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Musical Courier 1892-05-11: Vol 24 Iss 638, 1892
172 lines. Read by computer on 19 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 13. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1Correspondence.
3Atlanta Correspondence.
5W. C. REHM, the pianist, gave a concert at the Edgewood Avenue Theatre on last Wednesday evening, which proved to be a grand artistic success. Mr. Rehm's playing fulfilled the expectation of the audience present. The sonata by Grieg was the opening number. It lost none of its inspiration under Mr. Rehm's illustration of the piano part. So well had he caught the spirit of the composition, so intelligently had he studied it for expression of all its fine contrasts, that he presented the trying executive passages with fine effect. Mr. Natorp Blumenfeld played most exquisitely, and in the Grieg sonata and solos has again given proof of his great reputation as a violinist. Not since Musin was here has there been heard such wonderful violin playing.
7Mr. Harry E. Reeves is a singer with a voice full of rich music. His method is most perfect, which makes it a pleasure to listen to him. He has a dash of originality in rendition, which, while musically accurate, gives a distinctive charm not often observed in vocalists.
9Miss Florence Keep, soprano, who made her first appearance, was an especial feature of the evening. The lady has a wonderful voice of great resonance, high range, flexibility and sweetness.
11Miss Anna Courtney and Miss Bessie Panchen, two of Mr. Rehm's advanced pupils, sustained themselves well and were most enthusiastically applauded. They proved themselves to be pianists of whom their teacher can feel justly proud. Miss Courtney played the difficult variations by Wilm in a way that was most astounding.
13The following was the program rendered:
14Sonata in F, op. 8, piano and violin. Grieg
15Wm. C. Rehm and Natorp Blumenfeld.
16"My All." Bohm
17Harry E. Reeves.
18Introduction and gavot, op. 60, No. 1, two pianos. Wilm
19Miss Bessie Panchen and Wm. C. Rehm.
20"Ah! Fors' e Lui" ("La Traviata"). Verdi
21Florence Keep.
22Fantaisie, "Souvenir de Haydn." Leonard
23Natorp Blumenfeld.
24Theme and variations, op. 64, two pianos. Wilm
25Miss Anna Courtney and Wm. C. Rehm.
26"Love's Proving." Lohr
27Harry E. Reeves.
28Legende…. Wieniawski
29Airs russe…. Wieniawski
30Natorp Blumenfeld.
31"Los Ojos Negros" (Spanish ballad). Alvarez
32Florence Keep.
33Scherzo, Valse, op. 40. Moszkowski
34Wm. C. Rehm.
36Wm. H. Sherwood, the well-known pianist, is engaged to give a series of recitals at the Y. M. C. A. Hall, commencing on April 29.
38The commencement exercises of the pupils of Mr. Wm. C. Rehm, Mrs. Barili, Miss Carrie Mathews, Miss Evelyn Jackson and Mrs. A. S. Werner will take place on May 17, 18 and 19, at the Washington Seminary.
40Our would-be musical critic of Atlanta, Mr. McKa, is suffering greatly from hydrophobia. It is hoped that he may soon be cured.
42FUGHETTO.
44Rochester News.
46MELOURGIA, the male voice singing society of Rochester par excellence, will give its last subscription concert of this season Monday evening, May 2, assisted by chorus of eighteen ladies and Miss Maud Powell, the violinist, and Mrs. Julie E. Wyman, soprano. Melourgia's success since its organization has been nothing less than extraordinary. Introducing itself with a complimentary invitation concert January 18, last year, it secured a large subscription list and gave two more concerts, assisted by Mary Howe, soprano; Terzah P. Hamlen, contralto; Nora Clench, violinist, and others. This season it increased the subscription to $5, and with a larger subscription list has been able to give the best series of concerts ever presented by any local society. Among those who have appeared at Melourgia's concerts this year are Mrs. Anna Burch, soprano; Mrs. Clara Barnes-Holmes, contralto; D. M. Wilkinson, flutist; the New York Philharmonic Society and Miss Marion Weed, contralto, the latter a former Rochester girl.
