The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 29, 1901, Page 22

22 | UNKNOWN OVERTURE ’i BY MOZART IS ' DISCOVERED BY MARBY. : BY BLANCHE PARTINGTON. i 1‘ ROM Paris, via the current number of the Musical Courier, comes the | astounding statement of the re- cept discovery an _unknown "flr\m‘e for grand archestra” by Mozart, in the library of the Paris Conservatopy. The treasure trove was | founé by G. Marby, the conductor of the Conservatory concerts, while looking through a- quantity of mapuscript music, and seems to bear all thé earmarks of authenticity. M. Marby’s joy may be agined svhen, on turning over curiously me vellowed and dusty sheets, appar- ently the orchestral parts of some for- gotten eighteenth century composition, | he came upon the following inscription in Freach: “Overture for grand orchestra, by Mo , Paris. Printed and published by the Conservatory Press, 152 Fau- bourg Poissoniere.” Now it appears that evidence that such rk was sold by Mozart to a conductor in Paris is contained in a letter written by the musieian to his father on October 3, 1778. He says: “Le Gros, director of | the Concerts Spirituel, has bought from me the two overtures (symphonies), and the Concertante Symphony.” One, only, of these overtures known to the or- chestral world to-day. It was rewritten and published in Germany. The Paris | find, says M. Tierrot, the famous French critic, is the other. | How it comes about that the work has | jain in the placid dust for a long century and a score of years no one seems to know. An enterprising housemaid would have long ago settled its fate in any less | classical surrounding. Naturally, also, one wonders where the librarian of the Comservatory was during the 123 years | of its disappearance. Still, it is to be thankful that the overture has been pre- served at all, by strange chance, though | 10 be sure the score is lacking. The or- | hestral parts, however, are complete, | and M. Marby has been able to recon- | struct the score from them. Apparently the music had never been used, and it is curious to think that the overture was | first heard 123 vears after it was written. | PERSONAL MENTION. J. L. Bond, a merchant of Ukiah, regis- tered at the Occidental yesterday. W. H. Nichols, a grain merchgnt of Courtlend, is a guest at the Grand. Frank R. Weke, District Attorney Sierra County, is a guest at the Lick. John Ross Jr., 2 mining man of Sutter Creek is among the arrivals at the Lick. Joseph Craig, proprietor of Highland Springs, is staying at the Grand with his wife. W. P. Lynch and L. J, Hohl, both min- ing men of Oroville, sre registered at the of A. Canfield, an ofl man of Los An- geles, §s up here on business and is stay- ing at the Palace. Phillipe B. Frazier, president of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Stock- ton, is at the Palace. J. 8. Becker, a music teacher of Sacra- mento, is down here for a few days and is staying at thegGrand. F. C. Zenatta, a mining man who owns e properties in Mexico, is down from Juan and is staying at the Grand nn Austin, formeriy artist of The but now superintendent of the Souls- by mine in Tuolumne County, is visiting his relatives in the city. Japaness Are Growing. The increase of stature among the Jap- anese is very preceptible, and the substi- tution of tepid and even cold water for ihe hot baths among many of the people is responsible for an increasing floridity of the complexion. Before the advent of military discipline on European models the Japanese were motable as the small- est necked race in the world, a firm of London collar makers with a large trade in Japan asserting that thirteen inches was the normal circumference of a full- grown Japanese throat. In a little over twenty years, owing to a more athletic de- velopment, the average has risen an inch and & half. To athletic development should also be added greater avoirdupois, inasmuch as & more generous diet and | says that | orchestration is “‘that of Mozart's other | abstention from parboiling is bringing its reward in an accumulation of muscle and tissue. It was plaved on Sunfiay, November 24, at the Paris Conservatory. | The Paris correspondent of the Courler | the overture is thoroughly Mozartean in character; also that it is Mozart tempered slightly by the French school—a delightfully naive confession of | French vanity! He further says that the | works written for the grand orchestra.” | It should be said that the overture con- sists of a short solo andante for the | oboe, and an allegro spirituoso. As to | the artistic quality of the work the cor- respondent has nothing to say, neither of < reception by the Parisian critics. Mr. | Steindorff will no doubt soon give us Op-} | portunity of hearing it for ourselves? Things are slow in the musical world just now, outside of the excellent relig- jous music that has been heard in many | of the churches this week. There has been nothing at all of public note| €, d that. Last week there