Scan 14
Musical Courier 1896-12-16: Vol 33 Iss 876, 1896
35 lines. Read by computer on 25 September 2026. Printed page 15. See the scan on archive.org.
1siasm of such a man as Hans Richter when first she sang the great Wagnerian rôles under his baton. Her full, rich voice, the superb histrionical finish and the intensity of her feeling in Cavalleria captured her audience, to whom she is practically a stranger. Although German is her native tongue, and she sings also in French and Italian, Mme. Januschowsky's pronunciation of English does not in the least detract from her work, but on the contrary gives an added charm.
3While the comments of the Toronto World are:
4This opera gives the prima donna a grand opportunity, and Mme. Januschowsky proved herself equal to all requirements. A more powerful presentation has seldom, if ever, been seen in this city. Her depiction of human passion in its different aspects was wonderfully realistic and thrilling, and the very exacting work which the character demands was carried out in a manner that could scarcely be improved upon. The prima donna was given an ovation at the close.
6Powell and Sieveking.—Owing to Rosenthal's illness the Maud Powell company is filling his Southern dates during the present month. The Powell company is a strong one and includes, besides other well-known artists, the eminent Dutch pianist, Martinus Sieveking.
8Sherwood at Rochester.—The following notice of Mr. Wm. H. Sherwood's recital at Rochester is clipped from the Rochester Herald of December 4:
9Were Music Hall possessed of ten times its present seating capacity, and had ten times that capacity been completely exhausted by the audience last night, there would not have been one disappointed music lover in the lot. The piano recital given there by William H. Sherwood was worthy a Paderewski audience at the Lyceum. Mr. Sherwood seemed to surpass himself. From the very commencement of the program he carried his audience with him, and at the end he responded to the demand for encore, which had repeatedly manifested itself during the progress of the recital.
10This was the program rendered:
11Prelude from Etudes Poésies, Haberhier; organ fugue in D (arranged for piano), Guilmant; Cavatina and march from suite, op. 91, Raff; Sonate, op. 53 (Waldstein), Beethoven; Soirée de Vienne, No. 6, Schubert-Liszt; Berceuse, op. 57, Chopin; Campanella, Paganini-Liszt; Idylle, op. 5, No. 2, Wm. H. Sherwood; Gypsy Dance, B flat, op. 10, Wm. H. Sherwood; Medea, op. 13, Wm. H. Sherwood; Menuet in A flat, Edgar H. Sherwood; Hexentanz, E. A. MacDowell; Serenade, op. 8, No. 3; Stojowski; Mephisto Waltz, Liszt; encore, Tremolo, Gottschalk.
12Mr. Sherwood's interpretation of this program was masterly in every sense of the term. At all times his playing was characterized by strength, dignity, great depth and expressiveness and by a brilliance begotten of a marvellous dexterity of execution. His technic seemed faultless.
13For sonorosity and breadth of tone the Guilmant fugue and the Raff number were conspicuous. It is said that Mr. Sherwood astonished even Guilmant himself with the pianist's interpretation of this organ composition. Some of the effects obtained in the Raff selection were simply grand.
14The Beethoven sonata, which is more in the etude than the sonata form, was beautifully played, though many in the audience would have been better pleased had the player selected otherwise from the great composer.
15Mr. Sherman substituted the well-known Liszt-Paganini Campanella for the Chopin polonaise after the berceuse, and the two formed a striking and effective bit of contrast. The Campanella Mr. Sherwood played upon the occasion of his last visit to Rochester.
16An interesting group of compositions by American composers proved a pleasing feature of the program; and while hearing the foremost of American pianists interpret them America seemed suddenly to take a new and exalted place in the music world.
17After the exceedingly brilliant Mephisto Waltz the audience simply insisted on encore, and Mr. Sherwood responded with the Gottschalk Tremolo. It seemed as if the recital would have been incomplete without it. The performer's execution in this composition was marvelous. He seemed scarcely to touch the piano in those terrific reiterative passages, the keys seeming actually to rise and meet his fingers. This number very nearly took the audience off their feet, irrespective of the fact that it was the last number.
