- THIRTT YEAl^S - OF MVSIGAL LIF'B &.:::.1M\ LONDON:;.'' BY HERMANN KlLElJSi ICJ (IJiicneU lilniiictaity Hibtrarg Jtljara. Kcm Inrk FROM THE BENNO LOEWY LIBRARY COLLECTED BY BENNO LOEWY 1854.1919 BEQUEATHED TO CORNELL UNIVERSITY Cornell University Library ML 286.8.L8K64 Thirty years of musical life in Londoniw 3 1924 022 332 302 The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022332302 Thirty Years of Musical Life in London ADELINA PATTI AT THE AGE OF NINE Thirty Years of Musical Life in London 1870-1900 By Hermann Klein With more than one hundred illustrations from photographs New York The Century Co. 1903 Copyright, 1903, by The Century Co. Publisked October, igo3 TO SIGNOR MANUEL GARCIA THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS SINGING TEACHER OP THE NINETEENTH CENTURY THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY HIS GRATEFUL PUPIL HERMANN KLEIN CONTENTS PAGE Chapter I. Early Norwich days— A famous English fes- tival— My school-master describes Paganini— Jenny Lind — Spohr— Julius Benedict- Benedict and Beethoven — Theresa Tietjens— A great artist and a brave woman . 3 Chapter II. Youthful work and experiences in London — My brother Max — French refugees of 1871 — Alboni — Joseph Joachim — James Davison and the "Pops" — Manuel Garcia, teacher and friend— The great master's method— His sister Malibran 22 Chapter III. Start of journalistic career — A musical critic at twenty — "Lohengrin" in London — Carl Rosa — His memorable season at the Princess's — Revival of Eng- lish Opera— Early days of "interviewing" — Sir Michael Costa — August Manns and cheap orchestral music — Jean de Reszke's barytone debut 42 Chapter IV. Verdi at the Albert Hall— The Maestro and his old classmate — The Manzoni " Requiem " — Wagner revisits London — The Festival of 1877: its true history — Wagner and WilhelmJ — The Meister and Enghsh preju- dice — His collapse at rehearsal — Hans Richter — Wagner " in the chair " 59 Chapter V. Cambridge degrees for Brahms and Joachim — Performance of the "Exercises" — " Carmen " produced at Her Majesty's — Debut of Minnie Hauk — A versatile and accomplished prima donna — Carmen visits Seville — Anton Rubinstein — Pablo Sarasate — Etelka Gerster— Gayarre — Lassalle — Edouard de Reszke — A rare galaxy of talent — The Richter Concerts 79 vii Contents Chapter VI. Musical critic of the "Sunday Times" — The Duke of Cambridge and his journalistic sons — Queen Victoria's music-loving aunt — P. Paolo Tosti — The Queen's "Master of the Musick"— -Her Majesty's musical library — A State Concert at Buckingham Palace — German oj)era in London — Gounod conducts his " Redemption" . . . 107 Chapter VII. Augustus Hams: actor, metteur en scene, di-amatic author, theatrical manager, operatic impresario — A great stage-manager and his military aide — Harris and Carl Rosa— English opera flourishes at Drury Lane —Arthur Goring Thomas— Alexander C. Mackenzie— "Esmeralda," "Colomba," and" Nadeshda" 135 Chapter VIII. Decay of old Italian opera — Rise of the young Italian school— Masterly mismanagement and finan- cial collapse at Covent Garden — Pauhne Lucca — A nota- ble dinner-party— Marcella Sembrich's surprise — Antonin Dvorak relates the story of his romantic career — Camille Saint-Saens — The French master and English oratorio . 152 Chapter IX. Franz Liszt— His last visit to London— A marvelous survival of a glorious past — Rubinstein's fare- well to England: his "historical recitals" — An operatic debacle — Lago to the rescue — Growth of the Wagner Cult — Hans Riehter and Arthur SuUivan— England's great- est musician : his ideas, habits, and attributes — " The Golden Legend" at Leeds Festival — Georg Henschel . 177 Chapter X. Augustus Harris and Italian opera— An am- bitious scheme — To France and Spain in search of artists — Engaging the de Reszkes — The great tenor's early career — Madrid and Mancinelli — An amateur bull-fight — Seville — Opening of the Drury Lane season — Jean de Reszke's triumph — A barytone's temper 207 Chapter XI. The Operatic Renaissance — Royalty and soci- ety interested — A brilliant Covent Garden season — D4but viii Contents PA(.iE of Melba— The famous " French Trio " : their life in Lon- don— A vocal duel— Bayi-euth in the first " Meistersinger " year— A visit to Ems and its consequences 230 Chapter XII. Patti and Jean de Reszke in " Rom6o et Juhette" — Historical night at the Paris Opera — Carl Rosa's death — The controlling influence at Covent Garden — Lightning opera production — "Romeo" in Fi-ench; "Die Meistersinger" in Italian — First gala night— Queen Victoria and Jean de Reszke 250 Chapter XIII. Opera in America and England — Prog- ress at Covent Garden — Jean de Reszke's Don Jose — Harris and the Wagner perfoi-ming rights— Debut of Paderewski — The Critics and the Virtuoso — A new musi- cal "Lion" — Great artist and true friend — An evening with Paderewski 284 Chapter XIV. AdeUna Patti at home— Life at Craig-y- nos Castle— Opening of the Patti Theatre: inaugural operatic performance — Preparing " wordless " plays— The diva as La Tosca — Her love of Wagner— Bayreuth by proxy and in reality— "The Queen of Song": an ap- preciation — How she reappeared at Covent Garden — A strange presentiment 307 Chapter XV. A meteoric opera scheme — Sullivan's " Ivan- hoe"— How composed: how "run to death" — Debut of Eugene Oudin— Da^dd Bispham appears in "LaBasoche '' — Oudin and Tschaikowsky : a singular coincidence— The Russian master's journey to Cambridge— First and last meetings— "Cavalleria Rusticana " at London and Windsor— Jean de Reszke's American d6but: his im- pressions 332 Chapter XVI. German opera at Covent Garden— Mahler as conductor— Debuts of Alvary and Schumann-Heiuk — A growing repertory— Victor Maurel and Manuel Garcia: ix Contents PAGE the renowned teacher vindicated— Debut of Clara Butt — Leoncavallo and Mascagni in London — How "Caval- leria" was first rehearsed at Rome — "I Rantzau" — Mas- cagni at Windsor Castle — More State Performances . . 303 Chapter XVIL A double artistic jubilee— August Manns honored— Garcia's "Hints on Singing"- Opera in 1894— New orchestral institutions — Opening of Queen's Hall— A procession of famous conductors — Richard Strauss — With Seidl at Bayi-euth — A Wagner anecdote — C'ovent Garden m 1895 — New pianists 393 Chapter XVIIL A visit to America — Jean de Beszke as a German singer — Nordica's triumph — A private recital of "Tristan " — The London season of 1896 — Death of Sir Augustus Harris — Two funerals at St. Paul's — Edward Elgar— "In a Persian Garden " — Charles Salaman — Puc- cini's "La Boheme" — Operas and d6buts in 1897— Opera at Windsor: the Queen's last " commands " 419 Ch.vpter XIX. Operatic retrogression — The seasons of 1898, 1899, 1900 — Purchase of the Covent Garden lease — The "Perosi craze" — Final remarks on the Harris regime— Death of Sims Reeves— Edward Lloyd's retire- ment—English singers and English festivals: a con- cluding retrospect 448 X LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Adelina Patti at the Age of Nine . . . Frontispkce St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich. Exterior and Interior . . 5 Jenny Lind, about 186C 11 Sir Julius Benedict 11 Tietjens as Lucrezia Borgia ...... 18 Hermann Klein ......... 23 Alboni 29 Christine Nilsson 40 Scalchi 40 Carl Rosa .......... 46 Parepa-Rosa ......... 46 August Manns ......... 51 Luigi Arditi 51 Wagner .......... 62 Verdi 62 Brahms .69 Wilhelmj 09 Materna 70 Sir Michael Costa 81 Hans Riohter ......... 81 Minnie Hauk 88 Clara Louise Kellogg 88 xi List of Illustrations PAGE Anton Rubinstein ........ 91 Sarasate .......... 91 Del Puente as Escamillo ....... 98 Gayarre as Vasco di Gama ....... 98 Etelka Gerster 103 Emma Nevada ......... 103 Albani as Desdemona ....... 109 Patey 109 Facsimile of a State Concert Programme . . . 116 Reieher-Kindermann as Briinnhilde ..... 122 Anton Seidl-1882 122 Klafsky as Isolde . . . . . . . .127 Rosa Sucher ......... 127 Santley 133 Edward Lloyd 133 Joseph Maas as Faust ....... 144 Alwina VaUeria as Aida ...... 144 A. Goring Thomas 149 Sir Alex. C. Mackenzie 149 Boito 155 Pauline Lucca ........ 155 Marcella Sembrieh . . . . . . . .1(31 Saint-Saens ......... 171 Dvorak .......... 171 Franz Liszt 182 Campanini ......... 187 James H. Mapleson . . . . . . . 187 Sir William Cusins ........ 193 xii List of Illustrations PAGE Sir Arthur Sullivan ....... 193 Lillian Henschel 200 Georg Henschel 200 Sir Augustus Harris ........ 200 Zelie de Lussan . . . . . . . . 215 Marie Engle ......... 215 Maurel as Don Giovanni ....... 225 Melba as Marguerite 231 Tamagno as Otello 242 EllaEussell 247 Lassalle 247 Jean de Reszke as Borneo ....... 257 Edouard de Reszke as Frh'e Laurent .... 268 Luigi Maueinelli ........ 276 Lady de Grey ........ 276 The Waterloo Chamber, Windsor Castle . . . .281 Paderewski ......... 294 Sir Charles HaUe 303 Lady HaUe 303 Patti as Juliette ......... 311 Patti, about 1861 311 Patti as Marguerite . . ..... 326 Patti as Ninetta 326 David Bispham as the Due de Lmiguei-ilk .... 333 Eugene Oudin as the Temxilar 333 "Birds of a Feather" 339 Gounod 346 Tschaikowsky 346 xiii List of Illustrations PAGE Van Kooy as Wotan ....... 352 Plancjon as MepJdstopheles ....... 352 Emma Eames as Juliette ...... 358 Alvary as Siegfried ........ 367 Calve as Carmen ........ 373 Mascagni 380 Leoncavallo ......... 380 Suzanne Adams as Marguerite ...... 389 Alvarez as Otello ........ 389 Piatti 395 Joachim ......... 395 Ternina 405 Eugen d'Alljerl 416 Arthur Chappell ........ 416 Nordica as Brunnhilcle ....... 421 Maurice Grau 428 Puccini 428 Sir Joseph Barnby ........ 434 Edward Elgar 434 Schumann-Heink as Ortrud ...... 440 Fritzi Soheff as Nedda 445 Marie Brema as Amneris ....... 445 Lilli Lehmann as Isolde . . . . . . 451 Dippel as Siegfried ........ 458 Scotti as Don Gioixmni ....... 458 Gadski as EUmheth 403 Clara Butt 409 Sims Reeves 469 xiv PB^EFATORY NOTE Not the least valuable asset of a life largely spent among artists is a good memory. From an earlj^ age I cultivated the faculty of making mental notes ; and, like most faculties, innate or acquired, it grew until it developed into second nature. During my quarter of a century's work as a Lou- don musical critic, I seldom found it necessary to do more than jot down a word or two in the mar- gin of a programme as a preliminary to the writing of an article. I accustomed my eye and ear to take records of what I saw and heard ; and, where I happened to be sufficiently interested, those records assumed a more or less permanent form. Most of the purely personal incidents related in these pages appear in print for the first time. So, also, do the letters which I have ventured to select for publication from a numerous autograph col- lection. Where the originals of these letters are in a foreign tongue, the English translation only is given. I have endeavored, save in one or two special instances, to avoid mere biographical de- XV Prefatory Note tails, particularly iu the case of those musicians, dead and living, whose careers are in all essential matters familiar to the public. My object is rather to furnish sketches of fa- mous musical personages, and to set before the reader hitherto unrecorded scenes and events in their lives, together with slight studies of tem- perament and character, which may be of value in so far as they tend to throw a side-light upon the personality of the notable individuals with whom they deal. At the same time, by placing these as nearly as possible in chronological order, and supplementing them with brief accounts of all the prominent debuts and first performances that I have personally witnessed, the outcome is a tolerably complete picture of operatic and musical life in England during the last three decades of the nineteenth century. By far the most important feature of these chronicles is the history of the remarkable re- naissance of Opera effected through the ambitious spirit and energy of the late Sir Augustus Harris, impresario of the Eoyal Opera, Covent Garden ; manager of Drury Lane ; and sometime Sheriff of London. The inception, growth, and development of that interesting movement have not, so far as I am aware, been traced by any other writer ; and xvi Prefatory Note the story acquires added value and significance from tlie fact ttiat the scheme of fashionable Opera evolved hj Augustus Harris in London is absolutely identical with that so ably carried on, until the spring of the present year, by Maurice Grau in New York. I trust that I have succeeded in accomplishing my task without overstepping the border-line which should separate the friend from the critic. I have always watched that delicate yet important boundary with scrupulous care ; and, happily, I have found it easy to observe and obey without loss of good-will or esteem on either side. Hence the existence of warm friendly ties with so many of the distinguished artists whom it has been my privilege to meet— ties very dear to me, yet the delight whereof, under less well-balanced condi- tions, I should regretfully have been compelled to deny myself. Hermann Klein. New York, April, 1903. XVll THIRTY YEARS OF MUSICAL LIFE IN LONDON THIRTY YEARS OF MUSICAL LIFE IN LONDON CHAPTER I Early Norwich days— A famous Englisli festival— My school- master describes Paganini — Jenny Lind — Spohr — Juhus Benedict— Benedict and Beethoven— Theresa Tietjens— A great artist and a brave woman. I WAS born in the musical city of Norwich. The epithet "musical" is not undeserved. Search the whole United Kingdom through, and you will scarcely find a place that can boast an older or more intimate connection with the "divine art" than the ancient capital of East Anglia. Its noble cathedral, its threescore churches, its chapels with- out number, are ever helping to create and sustain in the population a love of music. Above all, it is the scene, once in every three years, of a famous musical gathering. The "Norfolk and Norwich Musical Festival" (to give the full title) not only vies in age with those of the Three Choirs,— Glou- cester, Worcester, and Hereford,— but very nearly ranks in importance with the triennial meetings of its richer sisters, Birmingham and Leeds. My parents were not musical by profession ; but the fact that both were engaged in professional Thirty Years of vocations, coupled with tlieir ardent love of the art, brought them into association with xaanj of the operatic and vocal celebrities who visited the city from time to time. Our house on Elm Hill stood within sound of the cathedral chimes, and barely a stone's throw from St. Andrew's Hall, the quaint old Gothic building, half church, half concert-room, in which the festival rehearsals and performances were alwaj^s held. From the first I seemed to breathe the ' ' festival atmosphere" of the place. On the very evening I was born (the date, I may mention, was July 23, 1856) there was a rehearsal of Sir Michael Costa's "Eli"; and as the voices of the choir were wafted through the windows on the hot summer air, the question arose whether it would not be appropriate to name me after the venerable priest who was the hero of the oratorio then being interpreted. However, it had been determined that in the event of my being a boj^ I should receive my father's name of Hermann. Fortunately, that decision was adhered to, and I was spared the fate of being ad- dressed by my intimate friends for the whole of my life as "Eli." The echoes of the festival proceedings pene- trated even the thick walls of my school class- rooms. For the worthy principal of Opie House School (so named after the gifted Norwich painter, John Opie, who had once occupied the red-bricked dwelling which still stands opposite St. Clement's Church) was a highly respected member of the 4 INTERIOK ST. ANDREW'S HALL, NORWK'H From pbotugraplis by C. Brond & Cu., Xorwicli Musical Life in London festival chorus. He owned a capital bass voice, and was a first-rate musician. What is more, he knew a good singer when he heard one. It was his delight to describe to us how superbly Sims Reeves had sung ' ' Deeper and deeper still ' ' ; with what thrilling expression Mile. Tietjens had phrased "I know that my Redeemer liveth ' ' ; how inimitable Mme. Sainton-Dolby had been in "He was de- spised"; and what a remarkable voice he had heard in the bass solos of the "Messiah"— that of the famous Weiss, who composed the music of "The Village Blacksmith." He could go back a good many years, too, could my musical schoolmaster. ^Vhen in the mood he would tell us how, as a youth, he had been taken to St. Andrew's Hall to hear the great Paganini. With an air of awe he would describe the weird aspect and lean, lank form of the illustrious fiddler, as he stood upon the platform in his closely but- toned swallow-tailed coat, playing amid a silence so intense that his auditors almost feared lest their breathing might break the spell. ' ' Never before or since, ' ' my teacher would say, "have I seen an audience wrought to such a pitch of excitement. It was partly the influence of the individual himself, no doubt; but it was also due to the strangely wonderful beauty of the tone that he obtained from his instrument, and the fascina- tion of a method which completely concealed the nature of the difficulties he surmounted. As I listened I seemed to forget that Paganini was a 7 Thirty Years of man. Gradually lie assumed the character of a magician, an executant endowed with positively supernatural powers!" And such I imagine was the impression actually produced by this marvel- ous violinist upon nine out of every ten persons who heard him. It was in St. Andrew's Hall, also, that I was vouchsafed as a boy the privilege of hearing, on a solitary occasion only, one of the greatest artists the world has ever possessed. I refer to Jenny Lind. The close association which existed between that gifted and noble woman and the city of Nor- wich is a matter of common knowledge. A bishop of Norwich (Dr. Stanley) it was who persuaded the first of the "Swedish Nightingales" to aban- don, on religious grounds, the operatic stage ; which premature and much-regretted event oc- curred in 1849. But the famous singer frequently visited Norwich, and more than once she appeared at concerts given on behalf of the funds of the Jenny Lind Infirmary for Children, an institution founded by her and still flourishing in the old city. At one of these concerts, some time during the middle "sixties," I heard Jenny Lind sing. The voice, I remember perfectly, was as exquisitelj^ clear and fresh as a young girl 's ; its sweet tones haunted me long afterward. Of the wondrous art of the great singer I was too young to judge ; but I shall never forget what she sang, or the rare wealth of religious sentiment with which she in- vested the prayer of Agathe in the favorite scena 8 Musical Life in London from "Der Freischiitz. " Upon the stage, of course, the heroine of Weber 's opera always kneels while uttering her touching appeal for her lover's safe return, and Jenny Lind also knelt while sing- ing the same passage upon the platform of St. Andrew's Hall on the occasion I am alluding to.^ In later years Mme. Jenny Lind-Groldschmidt used to be a conspicuous figure at the concerts of the London Bach Choir, whereof her husband, Mr. Otto Goldschmidt, was the first conductor. She would modestly take her place in the front row of the sopranos, with the most musical of the Queen's daughters, the Princess Christian of Schleswig- Holstein, for her near companion. Moreover, she took an active part in the training of the female voices, and to her skilful instruction was in a large measure due the facility and brilliancy with which they executed the difficult passages in Bach's B minor Mass (performed for the first time in Eng- land April 26, 1876). The great singer died at Malvern, November 2, 1887, and seven years later I was present at the unveiling of the tablet, with medallion portrait, which now does honor to her memory in the south transept of Westminster Ab- bey. She is so far the only musical artist, other than a composer, whose lineaments have been ex- posed upon the walls of that ancient fane. ' My boyish imagination can hardly have led me astray in this matter. Besides, it was precisely the kind of impulse that the emotional exaltation of this deeply religious woman would have prompted her to yield to, regardless of the every-day convention- alities of the concert-room. Thirty Years of "If Birmingham had its Mendelssohn, Norwich had its Spohr." This pardonable boast, familiar enough to my boyish ears, had reference to the visit paid by Louis S^johr to Norwich in 1839 (when he conducted his oratorio "Calvary" and played a couple of his violin works), and also to the fact that he had expressly composed his oratorio "The Fall of Babylon" for the festival of 1842.i Some thir- teen years later an effort was made to persuade the Cassel composer to provide another novelty, and my father was requested by the Festival Committee to carry on the German correspondence with him. Spohr undertook the task, and promised to com- plete a new work for the festival of 1857. But at that time his powers were beginning to decline, and he plainly declared himself no longer satisfied with what he wrote ; while the accident which at that time broke his arm fairly precluded all question of further progress with the work. Two years later he died. ' It ie interesting to recall that a section of the Norwich clergy raised a tremendous outcry against the performance in the con- cert-room of ' ' Calvary, ' ' on account of the nature of the libretto. It was declared to be pure sacrilege thus to perform a musical illustration of the events of the Crucifixion. Nevertheless, the oratorio was duly given under Spohr 's direction, and was received with great enthusiasm. In London, in 1847, the same opposition arose when a series of Spohr 's works was announced by the Sa- cred Harmonic Society. This time it proved successful, for at the last moment "Calvary" was omitted and "The Fall of Babylon ' ' given in its place. Thirty-five years later, when Gounod's "Redemption" was produced at Birmingham, the British public was not quite so squeamish. lO D O c! ^^^■^^h'^- ' ■■ •■-' '- " *^^^^B b^^sl '■ ■ '■ ■■.; - . 5; t _ I Musical Life in London One of the proudest moments that I can recall in my early Norwich life was my being presented to Mr. (afterward Sir) Julius Benedict, who of- ficiated as conductor of the festivals from 1842 until 1878, when he was succeeded by the present conductor, Mr. Alberto Randegger. By the light of subsequent experience, I learned to realize that Benedict was one of the worst conductors who ever held a baton. His head was invariably buried in his score ; his arms were ever uplifted, as though seeking a higher level than the shoulder- joints naturally permitted. He rarely gave a cue until it was too late to be of practical value ; and he entirely lacked the magnetic power and the sense of en- semble that should be the primary gifts of a good conductor. But at the time I am speaking of these deficiencies were noted only by the few. The vast majority of East Anglian amateurs, including my youthful self, were satisfied to look upon Sir Julius not only as a great conductor, but as a musician whose cooperation brought honor and glory to the festival. Was he not the favorite pupil and friend of Weber? Had he not, when a young man of twenty- three, seen and shaken hands with the im- mortal Beethoven? I have been introduced to Verdi and G-ounod; I have known and spoken with Wagner; but, great as those privileges undoubtedly were, I do not think they aroused in me the same feelings of mingled pride and awe that I experienced when, as a boy, I was first addressed by a man who had 13 Thirty Years of stood face to face with Beethoven. In his biog- raphy of Weber, Sir Julius Benedict describes in glowing language how he met the great composer at his publishers' in Vienna, and expresses the great joy and surprise that he felt when Beethoven "actually condescended" to speak with him. He adds : I see him yet before me, and who could ever forget those striking features? The lofty, vaidted forehead with thick gray and white hair encircling it in the most picturesque disorder, that square lion's nose, that broad chin, that noble and soft mouth. Over the cheeks, seamed with scars from the smallpox, was spread a high color. From under the bushy, closely compressed eyebrows flashed a pair of piercing eyes; his thick-set Cyclopean figure told of a powerful frame. He approached me with his inseparable tablet in his hand, and in his usual brusque manner addressed me : ' ' You are Weber 's pu- pil ? " I gave an affirmative nod. ' ' Why does n 't he come to see me? Tell him to come to Baden with Has- linger, " pointing to Steiner's partner. Asking for his tablet, I wrote in it, "May I come too?" He smiled, replying, "Ja, kleiner naseweis" (Yes, you saucy little fellow). And then follows an account of the visit, too lengthy for quotation here. It was at the suggestion of Malibran that Bene- dict left Paris and went to England in 1835. He quickly made his mark as an operatic composer, and successfully competed with Michael Balfe and 14 Musical Life in London Vincent Wallace in the race for fame. Like them, he wrote and produced many operas; like them, he left only one that really promises to survive. Indeed, Benedict's "Lily of Killarney" is the sole English opera of the so-called "ballad" type that still shares popularity with "The Bohemian Girl" and ' ' Maritana. ' ' Although such a mediocre con- ductor, he was an admirable accompanist. He had studied under Hummel at Weimar before going to Weber, and was a quite capable pianist. His repu- tation in this capacity was not a little enhanced by his association with Jenny Lind on her memorable tour in the United States (1850-52). At any rate, after his return to London his services "at the piano" were in request at every kind of musical function, and he was practically the sole accom- panist employed at the Monday Popular Concerts during the first twenty years of their existence. When I first made Benedict's acquaintance he was not far short of seventy. Still a hale old man and a wonderfully hard worker, his eyes were nev- ertheless beginning to give him trouble, and, when conducting, the distance between his head and the score was growing shorter and shorter. He was much upset by the financial failure of the Nor- wich festival of 1869 and the comparatively poor results achieved in 1872 and 1875. The latter was the first of these meetings at which I performed the functions of a musical critic, as the representative of my uncle's newspaper, the "Norwich Argus." When it was over. Sir Julius asked me to come and 15 Thirty Years of see him, in order to talk over a series of articles pro- posing some radical modifications in the festival management. These I wrote, and they duly ap- peared in the ' ' Argus, ' ' and certain of the sugges- tions were carried out with good effect at the fes- tival of 1878. But, as it turned out, that was the last of the Norwich festivals that Benedict was to direct. He shortly afterward underwent an opera- tion for cataract, and then — married again ! To add to his troubles, he incurred severe losses in a provincial operatic speculation with the then im- presario of Covent Garden, the late Frederic Gye. He gradually relinquished all public work, and died in June, 1885, at the ripe age of eighty-one. Among the great prime donne who sang in Nor- wich during the "sixties" and "seventies," none was more deservedly popular than Theresa Tiet- jens. Those of my American readers who saw her when she appeared with Mr. Mapleson's troupe at the Academy of Music, New York, in 1876, cannot fail to have a vivid recollection of her genius both as a singer and an actress. Then, however, she was just approaching the tragical climax of her brilliant career. ^'\'Tien I first heard her, at one of the general rehearsals for the festival of 1866 (some eight years after her debut in England), her voice was not only fresh, powerful, and pene- trating, but it possessed in a greater degree than then that sympathetic charm— that curiously dra- matic "human" quality— which was perhaps its most notable attribute. i6 TIETJEXS AS LUCEEZIA BORGIA Musical Life in London Her style was marked by the same rare individ- uality. Her phrasing offered a curious blending of vigor and grace ; and she had a trick of employ- ing the portamento when approaching a high note, which in any other singer might have been thought almost ugly, but in Tietjens seemed both natural and artistic. At the same time, her attack was superb. Never have I heard the opening phrase of the ' ' Inflammatus ' ' in Rossini 's ' ' Stabat Mater ' ' delivered with such magnificent energy and such absolute purity of tone. To hear Tietjens in those days sing "Let the bright Seraphim" (especially to the trumpet obbligato of Tom Harper) was a treat never to be forgotten. Theresa Tietjens was one of the few leading sopranos of her time ( Adelina Patti was also one ; Emma Albani, another) who could be regarded as equally distinguished interpreters of oratorio and opera. If Lemmens-Sherring-ton, being a born Englishwoman, could claim to be the legitimate successor of Clara Novello, the position of the dra- matic "star" of oratorio was no less truly shared by Rudersdorff and Tietjens, until the former took up her residence in the United States (1872), leav- ing her friend and rival to reign supreme. Hear- ing Tietjens as I did in oratorio, then, some years before I knew her in opera, I was enabled to judge even more accurately of the wonderful effect that resulted from the combination of her histrionic and vocal powers. On the stage she was a trage- dienne in the highest sense of the term. The op- 9 Thirty Years of portunity of arriving at that conclusion was af- forded me by the artist herself when I was in my sixteenth year. And the memory of her glorious impersonation, on that occasion, of Faienime ("Les Huguenots") has never faded, notwithstanding the i^rofound impression subsequently created by her embodiments of Lucrezia Borgia, Norma, Medea, Donna Anna, 8 emir amide. Countess Alma- viva, Ortrud (one of her later efforts), and, per- haps greatest of all, Leonora in "Fidelio." I witnessed two of her performances as Lucrezia Borgia which deserve special mention. The first of these (May 4, 1872) took place at Drury Lane, and was remarkable not only for the exceptional beauty and grandeur of Tietjens's assumption, but because on that night Italo Campanini made his debut in London as Gennaro, and was forthwith hailed (somewhat prematurely, however) as the successor of Mario and Giuglini. The cast further included Faure as the Buhe and the ever-delightful Zelia Trebelli as Maffto Orsini, while Sir Michael Costa was the conductor. That was a night of triumphs. The other representation (Her Majesty's Thea- tre, May 19, 1877) is fraught with sad memories and undying admiration for a courageous woman and a true artist. It had been known for some time that Theresa Tietjens was suffering from cancer; and, after much hesitation, the doctors decided to perform an operation before the end of May. "Lucrezia" was announced for the 19th, and among the prima donna's friends it was pretty well 20 Musical Life in London understood that this would be her last appearance before the operation was performed. When the day arrived Tietjens was far too ill to be really fit to sing. It was distinctly against her medical advisers' wish that she insisted upon keeping faith with her manager and the public— a practice that she had persistently adhered to throughout her career. How she contrived to get through the opera I shall never understand. It can only be compared to some splendid example of martjrrdom. She fainted after each of the acts, but immediately on recovering consciousness de- cided to proceed with the performance. Never so much as a look or gesture betrayed to her audience the mortal anguish she was suffering. Only the initiated knew how much of reality there was in the terrible scream of agony uttered by Lucrezia in the final scene— when she perceives that her son is dead. As it rang through the house the audience shuddered. Yet the brave artist would not shirk her fall at the end. What it cost her could be guessed, however, from the fact that after the cur- tain had been twice raised in response to rapturous plaudits, she still lay motionless upon the ground. She had once more become insensible. In the following week the operation was per- formed, but the case was hopeless, and on October 3, 1877, Theresa Tietjens breathed her last. She was laid to rest at Kensal Green Cemetery, in the presence of a vast crowd, amid tokens of public grief such as no foreign artist before her had ever been vouchsafed on English soil. 21 CHAPTER II Youthful work and experiences in London — My brother Max — French refugees of 1871 — Alboni — Joseph Joachim — James Davison and the " Pops" — Manuel Garcia, teacher and friend — The great master's method — His sister Malibran. MY real musical life in London began in 1874. Down to that year my parents had never contemplated my entering upon a musical or even a journalistic career. When they left Norwich in 1866 and went to reside in the metropolis, I re- mained behind in the care of my grandparents and did not rejoin them until nearly three j'ears later. Meanwhile my younger brother, Max, had shown considerable aptitude for the violin, and was taking lessons from Louis Ries, the well-known "second violin" of the Monday "Pops." Afterward he studied under the late J. T. Carrodus, and joined the orchestra of the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, of which Carrodus was for many years the chef-d'attaque} I used to play Max's accom- ' Subsequently my brother went to America to become a mem- ber of the well-known Mendelssohn Quintet Club. For three seasons he was principal second violin of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Gerieke and Hensehel. In 1888 he accompanied Dr. P. H. Cowen to Melbourne as leader of the Centennial Ex- hibition Orchestra, and resided in that city until 1891. His health beginning to fail, he returned to Europe and for a time resumed his place in the principal London orchestras. He died at Cairo in 1894. 22 From an original fiaiiiting by Eth rt !» s. Musical Life in London Besides being versatile in lier art (she could boast a repertory of unusual dimensions), Minnie Hauk was an accomplished musician, a facile lin- guist, a kindly hostess, and the most interesting of correspondents. More than one agreeable sum- mer holiday did I spend with Mme. de Wartegg and her mother and husband at their Biningen- Schlossli near Basel, in Switzerland. For the weary worker it was an ideal spot in which to repose and recuperate; likewise for the busy prima donna to study in peace and find inspiration for new parts. She wrote me once from Biningen : I am studying very diligently a new role — or, rather, an old one that I have never yet essayed— that is, Frau Fluth (Mistress Ford) in "The Merry Wives of Wind- sor." I have also to freshen up for my coming season in Berlin my recollection of the "Domino Noir, " and Bose Friquet in "Les Dragons de Villars," besides other operas put aside for several years. How am I to do all this if I cannot manage to stay at home for once in the early summer? Since we have had the Schlossli I have never been here in May or June, and it has been a de- light; for I have never seen the meadows so green and beautiful, or heard such wonderful warbling all day long as from the birds in the park here. I am trying to learn from them; and I feel more and more convinced that Wagner, Bizet, and many other composers have been inspired with their "motives" by listening to the birds. joins the one at which Wagner resided from 1866 until 1872, and where he completed "Die Meistersinger" and wrote nearly the whole of the latter half of the " Nibelungenring. " 93 Thirty Years of In course of her numerous tours in different parts of the world (including Japan, where she was unluckily "caught" in an earthquake and had a most providential escajDe from destruction), Mme. Minnie Hauk used to write me regular accounts of her artistic doings and her varied experiences. From these I have only space to quote the follow- ing letter, which has a special interest on account of its reference to the scene of her greatest operatic triumph : Seville, January 25, 1892. My dear Me. Klein : What a world of antique novelty I have gone through within the last four weeks ! I have lived, as it were, in the atmosphere of the Scriptures, and have seen sights most marvelous. We left Tangiers four days ago, and I can hardly realize that I have seen all this antiquated world peopled a;3 of yore— walking, breathing — in fact, living life as it was lived nearly two thousand years ago ! And now what a change — Seville ! I am gratified to find the cigarette girls just as gay and bright — with flash- ing eyes and rose in hair — as I expected. Not as pretty, perhaps; but at every turn one can imagine a Carmen- cita (and what a common name Carmen is here, to be sure !) . The city is a dead one, so to speak ; but at night it livens up, and at the theatres the eastagnette-playing, the dancing, and the singing have the true old Spanish ring. There is something very fascinating about the life here, and I only regret I cannot see it in the spring-tide. To-morrow we leave for the Alhambra, stopping on the way at Cordova to see the great Mosque. I finished my American season of four months (with Mr. Abbey) at Boston, and sang in all fifty -three times 94 Musical Life in London in three operas — "Lohengrin," "Carmen," and "Caval- leria Rustieana. " We had crowded houses all the time. It was a most interesting season, but rather fatiguing. I think I have deserved my holiday, and shall rest two months before fulfilling my engagements at Nice, etc. With united best regards. Ever yours faithfully, Minnie Hauk-De Wartegg. In addition to the events already recorded, there belong to the years 1877 and 1879 some experiences which, for me at least, will ever be replete with interest. In the earlier year I heard for the first time Anton Rubinstein and Pablo Sarasate, and witnessed the debuts of Etelka Gerster and Ga- yarre. With the exception of a brief visit in 1876, Rubinstein had not been in London for seven or eight years. I now heard him at the Philharmonic, at the Crystal Palace (where I saw him conduct— with all the "extra" movements included— his grandiose but interminable "Ocean" symphony), and at some recitals at St. James's Hall. He was then in his forty-eighth year, and had attained the fullest measure of his extraordinary powers. Universally acknowledged to be the greatest pianist of his time, the public simply worshiped Rubinstein as an artist and gathered in crowds whenever he appeared. His technique bordered upon the miraculous ; his interpretative gifts were worthy of a musician who was himself no mean creative genius ; his style, the reflex, as it were, of his massive leonine aspect, was at once the most 95 Thirty Years of noble and most original of any pianist I have ever listened to. The fire and passion in his sonl ponred out at his fingers ' ends ; and yet his touch could be as gentle and caressing as a woman's. In private life his chief amusement was a game of whist. He loved the game and played it well— as I discovered for myself one evening when I visited him at the old Hotel Dieudonne, in St. James's. Quite a num- ber of friends dropped in after dinner, but Rubin- stein simply ignored their presence until he had finished his rubter. Then he went round and warmly welcomed them. After a time he sat down to the piano, and never left it till midnight, giving us a treat that will never fade from my memory as long as I live.' An artist of entirely different calibre, yet barely less serious in his aims and certainly not less re- markable for the flawless perfection of his technical gifts, Senor Sarasate had just turned thirty when he made his first appearance before a London au- dience. Three years later (October 13, 1877) his rendering of Mendelssohn's violin concerto at the Crystal Palace fairly took the town b^^ storm, and he repeated his triumph at the Philharmonic in the following spring. After 1885 he became an almost ' Eubinstein visited London again in 1881, wlien bis opera ' ' The Demon ' ' was produce Musical Life in London splendor the richness of timbre and amplitude of volume for which it is remarkable. He lacked ex- perience, of course ; the art of later years was yet to come. Still, the sonority and grandeur of his tones were an unalloyed delight, notably in such parts as BasiUo, St. Bris, Count Roclolfo, and Walter ("William Tell"), and he instantly won hearty favor. He returned regularly for the four succeeding seasons. In addition to the concerts of the old Philhar- monic Society, there were also those of the new Philharmonic, which in 1879, on the resignation of Dr. Wylde, came under the exclusive conductor- ship of Mr. Wilhelm Ganz, and survived under his direction for several seasons longer. But in the concert world by far the most important event of 1879 was the establishment of the famous Richter Concerts. They were the outcome of the Wagner Festival of two years before, and, as a matter of fact, were announced for this preliminary season as a series of three ' ' Orchestral Festival Concerts. ' ' In subsequent years, when it was palpable that Richter had become a power in the land, the more ponderous title was relinquished, and double the number of concerts were given. The credit for the idea of starting the new un- dertaking was originally due to Herr Hermann Franke, a capable violinist (pupil of Joachim), who had been residing for some time in London, and who occasionally gave chamber concerts with the aid of Scharwenka, Robert Hausmann, and other 105 Musical Life in London artists. Franke had been very useful to his friend Wilhelmj in the organization of the Wagner Festival, and it occurred to him that profit could be reaped from the tremendous impression that Rieh- ter's conducting had created at the Albert Hall. The result justified his expectation ; two years later, at St. James's Hall, Eichter's feat of con- ducting not only Wagnerian fragments but Bee- thoven symphonies entirely from memory fur- nished an absolute novelty and created quite a sen- sation. Thenceforth, Hans Eichter's popularity in England was assured, and his concerts, given once, and sometimes twice, every year, became a regular feature in the economy of London musi- cal life. io6 CHAPTER VI Musical critic of the " Sunday Times "—The Duke of Cambridge and his journalistic sons — Queen Victoria's music-loving aunt — F. Paolo Tosti— The Queen's "Master of the Musick " — Her Majesty's musical library — A State Concert at Buckingham Palace — German opera in London — Gounod conducts his "Redemption." I NOW pass to the period when I became critic of the fine old London weekly known as the "Sunday Times." This welcome rise in my jour- nalistic status came about by a stroke of pure luck. Late in the summer of 1881 the newspaper changed hands, and the new editor, anxious, no doubt, to show himself a man of action, promptly discharged every member of the literary staff. His procedure almost savored of heroism (of the Quixotic sort), for he was totally unsupplied with new men to take the place of those whom he had so needlessly dismissed. How, I should like to know, could he have hoped to find a more trustworthy dramatic critic than Joseph Knight,^ or a more brilliant yet learned writer on musical subjects than the late Desmond L. Eyan, then also critic of the ''Standard"? ' Critic for many years of the London ' ' Globe ' ' and ' ' Athe- nEBum, " and present editor of "Notes and Queries." 107 Thirty Years of However, the vacancy existed, and when Sep- tember arrived, and with it tlie date for the Nor- wich Festival, tlie "Sunday Times" had no ap- pointed critic to represent it at the East Anglian gathering. In this dilemma the over-hasty editor wrote to my Norwich uncle, the late Philip Soman, and asked him to recommend some one who could provide an article upon the festival. I was duly reciuested to essay the task. A few weeks later I was installed as the regular musical critic of the "Sunday Times," which post I held continuously until I resigned it in November, 1901 — a period of over twenty years. At first the responsibilities of my new position weighed somewhat heavily upon me. I had already won my spurs, it is true ; though only just twenty- five, I felt that I possessed the necessary knowledge and experience for my work. But it was no light matter to follow a clever (and then still living) writer like Desmond Kyan, who in turn had been preceded by the present doyen of English musical critics, Joseph Bennett (before his services were wholly required by the "Daily Telegraph"). Ere long, however, I was to receive definite assurance that the performance of my labors was command- ing satisfaction. It is not the public that decides in these cases. The readers of a paper are usually the last persons in the world that a British editor would consult concerning the merits or deficiencies of any writer upon his staif. Ka long as the critic writes io8 Musical Life in London decent English, avoids libel actions, and is not gnilty of exposing a lack of technical knowledge of his subject, he has little to fear from his em- ployer. Strong or weak, fearless or indifferent, honest or venal, he will be permitted to go on pub- lishing his "copy" from one year's end to the other, until some such upheaval occurs as that which had landed me in my present position. The artist, the teacher, the cultivated amateur, the in- structed colleague— in a word, those who do not care openly to find fault, even when they dare— are alone capable of judging whether or not the critic has done his work well. And they are precisely the people whose opinion upon the question is rarely, if ever, asked. The "Sunday Times" again changed hands, for the second time in a twelvemonth ; and, instead of being dismissed, I was requested to continue my duties with "undiminished energy and zeal." I was told that my work had won favorable notice in "exalted" quarters, and that if I cared to re- linquish the anonymous first person plural in favor of the singular, and sig-n articles with my own initials, I was at liberty to do so. I gladly adopted this course. Journalistic anonjnnity is advisable in dealing with politics and the general run of newspaper topics. But where art is concerned, I prefer to conform to the old French principle that the opinions of the paper should be put forth as those of an individual. It is no secret that the purchasers of the "Sun- III Thirty Years of day Times" in this instance were the three sons of the Duke of Carabridge— Captain (now Rear- Admiral) FitzGeorge, Colonel Augustus Fitz- George, and Colonel George FitzGeorge. They all took a deep interest in the then varying fortunes of the paper, and Colonel George FitzGeorge per- sonally undertook the editorship, in addition to the even more onerous duties of dramatic critic.^ Frequently the three brothers would come down to the office on a Saturday evening and remain until the paper was ready to go to press. The Colonel had the true instincts of a journalist, and would write a bright, chatty article every week. The Duke of Cambridge himself, too, was evi- dently interested. I met his Eoj^al Highness more than once at his son's house. Well do I recollect a certain New Year's eve, and the zest with which he joined in "Auld Lang Syne" after he had been sitting by the piano for nearly an hour listening to my songs. In his genuine love of music he fully shares a characteristic that distingTiishes the whole of the royal family. Until a few years ago the Duke was a regnilar attendant at the opera. He preferred the stalls to the royal box, albeit, if the Princess of Wales (Queen Alexandra now) were ^ In this branch, however, the Colonel soon found the work too heavy, and asked me to assist him, as far as I could do so without interfering with my musical duties. These contributions I signed with the nom de guerre of " Avant-scene, " and for nearly three years (until the appointment of my friend Malcolm Salaman, a sou of the composer) I was quite as closely identified with the theatrical as with the musical work of the paper. I 12 Musical Life in London present, he would never fail to pay her Royal Highness a visit and enjoy a chat between the acts. One night, at a performance of "Don Giovanni," I had the pleasure of sitting next the duke. His remarks upon the artists were full of sensible criticism. He found fault where censure was really deserved, and expressed a firm conviction that the "Mozart singers" of that day, with the exception of Patti and one or two others, were not to be com- pared to those whom he had heard in his boyhood. At this time the venerable Duchess of Cambridge, his Royal Highness 's mother, was still alive and residing at St. James's Palace, where our beloved Queen Victoria would visit her regularly on the rare occasions of her coming to London. Music was the soothing balm of the aged Duchess's de- clining days; and it was furnished almost ex- clusively by my friend, the well-known song-writer, F. Paolo Tosti. Every afternoon, toward tea-time, with the regularity of clockwork, Tosti would go to St. James's Palace and entertain the Duchess with that exquisite warbling^ of his own charming songs, for which he was then enjoying such a re- markable vogTie. I had already known him, but his intimacy with the FitzGeorges naturally tended to strengthen the bonds of friendship between us. I remember his telling me how sedulously the ' I can find no better word to express the unique combination of perfect diction, of true Italian warmth and color, with the pe- culiarly poignant tones of the voix de compositeur, that character- ized Tosti 's singing twenty years ago. 113 Thirty Years of musical columns of a certain paper were studied in the roj^al palaces every Sunday; and from some words graciously uttered to me by Princess Chris- tian many years afterward, I have reason to know that Tosti's statement was not mere flattery. Among my early contributions to the ' ' Sunday Times" was an account of a State Concert at Buck- ingham Palace. It excited considerable curiosity, inasmuch as critics, I need scarcely say, are not ad- mitted to these functions ; indeed, I believe that the occasion I refer to was the last as well as the first upon which a description of a State Concert has ever been written and published by a musical jour- nalist. It was generally surmised at the time that I had obtained the privilege of entree through the in- fluence of my editor. That was not so. I owed it entirely to the kindness of the Queen's late "Mas- ter of the Musick, " Sir William George Cusins, who consented to arrange for my presence, on con- dition that I would not reveal his share in the trans- action so long as he remained a court official. And he has now been dead some nine years. Cusins never realized it, but he was distinctly one of fortune's favorites. The fickle goddess smiled upon him from the day he won the King's Scholarship at the Royal Academy— I think he actually won it twice, by the waj^ Throughout his career he regarded himself as an underesti- mated genius.^ And yet, as the pupil of Sterndale ^ This was, perhaps, because he felt a certain amount of dis- appointment in his aspirations as a composer. He wrote a good 114 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^tm^^imm^ KKIOyiY, Kii'KiXiflii. 15'^ .■aH'ifii, 1887. IIOVAL Jt'BELKK LKWtVtS. ■ •Jr,.,lTi- Quern a U-itf life," . W. li. Cnjini. Thi S,iL^ I.}, MiJ' Alum .t Ui. Luid. THE WORDS OVCR L£AF. oVEltl'l III., "[/n- ^fi'u'iiJ'«c»''"idfr; . , Wajwr. -^^^^- ! !';! '■■'I'i'^iKt^J'.X"'' ! ■ (Jl «™ mum BXO M^iuri. Mod' Ual-mhi. Mil- KiuKiu Aalvou a^«. UL'O, ■■ Si, (ii .lirncfcrnci.iK'ufprtnu, ■ . . . . (/I rfvio »ff) V/nli. SlwC TBLBtLL. A Ul Ll.^™. KUilANKiV. ■■('i'n.jM.Ln«.^- i TliEllkl,!,!. il,>«.- fl. Vfi. A JUdihe ., ^ J. apm. >*4Mi^^^^^i^*^^^^iA^^i^Ai«.^a^^kM FACSIMILE OP A STATE CONCERT PROGRAMME Musical Life in London Bennett and Sainton, he won success both as a pianist and a violinist ; he was at an early age ap- pointed organist to the Queen 's private chapel ; he was for sixteen years (1867 to 1883) conductor of the Philharmonic Society ; he was honored in vari- ous ways by the leading foreign musical societies ; and in 1892 he was added to the select list of musical knights. The post of "Master of the Mu- sick" to the sovereign, to which he was appointed in 1870, carried with it many privileges, while its duties included those of conductor of the Queen's private band, as well as of director of the State Concerts. One might have justly thought that Sir William Cusins was the most contented musician in the land. That he was not mattered little; his dissatisfaction was carefully concealed from all but his best friends, and a temper that could rage at white heat was, as a rule, effectually concealed beneath a calm, dignified exterior and the manners of a refined gentleman. One day he asked me whether I would care to see the musical library of Queen Victoria at Buck- ingham Palace. I accepted with the utmost pleasure, and spent a couple of delightful hours deal; his compositions comprising an oratorio, "Gideon," a ' ' Te Deum, ' ' a symphony, two overtures, concertos for piano and violin, several chamber works, and songs; besides a "Royal Wedding Serenata ' ' written for the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1863, and a "Royal Jubilee Cantata" writ- ten for the jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. Yet, probably the last thing that English amateurs would have thought of doing was to regard Cusins as a composer. 117 Thirty Years of with him looking through the treasures of that in- teresting collection. He showed me, among other valuable manuscripts, one of the original scores of the "Messiah," on which he had shortly before published a remarkably clever brochure, throwing considerable light upon the details of Handel's in- strumentation. ' ' I am now engaged, ' ' he told me, ' ' in compiling a catalog-ue of this wonderful collec- tion. Her Majesty has granted me permission, and I hope in good time to be able to let the world know what a mass of precious manuscripts and scores and musical works of all kinds there are in the Queen 's library. ' ' Whether or not that project was carried out before his death I am unable to say. If not, perhaps his successor, Sir Walter Parratt, will undertake to complete it. After our visit to the library, Cusins took me through the handsome reception-rooms of the palace. It was then that I conceived the idea of asking permission to accompany him once to a State Concert. At first he replied that it would be impossible, but after a moment's reflection said, "Well, I fancy I might manage it if you don't mind coming as a member of the chorus." I an- swered that I should be only too happy. "Then I will send you a ' command ' to attend rehearsal at nine o'clock on the morning of the next concert, and all you have to do is to be sure that at night you wear a white waistcoat. I wear court dress, and the band have their own uniform of black with gold buttons; but the chorus are distinguished by ii8 Musical Life in London nothing more elaborate than a white waistcoat with ordinary evening dress." So everything was ar- ranged, and before we parted I readily gave the requisite promise of secrecy. Though magnificent to the eye, and a sight gor- geous and dazzling beyond my powers of descrip- tion, nevertheless I found that. State Concert at Buckingham Palace one of the slowest and most dispiriting functions that it was ever my lot to wit- ness. From my place in the orchestral gallery I commanded a perfect view of the entire assem- blage. The Queen was, of course, not present.^ Her Majesty was represented by the Prince of Wales, who, with the Princess of Wales and the other members of the royal family, occupied seats — not in front, as formerly had been the custom, but upon a high dais at the estreme end of the vast ball-room. At the back of the royal group sat or stood a semicircle of high officers of state and ladies and gentlemen of the household. The general com- pany were ranged upon either side of the room, facing each other, in rows five or six deep ; and be- tween them was a gangway or passage broad enough to keep the royal view of the performers en- tirely free from obstruction. The concert began at 11 p.m. with the singing of the national anthem. At that moment, as all joresent rose to their feet, the coup d'oeil was su- ' Queen Victoria never attended either a State Concert or a State Ball at Buckingham Palace after the death of the Prince Consort in 1861. 