Musical Memories | Page 6

of Fine Arts to give a concert there, accompanied by the Colonne
orchestra. The Société fretted and fumed at this and threatened to give
up its series of concerts. But the Société was overruled and the concert
was given. To the general surprise it was seen that another orchestra in
the same hall produced an entirely different effect. The depth of tone
which had been appreciated so highly, it was found, was due to the
famous Société itself, to the character of the instruments and the
execution.
Nevertheless, the hall is excellent, although it is no longer adequate for
the presentation of modern compositions. But it is a marvellous place
for the numerous concerts given by virtuosi, both singers and
instrumentalists, accompanied by an orchestra, and for chamber music.
Finally, the hall where France was introduced to the masterpieces of
Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, whose influence has been so profound,
is a historic place.
Numerous improvements in the administration of the Conservatoire
have been introduced during the last few years. On the other hand, old
and honored customs have disappeared and we can but regret their loss.
From Auber's time on there was a pension connected with the
Conservatoire. Here the young singers who came from the provinces at
eighteen found board and lodging, a regular life, and a protection from
the temptations of a large city, so dangerous to fresh young voices.
Bouhy, Lassalle, Capoul, Gailhard and many others who have made the
French stage famous came from this pension.
We also used to have dramatic recitals which were excellent both for
the performers and the audiences as they gave works which were not in
the usual repertoire. In these recitals they gave Méhul's Joseph, which
had disappeared from the stage for a long time. The beautiful choruses
sung by the fresh voices of the pupils made such a success and the
whole work was so enthusiastically applauded that it was revived at the
Opéra-Comique and won back a success which it has never lost. We
also heard there Gluck's _Orphée_ long before that masterpiece was
revived at the Théâtre-Lyrique. Then there was Méhul's Irato, a curious

and charming work which the Opéra took up afterwards. And there, too,
they gave the last act of Rossini's Otello. The tempest in that act gave
me the idea of the one which rumbles through the second act of
Samson.
When the hall was reconstructed, the stage was destroyed so that such
performances are impossible. But to make up for this, they installed a
concert organ, a necessary adjunct for musical performances.
Finally, in Auber's day and even in that of Ambroise Thomas, the
director was master. No one had dreamed of creating a committee,
which, under cover of the director's responsibility, would strangely
diminish his authority. The only benefit from the new system has been
the end of the incessant war which the musical critics waged on the
director. But that did no harm, either to the director or to the school, for
the latter kept on growing to such an extent that it ought to have been
enlarged long ago. The committee plan has won and the incident is
closed. One may only hope that steps will be taken to make possible an
increase in the number of pupils since so many candidates apply each
year and so few are chosen.
As everyone knows, we have been struck by a perfect mania for
reforms, so there is no harm in proposing one for the Conservatoire.
Foreign conservatoires have been studied and they want to introduce
some of their features here. As a matter of fact, some of the foreign
conservatoires are housed in magnificent palaces and their curricula are
elaborated with a care worthy of admiration. Whether they turn out
better pupils than we do is an open question. It is beyond dispute,
however, that many young foreigners come to us for their education.
Some of the reformers are scandalized at the sight of a musician in
charge of a school where elocution is taught. They forget that a
musician may also be a man of letters--the present director combines
these qualifications--and that it is improbable that it will be different in
the future. The teachers of elocution have always been the best that
could be found. Although M. Faure is a musician, he has known how to
bring back the classes in tragedy to their original purpose. For a time
they tended towards an objectionable modernism, for they substituted

in their competitions modern prose for the classic verse. And the study
of the latter is very profitable.
Not only is there no harm in this union of elocution and music, but it
would be useful if singers and composers would take advantage of it to
familiarize themselves with the principles of