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Musical Courier 1891-06-03: Vol 22 Iss 589, 1891
114 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 581. See the scan on archive.org.
1The Providence Music Festival.
3PROVIDENCE, May 23, 1891.
5THIS city, in point of population and wealth the second in New England, has long occupied a lower level in musical matters than that of several others of smaller size and inferior pretensions on all sides save the side of art. The past ten years, however, have witnessed a gradual improvement in musical culture, until the advance from the position of a decade ago has become so marked that Providence can fairly claim to be considered in line with others recognized to a greater or less degree as centres of musical interest.
7To this end a variety of influences have been quietly but steadily working. The faithful labors of a few earnest musicians and teachers have been supplemented by other educational factors, such as the regular visits of the Boston Symphony and other fine orchestras, which, at first but poorly patronized, now play to large and appreciative audiences. Free organ recitals by Stanley, Macdougall and others have been given without stint and with the same resultant increase of attendance and interest. Societies for the practice of vocal or instrumental music—or of both combined—have been formed, which, though often failing through lack of financial support, have yet been a means of musical grace to many while they lasted. But no other one thing has exerted so steady and potent an influence as the Arion Club, which has just closed its eleventh season with a three days' festival.
9The music festival is a plant of recent growth in Rhode Island, the only previous one being that of the Rhode Island Choral Association, held two years ago, and conducted by Carl Zerrahn. This society, which promised at one time to become a formidable rival to the Arion Club, passed into "innocuous desuetude" with the death of its energetic promoter and president, Francis W. Goddard. Since then the Arion has had the field entirely to itself, and occupied the chief place in musical affairs. The growth of this really fine chorus has been steady during all these years, both in numbers and efficiency, and it has had the benefit of judicious management and ample financial backing. Jules Jordan has been its conductor from the start, so that conductor and chorus each thoroughly understand the other, and the results of their combined efforts have elicited warm commendation from visiting artists and critics.
11Beginning with a small chorus and devoting their attention at first chiefly to the singing of part songs and the lighter class of vocal works, the club to-day numbers 350 singers capable of dealing with the heaviest kind of choral compositions. Mendelssohn's "Elijah" and "St. Paul," Berlioz's "Damnation of Faust," Gounod's "Redemption," Dvorák's "Spectre Bride," and a host of shorter works, both sacred and secular, have been produced with unvarying success, the greater part of them being accorded more than one hearing. So that Providence to-day feels a just pride in the possession of a choral organization which competent judges have pronounced equal to any in the country for good "all around" work. The officers of the club are as follows, and it may be said in passing that practically the same list would answer for any of the past half-dozen years—a sufficient tribute to their able and conservative management: William Goddard, president; Robert B. Chapman, secretary and treasurer; H. N. Campbell, Jr., librarian; Jules Jordan, conductor, and an executive committee composed of the officers ex-officio and Messrs. John H. Mason, Herbert E. Brown, Charles O. Read, W. W. Flint, E. P. Chapin and Johns H. Congdon.
13The festival days were the 19th, 20th and 21st, and included a series of four concerts, three evenings and one matinée. The soloists engaged were Miss Emma Juch, Mrs. Jennie Patrick Walker, Mrs. S. C. Ford, sopranos; Miss Gertrude Edmands, contralto; Mr. Andreas Dippel, Mr. A. L. Guille, Mr. Herbert Johnson, tenors; Mr. William Ludwig, Mr. L. F. Brine, baritones; Miss Adele Aus Der Ohe, pianist; Mr. Felix Winternitz, violinist; Mr. Victor Herbert, violoncellist and associate conductor. The Boston Festival Orchestra furnished the instrumental support. Infantry Hall, where the concerts were given, contains a fine Roosevelt organ, which lent its aid whenever required. The festival opened on Tuesday evening with Berlioz's dramatic legend, "The Damnation of Faust," with Juch, Dippel and Ludwig as the soloists.
15A very even and satisfactory performance was given, the chorus work being accurately and smoothly done, and each of the soloists fully sustaining their high reputation. Miss Juch and Mr. Ludwig are prime favorites here, and the new comer, Mr. Dippel, won hearty recognition from the start. Conductor Jordan—who was the original "Faust" at the bringing out of this work by the late Dr. Damrosch some years ago—had his forces well in hand and carried everything through successfully from start to finish.
17On Wednesday evening (called "Artists' Night" upon the bills) the following program was presented:
19Overture, "Der Freischutz" ………………………………………Weber
20Orchestra.
21"Fair Ellen" ………………………………………………………..Bruch
22Chorus, solo and orchestra, Mrs. Walker and Mr. Brine.
23Prize song, "Meistersinger" ………………………………………Wagner
24Andreas Dippel.
