Scan 21
Musical Courier 1894-11-21: Vol 29 Iss 767, 1894
81 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026. Printed page 22. See the scan on archive.org.
1will probably always remain, that the great majority of violinists play only relatively in tune.
3The pianist Ashton is not on the same artistic level with the other two members of the company. The accompaniments were played in a musically manner, however. It would have been in better taste if he had not performed for his solo numbers works of his own composition solely. The Berlin public is accustomed to art and artists of a very high order. But even if his four short numbers possessed more musical value than they actually do it would have been more appropriate had he played something by standard composers at this his first concert in the world's musical metropolis.
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7The following evening I heard on the same stage another violinist, Anton Witek, the new concert-meister of the Philharmonic Orchestra. He played the Mendelssohn concerto, and in point of thoroughness and finish, he excelled the violinists of the previous evenings, though not as talented as either of them. It seemed very strange to hear an artist of Witek's calibre playing at a beer concert. Yes, at a beer concert! For the popular Philharmonic concerts, which take place twice weekly under Mannstaedt, are nothing but beer concerts on a grand scale. The Philharmonic is converted into an immense Kneipe, with tables and chairs arranged as at any cheap variety show; the large hall is always crowded with a typical German audience, and the beer mug is omnipresent. The true German, to be happy, must have his beer on all occasions.
9This great orchestra, the self same organization that won world wide renown under Bülow, discourses music twice a week to a lot of beer drinkers! To be sure the music is always of a high order, and the listeners are musical and appreciative. But there is something so grotesquely inconsistent between the sublime movements of a Beethoven symphony and a beer mug! I never can attend these popular concerts without mingled feelings of disgust and mirth.
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13The Hugo Heermann String Quartet, of Frankfort, gave two concerts at the Singakademie on the evenings of the 24th and 28th. I attended only the second one. They played Beethoven's quartet in D major, op. 18 No. 3, the one in E minor by Verdi, and the D minor by Schubert. Some musicians and critics consider this organization about equal to the great Joachim and Halir quartets. In point of ensemble it is, no doubt equal to them. The four Frankfort artists are, in fact, nearer the same level, as regards each other's playing, than are the members of the two great local quartets, of which the overpowering supremacy of the two leaders, Joachim and Halir, is clearly evident. But this does not prove that the standard of excellence of the Frankfort organization is higher. At no time did they play with that exquisite finish that characterizes the performances of the other two quartets.
15It is a peculiarity of some German critics that they prefer a lower general standard, of playing and a perfect ensemble to a higher standard if the first violin is much superior to the others. It is also the same thing in opera. I see no reason why the superiority of the leader should not be plainly visible, inasmuch as the first violin has decidedly the most important part, especially in the classics. Some of Haydn's chamber music requires great virtuosity of the first violin. Heermann is an admirable violinist, but he is not a Halir or Joachim. He has, however, the best 'cellist of the three clubs in the person of Hugo Becker. Hausmann is the weakest 'cellist of the three, though he has the greatest reputation of them all as yet, thanks to his relations to Joachim. The Heermann Quartet excel in the classics, but they are also excellent interpreters of modern music. The Verdi quartet was charmingly played, especially the "prestissimo," which called forth such applause that it was repeated.
17ARTHUR M. ABELL.
19MUSIC SENT FOR CRITICISM.
21H. R. Greene, New York.
23PAUL AMBROSE . . Thou'rt Like a Lovely Flower.
24A short, simple, unpretending song, for tenor voice with accompaniment for the violin and piano, is here found. The obligato for violin may be rendered also on the piano. It imitates the voice occasionally in such a manner as to appear like an answering echo, or sympathetic response that resembles an immediate acquiescence, and does not compete with the singer for recognition.
26This pleasant little lyric is selected from a collection of five, as being most worthy of notice, or best suited by way of introduction to this writer. If it finds a welcome perhaps the next best is "Exaltation" (dedicated to Miss Lucy Nelson), a much more passionate strain, which has English and German words. But as the word "Heaven" is somewhat awkwardly treated it will be better to use the German text, which clings more lovingly to the melody than the English. It is possible from internal evidence, such as this, that the music was fused in the composer's brain with the German, the English setting being the subsequent work of a poet.
28The underlying idea of the words is that joy and grief, when raised to their highest powers, have increased resemblances, as extremes meet. So very many songs are found to be about "nothing in particular" that one willingly takes note of this fact.
30H. B. Stevens Company, Boston.
31HOMER A. NORRIS, . . "Practical Harmony on a French Basis."
32This is a handsome handbook of ninety-one pages, which treats of practical harmony in the ordinary manner. It differs in no particular from the text books already well known.
34All have their good and bad points and rarely meet the requirements of teachers, pupils or the self taught.
36It is not asserted or even assumed that complete justice is done in this department; but it is claimed that sincere efforts are made that all criticisms may be accurate, fair, right, equitable and reasonable; that truth is not tampered with from charitable motives, or that the private interests of individuals (authors or publishers) are considered primarily and the public secondarily.
