MUSIC.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue I, 4 July 1896, Page 13

MUSIC.

ABBEY, the American impresario, blossomed from the obscurity of a town in Ohio—Akron. His

father was a jeweller, and Abbey fils was apprenticed to the trade. Abbey had a slight musical bent, and played an indifferent comet in the orchestra of the Akron Opera House. Edwin Adams, the Titan of the romantic actors in his day, played at Akron, and being short of an advance agent, he employed Abbey, a youngster of genteel presence, companionable nature and voluble tongue. This was the preface to the many spirited and entertaining chapters in the biography of Abbey. When the fame or notoriety—or what you will of the Bernhardt was chortled through America about fifteen years ago Abbey went over to England unbeknown to his friends. Rich in what Mr Gilbert calls modest assurance and gaunt of wallet, Abbey reached London plus a few hundred dollars above his passage. He sat down and wrote to the prominent American managers that he had secured Bernhardt for an American tour, and in order to secure her fora certain number of weeks, America would have to put up so much money. What would Mr Manager pay ? Reply post haste, for the tour must be booked in a hurry. At such palatable bait as Sarah the American managers hungrily bit. Their guarantees were simply fabulons. Their money was deposited in the bank. And Abbey, when this was done, went in quest of Sarah’s English representative, Jarrett byname. •Mr Jarrett,’ said Abbey, ‘ I want Bernhardt for an American tour of so many nights. I will guarantee her so much money.’ Jarrett wired Sarah, who insisted on so much more —a figure well within the limits of the amounts guaranteed by the American managers, with a handsome profit to boot for Abbey. Abbey consented, and so he became the introducer of the great tragedian to America and a man of money.

Johannes Brahms has been nominated one of the foreign associates of the French Academic des Beaux Arts, in place of Fiorelli of Rome. Katherine Bartho, late of the Henderson Company, has made a hit at the Trocadero, in New York, with a new dance entitled ‘ Cuba Libre. ’

A special performance by the Grand Opera Company in New York for Abbey and Grau’s benefit had a great scene. Melba, Calve, Nordica, Saville, Jean, and Edouard de Reszke, and all the principals and chorus marched on in different costumes and sang the soldiers’ chorus from ‘ Faust.’ It made a tremendous effect.

I like this epitaph upon the tombstone of a musician : —‘ He has gone to the only place where his mnsic can be excelled.’

It is stated that the personal profits of Paderewski in America are /46,000. That must mean this season, as he was supposed to get all the receipts. Mrs Sophie Keller is the first woman orchestra conductor in Denmark. In 1895 she retired from theoperat’C stage after a brilliant lyric career of twenty-five years and began to teach. Last autumn she founded an institution called the Women's Private Society for Concerts, which opened with about 1,000 active and associate members.

The Wellington Festival Choral Society give their first concert of the season on Monday night, when * Beethoven’s Symphony in D. Major ’ and Dvorak’s ‘ Stabat Mater ’ will be works produced.

A sacred concert and recital of music will be held in the Devonport (Auckland) Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday next, July Ist. Several talented vocalists and instrumentalists have offered to take part. As it is in aid of the choir fund, a subscription will take place. Numbers of Wellington lovers of Scotch music wended their way to the Exchange Hall, on the night when the Burns Societies gave their annual concert. His Excellency and Lady Glasgow had announced their intention of being present.

A very iashionable Christchurch audience assembled at the Temple of Truth on Thursday evening for the Gemischter Abend of the Liedertafel, and being the last of the season no one liked to miss it, so in spite of its being an Arctic night there were few empty seats. Under the galleries was artistically curtained off, and people settled down comfortably, expecting not to feel the Siberian breezes, but the curtains waved about occasionally, revealing the dainty refreshment tables which were laid down one side, making all long for coffee time. The part songs and solos were splendidly given, several encores being insisted on. A ‘ Serenade,’ with vocal accompaniment, the solo by Mr Lovell, was a charming item. Mr F. M. Wallace’s two violin solos by Riess were another treat. Mr Lovell sangTosti’s ‘ Goodbye ’ with great expression, and as a finale the members sang " The Students’ Parting Song,’ as a farewell to Mr Lovell, who is shortly leaving for England.

The ladies’ night of the Christchurch Leidertafel went off most successfully, Mr Wallace conducting, and Mr R. Trist Searell playing the accompaniments. Among the performers were Mr F. Barkas, Mr Miller, Mr W. A. Day, Mr H. H. Loughnan, and Mr R. Trist Searell and Mr Wallace.