Scan 19
Musical Courier 1894-11-21: Vol 29 Iss 767, 1894
48 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026. Printed page 20. 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.
1wieder," &c., testify sufficiently strong to the cordial feeling of the audience.
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4Since the beginning of the season we have had of Wagner's operas "Rienzi," "Lohengrin," "Tannhäuser," "Meistersinger," "Siegfried" and "Tristan and Isolde." The production of "Siegfried" and "Meistersinger" without outside assistance was made possible by the untiring zeal of Mr. Merkel, who in four months mastered and very creditably sung the parts of "Siegfried" and "Walther von Stolzing," in addition to the part of "Loki" in "Rheingold."
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7Next month Mrs. Kryzanowski-Doxat sings "Leonora" ("Fidelio"), "Valentine" ("Huguenots") and "Isolde" in Vienna, where she is engaged as first dramatic singer, subject to a satisfactory "Gastspiel." If the genial artist is well disposed there can be no doubt of the outcome.
9Mr. Demuth, also, is engaged to sing the principal baritone parts in a series of six performances of "Trovatore," "Traviata" (two), "Lucia" and "Rigoletto" (two), with Prevosti at the Karl Theatre in Vienna.
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12There are all kinds of customs in Germany. Recently one of the artists of the opera sang as a guest in another city. He was very successful, and the recipient of several beautiful laurel wreaths, for which, however, he received a bill the next morning. In surprise he questioned the florist and was informed that "it is the custom thus to send wreaths to visiting artists," for which the artists were expected to pay the following day. In this instance the trophies were promptly returned with the suggestion that an exception be made if at any time in the future this particular artist should return.
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15Sigrid Arnoldson sings "Carmen" in neighboring Halle next month, and will sing "Rosina," in "Barbier de Seville" here, if sufficient counter influence is not brought in the meantime.
17Verdi's "Masked Ball" will soon be revived at the Opera.
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20A sensation of no small proportions was recently developed by the exposure of certain proceedings at the opera. Not an unimportant feature of this sensation was the circumstance that the leading local papers, though in full possession of the facts, had maintained a deliberate silence. Leipsic has but three theatres—the Altes, Neues and Carola—and these are municipal institutions, managed by a lessee who is supposed to be governed by a code of rules and regulations prescribed by the city officials. The present lessee is Mr. Max Staegemann. The citizens, being the owners, are naturally very much interested in theatre affairs, and are inclined to strenuously resent any violations of the stipulations of contract.
22Recently two of the smaller papers, the "Gerichtszeitung" and "Zeitspiegel," presented credible information that the personnel of the opera, notably the chorus, was subject to treatment by the stage manager and one of the conductors of opera that was in violation not only of the by-laws but all principles of courtesy and humanity as well. As a result of this information becoming current, invitations were sent to the prominent citizens to attend a mass meeting at the Ton Halle some two weeks ago.
24On the evening in question, before a large representative gathering, the following facts were established: That the treatment which the chorus had received (of which the director had full knowledge) was of a nature which demanded the severest censure and the greatest precautions for the future. Utterances like "you must live in terror," "you must be beaten with staves," "such a company must be ruled with the knout," "I can do nothing with corpses," were proven by incontrovertible testimony to have been among the habitual bywords. Members of the female chorus frequently fainted from terror under such persecution.
26When the affair was thus publicly agitated the Burgomister also became aware of it, and a resultant interview with Director Staegemann had the effect of reparation in the form of apologies, promises, and so forth. A peculiar rule decrees that any member of the company who makes public a grievance, or files it with the authorities rather than with the director, is subject to a fine of one month's salary. In view of this and other conditions that are prejudicial to fair play with the company, resolutions to the council were adopted at the above mentioned meeting recommending various changes in the government of the theatres, notably the appointment of a commission to frequently visit the theatres for the purpose of investigation and hearing complaints, and in whose hands the distribution of free tickets shall be placed.
28Inconceivable as it may seem in America, where the representative papers deem it a favor to those interested to accept free tickets, the fear that the free tickets which are granted to the local papers and correspondents might be withdrawn seems to have been the principal cause of the general silence on the part of the papers. As a consequence the daily papers were denounced at the meeting as "parties in guilt," and many and severe were the condemnations of their course, especially in criticism. Withal the general belief with the Leipsic public is that the conditions of criticism are deplorable, and another meeting is proposed to ventilate that department of the "City of Muses."
30AUGUST GÜSSBACHER.
32Vienna.
33VIENNA OFFICE OF THE MUSICAL COURIER, October 28, 1894.
35THE three hundredth death anniversary of the two greatest church Composers, Palestrina and Orlando di Lasso, was celebrated, or commemorated, Monday evening in the large Music Verein Saal. I had read elaborate announcements of a chorus of three hundred voices, of an organist imported for the occasion, and excellent soloists engaged, and judging from the well filled house others shared my not modest expectations. Through courtesy to the intentions of the committee in charge, I quote the affair as a celebration, although more decided "katzen-musik" I have not heard in a long time. The effect was really quite appropriate—so sad, sorrowful, lamenting, dreary that the most ambitious ghost could desire no more. The program included selections from Palestrina's mass, "Ecce ego Johannes," a song of Lasso for double chorus, and worldly madrigals of each. Don't for one minute fancy I criticise the selections; I am really a warm admirer of good old church music, but in this instance it was a case of not what, but how. The chorus was thin and uneven, often ordinary, never unusual, and judging from the volume of sound they produced, or didn't produce, rather too poor in numbers, so the interesting compositions were given in a dry, dull, colorless fashion.