19 Thirty Years of perb in the extreme. The women, in court dress with nodding plumes and sparkling tiaras, their corsages positively coruscating with jewels and gems of every descriiotion ; the men, in their various court, naval, and military uniforms, their breasts covered with the ribands and stars of countless orders ; the beautiful tapestries and hangings, the sumptuous decoration of walls and ceiling, and the brilliantly lighted chandeliers— all combined to present a profusion and wealth of color, a superb effect of delicate grandeur, such as no court in Eu- rope could surpass. But beyond that, what?— the dullest sort of musical show that can be imagined. True, the artists were some of the best available; but the selection of pieces was necessarily of the miscellaneous or ad captandum order, and fol- lowed the preference at that time for any but English music. Above all, by the rules of court etiquette applause was strictly forbidden. Number succeeded number without the least token of appre- ciation; each, in turn, ending amid a silence that could not have been more profound had the locale been a church or the audience a gathering of the deaf and dumb. Applause being the "salt," not only of the ar- tist's existence, but of any musical performance, it naturally follows that its elimination from a State Concert leaves the whole thing tasteless and insipid from the artist's point of view. Only at the close of the programme did vitality and spontaneity characterize the proceedings. For then the "royal- I 20 «^'i y. i 'A < Q s J !0 g Es 1 o o J 3 a M 1 Musical Life in London ties" descended from the dais, and, with stately tread and bows right and left, walked the entire length of the apartment toward the expectant or- chestra. Then the singers, who had already de- scended from the platform, received from gracious lips the words of praise and thanks that assured them they had done well. It was, for them, by far the sweetest morsel of the entertainment. The com- pliments over, the royal personages retired, and the company dispersed, some to the supper-room; others to some ball or late reception elsewhere. For my own part, I waited patiently and discreetly in the background until I caught the eye of the ' ' Master of the Musick. ' ' He beckoned me to him, took me by the arm, and, without a word, led me along a labyrinth of corridors and passages; I thought it was to let me quietly out by a side door, and was preparing to say " Good- night, " when suddenly, to my astonishment, I found myself in a spacious and comfortable room in which, at a large round table, just ready to begin supper, were seated the principal artists who had taken part in the concert! "So much," thought I, "for the chance of keeping secret who brought me here!" But Cusins was both sensible and discreet, and his manner possessed that air of importance and au- thority which would have carried conviction be- fore a whole posse of court officials. ' ' Ladies and gentlemen, ' ' he said in his most impressive tones, "permit me to beg that you will make room for our friend Mr. Klein. I have been requested [it 123 Thirty Years of might have been by the Queen herself] to see that he does not leave the palace until he has enjoyed a good supper in your company." And I did en- joy it thoroughly. That convivial gathering was for me by far the pleasantest feature of the State Concert. Eighteen hundred and eighty- two was London's great Wagner year. Hitherto we had been slowly paving the way only. Now, with almost startling suddenness, the metropolis found itself the scene of two weighty enterprises which were destined to give an even stronger fillip to the spread of the Bayreuth master's art than his own visit in 1877. To be candid, the double dose, taken well-nigh simultaneously, proved rather too heavy for the receptive capacity of the general public. But the German community again rallied in brave numbers to this musical call from the Fatherland, and, alike with money and plaudits, prolTered substantial support to the cause. Early in the year a troupe had been formed by Herr Angelo Neumann for the purpose of perform- ing "Der Ring des Nibelungen" in the leading cities of Germany, Austria, Holland, England, and Italy. The months of May and June were chosen for the London visit, and Her Majesty's Theatre was engaged. In all, four cycles of the tetralogy were given. Of these I attended two, and then for the first time felt that I was beginning to obtain an insight into the real scope and meaning of this gigantic work. The casts included not a few of 124 Musical Life in London the famous artists who had taken part in the initial representation of the "Ring" at Bayreuth in 1876,— among them Niemann, Unger, the Vogls, Hill, Sehlosser, and Lilli Lehmann (who sang Woglinde, Hehmvige, and the "Bird" music); with that admirable artist, Reicher-Kindermann, as Briinnliilde. The conductor was the lamented An- ton Seidl, who then made his first appearance in London. He at once won the high approval of con- noisseurs by the skill which he displayed— with by no means first-rate material— in bringing out with clearness, refinement, and intellectuality the beau- ties of Wagner's colossal score. It was through no fault of Seidl 's that the representations were at many points open to criticism; nor, we may be equally sure, was he responsible for the number of extensive "cuts" which disfigured the last two of the four music-dramas. The unexpected announcement of "German Opera at Drary Lane" during the same months owed its origin, in the first place, to the extraor- dinary success previously earned by the celebrated Meiningen troupe at that house ; and, in the second, to the renewed activity of Hermann Franke, who, elated by the good fortune that had attended the Richter concerts, had prevailed upon Herr Pollini to arrange with Augustus Harris for a series of performances at Drury Lane, by the entire troupe of the Hamburg Opera House, and with the very popular Viennese chef-d'orchestre, Hans Richter, as principal conductor. It turned out, from every 125 Thirty Years of point of view, a remarkable achievement. The rare excellence of these performances — doubly valuable in that they presented under perfect conditions difficult operas mostly new or unfamiliar to Eng- lish audiences— has never been forgotten by any who witnessed them. They created a new standard, a new mental perspective, not only for the rising generation of opera-goers, but for those critics whose insular experiences had been confined exclu- sively to the lyric art of the Italian and French schools. Henceforward, we were to understand what was signified by Wagnerian declamation and diction superimposed upon a correct vocal method, as distinguished from mere shouting and a persist- ent sacrifice either of the word to the tone or of the tone to the word. These inestimable traditions were exemplified with marvelous fidelity and force by the Hamburg artists, who, be it noted, comprised at that time several whose rare merit was subsequently to earn for them world-wide reputations. Imagine the ad- vantage of hearing ' ' Tristan und Isolde ' ' and ' ' Die Meistersinger" for the first time with such a noble singer and actress as Rosa Sucher as Isolde and Eva; with such a glorious Tristan and Walfher as Winkelmann ; with the famous Marianne Brandt as Brangaene ; with that fine barj^tone, Gura, as Konig Marhe and Hans Saclis! Those artists were then in their prime, and sang their music as few German singers have sung it since— as, indeed, it could have been sung only by artists trained in the I 26 Musical Life in London purest of vocal schools. We also had splendid revivals of Beethoven's "Fidelio," with the de- lightful Therese Malten as Leonora; of Weber's ' ' Der Freischiitz ' ' and ' ' Euryanthe ' ' ; and, natur- ally, of the ' ' Fliegende Hollander, "" Tannhauser, ' ' and "Lohengrin." How these operas were con- ducted by Hans Richter I need hardly say. Enough that the ensemble was superb and the mise en scene, generalljr speaking, beyond reproach. The esthetic effect of the entire season was in the highest de- gree beneficial. It also proved to be entirely free from financial loss, a fact which no doubt induced the similar undertaking at Covent Garden two years later, when Richter was again conductor. But the success in that instance was not nearly so marked. The time when German opera should take abiding root in the affections of the London public was yet to come. In the autumn of 1882 Gounod came to England to conduct the first performance of his fine sacred work, "The Redemption." He was no stranger to London. One of the refugees of 1870, he had made a stay there of considerable duration, and among other pieces brought out his cantata ' ' Gal- lia," which he conducted at the opening of the Royal Albert Hall in 1871. Even previous to this, however, he had sketched his design for the work which he labeled "Opus vitse meae," and there is ample evidence that he spent, from first to last, upward of a dozen years upon the score of "The Redemption." Having arranged with 129 Thirty Years of Messrs. Novello & Co. for its publication (at the highest price ever paid at tliat time for an ora- torio), Gounod arrived late in September to super- intend the final rehearsals for its production at the Birmingham Festival. This was the last of the Midland gatherings over which Sir Michael Costa presided, and I owed to him the honor of a personal introduction to the composer of "Faust," who was then sixty-four years of age. Gounod was one of the most fascinating men I have ever spoken with. His manner had a charm that was irresistible, and his kindly eyes, soft and melting as a woman's, would light up with a smile, now tender, now humorous, that fixed itself inef- faceably upon the memory. He could speak Eng- lish fairly well, but preferred his own language, in which he was a brilliant conversationalist; and he could use to advantage a fund of keen, ready wit. He was influenced at that time by a recrudescence of that religious mysticism which had so strongly characterized his youthful career; but his tone, though earnest and thoughtful when he was dwell- ing upon his art, could brighten up with the light- ness and gaiety of a true Parisian. He was rather upset, on the morning of the London band rehearsal at St. George's Hall, by the numerous mistakes in the parts, which led to frequent stoppages. The trouble reached a climax in the "March to Cal- vary," where, after about the ninth or tenth stop, Gounod turned to Costa and remarked : 130 Musical Life in London "Seulement ici puis-je pardonner tous ces arrets, quoiqu'ils gatent ma musique." "Pourquoi cela?" inquired Sir Michael. "Parceque," replied Gounod, "a ce point il y a douze stations, et a cliaque station il faut natu- rellement un arret." After all the typographical and other errors had been rectified, the march "was tried through again and went so magnificently as to arouse the master's undisguised admiration, which deepened with as- tonishment when Costa informed him that the in- strumentalists had never seen a note of the music until that morning. Gounod said to me later, "They are wonderful readers, these English play- ers. There is scarcely a mistake that is due to inac- curate deciphering of the notes. And what makes it even more remarkable is that my work is so full of awkward chromatic progressions." I ventured to observe that since he was last in London our orchestras had been turning their attention some- what extensively to Wagner. Gounod retorted quickly, "Yes, I know that. But you will not tell me that Wagner's four semitones in 'Tristan' or his slurred runs (notes coulees) in ' Tannhauser ' require more delicate care than my 'framework of the augmented fifth.' "^ I thought I detected a slight touch of scorn in his voice, and made no attempt to argue the point. ^ An allusion to the peculiar harmonic structure which the com- poser had avowedly employed as the predominant feature of the accompanying chords in the ' ' Eedemption. ' ' 131 Musical Life in London At that same rehearsal Gounod did an unusual amount of singing. The solo vocalists comprised what the new critic of the "Times," Dr. Francis Hueffer, was then fond of describing as the "repre- sentative English quartet" — Albani, Patey, Ed- ward Lloyd, and Santley ; nor have I forgotten how exquisitely William H. Cummings (now principal of the Guildhall School of Music, London) delivered the touching phrase allotted to the Penitent Thief. But, as a matter of fact, Gounod, with his sympa- thetic voix de compositeur, was singing more or less all through the rehearsal, wisely exercising his rare faculty for impressing his exact ideas upon the interpreters of his music. And what beautiful music it was ! ^'\1iat a tremendous effect it created at Birmingham ! So deeply was Gounod impressed by his triumph there, that, long before the "Ee- demption ' ' had been produced in Paris, he set about writing his second great sacred work, "Mors et Vita," for the Birmingham Festival of 1885. He was paid an even larger price for this than for its predecessor (I believe the exact sum was £4000 —$20,000), and he fully intended to come over to conduct it. In the meanwhile, however, an action had been brought against him in the English courts by Mrs. Weldon, and, inasmuch as he was mulcted in heavy damages, the composer deemed that ' ' dis- cretion is the better part of valoi'," and stayed at home in Paris. He never ventured across the Chan- nel again ; but I saw him in his native city three years later, as will be related in due time. 132 t5 t- H CHAPTER VII Au^stus Harris: actor, metteur en scene, dramatic author, theatrical manager, operatic impresario — A great stage- manager and his military aide— Harris and Carl Eosa— Eng- lish opera flourishes at Drury Lane— Arthur Goring Thomas —Alexander C. Mackenzie— "Esmeralda " " Colomba," and "Nadeshda." ENTER Augustus Harris ! For some time al- ready has tlie figure of the well-known impre- sario been looming large upon the operatic horizon of these pages, and it is not only just but expedient that he should now make his actual entry. Accu- rately speaking, I am aware that his formal mana- gerial connection with opera dates only from 1887. He himself, however, would probably have dated it from his cradle. "My father was stage-manager at Covent Garden, ' ' he would say ; ' ' and if any in- fant ever stage-managed his father, I was that in- fant. Almost as soon as I could run alone he used to take me with him to the theatre. I remember quite well, as a little boy, standing in the wings as he walked about the stage, while the great prima donnas came and petted and kissed me. ' ' This was in the "sixties," when Augustus Harris, Sr., was staging the heavy Meyerbeer revivals, and when that brilliant star, Adelina Patti, had not long been ^2S Thirty Years of shining in the operatic firmament. It is only liter- ally true, therefore, to say that the youthful Au- gustus, or "Gus, " as all his friends wei'e wont to call him, was reared in the very atmosphere of the coulisses. He was educated both in France and in Ger- many, and, as a matter of course, he went con- stantly to the theatres in both countries. After his return to England at the age of seventeen, one of his first essays as an actor was to play the part of the boy in "Pink Dominoes," under (Sir) Charles Wyndham's management, at the Criterion. His earliest acquaintance with the duties of an operatic stage-manager was when he accompanied the Ma- pleson troupe round the British provinces in that capacity. The experience was invaluable ; but his chief ambition was to become lessee of Drury Lane Theatre; and, with the assistance of his fa- ther-in-law, he was enabled to fulfil that desire when he had barely attained legal age. His first pantomime and his first "autumn drama" were both successful, and ere a year had passed he could boast that he was paying his way at a theatre which had ' ' spelled ruin ' ' for more than one astute manager. With the dramatic j)roductions of Augustus Harris I am not concerned. I have simply stated the above facts in order to show the association of the musical and theatrical elements in his nature at the earliest period of his career. It must have been late in 1878 or early in 1879 when I was 136 Musical Life in London introduced to this remarkable man one niglit at the Green Boom Club. The youthful Drury Lane man- ager was full of life and high spirits, and I found it very amusing to listen to his vivacious chatter. We had not been talking two minutes before the subject turned on opera— for even then, as in after years, it was his favorite topic. Why, he wanted to know, should London be worse off than the small German cities, where the theatres were subsidized and opera was being performed nearly the whole year round? Why was the English press power- less in this matter? Or was the press merely in- different, like the people whose opinions and wishes it was supposed to voice? I told him I thought that neither the cities nor the people were indifferent, but that the love of opera had not yet become in- grained in the hearts of the nation ; while, as to the question of state support, I was doubtful whether as good results would be derived from it as from individual enterprise working upon independent lines and combining artistic with commercial con- sideration to the fullest practicable extent. And then followed a very pretty argument, which lasted well into the ' ' small hours. ' ' Augustus Harris was even then a being of extra- ordinary temperament ; brimming over with energy and new ideas, fond of innovations, impatient of the smallest delay in carrying out a project; the strangest imaginable mixture of conceit and mod- esty, rashness and discretion, extravagance and common sense. He had the gift of imagination in 137 Thirty Years of an •uncommon degree, and from the outset be seemed to have the faculty of surrounding himself "with clever "heads of departments," with useful assistants and with loyal friends. He was neither a first-rate raconteur, nor even a fluent speaker, but be loved to "rattle on" upon a subject that inter- ested him, and be would invariably lead the laugh over his own jokes. In disposition be was honest, frank, and kindly in the extreme, and he was gen- erous to a fault. Such, briefly, was the character of the man who was subsequently to be responsible for the renaissance of opera in England. And such, with slight developments and few changes, it re- mained until the close of his life. Toward the end he grew more ready to listen to the voice of gossip, and to trust bis own judgment less than that of bis immediate entourage. Nevertheless, so correct were bis perceptions in most things, that he made less than ten per cent, of the errors credited to him by his critics. If Harris inherited bis father's genius as a met- teur en scene, he brought to it something more. He possessed much higher powers of organization. He had a wholesome capacity for disregarding stupid and worn-out traditions. He learned a great deal from the German stage-managers, and especially from the Meiningen troupe which he brought to Drury Lane. The moving and the grouping of the street crowds in the Meiningen production of "Julius Cfesar" were simply marvelous, and Au- gustus Harris was wise enough to make the most 138 Musical Life in London of that object-lesson. He applied it to every branch of his work— pantomime, melodrama, comic opera, and, last but not least, grand oj^era. Where he felt that special technical advice and aid were necessary, he was satisfied with none save the best. During the preparation of one of his autumn dramas (I think it was "Human Nature") I went to Drury Lane while a rehearsal was in progress, and sat down in the stalls to watch the training of an army of supers in an imaginary fight with some African natives. In due course this was fol- lowed by a home-coming and a triumphal march through Trafalgar Scjuare, with the hero (dear old Henry Neville) at the head of his victorious com- pany. The whole business was splendidly done. Actively assisting the manager in these opera- tions was a gentleman in a frock coat and tall hat, of undeniably military appearance, who impressed me both by his quiet, masterful manner and the imperturbable patience with which he directed manoeuvres to be repeated over and over again until they were satisfactorily executed. After the rehearsal was concluded I went upon the stage. Augustus Harris was talking to his military ad- viser. He beckoned me to approach. "Klein, I want to introduce you to my friend Major Kit- chener, who has been kind enough to come and help me with this ' soldiering' work. What do you think of it ? Did you ever see such fighting and marching on the stage before ? " I certainly never had, and I offered my congratulations. They were accepted. Thirty Years of with a murmur of thanks and a shake of the hand, by the man who was afterward to be the hero of Omdurman and the victor in the great South African war. He had gladly consented to place his knowledge and exi3erience at the disposal of the popular theatrical manager. The art-union of Augustus Harris and Carl Rosa was an outcome of an affinity— of a peculiar mag- netism which brought together men who had ideas in common and could definitely work them out to their mutual gain and for the benefit of the world at large. Alas ! their partnership was all too brief. "What it would have achieved had it endured another ten or fifteen years, I will not attempt to guess, though undoubtedly it would have set opera upon a far more solid and exalted pedestal than it occupies in England at the present moment. Still, as it was, it accomplished much. The Carl Rosa seasons at Drury Lane marked a distinct for- ward stride in the progress of opera in the ver- nacular, particularly in the evidence that they af- forded of the existence of a school of young British composers imbued with genuine talent and evincing an unsuspected mastery of the modern forms now essential to appreciation and success. More than this, the association of the two managers helped to develop the artistic side of the younger man, and to mature the aspirations which eventually were realized in the brilliant opera revival of 1887. It was at Easter, 1883, that Carl Rosa inau- gurated his first season at Drury Lane. He must 140 Musical Life in London have felt it a great relief to be able to depend upon his new partner for the administration of all mat- ters relating to the stage management and mise en sce^^ie— departments which he had hitherto kept en- tirely under his own personal control. Since 1880 he had been assisted in the work of conducting by Mr. Randegger, who was now relinquishing much of his time as a teacher for, what was to him, the more pleasurable occupation of wielding the baton. Every branch of the undertaking was carefully supervised. The band and chorus were specially augmented, and the company was an excellent one. Under these favorable circumstances, two new operas by English composers were brought to a hearing, namely, Arthur Goring Thomas's "Esme- ralda" and Alexander C. Mackenzie's "Colomba. " It was purely an experiment, and Carl Eosa him- self had little faith in its success. I remember his saying: "I look upon this as a duty that I owe to native art, and not as a business speculation. Mind, both these operas are interesting and beautiful, or I should not have accepted them. But they are by British composers — by men whose names are hardly known to the public. How, then, can I dare hope they will succeed?" And yet they did suc- ceed— "Esmeralda" by virtue of graceful, emo- tional strains allied to a moving and ever-effective drama; "Colomba" on the strength of musical merits that overcome, temporarily at least, the incubus of a clumsy and ponderous libretto. "Esmeralda," indeed, made quite a hit from the 141 Thirty Years of first. "Wlio is Goring Thomas'?" people began to ask. Musicians knew liim as a Royal Academy stu- dent who had finished his education in Paris, and had become so intensely imbued with the manner- isms of Gounod and Massenet that he was prac- tically incapable of putting music to any but French Ijancs.^ His cantata ' ' The Sun-Worshipers, ' ' pro- duced at the Norwich Festival of 1881, was so un- original that, despite its evident talent, it had barely escaped ridicule. "Esmeralda" showed an immense advance, and in later years its charm was potent enough to attract the favorable notice of Jean de Eeszke, Lassalle, and Melba, who appeared in a revised version of the opera in French at Co- vent Garden and also in New York. The original English cast, however, was not to be despised: Georgina Burns as Esmeralda, Clara Perry (now Mrs. Ben Davies) as Fleur de Lys, Barton Mc- Guckin as Plicebns, James Ludwig as Claude Frollo, Ben Davies (making his debut in opera) as Gringoire, and Leslie Crotty as Quasimodo — a first-rate ensemble. The libretto was by Messrs. Alberto Randegger and Theo. Marzials, the former of whom conducted the performance, and later superintended the production of the opera at Cologne. The contrast between "Esmeralda" and "Co- lomba" was very striking; the methods of the two ' He told me this himself for a fact. It took him years to learn how to handle English poetry, and he never thoroughly mas- tered the knack of doing so. 142 Oh M •fl Musical Life in London composers were "wide as the poles asunder." That of A. C. Mackenzie's was as unmistakably Teutonic as Goring Thomas's was purely Gallic. The subjects both had been taken from French sources ; and, sombre though it might be, there was no reason why Prosper Merimee's "Colomba" should not have furnished material for an opera- book quite as effective as his "Carmen." But, whereas the authors of "Esmeralda" continually introduced bright relief in their opera. Dr. Francis Hueffer in "Colomba" sought to emphasize only the darker episodes of the Corsican vendetta, while carrying his craze for accurate "local color" to an extreme that bordered upon the absurd. At that time there was no gainsaying the dictum of the critic of the "Times"— particularly when he trudged about the stage at rehearsal, umbrella in hand, now communicating his ideas to the perform- ers, now "laying down the law" across the foot- lights to the poor composer, who sat in his place in the orchestra patiently awaiting the pleasure of his autocratic collaborator. Yet, thanks simply to the beauty of the music (the orchestration was especially fine), "Colomba" made its mark with the more cultivated section of the public, and opened the eyes of the critics to the rare talent of the Scottish musician who, five years later, was to succeed Sir George Macfarren as principal of the Royal Academy of Music. The title-role was ad- mirably created by Alwina Valleria; Barton Mc- Guckin played the hero, Orso; and that capital Thirty Years of basso, Franco Novara, whose real name was Nash, was also in the cast. The success of these operas made a deep im- pression upon Carl Rosa and Augustus Harris. They began to see that there was a future in store for the rising English school. The two composers were each commissioned to write another opera; and meanwhile, in 1884, a work more genuinely English than either "Esmeralda" or "Colomba" —namely, "The Canterbury Pilgrims" of Villiers Stanford — was brought out at Dniry Lane with marked success. The name of Mackenzie also de- rived wide prominence that year through the tri- umph of his fine oratorio, "The Rose of Sharon," at the Norwich Festival,^ which resulted in his be- ing requested to write a work ("The Story of Sayid") for the Leeds Festival of 1886. With so much to do, no wonder Goring Thomas was ready before him with a new opera. The composer of "Esmeralda" had been fortunate enough to dis- cover a new librettist in Mr. Julian Sturgis, an American litterateur unknown to fame in England, who had submitted a promising scenario upon a Russian subject. The title of the new opera was "Nadeshda." Goring Thomas devoted the best part of 1884 to writing the music, and it was an- ' Always to be remembered as the occasion of the debut in England of Miss Emma Nevada, who, in order to identify herself completely -ivith her part, appeared at the concert as the Base of Sharon, wearing a pink costume, with pink hat and gloves, and with her copy of the oratorio bound in the same soft tint— in fact, everything couleur de rose! 146 Musical Life in London nounced for production at Drury Lane in April, 1885. Unusual secrecy was observed with regard to the work, — almost as much, in fact, as in the case of a new Savoy opera,— but I persuaded the com- poser to lend me an advance copy of the book, and published a notice of the story in the "Sunday Times. ' ' This evoked the following letter from the ever-nervous Carl Rosa: 10 AVakwick Crescent, Maida Hill, W. 24th March, 1885. Dear Klein: I saw the "Nadeshda" plot to-day, and must confess it is admirably written. But where did you get the ma- terial from— from an artist, eh? I have only this morn- ing sent words of the tenor song now to be sung to the printer's, and did not want to get copies in the hands of the press before the book was complete. Sincerely yours, Carl Rosa. "Nadeshda" made an instantaneous success. It was pronounced immeasurably stronger than "Es- meralda, ' ' the music showing a wonderful advance alike in originality and dramatic grip. Hand- somely staged by Augustus Harris, splendidly sung by Alwina Valleria, Josephine Yorke, Barton Mc- Guckin, and Leslie Grotty, it achieved the hit of the season and evoked eulogies that must have de- lighted the soul of the modest composer. During the following autumn and winter, ' ' Nadeshda" was brought out in several Continental cities, and, 147 Thirty Years of knowing how little Goring Thomas sought adver- tisement on these occasions, I used to take plea- sure in letting him know what was going on. Oc- casionally he would come to me for information; as when he sent me this letter : Eatton, AVillingdon, Sussex, January 9, 1886. My dear Klein : I heard accidentally this morning from Mme. Viardot^ that ' ' Nadeshda ' ' is going to be given in Berlin. Can you tell me when ? Her late pupil, Mile. Leisinger, is to sing the soprano part, and wrote to her to ask where she could get a score. I have not heard anything about it, and should be very glad if you could give me any news. Please send your reply to 52 AVimpole Street, as I am coming up on Saturday. With best wishes for the New Year, believe me. Yours truly, A. Goring Thomas. Mackenzie was less lucky in his second attempt. Again he had the misfortune to be hampered by one of Dr. Hueffer's elephantine librettos. Hence "The Troubadour," with its ghastly climax, wherein the erring heroine is compelled by her hus- band to drink a goblet filled with the blood of the fascinating Guillem cle Cahestanli, proved too much for even those who admired the melodic charm and dramatic power of the music. This was the novelty ' Pauline Viardot-Garcia, the famous singer and teacher, then re- siding in Paris, a great friend of the young English composer. 148 Musical Life in London for 1886. Not much more successful was Mr. Fred- eric Corder's "Nordisa" in the following year; but the ball by now had been fairly set rolling, and the public, both in London and the provinces, had awakened to the fact that there were native com- posers equal to the task of writing operas to which the world would listen. By what chain of untoward circumstances the progress of this native movement was impeded, if not stopped altogether, will be made clear later. But let me say here that the "unkindest cut of all" was the premature and tragic death ^ of the gifted Arthur Goring Thomas, one of the most lovable men, one of the most inspired lyrical writers, and one of the most ear- nest, painstaking musicians that England ever pro- duced. ^ In the autumn of 1891 he sustained a severe fall, from the effects of which he never altogether recovered. On the evening of March 20, 1892, he committed suicide by throwing himself under a train at the West Hampstead station of the Metropolitan Eailway. 15 CHAPTER VIII Decay of old Italian opera— Else of the young Italian school- Masterly mismanagement and financial collapse at Covent Garden — Pauline Lucca— A notable dinner-party — Marcella Sembrich's surprise— Antonin Dvorak relates the story of his romantic career — CamiUe Saint-Saens — The French master and Enghsh oratorio. THE history of Italian opera in London during tlie middle "eighties" is a history of "de- cline and fall." As the fortunes of English and German opera improved, so did the glorious "palmy days" of the older school recede deeper and deeper into the shadows of the past. There is no need to dwell at leng-th upon this process of deterioration; the causes thereof are well known and understood. I shall note rather the events which ever and anon revived the flickering embers and kept them burning until finally the requisite fuel arrived from a new and unsuspected source. Interest was keenly excited by the production at Her Majesty's, in July, 1880, of Boito's "Mefis- tofele. " The work had been much talked of since its revival, in revised form, at Bologna in 1875, and Mr. Mapleson took creditable pains to mount it in such fashion that there should be few loopholes for criticism. Truth to tell, it was Musical Life in London an exceedingly good representation all round. Christine Nilsson's embodiment of the dual role of Margherita and Helen of Troy had much of poetry and charm; Trebelli was as fascinating and artis- tic as ever in the contralto parts ; Campanini made an excellent Faust; and Nannetti lent rare sardonic color and alertness to the part of Mefistofele. Sir Michael Costa was still vigorous enough to conduct Boito's opera in his old resolute, vigilant manner; and very delighted he was over its success, which lent quite a special distinction to the season. At this time there was little thought of a " young Italian school." Nevertheless, Verdi had been si- lent since "Aida"; ^ and the success of Boito was bound to draw attention to the claims of Ponchi- elli. The Cremonese musician had been writing and bringing out operas for a quarter of a century, two of which at least— "I Lituani" and "La Gio- conda"— had met with emphatic favor in Italy. Mr. Ernest Gye now determined to try "La Gio- conda" at Covent Garden ; and he produced it there in May, 1883, before a crowded and demonstrative house. A fine cast was engaged— Gay ar re as Enzo, Cotogni as Barnaba, Edouard de Reszke as Alvise, Scalchi as La Cieca, and an American soprano, Ma- rie Durand, who had already won fame in Italy, as the heroine, La Gioconda. The opera was warmly received, and for a few representations drew good houses. It never became as lastingly popular, however, as either "Aida" or "Mefistofele," in 1 Originally brought out at Cairo in December, 1871. 153 Thirty Years of the former of which, by the way, Josephine de Reszke, the elder sister of Jean and Edouard, had sung at Covent Garden during tlie season of 1881. Meanwhile, the strength of Mr. Mapleson's combination at Her Majesty's, already seriously affected by the death of Tietjens, received a fatal blow through the secession of Christine Nilsson, who retired from the operatic stage in 1881. This gifted artist, the second and last of the great "Swedish Nightingales," was one of the most re- markable singers of her time. Her voice, a pure soprano of very lovely quality, possessed a singu- larly pathetic timbre, a curious commingling of sweetness and power, to which she allied a charm of expression that was absolutely haunting. Moreover, she was a born actress, and her charac- teristic spontaneity was of a kind that enabled her to stamp such characters as Mignon, Ophelia, Marguerite, Alice, and Elsa with the most marked and refreshing individuality. Christine Nilsson had been about eight years before the public when I first heard her in 1872 at Drury Lane in "Robert le Diable"; and her impersonation of Alice — the favorite role of her renowned country- woman Jenny Lind— shone resi^lendent amid a constellation of stars that included Mongini as Roberto, Gardoni as Ramhaldo, Foli as Bertramo, and lima di Murska as Isabella. She had then just returned from a prolonged concert-tour in America, and her marriage at Westminster Abbey with M. Auguste Rouzeaud was one of the promi- 154 ?■ o ■5 '^ - a Musical Life in London nent events of the season of 1872. Sixteen years later slie bade her final farewell to British audi- ences at a concert given at the Royal Albert Hall. The financial collapse of the "Royal Italian Opera" occurred after the season of 1884. I do not pretend to lay bare the secrets of the masterly mis- management that led to the failure of the company which then held the sub-lease of Covent Garden. The late Earl of Lathom— most gracious and ami- able of Lord Chamberlains— was not, perhaps, a sufficiently strong man to preside over such an enterprise. Neither Ernest nor Herbert Gye (co- directors of the company) had inherited the ad- ministrative talents of his father; and it is gen- erally supposed that Ernest, who had been for some years the husband of Mme. Albani, was consider- ably influenced in his management of the concern by the advice of his wife, one of the principal prime donne of the establishment. Apart from this, the only real explanation is that society had begun to lose interest in the opera as a social function, and chose to be conspicuous by its absence on all but the "Patti nights." For the career of the cele- brated diva was now at its zenith, her wondrous voice in its prime, and her incomparable vocaliza- tion had become absolutely perfect. Not even so- ciety could afford to remain away when the magic name of Adelina Patti was ' ' in the bill. ' ' Yet there were other great artists in the troupe beside those whose names have been mentioned in the last page or two. A host in herself was the ^S7 Thirty Years of accomplished and captivating Pauline Lucca, who, after an absence of ten years, returned to Covent Garden in 1882 to gratify opera-goers once more with her unrivaled impersonations of Selika in "L'Africaine," Cheruhino in "Le Nozze," Zerlina in ' ' Fra Diavolo, ' ' Leonora in " La Favorita, ' ' and other characters. Despite her twenty-three years upon the stage, this brilliant artist was now also at her best; her voice had lost none of its freshness, and the piquant grace of her style and the marked originality of her conceptions were even more striking than before. Her Selika^ I can best de- scribe in a single word as a "dream"— a supreme achievement to be mentioned in the same breath with the Rosina of Adelina Patti and the Mar- guerite of Christine Nilsson. Supported by Mier- zwinsky as Vasco da Gama, Lassalle as Nelusko, Bagagiolo as Pedro, and Valleria as Inez, Pauline Lucca's performance in "L'Africaine" is to be folded in the lavender of one's memory. She was also heard here then for the first time in "Car- men"; and her impersonation of Bizet's heroine, while differing in many essentials from Minnie Hank's, was distinguished by all the attributes of voluptuous charm, subtle power, and dramatic in- tensity that the character demands. I owe to Pauline Lucca, or Baroness Wallhoffen, as she then was in private life, a recollection of one ' Pauline Lucca studied the role of Selila under Meyerbeer, and sang it on the first production of "L'Africaine" in England in 1865, two years after her first appearance at Covent Garden. 158 Musical Life in London of the most enjoyable evenings I have ever spent. During the summer of 1884 she graciously ex- pressed a wish to give a dinner in my honor. In mid-season, however, the hard-worked critic has little time to spare, so it was first arranged that the dinner should come off on a Sunday. After- ward it was found necessary to postpone the date until the following Wednesday. Unfortunately, a performance of "Tristan" was announced for that day, and, as I felt in duty bound to attend it, I wrote the baroness a letter expressing my regret that I should be compelled either to ask for a fur- ther postponement, or else deny myself the pleasure of coming to her dinner. In reply I received the following characteristic note : [Translated from the German.] June 25, 1884. I beg you, worthy friend, not to be angry— it is im- possible for me to choose another day. You can go on, anyhow, to the opera for two hours afterward. You know "Tristan und Isolde" is long; thus you will not be neglecting your duty, for which I should never for- give myself were I the cause. We will sit down punctu- ally to table. With hearty greetings from house to house, Yours truly, Pauline Wallhoffen. It was impossible to resist so polite and persua- sive an invitation. I went to the dinner, and 159 Thirty Years of made up my mind not to miss tlie last act of "Tristan." But I had not exactly reckoned upon the nature of the attractions from which I should have to tear myself away. In point of fact, it was a remarkable gathering. Beside the prima donna and her husband, the party comprised Mme. Mar- cella Sembrich and Herr Stengel (to whom then she had not been long married), Signor and Mme. Bevignani, M. Mierzwinsky, M. Edouard de Reszke, and others. The meal was extremely merry, and it lasted a couple of hours. When we had joined the ladies I made signs indicative of an early depart- ure; but my hostess simply laughed and said: "Now we have got you here, we mean to keep you. No ' Tristan ' to-night ! I have requested a fair young violinist to play expressly for you, and the Chevalier Emil Bach' has been good enough to come round for the purpose of accompanying her. ' ' This rather chilled me. To listen to ' ' fair young violinists" was no particular noveltj^ and I began to feel that I should prefer "Tristan." But I could say nothing, and waited with as much grace as I could command. In due time the ' ' young vio- linist" was announced. The door opened, and, who should enter, fiddle in hand, with a solemn bow, but Mme. Sembrich, laughing mischievously ' Then quite a newcomer in London. He settled down there as a pianist and teacher, and composed the operas ' ' Irmengarda ' ' and "The Lady of Longford," both of which Sir Augustus Harris mounted at Covent Garden. Mr. Bach died quite suddenly in 1902. i6o Cupyrigiit by A. Dupont, N. 1'. MARCELLA SEMBRICH Musical Life in London and ready to begin her solo. I then remembered that the vivacious little Galician lady, who had been delighting London for the past four seasons, was an accomplished violinist as well as a brilliant singer. She played us piece after piece, and under the spell of her art I fear duty was too quickly forgotten. My hostess was right. There was no "Tristan" for me that night. In this year (1884) I made the acquaintance of Antonin Dvorak, who came to London for the pur- pose of conducting a performance of his "Stabat Mater." The work had made a great sensation when given in the previous year by the London Musical Society under Barnby. It was again per- formed at the Worcester Festival of 1884, under the composer's direction; and he came over yet a third time to conduct his cantata "The Spectre's Bride, ' ' which he wrote expressly for the Birming- ham Festival of 1885. During this last visit, Dvorak came to my house in London with the ob- ject of giving me some particulars of his early life, which duly appeared in the "Sunday Times." His name at that period was scarcely to be found in a single musical dictionary, and though the omis- sion has since been rectified, the dates and details are so often incorrect that it may be worth while for me to give here the story of Dvorak's romantic career, told as nearly as possible in his own words : "I was born in 1841 at Miihlhausen (in Bohemian, Nelahozeves), about four miles from Kralup. My parents were poor. My father was a butcher and 163 Thirty Years of intended me for his trade. At the age of thirteen I was taking lessons in singing and tlie violin from our village schoolmaster, Josef Spitz, and sang in the choir on Sundays. At fourteen, perceiving that I had musical talent, my father sent me to live with my uncle at a place called Zlonic (near Schau), where I was taken in hand by the organist, Anton Liehmann, and in 1856 I began to study the piano. "In Bohemia every child must learn music and, if possible, sing in church. I think this law explains the development of so much natural talent for music in my countiy. It is not only the gipsies and their music that are the responsible factors. There are the beautiful national 'chorales,' which the people so dearly love. They sing them as they work in the fields, and the spirit of music enters their souls. Of course they love to dance— are they not Slavs? Why, after church they revel in music and dancing, sometimes until early morning ! In fact, it is the favorite amusement of the race. Admission to these dance-meetings is always free, but a collection is made afterward for the musi- cians. I used to be among the fiddlers and received my share, which I always gave to my father. "When my father came to live at Zlonic in 1856- 1857, he taught me his trade, and I learned how to buy sheep and kill them. But I liked my musical studies better, especially now that I could begin to read a little and dip into the scores of such masses as Haydn's in D minor, Mozart's in C ma- jor, and Cherubini's in D minor. The feeling de- 164 Musical Life in London veloped; I wanted to try to write something; but the different keys for the clarinets, the bass trum- pet, the horns, and the trombone worried me greatly. Still, I was too proud to ask for these to be explained. At last I managed to write a polka, and showed it to my teacher. He found only one mistake— in the trumpet part, which should have been in F major. I carried my piece home in tri- umph, and it was tried by the band. But, alas ! the whole thing to my ears sounded totally wrong. "Then I began to work at counterpoint and the organ, teaching myself most of the time. I got hold of a big book on counterpoint, full of 'figured bass, ' the meaning of which was not explained ; but as soon as I understood I used to read whole masses from the 'figured bass.' At last some of my fa- ther's friends, believing that I possessed real talent, persuaded him to send me to Prague. I stayed with some relations, and was allowed eight gulden (about $3.60) per month during part of the two years (1857 to 1859) that I spent in the capital. I entered a college which still exists for the instruc- tion of organists and musical directors, and be- came a pupil of Josef Pitsch. On his death I studied under his successor, a very clever musician named Krejci, who was choirmaster at a large church and took me there to sing with his best pupils. "My studies now ended. Of instrumentation, it is true, I understood very little. As for Mozart and Beethoven, I only just knew they had existed. 165 Thirty Years of But I had to earn a living somehow. And how was it to be done 1 Well, I thought, I can play the violin decently, I must try to get a place in a band. So I went to a Kapellmeister, who had a band of eighteen or twenty, and asked him whether he would take me. He engaged me to play the viola at twenty- two gulden ($9.90) a month, and I was delighted. I also joined a sextet that used to per- form regularly at a lunatic asylum, and there I was engaged to play the organ for the Sunday services. AVe used to play at various cafes, giving potpourris and overtures of every description; and I remem- ber that the overture to ' ' Maritana ' ' was frequently in our programme. This was in 1860. "One Sunday I went to hear 'Der Freischiitz' at the German Theatre. The Bohemian National Theatre was not yet in existence. Bohemian artists then had to sing in German, but, as a concession, were allowed to sing an opera in their own lan- guage every Sunday afternoon. The 'Freischiitz' made an enormous impression on me; but I could not afford the necessary ten kreutzers (40 cents) very often. I used to contrive, however, to hear good concerts occasionally by slipping into the orchestra and hiding behind the drums. In this way I saw Spohr in 1859, when he conducted a grand concert to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Prague Conservatoire ; and then it was that I heard Beethoven's 'choral' symphony for the first time. "In 1861 I wrote my first two serious eomposi- i66 Musical Life in London tions, the string quintet in Gr and the quartet in A minor. I persuaded some friends to play the quintet, and they were rather pleased with it. It reminded them of Haydn, Mozart, and early Bee- thoven. Thereupon I showed it to my teacher, Krejci, and was very proud when he expressed himself contented. Next year the new National Theatre was huilt, and I was engaged to play in the orchestra. The first operas given were Bellini's 'Capuletti ed i Montecchi' and 'Norma,' Rossini's 'Otello,' and Cherubini's 'Water-Carrier.' In 1863 I went to Hamburg to play in the band at the exhibition. At home in Prague we all lived in the same house, and my companions used to laugh at me for working so hard at composing— one espe- cially who is now a Kapellmeister and conducts my operas. But I persevered, and had the good for- tune to make the acquaintance of a valuable musical friend in Karl Bendl, who used to lend me his scores. Among other works, I studied the quartets of Onslow and Beethoven's septet, and so gradu- ally developed fresh ideas. "Most of my compositions of that epoch are long since torn up or burned; and I wrote quantities of stuff after I had thrown up my theatre engage- ment and taken to teaching in order to have more time to compose. I had now (1871) a great am- bition to write an opera. I found a libretto en- titled 'Konig und Kohler' (King and Collier) and set to work upon it. In due time I submitted the score to the manager of the National Theatre, who 167 Thirty Years of ordered it to be tried at rehearsal. I confess it was very Wagnerian. I had heard 'Die Meister- singer, ' and tlie new influence was very strong upon me. My music was horribly difficult. At the l)iano rehearsals the singers could make little of it ; with the chorus it was still worse— infinitely more difficult, they said, than Wagner. Ultimately every- body laughed at me, and my opera was refused.^ Four years later I completely rewrote the score, more in the national style, and made it easy to sing and play. It was then produced with great suc- cess, and helped my reputation materially. "In 1874 I was appointed organist of St. Adal- bert's Church, at the enormous salary of one hun- dred and sixty gulden ($72) per annum, for which I had to get up at half-past five o 'clock every morn- ing. The payment worked out at about two kreutzers (eight cents) per mass. Meanwhile, too, I had indulged in the luxury of taking to myself a wife, a very musical Prague lady, who for many years sang contralto in one of the churches. "At last, in 1875, I was granted the 'artist' sti- pend of four hundred gulden (for one year only) from the Kultusministerium at Vienna. To ob- tain this I had sent in as 'exercises' my opera and my symphony in F, Op. 25. The second year I sent in my 'Stabat Mater' and my grand opera ' Dvorak was not ashamed to acknowledge that he was at this time very much influenced in his harmony and instrumentation by Wagner. He saw him conduct, and used to follow the master as he walked the streets of Prague. He admired him immensely. i68 Musical Life in London 'Wanda,' which, was played a few months later with immense success. Yet from these works no stipend resulted [!]. I tried again by adding my pianoforte concerto, the piano variations in A flat, and the string quartet in D minor, and this time was favored with an allowance of five hundred gulden. Next year, through the influence of Jo- hannes Brahms, Edward Hanslick, and Herbeck, the sum was raised to six hundred gulden. "I now wrote to Brahms and asked him if he would kindly use his influence with some publishers to bring out my compositions. He replied that he would be happy to do so, and a little later on I received a satisfactory communication from Sim- rock, of Berlin, who afterward told me I was the first person on whose behalf Brahms had yet in- terested himself. Simrock paid me nothing for my 'Marischen' duets, but he asked me to compose the 'Slavische Tanze,' and gave me three hundred marks ($75) for them. That was the first money I ever received for a composition. ' ' And here Dvorak 's narrative ceased. I need add naught to it concerning the years that came after, for their history is as an "open book" both to the Old and to the New World, where the gifted Bohe- mian has been a leading light and a familiar figure. One of the most original and remarkable creative musicians of our era, he is also one of those whom success has not spoiled. But if the pen of this great and modest genius be less active, less prolific, than of yore, it is only necessary to glance at the story 169 Thirty Years of of those strenuous early days to understand why Antonin Dvolrak is a little tired, and not unwilling to continue the otium cum dignitate, or at least to work lightly and at his ease, during the remaining years of his existence. Another famous contemporary composer whom I am proud to count among my best friends is Camille Saint-Saens. I was introduced to him by Signor Garcia, whom he used to visit at Bentinck Street whenever he came to London. At that period he was regarded by English amateurs (ignorant as yet of the very existence of Cesar Franck and his disciples) as the leader of the advanced French school. Orthodox musicians considered him ec- centric ; more modern thinkers admired his mixture of Teutonic severity with the ultra-saccharine melodiousness of Gounod. Both parties agreed to recognize in the then organist of the Paris Made- leine (a post held by Saint-Saens from 1858 until 1877) a musician of prodigious talent, endowed with a versatility that enabled him to shine in every branch of his art, and possessed of a mastery of technique that could adapt itself to whatsoever style he might for the moment choose to exploit. He was as brilliant a pianist as he was an organist, —his habit of playing the one instrument never spoiled his exquisite touch for the other,— and his gift of improvisation was marvelous. Saint-Saens made his debut in London, in 1871, at the Musical Union ; but I did not hear him until 1879, when he played his own pianoforte concerto 170 a a. z o - 3 ^^ Musical Life in London in G minor at the Philharmonic. He was then anxiously canvassing the chances of mounting his new opera, "Samson et Dalila," which had been produced at Weimar in 1877, under the auspices of his friend Franz Liszt, but had not yet been granted a hearing in the comjDoser's own country.^ He quickly learned, however, that our puritanical laws precluded all likelihood of his biblical opera finding its way to the English stage. During the next few years we became very close friends. I always called upon him when I went to Paris, and he rarely missed coming to see me when he was in London. One of these visits happened at a very sad mo- ment. I was out when M. Saint-Saens called at Bentinck Street, and he found the members of my family in a state of terrible agitation. One of my younger brothers had been playing with a pistol and had accidentally shot himself through the head. He had expired only a few minutes before. The youngest boy, Manuel,^ who had witnessed the ' ' ' Samson et Dalila ' ' was not actually heard in France until 1890, when it was brought out at Eouen with the late Elena Sanz as Dalila. This clever artist also took part in the first concert representation of the work in England during the Promenade Concert season at Covent Garden in 1893. "Samson" has never yet been performed upon the stage in England. - Some ten years later Manuel went to reside in New York, where our brothers Alfred and Charles had already earned promi- nent positions — the first as an actor, the second as a dramatist. Deciding to adopt a musical career, Manuel seriously took up the study of composition, and in due time published several songs and pianoforte pieces which met with favor. His first substantial 173 Thirty Years of mishap, endeavored to explain what had occurred to M. Saint-Saens. He caught the words "mon frere" and "mort, " and immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was I who was dead. He burst into tears, and was so much affected that some time elapsed before he could be made to un- derstand that I was not the victim. Later in the day we met, and the warm-hearted Frenchman gave me an embrace that showed plainly his glad- ness at once more seeing me in the flesh. Finding that England was a much likelier ground for oratorio than opera, he arranged through Messrs. Novello for the performance of his at- tractive setting of Psalm six, "The Heavens de- clare," which was duly performed (and very badly into the bargain) by the Sacred Harmonic Society at St. James's Hall in 1885. Two years later a much better rendering of the psalm was given at the Norwich Festival under Mr. Randegger. Mean- while Saint-Saens had expressed to me his desire to write an oratorio upon the subject of Moses, and asked me whether I would furnish him with the necessary biblical text. I readily consented, and, after arranging the plan with him, set to work upon my task. In a few weeks I sent the text to Paris. He was not entirely satisfied, and returned it for alterations. These evidently answered the purpose, success, however, was the musical piece ' ' Mr. Pickwick, ' ' which he wrote in collaboration with Charles and conducted during its run at the Herald Square Theatre, New York, in the winter of 1903. 