Annals of Music in America Part 29

1899. Oct. 14. Arensky's Pianoforte Concerto in F minor, given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra with Katherine Goodson as soloist.

1899. Oct. 20. Dvorak's tone poem, "The Wild Dove," given by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

1899. Oct. 21. Lalo's Violoncello Concerto in D minor, and Glazunof's Sixth Symphony (G minor) given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1899. Oct. The Society of American Musicians and Composers organized to succeed the MS. Society of New York City.

1899. Nov. 3. American debut of Mark Hambourg, pianist, in Boston with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1899. Nov. 4. Siegfried Wagner's opera "Der Barenhauter," and W.

Berger's Symphony in B flat major, given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1899. Nov. 17. American debut of A. Petchnikof, violinist, with the Philharmonic Orchestra, New York City.

1899. Nov. 18. Dvorak's symphonic poem (Op. 111), "Pisen Bohatyrska" given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1899. Dec. 9. F. Draeseke's "Jubel Overture" given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1899. Dec. 23. American debut of Antonio Scotti, noted baritone, as _Don Giovanni_ at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City.

1899. Dec. 30. H. W. Parker's "Northern Ballad" given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

CHAPTER VIII

1900

The first decade of the twentieth century was noteworthy for the establishment of orchestras throughout the land. During the nineteenth century the development of the resources of the country and the increase of its wealth and population was phenomenal. In 1900 the population of the United States was about seventy-five millions. Chicago, which was practically non-existent in 1800, had a population of about two millions and was already a rival of New York. Railroads, unknown at the beginning of the nineteenth century, had covered the country with a network of communications and caused the growth of large cities in places far remote from the civilization of the year 1800.

We find Minneapolis establishing an orchestra in 1902, St. Paul in 1905, New Orleans in 1906, Seattle in 1908, while the Symphony Society of New York was reorganized in 1905, and a Russian Symphony orchestra established in New York City. The term "Symphony Orchestra" has been universally adopted, till we have symphony orchestras even in the moving picture houses. In Grove's Dictionary (edition of 1890) the only symphony orchestra mentioned is "the Boston Symphony Orchestra," though the "Symphony Society" of New York is also listed. It seems then that the term "symphony" applied to an orchestra is an American qualification signifying complete equipment, and at least good intentions.

During this period the New York Philharmonic Society adopted the plan, for three successive years, of engaging visiting, or guest conductors, and in this way a number of the most prominent European conductors were introduced to the American public.

A few American composers emerged, and of them the most frequently found were Frederick S. Converse and Henry K. Hadley, of whose works several were produced by the leading orchestras and opera companies.

The list of virtuosi is also long. Among pianists Harold Bauer and Ossip Gabrilovitsch appeared in 1900, and later came Rudolf Ganz, Josef Lhevinne, Katherine Goodson, and Serge Rachmaninof. Among violinists, Kubelik, Kocian, Hugo Heermann, Jacques Thibaud, Efrem Zimbalist and Arthur Spalding, only the last being of American birth.

The list of singers is long, and is chiefly a.s.sociated with opera.

Louise Homer, an American, made her debut in 1900, and Geraldine Farrar, another American, in 1906. Among other noted singers we find, Lucienne Breval, Caruso, Fremstad, Tetrazzini, Bonci, Renaud, Chaliapin, Morena, Destinn, Mary Garden, John McCormack, Edouard Clement, and Slezak,--samples of many nationalities.

This brings us to the opera. Maurice Grau resigned from the directorship of the Metropolitan Opera House in 1903. Grau brought the star system to a climax, and gave opera with "all star casts," but few new operas were presented under his management. In 1903 Heinrich Conried succeeded to the management of the Metropolitan Opera House, and set himself to work to abolish the star system, as far as possible, and produce a good ensemble. The abolition of the star system proved an impossibility, because people had been fed upon it since the musical life of the country began, and New York audiences would not go to hear singers who had not already made European reputations. But Mr. Conried succeeded in producing many works new to the American public. Of these "Parsifal"

stands forth conspicuously, though he found a compet.i.tor in Henry W.

Savage, who produced "Parsifal" in English a few days in advance of Mr.

Conried's production. This was followed in 1906 by Strauss's "Salome."

