May 8, 1915 MUSICAL AMERICA 11 slightest indication of having an over­ impressionable or not entirely balanced mind. Indeed, he possessed the rather skeptical brain of the scientist who is ECHOES Of ·MUSHC ABROAD not content with the experience of others in order to awaken belief of any sort." As to the layman's probable supposi­ London to Have a Season of Russian Opera at the Opera House Oscar Hammerstein Built-Berlin tion that this music was subjective rather than objective, "the experience of Artists Join Forces to Assert Independence of Concert Managers-New D'Annunzio-Pizzetti occultists, mystics and philosophers in Opera Produced at La Scala Harks Back to Methods of Italian Primitives- Carreiio, Walker all ages goes to disprove this, and, com­ bined with the testimony of those who and Hensel Give Last of Berlin Series of Elite Concerts-Former Tenor of Boston Opera can function on the astral plane, make its objectivity seem as certain as the Acclaimed in Berlin as an Ideal "Parsifal"-Cyril Scott Insists That There is a Celestial Queen's Hall Orchestra." These celes­ Music Which Few at This Stage of Evolution Can Hear-Havana's National Theater tial strains cannot be transcribed be­ cause, it seems, we on this material Inaugurated plane do not possess instruments subtle enough. "It is, however, the conviction of oc­ ITH the regular "gr and season" at tenburg restored "Parsifal" to the reper­ across in Switzerland who, though he cultists that what largely constitutes a toire last month, with a singer named musical genius is the degree of recep­ W Covent Garden omitted for the had no interest in Theosophy whatever, tivity he possesses for the 'downpouring' first time in many years, London wel­ Felicitas Hallama as Melanie Kurt's evidently heard this music. "He was successor in the role of Kundry. A alone, and in a place where anything of this music from subtler planes of comes the announcement of a season of former tenor of the defunct or dormant in the shape of ordinary material music, thought; and although he may not 'hear' Ru ssian opera that has been decided Boston Opera Company, Christian so to speak, was an impossibility. There it in the manner the Swiss gentleman Hansen, received quite unusual praise was .nobody there who could play an in- did, yet nevertheless it filters through upon for the early Summer. It is to into his mind to some extent and thus last for five weeks -at least, and perhaps gets translated into ordinary music. I more, if the patronage it receives war­ was told by a psychic of great powers rants a prolongation. that Wagner was particularly receptive in this way, and hence his music was One interesting feature of the project 'richer' than that of any of his prede­ is the fact that it is to be held not at cessors, especially in those qualities old Drury Lane Theater, which has which seem to touch so graphically the housed the Beecham Russian seasons of great forces of Nature." . · the past two years, but at the opera An interesting quotation from "Isis house Oscar Hammerstein built for Lon­ Unveiled," bearing on the therapeutical don. Thus, after a somewhat checkered uses of music, is given. "From the re­ career as a variety theater the London motest ages the philosophers have main­ Opera House will return to its original tained the singular power of music over patron saint. certain diseases, especially of the ner­ The moving spirit in the undertaking vous class. Kircher recommends it, hav­ is a singer named Rosing, a Russian ing experienced its good effects on him­ tenor, formerly of the Imperial Opera in self, and he gives an elaborate descrip­ Moscow and now well known in London tion of the instrument he employed. It concert rooms. He will bring his artists was a harmonica composed of five and chorus from Russia to give the Rus- tumblers of a very thin glass placed in ian works in the original language, and a row. In two of them were two dif­ for conductor-in-chief he has engaged ferent varieties of wine; in the third, M. Gouravitch, of the Moscow Opera. brandy; in the fourth, oil; in the fifth, The orchestra will be made up of Eng­ water. He extracted fine melodious lish players. The scale of prices is to sounds from them in the usual way, by range from twenty-five cents to $2.50. merely rubbing his fingers on the edges Although it was originally proposed of the tumblers. The sound has an to produce a number of Russian operas attractive property; it draws out dis­ as yet unknown in London it has been ease, which streams out to encounter the found impossible to secure the necessary musical wave, and the two, blending