Scan 23
Musical Courier 1895-12-11: Vol 31 Iss 823, 1895
88 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 24. 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.
1Miss Lucy Terry Lewis, of Moray Lodge, Camden Hill, W., has consented to act as honorary secretary. The following ladies and gentlemen have joined the committee: The Duke of Fife, the Duke of Westminster, the Marquis of Lorne, the Prince of Molfetta, the Swedish and Danish Ministers, the Countess of Radnor, the Earl of Lathom, the Earl of Kintore, the Earl of Hopetoun, Earl Carrington, Lord Revelstoke, Arthur J. Balfour, Field Marshal Sir Frederick Haines, Alfred Rothschild, Sir Eric Erichsen, Sir Frederic Leighton, Sir Spencer Wells, Alma Tadema, Mme. Clara Schumann, Dr. Joseph Joachim, Mr. Piatti, Mr. Straus, L. Ries, Arthur Chappell, Sir A. Mackenzie, Sir G. Grove, Mr. Manns, Prof. C. Villiers Stanford, Mr. Du Maurier, Sir H. Irving, Dr. Eduard Hanslick, Miss Marion Terry, A. J. Lewis, Sir J. Barnby, A. J. Hipkins, Hugo Becker, Miss Fleetwood Wilson, and Dr. Hermann Weber. Sir W. Agnew has undertaken the duties of treasurer. Checks should be sent to him or to Messrs. Herries, Farquhar & Co., bankers, and crossed "The Lady Hallé Testimonial."
3HISTORY OF ENGLISH MUSIC.
5Purcell and the Musical Drama were the subjects of Mr. Fuller Maitland's fourth lecture under the above head on the 19th inst., and his discourse was listened to with much interest, more especially as the bicentenary commemoration of this great composer's death took place last week. In the opening part of the lecture Mr. Fuller Maitland spoke of the narrow escape the noble school of church music had during the Commonwealth, when the Puritans did their best to root up and destroy it, and their efforts were so nearly successful that it was wonderful that anything at all was preserved. He also included in his remarks that it was curious to consider what a change would have occurred to the musical history of the time if Purcell had lived about ten years longer than he did, as we are justified in supposing that this composer would have attained even greater heights than were reached by him, and he would also have witnessed the advent of Händel into England. With less successes than Händel enjoyed we might conclude he would not have had the opportunity of setting the fashion in favor of foreign musicians. Illustrations of some of Purcell's works were given on the harpsichord by Mr. Maitland.
7FRANK V. ATWATER.
9Rivarde again Engaged.—Rivarde, the violinist, has been engaged to play at the first concert of the Apollo Club of this city, which takes place at the Madison Square Concert Hall December 17.
11Calvé Talks.—A morning newspaper said recently: "Please, Mlle. Calvé, let Mme. Eames come back to us. Will you tell the public if you are preventing Mme. Eames from appearing this season?"
13Whew! Such a volley of purest Parisian! Such vociferous exclamations and such an explosion of gesticulation! Mme. d'Harcelot soothed her and repeated the diva's words carefully to the reporter.
15"I would be greatly obliged to the World," said Calvé, "if it would set at rest all these distressing and false statements. I have nothing at all to do with Mme. Eames' non-appearance in New York this season. I have too much heart, too much conscience, to ever lay a stone in the path of a woman who earns her livelihood as I do mine.
17"I am incapable of an act so villainous. I am greatly vexed that Eames is not to appear. We should not in any way interfere with each other. Why should we? We do not sing the same rôles. I believe M. Grau wished to engage Eames, but on account of the illness of her father-in-law she would not come."
19Calvé sank back exhausted in her chair, pressing her hands to her forehead and murmuring "Ah! Mon Dieu."
21"She is very excitable," said the gentle Mme. d'Harcelot commiseratingly. "Any reference to the Eames episode distresses her beyond measure. Above all things she dreads to have a repetition of the misery she endured at the time of that most unfortunate occurrence. Really, she is most vexed because Eames is not coming this season. I know that she has had nothing to do with her remaining abroad."—World.
