Scan 49
Musical Courier 1895-12-25: Vol 31 Iss 825, 1895
99 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 50. See the scan on archive.org.
1Grosser Music Verein Saal. Mrs. Reé excels in light technic and Wohlklang. The Liszt phantasie of Don Juan called forth an enthusiastic encore. Their ensemble playing is truly a delight and an education to hear, and although Mrs. Reé has a marked individuality and a Bohemian temperament, which is something akin to the Hungarian, she knows how to subordinate this in their ensemble playing when the occasion calls for it. It is this that Hanslick refers to in the lines so familiar to artists here:
3Woran sie das schönste Beispiel geben,
4Harmonie in du Kunst, Harmonie im Leben.
6As I wrote you in my last letter, Mr. and Mrs. Reé are pupils of Leschetizky and intimate friends of Paderewski. This Leschetizky method is truly a remarkable one. A wonderful method indeed can be built upon this and the Virgil method, for one is the complement to the other, and what the one lacks the other supplies. The Virgil followers, with all their enthusiasm and using a finger resistance of 5-14 ounce in their practice, do not always necessarily produce the tone that comes from a real finger strength, such as Leschetizky teaches. But the lightness and clearness of the former, united with the beautiful Wohlklang of the latter, ought to result in a technic of rare beauty. The Leschetizky method has also the secret of a loose wrist, which to anyone with average ability comes in a marvelously short time, and comes to stay.
8Indeed a pupil does not proceed a single step until he has acquired this—the first great requisite of artistic piano playing.
10Anton Foerster gives a second concert to-night, when I shall have an opportunity of hearing him and judging of his merits.
12There is a promising young violinist here that has developed to a most remarkable degree—Kreisler, an artist of great seriousness and promise, who treats both his violin and the masters with reverence. The air has been rife with violinists; Scotta, with her individuality; Kreisler, with his aerial fluidity and seriousness, and lastly came Such, the young pupil of Joachim and Wilhelmj.
14In the first concert with orchestra, Richter as director, he gave the Beethoven violin concerto, with cadenzas by Joachim; the famous ciaconna of Bach and the Mendelssohn violin concerto. The Beethoven concerto was a little weak, perhaps owing to nervousness, but the famous theme of the ciaconna was very well done, with considerable breadth of bowing and fullness of tone. The Mendelssohn concerto was almost passionate. While this young artist has great perfection of technic and is reverent and serious even in his extreme youth, yet he seems to lack the power of leading us quite away from violin strings, delicate finger points and good bowing; in other words, "das Gefühl" is not, or was not that night, greatly apparent.
16He gives a second concert soon again without orchestra, when we shall have another opportunity of forming an opinion in this respect.
18Speaking of Richter brings me to the subject of the Vienna Orchestra, of which the Viennese may well be proud. Richter appears a little cold, but there is a very strong, however subtle, sympathy between him and his orchestra which commands them and draws his best from every performer. It reminded me of the old story of Jonathan Edwards, stern and severe, who read without a gesture or lifting his eyes from the page, and yet who moved his audience as though he were a hypnotist or mesmerist. Richter is the embodiment of dignity, and has none of the frantic gestures of Paur. I was reminded of the palmy days of the Thomas Orchestra in New York when the Philharmonic of Vienna gave their first orchestral concert not long since. After all there is nothing like the orchestral music to meet every want that the mind or soul feels for in all musical expression. Such crescendos! such climaxes! and all free from "noise," all alive with musical fervor and glowing with sacred fire! When one attempts to criticise such work one is speechless. How weak and piping does the voice seem which feebly gasps: "Yes, but once they lost their ensemble, those of the woodwind instruments and those of the brass, and he of the flute once or twice produced bad tone, and I have heard the babbling of the brook and the voices of the woods in the Beethoven Pastoral Symphony better done."
20Your humble correspondent, in short, feels it a presumption to attempt to criticise the Vienna Orchestra. Oh, that Boston might come here and learn and invite Nikisch to return with her, with the promise to be true and faithful and never more coquet!