Conried died in 1908 and was succeeded by the dual control of Signor Gatti-Casazza and Andreas Dippel, but Dippel soon resigned and went to Chicago, and from that date until the present (1922) Signor Gatti-Casazza has been sole manager of the Metropolitan Opera House.

In 1906 Oscar Hammerstein opened the Manhattan Opera House in New York City and inst.i.tuted a strong rivalry with the Metropolitan. He brought to America some excellent singers and presented many works new to the American public. While the Metropolitan company gave more German than French or Italian opera, the Manhattan seemed to tend towards a preponderance of French opera. The rivalry was beneficial to the public if not to the stockholders.

We find during this period an opera, "The Pipe of Desire," by Frederick S. Converse, the first American opera to be presented at the Metropolitan Opera House. All the princ.i.p.als, with one exception, were also of American birth,--Louise Homer, Riccardo Martin, Clarence Whitehill and Herbert Witherspoon. The other princ.i.p.al was Lenora Sparks, an English singer.

The most notable feature of the decade seems to have been the spread of musical enterprise throughout the country. Distant cities were organizing choral societies and orchestras to a greater extent than ever before. It is necessary not only to develop composers, support a few fine orchestras and produce a few operas, but the nation must grow musically as a whole. The support given to musical enterprise depends on the education of the rising generation, and must begin with the schools.

1900. Jan. 5. Sinding's "Rondo Infinito" given by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Also Weidig's "Scherzo Capriccioso."

1900. Jan. 13. R. Goldmark's overture to "Hiawatha" produced (from MS.) by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1900. Jan. 19. Sinding's "Episodes Chevaleresques" given by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

1900. Jan. 22. Spinelli's opera "A Ba.s.so Porto" presented by the Castle Square Opera Company in New York City.

1900. Jan. 24. American debut of Fritz Friedrichs, as _Beckmesser_ in "Die Meistersinger" at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City.

1900. Jan. 25. Reyer's opera "Salammbo" presented at the French Opera House, New Orleans.

1900. Feb. 3. G. W. Chadwick's "Elegiac Overture" produced (from MS.) by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1900. Feb. 10. V. d'Indy's suite for orchestra "Medee" given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1900. Feb. 11. E. Pessard's "Danses Espagnoles," and Dubois's "Marche des Batteurs" from the opera "Xaviere," given at a concert of the Orchestral Club, in Boston.

1900. Feb. 17. C. Franck's symphonic poem "Les eolides" given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1900. Mar. 10. R. Strauss's symphonic poem "Ein Heldenleben" given by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

1900. Mar. 10. Sinding's Violin Concerto in A major given by the Philharmonic Society in New York City, with Henri Marteau as soloist. Also Guiraud's "Caprice" for violin.

1900. Mar. 10. J. K. Paine's ballet music from his opera "Azara"

given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1900. Mar. 14. The overture to Coleridge Taylor's "The Song of Hiawatha" given at a concert of the Cecilia Society, Boston.

1900. Mar. 25. C. Franck's symphonic poem, with chorus, "The Beat.i.tudes," given by the German Liederkranz, in New York City.

1900. April 7. Mrs. H. H. A. Beach's pianoforte concerto in C sharp minor produced (from MS.) by the Boston symphony Orchestra; also Rameau's "Ballet Suite" given for the first time in America.

1900. April 27. The Overture to Saint-Saens's opera "La Princesse Jaune"; Becker's "Scenes Luxembourgeoises"; Dubois's "Rigaudon"

and "Danses Cenenoles," and E. Tavan's "Noce Arabe" given by the Orchestral Club, Boston.

1900. July 2 Production of Frank von der Stucken's symphonic festival prologue, "Pax, Triumphans," at a Saengerfest in Brooklyn, N. Y.

1900. Oct. Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra established by the Orchestral a.s.sociation, with Fritz Scheel as conductor.

1900. Oct. 19. Chaikovsky's suite de ballet "La Belle au Bois Dormant" and G. Schumann's "Symphonic Variations" for organ and orchestra given by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; also d'Indy's "Wallenstein's Camp."

1900. Oct. 20. Handel's Fourth Concerto for Organ (B minor) given by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.