The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 4, 1904, Page 19

THE SAN FRANCISCO- CALL, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1904. of Amer- f several h he rd and Cali- whi of Far- ve the un- them what has t “is be- done, but the American e lecturer's Mr, It to belleve one- everydsy news- he talked; for it was The suitable ve been a tem- or two swing- clear-visioned rom a lion Wag- t? There is a ied suggestion One fancies or American ir judge for yourself. first to talk about whom the com- 3 d. I told him we the Hansel and Gretel” at | turn he told me of 3 the heroic experi- umperdinck made in a t to spoken lure. through the the dramatic side. E a whole winter with at his own home In the of Boppard on the Rhine, he described as t standpoint this connection of of Humper- p n, his li- =, forms a sort of com- Tremendous friends the vital qual- ant in Paris aft- a contrapuntal an’s education, hen to lecture on in s G Up t Hr. Farwell put it, T r mp t xpress myself, rpose. d, looking at He smiled as he said then, Minnesota, and didn’t was until I got to I went th to take a electrical ing, but dis- that what 2 The piano? Oh, tend to play—only in from re play it worse than I consoled. Mr. apprehensive lest he be though nk that he was & planist. Then I asked: “How soon was it before you decided to devote yourself to the study of the native American resources?"” “Right off,” he said. And that was ¢ it must have been. The Far- 1 methods are enormously energetic, quick and decisive as his terse, fluent speech. “I saw we were just at the beginning of the creative period here. At first, of course, everything was borrowed—liter- ally borrowed. Then came the imitative epoch, now passing. And now is the creative period. Perhaps a children’s song book, the Laurel—that if you haven’t heard of you are going to—first set me thinking. The Wa-Wan Press, that is publishing what it believes to be the vital new work of American composers, went to them for children's songs; not the weary old stuff that the children have been fed on, but new and genuinely American music.” The coon song, for example!™ “There are worse things than coon songs,” Mr. Farwell put it. “It was, however, in the search for these songs that I came across so much of the real stuff that was being written—and then slammed on a shelf. You see,” he leaned over to emphasize this, “‘there had to be this stuff. Here were young, virile writers living a life that no one else has lived, in conditions crammed with suggestion, and writing wholly out of their own consciousness. They were bound to do the new thing—and they've do: “Phey?" “Chiefly in the East. Henry Gilbert” the lecturer replied, “Laurence Gilman and John Beach, all the most radical of revolutionists—it's quite '76 again,” he laughed. “Can any good come from Chicago?” I queried then. “From Chicago! Farwell was I found a sonata there”—there was another “Kreutzer” in the tone. “I must tell you. One felt, of course, that in that great ferment there must be music to volce it. there is so much of the mere academic stuff. Still, it took me three days only to discover Campbell Tipton, who is Jjust about as big as the city. He had written a piano sonata heroic—splen- did stuff. He had gone off into the quiet, stepped back from the fuss, dis- mayed doubtless by the lack of altruis- tic feeling among his confreres. He had had curious reasons. Here's one, hard- ly credible: Tipton taught in a school of music, and a friend of his teaching in another put the Tipton sonata on one of his recital programmes. He was or- dered to take it off because it was the work of a man teaching in another conservatory! But still it is not neces- sary to step back.” “It is good to go sometimes into the wilderness.” from the time I Sjegfried lifted the sword here to replied, “but mot this: “It Is not necessary to desert SRR D MINIATURE MARIE WELLS, PA MISE LILLIAN O'RYAN OF MISs TED BY - MERSON tells us that art stops hurry and induces re- flection—for these things, then, let us seek art, for 'tis hurry that’s hastening us on to our death—even to yours and mine— in the mad chase for the shimmering mirages of desire that lure u$ on and ever on to the end. Just at the present hour there is much of art—some good, some pretty good and, friend, some pretty bad—to be druhk in in such quaffs as you care for. But there—as evegywhere else, of course— 19 e [ Iz — . WHO TAKES A M BILITIES FOP ITS FUTU ARTHUR FARWELL, THE. AMERICAN COMPOSER, AT PRESENT ON THE COAST TO LECTURE TIE: T HOPEFUL VIEW OF THE CONDITION OF MUSIC IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE POSSI- DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH. e L your kind. It is one of the fundamental articles of my faith that a man may do his whole sociological duty and yet stand to his ideals—don’t care how high they are.” I asked then on what lines Mr. Far- well thought American music would de- velop. “Chiefly on the spiritual side—an evo- lution from the spiritual leadings in ‘Wagner,” he put it. “The emotional expression has been done to the limit. You can't go beyond the Wagnerian expression of emotion. But the spir- itual side—" “Just exactly what do you mean by the spiritual side?” I ventured—"isn't music essentially emotional?” Mr. Farwell disagreed, suggestively, “That music is essentially everything. By its spiritual quality,” he went on, “I mean, technically, the harmonic development. Rhythm, first dis- covered, is the physical basis; melo- dy is the emotional element; and har- mony brings the spiritual essence. ‘With these at their flood you can sym- bolize anything in life.” “And we're going to do it, here?” “We're going to do it here,” he sald bravely, and you could not but believe him. On the native sources of inspiration Mr. Farwell had exhaustive and most suggestive comment. “From the South we have the negro melodies—the South has been definitely poetized therein for all time. The West gives us the Indian songs, count- less thousands of them. In one tribe alone, the Navajos, Miss Alice Fletch- er collected no fewer than 4000.” “And there are the myths,” I sug- gested. “The myths,” the lecturer took me up, “that are as valuable to the poet as the Greek myths to a Keats. Then, we get the Southwest with the Spanish- American genre, and yet another and distinctly other element in the Span- ish-Indian. These I have been studying all summer with Mr. Charles F. Lum- mis, your great Indian authority. Then in the north one gets the French and Creole besides other Indian color, why —" “Why, the woods are full of them,” I finished for him. Very appreciatively Mr. Farwell then spoke of the Californian modern work, instancing the McCoy ‘‘Hamadryads” of this year’s loot as a thoroughly de- lightful composition. But his local re- search is not ended. Onme can, ho ever, promise the originator of the W Wan press more than one local work worthy of its publishing. —_— BILLS AT THE LOCAL PLAYHOUSES DURING THE PRESENT WEEK “Her Own Way" begins to-morrow evening the third and last week of its engagement at the Columbia Theater. Not to have seen the play and Maxine Elliott means to have missed one of the prettiest of society comedies and the most beautiful of actresses. ; To-night the Alameda Lustspiel En- semble will again have the Columbia stage. This popular German amateur organization will present this evening the delightful comedy ™Im Weissen Roessl” (At the White Horse Tavern),in which the players have achieved much success. Adolph Schubert will again be the Glessckg. i The Tivoli production of “King Dodo” is one of the wonders of the sea- son. It excels anything the Tivoli has vet put on in the way of a production, and fully equals the New York produc- tion of the opera. The cast, headed by Willard Simms, as droll in his way as Raymond Hitchcock was in his, is excellent, the costumes are sumptuous and the stage management wholly ad- mirable. The chorus, enlarged, fully lives up to its title of “beauty chorus,"” and altogether there is everything to take the crowds there. They have been there. To-night will begin the second week. g iE Williams and Walker, “the men who made the King laugh”—why should Sam Elton have the only headlined laugh?—came this afternoon to the Grand Opera-house. These clever col- ored folk bring with them a musical potpourri, entitled “In Dahomey,” in which they have met with extraordin- ary success in London and New York. Minstrels, William H. West's, come to the California this week. They be- gin their engagement with this after- | APPLIED ART There's the Sketch Club exhibit and sale at the cozy clubrooms on Califor- nia street, where some clever work of local women is shown. The exhibit will continue through the week from 10 to 5, with an informal “at home"” to-day and to-night. Seekers after Christmas gifts, wander up to this “ivy-covered little cot” and you'll find something of artistry to please you—likewise your purse. It is high time we Americans sought sto follow in the footsteps of the “little brown men”—whom we are rather in- clinéd to patronize—in their national Jove of the beautiful. No article of household use in Japan is too insignifi- cant or mean to be made beautiful by the application of art. And this na- tional trait has had a direct effect upon the