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Musical Courier 1895-02-27: Vol 30 Iss 781, 1895
99 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 8. See the scan on archive.org.
1the heaviness of her organ be considered. On the whole, however, her musical delivery lacks life and warmth and sounds rather lugubrious. A little of her goes a great way, with me at least. Still, she is a well-known and popular singer and her concerts are always patronized by a first-class audience. Her husband, Kapellmeister Pulvermacher, is also her accompanist, and as he is a fine musician as well as a competent pianist it is no wonder that the couple present an enjoyable ensemble, which, as we have seen in the case of Mr. Gausche, is not always the case.
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5Later on in the evening on Saturday a charity concert in grandest style was given in the new German Parliament Building. It was for the benefit of the Sicilian and Calabrian sufferers from the terrible earthquakes and netted the remarkably high sum of 24,000 marks.
7The first part of the program consisted in a concert, in the performance of which Messrs. Richard Strauss, Siegfried Ochs and A. Zanders shared as conductors, Amalia Friedrich Materna took part as soloist, and the Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonic chorus and Berlin Liedertafel, altogether about 600 persons, all volunteered their services. It can of course not be my task to criticize a charity concert, but I want to mention that among the many offerings the Meistersinger Vorspiel and the third Leonora overture under Richard Strauss' enthusiastic and energetic conductorship were the most important and most finished. The copula hall of the couloirs, in which the concert took place, in itself is perhaps one of the finest of all modern achievements in architecture, but as far as acoustic properties are concerned it is by no means an ideal concert hall, for which indeed it was not intended. There is such a strong echo in it that the two fanfares in the Leonora overture were each answered by it, and thus it was heard altogether four times, an effect not noted in the score of Beethoven, and certainly also not intended by him.
9The vocal, especially the choral, reproductions of course also suffered from his circumstance and only piano choruses in slow tempo were heard to anything like advantage, while those in faster time sounded pell-mell.
11After the concert Berlin society, which was gathered together for the occasion in full force and most brilliant representation, promenaded in the many magnificent halls of the building, in which after a sumptuous supper a military band promenade concert amused those for whom the concert proper had not been the sole or principal attraction.
13Another concert will soon be given at the same place for the benefit of the sufferers from the Elbe disaster, and President von Levetzow, of the Reichstag, has once more offered the free use of the Parliament Building to the committee.
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17An in memoriam celebration for Anton Rubinstein was arranged by his Berlin friends for yesterday at 1 p.m., just about four weeks and one hour later than it should have taken place. I say four weeks and one hour, for it certainly came about one month later than it might have been arranged, and one hour, for 1 o'clock, the time chosen for the celebration, is just about German dinner time, and by 2 p.m. nearly everybody in the audience felt faint with hunger. That is not exactly a good mood to be in to listen on such an occasion. However "Good things need time," as the German proverb has it, and the affair as a whole was solemn, interesting and befitting. Especially was this the case with the locality chosen, the Singakademie, the very place in which Rubinstein on October 24, 1842, made his Berlin début, both as a pianist and composer, playing, among other things, his op. 1, entitled L'Ondine, a little tone poem in form of an etude.
19Among the friends of Rubinstein who formed the committee for this in memoriam celebration were the Princess of Saxe-Altenburg, Carl Bechstein, Hugo Bock, Heinrich von Herzogenberg, Joseph Joachim, Franz M. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Paul Meyerheim, Robert Radecke, Mrs. Cornélie Richter, nee Meyerbeer, Julius Rodenberg, Mrs. Ellen von Siemens, nee Helmholtz, Anton von Werner, and of course Hermann Wolff, who was also the manager of the above mentioned large charity concert.
21The Singakademie had been tastefully draped, and in the midst of the front of the podium stood a large bust of Rubinstein, surrounded by palm trees, large ferns and evergreens. The participants in the musical commemorative performances were Conductor Robert Radecke, Raimund von Zur Mühlen, tenor soloist, the Philharmonic Orchestra and members from the following Berlin choral organizations: the Cecilia Society (Alexis Hollaender), Philharmonic Chorus (Siegfried Ochs), Singing Society of the Berlin Male Teachers (Felix Schmidt), Stern Singing Society (Fr. Gernsheim) and the students of the Academical Institute for Church Music (Robert Radecke). one of two readings
22The Singakademie had been tastefully draped, and in the midst of the front of the podium stood a large bust of Rubinstein, surrounded by palm trees, large ferns and evergreens. The participants in the musical commemorative performances were Conductor Robert Radecke, Raimund von Zur Mühlen, tenor soloist, the Philharmonic Orchestra and members from the following Berlin choral organizations: the Cecilia Society (Alexis Hollaender), Philharmonic Chorus (Siegfried Ochs), Singing Society of the Berlin Male Teachers (Felix Schmidt), Stern Singing Society (Fr. Gernsheim) and the students of the Academic Institute for Church Music (Robert Radecke). one of two readings
24The program chosen was a very felicitous one, for it brought some of the best and most characteristic of Rubinstein's creations. It opened with the Beatitudes from Christus, his latest magnum opus, and they are really of almost heavenly beauty. Radecke conducted. The chorus did finely and Raimund von Zur Mühlen sang the musical utterances allotted to Jesus in a superb and most noble style.
