Scan 33
Musical Courier 1896-12-23: Vol 33 Iss 877, 1896
78 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1clear insight with natural musical expression. She was rewarded with richly earned salvo of applause, and afterward personally congratulated by such eminent authorities as Moszkowski, Floersheim, Liebling and others.
3Mr. Platon Brounoff has composed a funeral march, dedicated to the memory of William Steinway, for orchestra (also piano), which is soon to be published. Two of his songs were sung by Mrs. Sawyer at the last Manuscript Society meeting at the Tuxedo, accompanied by the composer. Mr. Brounoff is working on a scheme for popular concerts at Cooper Union, which promises well.
5Mrs. Shannah M. Jones, of Pittsburg, was here again this week, she wouldn't tell me why, so I conclude she is "laying low" just now.
7Good morning! have you used—or rather did you go to Maud Morgan's Lenox Choral Club—women's voices—in Mendelssohn Glee Club Hall? If you didn't you missed the daintiest concert of this season so far! So hasten and plank down your ten dollars, more or less, and become a subscribing member immediately, for here are music in variety and pretty maidens galore, feast for eyes and ears! Miss Morgan is president and musical conductor both. I had presumed she was a harpist; she demonstrated she is a musician. It was a lovely scene; the beautiful hall, in what with Christmas decorations, holly, evergreen, mistletoe, palms, candelabra, hammered brass, and the variegated and wonderful-to-man toilettes of the singers, 'twas an optical as well as auricular feast! The chorus (third season), some forty strong, sang the difficult Prayer to the Virgin (Tannhäuser), and the even more difficult Mariner's Christmas, by Chamainade, in excellent style; two a cappella numbers, also in absolute tune. Indeed, all the choral work was capital; thank you, Miss Morgan! Now why didn't tenor Evans Williams sing Come Into the Garden, Maud, and so be apposite? As it was, his singing of Adams' Star of Bethlehem was fit for the gods, and Nevins' Boy Blue touched everybody's heart! Mr. Wm. C. Carl (there he goes again—I haven't written once so far but this popular, ever-present organist was included) played a new suite by Boellmann, that Frenchman with the German name, which is dedicated to him, and later two Christmas pieces by Guilmant, which latter moved the audience to an encore. Misses Cora Guild and Mary Rogers sang incidental soli, and Mrs. Ida Litson Morgan accompanied. Good!
9Griffith E. Griffiths is the name of a newcomer here, a man of mature experience in church and concert, who substituted for basso Dr. Carl Dufft this summer, and sings nightly at Evangelist Tullar's Brooklyn meetings. Mr. Evans Williams recommends him highly, and I know he will succeed here; not every bass can sing Honor and Arms as does G. E. G.
11Human curiosity prompts one to investigate his professional circular, for the front page bears only a half-tone picture of a very pleasant looking, intelligent, curly-haired man; there is nothing else there, so one naturally thinks, "What a nice man; who is he?" Griffiths is the proud father of five small Griffithses, and this interesting family and capable musician may be seen at any time at his ground floor residence-studio, 120 West Ninety-seventh street.
13Speaking of singers, George Fleming, to whom I recently referred as "a veritable double of George Fergusson," sang in Springfield, Mass., and this is what the Union, of that city, says of him, "* * * the best thing on the program was Mr. Fleming's rendering of the impressive It Is Enough, from Elijah." He has been re-engaged to sing in that city in March. He sang the baritone part in Händel's Samson at Brantford, Ont. (Canada) at the last musical festival there, and made the hit of the affair.
15Pianist Lotta Mills and Violinist Maud Powell went through an ordeal of fire last week and came out triumphant. They were playing the Mendelssohn violin concerto when Miss Powell smelled smoke. Hastily throwing aside the portières and sliding doors leading to an adjoining room, they found the dresser a mass of flames and the room full of smoke. What did they do? Scream and faint? Not much—not they! They yanked down the portières, smothered the flames, closed the doors, and resumed the concert.
17Apropos, you should see Miss Mills' artistic and original autograph; it will remind you of the dead artist Charles Howard Johnson's. Who has not heard of the actress Lotta, and who does not know the pianistic name Mills? And so why should not the original and interesting girl who bears these names in juxtaposition find dollars and glory also?
19Madame de Angelis, for many years resident in Montreal, Canada, has a well appointed studio here now at 119 East Twenty-third street, occupied Monday and Thursday afternoons by Señor de Stefani, of Brooklyn.
21The madame left a large class of society women in Canada for the promise of a small one here; as her methods and merits become known she will surely succeed, but all this takes time, and a newcomer here needs three things: capital, vigor, patience. Most have little of the former, plenty of the second and none at all of the latter, and of course no single virtue will lead to success. Hustle and advertise! (In The Musical Courier, of course!)
