Scan 24
Musical Courier 1895-04-17: Vol 30 Iss 789, 1895
144 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 25. See the scan on archive.org.
1ful magnetism and inquiring eyes and just developed longing the most sedate woman, to whom passion was, as she thought, merely a word, or perhaps a memory. How delightful is the Figaro of Maurel! But Edouard de Reszké should not take the part of the Count. He is ponderous, un-Mozartian. Emma Eames charmed the eye, although an accident obliged her to carry her left arm in a sling. She sang well, and her slight deviations from the pitch were excused, for she was in pain. Her hand was caught in the door of a railway car, and nails were torn so that the surgeon visited her.
3* * *
5The Kneisel Quartet gave the last concert of the series in Union Hall, the 8th. Let me make extracts from Mr. Capen's review published in the Journal: "The concert opened with a piano trio by Robert Kahn, op. 10. The first two movements are technically well made, but the music in attendance upon them is for the most part so saccharine, and so utterly void of either virility or passion, that the sterling finale which follows puts in its appearance as a genuine surprise. The finale is a most stirring piece of music; bears the impress of real creative talent; and it could not have been composed except by one having a splendid command of the technical requirements of his art. Despite this, the trio is largely the product of the hand of an apprentice, and the first two movements are wanting in poignancy of feeling, are simply monotonous and tautological in what they have to say, and present but a very slight variety of tone color.
7"Mrs. Paur brought commendable intelligence and skill to bear upon her performance of the piano part, and was actively in sympathy with Messrs. Kneisel and Schroeder." Mrs. Paur and Mr. Kneisel played the Schubert fantasies, op. 159, and the other number of the program was Beethoven's quartet, op. 131. "The Kneisel Quartet has seldom played with more purity, finish, expression and unity than at this concert, and there were even more warmth, spirit and verve in their playing than usual."
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11Miss Marie Brema and Mr. Plunket Greene gave a song recital in Music Hall the 9th. The program included a few novelties, but as a whole it was not of great interest. Miss Brema sang A Summer Night, by Goring Thomas, in a very effective manner, for the song was suited to her voice and she did not force the tones. But in Beethoven's Die Ehre Gottes, the Erl-König, Gia il Sole, by Scarlatti, she was often harsh and explosive. Her intonation was frequently impure. At present she has not sufficient control of her voice to succeed in concert.
13Mr. Greene sang old Irish and English songs, Tannhäuser's Busslied, Lied eines Fahrenden, Ein Ton, by Cornelius; Alt Heidelberg and Plasir d'Amour. I regret to say that he often sang false, and that certain mannerisms have so grown upon him that they are now disagreeable. One of these mannerisms is his trick of indulging in inaudible pianissimo, frequently in the last verse of the song.
15There were duets by Schumann, Rubinstein, Brahms, Goring Thomas. The audience was enthusiastic. Mr. Damrosch played the accompaniments.
17* * *
19Bach's Passion Music (Matthew) was given by the Händel and Haydn Good Friday. Mr. Zerrahn conducted. The soloists were Mrs. Jennie Patrick Walker, Miss Marguerite Hall, Messrs. Rieger, Duft and Bushnell. I was not present. I learn by diligent inquiry that the performance was in most respects unfortunate. The choruses were often ragged and untuneful. One reviewer says that the choral, O man, bewail, &c., "seemed one sinful scream and scramble." "There was no sostenuto, no true singing of the great choruses." Mr. Zerrahn's tempi were at times inappropriate. The piano was not in tune with the orchestra, and the organ was in its habitual wretched condition. Mr. Rieger was praised warmly, and so was Mrs. Walker.
21* * *
23The program of the twenty-second Symphony concert was as follows: Rubinstein's fifth symphony, Russian; Introduction to Dornröschen, Langer; Bruch's G minor concerto for violin; musical joke, Moto Perpetuo, Johann Strauss; overture L'Enfant Prodigue, Auber.
25Mr. Schnitzler, of the orchestra, gave a fine performance of the first two movements of the concerto. He played with breadth, intelligence, taste and authority. In the finale he was less successful.
27The program as a whole was singularly concocted. Why in the world did Mr. Paur choose the one overture by Auber that is hopelessly brutal and vulgar? If he had chosen Cheval de Bronze, Gustave, Diamants de la Couronne, La Sirène, Le Lac des Fées—there's a long list. But L'Enfant Prodigue! Stay! perhaps it was his fiendish purpose to thus discredit French music.
29The Russian symphony by Rubinstein seemed long and dreary, not to be named in the same breath with the "Dramatic." Langer's Introduction to Dornröschen was like an echo of the Wagner season. The Musical Joke, by Strauss, is a trifle that goes well with beer and tobacco.
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33They tell me that Faust last evening, in spite of the absence of Jean de Reszké, gave great pleasure. Mrs. Eames was applauded enthusiastically, and Mr. Campanari's Valentine was warmly appreciated.