174 Musical Life in London for, toward the end of 1886, he wrote me : "I find that now it is all right. The monotony which made me uneasy exists no longer." After this I heard nothing until he came to London in the following June. He then gave some recitals, and accom- plished his memorable feat of performing his own four pianoforte concertos at one sitting,^ which, as it took place on the anniversary of Waterloo, was generally supposed to be intended as a revenge for the defeat of the French in that immortal battle. During the holidays I called upon the wayward master when passing through Paris, but he was out of town. Still without news of "Moses," I wrote him a long account of the success of his psalm at Norwich, and that I was hoping to arrange for the production of the new oratorio there. I re- ceived in reply the following letter: [Translated from the French.] Paris, October 18, 1887. My dear Friend : Nothing could be more agreeable than the news you give me of my Psalm. I cannot console myself for not having gone to hear it ; I was detained in Paris by some business at the opera. When you were in Paris I was compelled to leave hurriedly for Boulogne. I sent you a telegram from Creil asking you to come and dine with me the following day; but, whether through a mistake in the address, or some other cause, the telegram never reached you. 'St. James's Hall, June 18, 1887; Mr. W. Ganz, conductor. ^IS Musical Life in London Should the oratorio be arranged for Norwich, I shall be very glad. I shall, as you say, have all the necessary time for devoting myself entirely to it, which seems to me indispensable for a work of this magnitude. You will undertake to negotiate with a publisher; I should very much like Novello. . . . "Moi'se" will probably be my last work. It must worthily crown my career ! Your faithful and affectionate, C. Saint-Saens. But the Fates were not kind to "Moise." The Norwich authorities were unwilling to pledge them- selves so long beforehand to accept a work of un- known proportions. I then opened negotiations with the Leeds committee ; but difficulties were also raised in that direction, and in the midst of the delay it came to the ears of Saint-Saens that Anton Rubinstein was just completing a biblical opera in eight tableaux, entitled "Moses," which would shortly be jDroduced at St. Petersburg or Moscow.^ This was enough for the French composer. He at once relinquished all idea of writing an oratorio upon the subject. I asked him to return my text, and after a few weeks it came back accompanied by the following brief epistle : Voici "Moi'se," et avec lui mes meilleurs amities. C. Saint-Saens. ' As a matter of fact, Eubinstein had been engaged for nearly twenty years upon this big work, which, however, was not produced until 1894. It was then mounted at Eiga with a company of no fewer than four hundred performers, and upon a scale of the utmost scenic grandeur. 176 CHAPTER IX Franz Liszt — His last visit to London — A marvelous survival of a glorious past — Rubinstein's farewell to England: Hs "his- torical recitals " — An operatic debacle — Lago to the rescue — Growth of the Wagner Cult— Hans Richter and Arthiir SuUivan — England's greatest musician: his ideas, habits, and attri- butes — "The Golden Legend" at Leeds Festival — Georg Henschel. THERE was, for musical dwellers in London, something almost providential in the visit paid by Franz Liszt during the spring of 1886. He had not stood upon British soil for forty-five years. There seemed to be but the remotest likelihood that, at the age of seventy-five, he would ever trouble himself again to travel over land and sea to a coun- try whose attitude toward him and his works had invariably been chilly and unsympathetic. But the persuasions of his pupil and protagonist, Walter Baehe, who worked so long and lovingly to obtain recognition and appreciation for his master's works, at last proved effectual. On the evening of April 3 he arrived. On the morning of the 20th he departed. Three months later— on the night of July 31— he died at Bayreuth of pneumonia, re- sulting from a bronchial cold, which he aggravated by attending one of the first performances of 177 Thirty Years of "Tristan und Isolde," given at his old friend Richard M^agner's Biihnenfestspielhaus. I was one of a party of guests invited to meet the Abbe Liszt on the night of Saturday, April 3, at Westwood House, Sydenham, where he was to be the guest of Mr. Henry Littleton (then head of the firm of Novello & Co.) during his stay in Eng- land. I went early, and was just in time to see him welcomed by his host after a fatiguing journey from Paris. He had been met at Dover by Mr. Alfred Littleton, the eldest son and present head of the house, who gave me an interesting account of the trip. There could be no doubt that Liszt was extremely dubious concerning our real feelings toward him. In fact, the position was very much akin to that in which Wagner had stood nine years before, only with this important difference: that Wagner came "professionally," for the purpose of extracting British gold from British pockets, whereas Liszt was here, purely in a private capa- city, to attend some performances of his works. He was simply nervous, therefore, lest, being no longer a public artist, he should be shining in the reflected light of his past glories as a virtuoso in an at- mosphere that was uncongenial to him as a cre- ative musician. An hour after his arrival he entered the vast oak- paneled apartment which had just been added as a music-room to Westwood House. It was crowded with all the musical notabilities then in London, every one of them anxious to gaze upon the visage 178 Musical Life in London of the man who was then perhaps the most inter- esting musical figure in the world. Dressed in his semi-priestly garb, the venerable abbe walked slowly down the steps leading to the floor of the room, and smiled graciously upon the groups that saluted him as he passed. He looked somewhat tired, and it was remarked by those who knew him that he had aged considerably during the last few years. But his still bright eye, his still brilliant powers of conversation, his still industrious habits, all precluded the smallest suspicion that the end was so near. His attention that evening was largely monopolized by old friends; still, many new ones were brought to his notice, and I had the pleasure of being introduced with a kind word or two by the loyal and indefatigable Walter Bache, who, with others, took part in a programme of his compositions. Liszt himself did not then play, though, when spending subsequent evenings at home in the Lit- tleton family circle, he almost always went to the piano of his own accord and enchanted them with some piece or improvisation of his own. Once he surprised them by extemj^orizing marvelously upon themes from his oratorio "St. Elizabeth," per- formances of which he attended both at St. James 's Hall and the Crystal Palace. The welcome he re- ceived everywhere exceeded in warmth and spon- taneity the expectations of his most fanatical admirers. Still more did the scenes enacted dur- ing his stay astonish this most petted and feted 179 Thirty Years of of septuagenarians, with whom— anywhere outside "cold, unmusical England"— such outbursts of enthusiasm had been the concomitants of a life- time. I first heard him play on April 6, when he went to the Royal Academy to hand over to the com- mittee of management the sum of £1100, raised through the efforts of Walter Bache for the founda- tion of a "Liszt scholarship" at that institution. The shout of joy uttered by the students when he sat down at the piano was something to remember. It was followed by an intense silence. Then the aged but still nimble fingers ran lightly over the keys, and I was listening for the first time in my life to Franz Liszt. To attempt to describe his playing, after the many well-known Weimar pupils and distinguished writers who have tried to ac- complish that task, would be mere presumption on my part. Even at seventy-five, Liszt was a pianist whose powers lay beyond the pale to which sober language or calm criticism could reach or be ap- plied. Enough that his greatest charm seemed to me to lie in a perfectly divine touch, and in a tone more remarkable for its exquisitely musical qual- ity than for its volume or dynamic force, aided by a technique still incomparably brilliant and superb. Two days later Liszt proceeded to Windsor Castle, where he was received with the utmost cor- diality by Queen Victoria. He played several pieces to Her Majesty, who told him that she cherished a i8o I-'ruiii u photnfurapli liy !Nailar. I'uris FRANZ LISZT Musical Life in London vivid recollection of his playing when he last visited London in 1841. On his return to town in the evening, he attended a receiotion given in his honor at the Grosvenor Gallery by Walter Bache. This was in some respects the most striking function of the series. The gathering was in every sense a I'epresentative one, and the famous abbe, as he went round chatting from group to group, seemed positively radiant with happiness. To repeat his own words, addressed to myself: "You have so overwhelmed me with kindness in this country that I shall be quite sorry when the time comes for me to leave you. ' ' The programme comprised his "Angelus" for strings, a chorus for female voices, a pianoforte piece, and some songs; and finally, amid a scene of great excitement, he himself played the finale of Schubert's "Divertissement a la Hongroise" and his own Hungarian rhapsody in A minor. This glorious treat furnished the crowning feature of a memorable evening— doubly memorable because it was the last time but one that Franz Liszt touched his instrument in the presence of a public or quasi-public assemblage. It was a very strange coincidence that the season which witnessed Liszt's final adieu to England should have likewise been the occasion of Anton Rubinstein's last visit. The one left in April; the other came in May. Within a period of six weeks we heard and saw, for the last time, the two great- est pianists that the world had then known. The leonine Russian gave at St. James's Hall that won- 183 Thirty Years of derful series of "Historical Recitals" which has since become historical in every sense — that mar- velously comprehensive cycle wherein he illustrated the progress and development of pianoforte music from its earliest epoch down to the penultimate decade of the nineteenth century. It was, alike mentally and physically, an extraordinary tour de force. No one save Rubinstein would have at- tempted the Herculean feat involved in the esecu- tion of such programmes. What must the task have been for the executant, if the bare labor of listening was an exhausting process? But Rubin- stein was a giant, and the considerations that ap- plied to ordinary pianists did not arise in his case. These recitals yielded the largest sum ever taken at St. James's Hall for a series of seven concerts, the gross receipts amounting to £6000 ($30,000). An extra recital was given, and out of the proceeds Rubinstein divided £300 ($1500) among various charitable institutions. The fortunes of Italian ojiera were now at their lowest ebb. The season of 1885 had been al- most wholly barren, and that of 1886 was little better. Incapacity and indifference reached their climax with the disgraceful and humiliating scene that occurred at Her Majesty's Theatre on the night of March 6, 1886. Some unknown person, evidently without experience as a manager, had there started a season of Italian opera with a com- pany of incompetent artists. On the fourth night it eompletelj' collapsed under circumstances un- 184 Musical Life in London precedented in the annals of opera in a great city. I quote my own description^ of what oc- curred. The second act of "Faust" had concluded when the orchestra refused to proceed further unless their salaries were instantly paid. Their claims were partly satisfied, and, after an interval of inordinate length, in the course of which the audience displayed the noisiest impatience, the opera proceeded for another act, with the accom- paniment of about half the band. But the crisis had only been deferred. After the curtain had fallen again there was another long "wait," and the disturbances recommenced. At length, in response to deafening calls, the stage-manager came forward and announced that it was impossible to proceed. The stage-carpenters had refused to set the next scene, and the opera could not, therefore, go on. A howl of derision and anger greeted this statement; but the audience, having made up its mind to the worst, was preparing, amid a fearful din, to depart, when the curtain rose once more and a whole army of stage assistants came down to the footlights with outstretched arms and aprons, as though to implore the charity of the house. The gestures were understood, and, with one accord, the remaining occupants of the gallery and upper tiers began flinging a shower of coppers and small silver coins down on to the stage, uttering the while all sorts of satirical and uncomplimentary epithets. However, the occupation was too expensive to last long, and in a minute or two this disgraceful episode came to a termination, ending also a night of horrors that will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it. '"Musical Notes," by Hermann Klein, London, 1886. 185 Thirty Years of After this Her Majesty's remained closed for over a year. Mapleson was too much in debt to dare start upon any fresh speculation; and, indeed, so sore was his plight that his old friend Mme. Patti felt constrained to come forward later in the year and appear in a performance of "II Bar- biere" at Drury Lane for the benetit of the un- lucky impresario. Meanwhile Covent Garden was tenantless, and it seemed in the highest degree probable that we should experience the novelty of a London season completely without Italian opera. The man who prevented that calamity (if calam- ity it may be termed) was Signor Lago, formerly regisseur at Covent Garden under the management of the Gyes, father and son. With the support of the tenor Gayarre and some financial backing, the new impresario contrived to form a capital troupe and to give a short but respectable sea- son of opera. Although he brought out no nov- elties, he introduced several new artists worth hearing— among them Ella Eussell, Giulia Valda, and Francesco D 'Andrade, all of whom made their mark. The company also included artists like Al- bani, Scalchi, Cepeda, Gayan-e, Pandolfini, and Maurel, with Bevignani as the conductor. Of course, a solitary undertaking such as this could not suffice to retrieve the fortunes of Italian opera. It served, however, to prove that the genus, if moribund in Great Britain, was not yet utterly extinct, and its repetition in the following year helped still further to reawaken public interest i86 r t S r = M Musical Life in London and engender the confidence which ultimately made possible the real revival. In his way, there- fore, Signor Lago did palpable service to the cause of opera in London ; but he had neither the Napoleonic spirit nor the administrative ability and courage for cari-ying his mission through to the true goal. It is worth pausing for a moment to note how quickly the popularity of Wagner was rising at this period. Only the distant onlooker could perceive how large a place the master was beginning to fill in the hearts of English music-lovers. Failing the opportunity for hearing his complete works upon the stage, they had perforce to be content to hear them, either whole or in part, upon the concert lilatform. The demand for this kind of thing be- came remarkable, and it was satisfied by the most conservative as well as the most advanced musical institutions. Imagine two concert performances of "Parsifal" (with very few cuts, moreover) be- ing given in London only a couple of years after the first production of that glorious music-drama at Bayreuth! Yet this was actually done in the autumn of 1884 by the Royal Choral Society, under Joseph Barnby, with Therese Malten (the orig- inal Kundry), Gudehus, and Scaria in the principal parts. And really the exacting work was very creditably interpreted. By the way, Malten and Gudehus were again in London in 1886, when they sang at the Riehter Concerts in long excerpts from ' ' Tristan ' ' and ' ' Siegfried, ' ' supported by Pauline 189 Thirty Years oi Cramer and Georg Henschel. I never cared par- ticularly for the tenor— his voice was always hard and metallic; but Malten's noble organ was never in grander condition, and she sang with a degree of dramatic intensity and emotional warmth that was absolutely thrilling. The success of Hans Richter in England contin- ued to be extraordinary. Indeed, after a time it began to create something of a feeling of jealousy among those purely British musicians who then held, and, perhaps, not unjustly, that their country had too long been the happy hunting-ground of "distinguished foreigners" generally, and of for- eign conductors in particular. The feeling, how- ever, did not find expression openly until after the appointment of Eichter to succeed the late Sir Michael Costa as conductor of the Birmingham Festival. This proceeding evoked a display of actual resentment. For my own part, I failed to see that it was called for in the case of a man of such commanding genius; so I plainly stated that I approved the appointment and could not sym- pathize with those who objected to it. My remarks brought me a shoal of deprecatory letters— among them the following one from Sir Arthur Sullivan : 1 Queen's Mansions, Victoeia Street, S. W., -,r Tr 19th May, 1884. Dear Me. Keein : In looking over the "Sunday Times" I am greatly grieved and disappointed to read your comments on Herr Richter 's appointment to the conductorship of the Birmingham Musical Festival. 190 Musical Lite in London I think all this musical education for the English is vain and idle, as they are not allowed the opportunity of earning their living in their own country. Foreigners are thrust in everywhere, and the press supports this injustice. If we had no men who could do the work I should say nothing — but we have. Yours very truly, Arthur Sullivan. Now let me say at once that Sir Arthur Sullivan was incapable of entertaining sentiments of mean and petty jealousy. As conductor of the Leeds Festival, — a post which brought all the honor and labor that he sought in this direction,— he did not desire Birmingham for himself. Neither did he refuse to admit the application to his own art of th'e essentially British principle of "free trade." His motto was simply, "Charity begins at home"; and, if he felt strongly on the subject, it was be- cause he had seen in the course of his career too much of that "thrusting in of foreigners" which was the curse of English musical life during the greater part of the nineteenth century. As prin- cipal of the National Training School for Music,i he had had practical experience of the difficulty in finding lucrative emplojonent for young native executants. Hence his conviction that if money were spent upon their education, it was only fair ' Opened in 1876 with eighty-two free scholarships and car- ried on until 1882, when it was absorbed by the larger institution now flourishing under the title of the Koyal College of Music. Bugen d 'Albert was among the pupils trained at the earlier school. 191 Thirty Years of that they should enjoy preference over musicians of foreign birth and training. Happily, he lived long enough to see this patriotic aspiration in a large measure fulfilled. I did not reply, either by writing or in print, to Sir Arthur Sullivan 's letter, but went to see him on the following Sunday, when we threshed the whole matter out to our mutual satisfaction. That was the first of the many Sunday-afternoon chats that I enjoyed in the library of his comfortable apart- ment in Victoria Street. He was an inveterate cigarette-smoker, and from the moment I entered until the time I left, a cigarette was scarcely ever out of his mouth. He was a bright, interesting talker, full of genuine Irish mother-wit, yet withal earnest, emphatic, and impressive when he wished. He was devotedly attached to a parrot that was aJso a good talker, and would amuse him by in- sisting on spelling Polly with only one "1." At the period to which I am referring he was already a sufferer from the painful malady which even- tually carried him off; but his hair had not yet turned gray, he still wore the familiar bushy whis- kers shown in his early portraits, and he was robust enough to indulge frequently in his favorite pastime, lawn-tennis. Sullivan was not naturally what one would term a born worker. He turned to labor not so much for love of it as through sheer necessity. The most successful and popular English musician of his day, a great favorite with royalty, the enfant gate 192 w ^ IT K- g 5 3 s 5? Musical Life in London of society, the demands -upon his time were so ex- cessive that it was a marvel how he managed to get through his long list of public and private en- gagements. At this period, much, if not the greater part, of his composing was done between midnight and four or five o'clock in the morning. "I find it impossible," he would tell me, "to settle down to a score during the daytime. I wait till every one is in bed; then I gc to my desk, and perhaps finish the instrumentation of a whole num- ber before I finally lay down my pen. The streets are so quiet, the atmosphere is so peaceful, and I have no fear that I am going to be disturbed every few minutes. ' ' The rate at which he could ' ' score ' ' was prodigious; and, notably in the case of his comic operas, he would leave certain mechanical details till nearly the last moment, knowing that by dint of an extra spurt he could always finish in time. On the other hand, there were scores over which he lingered tenderly and long, as over a true ' ' labor of love. ' ' One of these was ' ' The Golden Legend. ' ' He showed it to me during one of our Sunday chats, and pointed with pride to what he hoped would be some novel effects in the prologue— the wailing "diminished" chords for the violins, the exulting clang of the bells, the blare of the brass instruments, the poignant cry, "Oh, we cannot!" uttered by the disappointed demons, and, lastly, the contrast when the organ comes in and the monks chant their grand hymn in broad unison. Novel, 95 Thirty Years of indeed, did these effects prove iu the rendering- strokes of pure originality on the part of a com- poser who had heretofore ventured slightly, if at all, beyond the limits of treatment laid down in the scores of his beloved masters, Schubert and Mendelssohn.^ My outspoken admiration won for me the promise of a copy of the full score of ' ' The Golden Legend" as soon as it should be published; and in due time that copy arrived, with the com- poser's autograph upon the title-page. This beautiful work was written for and brought out at the Leeds Festival of 1886. There can be no doubt that it immensely enhanced the reputation of the composer, whose genius as a writer of comic operas had been brilliantly exemplified eighteen months before by the production of ' ' The Mikado. ' ' The laurels yielded by the Savoy operas were of necessity shared by Sir Arthur with his talented collaborator, Mr. W. S. Gilbert. In regard to the Leeds cantata, the composer certainly owed much to Longfellow's lovely poem and to Mr. Joseph Ben- nett's adroit adaptation thereof; but, this apart, there was no one to divide with him the glory of a supreme triumph, of an artistic achievement that stood "head and shoulders" above all his previous ' Seven years later I saw Sir Arthur Sullivan alone in a pit tier box, at Covent Garden, listening to a performance of ' ' Die Meistersinger. " After the second act I vi-ent to speak to him, and noticed that he had before him a full score of Wagner 's work. Presently he pointed to it and remarked : ' ' You see I am taking a lesson. Well, why not? This is not only Wagner's master- piece, but the greatest comic opera that was ever written. ' ' 196 Musical Life in London efforts. The overwhelming success at Leeds was the more remarkable in that it came at the close of the greatest festival ever held there— following new works of such calibre as Dvorak's oratorio "St. Ludmila," A. C. Mackenzie's cantata "The Story of Sayid, " and Villiers Stanford's fine choral ballad "The lievenge," not to speak of a phenomenal performance by the Yorkshire cho- rus of Bach's great Mass in B minor, never before attempted at a provincial festival. The most tre- mendous ovation of all, though, was that which greeted the composer of "The Grolden Legend" when he laid down his baton at the close of the noble choral epilogue. Such ringing British cheers had not been heard in that magnificent hall since Queen Victoria opened it in the "fifties." It was on such occasions as this that Sullivan's native modesty stood out most conspicuously. Only with difficulty could he be persuaded to re- turn twice to the platform ; he complained that the girls of the choir had pelted him with too many nosegays the first time. When he retired to the artists' room I followed him, and heard his words of gratitude to the singers— Albani, Patey, Lloyd, and Frederic King— who had so loyally carried out his ideas. To Mme. Patey he was even apologetic. He said to the gifted contralto: "I am sorry I did not write you something that was worthier of you ;i but I was in pain the whole time, 1 Referring to the air "Virgin who lovest, " in the last scene but one of the cantata. 197 Thirty Years of and I am bound to say the music exactly illustrates the torments that I suffered." He literally told the truth. The number in question is the only one in the cantata that does not faithfully reflect the spirit of the text. If Sir Arthur Sullivan had a weakness, it was his notable penchant for the turf. He dearly loved to go to the races, and was a regular attendant at the meetings held at Newmarket, Sandown, and elsewhere. He once owned two or three race- horses — a luxury to which his fairly wealthy po- sition quite entitled him. But I believe I am cor- rect in saying that he never succeeded in winning a stake. Nor did I iind him particularly success- ful as a "tipster," though few men had so many intimate friends among the members of the Eng- lish Jockey Club. The last time I ever saw him was at one of the suburban race-meetings, three months before he died. As we walked away to- gether he remarked sententiously, "I have n't backed a single winner. My luck is out. But never mind ; I have seen the winner of next year 's Derby, and when the time comes I mean to back him." That, alas! he never lived to do. Which, perhaps, explains why Mr. William C. Whitney won the "blue riband" of the English turf with Volodyovski, the horse to which Sir Arthur re- ferred. His name may occur again in these pages, but I shall have no better opportunity for paying a 198 w ? a ? - ^ 5: Vi = ■ 'A S. O ^ o - Musical Life in London tribute to the memory of the musician whose loss the whole world still deplores. Sullivan was a man of singularly sweet and amiable disposition. There was much more impulsive warmth and emotional depth to his Irish nature than one would have judged from his manner, which impressed most people as being cold and reserved. He had un- common powers of self-repression, and he used them more than he really needed. As a conduc- tor, this was no doubt to his disadvantage; yet if magnetism were lacking, neither sympathy nor control was, and his slightest sign was instantly obeyed. Only those who saw him work at re- hearsal could tell how completely he was master of the situation. At the performance he pur- posely avoided a demonstrative style; hence was his beat often described as "lethargic" by those who studied his manner instead of the effects that he produced. And, after all, modesty was the true secret of his hatred of display. Success never engendered an overwhelming confidence in self, and to the very last it pleased him to be assured that he had done something worthy of his name and talent. To prove this I cannot do better than reproduce a let- ter which he wrote me only a year before his death —premising that the opera mentioned was "The Rose of Persia, ' ' and that he had a short time pre- viously resigned his position as conductor of the Leeds Festival: 20I Thirty Years of 1 Queen's Mansions, Victoria Street, S. W., 19 November, 1899. Dear Klein: si sic omnes! I am still young enough to be pleased at reading (in real live print, mind you!) a few kind words written in a kindly spirit such as I have just read in the "Sunday Times. "^ To-day I am just out of prison, having finished the score of the new opera at 3.15 a.m., and I feel strange at having nothing to do except rehearsing. By the way, if you want to know what the music, pure and simple, is like, you will find a full rehearsal of band and voices going on at St. Andrew's Hall [Wells Street, London] on Wednesday next, from 11 a.m. onwards. About Leeds— I could tell you much, but cannot write it. As H. K. suggests, I hope they won't take a foreigner as my successor. If they do, it will be a terrible disap- pointment to someone. Ever yours sincerely, Aethur Sullivan. The Leeds conductorship was eventually bestowed upon Sir C. Villiers Stanford. There was never, indeed, much danger of the "hated foreigner" be- ing appointed. Probably the only conductor, not an Englishman by birth, who would have stood a chance was Georg Henschel, and he, so far as I am aware, was not among the candidates for the vacant position. More than a quarter of a century has passed ' This refers to a notice of his setting of Eudyard Kipling 's poem ' ' The Absent-minded Beggar. ' ' 202 Musical Life in London since Mr. Hensehel made his debut in England, and his wide circle of friends there must long ago have made up their minds to regard him in the light of a British subject. When he first came I saw a good deal of him, and, curiously enough, his late gifted wife, then Miss Lillian Bailey, lived oppo- site our house in Bentinck Street, where we could hear by the hour her sweet, penetrating tones as she labored steadfastly at those old florid Italian airs, the study of which furnishes the sole tnae medium for the acquisition of a fine vocal tech- nicjue. After he had terminated his connection with the Boston Symphony Concerts, Mr. Hensehel per- manently settled down in London, and there for many years he shared the principal concert work with the eminent and evergreen barytone, Charles Santley. As singer, as composer, as conductor, as accompanist, and as teacher, Hensehel long ago demonstrated his remarkable talent and his even more extraordinary versatility. In a word, he has fairly earned the right to be called the "Admirable Crichton" of his art. In the autunm of 1886, Mr. Hensehel started the enterprise known as the London Symphony Con- certs, which he carried on with conspicuous skill for several years. Unfortunately, their pecuniary results offered an inadequate return for the care and energy that were bestowed upon the rendering of a singularly eclectic and interesting series of programmes. Truth to tell, Mr. Hensehel never figured in the public mind as a great or even a 203 Musical Life in London strong coaductor. His readings of the classical masterpieces might be conscientious and artistic, but they lacked individuality, force, and warmth. On the other hand, the vocal recitals which he gave with the aid of his accomplished wife never failed to attract, by virtue of the unique interpre- tative charm with which the two singers invested their delightful selections. 204 I'nuti fl pliutog^i'iij-''^ ''y 'i-'ii'- Luiiili'ii StiTuosfupic -.V riintnLrru[)liic Cuui[iuiiy, LiinitL'd SIR AUGL'STL'S HARRIS CHAPTER X Augustus Harris and Italian opera— An ambitious scheme— To Prance and Spain in search of artists — Engaging the De Reszkes— The great tenor's early career -— Madrid and Mancinelli— An amateur bull-fight- Seville— Opening of the Drury Lane season— Jean de Reszke's triumph— A bary- tone's temper. EARLY in the spring of 1887, I was lunching one day with Augustus Harris at the old Albion Restaurant, opposite Drury Lane Theatre.^ As a rule, the busy manager allowed himself, at most, twenty minutes for his midday meal (a year or two later he allowed himself no lunch at all) ; but on this particular day he lingered over his cof- fee, called for cigars, and proceeded to deliver him- self of what was, to me, a wholly unexpected piece of news. Leaning back against the upright wooden partition which separated the tables in the old- fashioned dining-room, and with a bright, familiar gleam in his penetrating eyes, he said : ' The resort, in the days before theatrical clubs existed, of all the best-known actors and managers in London. The walls of the smoking-parlor were hung with portraits of Sarah Siddons, John Philip Kemble, Charles Kemble, Edmund Kean, Maeready, and other histrionic celebrities of the century. What became of the pictures I cannot say; but the place, if not yet pulled down, has been used for some years as a kind of warehouse. 10 207 Thirty Years of "Klein, I have made up my mind to do some- thing big." This was not very astonishing. Augustus Harris was always doing "something big." His panto- mime and autumn dramas were the very biggest things of their kind ; and in the summer of the pre- vious year he had mounted a new comic opera by Herve, entitled "Frivoli, " which was at once the costliest spectacle and the most dismal failure of his managerial career. This recollection suggested a rather cruel expression of hope on my i^art that he did not intend going in for more French opera- bouffe. He smiled and shook his head : ' ' No ; it is to be the real thing this time. What I am going to do is to give a month of Italian opera on a large scale at Dury Lane, at the height of the London season ! ' ' Still smiling, Harris stared hard at me, to judge the effect of his words. I was genuinely surprised, and told him so. Did he not think he had sufficient responsibilities already without launching his ship upon the treacherous waters of Italian opera, which had wrecked one English impresario after another, and profited none! ' ' I know. But why should I suffer the same fate ? Wl\j should not opera pay, provided it be well done! All this talk about Italian opera being 'moribund' is merely because the management of it has been going from bad to worse, because so- ciety is no longer interested and the i^ublic has lost confidence. Look at what Carl Rosa has done 208 Musical Life in London and is doing for Englisli opera ! He has won over the public, and makes money in tlie provinces, if he can't in London. See what Lago did last year at Covent Garden with what I consider a mediocre company and limited resources ! Economy helped him out, it is true; but at least he proved that Italian opera was still gasping! He is going to try again this year; this time, however, I mean to show him that 'opera on the cheap' is not what London actually wants. He may get the old fogies and habitues at Covent Garden; I intend to draw the real aristocracy to Drury Lane. ' ' I saw that he was serious, and I realized that his conclusions, to some extent, were just. Grand opera in its noblest form, of whatever school or language, if adequately presented, could not die in England any more than in other countries of equivalent musical calibre. And England, I may say, is now not half so "unmusical" as it is habitu- ally depicted. Without the aid of a state sub- vention, opera upon a "grand" scale all the year round might be impossible. But not even for three months in the year would society, or, indeed, any section of the public, be willing to purchase gaiinea stalls and pay high prices all round for perform- ances of only moderate excellence, supported by two or three ' ' stars ' ' and an otherwise second-rate personnel. I agreed that Lago could not go on long under present conditions, and I told my com- panion that I thought he might stand a chance if he could contrive to get together a strong company. 2og Thirty Years of "There," said Harris, "is where you can be of service to me, if you care to." I replied that in such a good cause I should be only too delighted to assist him in every possible way. "Then," he continued, "come abroad with me at Easter. I have already prepared the ground in several di- rections. I have even engaged my conductor — a man quite unknown, but said to be very clever — Luigi Mancinelli. He is now conducting at Ma- drid, and I want you to go there with me to listen to some artists whom he has recommended." I said that I would do so with the utmost pleasure. Then suddenly an idea occurred to me, and I con- tinued : "I know of a splendid tenor for you— if you can get him. He sang here years ago as a barytone, but is really a tenor, and I heard him last summer at the Paris Opera in 'Le Cid. ' He has a mag- nificent voice and is a thorough artist. ' ' "You mean Jean de Reszke, " broke in Harris. "I have been told about him, but have not quite decided what to do." "Don't hesitate. He will make a great hit here now; and his brother Edouard, who has already sung at Covent Garden and has the finest bass voice in the world, of course will have to come too." "I shall see if I can get them both," said the new impresario, and with that we parted. In less than a fortnight the two brothers were engaged— Jean at £100 ($500) a night, and Edou- ard at £320 ($1600) a month— salaries which they 2 lO Musical Life in London were then well content to accept.^ In such fashion did the preparations for the campaign commence, quietly and without fuss. For the moment every- thing was kept secret. The pantomime had not yet run its course, and there was still a four weeks ' Carl Eosa season to be held at Drury Lane during the month of May. Augustus Harris naturally de- sired, therefore, that the jjublic should not be in- formed until his plans were more matured. At Easter we started together for Paris, en route for Spain. Little did I then dream that the mission upon which we were setting out was to have results of far-reaching magnitude ; that it was to affect the whole future of opera in England, and also in an appreciable degree the nature and methods of operatic enterprise in the United States. Still less did I imagine that the words which turned the balance in favor of the engagement of Jean de Reszke were also to mark the turning-point in the singular cai-eer of that illustrious artist— to lift him from the sluggish waters of the stream of ' It has been asserted that M. Jean de Beszke 's services were offered in 1886 to Signor Lago at a very moderate salary, and refused. There is good reason to doubt the accuracy of that statement. It is possible, of course, that some musical agent in London or Paris did offer to try to secure the new tenor for Signor Lago; but if so, it was not done at M. de Eeszke's instiga- tion. And in any case the ' ' refusal ' ' would not have come so much from the impresario as from Signor Gayarre, who was at the back of the concern, and would assuredly have objected to the engagement of an artist who might prove a formidable rival to himself. 2 11 Thirty Years of Parisian operatic life; to pave the way for Ms brilliant rise to fame in the two great English- speaking lands ; and to lay the foundation of a friendship that should enable me materially to aid in kindling those Wagnerian aspirations which have borne such precious and universally cher- ished fruit. The position of affairs should now be tolerably clear to the reader. I have traced the influence of Carl Rosa upon Augustus Harris through the dark period that followed uj^on the collapse of the Gye regime. I have demonstrated the mighty power that was wielded by Wagnerian and German opera in the education both of the managers and the music-loving communities for whom they catered. In London, at least, the hour for the operatic renaissance had arrived, and with it the man. In America, no doubt, the time for reaping the new harvest was also near at liand. Mapleson, who had all but reached the end of his tether at home, could no longer send to America Italian compa- nies worthy of attention. The sole European at- traction upon whom an American manager could rely with certainty was Mme. Patti— a name to conjure with any time these forty years— a genius whose light gives no sign even now of growing dim. On the other hand, German opera, thanks to the crusade so braA^elj^ led by Dr. Leopold Dam- rosch, had become firmly established in New York, and the love of Wagner had entered even more .deeply into the hearts of the people there than 212 Musical Life in London in London. Consequently, the time was ripe for a bolder and more extended movement on both sides of the Atlantic. In due course it came. But to return to our journey. Augustus Harris made the briefest possible stay in Paris. We ar- rived in the morning and called upon Choudens, the publisher, to arrange for the exclusive English rights, as far as they could be secured, of certain popular French operas. This done, we took break- fast with M. and Mme. Edouard de Reszke and their family, including, of course, Jean, then a lively bachelor of less than forty. Edouard re- membered me at once, and reminded me of our last merry meeting at the dinner given by Pauline Lucca. The elder brother made a great impression both upon Harris and myself. Already an enormous fa- vorite in Paris, Jean de Reszke seemed to be wholly free from affectation or conceit; in a word, a de- lightful man and a thorough gentleman. His con- versation was marked by ease and freedom, and it offered a fascinating combination of humor and in- tellectuality. He then spoke very little German and still less English, though as a boy he had studied both languages. French and Italian, of course, he spoke fluently; indeed, in the former tongue his accent was so pure and his diction so correct that, had I not known him to be a Pole, I should readily have taken him for a Parisian. The arrangements between Jean de Eeszke and his new impresario were quickly settled. He would 213 Thirty Years of make liis appearance on the opening night in "Aida," and follow this up as quickly as possible by singing Lohengrin (in Italian) for the first time on any stage. He realized that London had known him as a barytone, and he was anxious to make manifest without delay that he was a genuine tenor. I asked him how the mistake had first arisen. "It is difficult to say," he replied. "We were always a musical family, and accustomed to attend operatic performances whenever there were any going on in Warsaw. My parents were both very musical, and my mother had a fine soprano voice. I remember once, in Warsaw, her singing the duet from 'Semiramide' with Trebelli. When I was only fifteen I began to take lessons from Ciaffei, an old tenor, who was a professor at the Conserva- toire at Warsaw. He decided that I was a bary- tone, and what part do you think he gave me to study first"? — Leporello! Notwithstanding this, I always had good high notes. When I made my debut at the Fenice at Venice, in 1874, in the 'Fa- vorita, ' I finished up the cahalletta with a ringing A natural. The real test, of course, lies in the capa- city for sustaining the tessitura. A barytone may be able to bring out a B fiat or even a B natural, but no example has j'-et been known of a barytone who was capable of sustaining the tenor tessitura through long and heavy roles. The thing is a rank impossibility. ' ' I inquired how long he had given himself to ef- fect the necessary change of method. 2 14 s > 4' i 1 2 . 'g^- 1% , '1* O -I-' 1 s ^" - 'i'. te( -«,- H< >•*- • -^ Musical Life in London ' ' Two years, of which I spent part in Paris and part in Poland. That was from 1877 to 1879. I made my reappearance at Madrid as Roberto, and was immediately hailed as a real tenore robusto. I assure you I found it much more easy and com- fortable than singing barytone. My voice at the end of the performance felt a great deal less fa- tigued. But I still had to work very, very hard to feel myself thoroughly equipped at all points. Then there came an offer to appear here at the Italiens, and I sang my first French role when I created John the Baptist in ' Herodiade ' four years ago." He expressed his regret that we could not re- main to hear him in " Le ProiAete, ' ' which he con- sidered his most successful opera in Paris. For my own part, I should have liked it above all things; but Augustus Harris— one of the most restless specimens of concentrated nervous energy that ever lived— had fully determined to proceed forthwith to Madrid, and no amount of persuasion could de- ter him from leaving Paris that same night. We accordingly bade the brothers "au revoir," and looked forward to meeting them again in London early in June. Thirty-six hours later we were safely installed in the Spanish capital. Our tirst business was to find Signor Mancinelli. He lived in a house overlooking some public gar- dens not far from the royal jDalace, and on the way thither Harris confided to me for the first time that he was not quite sure whether he ought 217 Thirty Years of to have engaged the man we were then going to see, or his brother, Marino Mancinelli, who was the con- ductor at the Lisbon Opera-house, and, according to some people, the more gifted of tlie two. On this point I was happily able to reassure my friend. I had not seen both brothers ; but, when at Bologna in 1879, I had seen Luigi Mancinelli direct at the Teatro Comunale a remarkably fine performance of Gounod's "Faust" (with a Covent Garden so- prano, Mile. TuroUa, as Margherita), and I had considered him a clief-d'orcJiestre of the first order. Harris was able quickly to confirm this opinion for himself by means of a representation of the selfsame work at the Royal Opera-house. The season in Madrid was fast approaching its termination. The audiences, however, were still tolerably brilliant, and the two infantas, aunts of the present King of Spain, then a baby in arms, were present nearly every evening. Queen Chris- tina, naturally, did not go to the opera; but by a welcome chance I saw her one day at the hotel where we were staying in the Puerta del Sol. The ciueen-regent, who was attired in deep mourning, came to the hotel for the purpose of visiting some distinguished Russian personage whose name I have now forgotten; and, as Harris and I bowed low when she passed down the stairs, Her Majesty returned our salute with a gracious smile. Shortly after our arrival we went to pay our respects to the British ambassador. Sir Glare Ford, who received the Drury Lane manager with marked 2l8 Musical Life in London cordiality. He invited us to a dejeuner in honor of some of the opera artists, among the guests being the late Lord Beaconsfield 's popular secretary, Lord Rowton, who had not long been raised to the peer- age. We met, among others, Gayarre; Battistini, the barytone ; Mme. Kupfer-Berger, a well-known dramatic soprano; and Guerrina Fabbri, the con- tralto, — all of whom were subsequently engaged for London, with the exception of Gayarre, who was, as a matter of course, to be once more the principal tenor of Lago's season at Covent Garden. In ad- dition to these, a new light tenor, De Lucia, was also secured; and altogether, as far as the men were concerned, there was ample reason to be con- tent with the results of our visit. As regards the prime donne I was not equally imj^ressed. Neither the two above named, nor two Italian sopranos recommended by Mancinelli (who then had no experience of English audiences), proved to be suited to the London operatic boards. One of the many attentions bestowed upon us by the ambassador was to send us tickets for a private bull-tight given by the Duchess de Alba in the great bull-ring at Madrid. I could not confess to an overwhelming desire to witness one of these spectacles, but I was naturally curious ; while Au- gustus Harris was positively anxious to see one, in order, as he explained, to note the necessary points for a realistic production of the last act of "Carmen." This particular bull-fight, it seemed, was an extremely select annual affair, to which the 219 Thirty Years of Duchess invited all her friends, and in which the perf onners, from the matador down to the humblest banderillero, consisted of the fine fleur of the youth- ful aristocracy of Spain. They made a brave show, did these young fellows, in their handsome cos- tumes. The programmes were printed upon yellow satin, and the select assemblage, though not nearly large enough to fill the huge galleries of the Plaza de Toros, comprised some of the most fashionable families in Madrid. Among the ladies present was that fine artist Mme. Christine Nilsson, who a few months before had become the Countess Casa de Miranda. She confided to me that she did not really care for bull- fights, and had come solely in order to please the Count— a statement fully to be credited from the manner in which she constantly used her fan to shut out the proceedings in the arena from her view. From the standpoint of sport, however, the affair was a dire failure. The bulls refused to show fight, and the amateur matadors were never exposed to any risk from which their agility as runners could not speedily have removed them. It was not at this absurd function that Augus- tus Harris obtained the real suggestions for the projected revival of "Carmen." We went subse- cjuently to one of the regular bull-fights at the same amphitheatre, and at this he made plentiful notes for the procession of the Alcade, the picadors on horseback, and the group of banderilleros, for all of whom he ordered real and costly Spanish cos- 220 Musical Life in London tumes. He even arranged for an exact copy of tlie curious hurdle-like contrivance, drawn by three ponies, which is employed in dragging the bodies of the dead horses and bulls out of the arena. Not satistied with this, we paid a twenty-four hours' visit to Seville in order to obtain touches of the true coidetir locale. We went to the great cigar and cigarette factory where Carmen is supposed to conduct herself with so much impropriety. We obtained photographs of the Giralda Tower; we sketched the entrance to the Plaza de Toros; and we gathered together every authentic detail that it was possible to procure for uniforms, costumes, and scenery. Thus it was that the mise en scene of "Carmen," as mounted by Augustus Harris, proved to be by far the most accurate and pictur- esque that had ever been vouchsafed to Bizet's opera. I must not dwell longer upon the events of this interesting Spanish trip ; nor is it necessary to de- scribe in further detail the preparations for the Drury Lane Italian season. Enough to say that the troupe finally collected by Augustus Harris was the strongest heard in London for several years. The opening representation of "Aida" on June 13, with brand-new costumes and fresh scenery expressly imported from Italy, fairly took critics and opera-goers by surprise. The triumph of Jean de Eeszke was instantaneous and complete. Here, at last, was the great tenor for whom the world had been waiting since the death of Giuglini 22 1 Thirty Years of and the retirement of Mario ! Edouard de Reszke was unable to leave Paris in time for this per- foi-mance, but he arrived later in the month, and worthily supported his brother on their debuts in "Lohengrin." On the whole, despite Mme. Kup- fer-Berger's vocal shortcomings as Aida and Elsa, the rendering of both Verdi's and Wagner's operas aroused the admiration of experts; while the in- spiring zeal and magnetism of Luigi Mancinelli were readily recognized. Soon London began to talk. It was a new thing to find a series of ojjeras placed nightly upon the stage with the highest care and efficiency, and dis- tinguished not only by a rare liberality in the mounting, but by the improving touches of a stage- manager courageous enough to sweeja away the more absurd anachronisms that disfigure the tradi- tions of Italian opera, and capable of replacing them with artistic and appropriate ideas of his own. Naturally the audiences did not numerically realize Harris's hopes. His losses, especially dur- ing the first fortnight of his four weeks' season, amounted to many thousands of pounds. But any comparison between the work that he was doing and the dull representations at Covent Garden, or the still more slipshod performances at Her Ma- jesty 's," was all in favor of the new impresario. ^ Here Mapleson was making one of his expiring eflforts. Its only noteworthy features were a revival of ' ' Fidelio ' ' with Lilli Lehmann, now heard for the first time in one of her great parts ; and a solitary appearance of Patti in "La Traviata. ' ' But the public refused to respond, and, no more capital being available, the ill-starred campaign quickly ended. 222 Musical Life in London The Prince and Princess of AVales, who had at once become ardent admirers of Jean de Reszke, came several times to hear him. By degrees society fol- lowed, more suo, the royal example ; and, just when the brief campaign was reaching its close, people began to perceive that Italian opera, so called, as given at Drury Lane, was a still vital and attrac- tive art-product. But the successes of the season were not all for the Polish brothers. Among the procession of old and new friends that traversed the scene were some very notable figures. I recall an exceedingly good performance of "Don Giovanni" with Maurel as the Don, Minnie Hauk as Zerlina, and Lillian Nordiea (little more than a debutante, and not yet the favorite that she was to become later) as Donna Elvira. I remember the debuts of Marie Engle as Adalgisa, of Sigrid Arnoldson as Rosina, of Amelia GroU as Donna Anna, of De Lucia as Alfredo, of Battistini as Rigoletto, and of Navarrini as Ratnfis. Again, there was Del Puente, sympathetic as ever, in his old parts of Escamillo and Germont pere; while the veteran barytone Pandolfini was still fine as Amonasro, which role he was the first to sing at Milan and Paris. Glancing at these names, American readers will be able to judge for them- selves not only of the extraordinary merit of the new ensemble, but of the extent to which it em- braced the practically "untried" talent that was to constitute in after years the best part of the brilliant constellation revolving in their own oper- atic firmament. 