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Musical Courier 1892-08-03: Vol 25 Iss 649, 1892
102 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 9. See the scan on archive.org.
1The Arion Trip.
3III.
5BERLIN, Wednesday, July 13.
7THE distance from Hamburg to Berlin is, under ordinary circumstances, by the fast mail traversed in about three hours and a half, but when you travel by special train, as the Arion did, it takes about an hour longer. Thus we were hustled from the Hamburg Hotel last Sunday morning at a pretty seasonable hour, only to arrive at Berlin half an hour or so behind time and at just that period of the day when everybody is about to devote his attention to his Sunday dinner. All the more complimentary was it therefore to find the Lehrter station absolutely crowded with the singing fraternity, who received the train with the most enthusiastic hoshs and hurrahs! The difference between the Hamburg and Berlin receptions represented a marked crescendo, and from all present appearances this will continue to be the case the farther south we shall penetrate into Germany.
9It is a well-known characteristic of the northern North Germans that they are a rather cold and reserved class of people; but the southern North Germans are of the most amiable, hospitable, cheerful disposition. Berlin usually holds about the middle, with a slight leaning toward the North, marked with the dry and caustic wit which is dubbed Berlin humor. The latter, however, was entirely suppressed on this occasion, and the reception, as I said before, was of the most hearty and genuine nature. The representatives of the different Berlin singing societies, Sängerschaft, Liedertafel and Cecilia Melodia, sang together "Gott grüße Dich," and President Cornelius of the Liedertafel then addressed the Arion in a short but hearty speech of welcome, to which President Katzenmayer replied in kind. The Arion then intoned their motto: "A stronghold sure to German word and German song!" and left the crowded station amid the hurrahs of the Berliners. A string of 125 carriages, all adorned with American flags, took us through the principal streets of the German capital to our respective hotels. All this and the other arrangements for the trip had been excellently managed by Mr. Carl Sternberg, of the Berlin concert agency of Gnevkov & Sternberg.
11The first real disappointment of the trip came with the private rehearsal for the first Berlin concert, when Mr. Van der Stucken, who worked like a good one, found that, despite his most heroic efforts, the band of the Third Regiment of the Guard of Spandau, who were the only orchestra available for the occasion, were absolutely incapable of playing the accompaniments to the Bruch first violin and the Liszt E flat piano concertos. Miss Powell and Mr. Rummel therefore had to forego playing with orchestra, which, however, did them no discredit, as the public were informed of the circumstances and the reason of the change of program, and the press unanimously praised them. The concert itself on Monday evening also suffered no damage, as the Philharmonic Hall was entirely sold out and tickets were at a premium an hour before the time appointed for the opening of the box office.
13The concert itself proved a triumph for the Arions, and the different representatives of the press, as well as prominent members of Berlin singing societies, assured me that it was a complete surprise to them, inasmuch as they had never before heard a gathering of dilettanti sing with so much artistic unity and conception. There was no striving after brutal mass effects, but everything was refined, polished and yet strong.
15Their first effort was Schubert's glorious XXIII. psalm, "God is my Shepherd," which although in the original written for female voices with piano accompaniment is more frequently heard by male choruses. Its effectiveness was considerably heightened by Mr. Van der Stucken's musicianly and discreet orchestration of the piano part. The work was sung with great verve and a quiet tenderness which one rarely finds coupled. It broke the ice at once, and the audience, which was of the most distinguished and among which were Ministers von Boetticher and von Berlepsch, Mayor Zelle, many members of the two houses of representatives and several aldermen, besides Minister Phelps and the entire American legation, Consul General Edwards and his staff, Consul Johnson of Hamburg, Max Bruch, the composer, Stettenheim the renowned "Wippchen" and a host of other notabilities, was by no means chary with its applause. In fact so enthusiastic were they that half of the a capella choruses sung by the Arion were redemanded.
17The two groups given on this occasion were:
19I.
21"Abendfeier" ……………………………………… Attenhofer
22"Frühlingsglauhe" …………………………………. Van der Stucken
23"Altniederländisches Lied" ……………………….. Kremser
24"Hüte Dich" ……………………………………… Girschner
26II.
28"Die Verfallene Mühle" …………………………… Rheinberger
29"Im Grase Thaut's" ………………………………… Spicker
30"Spanisches Ständchen" …………………………… Dregert
31"Minnelied" ……………………………………… Bünte
33Of these the popular Kremser song, which the Arions give with a prickling piquancy and a brilliant high C for the tenors at the close; the effective and arch "Hüte Dich;" Mr. Spicker's beautiful and tender song, with a fine tenor solo for Mr. Rieger, and Bünte's charming "Love Song" had to be repeated.
