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Musical Courier 1893-09-27: Vol 27 Iss 707, 1893
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1presented an interesting program, which under the conductorship of Mr. Hugh Blair, organist of Worcester Cathedral, was very creditably rendered.
3The festival opened on Sunday morning in the cathedral with the "Old Hundredta," including a new setting in D major of the "Te Deum" and "Jubilate," especially written by Mr. Blair, with orchestral accompaniment. The anthems were "When Israel out of Egypt came," Mendelssohn and Mozart's third motet, "Glory, Honor, Praise and Power." Mackenzie's "Benedictus" was played for the offertory, while Beethoven's symphony in C minor served as the voluntary. An able sermon by the Dean of Worcester on the function and duty of praise completed a most interesting and impressive service. "Elijah" was chosen for Tuesday morning and met with a most satisfactory rendering by Mrs. Albani, Miss Anna Williams, Mrs. Belle Cole, Miss Jessie King, Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Watkins Mills. As is customary at these festivals, a prayer is said before and after each oratorio. In the evening Beethoven's symphony in A, No. 7, and Händel's "Israel in Egypt." The solos were taken by Miss Anna Williams, Mrs. Belle Cole and Mr. Edward Lloyd, while Mr. C. Lee Williams presided at the organ.
5Wednesday morning Bach's Mass in B minor was given, Miss Anna Williams, Miss Hilda Wilson, Mr. Houghton and Mr. Watkins Mills taking the solos.
7In the evening (at Public Hall) a new orchestral work composed for the occasion and conducted by Dr. Hubert Parry, three selections of "The Tempest" (Sullivan), Walther's "Preislied," from "Die Meistersinger," and "Through the Night" (Schubert), sung by Mr. Lloyd; Händel's duet, "Cara piu Amabile Belta," sung by Mrs. Hutchinson and Mr. Plunket Greene. The other orchestral numbers were Schubert's unfinished symphony in B minor, four Slavonic dances by Dvorák, the overture to Mozart's "Figaro" and the second novelty, a symphonic poem, "Gretchen im Dom," by C. R. Fisher, the Dresden organist.
9Thursday morning, Parry's "Job," conducted by the composer, and Spohr's "Last Judgment." The soloists in the former were Master Perrins, of the cathedral, the "Shepherd boy's song;" Mr. Houghton, the music of Satan, Mr. Brereton as the Narrator; and Mr. Plunket Greene was most successful in the Lamentation; and in the latter Mrs. Albani, Miss Jessie King, Mr. Houghton and Mr. Plunket Greene. The audience numbered 2,746 persons.
11Thursday evening's program included Brahms' "German Requiem" and the "Hymn of Praise," with solos taken by Mrs. Albani, Mr. Watkins Mills, Miss Anna Williams and Mr. Lloyd and Mrs. Albani respectively.
13Friday morning saw a fitting rendition of the "Messiah" by the chorus, who seemed to have gained enthusiasm by their week's hard work, and Mrs. Albani, Miss Hilda Wilson, Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Brereton, Mr. Plunket Greene, Mr. Houghton and also Miss Jessie King and Mrs. Hutchinson, all of whom did excellent work.
15CHEVALIER LEONHARD EMIL BACH.
17"I like my operatic work," said Chevalier Bach in answer to my question, "and the two operas that I am now composing will, I hope, receive the approbation of a discriminating public when they are brought out. Sir Augustus Harris is writing the libretto to one, which will appear at Covent Garden next season. It represents Scotch history in the time of Charles I., and Mrs. Calvé is to take the principal rôle. The libretto, so far, is an intensely interesting and dramatic book, and I am trying to express, in the language of music, the strong themes contained in it. The opera will first be written in German and then Mr. Mazzucato puts it into Italian for performance at Covent Garden.
19"The other opera is to be on the lines of 'Cavalleria Rusticana,' and the libretto is by Mr. Batozzi-Fontana, of Rome, who is one of the most popular librettists of the day, and was recommended to me by Mr. Sonzogno. I have completed arrangements whereby my opera 'Irmengarde,' which has been given at Covent Garden now eight times, will be given the coming winter season at Berlin, Dresden, Mainz and some other German cities. The librettist of this opera was Gisbert (a German), and the plot is founded on an historical episode occurring at Weinsberg in 1140, when King Conrad III. was besieging that city, and the heroine Irmengarde, through strategy, gains pardon of the king for her people, and he rechristens the town 'Woman's Constancy,' in honor of her successful interposition for her husband and friends.
