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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 1908)
THE OREGON SUNDAY; JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER 15, -1808. ' THIS week , cornea - the happg an nouncement that Madame Lillian Nordic will return to Portland next month In concert, tinder the Lola Steers-Wynn Coman manage ment. The announcement la met with joy, for no other dinger, unleaa tt he Bchumann-Helnk haa ever been' given uch whole-hearted love aa well aa ad miration in Portland. . Madame Nordlca I will be here the night of Thursday December 10, to aing at the Helllg, and It t aaid that this will be , her laat appearance In Portland, for she la contemplating giv ing up the concert stage to devote her time exclusively to her pet hobby the establishment of her American Bay reuth on ihe Hudson. However, not very much has been aaid about thla retirement, for it might be that madam a will be prevailed upon to remain before the public soma time yet, and she la not the one to use this "farewell appear ance" aa an advertisement. Madame Nordlca la not old aa prima donnas go. It may be an unchlvalroua art to publish some women's ages abroad,- but If a woman, has accom plished as much aa haa Nordlca and lias such widespread fame and wide reaching Influence aa haa this queen of song, there la no want of chivalry In saying 'that she has accomplished all that she has before she la 60. She was born in 1859. Madame Nordlca la one of the most delightful public personages I have ever tni't. one is a woman or large Drain and large heart. -There are some singers?- ad to tell, whose Interests do not ex tend, beyond their own limited sphere and their own hopes for success. Not so with Madame Nordlca. She deals with large ideas; she thinks about big things: she debates big questions, sb solutely unrelated to her art; she battles with big problems. There is nothing small about her nature. She talks about "us working women" as though she were one of the lowliest of them, and speaks of the the unfairness shown to poor working women as though she herself had known what It was to work under these unfair condi tions. . , A success In the financial world her self, ' ehe still feels for her humbler sisters who meet with Injustice and she longs to be able to fight for them. Need less to say she believes in woman's suf frage. And. withal, Madame Nordlca Is thor oughly feminine. A strong character. ha haa. however, none of the mascu line traits about her. She likes her comforts and likes a cosy, little chat over the teacups, and she loves pretty clothes as much as anyone. It la this cUmxnt nf womanliness coUDled with her splendid strength of character and v dignity that endears her to her audl nce. They begin by admiring and end i.v invlnir her. This has been notice odlA In hnr annearancea here. The spontaneity and. the sincerity of the ovation given her last June when she sang with the New York Bympnony or chestra bespoke a warmth of feeling that passed mere cold admiration. Madame Nordica'a main ambition has ' always been to do something for fu ture generations so that her usefulness amuM not nass with her life. That-4s the way she happened upon her Ameri can Bayreuth plan. She hopes to bulla this large Institution for the benefit of American girls who now have to go abroad for study, and there often frit ter away their ume ana tneir money nothing is left merely through lgnor- nM of the nroner way to proceed. At this Institution Madame Nordlca hopes to center the best Instructive talent of the age that talented Americana may thus secure what their limited means often makes it impossible for them to She also nlnns to have concerts given there by the best talent the world of fers. Her plans nave oeen -set ionn more In detail In this cava, and thev are too extensive to explain farther here. Suffice it to say that Madame Nordlca now says, that it is ner on;y desire to live to see this dream ful filled. And the land tnat sue has bought for the project and the money she has turned over to It takes It far enough out of the realm of dreams and Into the province of reality to make It seem that she will have her desire soon. And now for her appearance here next month. This by the way will be the second of the aubscrlptton