Henry Charles Lahee

“ In 1903 Heinrich Conried succeeded to the management of the Metropolitan Opera House, and set himself to work to abolish the star system, as far as possible, and produce a good ensemble. The abolition of the star system proved an impossibility, because people had been fed upon it since the musical life of the country began, and New York audiences would not go to hear singers who had not already made European reputations. But Mr. Conried succeeded in producing many works new to the American public. ”

“ Another musical society which is in existence at the present day, and which undoubtedly has had much influence on the musical life of America, was the Pierian Sodality of Harvard University, established in 1808 by the undergraduates.
In Philadelphia we find the establishment of the Musical Fund Society, which, for a number of years, did much to promote good music in that city. At its first concert, on April 24, 1821, Beethoven's First Symphony was played for the first time in America. ”

“ In December 1800 we find the first annual concert of the Philharmonic Society in New York City. This society died in a few years, and in 1820 another Philharmonic Society was formed. This society also dwindled, though it did not die, for in 1840 it was reorganized, and has ever since taken a leading part in the musical life of New York.
Many musical societies made a beginning. Few lived long. But of those which lived perhaps the most noted is the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston, formed in 1815. ”

“ Nevertheless, the history of the period from 1825 to 1850 is full of first performances of Italian opera. In 1848 the Havana Company visited the United States, and was considered the finest company that had been heard until that time.
In the same year Max Maretzek appeared in New York and at once entered the operatic field, with which he was prominently occupied during the next period.
Before finishing the review of this period we must not forget the production William Henry Fry's opera, "Leonora." This was the first grand opera written and produced by an American. ”

“ Colonel Mapleson visited Cheyenne with his opera company, which included Patti and Gerster, and wrote thus of the place: "Although Cheyenne is but a little town, consisting of about two streets, it possesses a most refined society, composed, it is true, of cow-boys; yet one might have imagined oneself at the London Opera when the curtain rose,—the ladies in brilliant toilettes and covered with diamonds; the gentlemen all in evening dress. The entire little town is lighted by electricity. The [Pg 65] club-house is one of the pleasantest I have ever visited, and the people are most hospitable." ”

“ The record of opera in New Orleans is incomplete, but it is well known that New Orleans was the home of French opera in America long before it became popular in other parts of the country.
But America was gradually edging up to the time of grand opera. Singers were arriving from abroad and brought with them their ambitions. We find that an English version of Rossini's opera, "Il Barbiere," was given at the Park Theatre, New York City, in 1819, with Miss Leesugg as Rosina, and in 1823 an English version of Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" was presented. ”

“ The accounts of secular music come chiefly from Charleston, S. C., at which place many musicians entered this continent after visiting the West Indies. In fact, the first song recital on record in America took place at Charleston in 1733, while Boston had a concert in 1731 and Charleston had one in 1732. Charleston also claims the first performance of ballad opera on record in America (1735) .
It must not, however, be supposed that New England had no secular music. ”

“ There was also a large list of violin virtuosi beginning with Adolf Brodsky, who was followed by Henri Marteau, César Thomson, Ondriczek, Burmester, Halir, Gregorovitch, Marsick, Maud MacCarthy, Petschnikof and Madame Normann Neruda, who had been prominent in England for many years, and was long past her prime when she visited America. But the greatest artist of all was Eugen Ysaye, who first appeared in 1894, and who, since the great war, has been conductor of the Cincinnati Orchestra.
Opera continued to flourish on misfortune. ”

“ This leads us to a short review of opera, and as New York City was the headquarters from which numerous companies issued to charm the rest of the country, a review of New York is practically a review of opera for the whole country. ”

“ Chicago is now a rival of New York in matters of opera.
San Francisco heard its first opera in 1853. The gold fever of 1849 drew people of all kinds to California, and among them were musicians. Henri Herz, the French pianist, reached California in 1849 when the excitement was at its highest, and he gives an interesting account of his adventures. It may also be well to mention here Signora Biscaccianti, who went to San Francisco in 1852, and was there more or less till 1864. Signora Biscaccianti was one [Pg 39] of the first American singers to achieve a measure of success in Europe. ”

“ The Annals of Music in America during the first hundred years contain very little that would seem to be of any importance to the musicians of today. Nevertheless it is as interesting to note the beginnings of music in this newly settled country as to watch the appearance of the baby's first tooth. ”

“ All the principals, with one exception, were also of American birth,—Louise Homer, Riccardo Martin, Clarence Whitehill and Herbert Witherspoon. The other principal was Lenora Sparks, an English singer.
The most notable feature of the decade seems to have been the spread of musical enterprise throughout the country. Distant cities were organizing choral societies and orchestras to a greater extent than ever before. It is necessary not only to develop composers, support a few fine orchestras and produce a few operas, but the nation must grow musically as a whole. ”

“ The country was sparsely populated, and music depends on the existence of a community. Even in 1750 the cows, according to tradition, were still occupied, during their daily peregrinations, in laying out the streets of the future city of Boston,—a city which was destined to be one of the leaders in matters musical.
Note. When a work is mentioned as "given" or "played" or "presented," it means the first performance in America. When "produced" or "production" or "première" is used the first public performance anywhere is indicated. ”