22The program was as follows:
24Ouverture zu Anakreon………………………..Cherubini
25Concert in D moll fur zwei Violin with Streichorchester…..Bach
26Vorspiel zu Parsifal……………………………Wagner
27Symphonie Pastorale, No. 6……………………Beethoven
29In the Bach concerto for two violins, Hofkapellmeister Hellmesberger and Arnold Rosé K. u. K. Kammer virtuose, the violinists for the occasion, acquitted themselves bravely, and in the unspeakably beautiful largo aroused the audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm.
31All that can be said of the Parsifal Vorspiel may be understood when I remind you that Richter is a great Wagnerian and thinks he understands Wagner, in which opinion he cannot be disputed; Richter understands Wagner and he understands his orchestra, and when I add that his orchestra understands him the rest goes without saying. Fanny Davies, the accomplished clavier virtuoso, played yesterday with the second orchestral (Philharmonic) concert, but as I had another important engagement I did not hear her. She gives a concert this week, and I will write of her in my next, when I shall have much to say of d'Albert, Stavenhagen and Anton Foerster, the young pianist from Berlin.
33EMMELINE POTTER FRISSELL.
35SOME NEW PUBLICATIONS.
37G. Schirmer, Jr., Boston.
39FOUR songs with piano accompaniment (why not drop the word "pianoforte" in this country? nobody ever asks to see or hear a pianoforte) by P. A. Tirindelli. We learn that this Venetian, who is now in Boston, is an excellent violinist, which may be one reason why he cannot get a favorable hearing in that city; there are too many clever violinists in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The songs show him as a good musician, full of southern passion and pathos, with a rhythmical gift that is encouraging. We should like to see something more important than songs, something a step higher, although we are free to say that the songs are of a calibre that justifies study, as they can be made grateful on the stage.
41J. C. Groene, Cincinnati.
42A song by W. L. Needham called Baby's Letter to Santa Claus. The firm of publishers incloses the following:
43To the Editor:
44We send you with this a new song called Baby's Letter to Santa Claus, just issued by us, which we would like for you to give a notice in your valued paper. We inclose a notice, which kindly insert; or anything similar will do. Thanking you in advance, we remain,
45Yours, J. C. GROENE & CO.
47No; we cannot do it. The thing is a rank offense against decency and society. Children should not be permitted to hear such rot, for those having musical talents must inevitably be guarded against all publications of that nature. Tons of such stuff are annually published in this country. When will the imposition cease?
49Aug. C. Metz, Brooklyn.
50"Sweetheart Serenade" music and poem by Aug. C. Metz, dedicated to Eleanor Schmidt. It opens "Oh how I Love my Sweetheart! Words of mine can never tell" and then, of course, Mr. Metz goes ahead and puts music to his words to make the telling effective, but it fails, for he says "Ah, could I truly my love impart" (no one ever doubted him) "my love I'd tell and tell it well." So far so good, but Mr. Metz must have been suddenly struck dumb, for he states "But I have not power of speech" and later on "Oh, would that I had power of speech!" Somehow or other we don't feel so sorry, after all. Even the rudimentary laws of music, let us say of mere mathematical music, are not entertained seriously. How many crimes are there committed within five lines and four spaces! It reminds us of the composer who refused to use whole and half notes in the compositions he was writing during the year succeeding his wife's death, under the plea that he was in mourning and black notes only were permissible, or in good form.
52J. P. Weiss, Detroit.
53Slumber Song for piano, by Gustav E. Mann. Mr. Weiss is the oldest publisher in Detroit, but is now seldom heard from.
54Evidently Mr. Mann has been studying music. There is at least some evidence of suggestion and a musical idea.
56Peters Publishing Company, Sandusky.
57The Society Two Step, by William Frederick Peters, for Piano Forte. Of course the piano is meant. The following greets us on the title page.
59Across the dreamy blue Danube,
60Like this two step glides upon its way.
61Strong arms clasping a tapering waist,
62Makes drooping eyes as bright as day.