35Miss Powell was first heard in Saint-Saëns' characteristic "Rondo Capriccioso," and later on in Bach's noble air for the G string and Sauret's effervescent "Fanfalla," and she came in for her most deserved share of applause and several recalls.
37Mr. Franz Rummel gave three Chopin numbers: The A flat waltz in double rhythm, the D flat nocturne, which he played with great tenderness of feeling and phrasing, and the great A flat polonaise, which we all know he interprets so well.
39The concert closed with Rubinstein's "Der Morgen," which was a trifle too much for the orchestra, which interfered with instead of supported the singers.
41After the concert a great festival Commers was given in honor of the Arion, in which about 2,000 persons, mostly Berlin singers and their families, as well as the above named notabilities, participated. Privy Councillor Mahling, honorary member of the Cecilia Melodia, opened the proceedings with a toast to the Emperor. The Burgomaster of Berlin gave the Arion a most flattering welcome speech, to which Mr. Katzenmayer replied. President Cornelius followed with a welcome to all singers. Neumogen's (New York) "Greeting to Berlin" was sung. A Mr. Jansen toasted the ladies in verses, and our Mr. Weinacht made a very witty speech. Van der Stucken then got his share of the general good will, and in response got up upon a table and conducted "Das deutsche Lied," sung by everybody present, and—"the subsequent proceedings interested me no more."
43O. F.
45Louis Lombard.
47THROUGH the energy and diplomacy of Louis Lombard the Music Teachers' National Association will meet in his own city, Utica, N. Y., in 1894. His unceasing efforts and knowledge of the world have enabled him to secure not only the chairmanship of the executive committee, but also the friendship and confidence of all the members of the National Association.
49The name of Louis Lombard is a guarantee that the next meeting will be the grandest in the history of this vast organization.
51"The Journalist," of New York, says:
53Mr. Louis Lombard, founder and director of the Utica (N. Y.) Conservatory of Music, was born in Lyons, France, in 1861. His father was French, his mother Italian, and he is an American citizen. In him are combined the tact of the Gaul, the art of the Latin, and the "go-aheadness" of the Yankee.
55Mr. Lombard is the great-grandson of a Roman Catholic bishop who married during the French Revolution of 1793 rather than be guillotined. On his mother's side he is connected with an influential Italian family—the Pastores, of Venice—who settled in Piedmont in the twelfth century, when the House of Savoy came into possession of the Piedmontese territory.
57In 1870 Mr. Lombard's parents removed to Marseilles, where he entered the classes of violin, solfeggio and harmony of the National Conservatory of Music. In 1876 he came to the United States on a concert tour, returning to Paris in 1878 to continue his studies. After coming back to this country in 1879 he traveled as violin soloist and conductor, and for a number of years located in Utica, N. Y., as director of the Philharmonic Society of that city. In 1886 H. C. Bunner, editor of "Puck," wrote the libretto of a comic opera, to which Louis Lombard composed the music. In 1887 he again went abroad, traveling through seventeen countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. His proficiency in the French, German, English, Italian and Spanish languages, together with his knowledge of the Arabic, rendered his experiences abroad interesting, as he related them through some of the leading magazines in this country.
59Upon his return in 1888 he entered the Columbian Law School. In February, 1889, having proposed opening a conservatory of music in Utica, he secured a guarantee of $10,000 of tuition from 100 prominent families. He at once gave up the study of law, and on September 2, 1889, opened the Utica Conservatory of Music with six professors and 186 students. Now this institution has fifteen professors, and over 400 students from different parts of the United States and Canada.
61Louis Lombard, a leading educator, a violinist, conductor, composer, writer, critic, polyglot and a man of rare executive ability, at the age of thirty stands at the head of one of the largest schools of music in existence—an institution of his own creation in all its details. It is difficult to imagine how so much talent, knowledge and energy can be encompassed in so little a body—Louis Lombard weighs only 94 pounds and, though well proportioned, is only 5 feet 1 inch in height, the pink of neatness and elegance of manner, which combined with his activity, promptness in business transactions and business ability (rarely found in one so devoted to art), have all won him many friends and brought bountiful success to his undertakings, all of which is justly due him for the grit and energy given to the work in which he is engaged. We might add that in our opinion Mr. Lombard has not yet reached the fullness of his success, for no one in this "Land of the Free," with the exceptional qualities and perseverance Mr. Lombard displays, can fail in accomplishing great things.
