Scan 18
Musical Courier 1896-12-23: Vol 33 Iss 877, 1896
62 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 19. See the scan on archive.org.
1MRS. L. P. MORRILL.
3MRS. L. P. MORRILL, whose portrait accompanies this article, is essentially a Bostonian. A woman of distinguished ancestry, directly descended from one of the first governors of Massachusetts, Mrs. Morrill represents all that is womanly in woman, with the sterling worth of character, the refinement and intelligence which only continuous study in all directions can produce.
5Born within 25 miles of that city, what more natural than that after years of study in this country and Europe she would locate permanently in the very centre of its culture and educational advantages? And by the centre one means, of course, beneath the shadow of famous Trinity Church, the Art Museum and the grand and stately Public Library. And right here in the aristocratic and well-known Hotel Oxford Mrs. Morrill has established her School of Vocal Music, the first and only school of the kind in Boston. Her studio, the most spacious in the city, is a model music room, and here each month she receives her friends, society and musical people, the place being always thronged with guests expecting and never failing to enjoy a rare musical treat. Here literary people and artists can meet and feel sure of a warm welcome from the talented hostess and her gifted pupils. The afternoon may be devoted to the introduction of some new pupils possessing fine voices, but not quite ready for a public début, yet nevertheless requiring just this experience, the opportunity to sing before an audience.
7Again, some artist pupil may delight the guests, or Mrs. Morrill, with her own superb voice, may make the afternoon a memorable one, for she did not take up the vocation of teacher because impaired ability prevented a public career, but from pure love of the work. Mrs. Morrill says herself:
9"I cannot help teaching. I have, it seems to me, an inexhaustible fund of knowledge and have original ideas of what good teaching should mean; everything I see is an illustration and every new voice an inspiration—then how can I help teaching?"
11Mrs. Morrill began the study of vocal music at the age of nineteen with that incomparable woman and teacher, Mrs. H. E. Sawyer (who died in Italy about nine years ago), and whose name at that time stood for all that was great as a singer and teacher. To Mrs. Sawyer Mrs. Morrill gives the credit of a large share of her success as a church and concert singer, as well as in the higher and grander calling of teacher.
13After this she coached with Mme. Edna Hall and occupied a prominent position as a vocalist, being associated in her church work with such artists as George W. Chadwick and Miss Gertrude Edmands. Her last position as a quartet singer was at Emanuel Church, Miss Edmands being the contralto.
15In London and Paris Mrs. Morrill studied with Georg Henschel and other prominent teachers of those cities, coaching in oratorio and operatic music, but retaining persistently her method as previously established, having become firmly convinced of its worth when aided by her own strong originality. Her methods, while containing much of all of these teachers' best thoughts, are really their theories developed into what she would call "artistic simplicity."
17She does not believe in imitation, but in knowledge gained through what might be called drudgery. She often says that her own voice is most valuable as an illustration of what she wishes to bring out in a pupil, and that pupils gain much by hearing a perfect tone properly produced, and she cannot understand how it is possible for a teacher to impart to a pupil what she cannot herself illustrate, although there are hundreds of teachers who cannot and do not pretend to sing. If the reader will take this into consideration its vital importance will be readily seen.
19Perfect mental poise is one of the strong points in Mrs. Morrill's teaching. She agrees, to a certain extent, with the theories of Delsarte, but differs in this, that she believes the mental activity should never be relaxed. Her own words are: "Body in state of perfect repose; thought power firm." This gives perfect poise and fine stage presence.
21One of the critics on a leading Boston newspaper said a short time since:
23Perhaps the most notable features of the singing of Mrs. Morrill's pupils are perfect enunciation in whatever language the song may be rendered, fine facial expression, and free delivery of tone.
25Mrs. Morrill considers as a great compliment a letter that, unsolicited, came to her several years ago from one of the best known and most honored of Boston musicians and musical critics, who was then personally unknown to her. He wrote:
27"My Dear Mrs. Morrill—Although not having the pleasure of your personal acquaintance, I trust you will think it neither officious nor indelicate of me to congratulate you upon the delightful singing I have just heard from one of your pupils, especially as she has derived from you that perfect method in the use of the voice as well as the artistic vocalization in other ways, all of which are no less charming in their effect than superbly well founded. I found her very musical too, and unqualifiedly just in intonation. In regard to her application for the position of contralto I regret to say that, the position having just been December and will continue through the season. From time to time she will introduce pupils who are ready for concert or church work; also teachers who are being fitted for seminaries and colleges.