21"The plot being taken from German history argues well in its favor, and my impresarios think it will be one of the successes of the season.
23"Among my other compositions that have met with a large sale are: A sonata in A minor, dedicated to Mr. Hollman, for piano and violoncello, which has been played all over Europe; a concerto for piano and orchestra, dedicated to my old teacher and friend, Liszt, in 1885, which was brought out at St. James' Hall, and has frequently appeared on concert programs since; a rhapsody polonaise for piano and orchestra, two symphonies for orchestra; a cantata, 'Babylon,' over 100 songs, some of which have become immensely popular, and a great deal of piano music.
25"My first composition was a piece for the piano, and I was not seven when I showed it to Meyerbeer, who was so pleased with it that he took me immediately to study with the immortal Theodore Kullak, in Berlin, with whom I continued until 1869, when I had the good fortune to become a pupil of the great maestro, Liszt, meanwhile taking composition with Kiel. During the last year that I was with Kullak, though I was only fifteen, he made me teacher of his classes in his absence, where I had some novel experiences in teaching many pupils much older than myself.
27"After two years of hard study with Liszt my concert engagements took up nearly all my time, and in 1874 I had the honor of being appointed as pianist to William I., Emperor of Germany.
29"The largest concert tour that I made was with Ole Bull, in 1875 and 1876, when we commenced in Norway and played in the principal cities of Sweden, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Austria, France, Italy, and then crossing over to Alexandria and Cairo. I well remember being with the great virtuoso on the pyramids and of hearing him play there most divinely, as though inspired by the surroundings.
31"I came to London in 1884, and the spontaneous welcome accorded me on my appearance at some concerts and other inducements led me to locate here, where I have remained ever since.
33"It was through my exertions that Liszt came over in April, 1866, just two months before he died, and we gave a concert, which was a tremendous success. During my residence here I have had some piano pupils, among them the Misses Douste, well known in Boston; Mr. Frederic Dawson, who is meeting with so much success at the Promenade Concerts and elsewhere; Ralph Stuart, Sally Liebling, Nicordé and others."
35Mr. Bach is of Polish extraction, and was born at Posen (German Poland), March 11, 1854. He gave his first concert at six years of age, and from that time until the present day he has been a conscientious, progressive student, making the most of his unusual abilities, and we may look for some great things from this man, endowed by natural musical talent and schooled under three of the greatest masters of the century.
37FRANK VINCENT.
39Leipsic Letter.
41LEIPSIC, September 12, 1883.
43EVERY cause has its champion, though of course the weaker the cause the weaker the champion. A careful study of the conditions of singing in Leipsic prompted me to advise American students of vocal art not to come here. T. Hert-Barry (Harry Brett), whose musical identity I have been unable to establish, but who is quoted in the city directory as "agent," has been chosen by some of the teachers to champion this cause. In a letter to the "Neue Zeitschrift für Musik," besides indulging in some spiteful personal allusions, which of course are of no interest to readers, he makes the following points: Mrs. Marie Unger-Haupt has cultivated the voices of many Americans and others. Bodo Barchers, formerly a popular opera and concert singer, has taught Karl Scheidemantel, as well as his own three daughters, of whom the first was a member of the Dresden Opera, the second of the Munich Opera. He cites the names of Augusta Götze and C. Ress (among those not in the pool were Messrs. Renner, Törsleff and Rebling).
45Mr. Barry asks if these names are not familiar to me. Yes, certainly; and the mention of all but Miss Götze causes me to reiterate even more emphatically my admonition to Americans. Cultivated the voices of many Americans! Yes, but how? Mr. Barry's ideas of a cultivated voice would be ridiculed in "the land of the almighty dollar," as he calls it, even by agents who do not attempt to write musical articles. His colleagues over there would at least not exchange their dollars for the privilege of hearing this style of singing.