25Piano solo, "Polonaise in E" ………………………………………Liszt
26Miss Aus der Ohe.
27Aria, "Der Freischutz" …………………………………………..Weber
28Miss Juch.
29Violin solo, "I Pirati" ……………………………………………..Ernst
30Mr. Winternitz.
31"The Legend of the Grail" ("Lohengrin") ……………………..Wagner
32Mr. Dippel.
33Battle song, from "Arminius" …………………………………….Bruch
34Chorus, solo and orchestra, Mr. Brine.
35"Le dernier sommeil de la Vierge" ……………………………Massenet
36Orchestra.
37Intermezzo, from "Naila" ……………………………………….Delibes
38Orchestra.
39Song, "Die Lorelei" ……………………………………………..Liszt
40Miss Juch.
41"Gallia" ………………………………………………………..Gounod
42Chorus, solo and orchestra, Mrs. Walker.
44The audience seemed more pleased with Miss Juch's singing than with aught else in this very excellent program. She gave in place of the Liszt song Beethoven's concert aria, "Ah! Perdido," and received quite an ovation when she came upon the stage for the second time. The fame of Dippel as a singer of Wagner's music had preceded him here, and his two numbers were heard with much satisfaction. In spite of an occasional "throatiness" and a too liberal use of "open tone" he has such a fund of reserve force, so fresh and bright a voice, and sings in such a manly, intelligent way that one cannot fail to like him. Moreover, he does not afflict our ears with that horrible tremolo that so many singers evidently consider a necessary part of an artist's equipment.
46Mrs. Walker did her best work in the "Gallia," but her voice shows signs of wear, as if she had done too much or too heavy singing these past few years. Mr. Brine was nearly inaudible in the "Fair Ellen" and entirely so in the battle song from "Arminius," partly from lack of sufficient voice to fill the large hall and partly because overweighted by the orchestra. Miss Aus Der Ohe was enthusiastically received, and gave the Wagner-Liszt "Spinning Song" in response to an imperative encore. Mr. Winternitz also met with favor, and on a recall played Moszkowski's quaint little "Serenata." The two choral contributions to the program were by no means of the least account, as the Arion Club have nothing in their répertoire which they sing better than "Fair Ellen" and "Gallia." Better chorus work than was done in these two numbers was never heard here. Attack, sostenuto, shading, all were perfect, and the phrasing and enunciation were like that of one voice, and a genuine treat to listen to. To the fine musical taste and thorough drilling of Mr. Jordan these fine points are chiefly due, and both he and his chorus deserve high praise.
48At the "Symphony Matinée" on Thursday afternoon the program given was as follows:
50Vorspiel, "Lohengrin" …………………………………………..Wagner
51Aria and Seguidille from "Carmen" ……………………………Bizet
52Mrs. Ford.
53"Cavatina" …………………………………………………….Raff
54(Played in unison by all violins.)
55Aria, "Cujus Animam" ………………………………………….Rossini
56Mr. Guille.
57Aria, "La Cieca" ("La Gioconda") ……………………………Ponchielli
58Miss Edmands.
59Concerto No. 1, in B flat minor, op. 23 ………………………..Tchaikowsky
60Miss Adele Aus der Ohe and orchestra.
61Songs, with piano, "Twas April" ……………………………Nevin
62"Les Filles de Cadix" ………………………………………Delibes one of two readings
63"Les Filles de Cadix" ………………………………………….Delibes one of two readings
64Mrs. Ford.
65Symphony in B minor (unfinished) ……………………………Schubert
66Cavatina, "Salve! dimora" (from "Faust") …………………Gounod
67Mr. Guille.
68"Cello solo, "Fantasie Caractéristique" ……………………..Servais
69Mr. Herbert.
70Songs, with piano, "An Old Song" ………………………….Jordan
71"My Laddie" ……………………………………………..Miss Edmands. one of two readings
72"My Laddie" …………………………………………………Miss Edmands. one of two readings
73Suite, "Peer Gynt" …………………………………………..Grieg one of two readings
74Suite, "Peer Gynt" …………………………………………….Grieg one of two readings
75Orchestra.
77The event of the day was unmistakably Tschaiikowsky's great concerto. This was its first presentation here, and it received an apparently flawless interpretation. Miss Aus Der Ohe was never heard here to better advantage, and the orchestra, under Mr. Herbert's vigorous direction, supported the great pianist in splendid style. The musicians present were fairly carried away, and even the non-musical part of the audience seemed to realize that something out of the common sort was going on. The charming face and artistic singing of Miss Gertrude Edmands are very familiar to our concert goers and always welcome. Mrs. S. C. Ford, on the contrary, was a stranger to Providence. Her singing of the "Carmen" aria lacked warmth and vivacity, but in her group of songs, to which she added Chadwick's "Thou are so like a flower," she was more successful.
