Scan 17
Musical Courier 1894-06-20: Vol 28 Iss 745, 1894
158 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 18. See the scan on archive.org.
1AFFAIRS musical are nearly at a standstill here. Last week saw the annual closing concerts of several of our larger schools of music, and there are rumors of changes for better or worse—mainly for worse—in some of them.
3The Chicago Conservatory gave a concert by advanced pupils Tuesday night in the Auditorium Recital Hall. The program was:
5Polonaise, op. 53…………………………………………..Chopin
6Miss Hilda Stromback.
7"The Holy City"…………………………………………..Stephen Adams
8Miss Avice Harned.
9Hexentanz………………………………………………….MacDowell
10Miss Pearl Ball.
11Variations, "Carnival of Venice"………………………..Benedict
12Mrs. Maude F. Boilman.
13Concerto, andante and finale……………………………Mendelssohn
14Miss Anna Miller.
15Cavatina, "O mio Fernando"…………………………..Donizetti
16Miss Olga Kroner.
17Prelude in A flat…………………………………………..Chopin
18Prelude in F……………………………………………….Chopin
19Miss Mamie Storrs.
20"Dreams"………………………………………………….Strelezke
21Romanza, from "Mignon"……………………………..A. Thomas
22Polonaise, No. 1…………………………………………..Wieniawski
23Mr. Max Karger.
24Cavatina, "Una voce poco fa"………………………….Rossini
25Miss Bessie Mayham.
26"Sigmund's Love Song"………………………………..Wagner-Brasin
27Waltz, op. 42…………………………………………….Chopin
28Miss Mollie Paul.
29"For a Dream's Sake"…………………………………..Cowen
30"Ballroom Whispers"…………………………………..Meyer-Helmund
31Miss Katharine Jones.
32"Ich grolle nicht"………………………………………..Schumann
33Mr. D. L. Canman.
34Marschen………………………………………………….Raff
35Intermezzo scherzoso…………………………………..Von Bülow
36Miss Mildred Morris.
38The performance was creditable in general. Miss Bessie Mayham sang the florid aria "Una voce," from Rossini's "Barber," with excellent finish of vocalization, and showed unmistakable talent. She approached nearer to artistic interpretation than is usually the case in a concert of this character.
40On Wednesday evening Miss Georgia L. Kober gave a piano recital at the Auditorium Recital Hall. The program was:
42Sonate in G, for piano and violin……………………..Grieg
43Miss Kober and Mr. Karger.
44"Hexentanz" ("Witches' Dance"), op. 17, No. 2……..MacDowell
45"Coy Maiden," op. 11…………………………………Wm. H. Sherwood
46Waltz in E, op. 34, No. 1……………………………..Moszkowski
47Miss Kober.
48"Faust" fantasi………………………………………..Wieniawski
49Mr. Karger.
50"Pierrette" ("Air de Ballet")………………………….Chaminade
51"Serenade"……………………………………………..Chaminade
52"Mephisto Waltz" ("Dance in the Village Tavern"), from Lienau's "Faust"………………………………………Liszt
53Miss Kober.
54Concerto in A minor, op. 54 (first movement)………….Schumann
55Miss Kober.
56(Orchestral part on second piano by Mr. Sherwood.)
58Miss Kober is one of the most advanced pupils of Mr. Sherwood, having studied with him during the whole of his connection with the Conservatory. She has considerable technical facility and plays with commendable accuracy. Her touch is, however, somewhat hard, and at times unmusical. Her best work was done in MacDowell's "Hexentanz" and in Liszt's "Mephisto" waltz. Miss Kober has talent and shows in her playing the result of hard work in practice. She is heard to better advantage in compositions requiring brilliancy and bravura rather than in those in which the poetic and emotional predominate.
60Max Karger has made fair progress in his violin playing, but Wieniawski's "Faust" fantasia is yet beyond his ability. He would do better to curb his ambition, and in his public playing choose compositions which are well within his powers. He produces a smooth tone and will in time succeed in his undertaking if he perseveres in his study.
62The annual closing concert of the Chicago Conservatory took place, in the Schiller Theatre Thursday afternoon. This program was given:
63Festival overture………………………………………Leutner
64Orchestra.
65Vocal romanza, "Non Conosci," from "Mignon"……..Thomas
66Miss Olga Kroner.
67Piano duet, "Tannhäuser" overture……………………..Wagner
68Miss Agnes Taylor and Mr. Hugo Frey.
69Violin solo, ballade et polonaise………………………..Vieuxtemps
70Mr. Fred. Bradbury.
