Scan 10
Musical Courier 1895-01-09: Vol 30 Iss 774, 1895
133 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 11. 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.
1under Professor Urban for composition, continuing his piano studies with his father.
3Through Mr. Hermann Wolff, Rubinstein was induced to hear the boy play, and so impressed was the master that he immediately consented to direct the boy's studies. Twice a week, after this arrangement was consummated—late in 1892—he journeyed to Dresden, where he studied with Rubinstein until he made his début on March 12 of this year at Berlin in Rubinstein's concerto in D minor, playing so well that the master embraced and kissed him on the platform. The method of this young musician's study with his master was not the usual course pursued: he took the works he had been studying to Rubinstein, who placed the music before himself on a table, while Josef played from memory. Never in a single instance did he interrupt him, but after the selection was finished, he would call him to where he was sitting and indicate to him where his reading was at fault, sometimes drumming the rhythm on the table, but only in two instances in the whole course of study did he sit down to the piano and show him on the instrument. After the corrections had been pointed out, young Hofmann would sit down and play it through once more. He never played any selection more than twice, and after he caught the spirit of Rubinstein he did not repeat them at all. In this manner he went through his entire répertoire, his aptness as a scholar being marvelous. After his début as a finished pianist he came to London last season, and gave several recitals, which were noticed in these columns. He has now made a second visit to England, giving one recital at St. James' Hall, and making a most successful tour of the provinces. He returned to Berlin, and after some six weeks' rest he played there at the Philharmonie in Saint-Saëns' concerto under Richard Strauss, and on February 3 at the Vienna Philharmonic under Dr. Richter in Rubinstein's concerto.
5Music in the Provinces.
7Edinburgh.—At the fifth orchestral concert of a series given by Messrs. Patterson & Sons, of Edinburgh, two new Scottish cantatas were performed for the first time.
9The first was a dramatic cantata, "The Kelpie," by Learmont Drysdale, who conducted. It is founded on the well-known ballad of Dr. Charles Mackay. The ballad shows Wagnerian influence, and the theme is expanded and elaborated with exceedingly clever orchestration, especially in the descriptive passages. The second is less pretentious and founded on the old ballad, "Sir Patrick Spens." This was also conducted by the composer. It contains much beautiful writing and was strongest in the choral numbers. An efficient force of eighty performers and a chorus of 160 voices gave both works to the satisfaction of the composers, and the large audience was extremely enthusiastic, recalling both men to the platform. The soloists were Miss Pauline Joran, soprano; Mr. Brozel, tenor, and Mr. P. Glen-corse, baritone.
11At M. Paul della Torre's piano recital, at Freeman's Hall on December 1, Mrs. John Lemmoni, the Australian flautist, appeared with great success.
13Brixton.—The Brixton Choral Society gave the first concert of their seventh season last week. Mr. Douglas Redman has brought the chorus up to a high standard of work and they acquitted themselves admirably in Beethoven's "Engende; Or, David in the Wilderness," and Hoffmann's "Melusina." The soloists were Miss Kate Drew, Miss Constance Barber, Mr. James Leyland, Mr. David Hughes and Mr. William Irvine. A good orchestra played the accompaniments well.
15Barnet.—The Barnet Choral Society gave an interesting concert at the Lecture Hall on Wednesday evening. The choir, under the conductorship of Mr. F. A. W. Docker (organist of St. Andrew's, Wells street), sang with admirable facility several part songs and choruses. The soloists were Miss Regina Atwater, Miss Emilie Mee, Miss Annie Layton, Mr. John Probert, Mr. Dan Price and Mr. Gerald Walenn (violin). Miss Regina Atwater was down for three songs, but sang with such effect that she had to give two encores. Mr. John Probert was also very successful in Beethoven's "Adelaide" and the "Irish Emigrant," having to respond for more, and Mr. Dan Price was accorded a like favor. The violinist exhibited marked talent and high executive powers in Svensden's Romanza. The hall was crowded, and all remained to the last number, thus showing the interest taken in the concert, which is the first given by the Barnet School of Music. This recently formed institution is well equipped with a competent band of professors, and is doing a good work in teaching the young musical ideas of that locality how to shoot.
17Wellington.—The first musical festival held in this town was given last Friday, when a performance of the "Messiah" took place in the parish Church in the afternoon, and a ballad concert was given in the Town Hall in the evening. The band and chorus of 250 performers were excellent under their capable conductor, A. K. Elworthy, Mus. Doc. The soloists were London musicians, including Miss Edith Bloomfield, Miss Annie Layton and Mr. Douglas Powell (basso), and the tenor was Mr. Edward Morgan, from Bristol Cathedral. Report speaks well of the work of these principals, especially of Mr. Douglas Powell. He has been engaged for the part of the "Prophet" in a performance of the "Elijah" by the Western Counties Musical Festival (of which the above society is a branch) next April in the cathedral at Exeter.