23Miss Harriet M. Brower has had a most interesting and successful summer class on the Virgil Clavier in her native city, Albany, and still spends two days of the week in the Capital City. The rest of the time she is here, where at Steinway Hall she guideth the young pianist and pointeth out the way he should not go. "Train a child in the way he should walk, and when he is old he will do as he pleases," you know. Another New York-Albanian is Mrs. de Roode-Rice, the pianist and lecturer on musical topics. She teaches at the Female Academy, Albany, two days weekly (there is also where Tenor Abercrombie holds forth), and is the rest of the time here at 108 West Twenty-eighth street.
25The Mollenhauers, father and son (of the International Conservatory, 26 East Forty-second street), played in Jersey City last week, and here is what the Evening Journal of that city wrote:
27"Wm. F. T. Mollenhauer played a Rhapsodie Dramatique, a most scholarly work of his own. His intonation was perfect, execution highly brilliant, phrasing remarkably fine. We have never heard a violinist who could hold his audience spellbound like Mr. Mollenhauer. The duet which followed by Edward and Wm. F. T. Mollenhauer brought out all the possibilities and impossibilities of the violin; such a perfect precision and intonation and fine phrasing for two violins we have never heard before."
29"F. F." might stand for fortissimo or a thousand other things, but in this present instance it means Frank Frutchev, now of Detroit, formerly of All Angels', on West End avenue. He succeeded Mr. Helfenstein at All Angels' when that choirmaster went to Grace Church, and six months ago became a Michigander, in charge of St. John's choir; the News says his is the best vested choir in the city. It numbers forty singers, and the Christmas program will include Light of Light by Le Jeune, and Weber's Mass in E flat; also the chorus Glory to God, with solos from The Messiah, and For Unto Us a Child Is Born. He has a three-manual Hook & Hastings organ. Ditsons have published a set of three songs, words by Tennyson, for low voice, of which Sweet Soul is the most interesting.
31Mr. John Lund, of Buffalo, conductor of the Orpheus, with President Charles F. Wenborne and Treasurer Wm. P. Luedke, spent part of last week here, on their way home from Philadelphia, where they made arrangements for the participation of the Orpheus, 100 men strong, in the prize singing at the big June Sängertfest. Here is Lund's last conundrum: "Why is So-and-so"—a musician who tries to direct—"like a piece of rubber? Because he is a non-conductor!"
33Mr. Louis Adolphe Coerne, also of Buffalo, was here in attendance at the opera, the Kneisel Quartet and other concerts.
35Mr. Alf Hallam's choruses, the Mount Vernon Musical Society and Port Chester Oratorio, are industriously rehearsing; the former gave The Messiah last night (Tuesday), and the latter are at work on choruses by Mendelssohn and Rutenber. Mr. Hallam has charge of the music in the public schools at Mount Vernon, and the Adelphi Hall branch of the People's choral classes.
37Mlle. Van den Hende, the well-known 'cellist, played recently in Brooklyn (a Claassen concert), Jersey City, Paterson, and last week at a private musicale on Eighty-seventh street.
39William R. Chapman's Rubinstein Club sang at Vassar Institute, Poughkeepsie, last week, and triumphantly surmounted the sudden and seemingly permanent going out of the electric lights by singing Neidlinger's Lullaby in total darkness. This was certainly a plucky thing to do, and showed the director's confidence in his singers! Those who were there say the Lullaby was ne'er so effectively sung!
41F. W. RIESBERG.
43Kneisel Quartet Concert.
45THE Kneisel Quartet, of Boston, gave its second concert this season on Tuesday evening, December 15, in Mendelssohn Glee Club Hall. Following was the program, in which Melanie de Wienzkowska was the pianist:
47Quartet in C sharp minor, op. 17……………………….Sgambati
48Sonata for piano and violin in A minor…………………Paderewski
49Quartet in G major, op. 18, No. 2……………………..Beethoven
51It is a task of supererogation to criticise the playing of this quartet, which has attained an unimpeachable standard of tonal beauty, precision and intellectual reading, and knows no deviation therefrom, even episodically. It stands a model to all ensemble music in America, and for that matter finds nothing in Europe which can possibly surpass it. The work on Tuesday evening was of the accustomed unblemished excellence, a delight in chamber music sounds.
53The Sgambati quartet found its principal merit in the performance. A fund of rich elemental material is incoherently voiced by the Italian, who has not yet mastered the art of lucid development within the bounds of his form. But the elements are present in a prolific degree, and need but the pressing into definite clarified shape.
55Mme. Melanie de Wienzkowska in the Paderewski sonata proved herself a pianist of virile and intellectual calibre, a little addicted to the fortiter in re, without sufficient contrast at times, nevertheless a pianist with brilliant mastery over her instrument, and a conception of musicianly talent. She commands a fluent, forciful technic, and played the Paderewski work with a firm and free authority, which, if it might have been lightened at times by a more delicate nuance, was nevertheless a reliable and satisfying style. In solo works of broad and intellectual quality Mme. de Wienzkowska would no doubt be heard to unusual advantage.