37Brahms, sitting opposite me, listened for a time in a devout manner, but it got too much for him and he withdrew from the scene of action. I was strongly tempted to do likewise, but lingered in the hope that the madrigals would redeem the concert from worse than mediocrity. It was, however, an illustration of "out of the frying pan into the fire." It seems that when Frau Güttmann agreed to sing the soprano parts she stipulated that Walter, together with some well-known bass and Frau Körner complete the quartet. For some reason or other these artists were not procured, and two men from the singing society of the Votive Church were elected to act as substitutes. Frau Güttmann refused to keep faith, Frau Körner did the same, and so two dames from the society were called to the rescue. I don't know their names, but one was young and pretty, a member of the opera chorus I was told, and she seemed to find the situation very amusing. She smiled bewitchingly, sang with considerable dash and go-aheadness, and looked generally charming, while the elderly alto took life seriously, solemnly, and looked as if every word were going to be drowned in tears and sobs. The men were so composed and serene that I knew they must be frightened half to death. There seemed to be a considerable variance of opinion as to what tone to begin on. The quivering alto and placid tenor agreed, but the soprano sort of warbled about from one key to the other, while the bass, for all the world like one of these wooden Indians in front of a cigar store, kept rigid duty in his mind's eye, and confident of his correctness sang stoically away, regardless of others. The effect was unique, as was also their mode of ending the fourth song; and as covering the prescribed ground seemed to be their one aim and ambition, they looked rather more content than the listeners when they bowed their thanks for no hisses. The concert was a decided disappointment.
39The first of Eduard Strauss' promenade Sunday concerts was given Sunday afternoon. The audience was small, but, as always, most enthusiastic, especially when one of the director's own compositions was played. Mr. Swedowsky played with success a new Hungarian ballade for violin, by Auer. His style was excellent and the tone pure and sweet, and he looked so young and unassuming that I heartily joined in the recall which followed. An uninteresting solo for the harp was played by Miss Suppant-schitsch. Several numbers were given from "Jabilla," and fascinating they were, while Eduard Strauss' new intermezzo was not in vain called "Hypnotischen Schlummer." A series of Johann Strauss' waltzes, from the year 1844 to 1894, were given. I always come away bewitched; the rhythm is certainly the most perfect in the world, so the confession need not seem hopelessly frivolous. The jubilee festivities proved too much for Strauss; he is simply worn out from over excitement and fatigue, and to cap the climax the influenza has him in its grasp.
41The "Fledermaus" is to be given Sunday afternoon in the Opera House with a magnificent cast—Renard, Mark, Schröder, Van Dyck, Dippel, Weidl, Forster, &c.—and with Strauss as director. This will be, in all probability, his last appearance as conductor, and the house is long sold out at enormous prices; but now there is a strong possibility that illness will prevent the Waltz King from wielding the baton. In the meantime every one hopes for the best.
43I have heard during the last ten days excellent productions of "Siegfried" and "Der Fliegende Holländer." Mr. Dippel, my congratulations and thanks for your interpretation of the former! As "Siegfried" Dippel is immense, a terrific surprise and a great delight, as the Viennese warmly acknowledged by their outbursts of applause. To tell the truth, I could not fancy Dippel a success in Wagner; his voice is too small and fine, so at least I thought; but until one has heard him in his personation of this trying rôle one has not heard the real Dippel. He sang exquisitely, artistically; his voice, so beautifully pure and refined, has broadened, and he was the ideal youthful "Siegfried." He gave himself so freely in the first two acts that I feared for the third, but there were no signs of fatigue evident, and he was as fresh at the close as the large audience whose attention he had so thoroughly sustained during the entire evening.
45Reichenberg is a man for whom I have quite a partiality, his excellent acting and powerful musical organ affording me ever new pleasure. Reichmann as the "Wanderer," Schmitt as "Mime," Horwitz as "Alberich," Warnegg as the "Earth" and Abendroth as the "Bird" completed a most satisfactory caste. Of Materna as "Brünnhilde," what shall I say? No one questions her mode of singing, or more than whispers that her voice has lost some of its freshness—but why, I ask, why must sopranos treasure up their voices in mountains of flesh! From the moment of her awakening realism vanished, and one felt and saw that it was only "make-believe," as the children say. My imagination is elastic, but to picture Materna as passion inspired and passion inspiring I simply can't do it. She looked so comfortable and earthly that I immediately realized supper had not yet fallen to my lot, and visions of ham, eggs and rolls haunted my tortured mind. Rosa Sucher, her every movement pretty, is an ideal "Brünnhilde."
47Reichmann, as the "Holländer," sang correctly and in
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