series given by Miss Bteers and Miss Coman for the Oogorsa concert was given aside from the se ries. Madame Nordlca, will thla Ume bring with her Emma Showers, a pl anlste of Memphis, Tenn., who haa some very nice things aaid about her: Fred erick Hastings, baritone, and Andre Be nolst, accompanist Mlsa Showera has studied extensively in Boston with Baermann and later In Europe. She Is . pronounced an artist of high ideals who wishes to raise the standard of musicianship among pianists to the same high level occupied by violinists. Mr. Hastings also Is an American, for. by the way. Madame Nordlca Is one ot those rare people who do not belittle home products, but believe In giving them a chance with the Imported. Mr. Hastings has a dramatic baritone. He Is especially successful as an oratorio and concert singer. Miss Ethel Sundqulst. a talented young, violinist of Astoria, is gaining a good deal of attention by her talent She studied for three years with Sauret and now that she has returned to As toria she studies with Frank O. Elchen laub, the talented Portland pianist who pronounces her exceptionally -.- clever. Next Tuesday she will be the soloist at the Philharmonic concert in Astoria and will play "Ballade e.t Polonajse" (Vieuxtemps). She has worked up this number entirely with Mr. Eichenlaub in the short time she has been studying with him and shows exceedingly good style. An Important step in music haa been taken in San Francisco where Bach festivals are to be Inaugurated under the direction of Dr. J. Fred Wolle at the Greek theatre. The first concert will be given nest May andv the first number will be the G minor class. The Bnch chorus consists of about Joo voices and is divided into the Berkelny-Oakland-AIamedai section and the San Francisco section. A benefit concert will "be given for . St. Agnes baby home "next Friday even ing at the Heilig under the auspices of ihe Ladles' Aid society of the cathe dral.". "Mrs. May Dearborne Schwab and Misa Petronelhv Connolly - are arrang ing the program, i The Lakme quartet Will give several numbers, among them the beautiful "West Wind." written by Father Dominic, with words by Mrs. Alma ,IJ. Rogers. Mta. . Arvilla Mo GvH Stolte la . the accompanist - for the quartet during the absence of ,Mrs. Warren B. Thomaa and will be the accompanist that evening for the solo ists. Mrs. Schwab will sing a number of her child songs, in whfoh ahe -has been heard In recital. Miss Delia Brad ley, reader, will give aome child verse in line with these songs. Miss Con nolly, Miss Ethel Lytle 'Booths, and Stuart McguWe, the talented baritone, will be the other soloist. Mlsa Cor nelia Barker will contribute violin num bers. The patronesaea for the concert are Mrs. A. T. Rockey, Mrs. L. Allen Lewis, Mrs.'W. C Alvord, Mrs. Henry Waldo Coe. Mrs. P. J. Cronln, Mrs. D. W. Burke, Mrs. John Murphy, Mrs. "W. F. Graham, Mrs. F. Sullivan and Miss M. McKay. P. 6. Hickie will give two interesting groups of songa at the recital Monday night, given by pupils of Mra. Rose Coursen Reed. Among, his numbers will be the well known aria "To the Evening Star" (TannhauserV, a pretty Italian serenade by Scuderi; Schumann's "Die Lotosblume," and "Don Juan's Serenade" by Tschalkowsky. Misa Orayce Ellen Campbell and Dr. George Alnalle are the other sololsta. . The Tuesday After noon club will glVe two numbers. s The musical program at the Cente nary M. B. church today will consist of organ numbers by William R. Boone of Corvallis and a tenor aolo by C. B. Patterson in the morning. There will be a social next Friday night at the parsonage given by the church as a re- eeptlon to the new choir with Mr. Pat terson and Mr. Boone. The music at the Taylor street M. K church today will be as follows: Morn ing Organ voluntary, anthem, "By Babylon's Wave." (Gounod); offertory contralto solo, v'GIve Alms of Thy Goods" , organ pnstlude. Evening Pre lude, anthem, "The Choir Angelic," (Hanscom); offertory, tenor solo, "The Old Sweet Story, (Parks); postlude. w The younger members of Miss Grace Wilton's piano school gave their second recital of the season last Saturday aft ernoon before an attendance of HO young people. , Miss Katharyne Shannon and Miss Mlna Uhlman have been added to the faoulty In Miss Wilton's school. w Frank G. Eichenlaub haa been en gaged as head of the violin department at Columbia university on the east aide. Mr. Eichenlaub has not been in Port land many months, but his talent and conscientious work have gained him ready recognition. Among the out-of-town people study ing with Mrs. Rose Couraen-Reed are Miss Katberine Romlg of Newberg, Or.. Miss Marian Plummcr of Hillsdale and Miss Kathryn Shannon of Forest Grove. The need of a new American national anthem was discussed recently by the National Institute of Art and Letters, of Which Professor William Milligan Sloane of Columbia university la presl- V f ' V . 