Scan 10
Musical Courier 1893-10-18: Vol 27 Iss 710, 1893
90 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 11. See the scan on archive.org.
1Minnie Dilthey, the soprano and daughter of the veteran German journalist of New York, and Miss Sophie Schroeter, a concert contralto from Bonn.
3The amount of letters I am receiving asking all sorts of questions would almost necessitate my employing an extra clerk for answers. Those asking for information about teachers here I am always willing and glad to answer to the best of my knowledge and belief. Prices of conservatories, however, they might get by applying to these institutions directly. One young man wants to know whether he can escape military service here, having emigrated to the United States and lived there for over five years and become a citizen. According to the treaty he may come and remain unmolestedly. The worst demand on me, however, comes from a fellow in Bean's Station, Tenn., asking me to go and see a certain young lady whose personal acquaintance he has not yet made, but with whom he is having a matrimonial correspondence, to give him my opinion of her and judge whether she will make a fit companion for him for life. A nice demand this on a poor fellow who as yet has not found time to look up a wife for himself!
5Moreover, correspondents are kindly reminded of the fact that The Musical Courier's European Headquarters were by no means established as a concert agency or bureau for procuring concert or operatic engagements on this side of the Atlantic.
7The musical season will open in dead earnest here day after to-morrow, when the Royal Orchestra at their first concert of the season will perform, under Weingartner's direction, a symphony in B flat by Haydn, the Mozart G minor and the Beethoven A major symphonies.
9Franz Rummel will be the next concert attraction. He is to give the first of three concerts of his own at the Sing Akademie on Saturday night, the 7th inst., when he will perform in one sitting the Beethoven G major, the Schumann A minor and the Saint-Saëns' G minor piano concertos.
11By the way he will live with his family at Dessau and not at Eisenach, as I erroneously stated in one of my previous letters.
13With regard to the Philharmonic concerts my doubts, as far as Bülow's ability to conduct them, which I expressed at the end of the last season, were only too well founded. Manager Wolff's assurances to the contrary notwithstanding, Bülow is still at Aschaffenburg, under special treatment for his terrible nervous headaches. The two first Philharmonic concerts will be conducted by Hermann Levi, of Munich, and the three next ones (all five before New Year's) by Hofrat Ernst Schuch, of Dresden. Should Bülow have recuperated sufficiently to be able to take command after New Year's, he will then conduct the second series of five concerts. If not, they will also be under the conductorship of Schuch.
15The first concert will have a program that calls for no soloistic assistance. Emil Sauer will be the soloist of the second, and Rosenthal of the third or fourth Philharmonic concerts. Manager Wolff tells me that Mrs. Clementine de Vere-Sapio will also be engaged for one of the Philharmonic concerts.
17Mrs. Fannie Bloomfield will give her first concert at the Philharmonie here on the 19th inst.
19Miss Olive Fremstadt, the contralto, by advice of Lilli Lehmann, is studying here with Miss Seehofer.
21Otto Hackh, formerly of New York, the pianist, teacher and composer, has gone crazy, and is at present confined in an asylum for the incurable. The same fate some time ago befell his brother Hermann, the well-known German actor, and Hackh's father also died in an asylum.
23Anton Rubinstein has lost his youngest and talented son, Alexander, aged twenty. He was with him to the last at Lake Como, and the great artist seems absolutely inconsolable.
25Vice-Court Conductor Hans Richter lately was nominated court conductor at Vienna in place of Court Conductor Helmesberger who is retiring on his pension. Whether or not the new title will have an influence upon Hans' conducting I cannot foretell. It is greatly to be hoped and wished, however, as of late the once great conductor has grown somewhat slovenly and perfunctory in the wielding of the baton.
27Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria yesterday offered the sum of 6,000 marks for a prize competition for the best opera. Particulars I don't know yet.
29Henry Pierson, the artistic secretary of the Berlin Royal Opera House Intendancy, was lately honored with a knighthood's cross by the King of Italy for his zeal in behalf of the young Italian school of composers. Mr. Pierson certainly deserves the distinction.