48The club is limited in membership to twenty, and as now constituted includes five first tenors, four second tenors, five first bass, six second bass. Naturally with such a limit the standard of excellence is kept very high, fifteen of the members of the club being salaried quartet singers and five being musical directors in different churches in the city. Among the most ambitious attempts of the club may be mentioned Dudley Buck's " Bugle Song," given with the assistance of the New York Philharmonic Club, piano, organ and cornets; Brewer's " Cavalry Song," from M. S. Shelley's "Minstrel Boy;" Buck's " Twilight," and Wessler's "Forest Mill," in all of which they have scored distinguished success.
50Financially the club has been as successful as it has artistically. It was organized to give the best concerts its support would allow. After paying necessary expenses of director's salary, advertising and hall rent it devotes every cent of what remains in securing the best available outside talent. While hitherto other clubs have had to meet deficiencies of varying size, Melourgia since its organization has never yet had to make an assessment on its members. At each concert the seating capacity of Music Hall has been the only limit of the audience and their only regret is that a larger hall is not available. Melourgia has accepted an invitation to sing at one of the evening concerts of the New York State Music Teachers' Association at Syracuse in June, and will also sing two solo numbers at the two days' musical festival to be given in this city the latter part of May.
52Each year it seems as though there were more changes among church musicians than the last, but it is undeniable that this year has seen more important changes in Rochester than any in the last five years. The First Baptist Church which, since F. W. Wodell took charge of the music nearly four years ago, has assumed a leading place musically in the city, experiences a complete change, Prof. Edw. Shive, the organist, leaving to take charge of the music in the First German Baptist Church in Chicago. Mr. Wodell, its director, has accepted a more lucrative position in St. Luke's Episcopal Church, taking with him as many of his chorus as he could use. Miss Louise Griswold, the contralto, will, after May 1, sing with her former choir companion, Miss Kittie Tyrrell, at the First Presbyterian Church in Buffalo—in which position, with Mrs. Holmes, of Westminster, she will be the best paid contralto in Western New York. George J. Clark, the tenor, will have the same position in the Central Church. Prof. Herve D. Wilkins, for several years organist of the Brick Church, now has charge of the music at the First Baptist Church, using a chorus and a quartet, with one exception, of his pupils. Mr. D'Enyer retires from active church work at the Brick Church this year, and Professor Aldrich comes from Utica to take his place; Mrs. W. F. Gove, one of the two or three best accompanists in the city, presides at the organ. Other and less important changes need not be mentioned.
54Arrangements are being perfected for a grand musical festival, under the direction of Professor Pabst, in May. Anton Seidl's Symphony Orchestra has been engaged and Fischer, Ritter-Goetze and other well-known metropolitan favorites are mentioned as soloists. Melourgia, the Maennerchor, Liedertafel and other societies will participate and an artistic success is confidently anticipated. Further particulars will be furnished when arrangements are completed.
56Miss Marie Tempest was heard at the Lyceum Theatre last week, with the Casino Company, in "The Tyrolean." Though she was suffering with a very severe cold her artistic style and charming personality amply made up for all temporary defects of tone.
58After long continued solicitation from his friends, F. W. Wodell has finally given up a responsible position with a publishing house in this city to devote his time entirely to voice culture. He has just opened a studio in the Cox Building, where he already meets a large number of pupils. He has been well known in musical circles as director of Melourgia and the First Baptist Choir, besides several out of town societies, and his success in his new line of work is assured.
60Two college glee clubs have visited Rochester on their Easter trips—the Cornell and the Amherst. Of the former the least said the better; of the latter it need only be said that they are as good this year as they ever were; that is, the best.
62A new organization styling themselves the Criterion Concert Company, composed of the following musicians: Miss Kate Tyrrell, soprano; F. W. Wodell, baritone; Francis Boucher, violinist, a newcomer who has created a very favorable impression; D. M. Wilkinson, the well-known flutist, and S. T. Wilkinson, his brother pianist, have announced themselves ready to furnish concert programs of the most varied description. This somewhat unusual combination is sure to give eminent satisfaction, as each performer is an artist of acknowledged ability in his or her line of work.
64Cleveland News.
