Scan 18
Musical Courier 1891-05-13: Vol 22 Iss 586, 1891
123 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 485. See the scan on archive.org.
1hoven number of the entire festival program. The absence of a Beethoven symphony from a festival scheme may be considered by some as a "sin of omission;" as for us we did not particularly regret it, Beethoven symphony performances being of late a trifle overdone in New York and vicinity. Here is the program in its entirety:
2Overture, "Egmont"………………………………………Beethoven
3Orchestra.
4Air and "Seguidille" from "Carmen"…………………….Bizu
5Mrs. Ford.
6Grand Fantaisie Caractéristique for violoncello………………Popper
7Victor Herbert.
8Symphonic poem, "Ophelia"……………………………E. A. MacDowell
9Orchestra.
10Toreador song, "Carmen"…………………………………….Bizu
11Giuseppe del Puente.
12Songs with piano.
13(a), "Twas April"………………………………………Ethelbert Nevin
14(b), "Du bist wie eine Blume"……………………………G. W. Chadwick
15(c), "Les Filles de Cadix"………………………………..Delibes
16Mrs. Ford.
17Symphony No. 1, in B flat, op. 38………………………..Schumann
18The audience again was both large and discriminating, as it did not applaud Mrs. Ford's singing, while Del Puente, who always sings artistically, was really made the lion of the afternoon. He gave for an encore Rossini's "Tarantelle," with which he pleased the audience so much that they insisted on a repetition of the encore piece, just as they had done with Mr. Rieger on a previous occasion.
19The Schumann symphony was listened to attentively and it was by no means badly performed, although it seemed to us that Mr. Chadwick took the scherzo at an unusually slow tempo. Mr. MacDowell's symphonic poem "Ophelia," a noble and dignified composition, which was produced in New York first by Mr. Frank Van der Stucken, came in for good and deserved share of applause.
20The festival came to a worthy close on Friday night with a performance of Mendelssohn's oratorio, "St. Paul," with the following soloists: Mrs. E. M. H. Hascall, soprano; Mrs. Wyman, contralto; Mr. Rieger, tenor; Mr. M. W. Whitney, bass; Mr. Geo. R. Bond, bass; Mr. Frank E. Wheeler, bass.
21The performance was a very creditable one; in fact, as far as the chorus work is concerned, the very best of the entire series.
22Mr. Whitney carried off the honors by his singing of "Consume them all," although Mrs. Wyman's little arioso was the real gem of the evening. This charming singer did most excellent work whenever she appeared throughout the festival. The other soloists were "conscientious and painstaking," as the Boston "Herald" would say.
23Among the more prominent visitors to the Springfield festival we noticed the Boston pianist Preston, and his fellow townsman, the ever busy G. H. Wilson, of "Musical Year Book" and Boston's "Daily Traveller" fame; also the veteran A. C. Munroe, the secretary of the Worcester Festival Association.
24The writer cannot close his hurried report without thanking President Orlando M. Baker and Director William E. Wright, of the Festival Association, for the extremely courteous and hospitable treatment he enjoyed at their hands.
25O. F.
27Concert of the Arion.
28THE fourth and last of this season's concerts of the Arion took place at their beautiful hall last Sunday night and, as usual, was well attended. The program was "popular" in the best sense of the word and, as is always the case with Frank Van der Stucken's programs, showed good taste and variety. The selection of the soloists, however, was by no means all that could have been desired. The following was the musical menu of the occasion:
29Overture, "Zampa"………………………………………F. Hérold
30"Abendfriede"…………………………………………..Franz Lachner
31Franz Remmertz, male chorus and orchestra.
32Lied, "Au der Weser"…………………………………….H. Preszel
33Wm. Foran.
34Aria, from "Die Folkunger" (new)……………………….E. Kretschiner
35Mrs. Josefa Middecke-Merckens.
36"Abendfeier" (new)…………………………………….C. Attenhofer
37"Ständchen" (new)………………………………………Male chorus à capella.
38"Polonaise Brillante"…………………………………….Weber-Liszt
39Leopold Winkler.
40"Melodie"……………………………………………….J. Rheinberger
41"Willekum"………………………………………………M. von Weinzierl one of two readings
42"Willekum"……………………………………………..M. von Weinzierl one of two readings
43Hermann Hovemann.
44Chorus, from "The Two Misers"………………………….A. E. M. Grétry
45(By request.)
46"Frühling ohne Ende"…………………………………….Meyer-Olbersleben one of two readings
47"Frühling ohne Ende"………………………………….Meyer-Olbersleben one of two readings
48"Mein Liebster ist ein Weber"…………………………..E. Hildach one of two readings
49"Mein Liebster ist ein Weber"………………………….E. Hildach one of two readings
50Mrs. Josefa Middecke-Merckens.
51Aria, from "The Magic Flute"…………………………..W. A. Mozart
52Franz Remmertz.