personality of the nation, stamping upon the people a splendid delicacy of feeling and expression that has made of the Land of the Rising Sun an elys- ium. Eria e The Guild of Arts and Crafts held its second annual exhibit at the St. Fran- cis on Friday and Saturday, with a private peek on Thursday, to friends and friendly foes. At a glimpse it was a simple thing to see that a week would be all too short in which to get a line on all the handicraft shown, and here was I with but an AT THE _UNIVERSI- —_— noon's matinee. The headliner among the older favorites is Frederick V. Bowers, author of “Always” and “Be- cause,” who was featured in the great Kiralfy spectacle at the St. Louis fair. s S To-night is the last night at the Ma- jestic of the fine performance they are giving of “In Mizzoura,” in which J. H. Gilmour has scored so heavily as Jim Radburn. This week's bill will be “The Senator,” in which W. H. Crane starred for many years, and that will be given now for the first time in stock. R g “The Professor's Love Story,” the James M. Barrie comedy that E. S. Willard so happily introduced here, will be the attraction at the Alcazar this week. None can fail to enjoy it. il The Central offers this week “The Suburban,” that promises the usual sensational fare. There will be 200 people upon the stage and sixteen horses. § ST The Orpheum has an attraction ex- traordinary this week in the appear- ance of the famous actress Mary Shaw, long leading lady with Frohman -and famous all over the East for her Mrs. Alving in Ibsen’s “Ghosts.”” Miss Shaw will present a sketch entitled {"The Si- lent System,” and will be competently supported therein. John and Henry Dillon, songsmiths, Howard’s dogs and ponies, and Phyllis Allen, contralto, are others new. $ ¢ artire The Hart illusionists come to the Chutes this week after triumphantly mystifying Ne:\- Yfrk :.fll summer. Fischer's continues its 10 and 20 cent * vaudeville regime with much success. GALA PERFORMANCE FOR CHARITY FUND WILL OCCUR FRIDAY The sixth annual benefit under the auspices of the Associated Theatrical Managers \of San Francisco in aid of their charity fund for the sick and needy in the profession, to take place at the Orpheum next Friday afternoon, December 9, will be a gala event. The leading theaters of the city will send their choicest pecple and acts and the performance will be continuous. Maxine Elliott was one of the first to ENTER By Laura Bride Powers. hour. The Jjudgment committee, composed of Mrs. Lillian W ‘Tobey, PBruce Porter, Portet Gar- nett, Mrs. Albertine Randall Wheelan, G. F. P. Piazzoni, Mrs. Mary Ingalsbe Bradford, T. H. Meyer, Xavier Mar- tinez and C. P. Neilson, having passed upon the things that lie and hang about, means that their standards are high. And herewith I take their word for it. The exhibits range from artistic cradles for the baby to exquisite book -binding, along the labyrinth of deco- HHIC FOLK » * Of exceptional interest was the re- cital given last Saturday afternoon by the Twentieth Century Club, devoted to " the compositions of Sir Edward Elgar. The matter was fairly representative, consisting of vocal solos, three part songs for female voices and solos for piano and violin. One has been hearing much of Dr. El- gar—let us for brevity's if not for de- mocracy’s sake so call him. All the testimony seems to go toward proving the composer head and shoulders above his English confreres, his admirers, in- deed, hailing 'him as a sort of Luther in a new musical reformation. Most important of the musician's composi- tions so far is “The Dream of Geron- tius,” an oratorio, that has met with distinguished favor wherever it has been heard. In it Dr. Elgar seems to have succeeded in making skilifulest use of all modern musical effects, while giving to his work all the exalted relig- ifous spirit of the older oratorios. Well, then, may they hail him a Luther. The English musician has been pecu- liarly under the dominance of the Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn ora- torios. The English public has steadily demanded that kind ofy oratorio, and the English musician has as steadlly endeavored to supply the demand. In the famous Halle concerts in Manches- ter, where were to be heard the.great moderns in every other musical speech, the “Elijah” and the *“Messiah,” the “Messiah™ and the “Creation”—but al- ways the “Messiah”—were given season after season, and still are. Occasionally “St. Paul” would be sung, and very oc- casionally a formal venture into the oratorio field by perhaps Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir A. C. Mackenazie, Dr. C. H. H. Parry, Cowen, Stainer