Scan 16
Musical Courier 1893-12-27: Vol 27 Iss 720, 1893
115 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 17. See the scan on archive.org.
1Of course there were beautiful passages and dramatic moments, but on the whole the idyllic element and the string and oboe tone predominated. All the singers and most of the orchestra were pupils of the Royal College of Music, of which Sir George Grove is director. Prof. Villiers Stanford conducted. Not a slip or hitch was noticeable during the whole performance and the orchestra was always in tune. Of course the voices were small and the acting stiff. The young people in the orchestra did not play out all the tone their instruments were capable of either. But all round it was a most remarkable student performance.
3On the evening of the same day I attended the third of Henschel's symphony concerts. If length of time required for performance be the standard of measurement, then Rubinstein's Ocean Symphony was the most important number on the program; otherwise Beethoven's Egmont overture and Wagner's Meistersinger overture were the most interesting. I have yet to hear an interpretation of this overture which equals that of Nikish and his Boston orchestra. As for the symphony, it suffered a great deal from lack of rehearsal. I could not help thinking of a story told of Liszt. Someone was playing to him a sonata which he did not care for. "What is that?" he asked. "It is Bennett's 'Maid of Orleans' sonata," was the reply. "What a pity," said Liszt, "that the original manuscript did not meet with the same fate as Joan!"
5So, during the rough rendition of this long and somewhat uninteresting ocean symphony I remembered that
7"Full many a gem of purest ray serene
8The dahr unfathom'd caves of ocean bear,"
10and I wished that this symphony score might be one of them.
12CLARENCE LUCAS.
14Thekla Burmeister.
16THE subject of our sketch this week bears a name which is well known in musical and social circles of America and Europe. Miss Thekla Burmeister is the sister of the distinguished pianist and composer Richard Burmeister of Baltimore, who met with such brilliant success on his last Continental concert tour, and on the occasion of his recent visit to New York. Miss Burmeister is herself, a pianist and a teacher of the art of piano playing of no mean talent and ability. She comes of a very prominent, wealthy family of Hamburg, Germany, and received a liberal education, all the advantages being given to her that a large city could afford. She began the study of the piano at the early age of six years, continuing it later for five years under the same master from whom her brother received his instruction, viz., Director Adolph Mehrkens, the well-known musician and leader of the Bachgesellschaft. In the year 1883 Miss Burmeister had the good fortune to be introduced and to be admitted to the classes of the great master Liszt, for whom she had a boundless admiration, counting this summer among the happiest of her life. Her press notices speak of her brilliancy of execution, clean technic, soft, singing legato touch and her exquisite graceful style of playing. But she prefers teaching to the concert platform, and is in fact a born teacher, who has the rare gift of being able to impart a first-rate style and an artistic appreciation of music to her pupils. She strives to bring out their individuality, does not think a showy technic the prime object, but rather aims to impart to students a poetic conception of music, and to enable them to interpret works of the great composers with a true artistic insight. Miss Burmeister once smilingly called herself almost a crank on phrasing and cannot endure a playing which lacks in rhythm, decision and accent.
18In 1886, after playing and teaching with much success in England and France, Miss Burmeister came to this country to visit her brother, but stayed only a short time, having been appointed to take charge of the musical department at Asheville College, Asheville, N. C. During her four years' stay and work there the piano department increased to four times its original size, thereby proving the success of her teaching and the popularity she enjoyed with her pupils. After exchanging Asheville for De Pauw University, Greencastle, Ind., where she gave fine recitals and brought out some excellent pupils, Miss Burmeister now holds the responsible position of head of the music department at Galloway College, Searcy, Ark., which possesses a very flourishing music school of 175 students. We have seen some very interesting programs of her pupils' recitals, which are of a high order, ranging from the old classics down to the modern composers, some evenings being entirely devoted to the compositions of Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Chopin.
20Miss Burmeister is a charming lady of great culture, who converses well on literary as well as musical subjects. She is an accomplished linguist, speaking English, French, German with equal fluency, has traveled extensively and returns every few years to Europe, either for study or recreation. Her studio is artistically fitted up, two pianos and a musical library forming the chief feature; numberless pictures given to her by composers, musicians and other artists adorn the walls, and the bric-a-brac and souvenirs from foreign countries arouse the interest of those who visit her.
