Scan 15
Musical Courier 1893-10-18: Vol 27 Iss 710, 1893
217 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 16. See the scan on archive.org.
1as opposed to the subjective, personal and narrower musical vision of most pianists and organists.
3The self display to which we are so accustomed in many players of the day was absent, and even his virtuosity was an outgrowth of the composition played, not merely the bravura of the sensationalist. The Bach fugue was read with surprising clarity and dignity, the voices being clearly differentiated, and the coloring, while individual, quite in consonance with the composition. The precision of Mr. Guilmant's pedaling was a revelation of articulation. His musical instinct is always of the finest, and we find no striving after so-called orchestral effects. The organ in all its beauty, variety and scope is revealed to us by an unerring musical intelligence. Mr. Guilmant's registration is noteworthy for its taste, variety and novelty, and in modern music, especially his own compositions, he produced some astonishing results. These compositions display no particular originality, and apart from the instrument for which they are so admirably calculated they would excite no particular comment either for melodic invention or for treatment. But they are written eminently for the organ, and as such command one's respect. The fugue in D was most brilliantly played. "Ein Feste Burg" was given to Mr. Guilmant as a subject for improvisation, and here he again proved himself the master. Such learning, such inventiveness, such fluency, and all on the spur of the moment, literally took one's breath away.
5The evening of the same day Mr. Guilmant played at the First Presbyterian Church, Fifth avenue and Twelfth street, and he played another program. Here it is:
7First sonata…………………………………………………Alex Guilmant
8Introduction allegro.
9Pastorale.
10Finale.
11Andantino in D flat………………………………………Ch. Chauvet
12Gavot in F major………………………………………….Padre Martini
13(Transcriptions by Alex. Guilmant.)
14Passacaglia in C minor………………………………….J. S. Bach
15Aria, "Ce que dit le silence"……………………………Alex. Guilmant
16(With accompaniment for piano and organ.)
17Miss Kate Percy Douglas.
18Caprice in B flat…………………………………………Alex. Guilmant
19Elevation in A flat………………………………………Alex. Guilmant
20Nuptial March…………………………………………….Alex. Guilmant
21First sonata……………………………………………….F. Mendelssohn
22Allegro Moderato e Serioso.
23Adagio.
24Andante, Recit.
25Allegro assai vivace.
26Recit. and Aria, "In vain thy doom" ("Balthazar") Alex. Guilmant
27Mr. William H. Rieger.
28Improvisation on a theme to be given.
29Finale in D major………………………………………….Jacques Lemmens
31The accompaniments were played by Miss Charlotte Welles, organist of the Church of the Incarnation, and Mr. William C. Carl, organist of the First Presbyterian Church, pupils of Mr. Guilmant.
33Walter Damrosch gave Mr. Guilmant a four bar theme in D minor to improvise upon, and in it he again showed his great contrapuntal learning and musical fancy. His playing has been a great event for the organ lovers of this city.
35New Jardine Organ.
37WE publish the specifications of a new Jardine organ opened on October 12 by Henry Eyre Brown, of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, for the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church at Rochester, N. Y.:
39SCHEME OF ORGAN.
41<table>
42 <tr> one of two readings
43 <th>Compass of great organ</th> one of two readings
44 <th>C to A, 58 notes</th> one of two readings
45 </tr> one of two readings
46 <tr> one of two readings
47 <th>Compass of swell organ</th> one of two readings
48 <th>C to A, 58 notes</th> one of two readings
49 </tr> one of two readings
50 <tr> one of two readings
51 <th>Compass of choir organ</th> one of two readings
52 <th>C to A, 58 notes</th> one of two readings
53 </tr> one of two readings
54 <tr> one of two readings
55 <th>Compass of pedal organ</th> one of two readings
56 <th>C C C to F, 30 notes</th> one of two readings
57 </tr> one of two readings
58 <tr><th>Compass of great organ</th><th>C to A, 58 notes</th></tr> one of two readings
59 <tr><th>Compass of swell organ</th><th>C to A, 58 notes</th></tr> one of two readings
60 <tr><th>Compass of choir organ</th><th>C to A, 58 notes</th></tr> one of two readings
61 <tr><th>Compass of pedal organ</th><th>C C C to F, 30 notes</th></tr> one of two readings
62</table>
64GREAT ORGAN.
65Pipes.
6616 ft. Double open diapason, metal………….58
678 ft. Open diapason, metal………….58
688 ft. Gamba, metal………….58
698 ft. Doppel flûte, wood………….58
71SWELL ORGAN.
72Pipes.
