Scan 22
Musical Courier 1893-12-27: Vol 27 Iss 720, 1893
120 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 23. See the scan on archive.org.
1Vienna Letter.
2VIENNA OFFICE THE MUSICAL COURIER, VIENNA, December 9, 1883.
4THE inclemency of the weather and the constant and rapid changes which we are now enduring have played havoc with many artists, resulting in influenza in many cases. Miss Ella Paucera, the pianist, whose recital was to have come off last Saturday, was unable to play, and Director Jahn has been laid up for over a week with a severe attack of the grip.
6We have also had constant changes of the repertoire at the opera, and even the iron curtain of the new Raimund Theatre—a theatre devoted to the production of popular plays—has been under the weather. At this place of amusement the large audience in attendance last night waited in vain for the aforesaid curtain to rise, when the stage manager appeared and in a short speech told the people that the curtain refused to be wound up, and, in consequence, the audience might consider itself dismissed.
8The first concert of the popular Winkler Quartet had to be postponed the other night on account of the sudden indisposition (also influenza) of Julius Winkler, the founder and first violinist of this organization.
10The second Gesellschafts Concert, under Mr. Wilhelm Gericke, last Sunday, was a most interesting one, as it introduced us to several novelties in the way of a capella choruses.
12Hans Kossler, the Budapest musician, who made his first appearance last winter as a composer and conductor, contributed his "Sylvester Glocken" for soli, chorus and orchestra.
14This new work, full of beautiful melodies, original ideas and fitted up with a grand orchestration, demands particular attention, not only on account of the music, but for the very fine text by Max Kalbeck.
16The audience was most enthusiastic and Mr. Gericke had to bow repeatedly.
18The second novelty was a short chorus by Goldmark, the text supposed to have been written by Martin Luther, entitled: "Wer sich die Musik erkiest." This was also well received, as well as some fine three part choruses by Brahms and Schumann. This highly successful concert closed with a brilliant performance of Moszkowski's Suite in F major No. 1, splendidly played by the orchestra.
20Mr. Gericke deserves great credit for his unceasing devotion and careful attention in bringing the Singverein and the orchestra up to a point of musical excellence which it had not reached before.
22Alfred Grünfeld has been meeting with enormous success on his grand tournée in Russia.
24This popular pianist has appeared in all the principal cities of the Russian Empire with unusual success and is now on his way south, returning to Vienna about Christmas. He gives his annual recital later in the season. Max Pauer gave his second concert on Monday last and played the following program:
26Sonata, C major, No. 1………………………………………Brahms
27Andante favori, F major………………………………………Beethoven
28Minuit rondo characteristicque……………………………….Field
29Fantasy, C major……………………………………………..Schumann
30Giga con variazioni…………………………………………..Raff one of two readings
31Giga con variazioni…………………………………………….Raff one of two readings
32La Gondola…………………………………………………….Henselt
33Valse Caprice…………………………………………………..Strauss-Tausig
35The audience was not as large as the occasion and the reputation of the genial pianist deserved.
37One has to wear long hair and throw one's hands high up into the air in order to draw an audience as a pianist in Vienna, and as Pauer's hair is not long and curly and he has the bad taste to play naturally, people prefer to hear his brother artist Sauer, who certainly takes the bun as far as sensational playing is concerned. Such is life!
39I am told that Mrs. Bloomfield-Zeisler is suffering from a severe attack of nervous prostration, brought on by overwork, and that is the reason why this great pianist had to cancel her second and last recital here, which was to have taken place last night. Acting upon medical advice Mrs. Zeisler has postponed all her European engagements for an indefinite period.
41I am sure her many admirers both here and at home will be sorry to hear of this unexpected and unpleasant trial which has befallen Mrs. Zeisler, and it is sincerely to be hoped that the evil may soon be remedied and the distinguished artist be permitted to carry out her many engagements in Europe.
43A large audience which had assembled to hear Mrs. Zeisler play last evening was sorely disappointed, as it had only been decided upon at the last moment not to proceed with the concert.
45The young violinist Moriz Wolfsthal, who, by general desire, gave a second recital last Friday night, scored even a greater success than fell to his share at his first appearance. This young artist, who is a pupil of Hellmesberger, occupies the position of professor of the violin at the Lemberg Conservatoire, where he is a very successful and popular teacher.
