Scan 10
Musical Courier 1893-05-17: Vol 26 Iss 689, 1893
126 lines. Read by computer on 25 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 11. See the scan on archive.org.
1ing a great improvement upon his predecessor, Karl Lomner, who has been discharged from the Opera on account of his fighting propensities. The various summonses which are being served upon this operatic "John L. Sullivan" keep him in constant hot water and bring his name almost every day into the notices of the police court.
3Hofrat Schuch, the Dresden conductor, has been offered the position of successor to Nikisch in Boston, but refused, as he preferred remaining in Dresden.
5Johannes Brahms has gone off to Sicily in order to avoid the many congratulations, deputations, fêtes and other picnics which are being got up in honor of the great composer's sixtieth birthday, May 7. Brahms is a true example of the modesty of a great genius.
7The following may prove interesting to many musicians and amateurs on your side.
9Dr. Steger, a prominent amateur musician in Vienna, has within a year collected the following important manuscripts of Beethoven's compositions:
11Waldstein sonata, op. 53, for piano.
12Pastoral sonata, op. 28, for piano.
13Cello sonata, op. 69, first movement.
14Coriolan overture, op. 62.
15String quartet, C major, op. 59.
16Seven Bagatelles for piano, op. 33, composed 1782.
17Cyclus of song, "An die ferne Geliebte," op. 98.
18String quartet, op. 130, "Alla danza tedesca."
19String quartet, op. 135, first movement.
21This being the last work of the master.
22Dr. Steger has purchased all of these MSS. and tells me that he will be happy to show them to anyone interested in seeing them.
24The following is a list of the Beethoven programs to be performed in Bonn May 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, at the concerts got up by the Society "Beethovenhaus:"
26May 10.
27String quartet, F major, op. 18.
28Cello sonata, op. 102, D major.
29Song cyclus, "An die ferne Geliebte."
30String quartet, E flat major, op. 127.
32May 11.
33Sonata appassionata, F minor, op. 57.
34String quartet, op. 18, G major.
35Piano soli—Andante, F major; rondo, G major, op. 51; rondo a capriccio, op. 129.
36String quartet, A minor, op. 132.
38May 12.
39"Waldstein" sonata, op. 53, C major.
40Clarinet trio, B major, op. 11.
41String quartet, C major, op. 59, No. 3.
42"Kreutzer" sonata, A major, op. 47.
44May 13.
45Three string quartets—E minor, op. 59, No. 2; F major, op. 135; C sharp minor, op. 131.
47May 14.
48Piano trio, B flat major, op. 97.
49Sonata for piano and violin, G major, op. 30.
50Septet, E flat major, op. 20.
52A list of the assisting artists I gave you in one of my last letters.
54Smetana's "Die verkaufte Braut" still draws large audiences to the "Theater an der Wein." The composer's only sister, a lady seventy-five years of age, lives here and was present on the opening night.
56There are little or only few news of interest, musically speaking, as the season is rapidly approaching its end, with only the opera as an attraction. Four more weeks, and then also this temple of music will close its doors for a two months' vacation.
58RUDOLF KING.
60Philadelphia Manuscript Society.—The Manuscript Society, of Philadelphia, will give a concert with orchestra this evening in aid of a music hall fund.
62A Choral Festival.—The third choral festival of the Choir Guild, at the Deanery, Buffalo, N. Y., was given last Thursday evening. The book of music (which also includes the music to be used at the fourth service, November 1) is a tasty volume from the press of Novello, Ewer & Co.
64N. J. Corey's Recitals.—Mr. N. J. Corey has begun a series of half hour organ recitals in connection with the regular Sunday evening services at the Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit, which are much appreciated. Thus far he has played the following compositions:
66Fugue in D major……………………………Bach
67Fugue in E flat (St. Ann's)…………………Bach
68Sonata in F minor……………………………Mendelssohn
69Andante from Italian symphony…………….Mendelssohn
70Overture to "Ruy Blas"……………………..Mendelssohn
71Sonata in G minor……………………………Merkel
72Fantaisie in E minor…………………………Merkel
73Sonata in F minor……………………………Rheinberger
74Sonata in A minor……………………………Whiting
75Marche Funèbre et Chant Séraphique………..Guilmant
76First meditation……………………………..Guilmant
77Andante from sonata, op. 28………………..Beethoven
78Marche Solennelle…………………………..De La Tombelle
80Casino Roof Garden.—Naya, the celebrated French chanteuse eccentric is a passenger on La Champagne due in New York next Sunday and will make her American début on the Casino Roof Garden early next week (weather permitting).
