May 25, 1918 MUSICAL AMERICA 31

this aroused. Nowadays, the pt;.blic even begrudges its applause. The claque will only be necessary so long as the public Chief of Claque Defends His . Calling~ refuses to do its share." In Old Madrid Says Public Is Too Apathetic-to Applaud "Was there as much feeling against it in ~urope as here?" "Not that I have seen," he declared, Hand-Cl<,ipping Brigades Are Indispensable in the Opera House, Declares Signor Margoles When "except in Madrid, where the claque has become nothing but highwaymen and Coaxed Into an Interview-Artists Crave Applause After Their Heavy Arias, He Ex­ blackmailers, and where they hoot and whistle at the performers if they are not plains-How the Professional Noise ~ Makers Come to the Rescue During the "Glorious paid. It is the right of any opera-goer to applaud or to keep still-that is all High Note"-Claque9 a Nuisance? Why Even Czar Nicholas Didn't Complain! we do here, . and no one could say we have abused our privileges. "I have sat near the ex-Czar in Petro­ By VERA BLOOM "Very well, then," he said, at last, with " Now, there may only ·be one aria in grad, and he did not object to my ap­ a weary gesture of resignation, 1'tell the opera that is immensely popular, but plause. I have been in the very next box FOR some time past the musical pub­ them the claque is the stimulant of the the singer may have three or four others to P resident Poincare and his · staff at lic has been playing a little game opera. Great artists, unlike you and I, even hal'der to do. For these he. cannot t he Opera in Paris, and there was not a with itself. It has denied the existence cannot bear monotony. Their tempera­ depend on the audience, but he must have word of complaint. They understand that of professional hand-clappers, in other ments need applause and approbation, the applause. Therefore, he depends on the claque is the connecting link between where we are satisfied to go on, year the claque to start it, and some of the the audience and the performers, and words, the claque, a nd at the same time after year, doing our work because it's audience is sure to join in. they have found it a necessity." it demands that it be abolished! Now, our duty or because we're paid for it. "We have been criticized for applaud­ "Is it also a necessity at symphony anyone who has bee~ to the opera, either Artists Demand Applause ing before the last note of a number has concerts and recitals?" I inquired. as the crowning event of "seeing New died away. But people do not under­ "Not so often. The symphony audi­ York," or is an indispensable part of "But no artist whose performance de­ stand that that is timed to help the ence is a serious one, and there for one· pends on the inspiration of the moment, artist. He takes a glorious _high note, purpose, to enjoy the music. But the every audience, has heard that orches­ can pour out his heart and soul for a which he will hold as long as possible. opera is a combination of music-lovers, trated symphony o£ applause that comes whole evening, unless he hears some re- But, not to have to think of finishing it, sight-seer s, and people who come to a from all around the walls o£ the audi- __: torium as if under the baton of a master '-conductor. . . And ht!atiflg these thunderous or stac­ cato paims, with which one must be born, and cannot hope to achieve, he asks the why and wherefore and learns from those who know that "it's the claque," and that it has become an indis­ pensable organization to which the art­ ists• gladly and openly pay for so much a curtain call, with "bravos" extra! Soon you join the rest of the press and public, and begin to denounce the claque, one-fourth because it is rather a nui­ sance, the other three-fourths because it is the general and easiest thing to do. Then you begin to rely on it. Instead of scattering your programs, wraps and opera glasses all over the floor by giving way to your feelings after a beautiful The · Artists Demand Applause- Theref()re, the Claque bit of singing, and showing the artist the recognition that he deserves, you learn to sponse from the house. Even an acrobat or to worry about its ending weakly and socia l event. As for recitals, the audi­ leave the applause to the claque. After ' in the circus will refuse to do his 'turn' leaving a disappointed silence before the ence has only come for one artist, so it all, you argue with yourself, what's the unless he knows that he will be ap­ house applauds, the claque is supposed to is not a question of having to applaud use? No ordinary mortal could ever hope plauded after each feat, to give him come in at just the moment that will be a whole cast. Then there are always to make so much noise, or do it so fren- courage to do the next. a perfect finale for the aria, and give the many friends at a recital, either of the / ziedly. "It is the same here at the opera. The artist a chance to raise a crescendo of artist or of some composer on the pro­ Occasionally, when you can't hold back· arias are the feats, and after the singer enthusiasm." gram. any longer, and applaud in the good old-· has finished one of these, he or she needs "Then, the men of the claque under­ "But, after all, the real place of the fashioned-way, all you get for your pains and must have encouragement to go on stand music, and r eally know the claque is to act as a stimulant, as I said is a crushing, raised eyebrow stare from to the next. They are so used to ap­ operas?" I asked . . before, and it stimulates not only the the regal lady in front of you, . or an plause at certain times during the course singers but the audience as well." amazed gasp from the drab little person of an opera that it· would throw them Trained Hand Clappers There you have the case for the de­ beside you, who doesn't see the boxhold­ out entirely if they did not hear it, just By this