was| a private recital of organ and piano music | given by Marshall W. Giselmann, a young | student who has just returned here from | London after two years' study, that must have been interesting. I did not hear the | recital, but have since had the pleasure | of hearing Mr. Giselmann in the same | numbers, and find him an ardent student, | with an abundant temperament and a| considerable measure of technical achieve- | ment. He plays the usual things—Bach, | Mendelssohn, Widor compositions—with | some new works by new men, and shows throughout a fine enthusiasm for his art. | I do not particularly ' .e his schooling and think the talented young man could | better himself on his resumption of study | even here in his own city, and certainly | in Chicago, with Middelschuite, not to speak of Widor and Vierne in Paris. He has the attractive attributes of modesty and industry and speaks of a long five years of study before him before he shall | be able to do big things, with the hum:l- | ity of the true student. But he needs right direction, a school in which the solid values are not sacrificed to bril-| liance, where the frame is firm, the joints | clean and the rest will come of itself. Mr. Giselmann’'s best number was the | “Toccata” from Widor’s fifth symphony, | but he gave with considerable aplomb the G minor Fantasia and Fugue of Bach, a Fantasie by Sjogren, a pretty ‘‘Pas- torale” of Lemare’s and a few other num- bers. He also plays the piano well, is a | student of harmony and has generally | gone the right way to equip himself for | a musical career. Trotter, the organist of London, has been hi s teacher hitherto. P Next week comes the second symphony concert with an excellent programme, then Hofmann, the famous pianist. Nor- dica will follow shortly after, which is all very good to look forward to. . 2, .‘ A CHANCE TO SMILE. Mrs. Gaswell—The Czar of Russia now has four daughters. Mr. Gaswell—-O, the dear little Czar- dines!—Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph. “John, how dare you come home at 1 o'clock in the morning?” “W-w-w-h-y, Mary—hic—y' can’t 'spect me t' stay out all night—hic—on dollar'n forty shentsch, c'n y'?"—Denver Times. believe in calling a spade a spade.” “Yes, 1 do, too; that is, unless it has a snow scene painted on it, and a red ribbon tied on its handle—then I'd call it an ‘atrocity.’ "—Chicago Times-Herald. “What are you doing there?” cried the farm dog as he observed the hen in the coal bin. ““Oh, I thought this was a good time to lay in coal” cackled the hen.—Phila- delphia Press. 4 ““What a dreary bore this long journey exclaimed the man in the white flan- nel suit. “Why, I thought you were taking this trip for pleasure,” commented the other man. “I am—for the pleasure of my wife and daughters.”—Pittsburg Press. “Have a care, sir!” shricked the Lead- ing Lady to the Heavy Villain, while she tried to pull her train around where the calcium light would strike it. ““No, thanks,” hissed the Heavy Villain, “I've just had one.” True, he had just secured his divorce the day before, but it was so unlike him to drag his family affairs to the front in this manner.—Baltimore American. The demure wife had some business downtown and she accidentally happened in at her husband’s office just as hubby was, for some reason or other, measuring the circumference of his pretty type- writer's new shirtwaist. ;;Why, John, I'm surprised!” said the wife. ““Well, you're no more surprised than I " sald the husband.—Yonkers suteu-l THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1901. ' THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL. JOHN D, SPRECKELS, qupvietnv. SUNDAY .. Address Communications to W, S. LEAKE, Manager .DECEMBER 29, 1901 Publication Office. .. Market and Third, S. F. AN EXPLODED ISSUR. ONGRESSMAN GROSVENOR’S letter to The Call on the subject of the Chinese exclusion act affords the public a double satisfaction, for it not only gives assurance that Congress is well nigh solid for exclusion, but exposes the falseness of the preten- sions of the men who have been trying to make out of the issue a good deal of political capital for themselves. It confirms the statements of The Call that there is no doubt whatever of the passage of an exclusion act, and no need at all for Californians or anybody else fo send com- mittees to Washington to urge action. Mr. Grosvenor deals with the issue tersely and tartly. Hesays: “I am in favor of the ex- tension of the Chinese exclusion act, and I do not know anybody in Congress who is not, and I do not know anybody who has not been in favor of it all the time.” Referring to the attempts of politicians, demagogues and yellow journals to make an issue out of the matter and to pose as the champions of the people, the Congressman says: “This whole hullabaloo that has been caused all over the country by a lot of meetings and committees and traveling hippodromes is finally to have it said after all is over that ‘We did it,” and