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Musical Courier 1891-10-14: Vol 23 Iss 608, 1891
101 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026. Printed page 418. See the scan on archive.org.
1Virgiliana.
3PROF. EDGAR S. PLACE, principal of the Conservatory of Music in Missouri Valley College, at Marshall, Mo., writes as follows concerning the use of the practice claviers in that institution:
5In this short time I am able to give a splendid report of the working of your valuable clavier. It certainly is a wonderful instrument because of the variety of uses one can put it to in developing technic for artistic piano playing. Thus far I have made use of it in teaching principally the legato (pearling legato) touch, as applied to two, three, four and five finger exercises, broken chords, arpeggios and scales. Half an hour's daily practice seems to give a better balanced arm and hand than could be gained from three hours' daily practice on the piano. It astonishes me to see how faithfully the students stick to it and really like to practice on it. I find it is a great thing for the development of concentrated effort. If it did not nothing else I would value it highly.
7Prof. F. B. Rice has introduced eighteen practice claviers into Oberlin Conservatory of Music and has ordered twelve more.
9Mr. Virgil has just returned to the city from a successful Western trip.
11Music in Dresden—IV.
13BEFORE the close of the musical season last summer two new operas were brought out, Carl Grammann's "Melusine" and Alban Foerster's "Lorle," both of which had a local success, the latter perhaps more so than the former.
15Mr. Carl Grammann takes an honored position in the Dresden society, and his numerous friends of course received his opera most enthusiastically when it appeared at last for the first time in Dresden, after all the mishaps it had had to undergo before it finally could be put upon the stage here; it was so long postponed because of the illness of Miss Malten, who took the part of "Melusine." The music is charming as long as the fairy-like, dreamy color predominates, but rather weak in the dramatic points. It is more what you might call a good work than a poetical revelation. There is a great restlessness about the composition which does not supply the want of real feeling, nor does it appeal to the hearer's heart. The renowned Dresden correspondent of the "Hamburger Signale," No. 17, June 5, says in his criticism of the opera: "There is a want of true passion and beauty of form in the whole work; it swells and surges and yet it does not convince you." This also seemed to be the opinion of many among the public, in spite of the splendid mise-en-scène, Miss Malten's and Mr. Scheidemantel's excellent execution, and the propaganda for the piece set on foot by Mr. Grammann's admirers and some of the Dresden papers.
17Alban Foerster's "Lorle" is the deep and pure outpouring of a warm, simple, lyrical poet's mind (Gemüth); consequently it touches quite other things in the hearer's heart than Grammann's opera. Besides, the book of "Lorle" is better by far than the "Melusine" book. In both works, however, the original diction is sadly disfigured; yet "Das Lorle" (from Auerbach's "Dorfschichten") has kept something of her original simplicity and unconsciousness which the music in a high degree justifies. The parts of "Lorle" and her lover, the painter, "Reinhard," were excellently rendered by Mrs. Schuch and Mr. Scheidemantel, both of them not only "master singers" but also "master actors."
19Foerster's particular strength is the simple song (die Liedform). Still, the dramatic moments are strong enough to keep up the interest through the whole work. The gentle flow and warmth of a musical poet's talent, untouched by the nervous tendency of the present day, favorably impresses the hearer. Foerster's music may be considered a sort of remedy against the uneasy restlessness in most of the modern compositions nowadays, showing only great intentions and little feeling.
21When speaking of music in Dresden I will also mention the conservatory here, the reputation of which is increasing rapidly under the lead of its present director, Prof. Eugen Krautz. His predecessor, the young and inexperienced, though highly gifted Dr. E. Pudor, succeeded in bringing about such a general disorder in the institution that one was glad to hear the lead had been trusted to the experienced hands of Professor Krautz. That "la saison morte" is over now you perceive by the flood of foreigners who begin to look out for a home in Dresden during the winter, some coming for their amusement, some for the sake of study.
23All the best masters for violin, piano and singing are uncommonly occupied. Of these I mention the Concertmeisters Emil Feigert, John Lauterbach and Henri Petri; the pianists Hermann Scholtz and Jean Louis Nicodé; the vocal teachers Natalia Haenisch and others.
25Anton Rubinstein is staying here at present and was lately seen at the opera with his friend Mr. Lachmann at a representation of "Cavalleria Rusticana" which is still so popular that the tickets are all sold out beforehand. This was also the case with the "Nibelungen Cycle" when Heinrich Gudehus—who for some years was engaged here—appeared again before the Dresden public as "Siegmond" and "Siegfried."
