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Musical Courier 1891-11-11: Vol 23 Iss 612, 1891
71 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 539. See the scan on archive.org.
1nical possibilities which the Jankó keyboard may reduce to a commonplace of the conservatories, but the spirit of which is denied to the dwellers on this side of the Ural Mountains. Anatole Liadow's pretty prelude, seemingly simple, but full of the Slav, also touched my critical palate.
3But it is useless to attempt to describe in cold prose the horrible beauties of the modern Russian school. Absinthe is mild in comparison, and no musical Keely with bichloride of gold can cure one of the disease if it has firmly fastened itself in your vitals. "Going to the people" is the phrase affected by the Slavophile since 1873. It is in their music; it has Tolstoied their literature. From their White Czar to the most brutal peasant besotting his brain with vodka, their cry is "We are going to the people," and their musical composers have taken up the cry. Where this anti-European tendency will lead to, either in politics or music, I cannot pretend to predicate, but I do know that after listening to much of their music, as played by Ferdinand Sinzig (there, his name slipped out after all), I went home and played Boccherini minuets to soothe the ursine fever.
5When Sinzig, who is raffiné in his style, began playing for me, his touch was frosty, but it soon thawed out in the fierce white heat harmonies of Korsetsoff—I mean Korsakoff (I wish there was some rule for the pronunciation of Russian proper names.) That black sphynx of Chicago (not our amiable correspondent Lauder), Fannie Bloomfield, should turn her attention to the Russians, for she has the East in her veins, and could play the whole gamut of their emotions, which stretches from hell to Paradise Park.
7By the way, somebody told me she had typhoid fever, but she was on hand nevertheless to congratulate Joseffy after he had played the Tchaikowsky concerto in Chicago with Thomas at the bat.
9And now Paderewski, he of the beckoning hair and level glance, will soon be among us. Pity he went on a Spree before he came here; but, when you come to think of it, what's in a name—particularly a steamer name.
11I distinctly refuse to make any guesses as to his playing. The man's personality is sympathetic in the extreme, for finesse subtlety is written all over that face. Study and see if I am wrong.
13A night of unalloyed pleasure was last Friday, for I went to Sherry's to listen to the Kneisel Quartet (consisting of Franz Kneisel, first; Otto Roth, second; L. Svecenski, viola, and Alwin Schroeder, 'cello, the last a new comer and a strong ensemble artist) play, and play they did in an inimitable manner Mozart's C major quartet (Koechel 465, Peters 17), the muted movement of Tchaikowsky's D major quartet, a delightful intermezzo and bridge to the finale; Brahms' new quintet for strings, in G major, op. 111. In this latter the party were reinforced by the second viola of Mr. O. Novacek, also a member—like the rest—of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The new work is a strong one, in four movements, and classical in form, but at times stepping over the boundary that divides orchestral from chamber music. This was noticeable particularly at the onset of the first allegro and the rushing czardas in the finale, but throughout Brahms has made lovely, simple, unaffected music, with few relapses into harmonic obscurities, and music conceived in the happiest frame of mind. The adagio (in D minor) is reminiscent of his own F major symphony, and the swinging allegretto (in G minor) even suggests Haydn, particularly in the trio in G. "How did you like it?" said I to Otto Floersheim, who is, as everybody knows, no Brahmsianer. one of two readings
14A night of unalloyed pleasure was last Friday, for I went to Sherry's to listen to the Kneisel Quartet (consisting of Franz Kneisel, first; Otto Roth, second; L. Svecenski, viola, and Alwin Schroeder, 'cello, the last a new comer and a strong ensemble artist) play, and play they did in an inimitable manner Mozart's C major quartet (Koechel 465, Peters 17), the muted movement of Tschai-kowsky's D major quartet, a delightful intermezzo and bridge to the finale; Brahms' new quintet for strings, in G major, op. 111. In this latter the party were reinforced by the second viola of Mr. O. Novacek, also a member—like the rest—of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The new work is a strong one, in four movements, and classical in form, but at times stepping over the boundary that divides orchestral from chamber music. This was noticeable particularly at the onset of the first allegro and the rushing czardas in the finale, but throughout Brahms has made lovely, simple, unaffected music, with few relapses into harmonic obscurities, and music conceived in the happiest frame of mind. The adagio (in D minor) is reminiscent of his own F major symphony, and the swinging allegretto (in G minor) even suggests Haydn, particularly in the trio in G. "How did you like it?" said I to Otto Floersheim, who is, as everybody knows, no Brahmsianer. one of two readings
16"He has to steal from himself, he is so poverty stricken in invention," grimly replied my revered chief.
18Nevertheless the work is fresh and clear, and an evidence of Brahms' unfailing powers. You all know the great C minor sonata of Beethoven's, also an op. 111. No greater contrast in the world could well be imagined than these similarly numbered opuses.