and Bridge might be heard. Certainly the new oratorios offered little temptation to the listener to de- part from the classic faith. Without the genius that made the older forms vital, they are crippled throughout with the imitative weakness. But Elgar by all account seems to have cut loose from tradition. His “Dream of Geron- tius” has made an even profound im- pression, winning a distinction for mod- ern English music that has only been achieved, and that in quite another field, by Sir Arthur Sullivan. Peculiarly attractive therefore was the opportunity afforded by the Twen- tieth Century Club. On the whole, how- ever, the programme was something of a disappointment. Barring the three part song. “Fly, Singing Bird,” that has admirably the lyric quality, the com- positions given showed no great origin- ality, of the inevitable quality of music ripe for birth and nobly born. Rather is there an effect of striving—a feeling after things in the dark. This is par- ticularly apparent in the contralto solo, “The Swimmer.” One does not know here what the composer is driving at most of the time, and is left also with the feeling that he himself is tossing about hoping for some sort of anchor- age that he never reaches. The song is dramatic in intention, but obscure in its melodic story, and indefinite, unsatisfy- ing in its harmonic plot. Miss Hazel + . volunteer in behalf of her distressed professional brothers and sisters and will be seen with her company from the Columbia in one of the brightest bits from “Her Own Way.” Williams and Walker, the greatest team of col- ored comedians before the public and direct from their London triumphs, will be the contributién from the Grand Opera-house, while the William H. ‘West Big Minstrel Jubilee will furnish a good old-fashioned first part as a curtain raiser. Miss Lillian Lawrence, John Craig and the principals of the Alcazar Stock Company have a delightful surprise in store for their many admirers, and Herschal Mayall, the popular leading man of the Central Theater, will be seen in the trial scene from ‘‘Robert Emmet.” The Tivoli Opera-house has promised the grand sextet and chorus from “Lucia,” with Madame Fannie Francisca in the title role with Paul Steindorft directing, and the Orpheum’s contributions will be the best turns known to modern vaudeville. The Chutes also will send in a novel fea- ture. On account of the length of the bill the overture will be played at 1 o’clock sharp. There has been a large sale of tickets and the reservation of seats will begin at the box office of the Orpheum Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock. - Mrs. Fiske, now appearing in “Hedda Gabler” in New York, has fascinated therein even William Winter, who has heretofore only impatiently considered the actress in Ibsen parts. He says her performance is remarkable, “being mor- dant with sarcasm, keen with irony, dreadful with suggestion of subtle, watehful wickedness, and bright with viclous eccentricity.” The general rep- resentation, too, is declared to be bet- ter than the original, William B. Mack, as locally, being the excellent Tesman, John Mason's Lovborg, one of the strongest characterizations of his ~a- reer, George Arliss’ Assessor Brack Pitcher in its rendering showed a keen sense of dramatic values. She is, though evidently a singer of short experience, exceptional In her promise, the voice large and fine in fiber and the temper truly musical. Miss Pitcher gave also another short song, “In Haven,” more definitely charactered but of only pass- ing interest. To Miss Lewis, who was beautifully accompanied by Miss Andersen, the programme was indebfed for the two violin solos, “Chanson de Nuit” and “Chanson de Matin.” In both of these, as in the plano solo, “Contrasts,” the mm"ufl% e sense was strongly grat- ified. e “Chanson de Matin” pos- sessed also a certain degree of spon- taneity, and the “Chanson de Nuit™ breadth and grace. Miss Lewis, though evidently nervous, gave value to both. The *“Contrasts,” well-knit, workman- like stuff, was given wth full apprecia- tion by Miss de Fremery. Almost spontaneous again and very well made, charming, too, In its delight- fully buoyant reading by Willard Young, was the song “The Pipes of Pan. But the two three-part songs, both for women’s voices and with accompani- ments for two violins and piano, are of exceptional value, particularly the aforementioned “Fly, Singing Bird.” Dr. Elgar here makes most skillful and original use of both vocal and instru- mental material. With its free and fine melody and novel harmonic charm, it is a pecullarly happy ex- ample of its genre. The other, “The Snow." is