Scan 19
Musical Courier 1893-12-27: Vol 27 Iss 720, 1893
118 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 20. See the scan on archive.org.
1BOSTON, December 24, 1888.
3THE third of the Adamowski Quartet Concerts was given in Chickering Hall, Tuesday afternoon, the 19th. The program was as follows:
5Quartet, F minor, op. 95………………………………………Beethoven
6Quartet, D major……………………………………………..Tschakowsky
8Mr. Adamowski has twice paid his tribute to the memory of Tschakowsky. He played movements from a violin concerto at a Symphony concert, and, as leader of a string quartet, he chose the quartet with the andante of unearthly beauty, the andante that even custom has not staled.
10In the quartet by Beethoven the ensemble was not always impeccable, although the 'cellist was not so much in evidence as on former occasions. The treatment of the Tschakowsky quartet was sympathetic.
12Miss Mathilde Rüdiger, assisted by an orchestra under Mr. Lang, gave a Jankó keyboard recital in Bumstead Hall, Wednesday afternoon, the 20th. There were many musicians present. Miss Rüdiger played these pieces:
14Fugue, in C minor……………………………………………..Bach
15Transcription of Pilgrim Chorus…………………………..Wagner-Jankó
16Nocturne, G major……………………………………………Chopin
17"Spinning Song," from the "Flying Dutchman"………….Wagner-Liszt
18Concerto, E flat major……………………………………….Liszt one of two readings
19Concerto, E flat major………………………………………Liszt one of two readings
21The object of this concert was to show the alleged merits of the Jankó keyboard. Miss Rüdiger's preliminary essay was read in such low tones that I could not hear it.
23If the chief aim of the keyboard were to make the playing of difficult pieces a light task to any comer, I should be inclined to be "agin" it. All the mechanical devices in the world, all the laborious instruction of patient pedagogues will not make a race of pianists with sympathetic fingers, which are the servants of the soul. But I understand that this keyboard has higher claims.
25Unfortunately I can only now judge of the Jankó keyboard from the performance of last week. In this performance there was neither brilliancy nor sensuousness. There was no display of strength. Runs were ragged and arpeggios were indeed broken.
27I should prefer to hear the keyboard exhibited perhaps to better advantage, and I should prefer to judge of Miss Rüdiger after hearing her play on a different keyboard.
29The "Boston Globe" informed the world the next day that Miss Rüdiger was so overcome by approbation from Sir Hubert Stanley Lang that, all trembling, she kissed his hand. I missed this sight. Nor am I able to tell you whether the hand was the left or right. I make no comment on a scene that might inspire an historical painter. As a chronicle, I send you a proof of the cultivation of the emotions in Boston.
31The program of the Symphony concert given last evening was as follows:
33Symphony, No. 1……………………………………………..Beethoven
34Serenade No. 7 ("Hafner")………………………………….Mozart
35Concerto for piano, G major…………………………………Beethoven
36Overture, "Rosamunde"………………………………………Schubert one of two readings
37Overture, "Rosamunde"…………………………………….Schubert one of two readings
39Once on a time there lived in Salzburg a man named Sigmund Hafner. He was a wholesale merchant and a burgomaster. He was fond of music, and when there were festivals in his house he summoned the musicians of the town. This "worthy and public spirited" citizen had a daughter, known as Elizabeth, who, after the manner of her sex, fell in love, and with a certain Mr. Spaeth.
41In Germany a betrothal is a serious matter, as fickle-minded Americans have found to their surprise and cost. Some say that for the betrothal of Miss Hafner the great Mozart wrote the serenade played here last evening. Others say that the serenade was composed for the joyous celebration of her marriage. For a later festal gathering in the house of Hafner, Mozart wrote a symphony in D major, a work well worth hearing to-day.
43Now the word serenade in Mozart's time was loosely applied to evening music. The lover who sang beneath a balcony, and turned about only to see the pale face of a rival with drawn sword or dagger sang a serenade. Serenades were played or sung on Venetian canals. Serenades accompanied the clinking of glasses and the low laughter of coquettes. Serenades tickled the vanity of illustrious visitors, whose fine plumage glittered in the light of torches. And Elisabeth Hafner looked at her lover and pondered her fate while the musicians played the serenade of Mozart.
45There are eight movements in this particular serenade; and they were not all played last evening. The first allegro might have given the pitch to rejoicing or to the play of knife and fork. The andante, with the charming violin obbligato, was for tenderer moments, moments of confidences, vows and promises. And the other numbers were for merriment and pledging of toasts.