26A prologue from the pen of Julius Rodenberg, spoken in eloquent and dramatic style by Adalbert Matkowsky, the great actor, followed, and then came a second excerpt from Christus, entitled The Mission of the Apostles, and likewise very beautiful. The Philharmonic Orchestra next performed the Russian symphony in G minor, which characteristic work is but rarely heard here.
28Zur Mühlen sang Rubinstein's deeply felt and ever so sad setting of Heine's poem Wo wird einst des Wandermäden letzte Ruhestätte sein? in most tender and touching style, and the celebration closed with two more hopeful and consoling choruses from The Paradise Lost. Altogether it was a highly elevating and impressive affair.
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32The last concert about which I have to report was that of last night, when the Stern Singing Society at their second concert of the season gave Max Bruch's Odysseus under the composer's own direction. Anybody who thinks that this is a great advantage in the case of Max Bruch has never seen that good man and composer conduct. He stands in front of his forces, buries his spectacled head deeply into his score, as if he had never before seen it, and then with his right hand beats time in an automatical manner. The effect is not an overwhelming one, either on the listeners or for that matter upon the performers, who, however, did well out of respect for the composer, especially the chorus, who had been well drilled beforehand by Prof. Frederick Gernsheim.
34Of the soloists Miss Geyer, the soprano, has a fresh, ringing voice and sings well. Miss Stephan, the alto, was not in good voice, and Penelope had to suffer in consequence. The baritone, Haase, sang the title part with dramatic verve and sonorous organ in the lower register. His higher notes, however, are of no account. The minor soli were inconsequentially sung by Frau Ziemssen and Messrs. Grahl (tenor) and Heinemann (bass). The Philharmonic Orchestra performed its share in a perfunctory manner.
36The Philharmonie was densely crowded and the composer-conductor had to bow acknowledgment to frequent and well-meant applause.
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40During Lenten time three great oratorio performances will be given at the Royal Opera House under Dr. Muck's direction. Joshua, by Händel, the Bach St. Matthew Passion music and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis have been selected for performance.
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44Mr. Abbey has made use of his option right upon Josef Hofmann and has definitely engaged the Nestor of the wonder children for a tournée through the United States for next season. Josef will give a concert of his own at the Singakademie here next Thursday night and I can assure you that I am curious to hear whether he will fulfill the great anticipations that are entertained on all sides.
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48Miss Marion Weed called on me the other day and told me that she has also been engaged for the 1896 Bayreuth performances to sing one of the Valkyries. You see, Cosima as usual did not waste her time when she was in Berlin and she was quick enough to see that the American girls have both voices and talent. Nordica's impersonation of Elsa convinced her of that fact.
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52The Boersen Courier publishes to-day a telegram from Moscow stating that Albani scored a fiasco at her first appearance there. I don't wonder at it.
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56The Lavins are at Paris, where both have been suffering badly with la grippe. Now, however, they are on the road to recovery and one or the other, if not both, will shortly be heard at the Brussels opera house, Monnaie. Mamie has studied Ophelia under Ambroise Thomas himself and he is very much pleased with her. William Lavin writes to me and also says that he has studied with Julian, and made a great deal of progress. Lavin is modest (a rare thing with a tenor) and ambitious, and as he has a good voice he will get there yet, mark my words. O. F.
58It Is in It.—Bovio's opera, Christ at the Feast of the Purim, has been put in the Index Expurgatorius of books which no good Catholic may read.
60Fannie Hirsch.—The concert soprano Fannie Hirsch, besides her engagements in oratorio and concert, is teaching a number of promising pupils. One of them, it is said, will make her public début this spring.
