Scan 21
Musical Courier 1893-05-17: Vol 26 Iss 689, 1893
100 lines. Read by computer on 25 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 22. See the scan on archive.org.
1A Champion for the Piano.
2(no line here) one of two readings
4(Continued.)
5(no line here) one of two readings
7IT seems I have been much misunderstood in my criticism on Mason's "Touch and Technic," brought about by his verdict on Beethoven's piano music. I never denied to his method certain merits, some few things that are good and true; on the contrary; but I did say, and repeat it here, that it contains nothing absolutely novel. What appears to be novel is of very questionable value to the cause of good piano instruction and playing, and should be rejected as faulty. Mason bases his method principally on suggestions of Liszt. But Liszt was not a normal pianist, and therefore not a great instructor or pedagogue. The erratic, eccentric Liszt! Mason is a poor imitation of Tausig, Liszt's most eminent pupil. Mason evidently wished to be an American Tausig. He never was, either as a virtuoso, or a composer, or a pedagogue.
9Tausig, the superior Tausig, as a pedagogue has proved to be a failure. His "Daily Studies" are of no general practical value; they have been tried and abandoned; very few teachers here or abroad use them, and then only for special emergencies; as to a broad, national patriotism, there is not sufficient to propagate a weak work. I, as a teacher, can use for the most advanced grade, for a certain style of virtuosity, Tausig's Strauss valses, Tausig's Bach toccata and fugue, his reminiscences of Halka after Moniuszko, &c. Had Mason given us such I would be the first to adopt them gladly; but I cannot use Tausig's daily studies any more than Mason's "Touch and Technic." We need in technic that which has been most conscientiously tried, tested, generally been approved of, and suitable to the average student.
11Aloys Schmidt and Louis Plaidy for technical studies have never been surpassed; especially the latter may be said to be an authority; his fingering for instance is unassailable. They were compilers, the "mouthpieces" so to say, of the best teachers and the most approved of conservatory-methods, and they gave their contemporaries and posterity something complete, comprehensive, "covering the whole ground"—what indeed is missing? And this without a word of explanation! Rightly so! These texts or explanations are an affront to the competent teacher. Some of L. Plaidy's studies I was taught in my youth by my old pedagogue Kufferath in three different ways; for instance the two-finger exercises; first, strictly legato, full value of notes and touch down and into the keys; next, staccato, short value and touch off the keys—both pure finger actions;—thirdly, in slurs by wrist-touch and action.
13Dr. Mason, so far from being original in his elaborate text, writing to the "Touch and Technic," has in this respect simply copied Lebert and Stark's idea. They, too, these representatives of Stuttgart Conservatory, set themselves up as dictators to the teaching profession in opposition partly to the famous Leipsic methods; going so far as even to explain "embellishments," &c., in a different way, contrary to their own better convictions. But while the Germans may have been willing for a time to submit to the superiority of Leipsic as an authority, they never tolerate the assumed autocracy of the two pendants, Lebert and Stark. This in Germany, with monarchical conditions. But here we are in a free republic; we piano teachers are either born Americans or naturalized as such. Then what for Mason and Mathews' "text?" If we are to be "mothered" let it not be by these musical mamas, but our dear old foster mother, Germany.
15Apart from the merits of Mason's "Touch and Technic," what a "testimonium paupertatis" to the American piano teaching profession were such a text at all needed! We are neither going to be dictated to nor enlightened; those who need either, and a journal like the "Etude" to boot, had better "quit" the profession—a good riddance. We are neither blockheads nor incompetent pretenders nor "ignoramus" (know nothings). Such a text as in Mason's "Touch and Technic" is almost an insult to a well instructed, well informed piano teacher; those who are contented humbly and patiently, like sheep or masticating kine, to chew over the cud of Mason and Mathews, or anybody else, are the poorest and weakest portion of our profession. Let me tell you that I have known here in America home bred American teachers, who with their innate practical sense and mother wit—for which other nations may well envy the Americans—without having had extraordinary advantages of musical education here or abroad, contrived mechanical exercises for their pupils, either written out or to be learned by heart, which brought about the happiest results.