29From Oscar Saenger.
31Editors The Musical Courier:
33ALLOW me a brief space in your columns in which to correct certain statements made by a vocal teacher of this city, Mrs. Lankow, who in your last issue accuses me of advertising as my pupil a singer who was for two years a pupil of this same Mrs. Lankow, and who has since been studying with me for only a short time.
35First, I should like to assure the estimable lady that it is not my custom to advertise as my pupils singers who come to me from other teachers to have their faults corrected. In this particular instance the notice published in THE MUSICAL COURIER of December 9 was as great a surprise to me as it could have been to anyone. Doubtless the editors of THE MUSICAL COURIER know who was responsible for its insertion, and would gladly furnish any desired information concerning it.
37Secondly, I must, even at the risk of seeming ungallant, candidly confess that I am not "willing to figure as a representative" of Mrs. Lankow's work.
39As for the pupil in question, it is true that she has a very beautiful voice, and if she continues to work as she has been doing for the past few months she will indeed prove a surprise to her friends.
41I can easily understand that Mrs. Lankow is loath to lose such a fine voice, but she should make sure of her facts before rushing into print with accusations which have no foundation in reality. Very truly yours,
43OSCAR SAENGER.
45DECEMBER 17, 1896.
47Cedar Rapids Pupils' Recital.—A recital was given by the Cedar Rapids, Ia., College of Music on December 10, in which the departments of piano, song, vocal part music and mandolin orchestra were represented.
49Sherwood in Michigan.—The pianistic successes of Wm. H. Sherwood multiply. He played before a large audience on December 4 in Michigan, the Kalamazoo (Mich.), Evening News of December 5, writing of his performance as follows:
51The first number on the program was a sonate for violin and piano composed by Dr. Edward Grieg and played by Mr. von Ende and Mr. Sherwood. This work abounds in technical difficulties and delicate phrasing. It goes without saying that the piano was most charmingly sustained by Mr. Sherwood, who had the pleasure a number of years ago of studying this work with Grieg personally.
53The chief interest of the evening centred in Mr. Sherwood, and how well he sustained his reputation as one of America's greatest pianists needs no comment. Throughout the program was most admirably selected and gave this artist an opportunity of showing to most excellent advantage the breadth and scope of his work.
55The opening solo, Soirée de Vienne, Schubert-Liszt, was played with much delicacy and the hearers were at once apprised of the fact that as a Liszt player Mr. Sherwood is a most emphatically pre-eminent. Mr. Sherwood's touch is charming. His tone is full, large and round, of exquisite carrying power and possesses a melifluous singing quality most beautifully exemplified in that ever charming berceuse of Chopin. This composition was an artistic triumph and rendered in a truly poetic manner.
57La Campanella, by Liszt, was substituted for the second rhapsody, and Mr. Sherwood displayed a virtuosity in the rendition of this piece that was truly marvelous. The enthusiasm of the audience was so pronounced that Mr. Sherwood consented to an encore and played the tremolo étude of Gottschalk, showing no fatigue whatsoever from the prodigious wrist and forearm work involved in this composition.
59Mr. Sherwood next favored the audience with two of his own compositions, an idyll and Gypsy Dance. Both of these pieces demonstrated that as a composer he should be placed in the first rank. The idyll, with its plaintive theme and ingenious modulations, was most beautifully rendered and deserves to be placed on the répertoire of all pianists. In contrast to this was the rapturous Gypsy Dance, which was played with much fire and brought out all the beauties of this composition. Rubinstein's barcarolle in A minor was next played with much finish. In this piece Mr. Sherwood was listened to with rapt attention. This composition is a great favorite with soloists, and the tempo was not taken so fast as to destroy the beauties of the composition. The march from the suite of J. Raff next followed and gave the artist an opportunity to display his virtuosity and the technical difficulties were conquered with so much ease that to the listeners it impressed itself as a composition of only moderate difficulty. The octave work was especially worthy of comment and this number elicited much enthusiasm.
61The serenade by Stojowski was played with much delicacy and feeling by Mr. Sherwood. It remained, however, for the Mephisto waltz to give the audience a true insight of this artist's technical resources. The conception of this piano score, renowned for intricacies, trying in all points of its technical elaboration, was truly marvelous and showed that Mr. Sherwood is eminently qualified to play Liszt as his composition ought to be played.
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