27Dresden has every reason to be proud of its present artistic leaders—the Privy Councillor Baer, intendant of the opera, and Ernst Schuch, our greatly admired and intellectual conductor of the orchestra. To the Meyerbeer centenary, Dresden took up Michael Beer's play "Struensee," with the music of his more renowned brother, Giacomo Meyerbeer, and the day after the "Hugenots" was given, though I am sorry to say the critics do not consider this opera here any model performance.
29Franchetti's "Asraël" is now in preparation, and we expect the opera "La Basoche," by Massager, to be brought out in October. The work has a special attraction for Dresden, as the book is translated into German by one of our best musicians here, who takes a warm interest in the music, which he thinks highly of. I hope to be able to say more about it in my next letter.
31A. INGMAN.
33Mr. Floersheim Returns.
35OUR Mr. Floersheim returned from his annual trip to Europe on Monday morning on the Bretagne. He is in the very best of health and spirits, despite the effects of a rather stormy ocean trip. So bad in fact was the weather that the poor piano of Roux, of Nantes (bad luck to those French piano manufacturers), which disgraces the otherwise excellently equipped vessel, was deserted nearly the entire week of the crossing; and this in spite of the fact that quite a number of more or less prominent artists and professionals were on board. Nevertheless, the usual concert for the benefit of the French Life Saving Concert was promptly given, and turned out to be a decided artistic as well as financial success, the worthy charitable institution aforementioned profiting thereby to the tune of 723 frs. The following was the well interpreted program of the occasion:
37Polonaise in E…………………………………………………Liszt
38Stances………………………………………………………..Flégier
39"Elevation"…………………………………………………Floersheim
40"Le Roi de Thule"………………………………………Diaz
41"Le Crucifix"……………………………………………..Faure
42"Ave Maria"……………………………………………….Schubert
43"Kermesse" from "Faust"……………………………Gounod-Saint-Saëns
44"Requête aux étoiles"…………………………………Flégier
45Recitations……………………………………………….Reyer
46Aria from "Sigurd"………………………………………Reyer
47Berceuse…………………………………………………Floersheim
48Paraphrase……………………………………………….Schubert-Remenyi
50Mr. Paulin is the first tenor of the New Orleans French Opera Company of the coming season. Mr. Dupuis is the tenor and Mr. Scharf the pianist of the Musin Concert Troupe and Remenyi comes back to the United States after an absence of eight years, under an engagement with the Redpath Lyceum Bureau.
52Among the other notabilities on board was Galassi, the well-known baritone, who will be heard in a few concerts and will travel with Minnie Hauk. With characteristic Italian generosity he refused to lend his services to the charity concert.
54Furthermore, there was Mr. Frederic Mauzé, who this year, for the fifth time, will manage the French opera season at New Orleans. He has engaged the following apparently complete and efficient personnel:
56TENORS.
57Mr. Paulin, who after the expiration of his New Orleans engagement will go to the Paris Grand Opéra House, where he is to create the tenor rôle in Reyer's "Salammbo."
58Mr. Verhees, first tenor from the Brussels Monnaie Theatre, where he created the part of "Walther" in the "Meistersinger."
59Mr. Rouzamond.
60Mr. Louis Jahn, tenor leggiero.
61Mr. Grivel, tenore buffo.
63BARITONES.
64Mr. Guillemot, from Bordeaux.
65Mr. J. Rey, from Lyons.
67BASSES.
68Mr. Bordencure, from Lyons.
69Mr. Dulin, from the Paris Opéra Comique.
70Mr. Florentin, second bass.
71Mr. Rossi, second bass.
72Mr. Moreau, buffo.
73Mr. Lumière, buffo.
75PRIME DONNE.
76Miss Marguerite Baux, dramatic soprano, from the Paris Grand Opéra, where she created the part of "Tita" in Massenet's "Roi de Lahore."
77Miss Cagnard, dramatic soprano, from the Brussels Monnaie Theatre, where she created the part of "Brunnhilde" in Wagner's "Die Walküre."
78Mrs. Guillemot-Thuringer, dramatic soprano, from the Grand Opéra.
79Miss Duvivier, mezzo soprano, from the Paris Grand Opéra, where she created the part of "Salomé" in Massenet's "Herodiade."
80Miss Trilhan, from the Paris Conservatoire.
