Scan 23
Musical Courier 1893-12-27: Vol 27 Iss 720, 1893
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1LONDON, December 9, 1893.
3SCHUMANN'S opera "Genoveva," as given by the students of the Royal College of Music at Drury Lane Theatre, kindly loaned by Mr. Augustus Harris, was the most talked of musical event of the week. Musicians and amateurs filled every available place in the great theatre to witness the first representation in England of this example of the master's genius, completed only eight years before he died. A few years ago the Bach Choir gave a concert rendering of it, and the prelude and other selections from the work have frequently appeared in concert programs, but this was the first time that the public have had a chance to judge of its merits as an opera.
5It was first produced at Leipzig in the spring of 1850 under Schumann's own direction, and its reception was far from favorable; the critics all condemned it, and no one, except Spohr, had a good word for it. All, however, agreed that the work was made up of a succession of numbers, all meritorious in themselves, and well suited to the concert room, but not treated with sufficient continuity or dramatic force for the operatic stage.
7The book of the opera deals with legendary incidents of the eighth century. Siegfried, Count of Brabant, is ordered to lead a force against the Saracens and, after biding his young wife Genoveva a tearful adieu and leaving his worldly possessions in the care of his trusted friend Golo, he departs. Golo, who secretly loves Genoveva, declares his passion but is repulsed, and, angered by this failure, plots with a witch, Margaret, against the innocent wife. Drago, Siegfried's faithful steward, is inveigled into their scheme and induced to conceal himself in Genoveva's ante-chamber to witness a probable surreptitious love making. In the middle of the night Margaret has the door to the room broken open and as Drago rushes out he is stabbed and Genoveva carried away to prison. Siegfried hears the news of his wife's supposed unfaithfulness at Strassburg, where he is lying wounded, and, filled with dismay, he is about to give Golo orders to have her put to death when he recollects that Margaret has a magic mirror in which she will show him the past, present and future. The witch presented him with three false tableaux of his wife and Drago in compromising positions. In his rage he smashes the mirror into a thousand pieces, and at this Drago's ghost arises and compels Margaret under penalty of being burned to death to confess her fraud to Siegfried. During this time Genoveva has been led to a desert place, where Golo again tries to have her say that she loves him, but to no avail, and he leaves her to be put to death. Just as this event is to take place Siegfried arrives and asks pardon for doubting his wife, which is freely given, and they return to their castle amid great rejoicing, when in the distance is heard a hymn of praise sung by the victorious troops of the Count as they are returning from the front.
9The performance was most satisfactory when we consider that all who took part were students. Miss Kirby Lunn easily bore off the palm in her surprisingly strong characterization of the witch, "Margaret." She soon won the favor of the audience, which continued to show its appreciation of her merits. She has unusual histrionic ability and uses her pure mezzo soprano with ease and refinement. Miss Una H. Bruckshaw, as "Genoveva," sang well, but her acting left much to be desired; her voice is a pure soprano, which she used with some distinction. Mr. Albert H. Archdeacon's "Siegfried" made a favorable impression, and he was supported by Mr. W. Green ("Golo") and Mr. W. Maynard ("Drago"). The orchestra and chorus, under the skillful direction of Prof. Villiers Stanford, did their important part of the task remarkably well.
11On St. Andrew's Day that contingent of the public which likes Caledonian music had plenty of variety offered them. Mr. William Carter's concert at the Albert Hall attracted a large audience, who listened to the familiar airs of Scotland rendered by such capable artists as Mrs. Giulia Valda, Miss Clara Butt, Mr. Iver McKay, Mr. Claude Ravenhill and Mr. Barrington Foote. Mr. Carter's well trained choir gave excellent renderings of "Auld Lang Syne," "Caledonia," "Ye Banks and Braes" and other familiar selections, and the occasion served to introduce another infant prodigy, Master Basil Gauntlett, a grandson of the late Dr. Gauntlett, the eminent church musician, who played Händel's "Harmonious Blacksmith" to the delight of his hearers.
13At St. James' Hall the enthusiastic crowd commenced the entertainment by humming the well-known choruses to each other, and when time for the artists to appear were in that pleasurable state of excitement that secured full appreciation of the work done by the singers. Miss Trebelli, Miss Rose-Hicks, Mrs. Hope Glenn, Mr. W. Nichol, Mr. Plunket Greene and Mr. Santly all caught the humor of the audience, and their songs of Scotland were delivered with all the national sentiment possible. The London Scottish Choir acquitted themselves well, but the most popular item was Mr. Santly's singing of "The deil's awa' wi' th' excise-man."
