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Musical Courier 1895-06-05: Vol 30 Iss 796, 1895
117 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 6. See the scan on archive.org.
1anything but her own two vocal cords and the bouquets that come as the result of them.
3Perhaps the most interesting case of composer and interpreter in Paris at writing is the study of Manon, by Nikita, under the daily supervision of Massenet himself, who finds in her a sympathetic interpreter and is lavish in his pains to make her do justice to his opera and to herself.
5Massenet is difficult, sensitive, ardent, nervous, artistic, to a degree, and a composer. He is besides quick and infallible in his judgments; his spirit of discernment is like lightning or the darting lights in his dark brown eyes. He makes no mistakes in choosing interpreters. At the same time, by reason of his superb politeness, no girl ever could know, except by results, when his decision was unfavorable. He would pass through the worst martyrdom with a compliment and a smile—the first time; but it would be the last. It would not occur again. When he finds one to suit him (and what does it not need to suit Massenet!) there is nothing he will not do to put the singer on the right track and to make her capable of correctly representing his characters.
7"I don't know anyone I would spend so much time teaching!" he said this morning at the close of a long and taxing rehearsal. "She positively suggests points in the character I had not thought of before."
9Why Nikita is privileged is a combination of many things. Of course she has "a voice"; if not you would not be reading of her nor I writing. Then she is American and awake. Well instructed, alive, traveling and seeing much, with a will and determination of her own, she is the personification of live intelligence. Besides, she is dramatic, with a love for plots, crises and imaginings and for expressing them. She is not bold or self confident, but studious and ever ready to hear and accept suggestion. Then she began stage life very young, and is naturally reaping the fruits of her experience. She has a gift for languages, singing easily and correctly some eight or nine, and a long residence in France has reduced that cruel bugbear, diction, to a plaything. She is well and strong, too, with supple form and engaging personality, and every one of these things has been absolutely necessary to her success and to win the attention and interest of a composer who would give his precious time perfecting her in her rôle.
11You may imagine this sort of rehearsal to be wholly an intellectual one; a mere running over of special parts.
13It is toil, labor, physical and mental. There is no professor in a New York studio who works harder, concentrates more on detail and insists more on results than M. Massenet on one of these occasions.
15During the "rehearsal" he plays the piano score himself, seated where he can follow every movement of the singer. Even with an experienced artist there is scarcely a strain without a stop, for suggestion, explanation, correction; and the frequent "Comprenez-vous?" "N'est-ce-pas?" "Vous voyez?" of the master indicate the earnestness of his desire that there shall be no fogs of misunderstanding.
17Form, voice, face, inflection, must all coincide with the composer's impression. When not, he is on his feet at once, himself indicating that which he feels. The body must be bent a little more forward or backward, the head raised or lowered, the arms extended; the hands clasped differently. This point must not be too exaggerated, else there is no feeling left for the other. The gaze of sarcasm is different from pride or scorn, love plaints must not be made monotonous, and real grief must not be intensified. He sings, moves, talks and goes back and forth all in one mood-color.
19You can discover how distinctly the whole picture is in the composer's mind by the fleet directness in correction, the manner in which piano, singer, word and movement are united as one tool in his hands. It is the same thing exactly as when a painter in front of his design mechanically reaches for brush, color, eraser, oil or pencil, the eyes never leaving the canvas, back of which, not on which, he sees outlined that which is after all but a reflection of his own brain—which is "creation."
21Seeing this care and precision, this absorbed anxiety in portrayal and the incessant possibilities of misconception, one is led to ask: How dares one ever sing a creation without study of it with the composer?
23LES MIETTES.
25Mme. Emma Eames-Story is in Paris this week. Paris profited by the presence of the popular singer by engaging her to sing at two concerts given at the Salle Bodinière, with accompanying lectures by M. Maurice Lefevre. The selection of songs for the two afternoons is as follows:
27Chanson d'avril, le baiser……………………………Goring-Thomas
28Comment, disaient-ils………………………………….Liszt
29Sumer is ecumen in, Where blum the rose, old English songs…
30Chansons grises…………………………………………..Hahn
31L'Allée est sans fin.
32L'Heure exquise.
33Tous deux.
34L'Invitation au voyage………………………………….Godard
35Enchantement……………………………………………..Massenet
37Mme. Eames has also promised to sing on the occasion of the farewell performance of Mme. Broisat, of the Comédie Française. From here she goes to London to sing in Covent Garden.
