Scan 30
Musical Courier 1894-12-12: Vol 29 Iss 770, 1894
78 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 29. 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.
1a "trio" par excellence to accomplish in New York, and the personnel of this one just formed is very promising. Mr. Gallico, who is known as an intelligent musician and pianist, has also gone into the composing field, and has a strong gift for improvisation. Messrs. Koert and Kronold have both old, capable records. Waldemar Bargiel's trio in F major, op. 6, was the trio number, and disclosed an already smooth and effective ensemble. The last movement, "Allegro con fuoco," went with fire and dash. Mr. Gallico and Mr. Koert also played the "Kreutzer Sonata" in quite brilliant style.
3Mr. Conrad Behrens gave a concert on Saturday evening at Chamber Music Hall, assisted by his pupils, Miss Marguerite Arcularius, Miss Hermine Hilseman and Mr. Julius Schenck. Mr. Dirk Haagmans played some Grieg piano solos and Mr. Henri Haagmans a concert allegro of Popper for 'cello. The concert was a success, which was largely aided by the introduction of the autoharp, which was played with good effect by Mr. Aldis J. Gery. Two solos arranged by Mr. John Cheshire—Schumann's "Traumerei" and "The Evening Star" song from "Tannhäuser" went well on this instrument, which has a tone of remarkable penetration. It pleased the audience immensely, who insisted upon an encore, and got it. The entire program of the concert was good.
5When an operatic artist lifts up his or her voice in domestic environment how unusually brilliant it sounds! Lucille Hill, who is staying up on West End avenue with her friend Mrs. Alfred Kayne (Attalie Claire), trolled out a few bars of the memorable "Selva Opece" in "Tell"—which she wasn't able to sing and which Drog forgot—between the sips of her tea at 5 o'clock the other afternoon, and if it is going to carry from the stage, as it suggests, she is bound to make a big hit at the Metropolitan. Her speaking voice is rather hard and unmusical, making a strong contrast. But she is temperamentally what one would call an extremely jolly good fellow. All her exercise, all her riding—and she rides in the Park a great deal—won't restrain her embonpoint, or what the Philadelphians called her "unromantic fatness." She takes it good naturedly, and says if she can't reduce the fatness without reducing the voice she'll keep the voice at costly sacrifice of outline.
7She bubbles over with animal spirits, and, indeed, on the same day she was seen last week made a strong contrast to Zelie de Lussan, who returned from Philadelphia depressed. This effort to combat the Calvé precedent is trying de Lussan sorely, and, she feels, unfairly. Her handicap was too heavy. At home she is a really beautiful girl, a youthful Patti, with more warmth of natural coloring and the frankest, most cordial and intelligent of manner. It is pretty hard on de Lussan, especially after England's Queen, had more or less petted her and fêted her, after London had given its unqualifiedly flattering verdict to her "Carmen."
9Milan.—"Manon," by Massenet, created a furore at the "Internazionale," Milan.
11The "Trovatore," who heard the band of the "Fourth Infantry discourse the German Emperor's "Song to Aegir," gives his impressions on the work in the following lines:
13Recipe: piglia un pizzico
14Di buona Marsigliese,
15Un po' di Flauto magico,
16E un po' di bel Paese
17Della cucagna. Mescola
18Sei gocce d'elisir
19Borussia. Scuoti; assaggialo.
20Avrai l'Inno ad Eghir.
22Italy.—Another theatre has closed its doors in Italy. After two representations of "l'Ombre" and "La Serva Padrona," the management of the "Carignano," at Turin, closed and disappeared. Another enterprising manager has reopened the theatre with "Don Giovanni."
24Leoncavallo has finished a ballet for the Imperial Opera House in Vienna. The subject is taken from "Reinecke Fuchs," by Göthe, and in several of the scenes an invisible chorus will be heard.