22We hope she may be able to stay in this country for years to come, for she is certainly doing her share in advancing the science of music. Many students have already benefited by her valuable instruction and her careful guidance in the art.
24MONDAY of last week "Les Huguenots" was given at the Metropolitan Opera House with the following cast:
26Valentine ………………………………………….. Nordica
27Urbano …………………………………………….. Sofia Scalchi
28Dama D'Onore ……………………………………… Bauermeister
29Margherita Di Valois …………………………… Sigrid Arnoldson
30Conte Di San Bris ………………………………… Lassalle
31Marcello ……………………………………………. Edouard de Reszké
32Conte Di Nevers ………………………………….. Ancona
33Huguenot Soldier …………………………………. Mastrobuono
34Tavannes …………………………………………… Cernusco
35De Retz …………………………………………….. Viviani
36Maurevert ………………………………………….. Vaschetti
37De Cosse ……………………………………………. Rinaldini one of two readings
38De Cosse …………………………………………… Rinaldini one of two readings
39Raoul Di Nangis ………………………………….. Jean de Reszké
41NOTE.—The performance will terminate with the Grand Duet in Act IV. The incidental divertissement will be supported by Stochetti and entire Corps de Ballet.
43Conductor ………………………………………….. Bevignani
45Meyerbeer always displayed a strong preference for his male voices, and it is lucky that this was so, for on this occasion the men in the cast of "Les Huguenots" far o'er-topped artistically their feminine colleagues. The house should have been much larger, for with the De Reszkés, Lassalle, Ancona and of course that distinguished artist, Mr. Rinaldini, not to mention other notabilities, it was a very strong showing. However, the holidays can be blamed for the size of the audience, and not Meyerbeer's heavy but nevertheless effective music.
47Nordica sang "Valentine" brilliantly. This artist is ever reliable, and her work in the fourth act was on a high dramatic plane. She sang the long and trying duo with "Marcello" most artistically, and was recalled. Jean de Reszké was in superb voice, and astonished the "horseshoe" with his prodigality. He sang the romanza with delicious tenderness, and his "Raoul" throughout was the same romantic characterization we so much admire. The septuor in the third act was well sung, though one longed for a continuation of the duel scene, for both Mr. de Reszké and Mr. Lassalle are accomplished fencers.
49Lassalle was especially strong as "San Bris," while the bluff old soldier, "Marcello," of Edouard de Reszké is always a pleasure to listen to. The "Piff-Paff" was delivered with magnificent voice. Ancona, whose mellow baritone is most agreeable, was the "Nevers."
51The other ladies of the caste were Scalchi, Arnoldson and Bauermeister. Scalchi sang the "Nobil Signor" with her old unction, and Arnoldson, as the "Margherita Di Valois," was a queenlet vocally. The chorus sang the "Rataplan" and the "Benediction" and other numbers allotted to it about the same as ever, and Bevignani conducted with care.
53Quite a different sized audience crowded the Opera House last Wednesday night, for it was the first "Carmen" performance of the season, and we had heard great things about Calvé. We were not disappointed. Here was the cast:
55Carmen ……………………………………………. Calvé
56Frasquita ………………………………………….. Bauermeister
57Mercedes …………………………………………… Ibles
58Michaela ……………………………………………. Emma Eames
59Escamillo ………………………………………….. Lassalle
60Morales …………………………………………….. Gromzski
61Dancairo ………………………………………….. Carbone
62Remendado ………………………………………. Rinaldini one of two readings
63Remendado …………………………………………. Rinaldini one of two readings
64Zuniga ……………………………………………… Viviani one of two readings
65Zuniga ………………………………………………. Viviani one of two readings
66Don José …………………………………………… Jean de Reszké one of two readings
67Don José ……………………………………………. Jean de Reszké one of two readings
68Première Danseuse ………………………………. Stochetti one of two readings
69Première Danseuse ……………………………….. Stochetti one of two readings
70Conductor ………………………………………….. Mancinelli
72There have been many "Carmens" since that spring night in 1875 when Paris shrugged its shoulders at Bizet's masterpiece and would have none of it. Galli-Marie to—shall we say—Tavary? have given various expositions of Prosper Mérimée's fascinating cigarette girl.