“ In the forties began the stream of violin and piano virtuosi which has continued in ever-increasing volume to the present day. Ole Bull, violinist, in 1843, Vieuxtemps and Artôt, violinists, and Leopold von Meyer, pianist, in 1844, were the first.
Perhaps the development of opera may be considered of greater interest than other musical items. In 1825 Manuel Garcia arrived in New York, and gave the first performances of Italian opera. ”

“ Musical Society," 1786, and "The Musical Society" of New York City, all tend to show that social centres were developing, and the people were finding expression in music.
An indication of what had been growing by degrees is found in the reports of concerts. Mention of instruments such as violins, French horns, oboes, trombones, etc., was made here and there, and especially in connection with the Moravian settlements in Bethlehem, Pa., where was established the first music school. ”

“ Among pianists we had Busoni, who was, for a time, resident in Boston, Vladimir de Pachmann, the great interpreter of Chopin, who was immensely popular for some twenty-five years, and Paderewski, whose progress through the country was marked by previously unheard of demonstrations. It is said that thousands of people traveled many miles to see the train pass in which he was traveling. Alfred Reisenauer came in 1895, Slivinski, Alberto Jonás, Raoul Pugno, Siloti and Dohnanyi, were among those who made their first appearances in America during this decade. ”

“ Of singers there were a great many, but most of them appeared in opera. Of the Americans who gained international reputation were Emma Abbott, Alwina Valleria (of Baltimore) , Lillian Nordica (Norton) , Emma Nevada (Wixom) , and Charles R. Adams.
Among the European celebrities who visited America were Madame Rudersdorff, Etelka Gerster, Scalchi, Marcella Senibrich, Amalia Materna, and Lilli Lehmann, also Alberto Stagno, Max Alvary, Albert Niemann, Francesco Tarnagno. ”

“ The concert above mentioned goes to show the contrary. Also there is a record of small wind instruments, such as oboes and flageolets, being brought to Boston for the purposes of trade—possibly with the idea that New England shepherds might play to their sheep, as shepherds in other countries are supposed to do.
We know that every farm had its spinning wheel [Pg 3] and that clothes were made of the homespun woollens, but neither historian nor poet has ever pictured a New England shepherd with the shepherd's pipe. Imagination has not so far run riot. ”

“ The Artists' Union Opera Company formed in New York City, including Bosio, De Vries, Bettini, Lorini, Badiali, and Coletti. They gave what they claimed was the first performance in America of Meyerbeer's opera "Roberto il Diavolo." ”

“ The list of virtuosi is also long. Among pianists Harold Bauer and Ossip Gabrilovitsch appeared in 1900, and later came Rudolf Ganz, Josef Lhevinne, Katherine Goodson, and Serge Rachmaninof. Among violinists, Kubelik, Kocian, Hugo Heermann, Jacques Thibaud, Efrem Zimbalist and Arthur Spalding, only the last being of American birth.
The list of singers is long, and is chiefly associated with opera. Louise Homer, an American, made her début in 1900, and Geraldine Farrar, another American, in 1906. ”

“ Gounod was next with twelve performances, Verdi with eight, Puccini with eight, Meyerbeer with five, Mascagni with four, Reyer and Massenet three each, Boito, Mozart and Donizetti two each, and Beethoven, Leoncavallo and Bizet one each.
American composers were seeking new themes indigenous to the soil. Many had already written something under the title of "Rip van Winkle," and Walter Damrosch had brought out an opera based on Hawthorne's novel "The Scarlet Letter." Anton Dvořák composed his "New World Symphony" making use of negro melodies for his themes. ”

“ American début of Erika Morini, Austro-Italian violinist, in a recital at Carnegie Hall, New York City, supported by an orchestra under Bodansky. She played the Mendelssohn concerto and one by Vieuxtemps. ”

“ Colonel Mapleson was decidedly the astutest of all directors, ... while to Henry Abbey must be attributed every straightforward and honorable quality. Maurice Grau was the cleverest of entrepreneurs."
Among the singers brought here by this [Pg 97] combination was Tamagno, who appeared in 1890. The following season came Jean and Edouard de Reszke, who reigned supreme for a number of years. Also two American singers who had made reputations abroad,—Emma Eames and Marie van Zandt. In 1893 Nellie Melba and Emma Calvé came; and in 1894 Pol Plançon. In 1896 the Abbey and Grau combination collapsed. ”

“ During these twenty-five years the list of items on record is far greater than during any preceding period of similar time. Possibly this may be accounted for by the greater facilities for travel both by sea and land. ”

“ Mar. 22. Ambroise Thomas's opera "Hamlet" presented in New York City, with Christine Nilsson as Ophelia, Annie Louise Cary as The Queen, Brignoli as Laertes, A. Barre as Hamlet, Coletti as The Ghost, Reichardt as Horatio, and Locatelli as Polonius. ”