MUSIC & MUSIC STUDENTS IN LEIPZIG

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 13

MUSIC & MUSIC STUDENTS IN LEIPZIG

I}Y A WANDKRtR FROM NEW ZEALAND,

NO. 11. The Leipzig Opera House is not beautiful either within or without, but is very large, and has a commanding position in Augustus platz, the largest square in the city. Here are performed all the greatest operas, old and new, the French excepted, and one has frequent opportunities of hearing Wagner. At intervals the whole cycle of this master's works is given in order of composition, thus: "Rienzi," " Flying Dutchman," " Tannhauser," " Lohengrin," " Meistereinger," " The Ring" (which consists of four operas — viz..: " Rheingold," " Walkure," " Seigfried," ar.d " GotterdammeTung "), and lastly "Tristan and Isolde." They are ■wonderful, especially " The Ring," and the music is entrancing. Two years ago Nikisch conducted all the big operas in the Opera House, and •a peiioj-manee of one of Wagner's works under his baton was a thing not easily to be forgotten. How the students cheered •him and brought him out time after time to bow ! They could hardly leave the place, so full of enthusiasm and delight wer € tney. But besides the Wagner operas are to be heard Beethoven's "Fidelio," Mozart's charming music, "Weber's works — " Pagliacco," '* Cavalleria Rusticana,"' "William Tell,"' "Carmen," " Les Hugenots," Merry Wive® of Windsor." "II Trovatore," "Aita, ' "La Dame Blanche," " Mignon," " Barber of Saville," and many others. The performances begin earh — generally at 7 or half-past, and m^st of the Wagner operas still earlier. " The Meistersinger " and " Gotterdammeruno "' both commence at 6 and end at 11 — five long hours. In spite of their length, tKe theatre is always crowded when Wagner's works are given, and if one want& good seats one must write as soon as the operas are advertised. In the Sunday morning paper appears the programme for the week, and then one chooses what one most wants to hear, and writes to the ticket oflice for places. It is strange in the summer time to enter the^ lighted theatre by daylight, and after &■ long act of passionate lovemaking or a dungeon scene or some romantic events with ghosts and spirits in a gloomy cavern to com© out on to the balconies still in daylight, perhaps the sunlight, and see the people in the souare moving prosaically about their daily business and the trams rattling and jingling by. On Sunday night generally the biggest operas are given, that being the time when most people are free to enjoy them. The prices in Leipzig are mo6t moderate, ranging from 6s to 6d. Most of the students, being poor, go to the " Dritte Rang " — the topmost gallery, — and very goott it is there, for although one is so near the roof one can both see and hear splendidly. It 16 very cheap, too — only ll^ci (think of hearing " Walkure ' for Hid!) and a penny for garderobe, which is compulsory. Standing places cost only 7£d, and many young men students go to "Steh platz" and take their scores to follow the music, for here one is near the gas jets. Between the acts the audience promenades in the corridors, and thcee who have been obliged to leav© home supperle^s supply the inner man at the restaurant on the first floor or snatch a haety meal at a .buffet. Often neople bring thensupper with them, and eat it while waiting for the performance to begin, or between the acts, satisfying their thirst •with a glass of beer from a buffet. It is a comical sight to watch the packets of food appear one after another, and the sandwiches and apples consumed with gusto. Unfortunately the inner man cannot always wait for his nourishment until the intervals, and in the midst of some particularly beautiful and delicate passage, when one is most affected by the music, begins a cautious crackling which is most irritating to nerves already strained. Two fat women are opening their parcels of j food, and continue to do so in smte of the furious looks and hisses of their neighbours- for three or four seats in front and behind. A peculiar sort of oiled paper is used for sandwiches, which crackles like parchment. This accomplished, they sit and munch, nnd finally pack up again what remains, while their outraged companions once more look daggers or whisper indignant remonstrances. But the opera is the place to see the Conservatoritfm student' in all his glory. What a collection of curiosities chere are — would-be artists, who apparently think they are halfway to the goal when they have let their hair grow long and greasy and attired themselves in sombrero hats and round-about cloaks, with big black silk ties loosely knotted in front a la ISakiscb. This unshaven and unwashedJooking apparition is (in his own estimation) a future Wagner. The Conservatorium. that centre of musical life in Leipzig, is just one minute from the Gewandhaus and in one of the best parts of the town. Its students, ■which aumber between 800 and 900, represent many countries. There are swarthy | Portuguese and Armenians, hot-blooded j Italians and Bulgarians, French, English, Roumanians, Poles, Norwegians, numbers of Russians, and swarms of Americans. The English colonies are well represented, for there are students h^m Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and South Africa. A good many of the masters in , the ' Conservatorium speak English, and one (Herr Schreck) has theory classes especially for English-speaking students The study year is divided into three terms — from October 1 to Christmas, from January to Easter, and from Easter to the end of July. From August 1 to the end of September are the summer holidays, vrhen all who are near enough go home. At Christmas there is a short vaca*''on of 10 days, and at Easter three w«pk«