74Pauline Lucca was like a flash of scarlet, fierce and lustful. Minnie Hauk's spirited but slightly conventional "Carmen" we all remember, but we never saw a more seductively dangerous woman in the part than Emma Calvé last Wednesday night in the Metropolitan Opera House.
76Her conception was pitched low in tone at the outset. The "Habanera" was not given with either the brilliancy or yet the velocity one expected. But it gained a new meaning, and the exquisite diction of the French singer was a revelation of verbal and vocal coloring. Petulant, yes; capricious, true; but the wild gypsy freedom, the hot, fierce, passionate action of the conventional "Carmen," where were they all? We got instead a creature, with large, lustrous eyes, slow in gaze, whose languorous tread, cat-like dancing "Mouvement des hanches," dreamy tenderness, all proclaimed her more of the Orient than of sunny Seville.
78She was fascinating, this woman, with her abandon, her panther-like grace, her enigmatic glances. Duse again came before us, although Bellincioni is credited with some such a reading as this one.
80The "Seguidille" was charming, and again the varied play of verbal emphasis, alluring gesture and intensity in song were evocative of keen enjoyment.
82An extraordinary woman, Calvé!
84In the second act the action was logically worked up, and the duet with "Don José" was simply ravishing. Her scene with the "Toreador" was masterly in its illusiveness. Calvé's presence of mind was twice tested. In the first act she just escaped sitting on the floor, as the chair was not pulled out in time. In the second act a clumsy fellow stumbled and dropped the wine bottles. Calvé injected a laugh into her song in the most natural manner in the world, saving the scene from ridicule.
86The third act was a masterpiece, and here the co-operation of Jean de Reszké and Emma Eames made itself a powerful factor in the superb climax at the close. Mr. de Reszké was too much of the beau seigneur for the part, but in his quarrel and denunciation of "Carmen" and the finale he was magnificent.
88Eames was in good voice and sang in this act with unusual intensity. Her "Michaela" is a delicately conceived creation, and her loveliness aids the illusion.
90Her duet with "Don José" in the first act was perfect as to phrasing. Mr. Lassalle was the "Toreador," and was too classic for the rôle. He is too stately to play this fierce, common bull fighter to perfection. We cannot forget Del Puente in the rôle, nor yet Campanini's "Don José."
92The card scene of Calvé further illustrated her subtle intimate methods. She is far removed from the lurid, over-drawn Spanish "romp," who has passed current so many years with us. She strikes a deep, a sonorous tragic note of passion, but it never becomes clangorous.
94In the great scene at the end she, like De Reszké, produced an overwhelming effect. About all she casts a glamour, a witchery that lends new hues to the twice told tale.
96The support was adequate, the chorus sang spiritedly, and Mancinelli deserved a laurel wreath for the manner in which he conducted. The mise en scène was beautiful, particularly in the last act. "Carmen" was sung Christmas night and will be given next Saturday afternoon. Friday night last there was a double bill, "I Pagliacci" and "Cavalleria Rusticana," with Melba, Calvé, Lucia and Vignas. At the matinée "Romeo et Juliette" was sung. To-night "Don Giovanni" will be given with Fursch-Madi and Nordica. Friday night Melba will appear in "Rigoletto." She sang "Lucia" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last Thursday night. To-morrow afternoon there will be a special "Faust" matinée in the Metropolitan Opera House, and it will be repeated in Brooklyn next Saturday night. Plançon, whose "Mephisto" is said to be great, will probably sing the rôle for the first time in this country.
98Louis Lombard.—Louis Lombard, the proprietor of Utica, N. Y., is at the Waldorf Hotel during holiday week.
100Tour of United States and Canada
102BY THE
104Distinguished Concert Organist,
106WM. C. CARL,
108Permanent Address, 57 West 17th Street, New York.
110THE GENUINE SPINET
111(Piano)
112OF THE CELEBRATED MUSICIAN AND COMPOSER,
113Georg Friedrich Haendel,
114is for sale through me. Documents as to its genuineness exist. Buyers will please communicate with Mr. Franz Krug at Halle a. S. (Germany), Rannische Strasse No. 12, who is prepared to give further information.
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