MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 77

MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS .

— A Midland town audience, who were listening enthralled co the ;late Mme. Patey's' rendering of qna of her favourite songs, were horrified at ,a sudden outburst of most unparliamentary language, which eeemted to issue from the. very roof of the concert .hall. " The „igapred fcheinteij"rhption and sang on, 'Jtiut w.hen a. minute later a second Viljipcraiiyo, explosion, appair<!ntly directed v jit , herself. > a-aiig : out, shs beat, & hurried rsjt^-pjft- vl , Indignation was rampant; a prompt and exhaustiver.seaarcli ensued, which brought to tlight : zk» delinquent in the ahape of a grey parrot percho<? upon a, beam alo^fjt. r Upop inquiry it transpired that 'the 'bird was the property of sailor, to whom it owed its brepziness -jox speech, and from whose keeping it had escaped the previous day.

— The record of Mr Van Biene, tha famous actor-musician, whose play " The Broken Melody " is now approaching its 5000fch performance, is worthy of a place of honour. Mr Van Biene recently stated that " The Broken Melody " has never been played without him. "No understudy foi; the character of Paul _ Borin3ki, the poor struggling musician, exists," he said ; "for, although I have tried, I cannot find one. Consequently, when I cannot play the theatre must be closed." How many ol those, by the way, who have listened to Mr Van Biene's exquisite rendering of "Home, sweet home" on the 'cello and watched his interpretation of the pathetic trials "of Paul Borinski were aware that he was practically acting a scene from his own life.' Mr "Van Biene came from, Holland to London when he was 22 years of age, and he makes no secret of it thxt he played in the streets for a living. One day a stranger stood and listened to one of his solos. The stranger spoke to Mr Van Biene, gave him a card,' and told the street musician to call at that address the following day. The stranger was Sir Michael Costa, and 'in a Eew days Mr "Van Biene was in the orchestra at Coyent Garden

— Perhaps the most remarkable fact concerning: Mme. Louisa Tetrazzini, who is being hailed as a new Patti on account of the remarkable success which 3he has scored a'- Covent Garden in "La Trav<ata," is that she received only "six months' vocal training in her life. Nevertheless her rafcge extends from B below *he stave (an exceptional note for a soprano; to E in alt. As a matter of fact, Mme. Tetrazzini practically taught herself ajl she knows about sineihg' and acting. _ It is true she went to Signor Ceccherini for six months, but at' the end of that time he dismissed her with the words: "Go; neither I nor anyone else can teach you anything more." Mme. Tetrazzini's salary at Covent Garden is £100 & performance, although in America she has received more Than double this. When it became known that Mmo. Tetrazzini was amongst the highest-salaried operatic stars her post-bag began to be filled "sach .*tay with letter* from mendicants who eonaufered that' they had a right ~to Dart of her earnings, and others from ipop'e who aooarently thought tfieinselves ' far better able tha^ ' heteeif to "*iay how the raonev should- be spent. The most curious application of all. how, ever,' came from' a young .and ambitious roth-poser, 'who^siuf»QsTod that Mme..Tetrazzini aii'j him c elf should set un as music nublisaers together • sh© to supply the cani-

tal and name of the firm', while he wou!? supply songs and musio. To the con* poser's however, the neit Patti declined the partnership.