15The new Queen's Hall was formally opened last Saturday evening, when Mr. Cowen ably conducted a performance of the "Hymn of Praise" and some other works, rendered by an orchestra and chorus that may be regarded as permanently connected with the new hall. The work done by this body of artists and amateurs was far better than was expected, considering the little time they had for preparation, and we trust that definite arrangements will soon be consummated by which the permanency of this new enterprise will be vouchsafed to a public who will undoubtedly give the necessary support. The solos of this notable performance were in the hands of Mrs. Albani, Miss Margaret Hoare, Mr. Edward Lloyd, and Mr. Frederick Dawson as pianist, whose playing of Beethoven's Concerto in E flat was awarded three recalls from the audience. Mrs. Albani seemed to be inspired by the occasion and the brilliant surroundings, as her singing in Mendelssohn's always popular work and Handel's "Sweet Bird" was certainly one of her triumphs. Miss Hoare proved a worthy associate in "I Waited for the Lord," and also sang beautifully two of Mr. Cowen's songs, "Absence" and "Parted Presence," while the greatest English tenor sang his part in a manner that fully sustained his well earned reputation.
17Last Saturday was Wagner Day at Crystal Palace, and this announcement drew a large audience of the admirers of the Bayreuth master. The purely orchestral numbers were the overture to the "Meistersingers" and the prelude to "Parsifal," both of which received fine interpretation from Mr. Mann's able forces. The third act of "Tannhauser" was given with Mrs. Giulia Valda, Mr. Edward Lloyd and Mr. Andrew Black as soloists, and the English tenor also sang with his usual success the prayer from "Rienzi," while the Scotch baritone who sings Wagner music so well gave a fine rendering of Wotan's "Abschied von Brunnhilde und Feuerzauber" from "Die Walkure."
19Mr. Eugene Oudin's success at St. Petersburg has brought him an engagement to sing there in a season of opera in French, to commence next March. He will sing the principal baritone rôles in "Samson et Dalila," "Sigurd," "Werther," "Lohengrin" and Berlioz's "Damnation de Faust" (concert rendering). M. Colonne will conduct the season and among the artists engaged are Mrs. Richard, Mr. Lassalle and Mr. Van Dyck.
21Mr. Sarasate gave his last recital of this season at St. James' Hall last Monday afternoon, assisted at the piano by Mrs. Bertha Marx. The house was full, and the great Spanish virtuoso's many admirers testified their approval of his playing in no uncertain manner. The program opened with Beethoven's Sonata in G major, followed with good contrast by Goldmark's second suite for piano and violin. Further variety was gained by his inimitable reading of Dvorák's four Slavonic dances, op. 72, and his own composition, "Muiniera." Mrs. Bertha Marx chose for her solos Chopin's Fourth Ballad, "Conte d'Enfant" (Moscheles), and "Presto" (Scarlatti). In the former she was heard to best advantage.
23The novelty brought forward by Mr. Chappell at the last Monday Popular Concert was a quartet for strings by Antonio Bazzini. This composer, who is little known here, was born at Brescia in 1818. At first he wrote principally church music, but finally became acquainted with Paganini, who was so struck with his proficiency as a violinist that he persuaded him to travel, which he did for about twenty-five years, visiting the principal European cities as a solo performer and composer. Twenty years ago he settled down as a professor at the Milan Conservatoire, and has since added several opus numbers to his list. I was most impressed with a Lento movement, which has a pleasing melody, but I doubt if the work will be frequently heard at the "Pops." Lady Hallé, Mr. Ries, Mr. Gibson and Mr. Klengel gave the work a most exemplary rendering. Miss Janotha gave a fine reading of Chopin's Bar carole, responding to an imperative encore with Berceuse in D by the same composer. Miss Fillunger sang most artistically some German lieder; perhaps Brahms's "Wiegend" was the most popular.
25Mr. Plunket Greene and Mr. Leonard Borwick joined forces on Tuesday afternoon, in giving one of the best attended concerts seen in St. James' Hall in many a day, except when Paderewski's name appears on the bills. Nor was the great crowd disappointed, as the young Irish baritone (although only twenty-seven), has reached a state of intelligent and artistic interpretation of songs seldom heard and rarely excelled; while his associate at the piano added to his already high reputation of being the leading English (man) pianist in Schumann's "Carnival," which he studied with Madame Schumann, and selections from Bach, Scarlatti, Paderewski, Chopin and Liszt. Mr. Greene's first number included several well-known German lieder and some French songs, and for his last, representative songs of the four nations.