223 Thirty Years of The proudest night of the month for Harris was that on which he revived "Les Huguenots" with a splendid cast, and in such fashion as to make old habitues declare that "the son had beaten the father at his own game." Imagine Jean de Reszke at this time as Raoul! Always remarkable for its refinement, distinction, and passionate warmth, his impersonation was just then peculiarly imbued with the spirit of the true Meyerbeer school. Alike in a vocal and a histrionic sense, it was su- premely great. His "velvety" tones, fresh, clear, and mellow as a bell, were emitted with an un- sparing freedom that would thrill the listener not once, but twenty times, in the course of a single scene. There was no ' ' saving up ' ' for the last act then; it was "laissez aller" throughout, with plenty to spare at the finish. And what tender- ness, withal, in that famous grand duet of the fourth act! Not Mario himself had phrased the "Tu m'ami, tu m'ami!" (this was still an Italian performance) with a greater wealth of delicious surprise and pent-up adoration. Little wonder that Nordica nearly lost her head through ner- vousness and emotion. It was the very first time she sang Valentine; she had studied the part in less than a week, and for a young, inexpe- rienced artist,— so youthful, so pretty, so win- ning that she fascinated others beside Raoul,— her achievement was in the highest degree credi- table. The fifth act, generally suppressed in Eng- land, was on this occasion duly given, but the 224 I \"»-' I I V II , lit N \ MAUREL AS DON GIOVANNI Musical Life in London noise of the firing and the smoke from the gun- powder proved too much even for Augustus Harris. It was subsequently omitted, as usual. Thanks to the vagaries of one of the artists, this memorable performance came near to not being given at all. The opera was to have begTin at eight 'clock, but it was quite a quarter past before Man- cinelli took his place in the orchestra. Then an- other wait ensued. Thinking there must be some- thing amiss, I went behind the scenes to make in- quiries. I was informed that there was trouble with the principal barytone, and that if I went to his room I should find Mr. Harris there. I hur- ried to the dressing-room, and found that a lively dispute was going on between artist and manager. The latter, as usual in an emergency, was calm, self-possessed, and apparently in the best of tem- pers; the singer was gesticulating wildly and nearly beside himself with rage. I ventured to ask what was the matter. * ' Matter ! ' ' shouted the indignant barytone. ' ' Do you see this specimen of an Engli^:li-made costume f Did you ever gaze upon such a disgraceful fit"? How am I supposed to play a fastidious gentleman like Nevers, and go upon the stage in a doublet that his valet would have declined to put on? Look at this right sleeve ! It fits so abominably that I have had to tear it clean away at the shoulder to make it hang decently ! ' ' Looking closely at the garment, I did indeed per- ceive that it was torn at the seam under the arm ; 227 Thirty Years of but otherwise there was nothing wrong with it. A richer and handsomer doublet no reasonable Comte cle Nevers could have desired to wear, and I told the gentleman what I thought. He flung him- self into a chair, and declared that he xaositively refused to go on the stage in such a costume. Matters were now becoming rather serious. In the next room I could hear Jean de Eeszke and Edouard getting their res^Dective voices into trim by the execution of aerial flights and descents into the depths below. Moreover, I could hear the au- dience in the distance stamping and clapping their hands with impatience. I turned to Harris, and asked him whether another Nevers was available. "I have sent for Del Puente," he replied, "but I am not sure that we shall be able to find him. ' ' Then, sti'uck by a sudden idea, Harris addressed himself once more to the recalcitrant barytone : "Listen, monsieur. Tour complaint about this costume is merely a bit of caprice. It fits you per- fectly well; and even though you have torn the sleeve, a pin or two will easily put that right. I now ask you to let this performance commence. If you do not, I shall go before the curtain and tell the audience exactly why it is that they are being kept waiting." I added a word to the effect that I should not fail to give my colleagues of the press a precise and particular account of what had occurred, un- less the artist instantly put an end to a situation that was at once ridiculous and offensive to the 228 Musical Life in London public. The effect of this double shaft was elec- trical. A moment later the irate singer had risen and called for pins, and the incident was closed. Less than half a dozen people knew what had happened, for the secret of the delay was not allowed to leak out. The opera began, without comment, half an hour late, and, thanks to the Comte de Nevers and the fifth act, it was not over until nearly one o'clock in the morning. 229 CHAPTER XI The Operatic Renaissance — Royalty and society interested — A brilliant Covent Garden season — Debut of Melba — The fa- mous "French Trio": their life in London — A vocal duel — Bayi'euth in the first " Meistersinger " year— A visit to Ems and its consequences. SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN once described an English triennial festival as a kind of musical boa-constrictor which so overfed itself during a given week that it required the whole of the inter- vening three years to go through the operation of digesting the feast. Some such period of rest for the purpose of assimilation would appear to have been needed by the metropolis after the Gargantuan operatic banquet which it enjoyed during the sum- mer of 1887. At any rate, ten consecutive months elapsed before serious opera was again heard there. Even Carl Rosa kept severely in the provinces, contenting himself with a revival of Balfe's opera, "The Puritan's Daughter," and producing, for the first time in English, Meyerbeer's "L'Etoile du Nord" and Hale\'7's "La Juive." The annual visit to Drury Lane had now become, indeed, a thing of the past. But in the meantime Augustus Harris was not idle. Quick to perceive the effect that his brilliant 230 Ciiyriglil by A. Diipont. N. Y. MELBA AS JIAEGUERITE Musical Life in London little season had created, and feeling pretty sure that he had frightened all his rivals out of the field, he set about preparing the ground for still more extended operations in the near future. His heavy loss over the initial experiment did not trouble him. "I shall recoup myself," he said, "with the aid of society. I shall work this time upon a totally different plan. Instead of burden- ing myself with the whole responsibility, I shall have the support of the leaders of fashion and be guaranteed a big subscription before I start. ' ' This sounded both wise and promising; but I asked, "Do you expect the leaders of fashion and their following to come to Drury Lane?" "Certainly not," was Harris's reply. "I have every inten- tion, all being well, of taking Covent Garden at the earliest practicable date, and directing the regular season of the 'Royal Italian Opera' there next summer. ' ' The secret of the manager's ambition was out at last. He had only used his own theatre as the stepping-stone. He had wanted to prove that he was equal to the task; and, with such material as he could now command, the rest seemed compara- tively easy. However, there was an enormous amount of work yet to be done. He needed all his friends to help him in the good cause; and I, for one, earnestly begged him to consider me always at his disposal. My duties as a critic had not so far proved an obstacle to the exercise of friendly offices, freely (and, of course, gratuitously) vouch- 233 Thirty Years of safed ; nor had my interest in the enterprise pre- vented me from writing about every performance with perfect impartiality. Harris knew this as well as I did, and his thanks, both then and always, were expressed with the utmost heartiness. But for the accomplishment of the next im- portant step, Augustus Harris owed nearly every- thing to the enthusiasm and influence of Lady de Grey and Lady Charles Beresford. These popular women, veritable pillars of society, had already watched with something more than superficial in- terest the progress of the Drury Lane experiment. They were devoted lovers of opera, and intense admirers as well as personal friends of the de Reszkes. What more natural than that they should desire to see the personnel of the Harris establish- ment transferred to its proper home, shining in a worthy atmosphere amid fitting and congenial surroundings? All the impresario stipulated was that a certain number of boxes should be sub- scribed for. This was enough for the two ladies. With the aid of Mr. Harry V. Higgins, brother-in- law of Lady de Grey, they immediately began the hunt for subscribers, restricting their canvass, of course, to such members of the "smart set" as would be acceptable to themselves and their friends; and this, of course, was only an added inducement to join it. The requisite number of boxes were speedily taken up, and by a certain date the fair canvassers went to Mr. Harris with their list. 234 Musical Life in London Meanwhile the astute manager must have got wind of the success that was attending the search. At any rate, he suddenly discovered that he had been too modest in his demands. It began to occur to him that Covent Garden Theatre and its con- tents, including piles of well-worn costumes and stacks of shabby, useless scenery, were now get- ting into an extremely dilapidated condition, and that in all probability it would cost him an outlay of two or three thousand pounds to renovate the opera-house sufficiently for occupation by a high- class troupe ajid an aristocratic abonnement. He was afraid that unless so many more boxes were subscribed for, he would not dare venture to lease the theatre. Lady de Grey and Lady Charles Beres- ford obligingly saw the reasonableness of the re- quest, and tried again— to such good purpose that within a few hours nearly all of the boxes on the grand and pit tiers were definitelj^ allotted. This time Harris simply beamed with delight. He saw himself the proud impresario of Covent Garden, with the largest subscription known for years; and that, for the moment, may be said to have constituted the summit of his ambitions. During the extensive preparations which now en- sued, London, as I have already hinted, troubled itself little about opera. Music-lovers found ample food for enjoyment in their "Pops," at which Clara Schumann, Joachim, Neruda, Charles Halle, Fanny Davies (now the most popular English pianist of her sex), and Piatti were the leading Thirty Years of lights. They took pleasure in listening to fresh examples of English talent, such as Cowen's fine "Scandinavian" symphony, his oratorio "Ruth," and his cantata "The Sleeping Beauty"; Stan- ford's "Irish" symphony; Parry's oratorio "Ju- dith"; J. F. Bridge's cantata "Callirhoe"; Stain- er's "Crucifixion"; and Hamish MacCunn's overture "The Land of the Mountain and the Flood." The Philharmonic Society gave a most interesting season, with Frederic Cowen {vice Sir Arthur Sullivan) as conductor. Mme. Schumann played at the opening concert; and subsequently two famous masters, Edvard Grieg and Peter Iljitsch Tschaikovskj^, made their first appear- ances in England, the former playing his concerto in A minor, while the latter conducted his seren- ade for strings and the variations from his third orchestral suite. The wonderful hoy pianists, Josef Hofmann and Otto Hegnor, made their London debuts; and Hans von Biilow, returning after a six years' absence, executed his "Bee- thoven Cyelus" at what proved to be his last series of performances in an English concert- room. Von Biilow was a great pianist, but a much greater conductor. On Monday, May 14, Augustus Harris inau- gurated his first Covent Garden season.^ The as- ' I may mention that the impresario owed a great deal, during his entire period of operatic management, to the loyal and de- voted services of liis "riglit-hand man" and alter ego, Mr. Fred G. Latham, who subsequently, for several years, exercised simi- lar functions in America for Mr. Maurice Grau. 236 Musical Life in London pect of the house offered the strongest possible contrast to the records of the preceding ten years. The Prince and Princess of Wales headed one of those brilliant assemblages that were formerly as- sociated only with "Patti nights," and altogether there was abundant evidence that, with the re- awakening of an exalted social interest, the for- tunes of the ' ' lioyal Italian Opera ' ' were once more in the ascendant. The de Reszkes did not appear at the outset. With wise diplomacy, the impre- sario kept back for a space his strong trump card, and in the interim showed his new subscribers that he possessed alike the ability and the resources for presenting their favorite operas with attractive en- sembles and fresh features of stage treatment. In "Lucrezia, " the opening opera, the perennial Tre- belli filled her old part of Maffio Orsini; in "Car- men" the gipsy was impersonated for the first time by Nordiea; a successful debut was made as Michaela by Marguerite Macintyre, a pupil of Manuel Garcia; in "La Traviata" Ella Russell appeared; in "Faust" Albani and Trebelli; in "Don Giovanni" Sigrid Arnoldson, Fiirsch-Madi, and D'Andrade. Then, on the 24th, was given ' ' Lucia di Lammer- moor," for the debut at Covent Garden of a new light soprano who had been winning laurels at the Brussels Monnaie. This was Mme. Melba. For months we had been reading wonderful accounts of Mme. Marchesi's Australian pupil, and curiosity concerning her vocal powers had been Thirty Years of roused to a high pitch. It was not actually her first appearance before a London audience. She had sung two years before, under her own name of Mrs. Nellie Armstrong, at a concert at Prince's Hall (now the Prince's Restaurant in Piccadilly) ; but, beyond admiring the quality of her voice, I had not been much impressed by her efforts on that occasion. Augustus Harris also heard her in 1886 at the annual dinner of the Royal General The- atrical Fund, at which he presided. She had been introduced by Mr. Wilhelm Ganz, and sang, of course without fee, the "Ave Maria" of Gounod. But it was not until nearly a year later that Harris was preparing his Drury Lane season, and then, naturally, he gave no thought to "Mrs. Ann- strong," who was working hard with Marches! in Paris.i Mme. Melba's initial success at Covent Garden was not wholly unequivocal. The audience, truly, 'In the "Daily News" (London) my esteemed colleague Percy Betts recently gave the following amusing accovmt of the narrow escape that Mme. Melba had of being engaged for English opera during ner visit to London in 1886: "Mr. Ganz, very naturally, thought a great deal of her voice, and promised to introduce her to Carl Eosa. Mme. Melba at that time was extremely anxious to go upon the operatic stage in this country rather than in Paris, for she was diflBdent as to her French accent. It was there- fore practically arranged that if he approved of her voice Carl Eosa should engage her for five years, on the sort of sliding scale which he at that time adopted; although the terms were very moderate indeed. An appointment was made for a certain day and hour at Mr. Ganz's house, and Carl Eosa scribbled a note on his shirt sleeve. The busy impresario doubtless forgot that, owing to the exigencies of the laundry, unless a note pencilled 238 Musical Life in London went into raptures and gave her an enthusiastic reception. But in the light of calmer judgment the critics took exception to certain "manner- isms" of style; and I, for one, while noting the extraordinary beauty of her timbre and her exceed- ingly brilliant vocalization, was fain to declare that her singing was "to an extent deficient in that indescribable something which we call charm ' ' ; that "her accents lacked the ring of true pathos"; and that, despite admirable intelligence, "the gift of spontaneous feeling had been more or less de- nied her. " As an actress she still had everything to learn. In point of fact, it was not during this season that Melba began to build up the pyramid of her real London triumphs. The raising of that structure commenced only after another twelve- month of hard study and practical stage experi- ence. The impatience with which the return of the de Eeszkes was awaited can be better imagined than described. It was emphasized by the fact that they were to be accompanied by their friend and con- frere Jean Lassalle, and that the "French Trio," as they were subsequently rather inaptly desig- nated, would make their rentrees together in a gorgeous revival of "L'Africaine." That was a great night. The house was literally crammed on a shirt cuff is transferred ttie same night to the diary it is apt to be overlooiced altogether. In the result the appointment entirely slipped Carl Rosa's memory, and Mme. Melba, after wait- ing at Harley Street for an hour or two, very naturally got impatient, and declined further to entertain the matter." Thirty Years of from floor to ceiling, and the Prince and Princess of Wales led the applause that greeted the now famous Polish tenor on making his debut upon the stage of Covent Garden in the role of Vasco di Gama. He sang magnificently, while Lassalle's Nelusko was, if possible, more fervid, more pictur- esque than ever. Nordica was less well suited as Selika than as Marguerite in "Faust," which part she sang with the three distinguished artists later in the season. Altogether, though, it was a re- markable performance, and fairly set the seal upon Jean de Eeszke's renown in England, besides add- ing materially to Augtistus Harris's prestige as a metteur en scene. While they were in London at this time, MM. de Reszke and Lassalle stayed at the Continental Ho- tel in Regent Street, where they occupied adjoining apartments and took their meals together. I fre- quently used to join them at lunch or dinner, and a cordial welcome always awaited me. Then we would chat over the events of the preceding night's performance, discuss its merits and deficiencies, and point out improvements that might be intro- duced in the future. It was not less amazing than interesting to see how these three gifted artists would criticize each other's gestures and attitudes. Sometimes they would move away the table and make room to go through some scene with full stage action— going over it again and again until they had it to their common satisfaction. On these occasions I had to play the part of spectator and deliver my verdict upon the general effect. 240 Musical Life in London Or else we would talk "art"— talk it steadily by the hour. And what a delight that was, with men whose only aim was to reach the highest goal by the noblest path ! How we discussed voice-produc- tion and breathing! Not a detail of that wonder- ful subject was left untouched. Now Jean would show us how a tenor should manage his tones so as to form the perfectly equal scale. Now Lassalle would illustrate the marvelous simplicity of the "one and only" method which he designated "la grande ligne." Finally, Edouard would strip to the waist to give us an example of his extraor- dinary control of the abdominal muscles, whereby, in expanding the ribs and completely filling the lungs, he seemed to raise the lower half of his figure until, like one barrel sliding inside another, it had concealed itself in the vast cavity of his chest. Once, I remember, our party of four was joined by Tamagno when the celebrated Italian tenor was playing Otello at the Lyceum. We all had supper together after the performance and were in the j oiliest of moods. Tamagno had a slight cold on the chest, but protested that it made no difference whatever in the singing quality of his head tones. Catarrh in the nose, he said, was fatal, but a chest cold made not the least difference to him. Upon this, Lassalle offered to wager that he could sing higher with his falsetto than Tamagno with his voce di petto. The challenge was accepted, and forthwith the two began a vocal duel the like of which I am certain I shall never hear again. Out 243 Thirty Years of came Tamagno's A's and B fiats, as quickly responded to witli tlie falsetto equivalents from Lassalle's sturdy throat. Then the Italian went ' ' one better ' ' ; and the Frenchman, in order, as he said, to help himself up the scale, mounted his chair and emitted the B natural ; whereupon Ta- magno also stood upon his chair and brought out not only a high C, but a ringing D fiat. Lassalle was now for mounting the table, but, this being "ruled out" as an unfair advantage over a less athletic opponent, he proceeded to get the neces- sary notes from the eminence of his chair, amid terrific api^lause from the rest of the company. Tamagno now made a bold dash for a D natural, but did not quite succeed; and as Lassalle fared no better, we pronounced the result a ' ' dead heat. ' ' Which, at that somewhat advanced hour of the night, was perhaps rather a blessing for the neigh- boring occupants of the hotel. One great piece of fun, in which Edouard and I were wont to indulge for the especial amuse- ment of Jean, was an imitation of the later de- clamatory stjde of Wagner. At that time neither brother knew by heart two consecutive bars of any more advanced score than that of "Lohengrin." Edouard, however, shared the wonderful imitative faculty of his elder brother, and had a sufficiently good notion of the character of WagTierian recita- tive to be able to caricature it with facility. Ac- cordingly, I would improvise upon the piano a "fearful and wonderful" series of leitmoUven, 244 Musical Life in London varied by strange dissonances and startling modu- lations, which Edouard for his part would follow from key to key with marvelous alertness, declaim- ing the while the most unvocal phrases in an im- possible guttural language which might as easily have been mistaken for Chinese as for German. The effect of this absurd improvisation a deux was certainly very ludicrous, and from no one did it evoke heartier laughter than from the artist who was ere long to portray in ideal fashion the noblest of Wagner's heroes. Among the remaining features of the opera sea- son of 1888 to which attention may be drawn, was a revival of Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera," Jean de Reszke playing Riccardo for the first time, with Scalchi, Sigrid Arnoldson, and Lassalle in other parts. "Guillaume Tell" was given for Lassalle and Edouard de Reszke; and the latter also made a notable hit in Boito's " Mefistofele, " in which, by the way, the parts of Margherita and Helen of Troy were for once separately undertaken by Mar- guerite Macintyre and Ella Russell. I may further mention the highly favorable debut of Zelie de Lussan in her captivating embodiment of Carmen; while Nordica essayed for the first time the role of Aida with entire success. The results of the season of 1888 were, as a whole, artistically and financially satisfactory. Not only was it unat- tended by loss, but the attitude of Augustus Harris's new clientele clearly indicated that that all-important factor, the regular subscription, 245 Thirty Years of might hereafter be counted upon as permanent. This in itself was an enormous step toward regain- ing the path of prosperity. In the direction of stage reform, of greater catholicity of taste, of improved working in every branch of the enter- prise, there yet remained much to be accomplished. Above all, there was need to strengthen the re- pertory. Coveut Garden had too long furnished a surfeit of hackneyed Italian operas ; of mod- ern works of the best type it offered too few. The genius of Wagner was represented by a paltry two or three of his earlier operas, and there seemed little, if anjr, prosj^ect of the number being added to in the immediate future. With this thought in my mind, I approached Augustus Harris during the last days of the season and begged him to give the matter of the repertory his serious at- tention, particularly with the view to mounting, if possible, more of Wagner's works. "I shall only be too glad to do that," he said. "I don't exactly see yet how I am to cast the later Wagner operas, but that question can be left open for the present. Meantime, I think I should like to go to Bayreuth this summer. Will you come vidth me?" I replied that I had already arranged to go with some friends early in August.^ "That will be too late for me," said Harris. "I must be back early in August to begin the re- ' I had then not long been appointed a professor of singing at the Guildhall School of Music, and my various duties kept me in town until the end of July. 246 s- H g- r ■9 t:^ ■S > n" CT- W > c) cc f5 cc Oi H H f ^ r lii r- H Musical Life in London liearsals for the autumn drama. I will take Man- cinelli^ with me, and let him have a lesson in the Wagnerian business as carried on at 'head- quarters.' " Three weeks later I met impresario and con- ductor together at Bayreuth on the day that they were to take their departure. Both were full of the wonders they had seen and heard. The works given that year were ' ' Parsifal, " " Tristan, ' ' and "Die Meistersinger"— the Nuremberg opera for the first time at Bayreuth. I asked Harris which of the three he had decided to do at Covent Garden next season. ' ' Parsifal, ' ' was his unblushing reply ; ' ' that is, if Frau Cosima will oblige me with the necessary permission. But I am afraid she won't. Seri- ously, though, I should like to do the 'Meister- singer,' even if I have to give it in Italian and get the text specially translated. If only Jean de Eeszke would sing Walther! See poor old Cludehus in the part here, and then imagine for yourself what a perfect Walther Jean would make ! ' ' I made no comment, but took a mental note of Harris's wish. It occurred to me that there might be a chance before long of helping him to realize his idea. » The Italian conductor had quickly become a favorite, and the admiration of his undoubted gifts had been enhanced by the production at the Norwich Festival, in 1887, of his oratorio "Isaias, " wherein originality and fine musicianship were alike conspicuous. 249 Thirty Years of My experience at Bayreuth that summer was wholly delightful, despite the customary heat and the inevitable dust. The representations were of transcendent excellence, the casts incomparable ; for example, "Parsifal" with Alvary, Scheide- mantel, Wiegand, and Therese Malten; "Tristan und Isolde" with Rosa Sucher and Heinrich Vogl; "Die Meistersinger" with Bettaque, Gudehus, Friedrichs, and Reichmann. The conductors in turn were Hermann Levi, Felix Mottl, and Hans Richter. In a word, those were among the "palmy days" of the Bayreuth Festspiel. After leaving the sleepy old Bavarian town, I went for a fort- night to the Austrian Tyrol. Then, instead of re- turning direct to London via Cologiie, I left the Rhine steamer at Coblenz and paid a visit of two or three days to Ems. My reason for going to Ems was simply this : Jean and Edouard de Reszke were staying there, together with Lassalle, and I had a special object in wishing to see them. I was only just in time, for they had all but completed their "cure," and were intending to be off to Poland or Paris in a day or two. At Ems also was Mme. jSTordica, ac- companied by her mother; and a very pleasant evening we all spent together on the day of my arrival. Next morning I took breakfast with the famous trio at their hotel— a prelude to what was to prove one of the most interesting incidents of my life. It was raining hard, I remember, and we had plenty of time to linger over our coffee and 250 Musical Life in London cigars. Naturally, the conversation turned upon Bayreuth, and I had to give a detailed account of what had taken place there. This was precisely what I wanted. I took care, however, to dwell with particular frequency and emphasis upon one of the works that I had heard, and I referred to its beau- ties so often that at last Lassalle said: ' ' I wish you would tell us something more about this ' Meistersinger. ' Tell us the story ! ' ' I turned to Jean and Edouard : ' ' But, of course, you both know the plot of the 'Meistersinger.' Would it not weary you to listen while I relate it to our friend here?" "Indeed no," rejoined the elder brother; "we have only the haziest notion of the story, and I should be really glad to hear it properly narrated. ' ' I thereupon proceeded to describe, with all the eloquence at my command, the manner in which Sir Walther von Stolzing sets about his wooing of the fair Eva, and how, with the aid of the poet- cobbler, Hans Sachs, the gallant knight eventually succeeds in overcoming the prejudices of the well- meaning mastersingers and winning the hand of the goldsmith's daughter. I emphasized every point in the comedy; I dwelt upon its rare com- mingling of humor and poetic sentiment; I en- larged upon the wondrous art of the composer in treating his exquisite pictures of medieval German life ; in short, I so brought my listeners under the spell of the story that at last they had wrought themselves up to a pitch of interest bordering 251 Thirty Years of upon excitement. A professional Persian storj'- teller could not have desired a richer reward for his efforts. I lost no time, but quickly set about driving the wedge home: "If you can find such pleasure in a simple nar- rative of this plot, imagine what must be the de- light of hearing the opera itself! And that you can accomplish by the simple process of going to Bayreuth before the end of next week!" I said it without seriously hoping that my ad- vice would be acted upon. But the influence of the moment was more powerful than I had im- agined. The three artists forthwith declared their intention of setting out for Bayreuth without de- lay ; and, to make good their words, they immedi- ately sent off a telegram requesting that seats should be reserved for the final series of repre- sentations. At the same time, Lassalle, who could not read German, wired to Brussels for a French translation of the libretto, which, I believe, reached him in time. Mme. Nordica, who was on the point of leaving Ems, was duly apprised of their determination and invited to accompany them; which she did. On the following day I again breakfasted with the three friends— this time on the summit of the Marlberg. I was quite prepared to hear that they had altered their minds; but, on the contrary, they were more bent than ever on going. In the afternoon I left Ems for England. Later in the month, I received from Mme. Nordica this letter: 252 Musical Life in London Berlin, August 21, 1888. Dear Mr. Klein : I thought you would perhaps like to know how we enjoyed our Bayreuth experience. .Well, it was truly most sublime ! My mother and I remained in Ems and went along with the "Monsters." And a very jolly journey we had. I was fortunate enough to get tickets for both operas, and after each act we adjourned to the cafe, hard by, to talk it over. I think Lassalle enjoyed it least of all. But at the last moment all were very triste, because, after all their calculations, M. Lassalle received a tele- gram from France calling him home to his children. So Jean and Edouard were obliged to "trudge" on to Breslau, while their friend fled back to Paris. Your humble servant plodded on to Berlin, and here end the riotous and mirthful scenes with which we are fully acquainted. I am having splendid success here. My mother wishes to be kindly remembered, and so does Tours very sincerely, Lillian Nobdica. The effect of the visit to Bayreuth was such that Jean de Reszke and Lassalle decided without fur- ther hesitation to study "Die Meistersinger " for the following season. Meanwhile, a proposition had for some time heen laid before the "trio" by Mapleson for a visit to the United States in the spring of 1889. This was seriously considered, and for a while it seemed highly probable that 253 Thirty Years of the famous artists would make their advent in America under the banner of the old impresario of Her Majesty's. As usual, however, the latter was able to command everything but the neces- sary capital, and so the project came to nothing. The advanced point reached in the negotiations is clearly indicated by the following letter, which I received early in November: [Translated from the French.] Pakis, AVednesday. ]\Iy dear Fbiend: At last Lassalle has returned from Lyons, and I am able to give you an answer on the subject of Mapleson. With Lassalle nothing has been signed. Mapleson has verbally settled the clauses of the contract, but no sig- natures have been exchanged; and it is even very dis- agreeable, because Lassalle, as a matter of delicacy, will accept no other engagement while Mapleson shows a sign of life. My brother and I have arranged the bases of our contracts, the salary, the repertory, the number of representations, etc. ; but we are waiting in vain for the contracts. Mapleson was to have given us certain guarantees that we asked'for, and for our part we also, as a matter of delicacy, are waiting until he decides to come and sign these clauses. There you have the truth : as in London, so at Ems, we talked over with Mapleson the whole of the project for America, discussed figures, and separated good friends; but in words only — in writ- ing not so much as a shadow ! This is very annoying for us, for we are refusing quite a quantity of business for this "unsigned" America. I hope that Mapleson will 254 Musical Life in London end by arranging the entire aifair, for just now he is counting a little too much on our patience. My dear friend, I shall be delighted to see you at the premiere of "Romeo." A place will be reserved for you. Bay- reuth was superb ! I cherish the memory of it among my most poetic souvenirs. A thousand friendly greet- ings and a shake of the hand from your devoted Jean de Reszke. But not until I saw Mm in Paris did I learn from Jean de Reszke 's own lips the deep and ineffaceable impression that the Bayreuth representations had left upon him. His decision to essay the role of Walther von Stolzing had, however, been com- municated to Augustus Harris without delay, as also the intimation that Lassalle would play Hans Sachs. It is not too much to say that the news filled the enthusiastic manager with genuine pleasure. He at once commissioned the late Giannandrea Mazzueato to prepare an Italian translation of the text, and bade Mancinelli mark the ' ' cuts ' ' essential for reducing the score of "Die Meistersinger " to the Covent Garden limits of that period— a task which the worthy conductor performed with char- acteristic liberality. These were regrettable but indispensable adjuncts of an otherwise welcome ex- periment, the ultimate success of which was to lead to results infinitely more important and far-reach- ing than I could have dreamed when I related that simple stor}^ of medieval Nuremberg over the breakfast-table at Ems. 255 CHAPTER XII Patti and Jean de Reszke in "Romeo et Juliette" — Historical night at the Paris Op6ra— Carl Rosa's death — The controlling influence at Covent Garden — Lightning opera production — " Rom6o " in French ; " Die Meistersinger " in Italian — First gala night — Queen Victoria and Jean de Reszke. A HAPPY, if fortuitous, circumstance was that which brought upon tlie same scene, toward the end of 1888, the two most illustrious lyric ar- tists of their time. The rising star of Jean de Eeszke had displaced no more familiar planet; it simply filled a vacant foremost position in the con- stellation of operatic favorites. For some four years Adelina Patti had ceased to appear regularly in opera in London; but in the concert-room and upon the Continental stage she still enchanted vast audiences, and, in every sphere alike, the brilliant orb of the ' ' queen of song ' ' continued to blaze with undimmed splendor. Now, in my opinion, there would have been ample space for these two famous stars to shine in company at Covent Garden with- out one detracting in the smallest degree from the brightness of the other. Yet, with all his pluck, Augustus Harris never ventured upon this "great emprise." ^Vhether from motives of economy or for some more obscure reason, I cannot say; but, 256 i rum u photngropb by liL-nquL' i' Uu., i' JEAJv DE KESZKE AS ROMEO Musical Life in London if the former, lie had before him the striking ex- ample of the "coalition season" of 1879, when Grye and Mapleson united their wonderful array of forces at Covent Garden and made between them a net profit of £24,000 ($120,000). Strangely enough, it was Paris that was to do the trick. That highly favored institution, the Academie Nationale de Musique, was to have the honor of including in its bill, "for a few nights only," the distinguished names of Adelina Patti and Jean de Eeszke. They were no strangers. They had known each other in the earlier days when the tenor was singing as a barytone, and the diva had given much friendly advice and en- couragement to the young Pole, whom she was wont to address by his petit nom of " Giovannini. " The occasion that brought them together again was the first performance at the Grand Opera of Gounod 's ' ' Romeo et Juliette. ' ' Curious had been the history of this work in the two capitals. It was first produced at Paris at the Theatre-Lyrique in 1867, the part of Juliette being then sung by Mme. Miolan-Carvalho, the original Marguerite of Gounod's "Faust." In 1873, when the Theatre- Lyrique disappeared, "Romeo et Juliette" was transferred to the boards of the Opera- Comique, and at about the same time it was given at Covent Garden in Italian, with Mario and Patti in the title roles. Later on the renowned prima donna (then the Marquise de Caux) appeared in the same ver- sion with the handsome French tenor, Ernest Thirty Years of Nicolini, who was subsequently to become her second husband. Notwithstanding these interpre- tative advantages, neither in Paris nor in London did "Romeo et Juliette" take any real hold uj^on the affections of the public. "Faust" was by far the most popular opera of the day. "Romeo" seemed to be merely tolerated because it was by the same composer and on account of its Shak- sperian subject, rather than for any intrinsic merits of its own. I know not which were the unkinder toward it, the French or the English critics. The latter plainly called it a dull, tedious opera. One of the former complained that the "s3Tiiphonio element dominated it too much"; that the duo I'alouette required "more naive emotion, fewer heart-rending dissonances and violent cries, more art and more nuances ' ' ; finally, that the composer had "preferred to make concessions to the doc- trine of the music of the future, while discarding the exigencies of taste and ear, and making of it a realistic drama. ' ' ^ Atitres temps, autres mceurs! During the "eight- ies" a distinct change of attitude began to mani- fest itself in Paris toward "Romeo et Juliette." I recollect a performance at the Opera-Comique in 1886, with Talazac and Adele Isaac, that de- lighted not only myself but a crowded and demon- strative house. At last Gounod, still hale and hearty, arranged for his work to be transferred ' ' ' Dictionnairc Lyrique, ' ' by Felix Clement and Pierre Larousse. 260 Musical Life in London from a stage that was too small for it to the opera- house where it ought originally to have seen the light. The directors, MM. Ritt and Gailhard, had the discrimination to foresee a valuable addition to their repertoire, and determined to mount it with a superb mise en scene and the finest obtain- able cast. Gounod himself undertook to conduct the inaugural performance, and, in compliance with the stupid traditions of the Paris Opera, he consented to furnish the music for a ballet, without which at that time no work, whatever its source, could obtain admission to this law-ridden stage. I went to Paris expressly to attend this most interesting premiere, which took place on Novem- ber 28, 1888. Seats were not only at a high pre- mium but virtually unobtainable, and I owed the possession of mine to the courtesy of Jean de Reszke. Many a time I have looked upon the heavily gilded and slightly sombre interior of the Paris Opera-house, but never when it contained such an audience, such a gathering of famous men, of elegant, jewel-bedecked women, as appeared there on that memorable night. The grandes dames of the French aristocracy were present, dis- playing a sartorial splendor that recalled the halcyon days of the Second Empire, and what that implied I can only leave my fair readers to guess. On taking the conductor's seat, Gounod was over- whelmed with acclamations. His calm, serene countenance wore an encouraging smile, and no 261 Thirty Years of one would have dreamed that the veteran com- poser was as anxious as though it were the first performance of a brand-new opera. At the outset, indeed, every one was nervous. Many years had elapsed since Mme. Patti had ap- peared at the Opera, and, often as she had enacted Juliette, this was the first time she had sung the part in French; in the waltz air — long one of her favorite concert-pieces— she did what was for her the rarest imaginable thing: she made a slip that carried her four bars ahead of the accom- paniment ("EUe sautait quatre mesures!" as Gounod subsequently put it). Yet, thanks to her extraordinary presence of mind, the great prima donna regained her place so quickly that probabty not twenty persons in the audience noticed the error. Moreover, she sang the whole waltz with such grace and entrain that an encore was inevit- able, and on the repetition her rendering of it was the most brilliant I have ever heard her give. The youthfulness and charm of her assumption were astounding, while her fine acting in the more tragic scenes indicated a startling advance in histrionic force over her effort in the same opera ten years earlier. The new Romeo proved worthy of his associa- tion with this perfect Juliette. The mere fact that it was Jean de Reszke may be deemed sufficient guarantee of that to-day; it is not easy, however, to convey an idea of the striking revelation which his impersonation offered as, step by step, scene 262 Musical Life in London by scene, it unfolded itself for tlie first time upon the same plane with Patti's exquisite conception. Every attribute that distinguished the one arose, strong and clear-cut, in the other. Never before, at least in their operatic mold, had the hapless Veronese lovers been so faultlessly matched. Where was "monotonj%" where was "tedium," now? The interest of that delicious sequence of love-duets acquired a fresh intensitj^, and became "cumulative" in such a degree that the final scene in the tomb formed a veritable climax of musical as well as dramatic grandeur. J^he genius of Gounod stood in a new light; and his personal triumph on this occasion was a fitting corollary to that of the great artists who were his chief inter- preters. Again and again did they appear before the curtain, hand in hand, an illustrious trio,— to be converted into an illustrious quartet after Edouard de Eeszke had invested with his own unique organ notes the grateful phrases of Frere Laurent. From first to last, it was a historic per- formance.^ ^ The following ia the translation of a letter which Gounod ad- dressed to Jean de Eeszke in 1892 (the year of the composer's death), on the day after the tenor's appearance in the one-hun- dredth performance of ' ' Eomeo ' ' at the Paris Opera : "Mt deak Jean: "You literally surpassed yourself last night. Perhaps that sur- prises you? It does me, too. Nevertheless, it is true. Never have you carried to such a height that beauty of diction and gesture, that correctness and expressiveness of accent, that con- trol of voice production — in a word, that perfectly balanced pro- portion which alone makes the great artist by placing him beyond 263 Thirty Years of It was natural that the tremendous success now reported from Paris should draw the attention of Augustus Harris to Gounod's hitherto neglected opera. He immediately secured such performing rights as were surviving in the work, and arranged to give it at Covent Garden during the season of 1889. Therewith came about a decision which was to lead to one of the most important innovations of the new regime. Why revive "Romeo" in Italian? Why not give it in the original French? The establishment in Bow Street might still bear the courtesy title of "The Eoyal Italian Opera"; but with two thirds of the active repertory French and German, this was surely a misnomer, or would be so but for the pious superstition that London society never cared for opera unless sung in Italian. Not only did the de Reszkes prefer to sing in French, but many members of the company were now taken from the Paris and Brussels opera- houses. Among them was Mme. Melba, who was to replace Mme. Patti as Juliette in the Covent Garden cast. On the whole, therefore, it was found easier to perform "Romeo" to the original text than to any other; and this happy contingency, the danger of extremes, the perpetual temptation of the incom- petent. Thanks and bravo, again and always! May heaven pre- serve you and leave us your beautiful art as long as possible! Of such as you we have great need. Remember me to dear Edouard, who, like yourself, has the air of having been born in his role, and believe me, both of you, ' ' Cordially yours, "Ch. Gounod." 264 Musical Life in London while it enhanced the London success of the opera, also opened Harris's eyes to the weighty fact that operas sounded best— and were most accept- able to his subscribers— in the language to which they were composed. The full demonstration of this truth was not to come, however, until later on. Meanwhile, a serious blow was inflicted upon the cause of ojaera in England through the death of Carl Eosa, which occurred in Paris on April 30, 1889. Failing health had for some time materially restricted the scope of his labors; and, in the opinion of his best friends, he committed a signal error when he converted his enterprise into a lim- ited liability company. On the other hand, he did a good stroke of business when he induced Au- gustus Harris to unite with him and make it a joint undertaking. Thereby, poor fellow, he length- ened the life of the concern, if powerless to pro- long his own. I have shown before how admirably these gifted men worked together, and it was a thousand pities that they were not pei-mitted to "run in double harness" a few years longer. The harm wrought by this premature separation was serious in every way— most of all, perhaps, in that it shifted an excessive load of work and responsi- bility upon the shoulders of the surviving partner. Augustus Harris now became managing director of the Carl Rosa company, as well as lessee and manager of Drury Lane and impresario of the Royal Italian Opera; and, even in an age of huge 265 Thirty Years of trusts and giant administrators, that was too much for a single individual to undertake. It is apropos to note here the imperceptible but steady growth of an influence which was to ex- ercise an important bearing upon the trend and ultimate develo]oment of the Covent Garden enter- prise. The subscription for the season of 1889 was larger than ever. The Prince of Wales (now King Edward VII) was taking a deep personal interest in the opera, and he and the Princess were among its most regular attendants. Closely in the royal wake followed an ever-augmenting section of the aristocracy, overflowing by this time from grand- and pit-tier boxes into several rows of stalls. Now, the "interests" of these subscribers had to be studied, and the duty of representing them vis-d vis with the manager was fulfilled with much tact by Mr. Harry V. Higgins, the brother-in-law of Lady de Grey. Her ladyship never for an instant re- laxed the hold which her initial efforts had given her in the control and working of the organiza- tion. At first purely artistic and disinterested; then guided by a general consensus of opinion; finally, dictated by her own individual ideas— the wishes of this indefatigable lady have grown to be the commands— nay, the absolute law— of the most independent opera-house in Europe. I do not purpose writing the "inside history" of this matter. Indeed, it would scarcely concern my present task to touch upon it at all, save for the purpose of rendering the progress of events 266 from a photngropb by Bonque rfc Co., Paris EDOUARD DE RBSZKE AS FRERE LAURENT Musical Life in London clear to the reader. It is enough, then, to say that Lady de Grey (whose husband, Earl de Grey, had been an habitue of the opera for many years) oc- cupied from the outset a position of extraordinary power and influence. A persona grata at Marlbor- ough House, the intimate personal friend of Jean and Edouard de Reszke, the recognized leader of the subscribing body, it would have been strange indeed had this tireless supporter of the enter- prise failed to become one of the most potent factors in its internal economy. During the early days of the renaissance much diplomacy was used by all parties. Mr. Higgins would convey suggestions to Mr. Harris, who would thereupon have a chat with Lady de Grey and promise to do his best to meet her wishes. Needless to add that they seldom passed unheeded. As tiijae went on the modus operandi gradually al- tered. When Harris became overwhelmed with his various duties he was glad to rely upon Mr. Higgins for advice, or even to go to Lady de Grey "for instructions." A new prima donna had to be engaged, a new opera to be commissioned, a Continental success to be mounted, a new box- subscriber to be passed and admitted. Ere any of these things could be done it was essential that Lady de Grey should be consulted. So by degrees her word became law; and law it remains to this day. "With the artists at Covent Garden Lady de Grey is very popular. With those who fail to ob- tain engagements she is naturally the reverse; 13 269 Thirty Years of and I dare say she is often blamed for refusals for which she is not primarily responsible. Personally I have always found her the amiable lady that the world supposes her to be, despite the knowledge that a hand of iron is hidden be- neath the velvet glove. And she certainly has a devoted second in the present managing director of the Royal Opera Syndicate. The chairman, Earl de Grey, naturally represents his wife's views. The secretary, Mr. Neil Forsyth, has a well-earned reputation for urbanity, energy, and tact. On the whole, the machine works smoothly, and from a practical view-point nothing can be urged against a concern that pays its shareholders a regular and substantial dividend. At the same time much might be said regarding the artistic demerits of a system that depends so largely upon individual fancy, impulse, and even caprice. The best results cannot possibl}^ be obtained where the personal equation is allowed to take precedence of loftier considerations. The most we can hope is that an improved standard of public taste will compel the observance of those higher traditions which lend prestige to the leading subsidized opera-houses, and which Augustus Harris adopted and handed down to his successors in a much more flourishing and unsullied condition than the latter probably have ever realized. The opera season of 1889 demands further atten- tion for at least two productions out of the three which it yielded. It opened, at Covent Garden, 270 Musical Life in London with Bizet's "Pecheurs de Perles, " given in Italian with Ella Russell, Talazac, and D'Andrade in the cast; but the work signally failed to please. In June the de Reszkes returned, with Melba and Las- salle, and on the fifteenth a French performance of "Romeo et Juliette" shed lustre for the first time upon the annals of a London opera-house. The full cast was as follows: Romeo, M. Jean de Reszke; Frere Laurent, M. Edouard de Reszke; Tybalt, M. Montariol; Mercutio, M. Winogradow; Capulet, M. Segiiin; Due, M. Castelmary; Stefano, Mile. Jane de Vigne; Gertrude, Mme. Lablache; and Juliette, Mme. Melba ; Signor Mancinelli, con- ductor. The chorus sang in French, and the mounting of the opera was almost entirely new. ' ' Romeo ' ' attracted crowded audiences throughout the season. I may mention that the role of Juliette was subsequently filled with no less success by Mme. Emma Eames, who, by the way, had studied it under Gounod when she succeeded Mme. Patti in the part at the Paris Opera. Meanwhile preparations were in active progress for the eagerly awaited representation of "Die Meistersinger." These were so far advanced that it took Mancinelli less than a month to get his ma- terial into highly creditable shape. To attain per- fection another month was, of course, needed ; but when, I should like to know, during or since the Harris era, did a difiieult and unfamiliar opera ever receive at Covent Garden an adequate allowance of time for thorough rehearsal? A 271 Thirty Years of month for a big Wagner work was considered am- ple, and, truth to tell, the results accomplished in that absurdly small space of time gave such remark- able satisfaction that no struggle was made to ob- tain a more liberal concession. London was now learning the lesson of lightning opera production which New York was to imitate later on— as, for example, in the recent instance of Paderewski's ' ' Manru. ' ' Both Jean de Reszke and Lassalle had been working hard at their parts all through the winter and spring. Toward the end they received valua- ble assistance in their studies from the veteran maestro al piano, Herr Saar, a well-known figure at Covent Garden for upward of a ciuarter of a century. This excellent musician — a genuine type of the old German school— was the conductor at Strasburg, and familiar with every note of Wag- ner's scores. He shared my intense enthusiasm on the subject of Jean de Reszke 's "predestina- tion" for the great Wagner roles, and his joy over the approaching advent of the new Waltlier von Stolzing knew no bounds. I was often present when he came round to the Continental to do a morning's work with the great tenor. His good- humored face would be wreathed in smiles as he sat down to the piano ; and when Jean sang the "Probelieder" or the "Preislied," with a charm that gave them a new meaning, the old accom- panist would gaze heavenward through his spec- tacles with a look of ecstasy that was far more 272 Musical Life in London eloquent than words. He objected to the cuts; be cordially disliked the Italian text; but he was aware that both were indispensable, and he had the satisfaction of knowing that we all agreed with him. For, notwithstanding the poetic merit and rhyth- mical vigor of Mazzucato's adaptation, Jean de Eeszke was even now beginning to rebel against the open vowels and soft consonants of the Italian tongue as a medium for the utterance of the crisp, rugged verse, the expressive Teutonic sounds, the biting sibilants and gutturals of Wagner's origi- nal text. He felt that his declamation was even losing force in the very act of giving it birth— that it had not yet acquired the intense dramatic quality which had so appealed to him in the enun- ciation of the Baja-euth singers. All this was to be acquired in good time, though we little imag- ined then that the fulfilment was to be so com- plete ; for as yet the Polish tenor had not declared to a soul (and probably had not yet conceived the idea) that he would ever sing an opera in the Ger- man language. And for the moment musical Lon- don was content to be radiantly happy over Jean de Eeszke 's first appearance on any stage (July 13, 1889) as the hero of Wagner's "Die Meister- singer." It was a great occasion, and the public recognized it as such by crowding the house in every part. Barely have I known Covent Garden to be pervaded so completely by an atmosphere of excitement and curiosity. Only five years pre- 273 Thirty Years of \'ious the same opera had been given there in Ger- man before a comparatively lukewarm assem- blage of Wagner partizans. Now every section of the operatic community, united in love and ad- miration for a great artist as well as for a great composer, was fully represented. That the stick- lers for the exact letter grumbled at Mancinelli's prodigious cuts may go without saying; but that could not be helped, and, indeed, their complaints were almost unheard amid the general chorus of gratification and pleasure. The reader will forgive me if I say that on that memorable night I felt, deep in my heart, a sen- sation of joyful but modest pride at the thought that I had been in some measure instrumental in bringing about that felicitous achievement. I shall be ever grateful for the words of thanks with which Jean de Reszke and Lassalle responded to my congratulations when I went on the stage to see them after the first act. Both seemed to be in the seventh heaven. Edouard, the future Hans Sachs, was present; and to the lips of us all there came more than once the word "Ems!" The Bayreuth experiment had turned out a brilliant success. Looking back with calm reflection upon the Hans Sachs of Lassalle, I must admit that his delineation of the poet-cobbler was too refined, too delicate, too "gentlemanly" to be altogether correct. Yet his noble voice and artistic phrasing imparted an added beauty to his music, and the benevolent. 274 a l£L Musical Life in London kindly spirit of the character has never been more delightfully portrayed. The very attributes of re- finement and distinction that were out of place in Hans Sachs enabled Jean de Eeszke to realize in ideal fashion the attractive personality of the Franconian knight, especially in the half-timid, half-angry moments when he rebels against the dull bigotry of the Nuremberg mastersingers. The entire embodiment presented features of origi- nality that surprised by their freshness no less than by their truthful adherence to the Wagnerian conception; and, as with his Lohengrin, so with his Walther, the vocal rendering of the part con- stituted a veritable revelation. The final render- ing of the ' ' Preislied ' ' on that hot July night was something that never before had been approached, and has not since been surpassed.