35I forgot to state that a concert was given by the Damrosch company at the Boston Theatre the 7th. Miss Brema and Messrs. Rothmühl and Plunket Greene were the soloists. The program included scenes from Parsifal, Irish songs arranged by Stanford, songs by Schumann and a few orchestral pieces.
37PHILIP HALE.
39Boston Music Notes.
41BOSTON, Mass., April 13, 1895.
43Mrs. Emma Eames-Story met with a very painful accident coming on from St. Louis, when two fingers of her left hand were badly crushed in a door. Notwithstanding the suffering she most pluckily sang in the Marriage of Figaro with her hand in a sling. Yet she knew that on the morrow there was to be a painful surgical operation performed upon her fingers that might disfigure her hand for life, but no one would have guessed it from her bright, smiling face. A brave woman!
45Miss Caroline Gardner Clarke is to sing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Music Hall at their rehearsal and concert April 19 and 20.
47Mrs. Elene Eaton sang recently at the festival of the Philharmonic Society in Montreal.
49The Hasty Pudding Club of Cambridge will give four performances of their new play Proserpina in New York during the spring recess, after which time it will be heard in Boston. D. G. Mason is the composer, and it is said that a noticeable thing about the music is its great variety. The play is in two acts, the scene of the first being laid in Arcadia of the second in Pluto's Hotel in Hades.
51The Wakefield Concert Company has been recently organized, consisting of the Misses Ethel and Blanche Wakefield, pianist and violinist, who have been under Boston's most eminent instructors for some years and have not appeared in public since giving their successful concerts in Boston five years ago; Miss Faith Morse, the gifted young soprano, just returned from a five years' course of study in Paris under Mme. Arto de Padilla; Master Irving Wakefield, violoncello soloist, and Mr. John F. Wakefield, flute soloist and reader.
53Mr. Jules Jordan, whose Barbara Frietchie has been successfully performed this season, is writing the libretto and score of Rip Van Winkle in three acts.
55Through the courtesy of Dr. and Mrs. M. W. Pray, 507 Massachusetts avenue, a reception was tendered last evening to Mr. Wilhelm Heinrich, who for the past seven years has been tenor soloist and a member of the quartet at Park Street Church. Mr. Heinrich, having severed his connection with the quartet, has recently accepted a position in a church in another city. About fifty of his friends were present, this number including many who are members at Park Street Church. Mr. Heinrich was wholly unprepared for the event which was to follow, for at a given signal the parlor doors were swung open, and he was ushered into the presence of the company, all joining in singing a verse of Auld Lang Syne, and later Mr. Heinrich was presented with a well-filled purse. The evening was spent in social intercourse, the company being frequently entertained with songs by Mr. Heinrich, Miss Adelaide J. Griggs, contralto, of the Park Street Quartet; Miss Georgie Pray, 'cellist, and readings by Mrs. C. S. Lewis.
57The summer season at the Tremont Theatre opens May 27 with the operetta The Sphinx. It is said that half a dozen managers have been after The Sphinx, but Mr. Askin secured it.
59Miss Louise Eissing is to be the prima donna for the season of summer opera to be given at the Castle Square Theatre.
61Gilmore's Band, which comes to Boston at an early day, will make its first appearance in this city under Bandmaster Victor Herbert's direction. There is a great interest to hear the organization under the leadership of this popular musician. Mr. Herbert has not abandoned the 'cello as a solo instrument, and will contribute some of his own selections in all the programs.
63New Directors of the Carl Rosa Opera.—N. Vert has been elected a director of the Royal Carl Rosa Opera Company, and W. Ganz has been re-elected. Mr. Vert's accession must greatly strengthen the board, and will do something, it is expected, to restore the company's financial prosperity.
65Obituary.—Died at Toulouse, France, Aloys Kunc, the director of the music at the cathedral and professor at the Conservatory. Kunc has deserved credit for his works of sacred music and his endeavors to restore the Gregorian chant. He published a paper, Musica Sacra.
67Died at Paris, Leopold Dancla, a brother of the eminent honorary professor of the Conservatory. He was a very good violinist. He reached the age of seventy-two years. Adolphe Nibelle, a well known musician twenty-five or thirty years ago, died at Paris at the age of seventy years. He wrote many works, notably some operette scores, which were a source of revenue to small theatres. His music is melodious and full of charm.
69Mr. Guzman, of Paris.—M. Guzman, a musical enthusiast, has left $50,000 francs to the city of Paris to pay for musical entertainments for the sick poor in hospitals and asylums.
71Gluck's Armide.—After only three rehearsals Mr. Jéhin gave, with his orchestra, a fine performance of Gluck's Armide, at Monaco. The principal parts were ably sustained by Mme. Deschamps-Jéhin, Mr. Gibert, the Misses Bouvet, Jansen, Garnier and Zuchi.
