Scan 19
Musical Courier 1896-12-16: Vol 33 Iss 876, 1896
117 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 20. See the scan on archive.org.
1times he may discover its application, and then again perhaps not. As for truth telling, the devil will get more than the hindmost in his case. Oh, these thick-headed persons who require a chart to sail through a mere newspaper narrative.
3When Mme. Calvé arrived here yesterday she said in answer to a question as to whether she was glad to be back again: "Oh, yes, I am always glad to visit New York. * * * I have so many dear kind friends here, and it is more like coming to one of one's homes." And, of course, Madame couldn't make so much money in the same time in the dear Paris, which alone of all cities she places before this one. But that's a detail.—Evening Sun.
5CALVÉ makes about $100,000 a season here; in Europe she makes about $10,000 a year. They do not appreciate genius in Europe; or are we the ones that do not appreciate it? There is something wrong somewhere.
7There has been a good deal of ranting in American musical journals recently about America for American artists, and the building of a high protective wall to check the influx of foreign artists. The writers seem to overlook the fact that many American singers have made reputations and big sums of money in this country, and that so far from proposing to place an embargo on American artists they are heartily welcome to visit us. When one reflects that some of the singers in question were denied even a hearing at home until their artistic attainment had been assessed in this country, it would seem that Cousin Jonathan would be better employed in cultivating his judgment where native artists are concerned than in complaining that foreigners are using America as a milch cow.
9THE above is from a London music paper which has a circulation of 316 and is edited in an office 6×11, and has a staff of one. We are glad to give publicity to the notice, but we should like to ask the writer to give us the name of one English artist—man or woman—who is engaged to sing at Covent Garden next season. Just please mention one.
11IN speaking of the Philharmonic Orchestra of this city the New York Times wisely says:
13This orchestra may not have deteriorated, but others have made progress, so that it seems to have gone backward by the force of odious comparison. In such a work, for instance, as the Dvorák overture it is only happy when engaged in the delivery of the boisterous tutti in which the work abounds, for in them individual weaknesses and the general roughness of the orchestra are lost. There is no use of denying the fact that the Philharmonic Orchestra plays roughly. Its tone is coarse throughout, and in all passages requiring gentle attack and polished elegance of enunciation the band falls short of every requirement of a high standard of performance. The wood choir is especially unsatisfactory in tone, while such technical slips as the first horn made in a plain cantabile passage yesterday are hardly to be tolerated in these days. It is no pleasure to make such comment on the work of the conscript fathers, but the truth must be told for the sake of public taste. The fact is that most of the fathers are growing old, and their places ought to be filled by younger men.
15The Musical Union of this city is the disease that has destroyed our orchestral bodies. There can be no imperium in imperio in orchestral organizations. Each orchestral body must be a distinct organization in itself and it cannot do its work properly if it is controlled by an outside element or if it elects its own conductor, for the conductor must be a conductor and must not be conducted by his orchestra.
17The Philharmonic is defying organic, structural laws and hence is doomed to decay. It cannot be saved, not even by the genius of Anton Seidl.
19Reception with Heinrich Meyn.
21ON Saturday last, the 12th inst., a very delightful reception was held from 4 to 6.30 at the residence of Dr. Henry D. Chapin and Mr. Heinrich Meyn, 51 West Fifty-first street. There was a good deal of music during the afternoon, of which the baritone host contributed the principal share.
23Mr. Meyn sang, among other numbers, Massenet's Vision Fugitive, Delibes' Eclogue and a German song of Meyer-Helmund. This voice of Heinrich Meyn is in truth a noble instrument nobly used. There seems no element lacking in this voice, which is most truthfully susceptible to every shade of dramatic meaning and emotion, and is forever musical and vibrant. He sings with impassioned feeling, but without exaggeration, and his diction is a joy to the mind and ear. In a word, Heinrich Meyn is one of the most satisfying and finished singers before the public, and a singer who is unusually versatile in his art.
25A very fashionable gathering was present and evidenced liberal taste in the enjoyment of Mr. Meyn's work. By the way, because of his name, Mr. Meyn is often discussed as a German baritone, which, as translated in this country, means simply a wholly Teutonic singer who sings only his native German. Mr. Meyn is no more German than he is French, Italian or English, when considered in relation to his art. He is of German birth, but of cosmopolite nature, as any artist of his sympathies, travel and cultivation is apt to become. Furthermore, Mr. Meyn speaks English like a Londoner, and has a polished mastery in song of the French and Italian, in addition to the English and German tongues. He is now an American baritone, who sings equally in the various schools of music, while his conversational English is a rarely refined achievement.
27THE SIEVEKING RECITAL.