^ One of the events of this season was a gala per- formance at the Opera in honor of the Shah of Persia. Such celebrations subsequently became of frequent occurrence, but this was noteworthy as the first that had taken place at Covent Grarden since the visit of the Emperor and Empress of the French many years before. The Queen, of course, ^ The cast, in addition to MM. Jean de Eeszke and Lassalle, included Mme. Albani (Eva), Mile. Bauermeister {Magdalena), M. Isnardon (Beckmesser) , M. Montariol (David), Signor Abram- off (Pogner), and M. Winogradow (Kothner). Signor Manci- nelli conducted, and won special praise for the admirable work done by his orchestra. The stage manager was M. Lapissida, of the Brussels Monnaie, who had already superintended the pro- duction of the opera at that house. Thirty Years of did not attend, being, as usual, represented by the Prince of Wales. But more than a quarter of a century had now elapsed since the death of the Prince Consort, and there was growing evidence of Her Majesty's willingness to emerge somewhat from her retirement and to indulge more freelj' in the enjoyment of an art to which she was always conspicuously devoted. Welcome proof of this had been forthcoming in the previous May, when Queen Victoria went to the Royal Albert Hall to hear a performance of ' ' The Golden Legend ' ' con- ducted by Sir Arthur Sullivan. The idea now re- ceived further confirmation from the fact that Her Majesty began to take a renewed interest in the Opera; and, thanks to the glowing reports of various members of the roj^al family, her curi- osity regarding the new Polish singers was roused to the highest pitch. This at last found expression in a "command" that, together with Mme. Al- bani, they should appear before Her Majesty at Windsor Castle. I cannot do better than quote at length a note wherein M. Jean de Reszke gave me a full descrip- tion of this, his first visit to Windsor. He says : [Translated from the French.] My dear Friend : The concert began with the air from "L'Btoile du Nord," which Edouard sang wonderfully. Then Mme. Albani and I sang the duet from "Lohengrin," after which the Queen expressed a desire to hear me in " Salve 278 Musical Life in London dimora" from "Faust." This I gave, and she appeared delighted. Next Mme. Albani sang an air by Handel, with the accompaniment for flute obbligato— I think "Sweet Bird" was the title, but you will know better than I the particular piece in question; and she sang it like a true virtuose. I accompanied Edouard in Denza 's romance " A un portrait, ' ' with which the Queen was much pleased; then Edouard and I thundered out the unaccompanied duet from "Carmen," arranged by ourselves—great success!^ At Her Majesty's request, the concert ended with the duet from the "Traviata, " sung by Mme. Albani and myself. The Queen, smiling and full of kindness, approached us and paid us many compliments. Among them she told me that I reminded her of Mario, only that my voice had more power. She refused to believe that I was the elder brother, and this discussion, in which Mme. Albani was called upon to arbitrate, greatly amused the Queen. Then, after the customary courtesies, the Queen retired. I found her extremely well, charming in manner, speaking French like a Parisian, and a genuine lover of music— as one could easily see by her eyes and in the movements of the head with which she emphasized the chief passages. In a word, this musical pilgrimage was anything but the solemn function which we at first feared it might be. Thanks to the amiability of the sovereign, there was not a vestige of fog at Windsor! Mancinelli accompanied. A thousand greetings. Jean de Reszke. ' The ' ' Carmen ' ' duet referred to in the above is a clever ar- rangement by the brothers, for two voices in "thirds" and "sixths," of the refrain "Dragon d'Alcala, " sung by Don Jose ■just before his entry into the tavern of Lillas Pastia in the second act. 279 Thirty Years of The summer of 1889 did not pass entirely with- out operatic rivalry. A feeble effort and an ex- piring one was that made at Her Majesty's by Mapleson in June, with Bevignani as conductor. The company, with two or three exceptions, was mediocre in the extreme, and the only debutante worth mentioning was the contralto, Signorina Bellincioni, younger sister of the soprano, who also, later on, created the role of Santuzza in "Caval- leria Rusticana. " This season lasted exactly twenty-five days. A more interesting and more fortunate speculation was the series of representa- tions of Verdi's "Otello" given at the Lyceum Theatre in July, under the direction of Mr. M. L. Mayer, with a complete Milanese troupe— principals, chorus, orchestra, and even mise en scene — expressly brought over from La Scala, where the opera was first produced in February, 1887. Tamagno and Maurel sustained their origi- ■ nal parts, and for the former it was his London debut. The performance, exceedingly fine on the whole, was admirably directed by Faccio, the fa- mous chef-d'orchestre of La Scala, who died a year or two later. It was in this same season that Eugene Ysaye made his first appearance in London, playing the Beethoven concerto at the Philharmonic with such brilliant success that he was at once reengaged for the next concert. Under the auspices of the same society, a successful debut was made also by the young Russian pianist Loris Sapellnikoff, who 280 Musical Life in London played Tschaikowsky's pianoforte concerto in B flat minor, the composer conducting. Largely through the influence of Joseph Barnby, the quick development of. the modern Flemish school found recognition in the production by the Royal Choral Society of Peter Benoit's oratorio "Lucifer." It created the impression, however, of a more or less disconnected series of tone-pictures, original in treatment, but lacking in spontaneous inspira- tion. 283 CHAPTER XIII Opera in America and England— Progress at Covent Garden- Jean de Reszke's Don ./os^— Harris and the Wagner per- forming rights— Debut of Paderewski— The Critics and the Virtuoso— A new musical "Lion" — Great artist and true friend — An evening with Paderewski. EARLY in the winter of 1889-90 a powerful opera troupe was formed by Mr. Henry Ab- bey to undertake a tour in the United States, and just before the new year it opened at Chicago witli immense eclat. Among the leading artists were Adelina Patti, Emma Albani, Lillian Nordica, and Tamagno. Then for the first time did American opera-lovers hear the diva as Juliette, Albani as Valentina and Desdemona, Nordica as Aida, and Tamagno as Otello. Each in turn achieved suc- cess; but the chief triumph of the tour fell easily to Mme. Patti, who appeared alwaj's to overflow- ing houses, and received from the critics, espe- cially in California, their loudest pgeans of praise. Taken for all in all, this enterprise was notewor- thy because it opened the eyes of American mana- gers to the possibility of working independently of the European impresario. It showed them where to look for the lodestones best calculated to attract their own public; and thus it led to the es- 284 Musical Life in London tablishment of the prevailing system, whicli, for a decade at least, I have described elsewhere by saying that "what Covent Garden does this year, New York does next." I need scarcely add that this aphorism has no application whatever to Ger- man opera, since the latter was "running alone" in New York while in London it was not out of swaddling-clothes. In 1890, however, the two branches in both cities were still separate and distinct. The time was yet to come when the three great schools of opera should be exploited by a single company of artists upon one and the same stage. Gladly would I have written "four" instead of ' ' three. ' ' But, alas, the development of the young English school was again progressing at too slow a rate for it to keep pace with its older and more powerful sisters. Not that Augustus Harris left a stone unturned to direct to a successful issue the policy and the task bequeathed him by Carl Rosa. He signalized the very first year after his old part- ner's death by arranging for the company to re- new its Easter visit to Dniry Lane. Rosa had commissioned Frederic Cowen after his return from Australia to write an opera expressly for him.^ The libretto was supplied by Mr. Joseph Bennett, who, knowing the composer's fondness for Scandinavian color, founded his plot upon an ' Mr. Cowen had conducted the whole of the orchestral per- formances given in connection with the Melbourne Centennial Exlibition of 1888. 285 Thirty Years of episode in the ancient Icelandic tale of "Viglund the Fair." Cowen's "Thorgrim" was duly pro- duced at Drury Lane on April 22, — some thirteen and a half years after Carl Rosa had brought out his "Pauline" at the Lyceum,— with Zelie de Lus- san. Barton McGruckin, and Frank Celli in the principal parts. The Prince of Wales, to whom the work was dedicated, attended the first perform- ance with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh; and the composer conducted an admirable render- ing of his opera. Yet, despite a cordial reception, "Thorgrim" failed quite to hit the mark, and the effect of its many beauties was lost because of a story too unattractive and too undramatic to appeal to the popular taste. In the course of this season, Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" was given for the first time in English. To be quite candid, as every "faithful chroni- cler" should be, it is necessary to record that such hold as opera in the vernacular had taken upon the metropolitan public was now beginning to relax. The attention of the main body of opera-goers was directed almost exclusively toward Covent Garden. And there, during the season approaching, we were to witness a demand for opera in French that amounted almost to a craze. The ' ' Romeo ' ' exper- iment was bearing fruit with a vengeance. As far as the requisite time for loreparation would permit, no opera composed to a French text was hence- forth to be sung in any but the French language. Curiously enough, "Faust" and "Les Huguenots" were still for a brief spell to be given in their Ital- 286 Musical Life in London ian dress; but "Le Prophete," "La Favorita," "Hamlet, ""Carmen," and even Goring Thomas's "Esmeralda" were all to be done in French for the first time. That this was a step in the right direction there can be no question. It was artistic in the abstract, and furthermore it greatly pleased the largest array of subscribers known since the "palmy days" of Covent Garden. The subscrip- tion for the opera season of 1890 amounted in the aggregate to nearly forty thousand pounds ($200,- 000) , and this for only ten weeks of five nights each. Artists' salaries were rising too; but for all that, Augustus Harris was finding that the "Royal Italian Opera," conducted on liberal principles, was commencing to pay extremely well. Of the new French repertoire only two works required special study on the part of the Paris singers— namely, "Carmen" and "Esmeralda." Jean de Eeszke was pretty forward with the role of Captain Phoebus; but Lassalle was equally backward with those of Escamillo and Claude Frollo, having had little time to devote to the study of new operas for London. As a matter of fact, he had only created the title part in Saint- Saens's "Ascanio" at the Opera on the 21st of March, and two days later he wrote me as follows : [Translated from the French.] Paeis, March 23, 1890. My dear Priend : What a pity you could not come to the premiere of "Ascanio !" You would, I am sure, have been delighted 287 Thirty Years of with this music. It is a very remarkable work, no matter what the Parisian press may say of it. I am much afraid that it (the press) will deceive itself concerning this work, just as it made a mistake about "Carmen" and so many other compositions that constitute the glory of the French school. Personally, I have had a very, very great success, whereof, as you may guess, no one could be happier; but it does not blind me to the point of not attributing it primarily to the musical value of Saint- Saens's wonderful work. The honor of being the chosen interpreter of such a master is great. I am happy and proud of it. Jean and Edouard beg me to convey to you their best regards. I unite with them in adding my most sincere greetings. J. Lassalle. The result was that neither "Carmen" nor "Es- meralda" appeared in its Gallic guise until late in July. Indeed, "Carmen" was given only for Har- ris's "benefit" on the very last night of the season, when the demand for seats was so enormous that stalls sold for £4 ($20) apiece, and many hun- dreds of people were turned away from the doors. The only disappointment was Melba's non-ap- appearance as MicJiaela, but this was almost forgotten amid the triumphs of Jean de Eeszke and Lassalle, whose admirable impersonations were well matched by the fascinating Carmen of Zelie de Liissan. Being a kind of gala night, Au- gustus Harris imagined it would be interesting to have each of his three conductors engaged upon the one opera. Accordingly Mancinelli directed 288 Musical Life in London the first act, Bevignani the second, Eandegger the third, and Mancinelli again the fourth. The effect upon the ensemble of the performance was sim- ply disastrous, and, needless to add, the childish experiment was never tried again. The Don Jose of Jean de Reszke has been vari- ously criticized. I hold the opinion, however, not only that it was, and still is, a superb embodiment, but that it did a great deal to restore to the char- acter the musical and histrionic value which it had gradually been losing in inverse ratio to the ever- growing prominence of the central figure of the opera. For this reason I quote some lines that I penned anent M. de Eeszke's impersonation at the time: He showed us that it was as easy for one great artist to revive the importance and enhance the interest of a good role as for twenty mediocrities to drag it down to the level of their own talent. It goes without saying that the Polish tenor copied nobody's Bon Jose in par- ticular. He knew the traditions of the character, just as he learned those of Sir Walter von Stolzing by visit- ing Bayreuth. He read his Merimee and carefully studied his libretto; but like an artist of individuality and re- source, he also thought the part out for himself. The result, curiously enough, was a conception more closely resembling Campanini's than any we have seen since. It was free from the melodramatic exaggeration into which other tenors had fallen. Take, as an instance, the last act. M. de Eeszke did not make himself up like a starved ghost, neither did he rush about like a savage 14 289 Thirty Years of animal in a cage. He looked the picture of despair, and he made his piteous appeal to Carynen with the tone of a man who is yearning for love, not for an excuse to commit murder. When at last driven to extremities, he did not gloat over his revenge nor chase his victim from corner to corner as a cat might chase a mouse. He simply stood at the entrance to the bull-ring, and when Carmen made her attempt to escape, he seized his dag- ger as by a siidden impulse and stabbed her as she was endeavoring to pass him. An instant later he was lean- ing over her lifeless body in tears, horror-stricken at the deed he had committed. This surely was the true read- ing of the episode. Nor was it the only scene upon which M. Jean de Reszke, with rare artistic insight, contrived to throw a new and consistent light. He depicted with wonderful subtlety and skill the gradual stages bj^ which Don Jose is drawn under Carmen's fascinating influ- ence. Fierce and absorbing passion revealed itself in his facial expression, his gestures, and, above all, the thrilling tones of his voice. Never before has the beauti- ful passage where Jose brings forth the flower that Car- men gave him and tells her how it cheered his lonely prison hours, been invested with such charm of voice and such tenderness and warmth of delivery. Jean de Eeszke did no less to elevate and enrich by his transcendent art the part of Phcebus in Gror- ing Thomas's "Esmeralda." So did Lassalle that of the priest Frollo, and so, in a vocal sense at least, did Melba that of the heroine. These artists evinced a genuine interest in the opera, for they had taken an immense personal liking to the com- poser, and openly expressed their admiration for 290 Musical Life in London the talent and modesty of "ce clier Goringue. " But in another direction unfortunate influences were at work. Notwithstanding its French origin and treatment, "Esmeralda" was in all essential matters an English opera, and as such the public knew and remembered it. Clothed in a foreign garb, it did not really appeal to connoisseurs, while the subscribers, as usual, gave infinitely more thought to the interpreters than to the work. That Goring Thomas's charming opera would have fared better — obtained an abiding-place in the ac- tive repertory — had it been presented in English by the same distinguished artists, is also a matter of doubt. Experience has proved that Covent Gar- den audiences do not care for opera in the ver- nacular, whether the work be of native or Conti- nental origin ; and it is the same, I believe, with the audiences of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. Nor will the prejudice be overcome until the leading singers of the English-speak- ing countries are perfectly trained in the enun- ciation of their native tongue and can coax their compa,triots into listening with pleasur- able appreciation to first-rate native works ren- dered in the language "understanded of the people. ' ' In 1890 all sorts of rumors were in the air con- cerning the future of Covent Garden Theatre. There was a heavy mortgage on the property, and the owner, Mr. A. Montague, was so uncertain what he would do with it that he would consent 291 Thirty Years of to let the opera-house only for a few weeks at a time. Augustus Harris, who that year added to his other trifling labors by accepting the hon- orable duties of Sheriff of London/ would gladly have taken a sub-lease of the theatre for a length- ened 23eriod, if only for the sake of being able to effect the many costly structural alterations and decorative improvements of which the place stood so badly in need. But Mr. Montague was in too vacillating a mood, and he would agree to nothing definite. Such was the position of affairs when our old friend Signor Lago came forward and offered to take Covent Garden for a six weeks ' au- tumn season of Italian opera at cheap prices, dat- ing from October 18. The offer was accepted. This autumn enterprise was noteworthj^ for two or three things; chiefl}' for the revival of Gluck's "Orfeo, " wherein the sisters Sofia and Giulia Ravogli made their debuts, and the contralto, by her nobly pictui^esque assumjstion of Orfeo, cre- ated a very striking and powerful impression. Further, Albani and Maurel resumed together the parts of Elizabeth and Wolfram which they had played in the production of "Tannhauser" at this house in 1876. Last, but not least, Lago established his claim, under the clauses of the Berne Conven- tion, to perform certain operas, such as "Faust" ' He was a liveryman (by purchase) of the City of London and Prime Warden of the Loriners ' Company. He was the first theatrical manager upon whom the coveted shrieval dignity had ever been bestowed. 2Q2 PADEKEWSKI Musical Life in London and ' ' Lohengrin, ' ' without payment of fees to other parties who declared that they owned the remain- ing rights in those books. It was in virtue of the "interest" vested therein by prior production at Covent Garden that Lago obtained that victory, and the result considerably upset the calculations of the Carl Rosa Opera Company and Augustus Harris, who had paid large sums for surviving rights in certain operas that now proved to possess only a limited value. Harris, in reply to an inquiry, had written me a note to say that, ' ' Except ' Par- sifal, ' all Wagner rights for this country are ours, in all languages. No piece can be done at a concert, even, without permission from yours truly, Augus- tus Harris." But the connection between the two undertakings was soon to be terminated. The new sheriff was fain to admit that even his Napoleonic grasp was not equal to the task of holding and directing the strands of such a huge coil of enterprises, to which, by the way, he had recently added the lesseeship of a theatre at Newcastle. Toward the end of 1890 he resigned his position as managing director of the Carl Rosa Company, and the tiplendid edifice which had taken fifteen years to build was now, for the first time, without an actual controlling head. Its fortunes, I am sorry to say, quickly be- gan to suffer. The concern did not long continue to pay a dividend, and in a few years had become, what it is now, a mere shadow of its former pros- perous self. Thirty Years of The early summer of 1890 was to witness the debut of the successor to Liszt and Rubinstein, of the greatest of the fin de siecle group of great pianists— Ignace Jan Paderewski. This event created interest at the time among a very limited circle. It was anticipated with curiosity only by the critics and dilettanti who follow the trend of musical events in Paris. For several months we had been receiving vivid accounts of a young Po- lish pianist, "with a wonderful aureole of golden hair," who executed miracles ui3on the keyboard, who comjoosed delicious minuets and played Cho- pin to absolute perfection. But London cares little, as a rule, for what Paris thinks of new ar- tists, and it displayed anything but a burning im- patience to hear Leschetizky's latest pupil. This fact was sufficiently demonstrated by the meagre audience which gathered at St. James 's Hall on the 9th of May for the first of the four recitals an- nounced by the composer of " Paderewski 's Min- uet." A more coldly critical assemblage perhaps it would have been impossible to find. Not a soup^on of magnetic current was in the atmos- phere—not even the quickened pulse arising from the anticipation of "sensational effects." When M. Paderewski appeared upon the plat- fonn there was a mild round of applause accom- panied by an undercurrent of whispering and sup- pressed murmurs that had evident reference to his unwonted picturesqueness of aspect. The deep golden tinge of his hair seemed to accentuate the 2g6 Musical Life in London intense pallor of his countenance. One could plainly see that he was nei^vous ; but in those deep, thoughtful eyes, in those firmly-set lips, in that determined chin, one could read also the strong, virile qualities of the self-contained, self-reliant artist, already accustomed to conquer audiences and to create magnetism in the most sterile space. Exactly how he played that day— I mean, as com- pared with the Paderewski whose every mood was by and by to become familiar— it is rather hard for me to say. That he strove to be "sensational" I do not believe now, though at the time it was difficult to think otherwise. For surely his con- trasts were startling in their violence, and the in- strument fairly thundered under his execution of a forte passage. At times there seemed to be no restraint whatever. His magnificent technique enabled him to give free rein to his impulse and imagination, and laissez aller was then the word. If you loved sensationalism in a pianist, here un- questionably was a virtuoso capable of providing an unlimited quantity of it. And such was the prevailing impression in the minds of the aforesaid critics and dilettanti when they left St. James's Hall that afternoon. The former dwelt not upon the tenderness and poetry that Paderewski had revealed in his Chopin-play- ing, nor upon the romantic touches in his Schu- mann. They described as "eccentric" his reading of Handel and Mendelssohn, and preferred his in- terpretation of Liszt and Rubinstein. They liked 297 Thirty Years of best of all his rendering of Ms own "Trois Humoresques a 1 'antique," and the inevitable "Menuet," which had been enthusiastically en- cored. Altogether the press notices were marked by coolness and extreme caution. For my own part, I confess that I did not at first care to commit myself to a definite judgment. Yet I had found so much to admire, so much to marvel at, so much that was individual and supremely masterful in Paderewski's playing that I determined not to miss a single recital of the three still to come. The second drew a better audience, though nothing approaching a crowd ; and this time the new pian- ist included Bach, Beethoven, and Schubert in his scheme, together with more Chopin and Pade- rewski. The "barometer" began to rise. At his third recital his fine performances of Beethoven's sonata in A flat. Op. 110, and Schumann's "Car- nival" carried the mercury from "change" to "fair"; but there it remained, stationary for the season. In addition to the recitals he also gave an orchestral concert, at which he played his own con- certo in A iiLinor, Saint-Saens's concerto in C minor, and Liszt's "Fantaisie Hongroise, " the conductor being Mr. Henschel ; and if it failed to arouse wide-spread interest, this parting shot served to hit the mark so truly that I, for one, no longer hesitated to acknowledge Paderewski as a really gi'eat artist. The comi^letion of the conquest was deferred, however, until the season of 1891. There had been 298 Musical Life in London opportunities in tlie meantime for reflection, and the public was now beginning to scent a veritable musical "lion." I used to receive letters from women readers asking all sorts of questions about tlie Polish pianist and begging for particulars that in no way concerned them. These of course went unanswered; for the English journalist is less generous than his American confrere in dispensing information about the private lives of artists. But the very existence of such curiosity told a tale. There would be no more "meagre audi- ences" when Paderewski played. As a matter of fact, his Chopin recital at St. James 's Hall in July drew the largest crowd and the highest receipts recorded since the final visit of Rubinstein. He also appeared at the Philharmonic, at a Richter concert, and at an orchestral concert of his own, when he was heard in the greatest two of all piano- forte concertos: the E flat ("Emperor") of Bee- thoven and the A minor of Schumann. It was his superb rendering of these masterpieces that, in England at least, assured the fame of the gifted Pole ; and it was this concert that led indirectly to my making his acquaintance. I had been requested by his manager, Mr. Daniel Mayer, to undertake the writing of such brief ana- lytical notes as the programme required, and, in- stead of following conventional lines or of describ- ing these familiar works in detail, I contented my- self with a more or less detailed contrast of the characteristic features of the two concertos. This 299 Thirty Years of appeared to have pleased and interested Pade- rewski; and when I was introduced to him after the concert he said some cliarming tilings in that charming manner which is so characteristic of the man. We quickly became close friends. I learned not only to appreciate the real magnitude of his gifts as a creative and executive musician, but also to gauge his rare intellectuality and to respect his broad-minded views as cultured artist and man of the world. During his manj^ visits to London we saw a great deal of each other, and more than once he testified to his kindly regard for me. An instance of this occurred in 1894. It was ar- ranged that, toward the end of his English tour, M. Paderewski should dine one evening at my flat in Wliitehall Court to meet a few well-known mu- sicians ; other friends were invited to come in after- ward. The date— May 3— was fixed by the artist himself, and the guests at dinner further included Sir Arthur Sullivan, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Sir Joseph Barnby, my beloved old master, Manuel Garcia, and the veteran 'cellist, Signor Alfredo Piatti. I was especially gratified to be the means of bringing Paderewski and Sullivan together. They were acciuainted, I fancy, but had not met frequently ; at any rate, the former wi'ote me : Inutile de vous dire que je serai absolument enchante de passer une soiree ehez vous, avee vous, et de reeon- trer Sir Sullivan [sic], que j 'admire beaucoup. 300 Musical Life in London Just before dinner a quaint sort of letter was placed in my hands. It was from some one in the famous pianist's entourage, reminding me that M. Paderewski was very fatigued after his heavy work in the provinces, and begging that I would under no circumstances ask him to play that even- ing. I was half amused, half annoyed by this un- expected communication, which, of course, I knew better than to regard as inspired by my guest of honor himself. It was also entirely superfluous, as I always made it a strict rule never to request an artist to perform in my house who did not come there for that purpose or with that expressed in- tention. However, I thought no more about it until after dinner, when I took an opportunity to inform Paderewski, in a whispered ' ' aside, ' ' of the strange warning I had received. I assured him seriously that I had not had the slightest idea of asking him to play, and that my friends were more than satis- fied to have the pleasure of meeting him and enjoy- ing his society. He replied : "Do you imagine I think otherwise? This is a case of 'Save me from my friends!' That I am tired is perfectly true. But when I am in the mood to play fatigue counts for nothing. And I am in that mood to-night. Are you really going to have some music?" "Yes, Piatti has brought his 'cello, and he is going to take part in the Rubinstein sonata in D." "Then I should like to play it with him; and 301 Thirty Years of more beside, if he will permit me. Piatti and I are now old colleagues at the 'Pops,' and we al- ways get on splendidlj^ together. ' ' What could I say?— save express my gratitude, and apprise my friends of the treat that was in store. It was the more welcome because it was vir- tually unexpected. An unalloyed delight was the performance of that lovely sonata by the "Prince of 'Cellists" and the greatest of living pianists. Both seemed to revel in the beauties of a work ad- mirably designed for the display of their respec- tive instruments, and the rendering was in every way perfect. After it was over, dear old Piatti, who rarely talked much, said to me in his c[uiet way, "I quite enjoyed that. I have played the sonata with Rubinstein many times, but it never went better than to-night." Later on he played again ; and so did Paderewski — with Sullivan close by his side, watching with fascinated eyes the nimble fingers as they glided over the keys. That evening the illustrious pianist was inspired. Fa- tigue was forgotten; indeed, he seemed much fresher than on the preceding night, when he in- troduced his fine "Polish Fantasia" at the Phil- harmonic.^ He went on and on from one piece to another, with characteristic forgetfulness of self, and it was well on to dawn before we parted. The debut of Leonard Borwiek in 1890 is worthy ' This work was composed for and first performed by M. Pade- rewski at the Norwich Festival of 1893. 302 Musical Life in London of mention, inasmuch as, like Fanny Davies, he embodies in a remarkable degree the unique quali- ties of the romantic school whereof their teacher, Mme. Clara Schumann, was admittedly the most spontaneous and finished exponent. The suc- cess of these two native artists was destined to afford great encouragement to rising students both in England and on the Continent. It also helped to create among the general mass of amateurs a taste for jDianoforte-playing of a more warm- blooded type than had hitherto satisfied them. The days of Arabella Goddard and her feux-d' ar- tifice had now passed forever ; and so, very nearly, had those of the coldly correct and scholastic Sir Charles Halle. Let it be said, nevertheless, that the late musical knight accomplished much useful work in the oral education of the youthful and impressionable mothers of future generations of amateurs. He performed a still higher function, moreover, by diffusing a love of high-class orches- tral music through the medium of his famous Manchester band (now conducted by Hans Richter), which enjoyed a tremendous vogue in the north of England, though it consistently failed to make money when brought to the metropolis, as it frequently was at that time. At the Popular Concerts Sir Charles was still a favorite, and I note that in December, 1890, he was taking part in a "Beethoven programme" with Lady Halle {nee Nerada), Louis Ries, Lndwig Straus, Alfred Musical Life in London Gibson, and Piatti for coadjutors. The old com- bination, even as late as that, was still intact. In the same month, by the way, Jean Gerardy made his first appearance in London, a marvelous 'cello prodigy of twelve, and destined to ripen into an artist of the first rank. 306 CHAPTER XIV Adelina Patti at home — Life at Craig-y-nos Castle — Opening of the Patti Theatre: inaugural operatic performance — Prepar- ing "wordless" plays— The diva as La rosea— Her love of Wagner— Bayreuth by proxy and in reality— "The Queen of Song": an appreciation — How she reappeared at Covent Garden — A strange presentiment. IN August, 1891, I paid my first visit to Craig-y- nos Castle, the lovely Welsh home of Mme. Adelina Patti. I had known the distinguished cantatrice personally some half-dozen years; but somehow I had always been content to worship from afar one who filled, by right of unrivaled gifts, the highest place in the temple of vocal art. The greatest vocalist of her sex that the world had brought forth since the middle of the nineteenth century; the brilliant "Queen of Song," honored by monarchs and princes, sought by the creme of aristocracy and wealth, quoted by poets and nov- elists, feted and applauded alike in the Eastern and Western hemispheres— small wonder if this strangly unique being had inspired me from youth upward with feelings of the deepest veneration and amazement. Nor were those feelings to undergo the slightest tinge of modification during the period of ripening friendship and often close asso- Thirty Years of ciatiou that was now to follow. There 's a "di- vinity doth hedge" queens as well as kings; and Patti is one of those in whom familiarity may exercise a charm, but can never "breed contempt." The i m mediate occasion of my tirst journey to Craig-y-nos was the inauguration of the elegant little theatre which Mme. Patti-Nicoliui had re- cently built in the new wing of her castle. It had been settled in the spring that I was to be present. In July came the following note : Craig- Y-Nos Castle, Ysteadgynlais, July 13, 1891. Dear Mr. EIlein : I promised to send you a line with itinerary for jour- ney from London to Craig-y-nos Castle,'- which I enclose, and trust you will be good enough to let me know on which day we are to expect you, so as to send the car- riage to the station to meet you. With omr united very best regards, Most sincerely yours, Adelina Patti-Nicolini. P.S. — The opening of our theatre takes place on the 12th of August. I went down on the 8th. It was so much more pleasant to be there for three or four days before ' It was then an eight hours ' affair, involving two changes of railway and a journey from one station to another at Neath, followed by a drive to the castle from the station in Swansea Valley by the road whii'h Mme. Patti expressly had cut along the mountain-side. The present journey by the Brecon route is much shorter. 308 Musical Life in London the function. One could study the castle and its environs, and become accustomed to the ways of the household. My welcome was of the utmost cor- diality. Mme. Patti's fame as a hostess had pre- ceded and did not belie her; she kept an eye open for the comfort of each of her guests. The house party was a numerous one, including as it did the Spanish Ambassador, Sir Edward Lawson, Sir Augustus and Lady Harris,^ poor William Terriss, the actor (ashed to deliver the opening address in place of Sir Henry Irving, who could not come), the Eissler Sisters, Signor and Mme. Arditi, An- toinette Sterling, Giulia Valda, Durward Lely, Tito Mattel, Wilhelm Ganz, Franco Novara, and others. The place has been described so often that I take it almost for granted the reader knows something of Craig-y-nos and its beauties. Enough that the scene is a bit of fairyland, a veritable * ' oasis in the desert," as some guide-books have called it, amid the long tracts of uninteresting country that con- stitute the watershed of the Swansea Valley. The castle itself is fitted up with every contrivance that modern luxury can afford. The winter garden, with its wonderful electric fountain, is of huge dimensions, and in summer the conservatory makes the most picturesque dining-room I have ever seen. In the French billiard-room stands the famous 'The worthy sheriff had just received the honor of knight- hood in connection with the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II to the City of London. 15 ^ ^ „ Thirty Years of orchestrion, probably the finest instrument of its kind ever built. It possesses a rich, mellow organ tone, and executes the most complex compositions with extraordinary clearness. I may say, without exaggeration, that it was by the aid of her splendid orchestrion that Mme. Patti first began to compre- hend the intricacies of Wagner's more advanced works. She now knows them by heart and enjoys them. But, after all, the gem of the castle, apart from its mistress, is the theatre. It has been called "a Bayreuth theatre en miniature"— and justly. No side boxes or seats ; a single gallery at the back ; stalls sloping down to the orchestra so that the mu- sicians are nearly out of sight ; and a clever system of stage lighting by electricity. The pure Renais- sance architecture is set otf to great advantage by a singularly delicate scheme of color,— pale blue, cream, and gold,— to which the deep sapphire of the curtains supplies a most effective contrast. The walls and proscenium are tastefully decorated, and between graceful columns are inscribed in pan- els the names of the great composers. The scenery is painted by the best theatrical artists; while the act-drop, representing Semiramide driving her war-chariot, is a spirited achievement, beside fur- nishing an excellent portrait of the Queen of the Castle. Also to be noted is the novel mechanism for raising the floor of the auditorium to the level of the stage, whereby the salle is converted into a handsome ball-room. It is here, every Christmas 310 >- W o ci Musical Life in London Eve, that Mme. Patti bestows her annual gifts upon the servants and tenantry of her estate. With her professional career nearing its end, what, it may be asked, can have been the object of this great artist in enriching her home with such a structure as this! To practise and perform operas? Certainly not. True it is that on the memorable opening night now referred to the still youthful Patti, a picture of grace ablaze with diamonds, sang the first act of "La Traviata, " followed by the garden scene from ' ' Faust, ' ' with her husband, M. Nicolini, in his old part. Again, three days later, a performance was given of the balcony scene from "Romeo" and the third act of Flotow's "Martha"; this, like the first, being attended by a crowded audience of privileged friends and neighbors. But these were the bap- tismal representations. They consecrated the the- atre, as it were, without precisely foreshadowing the main purpose of its existence. The answer to this question was supplied by Mme. Patti herself early during that very sojourn at Craig-y-nos Castle : "I love the stage. I love to act and to portray every species, every shade of human emotion. Only I want freedom— more free- dom than opera, with its restricted movements and its wear and tear on the voice, can possibly allow the actress. I care not whether it be- comedy or tragedy, so long as I feel that I can devote my whole energy, my whole being, to realizing the character that I have to delineate. Even words 313 Thirty Years of trouble me ; they take time to commit to memory, and their utterance fatigues a singer too much. Yet I want to act, to feel myself upon the boards, playing to amuse myself and a few chosen friends on each side of the footlights. What does there remain for me to do! What but to enact scenes and plays in ' pantomime ' ; to utilize the ancient art of the Italian mime and express every sentiment by means of gesture, action, and facial expression. I must have music, of course ; I cannot do entirely without my own art and all its wealth of suggestive force. Give me only a dramatic idea, with music that aids in depicting it, and I will play you any part you choose, from one of Sarah Bernhardt 's down to Fatima in "Bluebeard." I understood. There was something more in this than mere whim or caprice. That Mme. Patti had already been demonstrating her marvelous talent for "dramatic pantomime" upon the stage of her new theatre I knew quite well. In a word, her his- trionic powers, which had so conspicuously devel- oped during the later years of her career, were now asserting their strength to a degree which in this case demanded active exercise. Knowing that I was an "old hand" at amateur stage work, she asked me if I would like to assist in one of the en- tertainments. I inquired which particular kind — the "Sarah Bernhardt" or the "Bluebeard"? "Both," she replied, laughing. "We already have a capital arrangement of 'Bluebeard.' We can do that to-morrow or next day. Then if you 314 Musical Life in London like to write out a scenario of one of Bernhardt 's plays, we will put it in hand and give it later in the month. ' ' I suggested "La Tosca"— little dreaming that Puccini was then thinking of composing an opera upon Sardou's play. My hostess agreed. The casts were arranged and forthwith we set to work. In ' ' Bluebeard ' ' I played the lover. In " La Tosca ' ' young Richard Nicolini, a professional actor, enacted the jDainter Paul Cavaradossi, and I took the part of Scarpia. The rehearsals were a delight. They frequently took place in the afternoon, and Mme. Patti entered into them as seriously as though they were for a public performance ; in- teresting herself in every little detail and suggest- ing countless bits of effective "business." It was in course of these rehearsals that I began to realize what a consuromate mistress she was of the art of the stage.' A bare idea, a mere hint, would suffice ; whether comedy or tragedy was the theme, she would work upon it and elaborate it with wonder- ful skill. Once while we were rehearsing "La Tosca, ' ' Sir Augustus Harris quietly slipped in and took a seat in the dark auditorium. He watched the proceedings with the amusement of a master of the game enjoying a holiday. Mme. Patti soon per- ceived him, and she called out : ' In matters concerning scenery, costumes, and lighting it was the same, though herein Mme. Patti relied greatly upon the able assistance of Frank Eigo (the second regisseiir of Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera House), who used regularly to spend his summer holiday at Craig-y-nos. 315 Thirty Years of "Gus, what are you doing there? Why don't you come on the stage and help us T ' "My dear Adelina, " answered Sir Augustus, ' ' if this were an opera or a play I would with plea- sure. But it is neither, and whatever it may be, there is no need of my help as long as you are there. I am just beginning to realize that if you had not been the world 's greatest singer you could have been one of its best actresses. ' ' He meant it — and it was true. The ' ' Tosca" performance did not come off until August 29, after the impresario had left the castle. At the last moment we found the bill too long, so we determined to omit dramatic action and give it as a series of tableaux vivants, in which form it vastly pleased a large audience of friends from ' ' The Valley. ' ' They missed, however, the thrill- ing effect of Mme. Patti's gliding, serpentine movements in the supper scene where she stabs Scarpia; and they could not guess that the dead Minister of Police, in the person of myself, was positively shuddering as he lay prone between the two lighted candles. I had been told to keep my eyes open and stare, but that tragic look upon the countenance of La Tosca as she placed the crucifix upon my breast was so terrible that if I had not closed them I should have had to jump up before the curtain fell. Throughout, Patti's attitudes were a wonderful study, and I feel sure Sarah Bernhardt and Ternina would have given much to have seen her remarkable impersonation. 316 Musical Life in London A week prior to this event Mme. Patti liad been honored by a visit from tlie late Prince Henry of Battenberg, who was staying at Clyne Castle, and who came out to lunch accompanied by Count Gleicheu, Lord Royston (now the Earl of Hard- wicke), and other friends. The Queen's son-in- law witnessed a repetition of the garden scene from "Faust," and altogether spent a most agreeable afternoon. A few days later we all went over to Swansea to take part in the annual concert given by Mme. Patti in aid of the local charities. The journey each way assumed the character of a tri- umphal progress, the entire route from the station to the concert-hall being lined by dense crowds. It was touching to witness the eagerness of the hum- ble folk — men, women, and children — to catch a glimpse of the illustrious vocalist, who once every year came from her mountain home to aid the in- stitution that succored their needy and suffering. The concert itself was memorable because on this occasion, for the first time in her life, the famous songstress delivered as an encore the soul-stirring strains of the Welsh national air, "Land of my Fathers ' ' ; and when, at her request, her enthusias- tic auditors joined in the chorus, the effect was simply electrifying. Altogether that delightful month at Craig-y- nos Castle was packed with excitement and bustle. It was my privilege during the next few years to spend there many weeks— visits not less enjoyable, but less eventful, and infinitely more restful. In 317 Thirty Years of the evenings we would sit and listen to the orches- trion, and when it had exhausted its round of Wag- ner excerpts I would occasionally supplement the selection upon the piano with fragments from the "Meistersinger, " "Tristan," and the "Nibelun- gen. " It was extraordinary to see the pleasure Mme. Patti took in this music. One year August Wilhelmj was there, and to please her he played his own transcription of the "Preislied" upon Nicolini's fine " Guarnerius, " Clara Eissler exe- cuting the accompaniment upon the harp. To reward him Patti sang Gounod's "Ave Maria" to his violin obbligato, Clara Eissler again playing the harp part, while I took the harmonium. Never did the familiar piece go better. But the real re- ward came later when some one brought a copy of Wagner's "Traume" to the castle, and the diva, for the first time in her career, wedded her golden tones to one of Wagner's long-drawn melodies. By her request we worked at it together, but her German accent and phrasing were faultless, and, beyond marking the breathing-places, I had vir- tually nothing to suggest. In the following season she sang "Traume" at one of the concerts at the Albert Hall, and so rap- turously was this applauded that we subsequently took up the study of Elizabeth's Prayer ("Tann- hauser"). This suited her to perfection, and she rendered it with a depth of fervid expression and a wealth of glorious tone that have never been equaled. Further than this, however, Mme. Patti 318 Musical Life in London has not yet consented to pursue her active alliance with the music of Wagner. She loves to listen to it, but hesitates to impose upon her delicate organ the strain of singing it in public. During our Wag- ner chats she would often ask me about Bayreuth, and I begged her to seize the first opportunity of attending the festival. She did not do so, how- ever, until after her marriage with Baron Ceder- strom, who is extremely fond of traveling, and, beside taking his wife to Sweden every summer, introduces her to many interesting European re- sorts. The following letter tells its own tale: FIhrens Villa, near Saltsjobaden, Stockholm, August 5, 1901. Dear Mr. Klein: We have just arrived at this lovely place after spend- ing a very pleasant time in Switzerland and at Bayreuth, and I must send you first these few lines to tell you how immensely I was impressed by the Bayreuth perform- ances. I never could have imagined anything so perfect as the mise en scene, and I thought the "Ring" simply divine. There are no words to express it; it is all so wonderful and beautiful. I thought "Parsifal" was glorious, especially the last act, and I am indeed glad to have heard all these marvelous works. After a three weeks' stay at Schinznach we went to Lucerne, where we had a most delightful time, taking long excursions every day. Can you imagine me going up the Rigi, Pilatus, the Biirgenstock, and similar places 1 I was well rewarded for my courage in mounting those perpendicular heights, for the view from the top was simply beyond description. . . . Thirty Years of We expect to remain here until the beginning of Sep- tember, when we shall return to England, as my concert tour commences the first week in October. The Baron joins me in sending you kindest remembrances. Yours very sincerely, Adelina Patti-Cedeestrom. The days at Craig-y-nos were always full of in- terest and variety. It was an inestimable privi- lege to enjoy the daily society and conversation of Adelina Patti; to hear her ever and anon burst into song ; to catch the ring of her sunshiny laugh ; to come under the spell of a personal charm such as few women possess. She converses with equal facility in English, French, Italian, and Spanish, speaks German and Russian well, and by this time, I dare say, can carry on a fluent coUoqu}^ in Swe- dish. Her memory is extraordinary. She tells a hundred stories of her early life in America, dat- ing from the age of seven, when she made her first appearance in public.^ She tells how they used to stand her upon the table to sing; how she first ^ The portrait of Adelina Patti at the age of nine forming the frontispiece of this book is taken from a daguerreotype in her possession, which she showed me at Craig-y-nos Castle a few years ago. The complete picture shows three little girls seated together at a table— Adelina in the centre and a playmate on each side. I was so much struck by the intelligence of the expression and the extraordinary maturity of the features generally — so like, even at that age, to the familiar face of later years— that I begged Mme. Patti to allow me to have a photographic enlargement made of the central figure. She kindly consented, and three copies were executed. Of these she herself owns oue, the widow of Sir Augustus HaxTis has another, and I possess the third. 320 Musical Life in London rendered "Casta Diva " by ear without a single mistake ; and liow, when her eldest sister, Amalia, was striving hard to master the shake, the tiny Adelina stopped her and asked, "Why don't you do it like this?" therewith executing a natural and absolutely irreproachable trill. Patti tells you that she never studied the art of producing or emitting the voice. Nature, alone and unaided, accomplished that marvel. To keep the organ in perfect condition, she has but to run over the scales ten minutes every morning. Her vocalization is one of those miracles that cannot be explained. Its wondrous certainty and finish are assuredly not arrived at without some labor; but iu the end the miracle seems to have accom- plished itself. Her "ear" is phenomenal. She never forgets a tune, and will instantly name the opera or composition in which it occurs. Another mystery is the perennial freshness of her voice, which, after half a century of constant use, retains well-nigh unimpaired the delicious sweetness and bell-like timbre of early womanhood. No other such example of perfect preservation stands on record in the annals of the lyric art. To analyze its secret one can only say, here surely is a singer of marvelous constitution, heaven-gifted with a faultless method, who has sedulously nursed her physical resources, and has never, under any cir- cumstances, imposed the smallest undue strain upon the exquisitely proportioned mechanism of her vocal organs. 321 Thirty Years of And the triumphs of this incomparable artist have not "spoiled" her. The homage of kings, the adulation of friends, the applause of multi- tudes, have not robbed her of that unaffected sim- plicity, that freedom from ostentation, that yearn- ing for home life and domestic trancjuillity, which are among her most characteristic attributes. As evidence of this fact, I quote a portion of a letter which Mme. Patti wrote me from Nice in the spring of 1895. It was obviously not "intended for pub- lication," but herein lies its chief value as a com- munication emanating from the friend rather than the artist: When I gave my extra performance of the "Barbiere" my triumph was, if possible, even greater than usual, but on each occasion the success has been so enormous that it would be difficult to say which performance ex- cited the greatest enthusiasm, or when I received the biggest ovation. It has, indeed, become a succession of triumphs the whole time. Do you not feel proud of your little friend, who was fifty-two last month, and has been singing uninterruptedly every year from the age of seven ! I am really beginning to believe what they all tell me — that I am a wonderful little woman! It is no exaggeration to say that every one, without exception, has been running after me, and loading me with invitations — in fact, to such a degree that I must honestly confess that I am getting decidedly tired of all the parties and gaieties we have been going through during the past few weeks. It has been an incessant lunching out, dining out, and receiving visitors from morning till night. I shall be very happy to see my dear Castle again and have a little peace and quietness. 322 Musical Life in London It was just prior to this visit to the south of France that negotiations, in which I acted as in- termediary, were concluded between Mme. Patti and Sir Augustus Harris for the diva's reappear- ance in opera at Covent Garden during the season of 1895. I liad long devoutly wished for this con- summation; but there were many obstacles to be removed, not the smallest of these being concerned with the Birmingham managers of the "Patti Concerts" throughout the United Kingdom, who were naturally afraid lest her return to opera should interfere with the financial success of the customary concerts at the Albert Hall. Ultimately these fears were allayed, and Mme. Patti con- fided to me that she would not be unwilling to consider an offer on certain terms from her old friend "Gus. " I immediately set about arranging for an interview between them in London. This was not altogether an easy mat- ter. The great prima donna was to spend only one evening in town on her way to the Riviera, and the busy impresario, with whom minutes reckoned as hours, was not readily to be moved — on an uncertain mission, as he deemed it —from one quarter of London to another. But, eventually, I persuaded him that Mme. Patti was really in earnest, and he consented to accompany me to Paddington Station to meet the express from South Wales. It was a bleak January evening, and of course the train was late. This was the more unlucky because it happened that Tennyson's "King Ar- 323 Thirty Years of thur" was to be produced at the Lyceum that night, and we were both anxious to be there at the rise of the curtain; and, moreover, I had to write a notice of Sullivan's incidental music to the new play. We were already in evening dress, and as Harris was suffering from a cold I took care not to let him stand upon the draughty platform. We waited, therefore, by a warm fire at the station hotel and discussed current events. My compan- ion was not in good spirits, while the fact that he was not in a sanguine mood was palpable from his frequent remark, "Klein, I can't believe Patti means to sing at Covent Garden this season. " Sol felt heartily glad when the train was signaled and the youthful little lady, vivacious as ever in bearing, but silent under a mountain of wraps wound round to protect her from the biting air, stepped buoy- antly out of her saloon carriage and took Har- ris's ann to walk into the hotel. Not a word was spoken until we got to the private sitting-room. Then, greetings over, Mme. Patti, with an arch smile, asked Sir Augustus if he would like a little quiet conversation with her. He bowed graciously. The rest of us discreetly retired. Ten minutes later he came out of the room beaming with plea- sure. "Make haste and say good-by. Adelina would like us to stay and dine, but we must n't ; we must get a 'snack' somewhere and then hurry to the Lyceum." In the hansom he added: "It 's all right. She sings at six performances, beginning the second week in June!" And we both felt as happy as school-boys. 324 ■y: r- Musical Life in London In the late summer I was at Craig-y-nos once more. Work was all over for the season, and the indefatigable mistress of the castle, satiated with trimnphs surpassing any that she had ever previ- ously earned at Covent Garden, was only thinking- how she could best amuse her guests and herself upon the stage of her beloved theatre. It was de- cided to do a new ' ' play without words. ' ' Several subjects were proposed, but the choice eventually fell upon Mrs. Henry Wood's "East Lynne," which, as every one knows, was dramatized many years ago and makes a most effective play. The scenario was soon prepared and rehearsals started. There was ample talent available for the rather lengthy cast. Mme. Patti of course played Lady Isabel (afterward Mme. Vine) ; that talented ama- teur actor C. P. Colnaghi (since deceased) was the Archibald Carlyle; another well-known amateur, Augustus Spalding, played Captain Levison; and I undertook the part of Richard Hare. Music for the melodrame was expressly composed (at light- ning speed) by our hostess's distant relative Andre Pollormais, the clever French musician who after- ward wrote for her the pantomime play ' ' Mirka, ' ' in which she appeared at Nice for the benefit of the local charities. M. PoUonnais also set to music the lines of a lullaby which I had written specially for Mme. Patti to sing in the scene where the supposed governess watches tenderly over her dying child in the nursery at East Lynne. This same lullaby she afterward sang in public in London and in other places. 