also pleasing, though in slighter degree, and both songs were given with notable sympathy by Miss Powers, Miss Tibbitts, Miss Pitcher, Mrs. Gwynn, Miss Hamilton and Miss Vassault. The Richard Strauss sonata for piano and violin, op. 15, will be the novelty of Mr. Hother Wismer's concert to be given at Steinway Hall mext Thursday evening. The sonata has been given only once here in public and is a most interesting work. Mr. Wismer's pro- gramme throughout is of the finer kind. He himself will give, In addition to the Strauss number, the Beethoven violin concerto (op. 61), with the Joachim ca- denzas and the Sauret “Farfalla.” The viclinist will be fortunate in the as- sistance of Mrs. M. E. Blanchard and Mr. W. H. Thorley. Following is the programme: Sonata for piano and vio- lin, op. 13, allegro, improvisation (an- dante), andante, allegro (Richard Strauss), W. H. Thorley and Hother Wismer: songs—(a) “Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer” and (b) “Stand- chen” (Brahms), (c) “Le Chevalier Belle Etoile” (Augusta Holmes), Mrs. M. E. Blanchard; violin, “Farfalla” (Emile Sauret), Mr. Wismer; vplano, (a) “Phantaisie Stuck™ (Grillen) (Schu- mann), (b) largo from op. 33 (Chopin), (¢) “Valse Fantaisie” (W. H. ‘Therley), Mr. Thoerley; violin concerto, op. 61 (cadenzas by Joachim), allegro, manon, troppo, larghetto, rondo, al- legro (Beethoven), Hother Wismer and Mr. Thorley. L T The Paderewski recitals to be given at the Alhambra will take place on Monday evening, December 19, and ‘Wednesday evening, December 21 - diabolically suggestive, and Laura Mec- Gilvray's Mrs. Elvsted finely consistent and human. David Belasco has at last announced his plans for Mrs. Leslie Carter this season, the lady beginning rehearsals this week on her new play. The play is entitled “Adrea,” is by John Luther Long and David Belasco, is not histor= ical drama, which is all the informa- tion touching it that Mr. Belasco deigns to furnish. Mrs. Carter’'s com- pany will include Charles A. Stevenson, Tyrone Power, R. D. MaLean, Claude Gillingwater, H. R. Roberts, J. Harry Benrimo, Francis Powers, H. G. Carl- ton, Marshall Weich, Gilmore Scott, Teft Johnson, Loris Grimm, Louls Myll, Edith Crane, Maria Davis, Irma Perry, Cora Adams, Lura Osborn, Lydia Winters and many others. R T For three consecutive weeks the Co- lumbia Theater will have a change of bill in the musical comedy line and all of them elaborate productions of the first order. The first will be “A Chinese Honeymoon.” This will be followed by “The Billionaire” and then will come “The Sultan of Sulu.” * Vg . Miss Maxine Elliott received this week from Clyde Fitch in New York the scenario of the new play which he is under contract to write for her in time for production in New York next September. This will be the pilece to follow “Her Own Way"” in the reper- toire of the actress. A characteristic note from Mr. Fitch accompanied the manuscript. “Here is your new play,” he wrote, “It is all completed—nothing remains tQ be written except the dialogue.” Lr. Fitch, who evidently believes that the plot is of more Importance than the mere language of his charac- ters, will fill in the blank spaces during the coming summer at his retreat on the island of Sicily. Miss Elliott declines to give even a hint as to the nature of the new play, since Mr. Fitch insists upon absolute secrecy until the night of production. NG OUR HOMES | rated leather, into beautiful keramics and parchments, on into phulonnphy that comes right unto high art. And then comes high ‘art, the real thing, neighboring in sweet peace with its* grosser relative—applied art. And thus is the European cult of combining the two phrases of art growing among us. And welcome. For thus may we some day become like unto the Japanese— and thereby learn to be a polite race. The photography of Oscar Maurer, ‘W. E. Dassonville and Adelaide Hans- comb is especially noteworthy. Our good friends Nelson, Dixon, Gamble, Piazzoni and Martinez show some in- teresting canvases. The miniatures of Miss Lillian O'Ryan are things of joy. They are live, delicate, well drawn and lack the harsh outlines so often seen on ivory. Her picture of Miss Marie Wells is one of the most finished bits from her hands—delicate hands they pre. A work in embrye that promi- ises well is the miniature of Miss Ed- nah Robirson, —————— Women in National ploy. More than 8000 women are empioysd in the various Government offices in ‘Washington, 2044 of whom have entersd the service after competitive examina- tions. Nine hundred are pald salaries ranging from $1000 to $1300 a year, the others being paid from 3500 to $900 a year.