August .2, 1919 M 'USICAL AMERICA 19

h(ilre in my office," and Mr. Maxwell went Mainardi, 'cell-ist. These three distin-· Covent Garden Opera "at Sixes to the piano, where a copy of it was guished Italians joined forces in three lying wi:th other music thart he brought concerts, at which they performed Bee­ back with him. thoven's Trio, Op. 97, Schumann's D and Sevens," Asserts Maxwell Minor Trio, Martucci's Trio, Op. 62, Fourdrain Songs for America Schubert's B-Flat Trio, Orefice's Trio in ' "I met Felix Fourdrain in Paris, a C Minor and Brahms's Trio, Op. 87. In Managing Director of House of Ricordi Finds a Confused Situation charming man, who is delighted with the addition Messrs. Consolo imd Serato gave in London-Delights of Messager's "Monsieur Bea:ucaire"­ conspicuous success which his songs have the Franck and Schumann D Minor so­ won in America. He has just been de­ natas and Messr s. Consolo and Mainardi F oudrain Writing Set of Six Songs for America-Opera and mobilized, having served the whole time the Grieg A Minor Sonata. I have never of the war in France's army. I told him heard such trio playing before; it was Chamber Music in Italy-The American Public's Musical which of his songs had been most widely the last word in ensemble. Toscanini was sung here, a:p.d he seemed to recognize there and was transpo:t;-ted with the play­ Knowledge and Its Attitude to New Works at once the type of thing that American ing of these musicians. You know Con­ audiences Hke. And I am happy to an­ solo and Serato from their American ACK in New York, after being in man in the right place at the right mo­ nounce that he promised to write a set tours. Mainardi is in the same class with B Europe since the first week in April, ment, the rest of the company filled out of six songs for me, which I shall pub­ them, to my mind the greatest 'cellist I I found George Maxwell, managing direc­ a rather indifferent company-for Covent lish-songs which he ' said would be de­ have heard. Garden. T-he only other musical thing in' signed for America, bt,th in subject mat­ "Operatically there will be considerable tor of G. Ricordi & Co., at his desk one London outside of the opera that was ter and musical treatment. They would of interest. The Dal Verme will begin day last week, busy with the hundred ·worth going to was Messager's 'Monsieur be forthcoming, he assured me, as soon a fine season in October. La Scala, on details that absorb him from one end of as he finds the suitable poems. I was the other hand, has· hardly recovered it­ the year to the othe-r. It was not a delighted, too, to know that the several self. Zandonai's new opera, a comedy pleasure trip that took him to England; series of transcriptions for violin and in the grand manner, called 'La Via on the contrary, from the time he set for 'cello of classical manuscripts by J. della Finestra,' will be given its pre­ foot on land until his return during the Salmon of Paris, in which I have been miere at Pesa ro this month. I have the first week of July, it was all work and deeply in'terested for some time, are hav­ score and it is an entrancing work. hard work, too; there was a brief r espite, ing a great vogue in France. They are Then there is a ballet by R·iccardo Pick­ and that was two days which Mr. Max­ played everywhere. You will recall that Mangiagalli called 'Carillon Magico,' well spent with visiting his father at Thihaud played some of them here in that ought to be heard in America. It Isle of Bute, in Scotland. Barring that, his recitals. I shaU ·see to it this Winter is a fascinating thing and has scored a it was bracing action from April to that-they are given a wider hearing in notable triumph for its composer in Rome, July. Much was accomplished and plans America, for the-y are in every way ex­ where it has been given. It has become laid for more to be achieved in the fu­ ceptionally fine pieces, arranged with a a distinct popular success. ture. mas·tery and a feeling for their 'innate "Contn,steg with the C~vent Garden If there are those who are unfamiliar classic nature, such as I have noted in slife; he is a For reasons best known to the Board of and ought to bt• .a valuable a-ddition. to musician, as well as head of a publish­ the French Society, they have handed Mr. Campanini's company when he comes ing house, and he works with an art their business over to an agent whose this winter." ideal. , terms and conditions make it impossible Then we talke1l of the attitude of the We talked first of opera, for that is a for Mr. Maxwell to accept in all fairness public. And Mr.. Maxwell justly found Ricordi specialty. I was not surprised to the other societies who already have fault with the American puhlic for its at what I heard first. "Oovent Garden treaties with the American Society. Un­ attitude toward new operas. I have is suffering from a case oi 'too many fortunately, this means the elimination agreed with him on this subject for cooks'," said Mr. Maxwell, "and the of French composers' works froni many years. "The public in this country takes opera there this season was the worst - P li oto M isl>ldn pr ograms, especially the playing by the art as an amusement," he says, "and it ever." J oily news, this, to learn that the George Maxwell, Managing Director for smaller orchestras of the more popular goes to a new opera just as it goes to a venerable British home of opera iB losing · works. It is evident that the establish­ new Broadway mu:;ical comedy or farce. its erstwhile greatness. Mr. Maxwell America of G. Ricordi & Co. ments where such music is performed This public displays neither preparation went first to London, while there to be cannot pay two societies. Several French nor concentration fllr a new work of art; present at the production of the Pucdni Beaucaire,' which has made a remarkable -composers have promised to take this it hears the work and with snap judg­ ·tryptich, "Tabarro," "Suor Angelica" and and well-merited success. If the kind of matter up before the French Society. ment says it likes or does not like it. "Gianni Schicchi." "The tryptich wast music that M. Messager has written in Italy was the next country to engage It reads the review of the performance not mounted," he told me, "for no one in this opera has come to stay, I am very Mr. Maxwell's attention. Milan and Flor­ by its favorite critic, and then talks the direction at Covent Garden seemed to glad. It is so delic.' ous, so refined in style about it as though it really understood. understand that they needed very care· ence were both vis,ited. In the Halian and so beautiful that I cannot say enough operatic stronghold, where the house of -I tell you ·that the stand·ard of knowledge ful preparation and that they could not al:>out it. Maggie Teyte was superb in is not high enough here. That is what be simply rushed on." A•pparently Sir Ricordi has its headquarters, Mr. Max­ it, as was also Marion Green, who both well spent some time, arranging matters hinders the sale or ·good music, songs, Thomas Beecham is not doing so much san~>: and acted admirably. You know piano pieces, etc. The public is a quan­ good as was expec•ted in his advent -in of a busine•ss nature, which were press­ it wrts put on by Gilbert Miller, Henry ing, owing to the fact thanservato17 are open throughout the year. Instructs, trains and educates Management: Charles L. Wagner_ after the best methods. The farulty - numbers leading Musicians and Artists of ·to-day. · politan. No arrangements had been made The most complete)y equipped buildings dPvoted to music In America. Day and ·resident students may · D . F. McSweeney, Associate Manager for the pe_rforming rights for-the Metro­ enter at anr time. Send for Illustrated Catalogue, Sll Fifth Avenue New York politan up to the time I left Paris. So · MASTER VIOLIN CLASS thla -aon under EUGENE YSAYE the news struck me as a bit strange when MISS BERTHA BAUR, Highland Ave., Oak St. and Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, 0. l:niiiiiiDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDIIIIDUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDIIIIDIDDIIIIIIIDIIOIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIUIIDIIIIDm I heard it on my return. I have the score