53Kärnthner Volkslied (new)………………………………Carl Isenmann one of two readings
54Kärnthner Volkslied (new)……………………………..Carl Isenmann one of two readings
55Oberösterreichisches Volkslied (new)……………………E. Kremser
56Male chorus à capella.
57"Funeral March of a Marionette"………………………..Ch. Gounod
58"Village Swallows" waltz………………………………..Josef Strauss one of two readings
59"Village Swallows" waltz……………………………….Josef Strauss one of two readings
60Orchestra.
61Old Slavonian Dance songs………………………………Hugo Jüngst
62Male chorus and orchestra.
63(The orchestration by Frank Van der Stucken.)
64The feature of the concert was, of course, the chorus singing of the Arionites, and this, it must be confessed, was absolutely flawless. They sing surprisingly well for an amateur organization, and all the da capo demands that were made upon them, although they were many, were richly deserved.
65Of the soloists William Foran, the tenor, has a voice, but does not know how to use it. Mrs. Josefa Middecke-Merckens has neither voice nor method and should not be permitted to sing on such an occasion. Hermann Hovemann phrases well and has a fair bass voice, but he sings lugubriously. Franz Remmertz is getting too old to sing solos and he should refrain from it for the sake of his well earned reputation. For the "Sarastro" aria he has, moreover, not sufficient depth. Winkler played the Weber-Liszt "Polacca" in a thoroughly uninteresting manner. The audience had the good sense not to insist upon any encores on the part of any one of the soloists.
67FOREIGN NOTES.
69A MASS BY A MAESTRO.—A mass written by the maestro Telesforo Righi, professor of counterpoint and composition at the Parma Conservatoire, was recently performed for the first time by pupils of the institution. The work is said to present many fine passages expressing the composer's religious feelings and constructive skill.
71TSCHOUHADIGAN THE TURK.—The first Turkish opera is written by a composer called Tschouhadigan, who, not being able to find Turkish artists, had the libretto translated into French, and the opera, under the title "Feméreh," is to be performed by a French company.
73GOUNOD'S "MIRELLA" AT BERLIN.—"Mirella" has recently been revived at the Berlin Opera, and a scene which has long been suppressed, and entitled the "Valley of the Rhone," in two tableaux, has been restored. The tableaux are said to be not indispensable to the interest of the work.
75"VELLEDA" AT ROUEN.—"Velleda," by Charles Lenepveu, to which—-to the great joy (more or less) of Mr. Gye—Patti took a fancy, whereupon it was, of course, given at the Royal Italian Opera, London, it seems was recently announced at the Arts Theatre, of Rouen. Unfortunately the enterprise "busted" before the production, but as the artists had thoroughly studied their parts and the scenery and dresses were ready the vocalists determined to give the opera and carry on the enterprise "on shares."
77"THE LOVERS OF TERUEL" IN PRAGUE.—Mr. Angelo Neumann is not a bigoted follower of any special school of composition. It was he who first introduced the "Cavalleria Rusticana" of Mascagni to Germany, and his traveling troupe have now added to their repertory "The Lovers of Teruel," by the Spanish composer Breton. The work was recently first given by this company at Prague, in the presence of the composer, who was received with enormous enthusiasm.
79LONDON CABLE NOTES.—London, May 9.—For Monday next at the Royal Albert Hall, the very last concert of Sims Reeves is announced. The veteran will be supported by Christine Nilsson, who will come on purpose from Madrid to do him honor. Henry Irving has promised to speak a farewell address, written for the occasion by Walter Pollock. The revival of Boito's "Mefistofele" at the Royal Italian Opera has given rise to a discussion as to his failure to produce a second opera. He has finished "Nero" and has begun "Orestiade," but declines to allow "Nero" to be performed. The new soprano, Miss Horwitz, who replaced Sigrid Arnoldson for the 100th performance of "Lakmé," at the Opéra Comique, in Paris, has made a success. Wagner's "Tannhäuser" has been received with great favor at Toulouse.
81CORNELIUS' "CID."—Peter Cornelius' opera, "Cid," was produced for the first time on any stage at the Court Opera House of Munich a fortnight ago, and is reported to have met with such success that it will soon be taken up by other opera houses. Better late than never.
83AN ANNIVERSARY.—The fortieth anniversary of the Vienna Conservatory, which J. Hellmesberger opened on October 1, 1851, will occur this fall.
85PARIS FALLS IN LINE.—Händel's "Israel in Egypt" and Bach's "Christmas Oratorio" are to be produced for the first time this month in Paris by the Société des Grandes Auditions Musicales de France, of which Ambroise Thomas is the presiding officer. It is somewhat significant for the state of music in France that neither of these important oratorios has ever before been heard in its capital.