327 Thirty Years of The performance of the wordless "East Lynne" on August 17 was perhaps the most complete ar- tistic achievement in this direction accomplished at Craig-y-nos Castle. Certainly it yielded the finest piece of acting on Mme. Patti's part that I have known her to give at her own theatre. It was also notable for a curious incident. Readers familiar with the novel or play will remember that when Mme. Vine revisits her former home she is dressed in widow's "weeds." Such a costume was worn by Mme. Patti, and very charming she looked in it. One person, however, objected strongly to her having donned a crape dress. That person was M. Nicolini. After the curtain had fallen he ex- pressed himself on the subject in no measured terms, declaring that such attire "portait mal- heur," and that he did not like to see his wife in a costume which she might one day be compelled of necessity to wear. I pointed out to him that he might make the same complaint about the pei- gnoir worn by Violetta when dying, or the prison garb of Marguerite in the last act of ' ' Faust. ' ' But he refused to see it, and remarked, "EUes n'etaient jamais veuves, cettes femmes-la ! ' ' '\A'liich was per- fectly true; and, having regard to subsequent events, his objection would appear to have been not altogether unjustifiable. It was in June of the succeeding year that Mme. Patti honored me by being the centre of attraction at a dinner-party which I gave at "Wliitehall Court, followed by a large reception whereat some three 328 Musical Life in London hundred guests, well known in the musical, theat- rical, and literary worlds, were bidden to meet the diva. The peculiarity of this function was that it collected a good many celebrities who, for various reasons, are seldom brought together. For this, no doubt, good luck was largely responsible. One may know and invite many famous folk to dine or sup during the London season ; but it will rarely happen that ninety-five per cent, are disengaged and willing to come. In this instance I did not re- ceive more than twenty refusals, all told. Thus it fell that when I took Mme. Patti in to dinner she found on her right her old friend Jean de Reszke, whom she had not met since the glorious "Eomeo" time in Paris, eight years before. Edouard was, of course, there, facing his old con- frere Nicolini, who chatted about his pet Cremona violins with the perennial Alfredo Piatti. Among others present were my father's old friend and pu- pil. Lord Suffield, and Lady Suffield (now lord and lady in waiting to King Edward and Queen Alexandra), Sir Edward and Lady Lawson, Sir Augustus and Lady Harris, and Miss Zelie de Lus- san. Charles (now Sir Charles) Wjmdham and Miss Mary Moore also came to dinner— or perhaps it was later in the evening; and with them the young American actress Miss Faj^ Davis, not then known on the stage, who recited some pieces with infinite piquancy and grace. Altogether it was an interesting gathering. The feature of the musicale, however, was a per- Thirty Years ot formance of Schumann's pianoforte quartet (Op. 47) by four distinguished artists: Fanny Davies, Sarasate, Hollander, and Piatti — a combination rare even at tlie "Pops," and, above all, to be appreciated for the honor conferred by the great Spanish violinist, who seldom took part in a cham- ber work beyond the "Kreutzer" or some other duet-sonata. So anxious was he for the quartet to go well that he insisted upon a rehearsal, and from Paris fixed the date himself. Here is his note: Paris, 23 -5 -'90. C'est eiitendu, cher ami, je partirai le 3 juiu. Ar- rangez la repetition pour le 4 dans Paprfes-midi.^ Votre, Pablo Sarasate. "Wliat was more, he declined the invitation to dine in order that he might be able to eat his early meal at the Bristol, as was usual on evenings when he had to play. It is hardly necessary to add that the performance of the quartet was su- perlatively fine. From first to last it went with magnificent spirit; and it was listened to with keen enjoyment by an assemblage whose interest seemed evenly divided as to the music, the exe- cutants, and the foremost group of auditors, headed by the peerless ' ' guest of the evening. ' ' To-day Craig-y-nos Castle is the scene of fewer 1 Translation : It is agreed, dear friend, I shall leave on June 3. Arrange the rehearsal for the 4tli, in the afternoon. 330 Musical Life in London entertainments upon a large scale. Still, the Baron- ess Cederstrom is as dearly attached as ever to her mountain home, and, when she is not traveling abroad or professionally, she spends practically her whole time there. She sings at twenty or twenty- five concerts every year (three or four in London, the rest in the provinces), and is received every- where with the old-time ecstasy and enthusiasm. Nor can one feel astonished at the vast assemblages which gather at these familiar functions, since Ade- lina Patti yet retains her title, "The Queen of Song, ' ' by virtue of tones still pure, rich, vibrant, and exquisitely musical; by the magic of an art which no other singer of her day has exemplified with the same wondrous measure of beauty and perfection. This extraordinary survival of power and popularity makes it difficult to foretell even approximately when the great prima donna will bring her unexampled career to a close. She has now agreed to undertake a farewell tour in the United States ; but it is not her intention to appear there in opera. Thus the American public will not have an opportunity to realize the full extent of that amazing development of her dramatic genius to which I have more especially made reference. But Patti is always Patti; and whatever the con- ditions, her final coming will be the occasion of a rapturous welcome from the citizens of the country in which she was reared. 331 CHAPTER XV A meteoric opera scheme — Sullivan's "Ivanhoe" — How com- posed: lioTv"runto death" — D6but of Eugene Oudin — David Bispham appears in " La Basoche" — Oudin and Tschaikowsky : a singular coincidence — The Russian master's journey to Cam- bridge—First and last meetings — "Cavalleria Eusticana" at London and Windsor — Jean de Reszke's American d6but: his impressions. THE early months of 1891 witnessed a very remarkable operatic experiment. New forces were at the back of it, and it was destined to mark the climax of the modern development of Eng- lish opera. Had the scheme succeeded in its in- tegrity, the operatic history of the next dozen j'ears would have had to be rewritten ; as it was, an individual artistic triumph was hampered by a Quixotic managerial policy, and the ambitious enterprise resulted in a regrettable failure. The late Richard D'Oyly Carte was an excel- lent man in his own sphere of action at the Savoy Theatre. He thoroughly understood the business of mounting the unique comic oj^eras of Gilbert and Sullivan, and of sending them round the globe in the hands of well-trained companies. But about the organization and management of serious opera he knew absolutely nothing. Shade of ^ ^ ^ M O ^ W ^l" * *" **^ ^^hC ^Mm' 1 ■1! ■* • H ^j^^^z ^/ 4 ^~l^ ^•*^^^P _ :;^^- .V^ l|w^ ■; ■ .. ,v'^ W r V' > w 3 -H tHl P3 5: CT ^ M td O •V cj » r D ?3 5^ Musical Life in London Carl Rosa! Imagine the fatuity of building a large and costly theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue,' bestowing upon it the high-sounding title of the "Royal English Opera," engaging a double company, and opening it with a repertory of — one work! Never was the initial error of placing the whole of the golden eggs in a single basket more surely followed by the destruction of the goose that laid them ! Great was the faith of D 'Oyly Carte in Arthur Sullivan. But not even the ge- nius of that fine musician, as exemplified in his first grand opera, "Ivanhoe," was capable of withstanding so rude a test. Like one of the thoroughbred horses he loved so well, "Ivanhoe" ran a great race, achieved a ' ' best on record, ' ' and then collapsed from sheer exhaustion. It has never raced since. Sullivan wrote "Ivanhoe," so to speak, with his life-blood. He slaved at it steadily from May till December, and put into it only of his best. For weeks before he finished it he was inacces- sible; the Christmas of 1890 was no holiday for him. The rehearsals had begun long before the orchestration was ready, and the opera was to be produced on January 31, 1891, at the latest. By the first week in the new year the score was completed. Then Sir Arthur told me I might come to Queen's Mansions to hear some of the music. To my great delight, he played several of the ' It has for the past eleven years been the popular place of amusement known as the Palace Theatre of Varieties. 335 Thirty Years of numbers for me. I found them picturesque, dra- matic, original, and stamped tliroughout witli the cachet which the world understands by the word " Sullivanesque. " I was particularly struck by the Oriental character of the harmonies and "in- tervals" in Rebecca's song, "Lord of our chosen race," and I told Sullivan that I thought nothing could be more distinctively Eastern or even He- braic in type. "That may well be so," he rejoined. "The phrase on the words 'guard me' you especially re- fer to is not strictly mine.^ Let me tell you where I heard it. Wlien I was the 'Mendelssohn scholar' and living at Leipsic, I went once or twice to the old Jewish synagogue, and among the many East- ern melodies chanted by the minister, this quaint progression in the minor occurred so frequently that I have never forgotten it. ' ' It certainly comes in appropriately here. The libretto of "Ivanhoe" was from the fluent pen of Julian Sturgis, the author of "Nadeshda." It won praise as a skilful and fairly dramatic adaptation of Scott's novel and a polished exam- ple of poetic lyric-writing. The work generally I described at the time as "one which rivets the attention of the spectator from the moment the curtain is raised ; which is strong and sympathetic ' The passage in question is this: _j_L^^_i ,^.| ^ ^M=iJ ^— -^ ' '-fasa-t- Guard me, guard me, Gnard me, Je-ho-vah, guard. 336 Musical Life in London in action and picturesque in story; which is rich in melody and replete with musical interest and contrast; and which, finally, is presented amid a wealth of surroundings and with a jaerfection of executive detail such as English opera never en- joyed before." It was acclaimed with the utmost warmth by an audience that included the com- poser's ever-constant friends and patrons, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. The cast on the first night comprised Marguerite Macintyre (Rebecca), Es- ther Palliser (Roivena), Ben Davies (Ivanhoe), Norman Salmond (Richard Coeur de Lion), Ffrangcon Davies (Cedric), Charles Kenning- ham (Y)e Bracy), Avon Saxon (Friar Tuck), Charles Copland (Isaac of York), and that gifted American barytone, Eugene Oudin, who made a brilliant debut in the part of the Templar. The composer held the baton. The opera was at once scheduled ' ' for a run, ' ' with two distinct casts, the alternative group in- cluding Miss Thudichum as Rebecca, Lucile Hill as Roivena, Franklin Clive as King Richard, Jo- seph O'Mara as Ivanhoe, and Richard Green as the Templar. The strain of this test was marvel- ously borne. For no fewer than one hundred and sixty consecutive representations did "Ivanhoe" draw large and enthusiastic audiences— far and away the longest unbroken run ever accomplished by a serious opera. Then, at the end of July, it was withdrawn, and the house closed until No- 337 Thirty Years of vember, when an English version of Andre Mes- sager's successful comic opera "La Basoche" was brought out. This did fairly well, but it is noteworthy to-day only from the fact that it en- abled Mr. David Bispham, by his clever singing and acting, to make a deep impression at his first appearance upon the London stage.^ D'Oyly Carte now doubtless imagined that he possessed the foundation of a repertorj^, and he revived "Ivanhoe" to run alternately with "La Ba- soche"— Barton McGuckin filling the title-role, while Medora Henson was the Roivena. But the public quickly undeceived the too sanguine mana- ger. It stayed severely awaj^ The drawing power of Sullivan's beautiful opera had been exhausted; and on January 16, just a fortnight short of twelve months after its auspicious opening, the "Royal English Opera" was finally closed — the strangest commingling of success and failure ever chronicled in the history of British Ij^ric enter- prise ! ' The brilliant stage career of David Bispham virtually had its beginning with his singularly picturesque embodiment of the Due de Longueville in "La Basoche. ' ' There was about it an element of fantastic hizarrerie that was singularly attractive, and which at once drew attention to the unique personality of the artist. From that time forward, in whatever branch of his art he has elected to labor, David Bispham has consistently earned distinction and applause; and his success has been equally em- phatic on both sides of the Atlantic. His gift of versatility is extraordinary. Alike in serious and comic characters, in Wag- nerian music-drama and light French opera, in oratorio and Lieder, in declamation both spoken and sung, he has proved him- self a thoroughly intellectual, accomplished, and original artist. 338 a Musical Life in London Yet, had there been nothing else, this venture would have been remarkable on account of the unusual number of American singers who made their debuts in the two operas. Many of them subsequently were to earn wide repute, while two at least— Eugene Oudin and David Bispham— were to achieve universal fame. I can recall few instances of a popularity so spontaneous as that vouchsafed to Eugene Esperance Oudin. Alike as artist and as man he rajDidly became a gen- eral favorite. Among his warmest admirers was Jean de Eeszke; and I remember how pro- foundly he interested the famous tenor by his exquisite mezza voce, his perfect union of the "registers," and the rare ease with which he pro- duced his upper notes. His voice was singularly sweet and sj^npathetic in quality, yet not lack- ing in dramatic power; and none who saw him as the Templar will readily forget the extraor- dinary dignity of his assumption or the intense 13assion of his singing. His rendering of the fine air, "Woo thou thy Snowfiake, " was to my mind the vocal feature of the opera. Oudin had made himself a name both as a church singer and in opera before leaving the United States; but in London he seems at once to have risen to a higher plane, for there was need just then of a barytone possessing his special gifts. Thanks to his parentage, he had a pure French accent, and sang delightfully in that tongue. He also worked for some time with me Thirty Years of at German Lieder, and made quite a hit at the Philharmonic by his admirable declamation in the "Hans Heiling" air. His versatility was fur- ther demonstrated by a number of translations of French lyrics, all very neatly and smoothly done. He had quite a passion for amateur photography, and loved to obtain unconventional pictures of all the artistic celebrities who would consent to "sit." Among these was the group of the two de Reszkes and Lassalle at their breakfast-table at the Con- tinental, of which he sent me a copy accompanied by this note: 31 Linden Gardens, W., October 21, 1893. My dExVe Klein : I send you per same post a print (proof) from my negative, "Birds of a Feather," with every compliment. I shall not forget that it was through you and in your house that I first met the great singers who have since become my friends. It is an extraordinary coincidence, I think, that I should have put down for my part in the "Pops" this afternoon (and as long as a fortnight ago) four of my favorite Gounod songs. ^ Also that I am singing at the offertory in St. George's, Albemarle Street, to-morrow morning, under promise a fortnight old, the same mas- ter's "There is a green hill." Faithfully and fraternally yours, Eugene Oudin. Alas! only eighteen months later I stood in the same church in Albemarle Street grieving be- ^ The death of Gounod had been announced three days previously. Musical Life in London side the bier of tliat sweet singer himself. He had fallen a victim to a mistaken sense of duty, literally wearing himself to death by nursing a friend who lay sick in his house. That was in- deed a sad and premature cutting off of a useful life. I had spoken to Oudin at the Birming- ham Festival (October, 1894), and remarked upon his thin, careworn aspect. Yet how beautifully he had sung the music of Br. Marianus in the third part of Schumann 's ' ' Faust " ! It was all he had had to do at the festival; but it was enough, he had made his mark. Then he went home, and in a month's time was no more. The premature decease of Eugene Oudin is al- ways associated in my mind with that of Tschai- kowsky. The reason lies in a rather curious chain of circumstances. In the autumn of 1892 the Russian master's opera "Eugeny Onegin" was produced in English at the OljTupic Theatre, un- der the management of Signor Lago, with Eu- gene Oudin in the title part. It met with poor success, and after a few nights was withdrawn.' In the June of 1893, Tschaikowsky came to Eng- land to receive the honorary degree of ' ' Mus. Doc. ' ' at Cambridge University; the same distinction being simultaneously bestowed upon three other celebrated musicians— Camille Saint-Saens, Max ' The whole undertaking was ill-timed and ill-placed. One of its few creditable features was the debut in England of the bary- tone Mario Ancona, who sang first in "La Favorita" and after- ward in ' ' Lohengrin. ' ' He was engaged the following season for Covent Garden. 343 Thirty Years of Bruch, and Arrigo Boito. By a happy chance I traveled down to Cambridge in the same car- riage with Tschaikowsk5^ I was cpite alone in the compartment until the train was actually starting, when the door opened and an elderly gentleman was unceremoniously lifted in, his luggage being bundled in after him by the por- ters. A glance told me who it was. I offered my assistance, and, after he had recovered his breath, the master told me he recollected that I had been presented to him one night at the Philharmonic. Then followed an hour's delight- ful conversation. Tschaikowsky chatted freely about music in Russia. He thought the development of the past twenty-five years had been i^henomenal. He at- tributed it, first, to the intense musical feeling of the people which was now coming to the sur- face; secondly, to the extraordinary wealth and characteristic beautj^ of the national melodies or folk-songs ; and, thirdly, to the splendid work done by the great teaching institutions at St. Petersburg and Moscow. He spoke particularly of his own Conservatory at Moscow, and begged that if I ever went to that city I would not fail to pay him a visit.^ He then put some questions about Eng- land and inquired especially as to the systems of management and teaching pursued at the Royal * I did visit Moscow in the summer of 1898, and, on presenting my card as an English friend of the lamented master, was re- ceived by the Conservatory officials with every attention and cordiality. 344 Musical Life in London Academy and the Royal College. I duly explained, and also gave him some information concerning the Guildhall School of Music and its three thou- sand students. It surprised him to hear that Lon- don possessed such a gigantic musical institution. "I don't know," he added, "whether to con- sider England an 'unmusical' nation or not. Sometimes I think one thing, sometimes another. But it is certain that you have audiences for mu- sic of every class, and it appears to me probable that before long the larger section of your public will support the best class only." Then the recol- lection of the failure of his "Eugeny Onegin" occurred to him, and he asked me to what I at- tributed that— the music, the libretto, the perform- ance, or what? I replied, without flattery, that it was certainly not the music. It might have been due in some measure to the lack of dramatic fibre in the story, and in a large degree to the ineffi- ciency of the interpretation and the unsuitability of the locale. "Remember," I went on, "that Pushkin's poem is not known in this country, and that in opera we like a definite denouement, not an ending where the hero goes out at one door and the heroine at another. As to the performance, the only figure in it that lives distinctly and pleas- antly in my memory is Eugene Oudin's superb embodiment of Onegin." "I have heard a great deal about him," said Tschaikowsky ; and then came a first-rate opportu- nity for me to descant upon the merits of the 347 Thirty Years of American barytone. I aroused the master's in- terest in him to such good purpose that he prom- ised not to leave England without making his acquaintance, — "and hearing him sing ! " I queried. "Not only will I hear him sing, but invite him to come to Russia and ask him to sing some of my songs there," was the composer's reply as the train drew up at Cambridge, and we alighted. Tschaikowsky was to be the guest of the Master of Merton, and I undertook to see him safely be- stowed at the college before proceeding to my hotel. Telling the flyman to take a slightly circuitous route, I pointed out various places of interest as we passed them, and Tschaikowsky seemed thor- oughly to enjoy the drive. When we parted at the college, he shook me warmly by the hand and expressed a hope that when he next visited Eng- land he might see more of me. Unhappily, that kindly wish was never to be fulfilled. The group of new "Mus. Docs." was to have in- cluded Verdi and Grieg, but these composers were unable to accept the invitation of the University. However, the remaining four constituted a suffi- ciently illustrious group, and the concert at the Cambridge Guildhall was of memorable interest. Saint-Saens played for the first time the brilliant pianoforte fantasia "Africa," which he had lately written at Cairo; Max Bruch directed a choral scene from his "Odysseus"; and Bo'ito conducted the prologue from ' ' Mefistof ele, ' ' Georg Henschel singing the solo part. Finally, Tschaikowsky di- Musical Life in London rected the first performance in England of his fine symphonic poem, "Francesca da Kimini, " a work depicting with graphic power the torment- ing winds wherein Dante beholds Francesca in the "Second Circle" and hears her recital of her sad story, as described in the fifth canto of the "Inferno." The ovation that greeted each mas- ter in turn will be readily imagined. A night or two later I met Boito at a reception given in his honor by my friend Albert Visetti, and the re- nowned librettist-composer did me the pleasure of accompanying me to the last Philharmonic con- cert of the season, at which Max Brueh conducted a couple of works and Paderewski played his concerto in A minor. Tschaikowsky and Eugene Oudin duly met. The latter sang the "Serenade de Don Juan" and other songs of the Russian master, and so delighted him that the visit to St. Petersburg and Moscow was immediately arranged. Its success and its attendant sorrow are alike set forth in the following letter: Hotel de France, St. Petersburg, November 8, 1893. My dear Klein: You have, of course, read and commented on the ter- ribly sudden demise of Tschaikowsky. Yon can imagine its effect on me ! I missed him in Petersburg on my way to Moscow, and there received his message that he would not fail to be present at my debut in the latter city. Instead came a telegram of sudden sickness, danger 349 Thirty Years of passed, and hope. This was on Saturday last. On Mon- day morning a telegram came to speak of — death! On Wednesday last he was sound and well; he drank a glass of untiltered water from the Neva, and cholera laid him low ! It is awful ! The musical societies throughout Russia are in mourning, and the concert which was to have been my debut in Petersburg (next Saturday, the 11th) is postponed for a week. It will be made up entirely of works of the dead master. I shall sing the "Arioso" from "Onegin" and some of his romances, and the joint recital will take place the fol- lowing daj'.'^ So my visit here is prolonged most unexpectedly. My debut in Moscow was a magnificent success. I was recalled and encored again and again, . . . and the notices are very fine. Tours in haste, but ever fraternally, Eugene Oudin. And now to return to 1891. So far I have spoken only of "Ivanlioe" and "La Basoche." At Co- vent Garden we had the heaviest opera season on record. Twenty operas were mounted, none of them novelties, but six for the first time under Harris 's directorate ; and ninety-four representa- tions were given in sixteen weelis. The total re- ceipts amounted to £80,000 ($400,000), and the impresario made a profit. It is interesting to note how tlie repertory and tlie personnel were begin- ' Oudin Tvas accompanied on this trip by his wife, a talented singer who frequently appeared with him at his London recitals, but who, on the death of her husband, relinquished her career as a vocalist and became a teacher. 350 lui«iiit, N. Y. EMMA EAMES AS JULIETTK Musical Life in London venture run by Abbey consisted of a big series of Patti concerts and a five months' season of grand opera with a company headed by Jean de Reszke. The renowned prima donna awakened, as usual, the utmost enthusiasm. At eacli concert a scene, in costume, from an opera was given, Mme. Patti being supported by Del Puente, Novara, and other artists, with Arditi as conductor. On the other hand, the debuts in America of Jean and Edouard de Reszke were at the outset more successful in an artistic than a financial sense. It seems to have taken time for the public to realize that in the new Polish tenor a really great artist had come upon the scene. A small section of the press also appears to have hesitated, though not the leading critics of New York and Chicago, who quickly proclaimed the advent of a star of the first magnitude. That M. de Reszke himself was, on the whole, gratified by his reception may be gath- ered from the following letter: [Translated from the French.] AuDiTOKiuM Hotel, Chicago, December 9, 1891. My dear Fkiend : I beg to inclose some press cuttings from this place in order that you may learn of the success of your friends in America. I have sung twice in ' ' Lohengrin, ' ' twice in "Faust," twice in the "Huguenots," once in "Romeo," twice in "Otello, " and once in "Lohengrin" at Louis- ville. That makes ten representations in a month. The 359 Thirty Years of public is very warm, very enthusiastic toward us. Edouard, for his part, besides the operas with me, has sung Lepordlo and in "Sonnambula." You would confer on us a great pleasure by showing the cuttings to Harris, to Higgins, and to your colleagues, in order that London may know how the artists of its choice have been winning honors here. I sing to-morrow "Aida," with Lilli Lehmann, for my farewell in this city; then on Thursday I leave for New York, where I am to make my debut on Monday in ' ' Romeo. ' ' Trusting you are in good health, with a hearty hand-shake, believe me. Your devoted and ever grateful, Jean de Reszke. In New York the brothers were met by their friend Lassalle, who made his first appearance as Nelusko in "L'Africaine"; while, as Selika, Lillian Nordica also rejoined the company and her former comrades. That night was the most bril- liant of the season, and the cable messages to Europe told of "unequivocal success all round. Yet the ' ' business, ' ' it appeared, was by no means first-rate, and, in the end, the entrepreneurs must have fared but moderately. The revanche, how- ever, was to come in the succeeding years, when the American public knew Jean de Reszke better and learned to appreciate the true majesty of his transcendent gifts. He, for his part, quickly reciprocated the warm feeling shown him by American audiences, and would frequently assure me how profoundly he esteemed their good opin- ion. To show this I quote an interesting letter 360 Musical Life in London he wrote me from Chicago in 1894, immediately after the production of Massenet's "Werther": [Translated from the French.] Chicago, March 31, 1894. My dear Friend: In an artist's life every new role is a stage in that long journey toward the siimmits of art, toward the beautiful, the infinite. "Werther, " the other night, was for me one of those unanimous successes wherein the heart — the science of causing it to beat in one's audi- ence and before one's audience — stood in true proportion to every artifice. The true path — that of emotion — that goal for which I am striving all my life — was reached in the presence of a public which did not understand the words, but which divined by instinct that my con- ception of the character arose from that simplicity, that pure, unexaggerated truthfulness which age and matur- ity alone can confer upon the thinking artist. . . . I am sending you the cuttings from the newspapers here ; show them to Harris, who, I hope, will mount the opera for me. Mancinelli conducted the orchestra ad- mirably. Eames and Arnoldson are two adorable little sisters. In a word, I believe that to the cultivated London public, accustomed as it is to novelties, it will come as a delightful surprise. I sing regularly three times every week, and my voice is excellent. At this present moment I am reaching my forty-first perform- ance. Accept, my dear friend, from Edouard and my- self, a thousand affectionate remembrances, together with a hearty shake of the hand. Your devoted, Jean de Reszke. 361 Musical Life in London Three months later, Harris did mount "Wer- ther" at Covent Garden, with the Chicago cast, for the rentree of Jean de Reszke ; but the opera failed to please. Not even the genius of the artist could invest with enduring interest a work consistently sombre, undramatic, and dull. Yet, taken indi- vidually, his impersonation was, in its way, one of the supreme achievements of his career. His voice at this period was at its very finest; nor shall I ever forget his wonderful singing and act- ing in the duet of the third act, where "his beau- tiful tones fairly compassed the entire gamut of passionate longing and despair." 362 CHAPTER XVI German opera at Covent Garden — Mahler as conductor — De- buts of Alvary and Schumann-Heink — A growing repertory — Victor Maurel and Manuel Garcia: The renowned teacher vindicated — Debut of Clara Butt — Leoncavallo and Mascagni in London — How "Cavalleria" was first rehearsed at Rome — "I Rantzau" — Mascagni at Windsor Castle — More State Per- formances. "/^HI va piano va sano, ed anche lontano." The Vy old Italian proverb applies with some force to the progress made by Sir Augustus Harris toward the development of the important branch of opera which yet awaited his attention. The popularity of French opera in the French lan- guage would seem to have been the natural step- ping-stone to German opera in the German lan- guage. But I am not quite sure that Harris found his subscribers as ready as he himself was to risk the step. Annual pilgrimages to Bayreuth had not yet become a favorite amusement of the British aristocracy. Lady de Grey and her friends were said to be inclined to look askance at any proposition for the enlargement of the opera scheme beyond the lines which had hitherto proved so successful. However, it is to be pre- sumed that the opposition, if there was any worth Thirty Years of speaking of, speedily broke down; for in the early spring of 1892 the impresario boldly an- nounced his intention of giving a series of Ger- man performances at Covent Garden in mid-sea- son, with the aid of a special troupe of German artists engaged through the medium of the Ham- burg manager, Herr Pollini. By the press and the public this intimation was received with such unqualified satisfaction that Sir Augustus immediately followed it up with a further announcement to the effect that he would set apart seven Wednesdays in June and July for a subsidiary subscription, covering perform- ances of "Der King des Nibelungen," with "Tris- tan und Isolde" and "Fidelio." This was an adroit move. Wednesday was not jet a regular subscription night at the opera, and by thus util- izing it Harris not only secured a perfect guar- antee against loss, but offered his German sup- porters the opportunity of displaying themselves in grand- and pit-tier boxes, which they could not otherwise have obtained for love or money. The bait was greedily seized and a splendid subscrip- tion resulted. Ultimately, too, the company engaged for these representations proved worthy of the establish- ment to which it became temporarily allied. I was very anxious to see Richter filling the conduc- tor's place, and at my suggestion Harris made an effort to obtain the great man's services. But in vain; he was already definitely engaged for 364 Musical Life in London the concerts of the forthcoming Musical Ezhibi- tion at Vienna. In these circumstances, Herr Pollini recommended a young conductor named Mahler, who had been doing excellent work at Hamburg. Harris at once made terms with him; and thus for a single season did London afford hospitality to the talented musician who was shortly after to succeed Hans Kichter as clief- d'orchestre, and eventually to become director, of the Imperial Opera House at Vienna. It was arranged that Mahler should come early in the season. Ten years had elapsed since the "Ring" or any section of it had been performed in a London opera-house, and in order not to interfere with the other work it was deemed ad- visable to procure a separate orchestra to rehearse and accompany the Wagner music-dramas. I made Mahler's acquaintance soon after his arri- val. Smaller of stature than Anton Seidl, his clean-shaven, studious countenance nevertheless reminded me of the accomplished conductor whom I had seen at Her Majesty's in 1882; nor was he unworthy to be compared with him in temperamental qualities, well-balanced force, and rare concentration of energy. For a man who knew so very little English, I never came across any one so bent on speaking that language and no other. I met Mahler frequently at Harris's office, but could never induce him to carry on a con- versation in German. He would rather spend five minutes in an effort to find the English word he 3^S Thirty Years of wanted than resort to his mother tongue or allow any one else to supply the equivalent. Consequently, a short chat with Mahler involved a liberal allow- ance of time. For the same reason, his orchestral rehearsals proved extremely lengthy and, to the spectator, vastly amusing. In order to famil- iarize his men with their exacting task, he would take his band in sections, and spend hour after hour going over the various scenes of the tetral- ogy and "Tristan." He knew his scores virtu- ally by heart, and infused into his executants that unity of spirit which only a born conductor can inspire. So it came about that the performances given under his direction were distinguished by a highly creditable excellence of ensemble. Absurd as it may seem, the "Nibelungen" dra- mas were given out of their proper order because a certain great Bayreuth artist insisted upon mak- ing his English debut in a particular character. Herr Max Alvary wished to be seen for the first time here in his fine impersonation of Siegfried; consequently, we had to have "Siegfried" first; then "Eheingold" and "Walkiire," and then "Gotterdammerung" to wind up with. I know not whom to blame the more, Alvary for demand- ing such a piece of vandalism, or Harris for al- lowing it; but in either case "de mortuis nil nisi bonum," and there I halt. Certainly Alvary was an ideal Siegfried; and he had no less an ideal BriinnJiilde in Eosa Sucher, who unfortunately was recalled to Germany after a night or two. 366 irum a pliotogropli by E Eit;ljL-r, Herliii ALVARY AS SIEGFRIED Musical Life in London Her place was taken by the gifted and lamented Frau Klafsky, whom I admired as a truly great Wagnerian artist. Other notable debutantes were the popular Frau Schumann-Heink, Frauleiu Bettaque, Frau Ende-Andriessen, Fraulein Traub- mann, beside Greve, Lieban (inimitable Mime), and Zoltan Dome, who shared the leading roles with the veterans Reichmann and Wiegand. So extensivelj^ did these German representa- tions draw that Sir Augustus determined to give some of them on off-nights at Drury Lane, mov- ing the scenery back and forth from one house to the other. The device paid him well, and, be- side the Wagner works, he added to his repertory Nessler's "Trompeter von Sakkingen," with Reichmann, Wiegand, Lorent, Landau, Bettaque, and Schumann-Heink in the principal parts. Al- together the experiment proved a complete suc- cess, and set at rest all doubts as to the wis- dom and desirability of mixing the undiluted German with those other operatic elements which Sir Augustus Harris (dropping the traditional "Italian") had this season for the first time com- bined under the new official title of "Royal Opera, Covent Garden." Relieved of his shrieval duties, the genial im- presario now set to work to beat all previous rec- ords ; and he fairly accomplished the task. Apart from the German venture, he produced no fewer than three novelties, viz.: Mascagni's "L'Amico Fritz," Bemberg's "Elaine," and Isidore de Thirty Years of Lara's "Light of Asia," this last being an Ital- ianized stage version of a setting, in cantata form, of portions of Sir Edwin Arnold's poem. None of these earned more than passing favor, albeit "L'Amico Fritz," in virtue of Mascagni's charm- ing treatment of a delicious pastoral story and Calve 's exquisite embodiment of Suzel, deserved a better fate. But not even the united efforts of Jean de Reszke, Plangon, Melba, and Deschamps- Jehin could awaken more than a shadowy interest in M. Bemberg's saccharine opera. The general repertory was much the same as in the previous year, only more extensive ; while lingual incon- gruities were perhaps more flagrant than ever. For example, we would hear in alternation the "Flying Dutchman" in Italian (with Lassalle as Vanderdecken) ; "Tannhauser" in German; "Lo- hengrin" in Italian (Van Dyek singing the title- role in French ) ; an English opera, ' ' La Luce dell ' Asia, ' ' in Italian ; " Le Prophete ' ' in French, with an Italian chorus ; and so forth. Evidently, this feature of the bad traditions of old had yet to be improved; but in other respects the work done and the progress made were alike remarkable. In the course of the year 1892 Augustus Harris mounted at Covent Garden and Drur}^ Lane the- atres as many as thirty operas, giving a grand total of one hundred and fifty representations. In the midst of this abnormally busy season, M. Maurel elected to deliver a lecture at the Ly- ceum Theatre on "The Application of Science to 370 Musical Life in London the Arts of Speech and Song." It was partly an amplification of a conference given shortly before at Milan and published at Paris under the title of "Le Chant renoue par la Science," wherein the distinguished barytone promised a book that should more or less completely revolutionize the art (or "science") of singing. For that book an impatient world is still waiting. The lecture, how- ever, duly came off, and, apart from mere prom- ises, its main feature proved to be an exceedingly viiTilent tirade against the coup de la glotte} This would not have mattered much had it not hap- pened that Manuel Garcia himself was present, and had to "possess his soul in patience" while M. Maurel executed some ridiculous imitations of what he considered to be the indispensable vocal concomitants of the coup de la glotte — a term de- rided only by certain Paris teachers who have misunderstood and misdirected its use. Age and dignity alike compelled Signor Garcia to sit still and treat with silent contempt this ill-timed and unjustifiable attack upon his method. When the lecture was over, however, I offered him the col- ums of the ' ' Sunday Times " as a medium for re- plying to M. Maurel 's assertions. On the spur of the moment, he accepted and sent a short account of the lecture, written in his own terse, trenchant manner. Then, thinking better of it, he decided not to take any personal part in the discussion, and requested me not to print his "copy." ' See reference to this subject on page 27. 371 Thirty Years of This threw the onns of reply upon me ; and the answer proved so far effectual that M. Maurel was moved to make a protest, in other London papers, against any contradiction of his "scien- tific argumentation," save by M. Garcia himself, and not even then unless supported by something beyond "simple denial." Accordingly, the maes- tro then consented to write a letter to the ' ' Sun- day Times, ' ' confirming the statement that he had found M. Maurel 's illustrations of the coup cle la glotte "extremely exaggerated," but declining that gentleman's invitation to discuss the subject- matter of his lecture, and adding that "it would be utterly impossible to argue upon theories which still remain to be revealed." Here the incident closed, and, as I have already said, the singing world is still awaiting the revelation of M. Maurel 's precious theories. Meanwhile, however, there are people who still think it their duty to assume the Maurelesque attitude, and boldly impeach a method for which no adequate substitute, real or imaginary, has yet been found. It is chiefly with the view of showing the hollowness of the attacks occasionally leveled at the coup de la glotte that I have recalled an episode which otherwise might have been allowed to dwell in oblivion. During the early "nineties" Sir Augustus Har- ris was the proprietor of the "Sunday Times." For some time he had been bent on possessing a newspaper, and would have actually started a new one on his own account had it not happened that 372 ■''■-•'•>, '«4t^ Copyright hy A. IJupunt, Is. Y. CALVE AS CARMEN Musical Life in London the old weekly came into the market once more. I was responsible for his buying it, and, as mat- ters turned out, neither he nor I had occasion to regret the step, despite the obvious delicacy of a position which, under ordinary conditions, might have involved the independence of a critic. I am bound to say, however, that Harris allowed me my full freedom; and, inasmuch as I had all along been an ardent supporter of his enterprise, my attitude was in no way influenced or disturbed through his temporary connection with the pajoer. He eventually sold it— for exactly the same sum, I believe, that he paid for it— to the present pro- prietor, Mrs. Frederic Beer. During the winter of 1892-93, the indefatigable impresario revived the bal masque at Covent Gar- den, thus furnishing the jeunesse doree of the Eng- lish metropolis with a form of entertainment which has ever since been keenly appreciated and regularly kept up. It is a common saying that the English take their pleasures sadly; but I may assert, without fear of contradiction, that these fancy-dress balls are a good deal less artificial and more spontaneous in their gaiety than the hals- masques held in the opera-houses in Paris and Brussels. That, I admit, is about all there is to be said in their favor. It was during the same winter that Clara Butt made her first appearance in public. The need for a new concert contralto of the first rank had become pressing. Trebelli had died suddenly at 375 Thirty Years of Etretat the previous summer ; and in the February of 1894 an even more sudden attack of heart disease closed the career of Janet Patey as she was leav- ing the platform at a concert at Sheffield. It was curious that midway between these two sad events there should have appeared upon the scene the artist who, whatever her vocal attributes as compared with those of her gifted predecessors, indisputably holds at the present time the position of leading English contralto. Miss Clara Butt made her debut, while yet a scholar of the Royal College of Music, in a per- formance of Grluck's "Orpheus," given by the pupils of the college at the Lyceum Theatre in December, 1892. Her unusually lofty stature lent to the embodiment of Orplieus a dignity and impressiveness that were at least equaled by the organ-like sonority and volume of her ample tones. Then she could neither act nor sing; but there was intelligence in her work, there was an evident faculty for imitation, and, above all, there was glorious material in her powerful, luscious voice. She continued her studies for some time in London and afterward in Paris, striding always toward popularity by a "royal road" that few young singers are fortunate enough to find. To-day she is a much improved vocalist, well up in the traditions of oratorio, and needing only complete control of her organ and fuller resources of expression and color to attain the highest level of artistic efficiency. Her Musical Life in London husband, Kenneiiey Euinford, has a sympathetic light barytone voice with a style marked by ad- mirable refinement and distinction. A posthumous light opera by Goring Thomas, called the "Grolden Web," ran for a time at the Lyric Theatre in the spring of 1893, after a trial production by the Carl Rosa Company at Liver- pool. It was a charming example of the Auber school, and was ably conducted by Mr. Herbert Bunning— himself a composer of recognized merit, whose opera "La Princesse Osra" was to be mounted at Covent Grarden nine years later. That this Englishman will one day make a big mark in the world of music I instinctively feel. His is a singularly graceful talent, and of orches- tral effects he is a consummate master. When he comes across a really good libretto we shall per- chance discover in him the successor to Arthur Goring Thomas. Another light-opera debut at this period was that of the clever Spanish pianist and composer, Seiior Albeniz, who conducted his "Magic Opal" during a run of considerable du- ration. A vastly superior work, however, was his "Pepita Jimenez," an exquisitely poetic opera founded upon Juan Valera's famous novel by Frank B. M. Coutts. I witnessed the production of "Pepita Jimenez" at the Liceo Theatre, Bar- celona, in January, 1896, and admired it so much that I often wonder why the little chef-d'osuvre has traveled no farther. The features of the season of 1893 were the first 377 Thirty Years of visits to London of Leoncavallo and Mascagui, and the production there of their respective op- eras, "Pagliacci" and "I Rantzau." The fame of Leoncavallo's sensational opera had preceded it, and the public expected something remarkable. They were not disappointed. I have rarely seen an audience so breathless with excitement over the development of an opera xjlot. The effect of the little tragedy was augmented by the burning- intensity of De Lucia, whose ])ortrayal of the hap- less Canio's anguish and suffering was a triumph of realism. His touching solilociuy at the end of the first act was delivered with an abandonment of feeling that completely carried away his audi- tors. Very fine, too, was Ancoua 's rendering of the already famous Prologue ; delieiously pure and sweet was Melba's vocalization in the ballatella for Nedda; excellent were the new-comers Eich- ard Green and Bonnard as Silvio and Peppe; while Mancinelli's conducting left not a point undiscerned throughout. Leoncavallo, modest and unassuming, waited quietly in the background till the end, and then had to be forced on to the stage by the artists to acknowledge the ovation that awaited him. This was ciuite early in the season (May 19), and Leoncavallo remained in London for several weeks. I found him to be a man of great culture and strong intellect. He is a poet as well as a musician, and in both arts he reveals the grasp of a profound thinker. Mascagni belongs to a different type. In Leon- \. *. '"f I Musical Life in London cavalio there is a dash of the refined and diplo- inatic Frenchman; in the composer of "Caval- leria Rusticana" one perceives, within as well as without, the impulsiveness, the impetuosity, the strong racial temperament of the full-blooded Italian. Quick as lightning in speech and gesture, excitable to the last degree, Mascagni carries his heart upon his sleeve, making no effort, appar- ently, either to conceal his sentiments or his thoughts. Here, plainly stamped, are the frank nature, the dogged perseverance, of the man who, under the most terribly adverse circumstances, was able to compose an opera which exhales the very essence of warm Southern passion, the very breath of free peasant life, the very spirit of Si- cilian jealousy and revenge. Sordid and repul- sive the story is and always must be; yet the music never fails to lift it from out the depths of its dramatic coarseness, and imparts to it a glamour and an intensity of color that few can re- sist. More than once has Mascagni told the tale of the pecuniary worries and the physical suffer- ings that he and his family underwent while he was writing the score of "Cavalleria" in his effort to win the prize offered by the Milanese publisher Edoardo Sonzogno. No wonder the news that he had won it nearly bereft him of his senses. One day, at a dinner given by De Lucia (at the house of his friend Mazzoni in Charlotte Street, Bedford Square), Mascagni told us the sequel. And 381 Thirty Years of if the story of the composition was touching, the less familiar account of his journey to Rome and the staging of "Cavalleria" at the Costanzi Thea- tre was unquestionably as quaint and striking. At the time the news of his success reached him, he was residing in the small Sicilian town of Ceri- gnola, where he filled the post of municipal con- ductor and organist at a tiny salary. Now the Sonzogno prize had not been awarded to Mas- cagTii 's opera alone : it was divided between two (if not among three) of the competitors. Conse- quently, there was considerable doubt as to which of the successful works would te mounted first, or when and where the performance would be. Quite unexpectedly, one morning early in May, 1890, Mascagni received an intimation that "Ca- valleria Rusticana" had been placed in rehear- sal at the Costanzi, and that his presence was forthwith reciuired in Rome. The request came to hand at an unfortunate moment. So straitened were his circumstances that he actuallj^ did not possess sufficient cash to meet the expenses of the journey. However, he contrived to borrow the necessary sum from a friend, and arrived in Rome the next day but one, in good time for the rehearsal. I should like to quote Mascagni 's own words in describing what took place at the theatre, but to give them in cold English, without the aid of his eloquent ges- tures and his wonderful undercurrent of mimicry and "asides," would be to deprive them of half 382 Musical Life in London their significance. Enough that he had barely stepped inside the stage door before he felt him- self upon "hot coals." Not a soul knew him. He had to introduce himself to the manager, who in turn presented him to the company as "the young composer who had been fortunate enough, ' ' and so on. Every one was studiously polite. The celebrated tenor Stagno, who was to honor him by creating the role of Turiddu, made a frigid bow; and the popular Gemma Bellincioni, who had accepted the part of Santuzza, offered him at least three fingers of her right hand. In short, it was a trying moment— particularly so for a youthful musician who was nervous, anxious, and — not over well fed. When the rehearsal began, it quickly became evident that the principals had already invented and arranged most of their "business," and had no thought of submitting their ideas to Mascagni for his approval. Once or twice it was, "Maes- tro, do you like this?" or "Do you care for that?" But, generally speaking, his opinion was not sought; and, although his experience as mu- sical director of a touring operetta company might have enabled him to drop a useful hint, he wisely refrained from interfering where such tre- mendously distinguished artists were concerned. In point of fact, too, he was like a man in a dream— a veritable dream of paradise. Only once did he venture to ask a question, and that was at the outset of the rehearsal, when Stagno Thirty Years of called for a chair just as he was about to begin the Sicilian serenade which Turiddu is heard sing- ing in the prelude. With all humility he begged to inquire what the chair was for. (His imitation of the tenor's tone and attitude when he replied was exquisite.) "Pardon, caro maestro! This is my own little affair. "VATien I want to sing an air con brio I always like to think of ' La donna e mobile, ' which I sing so well because I am all the time holding on to the back of a chair. Now, when I sing your serenade the curtain is down. Very well; no one sees me. I intend therefore to have my chair here to sing it just as if it were the 'Eigoletto' air. You will see, the effect will be superb!" It did not seem to have occurred to Stagno that the serenade in "Cavalleria" is heard approach- ing from the distance and gradually dying away again. But never mind ; he wanted his chair, and Mascagni was very glad to let him have it. For the rest, the rehearsal passed off satisfactorily enough, and the opera went extremely well on the 18th. How it created a furore that was to eon- vert Mascagni into an idol and carry his name and music to the farthest corners of the civilized globe are facts that need no narration here. His debut at Covent Garden took place on June 19, 1893, when he conducted "L'Amico Fritz" with Calve, De Lucia, Pauline Joran, and Dufriche in the cast. He was rapturously greeted by an audi- ence which included so many "royalties" that 384 Musical Life in London there was not room for half of them in the Queen's box. As a matter of course, he speedily became the "lion" of the season. The elements were thus ripe for a fresh triumph when the time came for the production of "I Rantzau" on July 7. Mascagni's third opera had seen the light at Florence only in the previous November. The book appeared to offer a prom- ising combination, being written by the librettist of "Cavalleria Kusticana" and founded upon a novel, "Les Deux Freres, " by MM. Erckmann- Cliatrian, the authors of "L'Amico Fritz." Un- fortunately, the material of the plot proved alto- gether inadequate for a four-act opera, while the love interest which so largely predominated in "L'Amico Fritz" was here subordinated to the events of a sordid quarrel between two wilful, ill- tempered brothers. Moreover, Mascagni treated the quarrel in an intensely tragic vein, which is nowhere more strikingly exemplified than in the long and elaborate finale to the first act. This ambitious piece of writing I have described as strong, rugged, original, and clever. "Neverthe- less, a big effort of the imagination is required to suppose an entire village so upset by a squabble over a field as to stand in two sections in the open piazza, shouting at each other for ten min- utes by the clock!" Even a street row in Nu- remberg, aroused by a matter of genuine public interest, was depicted by Wagner in less time than that. Thirty Years of So, despite the presence and cooperation of the genial young composer, "I Rantzau" was not a success. The principal parts were sung hj Melba, De Lucia, Ancona, David Bispham, and Castel- mary, and the opera was mounted in thoroughly efficient style. In the following week Mascagni found some consolation for this disappointment in the congratulations of the Queen, before wliom he conducted the second act of "L'Amico Fritz" and "Cavalleria Rusticana." I had the pleasure of accompanying him to Windsor on this occa- sion. We had barely arrived at the Castle in the afternoon before Her Majesty sent for the com- poser, and bestowed upon him the unusual honor of an audience in the private apartments just before going on her customarj^ drive. The Queen, speaking sometimes in Italian, but mostly in French, reminded him that she had already heard "Cavalleria," and expressed the deepest interest in his music. We took dinner with the members of the household, and the performance began at half-past nine. Her Majesty, who was accompanied by Princess Henry of Battenberg, Prince and Princess Chris- tian, Princess Henry of Prussia, Princess Louis of Battenberg, and the Grand Duke of Hesse, en- joyed the representation immensely, and directly afterward sent for Signer Mascagni, together with Mme. Calve, Sir Augustus Harris, Signor Vignas, and Signor Ancona, all of whom received hand- some souvenirs. The composer was presented 386 Musical Life in London with a portrait of Her Majesty in a silver frame bearing the autograph inscription, ' ' Victoria R. I., July 15, 1893." In connection with this function I may mention, as a circumstance without prece- dent in operatic management, that Harris simul- taneously gave in London two other representa- tions,— namely, "Faust" at Covent Garden, and "Die Walkiire" at Drury Lane,— employing al- together upward of five hundred persons in the three performances. In the same month, also. Sir Augustus gave, by royal command, a State performance at Covent Garden, in honor of the marriage of the present Prince and Princess of Wales, when "Romeo et Juliette" was given with a cast including Jean and Edouard de Reszke, Plangon, and Melba, Mancinelli conducting. This was the third royal gala representation at the opera within five years. As already noted, the first had been for the Shah of Persia, and the second was in honor of the Em- peror and Empress of Germany. At each of these celebrations the decoration of the auditorium was upon an increasing scale of gorgeous and lavish splendor; but not so that of the vestibule or grand staircase, nor even that of the foyer, since the impresario disliked the idea of spending large sums upon beautifying a building of which he was still only a yearly tenant. Hence an amusing bit of good-humored criticism from the Prince of Wales (now King Edward VII) on the night of the Kaiser's visit in 1891. During one of the in- 3^7 Thirty Years of tervals Harris was sent for and presented to their Imperial Majesties. Before leaving, lie availed himself of the opportnnity quietly to ask the Prince of Wales whether he was pleased with the decorations. His Koyal Highness replied that he was delighted; then, taking the manager apart, he added in an undertone : "Delighted with everything, Harris, but the old carpet in the foyer. It has been there so many years ! Keally, it was too bad not to put down a new one for a night such as this ! ' ' Needless to add that the hint was acted upon long before the next gala night. By the way, on the occasion of the Kaiser's State visit to the opera there was very nearly a big disappointment. Toward midday Sir Augustus received notice from Jean de Eeszke that he was suffering from a bronchial attack and would be unable to sing. The tenor had undertaken to ap- l^ear in scenes from "Lohengrin," "Les Hugue- nots," and "Romeo," and consequently his in- disposition was a very serious affair. Being by chance at Covent Grarden when the news arrived, I undertook to go round to the Continental and see if anything could be done before definitely altering the programme. I found M. de Eeszke unwell, indeed, but by no means voiceless. Whereupon I laid before him arguments in favor of his making a superhuman effort to sing, rather than wholly disappoint so mighty and puissant a personage as the Emperor William II. I sug- 388 Musical Life in London gested that if he could not appear in all three ex- cerpts, he might at least sing in one, which would be a great deal better than not appearing at all. Ultimately, the considerate artist gave way, and I returned to Harris the triumphant bearer of the following characteristic note : [Translated from the French.] Mt dear Friend : Klein has just asked me to sing at least one act of the three that I had promised yon. Consequently I choose that of Borneo as the least fatiguing. Look upon this, my dear friend, as an evidence of my desire to spare you a portion of the trouble occasioned by my indisposi- tion. And in doing so I risk hurting my voice ! Make an announcement. A thousand greetings ! Jean. Two English novelties were added to the rep- ertory of Covent Glarden during the last month of the season; but neither was sung in the ver- nacular, and neither attained to more than a suc- ces d'estime. Isidore de Lara's "Amy Robsart" was set to a French libretto founded by Sir Au- gustus Harris and Paul Milliet upon Scott's "Kenilworth"; and the principal interpreters were Alvarez, Lassalle, Bonnard, Castelmarj^, and Emma Calve, Bevignani conducting. Villiers Stanford's "Veiled Prophet," originally com- posed to the English text of William Barclay Squire (who derived it from Moore's "Lalla 391 Musical Life in London Eookh"), had been produced in German at Han- over in 1881, and was now sung to an Italian ver- sion by Mazzucato. The cast comjirised Lillian Nordica, Lucile Hill, Vignas, and Ancona, and the composer conducted. In addition to these works, Harris mounted Bizet's "Djamileh," Emil Bach's " Irmengarda, " and (at Drury Lane) Ha- levy's "La Juive." The German performances, which did not begin until the end of June, were given under the direction of the celebrated May- ence conductor, Emil Steinbaeh. Again was Max Alvary the principal tenor ; while among the more notable recruits were Frau Moran-Olden, Frau Reuss-Belce, Fraulein Meisslinger, and the tal- ented Polish contralto, Fraulein Olitzka. 