38For this reason it must here be pointed out, and specially for the benefit of persons desirous of learning something about the underlying principles of harmony adopted by the French composers in contradistinction to those of other countries, that no knowledge will be gained by the study of this book. It supplements nothing to be found in all standard treatises on harmony, and offers no new modes of viewing the whole subject, either by the use of cleverly constructed paradigms, mnemonic aids or explanations why certain motions are forbidden; yet for all this the book may prove generally useful, and chiefly because of the excellence of the exercises given to develop and test the powers of pupils.
40Whenever there is any matter that demands considerable ingenuity to properly and fully unfold, the pupil is directed to "follow the advice of his teacher." Difficulties are evaded in this way: "the teacher should explain as clearly as possible" (page 15). These melodies should be harmonized until made "satisfactory to the teacher" (page 32); "the student should now compose several short basses in major and minor modes. The arrangement of all like work must be left to the discretion of the teacher." For the successful performances of operations such as these by a beginner the book offers but little assistance. At this stage of study such attempts are usually disheartening, unless the instructor has extremely well thought out methods of teaching, and which greatly surpass those employed here. For instance, the author shows the difference between "C sharp" and "D flat" (page 80) to be one comma, giving five commas from "C" to "C sharp" (page 79) and four from "C sharp" to "D." Here information stops.
42When this little knowledge is acted upon it will prove untrustworthy, for if the pupil attempt to apply it and take the tone from "D" to "E," in which there are but eight commas (in this diatonic scale of "C") he will be unable to measure off his chromatic semitone.
44It is better to avoid raising questions that cannot be immediately answered in so small a primer.
46It is, however, more strange that French methods are not only ignored completely in the text, but also in the musical illustrations, for these are all by German composers—Wagner, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Bach exclusively.
48Such words as "From Mozart to Brahms," or "This passage in Bach, Beethoven, Schumann or Wagner" (page 58), all indicate a direct avoidance of French composers.
50Gounod and Cherubini are merely quoted as having spoken in praise of the German—Bach (page 90) and Saint-Saëns for the good use of church scales, in common with Händel and Brahms.
52When the pupil is advised to take up the study of counterpoint he is not directed to either Germany or France, but to England. "The Novello Primer on Counterpoint, by J. Frederick Bridge, will be found sufficiently exhaustive." (Page 42.)
54No word of Berlioz, Cherubini, Choron, Logier or other master identified with the best French music or teaching of the past is quoted; nor is any characteristic peculiarity of the French composers or theorists so much as hinted at. The student of national traits, of distinguishing flavors, must look elsewhere.
56The author contents himself by praising his own French teachers and other French composers and theorists in eloquent terms, although vaguely, in the preface, and in holding out the promise that some examples "written expressly for this book" will appear in the forthcoming second part.
58We have all heard of politicians and ambitious scientists inventing theories, and then sending forth experts to procure at all costs the required facts; but not of grammarians retaining the services of authors to prove their statements. It is best, in music at least, to take existing quotations from the works of the best writers, which are not only accredited, but loved, and may not only be found in every library of music, but readily identified by a tyro when pondered in silence. All didactic theories of language and music must be based upon the usages of nations formulating existing facts; not possible facts, as yet non-existent.
60Trouble in Milan.—The Teatro dal Verme, Milan, has been closed, so our latest advices state. The two impresari, it is said, have disappeared with the available funds leaving the artists, &c., without resources.
62Carvalho, Author.—M. Carvalho, director of the Paris Opéra Comique, and husband of Mme. Miolan Carvalho, the great soprano, is about to publish his musical reminiscences in "Le Matin." He has been an opera manager for nearly forty years, first in the Théâtre Lyrique and afterward at the Opéra Comique. It was he who first produced Gounod's operas, "Faust," "Mireille," "Philémon et Baucis," and "Roméo." He was director of the Opéra Comique in 1887, when it was burned, and from 50 to 400 persons lost their lives.
64Milan.—Vittorio Vanzo, the genial music director to whose indefatigable energy the lovers of German opera owe the introduction in Italy of the "Merry Wives of Windsor," by Nicolai, and who has been laboring to make Italy acquainted with Wagner's works, having translated the libretti and led the Wagner concerts at the Milan Exposition, will likely conduct at the Scala "Tristan and Isolde" and "Tannhäuser." Ricordi is willing to give Sonzogno the right of production with this proviso, and as a season without a Wagner répertoire is almost out of question Sonzogno will gladly accept the alternative.
66Studios for Musicians and Teachers.
67Large rooms with electric light, steam heat and elevator service, in the new
68MASON & HAMLIN BUILDING, 136 Fifth Avenue.
69APPLY ON PREMISES.
71H. v. BULOW,
72CLASSICAL
73Pianoforte Works.
74with fingering, marks of execution and explanatory notes for teachers as for pupils. German and English Texts. The newest edition of
75CRAMER-BÜLOW STUDIES,
76carefully revised, containing 60 (not 30) studies, is brilliantly printed.
77PRICE ONLY $1.50.
78JOS. AIBL VERLAG,
79MÜNCHEN, GERMANY.
80(Catalogue post free on application).
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