Scan 18
Musical Courier 1894-10-03: Vol 29 Iss 760, 1894
69 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 19. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1THE MUSICAL COURIER.
3Gotham Gossip
5THE musical leaves are once more all astir in the Tree of the Art of Sound, and everything, if not everybody points to a large, generous, juicy and luscious season. There are always a few pessimists whom nobody can suit and who seem to be constantly out of order, who declare that music is being very much overdone, and that the public are surfeited with it. What nonsensical rot! The only real fact upon which they can base their views is that many soloists and many concert companies do not succeed, and are obliged to walk home on the railroad tracks and promptly sink themselves into Grover's innocuous desuetude. This is indeed the case, and the reason is that said soloists and concert companies are not up to the high standard now demanded by the American people. That's all. And it serves such mediocre performers right, too. I have no sympathy with them. The people of the United States used to know mightily little about music a few short years ago; but of late they have heard the best that the entire world could offer. They are now fairly well educated and extremely critical, and it doesn't pay to try to fool them, for you cannot do it. Singers who think that after one or two years of more or less interrupted study they are fitted for appearance in public have either been grossly misinformed by those who should know better, foolishly flattered by alleged friends, or from one cause or another have contracted that most disgusting of maladies, the swollen cranium—a truly dangerous disease, from the effects of which it is difficult to recover in a lifetime. No singer can be an artist under six years of diligent, uninterrupted work, and fortunate and especially gifted is the vocalist who reaches the desired goal in that comparatively brief period of study. There is no such thing—perhaps person would be better—as a natural singer, any more than there can be a natural lawyer or a natural chess player. Hard study and long practice, fed by the right kind of ambition, tell the whole story.
7Here is a musical conundrum for you: What pious song did Adam sing in the Garden of Eden? I asked a friend the other day and he replied: "Why, that's very easy—'Nothing but Leaves,' which wasn't half bad; only the real answer is 'Eve 'n' Me.'"
9One more pretty song from the fluent pen of John Francis Gilder, "Love, Come Back to Me." The words are by Eugene Pintard. I can find nobody who ever heard of Mr. Pintard before; and my private opinion, here publicly expressed, is that Mr. Gilder wrote the words himself. They are certainly very good of their kind, and go well with the musical rhythm of the song. The composition is on the popular order, and of course has a tempo di valse movement at the end of each verse. John Francis wrote a waltz-song years ago, entitled "Through the Valley," which still enjoys a gratifying sale.
11I want to correct a mistake I recently made in this column relative to my good friend Purdon Robinson. He has not given up his classes in Utica, N. Y., but on the contrary is teaching there now two days each week. He is a great favorite there as here, and the Utica people will never let him go if they can help it. Purdon has abandoned his rooms at the Mendelssohn Glee Club Building and taken a more commodious studio in the new "Life" Building in West Thirty-first street. What a blessing to be so convenient to Muschenheim's!
13The Rev. and Mrs. Robert Bruce Clark, of Goshen, N. Y., will celebrate their crystal wedding to-morrow evening at their home. Mr. Clark is the talented conductor of the Goshen Vocal Society, whose annual music festivals have reached so high a scale of merit and importance.
15Naturally music will be a prominent feature at the celebration, and among those expected to participate are the gentlemen of the Schumann Male Quartet, of New York. Our compliments, congratulations and best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Clark.
17Edward G. Marquard, the well-known baritone, formerly of the Temple Quartet, of Boston, will teach a large class this season in a recently formed institute in New Brunswick, N. J., to be known as the New Brunswick Musical Academy. Other professors will be Dr. S. N. Penfield, piano, organ and theory; Otto Geitner, violin, and J. R. Holland, 'cello. The new academy starts out with every prospect of big success.
19Mr. and Mrs. Regnar Kiddé gave their second concert and entertainment at the Hotel Castleton, St. George, Staten Island, on the evening of September 18, assisted by Mrs. Carrie Martin Cowtan, soprano; Miss Cornelia Dyas, pianist; Anton Hegner, 'cellist, and George F. Bauer, accompanist. There were thirteen numbers on the program, and not one of them was dull or mediocre.
