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Musical Courier 1895-12-25: Vol 31 Iss 825, 1895
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1French concert pianist, has personally studied the arpeggios as a means of higher perfection.
2A word or two directly upon the work. Three features of difficulty are disclosed underlying all arpeggio study.
31. Passage for the thumb, Pages 6
42. Extension of the finger, 7
53. Side motion of the wrist, 8
6Care must be taken in the study of certain extraordinary arpeggios before the hand is trained to the work, that harm may not be done—page 5.
7Arpeggios of different rhythms, page 4, are especially useful; also variations, commencing page 13.
8Page 14 has the intention to train to greater facility than is ordinarily found necessary. In this way all ordinary work will prove easy of execution. Page 16 commences inverse motion. Speed in arpeggio playing is treated in the third series, commencing page 34, and on page 31 the broken chords are in all keys. The feature of the thumb coming alongside, instead of passing under, a specialty in Chopin music, is cared for here.
9At the close of the book is a thematic index or dictionary of the various types in all keys found in the book, which are all numbered to correspond. This facilitates study for pupil and teacher alike and is one of the ingenious and practical features of the School of Arpeggios.
11Foreign Items.
12Joachim.—Josepha Joachim, the second daughter of the celebrated artist pair, made her début lately at Crefeld in The Maid of Orleans. Her sister, Marie, is singing at the Court Theatre, Dessau.
13Copenhagen.—Heise's national opera, Drot og Marsk, was lately given at the Royal Theatre for the fiftieth time. The baritone Simonsen, who had sung the rôle of the King all the fifty times, was applauded.
14O. Neitzel.—The Cologne pianist and well-known writer on music has commenced a series of Beethoven Evenings at Bonn, in which he will perform all the piano concertos of the master, with a thorough analysis of each work.
15Brussels.—The Flemish theatre at Brussels lately produced for the first time a new seven act drama, Kerlenblood, music by A. Deboeck. The same house is preparing a drama, Alvar, music by Paul Gilson, and St. Nikolaas, music by Jan Blocks.
16Fritz Spahr.—Has played with great success in Leipsic, Erfurt and Prague. In Erfurt he played his own concerto for the first time and it was a triumph for the young violinist. He was serenaded after the concert. Spahr is now one of the leaders in musical Leipsic.
17Mrs. Keeley.—On November 22 Mrs. Mary Anne Keeley celebrated her ninetieth birthday, and a performance in the honor of this veteran artist was given at the Lyceum Theatre, London. She is the only survivor of the artists who appeared at the first production of Weber's Oberon in London, April 12, 1826.
18Koenigsberg.—At Königsberg, in Prussia, Hubay's Violin Maker of Cremona was given for the first time with great success. The violin solo played by Liepe received great applause. On the same evening Zöllner's Uberfall was also produced for the first time, but it did not meet with the favor accorded to Hubay's work.
19A Pair of Conductors.—At Linz, in Austria, there appeared at a concert of the Linz Gutenberg Bund two conductors standing at the desk together and both beating time simultaneously. The military band would play only under its own bandmaster, and the chorus would sing only under its own choirmaster.
20Opera Statistics.—Dr. Max Friedlander has published opera statistics of the German stage for 1894, by which it seems that during 1894 Cavalleria, with 515 performances, and I Pagliacci, with 487, stood at the head of the list. Fifty-two operas were performed for the first time.
21Fredegonde.—The new five act opera Fredegonde was given at the Paris Opera December 18. M. Guiraud, the composer who had conceived the work, died before his score was completed, and M. Saint-Saëns finished it.
22The libretto, by Gallet, is taken from the history of the Merovingian kings who reigned in the region now called France in the fifth century, and the action depends on the jealousy of Brunehaut (Brunhilda) and Fredegonde, the queens of Austrasia and Neustria, and their love for the son of Fredegonde's husband, Chilperic.
23Dramatically the work is dull and dragging, and there is only a trifling ballet. The score unfortunately, but inevitably, suffers from being a patchwork by two composers of widely different gifts and temperament. The execution was not up to standard, the best work being done by Mlle. Lafargue, a débutante. Altogether very far from a great success.
25HOME
27Miss Angell, of Chicago.—Miss Mary Angell, one of the most talented pupils of Wm. H. Sherwood, gave a successful piano recital at the University of Chicago. Her strongest numbers were the Raff March and the Liszt Rhapsodie No. 12.
