SOME MUSICAL CELEBRITIES

New Zealand Tablet, 5 February 1914, Page 19

SOME MUSICAL CELEBRITIES

Mr. J. F. Hogan, in his London letter in the Advocate, gives some interesting extracts from the recently published reminiscences of Mr. Wilhelm Ganz, the eminent composer and pianist. Mr. Ganz was acquainted with many of the musical celebrities of the past sixty years, Wagner, Liszt, Verdi, Meyerbeer, Berlioz, Rubinstein, Gounod, and Balfe being among the number. He tells entertaining stories and reminiscences of all of them. Michael William Balfe, the genial Irishman,, and composer of ‘ The Bohemian Girl ’ and other popular operas, in addition to a score of songs that have become world-wide favorites in the concert halls, was, he says, particularly kind, helpful, and encouraging to him during his early years in London. Balfe always playfully called him ‘Gangino.’ Not only was Balfe a composer of exquisite ear-haunting melodies, but he was also one of the most gifted orchestral conductors that Mr. Ganz has ever, known. Apparently Balfe, like too many brother-irishmen, was careless and improvident in money matters. Mr. Ganz remarks in this connection:—‘Balfe frequently sat up late at night composing, and his devoted wife had to keep him awake with strong coffee. I believe he got a thousand pounds for each opera from Boosey and Co., but he generally spent his money very freely, and unfortunately did not save up for a rainy day.’ Mr. Ganz gives some curious and striking figures to show the astonishing advance in the prices paid to eminent singers, violinists, and pianists since his early years in London. Such renowned singers as Jenny Lind, Grisi, and Mario received fees of only 15 or 20 guineas where to-day Melba, Tetrazzini, and Caruso demand and receive 300, 400, and even 500 guineas. It is to this enormous increase in the fees commanded Ly leading singers that Mr. Ganz attributes the decline in the * musical parties ’ that were once a very agreeable feature of London social life. Only royalties and millionaires can now afford to have a Melba or a Caruso, at their after-dinner entertainments. The precarious position of most opera houses to-day, the difficulty of their managers in making both ends meet, and the relatively high prices that have to be charged for admission, are directly due to the grasping proclivities of the principal singers. As illustrating the small remuneration for musical services in his boyhood, Mr. Ganz quotes this entry from the diary of his first year in London;— ‘ I went with Mr;, Milligan to Hammersmith, where he was giving a concert in the Albion. Hall. . I . played the variations of Rode,, and was applauded. I stayed the night at Milligan’s, and next morning we drove back in an omnibus. • He gave me a shilling/ u ' \'/ : f -v ; l. j. .