19Glasgow.
21GLASGOW, December 15, 1894.
23Glasgow has had quite a host of musical celebrities of late within her gates. This week we had Borwick and Hofmann.
25The opening concert was one given by the Choral and Orchestral Union. Their program was as follows:
27Prelude to the new opera, "Hänsel and Gretel"….E. Humperdinck
28Piano concerto in D minor……………………………Brahms
29Symphony in C minor, No. 8………………………..Beethoven
30Piano solos Barcarole, op. 60 and Scherzo No. 3 in C……..Chopin
31"Meistersinger" Overture…………………………..Wagner
33The prelude to the new opera is a most interesting piece of writing, founded as it is principally on the hymn tune which the lost children are supposed to sing. Few could have made such a successful opera out of the slight subject of a fairy tale. The prelude was very well played by the orchestra.
35In the Brahms concerto we had Mr. Leonard Borwick as soloist, and he gave a most powerful rendering of the part and was splendidly supported by the orchestra. At the close of the concerto Mr. Borwick was repeatedly recalled. This talented young artist is well worthy of the title of "our English Paderewski." In the performance of the Beethoven symphony the orchestra was not up to its usual high standard, the reason, I have no doubt, being that the symphony was rushed upon it immediately the concerto was finished. It left the impression that both conductor and men were tired. This opinion I have heard on all sides. Doubtless the management had some good reason for so doing, but if it could have been avoided it would have been much better. Having had such a magnificent interpretation of this symphony at the close of last season's concerts from Mr. Henschel and an interpretation unsurpassable from Mr. Richter at the beginning of this season, one felt sadly disappointed.
37Mr. Borwick's solos were beautifully played, and he had so many recalls that at last he had to play once again. The orchestra, like a giant refreshed after its interval of rest, thundered out the "Meistersinger" overture superbly, and earned hearty applause.
39Messrs. Paterson, Sons' & Co.'s Hofmann concert took place in the Queen's Rooms on Thursday evening. Little Hofmann, as we are accustomed to call him, has grown a bit since last I saw him—as a small boy in a velvet suit, who, with an awkward little bow after each piece, ran off the platform like a happy child released from school. He reminds me much in appearance of Rubinstein, although in Hofmann's case one almost feels that the lad's hard work has stunted his growth. But the moment he touches the piano you are left in no doubt as to whether his physical powers are stunted or not. You find a young giant who has not as yet learned altogether how to moderate his enormous physical force, and he simply roars out his forte passages to such an extent that you expect to see the hammers of the patient, much-enduring Bechstein flying skyward. Rubinstein indulged in "fine fury" on the piano, but I never heard him let you hear the sound of his hand coming in contact with the ivories. Mr. Hofmann is very young, and when he learns a few of the sad lessons which life has in store for us all he will know how to moderate his force, and to understand more fully the meaning underlying many of the pieces he now plays
41This was where Rubinstein's fascination lay: he understood life, and he saw deep down into the hearts of those who in their music had written their life's history; hence the difference—the one a boy, the other a man. Josef Hofmann, there is no question, is a lad of undoubted genius, destined shortly to overtop all living pianists. He was most successful in his playing of Rubinstein's pieces, and of the Liszt No. 6 Rhapsodie. His program was as follows:
43Prelude and fugue, D major (for organ)…………………Seb. Bach
44Three "Songs Without Words"………………………..Mendelssohn
45Variations, op. 14………………………………….Josef Hofmann
46Preludes—
47B flat major…………………………………………Chopin
48E flat major…………………………………………Chopin
49Sonate, B minor…………………………………….Chopin
50"Gretchen Am Spinnrade"……………………………Schubert-Liszt
51"Morgen Ständchen"…………………………………Schubert-Liszt one of two readings
52"Morgen Ständchen"………………………………..Schubert-Liszt one of two readings
53Suite, in G (new)……………………………………Moszkowski one of two readings
54Suite, in G (new)…………………………………..Moszkowski one of two readings
55Valse, op. 14…………………………………………Rubinstein one of two readings
56Valse, op. 14………………………………………..Rubinstein one of two readings
57Polka, op. 82…………………………………………Rubinstein one of two readings
58Polka, op. 82………………………………………..Rubinstein one of two readings
59Rhapsodie, No. 6……………………………………Liszt one of two readings
60Rhapsodie, No. 6…………………………………..Liszt one of two readings
62Mr. Hofmann was most enthusiastically received, and had frequent recalls.
