MUSICAL COURIER
30
January 4, 1923
the style of music wanted, or other details that will help the publisher to select the requisite music, are conditions that naturally suggest themselves to the purchaser. Many catalogues have a few bars of the music advertised, which is not only a help in selecting from a list, but is also interesting to those who delight in trying pieces. Standard works are easy to decide upon, but it is the enormous quantity of new compositions that make the trouble of knowing what to buy and what not to buy.
Beggar's Opera.
“Did a company ever come over here from England to play ihe Beggar’s Opera, and if so did they ever play in New York?
Is it still in existence?”
Yes, a company came from England and played in New York, at the Greenwich Village Theater, but the opera was not• a success in this city for some reason or other. Our impression is that the company afterward made a success in Canada and is back there for a second tour this season.
Old Operas.
“Why do they never play some of the old operas here in New York, such as Maritana and others of that class? Probably the reason is that they would not suit the public today, but it would be a pleasure to hear some of them once more.”
You have probably guessed the reason of old operas not being sung; the public does not care much for what is styled old-fashioned operas. They seem to	belong to another generation.	The usual
manager tries to give the public what it wants and does not try experiments.	It is too	expensive. In	London they	have had a
season at the “Old Vic” when several of the old operas have been sung The	public showed appreciation	by crowding	the theater
nightly and the season lasted several weeks. Maritana was one of the operas sung, and a private letter spoke of its being a pleasure to h ar that old favorite well sung, with a number of the arias encored. One of the numbers received a double encore—but then London is not so critical, perhaps, as New York. A favorite singer will receive	tremendous	applause when	the voice is	quite gone.
Once a favorite there, always a favorite.
factor in making good art greater. That is why your opera houses and symphony halls present the best voices, the best instrumentalists the world is producing.
“In fifteen to twenty years, I feel safe in predicting that America will be producing the best native artists. This is not a chance hazard. It is not said lightly. I seriously believe that, if America continues its genuine absorption in the best music, one tangible result in the next twenty years will be the development of the world’s finest voices, the world’s finest masters of musical expression in every medium.”
The pianist’s first appearance here this season is scheduled for the afternoon of January 13, at Aeolian Hall.
Lovette Students in Recital
Washington, D. C., December 23—The Lovette students’ recital held at Fairmont Seminary recently in honor of. the students of that institution’ proved to be of a rather unusual standard. The program presented was as follows: First movement of sonata in E minor (Greig), Romance (Sibelius), prelude in C minor (Rachmaninoff), played by Mary Ruth Matthews; three Chopin preludes, Papillons (Rosenthal), and scherzo (Leginska), by Gladys Hillyer, and Fantasia in C major (Haydn) Sonetto 12 3 del Petrarca (Liszt) Valse Caprice (Strauss-Tausig), given by Zelma Brown. To quote from the Washington Star: “These young artists showed talent of a high order, displaying splendid technic and interpretative qualities.”
E. T.
Friedman Appraises American Future.
Ignaz Friedman, the Polish concert pianist, arrived in New York on the Olympic, December 20, for his second season in America. Seen at the dock, Mr. Friedman was full of enthusiasm and talk. “You cannot imagine,” said he, “the emotions with which a musician returns to America. America has won leadership in industry and commerce. It is duplicating that achievement when it comes to things musical. To one born and trained in the atmosphere of Continental Europe, with its traditions reaching so deeply into the past, there is something of a strengthening, tonic effect in breathing the spirit of your land again.
“America today has the best orchestras in the world. The best'artists of the world are found in America. They are not for the most part native Americans, but the appreciation of good music among increasing numbers of American people is growing so sincere and genuine that the best artists of the world are attracted here. It is here that they are best understood. Their art reaches its greatest heights' here because their audiences are becoming the most intelligent here, and true appreciation surely is an important
Cortot En Route for the Coast.
Alfred Cortot is booked for an extensive series of appearances on the Coast. He will give many recitals en route, beginning at Chicago, January 7. Two days later he will play at Cedar Rapids.; 12, Menasha; 15, Davenport, and 18, Winnipeg.
J. W. Amey. The name of the child is Frank Lowell Amey. Grace_ Hoffman is very popular on the concert platform and is looking forward to many future appear-
Answers to letters received in this department are published as promptly as possible. The large number of inquiries and the limitation of space are responsible for any delay. The letters are answered seriatim.
Japanese Composer.
‘Can you give me information about a Japanese composer of music, if there is such a one? Does he compose music like the European, or is it distinctly Japanese? That is something like the Chinese, is it not?—what sounds to Americans like a horrible discord? I heard a Chinese band once at a funeral, but that was sufficient to deter me from caring to hear any more like it.”
There is a Japanese composer, Koscak Yamada, who is conductor of the Philharmonic Society of Tokio, Japan. He was educated, however, in Germany, and his music is not written in the Japanese style, although many of the pieces have Japanese names, naturally. He has written for the piano, as well as a number of songs and larger works. Quite a number of well known musicians have appeared in Japan during the past few years, so the Japanese have had an opportunity to become acquainted with foreign music. The appearance of Japanese in opera is also another proof of what we, from our standpoint, might call an advance in the art.
Evening Schools.
“I should like to have a little information about evening schools in New York City where they teach music. How long a term is there, must one pass any sort of examination, and is attendance compulsory after entering the school?”