64It is a question here of complex rhetoric which no obscurity of syntax can elucidate without functional disarrangement of poetic license. Does it mean that strong arms clasping a tapering waist are taking it (the waist, of course) across the dreamy blue Danube or do the strong arms engaged in the clasping of the tapering waist make drooping eyes as bright as day? Or, on the other hand, is it this two step that glides upon its way that makes the drooping eyes as bright as day or get across the dreamy blue Danube?
66Ah, the music may tell! It is Opus 14, No. 8. Very embarrassing again. If Mr. Peters has written on an average eight numbers to each opus he has committed 112 of these breaches against musical form. This is simply inexpressibly vile. It should be played on stencil pianos only.
68G. Schirmer, New York.
69A Dictionary of Musical Terms, Compiled and Edited by Dr. Th. Baker. This volume, carefully gotten up for constant use, contains upward of 9,000 English, French, German, Italian, Latin and Greek words and phrases used in the Art and Science of Music. The rules of pronunciation are also included. Standard works have been liberally used to get the proper material and the fact is candidly admitted, and not only that, but it is brought into evidence to indorse the book. Thus Grove, Riemann, Gevaert, Weitzmann, Stainer, Barrett, Ambros, Paul, Soullier, Helmholtz, Niecks, the Century Dictionary and other authorities are quoted. This dictionary should be in the hands of every musician, its condensed form making it eminently practical.
71Alfred A. Farland's Active Season.—Mr. Alfred A. Farland, the celebrated banjo virtuoso, is having the busiest season of his career. Having just returned from a successful tour of the West, he is now preparing for an extended Southern trip, and is negotiating for a series of recitals in New Orleans during February. Mr. Farland will play on January 14 at Plainfield, N. J.; Jan. 15th, Little Falls, N. Y.; January 16, Academy of Music, Philadelphia, Pa.; January 17th, Richmond, Va.; January 20th, Petersburg, Va.; thence proceeding South. The press is unanimous in its praise of Mr. Farland's performance whenever he appears.
73The Kitley Concerts.—A brilliant course of concerts, under the auspices of Mr. Kitley, is projected to take place in Elmira, N. Y., after the holidays. Good judgment has been exercised and no expense spared in the selection of artists, who include Lillian Blauvelt, Katherine Bloodgood, Mackenzie Gordon, Dr. Carl Martin, Rivarde, Lachau, James Fitch Thomson, Carlotta Desvignes, Blumenberg, Maud Morgan and Pizzarello. The outlook is extremely attractive.
75Verdi's Requiem in Cleveland.—The Cleveland Vocal Society gave a most successful performance of Verdi's great work, the Manzoni Requiem, on the 12th inst. Among the soloists who especially distinguished themselves were Mrs. Seabury Ford, who sang most brilliantly, and Mr. Arthur Beresford, whose artistic singing of the bass part made a deep impression.
77MUSIC!
78Music Books, Musical Literature, Musical Instruments.
79GUITARS, MANDOLINS, BANJOS.
80Headquarters for all Musical Instruments.
81MUSIC ROLLS, MUSIC STANDS, PIANO STOOLS,
82MUSIC BOXES, PIANO CHAIRS, MUSIC CABINETS.
83Bound Music Collections FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS.
84The New "Choice" Collections. A GREAT SUCCESS.
85This day published; recommended as five of the most delightful volumes of music published in many years:
86"Choice Collection of Piano Music,"
87"Choice Collection of Marches,"
88"Choice Collection of Songs with Refrain,"
89"Choice Collection of Ballads,"
90"Choice Collection of Dance Music."
91Each Volume, $1.00. Every sin er and player should see them.
92All the Newest Music in book and sheet form. Endless variety.
93CHRISTMAS
94Music, Cantatas, Operettas, Carols, Anthems, Quartets, Songs, Duets, Trios.
95ILLUSTRATED MUSIC BOOKS for Children and Young People.
96PIANOS FOR SALE AND TO RENT.
97DITSON & CO.
98867 Broadway, 18th St., New York.
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