82BERLIN BRANCH BUDGET.
84EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS OF THE MUSICAL COURIER, one of two readings
85BERLIN, W., Linkstrasse 17. April 25, 1893. one of two readings
86EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS OF THE MUSICAL COURIER, BERLIN, W., Linkstrasse 17. April 25, 1893. one of two readings
88A S was foreshadowed in my last week's letter, the time that intervened between it and the present budget was musically given up almost exclusively to Anton Rubinstein. It was Anton Rubinstein at the Bechstein Hall, at the Philharmonie and at the Royal Opera House, and besides that he was almost the sole topic of talk among musicians and amateurs. In one word it was a week that would have made Henry T. Finck's heart glad, and had this dear friend of mine only been here my happiness would have been complete, for we two F's would have been able to celebrate fortissimo, while solo I had nobody to vent my Rubinstein enthusiasm upon, and I came dangerously near spending my surplus of it in wreaking bodily vengeance upon the lion maned head of the redoubtable Mr. Tappert, who in the Kleine Journal had the impudence to attack Rubinstein's piano playing at a charity concert in the most vulgar style, although in reality the master performed some of his own compositions in the most divine fashion. Well, upon second consideration I preferred and still prefer to leave Tappert to his own fate, and instead will essay to give you a short sketch of the Rubinstein doings of the week.
90ANTON RUBINSTEIN.
92There was first on Thursday evening last a concert in honor of the presence of Anton Rubinstein, arranged by the concert director, Hermann Wolff. Of course it took place at Bechstein Hall, which is owned by Mr. Wolff, and the proceeds of the concert were destined for charity. The hall was crowded with the musically most representative audience that Berlin can boast; and when Rubinstein made his appearance as one of the auditors he was greeted with an applause that lasted many minutes, and was cheered to the echo. He seemed to me much older than I last saw him in his rooms at the Hotel Sendig in Dresden only a few months ago. He stooped considerably and walked with a slight uncertainty of step like one bereft of eyesight and with a painful hesitation, as if each step caused him some bodily discomfort. Otherwise, however, he was not so much changed. His deeply set blue eyes are still lively and lustrous, and his immense head of hair is as dark and bushy as of yore, reminding one in style and appearance of the most approved Beethoven portraits. It must have been the latter circumstance which roused the ire or jealousy of Tappert, or else I cannot see why he should have been so fiendishly savage.
94As for the concert, it brought a novelty and a quasi-novelty, both from the fertile pen of the great Russian master. Siegfried Ochs was there to conduct them, and he had selected some fifty of the best members of his Philharmonic chorus to obey the bidding of his baton. More would have been not only unnecessary, but might even have proved disastrous for the acoustic properties of the little hall and the seating capacity of its podium. As it was, the effect was a very good one, and the select forces sang their difficult music throughout with great accuracy and nicety of shading.
96The novelty was an a capella chorus from the latest finished work of Rubinstein, his "Moses," which in its entirety will be performed by the Philharmonic chorus next fall. This excerpt in E major, however, did not prove one of Rubinstein's strongest bits of writing; in fact, for a chorus descriptive of a nation's joy, which had just been delivered out of great peril and crossed the Red Sea dry shod, it is rather tame. Even old man Händel's long-winded chorus on the same subject is considerably more powerful in every way, except for its tiresome reiterations; and as for part writing, he certainly could have given Rubinstein several points and beaten him in this instance.
98Much more interesting were the poems and the "Requiem for Mignon" from Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister's Lehrjahre." Some of the poems have been set perhaps more effectively by others, notably by Beethoven and Schubert, but the "Kennt Du das Land," by Rubinstein, is far superior to either the hackneyed Ambroise Thomas or the artificial Liszt setting. Some of the "Harfner's" songs are also very attractive and characteristic; and the "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt" is both beautiful and original in its composition as a duet between "Mignon" and the "Harfner." "Frederick's" song, "I, poor devil," as well as the parodical song of praise to night as the more beautiful half of day are quaint and full of a musical humor which one would hardly have given that earnest melody maker Rubinstein credit for possessing. The latter ditty was exquisitely sung by Mrs. Emilie Herzog, of the Royal Opera House, who scored with it a da capo. She is one of the best and most agreeable soprano singers now extant, musically always absolutely certain, sure of pitch, clean of intonation and charming and modest of manner.
100Carl Gillmeister, basso, also from the Royal Opera House, sings sonorously, but with hyper-pathos; Miss Clara Schacht, concert contralto, sang the few lines given to "Aurelia" with sympathetic and rich voice, and Julius Zarneckow, tenor, caught the humorous spirit of "Frederick's" musical utterances.