71Grand aria d'Arsace, "Ah! quel giorno," from "Semiramide"……………………………………………..Rossini
72Miss Mable Crawford.
73Concerto in G minor, first movement…………………..Mendelssohn
74Miss Kathleen Shippin.
75Mélodie, paraphrase from the "Damnation of Faust"…..Rubinstein
76Orchestra.
77Vocal waltz, from "Dinorah"…………………………..Meyerbeer
78Miss Bessie Mayham.
79Piano solo, first concerto, first movement……………Godard
80Miss Céleste Nellis.
81Violin solo, first concerto……………………………..Max Bruch
82Adagio.
83Finale.
84Mr. Joseph Silberstein.
85Recit. and aria, "She Alone Charmeth," from "Queen of Sheba"……………………………………………..Gounod
86Mr. William Richards.
87Marche, Hongroise………………………………………Berlioz
88Orchestra.
90To conclude with the following scenes in costume and action:
91Recit. and duo, "Quando le soglie," from "La Favorita"…Donizetti
92Miss Jennie Osborn and Mr. Vittorio Carpi.
93Recit. and grand aria, "O mio Fernando," from "La Favorita"……………………………………………..Donizetti
94Miss Jennie Osborn.
95Aria, "Una voce poco fa," from "The Barber of Seville"…..Rossini
96Miss Cora Vance.
97Duo and recit. "Dunque io son," from "The Barber of Seville"……………………………………………..Rossini
98Miss Cora Vance and Mr. Vittorio Carpi.
100A few of these pupils have remarkable talent and are deserving of personal mention. Miss Agnes Taylor, although she only played in a duet, showed the instinct of a true musical nature in her phrasing and general expression. Mabel Crawford has a contralto of great purity and unusual flexibility. She sings with the greatest ease, and her vocalization is clear and distinct. That she possesses much feeling is also shown in her interpretation. Jennie Osborn is the fortunate possessor of a beautiful mezzo soprano, which seems to have every requisite. It is of large compass, is rich and full, and has also that rare sympathetic quality so often missing. She sang the aria "O mio Fernando" with fine taste and depth of feeling, and in the duet with Mr. Carpi displayed much dramatic ability. Cora Vance has remarkable talent and a brilliant soprano voice, which she has learned to control with artistic style. She gave a well rounded and artistic performance of "Una voce," from Rossini's "Barber." The florid passages were sung evenly and accurately and the phrasing showed careful study. She also has decided dramatic talent, as shown in the duet with Mr. Carpi. Céleste Nellis is one of the most talented young pianists I have heard. She has remarkable strength, a crisp, clear touch, considerable velocity and brilliancy of execution. She is very young and has a bright future before her, with proper guidance. That she has worked diligently is evident, and she has every inducement to continue.
102The one decidedly bad feature of the concert was the orchestra. It was composed of the Jacobsohn Orchestra Club, of the Conservatory. Of course the players are amateurs and pupils, and one cannot expect too much of them. Their purely orchestral numbers were not unbearable, but their accompaniments were simply abominable and almost resulted in absolute ruin several times. The management of the Conservatory could have secured the services of a competent orchestra for the accompaniments at least, and thereby would have given the solo singers a chance which they did not have. That the bad playing of the club did not cause them to break down is a great credit to their nerve and self control.
104A fine sacred concert was given at the Cathedral of the Holy Name, Sunday evening. The great church was crowded and the following fine program was well given:
105Concerto in E flat minor………………………………..Thiele
106Prof. Wilhelm Middelschulte.
107Soprano solo and chorus, "Praise ye the Lord"………..Randegger
108Mrs. Francesca Guthrie Moyer.
109Contralto solo, aria from "Samson"……………………..Händel
110Miss Kate Coffey.
111Terzetto, "Gratias Agimus Tibi"………………………..Rossini
112Miss Kate Coffey, Adolph Ernst, F. Langlois.
113Mixed chorus, "Ave Verum"…………………………..Mozart
114Ladies' chorus, "O Salutaris"………………………….Liszt
115Tenor solo, "Domine Deus"…………………………..Rossini one of two readings
116Tenor solo, "Domine Deus"…………………………….Rossini one of two readings
117"Marche Funèbre"…………………………………….Chopin one of two readings
118"Marche Funèbre"………………………………………Chopin one of two readings
119Prof. Wilhelm Middelschulte.
120Soprano solo, "I Will Extol Thee"……………………Da Costa
121Mrs. Francesca Guthrie Moyer.
122Aria for basso, "Quia Fecit Mihi Magna"………………Bach
123F. Langlois.