57The house was large. The Kneisel Quartet has slowly but firmly gained its clientele, and like every public drawn gently by merit and pure profound merit alone, the New York public is going to adhere permanently to the Kneisel Quartet. No finer exposition of a certain distinguished form of music can be given than in the chamber music of the Kneisel Quartet. The public of New York has come to see and appreciate this, and henceforward is bound to give such admirable work its liberal support.
59Alberto Jonás.
61ALBERTO JONÁS, the well-known Spanish pianist, appeared last Tuesday in Toledo, Ohio. His success was great. He had to add two encores to the program. The audience grew most enthusiastic. The local press printed the following:
63Miss Hamilton did more than pay a handsome compliment to her musical friends in her invitation concert at the Auditorium last night. She gave them an evening of rare enjoyment, besides the advantage of hearing the performance of an artist before quite unknown to them.
65It was the first appearance in Toledo of Señor Alberto Jonás, a pianist whose performance last night confirmed the very high opinions expressed by the critics of larger cities where he has played. Señor Jonás is a Spaniard, and for that reason perhaps brings into his work one notable feature, that of marked feeling and tenderness. This was noticeable at once in the first number played. This was Grieg's sonata, op. 7, in four movements, the second an andante molto, in which the audience first caught the distinctive character of the artist's playing. It was more pronounced in Liszt's Campanella, which Toledo music lovers probably never heard more beautifully or more artistically performed. The applause was heartfelt and long, and commanded an encore.
67Señor Jonás has made a decided impression in Toledo by this performance, for the musical people were out in force last evening, and their comments after the performance were expressions of approval and great pleasure.—The Toledo Blade, December 10, 1890.
69"Ladies, please remove hats," was the legend which headed the Auditorium program last night, and the injunction was quite generally obeyed. A delightful concert to an appreciative audience was the special musical event tendered by Miss Hamilton to her subscribers last evening. Mrs. Blodgett's truly artistic singing was a revelation to those who had never had the pleasure of hearing her. Her tones, so pure and steady, and her style, so free from affectation and strained effects that it seemed quite a contrast with that of most of the imported song birds, who never fail to have their tremolo with them and use it till it becomes exceedingly tiresome. Señor Alberto Jonás made his first appearance before a Toledo audience and in a quiet, unobtrusive manner, free from ostentation or fussiness, rendered several brilliant and beautiful numbers. Mr. Jonás' touch is singularly crisp and delicate, every passage he played was imbued with the spirit of the true artist. Both singer and player were most heartily applauded and several times recalled.—The Toledo Commercial, December 10, 1890.
71Miss Hamilton fully compensated her subscribers by giving them a recital by Albert Jonás last evening. The Auditorium was well filled by the time the recital began. Before the first note was struck there was a disposition to take Señor Jonás on trust. Very few, if any, of those present knew him or anything about him, and many were prepared for the worst. The pianist had scarcely seated himself, however, until everybody realized that all fear of a mediocre performance was groundless, and that they were to hear an artist. The program opened with rather a ponderous sonata by Grieg. It is one of those heavy compositions designed rather to exhibit the technical skill of the performer than to give pleasure to the sense; Señor Jonás extracted from it all of the beauty that was to be found and amply demonstrated his technical ability. The third and fourth movement were given with a delicacy of touch and daintiness of conception which aroused the enthusiasm of the audience to the highest pitch.
73It was in the next block of numbers that the pianist was at his best. There were four of them—the scherzo in C sharp minor and nocturne in D flat of Chopin, minuetto-scherzando (stavenhagen) and campanella (Liszt). With the exception of the Chopin nocturne these compositions are of that bright character which makes it impossible for the hearer to think of his troubles as he listens. Señor Jonás made them fairly bubble over with joyousness. His touch proved to be one of marvelous delicacy, and again the only word which describes his interpretation is "dainty." The Chopin nocturne was equally well executed. Señor Jonás' portion of the program ended with a triple number, consisting of the étude No. 2, in E major (Paganini-Schumann; The Coucon d'Aquin), and étude, op. 34 (Moszkowski), all of which were rendered in a manner which called forth the most enthusiastic applause.
75Possibly no comparatively unknown pianist has ever made so good an impression upon a Toledo audience as did Señor Jonás.—Toledo Bee, December 17.
77Sousa's Band Tour.—Philip Sousa will commence next Sunday night a series of concerts which will take him and his band over a territory of 21,000 miles and include 280 performances, which will be given in 196 cities and towns of the United States, Canada and the maritime provinces. He will write two new operettas within the next two years. Elizabeth Northrop, soprano; Martina Johnston, violinist; Arthur Pryor, trombone, and Franz Hals, horn virtuoso, will be the soloists of the company. The concert here will be held in Carnegie Hall.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.