392 CHAPTER XVII A double artistic jubilee— August Manns honored— Garcia's "Hints on Singing" — Opera in 1894— New orchestral institu- tions— Opening of Queen's Hall— A procession of famous conductors— Eichard Strauss— With Seidl at Bayreuth— A Wagner anecdote— Covent Garden in 1895— New pianists. THE English jubilee of Josei^li Joachim and Alfredo Piatti was celebrated on March 22, 1894, by a reception at the GJ-rafton Galleries, which the leading journal declared to be the most interesting event of its kind that had taken place in London since the memorable Liszt reception at the Gfrosvenor Gallery eight years before. For the organization of this function I was largely responsible as honorary secretary of the execu- tive committee ; and my duties constituted a veri- table labor of love, a glad tribute to the two great artists who, by a remarkable coincidence, had made their first appearance before the British pub- lic within a few weeks of each other in the spring of 1844. Unlike Liszt, neither of the honored guests on this occasion jjerformed a solo upon his instru- ment. The only music was that furnished by what the late Lord Leighton was pleased to describe 393 Thirty Years of as " a good band. ' ' ^ The formal proceedings of the evening consisted of nothing more than the presentation of illuminated addresses, — one read by Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the other by Sir George Grove, — to which each artist in turn made an extempore reply. The addresses naturally laid stress upon the ties of friendship and affection that united the recipients to British lovers of music, and they gave expression to the deep admi- ration felt by the latter, as well as their gratitude to the distinguished artists for the inestimable benefits that had accrued to the cause of music in England through their yearly presence there. The replies, both delivered under the influence of profound emotion, were essentially characteristic of the modesty and single-hearted devotion of the two musicians. Piatti created much amusement by his reference to a "little fat boy in tight trou- sers," whom he saw make his first appearance in ' In this respect the Berlin celebration of Dr. Joachim 's ju- bilee was, of course, far more interesting. Then a grand concert was given, at which every member of the orchestra was a former student of the Hochschule, every individual fiddler a pupil of the ' ' King of Violinists ' ' ; while, to make things perfect, the hero of the night was ultimately persuaded to take his violin and bow from three of his fair musical children and delight his excited auditors with a solo by Bach. I went over expressly to attend that unique and brilliant function. The orchestra was directed by Herr Steinbach, and as long as I live I shall never forget the magnificent quality of the tone of those violins or the superb elan that marked the performance of Weber 's ' ' Euryanthe ' ' overture. Every player was an artist of repute, and the total value of the stringed instruments was computed at a quarter of a million dollars. 394 2 ^^ ^ 9 - >- Musical Life in London London in 1844. "He had blooming cheeks and a short jacket, and he stepped up on the platform at the Philharmonic Concert and played Beetho- ven's violin concerto in such style that everybody was astonished. It was my good fortune to be very much associated with the little boy in after years ; and his name was that of my friend, the great artist, Joseph Joachim." The renowned violinist, for his part, referred to his introduction by Mendelssohn to that hospita- ble land, and to the great advance which the Eng- lish people had made in their appreciation of chamber music, and instrumental music generally, during the past fifty years. He remembered how once in those far back days, when he had suggested that he should play at a concert Beethoven's lovely romance in F, he was informed there was a danger that the composition would be thought too classical. Now the quartets of the great mas- ters were constantly played, and a large section of the people heard them with delight. If he had helped in any way toward the advance that had taken place, he was proud and happy; for he looked upon England as his second home, where he had met with no envy, but only the kindest appreciation, and to which country he was bound by the closest ties of friendship. These words will not be quickly forgotten by an assembly that was, indeed, of a nature to do honor to the occa- sion. Art was represented by Lord Leighton, P. E. A., Mr. Alma Tadema, E. A., and Mr. J. C. 397 Thirty Years of Horsley, R. A. ; the law by the Lord Chancellor, Judge Meadows White, Q. C, and Sir George Lewis ; and music by, among others, Sir Arthur Sullivan, Sir Joseph Barnby, Sir John Stainer, Sir Charles and Lady Halle, Sir Charles Hubert Parry, Sir J. F. Bridge, Mr. Edward Lloyd, Mr. Santley, Mr. Louis Ries, Mr. Ludwig Straus, Mr. S. Arthur Chappell, Professor Villiers Stanford, Mr. August Manns, Mr. F. H. Cowen, Mr. W. H. Cummings, Miss Agnes Zimmermann, Miss Fanny Davies, Mr. Leonard Borwick, Mr. Alfred Gibson, Dr. C. Harford Lloyd, and Mr. Franklin Taylor. It was my good fortune to undertake similar administrative duties in connection with the suc- cessful reception held at the same galleries in May, 1895, to celebrate the seventieth birthday of the popular Crj^stal Palace conductor, August Manns. In this instance the members of the Crys- tal Palace band volunteered their services out of compliment to their chief, who directed an in- teresting programme ; while an address was read and presented by his old colleague. Sir George Grove, eulogizing the veteran conductor for the noble attitude he had assumed toward British mu- sic and British musicians. Furthermore, Queen Victoria's musical second son, the late Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, attended the reception, and pinned upon Mr. Manns 's breast the Coburg Order for ' ' Kunst und Wissenschaft. ' ' Apropos of birthday honors, I may also mention Musical Life in London that on March 17, 1894, Manuel Garcia entered upon his ninetieth year ; and his brother profes- sors at tlie E-oyal Academy of Music seized the opportunity to present him with a silver tea- and coffee-service, accompanied by an illuminated ad- dress. Later in the same year, the venerable maestro brought out his second and last test-book upon the art wherein he had labored with such distinguished success for nearly three quarters of a century. In the compilation of "Hints on Singing," as this instructive catechism is called, I was fortunately able to render Signor Garcia material assistance; and the help thus gladly ten- dered finds gracious acknowledgment in the pref- ace. The "Hints" are published in the United States as well as in England, but have not yet attained the wide recognition that they deserve.^ The bewildering rapidity with which novelty succeeded novelty during the Covent Garden sea- ^ The following quotation from the preface of ' ' Hints on Sing- ing ' ' affords an admirably suecinct statement of Signor Garcia 's views upon the degeneracy of the coloratur singer: "At the present day the acquirement of flexibility is not in great esteem, and were it not, perhaps, for the venerable Handel, declamatory music would reign alone. This is to be regretted, for not only must the art suffer, but also the young fresh voices, to which the brilliant florid style is the most congenial; the harder and more settled organs being best suited for declamation. It would not be difSeult to trace the causes of the decline of the florid style. Let it sufiiee, however, to mention, as one of the most important, the disappearance of the race of great singers who, beside originating this art, carried it to its highest point of excellence. The impresario, influenced by the exigencies of the modern prima donna, has been constrained to offer less gifted 399 Thirty Years of son of 1894 has had no parallel either before or since. Within the space of three weeks (June 10 to June 30) Sir Augustus Harris mounted Mas- senet's "Werther" and "La Navarraise, " Al- fred Bruneau's "L'Attaque du Moulin," and Frederic Cowen's "Signa"; the second of these being given for the first time on any stage. Both the French composers came over to superintend the production of their works. Massenet was as much disappointed by the comparative failure of "Werther" as he was delighted over the enthu- siasm that greeted that "blood-and-thunder" little music-drama "La Navarraise," which, how- ever, owed its temporary vogue chiefly to the ge- nius of Emma Calve. "L'Attaque du Moulin" won a more genuine artistic success, even if it did not secure a permanent place in the repertory, aikii'/an ineffaceable impression was made by the giifted'jmezzo-soprano, Mile. Delna, who then ap- pea,red here for the first time. Her Marcelline wSiS,^, superb creation; and Bouvet's embodiment of the" kind-hearted old miller, Pere Merlier, was diSo extremely fine. The performance, directed by Philippe Flon, was of astonishing excellence. M. Bruneau assured me he found it equal in every respect to that at the Opera-Comique, and he— and ac-complisheJ virtuose to the composer, who in turn has been compelled to simplify the role of the voice and to rely more and more upon orchestral effects. Thus, singing is becoming as much a lost art as the manufacture of mandarin china or the varnish used by the old masters. ' ' 400 Musical Life in London professional critic as well as composer — is by no means easy to please. Mr. Cowen's "Signa" was not sung in Eng- lish. Originally composed to a libretto by the late Gilbert a Beckett (founded on Ouida's novel), and intended for the defunct Koyal English Op- era, it had been produced in November, 1893, at the Dal Verme Theatre, Milan, where it was, of course, sung in Italian. It was now given at Co- vent Garden with the same foreign text, the prin- cipal parts being filled by Mme. de Nuovina, Ben Davies, and Ancona, while the composer con- ducted. So with another English novelty, "The Lady of Longford, ' ' produced later in the season : the book was by Augustus Harris, and the mu- sic had been set to it by Emil Bach ; but for the performance Paul Milliet, a Parisian librettist, was called in, and the opera was sung in French by Emma Eames, Alvarez, and Edouard de Eeszke. Neither of these productions attained to more than passing favor. To the above record must be added two new Italian operas, Verdi's "Falstaff" and Puccini's "Manon Lescaut, " both of which were brought out early in the season; and so well did the for- mer please that no fewer than eight performances were given of the old master's exquisite musical comedy. The German representations, as in the previous year, took place at Drury Lane, Klaf- sky and Alvary again heading the list of artists, with a new conductor, Herr Lohse, who returned 401 Thirty Years of to London in the same capacity in 1902. The fea- tures of the Carl Eosa season were a stage ver- sion of Berlioz's "Faust"; a new romantic opera, "Jeanie Deans," written by Jose^Dh Bennett and composed by Hamish MacCunn ; and the first pro- duction in England of Humperdinck's "Hansel und Gretel." At Covent Garden and Drury Lane alone, however, — that is to say, quite apart from the Carl Rosa productions, — ninety-two perform' ances of twenty-seven operas were given in eleven weeks, and of these works seven were mounted for the first time in London. Amid this orgy of operatic activity, another no- table development was in progress. I refer to the growing taste for orchestral music of the highest class. It was welcome for more than one reason. Accurately reading the signs of the times, it was impossible to shut one's eyes to the fact that ora- torio was on the downward path ; that the once characteristic English love for choral music was distinctly waning. Without the Royal Choral So- ciety in London, without the prosperous provincial festivals and the legion of small choral societies in all parts of the kingdom, the oratorio and the cantata to-day might be looked upon in the light of a "negligible quantity." The vast majority of metropolitan music-lovers would never miss them. It is more difflcult to account for this than for the decline of institutions like the Crystal Palace and the Popular Concerts. The latter have lost their hold upon the public as the centre of ar- 402 Musical Life in London tistic movemeut has shifted from one scene to an- other, as the old supporters have died out, or as the famous performers most intimately associated with these enterprises one by one have disappeared from the platform. The opening of the new Queen's Hall, in Lang- ham Place, added a locale of much-needed interme- diate size to the number of London's concert- rooms. Any hope that it might be put to profitable use for choral performances was fairly dispelled by the experiences of a season or two. On the other hand, under the energetic management of Mr. Robert Newman, the popularity of orchestral music largely increased. In this direction the ap- petite of the public seemed to grow by what it fed upon, and the advent of a new and talented Eng- lish conductor in the person of Mr. Henry J. Wood added just that touch of personal magnetism, of attractive individuality, without which the finest collection of instrumental performers may appeal in vain. In a word, the Queen's Hall band and their leader quickly won renown, and their con- certs were soon to be regarded as synonymous with well-chosen schemes, interesting novelties, and ad- mirable performances. Nor did the effect of this growing love for or- chestral music end here. It brought augmented support to the Philharmonic Society, and it led to the establishment at Queen's Hall of an annual series of concerts in frank imitation of those given at St. James's Hall under the direction of Hans 403 Thirty Years of Bichter. For this undertaking, managed by Mr. Alfred Schulz-Curtius, London was favored, sea- son after season, with a veritable procession of more or less renowned foreign conductors. First and foremost, in 1894, came Felix Mottl, the gifted Karlsruhe Kapellmeister ; then, later in the same year, the youthful and ambitious Siegfried Wag- ner. In 1895 the late Hermann Levi paid a solitary visit; subsequently came Felix Weingartner, Ni- kisch, and Richard Strauss. But for at least two or three concerts every year until the enterprise was abandoned did Felix Mottl direct perform- ances of Beethoven symphonies and Wagner ex- cerpts that were distinguished by a very high order of merit. During the same period, in a fitting- spirit of emulation, Mr. Robert Newman secured the services of the famous French conductors MM. Lamoureux and Colonne. At first these musicians brought over their own orchestras, and some mag- nificent work was done by both. The plan, how- ever, proved too expensive, and, while M. Colonne did not repeat his visit, his accomplished rival was content, after one or two seasons, to utilize, when he came, the excellent material of the Queen 's Hall band. This he did until just before his death, which occurred in 1899. It was at the concert conducted by Hermann Levi on April 25, 1895, that that fine artist, Milka Ter- nina, made her London debut. This was the only occasion on which I ever heard her sing "off the key." The high English pitch was still employed 404 I'ri>ni II plidtiigrai'li liy I>aviH A: SiiTiford, N. Y. TERNINA Musical Life in London then at Queen's Hall, and it frequently upset her intonation ; beside, her singing lacked the freedom and inspiration that it acquires in a stage per- formance. I remarked at the time: "Fraulein Ternina has a splendid voice, and is a singer of re- markable intelligence ; but it is evidently only in combination with her qualities as an actress that she can display these rare gifts in their true light. ' ' And my words were fully borne out when the Mu- nich soprano made her first apj^earance at Covent Grarden, three years later, in her superb embodi- ment of Isolde. Her triumph in that instance was brilliant and complete. Siegfried Wagner came twice to London. In the autumn of 1894 he challenged criticism as a con- ductor only, and was ' ' let off ' ' pretty lightly. He wielded the baton with his left hand, but his beat was firm and distinct, and his readings, if color- less, were intelligent and clear. In the summer of 1895 he appeared as a composer, and presented to the world, for the first time, a symphonic poem written after Schiller's "Sehnsucht. " This work revealed promise, but it was "the promise of the child who tries to run before he can walk, the pre- maturely exposed talent of the artist who repre- sents on canvas some great problem of human life before he has mastered the art of mixing his col- ors." At the same concert he gave a practical demonstration of his father's ideas concerning the interpretation of Beethoven's "little" symphony in F. On the other hand, his reading of the "Der 407 Thirty Years of Freischiitz ' ' overture was ' ' simply remarkable for wilful eccentricity and a flagrant disregard for the obvious intentions of the composer." Eichard Strauss paid his first visit to England in December, 1897. His songs and chamber pieces were tolerably well known, but of his orchestral works only three had so far been heard in London— namely, the symphony in F (April 12) and the sym- phonic poems, "Till Eulenspiegel " and "Also sprach Zarathustra." He now brought with him the ' ' Tod und Verklarung, ' ' wherein is depicted the death struggle of a man before whose mental vision there passes the panorama of a wasted life, fol- lowed by the man's transfiguration, as his re- deemed soul passes out of earthly existence into a higher state. The second section of this remark- able work made an especially deep impression, and at the close the composer was overwhelmed with applause. Strauss 's gifts as a conductor were made manifest in very positive fashion. In his own mu- sic startling contrasts, powerful crescendos, and ex- citing climaxes naturally abounded. In the inter- pretation of Mozart and Wagner he displayed an admirable command of dynamic effects, ranging from the most delicate to the most sonorous; and in everything alike he revealed the intellectual in- sight and authority, the artistic culture, the mag- netic force, the strong individuality of a musician of genius. The name of Anton Seidl may perhaps be missed from the group of leading German conductors enu- 408 Musical Life in London merated above. As a matter of fact, however, Seidl scarcely had an opportunity of displaying his pow- ers in London as a concert conductor. His appear- ances there were solely in connection with opera— the "Nibeltingen" perfoi-mances at Her Majesty's in 1882, and the German representations at Covent Garden in 1897. In the course of the latter I saw him frequently, and one night he accompanied me to a Kichter concert at St. James's Hall. He had not seen his great Viennese rival upon the platform for many years, and was especially curious to hear his rendering of Tschaikowsky 's "Pathetique" symphony. He was delighted with every feature save one. Directly after starting the second (5-4) movement, Eichter laid down his baton and al- lowed the band to proceed without guidance to the end of the piece. Seidl knit his brows and looked stern, but did not utter a word till the room was ringing with applause. Then he turned to me and said: "I wish he had not done that. It was to show that, in spite of the awkward rhythm, his men could keep perfectly together without the beat, and maintain the necessary precision all through the movement. So they did ; but the result was a very machine-like performance. It was much less crisp and animated than it would have been if Richter had conducted it with his arm as well as with his eyes!" The last time I saw Seidl was at Bayreuth in 1897. He was conducting "Parsifal" that sum- mer; and what a glorious treat it was to listen to 409 Thirty Years of the orchestra under him, immediately after the blurred and ponderous execution of the "Nibelun- gen" under Siegfried Wagner! On one of the "off days" of the festival, Seidl invited his friend Francis Neilson and myself to lunch with him at the ' ' Schwarze Adler. ' ' ' The usually quiet, re- served musician was disposed to ' ' come out of his shell" that afternoon, for when lunch was over he developed a communicative mood such as neither Neilson nor I had ever observed in him before. He told us story after story of his early experiences with Wagner, dating from the time when he first went to Bayreuth in 1875 for the purpose of act- ing as his secretary and of assisting to make a "clean copy" of the score of the "Ring." His preliminary interview with the master in the li- brary at Wahnfried was among his more vivid recollections. When he entered the room he thought no one was there but himself. So he '■ Anton Seidl was at that period setting to music for the stage the first part of a trilogy entitled ' ' Manabozo, ' ' written by Francis Neilson, and founded upon the myths of the North Amer- ican Indians. The fact was kept secret, and nobody seems to have heard any of the music but Mr. Neilson (now stage man- ager of the Eoyal Opera, Covent Garden), who declared that it possessed beauty and originality of no mean order. I understood that the first part of the trilogy had been fully sketched and was partially scored for orchestra ; but what became of the score I am unable to say. The poem of "Manabozo" was published separately in Loudon in 1899 by John Macqueen, Norfolk Street, Strand, and was dedicated by the author to the memory of Anton Seidl. The preface states that this work was Seidl 's ' ' dearest aim," and that his "confidence and belief in the subject and its potentialities ' ' were extraordinary. 410 Musical Life in London pulled out his letter of introduction and inwardly rehearsed for the twentieth time the little speech which he had prepared. Suddenly, from out of a dark corner, where he had been reading or searching for a book, there sprang into view — Ri- chard Wagner ! The apparition so completely up- set poor Seidl's equanimity that he found him- self unable to utter a single sentence of his speech. Even in reply to the master's questions he could barely manage to blurt out a monosyllable. At last Wagner dismissed him with the remark, "If you work as well as you hold your tong-ue you will do. ' ' And from that time forward his capacity for silence was a standing joke at Wahnfried. Seidl also told us the "fish story" which he related to Mr. H. T. Finck ^ as an instance of Wag- ner 's love of animals, with the additional informa- tion that this quaint encounter with the old fish- woman at the Bayreuth railway station was the immediate cause of the famous diatribe which the sensitive composer penned against the practice of vivisection. Another anecdote narrated by Seidl, and possessing an even wider interest, is worth setting down here at length. Early in December, 1878, Wagner made up his mind that his wife should be serenaded on her birthday at Christmas with the strains of the " Vor- spiel" to "Parsifal," of which work he had then completed the first act. The only question was how to obtain an orchestra. After some reflec- 1" Wagner and Ms Works," by H. T. Finck, Vol. II, p. 203. 411 Thirty Years of tion, Wagner determined to procure the services of the celebrated Meiningen performers, but of course without tlieir conductor, then no other than Dr. Hans von Biilow, Frau Cosima Wagner's first husband. The project was kept a profound secret, and young Anton Seidl was forthwith despatched to Meiningen to arrange matters with the band. He arrived there early in the morning, and went direct to the hotel at which von Biilow was staying. The worthy doctor was practising, and, being unac- quainted with Seidl, sent out word that he could not see him until eleven o'clock. Accordingly, at that hour he presented himself at the great pian- ist 's apartment and was duly ushered into his pres- ence. At the first mention of Wagner's name von Biilow drew himself up and inquired in an icy tone what it was that Herr Wagner wanted. Seidl explained the object of his mission. "Well," replied the doctor, "you must permit me to inform you that I do not occupy myself at all with the engagements of my orchestra. It Herr Wagner requires their services, his ambassador must be good enough to address himself to my Conzertmeister. Good morning." And with that he stiffly bowed Seidl out. The "ambassador" quickly found the leader of the band, and, the Duke of Meiningen 's permission being readily granted, it was arranged that the men should be at Bayreuth by a certain evening. They assembled in good time at the Sonne Hotel, where Wagner met them and conducted a rehear- 412 Musical Life in London sal of the " Vorspiel." Early next morning, while Frau Cosima was still asleep, the heavier instru- ments were conveyed to Wahnfried, and the play- ers quietly stationed themselves at their desks in the vestibule and upon the staircase. When all was ready, Wagner gave the signal, and his much-hon- ored wife awoke from her slumbers to hear for the first time the mystic phrases of the prelude to "Parsifal." In 1895, for the first time for eight years, there was a London opera season without the coopera- tion of Jean de Reszke. This was the year of Mme. Patti's return to the stage of Covent Gar- den, an event to which reference has already been made. Prior to her rentree the diva sang at a Philharmonic concert, and was presented on that occasion with the society's gold medal — an honor bestowed upon only sixteen musicians before her. Her six appearances at the Opera (as Violetta and Rosina) resulted in a splendid and unparalleled tri- umph for herself and a handsome profit for her old friend Augustus Harris. Another welcome return was that of Marcella Sembrich, who had not sung in London since 1884, and was now a greater artist than ever. The prime donne further included Melba, Calve, Albani, Emma Eames, Marie Engie, and Marguerite Macintyre— altogether a rare galaxy of soprano talent; so that, with Tamagno, De Lucia, and Alvarez dividing the principal tenor work, the absence of the distinguished Pole was less felt than it otherwise would have been. The 413 Thirty Years of principal debutante was Gemma Bellincioni, but her lack of vocal charm was fatal to the chance of the original Santuzza winning favor in England. The only important novelty was Frederic Cowen's "Harold," a four-act dramatic opera, composed to a weak libretto by Sir Edward Malet, and, mirabile dictu, sung in English before a Co- vent Garden audience in mid-season ! The fine music of this work deserved more enduring suc- cess. The cast comprised Mme. Albani, Miss Meisslinger, Philip Brozel, David Bispham, and Richard Green ; but, unluckily, there was a lack of distinction (and distinctness) about the general rendering that was scarcely calculated to engender in aristocratic auditors any particular love of op- era in the vernacular. Anyhow, the English ex- periment was never repeated ; while, on the other hand, a performance of ' ' Tannhauser ' ' in French, given later in the summer, was hailed with posi- tive delight. Concurrently with the regular Covent Garden enterprises, the stock company from the ducal theatre at Coburg appeared at Drury Lane in a series of light German operas comprising "Der Vogelhandler, " " Die Fledermaus, ' ' and ' ' Die ver- kaufte Braut." These admirable representations were thoroughly appreciated. It is timely here to note the gradual advent of the new generation of modern pianists, filling in the gaps left by the decease of favorites like Mme. Schumann, Anton Rubinstein, Hans von Billow, and Sir Charles Halle, all of whom died between 414 w %■ Oh g. D £ a I fr^ 2 Musical Life in London 1894 and 1896. The predominant position of Pa- derewski had long since been assured; now, how- ever, came Moritz Rosenthal and Eugen d 'Albert, seeking a London indorsement of the reputations they had already won on the Continent and in America. In each ease the general verdict was emphatically ratified. Moritz Rosenthal's debut at the Richter concerts (June 10, 1895), when he played the Liszt concerto in E flat, created a gen- uine sensation ; and his subsequent recitals con- firmed the opinion that he possessed the most phe- nomenal technique of any living pianist. Eugen d 'Albert was regarded in the light of a "prodigal." A native of Glasgow and educated at the National Training School for Music in London, he might with all fairness have been termed a Brit- ish product. He preferred, however, to call himself a German, and had not stood upon an English con- cert platform since boyhood till he appeared at Queen's Hall under Felix Mottl (April 28, 1896), and gave a magnificent performance of Beetho- ven's E flat or "Emperor" concerto. He had a cold reception, but after he had played it became evident that the old grievances had been forgotten in the presence of a legitimate virtuoso, of a true artist possessing the fire of unmistakable genius. Personally I admire his' playing immensely ; and as an interpreter of Beethoven, it is upon the shoul- ders of d 'Albert that the mantle of Rubinstein, to my thinking, has fallen. His place as a composer will have to be decided by a future generation. Musical Life in London AmoDg other native pianists now coming to the fore were Frederic Lamond and Frederick Dawson, natives of Scotland and Lancashire, respectively. Ilona Eibenschiitz, a pupil of Mme. Schumann, had become quite a favorite ; and the romantic school had also a gifted and popular exponent in the clever Hungarian artist Benno Schonberger. Also note- worthy were the debuts at about the same time of Emil Sauer, Ferrucio Busoni, and Ossip Gabrilo- witsch. 4 i8 CHAPTER XVIII A visit to America — Jean de Reszke as a German singer — Nor- dioa's triumph — A private recital of " Tristan " — The London season of 1896 — Death of Sir Augustus Harris — Two funerals at St. Paul's— Edward Elgar— " In a Persian Garden "— Charles Salaman — Puccini's "La Boheme " — Operas and de- buts in 1897 — Opera at Windsor: the Queen's last "com- mands." JEAN DE RESZKE'S first appearance as a German singer in Wagnerian opera was des- tined to take place, not in England, but in America. This was during the winter of 1895-96. My im- patience to hear him sing in German was natural, for I had fully sympathized with his desire to escape from the trammels of the Italian transla- tion, and had done my share toward paving the way for his mastery of the original text. Fortune was kind enough to afford me an earlier opportunity than I had anticipated of enjoying the fruit of this endeavor. It happened that at Easter, 1896, I paid my first visit to the United States for the pur- pose of attending the production of the comic opera ' ' El Capitan, ' ' of which my brother, Charles Kleiti, was the author and John Philip Sousa the com- poser. Directly after that successful event I spent a week in New York, just when Mr. Grau 's supple- 419 Thirty Years of mentary season at the Metropolitan Opera House was aiDproacliing its close. I had hoped, before my return to England, to hear both ' ' Lohengrin ' ' and ' * Tristan ' ' in German ; but, as it turned out, I could not remain for the latter. My passage was booked for Saturdaj^, and "Tris- tan" was not to be given until the following Mon- day. In vain did the warm-hearted Polish brothers endeavor to persuade me to stay and sail with them on Wednesday. I dared not delay my return by a single day. I should have to be content, therefore, with hearing "Lohengrin," and wait for "Tris- tan" until it was done at Covent Garden later in the spring. That is precisely what did occur ; but my self-denial was first to receive compensation in the shape of a very rare, if not unparalleled com- pliment—one of those tributes of personal regard which we appreciate most when they are perfectly spontaneous and unpremeditated. It was arranged that we were all to sup together in Mme. Nordica's apartments at the Savoy after the performance of "Lohengrin." Our hostess was, indeed, the heroine, in a special sense, of that representation ; for after the bridal scene she was presented with a superb diamond tiara, which had been subscribed for by the leaders of New York society. The assemblage was one of the most bril- liant and crowded of the season. It was the first time I ever saw the Metropolitan Opera House, and I was much struck with its handsome proportions. Then again, under Anton Seidl 's magic wand, the 420 Cuiiyriyht, la'jy, ijy A. Dupont, N. Y. NORDIC'A AS BKUNNIIILDE Musical Life in London performance touched at all points a very higli level of excellence. Finally, I derived immense pleasure from tlie novel sensation of hearing Jean and Edouard de Eeszke as exponents of Wagner's own text. Their conscientious enunciation of each syl- lable, their accurate diction, and their admirable accent seemed to impart an added dignity alike to the music and to their impersonations. Even the more cultivated listener might easily have im- agined them to be native German singers. Mme. Nordica, too, handled the German words with re- markable facility and confidence. Altogether, it was a most meritorious achievement. The subsequent reunion at the hotel found every one in the highest spirits. Beside the three artists, there were present Mme. Nordica 's sister (Mrs. Walker) and Mr. Amherst Webber, the talented English maestro al piano, who had recently acted as accompanist to the brothers in their Wagnerian studies. After supper the conversation turned upon Bayreuth, and allusion was made to a certain half-promise given by Jean de Eeszke to Frau Co- sima, that he would one day sing Tristan and Walther, or perhaps even Siegfried, at the festi- val. I remarked that, after what I had heard that night, I entertained no doubts concerning the adequate quality of his accent. This only elicited a further request that I would stay in New York until I had heard how it sounded in "Tristan." Then the distinguished tenor turned to Mme. Nor- dica and proposed that, as I was evidently not to 423 Thirty Years of be made to alter my determination, the best thing they could do would be to "bring the mountain to Mohammed" and sing some "Tristan" to me there and then; and that between one and two in the morning, and after a heavy opera like "Lohen- grin"! Surely it was not possible. But surprise and incredulitj^ quickly changed to delight. For, without an instant's hesitation, Mme. Nordica con- sented; Mr. Webber went to the piano and played a few introductory bars ; and, almost before I could realize what was being done, the two gifted artists were warbling the wondrous love scene from Wagner's immortal music-drama. They did not spare themselves, either, these gen- erous friends. They sang with full voice; they went through not only the scene with which they had started, but the duet of the tirst act as well ; and, from beginning to end, the exquisite beauty of their phrasing, the blending of their voices in per- fect intonation and unity of color, the significance of their supreme dramatic interpretation, con- stituted at once a marvel and a revelation. It was a strange experience, sitting at the supjoer-table (for none of us but Mr. Webber had moved from our seats) while for an hour or more those two famous singers reveled in the enjojmient of their self-imposed task — undertaken for the sole purpose of conferring pleasure upon an old friend. The picture of that night remains vividly imprinted upon my mind, even as its vocal spell lives fresh and fragrant among my most treasured memories. 424 Musical Life in London I shall always be grateful for the privilege of hav- ing listened to some of the grandest pages of "Tris- tan" under such novel and interesting conditions. A month later the de Reszkes were at Covent Garden, giving habitues a taste of their quality as German singers in "Lohengrin," "Tristan," and "Die Meistersinger. " Their success was unquali- fied. In the new Tristan was hailed the beau-ideal — the perfect conception and the complete realiza- tion — of the noblest of Wagner's knightly heroes. The Konig Marke and the Hans Sachs of Edouard de Reszke won unstinted admiration. Also to be noted was the Pogner of Pol Plangon, an artist whose magnificent organ and supreme gifts alike as singer and as actor had by this time won him immense popularity in London. Unfortunately, Mme. Nordica did not come that season to share in the triumphs of the new German campaign. Al- bani sang Elsa and Isolde; Emma Eames was the Eva— and a delightful one, I remember. But the Gallic craze was still rampant, and in the midst of all this good work we were amazed at the spectacle of a performance of "Die Walkiire" in French, with Alvarez (not Alvary, poor fellow!) as Sieg- mund, Lola Beeth as Sieglinde, Mantelli (sic) as Brunnhilde, Albers as Wotan, and Castelmary as Hunding! Little need to state that the absurd and useless proceeding was a dismal failure. The most notable event of the season of 1896 was, alas ! the death of Sir Augustus Harris. It was in the middle of June, at a moment when every- 425 Thirty Years of thing appeared bright and prosperous, that Lon- don was startled by the sudden illness and prema- ture decease of its favorite manager. Only forty- four years of age, the universally popular "Gus" died amid general expressions of sorrow. Like Tom Bowling in the ballad, "his friends were many and true-hearted"; these mourned for the man. But countless were the numbers of those that had never known him, yet deplored the loss of the genial worker who had catered generously to their theatrical amusement, and had raised opera in England from a "moribund" state to its present flourishing condition. Harris did not realize the limit of his physical powers. Though his heart was only in two or three undertakings, his brain and hand were in a dozen. When death overtook him he was actually struggling to revive the lan- guishing fortunes of the huge circus business known as Olympia ! ' ' His genius was of that Napoleonic order which comes but rarely into existence and still more rarely finds its exact bent. His spirit moved with the times; it was fin cle siecle in the most marked de- gree, and it brooked the interference of tradition only when by so doing it could secure the sur- vival of the fittest. ^Vhere the public taste was concerned his instinct seldom erred; he knew pre- cisely what his patrons wanted and how best to give it them. As impresario, manager, entrepre- neur, dramatist, librettist, and stage manager, all rolled into one, he was absolutely unique; and it 426 ■,'J/£!2£iSad£fi^^ -i--J Musical Life in London may be taken for granted that we shall 'ne'er look upon his like again.' " These words are as true to-day as they were when I wrote them nearly seven years ago. Sir Augustus Harris was buried at Ken- sal Green Cemetery, in the presence of an assem- blage numbering many thousands. The problem of carrying on his chief operatic concern was solved by the formation of the Covent Garden Syndicate, the capital for which was furnished by the leading subscribers. Of this body Earl de Grey and Mr. H. V. Higgins were appointed directors, while Mr. Maurice Grau undertook the duties of managing director, and Mr. Neil Forsyth those of secretary. Many other notable figures disappeared from the scene in this same year— among them Mme. Clara Schumann, Sir Joseph Barnby, Ambroise Thomas, Frau Klafsky, Italo Campanini, Henry Leslie, and Lewis Thomas, the Welsh basso. Of these the most interesting to the English musical community in general were the two talented choral conductors, Joseph Barnby and Henry Leslie, the former re- markable as a trainer of large vocal bodies, as that at the Albert Hall; the latter well known as the founder and leader of the Leslie Choir, probably the most wonderful embodiment of a perfect choral ensemble that London ever possessed, not except- ing even the Bach Choir in its best days. I knew both men well, but was more intimately acquainted with Sir Joseph Barnby, with whom, after he suc- ceeded Weist Hill as principal of the Guildhall School of Music, I was brought into almost daily Thirty Years of association. It was a pity he ever went to that institution. The work killed him, even as the dis- appointment of failing to secure the appointment killed his rival candidate, Sir William Cusins. Barnby is now remembered more for his church music than for his deeds with the baton. Yet he told me once that his greatest ambition was to be an operatic conductor; and I quite iDelieved that when he deprived me of my post as conductor of the opera class at the Guildhall School in order to fill it himself, — though necessarily in perfunctory fashion, for he could not really spare the time. Well, I bore him no grudge on that account. We were the best of friends to the end; and when he died (January 28, 1896) I readily complied with Lady Barnby 's request to organize the arrange- ments for the funeral service, which was held in St. Paul's Cathedral. This I did in conjunction with my friend Mr. Alfred Littleton, and in order to ob- tain the requisite experience for directing so elabor- ate a function I attended the funeral of Lord Leigh- ton, who was buried in the cathedral on the previous day. The crowds were enormous, and the difficul- ties of the Barnby ceremony were increased in that, after the service at St. Paul's, the coffin had to be taken away for interment at Norwood Cemetery. Five years later I was called upon to perform a similar mournful duty in connection with the fu- neral of Sir Arthur Sullivan, who, like Lord Leigh- ton, was deemed worthy of a niche in the crypt of the cathedral. Neither light nor pleasant was the 430 Musical Life in London labor of arranging these solemn functions ; yet they will remain always among the proudest and most notable events of my life. I seldom attended the festivals of the Three Choirs. They rarely yielded music of an "epoch- making" character, and they always occurred at the beginning of September, just when I was enjoy- ing my hard-earned holiday. I was warned, how- ever, not to miss the Worcester Festival of 1896; and I am glad I did not. That was the meeting which lifted Edward Elgar out of his obscurity as a Malvern teacher and revealed him to his countrymen as a musician of high attainments and still higher promise. For once the "local man" turned out to be something better than your or- dinary writer of ' ' Kapellmeistermusik ' ' ; for once the dip in the local lottery-bag yielded a genuine prize. Edward Elgar produced at this festival a short oratorio entitled "The Light of Life," founded upon the miracle of the healing of the blind man, related in the ninth chapter of St. John. Its ori- ginality, the sense of proportion and tone-color dis- played in the choral and orchestral effects, the bold ■and masterful treatment of the leading themes, and the generally engrossing character of the mu- sic fairly took connoisseurs by surjarise, and pre- pared them for the development which so rapidly placed Edward Elgar in the very forefront of con- temporary British composers. From "The Light of Life " to " The Dream of Gerontius ' ' represents 431 Thirty Years of an enormous stride, and every phase of the transi- tion is replete with interest. It would be hard to say in which direction— orchestral or choral mu- sic—his genius shows the more powerful bent. In both it seems to me that his individuality and im- aginative force are equally striking, his technical resources equally comprehensive ; and, at the same time, fully on a par with his gifts as a musician are his modest and unassuming yet sterling ciualities as a man. One warm July night in 1896 I was present at a large musical party given by the late Mrs. Edward Goetz at her house in Hyde Park Ter- race. Always enjoyable were the entertainments of this liberal and sympathetic patroness of the art, who was a daughter of Mr. J. M. Levy, the founder of the "Daily Telegraph," and sister of Sir Ed- ward Lawson, the genial proprietor of that jour- nal. This, however, was a noteworthy occasion, since it brought to a first hearing a composition which was destined to win popularity in every land where English song flourishes— I refer to Liza Lehmann's graceful and fascinating setting of lines from Omar Khayyam's "Kubaiyat" ("In a Persian Garden"). I shall not readily forget the mingled surprise and admiration awakened by the novel fragrance and charm of this music, remark- able at once for its sincerity of feeling and ex- pression and the subtle beauty of its harmonic structure. The solos were finely rendered by Al- bani, Hilda Wilson, Ben Davies, and David Bisp- 432 m 5 Musical Lite in London ham; and the accompaniments were played by the composer, who, I may add, seemed to be not less astonished than delighted at the warmth of the compliments showered upon her. During the following December "In a Persian Garden" was sung, for the first time in public, at one of the Popular Concerts, and with extraor- dinary success. Apart from its intrinsic worth, the new song-cj'cle was especially welcome to an au- dience that had long counted Liza Lehmann the vocalist among its particular favorites. In that capacity, indeed, the fair musician was just bidding farewell to the concert platform and creating a vacancy that might have remained long unfilled but for the timely debut of Blanche Marchesi, the accomplished daughter of the famous Paris teacher. Very different in type were these two singers, nor can it be gainsaid that the art of Blanche Marchesi covers a wider intellectual grasp, a broader range of color, a greater depth of dramatic intensity than that which disting-uished the English soprano. Yet both must be given a conspicuous place in the group of artists whose talent helped at this time to keep alive the fading glories of the "Pops." For, alas ! the closing years of the nineteenth cen- tury were to witness a sad deterioration in the quality of these renowned concerts. The secession of Joachim and the death of Piatti eliminated the last links that held intact the chain of the old subscribers. The support fell away, and with the resignation of Arthur Chappell the institution 435 Thirty Years of finally lost the prestige and the value that had earned it renown for a period of over forty years. Among the remarkable old men of music whose light died out with the expiring months of the last century was my dear friend Charles Kensington Salaman. His active labors as composer and teacher had long ceased; but his brain was ever alert and ever busy amid his storehouse of mem- ories of a bygone age. He could tell of a visit to the famous singer Catalani (heard for the last time in England at the York Festival in 1828), and he could describe the sensations with which he had played duets with Liszt when the Weimar pianist first came to London as a boy of eleven. It was a rare pleasure to listen to Charles Salaman 's anec- dotes ; to sit by him as he played with still wonder- ful facility and grace some quaint old show-piece ; or to sing while he accompanied some such exqui- site lyric as his lovely setting of Shelley's "I arise from dreams of thee." It was his habit always to celebrate his birthday by composing a new song to lines specially written by his son Malcolm, and not the least chaiTiiing of these efforts was the "Love Song" which commemorated his eightieth birthday on March 3, 1894. He was visited on these occasions by some of the foremost musical and the- atrical celebrities in the metropolis. But after keeping up the charter another two or three years his health gradually failed and he died amid uni- versal regrets. In the spring of 1897 Giaeomo Puccini paid his Musical Life in London second visit to England, to superintend the produc- tion of his opera "La Boheme" by the Carl Eosa company at Manchester. The young Italian com- poser had achieved only a moderate success with his "Manon Lescaut" at Covent Garden three years before, and was anxious to add to his laurels. On joining him at Manchester the afternoon of the premiere, I found him in very low spirits. He was not satisfied with the Carl Eosa artists, and fully anticipated a fiasco for the English represen- tation of "La Boheme." I assured him that Carl Eosa singers (as distinguished from Carl Eosa "directors " ) did not know the meaning of the word "fail"; the intelligence and ensemble of the com- pany were bound to pull him through. And so it proved. Deficient as it was in many respects, there was, nevertheless, so much spirit and animation about the performance, such a flavor of Bohemian jollity, that the opera instantly won the favor of the Lancashire audience and paved the way for its subsequent London success.^ With the Covent Garden season of 1897 the work of the new regime fairly began. Mr. Maurice Grau made his entry upon the scene, nominally as the successor to Sir Augustus Harris ; and he paid that impresario the highest compliment in his power 1 The east was as follows : BudolpJi, Mr. Robert Cunningham ; Marcel, Mr. William Paull; Golline, Mr. A. S. Winckworth; Schaiinard, Mr. C. Tilbury; Benoit, Mr. Homer Lind; Musetta, Miss Bessie MaeDonald; and Mimi, Miss Alice Esty. Mr. Claude Jaquinot conducted, and Mr. T. H. Priend was the stage manager. 437 Thirty Years of by frankly pursuing the lines that had marked the previous managerial policy of the establishment. Not a single innovation worthy of the name had to be recorded. As in America, so in London, Mr. Grau found that it would be impossible for him to do better at the head of a big operatic concern than steer the exact course that had been followed during the preceding decade by Augustus Harris. The usual sixty-seven performances were given, and altogether eighteen operas were mounted ; no fewer than half of these were sung in French. The novelties were "Der Evangelimann, " a sentimen- tal work by Wilhelm Kienzl, in which the tenor Van Dyck scored a great success; and "Inez Mendo, ' ' a meritorious opera from the pen of Fre- deric d'Erlanger, wherein Mme. Frances Saville, a new soprano, and M. Kenaud, the barytone from the Paris Opera, sustained the principal parts. Other debutants of the season were Miss Susan Strong, Mile. Pacary, Fraulein Sedlmair, Andreas Dippel, Salignac, Marcel Journet, Fugere, Lem- priere Priugle, and Thomas Meux. The brunt of more than two months' hard work was borne by Jean and Edouard de Reszke, toge- ther with Mme. Emma Eames and David Bispham, gifted American artists who notably strengthened their London reputations in the course of this sea- son. Mme. Melba appeared in a round of familiar impersonations, while the sterling qualities of MM. Alvarez and PlanQon now began to earn for those singers a wider circle of admirers. From the be- 438 - -w.