66CLEVELAND, April 25, 1892.
68THE nineteenth season of the Cleveland Vocal Society closed April 21 with a production of "Elijah," which was in most respects excellent. Contrary to the usual custom tickets were sold to this entertainment, with the result, as it apparently proved, of making a reasonably profitably ending of what has been a rather poorly paying season, the subscription plan having been adhered to heretofore.
70The chorus, numbering about 125, was extremely good; their entries were prompt and firm, the varying character of the several numbers was well brought out, and the proportion of parts being of the best the result was all that could be desired.
72The soloists were Miss Hortense Pierce, soprano; Mrs. Carrie Bishop-Searles, mezzo soprano; Mr. Chas. Knorr, tenor, and Mr. Clarence Hay, baritone. To tell the truth, they were not up to the standard set by the chorus, the lady soloists in particular. Miss Pierce sang correctly, but with little expression or feeling and apparently with considerable effort. Mrs. Searles' voice is not strong; but this could be passed over if it were more expressive. Judging, however, by the evening's work in question she, too, is quite deficient in this respect. The tenor and baritone were really meritorious and did their parts in a commendable manner, but the ladies' trio' and quartet especially, and in fact all of the part numbers, were more or less unsatisfactory, both as to correctness of pitch and unity of purpose. The orchestra was fair.
74Taking the society as a whole, however, represented by the chorus, the production of "Elijah" reflects great credit not only upon the singers themselves, but upon their conductor, Mr. Alfred Arthur, whose superior training has enabled them to arrive at so high a degree of excellence.
76I should not close without making mention, and very commendable mention, of a musicale given on April 20 in Association Hall by Mrs. von Feilitzsch in honor of Mrs. J. B. Foster, of this city, who goes abroad to complete her vocal studies. Mrs. Foster sang three numbers, which were most enthusiastically received. The balance of the program was furnished by Miss Kasson, Miss Sawyer, Mrs. Treiber, Mr. Paul Egry and Mr. Charles Heydler, and it is needless to say was worthy of these artists, and was received with all the approbation it deserved.
78Seattle Sounds.
80SEATTLE, April 22, 1892.
82THE fostering and development of the art of music in the cities of the Pacific Northwest is rendered somewhat difficult owing to their distance from large musical centers. It is sometimes falsely charged that the people of the newer Western cities are entirely material in their manner of living; but though art naturally flourishes more in older communities, yet here its flame is kept alive by a devoted circle of admirers, who continually strive to elevate its standard and spread its influence. Seattle, destroyed by fire in 1889, is now splendidly rebuilt and has 50,000 inhabitants, so that great development in the artistic life may be expected to follow speedily. Amateur clubs do a good deal to further musical interest. The Ladies' Musical Club has weekly meetings at which a program is performed by some of members, sometimes assisted by professional talent. Associate members are admitted at alternate meetings and public recitals are given occasionally.
84At a recent recital given by the Ladies' Musical Club, assisted by Miss Phelps, harpist, the program was:
85Chorus of Angels ("Eli"). M. Costa
86Female chorus of ten voices.
87Liebestraum, No. 3. Liszt
88Miss Calhoun.
89Harp Fantaisie. Oberthür
90Miss Phelps.
91Concerto, G minor. Mendelssohn
92Miss Calhoun.
93Second piano, Miss Hanna.
94Songs. E. Nevin
95"One spring morning"…. Lullaby one of two readings
96"One spring morning"… one of two readings
97Lullaby… one of two readings
98Miss McKinney.
99Etude. X. Scharwenka
100"Last Night"…. Kjerulf-Rees one of two readings
101"The Gypsies"…. R. Schumann one of two readings
102"Last Night"… one of two readings
103Kjerulf-Rees one of two readings
104"The Gypsies"… one of two readings
105R. Schumann one of two readings
106Female chorus.
108The Evening Musical Club also has weekly meetings and is similar in character and organization to the preceding, being in fact an offshoot of the older club.
110The German population always takes an active part in the musical affairs of the city. The Seattle Turnverein has a male chorus of twenty-four voices, under the direction of Mr. Kunz. Concerts are given monthly. Mr. Kunz will also conduct the new Arion Society which has just been formed and which will have a chorus of mixed voices.