47It is delightful music this serenade of Mozart; old-fashioned, quaint, at times formal, at times full of a gracious and courtly tenderness unknown in these days of nervous depression or exaltation. And it was played by orchestra and Mr. Kneisel delightfully.
49There are some who only recognize one Beethoven, the strange giant of the mysterious latter musical years. They look askew at the young Beethoven. They do not find the lion. But it is a pleasure to see the cub at play.
51In the First symphony of Beethoven, there is no marked departure from the symphony of the time. Perhaps in the menuetto there are suggestions of the future scherzo; but there is nothing revolutionary in the symphony. There are the voices of Haydn and of Mozart; but although we recognize them—see, for instance, how Figaro enters in the final—they somehow speak with an accent that seems a little foreign.
53But the Beethoven of the G major concerto is another man. In the concerto there is but one voice, and that is the voice of Beethoven.
55Mr. Carl Baermann gave an admirable performance of the solo part. It was pure, without exaggeration, without caprice, without the slightest symptom of the feverish desire for personal display. The concerto, with Mr. Baermann at the piano, was a homogeneous work. There was no apparent rivalry between orchestra and piano. The hearer thought of Beethoven, and not of the pianist, and after all this is the highest praise. But after the last chord sounded through the hall there was spontaneous and grateful thought of the pianist who had assisted so artistically in giving unalloyed pleasure, and he was applauded most heartily.
57Such concerts as that of last evening are at times a musical delight. It is well, it is indeed necessary that modern works of every school and nationality should receive prompt and due attention. But it is also well to escape from the hot air of the modern Palace of Art and meditate calmly and serenely in the temple of the ancient masters. There were brave men before Agamemnon. There were great composers before Brahms and Wagner.
59"The Messiah" was given by the Händel and Haydn in Music Hall last Monday evening. It was an "extra" performance. The "regular" performance is this evening.
61Last Monday the solo parts were taken by Mrs. Anna Burch, Miss Carlotta Desvignes, Mr. George Simpson and Mr. Carl Dufft.
63I was not at the concert. Excellent judges of singing spoke unfavorably of the soloists, with the exception of Mr. Dufft. Let me quote a few extracts from Mr. Warren Davenport's review in the Boston "Traveller" of the 20th:
65Of the soloists on this occasion little can be said in their praise, if Mr. Carl Dufft be excepted. Mr. Dufft has a good baritone voice and he sang the bass recitatives and arias with commendable effect. His voice is not strong upon the lower notes, and it was a little stiff and sombre in the production of the upper tones, but he gave a good rhythmic swing to his work, was confident in the execution of his roulades, sang in tune, and for his admirable performance gained the only spontaneous applause of the evening, as far as the solo singing was concerned. With a little more acuteness in the articulation of the consonants, and an exact maintenance of the vowel form throughout prolonged passages, Mr. Dufft can justly lay claim to an honorable position among our best oratorio bassos.
67And in passing it is well to say that this applause of the members of the chorus in any society is a thing that should be discouraged. It is almost always ill timed and often evoked because of some personal reason. There are motives that induce it when the performance of the soloist should not command it. How simply ridiculous it would be for the chorus of an opera company to applaud a principal singer, or the supernumerary force or other members of the cast upon the dramatic stage to applaud the efforts of one of the principals engaged. It would be denounced at once as the effort of the claqueur behind the footlights. It is just as reasonable to ask for its absence in a concert performance, for the chorus is but a part of the force engaged, and, like the soloists, are performing for the audience which has paid its money to hear them sing and not to lead or join in applause.
69If my readers will calmly regard this matter, I am sure they will see the justice of my remarks upon the subject. Let the management of the Händel and Haydn, the Cecilia and the Apollo Club ask the members of their organizations to desist from such applause. A sense of propriety alone should demand that this custom be abolished. There are times when an audience will rise as one person in rapturous applause because of a supreme effort of an eminent performer. On such an occasion the chorus and orchestra might be justified in joining in, the ovation, but such occasions are very rare, and even then the audience should initiate the applause.
71It remains now to speak of the chorus, and it is a pleasure to praise so highly as one can the superb performance of this fine body of singers. The tone of the tenors was not quite as strong as that of the other parts, but they did good service and came out strong at critical moments. The society has never in its singing excelled the precision, the definition in the execution, the shading and the good intonation that was observed last evening. The audience recognized this excellence and warmly applauded many of the numbers. The playing of the orchestra was slovenly sometimes in the running passages that occur in the violins, but otherwise the accompaniment was admirably rendered.