29MARTINUS SIEVEKING, the Dutch pianist, gave his first New York recital on Tuesday afternoon, the 8th inst., in Carnegie Hall. His program comprised in its first half Beethoven's Moonlight sonata with the F minor fantaisie, Études Nos. 3 and 5 from opus 10, F major prelude, and Fantaisie Impromptu of Chopin. The second part included Schumann's C major Fantaisie, a Brahms rhapsody in G minor, two Mendelssohn Lieder, the menuet from Bizet's L' Arlésienne, a concert study of Moszkowski in G flat and an Angelus and Waldklangen of his own.
31Those who heard Sieveking only in the first half of his program did not hear Sieveking as he is. In the second part the pianist had his forces under control and Sieveking was himself. An unpleasant contretemps at the opening of the recital may readily account for this. The pianist came on and responded with a bow to a salvo of applause only to find that the piano was closed against him. He retired while an inexperienced hand came forth and simply raised the fallboard of the instrument. The pianist came in sight a second time only to be obliged to drop back again while the envoy made a second trip, and at last succeeded in lifting the main cover. Such an episode would have thrown most artists completely off their balance, and beyond doubt disconcerted Sieveking rather badly. It told in the first half of his program, which did not in any wise compare in musical grasp, clarity or repose with his work in the second.
33In the Schumann fantaisie, however, his tone began to sing and vibrate more sweetly, his passage work became more fluent and clear, and his chord and octave playing more firm and accurate. By the time he reached the march his manner was bold and free and his rhythms well defined. He played this second movement with immense vigor and intelligent distribution of accent and made a strong impression. This Schumann work is a pianistic battle-horse, but it had no terrors for Sieveking. In it the pianist disclosed a powerful appreciation of contrast, a tremendous virility in virile places and an unusual command over the lights and darks in tonal values. At its close his audience understood with fuller appreciation the grounds upon which Martinus Sieveking had been brought before them as a pianist of remarkable power.
35The Mendelssohn songs were sympathetic and graceful, and the two short numbers of his own Sieveking played with great delicacy and a tone of unusually musical and lingering vibration. The Moszkowski étude flowed brilliantly, and this being the last number on his lengthy program, the audience, still not satisfied, recalled the pianist and obliged him to play again. His reception was most cordial and applause liberal throughout the afternoon.
37Sieveking attracted one of the largest houses of the season, and will be welcomed to New York again when proper provision will have been made on the stage beforehand, enabling him to do himself true justice from beginning to end of his program.
39Moriz Rosenthal's Condition.
41CHICAGO, December 11, 1896.
43Mr. Moriz Rosenthal's convalescence may be said to have begun December 5. His temperature now ranges between 100° and 103°; the maximum temperature of 103° has never more than one hour's duration in the evening. Last night the evening temperature spontaneously declined as low as 100½°.
45Six weeks from now would seem a liberal allowance of time for Mr. Rosenthal's recuperation and for the resumption of his professional duties. Dr. E. J. Kuh.
47IN accordance with the above and the expressed wish of Rosenthal himself, Mr. Henry Wolfsohn, his manager, has concluded to take the artist to Southern California as soon as he can be transported safely, and begin his season on the Pacific Coast some time in February. Rosenthal will play in the Western and Eastern States in March and April. His Chicago dates are very likely March 24 and 27.
49Fischer-Powers-Brockway-Mannes Musicale.
51THE third of this series of invitation musicales took place on Saturday morning last, the 12th inst., in Carnegie Lyceum, which was crowded as usual.
53The program opened with a suite for violin and piano, op. 44, of Edward Schütt, played with graceful unanimity and finish by Mr. David Mannes and Mr. Howard Brockway. Where Schütt speaks suave melodies and insinuating rhythms abound, and angular hands may handle him not. This suite in its piquant charm is written in Schütt's happiest vein. It was new to the public, having been played here but once before, if we remember rightly, with Marsick as the violinist. Such novelties, which capture the ear with or against the will, are grateful enough, and in the hands of such two players as David Mannes and Howard Brockway lose none of their delicate aroma and contour. The canzonetta con variazioni and the rondo à la russe of the suite are separately charming bits.
55Mrs. Katherine Bloodgood, contralto, replaced Mrs. Julie Wyman, who was ill. Her voice is rich and warm and she sang with feeling and refinement. Bernberg's Mort de Jeanne d'Arc was given with some dramatic spirit, and two songs of von Fielitz were intelligently sung.
57Mr. David Bispham was the baritone of the occasion. Mr. Powers did not sing. Always as a musician does Mr. Bispham sing, with an art well thought out and a delivery clear and satisfying. His numbers were two songs of Brahms, one of Blumenthal, and one of Liza Lehmann, in all of which his phrasing and diction were unimpeachable.