64This (Saturday) afternoon M. Guilmant, the celebrated Parisian organist, gave a recital on the great organ in St. Andrew's Hall. The recital was one of the series of afternoon concerts organized by Messrs. Ewing & MacIntosh, music sellers, Glasgow. They provide over 2,000 seats at one penny each (fancy hearing Guilmant for one penny!), and the other seats are moderately priced at 1s. and 2s. The hall was crammed and M. Guilmant has no reason to complain of his reception. The organ solos were interspersed with tenor songs by Mr. Stuart Moncuse and a novelty in the way of saxophone solos by Mr. Mills, a member of the Scottish orchestra.
66To-night the Scottish Orchestra gave their sixth popular concert. Miss Pauline Joran was the solo vocalist. She was only moderately successful in her songs, "Quando a te lieta" ("Faust"), Gounod; two German songs, "Schlummerlied" and "Kinderlied," by Julius Hey, and Sullivan's "Guinevere." Miss Joran's intonation is far from being perfect, and is not made better by the painful tremolo she affects. The orchestral program was as follows:
68"Der Freischütz"……………………………………Weber one of two readings
69"Der Freischütz"…………………………………….Weber one of two readings
70Symphony No. 5, in E minor, op. 95, "From the New World"…Dvorák
71Characteristic piece for orchestra, "The Mill"………………Raff
72"Invitation to the Waltz"…………………………….Weber-Berlioz
73"Huldigungs-Marsch"………………………………..Wagner
75The opening overture did not seem to meet with its usual share of popular applause, but the symphony was most enthusiastically received, as it well deserves to be, and Mr. Henschel had repeatedly to bow his acknowledgments. The "Invitation" was hurriedly done and the tempo most unequal in some parts. The Popular audience is perhaps more critical than the classical audience, and its applause of this old favorite was not nearly so hearty as formerly; but in the "Huldigungs-Marsch" the orchestra rose to its best and gave us quite an exceptionally fine performance, which the audience was not slow to appreciate.
77Next week the Glasgow Amateur Orchestral Society gives a "big" concert in St. Andrew's Hall, and I hope in my next letter to have something to say about this society and its work.
79E. P. M.
81PUBLISHED BY
82G. SCHIRMER, NEW YORK.
83DELLA SEDIE.
84A Complete Method of Singing.
85PRICE, $2.00 NET.
87This is a condensation of the author's two great works, "Vocal Art" (three volumes), and "Aesthetics of Singing" (four volumes), which has been so skillfully accomplished that the essential part of the system remains practically intact.
89We believe the Method in its present form will be gladly welcomed by the great master's disciples, and is commended to all teachers of singing as a Modern Method of Singing, based upon generally accepted principles.
91Will be sent for examination to all interested.
93NEW MUSIC.
94LEOPOLD GODOWSKY—
95Does the Harp of Rosa Slumber (Soprano or Tenor)…………………………………………..60c.
96'Twas Eve and May (Mezzo)……………………………40c.
97Etude, Chopin, op. 25, No. 6 (arranged for the left hand)………………………………………75c.
98(A magnificent concert study, unique and ingenious.)
99AD. M. FOERSTER—
100Twelve Fantasy Pieces, op. 38.
101PART I.—The Evening Star, Sylvan Spirits, Evening Bell, Canzon, The Sea, Harlequin…………………………………………..60c.
102PART II.—Pretty Marie, Triumphal March, Antique…………………………………………..75c. one of two readings
103PART II.—Pretty Marie, Triumphal March, Antique……………………………………………..75c. one of two readings
104PAN'S Suite, Mazurka, Houdage to Rubinstein…………………………………………..75c. one of two readings
105PAN'S Suite, Mazurka, Hottentot to Rubinstein……………………………………………..75c. one of two readings
106Two Songs, op. 34. Poems by Byron.
107I Saw Thee Weep………………………………………60c.
108Adoration…………………………………………….60c. one of two readings
109Adoration………………………………………………..60c. one of two readings
110ARTHUR NETTIN—
111Four Songs, op. 4.
112No. 1—Of Thee I am Thinking (Mezzo). 60c.
113(With Violin Obligato.)
114No. 3—A True Love Song (Mezzo)………….40c.
115No. 4—Spring Song (Soprano or Tenor)….60c.
116No. 4—Singing (Soprano or Tenor)………….35c.
117Antique Wedding Music (in press).
119PUBLISHED BY
120H. KLEBER & BRO.,
121506 Wood Street, PITTSBURGH, PA.
123Wm. H. Sherwood,
124America's Greatest Pianist,
125IS OPEN FOR CONCERT ENGAGEMENTS FOR SEASON 1895.
127Mr. Sherwood has a new répertoire of great variety, containing the grandest works for the Piano, and he is meeting with greater success than ever.
129For terms and dates please address
131H. C. PLIMPTON,
132274 Wabash Ave., Chicago, Ill.
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