that ‘It was public pressure that did it.” It is all simply so much nonsense.” The public of California will readily recognize the truth of that description of some of the leaders in the agitation. It was easy to arrange for anti-Chinese conventions and meetings, for the people are well nigh unanimous on the subject, and are prompt to declare themselves upon it. Such meetings, held in good faith, were taken advantage of by the hippodromers, who managed to get themselves appointed on committees to manage the fight, to raise money and to spend it, to go to Washington and to do forty other things at the public expense, so that when all is over they could say “We did it!” The hippodrome, however, has not been so successful as the leaders * expected. The poll taken by The Call immediately upon the assembling of Congress showed there was no danger in the situation, and the attempt of the hippodromers to work up a sensa- tion was a faslure. In concluding his letter to The Call Mr. Grosvenor sums up the whole situation by say- ing: “Congress will take care of the question. There is no doubt about it and never has been any doubt about it; and there never was a time when ten members of either house of Congress were not in favor of it.” That ought to settle the question even in the minds of those who were most deluded by the spectacular play of the hippodrome. The various committées who volunteered to undertake, at the expense of the public, to put pressure on Congress might as well retire from public view. They may be needed somewhere to do some kind of work, but they are not needed to make a fight for Chinese exclusion. That issue is settled, and the Republican majority in the House and the Senate, together with, the Republican President, will take care of it. THOSE GREEREK STUDENTS. HE riots in Athens have ceased, and that ancient city is no longer a storm center for \ news. The students who survived the violence they incited have returned to their rasks, and the Cabinet, which was shaken to disintegration, has resumed its duties and is attending to the government of the little kingdom. ; The strife was caused by the proposition to translate the Bible into modern Greek, the lan- guage of the masses. As The Call commented on the cause of the outbreak at the time, we are interested in the correspondence which has been addressed to us on the subject. It is quite im- pressive that in this country there should be so much knowledge and so much interest in the seemingly trivial cause of such an outbreak of disorder. One writer sends to us the statement of Pro- fessor Achiiles Rose to the effect that the Greek language of the educated classes, taught in the schools and colleges, is pure Greek, the ancient and immortal tongue in which Demosthenes uttered his orations and Homer wrote. Protected against invasion by foreign or modern words, by their prompt extirpation whenever they appear, the language is declared to be the classical Greek, though not spoken in its purity by the masses of the people. Professor Rose admits that even in its ancient prime classical speaking and writing was the rare exception. As for “the new Greek” he declares that we might as well call the Bowery dialect “modern English,” and that translating the Bible into new Greek would be just like transforming the King James version, which is in the English of Shakespeare, into the Bowery slang. While the fact is doubtless known to scholars, it is information for the non-scholastic that classical Greek is still the spoken lan- guage of the Hellenes. The ancient languages have been superseded by the same processes that have displaced the civilizations of which they were a part. The Greek tongue evolved from the speech of the tribes which confederated in that most remarkable commonwealth, but in the process it doubtless received accessions from Sanscrit, Egyptian, Turaniar® and the languages which preceded it. Greece took the Egyptian philosophy as part of its material, and when Plato lived in the city of On, and studied the lore of Egypt, he no doubt realized the obligation of his language to the elder speech. The question -of present interest is whether classical Greck is exactly adapted to the expression of modern life. A language does not pass aqut of use without some reason, and admitting that the tongue in which Xenophon wrote is stilrfami]iar to the few, its disuse by the many seems to prove that a more convenient vehicle of thought has become necessary. In this we by no means surrender our cénviction that classical Greek was the great? est language ever spoken by man. Latin was indebted to it for neasly all its literary quality and its fitness for expressing the terms of science, and, next to Anglo-Saxon, the best element in modern English is Greek. But this genuine respect for the dead language has but little to do with the contention of the students and the riot and bloodshed which it caused. The Christian theory being that the Bible is an