124"Evening Hymn"………………………………………Mixed Chorus one of two readings
125"Evening Hymn"……………………………………….Mixed Chorus one of two readings
126Bass solo and chorus, "Angelis Suis"…………………..Rheinberger
127Soprano solo and chorus, "Infamatus"…………………Rossini
128Finale……………………………………………………Guilmant one of two readings
129Finale…………………………………………………….Guilmant one of two readings
130Prof. Wilhelm Middelschulte.
132Mrs. Francesca Guthrie Moyer is the soprano and Wilhelm Middelschulte, the organist, has a cosmopolitan reputation. These concerts will become most popular without doubt.
134On Monday evening the series of summer night concerts, under the direction of Max Bendix, will commence at Battery D. The programs will be of a popular character and will be played by sixty members of the Chicago Orchestra selected by Mr. Bendix. Refreshments will be served, including beer and lunch, and every care will be taken to provide for the comfort of patrons. There is every reason for the management to feel assured of success.
136The fifth week of the summer season of comic opera closes to-night with the performance of "The Black Hussar." The company is doing excellent work now, and the patronage is large. The theatre is crowded nightly. "The Tar and Tartar" will follow. Great preparations have been made to give this opera a fine presentation. There is much in the "Tar and Tartar" to attract. It is bright and interesting in action, and the music is attractive, and some of it is exceedingly meritorious.
138Adolf Liesegang has effected a thorough reorganization of his Exposition Band and is giving a series of concerts at Fischer's Garden, near Lincoln Park, Saturday and Sunday nights. The band consists of fifty musicians. The garden is a popular resort, and the concerts have been so far well attended.
140The Apollo Club is having a fit, or something worse. This organization has some of the best material to be found in the country with which to perfect a great choral society. For nineteen years Wm. L. Tomlins has been the musical director, and with the exception of some of the simpler part songs and a few madrigals and compositions of that character, the club has never given a performance even approaching perfection. Mr. Tomlins is lamentably deficient as a conductor of orchestra, and is little better as a chorus master. His efficiency is confined to the rehearsal room, and he is not exceptionally great in that direction.
142Mr. Tomlins asked for an increase of salary a few days ago, and the directors of the club refused to grant it, whereupon Mr. Tomlins instantly resigned, and his resignation was accepted.
144Here was a chance for the Apollo Club to get a competent director and really accomplish something meritorious and worthy of it. There are, however, some members of the club who think it will not exist without Mr. Tomlins, and they are trying to induce the directors to reconsider the acceptance of the resignation. Mr. Tomlins is willing to stay at the old price. The celerity with which his resignation was accepted was a great astonishment to him. He really didn't mean it, you know; and of course the club could not do without him, and he could not do without the club. The probability is that Mr. Tomlins will withdraw his resignation after the directors have reconsidered its acceptance, and that the Apollo Club will go on giving "The Messiah," "Elijah," "Elijah," "The Messiah," with an occasional attempt at something else, in the same lame, bungling style that has characterized its past performances.
146There is among the pianists and teachers of Chicago a young lady whose exceptional ability as a player and success as a teacher entitle her to distinction. Miss Minette Mulneaux is an artist whose répertoire is large and whose playing is brilliant and artistic. She is also a successful and thorough teacher. Her pupils show conscientious and painstaking work on her part, and their playing is correct and intelligent. Miss Mulneaux is heard altogether too seldom in our concerts, and she owes it to herself as well as to her friends and admirers no longer to hide her light under a bushel.
148WALTON PERKINS.
150Aronson's "Polish Mazurka."—Rudolph Aronson's new "Polish Mazurka," which Jean de Reszke indorses as meritorious and characteristic of his fatherland, was performed by Sousa's Band at Madison Square Garden Thursday evening; by Gilmore's Band (Victor Herbert, conductor) Sunday last at Eldorado and will be played by the Seventh Regiment Band next week. Mr. Aronson is now orchestrating his new military march "The Soldier Boy."
152Alex. S. Thompson.—"Lazarus," a short oratorio by Alex. S. Thompson, of Utica, a pupil of the Royal College of Music, London, was given at Rome, N. Y., June 5. The local paper awards much praise to the composer both for his composition and his excellent singing.
154New York German Conservatory of Music,
1555 & 7 West 42d St., near Fifth Ave., New York.
156THE LEADING SCHOOL.
157Among the faculty are: S. B. Mills, Minor C. Baldwin, M.D., J. E. Meyer, V. A. Benham, L. G. Parma, F. Tamburello, L. Ricca, S. Herzog, J. Niedzielski, E. Scharwenka, &c. SFND FOR CATALOGUE.
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