39Another great singer, Mlle. Lola Beeth, of Vienna, is also here, and has been engaged to give eight representations at the Opéra. Joseph Wieniawski gives two piano concerts here this month. At the first concert, works of Beethoven, Chopin, Bülow, Moskowski, Liszt, Godard and Heller will be played; at the second the works of Schumann, Scarlatti, Gounod and Wagner. Mlle. Clotilde Kleeberg gave a series of three brilliant concerts at Salle Erard this week.
41It seems that, by contract with Mme. Wagner, the Opéra directors are obliged to give two other works of the composer after Tannhäuser—The Meistersingers and Tristan and Isolde. As important French works are already arranged for the coming season, it is possible that the Wagnerian cycle will not be concluded before 1896.
43M. Jules Barbier is more fortunate than most librettists. Either his works attract good music by genius magnetism, or luck has thrown them into the hands of good composers. During this year he has seen the 1,000th of three of his works, Mignon, Faust and Noces de Jeannette. The latter was first given in 1853, and unlike the other two works, whose infancies were weakly enough, was a success from its first representation. Mme. Carvalho and Couderc created the rôles of Jean and Jeannette 1,000 nights ago. Fugere and Mlle. Leclerc shared the anniversary success a few evenings since. Victor Massé, composer of Paul and Virginia, was the composer also of this opera.
45An opera comique in three acts, the action passing at Malmaison during the consulat, words by Ferrier, music by Gaston Serpette, has been read this week by M. Carvalho.
47At the time of his fatal illness Emmanuel Chabrier had just completed the score of one act of a work entitled Briscis, words by M. Catulle Mendes. This one act is to be given at Nantes shortly, M. Lamoureux directing the orchestra.
49M. Lamoureux is at present engaged in a sensible and laudable enterprise, the organization of a free course of singing. From the material he hopes to recruit members for the choruses, which are a feature of latter day orchestral concerts.
51The chefs d'orchestra here are subventioned by the state. From this and the proceeds of their concerts they pay the rent of their halls, their artists, droit d'auteur and droit de charité, and still, thanks to a generous support, make money. All entertainments here are obliged to give so much to the poor.
53An innovation took place at the Conservatoire this week. At the close of the ensemble vocal class for the examination the entire Beethoven Mass in C was given in place of various pieces by different authors.
55The Mass is said to have been written about 1810, the same epoch of Egmont and Christ on the Mount of Olives. It contains five parts—Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus et Benedictus and Agnus Dei. It is written for chorus and orchestra and soli. M. Georges Marty, professor of the class, directed the Mass, and both director and pupils were heartily applauded by the various powers. M. Thomas was specially pleased with the beautiful venture and its excellent execution.
57A brilliant and select concert was given at the Conservatoire this week for the benefit of the orphans of Alsace-Lorraine.
59The pupils admitted to the final competition for the Grand Prix composition are: M. Levade, M. d'Ollone and M. Hirschmann, pupils of Massenet; M. Letorey, M. d'Ivry and M. Mouquet, pupils of Th. Dubois.
61Dates of examinations are already fixed at the Conservatoire, beginning May 25, closing June 19. Eighteen different departments of music will be tested.
63The inauguration of the David monument is decided for May 22.
65M. Fabbozzi, a pianist, blind from his birth, gave a concert at Salle Pleyel last evening. He is chef d'orchestre at the Institution for the Blind at Naples, and has played at the court and at classic concerts at Monte Carlo. He plays the greatest difficulties of the masters with ease, and is, moreover, a composer.
67The marvelous musical development of the pupils in the Institution at Paris has already been treated in these columns.
69The Russian Government is elaborating a scheme with regard to musical copyright which is giving much satisfaction to the French, who were foremost in this humane organization.
71The usual row of tardy justice over Jeanne d'Arc is taking place. A celebrated English cardinal was present at the Notre Dame ceremonies this year. Think of that! The music was very impressive; la Bannière de Jeanne d'Arc, by Adolphe Deslandres, was sung and solos and orchestras were all triumphal.
73A pianist aged thirty years was run over by an omnibus and killed this week.
75All I have to say is that any pianist or any other man of any age that could get run over by a Paris omnibus ought to be killed; so ought any one who rides in them; so ought any one who allows them to run at their present gait in this day of grace and progress. And, Heaven help us, they are relicensed till 1940!
77FANNIE EDGAR THOMAS.