time the intermission was over, fense. And wqen you come to think of ers clapping, and cannot imagine why as if they did not hear the usual orches­ but luckily Mr. Margoles was not needed it, are not the "pluggers" from the music you should be disturbing the peace. So it tration." at the beginning of t he act, so he con­ publishers, the "footers" at every foot­ has become a regrettable fact that the Mr. Margoles paused. He looks, and no tinued: "Yes, most of them are sons of ball game, even . the ushers at the thea­ opera audiences will not applaud, and the doubt he is, very tired. But he seemed musicians or in some way connected with ters, who are always suppo_~>e d to ap­ artists, t o whom it is as much a part of entirely sincere and serious in what he the opera, and they have been raised on plaud at the vital points of the play, only the performance as the orchestra or the said. music. Many of them have been coming camouflaged claques? scenery, must pay professional hand­ "The greater t he artist the more he to the Metropolitan since babyhood and The issue remains with the public. clappers to provide what the public · needs the applause, from the audience if they all know the operas by heart. When it is ready once more to be genu­ should give in enthusiasm and recogni- he is sure of it, if not, from the claque. "More often than not it is the friends inely enthusiastic and grateful to the tion. · Even Jean de Reske,'who carried people of the singers who break in at the wrong artists who give their all ·every time they There have been countless tirades off their feet as no one else has ever done, time, or else well-wishers who have never appear, the claque will cease to be of against the claque, and the poor claque had the claque waiting in readiness in been inside an opera house before, who itself. has kept a reserved and resigned silence case something should happen and the have bought tickets and have come to ap­ in return. But it seems only common house would not applaud. He knew he plaud for some special artist. Of course, Music at the Rialto and Rivoli justice to give them a chance to explain could not finish the performance if he whatever happens is blamed on the and try to justify themselves. did not hear it at the usual points. claque, just as if one uniform maker is Rimsky-Korsakoff's "Scheherazade" is But I found that even wearing the "The lesser artists always have the a 'profiteer,' every other firm in that being played by the orchestra at the white feather and openly carrying the house well filled with friends, in other business is under suspicion." Rialto Theater this week, under t he alter­ flag of truce would not lead Mr. Mar­ words a private claque. But on a gala "Have you ever had a chanf e to see nate leadership of Hugo Riesenfeld and gales, th.e head of the claque, into an in­ night th·e audience is composed either of what would happen without the claque?" Nat W. Finston. Greek Evans, baritone, terview, until the influence and intro­ those who, having paid their hard-earned "Yes. Maurice Renaud, the most pop­ ~ ings "A Son of the Desert Am I," by duction of one of the opera's high offi­ money to hear a great artist, wait crit­ ular French baritone who ever came to Walter A. Phillips. The orchestra is also cials was brought to bear. In fact, it ically for the best to happen, or those to America, and who is now at the front, giving the intermezzo from Mascagni's was necessary to corner him in the far­ whom the opera is only a way of spend­ always had an enormous ovation when "L'Amico Fritz." Arthur Depew and thest end of the lobby, and combine the ing the evening between dinner at he . sang Athanael in 'Thai's' with the George Crook play organ solos. At the wisdom of a serpent and the meekness Sherry's and supper at the Ritz, and who help of the claque. One night he decided Rivoli the Overture to Thomas's "Mig­ of a dove, to persuade him to talk. have not come to applaud. non" is being given, with Hugo Riesen­ to try a performance without it, trust­ feld and Erno Rapee alternating as con­ ing to the audience to applaud. The first ductor. Two. dancers from the Luigi Al­ act went by to dead s"ilence, the ones t hat bertieri Ballet School, under the direction followed were :-.s quiet as a cemetery. of Mr. Albertieri, interpret Paderewski's The next day M. Renaud re-engaged the "Minuet." Winifred Marshall, soprano, PI -ETRO A. YON claque, for he had found · he could not sings the popular "Shadow Song" from World Famous Concert Organist and Composer even sing his most famous .role without "Dinorah." Firmin Swinne and Uda it, the audience had waited in vain for Waldrop are the organists. will make his first Transcontinental American Tour lor Recitals its cues! and Dedications of New Organs from June 1st to· Sept. 30th, 1918 "All that is left to the artist to-day is Bookings Now Being Made applause. I remember, in the old days, OAKLAND, CAL.~C l arence Eddy, the Manager: ALFRED l.AUPER. CARNEGIE HALL, NEW YORK when the audience would unhitch the organist, gave a recital recently at the Telegram Address: YON CARNEGIE HALL . horses from the singer's carriage, and First Presbyterian Church, scoring a re­ pull it to the hotel. I have seen torchlight markable success. parades before a singer's window, and a whole audience stand in the street after the performance to serenade the artist! ~AT ROUND LA!(E, N . Y~ CONSTANCE RSOPRANO Before it was forbidden to pass flowers across the footlights, florists used to work I JULY 8 t o Aug. 17 · I Man:=.ent: at the theater, building huge structures I A. Y. Cornell Suinmer School B DANIEL MAYER of flowers that had to be wheeled on I ALFOU OF VOCAL INSTRUCTION Aeolian Hall from the wings! It was nothing for a New York favorite prima donna to receive a hun­ Write to 607 C a rnegie Hall for Particul ars dred bouquets. Think of the enthusiasm