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Musical Courier 1894-10-03: Vol 29 Iss 760, 1894
61 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 11. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE matter regarding the Paderewski tour has been treated at length elsewhere in THE MUSICAL COURIER, and it is unnecessary to allude further to it here.
3Mlle. Marie Dubois, who with Mr. Leo Stern played by royal command before the Queen last week, has been engaged for Mr. Percy Harrison's concert tour in November, for which it will be remembered that Miss Evangeline Florence is the soprano. Miss Dubois will give two recitals in London at the Salle Erard on the 15th and 20th of next month.
5Mr. Henry J. Wood has been engaged as musical conductor at the Avenue Theatre during the forthcoming play, in which Miss May Yohe will take part.
7It is announced that Mme. Melba has made definite arrangements for a tour in Australia, for which she leaves London on August 1 next year.
9Mr. Basil Tree, the popular ticket agent, has issued his panel concert date list, from which I see that over sixty concerts are already announced between October 8 and December 20, at five of the principal London halls.
11M. Ernest Gillet, from Paris, has opened an academy for students of the violoncello in London.
13Miss Minnie Hauk arrived in London last week on her way to her villa at Fribeschen, Lucerne. She chatted gaily of her many experiences during her long voyage, and undaunted by the dangers which she encountered, has arranged for a tour to Constantinople and through Turkey and Persia the early part of next year.
15Last week Sir Joseph Barnby, who has been spending a part of his holiday at Scarborough as the guest of the mayor, paid a visit to Cardiff for the rehearsals of the Festival Choir, which he will conduct there next autumn. The chorus now contains over 600 members, and the parts seem to be well balanced. Sir Joseph was highly pleased with the material he had to work upon and the progress made by the choir.
17The first performance in the provinces of Wagner's opera, "Die Meistersinger," was given at Edinburgh last Saturday night by Sir Augustus Harris' Covent Garden company. It proved one of the best "draws" that this company has had in its wanderings about England. Mr. David Bispham took the part of "Hans Sachs;" Mr. Joseph O'Mara that of "Walthur;" Mr. Pini-Corsi, "Beckmesser;" Mr. Arimondi, "Pogner;" Mr. Pelagalli-Rossetti, "David;" Mlle. Ghersen, "Eva," and Mlle. Bauermeister that of "Maddalene." Mr. Seppelli conducted the opera, which will be repeated next week at Glasgow.
19The Musical Exchange, through its able manager, Mr. Percy Notcutt, has made such a success so far that he is encouraged to start a paper in its interests, which is to be entitled "The Musical Exchange Journal and Dramatic Observer." This paper will contain news of general interest to the profession, and report the doings and progress of members of the Exchange and generally assist them whenever possible. The first number will appear some time in October.
21A San Francisco lady, Miss Frances Graham, who has been gaining quite a reputation in Paris under her married name, Mrs. Herbert Pugh, has developed her natural gifts under Sbriglia. She has supplemented this instruction by a course of operatic study with Emil Bertin, acquiring several leading contralto roles. Mrs. Pugh was born in Hamilton, Canada, and went to California when only seven years of age. Her father was an officer in the United States Army, stationed at San Francisco. She came to Paris in 1891, and during the past three years with these two professors, has acquired a high degree of culture in the rendering of both operatic arias and songs. Her voice and style were much admired by those who heard her sing in London.
23Mr. David Bispham has just essayed a new role in the part of "Falstaff" in which he had tremendous success in Edinburgh last week. Speaking of the performance, the "Scotsman" gives the following:
25"As regards the performance, the chief honors undoubtedly fell to Mr. Bispham, who played the title rôle. In his appearance and manner he showed that he had thoroughly entered into the humors of the wayward knight's character. Vocally, Mr. Bispham's appearance was a distinguished success. His rich and mellow baritone voice, manipulated with great art, enabled him to do all justice to his music."
27Mr. Sims Reeves is to continue his teaching at the Guildhall School of Music. Many pupils last year availed themselves of this opportunity of receiving instruction from one of the greatest oratorio interpreters that the world has ever known.
29Among the most promising singers who have made their advent in London this year is Miss Ada Crossley, who recently came from Melbourne. Some idea of her popularity in her own land and her people's appreciation of her vocal gifts may be gained from the fact that at three concerts given—one each in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney—she realized a net profit of £780. Miss Crossley has one of the purest and richest contralto voices that I have ever listened to, and in the natural course of events she is bound to reach a high place among the singers of the day. She was born in Gippsland, near Melbourne, and studied with Mme. Simonsen, who is the mother. It will be remembered, of Mme. Frances Saville, and is the leading vocal teacher at the Antipodes. Miss Crossley had been singing in concerts and oratorios for some years before she came to London, having in this way had considerable experience. Choosing oratorio, she felt that further instruction would be advantageous to her, and she has been seriously at work with Mr. Santley ever since her arrival in May, and it is only a question of time for the world to hear much of this talented artist.
31Mr. Otto Cantor, the popular young composer, is anticipating making a tour to America early next month. Mr. Cantor is already well known in the United States through some of his music; the two most popular of those that have gone out there being "Loved by Thee" and "Sleep On," published by Schirmer & Co., New York. He has lately been commissioned to write a cantata for a Boston gentleman, for which he is contemplating taking up the subject of Sir Walter Raleigh's voyage to America, weaving in the love episode of Queen Elizabeth. Mr. Cantor is looking forward to his trip across the water with a great deal of pleasurable anticipation.
33Mr. Paul Mahlendorff.