31Our really esteemed contemporary, the Berlin "Boersen Courier," to-day celebrates the twenty-fifth anniversary of its first appearance. The founder and editor-in-chief, Mr. Georg Davidson, is still hale and hearty, and in the musical field his operatic criticisms and his early recognition of and fight for Wagner will always maintain for him a place of honor. The Musical Courier's hearty congratulations are among the great number he will receive on this festive occasion.
33This is about all the news I can give you for the first budget of the new season of 1893-4. More anon. O. F.
35School of Steno-Phonetics.
36FOR READING VOCAL (AND VIOLIN) SCORE AT SIGHT.
38BY far and away these excellent classes take the lead in making readers of music. An old teacher of the Solfeggio "rutch work" (as Miss Smith styles these systems) for thirty-two years, declares that "nothing equals the practice of the 'Alphabet Steno-Phonetic!' The system is indorsed by the first vocal teachers in this and other States, as well as abroad—which great interest will be spoken of in future. It is probable that those deeply interested in this novel and excellent work on the other side of the Atlantic will introduce the study in Vienna and Berlin during the coming season. Correspondence runs to that effect,
40The one great feature of the wonderful success of this system is, first, its absolute simplicity; and second, that the classes here exceed six in number at a time—although some maintain that students would find this study so simple that it might very easily be taught the masses. Mr. Fred. H. Butterfield, of Massachusetts, will teach the Boston classes this season. The system is taught in New York only at the School of Steno-Phonetics by the author, Mr. Butterfield being the sole authorized representative of the system outside New York State.
42A third great feature ought to be mentioned regarding the unusual success of these classes—that is, the entire absence of tuneful, flattering reading, assisted by instruments, in the shape of glees, anthems, &c. The author of "Steno-Phonetics" holds that all joining such classes may only hope from year to year to become faultless readers, without any decided results, and maintains with the first critics in the land that in this pursuance "time, money and endeavor are lost." Of course she is right—indisputably. The fall classes forming for church choir aspirants for February trials close November 15. Every student desiring to become a faultless reader within the given course—three months absolute—is advised of these initiatory classes (opening October 9.) During the current year Iowa, Ohio, Chicago, California, Boston and many other States and cities have been represented, besides eleven students from the Berlin, Vienna and London schools of Solfeggio. Miss Smith has conscientiously followed her especially prominent study in these classes for nine years, and her integrity, both as a gentlewoman and teacher, places her work paramount among all others, and beyond comment alike in results and principle of dealing with those who have patronized her classes. Application is made every Monday and Thursday between 1 and 3 o'clock p. m. Says a distinguished leader in this city: "Let no one say they have paid high for this course. They receive the value of their investment, either in private or class course, thrice told," and adds: "Let every musical student get at it as quickly as they can."
44Director Venino.—Albert F. Venino has accepted the directorship of the Cannen Conservatory of Music, a young and promising music school at Spokane, Wash. He recently gave an introductory concert at that place, and will shortly play in many of the larger cities of the Pacific Coast.
46Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.—The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Ross Jungnickel director, announces the following repertory for the season 1893-4:
48Beethoven, L. v. ………………… Op. 68, Pastoral Symphony
49Beethoven-Liszt ……………………. Op. 9, "Polonaise (String Orchestra)"
50Beethoven-Liszt …………………….. Op. 9, "Andante Cantabile" one of two readings
51Beethoven-Liszt ……………………. Op. 9, "Andante Cantabile" one of two readings
52Bazzini, A. ……………………….. Op. 77, "Symphonic poem, 'Francesca di Rimini'"
53Brahms, J. …………………………. Op. 80, "Overture, 'Academic Festival'"
54Dvorák, A. ………………………… Op. 72, "Slavonic Dances, Serie IV."
