The World of Music News

Abroad August 1915

A BIOGRAPHY of Rheinberger is being written by Dr. Theodor Kroeger. Professor Musical Science at the University of Munich.

THE German Allgemeine Musikzeitun reports that Mascagni will succeed Busoni as the director of the conservatory at Bologna.

A SON of Frangeon Davies, the well known English baritone and author of The Singing of the Future, was recently killed fighting in the war.

HOUSTON Steward Chamberlain, son-in-law of Richard Wagner, has received an iron cross on a white ribbon for refusing to take up arms with England against Germany.

THE Richard Wagner Beneficial fund at Bayreuth (Wagner Stipendien-Stiftung) has given 52,000 marks to those who have been afflicted by the great war.

A SERIES of Richard Strauss' operas were recently given in Dresden under the direction of the composer. The works presented included Adriadne, Rosenkavalier, Elektra and Salome.

AMONG the artists who have been appearing at the London Opera House this summer is Mme. Tamaki Miura, who has appeared in Russian, French and Italian opera. She is probably the first Japanese prima donna to appear as the heroine of Mme. Butterfly.

DESPITE much talk to the contrary, Germany has not entirely neglected French music, during the war. Performances of Bizet's Carmen have been almost as frequent as ever in the Fatherland, and as popular. Auber's Fra Diavoio was also favorably received in Berlin.

MAX Bruch, the celebrated German composer whose G minor concerto for violin is so deservedly popular, has composed a concerto for two pianos. It is dedicated to two American pianists, Ottillie and Rose Sutro.

ALL is not war in Austria by any means. The government has just awarded a State prize of 2000 kronen ($400.00) to Dr. Hans Gab, of Vienna, for a symphony in E major. Twenty-one operas, thirteen oratorios and twenty-five symphonic works were submitted.

THE prize of $125.00 offered by W. W. Cobbett in connection with the London Music Student for string quartet in free or "Phantasie" form has been won with a "Conversation Quartet" by Albert Sammons. A further prize of the same amount for a similar work in sonata form has been awarded to Mr. Frank Bridge. The original offer was a prize of $250 for a string quartet, but the nature of the works submitted made it desirable to split it in the above way.

"The page has been cut out so articles are missing...."

IN A recent order of the day of one of the French armies, says a Paris dispatch, "among those mentioned is 'Laty' (Claude), assistant bandmaster of the Forty-Sixth Infantry Regiment. On February 28th he made his band play while under fire to cheer up the troops to the assault although an intense bombardment was going on which killed or wounded seven of his musicians". This episode recalls the case of Piper Findlater of the Gordon Highlanders, who, wounded in both legs during an engagement on the Indian frontier sat down between the enemy and his regiment and played the Cock o' the North until the music maddened Highlanders charged up the slope to his rescue.

THE effect of the war upon London may be gathered by the fact that at the Guildhall School of Music during the past year there were only 1,400 students instead of 2,100, as in the previous year. A deficit of $13,000 will be met by the municipality. Perhaps this is not entirely as bad as it sounds. For a number of years the English music schools have been turning out capable musicians at a greater number than are actually needed according to the inexorable law of supply and demand. The result is that English musicians of "average" ability are finding it increasingly difficult to earn a living, even though their "average ability" has gone up, thanks to good schooling.

THE death of Dr. William Hayman Commings, formerly principal of the London Guildhall School of Music, will be greatly deplored in England. Dr. Cummings was born at Sidbury, Devonshire, and educated at St. Paul's Cathedral School and the University of London. First earning his living as an organist, he later developed an excellent tenor voice, and sang at various notable English musical festivals. He was appointed Professor of Singing at the Royal Academy of Music in 1879, and succeeded Sir Joseph Barnby at the Guildhall School in 1896. As a scholar, educator, historian and writer on musical subjects Cummings has long held a foremost place in English musical life.

"The page has been cut out so articles are missing..."

The Etude Magazine August 1915