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Bob’s
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Reviews — The New York Times
In the New York Times - August 16, 1912
HAMMERSTEIN ON MASSENET.
While we may not agree with Mr. Hammerstein’s opinion that Massenet was “the last of the great melodists” as, if the French composer was a great melodist Puccini is surely a greater, the tribute paid in yesterday’s Times to the dead composer by the impresario who first made his works popular in this country must be accounted both valued and interesting. Mr. Hammerstein knew Massenet and had ably produced seven of his operas. Before “Thaïs” was done at the Manhattan Opera House, New York had turned a cold shoulder to its composer. “Le Cid,” “Werther,” and “Manon” had been regarded as not worth while. As a matter of fact, professional musical criticism, in this city at least, has not been overkind to Massenet. Yet Mr. Hammerstein’s estimate of his worth will meet general approval. The people who pay to support opera liked Massenet as he was interpreted by Cleofonte Campanini and the Manhattan Opera House singers, and it is probable that the same liking will be manifested whenever in the future the operas are as well performed.Mr. Hammerstein praises Massenet equally as melodist and dramatist. His “books” are generally theatrically effective and we can well understand that his own influence was strong with the librettists. “Thaïs,” “Le Jongleur,” “La Navarraise,” and “Herodiade” have appreciable dramatic strength, assuredly. Massenet, if not the greatest of the modern composers, in any sense, deserved his popularity, and Mr. Hammerstein’s tribute to him was well deserved. It was, also an excellent example of musical criticism of the understandable sort.
Last updated December 30, 2006