J Nevi students can entov at the beginning of each term, but the best time for enrolling is the Ist of October, when the musical year 1 really commences. The fees for one term are £6, for w hich one gets lessons on one' instrument and theory, and is expected, if possessed of a voice, to go to the choral singing. Every Friday evening from 6 to 8 there ;ue concerts in the Conferva torium Hall by the pupils, and it is the aim of every ambitious student to play at an "Abend." At Easter time are held the annual "Prugungen." The "Piugungen," or examinations, are CMjicerts to which the public are admitted and at which the cream of the students appear. This is generally the finale for those •w ho are leaving the Coinservatorium. although, of course only a small proportion are considered fit to appear. It must be admitted that the performances are often veryYpoor, for the Leipzig Conservatorium is nm. -what is used to be. The h,appy student -who makes a " prufung " receives a special certificate stating the fact and ' giving his or her qualifications or capacities. No musical degrees are conferred j in Germany. It is an animated scene that one sees on entering the Coneert-atorium at certain hours. Mounting the steps and pushing open the huge, heavy door one meets, ' perhaps, a violinist coming out, with instrument under one arm and roll of ; music under the other. His dark skin ! and eyes, black hair, and peculiar type ' of face proclaim him a Russian Jew. I Follow ing close on one's heels are pos- j sibly two American girls in "shirt waist ] suits," who luive just been buying "candy" in "the store on Peter sti<>Rso " Inside in the lobby all is bustle and mo\€n:ent. Here at the garde-robe a party of ] girls are taking off hits md coats in ; i preparation for their lessons. Over at ! j the announcement board on the wall are J a bunch of young people looking to s.ee I -v\ li*i-t is n-e"w, oi "^ hethei tliejx Tiaro-eiS ] happen to com-e on the list for a Gewandh-aus ticket th's week; while at the letter case others aie seeking hope- | fully for an envelope to then. ! Yonder is a young Pole, talking to the ] pretty English girl -who is expected to make a brilliant " prufung " next Easter with the* Beethoven concerto ; and from the concert hall comes the sound of the " Meistersinger " o"veiture, which the , Coneervutorium orc-iiastia are practising. I On the other side of the big lobby \ stands a, knot of lady students, with | manuscript and theory books, waiting out- i side a class-room door until the men's | class ie over and they can enter for their | lesson. Then out pour the joung men, | chatting and laughing, and in stream tho < girls. And so it goes on, year in, year out ; as one 6et of students takes its departure, its plate is taken by another. ! Although there are many advantages in being in the Conservatorium (for example, t one gets in one's turn free tickets for the Gewandhaus and for many of the operas-), , there are not a few who fird it unsatis- ' factory to get only 20-minute lessons twice a week, for there are generally three | students in a class. Sometimes in a twohours leiS6»n the class consists of as many , as eight or nine pupils. These, then, do not enter the Conservatorium, but take '• private les-sons. Tlr.s is. of couise, much more expensive, and leadeis may be startled to hear that all the best teachers charge 206 an hour. When music students are together theie is little else but music discussed — Who is to be the soloist at the next Winderstein concert? How atrociously So-and-So played the Liszt conceito jteterday! When Ysaye is to visit Leipzig, and so on. Then tb*y compare noUs over their work and teacheic. and discuss tne composition* they aie practising and their master's methods. In Leipzig one hears much about methods, for the piofessois have their own , ideas about teaching, and there aie many ways of learning to play the piano. Some play with muscle, some* with weight, some lift the fingers high, some hardly raise , them from the keys ; some play octaves so, ' and some so. This may seem a matter of I no importance, but it is far fiom being so | to the poor student who has to begin all over again. *»If he is not satisfied with his master and changes, ten to one he has to go back to the beginning a second time. Poor music students, how unwelcome they are in musical Leipzig! One goes from house to house seeking a loom, and is told, "No music is allowed here." The pensions where it is allowed are usually | full of budding pianists, violinists, and singers. Even when the unlucky being has secured a lodging, he may be made r>n- ( comfortable by the complaints about his practice from his neighbouis or the occupants of the flat below. Practising hours | are generally limited, the usual time being from 8 o'clock in the morning until 1, j and from 3 until 8 in the evening, whilst > veiy often Sunday praitice is forbidden altogether. Windows, tio, are supposed to be kept shut, and the neglect of this rule may occasion a visit froih the police, i and the loss of pait of the precious month's allowance. ] It is a delightful life that of a music student — so absolutely fi cc and so full of , interests. One lives either in pension, or in what is called in Leipzig " garcon logis." The " garcon logis," or furnished rooms, are generally let by the respectable working cbss, and are not, as would appear from the name, for gentlemen nn l v - ] The rent of a " garcon logis" vanes from i about 20 to 30 marks a month. For 26 ( or 27 marks quite a nice room can be had. This money includes cleaning of the room and breakfast, consisting of coffee and one \ butterless roll ; one must supply butter for j 6neself. and fire and light are extra. Then one goes to a restaurant for one's dinner, and provides one's own supper. The landlady supplies a key to the flat and one for the house door, so that one can enter t at any time of the day or night without . disturbing anybody. J A student's room is bed and sitting*i room in one, and by a few simple arrangements it is made to look really comfortable. For instance, instead of r

th.-re is often a chaise tongue, or kind of sofa, which is made up at night, the bedding being taken away during the di»y. Then, by putting a screen round the ; waehstand, there lemain no evidences of a i bedroom, except the wardrobe. The floor ! is painted brown, and in the centre is a j square of carpet on which stands a small I table with red plush cloth, while a writing i table in the coiner by the window gives a homely air to the room. It is warnud by a big porcelain stove, which is at once clean and economical, a large shovelful of i coal put on in the morning heating the room for the whole day In conclusion, a word to any aspiring students who are thinking of coming to ! Leipzig. First, do not come unless really [talented; it does not take long to learn i one's limitations. Second, do not come for less than a year: even that is too short a time to do any satisfactory work, | and those who intend to stay one ve.ir nearly always remain longer if possible. In six months one has just begun to see ■ how little one knows, presuming, that is, that one is with a good master. I If the time is jbhort, come to hear the' , music only. One can be kept quite busy between October and the end of March ; but for serious study be prepared to stay two yeais at least, and longer if possible.