26Mme. Stolzmann, the directress of the "Costanzi," in Rome, and the San Carlo, in Naples, has published the prospectus for the winter season. These are the members of the double company:
28Soprani, Mmes. Emma Nevada, Menidoroz, Cerne-Wul- mann, Cesares, Bianchini, Morgantini, Orlandi, Orlandi, Bianca Barducci; mezzo soprani, Emma Steinbach, Bellin- fante, Berti-Gecchini; tenors, MM. Beduschi, Grani, Giusto, Tomei, Sodi; baritones, Kaschmann, Sparapani, Gregoretti, Angeli, Achilli; basses, Tamberlini, Ciccolini, Franceschini; premières danseuses di rango francese, Mmes. Bella, Danesi; dancer, Luigi. The musical directors are Lombardi and Acerbi. Repertory, among other works, "Otello," "Romeo e Giulietta," by Gounod; "Mefistofele," "Cristoforo Colombo," by M. Franchetti, and "Griselda," by Giulio Cottrau. As novelties, "Celleste," by Lamonaca and Biondi; "La Fornarina," by Collina, and "Corrado," by M. Marracino. A romantic ballet in eight tableaux, "Gretchen," by the dancer Danesi, music by Enrico Bernardi and Venanzi.
30The season at Naples will open December 15, and that of Rome on December 26, both with "Otello."
32An Irish musical union has been organized in this city, and I believe I hear Mr. Victor Herbert asking where it is. Mr. W. H. Downes is the promotor of the union. He is afraid that Irish songs and music are becoming extinct, and he wants to save them. There will be a meeting to perfect the organization in Irving Hall to-morrow night. The society is to be called "The Boys and Girls of Erin," but it is not to have the juvenile character that would ordinarily be suggested by this name. Women who can sing well and men who can play on orchestral instruments or bagpipes are eligible for membership.
34Mr. Abram Ray Tyler turned on the stops of the monster organ of the New York Avenue Methodist Church last Saturday afternoon and played in the twilight for an obliged and numerically considerable part of the public. It was his third recital. He was assisted by Mr. William H. Harper, tenor, and Mr. Carl Fique, pianist.
36A series of musical and miscellaneous entertainments has been undertaken at the Bethesda, the People's Church, on Ralph avenue. These entertainments are called "national nights." The second of them, last Friday, was devoted to Irish songs and poetry.
38The Bon Secours Club gave a musicale at the Pouch mansion, Tuesday night, for a charity. The big rooms of this house are rapidly coming into demand as concert halls.
40Miss Nellie M. Duryea, a bright young music teacher, gave a well attended concert at Avon Hall Tuesday evening.
42At the rehearsal of the Brooklyn Choral Society a few nights ago in the Polytechnic Institute the singers mustered nearly 350, and did such good work under the lead of Mr. Arthur Claassen that an excellent performance of "The Messiah" is looked for at the Academy of Music the 22d inst. After the rehearsal an informal concert was given, the numbers being sung and played by Mr. J. J. Carmody, tenor; Mr. C. A. Lundine, baritone; Mrs. Marie Rappold, soprano, and Mr. Carl Fique, pianist. For the public performance of the oratorio the directors have engaged Miss Effie Stewart, Mrs. Carl Alves, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Ericson Bushnell and a large orchestra.
44The Choir Guild of the Long Island Diocese gave a good account of itself Wednesday night. Its third annual festival occurred at St. Luke's Church, and the edifice was filled to the doors. Nine choirs, aggregating over 200 men and boys, took part in the program, and the voices were supported by an orchestra of thirty pieces and an organ. Mr. J. E. Van Olinda, of St. Luke's Church, was precentor, and Mr. Charles S. Yerbury, of St. Bartholomew's, was at the organ. Mendelssohn's "Hymn of Praise" was sung with skill and spirit under Mr. Van Olinda's direction. An anthem by Mr. Henry G. Eskuche, of St. Mary's, was given under the composer's direction, and Mr. Yerbury introduced a processional hymn of his own. Bishop Leighton, in place of a formal sermon, gave a brief history of music in the Episcopal church.
46Miss Louise Hoch gave a concert at Historical Hall Thursday evening for the benefit of a church building fund.
48At the performance of "A Russian Honeymoon" by the girls of Packer Institute, in Memorial Hall, last Tuesday evening, the music was furnished by Mr. William J. Peterson, and was all Slavic.
50Mrs. Emil Paur played for us in Historical Hall Friday night and made a good impression. She also drew a crowd, and that is not usual, I assure you, in this hall, for it is whispered darkly among the people of our town that it is under the spell of a hoodoo. It is a cheerless place, with hard seats, and is below the level of the street, so that all the wagons and hand organs and small boys seem to be in the box office. Mrs. Paur is the wife of our good friend Emil, of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She has been so long enough to suggest him a little, for you know how married folks do grow to look like one another, to the great sorrow of the one who was the better looking at first. Mrs. Paur is the better looking. She has a winning, matronly dignity and amiability, and her performance at the piano is as self-contained and as modest as one could wish. She is not a star player. There are no fireworks in her art, and she was least happy in the opening and closing of her pro-
52BROOKLYN
54(no line here) one of two readings
55BROOKLYN, December 10, 1894.