17For instruction and technical purposes pure and simple there has been made only one invaluable addition to modern piano literature. Kullak's octaves, first part; and for musical purposes with those of "etude" combined Kullak's octaves, the second part (and such as Pacher's op. 11 and Speidel's op. 18 and others; Litoff's and Czerny's octave studies are old, but useful still); then studies by Koehler (special studies, op. 112), A. Krause's arpeggios and trills (op. 9 and op. 2), Loeschhorn's, Gurlitt's and L. Schytte's numerous studies. After Kullak's octaves Mason's or anybody else's octaves are superfluous; as a conscientious teacher, anxious to give my pupils the best, I can look neither right nor left for any other octave studies to teach than Kullack's.
19The other studies above mentioned we cannot so fully and liberally indorse and accept as faultless in their entirety. Gurlitt's fingering for instance is so abominably bad that a teacher cannot lay the pencil out of his hand for need of constant correcting. Loeschhorn does not supersede Heller, because he differs from Heller, and the next grade to his studies would be Jensen's perhaps, like I would suggest as the next grades to Heller's, Volkman's Vinegrad, and ops. 22 and 23 and others, and Haberber's "Etudes Poésies." L. Schytte's advanced studies also add something new to this branch of piano literature; but both Gurlitt's and Schytte's easy studies are worthless. As a preparation for a certain phase of emotional, modern playing, unbound by the fetters of conventionality, L. Schytte's studies (ops. 15, 46, 48 and others) are invaluable. Alkan's op. 35 might serve to these as a higher grade; they certainly tax one's technic. Yes, the field for musical instruction is boundless, and valuable additions are constantly being made. But both Mason and Tausig made this mistake, that they tried the field of technic which has been thoroughly worked out and exhausted.
21HENRY HUBERT HAAS.
23Correspondence.
25Newark News.
26(no line here) one of two readings
28NEWARK, N. J., April 30, 1893.
30VERDI'S great Manzoni Requiem Mass, dedicated to the memory of the Italian poet and patriot, Alessandro Manzoni, which was first performed in Milan on May 22, 1874, then in Paris, later in New York, and twice sung in Newark by the Harmonic, under the direction of Mr. Walter Damrosch, was nobly sung by the Orange Mendelssohn Union on Monday evening, April 24.
32It is impossible for me to go into details concerning my impression of the music further than to say that the character of it savors more of the order of concert than church music.
34The solos and choral parts were extremely beautiful and afforded a fine opportunity for the display and ability of each.
36Concerning the performance in its entirety, too much cannot be said in praise, and the conscientious singing of the chorus and the various excellent effects produced by their intelligent rendering reflected great credit to themselves and to their excellent conductor, Mr. Arthur Mees.
38The soloists were Miss Eva Gardner, soprano; Miss Emily Wiant, contralto; Mr. William Dennison, tenor, and Mr. Behrens, bass, who were all acceptable in their work and who added materially to the success of the performance.
40The mass was preceded by Schubert's unfinished symphony in B minor (No. 8) played by the orchestra. Thus ended the twelfth season of the Mendelssohn Union.
42The Schubert Vocal Society announces its spring concert to take place May 10, in the Grand Opera House. Among other compositions to be performed are Mendelssohn's music to "A Midsummer Night's Dream," with readings by George Riddle; scenes from Schubert's "Rosamunde," and Weber's gipsy opera, "Preciosa," which will be given with an orchestra from the New York Philharmonic Society. The soloists not yet announced. The Schubert is also contemplating a festival concert late in May similar to the Santley concert of two years ago, when the society hope to have as soloist the great tenor, Mr. Edward Lloyd.
44Another announcement is that of Mr. William C. Carl. He will give a concert in the Belleville Avenue Congregational Church on May 19, at which he will be assisted by Miss Kathryn Hilde, soprano; Mrs. Antonia Sawyer, contralto; Mr. David G. Henderson, tenor, and Mr. John C. Dempsey, baritone. Mr. Carl will upon this occasion play a number of the organ pieces composed for and dedicated to him by Parisian composers.
46The last concert of the fourth season of the Orpheus Club will take place in the Universalist Church on Thursday evening, May 4. The soloists will be Miss Marcellena Gonzalez, soprano, and Miss Leonora von Stosch, violinist.