79Francis Fischer Powers Sails.
81MR. FRANCIS FISCHER POWERS, the well-known vocal instructor, and his brother, Mr. Herman Howard Powers, former tenor of Gerrit Smith's choir, South Church, were among the passengers on the steamer Paris, bound for Southampton, last Wednesday. Their departure was made possible owing to the recovery of their mother, Mrs. Powers. Mr. Francis Fischer Powers goes to London for the purpose of filling a few private salon engagements, and he will also sing at the annual musicale to be given by Shakespere—which in itself, by the way, will be quite of a select and private nature. Mr. Powers will be back in America in July, and go to Milwaukee to carry on his class lessons, which last three months every year.
83Mr. Herman Howard Powers goes abroad to continue the cultivation of his voice. He will study for a time with Shakespere, and later go to Paris with Bouhy.
85Alboni Was Lamperti's Pupil.
86Editors The Musical Courier:
88IT was stated by a lady in last week's Musical Courier that Alboni, the "greatest of contraltos," was not a pupil of my illustrious master, Lamperti, but of Rossini. To correct this injustice I present a copy of Alboni's own letter, which settles the question:
90J. C. Griffith, Esq.:
91You ask my opinion of my old maestro's method. I consider it quite useless, as the work speaks for itself. * * * To say that I appreciate the work, it is sufficient for me to state that I am a pupil of Maestro Lamperti, and that I owe to him and his method the true art of singing, so little known in these days. * * *
93I am, dear Sir, Yours sincerely,
94July 1, 1875. M. ALBONI.
96This letter can be found complete in Mr. Griffith's book, published by Schirmer. I also give the following extract from the great master's biography to show what friendship existed between Lamperti and Rossini:
98Lamperti's career is a singular illustration of the lack of business ability which so often characterizes genius. He was fairly forced to be professor at the Royal Conservatory of Milan (in Europe the conservatories belong to the Government), and this honor was furiously fought for by the greatest musicians of Italy. Lamperti taught there for twenty-five years.
100His colleagues were such men as Donizetti, Lauro, Rossi (later director of the conservatory), and Mazzucato. Lamperti subsequently on two occasions absolutely refused offers made him by Gounod, Ambroise Thomas and others, to go to the Paris Conservatory as director. Rossini, who was a lifelong friend of his, remonstrated with him, receiving for answer: "What do I care for glory? I leave that for fools!" Both Rossini and Donizetti were in constant communion with him for years.
102FLORENZA D'ARONA.
104Mrs. Sawyer En Voyage.
106MRS. ANTONIA H. SAWYER, the contralto singer, was among the outgoing passengers on the steamer Germanic for London via Liverpool last Wednesday. Mrs. Sawyer is quite undecided as to what her future movements will be. It is certain that she will remain in London until the end of the season—about the middle of July. During her sojourn she will sing at a number of salon musicales. She carries letters to a great many well-known musical people in London, among them Mme. Clara Poole, the American contralto, and Rabbi Hast, chief cantor of England.
108If Mrs. Sawyer finds it to her advantage to remain abroad one year and fill professional engagements she will do so. There were many friends on the dock to see her off and she was the recipient of a number of handsome floral tributes.
110Another Prodigy.—Madrid, May 7, 1895.—The reappearance, after an absence of five-years, of the popular cantatrice, Miss Emma Nevada, at Madrid, was greeted last night with a warm welcome at the Principe Alfonso Theatre, a welcome which later on developed into an enthusiastic ovation.
112The Queen Regent and the Infanta Isabel honored the theatre with their presence and joined heartily in the applause which was accorded to Mme. Nevada. The prima donna was in splendid voice, while her extraordinary vocal ability evoked rapturous greetings. In compliance with repeated encores, Mme. Nevada delighted still further her Spanish admirers, giving Spanish, French and American songs.
114The Queen Regent, the Infanta Isabel and the little Infantas, surrounded by the court house party, received most graciously on Wednesday last Mme. Nevada and her beautiful little girl, Mignon, a talented child eight years old, whose admirable rendering of the Serpentine Dance evoked the most enthusiastic ovation from the queen and royal guests assembled. "What a little angel!" being the current exclamation as the little fairy form executed the difficult evolutions.
116The child also sang, accompanied by the court pianist, Les Enfants of Massenet, and Il Bacio, another suprise for the queen, who embraced the little artist repeatedly.—Herald.
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