87HE MUST BE A DANDY.—Isidore de Lara is, perhaps, one of the most talked of men in London. It is said of him that "half the women in London laugh at him, while the other half are ready to fall into his arms." De Lara's beautiful songs are so well known in America that his name is a familiar one to all lovers of ballads. He has lately been engaged in writing music to Arnold's "Light of Asia"—music of such wonderful beauty and so distinctly characteristic that when a portion of it was sung at his concert in London last June it created a profound impression. De Lara is a poetic looking man, tall and slender, with the peculiar impression of strength which sometimes accompanies a slender figure. He is very pale and very grave; his features are perfect in outline and very mobile. His eyes and hair are dark, and his eyes are profound and most melancholy in their remarkable depth. His manner is utterly without affectation. De Lara not only writes charming songs, but he sings them as no one else can. London society has a tradition that he likes a dimly lighted room, a piano in a palm embowered corner and a lovely woman at his side, and adds that he will then sing for hours in his passionate tenor—a mi voix—without showing any signs of fatigue. But this is envy and caviling. De Lara is a sensible man, and, however many heads he may turn, his own head remains quite steady.
89THE "RISPELTO."—The "Rispetto" in the "Cavalleria Rusticana," which is sung behind the scenes, is the epigraph of the opera, as it were, and one that has an analogy to the prologue we find in many of Shakespeare's plays. Here is a translation from the original in Sicilian:
91Oh, Lola, thou hast a chemise of milk,
92Thou art white and red as a cherry;
93When thou lookest out of the window
94Thou beamest out with smiles.
95Happy he who was the first to kiss thee,
96Blood is spilt upon thy threshold,
97But I don't care if I die murdered—
98And if I die and go to hell,
99And if I don't find thee there I will not go in.
101Apropos of the "Cavalleria Rusticana" we learn from Prague that the recent first performance of that work created a perfect furore. The entr'acte music had to be repeated. Muck conducted. Soloists, chorus and orchestra were magnificent; so was the mise en scène.
103AN IDYL BY BOITO.—Arrigo Boito's one act musical idyl entitled "Twilight" was recently brought out for the first time at the Hamburg Opera House and pleased a numerous audience, Mrs. Heinck as "Page" and Mrs. Wolff as "Shepherdess" were the soloists.
105FACCIO.—Franco Faccio, the once celebrated chef d'orchestra, has had an attack of paralysis. It is said there is very little hope of his recovery.
107DEL PUENTE.—"Il Trovatore," of Milan, says that the ex-baritone and manager Del Puente is about forming a company for Rio Janeiro, and has engaged Succi, the fasting man, as one of its members. What a handy man to have around! It cannot be our Del Puente.
109GENEVA.—"Lohengrin" has just been given in Switzerland. Next season the management of the opera house intend producing others of Wagner's works, among them, "Die Walküre."
111TONIC SOL FA-CELEBRATION.—The jubilee of the tonic sol-fa movement will be celebrated in London by two special festivals, the first a service at St. Paul's Cathedral on July 7. Admission will be limited to those holding tonic sol-fa certificates, so that the entire congregation of some ten thousand persons will consist exclusively of trained vocalists. The second festival, at the Crystal Palace, will take place on July 18. The sol-faists will there have a choir of 20,000.
113A NEW SUITE.—A suite for piano and orchestra, by P. Lacombe, recently played at a concert of the Société des Compositeurs by Mrs. Roger-Miclos, is described by "Le Guide Musical" as a work of the first importance.
115GRÉTRY RELICS.—The conservatoire at Liège has just received a collection of music portraits and personal articles connected with the composer Grétry.
117"CAVALIERA RUSTICANA" IN VIENNA.—Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" has been given with great success at Vienna, and Dr. Hanslick, the renowned critic, has passed a high eulogy on the music, which he considers possesses exceptional qualities of dramatic expression and melodic beauty.
119THE PARIS KREHBIEL.—Catulle Mendès, the French writer and enthusiastic admirer of Wagner, is carrying on a Wagnerian propaganda in France. He is visiting different towns, lecturing on the master and his works and endeavoring to convince his countrymen of the grandeur and excellence of Wagner's operas.
121Dr. H. H. Haas.
122THE well-known director of the music department of Wooster University, Ohio, Dr. Haas, has resigned his position on account of the smallness of the department, present and prospective; a department which the late Dr. Karl Merz, during eight years of labor, had never been able to enlarge. A sketch of Dr. Haas was published in the "American Musician" of April 4, together with his portrait, beneath which were, after the name, the abbreviations LL. D.; Mus. Doc. The latter was an error and should have been Mus. Director. Dr. Haas would no doubt have had the degree of Mus. Doc. conferred upon him by the Wooster University, which granted it to the late Karl Merz and Eugene Thayer, but he is proud of his German degree of LL. D. and content with it, although he is now an American citizen and fond of his adopted country. Dr. Haas would be a very valuable acquisition to any conservatory as director of its musical department.
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