Scan 13
Musical Courier 1895-02-27: Vol 30 Iss 781, 1895
86 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 14. 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.
1the 'cello. As Hekking spent some years in America, I presume most of the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER have heard him.
3* * *
4I find, on becoming acquainted with the celebrated artists who appear here, that nearly all are in some way handicapped when before the public. Hekking tells me that his hands are always cold as ice when he begins to play, an effect of nervousness, no doubt. How can one play well with cold hands? Burmester suffers from profuse perspiration of the hands. With another, headache is invariably brought on before the performance by nervousness and mental excitement. That fatal malady nervousness is the cause of these and many other similar drawbacks. The strange part of it is that some artists never overcome their nervousness. It is quite natural that every one should be nervous at first; in fact it cannot be otherwise. Every conscientious performer possessed of genuine artistic temperament is bound to be nervous, at least at the beginning of his public career.
6But when an artist's nerves have become so weakened that he cannot play in public, no matter how accustomed to it he may be, without suffering mental agony that renders him incapable of doing himself justice; or, indeed, when he is forced to give up appearing in public altogether, as is sometimes the case—when his nerves have the upper hand of him to this extent, it is a deplorable state of affairs. Students with serious intentions would do well to consider the causes of and how to avoid this dreadful malady that can lead to such fatal results.
8* * *
9The playing of the Joachim Quartet in a recent work of Brahms' at the rehearsal to their last concert was a revelation. I never heard them enter into their work with such enthusiasm. No doubt the presence of the composer, who sat quite near the performers, produced this electrifying result on them.
11An interesting face to look upon is Brahms'. Hale and hearty looking is he, and Teutonic through and through—a sturdy old German oak, sound to the core and unrelenting in all the fierce blasts of opposition.
13Applause is very unusual at these quartet rehearsals held in the concert hall of the Hochschule, but after this Brahms quintet a perfect storm of applause broke out for the composer and performers, which was kept up for a long time. Brahms bowed his acknowledgments repeatedly, upon which the performers themselves began to applaud, and at last Joachim led in a "Hoch Brahms!" which was three times shouted right lustily by everyone in the audience.
15* * *
16Halir recently aroused great enthusiasm in Moscow by his playing of the Beethoven concerto.
18Joachim leaves in a few days for London, where he is an annual visitor. Last season he appeared there in thirteen concerts.
20ARTHUR M. ABELL.
22Alexandria.—At the theatre in Alexandria, Egypt, Otello, given under the direction of Cimini, still holds the boards.
24The "Menestrel" Speaks.—The Menestrel has this to say of Italian correspondence which comes from St. Petersburg:
26A national qualification which was up to this time unknown to us. The correspondent of an Italian paper, giving an account of the Faust representation in St. Petersburg, declares that Mlle. Pacary, who sang the part of Marguerite, has not the physical appearance of the heroine and that she looked like a gendarme. He adds that her voice is of French timbre, that is nasal. This reminds us of remark of Louis XV. when he heard the singer Legros, whom he did not know: "Here is a nose which has a fine voice!" There are certainly fewer French singers who sing through their noses than Italian singers who sing from the throat. Remember Mario, Gardoni and many others.
28A Splendid Gift.—It is reported that a mining engineer, Wilhelm Bles, has donated 100,000 marks to the municipality of Aachen on condition that the interest should be employed for the encouragement of musical art. The city is allowed to subsidize the opera and the classical concerts, and also to give relief to poor resident musicians.
30Vienna.
31SCHWARZPANIERSTRASSE, 30.
33I AM simply appalled when I look at the amount of communicative material which lies before me in my mind's eye. Ten days have passed since my last epistle, and ten days of exceptional interest, aside from the hurry and bustle of transporting my earthly belongings to another lodging.
35I wonder if I should be guilty of indiscretion in telling you about the splendid affair Renard gave last week? Marie Renard, aside from being the life and mainstay of the Vienna operatic stage, is a very popular woman socially, and has as few professional enemies as it is possible for a beautiful and highly successful artist to have, so you can easily appreciate the fact that the supper she gave last Friday at Sacher's (this city's Delmonico) was a very interesting and delightful one. Renard is a most charming woman. Refinement itself, unspoiled by the attention heaped upon her, and with the prettiest and most natural manners in the world, she was that rare and lovely thing—the ideal hostess. A becoming pink gown and a perfect blaze of diamonds made a beautiful woman bewitching, and if everyone did not fall instantly in love with her it was simply because they were already in that condition.
37It was the singer's birthday feast, and she was toasted and fêted with an ardor and enthusiasm which to anyone else would have been overwhelming; but she carried her honors gracefully, and the most gracious acknowledgment of thanks secured a glance from her dark eyes or a smile from the most expressive of mouths. The floral decorations were exquisitely gorgeous, and the menu cards' daintiness and originality of the menu aroused everyone's admiration.
39Hänsel and Gretel had just been produced here with the most unusual success, and the engravings heading the list of dainties seemed singularly appropriate. The pictures represented Renard and Mark as Hänsel and Gretel in the witch's hovel, so we each carried away a delightful souvenir of the new opera as well as of the supper. There were about seventy-five guests present, all well known and interesting personages of the social or artistic world. I am sorely tempted to sketch each and every one. Fritz Schrödter, the beloved tenor, was there with his wife, and his decidedly substantial presence and cheerful countenance occasioned me a decided shock. These tenors are snares and delusions. Over a year ago I placed this fascinating singer on a very high pedestal, and paid unto him the homage due a little tin god. I used to speculate and wonder, and dream and imagine. Taken in all his rôles he seemed the most puzzling mass of inconsistencies.