18Those music lovers who heard William H. Sherwood last night and sought to pay him the tribute always due art and genius need look for no more artistically successful musical this season.
20J. J. Racer.
21A NEW baritone, who has just taken up his quarters in New York, and who will pursue the career of both singer and professor of singing, is that French artist, Mr. J. J. Racer. By birth Mr. Racer is Dutch, but in artistic experience and methods he is thoroughly French as though bred from Gallic soil. For twelve years he was a resident of Paris, a pupil of the famous master of the art of singing, Gilbert Duprez, and a professional singer who achieved in prominent concert work a distinguished and deserved success. Mr. Racer appeared in concert in Paris in conjunction with some of the leading artists of the day and on the operatic stage he has also made for himself a highly artistic record in France.
22His voice is a high, light baritone, exquisitely pure and musical in quality, and his methods those of an accomplished and finished artist. Mr. Racer is a thoroughly grounded and exclusive exponent of the French vocal school, and as such a large field should lie ready to his hand in the equipment of a teacher. Mr. Racer has this gift and should be ranked first as a singing artist, next as a professor of singing.
23The results of his work in Halifax were exceptionally progressive, the concerts by his pupils showing marked musical development. On June 12 last a concert given by fifteen pupils proved a strong artistic success, and drew the following notice from the Halifax Evening Mail:
24Mr. Racer is to be congratulated on being able to bring forward so fine an array of talent and such evident good training as representative of the vocal profession in Halifax.
25Stimulated by the cordial appreciation of his work Mr. Racer then set to the task of producing with his leading pupils six acts from six operas at a performance which took place in the Halifax Academy of Music on September 29. This performance constituted a climax of success for Mr. Racer, and was reviewed as follows by the Halifax Daily Echo:
26To produce six acts from different operas with appropriate stage setting and costumes is no light task, and Mr. Racer deserves credit for the admirable way in which he performed this feat.
27It was during a visit to New York this summer that Mr. Racer was pointed out, by his friends among musicians, the path which lay awaiting his energies here. The purely French school, while about the most popular of the day, yet numbers among its thoroughly drilled followers few who have not gone abroad for their tuition. A place stood open for Mr. Racer, he was urgently persuaded by his friends to fill it, and has now wisely decided to do so. He is a wholly reliable and artistic exponent of the French school both in his singing and in his instruction. By right of twelve years' residence in Paris, living right in the heart of French music and musicians, and studying his art with the great master Gilbert Duprez, one of the foremost teachers of the age, Mr. Racer has absorbed not only the spirit and technic of vocal France, but also its elusive atmosphere, and commands in perfection the smooth and polished harmony of diction which is one of the most exquisite attributes of French song.
28For a singer and teacher such as Mr. Racer there is a wide space in New York which he can fill with eminent success.
29Appended are a few from a long list of European press notices:
30The concert opened with the duet The Crucifix. I lent all my attention to this remarkable piece which is so well known, and in it Mr. Racer showed himself a powerful artist. His voice is well placed and sweet in its middle register and of magnificent timbre, and his style irreproachably pure. Moreover, he proved his power also in the Cup of the King of Thule. Mr. Racer sings with soul, he feels what he says. * * * Mr. Racer caused me to enjoy an excellent evening. I am happy to tell him so.—La Badine, Antwerp, February, 1893.
31The brilliant concert which was given on Tuesday at the "Salle de Géographie" was a great and legitimate success, which gave the greatest possible honor to Mr. Racer.—L'Evénement, Paris.
32Matinée musicale by the Société des Secours Mutuels, in the Palace of the Trocadéro. Mr. Racer surpassed himself in the arioso from Héroïade, which brought him well-deserved recalls.—L'Europe Artistique (Paris, June, 1893).
33Mr. Racer had here an enormous success at the Artistic Club, "Eek wat wils." From the moment of his entrance he was greeted with stirring applause, and he was obliged to repeat his numbers.—De Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant (Rotterdam, Holland).
34Mr. Racer gave us great pleasure by the equality of his beautiful voice and his good diction. He has certainly great gifts and talent for the stage.—Le Progrès Artistique (Paris).
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