55Foote, A. …………………………… Op. 34, "Symphonic poem, 'Francesca di Rimini'"
56Goetz, H. …………………………… Op. 9, "Symphony in F"
57Henselt, A. ………………………… Op. 16, Piano Concerto one of two readings
58Henselt, A. …………………………. Op. 16, Piano Concerto one of two readings
59Hofmann, H. ………………………. Op. 72, "Suite, 'Im Schlosshof'" one of two readings
60Hofmann, H. ……………………….. Op. 72, "Suite, 'Im Schlosshof'" one of two readings
61Kistler, C. …………………………. "Prelude to 'Kunihild'"
62Lalo, E. …………………………… "Norwegian Rhapsody"
63MacDowell, E. A. ………………… Op. 42, "Suite"
64Massenet, J. ……………………….. Suite No. 6, "Scènes de Féerie"
65Mendelssohn, F. …………………….. Op. 56, Scotch Symphony
66Rubinstein, A. …………………….. Op. 108, "Suite, 'Bal Costume,' Serie II." one of two readings
67Rubinstein, A. ……………………… Op. 108, "Suite, 'Bal Costume,' Serie II." one of two readings
68Saint-Saëns, C. …………………….. Op. 40, "Danse Macabre,"
69Schubert, F. ……………………….. "Symphony No. 2, in B flat"
70Tchaikowsky, P. ………………….. Op. 36, "Symphony No. 4, in A flat"
71Volkmann, R. ………………………. Op. 63, "Serenade No. 30 (String Orchestra)" one of two readings
72Volkmann, R. ……………………….. Op. 63, "Serenade No. 30 (String Orchestra)" one of two readings
73Wagner, R. ………………………… Overture and aria from "Flying Dutchman"
75Works marked * performed for the first time in Baltimore.
77HEBREW MUSIC IN MODERN CHURCHES.—(Continued.)
79THE music of all sects of the Jews is in the hands of the cantor, who is in effect a musical rabbi and occupies a position literally and figuratively between the minister and choir. He performs the principal part of the service, singing the entire law (equal to our service aside from the sermon) clad in robes and insignia, and receives the Law (a large scroll wrapped in embroidered silk, satin &c, and gilt trappings) from the hands of the rabbi with great reverence and dignity. He bears the brunt of vacations and all temporary absences of minister and choir.
81Our ministers, in excuse for being non-musical, claim that no man can study theology and music in one life time.
83These Cantors must be thorough musicians, with the voice, method and skill of an opera singer, and no professional musician of our town is more thoroughly acquainted with the musical literature of the nations than the cantor. There is at present no school for his training in this country, but hopes are entertained for the establishment of one in the near future. The fact is the support of such a school would be a rather doubtful matter. The Jew is the last person to adopt as a profession one so far from the Hebrew standard of opulence as that of church singer at its present status. Besides the cantor, each church has its choir, and the richer congregations a choir master. The Hebrew word for cantor is Hazan.
85Those who go to the modern Jewish church in search of the sensational in music must be disappointed. Surprise mingles with this disappointment to those who realize the superior musical instinct of the race, their original, highly idealized conception of music, the wealth of the Jewish congregations and the first-class musical education that is made a part of their intellectual training. The feeling in regard to the music is tame and lukewarm; the rendition by the chorus is "good" where it ought to be "wonderful," "fair" in place of "inspiring," and unimpressive instead of being the most exciting and soul stirring of the musical exercises of the day. It is not made as picturesque as it might be. It is not even as progressive as that of the Roman Catholics. Yet the average of composition is of a far higher order than that of the Christian churches.
87This lack of enthusiasm is due to the inflexible conservatism of the orthodox section the; fact that church music is held by all to be a means of church worship, in no sense a sensuous entertainment; the dissection of the body by diversity of practice; the objection to Gentiles as singers by many, and not least of all the disastrous small salaries paid to singers whose best soloist receives about $400 for Saturday work. The Temple Emanu-el is an exception, having a Sunday service also, and paying its singers better.
89All sects hold to the distinction between "ancient" and traditional music, the former including all old melodies, the latter only those proven to have been in use in the service of the ancient Temples. The latter, as may be imagined, are rare as pink pearls, and the wisest differ as to their authenticity. Rev. Wm. Sparger, cantor of the Temple Emanu-el, who is writing a work on traditional melodies, goes so far as to prove that no melody not based upon a certain scale (not found in our music, having its half tone between 1 and 2 of the scale) can possibly be traditional, as all other scales have been invented since that time. The
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