28Sherwood Concert Company Route.—Ottawa, Ill., January 7; Streator, Ill., January 8; Jacksonville, Ill., January 10; Quincy, Ill., January 11; Lincoln, Ill., January 14; Springfield, Ill., January 15; Little Rock, Ark., January 17; Nashville, Tenn., January 22; Memphis, Tenn., January 23.
29A Lankow Pupil.—Miss Lilli Herta, the soprano, pupil of Mme. Anna Lankow, who went abroad to fill operatic engagements in Germany this season, has been winning golden opinions. The following clipping is from a leading journal:
30Miss Lilli Herta sings herself more and more into our hearts and has always the full sympathy of the audience. Her voice is bell clear and well trained, and indeed it is a joy to listen to her.—Harburger Zeitung, November 28, 1896.
31To Produce Dr. Root's Last Cantata.—The cantata which was the last great work of Dr. George F. Root, and which was left unfinished at the time of his death, has been completed by the doctor's son, Frederic Root. It is now in the hands of the publishers. At a recent banquet of the Music Trade Association of Chicago it was decided to produce it at the Auditorium in the near future. Singers are now being selected and the production will be under the personal direction of Frederic Root. The Music Trade Association of Chicago, which is made up almost entirely of personal friends of Dr. Root, also decided to arrange for the erection of a monument to his memory. Its probable cost will be $50,000. The committee appointed to take charge of the monument fund are: I. N. Camp, chairman; P. J. Healy, vice-chairman; O. L. Fox, E. V. Church and E. S. Conway.
32A Talk with Blumenberg.—Many people who attended the Albany Musical Association concert recently remarked the beautiful tone of the violoncello played on by Mr. Louis Blumenberg. It is, indeed, a grand instrument.
33In conversation with Mr. Blumenberg the evening of the concert he told me about the 'cello. It is a genuine Amati, and one of the finest specimens of that maker's art extant. It was in the collection of Louis XVI. of France, and was prettily marked with fleur-de-lis at that time. When the "Reign of Terror" was at its height in Paris it was decreed that all instruments or articles of any kind bearing the fleur-de-lis should be destroyed. I think it was during this revolution the Tuileries was destroyed by fire, and many rare instruments and other articles bearing "the flower of royalty" were burned.
34However, this instrument was one of the few which was saved, and to destroy all evidence of its being in the royal collection the fleur-de-lis which were marked on the 'cello were burned out with hot irons. But the despoilers of the instrument missed one mark which still remains—a heart marked in under the fingerboard, which is very distinct.
35Mr. Blumenberg prizes the instrument highly, and he has good cause to. It is a gem.—Albany Argus, December 22, 1895.
36An Ashforth Pupil.—Miss Sally Akers, the soprano pupil of Mme. Ashforth, has been winning significant honors in her Eastern tour in connection with the contralto Annie Louise Cary-Raymond, and Geraldine Morgan, violinist. They have had remarkable success, as the following notices go to show:
37There were very few vacant seats in Kotzschmar Hall last evening, as, notwithstanding counter attractions elsewhere, Portland's music lovers to the number of more than 800 gathered to hear Miss Akers and her supporting company, including Mrs. C. S. Raymond, who once had the whole world at her feet, when as Annie Louise Cary she had no superior and few equals as a contralto singer. With her was her sister, Miss Ada Cary McKenney, who needs no word of praise, and Miss Clementine Varney, a young singer of great promise. Miss Akers has made wonderful progress in her art since she last appeared in public here. Her first solo was a selection from the opera Hamlet which follows the French version of the tragedy. It was the Scène et Air d'Ophélie, and is something well calculated to exhibit all that a singer possesses in the way of a voice. Miss Akers attacked it bravely, and come out triumphantly through the ordeal.
38Her other numbers were of a less classical character, but were as well if not better rendered, and were enthusiastically applauded, an encore being demanded for Tell Me Beautiful Maiden. Miss Akers has a naturally powerful and at the same time sweet voice, and she has had the advantage of careful and thorough training. She is unquestionably a young lady with a future.
39Miss Geraldine Morgan, the violinist, easily captured the hearts of all present in her first number, the familiar Andante and Finale of Mendelssohn. Miss Morgan is a thorough violinist and deserves all the good things that were said of her.—Daily Eastern Argus.