57SOUSA and his band have been with us. They played Saturday at our big and seldom used rink, which if it could be cleaned a bit would be a good place for such concerts, and last night he was at the Columbia Theatre. His band is to rest during the holidays, for he has kept at work almost constantly since last winter. Of course there was the customary enthusiasm over the marches, and Mr. Sousa does write a very good march to march by. For concert purposes a few of us would prefer the "Kaiser" or "Huldigungs." His music gives innocent pleasure to a good many. Perhaps we do not take him seriously enough.
59Did you ever try to reform a Philistine? If so you may have had the same kind of discouragement that I recently endured. There is a bright young man who ought to like music, but I fear he doesn't, although he thinks he does. On my earnest recommendation he went the other night to hear one of the big orchestras in a not too classical program, and came around to report the result.
61"You liked it, didn't you?" I asked.
63"We-e-ell, yes." He took a rather doubtful tone. "It was fine, I tell you, to see all those fiddle bows going together. It was just like a piece of machinery. But, darn it, why can't they play 'Comrades' or 'Sweet Marie,' or things with real music in them, that people can like and understand?"
65And I fell a-wondering if there were others.
67And that reminds me of a personal experience I had in the house of a distinguished judge in Washington—a man of learning and social consequence. Somebody told him that I played on the piano. I did, a little, tiny bit, then, and I played a little Schumann fragment or something of the sort, while he sat gravely by with a slow, approving nod. When I had finished he said:
69"I like music with tunes, don't you? Now, there was a piece that used to be very popular here some time ago. Perhaps you recall it. If you do, I would like you to play it. It was a song called 'Shoo Fly.'"
71Generally I am a pretty hard fainter, but I slid out of consciousness easy that time.
73These people have the merit of perfect sincerity. They are not aware that they are trespassing on anybody's instincts, don't you know! They will go to Joseffy or to Paderewski or to Mr. Thallon, or any of those big people and ask just as innocently for tunes as they will go to an amateur. But imagine them doing that sort of thing to any other kind of an artist than a musical one!
75Suppose one of these heathens were to go to Mr. Sargent or Mr. Millet and say, "Will you please paint me a picture of two little dogs fighting, like the one they gave away last month with the 'Weekly Shockers'?" Or suppose they said, "Oh, Mr. Irving, the company would so like to hear you recite 'Curfew Shall not Ring To-Night.'" What would they get? They ought to get six months. Yet they will gambol up to a big singer or player and say, "Now, you just must play Smith's March before you go, Mr. Rummel, and all the girls insist that you shall sing 'The Widow's Appeal for Her Son,' Mr. De Reszké. It's perfectly elegant!" Isn't it blood curdling?
77Pretty Maud Powell played at Association Hall last Wednesday, both at the matinée and the evening performance. She is at the head of a quartet now. Smart girl! She knows that if she was attractive before, she must be twice as attractive with a background of horrid, ugly men. This is no reflection on Messrs. Joseph Kovarik, second violin; Franz Kaltenborn, viola, and Paul Miersch, 'cello. They are no more horrid or uglier than the rest of us, but what is the least worst of us compared to the women, bless 'em! Miss Powell has more than looks. She plays with a smooth, true hand; she has remarkable dexterity—this is one of the occasions when that word can be used in its true sense—and she has intelligence and expression. The quartet sounds a little new, and it will play with more authority and impulse in a few weeks. The program was brief, but enjoyable. It led off with Haydn, followed with Volk- mann, Liszt, Victor Herbert and Grieg, Miss Powell herself taking Ries' "Gondoliera" for her solo. Miss Charlotte Mac- conda sang some operatic bits and English ballads with an easy confidence, and the accompaniments were played by Mr. Henry F. H. Benedict, under whose direction the concert was given. Mr. Benedict did his work with the bashfulness that is characteristic of him, though when he is once at the piano he gains confidence. The next concert in the Brooklyn Institute Course will occur on the night behind Christmas, when the Mendelssohn Glee Club will sing.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.