47It seems a pity that such an unusually talented and brilliant artist should be buried in such an awful place like Lemberg, and I hope that some enterprising manager will induce him to travel more extensively and settle in a more congenial musical atmosphere than that of the capital of Galicia.
49Wolfsthal was heard to greatest advantage in the D minor concerto of Joachim, the Faust fantasia of Wieniawski and Paganini's "Non piu mesto."
51Hans Cesek, the pianist, accompanied in a most artistic manner, and also contributed some piano solos.
53I have been singularly fortunate, since I came to this city, to live in a most musical atmosphere, surrounded by the memories of great composers who have long since passed away.
55Last winter I stayed in the same house where Beethoven lived for many years and died. This season I happen to have rooms just above the flat once occupied by Schubert, while opposite to me is the birthplace of Gluck.
57Surely in such a musical atmosphere one ought to feel inspired and moved to perform great things.
59A very pleasant evening I spent at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rée, the pianists, where I had been asked to meet Emil Sauer. Mr. Rée and his charming wife did the honors of the evening in a most perfect and congenial manner, and after a splendid supper had been served there was some fine music, in which the host and hostess and Sauer distinguished themselves.
61This seems to be a rather bad season in general, even for artists like Rosenthal, Sauer and many others, whom you can see promenading the Ringstrasse for hours, just at the time of the year when these pianists have their dates usually all booked. Sauer stayed in Vienna for over ten days and was seen at a concert every evening.
63I have heard many complaints from artists here and no accounting for the bad times, since Austria has had no "Silver Bill," which might have worried the natives.
65A very poor house greeted Bellincioni and Stagno last night when these artists bade farewell to Vienna. The concert had been poorly managed; too much money spent in advance notices, which were of a bombastic nature, and most of the people who assembled in the "Musikvereinssaal" were disappointed, for they were treated to a lot of threadworn old chestnuts, songs by Tosti, Pinsuti and Denza.
67The only redeeming features were some songs by Brahms, sung in German by Bellincioni, and some piano solos finely played by Miss Ida Reich.
69Such a program as presented last night might be well enough for a pupils' concert in Jayville, Tenn., at a Patti "Farewell" circus or at a London Popular Ballad concert; but for an entertainment where the prices of admission range from 1 to 5 florins, one naturally expects and ought to have a very different style of musical bill-of-fare than the one endured on this occasion. The concert was under the management of Alexander Rosé.
71The Rosé Quartet gave their First Extra Soirée on Tuesday last, when they were assisted by Messrs. Willi and Louis Thern, the pianists, who played Bach's C minor Piano Concerto, accompanied by strings, in a most artistic and highly finished manner, which elicited long and continued applause. Such ensemble playing on two pianos I never heard before. It was a treat not soon to be forgotten.
73Richard Heuberger's new opera "Miriam" will be held at the Imperial Opera on January 15, with Miss Schlager and Winkelmann in the principal parts.
75Smareglias' opera, "Cornelius," will cross the boards early in March, and will be the last novelty of the season.
77Paula Mark is also suffering from influenza, and her part of "Eva" in the "Mastersingers" to-night will be taken by Mrs. Ehrenstein.
79Van Dyk's ballet, "The Five Senses," which has the unusual honor of being claimed by five authors—one for each sense, I suppose, has ultimately been withdrawn and will be shelved.
81"Too many cooks spoil the broth," you see.
83Andreas Dippel distinguished himself as "Manrico" the other night, taking Schröter's place at short notice, for which courtesy the stage manager craved the indulgence of the audience.
85After the "Stretta," Dippel was called six times before the curtain.
87Paula Mark will appear in some of her best rôles at the Opera in Brünn early next month.
89I heard a fine performance of "Tristan and Isolde," with Januschowsky and Winkelmann, last week. Mrs. Januschowsky was splendid, both vocally and dramatically; of Winkelmann it is unnecessary to speak, as everybody knows that he has no rival on the stage in this part.
91Grengg was "King Mark," Mrs. Ehrenstein, "Brangane," and Neidli, "Kurwenal," all excellent in their different parts.
93Grengg has been asked to sing the "King" in "Lohengrin" at Bayreuth next summer and has accepted.