inspired guide to life, the missionaries of all sects have translated it into many languages in order that the plan of salvation might be known of men. It has been translated into our American Indian dialects, and into the numerous primi- tive tongues of Africa and Asia. The purpose of such translations is spiritual and not scholastic. The purpose of a translatior: into new Greek was not to spread secular knowledge, but spiritual light. We may easily see that the scholar looks with indifference upon Eliot’s Indian Bible, and that the purists of Harvard and Oxford feel no interest in a Dahomey version of the Gospels. But the spiritual guides and teachers of the race have an entirely different feeling. They will say at once that if the mass of Greeks are living in ignorance of the inspired word, because it is writ- ten in a language that is no more than a hieroglyph to them, their spiritual peril is so great that devotion to a dead language should not stand in the way of their rescue. Paul preached to the Athenians once, and among his sayings is this: “For the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumb- ling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.” Perhaps the Apostle to the Gentiles had a prevision of this year of grace, when the Greeks, still seeking after wisdom, fought to the death over a question of the purity of speech, regard- ing purity of spirit as foolishness. Tt seems to be conceded that Congress will grant pensions to Mrs. McKinley and Mrs. Harrison. Each of them is fairly rich and has no need of a larger income, but there is sentiment in the case, and where sentiment and pensions are united Congress finds the' combination irresistible. The Shasta County farmer who has hought a coffin for himself and deposited with an under- taker sufficient money to pay his funeral expenses will probably live longer than the undertaker and niay have to sell the coffin to get money to sue for a recovery of the deposit. Tt is said the trial of the Modoc lynching case threatens to bankrupt the county, and prob- ably even if no one be convicted the people will find that lynching comes so high they will not try it again unless they have a surplus in the treasury. Arrg g - With fearful sea storms to the north of us and terrific sand storms to the south of us, we may congratulate ourselves on our fortunate situation in the golden center of things around which storms may rage but cannot enter. The Panama company has made a much better offer than was contained in its first proposition to Uncle Sam to buy its canal, and perhaps by waiting a little we might get the whole thing for nothing as a gift. — Every one rejoices in the sunshine and the liberality we have had during the Christmas season, but now most people would be glad to find some change in the weather and in their pockets, | A ! | MANNERING _CAMILLE TO DISPLAY HE ESSAYS B R TALENTS. BY GUISARD. Mary Mannering « =~ 5 EX OT since the summer harvest of plays has so well-balanced and competent a company been seen here as that which Mary Manner- ing brings with her in “Janice Meredith.” They have succeeded in mak- ing the play go, and no further test of capacity need be asked. They have fur- ther succeeded in making it attractive and enjoyable to a large proportion of the large audiences that have greeted it at the Columbia. They have done every- thing possible for the play, even to the smallest detail, from Miss Mannering down to the fascinated soldier who just smiles for his supper. More than that, | they have unconsciously and with mis- chievous intent deluded their good-na- tured audiences into the belief that the play is a good one. The staging, too, is very effective and the stage management without a flaw, so, granting all these good things, what's the odds if the audience is happy? Mr. Ford has been incredibly fortunate in persuading Miss Mannering to picture his wonderful heroine. The difficult fllu- sion of a girl sufficiently beautiful and be- witching to captivate everything in the masculine line that comes into her orbit is thus carried off with victorious plausi- bility, for Mary Mannering is among the loveliest and most charming of the younger women stars. She has grown considerably in her art since her last visit here, a steady progress upon right lines, and she has not yet reached her limit. Indeed, she has hardly yet crossed the line that divides the leading lady from the star, though she is fast nearing the confines of the firmamental domain. Her | work is still a little rigid in line and lack- ing a trifie of lightness in the hagdling, a little depth in the quality. To Xr is yet to come the last freedom, grip, au- thority; but that she will arrive is certain, for her present achievement is big with promise. She has consclence and industry and numbers but a score and five years to her pretty name. Miss Manner- ing’'s work has substance and roundness, charm, finish, repose and individuality. It is easily likely, therefore, that