltlt(tMIltlllMI(t((l(lll(ltt(llllt(lllllltIIHt Ciifitisiittitti(ttliititf(iict(i(i(gtitiiiitillt 00 0 0 0 SPECIAL... TODAY, SUNDAY Exposition Building Two Grand Concerts BY THE Royal Marine Band ...OF ITALY-. GIORGIO M1HOLIT1, Director I 0 0 0 0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 00 0 0 00 00 00 0 00 0 0 0 00 0 00 00 0 00 00 00 0 00 00 00 00 00 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 00 00 00 0 00 0 0 00 0 00 00 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -' THIS AFTERNOON AT 2:30 v. .it,- .. THIS EVENING AT 8:13 Sacred Concert Concert of Popular Airs and Request Concert All requests for special numbers to be left at the office of Marquam Grand up to 6 P. M., today. PRICES Adults, 50c; Children Under 12 Years, 25c OTNHMr- I MARQUAM GRAND '.gr- BSjsstjBjstHBMHBaSMBaMHHiiasssssaaaaaaaaasVBiis What the Public Want -Novelties PRESENTING THREE GREAT OPERAS FOUR NIGHTS Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday December 3, 4, 5 and 6 Special Matinee Wednesday YOUNG AND POWERFUL CHORUS GRAU'S OWN ORCHESTRA JULES GRAU S OPERA COMPANY REPERTOIRE Monday and Tuesday ISLE OF CHAMPAGNE Wednesday Matinee LITTLE TYCOON Wednesday and Thursday EL CAPITAN PRICES. Evening. $1. 75c. 50c and 25c Matinee, 50c and 25c. 000V 000 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0 00 0 0 0 00 0 00 0 00 00 00 0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 00 0 00 00 O 0 00 00 00 00 00 00 0 0 00 00 00 00 t 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0 0 00 00 00 00 0 00 00 00 90 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0 :? 0 EXTRA! FRIDAY AND SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 7 AND 8 EXTRA! so HORSES SO MATINEE SATURDAY JACOB LITPS MAGNIFICENT REVIVAL 200 MEN 200 "SHENANDOAH" DIRECT FROM THE BROADWAY THEATER, NEW YORK CITY ' 7 -. AN AMERICAN PLAY FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE! The Most Realistic Battle Scene Ever Presented on any Stage Every Detail of the Production Identical With That Used in New York A Company of Superlative Excellence CAVALRY, INFANTRY, ARTILLERY WORDS OF PRAISE FROM GENERAL MILES "It Is the best play I have ever seen.' FROM THE NEW YORK JOURNAL "A riot of enthusiasm. . . A triumph of stagecraft." 25 Veterans From Cuba and the Philippines 11 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 POPULAR WITH THE PEOPLE CORDRAY'S THEATER JOHN F. CORDRAV, Manager FOUR NIGHTS, BEGINNING TONIGHT, SUNDAY, DEC. 2 THE MYRON B. RICE COMEDY COMPANY PRESENTING My Friend From India STRONGEST COMPANY EVER SEEN IN THE PIECE MAY VOKES AS "TILLY,5 HER ORIGINAL CHARACTER IN: CONJUNCTION WITH A NUMBER OF M AJ O- HIGH-CLASS VAUDEVILLE FEATURES ..0.PIO AQVanCe III r HCeS loss of bis JlO.OOO-a-year editorship to the action of his sister, the Duchess of Buc cleugh. In declining to remain any longer the social sponsor of the ex-American multl-mllllonalre. Mr. Astor, by his Idiosyncrasies, and by his arrogance, had already severely taxed the g6od nature and the breeding of the Duchess, who Is one of the great leaders of the English world, and who, as Grand Mistress of the Robes to the Queen, Is chief of the femin ine portion of the royal household. 1 Sir HeHry Irrlagr. I4verpool Mercury. The star of Sir Henry Irving Is stlU In the ascendant. It shines with an efful gence and a brilliance that characterize no other In the same sphere. It is as vividly bright today as It was 20 years ago. Its vitality is amazing, but easily understood by the world lightened by Its steady, purposeful gleam. It means much, and it has meant much for many years this steady, constant star of Art. Its moment of ascendency marked a new era In the heaven of histrionics; hence forth the king star shone alone, and the other creations of the theatrical sky did homage. Sir Henry Irving has trans formed the stage, the meaning of the stage, the scope of the stage, and the attitude of the English world to it. He, by the suggestive strength of his doings in many spheres, by bis belief in the majesty of his art, and by hi3 austere conflict with prejudice, narrowness and the maudlin and hysterical utterances of those who decry the stage, knowing noth ingand admittedly knowing nothing of It, has put the stage onto a plane which never before held It, and which, It-Is to be hoped, Is only a foretaste of a future and even better state than that at pres ent evident. Sir Henry would probably be the first to admit that there Is plenty of room yet for Improvement In many directions, noticeably In the tone of cer tain plays which have a passing vogue. None would be the loser, and many the gainers, were they "Improved out of ex istence." However, the literary dramatic quality, the artistic embellishment, the lavish accompaniments and the artistic histrionics rife today, coupled with, per fectlon of detail.- a wealth of research prior to the production of historical plays, are all effects directly traceable to ana made possible by the force recognizable in the person of Irving. There must not be omitted from this pleasant, though inconclusive, catalogue of Irving's bem eflts, one of the most meritorious and de lightful features to wit, the Improved social status of the actor. The theatrical profession owes to Sir Henry, and ad mittedly owe3, a debt impossible of rei payment and beyond calculation. And what does the public owe to him? .Au amount of satisfaction, artistic and. gent eral, passing; description in this brieS space. U