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"