41In Fra Diavolo we saw the ideal villain, black and wicked; in Mignon, the fair haired hero; in Bajazzi, the passionate; in Rustic Chivalry, the indifferent lover, and so on in his various rôles, so that any one of my fantasies might seem reasonable, and here in real life the man has the audacity to enjoy domestic felicity together with a keen appreciation of a good joke, cigar and glass of wine.
43I endeavored to feebly remonstrate with him for so cruelly disappointing my long cherished hopes, urging that the hero of so many tragedies and happy romances should at least bear a tinge of melancholy; but he answered in the cheeriest of voices and with the most genial of smiles, and spoke with fatherly pride of the son almost as tall as himself. He enjoyed his supper, too; so the most sanguine of persons must have lost faith in the secret malady supposed. Ritter, the handsome baritone, was gladdening the hearts of the dames and the damsels. He is a splendid actor, but never is he more successful than when doing the gallant to some fair lady. He is Ritter off the stage as well as on it.
45Paula Mark was a disappointment to me; her stage appearance is quite misleading. She arrived late, having sung Faust, so fatigue could account for the utter absence of vivacity and brightness, but she is undeniably plain, if nothing worse, and dresses with no taste or style. There were painters and writers, military men and critics, gaiety and merriment everywhere. It was one of the most delightful evenings spent on this side of the ocean, and when we said adieu at 4 o'clock in the morning it was purely in consideration of appearances.
47Everyone is talking of Paderewski's opera. I have even heard some of his particularly warm admirers announce their intention of taking a run down to Budapest in order to be present at the first production, and with no other than Nikisch as authority (the information was indirectly obtained), I can assure you that the work is not even booked for this season. The composer visits Budapest at the close of the month in order to talk over matters and come to a satisfactory and definite agreement.
49Eduard Schütt is still enjoying quiet and solitude in his Meran villa, which literally means that he is hard at work composing. Rumor tells me that the results are already large in quantity (quality is a foregone conclusion) and variety.
51Albert Gutmann, the concert manager, gives very delightful "at homes" twice a month in his spacious home on the Ring. There one finds assembled much of musical vein, together with transitory artists, and one has the satisfaction of hearing as well as seeing and meeting them. I dropped in recently, and while climbing up the stairs strains of delicious violin music reached my ears, and by the feeling in my bones I knew that something of unusual interest awaited me. It was the Bohemian String Quartet—that magnificent institution which is maddening this part of Europe. You have seen in THE MUSICAL COURIER such excellent and able criticisms of them that I shall make no attempt at comment. They played a new Brahms quartet and a quintet of Druck which had never been heard before. The artists are almost boys, with the exception of the 'celloist, Hans Wihan. I understand that a young pupil of his was the original fourth, but that he was obliged to give up because of failing health. Dying of consumption—what a sad fate! Until I heard this quartet play I had placidly declared that the best work of this kind was done in America. But such ensemble is unparalleled. The peculiar fire and weirdness of interpretation, the wonderful changes of mood and tempo, were impressive; but the coloring was divine. I have never heard anything like it. There was such spontaneity in the playing of each individual one, and still the ensemble was so singularly perfect. To have any idea of the effect produced one must hear them. To me it seemed that I heard for the first time what the composer hears in fancy while composing. A rare privilege, isn't it? Those present felt much indebted to the host and hostess. Hearing such chamber music in a private music room is a rare occurrence.
53Mrs. Henschel was among the guests and charmed quite as much personally as musically. Theodore Leschetizky, together with his handsome bride (who, to the satisfaction of the women present, wore a most beautiful and becoming calling costume of turquoise green or blue with fur), was frankly enthusiastic. Professor Epstein, of Conservatory fame, wore a look of dignified approval, while genial Marianne Brandt in her delight squatted Turkish fashion on the floor in order to give her seat to some standing enthusiast. It was very funny and amusing, and pleased me immensely, it was so naturally and impulsively done. She was not allowed to remain there very long, however. I suppose it is quite indelicate to make remarks about the refreshments, but I am so often dosed with weak tea and samples of cake that the quantities of delicious and tempting things always served by Mrs. Gutmann seem an apology in themselves for any mention of them.
55Emil Sauer gave his yearly recital, and just look at the program:
57Praludium und Fugue………………………………………Bach-d'Albert
58Wanderer Fantasie…………………………………………Schubert
59Rondo, op. 51, No. 2………………………………………Beethoven
60Scherzo, E mol, op. 4………………………………………Brahms
61Sonata, op. 58……………………………………………..Chopin
62Barcarolle, op. 50, No. 3………………………………….Rubinstein
63Erl King…………………………………………………….Schubert-Liszt
64Romance……………………………………………………Sauer
65Valse Impromptu.
66Minuet.
67Etude-galop.
69If I began to tell you of the enthusiasm of the listeners you would probably say, "Do let up; you always give us
71MR. PLUNKET GREENE, one of two readings
72The Celebrated Irish Basso, one of two readings
73Who made such a decided success in America the last two seasons, will return and be available for one of two readings
74Concerts, Oratorio, Song Recitals, &c., one of two readings
75FROM FEBRUARY 15, 1895. one of two readings
76FOR TERMS, DATES AND OTHER INFORMATION APPLY TO one of two readings
77MR. MORRIS RENO, one of two readings
78144 West Seventy-fourth Street, New York. one of two readings
80ROSE and OTTILIE SUTRO, one of two readings
81Ensemble Pianists. one of two readings
82Address all Communications to one of two readings
83C. F. TRETBAR, one of two readings
84STEINWAY HALL NEW YORK CITY. one of two readings
85(no line here) one of two readings
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