21And still another new male quartet—the title this time being the Haydn Quartet of New York! Well, gentlemen, there's always room at the top, as a mighty statesman once said, and so far as I can see you ought to be able to get pretty nearly there in time with lots of practice and mutual good feeling. No quartet, male, female or mixed, ever has succeeded or ever will succeed where one man or woman feels above the others, musically or socially. The best of good nature, coupled with earnestness of purpose, must constantly prevail. The more each singer studies the others, the greater knowledge each possesses of the other's idiosyncrasies, the oftener "a soft answer turneth away wrath," in just these proportions real and lasting success will be achieved and the ensemble work approach absolute perfection. The four gentlemen who have recently bound themselves together after this fashion and to this end are William H. Raymond, first tenor; W. T. Van Yorx, second tenor; Edward G. Marquard, baritone, and Leon Parmette, bass; Mr. Marquard being recognized as the director. Mr. Raymond used to do similar work with the Lotus Glee Club, of Boston, and Mr. Marquard with the Temple Quartet, of the same city. The latter is at present precentor at the Emory Street Presbyterian Church, Jersey City Heights. Mr. Van Yorx, a bright and shining pupil of Courtney, is solo tenor of the Madison Avenue Baptist Church, and also of the Rev. Dr. Mendes' Jewish Temple, where Mr. Parmette sings the bass.
23Miss Olive Mead, the charming young violinist, met with all the success that anyone could possibly desire at the recent tenth annual music festival of the Western New Hampshire Musical Association at Claremont, N. H.
25The Misses L. Florence Heine, violin, and Marie L. Heine, piano, have during the past summer added to their already wide reputation, winning many laurels along the Pacific Coast. Among the engagements they filled were the following: August 29, recital at Unity Church, Los Angeles; September 4, recital, Assembly Hall, Paso Robles; 6, with the Loring Club, of San Francisco, first concert, eighteenth season; 12, concert, Unitarian Church, San José.
27Mrs. Schultz, the well-known soprano, of San Francisco, is in town, and her friends are trying to have her remain through the season, perhaps permanently. She is the solo soprano of the First Congregational Church of San Francisco, and has done a great deal of oratorio and concert work along the Pacific Coast. Mrs. Schultz is essentially a dramatic soprano, possessing a voice of uncommon power and very rich quality. Her studies have been long and faithful, so that she is now a thoroughly equipped artist. It is to be hoped that she will decide to stay in Gotham and become one of us. She is a lady of remarkably fine presence and a most entertaining talker. Her worse quarter is Martin Schultz, organist of the Howard Methodist Church, San Francisco, who has won for himself a high reputation as a composer and teacher.
29Hermann Wetzler, the gifted young composer and organist, has returned from his summer outing in Germany, and, revolver in hand, is hunting for me high and low—yet I am still living. During the past summer he sent me what I took to be a wedding announcement, and, as my readers are aware, I mentioned in this column that he was married. The card was in German, and seemed to me to say that a gentleman and lady desired to announce the marriage of their daughter to my friend Wetzler. I did not know that mere engagements were heralded forth in Germany in such fashion, as we don't do things in that way in the United States, and being a poor German scholar I naturally mistook the word meaning engagement for wedding. Well, it caused no end of fun and considerable trouble. Hermann's parents wrote him that they were shocked at his sudden step, of which they had no intimation, &c., while letters of congratulation and some wedding presents were sent to the supposed bride and groom. They don't intend to marry for two years yet, so that the humor of the situation I unwittingly made for them must be apparent to all. Will Mr. Wetzler please consider this a correction and an apology, and proceed to unload his guns, as the Gossip man is doing his level best?
31Miss Mariana Rogers, an amateur pianist and singer of uncommon ability, whose home is in Petersburg, Va., is this week visiting friends in Gotham. She is a niece and pupil of the talented composer, Frederick Charles Hahr, who likewise lives in Petersburg. Miss Rogers is a most charming musician, and clearly shows in her voice and playing that she is for music heart and soul.
33Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Comstock have issued invitations for a musical "at home" at 100 Ross street, Brooklyn, next Wednesday evening.
35George W. Fergusson, the eminent baritone, has booked the following dates, among others: October 6, Buffalo, with the Orpheus Society; 10, Pawtucket, R. I., where, with Miss Lillian Blauvelt, he will open the new music hall; 17, St. Louis, song recital, with Mrs. Nathaniel Hazard, soprano, when they will be accompanied by the gifted song writer, Alfred G. Robyn; February 20 and 28, Art Institute, Brooklyn; March 7, Sullivan's "Golden Legend," Chicago, with the Apollo Club. George W. has big prospects for this season, and he deserves every bit of his success.