47Deeds past are not deeds present. Augusta Götze was a great teacher. She now devotes most of her time to other purposes than giving personal instruction. The mere supervision of a great teacher over inferior assistants will never produce artists. Whoever is fortunate enough to obtain personal instruction from Miss Götze may be congratulated—but few are. Despite Mr. Barry's eulogy upon Borchers and Mrs. Unger-Haupt, they have not now before the public one pupil educated by them within the last few years that could obtain one word of encomium from capable, unbiased critics. And there certainly is no scarcity in material. Of course there are local considerations. Last season I attended a recital by two débutantes, pupils of a Leipsic teacher, at which the noises were unbearable. Yet the audience (there by free tickets) applauded to the echo, and the next day certain critics made favorable mention. The results of such occurrences are that the unfortunate students are deceived into a feeling of superior worth. Naturally their hopes and plans are for the highest, and they continue in the course begun. But how soon these visions are dispelled when they go from the little sphere of teachers and cliques into the disinterested world! Soon nothing remains but bitter contemplations. These, however, do not give them back their opportunities, their voices, money and time. I heard a prominent pupil of another of the apostles mentioned by Mr. Barry who through social circumstances is permitted to sing at some of the best musical soirées. A young lady in the audience of very musical temperament actually became hysterical from hearing the distressing sounds. Some exceptional talents are of course able to accomplish considerable, even with bad instruction. We have an example in the Opera, where badly cultivated voices, by striving for so-called dramatic effect, are able to make a good impression upon a general public, thereby seemingly reflecting credit upon their former teachers. This same Mr. Barry himself recently essayed to write an article antagonizing some of the Leipsic vocal teachers, but in misguided judgment vilified one who at least ranks higher than any (excepting Miss Götze) advertised by him. Should he ever at any time be fortunate enough to be associated with representative musicians he will find that the feeling as to the decline in vocal art is quite strong and general.
49The advantages otherwise for studying music here are excellent. The conservatory has a violin school which is exceptionally superior. Klengel for 'cello and the several teachers at the conservatory can hardly be surpassed. Jadassohn for theory is world famous. In Professor Martin Krause, the great teacher of piano, Leipsic has a prestige which is musically invaluable. Miss Clara Polscher has recently taken a few pupils in singing, and so far has accomplished a great deal with them. Director Staegemann, as already intimated in my last, has also taken a personal interest in voice culture. Of the progress of the last two mentioned I shall be pleased to acquaint the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER.
51Mr. Panzer establishes himself more firmly as an excellent conductor with every opera he conducts. Last Wednesday, in "Walküre," he showed unusual aptitude, carrying the gigantic work through with infallibility, and conducting throughout with vim and firmness. Considering the short time he has had to accustom the forces under him to his individualism, the perfect control he has at all times and in the most difficult parts over all is remarkable. To him more than the circumstance of two visiting artists it was due that the performance of "Walküre" on Wednesday was one of the best heard here. The "Brünnhilde" of Miss Sedlmair, from Danzig, can in no way compare favorably with that of Ida Doxat of the Leipsic Opera. Mrs. Ende-Andriessen, from Frankfort, gave much better satisfaction. Her singing and declamation are quite in conformity with Wagnerian intentions and her acting appropriate throughout. Miss Osborne, as "Fricka," made her second appearance and acquitted herself very creditably. Though she seemingly did not do herself justice throughout, her beautiful voice, especially in the lower register, gave great promise for her future career. Her acting was quite consistent. Mr. De Grach, "Siegmund," Wittekopf, "Hunding," and Schelper, "Wotan," gave the best satisfaction.
53The very capable and judicious comment of Mr. Floersheim upon Miss Ida Doxat, of the Leipsic Opera, expressed in his letter upon the Gotha performances, has been the source of considerable gratification here. Miss Doxat is a conscientious artist of the highest attainments. Though this is appreciated by the intelligent patrons of the Opera the general public, as is usual, will not realize it until she has gone.
55Karl Reinecke at a Wagnerian opera is a rare sight. He was present at the performance of "Walküre" from first to last. Though Reinicke's inclinations are not for Wagner, he is disposed to be quite liberal, and when he does conduct Wagner's music at the Gewandhaus takes apparently the greatest pains. At any rate he hears before he judges or condemns.
57Quite different is the disposition of one of his colleagues, one of the principal teachers of piano at the conservatory. He prides himself upon never having heard a Wagner opera, yet is most vociferous in his denunciation of Wagner.
59When d'Albert made his début in Weimar he was entertained at the house of a lady whom he had not known
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