3r H Latest, Picture of Mma. Lillian Nordlca, Ns , .f-... .f s ,s s, ,V s-v jZL r:fli- ''- dent. The organisation decided that we need a new anthem. That being settled for the five thousandth time, the meet ing, adjourned, Musical Courier. Mra. Chloe McClung-Daneke has be come a member of Rose Coursen Reed's Treble Cleff club, taking the place in second alto of Mra. Virginia Wire, for merly Mra. Reno Hutchinson. . -v : " .A correspondent asks, "Who Is the youngest and who is the oldest ot the most famous living composers T" Rach maninoff is 85 and Ooldmark is 7S. Musical Courier. The muaio at the First , Baptist church today will include, a 'cello solo by Charles Duncan Raff and a gospel duet by Miss Kathleen Lawler and Miss Ethel Shea. Miss Kathleen Lawler has reorganized her chorus of women's voices and there are 26 members In the chorus. -a ADELA VERNE IS Pianistic Wonder Monstrosity is not a pretty word because we have come to associate it too much with the idea of hideous ab normality. But it is a strong word and originally means merely a deviation from the usual form, and hence some thing extraordinary, wonderful, marvel ous. I suppose that is the reason heard a cleverplaniste who was almost struak dumb with wonder, use only that one Iterm of Mlsa Adela Verne the others night. For her genius is almost unbelievable. Alfred Metzger. the discriminating editor of the Musical Review of San Francisco, described my feelings of as tonishment when he wrote of her, "My ears could hardly believe my eyes, and m v eves could hardly believe my ears. and had it not been for my soul, I cer tainly would have been bewildered. Ym. like Rosenthal, she leaves one with a sense of the Inadequacy of the English language to aescnoe ner art. Wonderful. reDeated several times in succession with a gasp and exclamation point after each one would come the nearest to an expression oi ner ri. It is a Dltv that Miss verne waa neam heard only by a few hundred Invited people Thursday night at the Suottlsh Rltu cathedral. A fortunate few suc ceeded in getting the Invitations for feited by the mempers wno aione were en. I tied to them. And these few. com prising several 6f the musical elect sat up ana wonaerea ai ims pnenomenon who made the piano answer to every whim and fancy of her splendid mu sical mind. For her fingers were only servants of her will. And so subservi ent were they that her hearers were merely eonsciouB of the magnificent sounds that wove themselves into gior Imia expressions of human emotions. And for once they forgot entirely the perfeot technic. It was only with an effort that one realized it was a pro cess of" keys being struck with mar velous control. It was sound existing, not being made. And yet adjectives fall when one at temnts to describe her technical accom plishment. But added to this are char acter, force, individuality, and impres sionability without weak sentimentality, that make her playing of the master pieces vivid pictures and living stories. The most phlegmatic could not but be moved by her playing. That wonderful Chopin 35th sonata which only a few artists can play adequately left noth ing to be desired In her interpretation. It throbbed with tragic intensity. Vol canic force, present In aU her work showed Itself In Chopin's wonderful work. Unlimited power was there, but v3 1 tS 4 Wio Will fas Here Next Month 5. a "J "7 Si it waa kept under the. control of her mlnd. ,, . - To enumerate the numbers on her program which especially held the audi ence would be hard, for It waa a varied program and everything waa played per fectly. The 22 Beethoven variations displayed her technical skill. The four pieces for the harplschord. all