Music is taught in the evening high schools of New York, but students should register at the beginning of the term, which is in September. No new pupils will be admitted to a class that has been in session twenty evenings unless, in the judgment of the principal, such admission will not interfere with the progress of the class. There is an examination for entrance to any of the classes, music as well as any other, as these evening schools are intended for those who have graduated from elementary schools or have an equivalent education. The course lasts about twenty weeks.
Small Library.
“As I am a graduate in piano, and have made quite a successful first appearance, I am now more ambitious than ever to continue my work, and also to read and know something more about music than I do at the present moment. With that end in view, could you give me the names of some books that I could make the beginning of a small library, to which I could add as time went on?”
A similar request was received more than a year ago and a list of books suggested for the purpose of founding a small and instructive library. Of course it is taken for granted that these books will be read and studied in order to help you toward a more comprehensive knowledge of your subject. Dunstan, Cyclopedic Dictionary of Music and Musicians; Upton, Standard Symphonies and Their Meaning; Pratt, History of Music; Tapper-Goetschius, History of Music; Montague-Nathan, History of Russian Music. There are many others by foreign writers on the subject. If you want to study appreciation of music, there are also, several books published in this country: O. Ditson & Co., Boston—Music Appreciation, by Clarence Hamilton; Arthur P. Schmidt, Boston—Music an Art and a Language, Walter R. Spalding; Thos. Whitney Surette and D. G. Mason, The Appreciation of Music, published by H. W. Gray Co., New York City. Any publisher will be glad to send you catalogues, but the above will do for a beginning.
On Approval.
“Will you be kind enough to tell me if any of the music houses send music out on approval. I live away from a large center where I could go in to look over the music for myself, and it is not	easy to select from a	catalogue.	I like to	see the
pieces before	buying them, as I do	not want	any	music	unsuitable for my	work. I have heard	that some	of	the publishers
will send a	number of songs or instrumental	pieces	for a
teacher to select from. Can you tell me if that is so, and also on what conditions the music is sent?”
The Information Bureau has just received from J. Fischer & Bro., Eighth street and Fourth avenue, New York City, a circular on this subject, so that is one firm that sends on approval, and it is probably true that all music houses do the same. There do not seem to be many conditions attached to this service. A request for prompt return of pieces not required, accurate information as to
Alexander Gunn, Pianist, Wins England’s Praise.
The London Times and the Pall Mall Gazette used such phrases as “fine performance, full of fire” and “quality in his playing,” and the Daily Telegraph and The Lady said commendatory things (as may be seen in the appended excerpts), in comment on Alexander Gunn’s recital in Wig-
Apeda Photo
ALEXANDER GUNN
more Hall, London, October 10 of this year. Mr. Gunn has since then returned to America, and will be heard in important concerts. The notices follow:
Alexander Gunn . . . showed great versatility in a program of varied interest and some originality. When he came to Ravel’s Sonatina he upset a slightly unfavorable estimate I had formed of his playing by a remarkably fine performance full of musical insight and temperamental fire. If this is the real Gunn, I felt he is a great Gunn. . . . That his fine playing of Ravel was no accident, due to a special affinity with Ravel’s music, was proved by another great performance in Chopin’s nocturne in C sharp minor. His work in a Liszt transcription of Wagner and some slight pieces by Grovlez and deFalla showed a sound technic.—The Lady, London.
This young artist has plenty of technical resdurce and a good touch.—London Daily Telegraph.
American Pianist—Example Set to English Performers (heading). There was one point in which Mr. Alexander Gunn, the pianist, who appeared at the Wigmore Hall yesterday afternoon, set our own performers an example. It was that, being an American, he boldly opened his recital with a strong group by the American composer, MacDowell. . . . Mr. Gunn raised hopes by his playing of some of MacDowell’s Sea Pieces, which was broad and sincere. . . . There was quality in Mr. Gunn’s playing, and one recalls with pleasure the distinction of those MacDowell pieces—Pall Mall Gazette.
Alexander Gunn showed ... an agreeable touch and a sound conception of what he was playing. The last movement of Ravel’s Sonatina was a fine performance, full of fire, but tempered with good sense, possibly a little hard at moments, though this had its use in tending to clearness. A nocturne of Chopin was noticeable for a wealth of rich, sustained tone.—London Times.
A Son to Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Amey
On November 14 a son was born to the well known coloratura soprano, Grace Hoffman, in private life Mrs.
Of Great Interest--
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Melodic Violin Method, for Beginners ................... $1.00
8.	CALLENDER, ROMAINE. The First Year of Pianoforte Study 1.25
9.	HOLMES, REBECCA WILDER.
Progressive Scale and Chord Studies, for the Violin (with rules for 3 Octave Scale fingering by Dr. Jos. Joachim).... 1.00
10 PRAHL, EARL VICTOR. A Second Piano Book. Old Tunes
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I I . MALKIN, JACQUES. Scale Exercises for Violinists for Perfect Control of the Left and Right Hand........................... 1.25
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Double Stopping for the Violin
3.	STOEVING, PAUL. Right Arm
4.	SEYMOUR, DOROTHY H. A
collection of Folk Tunes for Piano........................
5.	BLOCH, ALEXANDER. Finger Strengthening Exercises for the
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