20The Kneisel Quartet (and quintet too) play with superb finish and balance. They are a model organization. They give their second concert at the same place December 11. The audience on this occasion was decidedly a representative one.
22What is this I hear about two distinguished piano virtuosi smoking, not the pipe, but the cigarette of peace, at the Amberg Theatre the other night? Come Frankie, come Jo, didn't you both smile later in the evening? It would have been a good chance.
24This is from the English "Magazine of Music" and will be news for Mr. Aronson:
26An American impresario, Mr. Rodolph Aronson, who has been passing some time at Munich, has formed an orchestra of ladies in that town. He intends to take this orchestra to New York, to play in the theatre where he is conductor.
28A girl six years of age in Albany, Ga., has composed several pieces of music for the piano, says an exchange—and send for Dr. Keely, say I.
30A cunning little story is going the rounds about David Popper, who while in Copenhagen was asked by Impresario Fischof if he wouldn't go to Christiania and play there.
32Replied Popper, who is Semitic by birth: "Why should I go to Christiania? I will go to Jutland, but never will I play in Christiania."
34Despite the blonde ballast I carry as a quotation at my headline this week, I have rambled into a perfect fugue feuilleton, so I will stop, merely adding that I heard from that gifted and versatile artist, Teresa Carreño, the other day, and learn with pleasure that her health is much better than it was during the summer, and that she has engagements galore to fulfill from Berlin to St. Petersburg during the season. I'm sure that when she plays in Paris she will capture the hearts of the Parisian critics et tout.
36PERSONALS.
38A Paganini Memorial.—At Nice a marble slab, with a commemorative inscription, has been placed on the house wherein died in 1840 the incomparable violinist Paganini. The inscription poetically states that "at the close of the 27th day of May, 1840, the soul of Nicolo Paganini returned to mingle with the sources of eternal harmony, but its supreme sweetness still lives in the perfumed breezes of Nice."
40Frederick Cowen's New Opera.—Cowen, who has been spending a great part of the summer on the Thames, is now busily working away at his new opera, to be produced at the English Opera House. This work must, according to the London "Star," be given some time within the next three years according to agreement, but will probably be heard long before that time. The libretto was written by Mr. Gilbert à Beckett, but its subject is kept a profound secret.
42A Mendelssohn Anecdote.—The following anecdote is taken from the "Souvenirs" of Auguste Lesimple, the Cologne music publisher: In 1845 Mendelssohn left Germany to go to Manchester to direct the concerts there. Arriving at Herbesthal, he was accosted by an official, who asked him if he were Dr. Mendelssohn. "Certainly I am," was the reply. "Then you must follow me," said the representative of the law. "There must be some mistake," said the composer, quite alarmed; "it is impossible that you can have anything against me." "There is no mistake," replied the official imperturbably. "I have a formal warrant for your apprehension." Resistance was useless; willy-nilly Mendelssohn had to return to Aix-la-Chapelle with his disagreeable companion. Then the chief was sent for, and, of course, everything was soon explained. The Dr. Mendelssohn whom the police were seeking was a swindler from Berlin, and had nothing in common with the composer of the "Elijah" except his name.
44A Meyerbeer Letter Which Holds Good To-Day.—"Le Ménestrel" publishes a letter from Meyerbeer to his friend and biographer, M. J. Schult, which letter is recommended to the consideration of some of the American chefs d'orchestre (no names being mentioned, and, let us hope, "no offense being took"). It runs somewhat as follows: "I am not born to be a good conductor. People say that a good chef d'orchestre ought to be a little rude. I do not say that this is the case; but rudeness has always been contrary to my nature. It gives me a very disagreeable impression when I see distinguished artists treated as one would not treat a servant. I do not think a conductor should be rude or rough, but he ought to show himself energetic; he ought to be able to make a severe observation, or even to administer a stern reprimand without going beyond the bounds of good breeding. At the same time he ought to have the power of attracting to himself the love of all his artists, who should at the same time love and fear him. He must not show any weakness of character, otherwise he will lose much of the respect which is due to him. As for me, I should not be energetic enough, exacting enough, during the rehearsals, and that is why I so willingly resign the baton to others. Rehearsals have generally made me ill."
46Death of Chopin's Friend.—The Polish painter Theophil Kwiatrowski died at Paris a few weeks ago at the age of eighty-three. He was one of Chopin's most intimate and truest friends, and it was in his arms that the great tone poet expired while in the adjoining room the Countess Potocka was singing Schubert's "Ave Maria" to the accompaniment of the Princess Marceline Czartoriska.