63Mr. Lombard is supplied with ample capital.
65Courtney in Minneapolis.—Mr. Wm. Courtney is singing, lecturing and teaching in Minneapolis this summer. His time is quite occupied.
67He Must Be a Musician.
69Editors Musical Courier:
71WHAT is your object in introducing politics in THE MUSICAL COURIER as you do in the editorial on page 5 of this week's paper? Mr. Whitelaw Reid as editor of the "Tribune" is in no wise interested in music and should have no place in a music journal that pretends to be serious and cultured in its tone, just for the purpose of introducing him in order to express some feeling against him. While some persons may claim with propriety that Mr. Reid is not a great man in the sense of Harrison's greatness, he is a man of attainments in society and a man of great business shrewdness, who acquired ownership of the "Tribune" by excelling the former part owners in tact and speculative skill. Should he be elected and by an accident become President we would have an ideal business administration.
73But in musical matters Mr. Reid shows no interest whatever and he has no musical critic on the paper, the gentleman writing the criticisms being a member of the staff, with general newspaper work to do, as is incident upon any occasion. Whenever Mr. Reid finds that music is an important function of national life and should therefore have a separate department and a musical critic for that department, it will be time to mention him in your paper.
75A REPUBLICAN.
77Mr. Sternberg Has the Floor.
79Editors Musical Courier:
81IN your report of the Cleveland meeting I find the following passage ascribed to me:
83"I do not believe that you would find an artist in the country magnanimous enough to fill the place of an associate artist who had previously been announced upon the program. I, for one, should respectfully decline."
85As this may be misconstrued, I will thank you for adding in your next issue that a motion was before the house to the effect that the program committee should keep a number of artists "on hand" to fill the places of unexpectedly absent ones and to issue invitations with this understanding. This measure, intended as a preventive against the intrusion of "dilettantism" upon the programs, met with my fullest approval; only I apprehended (and do so still) that no artist would accept an "invitation" to act as a "stop gap," and I should be glad if my remarks were accepted in this spirit. Thanking you for giving space to these lines, I am Always yours,
87CONSTANTIN STERNBERG.
89A Champion for the Piano.
91H. H. H.
93IS he needed? Is its virtue not so self evident that all defense against such an unjust attack as Dr. Tudor's article, "The Criminal Piano" (see "A Musical Malefactor," THE MUSICAL COURIER, July 6), is superfluous? At first, after reading it, I thought it below a musician's dignity to waste a word on what, for the most part, is stuff and nonsense. Well may THE MUSICAL COURIER call it "an amusing article;" but the article contains a few redeeming, sensible remarks and might for that reason prejudice some unwary readers; besides, my great love for the piano spurred me, and so on second thoughts I resolved to enter the ranks as its champion.
95Tudor, for shame! You cannot mean what you say! It is a pity that merely for creating a sensation, in order to startle and to draw attention to themselves, some of the critics, editors and musical writers run into rant, and often into cant, saying the most eccentric, oddest, false, unjust and sometimes silly things. I remember well Goodrich's rant about our classical composers, a year or two ago, in the "Musical World," and my friend Dr. F. L. Ritter's disgust at the same, which seems to have been too much even for that estimable journal, published though it is for the moral-musical infants of the West and other children; for soon after he resigned the editorship of the "Musical World," or, to use one of the charmingly naive and significant Western expressions, he had to "quit;" nor has the vacant place been filled again, as far as I know, for the saints like Carl Merz and the goody Goodrich are scarce, unless "lieber" Liebling will do.
97But "revenons à nos moutons" ("Schafskopf?"). Tudor talks as if he was neither a pianist nor a vocalist in the true sense of the word; as if he had never heard any good pianos, nor any bad and mediocre voices, less than "ethereal" seraphickones.
99Last night, when the delicious coolness promised a thorough rest, a Miss Adelina Cat-ti began her nocturnal song beneath my lattice height. Oh, how she betrayed the "secret of her heart" in single, swelling tones! It was "um aus der Haat zu fahren" (to jump out of one's skin). The "tension" into which the intense tension of her soul extended was such that it extended me out of bed, not to throw roses, but the bootjack.
101In the early morning I tried to make up for lost sleep,
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