73Paris Concerts.—The following concerts are announced to take place at Paris during the remainder of this month:
75Salle Erard.
76April 17..Mr. Carella, violincelist.
7718..M. Paderewski.
7819..Mme. Anna Meyer.
7920..Mlle. Kleeberg, pianist.
8021..Pupils of Mme. Béguin Salomon.
8122..M. Gresse, pianist.
82April 23..M. Breitner, pianist.
8324..Mlle. Kleeberg, pianist.
8425..M. Paderewski.
8526..M. Falcke, pianist.
8627..Mlle. Kleeberg, pianist.
8728..Pupils of Mme. Coëdes.
8829..M. Brand, pianist.
8930..M. E. Bourgeois, pianist. one of two readings
9030..M. E. Bourgeois, pianist one of two readings
92Salles Pleyel (Large Hall).
93April 17..Mlle. Neu.
9418..Mlle. Ruckert.
9519..M. Petschnikoff.
9620..Société Nationale.
9722..Mlle. Hamman.
9823..M. Weingärtner.
9924..M. Chevillard.
100April 23..Société des compositeurs.
10126..M. Viardot.
10227..Mme. Gueroult.
10328..Milles. Montal.
10429..Dr. Simon.
10530..Mlle. Magd. Godard.
107Small Hall.
108April 17..MM. Schwartz and Barna.
10920..Mlle. Véras.
11021..Société d'Art.
11122..Mlle. De Monvel.
11224..Mlle. Janicoud.
11325..Mlle. Collin.
11427..Mlle. de Monvel.
11528..Mlle. Weill.
11628..Mme. Weingärtner.
118Widor at Monaco.—A concert was given at the Monte Carlo Theatre in which the orchestra performed only the works of Widor. The author of Korrigane is a favorite with the people there. The symphony in A was well given. I. Philipp, the renowned pianist, played the concerto for piano and orchestra.
120The Sondershausen Concerts.—On March 28 the Ducal Conservatory of Music gave a pupils' concert under the direction of Professor Schroeder, with the following program:
121Trio F major, for clavier, violin and 'cello………………………..Gade (Herren Bang, Aarhus; Ropte, Westerengel; Schlenzig, Sabissa. Teacher, H. Herold.)
122Two songs for mezzo-soprano—
123Der Tod und das Mädchen………………………..Schubert
124Des Mädchens Klage………………………..(Fri. Uthemann, Seehausen. Teacher, Fri. Bertram.)
125Legend for violin………………………..(Fri. Bärwolf, Sondershausen. Teacher, Concertmaster Corbach.)
126Two arias for bass, from Figaro—
127Will iinst das Gräflein, &c………………………..Mozart
128Dort vergiss leises flei'n, &c………………………..(Herr Spohr, Regensburg. Teacher, Professor Schroeder.)
129Erinnerung an Prag, fantasia for cornet………………………..Hoch (Herr Schmidt, Eckernförde. Teacher, Kammerm. Beck.)
130Im Garten, duet………………………..(Fri. Spohr, Sondershausen. Fri. Meyerhans, Zürich.)
131Blumengruss, Terzett………………………..(Fri. Spohr, Fri. Meyerhans, Fri. Sunderhoff, Nordhausen. Teacher, Fri. Bertram.)
132Concert B flat minor, for piano………………………..Tschaikowsky (Herr Haase, Cöthen. Teacher, H. Herold.)
134The program for April 1, was:
135Quartet, E flat major, for string instruments………………………..Mendelssohn (Herren Ropte, Westerengel; Dohrn, Ottensen; Tölle. Leimbach; Schlenzig, Sabissa. Teacher, Concertm; Corbach.)
136Aria for mezzo-soprano(Er weidet seine Herde), Messiah….Händel (Fri. Sunderhoff, Nordhausen. Teacher, Fri. Bertram.)
137Capriccio, for flute………………………..Terschack (Herr Röll, Elberfeld. Teacher, Kammermusics Strauss.)
138Concerto, No. 9, for violin………………………..Spohr (Herr Ropte. Teacher, Concertmaster Corbach.)
139Humoreske, B flat major, for piano………………………..Schumann (Fri. Irma Thrane, Eau Claire, Wis. Teacher, H. Herold.)
140Aria for soprano (Endlich nant sich die Stunde), from Figaro………………………..Mozart (Fri. Spohr, Sondershausen. Teacher, Fri. Bertram.)
141Sonata, A major (dedicated to Rudolph Kreutzer), for piano and violin………………………..Beethoven (Fri. Hallett, Cardiff; Herr Götz, Hamburg. Teacher, H. Herold.)
143Genoa.—Baroness Brandis, who had been first married to Louis Brassin, the celebrated pianist, died recently at Genoa. Her musical talents gave great hopes for her future as a musician, according to Leschetizky and Liszt, but after her marriage she lived retired.
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