48Rubinstein's Mother.—The death of Mrs. Kaleria Christoforowna Rubinstein, the mother of the great Anton, was reported by THE MUSICAL COURIER several weeks ago. Now we learn from Odessa the following particulars about the revered old lady. She was a née Löwenstein from Lissa, in Prussian Silesia, where she was born in 1807. Her early musical education stood Anton in good stead, for he received from her his first piano lessons at the age of seven, and it was she who afterward selected for him that excellent teacher, Alexander Villoing, in Moscow. The energetic woman exerted also great influence over Anton's musical career, even after he had gained his first laurels, and she was the cause of his appearing before the Emperor Nicolas in 1843. Then she took her two sons, Nicolas and Anton, personally to Berlin, where she had them instructed by Dehn until 1846. After that she retired to modest quarters in Odessa, where she lived with her daughters. She never relinquished her great interest in musical affairs, and up to the last was able to play the piano fairly well. Between her and her son Anton there existed the most tender mutual love and regard, and the celebrated son will miss his dearly beloved mother sorely.
50Herman's Success.—To the many friends of Reinhold L. Herman, former conductor of the New York Liederkranz, it will be welcome news to learn that his opera "Lancelot" was recently produced for the first time at Braunschweig and with considerable success. The composer was called before the curtain several times after each act.
52Falcke.—Mr. Falcke, of Paris, a first prize of the Paris Conservatory in piano and harmony, a Liszt and George Matthias pupil, is a pianist of sterling merit who has appeared with success in all the capitals of Europe. Mr. Falcke, who studied harmony and composition with Th. Dubois, has composed some excellent music for piano, notably a "Scherzo Valse," "Menuet" and "Marche de Concert," which are much in vogue. Mr. Falcke, who is well known in the American colony in Paris, has many pupils.
54Jennie Dutton.—This popular singer will be the soloist of the Damrosch Orchestra when it makes a short tour December 15. Miss Dutton, who is looking the picture of health after her European trip, will sing in Albany, Ithaca, Auburn and elsewhere.
56Miss Cecile Schiller.—Miss Cecile Schiller, who it will be remembered was such a promising young pianist, and has since studied in Berlin with Xaver Scharwenka, has matured into a most excellent pianist, and will be heard soon at some of the orchestral concerts in this city.
58E. C. Phelps.—Mr. E. C. Phelps, the well-known composer, of Brooklyn, has just finished an overture for grand orchestra, "Summer Scenes on the Hudson," and a fantasia for violin and orchestra.
60Adele Laeis Baldwin.—Mrs. Adele Laeis Baldwin, a native of St. Louis, is a very talented contralto, who received her musical education in that city, where she also made a very successful début in the "Messiah" with the Oratorio Society. She has since studied with Errani in this city and with Shakespere in London and Lamperti in Milan. Mrs. Baldwin returned home November 1 and resumed her position in the choir of All Souls—Dr. Heber Newton's church—where she is a universal favorite. Her vocal studio is at 931 Broadway, where she receives her pupils.
62Brandeis to Blumenberg.—Fred. Brandeis has dedicated to Louis Blumenberg an "arietta" arranged for 'cello solo, which Blumenberg will play during his present tour.
64Jenny Meyer.
66MISS JENNY MEYER was born in Berlin on March 26, 1854. While a young girl she took a short course of instruction in vocal culture under the direction of Caroline Caspari, a celebrated singer, after which she began a more extended course of study with her brother-in-law, Julius Stern.
68As she was going upstairs one day he heard her sing snatches of a song and immediately recognized the great talent which slumbered in her and which needed only a skillful hand for its development, and he at once begged to receive her as his pupil. After having obtained permission from her father, who at first was opposed to her taking such a severe course in vocal music, she entered the conservatory on October 18, 1855, and soon became one of the finest pupils in the institution. Her assistance was frequently sought in concerts, and on October 25 she sang in the oratorio "Luther" by Schneider. The whole audience was fascinated with her full, rich, soul inspiring voice, and at that time Otto Gumprecht wrote of her that she appeared neither as a scholar nor an amateur, but as a finished singer in the fullest sense of the word, and that she would undoubtedly become one of the greatest attractions of the German operatic stage. The late Royal Intendent von Hülsen sought to obtain this jewel for the Royal Opera, as he wished to engage her to replace Johanna Wagner; but Jenny Meyer, out of respect for the wishes of her family, resigned her theatre career, which had been exceedingly brilliant, and devoted herself to concert singing. On October 30, 1856, she appeared in a concert at Leipsic, under the direction of Julius Rietz, and received from the public the loudest rounds of applause.
70It is impossible to mention the many cities which had the opportunity to admire her magnificent voice. Suffice it to say that on January 1, 1857, Jenny Meyer sang, by invitation of Franz Liszt, at a palace concert in Weimar, and
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