Scan 15
Musical Courier 1893-01-04: Vol 26 Iss 670, 1893
51 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 16. See the scan on archive.org.
1conceal had stiffened his neck beyond remedy. And yet he professed the greatest reverence for the Virgin, who, as he claimed, had rescued him by descending from heaven when he was in danger of assassination. In gratitude he took a solemn oath never to wear any colors but blue and black. An expert fencer, he fought every night in the streets. When the fit of composition came upon him he hurried to his nearest acquaintance, even though it were a tavern girl. Then would he borrow pen, ink and paper—for he owned nothing—and he dashed off his sonatas." Other details concerning the life of Don Emanuel must be omitted here, for this is a squeamish age. It would appear that Barbella was a man of "temperament;" and yet Dr. Burney found that his fiddling compelled sleep.
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5These shocking examples are presented as New Year's reminders, incentives to sobriety and decency. There has been but little music here during the past week. The program of the Kneisel Quartet concert Monday evening the 26th included Beethoven's C sharp minor quartet, op. 131, and Brahms's piano quartet, op. 26. The ensemble, particularly in the Beethoven number, was almost faultless, and Mr. Nikisch proved himself to be an excellent pianist in chamber music. In the Brahms's quartet, the piano was at times too much in evidence. But in view of the virility and the musical intelligence of the performance it seems ungracious to refer to a slight bar to enjoyment that might not have been noticed if the piano cover had been closed and not raised to its full height. one of two readings
6These shocking examples are presented as New Year's reminders, incentives to sobriety and decency. There has been but little music here during the past week. The program of the Kneisel Quartet concert Monday evening the 26th included Beethoven's C sharp minor quartet, op. 131, and Brahms's piano quartet, op. 26. The ensemble, particularly in the Beethoven number, was almost faultless, and Mr. Nikisch proved himself to be an excellent pianist in chamber music. In the Brahms quartet, the piano was at times too much in evidence. But in view of the virility and the musical intelligence of the performance it seems ungracious to refer to a slight bar to enjoyment that might not have been noticed if the piano cover had been closed and not raised to its full height. one of two readings
8The third of the Wolff-Hollman recitals was given December 30 at the Hollis Street Theatre. The program was again made up chiefly of salon pieces. Mrs. Antoinette Beaumont, a soprano, made her first appearance and without popular success. She sang a canzonetta by de Fesch and Schubert's "Gretchen." She was nervous and her singing suffered thereby. To speak in detail of her performance might be unjust. Thursday she gave no overwhelming excuse for her appearance. Miss Marie Geselschap played Liszt's "Sposalizio" and "Waldesrauschen;" she also was heard with Mr. Wolff in the op. 11 of Grieg. The "Sposalizio" might be omitted from the programs of today. Stavenhagen plays it, to be sure, and Best arranged arranged it, or disarranged it for the organ. But Liszt's musical representations of pictures and statues and saints walking on the water and preaching to the birds remind me of James Howel's description of the French familiar letters of the seventeenth century: "They have a kind of simpering and lank, hectic expressions made up of a bombast of words and finical, affected compliments only; I cannot well away with such sleazy stuff, with such Cobweb compositions, where there is no strength of matter, nothing for the Reader to carry away with him, that he may enlarge the Notions of his Soul." Miss Geselschap played accurately, but feebly and without color. As for Messrs. Wolff and Hollman, there is nothing new to be said. I should like to hear them under more favorable conditions.
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12The program of the tenth symphony concert was as follows:
14Overture, "Benvenuto Cellini"…………………….Berlioz
15Violin concerto, No. 4, D minor…………………Vieuxtemps
16Symphony, No. 2, B flat………………………..Volkmann
18Mr. Schnitzler, who was the violinist, is a new member of the orchestra. He played with fluency and musical intelligence. He seems, however, to lack temperament, and in his bravura there were occasional departures from the true pitch. The orchestra gave a brilliant performance of the Berlioz overture. The Volkmann symphony pleased the audience, and with reason. It has been called "small beer;" but small beer is very soothing and grateful, after deep potations of rebellious liquors or after spiced and Eastern food. So, at least, have heroes of Shakespeare and Thackeray willingly admitted.3
20PHILIP HALE.
22Lambert's College.
24THIS week we present to our readers a view of the commodious building, 128 and 130 East Fifty-eighth street, which Alexander Lambert erected last season for the use of his successful conservatory at a cost of $65,000. The college is a model in its way and most admirably adapted to its purpose. It has accommodation for 900 pupils and twenty-five class rooms, and it boasts of a beautiful concert hall, with a seating capacity of 500.
26The extraordinary success that Mr. Lambert has achieved with the New York College of Music is without parallel in the history of musical institutions in this city, and it is interesting to recall the opening of Mr. Lambert's career in America. He arrived in New York from Vienna in 1884, and made his début as a pianist with signal success. He appeared in nearly every important concert, the Symphony Society concerts in New York and Boston, the Seidl concerts, the Van der Stucken concerts, the Indianapolis Festival, &c., until 1887, when he decided to retire from the concert field and to enter that of the professorate. He was offered the directorship of the New York College of Music, and has filled that important position with distinction ever since.