written in the seventeenth and eighteenth cen turies, showed how well she could lay aside her strength to Interpret these dainty, quaint bits. The staccato study by Rubinstein was a glittering, spark ling marvel. - Her wonderful singing tone waa especially shown In "Au Con vent" (Borodin). ''Tha Wind" (Alkan, a characteristic piece, was not a piano composition under her hands but a real reproduction of caprices of the wind and cold shudders, alternating with hot waves of enthusiasm, passed through the house. The Liszt polonaiase teemed with martial spirit and force and aha was forced to respond to a wild encore. Naturally she was compared to most of "the great pianists and never to her disparagement, 'rime and again Mad ame Carreno'a name was mentioned ayd suffice it to say, Mlas. Verne, who, by the way, is only a young woman in her early twentlea and extremely modest, did not auffer by the comparison. She will undoubtedly be heard of farther. I only hope that Mlsa Steers and Miss Coman, who have interested themselves In her career, will find an opportunity to bring her back here, that Portland at large may have the opportunity of hearing this wonderfully talented young woman. -55 UST TO DUST" IS Text of This Sermon -- . -a Qelma-Heida 'Of Paris, well versed In matters musical, writes wittily to the Musical Courier ' concerning the warn ing given by a prominent physician. Delma-Helde is well fitted to speak of dust dirt dust, gold dust or any kind of dust In connection with muslo, for he has been In active service in the music al field long enough to know what kind of dust is most frequently raised by stampeding musicians. Contaminated dust, bv the way, must be some kind of cousin to tainted money. Following are his remarks: "Microbes (germlsltea or parasites, as you may choose to cail them) leave no thing untouched. It la claimed, not even pianos or bank notes, particularly when touched with dust 1. e., the wrong kind of dust. It In undoubted that dust (the ordinary dust) is rich in germs of all kinds, and dust la deposited everywhere. The dusting of the parts of a piano may produce cases of pneumonia, influenza and Scarlatina, Persons playing upon pianos (according to. a learned medical authority) may be attacked by the germs of these diseases lurklnjr In the crannies of the Instrument, waiting for their opportunity to he inhaled by th lungs and to recommence their deadly work. Pianos are, therefore, suscepti ble of carrying within them the germs of dangerous maladies (not melodies), hence It is an absolute necessity to prevent their abfrblng the dust which carries the contamination. Here, again, aa always, we must beware of the dust" ARIE CORELlTiST A Gifted Musician There are many conflicting opinions about Marie Corelll's books and their merit. However, anyone wlli concede that this emotional writer Is a woman of much ability, whether or not her novels meet with one's artistic or prac tical approval. The following from the London World throws some Interesting sidelights on a much-discussed woman: "Marie Corelll's passion for muslo she has a rare mastery of the piano and plays the mandolin ravishingly har de votion to flowers, her collecting hobby, which runs mainly to rare editions of books and pamphlets, and her taste for reading fill whatever la left of her life when she Is not speaking in public or working on some novel. The gifted wo man's talent aa a musician is beyond all doubt. She was educated, in fact for a musical career, under auspices of that celebrated poet and man of letters, Charles Markay, into whose family she was adopted when little more than a babe. Her fluency in French was acquired during her convent days near Paris, this period of her life being devoted, how ever, to the acquisition of her splendid musical education. , In the neatness of her technic, even when she interprets appallingly difficult themes. Marie Oorelli is an artist to her finger tips in a most literal sense. The extreme delicacy and flexibility of her sense of rhythm enables her to take all sorts of liberties with a work without for a moment severing or even fraying its general line. Beforee she was 15, In deed, Marie Corelll was writing an opera. Beethoven, according to one au thority, is the only man she could be capable of loving. He