81Miss Vieuse, soprano leggiero, from Toulouse.
82Miss Vallier, opera bouffe singer, from Lyons.
83Miss Maes, opera bouffe singer, from Brussels.
84Miss Conti, contralto.
85Miss Antonelli, prima ballerina.
86Miss Ferraro, prima ballerina.
87Mr. Warnots, from the Brussels Monnaie Theatre, first conductor.
88Mr. Dorel, assistant conductor.
89Messrs. Florentin and Moreau, stage managers.
90Mr. Rougier, ballet master.
92The repertory will contain as novelties: Reyer's "Sigurd," Massenet's "Herodiade," Guiraud's "Tino-lino," and of opera bouffes, "Miss Helyette," by Audran, and the "Voyage de Zuzette" as well as a new ballet pantomime entitled "L'Enfant Prodigue." Otherwise the repertory is of the most extensive and catholic kind, as will be seen by the following list of operas to be performed: "Lohengrin," "Huguenots," "Robert le Diable," "Guillaume Tell," "La Juive," "L'Africaine," "Aida," "Trouvère," "Favorite," "Le Prophète," "Rigoletto," "Hamlet," "Ernani," "Bal Masqué," "Freischutz," "Faust," "Romeo et Juliette," "Traviata," "Mignon," "Carmen," "Le Barbier de Seville," "Si j'étais Roi," "Les Dragons de Villars," "Le Voyage en Chine," "Les Noces de Jeannette," "Mascotte," "Cloches de Corneville," "Fille de Madame Angot."
94Thus it will be seen that New Orleans will have a complete season of opera in French, and one that will last four months. Might it not be a good plan for some enterprising New York manager to engage Mr. Mauzé's entire troupe at the expiration of his and New York's operatic seasons, and give representations here at popular prices?
96Bach.
98BACH lived quietly in the retirement of small German towns; Leipsic was the largest field he ever had for the immediate display of his powers. While Händel was hurrying from London to Dublin, and from Dublin to Oxford, to bring out some great oratorio in the most brilliant fashion, Bach wrote for his little church choir. A cantata was written for one Sunday's service, was sung to the ordinary congregation, and then laid aside, only to be followed by a fresh cantata next Sunday. As for the style in which his compositions were given, it may be estimated that he probably never heard a very good performance of any of his choral works. He had no great singers to deal with, and heaven knows he needed them if ever a composer did; his choir was small, and his orchestra, as a rule, miserably inadequate. He complained bitterly of it, but his complaints and expostulations came to nothing. Think of the masses of voices and instruments that Händel commanded, and then reflect upon the fact that no duplicate chorus parts to a Bach cantata have ever been discovered. Bach's choir could not have numbered more than twelve or sixteen voices, for it is hardly possible for more than three or four singers to read at once from the same sheet. His solo singers sang also in the choruses. He traveled little, and this, more than anything else, set an inexorable limit to the field of his public musical activity; for in his day, when all great composers were also great performers, and most great performers were at least respectable composers, no musician of note had much to do with any compositions save his own; it was only singers, as a rule, that performed other people's music. When a composer wished to have one of his works given he brought it out himself. See how different those times were from ours. In Bach and Händel's day, if a composer lived in Leipsic, he was only heard in Leipsic; if he wished a work of his to make the round of Europe he had to carry it with him in his trunk, for no one else would take it for him. Now a symphony by Brahms may be performed on the same evening in St. Petersburg, Berlin, London, Boston and New York, and Brahms himself be quietly smoking his cigar the while in Vienna, and, likely as not, know nothing about it. Then a composer had to paddle his own canoe, and if he stayed in his own mill pond so much the worse for his fame.
100Unlike as were the lives of Bach and Händel, their fortunes were no less dissimilar. Händel's popularity was almost as extended as his reputation was great. Bach, on the other hand, had, properly speaking, no popularity even in his own town. The congregation in Cothen and Leipsic often complained of his organ fantasias and fugues and kicked against his cantatas, very much as the congregation of any London church you please might do to-day. He stood head and shoulders above all his immediate surroundings, and wrote constantly over the heads of his public. Then, as now, he was appreciated only by connoisseurs; by the élite of the musical world. True, his reputation was immense; his name was known pretty much all over Europe; but it was for the most part merely a reputation by hearsay. Even during his lifetime it was his luck to be one of those men whose greatness most people are content to take for granted; and in this respect his reputation has not changed much since.—The "Contemporary Review."
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