48At last we really had a sacred concert at Miner's Theatre on April 30, it being the occasion of the first concert given by the Ladies Arion, assisted by men Arion, of Newark and New York, with the solo assistance of Mrs. Theo. J. Toedt, soprano; Mr. Perry Averill, baritone; Mr. Conrad Behrens, bass, and Messrs. Huethwohl, Alb. Mansfield and E. Richter. The orchestra of forty-five New York musicians was mainly composed of members of the New York Philharmonic, who, under the leadership of their famous conductor, Mr. Frank Van der Stücken, opened the concert with Wagner's overture from "Tannhäuser." Later they played one of the delicious little Delibes Waltzes called "Valia." The other numbers of the program were Peter Benoît's part song, "Die Schelde," a song poem (new), sung by all the Arions, the solo parts being taken by Messrs. Averill, Behrens, Huethwohl, Alb. Mansfield and Richter. Then Mrs. Toedt sang with charming expression "In Verdure Clad," by Haydn. Mrs. Toedt was agreeably received, and in addition to her own solo sang the same parts in Max Bruch's "Schoen Ellen," and also in Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's "Lorely."
50Mr. Van der Stücken's own composition, which is entirely new, is called "Uevers Jahr." It received beautiful treatment in execution from the men chorus, and was one of the most telling numbers of the evening. The other part songs were Hugo Jüngst's "Spinn! Spinn!" and "Spielemannslied," by Max Spicker. Mr. Conrad Behrens sang with splendid effect Gasper's aria from the "Freischütz." The singing of the chorus was altogether satisfactory and the volume of tone was at times remarkable. The Ladies' Arion is comparatively a new organization, which only began rehearsals this season. That the result of these rehearsals has proved the ability of the ladies and the excellent training of their conductor was well demonstrated by their work, and for a mixed chorus it is without doubt in many respects superior to any in the city. There are, of course, some matters of a truly artistic nature that as yet the chorus are deficient in, such as fine attention given to the pianissimos and crescendos, and a general toning down, but what is found wanting here is in a degree made up for in good tonal production and the honest desire of the chorus to be conscientious and painstaking. one of two readings
51Mr. Van der Stücken's own composition, which is entirely new, is called "Uevers Jahr." It received beautiful treatment in execution from the men chorus, and was one of the most telling numbers of the evening. The other part songs were Hugo Jüngst's "Spinn! Spinn!" and "Spielmannslied," by Max Spicker. Mr. Conrad Behrens sang with splendid effect Gasper's aria from the "Freischütz." The singing of the chorus was altogether satisfactory and the volume of tone was at times remarkable. The Ladies' Arion is comparatively a new organization, which only began rehearsals this season. That the result of these rehearsals has proved the ability of the ladies and the excellent training of their conductor was well demonstrated by their work, and for a mixed chorus it is without doubt in many respects superior to any in the city. There are, of course, some matters of a truly artistic nature that as yet the chorus are deficient in, such as fine attention given to the pianissimos and crescendos, and a general toning down, but what is found wanting here is in a degree made up for in good tonal production and the honest desire of the chorus to be conscientious and painstaking. one of two readings
53The audience was very large and carefully discriminating, Mr. Dannreuther's violin solo and Mr. Behren's solo receiving the most pronounced expressions of gratification.
55Mr. Van der Stücken seemed happy, and batoned his orchestra and chorus with a master hand.
57MABEL LINDLEY-THOMPSON.
59Leavenworth Letter.
60(no line here) one of two readings
62LEAVENWORTH, Kan., May 16, 1893.
64THE World's Fair Chorus, organized in March to take part in the Hutchinson jubilee of April 26, 27 and 28, gave two concerts, one at the Soldiers' Home, Sunday evening, the 23d ult., and one in Chickering Hall the evening of the 25th. The "Réveille," a bright little paper published at the home, speaks of the concert as "one of the rarest musical entertainments ever given there." "The full chorus of seventy voices, trained to such perfection that improvement seemed impossible, filled Franklin Hall with glorious harmony." "Mrs. Jones furnished the old veterans a rare musical entertainment," &c. Tuesday evening, the 25th, Chickering Hall was packed to the utmost, seats were in the aisles; fully 700 people greeted the chorus, which sang magnificently and were encored on each number.
66The program was as follows:
68Soprano solo and quartet. "The Little Bird"………..Soedenberg Miss Frost and Lehmann Club.
69"I Fear No Foe"………………………………………Pinsuti
70Mr. Joseph Farrell.