has the advan tage or Demg aeaa. -S3 RON CHANCELLOR As Sentimentalist a Keudell has compiled a book on Bis marck's sayings in which the tatter's at titude toward muslo Is particularly' shown. The great German statesman Is i not often considered from the sentl- j mental aide of his character. He was, ; however, passionately fond of music. His favorite composers were Beethoven and Schubert, and the only thing he disliked about their works were the variations, which, he said, do not speak from the heart. Keudell tells of seeing the man of blood and iron i shed tears during a performance of the Sonata Appaaslonata. ''It is like the singing and obbmg of the whole human life?" Bismarck remarked. "If I heard this music often I should always be brave." He often invented a pictorial background for music which had none. Of Mendels sohn's Caprlcclo he said, "In part this sounds like a merry Rhine ioumav: at other places I fancy I see a fox run ning along cautiously in the woods." v nen ne uvea at -FTanxiort Bis marck often aaid he dialiked to go to concerts or operas, for two reasons: He dialiked being confined In the limited space occupied by a seat and he ob jected to paying for music. fa hi music, ne saia. sucn as you hear in concert halls and opera houses has little attraction for me; but there Is nothing I love more than music at home; there it lias a most Denetlclal effect Music should be a free gift like love. 'Tfiowever, he did not grasp his oppor tunity to help Wagner who had the same idea, to carry out this plan. Wagner's first plan was to make the Bayreuth festival performance accessible to rich and poor alike but he found he needed money to build the theatre. He hoped for aid from the government and wrote to Bismarck asking it but the letter was never answered. - W i a DIERKE'S STUDENTS Give Good Recital A charming recital waa that of Tues day afternoon when Mr. Dierke present ed several of hia pupils t Ellera halt A large erowd attended and showed- Ita appreciation" 6f the artistic program. The first number was Liszt's famous "Les, Preludes," a symphonic poem for two pianos, played by Miss Pearl Smith and Miss Amy May. It was splendidly played with the lights and shades of the story well drawn. Miss May and Miss Smith are an exceptionally happy combination in piano work,, playing to gether In " absolute sympathy. "Lea Preludes," a splendid composition show ing the contrasting phases of a big ques tion, ia Written about Lamartlne's poem. "Notre Vie Eat-olla autre Chose qu'une Serie de Preludes,"1 (freely translated: "Our life is It ausht else than a series of preludes?). It might have added to the pleasure of the audience had thai Jm EYTINGE BENEFIT THURSDAY f mmmMmmmmm sms-1 mm i a - :7vH' ' Til .f m yjf v Misa Rose Eytlnge, Veteran Actress, for Whom Benefit Is to Be Given Thursday afternoon at the Heilig the Rose Eytlnge benefit matinee will he the principal dramatic feature of the week in Portland. This benefit, which Is being planned and carried out by Mlna Croliup Gleason of the Baker stock company, promises to have fully as much Intrinsic as sentimental merit. Mrs. Gleason has arranged to have acts from each of the theatres of the city, Including the "Little Johnny Jones" musical comedy at the Baker, .the Orpheum. the Grand and Pants gs, as well as recitations by former pupils of the famous beneficiary. James Olason will give his new play let by Will Cressey, "Mlas Qoddard of Ypsllantl." Mlsa Seymour Will Kin54 'Swastika Sue," the new song by Gene vieve Thompson, and will have a large chorus and elaborate scenic accesoriea if It were'nt for Mlna Seymour's bl? heartednesa no Portland benefit could ever become a success. Miss Jewell and x Mr. Ayres, leading woman and leading man of the Baker stock com pany will give the "balcony scene" poem, or rather Its translation, been read before the number or printed on the program. Miss Ruth Raymond, a very talented little girl with a delightful mannrr, followed with a Chopin waltz and Cham inade's "Arlequine. The latter shq played especially well with a good re production of the spirit f merriment and mischief. Her youthful independ ence and unconsciousness won their way with the audience. Miss Anna Bitser played Rubinstein's Romance in E flat but did better In Weber's Invitation