62The Saengerbund.—The music committee of the Festival of the North American Saengerbund, to be held in this city next year, has been chosen, consisting of the following persons, and organized thus: Mr. A. M. Foerster, chairman; Mr. H. P. Ecker, vice-chairman; Mr. Leo Oehmier, secretary; Mr. George Toerge, Mr. James P. McCollum, Mr. Charles Gernet and Mr. Henry Gerding. A guarantee fund of $85,000 will be required, for which important subscriptions have already been promised.—Pittsburg Bulletin.
64"The Cause of the Break in the Voice Known for Twenty-nine Years."
66Editors The Musical Courier:
68In an article entitled "The Break," published in your issue of February 6, Mr. John Howard pretends to explain that vocal phenomenon and claims the paternity of the discovery.
70Permit me to inform the readers of The Musical Courier, and Mr. Howard as well, that the cause of the break in the voice has been known for the past twenty-nine years, and that the glory of that discovery belongs entirely to Dr. Edouard Fournié, the greatest vocal physiologist of this century.
72Having proved through my laryngoscopic observations the absolute certitude of Dr. Fournié's discovery, I determined to study the necessary means to be employed to correct the so-called break in the voice, and my efforts were crowned with success in 1872, as explained in an article published by me in the same year in my journal, La Propaganda Musical.
74The statement that Mme. Nordica's teacher did not know how to correct the break in her voice is therefore erroneous. When she left my "Institut Vocal" in Paris, to make her début in Italy, she had not the break Mr. Howard complains of, and if the same is noticeable to-day it is due to the cantatrice's abuse of her chest register by prolonging it beyond its natural limits.
76The correction of this defect is so easy and the means I employ are so simple that it is only necessary to indicate them in order that the pupil may equalize her voice. In confirmation of this truth I present as a model my last successful pupil, Miss Mary Louise Clary, the evenness of whose superb contralto voice does not permit the most sensitive and delicate ear to appreciate the change of register.
78In terminating this writing it only remains for me to say that Mr. Howard has not attentively enough observed the cause of the phenomenon in question, and that his rather diffuse and not very satisfactory explanation resembles, although imperfectly, a description of the mechanism of the voice called "throaty." Yours very truly,
80EMILIO BELARI.
82NEW YORK, February 16, 1895.
84Death of a Lamperti Pupil.
86MME. CLARA HEYEN, the prima donna, died suddenly on the 8th inst. She had sailed for Germany early in January to have an operation performed, and died when undergoing it without regaining consciousness. Mme. Heyen studied six years with the elder Lamperti, and three with Mme. Marchesi; Mme. Florenza d'Arona she considered unrivaled as a teacher, and could not say enough in praise of her methods.
88In answer to The Musical Courier's queries concerning the many so called Lamperti's exponents who should justly be entitled to distinction, she, together with Miss Eva Cummings, also a pupil of Lamperti, wrote a signed article personally vouching for the truth of all Mme. d'Arona's statements, which was published in The Musical Courier September 27, 1893. This article brought about a great controversy that closed with the points in favor of Mme. d'Arona.
90Mme. Clara Heyen's husband, Lieut. O. W. Lowry, who was with her when she died, is accompanying the remains home on the steamer Paris. The death of Mrs. Lowry is greatly regretted.
92Blind Pianist Went Mad.—Prof. E. J. Conod, a blind West Hoboken pianist, became suddenly crazed while performing on his favorite instrument during a concert given at Frech's Casino in West Hoboken for his benefit Tuesday evening. The audience was very small, and this seemed to have a depressing effect upon the professor.
94When Professor Conod went to the piano to play the "Victory" march the audience noticed that he was unnecessarily pounding the keys. Suddenly he jumped from his seat, with features distorted, and began hurling curses at the audience in a most shocking manner. The ladies in the audience became horrified and made a hasty exit from the hall. The curtain was pulled down and several men tried to calm him. Special Officer Hecht, who took hold of him, was struck several times in the face.
96He was finally overpowered and taken to the station house. There he continued his ravings. Police Sergeant Usher spoke as gently as possible to him, and when asked what was his occupation he replied in a distracted manner: "I am a wandering Jew—no; I am a wanderer, but not a Jew. I want to go to Washington to see Grover Cleveland. You people don't know what I have done for the Democratic party. I wrote two songs for it."
98He will remain in a cell pending his removal to the county jail to be examined. All night and all day long yesterday he incessantly sang a distracted medley, interspersed with impromptu speeches. He is subject to fits of temporary insanity, and spent some time in an asylum last year. He is known as a splendid pianist, and has composed some well-known pieces of a high order.—World.
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