Scan 12
Musical Courier 1894-11-21: Vol 29 Iss 767, 1894
57 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026. Printed page 13. See the scan on archive.org.
1LONDON LETTER
3BRITISH OFFICE OF THE MUSICAL COURIER.
415 Argyl street, LONDON, W., October 31, 1894.
6SIEGFRIED WAGNER is expected to arrive in London from Amsterdam to-morrow. He has just been conducting a performance of his father's works in the Dutch capital. Previously to this he spent several days in Paris, where he proposes to pay a flying visit on his return, and has arranged to witness a production of "Die Walkure."
8I believe that every seat has been sold for the concert at Queen's Hall, and everything looks as though Siegfried Wagner would be warmly welcomed on his arrival in London.
10Josef Hofmann has met with great success on his tour in the provinces, which will include forty-three appearances during the next two months. At Manchester he was so successful and the people were so enthusiastic that he will give a second recital there early in December.
12Mlle. Trebelli goes to Holland, where she will appear in concert November 28, at The Hague, and the following evening at Amsterdam, where Sarasate also plays the same evening. This makes the fourth season that Mlle. Trebelli has sung at these orchestral concerts.
14Siloti while in England played at the Crystal Palace and at two or three places in the country, but was unable to stay long enough to give recitals in London. He will return the end of February, and remain the greater part of March, giving in all ten or twelve recitals in England and Scotland, including one or two in London.
16At the Crystal Palace last Saturday afternoon Mr. Hamish McCunn's "Land of the Mountain and the Flood" opened a fine program. This bright and popular piece I have spoken of many times before. It was followed by a fine interpretation by Ysaye of Max Bruch's concerto for violin and orchestra, No. 2 in D, which was written for Sarasate and played by him accompanied by the composer at these concerts November 3, 1877. This was substituted for Saint-Saëns' concerto for violin and orchestra, No. 3, on account of the instrumental parts not arriving in time. In the latter part of the program Ysaye played the fantasia on airs from "Faust" (Wieniawski), receiving a second recall, but not responding.
18A new vocalist, Miss Otta Brony, was introduced to the patrons of this institution in the recitative and aria, "Sombre Foret," from Rossini's "Guillaume Tell." Her voice is rather small, but of good quality. She displayed excellent style in the interpretation of this selection, and later on sang Bendel's "Wie beruht mich Wundersam." I must make special mention of the fine interpretation that Mr. Manns' forces gave to Tschaikowsky's "Symphonie Pathétique" in B minor. Weber's "Euryanthe" overture completed the program.
20Mr. Franz Rummel gave his second and last piano recital of the season at St. James' Hall last Wednesday afternoon. It will be remembered that he first gave an orchestral concert, which I noticed in these columns. Mr. Rummel, who has not been here in several years, certainly made a profound impression on the musical population of London. His fine technic and powers of interpretation were enjoyed by a large audience, which testified repeatedly its genuine pleasure in listening to his performance of a finely selected program, commencing with "The Harmonious Blacksmith," and including Beethoven's sonata, op. 27, Schumann's fantasia, op. 17, and shorter selections from Mendelssohn, Schumann, Schytte, Chopin, Brahms, Brassin and Liszt. Mr. Rummel is one of the few artists who are masters of expression, as we understand it in the best sense, when played on that wonderful instrument, the modern orchestral grand piano. When Mr. Rummel again comes to London to give recitals I am sure he will meet with a warm reception. Arrangements have already been made for his appearance here February 12 and 19. Negotiations are pending for his appearance at the Philharmonic in April, and also for several recitals in the North of England and Scotland.
22I have before me the program of a recital given by Mr. Ernest Meads, assisted by Miss Mary Willis and Mr. Arthur Barlow, vocalists, and Miss Edith Willis, accompanist, which was given at Princes' Hall, October 25. The program contains a good selection of popular vocal numbers, which interspersed Mr. Meads' recitations from Shakespeare, Macaulay, Overton and Jerome.
24Miss Olive Harcourt gave her first concert at Queen's (small) Hall last Friday evening, when she was assisted by Miss Kate Wolff, pianist; Mr. Mirko Belinski, 'cellist; Mr. Henry Ward, basso, and Mr. Theodor Plowitz, who conducted.