40Miss Akers deserves the hearty thanks of everyone who attended her concert last evening at Kotzschmar Hall, for not only was the program an admirable one, but every moment was a delight. This was to be expected in an entertainment in which Mrs. Annie Cary Raymond had a hand, and of a lady of whom Mrs. Kate Douglass Wigglin has spoken such warm words of praise.
41The pretty little hall showed but few vacant seats, and every number of the program was encored, although the demand was acceded to in only two instances. Miss Akers is a credit to her native State. She possesses a delightful soprano voice of excellent range and fine quality, and she shows the effect of the best training. She phrases well her voice is exceedingly flexible, and her runs and trills were executed with great brilliancy. Not only that, but she is magnetic and her voice sympathetic, and whether in the showy aria from Thomas' Hamlet and the Villanelle of Dell's Acqua, or in the charming ballads of Mrs. Wigglin and Nevin, she captured her audience and was warmly applauded. As an encore she sang with great expression Strelezki's Dreams.
42Miss Geraldine Morgan made a triumphant success. She is a most finished violinist, and the refinement of her manner added to not only her admirable technique, but her delightful coloring of her music so pleased her hearers that if they had had their way they would have drawn largely on her generosity. She did accede to one encore, and gave, we think, a Spanish dance by Sarasate. Her violin was a noble instrument. The tones were magnificent.—Portland, Me., Journal.
43Rivarde.—At the fifth Philharmonic rehearsal and concert, March 6 and 7, for which Rivarde, the violinist, has been engaged as soloist, he will play the Beethoven concerto. It will be remembered that Ysaye played the same concerto at the same concert last season.
44Sauret.—It has already been announced that Sauret, the violinist, would arrive in this country on January 4 by the steamship St. Paul, but, owing to an accident which just happened to that vessel, Mr. Sauret will take passage on another ship, as the St. Paul will be delayed and it is imperative that Mr. Sauret should arrive here not later than January 6.
45The Last Free Concert.—Last Thursday night at Emanuel Baptist Church, on Lafayette avenue, Brooklyn, the last free concert was given by Organist G. Waring Stebbins, assisted by Miss M. Kathryn Krymer, contralto, and Frederic Reddall, basso. The first item on the program was Sonata No. 4, in F major, from Merkel. Mr. Stebbins made the most of this piece and worked it out charmingly. Mr. Reddall sang The People That Walked in Darkness from The Messiah, and he sang it finely. Later on he gave O Tu, Palermo, from Verdi. Miss Krymer was heard in Villanelle, from Beach, and Salve Regina, from Buck. In both pieces she acquitted herself nobly. Mr. Stebbins resumed his organ solos with Canzana in D minor, from Bach; Romanza in D minor, by H. Parker: Bridal Chorus, by Guilmant, and another piece arranged by the same author.
46De Reszkes at the Lotos.—The Lotos Club gave a dinner last Saturday evening in honor of Edouard and Jean de Reszke of the Metropolitan Opera Company. The tables were set in the parlors of the club house, which were decorated with trailing vines and potted palms.
47Frank A. Lawrence, the president of the club, presided, and with him at the table of honor were seated the De Reszke brothers, Murat Halstead, Park Godwin, Anton Seidl, H. E. Krehbiel, William Henry White, Maurice Grau, Ashbel P. Fitch, Horace B. Fry, Dr. H. H. Curtis and the Rev. Merle St. Clair Wright. In his speech of welcome President Lawrence said:
48"We welcome the brothers De Reszke as first in a great and noble profession, and as exponents of a genius unsurpassed the world over. Art with them has not been bounded by language or nationality. We hail and acclaim them, the giant brothers in art."
49After their health had been drunk standing, Jean de Reszke said: "It is a delight and a pleasure for me and my brother to be with you. I have been confined to my bed for the past few days, and I was not allowed to sing even this afternoon, yet I was most anxious to come among you. What will the public say when they hear that I, who was too ill to sing, was well enough to go to a dinner and drink champagne? I decided to come, if it was only to tell you in my name and in my brother's name how we appreciate your reception, and to wish prosperity and success to the Lotos Club."
50Edouard de Reszke also made a short speech. The other speakers were Park Godwin, Murat Halstead, H. E. Krehbiel, Maurice Grau and Horace P. Fry. Harry Pepper and J. H. McKinley sang ballads, and David Mannes played several selections on the violin. Mr. August
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