Scan 12
Musical Courier 1896-12-02: Vol 33 Iss 874, 1896
46 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026. Printed page 7. See the scan on archive.org.
1sharp minor quartet, op. 131, the well-known trio, op. 11, for piano, clarinet, and 'cello, and the C major, op. 29, quintet. In the trio Felix Weingartner, the popular conductor of the Royal Opera orchestra, played the piano part, and O. Schubert the clarinet. In the quintet Theodor Krelle played second viola. Considerable interest was manifested in the concert, first, because Kruse was at the leader's stand; second, because Weingartner was about to appear in a new rôle, and third, because the Joachim Quartet has given us such a superb reading of the C sharp minor number that it was thought impossible to duplicate or even approach it. Kruse is an especial pet of Joachim, and has played under the latter in most of the Beethoven chamber music. That this apprenticeship was not without splendid results Professor Kruse demonstrated at every opportunity. Energetic rhythm, lovely piano, well balanced climaxes, intelligent phrasing, reverential repose, understanding of the changing moods—everything that makes the Joachim Quartet great was present in the playing of this younger band. Kruse strayed from the pitch at times, but then does not Joachim do that also? In the adagio ma non troppo of op. 131 the writer expected more warmth, more intensity. At times the music dragged. An adagio does not always signify extreme despair or dull, sodden indifference. In this particular case it seems to denote a sort of slumbering ferociousness. The melody is apparently quiet, but at times a note, a phrase, springs up, that tells of a buried volcano, of a smoldering spark that is ready to burst into flame at the first kiss of a passing zephyr. This inflammable undercurrent was missing in the rather dry performance of the adagio. The quintet was well nigh perfect. With the possible exception of some notable performances at the Aschenbrödel, in New York, the writer has never heard finer ensemble playing than in this quintet.
3Director Weingartner had better stick to his orchestra. From this piece of advice one must not infer that the talented young man with the austere, Friedheim face did not do full justice to the piano in the Beethoven trio. He more than sustained his reputation as a thorough musician and a finely attuned artist, but at the same time he showed us nothing that any fairly good pianist and musician could not have done equally well. His is true "Kapellmeister" playing—neat, clear, exact, well phrased, but hopelessly cold and monochromatic. His tonal modulation consists of playing either forte or piano. He seemed to be afraid of the pedal. The audience liked his playing—or him—for they recalled him three times.
5Ossip Gabrilowitsch demonstrated at his second recital that those who had cried "Hats off; a genius!" when first they heard him were in no wise mistaken or overenthusiastic. He played before a crowded house. His success was real, unquestioned. In such test pieces as the A minor prelude and fugue, Bach-Liszt; variations in F, Beethoven; fantasia, C major, Schumann, and Wedding March and scherzo from Midsummer Night's Dream, Mendelssohn-Liszt, Gabrilowitsch proved his right to be accorded a place in the front rank of the younger pianists of to-day. His playing is bracing and healthy in the extreme, yet full of fire and enthusiasm. He has creative talent of no mean order, as was evinced by his Petite Sérénade. "At the urgent request of many" he will give a concert with orchestra in the big Philharmonic Hall.
7This was the program at Mrs. Max Liebling's latest Sunday musicale:
9Quartet, G minor …………………………………………..Haydn
10Mr. Max Karger's String Quartet.
11Elsa's Dream ……………………………………………..Wagner
12Aria, Huguenots …………………………………………..Meyerbeer
13Ende vom Lied …………………………………………….Schumann
14Fantasie, F minor …………………………………………Chopin
15Quartet, Canzonetta ………………………………………Mendelssohn
16Allegro, Appassionata …………………………………..Saint-Saëns
17Miss Meta Asher.
19Mr. Lee Bling, who was taken to task recently by Mr. Walker, of Chicago, for some utterances regarding Wagner's opinion of Mendelssohn, requests the writer to ask the sarcastic gentleman to read Wagner's pamphlet Das Judenthum'jn der Musik.
21LEONARD LIEBLING.
23others–The Kiss, The Secret (Das Geheimniss), Dalibor, &c. He wrote it more for the Prague public than for his own amusement and taste, and how is it that now it is his chef-d'œuvre? What is the perversity either of the author or of his public that always prevents either him or them from prizing rightly his best work?
25The dances, which are most refreshingly musical, are charming in themselves, and most charmingly arranged. The success of the whole performance could not be better or more brilliant—countless encores and storming cheers for the principal actor, Hesch and Director Fuchs, showed the full contentment of the house.
27The action I suppose your readers are long since acquainted with, so I need not repeat it here. The plot is clear, simple and cheerfully pleasant. It hangs all upon one error in a marriage contract, which a sly business man like Keszal is not likely to have passed unnoticed, viz., the bridegroom throughout is always spoken of as the "Son of Michna," and never once as "Wenzel Michna," and in this mistake all the participators in the play become involved.
29Mark was in splendid voice for the part of Marie, a long and trying rôle, although I agree with others in thinking that she overdid the piquanterie of the character—Marie had a simplicity and a "true inwardness" that Mark does not attempt as fully as she might to bring out. But this is wandering away from the subject, only I would like just to ask here, Won't it be a good thing for the human race to learn that they are responsible for their opinions?
31***
33There is only another criticism to be made on the setting of the play, and that is in the first act too many side scenes are brought in to enliven it. It disturbs the one thing needful, i.e., the direct attention upon the chief action. As Hanslick says, "All this is not going on behind the two lovers who are trying to communicate to us their feelings?"
35Gypsies are being arrested and carried off amid a large crowd; a clergyman strides across the stage surrounded by peasant children kissing his hand; at the numerous booths and stalls are customers of all sorts eating apples and marzipan; peasant lads are flirting wit' the maids and lassies in the crowd, &c. It may be a true picture, but it is a little overdone, and diverts too much the attention. In the second act there is the same disorder at the tavern table, with the choristers and the dumb actors, and just in the most beautiful part of the duet between the two lovers, Marie and Wenzel, which alone we wish to hear, and see as well, there is an arrest of some unknown person at the bar, who is carried off amid great excitement. Naturally the attention of the house is diverted and involuntarily turned upon this exciting incident, and thus the ensemble of the acting and the whole effective impression which the duet is supposed to make are effectually destroyed.
37***
39A word about Hesch. I spoke of his expected advent here last year, in my London letter, but this I believe is his first appearance. Hesch's fine bass buffo, his genial interpretations in other operas, and his special adaptability for the part of Keszal, have made him a general favorite; he is regarded here as a much prized acquisition, which opinion his first appearance as Keszal, the marriage agent in the Bartered Bride, more than justified. His keen but not forced humorous characteristics, the energetic piquancy of execution and real musical skill are features which he displays most advantageously. His voice, a genuine bass buffo, is more distinguished for its volume than for its sympathetic Wohlklang, the German word, and the only one that expresses round, mellow, pellucid tone.
41Hesch's appearance in other parts will be awaited with pleasurable anticipation, not unmixed with curiosity, to know if he will fulfil all expectations and justify his brilliant reputation.
43***
45"See Werther and die," the Viennese will tell you. I did not feel a particular wish last year to give up the ghost, but I did nevertheless try three times during my first stay in Vienna to hear Van Dyck (and Renard) in this his greatest opera excepting Faust. As he will only
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.