95The répertoire at the Opera this week was as follows: Monday, "Mefistofeles;" on Tuesday, "L'Amico Fritz" and Massenet's ballet, "Glockenspiel;" Wednesday, "Manon;" last night, "The Merry Wives of Windsor;" to-night, "The Mastersingers," and Saturday, "I Pagliacci" and "Cavalleria Rusticana," to give the audience a chance to distinguish between the respective merits of Leoncavallo and Mascagni.
97In Teplitz (Bohemia) "Pagliacci" was recently given with enormous success to a half empty house. Notwithstanding the great impression which this masterpiece made the advance sale for the following performances registered—forty-eight seats. Such are the glories of an operatic season in the provinces.
99A splendid French comic opera company, headed by Mrs Montbazon, has been playing an engagement at the Carl Theatre this week, and has been treating us to "Orphée aux Enfers," "La Belle Hélène," "Mascotte," "La Perichole," "La Fille de Madame Angot" and "Miss Helyett."
101The soloists, chorus and orchestra were excellent and the performances all that could be desired. RUDOLF KING.
103Musical Items.
105Late Christmas Programs.—A number of Christmas programs have been received too late for publication in our last issue, and we are unable to give them space in this issue. Among them are the programs of St. Michael's, W. O. Wilkinson choirmaster; All Souls' Church, W. C. McFarlane, choirmaster; Collegiate Reformed Church, Sumner Salter choirmaster; and the Universalist Church, Newark, F. C. Baumann, organist.
107Seidl Popular Concert.—Selections from "Stabart Mater" were sung at Mr. Seidl's popular concert in the Metropolitan Opera House last Sunday night. Nordica, Scalchi, Maugiere, Plançon participated, and Arnoldson and Vignas sang numbers from "L'Africaine" and "The Barber." Mr. Seidl conducted a miscellaneous program.
109Mamert Bibeyran.—Mamert Bibeyran, the well-known ballet master, died Monday morning in this city in the fifty-sixth year of his age. Mr. Bibeyran was the professor of deportment and pantomime at the National Conservatory of Music. He was engaged in the production of many spectacular pieces and ballets in this city, his latest work in this line being the regulation of the ballets in "Princess Nicotine" at the Casino. Mr. Bibeyran was engaged in the capacity of ballet master at the first season of opera given in the Metropolitan Opera House in 1883-4 and was also engaged with the American and National Opera companies.—"Herald."
111Where He Was.—The young man on the "Recorder" is becoming quite weary explaining that there was a concert in Music Hall at which Miss Yaw sang, Miss von Stosch played the violin, and Miss Pevny and Anton Schott gave selections from the first act of "Walküre." This concert was conducted by Walter Damrosch and took place Saturday afternoon, December 16. The same program was to have been repeated the Sunday evening following, but the orchestra struck. The fact that the notice of said concert appeared in the form it did is something for which the young man disavows all responsibility.
113We Thought So.—The Musical Courier of December 20 devotes several columns to a condensed translation of F. Nietzsche's extraordinarily spicy and violent attacks on modern composers, especially on Wagner, his former friend and idol. The translator does not add—what would have been, in fact, superfluous—that not long after writing his pamphlet Nietzsche had to be taken to a lunatic asylum. He was the deepest thinker Germany ever produced—at least he said so himself.—"Evening Post."
115Colonnesse.—Cav. Luigi Colonnese, the renowned baritone who was chosen by Gounod to create the rôle of "Valentine," in the Italian version of "Faust," and was also selected by Verdi to create the character of "Amanastro" in "Aida," has taken a permanent residence in New York with the intention of giving vocal instruction when not singing. He comes here with high credentials as a master of pure singing and correct phrasing, according to the old Italian method. He has already mastered the English language sufficiently to be able to impart to his pupils the principles of his art.
117Gounod.—Among the papers of the late Gounod some memoirs have been found in which the eminent composer gives interesting details of the instruction he received from Duprez, the tenor. Gounod also speaks of his acquaintance with Mendelssohn. The Queen of Portugal has sent 500 frs. to the Gounod Memorial Fund, Paris, with a letter in which Her Majesty speaks of Gounod as "the glorious French composer, for whom she has the greatest admiration, and who was her faithful friend." The fund now amounts to $18,000.
119"Les Brigands."—A revival of "Les Brigands" at the Variétés, Paris, was an enjoyable event. The witty libretto, perhaps the best in Meilhac and Halvèy's operetta repertory, is delightful, and Offenbach's music brighter and more charming than ever.
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