7316 ft. Bourdon, treble, metal and wood………….58
7416 ft. Bourdon, bass, metal and wood………….58
758 ft. Open diapason, metal………….58
768 ft. Clariana, metal………….58
778 ft. Lieblich Gedeckt, wood………….58
79CHOIR ORGAN.
80Pipes.
818 ft. Salicional, metal………….58
828 ft. Dulciana, metal………….58
838 ft. Clarabella, wood………….58
85PEDAL ORGAN.
86Pipes.
8716 ft. Open diapason, wood………….30
888 ft. Violoncello, metal………….30
90COUPLERS.
91Swell to great. Choir to great. Swell to choir. Great to pedal.
92Swell to pedal. Choir to pedal. Wind indicator. Electric switch.
94PEDAL MOVEMENTS.
95Forte to great organ. Mezzo to great organ. Piano to great organ
96Forte to swell organ. Piano to swell organ. Balanced swell pedal.
98SUMMARY.
99Thirty-two registers. Six pedal movements. One thousand four hundred and eighty-two pipes. Pneumatic action on the great and its couplers. Tubular pneumatic action on the pedal organ.
101CHARLES GOUNOD.
103Just as we go to press we learn of the death of Charles Gounod.
105Guilmant Played at Mass.
107MR. ALEXANDRE GUILMANT played at the grand mass on Sunday morning at St. Agnes Church, New York city, the mass selected being his own (third). In the afternoon, at the urgent request of Mr. Carl, he presided at the organ at the First Presbyterian Church and assisted at the musical service, which was attended by many well-known musicians who were fortunate enough to know of it.
109The following program was played:
110Passacaglia in C minor………………………………….J. S. Bach one of two readings
111"Te Deum" (festival E flat)…………………………..Dudley Buck one of two readings
112"Ecce Panis"……………………………………………..Alex. Guilmant one of two readings
113Legende et mouvement Symphonique……………………Alex. Guilmant one of two readings
115<table> one of two readings
116 <tr><th>Passacaglia in C minor</th><th>J. S. Bach</th></tr> one of two readings
117 <tr><th>"Te Deum" (festival E flat)</th><th>Dudley Buck</th></tr> one of two readings
118 <tr><th>"Ecce Panis"</th><th>Alex. Guilmant</th></tr> one of two readings
119 <tr><th>Legende et mouvement Symphonique</th><th>Alex. Guilmant</th></tr> one of two readings
120</table> one of two readings
122Correspondence.
124Buffalo Music.
126BUFFALO, N. Y., October 9, 1883.
128GUILMANT'S organ recital drew an audience which completely filled the Delaware Avenue Methodist Church, an audience comprising all the musical element of the Queen City, an audience ideally attentive and appreciative. Organ recitals are as rare here as free silver advocates; during a period of seven years, comprising the writer's residence here, only five recitals have been given, two by Taft, one by Flagler and two by yours truly.
130Of the many brilliant and freshly graceful things played by the eminent organist-composer, the Dubois Toccata in C (because of the rapid tempo) and the improvised free fantasia remain uppermost in my memory. The latter, at Mr. Mischka's suggestion built on the opening measures of Mendelssohn's "But the Lord," which had been beautifully sung by Miss Eckert, was an astonishing performance indeed.
132I was tickled to find that even so fine an organ player as Guilmant could and did occasionally play wrong pedal notes, forget that great forte and pedal were coupled, when playing a pp passage, and so prove the rule of human fallibility. Mrs. Hannah Jones also sang.
134There were many out of town people present, M. T. A. Ex-president Herve D. Wilkins, of Rochester, among others.
136***
138The Welsh Ladies' choir, Mrs. Clara Novello Davies, conductor, all from Cardiff, Wales (a place inevitably associated with Barnum and his giant), were received by a fine audience at Music Hall, which place is now, as for several years past, in charge of Manager W. A. Brennan. They had sung the Sunday previous in three city churches and this proved a fine advertisement for the two dozen ladies. A visit to Niagara Falls was also among their various social affairs while tarrying among us.
140They sing well in the aggregate, but are soloistically not as much to be admired.
142F. W. RIESBERG.
144Denver News.
146DENVER, September 18, 1883.
148WHETHER the "gold bugs" or the "silver cranks" win in the present fight, we believe in a good future for Colorado, therefore few desertions from the ranks of musicians have occurred in Denver. Naturally there has been a dearth of music through the summer, but this month the teaching season begins, and church singers return from their vacations. We have had comic opera all summer at "Manhattan Beach," a resort a few miles from the city, and in no way resembling the original Manhattan. It has been well patronized, for the ride to the little lake is pleasant, and with the snowy peaks of the Rockies for a background, forms a delightful picture.