35Mr. Paul Mahlendorff, the rising German composer, has just returned from his vacation at his old home in Germany. While on the Continent he had the pleasure of hearing several of his compositions played by different orchestras there, and is very elated over his success. Among the more popular of his compositions are his new work "Adoration" and "Castle Waltz." Mr. Mahlendorff was born on October 24, 1864, at Bundo, Germany, showing a talent for improvisation at a very early age. After leaving the Gymnasium of Neuwied, where he was founder of a brass band among his schoolfellows, he went to Sondershausen to cultivate his musical talent under Professor Schroder and Alfred Reisenauer, intending to take up the career of orchestral conductor and pianist. His talent was immediately recognized, and means were soon provided to enable him to go to Bayreuth to study Wagner in 1886. The next winter he took the post of conductor of the Opera at Metz, and on the conclusion of his engagement went to Buenos Ayres, and became one of the leading music teachers there. While in Buenos Ayres Mr. Mahlendorff began his studies in the science of voice-production, the result of which will shortly be published in pamphlet form. The fundamental idea in his method is that, with the help of a muscular trick, the vocal apparatus in any normally constructed person can be brought to such a condition that the resonating chambers in head and chest will do their duty voluntarily, and with the throat in that position the vowels and consonants in any language can be sung with the same ease. On his return to Europe, Mr. Mahlendorff was introduced to Madame Wagner, and received from her an introduction to the conductor of Bayreuth as the possessor of a fine, mellow, baritone voice. In order to carry on his studies on voice-production he went to Professor Stockhausen, of Frankfort, who offered him a splendid position as teacher in his school for singing. Mr. Mahlendorff, however, decided to reside in London and work out his system there, soon taking the position of professor of voice-production on the staff of King's College, Ladies' Department. About this time he began to compose, and since then has published a quantity of works of all kinds, the following being the best known: "Adoration" and the "Castle Waltz," for large orchestra; "Ode on the Death of Lord Tennyson" and "Moonlight Dream" for strings and piano; "Humoresque" and "Arabesque," for piano solos; "Preghiera" and "Pensée Dramatique," for violin and piano, and "From Heart to Heart" and serenade "I Wait for Thee," songs full of tuneful melodies.
37Prof. Michael Hambourg, on the advice of M. Paderewski, has opened an institution in London for the higher development of piano playing. Four years ago Professor Hambourg came to London with his son, the gifted Max Hambourg, and during his first two years of residence here gave most of his time to the boy, who was then playing so much here in concerts. Since then he has established himself here as a teacher of the piano, and M. Paderewski, who is an old friend, heard his pupils play, and very highly commended them, recommending Professor Hambourg to start a school of his own here. No doubt the essay will be a successful one, as he has had wide experience, and was a pupil of Rubinstein for some three years before entering on his professional career. He has played as a virtuoso through Russia, and founded a conservatoire of his own there at Voronezk, near Jaroslav, the town of his birth. After several years of success there he was appointed one of the professors of the Philharmonic Conservatoire at Moscow, coming to London after four years of teaching at that well-known institution.
39The Royal Choral Society have issued their prospectus for the forthcoming season, and it is with pleasure that I note that Madame Poole-King makes her début for this Society in the "Elijah" on November 1, and is further engaged for "The Golden Legend" on January 17. Among other first appearances are Signor Campanini, who sings in Berlioz' "Faust" on December 30, and Mr. Douglas Powell and M. Eugene Oudin on the same evening. As I have already announced in my letters, the works included "Israel in Egypt," on November 22; "King Saul," the new oratorio written by Hubert Parry for the Birmingham festival, on February 7; "The Redemption" on the 27th of that month; Mr. Henschel's "Stabat Mater," another work written for the Birmingham festival, and the first performance of Dvorák's "Spectre's Bride" on March 21; "The Creation" on May 2, and Händel's, "Messiah" on New Year's Day and Good Friday.
41Last week the 170th festival of the Three Choirs took place at Hereford. Crowds of people gathered and the attendance was large, but fell short of the record given three years ago. The number this year at the Cathedral performances was 8,662, as against 8,807 in 1891. Mr. George R. Sinclair, the young conductor, who made his first essay in this capacity on the former occasion, proved capable of leading his forces through the various works in a way to elicit the admiration of all. The old familiar works, which principally made up the program, I have given before in these columns. All went without a hitch, according to the representatives of the London press who were present. Dr. Bridge's "Cradle of Christ" was the most successful of the two novelties and will be a welcome addition to Christmas sacred music. Dr. Harford Lloyd's "Sir Ogie and the Lady Elsie" hardly won the approval of those present and suffered severely by comparison with Dvorák's "Spectre's Bride."
43It is reported that Madame Patti, after her several operatic performances in Nice early next year, will sing in a series of concerts in Germany and Austria.
45FRANK ATWATER.
47Vienna.—The Carl Theatre, in Vienna, opened the doors September 1 with the Milan Zarzuela Troupe. This troupe made no sensation. Some amusement was derived from a not spotless operette, "Antonio's Temptations," while a ballet after Mascagni's opéra, entitled "Cavalleria Rustico-Siciliana," proved very tiresome.
49SCHARWENKA CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC.
50No. 37 EAST 68th STREET, NEW YORK,
51Under the management of EMIL GRAMM.
52Fall Term begins Sept. 10.
53Examinations daily from September 8: 10 to 12 and 3 to 5.
54Students can enter at any time.
55Write for Catalogue and particulars.
57New York German Conservatory of Music,
585 & 7 West 42d St., near Fifth Ave., New York.
59THE LEADING SCHOOL.
60Among the faculty are: S. B. Mills, Minor C. Baldwin, M. D., J. L. E. Meyer, V. A. Benham, L. G. Parma, F. Tamburello, L. Ricca, S. Herzog, J. Niedzielski, E. Scharwenka, &c. SEND FOR CATALOGUE.
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