MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 342, 31 October 1908, Page 12

MUSIC.

(By Teeble Clef.) Musical Italy. The oldest conservatory of music in'ltaly is that, of NapleSj which was founded six centuries ago. It is at present under the ■direction;'(if-the pianist and composer, Giuseppe Martucci.- Among its famous graduates we're Scarlatti, Durante, Jomelli, Piccini, Paisiello, Cimarosa, Spontini, Bellini, Mercadante. At the present day it is less prominent than tho conservatories of_ Milan and Pesaio. The Milan institution is now named after Verdi —who was refused admission as a youth because of his alleged insufficient talent, but who, when he had become i- millionaire, forgave this blunder and endowed it richly. It also- gets £12,000 a year from the city and a further 'endowment from the national Government. The importance of this high school is' increased by the fact that Milan is the musical headquarters of all Italy. Among, the foinier students were Boito, Mascagni, and Ponchielli. A unique position is occupied by the Pesaro school, known as tho "Liceo ■Mvsicale Rossini." It was founded by Rossini, who endowed it with £120,000. It was opened in ISB2. Thei instruction is entirely ■free, and some of the students are further aided by scholarships. The number, of instructors is twenty-sis. Pesaro is a provincial town of only 15,000 inhabitants, which thus owes its fame as much to Rossini (who was born there) as Bayreuth owes its fame to Wagner. Bologna has the best musical library of all Italian conservatories, Naples coming next. Tho total number of Italian cities which have musical high schools of some importance is twenty. A peculiarity of the institution at llavenna is that every pupil must learn to play tho French ' horn, At Milan all the students of the I violin (about fifty at present, among them twelve girls), must also learn the viola. Tho demand for orchestral and band players is great, , and. these schools supply it. :

Mr. Victor Herbert, who wrote "The For-tune-teller," has composed a new opora entitled "Algeria," which has been produced in New York.

A common complaint at all. tho Italian conservatories is that the best ' voices are kidnapped for tho stage before they_ are ready for it. The managers lie in wait for scmo particularly good voice, and, by offering the pupil advantageous terms, , induce him or her to leave tho school and make a debut at once. The immature, voices cannot stiMid tho strain; there is a- breakdown —and that is why good singers are so scarce and expensive.

Honri Cain, who wrote the libretto for Massenet's "La Navarraise," which Mme. Calve lias made known to Americans, is mentioned as tho librettist of "Quo Vadis," tho 'well-known novel by Sienkicwicz, f6r which Joan Nougis has written an opcratic score. Tho now work is to be produced iat Moiito Carlo during the coming season;

Tho Berlin correspondent of the "Musical Courier" estimates tbat about 5000 Americans go abroad annually to study in tho various musical centres. Half of the 3500 Americans living in Berlin are music students. Most of these aro "too much in a hurry. They want to accomplish in two years what European ■ students never expect to accomplish in six years."