23MR. FFRANGCON-DAVIES, ENGLAND'S EMINENT Baritone.
25In America, Spring '96.
26Principal Baritone of English Festivals, Oratorio and Ballad Concerts, Royal Italian Opera (Covers, 1895) and National Theatre (Drury Lane). Festivals, Concerts, Song Recitals. For terms, dates, &c., apply to
28WOLFSOHN'S MUSICAL BUREAU, 131 East 17th Street, NEW YORK.
30Music in Philadelphia.
32PHILADELPHIA, Pa., December 9, 1896.
34ON last Wednesday the Opera revived Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable in a most enjoyable manner. There is no use denying that the cobwebs of oblivion are gathering at an ever-increasing rate of speed around the works of Meyerbeer; they have nearly covered Dinorah and much of the Huguenots, and if the Prophet were less spectacular it, too, would have had to submit to the fate of the Star of the North, Crusaders, the Guttenberg Cantata, the Schiller March and many more—in fact most of his works.
36Robert proved to be really the freshest and most spontaneous of all his operas; abounding with prickly rhythms, melodic charm, clever ideas, cunning orchestration, it reconciled one with the immediate past, and gave one the satisfactory feeling that after all Meyerbeer was not merely a shrewd manager, but had some genuine God-given talent to back his ambitions. Of course, dramatic truthfulness—that is another story; but as a signatura tempora artis Robert is an interesting work. Would that the book were better; but then, how could it? Freischütz had taken Germany by storm, its music and book had proven to be just what the times were ripe for; fortunately for Scribe & Co. the Freischütz was so mutilated in Paris that the public had to reject it—then the smart conspirators set to work on an imitation Freischütz, and called it Robert le Diable. Well, Meyerbeer never wrote better music, and never again came as near to a definite musical delineation of characters as this work, which puts the singers to a more severe test than any of his others.
38A most profound and enjoyable surprise was Mons. Raoul Viola's Robert. The late lamented Sigurd had put him under a cloud; the opera itself having failed to interest the public, who, being acquainted with the work, could not clearly distinguish between the author and the exponent, Mons. Viola had to bear the brunt of a pretty healthy prejudice. But he conquered it in his very first scene, and kept the audience enthusiastic to the end. He controls his big, heroic voice well, has a fine, vigorous musical attack, and when he indulges in the luxury of a do di petto (which he did three times that night, and once as a tremendous free, unprepared entrée) it is a luxury; for he does it in an easy, almost amiable way, and totally free from any alarming apoplectic symptoms. The transition from mezza voce to full voice may be made a little less perceptible, but even as it is he manages to avoid over-harsh contrasts. As an actor he showed himself to be a man of ideas; he acted his part with force, and yet with that wise discretion which marks the true artist.
40Mons. Malzac as Bertram was capital; vocally irreproachable and scenically exceedingly attractive in his mysterious, saturnine character. The more I see and hear of Mons. Malzac the stronger grows my conviction that in his field of French opera he is one of the foremost bassi profondi (and rotundi, by the way).
42Mlle. Loventz as Isabella had what Chimmie Fadden would call a soft snap. She only has to appear in the fourth act, recitative, aria (Robert! Robert! toi que j'aime!), duet—about ten minutes in all—and carries off the female honors of the evening. But my! how beautifully she did sing! No wonder that Alice had a hard time in winning him over to virtue, righteousness and Sunday school, with the devil himself assisting him in the other direction.
44Alice was not equal to the others, at any rate; in Miss Tracey she found a representation wavering between a stately heroine and a humble peasant girl, which latter she was supposed to be. Aside from this frequent over acting, her singing verified the opinion I formed in her Valentine. Her voice grows husky after every big number, and her tones from high A upward are almost pure guesswork to the hearer. I still believe that she can overcome all this by study, and by closer attention to the locating of her tones in the various registers.