71Chorus, "Gloria" (Twelfth Mass)…………………….Mozart
72Rondo…………………………………………………Chopin
73Miss Blunt.
74"Annie Laurie" (harmonized)…………………….Dudley Buck
75Ladies' Quartet.
76"Snow Flakes"………………………………………Miss Finn.
78Violin—
79Gavot…………………………………………………Allen one of two readings
80Gavot………………………………………………..Allen one of two readings
81"Loin du Bal"………………………………………Gillet
82Mr. Joseph Farrell.
83"Exhilaration"………………………………………Blumenthal
84"Slumber Islands"…………………………………A. F. Loud
85Effie Johnson and H. Scott.
86Chorus, "The heavens are telling"…………………Haydn
88This concert was a decided success musically and financially, and many were the expressions of praise and commendation from all sides on the work accomplished in so short a time by the musical director and Miss Blunt, the accompanist. Money to take the chorus to Hutchinson to compete for a place in the grand chorus at Chicago was what we wanted, and at the business meeting at the close of the concert we had enough money—$600. Two sleepers were chartered, one for the entire three days as a home for the ladies of the chorus. A ride of twelve hours brought them to the scene of the jubilee, tired but full of enthusiasm.
90The contest of the choruses was arranged for Thursday, a. m. Slips of paper drawn by the directors gave the chorus the number in which they would contest. Newton drew No. 1, our chorus No. 2, but as they had not all yet arrived (owing to some officious person who met them at the train and told them they were not to sing until 2 o'clock p. m.), I succeeded in getting them ready to sing last. Leavenworth, Topeka and Emporia were ahead for the first prize, so the papers said; but when the final decision was made Friday evening Topeka had won the first prize of $500. This chorus sang well and was under the very efficient conductor, Prof. H. S. Wilder, formerly of Worcester, Mass. He proved himself a good pupil of those grand festivals, and was thoroughly at home in his work. Mrs. Gleed proved herself a very able helper in her accompanying. Emporia took second prize, though we fail to see, unless it was for numbers. There were seven choruses, ranging from fifty to ninety in each chorus.
92W. H. Tomlins, of Chicago, expressed himself as simply astounded with the good results accomplished by the State in so short a time for this musical jubilee. Many of the choruses were organized for this occasion, and having received so much enthusiasm from the drill under this electric leader, have formed permanent societies.
94So the good work goes on, and Kansas may yet be known as a great musical commonwealth as well as a great corn and wheat State.
96After three days we arrived home weary and worn. A more eager crowd of singers never assembled than met at Chickering Hall the following Monday evening, when the "special mention" given our chorus was heartily received and plans for summer work were laid out. The music selected by Professor Tomlins, of Chicago, was looked over and a revised chorus for the World's Fair was organized, with the following officers chosen: Your correspondent, president and director; Arthur Megill, secretary; P. W. Daugh, treasurer; A. Swartz, librarian; Miss Blunt, accompanist; advisory committee, Mr. Guion, Mrs. W. H. Diamond and Mrs. Morse; Julius Mienke, business manager and vice-president. Rehearsals every Thursday evening. one of two readings
97After three days we arrived home weary and worn. A more eager crowd of singers never assembled than met at Chickering Hall the following Monday evening, when the "special mention" given our chorus was heartily received and plans for summer work were laid out. The music selected by Professor Tomlins, of Chicago, was looked over and a revised chorus for the World's Fair was organized, with the following officers chosen: Your correspondent, president and director; Arthur Megill, secretary; P. W. Daubah, treasurer; A. Swartz, librarian; Miss Blunt, accompanist; advisory committee, Mr. Guion, Mrs. W. H. Diamond and Mrs. Morse; Julius Mienke, business manager and vice-president. Rehearsals every Thursday evening. one of two readings
99Hutchinson is situated in the centre of the State, it is quite delightful, is noted for its salt works, its auditorium holding 3,000 people, and Prof. B. S. Hoagland, the originator of this grand and successful jubilee. Would there were more in the world like him! The State World's Fair committee, with the efficient chairman, Mrs. G. Boyd, of Newton, assisted him in many ways. As far as I could judge the distribution of prizes seemed to be general throughout the State. This is no doubt a good plan to keep up the musical interest, so these jubilees may be held each year.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.