59There were piano solos of Brockway played by Brockway, and the Wilhelmy Parsifal Paraphrase played by Messrs. Mannes and Brockway.
61Victor Harris accompanied skillfully, and the piano was set in a salon scene of unusual prettiness and taste.
63Madame Helene Maigille's Concert.
65MADAME HELENE MAIGILLE, the vocal teacher, gave the first large public concert with her pupils on Thursday evening last, the 10th inst., assisted by Mr. Hubert Arnold, violin, in Chickering Hall. The house was crowded to overflowing with a gay and fashionable audience, and the stage, which was thickly massed with palms and crimson blooms, made a pretty picture and an effective background for Madame Maigille's attractive class. Following was the program:
67Love's Question ………………………………………….. Meyer-Helmund
68Rubinstein Quartet.
69Miss Marie Thornton, Miss Isabelle Davis Carter, Miss Miriam Gilmer, Mrs. J. Kenneth MacAlpine.
70Mon Coeur s'ouvre à ta Voix ……………………………. Saint-Saëns
71Miss Isabelle Davis Carter.
72Sunset ……………………………………………………….. Buck
73Serenade ……………………………………………………. Henschel
74Miss Olive Celeste Moore.
75Die Lorelei …………………………………………………… Liszt
76Miss Marie Thornton.
77Violin solo, Adagio and Moto Perpetuo ………………… Reis
78Mr. Hubert Arnold.
79Because I Love You, Dear ………………………………. Hawley
80Ouvertes tes Yeux Bleus ………………………………… Massenet
81Miss Florence Evelyn Norcom.
82Angel's Serenade ………………………………………….. Braga
83Miss Ella Clarke Jones.
84(Violin obligato, Mr. Hubert Arnold.)
85Who Is Sylvia? ………………………………………….. Schubert one of two readings
86Who Is Sylvia? ……………………………………………. Schubert one of two readings
87My Little Love ……………………………………………. Hawley
88Mrs. J. Kenneth MacAlpine.
89The Spring's Blue Eyes ………………………………….. Reis
90Miss Anna Foster Dutcher.
91Ye Spotted Snakes ………………………………………. MacFarren
92Fairy Song …………………………………………………. Zimmerman
93Rubinstein Quartet.
94Miss Marie Thornton, Miss Isabelle Davis Carter, Miss Miriam Gilmer, Mrs. J. Kenneth MacAlpine.
95Violin solo, Valse Caprice ………………………………. Wieniawski
96Mr. Hubert Arnold.
97Mignon ……………………………………………………… Liszt
98Miss Miriam Gilmer.
99For All Eternity ………………………………………….. Mascheroni
100Miss Isabelle Davis Carter.
101(Violin obligato, Mr. Hubert Arnold.)
102Nymphes et Sylvains ……………………………………. Bemberg
103Miss Marie Thornton.
104Annie Laurie …………………………………………….. Arranged by D. Buck
105Rubinstein Quartet.
106Miss Marie Thornton, Miss Isabelle Davis Carter, Miss Miriam Gilmer, Mrs. J. Kenneth MacAlpine.
108Mme. Maigille opened the evening by a short address to the audience, in which she alluded to the first appearance in public of her vocal pupils, claimed nothing for them in advance, but gently invited the large audience to judge of the results of her work without bias. The approval which greeted each number must speedily have satisfied Mme. Maigille that the public had formed an excellent opinion of her capacity as a teacher of singing, and were listening with genuine enjoyment to the work of her pupils. Evidently each pupil had a long list of friends, and Mme. Maigille herself would seem to have a large social clientele, but the friends of the friends seemed to enter with equal zest into the approval which characterized the evening.
110The Rubinstein Quartet, which is a feature of Madame Maigille's training, sang with precision and phrased with intelligence and taste. The solo work was on a general level of merit. With the talent at her disposal Madame Maigille seems to have accomplished most that was possible; the pupils sang carefully, enunciated well and showed musical intelligence.
112It was quite a gala evening, embellished by the usual gigantic bouquets and baskets of flowers handed to the young people, who were all charmingly gowned and who must have felt unusually happy at the cordial reception they received.
114Ad. M. Foerster.—The Dedication March, written by Ad. M. Foerster for the opening of Carnegie Hall, where it was played under the direction of Walter Damrosch, was performed twice last month at Frankfort-on-the-Main.
116Harry J. Fellows' Appointments.—Mr. Harry J. Fellows, who is at present in London studying with Randegger, will return to America next month, and will appear in song recitals. On January 20 he will sing at his prior home, Erie, Pa., and on February 6 at Mr. Reddall's morning concert in Brooklyn.
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