73Mr. Muller played the trumpet obligato in a sure and artistic manner.
75It is needless to say that Mr. Zerrahn held the performance well in hand and accompanied the soloists with fine judgment and discretion, adroitly managing the bad breaks that occurred in two of the soloists' parts.
77I know that you are interested in Mr. MacDowell's "Sonata Tragica" for piano. Here are passages about it from an interview with Mr. MacDowell published in the Boston "Journal" this morning.
79"It is rather difficult for me to say," answered Mr. MacDowell, when his interviewer from the "Journal" asked him to which one of his own compositions he would give preference, "but," he remarked, smiling, "I will tell you now that there are two which I thoroughly detest—one in particular, the 'Hexentanz,' which has been played from Dan to Beersheba.
81"I can hardly select one of my orchestral works, because here in America a composer has little chance to hear his own works. The orchestras are so few that the opportunity is wanting, and the composer cannot study his works as they are played, viva voce, so to speak. In Europe the opportunities are more numerous.
83"In regard to my compositions for piano, an answer is almost equally as difficult. Perhaps my favorite ones are those which are least played; for, you know, a composer, like a father, often most loves his lame child.
85"I may say, though," continued the musician after a moment's reflection, "that as a serious work I prefer my 'Sonata Tragica.' It is one of my latest writings and was played first by myself at a Kneisel concert last season.
87"The sonata is rather a peculiar composition, and it's hard to say if it's really a pleasure to play it. I like it very much myself. As for my other works—well, they are so many that it is impossible for me to choose."
89"But this 'Sonata Tragica,' Mr. MacDowell. There must be some story connected with it—some story, I mean, that is interesting, perhaps tragic, as the title suggests. Is there not?"
91"I—I can hardly say now. I have never told the story which led up to it." Mr. MacDowell became silent and smiled undecidedly before he went on.
93"I had finished a suite for piano when the first thing occurred which led up to it. I had intended to dedicate the suite to Raff, but four or five days after it was finished he suddenly died. Of course I felt that I could not carry out my original intentions, so I dedicated the suite to his wife.
95"Then began a work which I had often contemplated. I had long desired to make something worthy of a man like Raff. He had led an unhappy life. He had sacrificed that life to music, for his disease was aggravated by his work at the conservatory at Frankfort. So, in an idealized fashion, I tried to write what I thought—to translate into music that struggling life and its overpowering at the moment of success. This I would dedicate to Raff. Then was begun the 'Sonata Tragica.'
97"I admired Raff tremendously. He was, I knew, so really different from what he appeared superficially. Some said that he wrote music for the market. But he often told me that he could not live without writing for the market, the proceeds from his teaching were so small."
99"And that was when Raff was well known, sir?"
101"Yes," hurried on Raff's admiring pupil, vehemently, "that was long after he had written his opera of 'King Alfred.' Why, when he was in Frankfort everyone knew him as 'the great Raff.'"
103"Raff got 6,000 marks, or $1,500 a year. Not only that, but when he had put the Conservatory on a paying basis the directors gave him whatever surplus money there was. But Raff added to this some money from his private purse, and with it had a stage built in the Conservatory, so that operas might be presented. He used to spend most of his hours at the Conservatory. Where he found time to write nobody knows. The Lord knows, I don't.
105"During my first year at the Conservatory I was a pupil of his. After that year I used to go to his home and there study with him. Many a time, when he was busiest, he'd stop to look over my writings. He treated me as if he were my father.
107"I remember well the time of Raff's death. The day before it came he had finished the examinations. That year they were excellent. On the evening of examination day I walked home with him. He was pleased with the results of the day and spoke fondly of his work. I noticed that he was pale and looked worn. I spoke of his health to him, but he laughed and replied that he was well enough. The next morning his death was reported.
109"That is the story of my 'Sonata Tragica.'"
111PHILIP HALE.
113A Rare Chance.
115FOR SALE.—A superb Odell church organ in splendid condition, three manuals and pedal, high pressure stops, all mechanical improvements, fully warranted, eight years old, adapted for any church, musical college, public hall or music hall. An extraordinary bargain can be acquired. Address "Church Organ," care THE MUSICAL COURIER, 19 Union square.
117Colonne.—Colonne has had to abandon the "Grands Concerts" at the Éden, Paris, through want of support.
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