112The Society of Herrmannsohne have a male chorus under the direction of Alfred Leuben. On May 8 Strauss' "Merry War" will be produced in German by local talent under the direction of Mr. Leuben.
114Church music is somewhat crippled here by the fact that pipe organs are not as abundant as they should be. The church of Our Lady of Good Help, the First Methodist and the First Presbyterian Church each has a fair sized two manual instrument. These organs will all be eclipsed, however, by the new $5,500 Hook & Hastings (Boston) instrument that will be set up in the new Plymouth Church in about a month. The organ will have three manuals, partial pneumatic action, 1,403 pipes and electric motor for blowing. At a concert of the Ladies' Musical Club, April 9, lovers of good organ music were gratified by the performance of the following selections by Mrs. C. E. Patterson, a Vassar graduate:
115Sonata No. 2. Mendelssohn one of two readings
116Sonata No. 2… Mendelssohn one of two readings
117"The Capuchins" Kullak
118Funeral March. Chopin one of two readings
119Funeral March… Chopin one of two readings
120"Elevation" Guilmain
121Fugue in D minor. J. S. Bach one of two readings
122Fugue in D minor… J. S. Bach one of two readings
124The first vested church choir in the city was founded at St. Mark's Church. The choir consisted of forty men and boys, supplemented by a few female voices. Mr. H. Sharpe is organist and choir master. Trinity Church also has a vested boy choir and an able organist and director in Mr. Roberts.
126It must be doubted whether a company that can adequately present grand opera can possibly travel and pay its bills. The melancholy fate of the National Opera Company was only one example of this. What remains of the Emma Juch Opera Company arrived here this week and presented another example. The company is said to have started out at the beginning of the season with 130 people. They reached here with only fifty-five, lacking a conductor and many principals. But this was our only chance to hear any opera at all. "Cavalleria Rusticana" as produced here failed to reveal any of those wonderful beauties described by Eastern and foreign critics. Some of it was certainly mildly clever, but great and lasting, never. The balcony scene from Gounod's "melodious" "Romeo and Juliet" preceded the "Cavalleria." An ignominious struggle with "Tannhäuser" closed the engagement, and after one or two detentions by reason of "attachments" the company succeeded in leaving the city. Miss Juch's undisputed lyric qualities of voice and acting were naturally somewhat marred amid such surroundings.
128The band of the United States Marine Corps, forty-seven pieces, under Conductor Sousa, gave two good programs to crowded houses yesterday at the armory. This is the end of their transcontinental trip and they now start on their return journey to Washington, D. C.
130Something for Miss Amy Fay.
132Editors of the Musical Courier:
133Oh no! Miss Fay, le roi n'est pas mort, and he will live forever in the memory of the thousands who spent their most enchanting hours with him. It seems to me that just the hearing of the eminent pianist, who played after he left, shows us what Paderewski is. Comparisons are entirely out of place with him—he is simply Paderewski, who in touching the keys touched our very hearts, made us feel with him the noble, inspiring thoughts of the great composers he interpreted. He never shocked our feelings by such musical explosions that made us fully understand that the piano is made of iron and wood—and that is exactly what I want to come to—touch—it cannot be taught nor learned; it is the spark of the divine fire that God has put into our soul, and it is this very touch that Paderewski's charm; his is the art that one dreamt of as an ideal to be possible, but not heard before, and as long as all the impossibilities that Mr. Gilder describes in his magnificent poem are not possible, as long as that Paderewski's playing will be just as impossible to be reached! He stands alone! one of two readings
134Oh no! Miss Fay, le roi n'est pas mort, and he will live forever in the memory of the thousands who spent their most enchanting hours with him. It seems to me that just the hearing of the eminent pianists, who played after he left, shows us what Paderewski is. Comparisons are entirely out of place with him—he is simply Paderewski, who in touching the keys touched our very hearts, made us feel with him the noble, inspiring thoughts of the great composers he interpreted. He never shocked our feelings by such musical explosions that made us fully understand that the piano is made of iron and wood—and that is exactly what I want to come to—touch—it cannot be taught nor learned; it is the spark of the divine fire that God has put into our soul, and it is this very touch that Paderewski's charm; his is the art that one dreamt of as an ideal to be possible, but not heard before, and as long as all the impossibilities that Mr. Gilder describes in his magnificent poem are not possible, as long as that Paderewski's playing will be just as impossible to be reached! He stands alone! one of two readings
135M. ROHMAN.