to­ scores for all of them from Petrograd, gether, disappear in space. Asclepiades on account of the war. However, there employed music for the same purpose will be at least three works given that some twenty centuries ago. He blew a will be novelties to the English public. trumpet to cure sciatica, and, its pro­ The season is to commence on May 15, longed sound making the fibres of the if possible, or in any case not later than nerves to palpitate, the pain invariably the 29th. subsided. Democritus in like manner On the opening night Tschaikowsky's affirmed that many diseases could be "Pique-Dame" will be given its first cured by the melodious sounds of a London performance. After it will fol­ flute." low as soon as can be arranged Cesar But far grander associations can be Cui's "Mam'selle Fifi," which is based claimed for music than this, from an UJlOn de Maupassant's tale, and Rimsky­ occult point of view, Mr. Scott insists. Korsakov's dramatic duologue, or, as the He quotes again: "Music is the combina­ composer called it, dramatic scene, "Mo­ tion and modulation of sounds, and sound zart and Salieri," in which Chaliapin is the effect produced by the vigration of created a sensation in Moscow some the ether. Now, if the impulses com­ years ago. Under consideration also are municated to the ether by the different "Eugen Onegin," which is already known planets be likened to the tones produced in London; "The Tsar's Bride," by by the different notes of a musical in­ Rimsky-Korsakov, said to be its com­ strument, it is not difficult to conceive · poser's most popular opera in Russia; that the Pythagorean 'music of the "Carmen," "Lakme," with Inayat Kahn spheres' is something more than a mere and his Indian musicians, and several fancy, and that certain planetary other operas like these last two, outside Frederick Delius, One of England's Most Discussed Composers aspects may imply disturbances in the the Russian repertoire. ether of our planet, and certain others, * • * F ew composers in a ny country can cla im lo be essentially so cosmopolitan in make-up rest and harmony." EPORTS from Milan do not indicate and experience as Frederick, or Fritz, Dellus. H e Is definitely classed among British composers, but by virtue of the Germa n blood in his veins he h as b een cla imed by the Mr. Scott thinks that for most of us, R that Ildebrando Pizzetti's new Germans. His works have been give.· more frequently in Germany and France than a ny­ at our present stage of evolution, it is opera "Fedra," based on Gabriele d'An­ wher e else, though they ha ve figureo in English concert progra ms more frequently this impossible to hear this music of the nunzio's drama, is likely to- find general winter than ever before. Some years ago, after a ,physical crisis, h e came to this country a nd lived on a fa rm in Florida until he had regained his health. H e is one of the out­ spheres, as "a person who has developed favor with the operagoing public. The standing personalities of the adva nced school. such a degree of clairaudience as would premiere at La cala was not attended be necessary" is very rarely found. by any symptoms of hilarious approval. "Nevertheless, such people do exist, and, The composer, it appears, has harked for his impersonation . of the title role. strument of any sort, nor was be near Paul Schwers, writing in the Allgemeine I may add quite honestly, I know who back to the sources of Italian opera and any ball where the sounds of orchestral some of those people are." taken the manner of a Peri and Caccini Musik-Zeitung, had this to say: "Herr or other music could possibly reach him. u his model. The monotony of the Hansen is for me an ideal Parsifal. And yet for the space of about ten • • * Figure, gestures and voice combine to OLLOWING the example of Darm- music, which utterly lacks any personal minutes he heard a music of such over­ F stadt and Vienna, the lesser Ger­ note, according to one correspondent, create a perfect effect. His appearance whelming and celestial loveliness that, is convincing, his conception poetically to use his own words, he 'nearly went man city of Crefeld recently produced "succeeded in creating solely a somnifer­ Felix Weingartner's one-act music ous effect upon the audience." true, while of magnificent effect is the down on his knees in reverence and luscious but masculine voice." ec!jtasy.' drama, "Cain and Abel." The public * * • of this industrial city gave it a friendly OR the last of the season's four The Gurnemanz of the cast was once "And I have no reason whatever to more the American basso, Robert Blass.