a la Valsa In which she produced the rhythm unfailingly. Miss Evelyn Carey played three num bers with musical understanding and temperament. Le Chant du Ruisseau waa probably her best number, played with delicate grace. Two Massenet num bers "Angelus," from "Scenes Plttor esque" and "Aragonaise" were played with Intelligence. Miss Pearl Smith's playing of "Fan tasia Hongrolse" (Liszt) brought the program to a triumphant clos'. Mr. Dlerke played' the orchestral parts on the second piano. Miss Smith's Inter pretation was perfectly satisfactory. She played with strength, with delicacy and agility. When the theme, which Is used also in the fourteenth rhapsody, waa brought in. she played with a vi vacity and firmness that penetrated the audience and later made them burst Into rapturous apolauae. Misa Smith Is a rirst Was rather a crude affair, but out of it name the first complete Piano in the per fection of the Stein tar I It is just the same with Player-Pianos. The first ones were in the nature of -an ?xperiment, until finally, through evo lution of. perfected ideas, the world was p;iven the first complete and perfect Grand Player-Piano in the A. B. Chase Artistano Piano r T;HE WORLD'S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PLAYER-PIANO CONSTRUCTION It is indeed true that Player-Pianos, like Pianos which do not progress in con structive ideas, really retrograde. You .owe it to yourself to examine the A. B. Chase Aristano Player. - ' h SIXTH AND MORRISON STREETS OPPOSITE POSTOFFICC . - 1V"rT; Portland ' Seattle , - from "Romeo and Juliet" Charles E. Coture, who is aaid to have an unusu ally good tenor, will sing. :Miss Elsie Garrett, accompanied by Miss Anne Ditchborn, will give aome of the new songs and Miss Mabel Belover, accom panied by Carl Denton, will give some musical recitations and other novel ties. Miss Marararet Easrbert will lve dialect recitations, while Miss Kent of the Baiter stock company, will try and arrange a scene from "Maga" with Mrs. John Thorn. As a final attraction Mrs. Gleason Jierself will give her enter taining monoloane. ' Confectioners and florists 'ot the city have agreed to furnish- flowers and candy which will be sold during the afternoon by a niamber of vouni soci- ety women under the chaperenage of Mrs. Fred D. Chamberlain, Mra. W. T fangie ann Mrs. ueorge Bauer. All or the proceeds are to go to Mrs. Eytlnge, wio will be 70 years old on Baturday next The benefit would have been given on Mra. Bytlng"s birthday, but owing to the Saturday matinees it waa Impossible to ar range ,t. musician of great ability, with musical feeling and character about her work that places tt high Indeed. There Is brilliancy in her playing wnuoui any ox ine raxe xecnnio or so many brilliant pianists, which cannot bear close examination. COMPETENT CRITIC v-l Praises Maud Powell Everyone that knows anything about musical criticism at all knows of Philip Hale of Boston, annotator of the Boston Symphony programs, and well-known critic In general.' His opinion of Maud Powell, violinist, who plays here Thanksgiving eve. Is so good, so sane, and so just -that I cannot refrain from copying It here, and making my bows to Mr. Hale, who has told some good, wholesome truths, not only about Madame Powell, but, by Innuendo, about some other musicians in a different class: "Of women who have visited us of late years, only Lady Halle is to be named In the same breath with her. Maud Powell has reached the goal by honest and honorable means. Her own natural gifts, her genius for Indefati Victor Talking Machines - ' ' ' Tacoma Everett ' gable and Intelligent work have rltte .1 her in the proud position. She haa tin', put her strength In press scents wit sackbut and psaltery and himli-oiiiiilln cymbals; ahe did uot use her sex, m I her nationality to boost her into a pool tlon she did not deserve. Her onegr.i friend and helper has been her indta- Bu table talent It would be Idle to stir lat she plays like a man. for she pUy better than moat men. it would l mis leading to say that she plays Ilk a woman, even though the posm-eslon of -the finer sentiments and gentler emo tion were thus implied. Maud Powell playa Ilka a true artist, who knows all emotions and passion but is not mas tered by them, for ahe realizes -that-sentiment