Scan 16
Musical Courier 1896-12-16: Vol 33 Iss 876, 1896
30 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 17. See the scan on archive.org.
1Second Philharmonic Concert.
2The second concert of the New York Philharmonic Society took place last Saturday night in Carnegie Hall, the usual public rehearsal being given on Friday afternoon. The program was this:
3Dramatic overture, Husitska, op. 67, . . . . Dvorák
4Suite No. 2, B minor, for flute and string orchestra . . . . J. S. Bach
5Overture, Rond, Bourrée, Polonaise, Badinerie
6Duet of Hollaender and Senta from The Flying Dutchman, . . . . Wagner
7Symphony No. 6, F major, op. 68, Pastoral, . . . . Beethoven
8It is an unfortunate coincidence that the concerts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Society occur so close together; we mean unfortunate for the latter organization. Comparisons can be made at short range.
9There is little to record pleasant of this second concert of our home orchestra. It plays with indisputable earnestness, but then a certain hot place is said to be paved with good intentions. The string band has evidently been subjecting itself to severer drilling, but one swallow does not make a summer. The material for the most part is poor, and every rehearsal, every public performance, demonstrates that fact most indubitably.
10The redeeming feature of this concert was the singing of the duo from The Flying Dutchman. Madame de Vere-Sapió's voice has lost none of its crystalline clearness and pure musical quality, while it has grown broader and warmer. She sang with a dramatic authority that suggested the query: Why with her superb vocal equipment and winning personality does she not return to the operatic stage, for she sang once in grand opera? Mr. Bispham delivered his measures with dignity, understanding and intense dramatic feeling. He is a very satisfactory artist.
11The Dvorák overture, not by any means the composer's masterpiece, was noisily played. The Bach music served only to reveal the poverty of the string choir, which played roughly and with a coarse quality of tone. The three flutes were not agreeable. Mr. Seidl led the symphony with passion, and the "thunderstorm" was given with his old power.
12What would become of the Philharmonic Society without Mr. Seidl? He is its only plank of safety. Without him these concerts would be simply unendurable. Indeed, it is amazing to see how masterfully he manipulates his mediocre material, how he fashions it so that it at least gives an intelligible account of the music it attempts.
13Dower it with an eloquent or lovely voice he cannot. Complete reorganization is the only way to accomplish that. And it will take place, we predict. No orchestra can continue to play as does the Philharmonic Society and survive.
14The next concert, January 9, will be made interesting by the reappearance of Teresa Carreño, who is announced to play the Emperor concerto. Goldmark and Tschai-kowski are the other composers on the program.
16Averill-Bradley Recital.
17Mr. PERRY AVERILL, baritone, and Mr. Orton Bradley, pianist, gave a piano and song recital on Thursday afternoon, the 10th inst., in Mendelssohn Glee Club Hall. A large audience, heavily sprinkled with prominent members of the world of fashion, as well as art, assembled to hear these artists, whose work has rapidly grown into an important feature of metropolitan musical life.
18Mr. Perry Averill, whose distinctly musical and vibrant baritone was under excellent control, was heard first in the complete cycle of Schumann's Dichterliebe, and later in some French and English songs and a group of old Manx ballads. The task of the Dichterliebe is no light one. To sing the complete cycle with obvious intelligent intention would in itself be something of an achievement, but Perry Averill has done much more. He came as close to the genuine fulfillment of Schumann's ideal as most singers in so sustained a task are apt to come. Obviously he has been a faithful and loving student, and has succeeded through a strong musical intelligence and zeal in absorbing closely and impressively the true Schumann spirit and atmosphere. The Dichterliebe has worked in this musical singer a decidedly flexible change; his efforts were well controlled, and he sang with pathetic tenderness or firm force and fire with equally judicious effect. In this regard we might cite his poetic singing of Wenn ich in deine Augen seh, and his stirring delivery of Die alten bösen Lieder, the latter of which produced a thrill.
19Others especially well sung were Ich grolle nicht, Im wunderschönen Monat Mai, Aus meinen Tränen Spriessen, and Ich hab' im Traum geweinet. But exceptions need not be taken. It is as a whole that the Dichterliebe deserves to be considered, and Mr. Averill distinguished himself by a superiorly intelligent and symmetric achievement.
20Reynaldo Hahn's Cimetière de Campagne, a very beautiful song, which was given recently for the first time in this country by Mr. Averill, was repeated by him at this recital. His diction in this little tone poem was highly expressive and finished. Indeed, his diction in the three languages sung was at all times clear and commendable.
21Mr. Orton Bradley contributed his share to the Dichterliebe with intimate sympathy and intelligence. These accompaniments are tone pictures apart, and in the hands of the average accompanist will lose the larger portion of that light and shade which is a correspondence, not a background, to the singer. But Mr. Bradley played with the insight and feeling of a musician, and the results were Schumann. We would like to hear the Dichterliebe again, as sung by Perry Averill and accompanied by Orton Bradley.
22Bach's prelude and fugue, No. 1, in C major, opened the program, and was played with clarity and decision by Mr. Bradley, who was also heard in Mendelssohn's Rondo Capriccio, a nocturne and valse of Chopin, and the Pastoral sonata of Beethoven. The sonata was played with musicianly grasp, although from its length it came too late on the program to be properly enjoyed. Mr. Bradley has evidently been working. He was always a pianist of refinement, and commanded a clear and fluent technic. His scope, however, has now become enlarged, and he has gained much on the score of virility, both in his conception and from the standpoint of technic. He is a pianist of feeling, with sufficient force and fire in his interpretations without running into any temperamental excess.
23Altogether this was one of the best and most enjoyable joint recitals heard for a long time in New York.
25Sousa's Band.—Nothing but the two great oceans, the Gulf of Mexico and the Canadas bound the tours of Sousa and his unrivaled band. Mr. Sousa returned from Europe in November, and is now preparing for his grand transcontinental tour, which opens on December 27 with a concert in Carnegie Hall, and will be the longest and most ambitious venture ever undertaken by a musical organization. He will be assisted by Mrs. Northrup, soprano, and Miss Martina Johnstone, violinist. Following is the program up to January 1: December 27, Carnegie Hall, New York; December 28, Fishkill and Peekskill; December 29, Trenton and New Brunswick; December 30, Newark; December 31, Brooklyn; January 1, Philadelphia.
27Arthur M. Hartmann.—This talented young boy achieved a distinguished success by his performance at the Academy of Music, Philadelphia, on December 9 for the benefit of the Cuban sufferers. We append some press notices:
28Young Arthur Hartmann's mastery over the violin increases steadily.—Philadelphia Ledger, December 10.
29At a benefit concert given in Philadelphia in behalf of the Cuban wounded the young violinist Arthur M. Hartmann appeared. Hartmann, who is a native of Philadelphia, has since his last concert been playing much and made great progress. He possesses remarkable technic, a great tone, and renders the compositions he performs with artistic intelligence. He is one of the best violinists of America.—Philadelphia Democrat, December 10.
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