46A word of praise is due to the Raimbeau of Signor Piroia; that little part is not easy to sing, neither musically nor vocally, and he did it very well and carried off a well deserved applause; likewise must the pantomimic dance of Mlle. Paris be laudingly mentioned. The orchestra and chorus were tip-top, and brought out anew the talent and circumspection of Mr. Hinrichs and his stage manager, Mr. Schroeder. The omission of the tedious second act has my heartiest approval.
48Friday, in Rigoletto, Del Puente repeated one of his old triumphs, and was ably seconded by Mme. Nevada as Gilda, save a little uncertainty here and there, due perhaps to her not having sung that part for some time.
50Saturday matinée Faust was repeated, and in the evening there was to be a concert by Messrs. Hesselberg, Rivarde and the opera orchestra—but it wasn't! A goodly number of people had assembled, to be sure; but there were not enough to warrant the orchestra expenses, and so, after three-quarters of an hour of patient waiting, the audience was dismissed. Behind the scenes everybody was blaming everybody else; the truth of the matter is probably that there was a lack of ready money somewhere, and perhaps also a lack of business method. I am sorry for young Hesselberg, the pianist, who is a religious refugee from Russia, and had set all his hopes upon this concert, for which he had prepared a fine program, containing Liszt's Todentanz.
52Miss Kate Bundy's concert (assisted by her talented sister, Miss Bessie Bundy) was a great success, according to the papers; I could not hear it, because my own little flamelet flickered that night before the Art and Science Club in a lecture, but I hear from all sides that Kate Bundy played mighty well, and I believe it, for I know her and her rare talent.
54Next week promises great things: Selma Koert-Kronold as Carmen, Hasteiiter as Ortrud, with Lorrain as King and De Backer as Telramund; in between dear old out of date Lucia, and another treat to the ladies by ubiquitous Paderewski. If I live through it you will hear again of Constantin v. Sternberg. one of two readings
55Next week promises great things: Selma Koert-Kronold as Carmen, Hasteiier as Ortrud, with Lorrain as King and De Backer as Telramund; in between dear old out of date Lucia, and another treat to the ladies by ubiquitous Paderewski. If I live through it you will hear again of Constantin v. Sternberg. one of two readings
57P. S.—A German rendition of Hänsel und Gretel looms up in the distance, but it's a secret yet. Sir Harris will not be sent for, as it is proposed to make apologies unnecessary.
59Maud Ulmer's Success.—Maud Ulmer, late of the Bostonians, and a very talented young soprano, sang with much success at a recent concert in Minneapolis, given by the Philharmonix. Miss Ulmer's solos were the chief features of the evening, and she received plenty of public and critical favor.
61Boston Symphony Orchestra.—This is the program for its concert in the Metropolitan Opera House on the evening of December 19:
63Symphony No. 18………………………………….Haydn
64Scotch Fantasy for Violin……………………………Bruch
65Fantasia for orchestra, Francesca da Rimini, op 32…..Tschaikowsky
66(First time at these concerts.)
67Preludes to Acts I. and II. Guntram…………………Strauss
68Soloist, Mr. T. Adamowski.
70Third Barber Recital.—The third piano recital by Mr. Wm. H. Barber took place on Monday afternoon last at the residence of Mrs. P. H. Butler, 84 East Thirty-seventh street. The program was choice and dainty and very well performed. Fourth recital next Monday, the 10th, at Mrs. Bailey's, 77 Madison avenue.
72Gertrude May Fenn
73Prima Donna Contralto.
74Concert and Oratorio.
75Past two seasons Contralto at the following Festivals: Worcester, Springfield, New Bedford, Indianapolis, Hartford, Providence, Ann Arbor, Columbus, Toledo, Pittsfield, and numerous concerts.
76ADDRESS
77965 PARK AVENUE,
78NEW YORK CITY.
80ONDRICEK. DE VERE-SAPIO. ZEISLER.
81THE
82HENRY WOLFSOHN
83MUSICAL BUREAU,
84131 East 17th Street,
85NEW YORK.
86AND
87LILLIAN BLAUVELT.
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