137Minneapolis.
139MARCHESI AGAIN.
141A LETTER on the ways and method of Mrs. Marchesi, written for the St. Paul "Globe" last year, by one Daisie Winifred Davidson, certainly occurred to me as lacking in justice and taste, to say the least.
143I did not answer, however, as a reply by a lady unknown to me, but apparently familiar with the method and pupils of Marchesi, appeared in the same paper.
145In the course of my correspondence with Mrs. Marchesi I made some inquiries in regard to Miss Davidson, who was a stranger to me.
147The outlines of a letter in which Mrs. Marchesi refers to Miss Davidson, I communicated to the correspondent of the Musical Courier from St Paul and Minneapolis, as an interesting item and as a justification of Mrs. Marchesi to which she seemed entitled. I did not give her letter to the press, nor did I intend to enter into any controversy with Miss Davidson, but her renewed attacks on Mrs. Marchesi, as well as her insinuations against your special correspondent in the best musical paper I have seen in this country, viz., The Musical Courier, necessitate a reply from me.
149The letter of Mrs. Marchesi reads thus:
151(no line here) one of two readings
152PARIS, January 8, 1892.
153My Dear Mrs. Syur—Your dear letter received. In regard to the clipping from an American paper, written by Miss Davidson, I must say that it is as disgraceful as it is untrue. I, of course, regard it as beneath my dignity to do anything about it. But if my pupils in America intend to defend me it is well.
155Miss Davidson must have an enormous amount of courage, to say the least, in order to attack a school that has been in existence for thirty-eight years, has won the highest appreciation by all and has furnished the theatre as well as the concert room with the greatest talent.
157Miss Davidson is not young any more. Her voice was entirely broken when she came to me. If she had had patience and given me time I might have made a singer out of her, as she is musical, but the instruction in classes seemed not to suit her and she was not agreeable to anyone. On this account I had resolved to part with her. Her insinuations and accusations I may pass by. But one thing I must mention—the offending manner in which she writes about the death of my only daughter Therese, who died so very suddenly in November, 1890, and made me the most unhappy of mothers. That no lessons could be given under such afflicting circumstances no one ought to find fault with me for. Nevertheless I gave all my pupils to understand that they might carry the lessons lost to my account.
159With all my heart, Your loving, MATH. MARCHESI.
161In regard to the ways of Marchesi, I may state that I on one occasion on account of sickness lost my lessons for about two weeks, but I continued two weeks longer for the money paid. When I went to Paris from Weimar she gave me a lesson every day in order to facilitate the transition from the German method to her own.
163Of course Marchesi may have some peculiarities. But these she has in common with nearly every genius, and it certainly shows bad taste, as well as bad judgment, from any dislike of her habits to attack her method and her style. Personally I have reason to regard the method of Marchesi as the very best, and Mrs. Marchesi as the greatest vocal teacher living.
165A vocal school is judged by the results as well as any other school; and a school that can point to such results as Nevada, Melba, Osello, Kriebel, Eames, Horwitz, Wyman, Decca and a host of renowned singers must be something extraordinary.
167Patti has declared that she regards Marchesi as the greatest teacher living; Melba personally said the same to me, and Osello, the greatest Norwegian singer, who has made such a furore wherever she has appeared in Europe, not long ago wrote in the musical journal of Norway that she regarded Marchesi and Viardot as the greatest vocal teachers living, expressly laying stress on the style in the method of Marchesi.
169It cannot be expected that Mrs. Marchesi can make a rose out of a thorn. If a voice has been forced it of course takes a longer time to make it natural and pleasing than it takes to develop a voice that has not been spoiled.
171The class instruction to which Miss Davidson objects is very common in
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