the years will add the necessary elasticity and grip. Thursday afternoon next will afford a valued opportunity to see Miss Mannering in a new light. Playing In “Janice Mere- dith” to please her management, proba- bly to please herself the charming ac- tress will essay the title role in “Camille.” It will be the first time that she has at- tempted the part, therefore an occasion of peculiar interest. The support is sure to be good. Drouet will appear as Ar- mand—that bete noire cf most actors. H. S. Northrup and Charles Cherry are also in the cast and Miss Amy Ricard—the pi- quint ingenue of the current bill, Tabitha Drinker—will be Nui ine. v e Maurice Maeterlinck’s betrothal to a young, beautiful and capricious Parisian opera singer, Georgette Leblane, is cre- ating a small sensation in Paris just now. o e Joe Welch, the light of the Orpheum “road show" this week, is one of the wild Joys of living. He is almost criminally funny and one of the keenest, kindest mimics that ever footed the stage. As every one knows he impersonates a Hebrew tailor. His method is as simple as it i3 effective, He does not depend for his effects on the colossal nose and fortissimo check suit that his kind usually affect, nor on f1e flapping hand and “already vets” of the average Jew impersonator. Neither are the more familiarly exploited character- isties of the Jewish make-up as the.comic Ppapers have it those that Welch chooses tg portray, but for queer lifellkeness, con. fident, subtle, easy and ravishingly funny portraiture he “beats the bang.'" Hi material is as funny as his methods, any as original and queerly simple. b what he says and how he say: At one stage of the P he finds himself, an innocent the law, on his way to the C in the “Black Maria,™ gentleman who vears. The little H his disconsolate It is both s it that roceedings vietim of ounty Jail handeuffed to a is about to “do™ ten ebrew thinking to cheer partner in' misfortune and | | | | | | | L 2 s FAMOUS STAR WHO IS AP- PEARING AT THE COLUMBIA THIS WEEK. - — timidly asks him if he also is in for “nut- ting.”" The burly ruffian condescendingly informs him that he is in for “putting a dent In a gent's nut!"—the slang slip- ping off Welch's tongue with an irresist- ible innocence. Then he asks the slinguist to translate, but only gets the reply from the insulted person that he will immedi- ately illustrate what he meant as soom as his hands are free. The Hebrew, en- lightened, desists, then informs his form- dable associate that he is in for ten days, though he doesn’t know why. “Ten days! AL, forget it, forget it! I could Go dat standin’ on my head,” says the other, scorntully. - led A little late In arriving, but very well worth waiting for, is the Christmas num- ber of The Dramatic Mirror. The cover, designed by Sewell Collins, is a particu- larly attractive affair, but there is a sketch by John Clay that carries off chief honors. The Clay drawing is a stunning bit of work. It is a sketch of a shabby- genteel, cheerful, picturesque old flute player, playing a Christmas carol on his beloved instrument and every clever line of it is instinct with life and character. Henry Mayer has a Plnero caricature that bears every evidence of being an excellent likeness. M. Mars and Marcel Capy con- tribute a quintet of sparkling bits of pen work from Paris. Then there are any number @igood halftons portraits of the theatrical brethren, spectal articles, Christmas stories ard all the usual merry truck of the season. It is a good number. . . The Christmas number of the New York Dramatic News is another publication of much merit. There are scores of stunning halftone portraits of the more famous dramatic lights of the day, including a beauty of Mary Mannering, and the pret- tiest of Julia Marlowe that has crossed\ the Rockles for some time. There are all sorts of good reading matter, articles by Sir Henry Irving, Mary Mannering, Co- quelin, Willlam Gillette and others of lesser fame contained In the ninety pages of the big number as well as all the cur- Tent news. —— e ————— Cholce candles, Townsend's, Palace Hotel.* —_——— Ex. strong hoarhound candy. Townsend's® —_——— Cal. Glace Fruit 50c per Ib at Townsend's. * —_—— Spectal information supplied dally te business houses and public men Ly the Press Clipping Pureau (Allen’s), 510 Mont~ gomery street. Telephone Main 1042 —_—— The average man would rather have his wife act ltke the devil and look like an angel than to act like an angel and look like the devil.—New York Press. s A e A Cure for the Tobacco Habit. Mrs. W. L. Spalding. 302 State street, Des Motne has discovered a harmless remedy for the tobacco habit. which cured her hus- band n 13 days, after being a slave to the weed for over 30 years. It can be given secre! Iy and is harmless. Mrs. Spalding will send the prescription free “to any one sending stamped envelope to pay postage. Guillet's New Year's extra mince ples, oo cream and cake. 905 Larkin: phone East 198 *