26On Saturday afternoon, October 27, Mr. Bonawitz gave an "Invisible" concert in the Queen's (small) Hall. As on the previous occasion last May, the executants were hidden from sight behind screens, ferns and flowers. An interesting program was well interpreted by the concert giver, assisted by Mme. Schreiber and other well-known performers, and the advantages of this method of performance again demonstrated. It is hoped that Mr. Bonawitz will persevere and give the public plenty of opportunities to come to a well considered conclusion, and thus thoroughly test this important question.
28The first Popular Concert of the season, No. 1,288 of the series, was given in St. James' Hall last Monday evening. These time honored concerts are truly "popular," for the hall was filled. The quartet, consisting of Mr. Whitehouse, 'cello, Mr. Gibson, viola, and Mr. Ries, second violin, was lead by Miss Wietrowetz, first violin. This lady is a pupil of Joachim; she is an intelligent player, thoroughly in sympathy with the classics, and makes a fairly satisfactory leader. Her rhythm is just a little unsteady—a womanly quality, however—and she possesses more warmth than finish. Beethoven's great E flat quartet, op. 74, was chosen to open the concert, and it received a forcible and intelligent interpretation, though in the presto the players almost came to grief with the time. Leonard Borwick was the pianist, and in a masterly manner played Beethoven's last sonata, op. 111. He was many times recalled, and finally was compelled to play an encore. He afterward joined Miss Wietrowetz and Mr. Whitehouse in a Schumann trio. Mrs. Helen Trust sang in a pleasing manner. These concerts are pure and simple classical chamber music concerts, and vocal music is sparingly introduced only as a relaxation from the severer strain of the instrumental compositions.
30The same evening Mr. Ernest Fowles gave the first of a series of concerts of British chamber music, and the Queen's (small) Hall was filled with an enthusiastic audience. The principal works were by Stanford, Parry and Ashton. Algernon Ashton stands high among British chamber music composers, a position which he holds by virtue of the power, brilliancy, depth and originality of his compositions. His second quintet in E minor was chosen to represent him that night. Dr. Stanford's beautiful string quartet in G, op. 44, was most favorably received. The learned Cambridge professor has lavished a wealth of ideas and technic in this work, but he does not seem to be quite as much at home as in his orchestral works. Dr. Parry was not at his best in the duet in E minor for two pianos. Oratorio, a branch of the art most successfully cultivated by him, is more natural to him than modern piano technic. The executive artists were all of the first order, but special mention should be made of Miss Agnes Zimmermann, pianist; W. H. Squire, 'cellist, and Miss Hilda Wilson, contralto.
32Mr. Whitney Mockridge, the Canadian tenor, and Mr. John Lemmone, the flutist, from Australia, last Thursday afternoon made their formal débuts before the London public at an Invitation concert given by Mr. Daniel Mayer, at the Salle Erard. Mr. Mockridge chose for his principal song the recitative and aria, "How frail and weak" and "Lend me your aid," from Gounod's "La Reine de Saba." The room was hardly large enough for his voice to be heard to the best advantage, and consequently he did not make the effect he would have done in a larger auditorium. All present were impressed with his dramatic talent and fine tenor voice, and no doubt, now that he is fairly launched before the public, he will become one of the great favorites here. He has already booked a number of engagements, notices of which will be seen in these columns from time to time.
34Mr. John Lemmone chose to be first heard in Widow's duet for piano and flute, op. 34, which was introduced to London by M. Taffanel last season, playing later on Briccialdi's "Il Vento" and two Spanish dances by Pessard. Mr. Lemmone showed himself to be a thorough musician, and produced an unusually fine tone on his instrument. He is certain to take high rank here among the flutists of the day.
36Madame Augarde completed the trio of artists brought forward by Mr. Mayer on this occasion. Her first solo was Beethoven's sonata in E minor, which she followed by Liszt's "Liebestraum," and Scharwenka's "Valse Caprice." In the sonata she gave a technically correct, but uninspired performance, putting a little more individuality however, into her other two selections. Mrs. Whitney Mockridge and Signor Carlo Ducci accompanied.
38Mr. Dal Young, the composer-pianist, gave an exhibition of his talents in the latter capacity at the Queen's (small) Hall last evening. My representative was not very favorably impressed with this young man's interpretation of the classics on the piano. He seemed to indulge somewhat in exaggerated feeling, and his playing lacks vigor. His own "Fantasiettes lyriques" (op. 4), published by Weeks & Co., proved a popular number, and we believe that Mr. Dal Young would succeed better in the field of composition than as a virtuoso. I learn, however, that he made himself very popular in Rome, where he played in various embassies and palaces. He was two years a pupil of Leschetizky. "Little Christopher Columbus" has migrated from the Lyric Theatre, where he has entertained large audiences for something over a year, and has taken up his abode at Terry's Theatre on the Strand. The part of the young hero is now filled by Miss Addie Conyers with great success, otherwise the cast is the same as that already mentioned at the Lyric. Everything points to continued prosperity for this popular piece.