la not efflmlnacy, sensuous ness is n6t caterwauling, and prrkIoii, even at ita height U not hysteria," . , ,- - y-y- i- w OMAN COMPOSER Honored in New York One of the most " delightful person ages that has recently visited our coun- ' try Is Madame Cecils Cliaminado, the French composer and pianist She has come over to America at the solicitation of many, for a short tour only, expect ing to be at her home again in Paris to in America waa at Carnegie hall In New York on a Saturday afternoon when she gave a program of her own p4ano com poKltlons and her own songs for which sheplayed the accompaniments. Yvonne de St Andre, mezzo-soprano, and Ernest Groom, baritone, were the singers. The papers have written much on thl talented woman, the .moat popular woman composer that ever lived. Hh seems to arouse no antagonism. Every where respect Is shown tier and though she would .hardly be classed as one of the giant composers, her work Is al ways given its due. ' At her opening concert ' the hall waa crowded and in numbers and proceeds it outshone anyv concert in many years. It was a sur prise, but it showed that Chamlnade not only holds a place aa a clever com-v poser but holds a firm place in the af- fectlons of the public. The Musical Courier gives one ot the most jusc criticisms of her concert While In n wise belittling her art the critic elearly dettnes the nature of her work.. He rays mere c&n u pu uuiervuvv ui upm Ion as to the melodic attractiveness and graceful rhythm, elegance of facture ami harmonic charm In all her works, . He pronounces them salon works and say a they frankly pretend to be"nothing elsi and as such are among the very best products of that style of music. "There is in them at times." he says, "a certain degree of melancholy which at times rises to deeply poetical utter- , ance. especially in some of the songs. To affect to disparage the Chamlnade muse because its products fall pleas-, antly upon, the ear is the worst kind of pedantry. The enjoyment which thla woman composer has given to thou sands of really musical persons is the best proof that her artistic appeal is ; baaed on sound and worthy accomplish ments. As a pianist Chamlnade makes no virtuoso pretensions, and indeed she .. needs nothing of that sort In her works, for they are not excessively difficult and their writing is in a facile, grace ful idiom within the reach of any fairly well equipped technic. . "The most demonstrative applause re warded Chaminade's every effort, and she received It with a degree of per sonal charm and unaffected modesty which made the ovation as much an ex pression of affection for the woman aa a tribute to the composer." w AGNER PRAISED By Noted Musician The Revue de Paris haa published some letters written by Bizet to hia mother- in-law in 1871. the time of the) commune. What la of especial Interest is that the composer of "Carmen" ex presses In them his opinion of Wagner, who was then a bone of contention. "It is the lot of a great genius to be misjudged by hia contemporaries," he wrote, "Wagner Is not my friend, and I hold him in but moderate estimation, but I can never forget the tremendous Impression made upon me by thla great reformer. The charm of his music la Indescribable, unutterable; it Is full of voluptuouanesa, tendernesa. love. The Germans, who have given us so much in matters of music, realize, Indeed, that Wagner is one of their strongest pillars. The spirit of the nineteenth century in Germany has gained power through him. You well know how bit ter hatred and harsh judgment affect a great artist Fortunately for Wagner, he is endowed with such unlimited pride that criticism can not reach hia heart granted that he has - a heart. which I douDt.- Tn another letter Bizet wrote: "Do not believe that I am discouraged. If - I saw that one or my contemporaries was about to surpass me. I should be- ...UaJ T 1mlt- hn althniiirh T progress so painfully and slowly, I still keep easily at the top. Wagner, the ' great the wonderful musician, whom you would admire If you were familiar with all hia music, la ao far above and beyond all of the present day that he must be omitted entirely from all com- -pari aona." The Hawaiian Symphony orchestra at the Perkins Grill for the first time In Portland. t . IBellinham i V .7
