Vol. XIX.. No. 17 NEW YORK EDITED B:\y;y V /. r;----- FEBRUARY 28 1914 $2.00 per Ye-o.r : , c7V : ~~0' ~0 ..______' ____ T.e.ll.o.e.n.ts.p.e.r.o.o.l'Y ... ELABORATESETTING NEW CITIES JOIN IN FOR CHARPENTIERtS NATIONAL MOVEMENT NEW OPERA ~JULIENt Buffalo and Cleveland Audiences With Caruso and Farrar in Cast, Endorse Campaign for Amer­ Latest Product. . of. French. . School ica's Musical Independence­ Has a Spectacular Mounting at Addresses by John C. Freund First New York Production­ in These Cities Applauded by Symbolic of Futility of Ide~lism Representative Audiences '- . Not Really, a Sequ_el to DDED evidence that the musical " LQuise "- Work W ell Per~ A communities of the United States formed by Metropolitan ' Com­ are eager to join in the national move­ ment for the declaration of America's pany musical independence was afforded last week by representative gatherings of mu­ 'WHAT' may or 'may not h:,we been in- sical persons in Buffalo and Cleveland. , tended as a concession ' to ' those The campaign which MUSICAL AMER· who for the piuit few seasons have lifted ICA has begun and which has been prose­ up their voices in more or' less , unavail­ cuted on the public platform by John C. ing clamo~ for French opera was Freund, its editor, has now received sup­ brought about with ' the first American port and hearty indorsement in Atlarita, performance of Gustave Charpentier's Nashville, Baltimore, Detroit, New ,"Julien" at the Metropolitan Opera York, Washington, Columbus, Cincin­ House on Thursday evening. nati, Buffalo and Cleveland. That it will in appreciable measure Mr. Freund in Buffalo satisfy , these widespread demands or, on BUFFALO, Feb. 19.-John C. Freund; the other hand, serve' as a forcible refu­ the able editor-in-chief' of MUSICAL tation of their legitimacy is open to AMERICA, gave a lecture here February doubt. True,' it is impossible at the 18, his subject being "The Musical Inde­ present writing t6 record the verdict of pendence of the United States." An au­ the first night audience owing to the dience representative of the best in mu­ lateness in the week of the premiere. sic and letters in the city listened to the But certain ' valid conclusions as to the speaker, who was introduced by Judge artistic qualities of the work can be de­ George A. Lewis, with the closest atten­ rived , from two hearings of it at full tion, and there can be no question as re­ dress rehearsals and others under less gards the deep impression he made. Jormal circumstances. The ensuing comments, therefore, are Musical Buffalo is awake to the fact made with reference to the private per­ that America, or at least that part that formances of the opera given last Sun- the United States represents, is an , day and last Tuesday mornings. "Julien". artistic factor to be reckoned with. It is an elaborate spectacle and has the ad­ needed just such a polished and forceful vantage of Caruso and Geraldine Farrar speaker as Mr. Freund, with his enor-, in the leading roles. These facts will mous store of musical knowledge allied probably be the greatest incentives it can to the statistics he presented, to make offer to popular consideration and ac­ people stop and think, and there is some ceptance. As dr amatic and musical bait deep and serious thinking being done it is distinctly less tempting. here just now which is sure to bear The circumstances prompting the fruit. adoption of "Julien" for Metropolitan He made it quite plain that the atti­ usage have never been set forth quite tude of many Americans in regard to definitely enough to satisfy all specula­ - Photo b:l' Holling." the beautiful and, artistic at honie has tion which has arisen in connection with ' VICTOR HARRIS, been snobbish and in some instances the matter. Charpentier's opera, much criminally careless, though on this side talked of and impatiently awaited Distinguished Conductor of the St. Cecilia Club of New York, which App,eared at of his subject he touched lightly. He abroad, failed signally when exhibited This Week's New York Philharmonic Concerts. Prominent as Vocal Teacher made it plain that our young men and at the Opera Comique last June. Paris and Composer. He Has Enthusiastically, Endorsed the Campaign for the Mu­ women can get sound musical educations critics, generally prone to, enthusiastic sical Independence of the United States (See page 31) at home and generally in their home effusions on very slight provocation, cities and he cited numerous music con­ cooled perceptibly on contact with it. servatories where the tuition is of the Some conjectured that the unpopularity best. He also spoke in terms of warm of the composer with many Paris mu­ Montmartre wished to present