150Mr. and Mrs. Sobrino have been at home through the summer, as they only returned from an extended tour in June. An invitation recital was given by your correspondent last Thursday at Unity Church (we have no concert hall), and seemed to be enjoyed by a large audience. It was her first public concert in Denver since her removal from New York city. Following is the program:
151Sonata, G major…………………………………………..Grieg
152Mrs. Smissaert and Mr. Stoeving.
153Menuet…………………………………………………….E. H. Sherwood
154"Lover and Lady love"………………………………….E. A. MacDowell
155Nos. 2 and 4, op. 38. one of two readings
156"Lorelei"………………………………………………….E. B. Perry one of two readings
157Mrs. Smissaert. one of two readings
158Nos. 2 and 4, op. 38………………………………….E. B. Perry one of two readings
159"Lorelei"………………………………………………….Mrs. Smissaert. one of two readings
160"Elegie"……………………………………………………Ernst
161"Krakowiah"……………………………………………..Wiemiawski
162Mr. Stoeving.
163Ballade……………………………………………………Reinecke one of two readings
164Ballade…………………………………………………….Reinecke one of two readings
165Two Etudes……………………………………………….Chopin
166Allegro from "Faschingschwank"……………………….Schumann
167Mrs. Smissaert.
168Gipsy Dances…………………………………………..Nachéz one of two readings
169Mr. Stoeving. one of two readings
170Etude, D flat…………………………………………….Liszt one of two readings
171Gipsy Dances……………………………………………Nachéz one of two readings
172Etude, D flat……………………………………………..Liszt one of two readings
173Waltz, E major…………………………………………..Moszkowski
174Mrs. Smissaert.
175Cordelia Dougherty Smissaert.
177Ottawa Correspondence.
179OTTAWA, Canada, September 15, 1883.
181ANOTHER turn of the wheel of time, and "nous voici" at the commencement of another year's labor for our musical institutions. The Canadian College opened on September 3, and most of the other institutions only made their first bows to-day (September 15). There was no display by other music schools of this city during either June or July, but the Canadian College of Music held its annual examinations with the most satisfactory results. The average of marks obtained by students was over eighty-five out of a possible hundred.
183The following is a complete list of the successful competitors in the last college examinations:
184(no line here) one of two readings
186Intermediate piano playing—Harvey M. Onderkirk (honors), 90; Annie Macfarlane (honors), 87; Maggie Thomson (honors), 87; Bertha Meach, 83; Belle Hill, 81; Ida Johnston, 65.
187Senior piano playing—Mary Cameron (honors), 87; Miss Teskey (honors), 85; Miss Wilkie (honors), 85; Grace E. E. Young (honors), 85; Alice M. Blyth, 83; C. E. Switzer, 83.
188Advanced senior piano playing—Lilly Boyd (honors), 85: scholarship.
189Intermediate singing—Ida Johnston, 76.
190Advanced senior singing—Margaret Hudson (honors), 88.
192THE GOLD MEDALLIST.
193The test of the Orme gold medal was a severe one, and it is creditable to Ottawa to say that a lady of the capital, Miss Robitaille, has attained the highest mark yet reached in this severe test for the associate of the London College of Music degree, namely 95.
194(no line here) one of two readings
196Associate London College of Music (piano)—Miss Robitaille (honors and gold medal), 95; A. L. C. M. (singing)—Miss Maggie Strachan (honors), 85.
197Licentiate London College of Music (singing)—Miss J. W. Bell, 85.
199Never within my recollection have I seen so many advertisements of a musical nature in our daily press, and the different systems which they advance to allure the unwary are as various as the ads. themselves. Some have the Krause, others the Krause-Liszt; then there is some institution that teaches a species of goose step, performed by the hands instead of the feet. The music schools proper here may be summed up as the Canadian College and the Musical Studio, over which Mr. Ernest Whyte presides, assisted by a competent staff. These institutions may be considered seriously. Mrs. Jenkins (née Miss Lampman) gives private lessons, and is, I am glad to say, deservedly popular and appreciated. What will be done by the Ottawa Philharmonic Society is still an enigma. They don't appear to have stamina enough to hold together. It is a mystery to me that after the number of years and many struggles made Ottawa has not evolved a permanent society at this late date.
201RETURN TO AMERICA
202OF
203JOSEF HOLLMAN.
204ALSO
205ANTON SCHOTT.
207For terms, dates and other particulars address
208HENRY WOLFSOHN,
209331 EAST 14TH ST., NEW YORK.
211New York College of Music,
212128 and 130 EAST 58th STREET.
213ALEXANDER LAMBERT, Director.
214ALL BRANCHES OF MUSIC TAUGHT
215Faculty comprises the most eminent instructors.
216SEND FOR DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE.
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