MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 247, 11 July 1908, Page 12

MUSIC.

[Bi Treble Clm.] Tho Prico of Autographs. Her friends in Australia will remombor what an indefatigable correspondent Madame Ada Crossley was. Letters written moan lotters answered, and Madamo gets a lot of fun out of her morning mail. Somo of tho .attempts at her namo (Crossley-Muecko) are especially laughable. Sho has been called Madamo Mutiny, Madamo CrossleyMulcke, Ladyships ana Madamo Francisquo Mincker. But tho cream of it all was a letter from an autograph hunter, who wroto as follows:—Dear Madam, if you autograph postcards of yourself, will you please autograph onclosed. I have a collection which includes all. tho bost actors and . actresses, but few singers. I received tho autographs of the following ladies, amongst others, for 9d. (hore follow a list of names), but I am enclosing la. to you, as oratorio singers are generally considered a littlo. higher than actresses 1 Mark Hambourg's Treasure. • The most treasured possession of Mark Hambourg, preserved reverently and produced only for the delectation of particular friends, is a manuscript of Beethoven's, with the great composer's own notes on the margin as to what he intended to do with tho musio when completed. It wa.s originally tho property of Liszt, and tho latter passed it on to Madame Marie Brandt, and she in her turn gavo it to the young Russian," whose reverence for the great master mado him well worthy of tho honour. The score is preserved iu Hambourg's permanent home in London. Hambourg, mindful of tho comfort of the rest of tho nousohold, has had a, music-room constructed with thick walls and padded doors, where he can repair for practico, evon in the middle of tho night, without the chance of disturbing sleepers. Within the four walls of that room aro gathered, scores of valuable momentos, taking the owner's thoughts back to 'pleasant friendships founded all over tho world. Caruso's Practical Joko. "Signor Caruso," says Mme Melba. in the "Mail," "is always playing praotical jokes, and sometimes when I am playing tho death scono in 'La Bohomo' ho makes it very difficult for mo to refrain from I remember on the last night on which I appeared last season at Covent Gardon, Signor Tosti was sitting in the front row of tho stalls, wearing a false moustache, and every timo I looked his way ho waggled it at mo in a most grotesque manner. Signor Caruso saw this, and tried to imitate him. You can imagine how I felt when, as Mimi, I was supposod to be dying to Puccini's heartrending strains 1" Notes. Fifteen recitals is all that a concort grand can bo used for, is tho opinion of Mark Hambourg, who told an interviewer that such an instrument is so delicate that somotimos its "life" only lasts for sis performances. Another veteran song composer, Mr. Wilholm Ganz, who_ was born in 1830, has just celebrated his diamond jubileo by a concort in tho Queen's Hall, London, which was attended by a crowded audienco, including H.R.H. tho Princess Henry of Battenborg. Hor Majesty tho Queen also sent, to tho venerablo composer a warm messago of congratulation.