him with Beauty and the interior of the Temple praise of professors of music in the dif­ sicians might have something to do with the Academician's sword and he ' also are picturesque, the Slavic landscape, ferent music branches, that live in Amer­ the widely prevalent attitude, some caught cold. Hence he remained at peacefu1 and charming, the storm-swept ica, whether or not of foreign extrac­ blamed the quality of the interpreters, home. port in Brittany striking. It is a pity, tion, ranking them with the best in the others the nature of the mise-en-scene. Mr. Gatti has fulfilled his promise rela­ though, that moving cloud effects could world. Many frankly denounced the thing as tive to the sumptuous scenery (it was ex­ not have been obtained in the latter-,­ Mr. Freund interspersed his lecture tiresome and a few found it enjoyable. ecuted by Paul Paquereau) and to the especially as the Metropolitan possesses with some delightful personal reminis­ Nevertheless the subsequent career of excellence of the interpreters provided. such an effective moving "skyscape." cences which extend ' over an active "Julien" was not brilliant and no other Mr. Caruso, Miss 'Farrar and the splen­ career of forty years and all of these foreign opera house made efforts to ac­ did chorus carry the burden of the work. Last Act the Scenic Climax reminiscences had direct bearing on the quire it. The present performance is Roles of subsidiary account are ' sus­ , But the , scenic climax of "Julien" is subject in hand. He frankly acknowl­ therefore its first outside of Paris. tained by Messrs. Gilly, Reiss, Murphy, the last act when .out of a mysterious edges our debt to musical Europe, but Caruso Likes ' the' Role Bada 'and Mmes. Duchene, ' Maubourg, darkness the brilliantly illumined Place feels we have paid it by absorbing the Mattfeld, Braslau, Curtis and Cox. Blanche bursts suddenly into view with best it can give us. It was evident that At all events the tepid reception at the The production bespeaks care and ob­ its electrically illumined Moulin Rouge, Mr. Freund's attitude is not against Opera Comique did not disconcert the vious 'devotion. It is executed on a large its circus-like "side shows," its reveling Europe, but that it is solely for Amer­ powers that rule at the Metropolitan. scale of notable brilliancy, with nice ad· throng. , Vivid and ,bustling with life .ica and American musical independence. It was there maintained that "Julien" justment of , all constituent factors. and gayety it comes as a welcome con· His address will long be remembered as did not conclusively fail, that with a "Julien" leans heavily for its effects on trast to the depression that has pre­ a master effort and he has the satisfac-' mounting more sumptuous than had scenic sumptuousness and evenness of ceded. If "Julien" succeeds it will be tion of 'knowing that' musical Buffalo has there been provided ' for it and enacted choral' work. Both of these ends have due in large measure to the fascinations fallen into line and that he can depend by a more competent cast it might look been achieved at the Metropolitan. The 'of this scene. , ' on the sincere and hearty support among for hospitable treatment in New York. chorus-as much a distinct personality , 'There are but three roles of anything musicians here, of his ,propaganda. Furthermore Mr. Caruso ,was much' 'in the .drama ,as it is in "Boris"-sings like ' substantial account in the opera­ At the close of tl~e lecture, after pro­ fascinated by the title' r'ole'; Julwn oc~ its very ccmf:?id~ra.ble shar:e superbly, those of , Julien, Louise in her varioui? longed and hearty applause, Angelo M. cup'ies the stage almost incessantly and particularly in the' suavely melodious reincarnations and the High Priest in Read, a prominent musician in the au· the adorers of the gre'at tenor worship ensembles' of the first' act' and the riotous his. ' The shorter parts-including those dience,' arose and ' made the following quantity. ,The .lessons. of "GermaTIia'~ .episodes oJ ,the -Montmartre revels. On of the' cynical Acolyte and Bellringer resolution: ' ''Mr. Chairman, be it, re­ were .forgotten and "Julien" became an the whole there .is' much be,auty in the well done by Messrs. Refss and Ananian solved that the musicians , and music­ assured promise. Charpentier was to successive settings i)1 spite of an occa~ ~are adequately handled. ' lovers of Buffalo extend to Mr. Freund have hallowed the premiere hy hispres~ sional excessive garishness or crudity of ence in the flesh. But the midinettes of coloring. The as'cent to the Temple of [Continued on_ page 3] [Continued on page 4]

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