MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1384, 9 March 1912, Page 9

MUSIC.

(Bi Tkeblb Clef.) . The London Symphony Orchestra. The famous London .Symphony Orchestra is about to visit New York for the first time. Says the. "Etude":—The coming of the London Symphony Orchestra, iniiler the direction of Arthur Nikiscli, next April is attracting wide attention. Tho orchestra will bs in America only tiventy-0110 days, nvriving ou April S. There will lie one hundred musicians, and every moment of tho time will be taken up with engagements arranged for months in advance. A special Pullman train of eight cava will be provided for tho orchestra, and will in a sense be the homo of the organisation during tho limited time it is in America. Every possible provision is being made for the comfort of tho visitors. Donizetti of Scotch Descent. There is nothing about the name of Donizetti at first sight to associate it with the laml of Kilts, yet, nevertheless, tho composer of "Lucia di Lammcrmcor" was tho grandson o:' a native of Perthshire, Scotland, named Izr-tt. Izett was beguiled ;into joining tho British Army by the fascinating glamour of a remiiting-sorgrant, and was drafted to Ireland. He was taken prisoner by General Lα Heche when the French invaded Ireland, and being aweary of soldiering, entered tho General's service. Eventually lie drifted to Italy, and married a lady of rank. His name was changed to Donizetti,'and by this na:;io hit; grandson became /anions. The Scottish ancestry of the composer shows itsplf in "Lucia di Lammcrmoor"— which, of course, is founded on a Scotch theme—and in "Eon Pasqnale," though Italian influences undoubtedly predominate. It is a curious fact that while Scotland has produced few composers of her own, there are at least three musicians of the highest standing who aro of Scotch descent—Donizetti, Grieg, and the American, MacDowell. So True, Victor Herbert, the American composer who wrote "TII3 Fortune Teller," voices a tribute in a recent interview on opera. He says:— "The musical public is commencing to cry out again for melody—real, beautiful, entrancing melody. One of tho first things the old masters sought to do was to find a theme. Beethoven had books full of them stored away. Now the tendency seems to bo to try to make a great work out of a weak theme, or sometimes no theme at all, if my ears do not deceive mo. Works of this kind can hardly last long in popular favour. 1 can find little hope for a great musical future in the tendencies of (he later and tho later Strauss. [ know full well that there war, a great hue and cry of a similar kind when Wagner first came to the front—but Wagner had no desire to overthrow the great harmonic systems created by the old masters. "The musical high brows who rave over 'Pelleas. and Melisando' and 'Klektra , would, in ninety cases out of a hundred, bo much more comfortable at a performance of 'Carmen' or 'Miguon.' Between them and the unfortunates whoso musical tastes are not very remote from the savagery of African forests here must come a vast army of real music lovers who wont music that is beautiful and sprightly. It is absurd to be provoked with tho busine.-s man who refuses to S]rehd his evenings pouring over Dante's 'Inferno' or Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales.' ]f he demands Thackeray, Dickens, Kipling, Hugo, or even Jack London and Montague Glass, it is a manifestation of on anpelite which will do him and his neighbours nothing but good. The obstrusc classics must always bo for the limited few." Boccherini and His Royal Patrons. Charles IV of Spain was something of an amateur musician, and took pleasure in playing the. violin. He had in his court Boccherini, the violinist, and (ho two used to play together. Boccherini, however, was obliged to play second fiddle to his Majesty, and this did not altogether satisfy tho vanity of the artist, particularly as King Charles played neither in tiiuo nor in tune. lioccheriiii therefore composed a piece of music in which all tho work was given to thn second violin, while tho first part was made very easy, hoping in 1 his way to preservo the kingly dignity and at the same time to have an opportunity for displaying his own talents. Unhappily, however, the king detected the trick, and seized ljoccherini by the collar, with tho intention of throwing him out of the window. Tho Queen intervened, ami Bncchurini was released, but was dismissed from Spain forever. Later, however, tho King repented, and gave his violinist a yearly stipend. Bocchrrini eventually obtained n position with tho German Emperor, who also played the violin. One. day his new employer asked him "What difference do you find between my playing and that of my cousin?" The violinist answered, "Charles IV played like a King—but your Majesty plays like an Emperor." Notes. Sir Frederick Cov.-en can claim the distinction of having received the highest fee over paid to a. Brilish conductor. For his services as comluclur at; Iho Melbourne Centennial Exhibition. Melbourne, Australia, lu. received 25.000 dollars. Uvidc Mimii has been made an officer of Hi« Order «r Leopold, a JWjiinii iliMiuction. He was unidi! a chevalier of the order lon years ago, and his promotion cam* to him as something of a surprise, as ho has Jolt Belgium l'or some years now, uiul govprnmeuis, liko kings, pnd. for that matter democracies, have & way of forgetting.