40Herr Berg, who hails from the Berlin Conservatoire, has been demonstrating his powers of endurance by giving a thirty hours' recital at the Royal Aquarium. He commenced on Friday afternoon and committees were appointed to relieve each other from time to time and see that he did not lift his hands from the keyboard during these thirty hours. He played all kinds of music, ranging from Mendelssohn to Strauss, and from Wagner to Chevalier, all from memory, taking in altogether some 400 pieces. He accomplished the feat, and at the end of his thirty hours' strife composed a gavotte, which he is going to call "The Thirty Hours Gavotte." He has arranged to continue these recitals once a week for the next three months, increasing one hour at each performance. Some mathematician has calculated that he would strike nearly 2,000,000 notes in the thirty hours. It must be evident to all that the cause of art is not served in these Herculean feats; in fact there is little art in them, though he claims to keep up the same brilliant technic during the entire performance.
42Arrangements are now made for Sarasate's appearance here next summer. Rosa Green is back in London after her visit home and her stay on the Continent, ready for work. One of her most important appearances will be in the "Golden Legend" on December 11 at Hull. At Mr. Gompert's concerts in the Salle Erard November 14 Mrs. Katharine Fisk will sing two songs of Brahms', with viola accompaniment. Mr. Whitney Mockridge will appear at the opening ballad concert on the 21st inst. Madame Clara Poole practically makes her début before the London musical world to-morrow evening in the "Elijah," given by the Royal Choral Society at the Albert Hall. I have arranged to cable an account of her appearance, which I trust my readers will be anxious to see.
44The Royal College of Music has given its first concert of the season in the temporary hall which is erected on the site where they intend building the combination of hall and theatre (a concert platform at one end and the stage and its fittings at the other) when some generous donor will put down the necessary money. The temporary structure holds over 500 people, and is made of wood and glass. On this occasion it proved excellent for sound, and will answer the purpose admirably until the new building is completed. The concert was one of chamber music by the students of the college, most of the numbers being well-known works, calling for no special comment. Those students who took part demonstrated that they were receiving excellent instruction at the hands of the professors of the college.
46M. Carvalho, director of the Paris Opéra Comique, will publish a volume of his musical and other reminiscences, which has been arranged to appear in serial form in "Le Matin." As it was M. Carvalho who first brought out "Faust," "Mireille," "Philemon et Baucis," "Romeo" and other operas of Gounod's, he will no doubt give some interesting matter concerning these and other experiences he has had while manager of the Lyrique and Opéra Comique.
48The discovery of a hitherto unknown opera by Hadyn in the archives of Count Esterhazy's castle at Eisenstadt may not be of much importance, as it is well known that Hadyn composed a number of short operas for the triumph of Prince Nicholas, most of them bearing undoubted signs of being written to order in a very short time and with very little to recommend them for public performance. This new discovery may prove to be one of these works, but as it is announced that it will be produced this coming season, we shall then have opportunity of judging its worth.
50It is now arranged that Dr. Mackenzie's new suite for violin, entitled "From the North," will be played the first time at Mr. Ernest Kiver's concert at the Queen's (small) Hall this evening. M. Sauret is the artist who will interpret these, and Dr. Mackenzie will conduct. The new sonata in two movements, allegro and pastorale andante, for violin and piano, by Miss Rosalind Ellicott, daughter of the bishop of Gloucester, will be also introduced by M. Sauret on this occasion.
52It is with regret that I have to notice that Miss Kate Rolla, through singing while suffering from a severe cold, has had to withdraw from her engagement at the Savoy Theatre. As she will not be able to appear again for some time without the risk of losing her voice entirely, the part of "Mirette" will be taken by Miss Florence St. John.
54Madame Patti has announced a provincial tour under the direction of Mr. Percy Harrison, of Birmingham.
56The Rev. W. D. V. Duncombe, Minor Canon of Hereford Cathedral, who it will be remembered was one of the contributors to the European edition of THE MUSICAL COURIER,
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