79Mr. Guille, the French tenor, was a distinct disappointment, as, save for some phenomenal high notes, he seemed to be a singer of very ordinary grade. His high C and D flat of course insured him an encore at each appearance. When he came out for the last time he gave the venerable and moss grown "M'appari" in a way that would certainly have caused poor old Brignoli's ghost to shed tears, if that "astral body" had chanced to be hovering near. Mr. Herbert's violoncello solo was characterized by that ease and grace of execution and purity of tone which denote the finished artist. He also showed his versatility by playing some exceptionally good accompaniments upon the piano. The work of the orchestra will be referred to later on.
81Mendelssohn's "Elijah" made a brilliant and fitting close to the festival on Thursday evening. This was the first oratorio that the Arion Club ever produced and this made its third performance. The only flaws in the chorus work were an occasionally weak attack in the fugues and a lack of sufficient "snap" in the dramatic "Baal" choruses. The group of soloists were Mrs. Walker, Miss Edmands, Mr. Herbert Johnson and Mr. William Ludwig. Of these all except Mr. Johnson have been heard here before in "Elijah." All were good, Mr. Ludwig naturally assuming first place, both from the overshadowing importance of his part and his well-known ability in dramatic singing. He forced his voice unpleasantly at times, but his rendering of the recitatives and his singing of the pathetic "It is enough" more than made amends. The orchestra and organ were well handled, and the performance, as a whole, made a fine impression and brought to a successful close a very enjoyable series of concerts.
83In reviewing the whole festival it may be said to have afforded us the pleasure of hearing some excellent artists, chorus singing of a high order and a well chosen variety of the best music. The orchestra, while furnishing good accompaniments to the choral works, played very unevenly in the purely orchestral numbers. When Mr. Jordan conducted they seemed to be half asleep or not trying. As soon as Mr. Herbert assumed the baton they came to life again. Whether this was intended to accentuate their preferences in the matter of a conductor, or owing to some other unknown cause, the writer does not profess to know. The fact, however, was so noticeable that every musician with whom we talked commented upon it.
85Of course, Mr. Jordan does not assume to be a Nikisch or a Thomas, as he only sees an orchestra three or four times a year. But he probably studies his scores thoroughly, and with his successful record in the handling of large choral works ought to be able to get good work out of an orchestra. If he found that he could not do so, either from lack of experience or from want of confidence on the part of the men, he had better have put the whole—instead of a part—of the orchestral work upon Mr. Herbert, with whom the players seemed thoroughly en rapport. In fact, the orchestra was advertised as being his.
87However, all this was but the crumpling of the rose leaf. The festival was a grand success and the management of the Arion Club have gladdened the hearts of music lovers by the announcement that it is hereafter to be an annual fixture.
89Wm. A. Potter.
91The Virgil Lecture.
93THE following is a summary of Mr. A. K. Virgil's lecture on technical economy in piano study delivered at Chickering Hall, Monday afternoon of last week:
95In these lecture lessons it will be my purpose to demonstrate by practical examples or lessons the several points which were briefly discoursed upon in my first lecture. Therefore to lay out the work at hand I must first give a brief summary of that lecture, as follows:
97First—It was asserted that notwithstanding the enormous expenditure of time, labor, nervous energy and money by intelligent people, even in the study of the piano, the results reached are extremely small, so small that not over 5 per cent. of the vast number of persons who take piano lessons ever become players.
99Second—The cause of the aforesaid failures is due far more to inefficient foundational instruction, and to false and illogical elementary educational methods, than to any or all other causes.
101Third—Strict piano technic should be made a first elementary study, which according to prevailing methods and with the aid of the facilities in general use is impossible.
103Fourth—The piano is a musical instrument and should be used only for music, or for musical effects, and not as a practice machine.
105Fifth—The piano is not only an incompetent guide, both to the intelligence and to the fingers of the beginner, but in many ways is a positive hindrance to progress.
107Sixth—The musical should be separated for a time from the mechanical element in teaching and practice; yet the two must be commenced at the same time, and pursued uninterruptedly, which course is entirely impossible if the piano is made use of for all instruction and practice.
109Seventh—A correct beginning, a thorough and intelligent start in the study of the piano, is a matter of first importance.
111Eighth—The prevailing system of elementary foundational instruction is illogical to a degree which precludes the possibility of an intelligent and thorough start.
113Ninth—The object of piano study is, or should be, the production of true musical effects; such effects are the results of right motions with right muscular and nerve conditions. When all of these conditions exist, and the same are presided over by intelligence and a true musical
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