102The "Requiem for Mignon" in Rubinstein's setting surpasses that of Schumann, and that is saying a great deal. It is thoroughly noble in style and invention throughout, and works up to some climaxes which almost take your breath away. Here, too, the part writing is of a mastery and a carefulness, with both of which one does not all too frequently meet in Rubinstein's works. The chorus and a mixed solo quartet, consisting of Misses Lili Marsala and Hedwig Boldt and Messrs. Wilhelm Rieke and Emil Severin, as well as the above-named soloists, did exceedingly well under Siegfried Ochs' conscientious and loving guidance. The piano accompaniments were played with most musicianly conception and admirable discretion by Prof. Dr. Ernst Jedliczka, and the cabinet organ that did service in the Requiem was handled efficiently by Mr. Carl Straube.
104Everything and everybody deserved praise, but the reader of the "connecting text," Miss Lollo Boch, of the Berlin Theatre. This "connecting text" is nearly always tedious, and in this instance, where an educated audience may surely be supposed to be sufficiently well read to know Goethe's eminent work, it was eminently superfluous, and through Miss Boch's poor and unintelligible pronunciation, even became a bore.
106After the last note of the concert had resounded there arose a tumultuous applause intermingled with calls for Rubinstein, and after a little urging he appeared on the platform and bowed his thanks. He was, however, not allowed to retire so quickly. Willing hands opened the lid of the Bechstein grand and moved the instrument to the fore, and then Rubinstein was made to sit down and play—and play he did. I tell you, who did not hear him on this occasion missed the chance of his or her life. I never saw him in better spirits and never heard him in better form. His tone was or seemed as big as a house, luscious and velvety withal, and his technic was marvelous. He played only things of his own, but what they were I can only guess at, as though I know most of the Rubinstein literature, I was not familiar with a single piece of the five he performed, and for that matter nobody else did, at least not one of the many persons I asked, including all of the critics present. The first seemed to me a sort of an impromptu in C sharp minor. Then came a piece in A flat major, with beautiful melody, probably a nocturne. After that he wanted to get up from the piano stool, but was gently pushed down again amid loudest acclamations, and he then gave a sort of scherzo in F major, following it up in quick succession with two waltzes, one in E minor and the other in D major. The last three pieces performed with stunning dexterity, might have been taken from one of his ballets. Rubinstein never played more con amore, the audience and entire surroundings evidently being much to his liking, and therefore the occasion was a memorable one and one that I shall treasure in my memory as one of the landmarks in my life as a music critic, Mr. Tappert to the contrary notwithstanding.
108THE MAEDCHENHORT CONCERT.
110The second concert in which Rubinstein was one of the chief attractions was likewise a charity concert. It was given at the Philharmonie on last Saturday night in favor of the Maedchenhort society and was patronized by a large and very fashionable audience, who had paid comparatively high prices (the best seats cost 10 marks) for the privilege of attending. Those, however, who had come with the hope that Rubinstein would or could again be induced to play were doomed to disappointment. The report of his marvelous performances on Thursday night had spread abroad, and no efforts were left undone to cause him to repeat this feat not down on the program. But this time, although he responded to numerous recalls, even the heartiest applause could not make him play. Probably he was moved to this resistance by the fine sensitive feeling that he did not want to detract from the pianistic success and effect which his pupil, Miss Sophie Jakimowski, had elicited. Anyhow he participated in the evening's proceedings only as composer and conductor. In the latter capacity he is not, as I had previously occasion to mention, quite as remarkable as he is as a pianist. Still his readings of his own works are of course highly interesting. He was represented on the pro-
112New York College of Music one of two readings
113128 and 130 EAST 58th STREET. one of two readings
114ALEXANDER LAMBERT, Director. one of two readings
115ALL BRANCHES OF MUSIC TAUGHT one of two readings
116Faculty comprises the most eminent instructors. one of two readings
117SEND FOR DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. one of two readings
118(Incorporated May 1, 1891.) one of two readings
119NEW YORK VOCAL INSTITUTE. one of two readings
120FRANK HERBERT TUBBS, Musical Director. one of two readings
12197 Fifth Avenue, New York City one of two readings
122COMPLETE EDUCATION IN VOCAL MUSIC. one of two readings
123Singers naturally prefer study where Voice Culture and Singing receive chief attention. All the teachers use the same method. Homes selected for pupils. Circulars sent on request. one of two readings
124NEW YORK VOCAL INSTITUTE, 97 Fifth Avenue. one of two readings
125(no line here) one of two readings
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