37William A. Howland, that most excellent baritone, soloist at the Church of the Divine Paternity, has left the Bostonians after two successful seasons with them, and next year will settle in Gotham in his own studio. A beautiful sacred song by Mr. Howland, "That Glorious Song of Old," has recently been published by Ditson. Together with his cousin, Miss Laura Halsted Graves, contralto, and Arthur J. Bassett, pianist, Mr. Howland gave a very successful musical on September 13 in Horticultural Hall, Worcester, Mass. On the program then given Mr. Howland appeared as composer, singer and pianist. He sung his own song "Dolores" and played on a second piano the orchestral parts to the first movement of a Beethoven concerto, and to Mendelssohn's "Capriccio," op. 22. The Worcester "Spy" said: "The concert was in some sense Mr. Howland's swan song, for he will soon remove permanently to New York. The beauty of his baritone voice is proverbial in this city, and he sings with so much of earnest feeling and musicianly freedom that the approval of his audience is won instantly. His enthusiastic interpretation of Schumann's 'Two Grenadiers' was quite the climax of the evening." Worcester is Mr. Howland's old home. He is at present in Bridgeport, Conn.
39Two more of J. Eldon Hole's pupils are settled in prominent church positions: Miss Marie Jardine, solo soprano of Holy Innocents Roman Catholic Church, and Miss Susie Harris, solo alto of the Synagogue, at Lexington avenue and Seventy-second street.
41David Torrence has gone upon the road as principal baritone in "The Fencing Master," succeeding Hubert Wilke. Perry B. Turpin, second tenor of the Apollo Quartet, of Washington, D. C., was in town last week.
43A Prolific Composer.—It is announced from Berlin that the Emperor William has sent a cantata, of which the words as well as the music were written by himself, to Queen Margherita, of Italy. The work is intended to exalt Her Majesty's personal and intellectual qualities.
45Opera in St. Petersburg.—The company engaged by Carlo Guidi for the opera at St. Petersburg is composed of prime donne: Sembrich, Calvé, Pacory, Leone, Guerrini and Ruggieri; tenori: Marconi, Avedano and Pela-galli-Ravetti; baritoni: Battistini and Cotogni; bassi, Nannetti and Silvestri. Director of the orchestra, Maestro Podesti.
47CONCERT TOUR,
48"NEW YORK CELEBRITIES"
49The most attractive Company on the road.
50SECURE YOUR DATES.
51Under the management of
52Mr. LOUIS BLUMENBERG,
53WEBER PIANO WAREROOMS,
545th Avenue and 16th Street, New York.
56THE NEW YORK
57SCHOOL OF OPERA AND ORATORIO,
58106 and 108 East 23d Street.
59EMILIO AGRAMONTE, Director.
60The only special school devoted to the study of opera and oratorio in this country. Course system and separate branches system both used. A series of Twelve Operatic Performances will be given at a first class theatre with costumes and accessories, will be inaugurated in December. Evening opera choral classes for those wishing to become professional choristers. Course now forming, materially application. Examination for a full scholarship (tenor) will take place on September 22, from 2 to 6 p.m. Among our last year's graduates. Miss Maud Bliss has been engaged by Mr. Francis Wilson and Miss Rena Atkinson by Mr. Wm. T. Carleton. one of two readings
61The only special school devoted to the study of opera and oratorio in this country. Course system and separate branches system both used. A series of Twelve Operatic Performances will be given at a first class theatre with costumes and accessories, will be inaugurated in December. Evening opera choral classes for those wishing to become professional choristers. Course now forming, materially application. Examination for a special scholarship (tenor) will take place on September 22, from 2 to 6 p.m. Among our last year's graduates. Miss Maud Bliss has been engaged by Mr. Francis Wilson and Miss Rena Atkinson by Mr. Wm. T. Carleton. one of two readings
62The scholastic year will commence Monday, September 24, 1894. SEND FOR NEW CATALOGUE 1894-95.
64MISS DORA VALESCA BECKER,
65THE AMERICAN VIOLINISTE.
66ADDRESS:
671402 Lexington Ave.,
68NEW YORK.
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