- ■■-e^-i, '»ajsi'-jfs r^-f j-ii-j. •, \ 1' limit, N. Y. SCHUMANN-HEINK AS ORTRUD Musical Life in London ginning of the season until the end of June the German operas were conducted by the late Anton Seidl, and the memory of this, his last appearance at Covent Garden, is associated with some exceed- ingly fine performances. Among the visitors to London during the latter part of the year were Edvard Grieg and his wife, and the clever composer of "Hansel und Gretel," Engelbert Humperdinck. The former appeared at the Popular and other concerts, beside paying a visit to the Queen at Windsor ; while Humperdinck made his debut, under the auspices of the Philhar- monic Society, at the last of an autumn series of concerts and conducted some excerpts from his operas with signal success. Yet another distin- g-uished composer, Moritz Moskowski, appeared at the Philharmonic during the same series, after an absence from London of over eleven years. He brought nothing new, but conducted with much spirit his violin concerto (played by M. Gregoro- witsch) and three movements from his opera "Bo- abdil"; a contralto air, also from the latter work, was rendered by Mile. Olitzka. The debut of a son-in-law of Queen Victoria in the capacity of operatic librettist was an interest- ing feature of the Carl Rosa season held at Covent Garden during the autumn of 1897, the year of Her Majesty 's ' ' Diamond Jubilee. ' ' Twenty years previous a cousin of the Queen, the then reigning Grand Duke Ernest of Saxe Coburg-Gotha, had figured upon the same scene as the composer of an 441 Thirty Years of opera called "Sauta Cliiara." In the present in- stance it was tlie Marquis of Lome (now the Duke of Argyll), husband of that amiable and accom- plished lady, the Princess Louise, who was respon- sible for the text of Hamish MaeCunn's romantic opera ' ' Diarmid ' ' ; and such was the striking all- round merit of this work that, but for the weak- ness of the denouement and an unfortunate resem- blance to the plot of ' ' Tristan und Isolde, ' ' which evoked inevitable comparisons, it might have earned enduring success. As it was, I fancy the Marquis derived his principal reward from the amusement of attending the rehearsals, which he did regTilarly, in companj^ with the Princess, who would watch the proceedings from the corner of a private box. The Queen's love of music was at no period more strongly evinced than during the last few years of her life. She turned to it for solace and comfort in her old age, and derived the keenest pleasure from the performances of the various artists who were invited in quick succession to labor for her enjoyment. Her devoted daughters. Princess Christian and Princess Henry of Battenberg, were ever on the alert to procure talent for this purpose ; scarcely a week passed but that some artist of note played or sang in the royal drawing-rooms at Windsor, Osborne, or Balmoral. Lengthy, indeed, must be the list of those, from the diva downward, who can point with pride to their jeweled brooch or pin bearing the familiar monogram "V. R. I. " ; 442 Musical Life in London while many, too, can display even costlier gifts that wei'e received, after repeated visits, as tokens of Her Majesty's grateful appreciation. A select few had bestowed upon them the insignia of the Royal Victoria Order ; and the first musician to be thus honored, after Sir Arthur Sullivan and Signor Tosti, was M. Jean de Eeszke, who received the cross of the "R. V. 0." (fourth class) after a performance of "Lohengrin" at Windsor Castle on the Queen's eightieth birthday, May 24, 1899. His brother was similarly decorated fourteen months later, after a representation of "Faust" — the last occasion on which Queen Victoria ever lis- ' tened to an opera. The birthday celebration was marked by one or two curious incidents. To begin with, only the first and third acts of "Lohengrin" could be given. There was hardly time to include the second, as these royal functions do not commence until nearly ten o 'clock at night. The plot, however, was fully explained to the Queen, who had never heard Wag- ner 's opera, and the temptation of Elsa (Mme. Nor- dica) by the perfidious Ortrud (Mme. Schumann- Heink) and her spouse (David Bispham) was easily ' ' taken as read. ' ' Mancinelli conducted, and everything went capitally until the fall of the cur- tain. Her Majesty then retired to one of the draw- ing-rooms and requested that the principal artists be presented to her, together with Mr. Maurice Grau as managing director of the Royal Opera. The awful discovery was then made that neither 443 Thirty Years of Jean nor Edouard de Reszke had with him any but the operatic garments in which they stood. It was the first time that the brothers had ever appeared in opera before the Queen, and, not knowing that it was usual to don evening dress for the subsequent presentation, they had clothed themselves as Lo- hengrin and Heinricli der Vogler before leaving London, and had traveled to Windsor in dark cloaks of sufficient amplitude to conceal themselves from the gaze of an inquisitive Cockney crowd. The situation was duly explained to Her Majesty, who laughingly declared that it did not matter in the least; for once court etiquette should be disre- garded, and the two artists brought before her in their picturesque stage attire. The command was forthwith obeyed, and the Queen, in course of con- versation with the brothers, ' ' expressed the delight that it had afforded her at last to hear them in opera and listen to the beautiful music of Wagner 's work." Queen Victoria never heard Jean de Reszke again. In the summer of 1900, when "Faust" was given at Windsor, he was not well enough to sing, and a substitute was forthcoming in the new French tenor Saleza. I accompanied Edouard de Reszke to the castle and was present at the performance. The Marguerite was that sympathetic artist Mme. Suzanne Adams, to whom, afterward. Her Majesty personally handed a handsome sapphire and dia- mond bracelet. Philippe Flon was the conductor, and the cast further included Mile. Bauermeister, 444 •A > \ Musical Life in London Mile. Maubourg, and M. Declery, with M. Almanz as regisseur. The remarkable feature of that even- ing was the mental and physical endurance shown by the aged sovereign, who was now so near to the close of her august career. It was a hot, sultry July night, and although several cuts were made, the opera was not over until nearly twelve o 'clock. From the beginning to the end the Queen remained deeply interested, and never stirred from her chair upon the dais. It was only as she walked down the inclined gangway, passing within a yard of where I stood, and leaning heavily upon the arm of her Indian attendant, that I perceived how intensely fatigued Her Majesty was. Her face bore a look of exhaustion that indicated actual suffering. Yet there was no suggestion of dispensing with the cus- tomary reception. From the door of the Waterloo Chamber the Queen's chair was wheeled through St. George's Hall to the G-reen Drawing-room, and quite forty minutes more must have elapsed ere the ceremony of receiving the artists and giv- ing them their presents was over. Whether work or pleasure was involved, Victoria the Good never sought to spare herself in the rendering of those courtesies which she thought she owed to others. It was just six months after witnessing this "Faust" performance that Her Majesty breathed her last at Osborne House. 447 CHAPTER XIX Operatic retrogression — The seasons of 1898, 1899, and 1900 — Purchase of the Covent Garden lease — The "Perosi craze" — Final remarks on the Harris regime — Death of Sims Reeves — Edward Lloyd's retirement — EngUsh singers and English festivals : a concluding retrospect. EVERY period of change and reform gives place to a corresponding spell of plodding, mechanical labor upon the lines that public appre- ciation has indorsed. By comparison with the decade extending from 1887 to 1897, the story of operatic i^rogress during the succeeding five years is dull and uninteresting. That is an excellent rea- son for treating it with brevity, if not, indeed, for bringing it to a conclusion, as far as these pages are concerned, with all convenient speed. The spirit of innovation died when Sir Augustus Harris ' ' shuf- fled off this mortal [operatic] coil." The tempo- rary association of Mr. Maurice Grau with the man- agement of Covent Garden only tended to crystal- lize the identical systems of sui3pl3'' and demand which had already distinguished the leading lyric theatres of London and New York. The dead im- presario 's successors contented themselves with a mild imitation of the Harris policy, plus a cred- itable endeavor to ameliorate the materiel — they 448 Musical Life in London could not well improve the personnel— oi their es- tablishment. Beyond that, there has been neither initial energy nor imagination to widen the scope and elevate the character of this important enter- prise. The last two or three seasons of the nineteenth century may be very briefly dismissed. In 1898 the novelties at Covent Garden were Saint-Saens's ' ' Henry VIII ' ' and Mancinelli 's ' ' Ero e Leandro. ' ' In the former, Mme. Heglon made her debut as Anne Boleyn, and M. Renaud gave an extremely picturesque embodiment of "bluff King Hal" as viewed through a pair of French pince-nez. The chief parts in Mancinelli 's opera ^ were created by Eames, Schumann-Heink, Saleza, and Plangon. Another noteworthy feature was the revival of "Der Ring des Nibelungen" under Felix Mottl. In this Jean de Reszke made his first appearance in the role of Siegfried, and a splendid series of casts included, among others, Nordica, Ternina, Eames, Schumann-Heink, Marie Brema, Von Art- ner, Meisslinger, Van Dyck, Dippel, Van Rooy, and Edouard de Reszke. The general troupe further comprised Melba, Calve, Zelie de Lussan, Frances Saville, Suzanne Adams, Saleza, and Campanari, of whom the last three then sang in London for the first time. The success of the young American de- butante, who subsequently became the wife of Mr. Leo Stern, the violoncellist, was especially marked. 1 Originally produced as a cantata at the Norwich Festival of 1896. 449 Thirty Years of The profits in 1898 and 1899 were larger than during any like period since the operatic renais- sance began ; but from an artistic standpoint prog- ress was no longer reflected in the deeds of the Covent Garden management. The season of 1899 yielded but a single novelty, namely, Isidore de Lara's "Messaline. " True, this was the work of an Englishman ; but it was composed to a French libretto and performed by French artists, and it owed its hearing exclusively to foreign influence. Its success, despite the glamour of its picturesque Boman setting, and notwithstanding the art of Heglon, Alvarez, and Eenaud, must perforce be described as equivocal. The story at best is re- volting ; and the music combines with a few fine mo- ments many dull quarts d'heure. Wagner again played a prominent part, his works furnishing just one third of the seventy-one representations that made up the season. These were directed, with two exceptions, hj Dr. Muck, one of the conductors of the Berlin Hof-Oper. Conspicuous therein were some magnificent impersonations by Mme. Lilli Lehmann, who had not been heard in London for many years, and by Mme. Gadski, who now made her debut at Covent Garden and at once earned the favor due to an artist of rare vocal and his- trionic attainments. Of the other new-comers neither Mile. Lucienne Breval nor Mile. Litvinne did herself complete justice ; but Mme. Louise Ho- mer created a satisfactory impression, and a posi- 450 L^ LILLI LEHMANN AS ISOLDE Musical Life in London tive hit was scored by Signor Scotti, one of the most versatile and accomplished barytones that Italy has sent forth in recent years. Jean de Reszke sang only nine nights and was then com- pelled by illness to seek rest ; in the following win- ter, however, he was singing in America with all his wonted vigor and charm. Early in 1899 the inheritor of the Covent Gar- den lease, Mr. G. F. Faber, disposed of the theatre to the Grand Opera Syndicate, for the remainder of his term, for the sum of £110,000. This de- sirable consummation, which was brought about through the efforts of Mr. Alfred de Rothschild, had the effect of placing the entire concern upon a sound and solid footing. The syndicate was formed into a limited liability company, the list of share- holders being headed by the Prince of Wales (now King Edward VII) and composed very largely of the opera subscribers, who thus became directly in- terested in the financial prosperity of the general undertaking. The direction of the company re- mained in the same hands, but Mr. Grau did not long continue the heavy labors involved in his double impresarioship. Another couple of years of fruitful toil, and then he relinquished his Lon- don duties altogether, so far as opera was con- cerned, thenceforth devoting himself with in- creased energy to the sister enterprise in New York. He was succeeded as artistic director at Covent Garden by M. Andre Messager, the composer of 453 Thirty Years of "La Basoclie" and other works, whose experience as conductor and joint manager of the Paris Opera- Comique eminently fitted him for the post. This same year, by the way, witnessed the brief "Perosi craze." How that purely artificial vogue ever came to extend beyond the walls of the Italian churches no one knows. At least it should have stop23ed short at Paris, which was as far as the youthful abbe himself contrived to get on his road to London. But for a time the "craze" raged in England with the virulence of an epidemic, and many sane musicians persuaded themselves that the new oratorio composer was a genius of the first magnitude. His "Transfiguration," his "Raising of Lazarus," and his "Resurrection of Christ" were all performed at the London Musical Festi- val which Robert Newman started at Queen's Hall in May; while his "Passion of Christ" was given at the Norwich Festival in the autumn. In each instance, however, there was felt a keen sense of disai^pointment. At best Perosi 's works could ap- peal only to the ear amid ecclesiastical surround- ings, and even there their woeful lack of originality was bound to irritate the critical listener. Far more interesting as choral events were the first per- formances in England (at the Grloucester Festival) of Professor Horatio Parker 's ' ' Hora Novissima ' ' ; the revival (at Albert Hall) of Wagner's scriptural scene for male voices and orchestra, "The Last Supper of the Apostles"; and the restoration, by the Royal Choral Society under Sir Frederick 454 Musical Life in London Bridge, of the original accompaniments to Han- del's "Messiah." The opera season of 1900, the last touched upon in this chronicle, offered to a contented public prac- tically the same company, the same repertory, the same familiar commingling of brilliant individual efforts and unsurpassable artistic resources, toge- ther, alas! with a growing roughness of ensemble and a lamentable mediocrity of mise en scene. It was the last London opera season in which Jean de Reszke had thus far taken part ; and even that appearance was attended by a "partial eclipse," the climate of the British metroiDolis once more proving so seriously detrimental to the vocal or- gans of the famous tenor that he was unable to com- plete his engagement. Two cycles of the "Ring" were given, and among the new members of the cast were Frau Grulbranson, Miss Edyth Walker, Frau- lein Hieser, Herr Ernst Kraus, Herr Briesemeister, Herr Slezak, Herr Bertram, and Herr Klopfer. In the direction of the German operas, Felix Mottl was assisted by that admirable conductor Emil Paur, who made a highly satisfactory impression. Distinct hits were achieved also by the clever young light soprano, Fraulein Fritzi Scheff; by Signor Bonci, a sympathetic Italian tenor of the old school ; and by Mr. Blass, an American basso of German parentage and training. Puccini's "Tosca" was the solitary new opera produced in 1900, and, thanks to the genius of Fraulein Ternina, its many beauties were at once 455 Thirty Years of made patent to all who were willing to perceive them. That artist's superb assumption of Floria Tosca, coming as it did on top of a series of tri- umphs in such roles as Briinnhilde, Sieglinde, Elsa, Elisabeth, and Leonora, was but another revela- tion of her versatility and of her vocal and his- trionic charm. This was Ternina's first essay as the heroine of Puccini's picturesque work, and she received excellent support from De Lucia as Pietro Cavaradossi, and from Scotti as Scarpia — this last a creation which has won universal recognition as an ideal presentment of one of the most subtle and malevolent figures in modern opera. Altogether it was a splendid performance, and Luigi Mancinelli conducted it in his most masterly manner. In the German operas the increasing success of Mme. Gadski became conspicuously characteristic; while Mme. Melba extended her repertory with a piquant impersonation of Rosina in "II Barbiere." Mme. Calve was content to travel within the limited cir- cle of her old round of parts. The following table indicates roughly the extent of the work accomplished during the regular Lon- don season, by the late Sir Augustus Harris and his successors, during the thirteen years that came after the tentative Drury Lane season of 1887 : Weeks Operas Representations 1888 10 19 48 1889 10 16 53 1890 10 18 60 1891 16 20 94 < O rfl 3-1 e CL, H Musical Life in London 1892.... Weeks . . . . 10 Operas 25 Representations 88 1893.... 25 89 1894.... 27 92 1895.... 25 77 1896.... 23 67 1897.... 18 67 1898.... 24 67 1899.... 22 71 1900 21 67 A casual glance at these figures will suffice to show how curiously in the nature of an "arc" are the rise and fall in the labor and energy which evolved them. In 1894, exactly half way between 1888 and 1900, was reached the high-water mark of activity under the Harris regime. I disregard the sudden "bulge" of 1891, because in that year the season was unduly extended, and there were then but twenty operas in the repertory. Three years later it attained the remarkable total of twenty-seven operas, an achievement never even equaled, much less surpassed, in subsequent sea- sons. But it is not altogether by aggregate re- sults that the value of Augustus Harris's operatic work can be reckoned ; it lies in the fact that opera, both in London and in New York, is to-day a living thing— a prosperous, not a "moribund" institu- tion. Nay, more: instead of being the "Italian Opera" of our fathers, with all its miserable limi- tations and inartistic conventionalities, it is an opera that combines the three great schools of the 459 Thirty Years of art in one organization, and presents their master- pieces in the languages in which they were written. To render the system perfect it needs to be less wholly dependent upon the social equation; but that desirable result never will be accomplished, either in England or in America, until opera has been released from the shackles of the foreign tongue and driven right home to the hearts of the people through the medium of their own good Anglo-Saxon vernacular. Strange was it that the closing weeks of the cen- tury were to see the English concert-room de- prived of its two greatest tenors. In October, 1900, Sims Reeves died at the rijoe old age of eighty-two ; two months later Edward Lloj^d went into retire- ment after giving a memorable farewell concert at the Koyal Albert Hall. It may not be uninteresting to compare these two suj^reme artists. In many ways, notably as to character of voice and method, they were as unlike as two singers could be; but each in his own fashion exempliiied the purest at- tributes of the bel canto and upheld the best tra- ditions of the British oratorio school. Sims Reeves in the original instance was an opera-singer. I once heard him in opera, but he was then nearly sixty, and had long abandoned his stage career. I first heard him sing at the Norwich Festival of 1866, when he took part in Costa's oratorio "Naa- man." His voice was then still in its prime. A more exquisite illustration of what is termed the true Italian tenor quality it would be impossible to 460 Musical Life in London imagine; and this delicious sweetness, this rare combination of "velvety" richness with ringing timbre, he retained in diminishing volume almost to the last. It is probable that Sims Reeves lost more money through unfulfilled engagements than any other singer that ever lived. He himself computed the total amount thus eliminated from his banking ac- count, during a career of half a century, at £80,000 ($400,000). An eighth of this sum would have sufficed to spare him the rigid economy and the necessity for music-hall work which marred the closing years of his existence. In the early "nine- ties ' ' he took up teaching and accepted a professor- ship at the Guildhall School, where we frequently came iu contact. I asked him once whether there had always been good and sufficient cause for his disappointing the public so frequently. "Well, perhaps not always," replied the veteran tenor. "That is to say, I have no doubt it would have been possible very often for me to have sung, if I had made the effort. But the very fact that it would have required an effort was enough to pre- vent me from trying. You see, my throat has al- ways been delicate, and at the slightest sign of hoarseness I have been afraid to sing, lest I should impose a strain upon my vocal cords. If I had not been so careful, who knows but that my voice would have given out long ago, instead of being as fresh and strong to-day as at any time these twenty years ? ' ' That may have been absolutely true. As 461 Thirty Years of it was, Sims Reeves was unquestioiiably the best- preserved male singer of his time. To liear him, long after he had passed the age of seventy, sing "Adelaide" or "Deeper and deeper still" or "The Message" was an exposition of breath control, of tone-coloring, of phrasing and expression, that may truly be described as unique. Edward Lloj'd, both as a man and a singer, was of quite a different calibre. Hardy of constitu- tion, fond of exercise and open-air sports, the possessor of a strong, healthy throat, it was the rarest imaginable occurrence for him to be com- pelled to forego an engagement in consequence of indisposition. Moreover, he had no weakness for luxuries, and never spent his money extravagantly. On the contrary, he knew how to save it and how to invest it to good advantage. Therefore it came about that, after a public career of some thirty years, Edward Lloyd was in a position to indulge his longing for otium cum dignitate; and when he retired from active service, in the plenitude of his vocal powers, he was a tolerably wealthy man —though, truth to tell, that farewell came all too soon for the liking of the British public. There was no one to take Lloyd's place, and even now it remains practically unfilled. Ben Davies has in his voice some notes of beautiful quality, and he is an artist of undoubted taste and distinction. Nevertheless, to place him wholly upon the same artistic level with his gifted predecessor might be to imitate the Player Queen in "Hamlet" and "protest too much." 462 liyriBht, 181)7, by Win. Kiifljirr, Jr. GADSKI AS ELISABETH Musical Life in London As these lines are penned Edward Lloyd is con- templating a farewell tour of the world ; so, happily, there is no necessity yet to speak of him altogether in the past tense. He has promised, too, from time to time to reappear in the concert-room in England, as compliment or charity may demand. Edward Lloyd's is one of those pure, natural AJ-oices that never lose their sweetness, hut preserve their charm so long as there are breath and power to sustain them. His method is, to my thinking, irreproachable and his style absolutely inimitable. His versatility was greater than that of Sims Reeves, even though he was never a stage tenor; for he was equally at home in music of every period and of every school. In Bach and Handel, in modern oratorio, in the Italian aria, in Lied, ro- mance, or ballad, he was equally capable of arous- ing genuine admiration; and, when he had fin- ished with all of these, he could declaim Wagner with a beauty of tone, a fullness of dramatic expres- sion, and a clarity of enunciation that used to make his German audiences in London shout for very wonder and delight. Hans Richter was wont to de- clare that Edward Lloyd was the first tenor to bring out in all its fascinating loveliness the exqui- site vocal charm of the " Preislied. ' ' That thought occurred to me when he was singing it at his fare- well concert at the Albert Hall in December, 1900 ; and I was fain to admit that upon the operatic boards only Jean de Reszke had accomplished with this inspired melody what Edward Lloyd had done with it upon the concert platform. Thirty Years of Anotlier great English singer who yet lingers upon the field of his former successes is Charles Santley. For his years, his voice is wonderfully preserved, and no "old man eloquent" could throw into his efforts a more remarkable measure of en- ergj^, vigor, and feeling. Like Reeves, he made his name first as an opera-singer ; there are many still living who, like myself, entertain a vivid recol- lection of his sympathetic and dramatic delineation of Valentine in "Faust" and the Conte di Luna in "II Trovatore" years before the appearance with the Carl Rosa Company to which allusion has already been made in these pages. But of late years the voice has lost its haunting beauty of timbre, and the charm of Santley 's singing, save that which survives in his perfect phrasing, is no longer aught but a memory. England's leading vocalists, at the dawn of the twentieth century, comprised many artists of genu- ine excellence. The time when there were "giants in the land" might be past and gone; the advent of a great English soprano might seem as far off as ever. But the average singing heard in the con- cert-room was often distinguished by fine musical feeling and intelligence. A busy career of nearly thirty years had not yet made serious inroads on the thrilling tones of Emma Albani. The ' ' Queen of the British Musical Festival" was still the most reliable and conscientious of interpreters, the most industrious of artists. Marguerite Macintyre, de- spite her stronger penchant for opera, was never- 466 Musical Life in London theless best known to her home public as a concert soprano; and the same statement applies with equal appropriateness to Ella Russell, who, American by birth, English by adoption, and Ital- ian by marriage, was the dramatic soprano par excellence of the concert platform, a singer always sincere, thorough, and convincing in her work. An- other acclimatized American of tried ability alike in opera- and concert-work was Lucile Hill ; while yet another (who, however, had not yet trodden the lyric boards) was Lillian Blauvelt, a refined and highly cultivated singer with talents equally ap- preciated on both sides of the Atlantic. But where, among the leading women singers, were the English-born artists? To find them one had to turn to the contraltos— to Clara Butt, with her glorious wealth of tone and Gallic grace of delivery; to Marie Brema (who, however, would be more correctly classified as a mezzo-soprano), with her admirable command of tone-color, her faultless diction, her infinitely varied shades of impassioned poetic expression; and to Kirkby Lunn, with her warm, rich notes of true contralto quality, a singer full of talent and an observant, persevering artist. The foremost contralto group would not be complete, however, without the name of the talented Australian, Ada Crossley, whose poioularity, rapidly and surely earned, was due almost as much to winning charm of style as to sheer force of tonal beauty. The mantle of Braham and Sims Reeves, as 467 Thirty Years of worthily borne by Edward Lloyd, was resting more or less easily upon the shoulders of Ben Davies, a singer whose rare musical instinct and intelli- gence have always partially atoned for his uneven scale and his lack of ringing head-notes. Among the tenors who had made their mark, Joseph O 'Mara must not be forgotten, nor William Green, the somewhat Italian quality of whose organ gave promise of rich development with greater freedom of emission and growth of temperament. At the head of the barytones stood Andrew Black, one of the best male singers that Scotland has eve^' produced, the possessor of a superbly resonant voice, and notably impressive in music calling for pathetic sentiment and declamatory vigor. Artistic singers were Kennerley Rumford and Denliam Price, while as a "safe" oratorio bass Watkin Mills fully deserved his position. To complete the list there only remains to mention Plunket G-reene, who, had his vocal attributes only been on a par with his interpretative powers, might fairly have been described as one of the finest concert vocalists of his time. And so I conclude these recollections, as I began them, with reflections upon English Festival ar- tists and English Festival singing. The festival, indeed, lives and flourishes, and remains perhaps the most characteristic feature of musical progress in the United Kingdom. It is the institution which continues to compare most favorably with what it was at the beginning of the thirty years traversed 468 1-3 ^'^^^' *■ V '■'■■''' ' '' ^/ ■ > ■ >* '■ 5 ^Ik^^^^^^^^RnwArt^^^^^l b BM»E«il^l^ K 1 :- "' ■. ■-■^Jm*>— ' of his career, 163; and Wagner's " Meistersinger." 168; oratorio " St. Ludmila " at Leeds, 197; see also 169 Dyck, E. van, debut at Covent Garden, 353 ; see also 370 ; 449 Eames, Emma, in Paris, 271 ; debut at Covent Garden, 353; as Mireille, 354; in Massenet's " Werther," 361 ; in " Ladv of Longford," 401; as Eva, 425; see also 413; 43S; 449 Edinburgh, Duke and Duchess of, 286; Duke at August Manns reception, 398 ; see also 337 Eibenschiitz, Ilona. 418 Eissler, Sisters, 309; 318 476 Ind ex Elgar, Edward, oratorio "Light of Life " and cantata "The Dream of Geron- tins," 431; 432 Ende-Andriessen, Frau, debut at Co- vent Garden, 369 Engel, debut at Covent Garden, 354 Engle, Marie, debut at Drury Lane (1887), 223; see also 413 Esty, Alice, 437 Fabbri, Guerrina, 219 Paber, G. F., 453 Faccio, 280 Faneelli, 102 Fanre, Jean B., 20; 25 Finck, H. T., 411 FitzGeoree, Admiral and Colonels, 112 Flon, Philippe, 400; 444 Foli, A. James, 25; 102; 154 Ford, Sir Clare, an operatic breakfast at Madrid, 218 Formes, Carl, 25 Forsyth, Neil, 270 ; 429 Franke, Hermann, 105 ; 125 Friedrichs, 250 Friend, T. H., 437 Fugere, debut at Covent Garden, 438 Gabrilowitsch, Ossip, 418 Gadski, Johanna, debut at Covent Gar- den, 450; see also 456 Gailhard, M., 261 Galassi, 47 ; 102 Gaili-Marie, Mme., Sfi Ganz, Wilhehn, conducts New Philhar- monic Concerts, 105; introduces Mme. Melba to Augustus Harris, 238 ; see also 175 Garcia, Manuel, residence in my parents' house, 34 ; my intercourse and studies with, 35; the teacher and his method described, 36 ; defence of the coitp de la glotte, 37 ; his accounts of Pasta and Malibran, 38 ; visit to Cambridge, 79 ; at " Carmen " premQre, 84 ; at Pader- ewski dinner, 300; attends Maurel's lecture, 371; declines controversy, 372 ; birthday presentation at Royal Academy, 399; "Hints on Singing," 399; see also 170 Garcia, Pauline Viardot-, 148 Gardoni, 25; 154 Gatti, A. andS., 57 Gayarre, Giuliano, debut at Covent Gar- den, 99; in "La Gioconda," 153 ; see also 101; 186; 219 G6rardy, Jean, debut in London, 306 Gerster.Etelka, debut at Her Majesty's, 99; 102 Gibson, Alfred, 306 Gilbert, W. S., 190 Glinka, opera " La vie pour leCzar," at Covent Garden, 101 Gluck, " Orfeo " revived at Covent Gar- den, 292 Goetz, Mrs. Edward, 432 Goetz, Hemiann, " Taming of the Shrew " in English, 90 Goldschmidt, Otto, 9 Gounod, Charles, conducts "The Re- demption," 129; at rehearsal. 130; "Mors et Vita" projected, 132; con- ducts " Rom^o et Juliette" at Paris Opera, 259 ; letter to Jean de Reszke, 263 ; " Rom6o " in French at Covent Garden, 271 ; in English at Drury Lane, 286 ; " Philemon et Baucis " at Covent Garden, 354 Gran, Maurice, 230; managing director of Covent Garden, 429; at Windsor Castle, 443 ; resigns Covent Garden, 453 ; see also 356 ;' 419 ; 437 ; 438 ; 448 Graziani, 101 Green, Richard, debut in "Ivanhoe," 337; see also 378; 414 Green, William, 468 Greene, Plunket, 468 Gregorowitsch, debut at Philharmonic, 441 Greve, 369 Grey, Earl de, 270; 429 Grey, Lady de, 234 ; 235 ; 269 Grieg, Edvard, d^but in England (at Philharmonic), 236 ; later visit to London, 441 GroU, Amelia, debut at Drury Lane (1887), 223 Grove, Sir George, 56; 394; 398 Gudehus, 189 ; 250 Gulbranson, Frau, debut at Covent Gar- den, 455 Gura, Eugen, d^but at Drury Lane, 126 Gye, Ernest, assumes Covent Garden management, 101 ; produces "La Gio- conda." 153 ; collapse of Royal Italian Opera Company, 157 Gye, Frederic, provincial opera specu- lation, 16; death, 101 Hall6, Sir Charles, 235; pianist and conductor, 305; see also 414 Halle, Lady (Mme. Nenida), 26; 235; 305 Harper, Tom, 19 Harris, Sir Augustus, German season at Drury Lane (1882), 125; sketch of early career, 135; my meeting with, 137; assisted by Major Kitchener, 139; first partnership with Carl Rosa (1883), 140; stages " Nadeshda," 147; unfolds Italian opera scheme, 207 ; starts for Spain to engage artists, 211 ; secures the de Reszkes, 213 ; attends bnll-fi^hts, 219; visits Seville, 221; tentative opera season at Dniry Lane (1887), 221; revives " Les Huguenots," 224; subdues an angry barytone, 227; project to take Covent Garden, 233 ; building the subscription, 234 ; first Covent Garden season (1888), 236; revives "L'Africaine," 239 ; visits BajTcuth, 246 ; secures rights in " Romeo," 264; managing director of Carl Rosa Company, 265 ; mounts "Romeo et Juliette" in French (1889), 271; gives " Die Meistersinger " 477 Ind ex in Italian, 271 ; produces Cowen's "Thorgrim" (Carl Rosa Company) at Drury Lane (1890), 285; French opera year, 286; "Carmen" benefit, 288; Sheriff of London, 292; on Wagner rights, 295 ; secedes from Carl Rosa Company, 295 ; at Craig-y- nos Castle. y09; receives knighthood, 309; negotiations for Patti's reap- pearance at Covent Garden, 323 ; at Patti dinner, 329; brilliant season of 1891, 350 ; French autumn season, 354 ; mounts " Le Reve " and "Philemon et Baucis," 354; produces Massenet's "Werther," 362; develops German opera, 363 ; first German subscrijjtion (1892), 364; engages Mahler, 3G5; pro- duces (1892) Mascagni's " L'Amico Fritz," Bemberg's " Elaine," Ness- ler's "Trompeter von Sakkingen," and De Lara's "Light of Asia, "^369; proprietor of "Sunday Times," 372; re-vaves the hal viasgu-e at Covent Garden, 375 ; at Windsor Castle, 386; Kaiser's State ^isit to the Opera, 387 ; the Prince of Wales and, 388; note from Jean de Reszke, 391 ; mounts (1893) De Lara's "Amy Robsart, " Stanford's " Lalla Rookh," Bizet's "Djamileh," Emil Bach's " Irmen- garda," and Halevy's "La -luive," 391; produces (LS94) Massenet's " La XavaiTaise," Bruneau's " L'Attaque du Moulin," and Cowen's "Sii^ua," 400 ; librettist of " Lady of Longford " (produced at Covent Garden), 401; mounts (1894) Verdi's " Palstaff " and Puccini's "Manon Lescaut," 401; "Patti season" of 1895, 413; pro- duces Cowen's "Harold," 414; Coburg company at Dniry Lane, 414; season of 1896, 425; illness and death, 425; appreciation of, 426 ; the imitation of his ox)eratic policy, 448 ; table show- ing thirteen years' work of regime, 456; see also 235; 249; 315; 316;" 324; 392; 400: 426; 427; 459 Hank, Minnie, debut at Her Majesty's in "Carmen, "86; in "Taming of the Slirew,"90; letters from, 93 ; at Her Majesty's (1879), 102; at Drury Lane (1887), 223; see also 94 Hausmann, Robert, 105 Heglon, Mile., d6but at Covent Garden, 449; creates Messaline, 450 Hegner, Otto, d6butin London, 236 Henschel, Georg, 190; his London career, 202; conducts Paderewski con- cert, 298 ; sings at Cambridge, 348 ; see also 203 ; 204 Henschel, Mrs., 203 Henson, Medora, d6but in "Ivanhoe," 338 Hersee, Rose, 49 Hieser, Frl., debut at Covent Garden, 455 Higgius, Harry v., 234; 266; 207; 429 Hill, Karl, 125 Hill, Lucile, in "Ivanhoe," 337; 392; 467 HiU, Weist, 429 Hofmann, Josef, debut in London, 236 Hollander, B., plays at Patti recep- tion, 330 Homer, Louise, debut at Covent Gar- den, 450 Hueffer, Dr. Francis, 132 ; libretto of " Colomba," 14.5; libretto of " The Troubadour," 148 Humperdinck, opera "Hansel und Gretel " at Covent Garden, 402; de- \ml at Philharmonic, 441 Isaac, Adele, 260 Isnardon, 277 ; 353 Jaquinot, Claude, 437 Joachim, Joseph, 26; advice to my bro- ther Max, 31; at the Popular Con- certs, 32; "Mus. Doc." degree at Cam- bridge, 79 ; celebration of English jubilee, 393 ; speech at reception, 397 ; secedes from Popular Concerts, 435; see also 235 Joran, Pauline, 384 Journet, Marcel, debut at Covent Gar- den, 438 Kellogg, Clara Louise, at Her Majesty's, 102 KeuniDgham, Charles, in "Ivanhoe," 337 Kienzl, Wilhelm, opera " Der Evangeli- mann " at Coveut Garden, 438 King, Frederic, 197 Klatsky, Fran, debut at Covent Garden, 369; see also 401; 429 Klein, Alfred, 173 Klein, Charles, 173 ; 419 Klein, Manuel, 173 Klein, Max, 22; incident with Alb<:>iii, 31 ; played before Joachim, 31 Knight, Joseph, 107 Kraus, Ernst, debut at Covent Garden, 455 Kupfer-Berger, Mme., 219; debut at Drury Lane, 222 Lflblache, Mme., 271 Latro, Signor, first essay as Covent Gar- den impresario, 186; autumn season at Covent Ciarden, 292 ; produces Tschaikowsky's " Eugeny On^gin," 343; produces " Cavklleria Rusti- cana.' 354; see also 211; 295 Laraond, Frederic, 418 Lamoureux, 404 Landau. 369 Lapissida, 277 Lara, Isidore de, opera ' ' Light of Asia ' ' prodiiced at Covent Garden, 370 ; opera "Amy Robsart " produced at Covent Garden, 391; opera "Messa- line " at Covent Garden, 450 Lassalle, Jean, d6but at Covent Garden, 101; as Nelusko, 158; rentr6e with de 478 Ind ex Reszkes (1888), 239; life in London, 240; vocal duel with Tamagno, 243; meeting at Ems, 250; as Uaiis Sacks in "Die Meistersinger " (1889), 272; as Escamillo and Claude Frollo, 287 ; letter from, 287 ; d^but in America, 369; as Vanderdecke7i, Z70 ; see also 245; 353; 391 Latham, Fred. G., 236 Lehmaun, Lilli, debut in London, 125; reappearance, 450 Lehmann, Liza, " In a Persian Garden ' ' first performed, 432; 433 Lely, Durward, 309 Lem mens -Sherrington, Mme., 19 Leoncavallo, opera " Pagliacci " pro- duced at Covent Garden, 378 ; visit to London, 37H Leslie's (Henry) Choir, 429 Levi, Hermann, 250; 404 Lieban, debut at Covent Garden, 369 Lind, Homer, 437 Lind, Jenny, at Norwich, 8; member of Bach choir, 9 ; tour in United States, 15 Liszt, Franz, 173; last visit to London, 177; plays at vai'ious places, ISO; at Grosvenor Gallery reception, 183 Littleton, Alfred, 178; 430 Litvinne, Mile., debut at Covent Gar- den, 450 Lloyd, Edward, in Gounod's " Redemp- tion," 132 ; in Sullivan's "Golden Legend," 197; farewell concert, 460; appreciation of, 462; see also 465 Lohse, 401 Lorent, 369 Lome, Marquis of, 441 Lorrain, d6but at Covent Garden, 354 Louise, Princess (Marchioness of Lome), 442 Lucca, Pauline, 25 ; return to Covent Garden (1882), 158; usiSclika and Car- men, 158; letter from, 159; at a din- ner given by, 160 Lucia, De, 219 ; debut at Drury Lane (1887). 223; as Canio, 378; see also 355; 384; 386; 413; 456 Ludwig, James, 142 Lunn, Kirkby, 467 Lussaii, Zelie de, debut at Covent Gar- den as Carmen, 245; in Cowen's "Thorgrim,"286; &s Carmen (French), 288; at Patti dinner, 329; see also 353; 449 Lyall, Charles, 49 MacCunn, Hamish, overture "Land of the Mountain and the Flood," 236; opera " Jeauie Deans " produced, 402; opera "Diarmid," produced, 442 MacDonald, Bessie, 437 McGuckin, Barton, 142 ; 145 ; 147 ; 286, 338 Maciutyre, Marguerite, d^bnt as Mi- chaela, 237; sings in " Mefistnfele " (1888), 245; creates Iiebecea, 337; see also 413; 466 Mackenzie, Sir Alexander C. , opera " Colomba ' ' produced at Drury Lane, 141 ; oratorio "The Rose of Sharon " at Norwich, 146 ; opera "The Trouba- dour '' produced, 148; cantata "The Story of Sayid " at Leeds, 197; at Paderewski dinner, 300 ; see also 394 Mahler, conducts German season at Co- vent Garden, 365 Malet, Sir Edward, 414 Malibran, episode in childoood of, 38 Malten, Ther^se, debut at Drury Lane, 129; in "Parsifal" at Albert Hall, 189; see also 190; 250 Mancinelli, Lnigi, 210 ; visit to, with Au- gustus Harris, in Madrid, 217; debut at Drury Lane (1887), 222; opera " Ero e Leandro " produced at Co- vent Garden, 449; see also 219; 249; 255 ; 271 ; 277 ; 288 ; 361 ; 378 ; 443 ; 456 Manns, August, conductor of Handel Festival and (Crystal Palace Concerts, 55 ; celebration of seventieth birth- day, 398 ; see also 56 Mantelli, Eugenia, 425 Mapleson, James H., 16; mounts "Lo- hengrin," 47; produces "Carmen," 86; season at Her Majesty's (1879), 102; produces " Mefistofele " at Her Majesty's, 152; benefit performance, 186*; proposes American trip to de Reszkes, 253; season at Her Majesty's, 280; see also 99; 222; 259 Marchesi, Blanche, debut in London, 435 Marimon, Marie, 25 Mario, 25; 259 Masini, in Verdi's "Requiem," 65 Maseagni, Pietro. opera " Cavalleria Rusticana " produced at Shaftesbury Theatre, 354; opera "L'Amico Fritz at Covent Garden, 369 ; Wsit to Lon- don, 378; opera "I Rantzau " at Co- vent Garden, 378; tells story of "Ca- valleria Rusticana, " 381 ; visits Queen Victoria and conducts "Cavalleria" at Windsor, 386; see also 385 Maas, Joseph, 90 Massenet, Jules, opera " Le Roi de La- hore " at Covent Garden, 102; opera "Werther" at Chicago, 361; at Co- vent Garden, 362 ; see also 400 Materna, Amalie, debut in London at Wagner Festival, 73 Mattel, Tito. 309 Maubourg, Mile., 447 Maurel, Victor, at Covent Garden, 101; at Drury Lane (1887), 223 ; as lago at Lyceum (1889), 280; as Wolfram, 292 ; lecture at Lyceum, 370 ; see also 186; 353 Mayer, Daniel, 299 Maver, M. L., 280 Mazzucato, G., 255; 273; 392 Meisslinger, Frl., 392; 414; 449 Melba, Nellie, debut at Covent Garden (1888), 237; a.s Juliette, 271; aa Bsme- 479 Ind ex ralda, 290; as Nedda, 378; as Rosina, 456 ; see also 353 ; 370 ; 413 ; 438 ; 449 Messager, Andr^, opera " La Basoctie " produced, 338; appointed "artistic director" at Covent Garden, 453 Meux, Thomas, debut at Covent Gar- den, 438 Mierzwinskv, 158; 160 Milliet, Paul, 391; 401 Mills, Watkin, 4G8 Miolan-Carvalho, Mme., 259 MitcheU, John, 25; 27 Mongini, 25; 154 Montague, A., 291 Montariol, 271; 277; 353 Moran-Olden, Fran, 392 Moszkowski, Moritz, revisits London, 441 ; conducts at Philharmonic, 441 Mottl, Felix, 250; 404; 417; 449; 455 Muck, Dr., 450 Murska, lima di, 25; 154 Musiaui, Adelaide, 355 Nannetti, 153 Navai-rini, debut at Drurv Lane (1887), 223 Neilson, Francis, 410 Neruda, Mme. See Halle, Lady Nessler, Victor, opera " Der Trompeter von Sakkingen at Drurj' Lane, 369 Neumann, Angelo, 124 Nevada, Emma, 146 Newman, Robert, 403 ; first London Musical Festival, 454; see also 404 Nicolini, Ernest, as Lohengrin, 44 ; at Covent Garden, 101; at Craig-y-nos Castle, 313; see also 259 ; 328; 329 Niemann, Albert, 125 Nikisch, 404 Nilsson, Christine, 25; at Her Majesty's (1879), 102; appears in "Mefistofele," 153 ; retirement from opera, 154 ; fare- well concert at Albert Hall. 157; at a private bull-fight, 220; see also 47; 58 Nordica, Lillian, appears at Drury Lane (1887), 223; as Valentine, 224; at Covent Garden as Carmen, 237 ; as Selika, 240; as Aida, 245; meeting at Ems, 250; letter from, 253; with Abbey troupe in America, 284 ; with de Reszkes in America, 360 ; presenta- tion at Metropolitan Opera House, 420; a private recital of "Tristan," 423; at Windsor Castle, 443 ; see also 353; 302; 424 Novara, Franco, 146; 309; 359 Novello& Co., 130; 174 Nuovina, Mme. de, 401 Olitzka, Rosa, 392; 441 O'Mara, Joseph, in " Ivanhoe," 337; 468 Oudin, Eugene, debiit as the Templar in " Ivanhoe," 337; the artist de- scribed, 341; letter from. 342; in Tschaikowsky's " Eugeuy Onegin," 343 ; illness and premature death, 343; letter from, 349 Pacary, Mme., debut at Covent Garden, 438 ' Paderewski, Iguace Jan, d6but in Lon- don, 290; becomes a musical "lion," 299; my meeting with, 299; dinner in honor of, 300; plays sonata -with Piatti, 302; "Polish Fantasia" at Philliarmonic, 302; performs his con- certo at Philharmonic, 349 Paganini, my schoolmaster's descrip- tion of, 7 Palliser, Esther, debut in "Ivanhoe," 337 Pandolfini, 186; 223 Parker, Horatio, oratorio " Hora Novis- sima " at Gloucester, 454 Parratt, Sir Walter, 118 Parry, Sir C. H. H., oratorio "Judith," 236 Pasta, Garcia's appreciation of, 38 Patey, Mme., 132; in Sullivan's "Gold- en Legend," 197; death, 376 Patti, Adelina, at Covent Garden. 25; at Mapleson benefit, 186 ; as Juliette at Paris Op6ra, 259 ; with Abbey troupe in America, 284 ; my first visit to Craig-y-nos Castle, 307 ; letter from, 308 ; the castle and theatre described, 309 ; opening of the theatre, 313 ; pantomime play on "La Tosca," 315; visited by Prince Henry of Bat- tenberg, 317; at Welsh charity eon- cert, 317; essays Wagner, 318; letter from, 319 ; reference to early life, 320 ; the voice and the singer, 321 ; letter from, 322 ; how she reappeared at Co- vent Garden, 323 ; pantomime play on " East Lynne," 327; a strange co- incidence, 328; dinner in honor of, 328 ; appreciation of, 331 ; American concert tour, 359; receives Philhar- monic medal, 413; see also 71; 101; 212; 310; 316; 324; 413 Patti, Carlotta, 26 Paull, William, 437 Paur, Emil, 455 Perosi, Abbe, oratorios produced in London and Nor^vich, 454 Perrv, Clara, 142 Philharmonic Concerts, 95; 96; 236; 280; 299; 302; 342; 349; 413; 441 Piatti, Alfredo, 26 ; at Paderewski din- ner, 300 ; plays sonata with Paderew- ski, 302; plays at Patti reception, 329; celebration of English jubilee, 393; speech at reception, 394; death, 435; see also 33; 235; 306; 397 Pinkert, Regina, 353 Planf;on, Pol, d6but at Covent Garden, 353; as Fogner (in German), 425; see also 370; 438; 449 PoUini, Benihard. 125; 364 PoUonnais, Andre, 327 PoBchielli, Amilcare, opera "La Gio- conda" produced at Covent Garden, 153 Popular Concerts, 32; 402; 435 Price, Denham, 468 480 Ind ex Pringle, Lempriere, debut at Covent Garden, 438 Promenade Concerts (Covent Garden), 57 _ Puccini. Giacomo, opera " Manon Les- caut " produced at Covent Garden, 401; second visit to England, 437; opera "La Boheme " given at Man- chester (Carl Rosa Company), 437; opera "La Tosca " at Covent Gar- den, 455 Puente, Giuseppe del, in ' ' Cannen, ' ' 89; at Her Majesty's (1879), 102; rentr^o at Drury Lane (1887), 223; with Patti in America, 359 Queen's Hall, opening of, 403 Raiadegger, Alberto, conductor of the Norwich Festival, 13 ; sees Verdi at a Handel Festival, 59 ; conducts Carl Rosa season (1883), 141; conducts Saint-Saens's Psalm, 174; see also 289 RaveUi, 353 Ravogli, Giulia, debut at Covent Garden in "Orfeo," 292; see also 353 Ravogli, Sofia, debut at Covent Gar- den in "Orfeo," 292 Reeves, Sims, 7; death, 460; apprecia- tion of, 460 : see also 26 ; 461 Reicher-Kindermann, Hedwig, 125 Reichmann, 250 ; 369 Renaud, debut at Covent Garden, 438 ; in "Henry VIII," 449 Reszke, Edouard de, d^but at Covent Garden, 102; in "La Gioconda," 153; at Pauline Lucca's, 160; at his home in Paris (1887), 213; appears at Drury Lane, 222 ; life in London (1888), 240; our "imitation " Wagner duets, 244; meeting at Ems, 250 ; as Fr^re Laurent at Paris Opera. 263, and in London, 271 ; received by Queen Vic- toria at Windsor, 278; at Patti din- ner. 329; at Covent Garden (1891), 353; debut in America, 359; in " Lady of Longford, ' ' 401 ; as a German singer, 423 ; decorated with cross of Victorian Order, 443 ; in " Lohen- grin " and " Faust " at Windsor, 443 ; see also 245; 425; 438; 444; 447; 449 Reszke, Jean de, d6but in London as barytone, 57; suggested to Augustus Harris, 210; visit to his Paris home (1887). 213; from barytone to tenor, 214; d^but in " Aida at Drurv Lane (1887), 221; as Raoul, 224; appears at Covent Garden as Yasco d\ Gama (1888); his life in London described, 240; as Riccardo ("Un Ballo"), 245; meeting at Ems, 250; letter from, 254; as Romeo at Paris Op^ra, 262, and in London (1889), 271; as Walther in "Die Meistersinger " (in Italian), 272; received by Queen Victoria at Windsor, 278; letter from, 278; as Phcehua ("Esmeralda "), 287; as Don Jose, 288; at Patti dinner, 329; as OUllo. 353; debut in America, 359; letters from, 359 ; as Sir Lancelot in "Elaine," 370; absence from Co- vent Garden (1895), 413; appears as German singer in America, 419; a private recital of ' ' Tristan, ' ' 423 ; sings Tristan, Walther, and Lohengrin in German at Covent Garden. 425; in London season of 1897, 438 ; decorated with cross of Royal Victorian Order, 443 ; as Lohengrin at Windsor, 443 ; as Siegfried at Covent Garden, 449; in London season of 1900, 455 ; see also 289; 290; 361; 420; 434; 444 Reszke, Josephine de, 154 Reuss-Belce, Frau, 392 Richard, Mme., debut at Covent Gar- den, 353 Richter, Hans, debut in London. 73 ; founds concerts at St. James's Hall, 105 ; conducts German season at Drury Lane (1882), 125; succeeds Costa at Birmingham, 190; at Bay- reuth, 250 ; succeeds Halle at Man- chester, 305; see also 106; 120 Richter Concerts, established (1879), 189; 299; 409; 417 Ries, Louis, 22 ; retirement from "Pops," 33, 305 Rigo, Frank, 315 Ritt, M., 261 Rolla, Kate, 353 Romili, Alessandro, 28 Rooy, Anton van, d^but at Covent Gar- den, 449 Rosa, Carl, first London season, 47; comments on English opera, 48 ; mounts "Flying Dutchman " at Ly- ceum, 49; revives "Merry Wives of Windsor," 50; letter from, 53; pro- duces " Lohengrin," "Aida," "Tam- ing of the Shrew," and "Mignon," 90 ; produces ' ' Rienzi ' ' and ' ' Car- men," 101; joint season with Augus- tus Harris at Drury Lane (1883), 140; produces " Esmeralda " and " Co- lomba, ' ' 141 ; ' ' Canterbury Pilgrims, ' ' 146; "Nadeshdft," 146; letter from, 147; "TheTroubadoTir," 148; " Nor- disa," 151; revives in provinces Balfe's "Puritan's Daughter," etc, 230; death, 265. [For further produc- tions, see Rosa (Carl) Opera Com- pany] Rosa (Carl) Opera Company, 43 ; at Princess's (1875), 44; cast of Mozart's "Figaro," 49; at Lyceum (1876), 49; at Adelphi (1878), 50; at Her Maj- esty's (1880), 90; at Her Majesty's (1879), 101; at Drury Lane (1883). 140; in the provinces (1887). 230; at Drury Lane (1890), 285; fortunes decline, 295; gives " Cavalleria Rusticana," 355 ; produces Goring Thomas's posthumous opera " The Golden Web, " 377 ; produces stage version of Berlioz's ' ' Faust, ' ' Hamisli Mac- Cunn's "Jeanie Deans," and Hum- 481 Ind ex perdinck's " Hansel und Gretel," 402; g:ives Puccini's "La Boheme," 437; produces MacCunu's " Diar- mid," 441 Rosa, Mme. Parepa-, 48 Rosentha], iloritz, debut in England, 417 Rota, 25; 102 Rouzeaud, Auguste, 154 Roze, Marie, at Her Majesty's, 102 Rubinstein. Autoii, revisits London, 95; opera "The Demon" produced, 96 ; last visit to England, 183 ; Histori- cal Recitals 184; see also 176; 414 Rudersdorff, Mme., 13 Rumford, Kennerley, 377; 468 Russell, Ella, debut at Covent Garden, 186; appears in " LaTraviata " (1888), 237 ; in " Mefistof ele, ' ' 245 ; in " Peeheurs de Perles,"271; see also 467 Ryan, Desmond L., 107 Saar, 272 Saint-Saens, Camille, introduced to by Garcia, 170; a sad coincidence, 173; arranges to write oratorio "Moses," 174; letter from, 175; opera "Asca- nio " in Paris, 287; receives " Mus. Doc." degree and performs solo at Cambridge, 348 ; opera"Heury VIII" at Covent Garden, 449 Salaman, Charles K , 436 Salaman, Malcolm, 112 Sali^za, at Windsor Castle, 444; debut at Covent Garden, 449 Salignac, d6but at Covent Garden, 438 Salmond, Norman, in "Ivanhoe," 337 Sanderson, Sybil, d6but at Covent Gar- den, 353 Santley, Charles, 25; with Carl Rosa Opera Company, 48; in " Plying Dutch- man, "49; inGounod's" Redemption," 132; appreciation of. 466 Sanz, Elena, 173 Sapellnikoff, Loris, 280 Sarasate, Pablo, visits to London, 96; plays at Patti reception, 330; note fro7n. 330 Sauer. Emil, 418 Savilie. Frances, d^but at Covent Gar- den, 438; see also 449 Saxon, Avon, in "Ivanhoe," 337 Scalchi, Sofia, at Covent Garden, 25; in " La Gioconda," 153; see also 101; 186; 245 Scaria, 189 Scharwenka, 105 Schetf, Fritzi, debut at Covent Garden, 455 Scheidemantel, 250 Sclileswig-Holstein, Princess Christian of, member of Bach Choir, 9 ; see also 80; 114; 386; 442 Schlosser, 125 Schonberger, Benno, 418 Schott, Anton, 90 Schulz-Curtius, Alfred, 404 Schumann, Clara, 26 ; at the Philhar- monic, 236; see also 33; 235; 305; 414 Schumann-Heink, Ernestine, debut at Covent Garden, 3G9 ; at Windsor Cas- tle, 443 ; see also 449 Scotti, debut at Covent Garden, 453 ; as Scarpia, 456 Sedlmair, Frl., d6but at Covent Garden, 438 Seguin, 271 Seidl, Anton, debut in London, 125; conducts at Covent Garden, 409 ; Seidl and Richter, 409 ; reminiscences of Wagner, 410; music to trilogy, "Mana- boEO," 410; see also 411; 412; 413; 420; 441 Sembrich, Marcella, at Pauline Lucca's, 160 ; rentree at Covent Garden, 413 Simmonet, Mile., debut at Covent Gar- den, 354 Sivori, 26 Slezak, debut at Covent Garden, 455 Soman, Philip, 108 Sousa, John Philip, 419 Spohr, Louis, connection with Norwich Festival, 10 Squire, W. Barclay, 391 Stagno, 383; 384 Staiuer, Sir John, oratorio "The Cru- cifixion," 236 Stanford, Sir C. Villiers, conducts at Cambridge, 83 ; opera ' ' Canterbury Pilgrims " produced, 146; "The Re- venge" at Leeds, 197; appointed con- ductor at Leeds, 202; "Irish" sym- phony, 236 ; opera " Veiled Prophet " mounted at Covent Garden, 391 State Concert., described, 80 ; see also 114; 119 State Opera, for Shah of Persia, 277; for royal marriage, 387 ; for German Kaiser, 387, 388 Steinbach, Emil, 392 ; 394 Stengel, Guillaume, 160 Sterling, Antoinette, 309 Stern, Leo, 449 Stolz, Mme., in Verdi's " Requiem," 65 Straus, Ludwig, 33 ; 305 Strauss, Richard, debut in London, 404; introduces symphonic poem "Tod und VerklJlrung," 408; see also 408 Strong, Susan, debut at Covent Garden, 438 Sturgis, Julian, libretto of " Nadeshda," 146"; libretto of "Ivanhoe," 336 Sucher, Rosa, debut at Drury Lane, 126; see also 250; 366 Sullivan, Sir Arthur, 50 ; conducts Promenade Concerts, 57; letter from, 190; his home and working life, 192; "The Golden Legend" produced, 196; note on Wagner's " Meistersinger," 196; as a turf -lover. 198 ; letter from, 202; conducts "Golden Legend" be- fore Queen Victoria, 278; at Pade- rewski dinner, 300; composition of .82 Ind ex " Ivanhoe," 335; its production, 337; withdrawn, 338; funeral at St. Paul's Cathedral, 430; see also 193; 302; 336 "Sunday Times," 107; 114; 147; 163; 372 Tagliafico, 25 Talazac, 260 ; 271 Tamagno, with the de Reszkes and Lassalle in London, 243 ; as Otello at Lyceum (1S«9). 280; with Abbey troupe in America, 284; see also 413 Tamberlik, 25 Teruina, Milka, debut in London (con- cert), 404; at Covent Garden, 407; as La Tosca at Covent Garden, 455; see also 449 Thomas, Ambroise, 429 Thomas, Arthur Goring, opera " Es- naeralda " produced at Drury Lane, 141 ; opera " Nadeshda " produced, 146; letter from, 148; death, 151; "Esmeralda" in French, 287; post- humous opera "The Golden "S^eb" produced, 377; see also 290 Thomas, Lewis, 429 Thudichum, Miss, in " Ivanhoe," 337 Tietiens, Theresa, 7; at Norwich Festi- val, 16; in oratorio and opera, 19; last appearance at Her Majesty's Theatre, 20; illness and death, 21; see also 25 ; 47 ; b^ Tilbury, C, 437 Tosti, F. Paolo, 113; 355 Torriani, Ostava, 49 Traubmann, Frl., 369 Trebelli, Zelia, 20; at Her Majesty's (1879), 102; in " Mefistofele," 153; at Covent Garden (1888), 237 ; death, 375 ; see also 25; 85 Tsehaikowsky, Peter, di^but in Eng- land, 236; conducts piano concerto at Philharmonic, 283 ; opera " Eugeny On^gin " at Olympic Theatre, 343; my meeting with, 344; receives "Mus. Doc." degree at Cambridge, 348; eon- ducts "Francesca da Rimini," 349; meets Eugene Oudin, 349; " Pathe- tique " symphony under Richter, 409 Unger, George, 125 Valda, Giulia, d6but at Covent Garden, 186 ; 309 Yalleria, Alwina, as Michaela, 89 ; cre- ates Coloinha, 145; creates Nadeshda, 147; in "L'Africaine," 158 Vanzandt, Marie, debut at Her Maj- esty's, 102 Verdi, Giuseppe, conducts " Manzoni Requiem" at the Albert Hall, 59; meets old fellow-student at rehearsal, 63; "Aida" inaugurates Drury Lane season (1887), 221 ; " Un Ballo in Mas- chera" at Covent Garden (1888), 245; " Otello " at the Lyceum, 280 ; " Fal- staft' " at Covent Garden, 401 Vianesi, A., 44; 100 Victoria, Her Majesty Queen, 79; re- ceives Franz Liszt, 180 ; hears " Golden Legend " at the Albert Hall, 278; receives the do Reszkes and Albani, 278; hears " Cavalleria Rusti- cana ' ' at Windsor, 355 ; receives Mascagni and hears "L'Amico Fritz " at Windsor, 38G ; receives Ed- vard Grieg and wife, 441 ; decorates Jean and Edouard de Reszke, 443; hears "Lohengrin" and " Faust " at Windsor, 443 ; see also 444 ; 447 Vieuxtemps, 26 Vignas, Francesco, 355; 386; 392 Vigne, Jane de, 271 Vogl, Heinrich, 125; 250 Wacbtel, 25 Wagner, Cosima, birthday serenade, 411, 412, 413 Wagner, Richard, " Loliengrin " pro- duced at Covent Garden, 43; "Fly- ing Dutchman" in English, 49; last visit to London (Albert Hall Festival), 65; my meeting with, 71 ; " Der Ring des Nibelungen " produced in Lon- don. 124; "Tristan und Isolde" and "Die Meistersinger " produced in German at Drury Lane, 126; "Parsi- fal" at Albert Hall, 189; " Die Meis- tersinger " in Italian at Covent Gar- den, 271; Seidl's anecdotes of, 410, 411, 412, 413; scriptural scene "Last Supper of the Apostles" at Albert Hall, 454 Wagner, Siegfried, debut in London, 404; symphonic poem "Sehnsucht," 407; see also 407 Waldmann, Mme., in Verdi's " Re- quiem, ' ' 65 Wales, Prince and Princess of, at the Opera, 223 ; the Prince and Sir Augus- tus Harris, 387; see also 237 ; 240; 266; 278; 286; 337; 387; 388; 453 Walker, Edyth, debut at Covent Gar- den, 455 Wartegg, Baron Ernst von Hesse-, 90 Webber, Amherst, 423 ; 424 Weingartner, Felix, 404 Weiss, 7 Wiegand, 250; 369 Wieniawski, Henri, 26 Wilhelmj, August, 67; 106; 318 Wilson, Hilda, 432 Winckworth, A. S., 437 Winkelmann, Hermann, d^but at Drury Lane, 126 Winogradow, 271; 277 Wood, Henry J., 4U3 Wylde, Dr., 105 Yorke, Josephine, 49 ; 147 Ysaye, Eugene, debut in London at Philharmonic, 280 483