28Under the new régime the college has grown to proportions that its founder could hardly have hoped to attain, and this success is explained both by Mr. Lambert's ability as a manager and his reputation as one of the most successful teachers in this country. He is surrounded, it is true, by a faculty of forty excellent teachers, but he is the backbone of the institution, and in practice as well as in theory he supervises all the classes. He is earnest and thorough in his work and loved and respected by his pupils. Many of Mr. Lambert's pupils have been heard in concerts in New York and other cities, and invariably they have surprised their critics by their admirable technic and phrasing. One of the praiseworthy features of the college is that many pupils have been and are instructed free of charge, and it should be stated here, to the credit of the director, that this expense is defrayed out of Mr. Lambert's own pocket. It is not surprising that the reputation of the New York College of Music has spread far and wide, and that pupils are flocking to it from every city in the Union.
30Mr. Lambert has been as successful financially as artistically. He is deservedly popular with musicians and all who know him. He gives delightful artistic evenings at his residence in Fifty-eighth street, at which one may meet all the musical celebrities of the day.
32Paris Letter.
34PARIS, December 10, 1892.
36PARIS began its musical and operatic season, and from indications it promises to be a busy one. At the concerts of the "Société des Concerts du Conservatoire," the oldest and most glorious of all the artistic organizations which have a reputation which is known all over the world, gave their first concert of the season Sunday, December 4, at 2 o'clock, at the Conservatory Hall. Mr. Paul Taffanel, the first flutist of the orchestra, has been elected by its members the director, as Mr. Garcin resigned at the end of the past season. Mr. Hennebains, flutist of the Lamoureux Orchestra, took the place left vacant by Mr. Taffanel; other changes in the orchestra were the one of Mr. Berthelier, one of the very best violinists of this city, who fills the place of Mr. Danbé as chef d'attaque of the first violins; Mr. Thibault takes the same position with the seconds. This is the sixty-sixth year of existence of this Société, which was founded by Habeneck in 1828, who was the director and was followed by Girard in 1849, Tilmant in 1861, George Hainl in 1864, Deldevez in 1872, Garcin in 1886 and Taffanel in 1892. The program was as follows:
38"Symphonie Héroïque" (Beethoven), "Prés du Fleuve Étranger" (Ch. Gounod), "Le Rouet d'Omphale" (C. Saint-Saëns), "O felix anima" (Carissimi), "Fuyons tous d'amour le jeu (O. de Lassus), "Ouverture de Léonore," No. 3 (Beethoven). The choruses by Carissimi (seventeenth century), and the one by Lassus (sixteenth century) were never executed before and were sung without accompaniment. The execution of both orchestra and chorus was, cela va sans dire, magnifique. Mr. Taffanel was much complimented for his excellent direction.
40At the concert of the Châtelet, Sunday afternoon, the Colonne orchestra gave: Schumann's second symphony, which was executed for the first time in Leipzig in 1846, "Sicilienne" (by Pergolési), "Lamento" (by Fauré), "Procession" (by César Franck), were admirably sung by Miss Pregi. Mrs. Roger-Miclos played on the piano Saint-Saëns' concerto in C minor and had a perfect ovation. Orchestra—Wagner's selections from "Lohengrin:" "Soupres Sion d'Italie" (G. Charpentier), a wonderful and most beautiful composition which has been repeatedly played by the Colonne and Lamoureux orchestras. Mr. Charpentier is a young man, pupil of the Conservatoire. At the Lamoureux Sunday afternoon concert at the Cirque des Champs Elysées the program comprises: Overture of "Euryanthe" (Weber), "Variations Symphoniques" (Boëllmann), by Mr. Joseph Salmon, violoncellist; symphony with chorus (Beethoven), by Messdames Leroux, Ribeyre, Bordin-Puisais and Messrs. Maugière and Auguez; "Grande March de Fête" (Wagner.)
42All these concerts are attended by immense crowds, each hall seating several thousand people, and several times no more tickets could be obtained.
44Mr. Camille Saint-Saëns has written to Mr. Colonne, chef d'orchestre, and Mr. Léon Delahaye, chef des chœurs, at the Opéra, thanking them for the pains they had bestowed upon the performance of his work "Samson et Dalila."
46The success of Camille Saint-Saëns' "Sampson et Dalila" will enable the management of the Opéra to devote itself to three matters which require attention. These are (1) "Stratonice," an opera in one act by M. Fournier, which obtained the first prize at the Lescot competition, and which must be produced before the end of the year; (2) "La Maledetta," a ballet by the late Mr. de Reinach and Mr. Gailhard, with music by Paul Vidal, which ought also to be produced before January 1; (3) the revival of "Faust," with new scenery, &c., and with a select cast. With "La Maledetta" will be given "Deidamie," an opera in two acts by Edouard Noël and Henri Maréchal, and not until this program has been got through will "Valkyrie" be taken up.
48The principal rôles in Wagner's "Valkyrie" at the Opéra will be filled by Rose Caron, Bréval and Deschamps, and Van Dyck, Lassalle and Chambon. In order to give a greater éclat to the performances of this masterpiece, the rôles of the eight Valkyries will be filled by Carrère, Berthet, Wyns, Marcelle Dartoy, Marsy, Héglon, Agussol and Vincent. As Van Dyck will not return to Paris before April 1, Mr. Alvarez will replace him at the rehearsals of "Valkyrie," and will subsequently take the rôle, as he succeeded his comrade in "Lohengrin."
50The dates of the four masked balls at the Opéra during the Carnival season of 1893 have been fixed for January 14
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