27The program of the London Symphony Concerts attracted a large concourse of amateurs to hear Rubinstein's great Symphony in C, which was played in its original four movements, and a remarkable performance of a grand work, was the unanimous verdict heard on all sides; for this, a great amount of credit is due to Mr. Henschel. The familiar overtures of "Egmont" and "Die Meistersinger" opened and closed the program, which further included Weber's Scena and Aria, from "Oberon," sung by Mrs. Elen B. Eaton most effectively, and Spohr's concerto for violin in D minor by Miss Beatrice Langley.
29The Royal Choral Society gave a performance of Handel's "Jephtha," on Thursday night, at the Albert Hall, and the work, with the additional accompaniments by Sir Arthur Sullivan, will prove a valuable addition to the repertoire of this society. The singing of the chorus was beyond praise and the audience demanded a repetition of "Chemosh no more we will adore," while the solos, which are of more than usual importance in this oratorio, were admirably done by Mrs. Henschel, Miss Hoare, Miss Oliver, Mr. Edward Lloyd and Mr. Norman Salmond, while Sir Joseph Barnby conducted the performance with his usual success.
31FRANK VINCENT.
33LONDON, December 16, 1893.
35Paderewski, his compositions, his unparalleled past and the brilliant, promising outlook for his future, are the all absorbing topics of conversation among English musicians. His recent tour was the greatest success ever known in England. In nearly every town visited the seats for his performances were all sold out from two days to a week before his appearance, and the receipts of the tour amounted to nearly £20,000—about $96,000. His artistic success was proportionately greater. His reception everywhere was characterized by the sincere admiration of those who were best able to appreciate his genius.
37On no occasion before has every seat at the Crystal Palace concerts been sold a week in advance, and the patrons at the popular concerts eagerly gathered at the doors for the unreserved places seven hours before time for the doors to open. He is the most popular of any man or woman in the profession, and is eagerly sought after for interviews, his photograph, and his legion of admirers use every pretext to get to see him; but Mr. Daniel Mayer has had a room beautifully arranged for him at his large piano house, where Paderewski enjoys the quiet and seclusion necessary and practices to his heart's content, often not leaving the piano for hours at a time.
39At the Palace the drawing card was his Polish fantasia, which improves on closer acquaintance. With its intensely national character, brilliant and impressive; its orchestration, in which every instrument is treated as though he loved it, and its delicious melodies stamp Paderewski as having creative faculties of the highest order. Consequently the greatest interest was manifest on Monday evening to hear his six new songs, the lyrics taken from the works of Mickiewitz, a countryman of his. They were written to Polish verses and perhaps lost a little, a very little, in their translation into English, and with their interpretation by England's greatest tenor, Mr. Edward Lloyd, in his well-nigh faultless style, an impression was made that they fully sustained the high reputation already acquired, and will undoubtedly be classed with the immortal songs of this century.
41The verses are strongly national and breathe the strange and fascinating sadness so often found in Slavonic art. The music expresses this sadness in its great beauty; the saddest songs being the most beautiful and each has a charm of its own. At the close the applause was so persistent that the artists repeated "Pain have I endured, pain unending."
43Besides accompanying the songs Paderewski played Weber's sonata in A flat, responding to a threefold encore, and later joined Lady Hallé, Mr. Gibson, and Mr. Whitestone in Brahms' quartet in A.
45Great regret is expressed over the illness that keeps Mrs. Bloomfield-Zeisler from appearing at Crystal Palace to-day. At her final recital in Berlin she was reported to be suffering from nervous exhaustion from her long fatiguing German tour, and while in Vienna she was taken suddenly ill, but late reports say she will soon be herself again. The success that she has had on the Continent has been heralded abroad, and I predict for her a very warm reception in England.
47Mr. Ben Davis will make a tour of Germany this winter, visiting most of the principal cities in the Empire. Mr. Plowitz the pianist and Mr. Johannes Wolff the violinist, will accompany him. This will be the first appearance of the Welsh tenor on the Continent; he leaves for a three months' American tour next March, coming back to London for the last part of the season.
49Mrs. Albani will make another continental tour beginning next February, visiting the same places as last year, and some cities in addition, appearing in thirty concerts and operatic performances.
51Last Thursday night the pupils of the Guildhall School of
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